At ReculTer, Mr. Dowker shortly reviewed the history of the 

 place from Roman times, noting in particular that the church was 

 situated near the centre of the ancient castrum Itcgulhium, the walls of 

 which in part remain, although that on the north has been washed 

 away. The Church, therefore, now occupies the plnce of the Roman 

 Praetorium. It is found to be largely built of Roman tiles, and at the 

 Eastern end there was an apsidal terminal wall ; between this Chancel 

 and the Nave were formerly two Roman pillars supporting brick arches 

 of Roman tiles. The documentary evidence dates back to 660. So the 

 Church may be claimed to be one of the earliest in England. 



The twin towers of the church are very conspicuous, and are used 

 as a sea mark by the Trinity Board. There is a legend that they were 

 built by the Abbess of Davington, to mark the spot where her sister 

 was wrecked at Reculver, and to serve as a guide to future mariners. 

 After viewing the church, the excursionists walked round the eastern 

 and southern walls of the castrum. 



Botanical. — Plants noted in the cornfields. — Linaria spuria, Lepi- 

 dium campestre, Cakile maritima, Alyssum maritimum (this plant, 

 which is far from tiomraon, was gathered by Mr. Dowker from off the 

 Roman wall of the Castrum). Along the sea shore.- — Beta maritima, 

 Atriplex littoralis, and laciniata, Polygonum persicaria, Plantago coron- 

 opus, Convolvulus arvensis, and Calystegia sepium, on the beach. 



XIX. 



THOUGHTS IN A GRAVEL PIT. 



Abstract of a Popular Lecture, 



GIVEN BY 



MR. G. DOWKER, F.G.S., 



At Dover, 22nd Februabtt, 1891. 



The Lecturer first pointed out that the " Gravel Pit " was a purely 

 hypothetical one, but that it might be considered, (as regards East Kent) 

 to be a typical one, similar to so many in various parts of the country. 

 He continued — "The spirits we shall c«ll up to answer the various 

 questions that present themselves, will be the spirits of departed ma7i 

 that had vritnessed the mammoth browsing in the forests of Kent, hunted 

 the reindeer of the plains, or tracked the cave bear to its lair. But in 

 addition to the evidence of this great progenitor of Adam, we shall call 

 upon his latest descendant, the scientific man of the ])rcsent century, for 

 his assistance in elucidating the various problems that gravel beds 

 present. 



