138 



THE AUTUMN EXCURSION. 



The following account of tliis Excursion has been taken, almost 

 verhatm, from the Western Morning News of September 17. The 

 accuracy and ability of the narrator are willingly acknowledged 

 on the part of the Institution. 



Tuesday, the 15th, was the day appointed for the Annual 

 Excursion of the members of the Eoyal Institution of Cornwall. 

 The ground chosen was the district of which Lostwithiel and 

 Eowey are the centres, and the former town was made the tryst- 

 ing-place. There assembled accordingly by the first morning 

 trains a party of fifty ladies and gentlemen, the latter including 

 Dr. Jago, F.K.S., the President of the Institution ; Sir John 

 Maclean, F.S.A., Mr. Eashleigh, Menabilly ; Mr. Freeth, Duporth; 

 Dr. Barham, Colonel Peard, Rev. Mr. Hill, Rev. G. L. Church, 

 Messrs. R. R. Broad, H. S. Stokes, J. H. Collins, F.G-.S., (hon. 

 secretary), H. Remfry, Howard Fox, J. Preece, R. Foster, S. 

 Pascoe, B. Kitto, F.G-.S., J. Phillips, H. Leverton, T. Cragoe, &c. 

 Before the actual start there was a short halt at the Talbot Inn, 

 where Dr. Barham gave some interesting general particulars con- 

 cerning the objects of interest which it was proposed to visit ; 

 these were illustrated by excellent diagrams, from his own surveys, 

 by Mr. Whitley, the Senior Secretary, whose unavoidable absence 

 was much regretted. 



The first of these was the magnificent old ruin, Restormel 

 Castle, which lies about a mile from the town. The walk thither 

 along the valley and up the hill was delightful, and afforded a 

 happy augury of the anticipated pleasures of the day. Restormel 

 is an edifice of peculiar interest, and seems to have passed through 

 three stages. At first, probably, it was purely defensive ; and as 

 such was handed over by one of the Cardinham family, to be held 

 by Simon de Montfort, in the Barons' war, its owner not being 

 able to defend it himself Subsequently it was transferred by the 

 widow of the last Cardinham lord, to Richard, Earl of Cornwall, 

 and King of the Romans. By him, between the years 1226 and 

 1272, it was probably rebuilt ; and by his son, and successor in 



