Report of Meetings for 1891. By Dr J. Hardy. 2G 5 



After partaking of the bountiful hospitality of the worthy 

 baronet, who is the representative of one of the oldest Nor- 

 thumbrian houses, the company now augmented by arrivals 

 from Chathill, adjourned to the gardens. The private grounds 

 are well laid out. There were several curious old herbaceous 

 plants in the borders, and a great wealth of Narcissus poeticus. 

 Violas and Mi/osotis s>/hatica were much used for bedding. 

 Pinus insignis offers a fine example ; and there were several 

 Deodars and Wellingtonias, a well-preserved Auracaria, and 

 two very flourishing Ilexes. The climate here is mild. There 

 is a noble Yew tree Jiedge, carefully reared by three generations 

 of Haggerstons. Placed in one corner of the walks are two 

 dismantled dials, hollowed out in the centre to lessen their 

 weight. The inscriptions were — Carpe Viator licet ; Sol 

 Tenebria Dissitat ; and Ut Hora sic Vita ; Virtute sole 

 Mores. 



Behind the garden is the Priest-dean burn, which is a branch 

 of " Long Nanny." The name probably commemorates one of 

 the possessions of Alnwick Abbey adjacent to it. Bruntwood 

 and Brunta-burn api)ear to be other teeders of this burn. 



Constructed of wood, the Saxon halls and towns would fre- 

 quently be liable to disastrous conflagrations ; hence such place- 

 names as the Bruntons ; and here the obsolete vill and field 

 where it stood of Brente-hall field, which had been desolate 

 before 1347. (See Appendix G.) 



The Beech thrives well here, and with the Ash, Elm, and 

 Sycamore, provides ample shade and shelter. 



After listening to the hearty thanks of the members through 

 the President in the front of tiie mansion, and replying, Sir John 

 conducted the company to EUingham Church, and at parting, 

 expressed his wish to meet again with the Club. Notes on the 

 history of EUingham may be found in Appendix H. 



After the cordial pavtinj^ with our host, the road led towards 

 a deep depression of marshy ground, which trends away towards 

 Newham. The marsh is gradually drying up, and the soil 

 shrinking in, and the steop sloping sides crack away and slip 

 down, and form terraces or "plats," which gradually get 

 covered with grass. The swampy and peaty portions were still 

 at this season gay with flowering Marsh Marigolds ; and later 

 on, beds of rough reedy plants thrive here in rank profusion. 



