PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 1 93 



The Second Field Meeting may be described as a 

 thoroughly Cotteswold day. The Members assembled at 

 Gloucester Station on Thursday, the 23rd June, and drove 

 to the Brick Works lately opened on the Western slope 

 of Robins' Wood Hill. The clay used belongs to the 

 Middle Lias, which is divided into six zones, each zone 

 marked by a characteristic Ammonite. Dr Smithe pointed 

 out the geological features of the hill, and laid special 

 stress upon the fact that the six zonal divisions hold good 

 for Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Italy, 

 demonstrating the great area covered by the ocean in 

 which Middle Lias beds were deposited. Half way up the 

 hill the Common Henbane (Hyoscyamus Niger), the only 

 British species of this germs. The name probably comes 

 from the Celtic word " Hen," which means " sleep." 



The name Robins' Wood Hill is a modern one, owing 

 its origin to the fact that in the i6th century a family of 

 the name of Robins resided on the Northern slope. 



The original name was Mattesdon Hill, which may be 

 derived from the Teutonic " Matte," a meadow, and 

 " Diine," a down. 



The party then drove to the old Manor House at Brook- 

 thorpe, the scene of some stirring incidents in the great 

 Civil War, close to which stands the little church dedicated 

 to St Swithin, which possesses a beautiful small Early 

 EngUsh window, and a nearly perfect staircase to the rood 

 loft. Its distinguishing feature, however, is a pack-saddle 

 tower, a tvpe which occurs in only one other church in 

 the County, Duntisbourne, near Cirencester. There is 

 certain documentary evidence which tends to show that 

 these churches were built by the Monks of St Peter's, 

 Gloucester, and that these peculiar towers were part of 

 the original design. 



A short walk took the party to Mr Lucy's beautifully 

 situated residence, where the hospitable owner had with 

 kindly forethought provided a most sumptuous luncheon. 



