THE HAMPSHIRE ANTIQUARY NATURALIST. 



125 



unto the history and fate of the undertaker, Mr. 

 Taylor ; in regard that it is a thing so particular, and 

 so generally known in the neighbourhood, and may 

 be attested by divers evidences and credible wit- 

 nesses. During the time Mr. Taylor, who was a Dis- 

 senter, was in treaty with Sir Bartlet for the chapel, 

 he was much disturbed in his sleep by frightful 

 dreams, and, as some say, apparitions ; in particular, 

 ot a person in the habit of a Monk, representing to 

 him the mischief that would befal him in destroying 

 the chapel ; and one night he dreamed that a large 

 stone out of the windows of the chapel fell 

 upon him and killed him. He was so affected with 

 this dream in particular, that he told what had hap- 

 pened to him in his sleep to a person of the same per- 

 suasion with himself, viz., Mr. Watts, a serious man 

 who had a good esteem with him, who, examining 

 particularly into the disturbance that had been given 

 him, advised him not to proceed in his contract, there 

 being reason to iear that some mischief would 

 befal him if he did, and the notice 

 which had been given him was to be 

 looked upon as the kind admonition of Heaven fo pre- 

 vent his hurt. The undertaker, though he was some- 

 what staggered with these intimations that had been 

 jjiven him, yet, forasmuch as his other friends' advice, 

 to whom he had universally imparted it, was different, 

 moved by the gain he proposed to himself, he finished 

 his agreement with Sir Bartlet, and soon after fell to 

 work upon pulling down the chapel. But he was not 

 far advanced in it when, endeavouring with a pickax 

 to get out some stones at the bottom of the west 

 wall or chapel, in which there was a large window, 

 the whole body of the window fell down suddenly 

 upon him and crushed him to pieces." Thus 

 far Mr. Willis, p. 205, 206, vol. ii. The editor of 

 the " Guide," desirous of authenticating the pre- 

 ceding narrative, made enquiry of the family, and the 

 result is set forth as follows: "Mr. Walter Taylor 

 contracted with the Marquis of Huntingdon for so 

 much of the materials of Netley Abbey as he could 

 remove in a limited time. With these a town house 

 at Newport, and dwelling houses in different parts, 

 were to be built. Upon this some of his acquaintance 

 said to him that, for their parts, they would never be 

 instrumental in the demolition of holy and consecrated 

 places. These words made some impression upon 

 him, and probably caused him to dream one night 

 that the arch keystone fell from the east window and 

 killed him. This dream he related to Mr. Watts 

 (father of the celebrated Dr. Isaac Watts) who then 

 kept a reputable school in Southampton, assisted by 

 his brother, Mr. Enoch Watts, who advised him not 

 personally to be concerned in pulling down the abbey. 

 But, unfortunately, Mr. Taylor proceeded in the 

 work, and, in endeavouring to wrench some boards 

 within the east window to give air to the workmen, 

 a stone fell from thence and fractured his scull. The 

 fracture at first was not judged mortal, but acci- 

 dentally became so by the slip of an instrument 



which was applied to extract a splinter ; it ran 

 through the meninges of the brain, and put a period 

 to his lite, and unhappily fulfilled his dream." 



WEATHER REPORT FOR THE WEEK. 

 From the meteorological register made at the Ordnance 

 Survey Office, Southampton, underthe direction of Col. Sir 

 Chas. Wilson, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., F.R.S , R.. Lat. 50 

 54' so"N. ; long. i 24' o" W. ; height above sea, 84 feet. 

 Observers Sergt. T. Chambers, R.E., and Mr. J.T. Cook. 



THE HAMPSHIRE INDEPENDENT, October 25, 1890. 



HAMPSHIRE FIELD CLUB. 



AN AFTERNOON IN OLD SOUTHAMPTON. 



A very large number of members assembled at the 

 South-Eastern Tower on the Platform, on Thursday, 

 for an archaeological afternoon in the south-western 

 corner of Southampton, a part of the town which pos- 

 sesses a wealth of ancient remains Norman and 

 Early English. Under the guidance of Mr. T. W. 

 Shore and Mr. T. K. Dymond, an inspection was 

 made of portions of the town wall, of some old vaults 

 and of the Norman house at the bottom of Blue 

 Anchor Lane which has just been restored by Mr. W. 

 F. G. Spranger under the direction of Mr. Dymond. 

 Through the kindness of the officials of.the Harbour 

 Board, the party first ascended the tower which 

 marked the south-east corner of the old town 

 walls. This tower sometimes known as God's House 

 Tower whose latest use is to give Southampton the 

 time by means of the time-ball on its summit is a 

 building dating from the fifteenth century (the Rev. 

 J. Silvester Davies finds it mentioned in 1468), and 



