Report of Meetings for 1888. By J. Hardy. 195 



hood, who had no connection with any of the three societies ; and 

 a considerable proportion of ladies, the members' wives and 

 sisters or daughters. 



Sir William Crossman, speaking from the base of a pillar 

 within the ruins, welcomed the visitors on behalf of the Com- 

 missioners of Woods and Forests. With regard to what had 

 been done in the matter of excavating the ruins, he might say 

 he found last year that certain repairs were required which he 

 could not undertake himself, and he wrote to the Government 

 about it. He must say that the Treasury had behaved most 

 liberally in allowing the Woods and Forests Commissioners all 

 the money that was asked for, and in sending down their own 

 architect, Mr Johnson of Newcastle, under whose direction the 

 work had been carried out. He hoped what had been done 

 would be the means of keeping these ruins in a good state of 

 preservation for many years to come. He first carried out these 

 excavations on the recommendation of the late Provost Consitt. 

 He had pointed out where the excavations should begin in order 

 to find the most interesting remains. Provost Consitt's advice 

 was followed, and his prophecy was found to be correct. He 

 (Sir William) was much indebted to Mr Hodges, Hexham, for 

 the assistance he had given and the careful plans he had pre- 

 pared, and also to the Vicar (Mr Keeling) for the great assistance 

 he had afforded, and the zeal he had shown in the work. He 

 now left them in the hands of Canon Greenwell to give an 

 address " On the Island in relation to its Historical and 

 Eeligious Associations.'' 



Canon Greenwell began by expressing satisfaction that the 

 ruins had been confided to the care of a gentleman like Sir 

 William Crossman, who would take care of them and preserve 

 them. The place in which they stood, he said, was associated 

 with the deepest and most sacred feelings, and before speaking 

 upon the subject that brought them together, he should like to 

 give a slight history of Christianity as established there, because 

 where they were standing was the place from which Christianity 

 may be said to have commenced. The place was occupied before 

 the time of the Romans, and before Christianity came into the 

 country, but the history of the island only commenced with the 

 introduction of Christianity. These early people were variously 

 described. They could, if they liked, call them Ancient Britons. 

 The whole of this part of England was occupied in pre-Koman 



