North Staffordshire Naturalists' Field Club and Archaeological Society a Satisfactory Report of the Pro• Ceedings of the Past Twelve Months

StaffordshireARCHAEOLOGICA L SOCIETY.

1883.

PRESIDENT: W. DTJNNETT SPANTON, ESQ.

VICE-PRESIDENTS :

E. GARNER, ESQ., P.L.S. J. L. CHERRY, ESQ. J. T. ARLIDQE, ESQ., A.M., M.D., LOND. A. SMITH, ESQ. T- WARDLE, ESQ., F.G.S., F.O.S. E. BRUNT, ESQ., F.G.S., F.R.HIST.S. JAMES YATES, ESQ. W. LITCHFIELD, ESQ. 0. LYNAM, ESQ. ALEX. SCRIVENER, ESQ. J. WARD, ESQ. W. H. GOSS, ESQ., F.G.S., F.M.S. W. S. BROUOH, ESQ. SampleCountyA. LEECH, ESQ., F.G.S . REV. THOS. W. DALTRY, M.A., F.L.S. A. M. MCALDOWIE, ESQ., M.D. E. EARL, ESQ. 0. L. WRAGGE, ESQ., F.R.G.S., F.M.S. W. CHALLINOR, ESQ. T. S. WILKINS, ESQ.

TREASURER: W. DDNNETT SPANTON, ESQ.

SECRETARY: LIBRARIAN: RBV. THOS. W. DALTRY. MR. E. BRUNTStudies. LOCAL SECRETARIES: LOCAL TREASURERS: BURSLEM AND TUNSTALL. MR. ARTHUR ELLIS . MR. E. FORRESTER HUGHES. HANLEY, MR. F. HAIGH, , MR. E. BRUNT. LEEK, ... MR. W. S. BROUOH, MR. J. B. BLADES. LONGTON, MR. J. WARD, ... . MR. T. J. ROBINSON. NEWCASTLE, MR. D. B. HURLEY, M.A. MR. E. EARL. STOKE, ... MR. J. KIRKBY, MR. A. SCRIVENER. STONE, ... MR. W. B. WOOLLEY, MR. W. WELLS BLADEN. UTTOXETER, MR. T. S. WILKINS, ... MR. E. ASTBURY.

COMMITTEE ; MR. T. BLACKSHAW. MR. L. H. JAHN. ICR. J. BLAIKIE, F.G.S., E.L S MR. F. E. KITCHENER, M.A., F.L.S. REV. W. EARLE, M.A. MR. J. G. R. POWELL. REV. D. EDWARDES, M.A. MR. T. J. ROBINSON, F.G.S. MR. THOMAS HAMPTON. MR. F. C. WOODFORDE, B.A.

D. DILWORTH, PRINTER, NEWCASTLE. Staffordshire

The Treasurer in Account with the North Staffordshire Naturalists' Held Club and Archaeological Society.

BALANCE SHEET FOR THE YEAR 1882.

DR. £ s. d. CR. £ s. d. To 299 Subscriptions ... 74 15 0 To Balance due to Treasurer ... 3 17 5 „ Balance due to Treasurer ... 12 15 4 „ AUbut & Daniel for Periodicals ... 14 17 6 „ D. Dilwortb for Printing ... 37 2 0 „ Expenses of Stoke Meetings (2) .. 9 8 0 „ ,, Uttoxeter Meeting ... 5 0 0 SampleCounty„ „ Newcastle Meeting ... 4 10 0 „ „ Stone Meeting ... 3 10 6 „ „ Summer Meetings .. 3 14 0 „ Postage of Committee Circulars and Eeports ... 0 10 5 „ Commission on Collecting Subscriptions 5 0 G i'87 10 4 Studies £87 10 4 March 29th, 1883, Examined and found correct, E. EAEL.

The foregoing statement shews a balance due to the Treasurer of £12 15s. 4d. There is, moreover, a sum of £26 still owing for printing, &c, and another of £5 13s. for the last Winter Meeting, making a total deficiency of £4-1 8s. 4d. It will require careful consideration as to the best measures to adopt to overcome this difficulty ; at present the necessary expenditure is in excess of the amount received from Subscriptions, which is the only source of income the Society has. EXCURSIONS AND EVENING MEETINGS. 1883-4.

Staffordshire EXCURSIONS : LEADER :

1—Thursday, April 19, Mucklestone, Blore\The gecretary_ Heath, and Drayton...... J ^'

2—Saturday, May 19, Vttoxeter Mr. Wilkins.

3—Tuesday, June 19, Leek and Tittesworth ) Rey w Bel.egfor(L Lake ...... )''

4—Friday, July 20, and following days, Isle \ The president of Man ...... j 5—Monday, AugusSamplet 23, CopmereCounty ...... Mr. Yates . 6—Thursday, September 20, Breadsall and \ Morley ...... (Mr. Scrivener.

7—Tuesday, October 16, Chester, by invita-)-^ Wilkins Hon of the Chester Society ...... j Studies

EVENING MEETINGS : LOCAL SECRETARY :

1—Thursday, November 22, Stone ...... Mr. Woolley.

2—Thursday, January 17, Hanley ...... Mr. Haigh.

3—Thursday, February 21, Cheadle .. Mr. Masefield.

4—Thursday, March 20, Stoke—Annual ) ^R J^J ^i) Meeting...... J ' 1

Staffordshire REPORT

Read at the Eighteenth Annual Meeting, held at Stoke-on-Trent,

on Thursday, March 29th, 1888.

It affords great pleasure to the Committee to feel that at the close of the eighteenth year of its existence they can honestly pre• sent to the members of the North Staffordshire Naturalists' Field Club and Archaeological Society a satisfactory report of the pro• ceedings of the past twelve months. In almost all respects the Club has made progressSample. The Excursions and Evening Meetings have been extremely well attendedCounty. The average numbe r of mem• bers present at the Excursions your Committee find to be forty- three, and the attendance at the Evening Meetings shews an average of no less than ninety-five, a most satisfactory result, when the extended area embraced by the operations of the Club is taken into consideration. The Hanley Evening Meeting was probably the best attended in the history of the Club : it was computed that one hundred and thirty members were present at one period or other of the evening. The best attended Excursion was that Studiesto Wetton, in May—ninety members being present—a result due to the popu• larity of the beautiful district visited, and to a vivid recollection of the excellent arrangements always made by the Leek members. Two Excursions were poorly attended, the first of the season, to Hardwick, when only seventeen members braved the length of the journey ; and the four days' Excursion to the English Lakes, which attracted an attendance of but thirteen. The change of days in the latter instance was perhaps one reason why no more were present, but your Committee, from past experience, cannot but come to the conclusion that it is a mistake to fix an excursion for the great annual holiday week of the district.

The Excursions, then, seven in number as usual, were duly made in accordance with the original fixtures, with the exception just mentioned of a slight change of days for that to the Lakes : this was, however, the only departure from the card. The dates and places of the Excursions were as follows :— 15 EXCURSIONS.

StaffordshireI.— HARDWICK HALL, WEDNESDAY , APRTL 19TH, 1882.

At this, the first Excursion of the season, a party of about twenty ladies and gentlemen were present.

The members left Stoke in a saloon carriage at 8 10 a.m. for Derby, starting from Derby for Chesterfield at 10 32. At Duffield Station the party was joined by Mr. Llewellyn Jewitt, F.S.A., the eminent author and editor of many works, who was accompanied by Miss Jewitt and Miss Goss. Ches• terfield was reached at half-past 11, and then a drive past the church, the crooked spire of which was commented upon, and thence through a delightful country for some eight miles brought the party to the mag• nificent slopes of Hardwick park. Another mile, through a portion of the remains of " Merrie Sherwood," and the members descended at the entrance of the stately hall, an imposing mansion finely situated on the brow of an elevated table-landSample. On arriving in the lofty and spaciouCountys entrance-hall a short paper bear• ing on the history of the place and the objects of interest contained in it was read by the Rev. H. Cottingham, M.A., Vicar of Heath. Derbyshire, after which the party made a somewhat hurried survey of the hall, headed by Mr. Cottingham and Mr. Daltry. On re-assembling at the foot of the staircase, a hearty vote of thanks for his interesting paper was accorded to the Rev. gentleman on the motion of Mr. W. D. Spanton, president of the society, seconded by the Rev. T. W. Daltry, general secretary.—Mr. Cot• tingham, in reply, expressed regret that the visitors had not had more time to devote to their inspection. He hoped they would carry away with them impressions which in after times would pleasantly revive thStudiese memories of the visit, and perhaps induce them to make a second. After spending a few moments in the ruins of the old hall, the return journey was com• menced shortly after three o'clock, and the party arrived safely at Stoke at eight o'clock, after a most pleasant day's excursion, which had been favoured by very fine weather. In the course of the evening 15 new mem• bers of the society were formally elected, and six others were nominated. A unanimous vote of thanks to the leader was moved by Mr. J. Ridgway, seconded by Mr. Gee.—Mr. Daltry, in reply, explained that several members who intended to accompany them had been prevented by exceptional circumstances.

The following is the paper on Hardwick, by the Rev. W. Cottingham, M.A., Vicar of Heath :—

In a letter from Lord Byron to the Rev. Francis Hodgson, Vicar of Bakewell, and afterwards Archdeacon of Derby, he says, " I do not think the composition of your poem a sufficient reason for not keeping your pro• mise of a Christmas visit. Why not come 1 I will not disturb you in your moments of inspiration ; and if you wish to collect any materials for the scenery, Hardwicke is not eight miles distant, and, independent of the interest you must take in it as the vindicator of Mary Queen of Scots, is a 51

Staffordshire

EVENING MEETINGS.

I.—STONE MEETING.

THUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD, 1882. SampleCounty

The first evening meeting for the winter season, 1882-83, was held in the Town Hall, Stone, on Thursday evening. The attendance was unexpectedly large. The room in which the transactions took place was consequently found inadequate to accommodate with comfort the members who put in an appearance. An unusually varied selection of objects of interest connected with natural history were exhibited. Mr. Wells Bladen showed a splendiStudiesd collection of eggs, consisting of from 240 to 250 varieties, principally those of British birds. Among them was a clutch of four ospreys—said to bo the only quartette clutch in England—egg of the jackass penguin and rockhopper penguin, and two eggs of the yellow-nosed albatross. Lady Forester, of Meaford Hall, sent a very unique collection, one of the most interesting of her exhibits being a peculiarly-shaped axe found at Caverswall Castle. A contribution from her ladyship which came in for close examination was a small silver elongated, octagon casket, hermetically sealed, supposed to contain the bone dust of some church dignitary, taken originally from a dismantled convent at Modena. It was found embedded in a small block of white marble, which was also on exhibition. Her ladyship also showed a couple of assegais, brought from Ulundi by Lord St. Vincent, besides two very interestingly-decorated shields from Afghanistan. These latter are constructed from buffalo hide, one the work of the common soldiery, and the other the most ornate, supposed to have been made by officers. Staffordshire

SampleCounty

Studies Staffordshire

SampleCounty

Studies 87

Staffordshire

ANNUAL MEETING.

STOKE-UPON-TRENT, THURSDAY, MARCH 29TH, 1883.

The eighteenth annual meeting of the members of this society was held at the RailwaSampley Hotel, StokeCounty, on Thursday evening. There was a large attendance of members. As usual, an interesting col• lection of objects was displayed for the inspection of the company. Prominent among these was a fine botanical collection, comprising 377 specimens of North Staffordshire plants, which were collected and neatly mounted by Mrs. Lynam and family. The specimens were collected between April, 1882, and February, 1883, inclusive. Dr. M'Aldowie exhibited the cast of an enormous egg—that of the extinct JEpyornis giganteus, or wingless bird of Madagascar—anStudiesd also an ostrich egg; there were a dozen microscopes with many objects specially supplied through the agency of the president (Mr. W. D. Spanton); Mr A. Leech lent three encaustic tiles of 13th century manufacture, taken from an ancient church in Cheshire, and some specimens from his large collection of old and curious books; Mr. J. Ward lent four volumes of " Faune du Calcaire Carbonifere de la Belgique," which had been presented to him by the Xatural History Society of Belgium ; Mr W. H. Goss showed an interesting collection of photographs, illustrating Mr. C. L. Wragge's meteorological station at the summit of Ben Nevis, a specimen of kidney ore, containing crystals of quartz and specular iron, a number of books, &c.

The President, on taking the chair, congratulated the members on the numerous assemblage present. Fourteen ladies and gentle• men who had been nominated at the Hanley meeting were then elected, and ten new nominations were received. 101

up only the more typical ones to-night) the more clearly do we see the importance of that intimate relation which the lowest forms of life bear to the most highly organised, and in a proportionate degree will our desire increase, to penetrate deeper still into the mysteries of that microscopic world of which I have endeavoured to afford some glimpse this evening.

One word in conclusion. The study of nature may be likened to a long Staffordshirevista of beautiful groves, in which each one we enter seems more lovely than the one preceding, in which the light grows more brilliant, the views more extensive, yet always bounded by that illimitable horizon which in the natural, as in the spiritual world, restricts our view, and makes us feel how insignificant after all is man, how illusory his vain ideas of profound wisdom, how entirely he, and all he may behold, is under the control of a Divine power, which is being unceasingly, and beneficently, exercised for his good. To appreciate nature fully, it must be contemplated with the whole mind, not with the accomplished perceptions only which appreciate, artist• like, the beauty of the colouring, the delicacy of the hues, and the won• drous harmony of such variety ; not with the cultivated sensations merely by which such beauties are felt with a thrill that permeates the blood like a physical pleasure, but with these, and yet superadded to them, a spiritual perception of a Divine designer throughout all. In nature God operates as he does in Christianity, by making one thing subservient to another, through a series of means which extends backward and forward beyond our utmost view. Thus we are led to the conviction that certain physical movements are the Sampleeffect of invisibleCounty power, that the movin g agent we can command is the cause of certain movements, that these motions of matter, are merely the visible and outward signs of an inward and invisible force. Beyond this point in the present state of our knowledge, we cannot, I think, safely pass. But while we await with increasing wisdom the unfolding of the mysteries of true science, we can revere the works of the past, we ought to utilise our knowledge of the present, and we may look forward with devout aspiration to the future—that wondrous future which shall so far transcend the present, as our own condition now excels that early state of our existence which was represented by a smalStudiesl single germ.

WILLIAM MOLYNEUX, F.G.S.,

BORN MAY 22ND, 1824; DIED OCTOBEE 24TH, 1882.

BY ME. JOHN WABD, F.G.S.

It is with feelings of deep regret that we announce the death of an old and much esteemed member of the club in the person of William Molyneux, F.G.S., F.R.H.S. By his death the club has lost an able and indefatigable member, one that was always ready to assist in any work that would tend to the promotion of its welfare.

Those of us who had the advantage of his private acquaintance will long retain a pleasant recollection of the cordiality of manner and genial 110

CATALOGUE OF BOUND BOOKS. Annals of Natural History Vols. 5—19 1870—8 15 Vols. Entomologist „ 6—10 1872—8 5 Geological Magazine 1865—78 14 Journal of Botany (new series) ... „ 4—7 1875—8 4 Journal of Science „ 1—5 1864—8 5 StaffordshireMonthly Microscopical Journal ... „ 3—16 1870—6 14 Nature Vols. 1, 2, 4, 9,11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 1870—8 15 Popular Science Review ... Vols. 4, 7, 8, 14 1865—75 10 Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science Vols 5, 8 1865—8 4 Reliquary, The Vols. 10—18 1869—78 9 Science Gossip 1865—78 14 Student Vol. 4 1870 1 Transactions of the Microscopical Society of London (new series) ... Vols. 13—15 1865—7 3 Zoologist (second series) „ 10—11 1875—6 2 Bertier (F., M.D.) The Spas of Aix-le-Bains and Marloiz Savoy 1 Higgins (H. H., M.A.) Notes of a Field Naturalist in the Western Tropics 1 „ Sainter's (J.D.) Jottings of Rambles round Macclesfield ... 1 „ United States Geological Survey :—Ethnography and Philo• sophy of the HidatsSamplea Indians County 1 „ The Fur-bearing Animals, by E. Couss 1 ,, The Territories Vol 7 1 „ United States Geological Survey :—Bulletin of the Territories 1 ,, Colorado and Adjacent Territory, by F. V. Hayden 1 „ Tenth Annual Report of the United States Geological and Geographical Survey :— Expeditions in 1876 in Colorado and Parts of adjacent Territory 1878 Birds of the Colorado Valley, by Elliott Couss—part first—Passeres to Laniidos Studies1878 Bulletin of the States Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories Vol. 4, No. 3 1878 Bibliology of North American Invertebrate Palason- tology, by Dr. C.White and Prof. H. A. Nicholson 1878

SECTIONS. The following are the Sections which were ordered to be formed at the Annual Meeting, on March 16th, 1876, together with the names of their provisionally appointed Heads :— Archaeology Mr. C. Lynam. Astronomy Mr. H. W. Hollis, F.R.A.S. Botany J. T. Arlidge, M.D., London. Entomology Rev. Thos. W. Daltry, M.A., F.L.S. _ . I Mr. J. Ward, F.G.S. Geol°£y \ Mr. T. Wardle, F.G.S. „. ( Mr. R. Garner, F.L.S. Microscopy ) Mr. W. D. Spanton. Zoology Mr. J. Yates Ill

ASSOCIATED SOCIETIES WITH WHICH THE NORTH STAFFORD•

SHIRE CLUB EXCHANGES PUBLICATIONS.

StaffordshireBrighton and Sussex Natural History Society. Burton-on-Trent Natural History and Archaeological Society. Chester Society of Natural Science. Dudley and Midland Geological and Scientific Society. Eastbourne Natural History Society. Epping Forest and County of Essex Naturalists' Field Club. Glasgow Natural History Society. Goole Scientific Society. Huddersfield Literary and Scientific Society. Huddersfield Naturalists' Society. Ipswich Scientific Society. Leeds Naturalists' Club and Scientific Association. Lewes and East Sussex Natural History Society. Liverpool NaturalistsSample' Field ClubCounty. Manchester Field Naturalists' Club. Manchester Geological Society. Manchester Scientific Students' Association. Marlborough College Natural History Society. Northamptonshire Natural History Society and Field Club. Severn Valley Naturalists' Field Club. Smithsonian Institution. Stafford Institute and Field Club. Studies United States Geological and Geographical Survey. 112

LIST OF MEMBERS CORRECTED TO MARCH, 1884

TOTAL NUMBER, 413.

HONORARY MEMBERS. Dunedin, Right Rev. the Bishop of, D.D., F.L.S., Otago, N.Z. StaffordshireDavis, J. E., 4, Whitehall, London . Broad, Rev. J. S., M.A., Pentney Vicarage, Swaffham, Norfolk. Garner, R., F.R.C.S., P.L.S., Stoke, Vice-President.

ORDINARY MEMBERS.

Abe, F., S. Chad's, Denstone Blackshaw, Miss Acton, John, Hillside Villa, Stoke Bladen, Wm., 17, Newcastle Road, Adams, Captain Rd., Congleton Hanley Adams, Frank, Stoke Bladen, W. Wells, Stone Adams, J., Longton Blades, Josiah B., Leek Adams, Joseph, Rathbone-street Blagg, C. J., Cheadle Tunstall > Blaikie, John, F.G.S., F.L.S., New• Adams, Miss, Stoke Villa, Stoke castle Adie, Francis, Granville Terrace, Boone, Fred., 47, Lichfield-street, Stone Hanley Alcock, John, M.R.C.S., Burslem Boothman, Rev. E. D., M.A., Shel- Annan, Miss, N. Staffs. Infirmary ton Rectory Arlidge, J. T., M.D.Sample, Lond., The CountyBostock, E., Castl e Road, Stafford High Grove, Stoke, Vice-Pres. Bostock, Edwin, Stone Armstrong, Jas. T., Newcastle Bostock, Edwin D., the Radfords, Armstrong, Mrs. Stone Ash, Frederic, Stoke Villa, Stoke Bostock, Miss M.D., G, Brunswick Ashdown, Rev. G. M., West Brom- Terrace, Stafford wich Bostock, Mrs. Thomas,Castle Road, Ashwell, John B., Stoke Stafford Ashworth, Miss, Kingsland, New• Boulton, W., Burslem castle Bourne, William, Spring Bank, Astbury, Edward, Uttoxeter Cheadle Astbury, Mrs. Brade, Thomas H.Studies, Victoria Road, Astley, D. G., Newcastle Newcastle Astley, Mrs. Bradford, George, Hanley Bradford, G. W., Miles Bank Bagnall, Wm., Glebe-street, Stoke Chambers, Han ley Baines, A., Lichfield House, Hanley Bradshaw, John, 14. Wellington Bakewell, A. E., Great Fenton Place, Hanley Barke, F., Stoke Briggs.Miss, 10, Stoke Villas, Stoke B&rke Mrs Brittain, Rev. A. H. B., B.A., Wol- Baylis's, Rev. W. W., M A., Stone stanton Bayliss, Mrs. Brittain, T., Parkfields, Tittensor Beach, F., National Provincial Broadhuist, Jas., The Villas, Blythe Bank, Stone Bridge Beckett, J. H, Forsbrook, Longton Broady, J., Glebe-street, Stoke Bickley,Thos.,Broad-street, Hanley Bromley, Miss, Cocknage Road, Bilton, Ernest, Regent-st., Stoke Dresden Birks, Arthur, Ivy Cottage, Great Brough, William S., Leek, Vice- Fenton President Bishop, W. H., The Radfords, Stone Brown, Alfred, Cliffe Cottage, Blackshaw, T., Burslem Hartshill 119

CONTENTS .

PAGE List of Officers, 1883 Title Page Treasurer's Report 3 Excursions and Evening Meetings, 1883-4 4 StaffordshireReport of Committee 5 Sectional Report :—Entomology 11 Excursions:— I. Hardwick Hall 15 Paper on "Hardwick," by the Rev. W. Cottingham, M.A. ... 15 II. Grindon and the Valley of the Manyfold 20 III. Newstead Abbey 22 IV. Mount St. Bernard in Charnwood Forest 25 Paper on "Mount St. Bernard and the Monks who live there," by Mr. Llewellyn Jewitt, F.S.A., &c 25 Paper on " Charnwood Forest," by Mr. W. Dunnett Spanton, F.R.C.S., President 34 V. The English Lakes 41 VI. LilleshaU 43 Paper on "Sample The Geology of CountyLilleshall Hill and it s Vicinity," by Mr. W. W. Watts, B.A., F.G.S 45 VII. Acton Trussell, Coppenhall, &c., Churches 48 Evening Meetings :— I. Stone 51 Paper on " The Air-Breathers of the Coal Measures," by Mr. T. J. Robinson, F.G.S 55 II. Newcastle 63 Paper on " Newstead Abbey," by Mr. Arthur Leech, F.G.S. 64 Paper on " Toads in Rocks," by Mr. James Vates Studies68 III. Hanley 73 Paper on Zoological and Botanical Notabilia in 1882," by Mr. R. Garner, F.L.S 74 Paper on " The Reasoning Faculties of Birds as evidenced in construction of their Nests," by Mr. T. J. Robinson, F.G.S. 76 Paper on " Burton Abbey," by Mr. Alexander Scrivener " ... 82 IV. Stoke—Annual Meeting 87 Annual Address by the President, Mr. W. Dunnett Spanton, F.R.C.S. 90 Memoir of the late Mr. W. Molyneux, F.G.S, F.R.Hist.S, by Mr. John Ward, F.G.S 101 Rainfall in 1883, by Mr. J. Beaumont Piercy 109 Catalogue of Books 110 Associated Societies Ill List of Members 112 Rules 118