292 PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 1912 



times moving ice effected considerable sculpturing. He had gone into the 

 matter in a paper published in the Proceedings of the Club. Descending 

 from the hill-spur called Allt Dhu, Members boarded a brake and arrived 

 back in Brecon about 7.30 p.m. 



The Rev. H. J. Riddelsdell, who was unable to be present at the Meeting, 

 sent the following notes on the Flora of the Beacons : — 



We must distinguish (i) the glens and meadows of the lower levels ; 

 (2) the exposed moorlands, generally comprising much bogland ; and (3) 

 the cliffs and summits of the hills. 



(i) Glens. The most interesting plants to look out for are Trollius (Globe- 

 flower), Meconopsis (Welsh poppy; also occurs on cliffs), Vicia Orobtis, Geiim 

 rivale (Water Avens), Pyrus Aria (very rare and perhaps planted) ; Saxifraga 

 hypnoides and hirta, which have descended from the cliffs ; Chrysospleniwn 

 alterni folium, Lonicera Xylosteitm, Gnaphalium dioiciim, high up in Cwm 

 Llwch ; Hieracium scoticum, H. pellucidum, Cinderella, petrocharis, clivi- 

 colum, septentrionale, strigosum ; Vaccinittm Vitis-idaa, Lathraa, Poly- 

 gonaium miiltiflorum (Solomon's Seal) Carex lavtgata, Hymenophyllum Wil-, 

 soni (Filmy Fern), Beech and Oak Ferns. 



(2) The wet and open Moorlands show a Flora of their own. Ranunculus 

 Lenormandi in a peculiar form, Caltha minor, Drnsera (rare here) ; Carduus 

 pratensis, not climbing very high ; Ivy-leaved Campanula, very rare ; 

 Erica tetralix, but not cinerea ; I3og bean ; Veronica scutellata ; Myosotis 

 repens and Pinguicula, frequently ; Empetrum, Crowberry (plenty) ; Nar- 

 theciiim. In mountain-pastures occur Gymnadcnia Conopsea, and Habenaria 

 alhida and H. hifolia, but sparsely. The two common Cotton-grasses and 

 several Carices arc frequent. Beech and Oak Ferns in exposed stony hill- 

 sides ; Adder's Tongue here and there. 



(3) Cliffs and Summits. Thalictriim minus, Silene maritima (very abun- 

 dant), Alsine verna (less abundant) ; Scdum Rhodiola and S. Forsterianum ; 

 Saxifraga oppositifolia, S. hypnoides, S. hirta ; Valeriana officinalis ; many 

 Hawkwceds, some very rare, and a few confined to this locality ; Cowberry 

 (small and stunted) ; Salix herbacca, in almost its only locality in South Wales. 

 Aira /lexuosa var. rnontana ; Hymenophyllum Wilsoni and Asplenium viride, 

 The whole Flora is characteristically montane. Erica cinera. Common Heath, 

 is rare on the Beacons, if there at all. It seems to like proximity to the sea. 

 E. tetralix, the Cross-leaved Heath, is not abundant on the Beacon range, 

 although there is plenty on the moorlands. Calluna vulgaris, the Heather, is 

 not abundant on the Beacons, although it is there. 



Thursday morning was devoted to seeing the town. First the remains 

 of the Castle, which adjoined the hotel that was the party's headquarters, 

 were investigated. Brecon Castle was erected by the Norman Bernard dc 

 Newmarch, probably mostly of stones obtained from the old Roman fort 

 of Bannium which stood close by. All that now remains of the Castle is 

 the Ely Tower, from the top of which a magnificent view is obtained, and 

 a portion of the wall, it having been " dismantled by the townsfolk in the 

 Civil Wars to prevent the miseries of a siege." Next the Priory Church was 

 visited. It is the third largest church in Wales, being exceeded only by the 

 Cathedrals of St. David's and Llandaff . and was founded by the builder of the 

 Castle — Bernard de Newmarch. It contains a fine Norman font ; but that is 

 about all the Norman Work, the main portion being Early English. The 

 Choir (plain Early English) is particularly line and contains many regimental 

 brasses. 



REFERENCES 



Maps : — Ordnance Survey : Monmouth (with layers) Sheet 27, Price 2/-. 

 Do., Lampeter (with Layers) Sheet 21, Price 2/-. 



