XXXIX. 



round for inspection by the Rev. 0. P. Cambridge, to whom it had been 

 given by the Rev. J. H. House, of Anderson, and was then presented to 

 the County Museum. This Celt was discovered in Coombe's Ditch, near 

 Colwood, in December, 1885. Some rare plants found lately in Purbeck 

 were handed round by the President. 



The Castle was thrown open to the members of the Club for the day by 

 ticket, by the kindness of the owner, W. Ralph Bankes, Esq. 



Mr. Tom Bond, of Tyneham, arrived during luncheon, and brought with 

 him a large ground plan of the Castle, and gave an address on the history 

 of the structure, noticing specially the dates of the chief portions of the 

 ruins. Since he is the greatest authority on this subject it was an 

 advantage as welcome as it was unexpected to the members that he was 

 able to be present. A move was made towards the Castle at three p.m. In 

 addition to Mr. Tom Bond's presence as guide, Mr. Eustace Bankes had 

 prepared a resumt of portions of Mr. Bond's book on the Castle, bearing 

 specially on the architectural features of the ruins, and under the leader- 

 ship of these two authorities the party was conducted round the whole 

 fabric. A large portion of the members were obliged to leave about five 

 o'clock in order to catch their train. 



The Norden Clay Pits were then visited by the remainder of the party, 

 for which permission had been kindly granted by the owner, Lord Eldon. 

 These pits are situated about half-a-mile from the Castle, on the road 

 between Wareham and Corfe. The clay is of Eocene age, and is used in 

 the manufacture of the finest kinds of china ; it is of a bluish colour, 

 unctuous to the touch, and very homogeneous throughout the bed. The 

 seams vary in thickness from 2ft. to 16ft. The mode of extracting the 

 clay is either by open workings or by tunnels at a depth of 60ft. to 70ft. 

 At the base the clay becomes more carbonaceous in character, and 

 resembles an impure lignite. From the presence of a large quantity of 

 sulphur in the lower part of the bed the air becomes very impure, and 

 work in the tunnels is frequently impeded. Organic remains are very rare 

 in the seams of clay only a few leaf impressions have been found, 

 resembling those of the Bournemouth and Alum Bay beds. The chief 

 interest of the Norden Clay Pits centres on the fine collection of Roman 

 pottery which was discovered there four years previously, and which is 

 now preserved at Encombe, the seat of Lord Eldon. This pottery is black 

 in colour ; it occurs principally in the form of urn-shaped vessels, 

 decorated with a lozenge pattern around the neck. From the position in 

 which the pottery was found the idea suggests itself that a considerable 

 manufactory existed here, while the depth at which it occurs beneath the 

 surface, and the fact of the superincumbent layer being one of black mould 



