permitting them to turn to account the Hon. Mr. Cowper-Temple's kind invitation to visit Broadlands—the party proceeded towards Porchester, where they arrived at about five o'clock, during a heavy shower of rain. Proceeding at once to the church within the enceinte, Mr. J. H. Parker, C.B. discoursed upon its more important features, referring specially to the beautiful ornamentation and fine general execution of this twelfth-century church. Passing then to the ruins of the Castle, Mr. G. T. Clark, who had met the party at Porchester, took up the office of cicerone and led the way to the Roman gateway on the strand of the bay, and discussed the importance of a position which was then called "Portus Magnus," and which defended the settlement on the estuary of the Southampton Water. After making a perambulation of the chief portions of the ruins, Mr. Clark pointed out the evidences of the additions made at various times, and concluded by an epitome of the historical associations of the place in connection with the Sovereigns of England.[1] The kind exertions of Mr. Parker and Mr. Clark having been duly acknowledged by their audience, return was made to Southampton. At 9 p.m. a Conversazione was held in the Ordnance Survey Office, by invitation of the Director General, Major-General Sir Henry James, R.E. Here a remarkably varied collection of objects was displayed for the gratification of the visitors, whose numbers were, however, somewhat reduced by the fatigues of the day and the bad weather they had experienced. These objects comprised flint implements found in the immediate neighbourhood, drawing of ancient forts, a model of Stonehenge, plans of Clausentum, of Southampton and its ancient walls, of Netley Abbey, and of Silchester. The greatest interest was, however, shown respecting the models of the Pyramids, about which the director explained his theory of their construction and object; the original photographs of the late surveys made at Jerusalem, exhibited by the electric light, and obligingly explained by the Rev. G. Williams; and by the collection of National MSS. in the charge of Mr. W. Basevi Sanders, Assistant-Keeper of the Public Records, which were at Southampton for the purpose of being photo-zincographed,—together with illustrations of that process.
Saturday, August 3.
This was the day appointed for the excursion to Christchurch and Beaulieu. Leaving Southampton at 9 a.m., Christchurch was reached at 10 o'clock. Here the party was received by the Mayor and some of the Corporation, and having been joined by the Vicar (the Rev. Z. Nash), Mr. Parker conducted them round the exterior and then over the interior of the noble church of the Priory. The visitors being brought together in the choir, a short memoir upon the church by Mr. B. Ferrey, the architect, a native of the place, was read by the Hon. Secretary. This commenced with a short résumé of the history of the monastery, and in speaking of Flambard, the architect of Durham Cathedral, the portions of the church and domestic buildings at Christchurch, attributed to him, were discussed and compared with his works elsewhere. After Flam- bard's time the chief indications of the architectural history of the church were derived from the dedication of altars. The architectural
- ↑ See memoir by the Rev. C. H. Hartshorne "On the History and Architecture of Porchester Castle" in the Winchester volume of the Institute.
