VOL. XVII. (2) EXCURSION— FOREST OF DEAN 175 



four Gospels with a stick of holly, apparently from a desire not to soil the 

 Holy Book, and the same stick was always used. During the examination 

 the parties had to wear their working caps — a striking contrast to the custom 

 in our law courts to-day. The Mine Court held at the castle has ceased for 

 many years, but the Manor Court is still occasionally held there by the 

 Steward, who receives presentments of encroachments or other matters of 

 a like nature, and the cases are tried by a jury of twelve men. 



Close to the castle is the church of St. Briavels, an interesting structure, 

 for it contains work belonging to all the great styles of church architecture. 

 The earliest portions are portions of the south wall and the piers of the south 

 arcade, which apparently date from the closing years of the twelfth century. 

 The monuments are few, probably because of lawless acts in days gone by, 

 of which there is documentary evidence, while solid evidence is attested by 

 the use of a twelfth century coffin lid, with an incised cross, as a breast-stone 

 in the chimney of a local inn. 



On the way from St. Briavels down the hill to Monmouth, the party 

 had spread before them a stretch of the beauties of the Wye Valley. 



N2 



