55 



have occupied it ; but it is at least as probable that it may have 

 been a place of strength in days prior to the Roman occupation, and 

 after them may have received additions and alterations at the hands of 

 Dane or Saxon. 



This day's rambles embraced a visit to Little Sodbury Manor, an 

 ancient seat of Sir John Walsh, in whose family Tyndall was tutor, 

 and in which house he wrote his translation of the New Testament ; 

 and to the old and interesting Manor House at Norton, where the party 

 were hospitably welcomed by the proprietor, Captain Lumley. The 

 retired situation and antique lineaments of this place seemed to denote 

 a conventual origin, to which a door-way, with a chevron moulding of 

 the early part of the 12th century, tended to give further confirmation : 

 which, however, is not borne out by the well-ascertained facts of the 

 case. In the opinion of Antiquaries, we have in this building vestiges 

 of one of those early manor-houses coeval, perhaps, with the Norman 

 Conquest, of which so few traces are now to be found. 



The party dined together at the George Inn, Sodbury. After 

 dinner, a very interesting paper, by Dr. Lyoett, was read, on *' The 

 Ammonites of the Sands intermediate the Upper Lias and the 

 Inferior Oolite." This paper, by so eminent an authority, is an 

 extremely valuable addition to the literature of the subject on 

 which it treats. It is one, moreover, which has engaged the 

 attention of our learned colleague during many years past, and 

 on which no other Geologist is competent to speak with greater 

 authority. 



These Ammonites of the " Supra -liassic Sands" are of great 

 importance as affording a valuable medium for determining the relation 

 of these beds to those above and below. And it was in that view 

 especially desirable that the subject should be cleared of the obscurity 

 of synonyms, as well as of the confusion arising from the undue 

 multiplication of species, — on both which points Dr. Lycett's paper 

 does good service. Plates, however, are absolutely necessary for the 

 due discrimination of the points treated of. In proof of which it 

 will be sufficient to state, that only three species from the sands 

 have been figured in any English work, and those insufficiently. 

 A. Aalensis is described with its varieties at more than usual length. 

 Dr. Lycett informs me that the whole of this matter is new. The 

 species is special to the " Sands," and at no other spot in England, 

 except at Frocester Hill, can a good illustrative series of its varieties 

 be obtained. 



From what I have here stated, the Club will probably deem it 

 desirable that no time should be lost in publishing the necessary 



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