48 REPORT OF THE MEETINGS FOR 1896 



Edinburgh, Mr W. T. Hindmarsh, Alnwick, Mr James Thomson, 

 Shawdon, Mr W. B. Boyd, Faldonside, Mr Willoby, Berwick, Mr 

 James Tait, Belford, Mr William Bain, Belford, Mr William 

 Hindhaugh, Middleton, Mr Joseph Archer, Alnwick, Mr E. S. 

 Weir, North Shields, and Mr Johnston, Edinburgh. Dr Stuart, 

 Chirnside, was with the company at Newham Bog, but had to 

 return home at mid-day. After dinner the President gave 

 expression to the regret of the meeting that the Secretary of 

 the Club, Dr Hardy, was unable to be present. The usual 

 toasts followed, and it was then intimated that Mr G. D. 

 Atkinson Clark of Belford Hall had kindly thrown open his 

 house and grounds to the Club. Votes of thanks were awarded 

 to the Duke of Northumberland and Earl Percy for allowing 

 access to Newham Bog, to Mr Morton and Mr Atkinson Clark 

 for the courtesy they had extended to the Club that day, and to 

 Mr Hindmarsh and Mr Tait for their valuable services in 

 making the local arrangements for the meeting. 



The short interval between dinner and the departure of the 

 trains was devoted, under the guidance of Mr Tait, to an 

 inspection of the exterior of the Church, a modern building on 

 an old site, incorporating portions of the old structure, including 

 the chancel arch, which from description, appears to have been 

 of Norman date. The tombstone of the Rev. Marcus Dods, a 

 former Presbyterian minister in Belford, was examined with 

 some interest, on account of his more famous son, the well- 

 known Professor in the Free Church College, Edinburgh. The 

 grounds of Belford Hall were entered by the " Hole in the 

 Wall," a passage leading from the street of the town. The 

 iron-studded doors by which admittance is given, were brought, 

 as Mr Tait informed the company, from the old castle at West 

 Hall. The garden and grounds are very attractive, and it was 

 to be regretted that there was not time to examine the fine trees 

 in the policies. A fig tree, with fruit upon it, was observed 

 growing in the garden in the open. The mansion is well 

 worthy of a prolonged visit, but only a few minutes could be 

 devoted to it. A good collection of shore birds in the entrance 

 hall, and many antiquities and curios, including the bell of the 

 ill-fated vessel, "The Forfarshire," of Grace Darling fame, 

 were hastily inspected ; and the hope was expressed that at some 

 future time the privilege might be granted to the Club of making 

 q, more adequate examination of the contents of this fine place. 



