286 The Forty-Eighth Gemral Meeting. 



Altogether the Society "did" Lacock well, and returned to 

 Chippenham very well pleased with their day's work. 



The Evening Meeting, at which thirty-two were present, was 

 taken up with the important paper by Mu. W. Gowland, V.P.S.A., 

 on " THE RECENT DISCOVERIES AT STONEHENGE." The 

 paper was illustrated by a great number of lantern slides, the 

 lantern being most kmdly lent and shown by the Eev. A. B. Mynors, 

 and also by the exhibition of characteristic specimens of the flint 

 tools and sarsen hammers and mullers, as well as one of the huge 

 sarsen mauls, which were found during the excavations made in 

 the process of raising the leaning stone, and with which it is 

 supposed that the great stones of the structure were dressed. The 

 lantern slides showed every stage of the work, the whole of which 

 was carried out under Mr. Gowland's personal supervision. It is 

 hoped that this paper may Ije printed in the Magazine. At its 

 conclusion The President thanked Mr. Gowland for so kindly 

 coming to Chippenham specially to give the Society the results of 

 his researches, and dwelt on the fact that it was fitting that the 

 Wiltshire Society should be the first out of London, to hear from 

 Mr. Gowland the account of wliat had been done. The President 

 also took the opportunity of thanking Mr. Mynors, Mr. Talbot, 

 Mr. Brakspear, the Local Committee, and especially Mr. White, 

 for all that they had done to make the Meeting the success it was. 



WEDNESDAY, JULY 16th. 

 Unfortunately the President was unable to be present on this 

 day's Excursion. The brakes left the Angel Hotel at 9.15, making 

 their first stop at Langley Burrell Common, where the Kector, the 

 Rev. a. B. Mynors, had uncovered part of the curious pitched 

 platform ^ now covered by the turf of the common, from which 

 straight paths, still discernible, seem to radiate off across the field. 

 Mr. Brakspear suggested that these remains wei-e the relics of a 

 17th century pleasure ground attached to the Dower House of the 

 manor, now the Rectory, which is close by ; but if the land was 

 then really common — as is asserted, this could hardly be the case. 



' For description and plan see Wilts Arch. Mag., xxiii., 68. 



