I04 PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 1913 



EXCURSION TO TIDENHAM CHASE AND TINTERN 



Tuesday, June loth, 191 3. 



Directors : The President, The Rev. H. J. Riddelsdell and 

 L. Richardson. 



{Repnrt hy : L. Richardson, The Rev. H. J. Riddelsdell, 

 J. Sawyer and W. Thompson) 



From time to time the Members pay return visits to the Wye Valley, 

 for in addition to the geological and botanical attractions there is always the 

 superb and well-nigh unrivalled scenery, to say nothing of the noble ruin 

 at Tintern, the historical features of which have more then once been 

 exploited. There were special reasons why this excursion should rank, as one 

 of the most enjoyable yet taken in this delightful locality. .Vfter a night of 

 storm, persisting long after day had broken, an agreeable change brought 

 the Cotteswoldians their almost invariable good fortune — a bright June 

 day, at times quite balmy and never unpleasant. If the circumstances of 

 the meeting had been ordinary there would have been a good attendance, 

 but they were exceptional, for the genial and popular President, the Rev. 

 Walter Butt, has acquired a charming property near Chepstow, and the 

 day's programme included an invitation to visit Oakwood and partake of 

 Mr Butt's hospitality in the form of luncheon. Hence, it was not matter for 

 surprise that from various parts of the county a larger party than usual 

 travelled to Chepstow. 



Those present were : the Rev. Walter Butt (President), Mr W. R. Carles, 

 C.M.G. (Vice-President), Mr J. H. Jones (Hon. Treasurer), Mr L. Richardson 

 (Hon. Secretary), the Rev. H. J. Riddelsdell, Surgeon-Major I. Newton, 

 Dep.-Surg.-Gen. G. A. Watson, Lieut-Col. J. C. Duke, Dr T. S. Ellis, Dr E. 

 T. Wilson, Dr J. H. Garrett, Dr W. Shoolbred, Messrs R. Austin, Charles 

 Bailey, O. A. Brown, H. W. Bruton, F. H. Bretherton, W. J. S. Burder, 

 J. M. Collett, G. Embrey, R. G. Foster, O. H. Fowler, G. W. Hedley, H. 

 Haigh, F. Hannam-Clark, H. E. Norris, W. Margetson, A. J. Morton Ball, 

 F. J. Mylius, R. Price, J. Sawyer, W. N. Skillicorne, A. E. Smith, E. C. Sewell, 

 J. W. Skinner, W. J. Stanton, W. Thompson, Chas. Upton, etc. 



At Chepstow Station, which was reached at 10.10 a.m., the Members 

 were welcomed by the President and his son-in-law the Rev. H. J. Riddelsdell. 

 Three brakes and a motor-car provided driving accommodation, and having 

 crossed the Wye the hill on the Gloucestershire side' was ascended to the 

 residence of Mr W. R. Lysaght, who had kindly granted the necessary per- 

 mission for the inspection of his remarkably fine collection of birds and 

 his beautiful and extensive rock garden. Both are of super-excellence, and 

 it is doubtful whether they are surpassed in Gloucestershire. Necessarily, 

 only a limited time could be spared for this preliminary treat, and it was with 

 some regret that farewell was said to Mr Lysaght's treasures. It seemed 

 almost incredible that a rock garden containing nearly a thousand varieties 

 of flowers had been created in so short a period as two years. In every respect 

 the blending of art with nature has been so successfully accomplished as to 

 produce just the effect desirable in this particular class of floriculture. The 

 visit was well-timed, for June is par excellence the month when rock gardens 

 furnish the greatest amount of satisfaction to the critical eye. [W.T.] 



From Mr Lysaght's house the drive was continued to Oakwood, 

 Mr Butt's residence. Oakwood also has its rock garden, in which its owner 

 takes a keen pride, as was evidenced by the way in which he led his guests 

 along its winding paths, drew attention to plant after plant of special interest 

 or beauty, and rattled off their Latin names with an ease and accuracy which 

 betokened long and loving study. 



I. In the small cliff alongside the road is the little anticline depicted in Plate I. of vol. xv. 

 of the Proceedings of the Club.— Ed. 



