Co 



associated. A large number of photographs and various models 

 were examined ; these enabled the nature and extent of earthquake 

 disturbances to be understood very clearly. After Dr. Milne had 

 shown his visitors over his observatories, and given a great deal of 

 most interesting information on seismology and allied subjects, he 

 and Mrs. Milne entertained the party at tea. The weather was very 

 beautiful and the excursion will be remembered as of the greatest 

 interest. 



% Selection from \\t papers 

 reafr before ffje Society 



Mediaeval Costume, as illustrated by the 

 Monuments in Wimborne Minster. 



ome few years ago the little Dorsetshire town of Sherborne 



^ came prominently before the world, because its enthusiastic 

 inhabitants, wishing to do honour to the memory of St. Aldhelm, 

 the founder of their Abbey and Bishopric, conceived the novel idea of 

 carrying out an historical pageant to illustrate important episodes in 

 the past history of the place. Rich and poor entered heartily into 

 the spirit of the scheme, and through the excellence of the staging 

 and acting the undertaking proved to be, as is well known, a complete 

 success. 



Indeed so successful was it that the idea of organizing pageants 

 quickly spread and succeeding years saw similar spectacular displays 

 performed in all parts of the country. This led to the study of 

 ancient costume amongst a much larger body of people, and as it was 

 felt that accuracy in the general grouping of the characters as well as 

 in the minor details was desirable, diligent search had to be made 

 into the records of mediaeval times to bring about the effective results. 

 The artist and the designer realised that many sources must be 

 studied to gain an insight into the varying styles of dress and armour, 

 the accurate rendering of which would add greatly to the life-like 

 appearance of the characters, and to gain these ends it was quickly 

 recognised that one of these sources would be the monumental effigies 

 remaining in our churches. It may be interesting to point out here 

 and show what a rich harvest the pageant-makers had at their dis- 

 posal throughout all England if I take the contents of just one 

 building only and recall to your mind the costume to be seen 

 upon the stone figures remaining in Wimborne Minster, an edifice 



By Miss Ida M. Roper, f.l.s. 



