pbestdent's addbess. 183 



the small portcullis at the entrance, by means of a cord or chain 

 coming down through the mouth of a man's head carved in the 

 vaulting ; the arched doorway leading to the rooms on the first 

 fioor, so contrived as to fit in with the sweep of the newel stair; 

 the elaborate tracery of the principal windows, and the exclusive 

 devotion of the south-west tower to sanitary purposes, were 

 some of the most interesting points noted by the visitors. 



After concluding their inspection of the Castle the party 

 journeyed on in the direction of Langley Mills, where the ores 

 from the Alston mines used to be smelted. The road for some 

 distance is well sheltered by trees on each side, but after passing 

 the mills the eye encounters nothing but ranges of wild and 

 barren-looking hill sides, the remains of the old coach road being 

 plainly visible on that to the left. The scene, however, under- 

 goes a pleasing transformation after passing Staward Manor 

 House, where Derwentwater's bonnie lord waited for an oppor- 

 tunity to attack Newcastle. The precipitous banks of the Allen, 

 where not devastated by the axe of the woodman, the road 

 through the wood, and the views from the point upon which the 

 remains of the Peel stand, are scenes of sylvan beauty not suffi- 

 ciently well-known to the inhabitants of Newcastle. Lunch 

 was partaken of at this point, and the members left the Peel, 

 the beauties of which have been so frequently described, and 

 the neighbourhood of which has in former years been visited by 

 the Club. 



Near the bottom of the steep and thickly wooded bank, a 

 favourite haunt of the Strigida?, and in close proximity to the 

 Allen, several large ant-hills were noticed. The members walked 

 by the Cupola Bridge to 'Whitfield, observing the remarkable 

 abundance of the Porget-me-not, the Purple Orchid, the Prim- 

 rose, and many other spring plants on the river banks that have 

 been cleared of trees. After an inspection of Whitfield Church 

 tea was procured at the Temperance Hotel "Blue Back," and 

 the members then retraced their steps to Staward, where Dr. 

 Embleton read a short paper on " Loxomma Attmanni," and the 

 party, highly pleased with their excursion, then took the train 

 which leaves Staward Station at 6.53 for Newcastle. 



