242 president's addeess. 



passed over the northern counties from the south-west, appeared 

 on the morning of the meeting to be more than usually threaten- 

 ing, and rain was falling, when about twenty members left the 

 Central Station at 12-30, and on arriving at Swalwell the party 

 numbered twenty -three. Under the guidance of Messrs. Thomas 

 and George Thompson, the foiTaer one of our Secretaries, the 

 party took the road to Axwell Park, which was entered by the 

 north-east gate. 



The park, which though within half-a-dozen miles of I^ew- 

 castle, was now for the first time visited by the Club, was seen 

 in all its early spring beauty ; its surface is delightfully diversi- 

 fied with undulating hill, dale and plain, wood and water. The 

 woods, of considerable extent, contain timber of much beauty 

 and magnitude ; many huge Beeches, a number of very old 

 gnarled Oaks, of which one was of noteworthy size and form, 

 an ancient Crab tree, and a venerable Mulberry tree, whose aged 

 arms were cai-efully supported, ai'rested the attention and called 

 forth the admiration of the spectators. 



The Oak specially noticed was figured in our late fellow-mem- 

 ber's, Mr. George Clayton Atkinson's ''Remarkable Trees of 

 K'orthumberland and Durham," to which I would refer for no- 

 tice of the finest trees in Axwell Park. — Fide Nat. Hist. Trans., 

 Vol. v., pp. 66-G8. 



Tlic modern stone mansion, "built by the late Sir Thomas 

 Clavering, from a chaste and elegant design of Payne" (the archi- 

 tect of High Gosforth also), is stately. " It stands open, but not 

 unsheltered, in the midst of a soft-wooded park, wliich slopes 

 gently to the Derwent, and is diversified with swells and undu- 

 lations of ground." It is said to contain a number of artistic 

 gems. 



"The old family house was called Wliitehouse, and stood at 

 the distance of half-a-mile to tlie westwaid of tlio present mau- 

 Bion."* 



The stabling, the gi'ounds, and gardens are an-auged in the 

 most approved modem style and taste ; the grcenliouses and 



* Ilutchinion't Uist. of Northumbcrlantl. 



