The Eleventh General Meeting. 



9 



and even 100 feet high on either side. No one, he thought, could 

 feel any doubt whatever that these valleys were formed, not by 

 the action of the sea, but by fresh water running in one direction. 

 Then arose the important question, whence the immense body of 

 water requisite to denude, or excavate these vallej's ? He could 

 not but think that the true explanation was that suggested by Dr. 

 Blackmore, viz., that within the ordinary human period, there had 

 been a considerable change of climate in this country, and in the 

 north of Europe. The sudden melting of large bodies of snow and 

 ice would, he thought, alone account for the denudation of the 

 principal valley and the six or seven tributary ones between 

 Salisbury and his own house. The next point was this — the mel- 

 ting of such large bodies of snow and ice would cause a current of 

 such rapidity that the work of inundation would be carried on 

 more rapidly than it was being at present carried on by any river 

 in Europe. This was important as bearing upon the extreme anti- 

 quity of these flint implements. He believed them to be of human 

 handiwork, but not to be of that extreme antiquity which some 

 persons claimed for them. There might have been such changes 

 in climate, and in the conformation of land in this district, three 

 or four thousand years ago, as to account for the deposition of the 

 gravels in which these implements had been found. (Hear, hear.) 

 He was glad to have the opportunity of thanking Dr. Blackmore 

 for his paper, as well as for the valuable service he had rendered 

 to the neighbourhood by his contributions to the Salisbury and 

 South Wilts Museum. (Applause.) 



The President then having briefly alluded to the order which 

 was to be followed, announced the morning meeting at the Council 

 Chamber concluded : when the majority of the party proceeded to 

 the Cathedral, in order to inspect that noble building : on reaching 

 the transepts, Earl Nelson requested Mr. Parker to describe the 

 more prominent features of the building. 



Mr. John Henry Parker, the well-known author of the 

 " Glossary " and the very able work on " English Domestic Archi- 

 tecture," standing on a stool near the organ screen said that he 

 had lately been devoting so much attention to the architecture of 



