REPORT OF MEETINGS FOR 1901 69 



we saw how the nave has been widened by the addition of 

 two aisles, and how the steep slope of the hill on which 

 the church stands has called for two flights of steps within, 

 ten steps to the chancel, thirteen to the altar. The restoring 

 of the church was the work of the Rev. Aislabie Procter ; 

 the pillars of the north arcade are original, those of the 

 south are re-built. Mr Dixon told us that when the vault 

 of the chancel was opened, he himself went below the 

 steps and saw tiers upon tiers of coffins within it. Outside 

 the chancel, on its south-east corner, we examined a large 

 stone at the base, which appears by 

 its diagonal dressing to be Roman. 

 Contiguous tombstones show names 

 spelt in variation, thus : — Wealleans 

 in 1868, Weelans in 1749. 

 Continuing our journey, after an ineflPectual attempt to 

 meet our President at Alwinton village, we climbed a long 

 hill at a slow pace, under a burning sun, and noted the 

 slopes above the river clothed with bright green rushes ; to 

 the north, in a hollow one mile away, Clennell bosomed in 

 trees, and far off on the sky-line above, Kidlaud and its 

 moors. Beyond Clennell there passes "Clennell Street," a 

 prehistoric way. 



At four o'clock we reached Biddleston Hall, of which 

 Mr Dixon gives an historic notice in Appendix II. ; and we 

 saw the chapel, where thirty years ago a secret passage 

 was discovered running the whole distance along the north 

 wall of the present chapel, to secure a safe exit to a lower 

 vault, in those days when the harbouring of a priest was 

 a crime. 



The proceedings ended at Whittingham, where the Club 

 had their dinner, according to custom, before dispersing 

 homewards after a pleasantly spent summer day. 



