REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR 1915. 
IX 
repair. After consultation with Sir Cecil Smith, the head of the 
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, as to the best and safest 
mode of treating them, he kindly offered the services of the Museum 
experts at cost price. This offer we gladly accepted, and the two 
tapestries were sent up accordingly, in January, 1914. The work 
was well done ; the cleaning has brought out the original colours 
and lettering, and the maps have been greatly improved in appear¬ 
ance and durability. On the completion of the work we assented 
to the request of the Museum authorities, that the two maps 
should be allowed to remain temporarily in London for exhibition, 
side by side with two others of the same series from the Bodleian 
Library, Oxford. Some correspondence appeared in The Times 
on the subject of their history, and a few months later Mr. Lewis 
Harcourt united with the authorities of the Victoria and Albert 
Museum in asking 11s to allow our third map also to be sent up 
for temporary exhibition with the rest, in order to complete the 
series. Your Council felt that they could not well refuse such a 
request from the family of the original generous donor. All our 
three tapestries are, therefore, now temporarily on exhibition on 
the walls of the Tapestry Room in the large Central Hall of the 
Victoria and Albert Museum, where they have attracted a good 
deal of attention from experts and others. An interesting report 
upon them has been prepared at the Museum, illustrated by 
beautiful photographs, copies of which have been kindly supplied 
to us. The value of the tapestries will, it is believed, be materially 
enhanced by their exhibition in London. 
Owing to the wet coming through the roof ot the Ambulatory 
it is feared that grave damage is being caused. A report was 
obtained from Mr. Geo. Benson, who advised that the Ambulatory 
roof should be bared to the arches and then filled in with concrete 
giving a fall to the outside, the outer part being covered with a 
waterproof substance. This view was confirmed by Mr. Temple 
Moore, who kindly advised, without fee, but on obtaining estimates 
it was found that the cost was so heavy, some six or seven hundred 
pounds, that your Council did not feel justified in incurring the 
expense. Two doorways and a window, which were open, and 
allowed free passage of air and moisture, are being closed, and it 
is hoped that this will materially reduce the further extension 
of the damage. 
On the outbreak of the war your Council received an intimation 
that the gardens might be required both for men and horses. A 
