40 



and Mayoress of St. Albans, a photograph was taken. Those 

 present then had the choice of joining either of two parties, one of 

 which, under the guidance of Mr. C. H. Ashdown, hon. secretary of 

 the St. Albans Architectural and Archteological Society, proceeded 

 to view the ruins of the second mansion above referred to, while the 

 other party, which included most of the South London members 

 who took part in the excursion, led by Mr. A. E. Gibbs, crossed the 

 park to the beautiful avenue of fine old trees, forming its 

 northern boundary, which they followed to its eastern termination. 

 Lord Verulam had kindly entrusted his private key of the park 

 gates to the leader, and the party were thus able to pass into 

 the meadows in the valley of the Ver by a picturesque and little- 

 frequpnted route. The standing grass being almost ready for the 

 mowers, arrangements had been made with the tenant farmer, 

 Mr. W. Nott, who kindly cut a path through it, which led to the 

 large fishpools made or enlai^ged by Sir Francis Bacon, and known 

 as the " Pondyards." It was here he built the third mansion, the 

 water-supply to the house erected by his father on the higher 

 ground presenting great difficulties. The philosopher is recorded 

 to have said that as he could not carry the water to his house 

 he would carry his house to the water. Very little time 

 remained for the naturalists to investigate the flora and fauna 

 of these interesting old ponds, with their wealth of aquatic and 

 semi-aquatic plants, and abundant insect life. The motor-bus was 

 waiting on the great north-west road — the ancient Roman 

 Watling Street — and the party were conveyed to St. Albans, 

 where they were subsequently joined by the archasologists who had 

 followed Mr. Ashdown's lead, and a very pleasant trip was brought 

 to a close. 



[The foregoing account by Mr. Gibbs requires a brief addendum. The 

 "trip" ended in a reception by Mrs. Gibbs in the beautiful grounds of 

 Kitchener's Meads, where the party refreshed themselves under the most 

 pleasant conditions, the greatest attention being paid to their comfort. — Ed.] 



JUNE nth, 1911. 



Field Meeting at Blackheath, Chilwoeth, 



Conductor: W. J. Kaye, F.E.S. 



On June 17th a new locality was visited for one of the field 

 meetings of the Society. Blackheath, near Chilworth, on the south 

 side of the North Downs was the scene of operations, and from 



