294 



The Forty-Sixth General Meeting. 



for which purpose its well-known facade has been copied. Members 

 of the Society will recollect that it appears as the frontispiece in 

 Canon Jackson's Aubrey's Wiltshire Collections. We may mention 

 that a very interesting series of lectures was recently delivered in 

 Devizes under the auspices of the Oxford University Extension 

 Association by the Eev. W. Marshall, on English Ecclesiastical 

 architecture as illustrated by parish Churches which were described 

 as a vast museum of treasures. Several Churches in the county 

 were alluded to, and among them Erchfont, whioh we are glad to 

 find will very shortly be in the hands of Mr. Ponting. 



" In these days when Salisbury Plain is likely to become a great 

 military centre it is the clear duty of this Society to urge upon all 

 in authority the very great importance of giving due attention to 

 the preservation of the many interesting remains of the earliest 

 day6 of our history and the innumerable earthworks and other 

 traces of ancient inhabitants, with which the Plain abounds. May 

 we not look to our Patron and Trustee, the present Minister of 

 War, to uphold and preserve from destruction these relics of 

 antiquity ? 



" The three years of office as President, of Mr. Talbot, will 

 shortly expire. He has attended each of the Annual Meetings 

 held during his term of office. His great interest in architectural 

 works has rendered his services of especial value to the Society. 

 We are glad to be able to state that the Lord Bishop of Bristol 

 has consented to act as President for the next three years, and that 

 a visit to Malmesbury is contemplated during his term of office. 

 The other Officers of the Society will be proposed for re-election, 

 including the Hon. Local Secretaries, with the exception of Mr. 

 Holgate, who resigns. 



" The Society meets now under somewhat exceptional difficulties. 

 If v the gathering is not a large one it is hoped it may at any rate 

 prove interesting, as the district teems with archaeological remains." 



The adoption of the report was moved by Mr. Talbot, who 

 referred to the loss sustained by the Society in the death of the 

 Rev. A. C. Smith, and also spoke in oommendation of the enterprise 



