THE HAMPSHIRE ANTIQUARY < NATURALIST. 



having been made to include other internal memorials, 

 was adopted, and the committee elected as follows : 

 Revs. G. W. Minns and W. L. W. Eyre, and 

 Messrs. B. W. Greenfield and T. K. Dymond. 



Mr. F. A. Edwards next advocated the arrange- 

 ment of more of the half day excursions, of which 

 there had been only two the previous season, and 

 moved a resolution asking the committee to endeavour 

 to do this. This having been adopted, a rather long 

 business meeting was closed with an expression oi 

 thanks to the Mayor for his kindness in allowing the 

 use of the room, and the members gladty found their 

 way out into the bright sunshine to wend their way 

 to the ruins of Wolvesey Castle. Several, however, 

 lingered to inspect the city charters, which were ex- 

 hibited and explained by Mr. T. F. Kirby. These, 

 some dating from the time of King Henry II, were of 

 great interest, and were very interesting and deserv- 

 ing of a more lengthened examination than time 

 would then allow. 



The inspection of the ruins of Wolvesey Castle, a 

 place rich in the historical associations which centre 

 around it, was the most attractive feature of the day's 

 proceedings, and the party had the advantage of 

 going over it under the guidance of the Dean of 

 Winchester, Dr. Kitchin, whose antiquarian know- 

 ledge and pleasing manner make him an excellent 

 chaperoii. Canoti Collier, also, who has given much 

 attention to the history of Wolvesey and has made 

 some excavations on the site, and who wrote a short 

 "History of Wolvesey " (second edition, Winchester, 

 1864), was also of the part}-, but not being in good 

 health, was unable to take a prominent part in the 

 day's proceedings. Starting from the north-east 

 corner of the wall of the castle, where it forms also a 

 part of the city wall, and passing southward, the 

 Dean pointed out the features of this old defence, 

 with its bsrdering ditch parallel to but 

 distinct from the River Itchen. That this 

 wall was of early Nzrman if not Saxon 

 age was shown by the " herring-bone " 

 work in some places and the characteristic Saxon 

 " long and short " course ; and the frequent occur- 

 rence of Roman bricks in the wall was also pointed 

 out. Coming round to the main entrance at the south 

 side, the part}' entered the grounds, and passing the 

 more modern place of Bishops Morley and Trelawney 

 assembled on the greensward in what was at one 

 time the main hall of the castle. Here, by the aid of 

 some plans drawn by Canon Collier and himself, the 

 Dean pointed out the different features of the place, 

 the high tower at one corner and the keep, which, as 

 was almost invariably the case with the Normans, 

 was foursquare. In the walls of the keep the herring- 

 bone work was again pointed out, and also the 

 remains of Roman columns and capitals built into the 

 walls of the dungeon. These columns were 

 pronounced by Mr. Shore to be Isle of Wight lime- 

 stone, Mr. Whitaker adding that some of them were 

 Oolitic, possibly from Portland. It appeared, the Dean 



said, that this spot had been used by the Romans, 

 as was shown by these relics and the finding of a 

 Roman pavement just outside. When the castle was 

 first built was unknown. Bishop Henry de 

 Blois probably added to a previously existing build- 

 ing in which Alfred the Great probably resided, and 

 where he is said to have had the Anglo-Saxon 

 Chronicle compiled the earliest triumph of literary 

 English histor}-. Some of the associations of 

 the place were brought in review ; it was 

 told how Bishop Alphege, slipping by the guards, 

 stood for half a night doing penance in the water. At 

 that time apparently the bishops did not live in 

 palaces of their own, but in the retinue of the king. 

 Blois built upon the old materials, and here he resided 

 for some time till he fell into disfavor with the king, 

 and the place was dismantled as one of the adulterine 

 castles. It was reduced to its present condition of 

 utter ruin at the time oi the great Civil War. But 

 anyone desiring to follow the history of the place is 

 referred to Canon Collier's pamphlet, to Dr. Kitchin's 

 "Winchester" (Historic Towns series) and other 

 easily accessible works. Of Blois's great castle 

 nothing now remains but ivy-mantled portions 

 of the walls and even the foundations in 

 places are obscured. There is thus little to be seen 

 bej'ond the rough masonry, though here and there is 

 a well finished window, and the corner stones in places 

 are as fresh and clean as if but just hewn. The thick 

 overgrowth of ivy on the walls led to discussion as to 

 the damage or otherwise which it occasions, and it 

 were generally agreed that though a moderate growth 

 might possibly, by taking off the rain, &c. , have a 

 preservative effect, the leaverage alone of the thick 

 outspreading branches could but be prejudicial in 

 loosening the stones of the walls. More than this, 

 too, there were actually trees growing on top of one 

 part of the wall a yew, and another too high to be 

 recognised ; but the Dean stated that instructions had 

 already been given for the destruction of these as a 

 deflection of the wall caused by them was apparent. 

 With regard to the ivy, Mr. Shore suggested that if 

 the Bishop knew it was doing damage he might 

 probably have it cut, and thought it would be well for 

 the Club to make representations on the subject to 

 him. After spending some little time in wandering 

 about these interesting ruins the party was conducted 

 into Bishop Morley's chapel, where the injurious 

 effects of the ivy (there making a surreptitious entry 

 into the window) was again apparent, as were the 

 effects of general neglect and decay. Here Mr. 

 Whitaker felicitously proposed a vote of thanks to the 

 Dean for his guidance, and the Rev. G. W. Minns, in 

 seconding, suggested that the Bishop's attention 

 should be called to the dilapidated condition in which 

 the place has fallen. The chapel, it appears is not at 

 present used, and the building is occupied for techni- 

 cal and other education in connection with the College. 

 From here the party proceeded to the Museum, 

 where the curator, Miss Moody, was in attendance. 



