198 ROYAL MEDAL. 



1865. 



Flower." Before walking to Brandon by the river 

 valley, they were refreshed by the sight of eight fine 

 flint implements belonging to Mr Bartlett. 



It was in 1865 that Prestwich was awarded one of 

 the Royal Medals of the Royal Society, in recognition 

 of his original researches on the valley-deposits yielding 

 flint implements and weapons of early man. 



J. Prestwich to Sir Rod. I. Murchison. 



69 MARK LANE, LONDON, 3rd Novr. 1865. 



MY DEAR SIR EODERICK, Very many thanks for your great 

 kindness in bringing me forward for the medal of the Koyal 

 Society, and for the very kind and friendly terms in which you 

 have announced to me the award of the Council. I am not 

 usually ambitious of public honours, but I feel deeply sensible 

 in this case of so honourable a distinction, and especially do 

 I value it as a mark of the kind interest of my friends, and 

 amongst them of one so distinguished as yourself. 



With many thanks, believe me to be, my dear Sir Eoderick, 

 most truly yours, Jos. PRESTWICH. 



This year was not so notable for field-work crowded 

 into it as for a step he took which, though apparently 

 insignificant, had a great influence on his life. During 

 several years he had been living and working at the 

 highest pressure pressure so severe that it could not 

 go on. It had told on his health ; and, conscious of 

 the strain, he felt that a measure of rest was im- 

 perative : the difficulty was to tear himself from 

 London friends and from the Societies. A happy 

 compromise was made. A country cottage as a sum- 

 mer home for him and his sister Civil was first thought 

 of; but as one to suit was not easily found, Prestwich 

 decided to build on the few acres of chalk down which 

 had happened to be for sale, overlooking the valley 



