268 president's address. 



number of members gathered together, and the more detailed 

 arrangements were made. Proceeding as far as the village, 

 we turned to the right along the road leading to Pegswood, 

 A heavy shower overtook us, and after sheltering for a short 

 time under the trees we entered the Lady Chapel Wood by 

 the side of the Wansbeck. The river, at all times beautiful, 

 was enriched by the autumnal tints of some of the trees, 

 which blending with the light and dark shades of the ever- 

 greens presented a picture of the softest and most harmonious 

 kind, revealing every shade of the rainbow. The path in 

 some places was rough, and the clayey soil moistened by the 

 early morning rain had formed in places a very difficult foot- 

 hold ; and in other parts considerable departure had to be 

 made from the regular road to avoid sinking over boot tops. 

 Passing the railway viaduct, we reached an apparently newly- 

 made well, over which there has been erected some pointed 

 masonry, and an inscription about the Jubilee year of 1887. 

 This inartistic construction much detracts from the beauty of 

 its site. Soon we reached the Lady Chapel, built about the 

 middle of the fifteenth century. Not much remains of this 

 little structure of dressed freestone in the Perpendicular style. 

 On the east side is the Lady Well, more in evidence as a 

 boggy place than a well. Above it is an escutcheon cut out 

 of the face of a sandstone rock. The light red clusters of the 

 fruit of the Cuckoo-pint added great charm to the green 

 undergrowth. 



Nearing Bothal the old mill race, the weir, the river, and 

 the tree covered banks afford a scene of tempting beauty to 

 the artist. The village of Bothal appears to be almost entirely 

 new, and built with great taste. The Castle is well situated 

 and picturesque, though its beauty is much marred by the 

 modern black chimney pots and smoke preventers which have 

 been added. The original castle dates back to 1373, and 

 though small, must have been a strongly fortified place. The 

 present building, containing the best part of the old structure, 

 being occupied by the agent of the estate, we did not care 

 to disturb the privacy of the family by an application for an 



