THE HAMPSHIRE ANTIQUARY > NATURALIST. 



139 



footway posterns of the Bargate are perforations of 

 the towers flanking the central archway ; that on the 

 east side, and through which the wooden main was 

 laid, was not opened till 1764 not 130 years ago. 

 There can be no dispute as to the time the pipes were 

 laid down if any person interested will consult the 

 Corporation maps in the possession of Mr. Matthews, 

 the Waterworks Engineer, who will no doubt be 

 pleased to show them. ED. N. & Q.] 



WEATHER REPORT FOR THE WEEK. 



From the meteorological register, made at the Ordnance 

 Survey Office, Southampton, under thedirection of Col. Sir 

 Chas. Wilson, K.C.H., K.C.M.G., F.R.S., R.E. Lat. 50' 

 54' 50" N.; long, i" 24' o" W. ; height above sea, 84 feet. 

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



Black bulb in vacuo. 



THE HAMPSHIRE INDEPENDENT, December 6, 1890. 



GREAT NORTHERN DIVER AT SHANKLIN. 



During this week Mr. O. Rayner killed a fine 

 specimen of the northern diver off the pier. It 

 measured four feet one inch from tip to tip of wings, 

 was two feet eight inches long, and weighed 9 Ibs. 

 8 oz. There has not been a sea bird of this size 

 secured in the neighbourhood of Shanklin for the 

 last twelve years. 



on the Western Shore at Southampton has of late 

 been brought into notice among the interesting 

 antiquities of the town. Though shorn of its orna- 

 mental features at some uncertain period, this large 

 vault, which can only at present be entered by an 

 elevated window, bears indications that it may be 

 continued further to the southward, where on the 

 outside the water gate was recently restored. At 

 the northern end too there is a passage the object 

 of which is not at present apparent. Mr. H. Glass- 

 pool has given notice of his intention to move at the 

 meeting of the Southampton Town Council next 

 Wednesday that these vaults be explored. We hope 

 that the Council will accede to the proposition and 

 thus add to the antiquarian attractions of the town. 

 At the same time the ancient entrance to the vault at 

 present known might be opened down to the road- 

 way, in place of the present way of walking up a 

 temporary plank to the level of the window. 



A FINE OTTER AT STOCKBRIDGE. 



A fine dog otter was caught a few days ago by 

 Mr. Charles Faithfull, keeper to Mr. W. H. Deverell, of 

 Bossington. It weighed 25lbs., and from tip to tip of 

 nose and tail measured 4ft. The girth at shoulder 

 was 2o| inches. Mr. Faithfull caught an otter some 

 months ago, which measured one inch longer than 

 the one now taken. 



CHURCH INVENTORIES, TEMP. EDWARD III. 



In The Antiquary for this month Mr. William 

 Page, F.S. A., in a further instalment of "A list of 

 the inventories of church goods made temp. Edward 

 VI," gives a list of those churches in Hampshire (in- 

 cluding the Isle of Wight), the inventories of which 

 are now preserved at the Public Record Office. 

 "The commissions under which these inventories 

 were made," he wrote (Antiquary, 1890 April, 

 p. 165), " are printed in full in the Seventh Report of 

 the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records (Appendix 

 II, p. 307). The returns to the commissions are in 

 two or three classes of records, to which there is no 

 general calendar ; it has been thought, therefore, that 

 the following may be of use to those interested in 

 church plate, vestments, balls, &c., or engaged in 

 writing the history of a parish." [It was for obstruct- 

 ing this commission for the visitation of churches that 

 Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, was, with Bonner, 

 Bishop of London, committed to the Fleet.] 



ANCIENT VAULTS AT SOUTHAMPTON. 

 Largely through the instrumentality of the Hamp- 

 shire Field Club the ancient vault in the town wall 



WEATHER IN NOVEMBER. 



Although rain fell on seventeen days, there has 

 been no heavy fall during the month, and the most in 



