552 



The Sixty -First General Meeting. 



satisfaction the new wooden museum shed, which had only been 

 finished that day in readiness for the Society's visit, in which were 

 exhibited a most interesting collection of carved fragments found 

 during the excavation of the site, many of them still retaining 

 traces of gilding and colour. These showed the rich character of 

 the decorations of the Church. From the site of the Abbey the 

 Members walked along the terrace with its magnificent views over 

 the valley to the point known as Castle Hill, no doubt the site of 

 a Norman motte and bailey castle, though this could not have been 

 of any great size, nor does there seem to be any evidence that a 

 stone castle ever existed. By the kindness of Mr. H. C. Forrester, 

 the Members visited the cross now standing in the grounds of St. 

 John's Cottage, a stone shaft with recessed panels containing both 

 at the base and in the head decaying alabaster carvings. This 

 cross, however, does not appear to be ancient, and was probably 

 made to contain the alabaster carvings imbedded in it. 



At 7 p.m. the Annual Dinner was held at the Grosvenor Arms, 

 thirty-one members and friends being present, and at 8.15 the 

 Mayor and Corporation officially received the Society at the Town 

 Hall, the Mayor expressing the welcome which the town extended 

 to the Society. The President having acknowledged the kind 

 words of the Mayor, said that the Society is always glad to be 

 officially received and acknowledged by the civic authorities of the 

 town in which its meetings are held. He then disclaimed any j 

 intention of giving a formal address, but said a few words by wayj 

 of introduction to the business of the evening, recalling the last I 

 meeting at Shaftesbury, thirty years ago. He then called on Mr. 

 H. St. George Gray to deliver his lecture on the excavations which! 

 he has conducted at Avebury. This took the form of a running) 

 commentary on a long series of most admirable photographs ad- 

 mirably exhibited by a lanternist who had volunteered for the I 

 evening. Fifty-three Members and friends were present during 

 the evening. 



WEDNESDAY, JULY 8th, 1914. 



Two large motor char-a-bancs, which however were not nearly full J 

 and several private motors, led by the motor of Mr.B.H. Cunnington,; 



