16 
REPORT OF 
midland counties, bearing the arms of Sheldon and the date 
1588, originally put up at Weston in Warwickshire, and 
afterwards in the house of Earl Harcourt in Oxfordshire. 1 
To the cabinet of Coins there have been added a considerable 
number of pennies from different mints of Henry III. of 
England, and two of William I. of Scotland, found during the 
recent excavations within the choir of York Minster, which 
have disclosed remains of the ecclesiastical architecture of 
three eras anterior to that of the present choir. With these 
were presented 2 a Roman coin of Constantine, and some frag¬ 
ments of Roman pottery, dug up between the walls of that 
portion of these remains which appears to have been a Saxon 
church. A stone coffin with its contents, from the gravel-pits 
in Heslington-field, exhibiting an unusual mode of sepulture, 
has been presented by Major Yarburgh. The body had been 
imbedded in plaster, which retains the impression of it; and 
in the plaster were found strings of beads, and ornaments of 
jet and amber, similar to those observed in the ancient tumuli 
which have been opened on the Wolds. 
But the most valuable acquisition which has been added 
to the antiquarian objects of the Institution, it owes to the 
liberality of the Corporation of York. The Society has been 
permitted to excavate on the site of the multangular tower 
and by the side of the adjoining wall which has always been 
considered the most ancient part of the fortifications of York : 
in the course of the work indubitable evidence was discovered 
of the Roman origin of those remains, and additional portions of 
them were exposed. These, in consequence of a memorial from 
the Council, have since been put into the possession of the 
Society ; and thus, through the favour of the Corporate body, 
1 Presented by the Archbishop of York. 
2 By the Rev. W. Vernon Harcourt. 
