Field Meetings and Lectures, 19^8-^9 HE season opened on Tuesday, 13 May, when members visited St. Cross Hospital and were welcomed by the Master (the Rev. G. T. Carlisle), the lecturer in the Chapel Tbeing Mr Ralph Dutton of Hinton Ampner, one of the Trustees of the Hospital. He also conducted the members round the Hospital buildings. In the Hall a selection of the Hospital archives were on view and were described by Mrs W. J. Carpenter Turner. In the afternoon the Annual General Meeting took place in the Council Chamber of the Castle, the President (Commander E. C. Wrey, O.B.E., R.N.) being re-elected for another year of office. His Presidential Address dealt with the Archaeology of the New Forest. On 7 June the Club visited Beaulieu Abbey, Mr A. Temple Patterson, M.A., F.R.HIST.S., of Southampton University, being the lecturer. Picnic lunches were eaten by members, after which Captain H. Widnell, Warden of Beaulieu Abbey, conducted the party over the Palace House, the former gatehouse, later converted into a residence and now the home of Lord Montagu. He also showed them round the Motor Car Museum. The party then proceeded to Minstead, where the exceedingly quaint and ' unrestored' Church was inspected under the guidance of Mr R. L. P. Jowitt. Tea followed at the ' Trusty Servant' Inn. On 21 June there was an afternoon meeting in Southampton, when Mr John S. Wacher, B.SC, F.S.A., conducted members round various archaeological sites, upon which excavation work was proceeding. On 7 July Hampton Court and Strawberry Hill, Middlesex, were the objectives, under the leadership of Mr John Simpson. At the former, particular attention was paid by the lecturer to' The King's Beasts ' and the comparison of the Wren buildings to their prototype, Versailles. In the afternoon Strawberry Hill was visited by permission of the Very Rev. K. Cronin, CM., M.A., Principal of St Mary's College, with the modern buildings of which the old ' Gothick' house of Horace Walpole is now incorporated. On the return journey Waynflete's Tower, near Esher, was inspected, by kind permission of Mr and Mrs P. Winand. Here Cardinal Wolsey retired after his disgrace. On the evening of 16 July members assembled in the Connaught Hall, Swaythling, by kind permission of Southampton University, in order to welcome the members of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, who were paying a visit to Hampshire. The President (Commander Wrey) welcomed the visiting society on behalf of the Club. On 22 July the Club travelled to London by train and proceeded to Greenwich, where the first objective was the famous old tea-clipper Cutty Sark, now preserved in dry dock. Members were conducted round the vessel and of particular interest was the notable collec­ tion of figure-heads preserved in the hold. The Queen's House, a fine specimen of work by Inigo Jones, was next visited, a member of the museum staff conducting the party round the collection of magnificent naval portraits. In the afternoon the Maritime Museum was visited, with its large collection of Nelson relics. The last objective was the Painted Hall and Chapel of the Royal Naval College, these being described by Commander W. E. May, R.N. Unfortunately the ceiling of the former was invisible owing to repairs that were pro­ ceeding. This concluded a most interesting expedition. The idea of visiting Greenwich originated with the President and the details of the day were organised by the Hon. Treasurer and Mr A. E. Palmer, to all of whom the thanks of the Club are due. 160 FIELD MEETINGS AND LECTURES On 9 August the Club visited the New. Forest, when the President (Commander Wrey) described the Bishop's Dyke to members. Picnic lunch was then taken, after which the party visited Boldre Church, which was described by the Vicar, the Rev. J. Hayter. Tea was then taken at the Angel Hotel in Lymington. On 26 August the Isle of Wight was the objective. From Cowes the party drove to Carisbrooke Castle, which was described by Mr J. D. Jones, M.A., the Curator of the Castle Museum. After members had had a further look round the Castle and picnic lunch, the party proceeded to the Geological Museum at Sandown, where Councillor A. G. Steavenson addressed them before taking them to Whitecliff Bay, where a geological ramble took place. The coach returned to Cowes along the top of the ridge of Ashey Down, giving grand views over the interior of the island. On 3 September the Club visited Andover and district in association with the Andover History Group, who had arranged a most interesting tour of the region, including visits to Balksbury, Bury Hill Camp and Abbot's Ann Church in the morning. Lunch was taken at the Crown Inn at Everleigh and in the afternoon Ludgershall Castle and Church and Quarley Hill Camp were visited. Tea was taken at the ' Star and Garter' at Andover, after which the Parish Church was visited. On 6 September a special expedition was made to see the excavations being conducted at Great Torberry Fort in Sussex, an early Iron Age camp, under the auspices of the Joint Archaeological Society of Hants, Surrey and Sussex. Tea was taken at South Halting. The season ended with the usual Fungus Foray on 27 September, conducted by Dr F. B. Hora in the Winchester District. Tea was taken afterwards in the College Science School. During the autumn there were two lectures, the first being on October 15th at Alton Assembly Rooms, the Rev. George Knapp, Vicar of Worldham, speaking on the excavations at Selborne Priory. The second took place at the Tudor House at Southampton and was given by Lt.-Col. B. C. G. Shore, L.R.I.B.A., his subject being' Rocks to Wrought Timber'. Both these lectures were illustrated by some beautiful slides, Colonel Shore's dealing with church architecture. On 6 January, 1959, a special winter expedition to the Whitewater Valley, to the E. of Basingstoke, was led by Mr John Simpson. It was felt that members of the Club would wish to familiarise themselves with this delightful region, now under threat of development as an ' overspill' town by the L.C.C. In spite of misty and rainy weather, the party much enjoyed themselves under the expert and enthusiastic leadership of Mr Simpson. Starting from Upton Grey, where they saw the Church, the party followed the course of the Whitewater from its source to its confluence with another stream. On 17 January the film issued by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds entitled ' Highland Birds' was shown at Southampton University. This most beautiful coloured film was much appreciated by a large audience. The film was introduced by Mr E. Cohen, F.z.s., M.B.O.U., President of the Ornithological Section. The winter season concluded with a lecture on 12 February by Mrs W. J. Carpenter Turner on ' The Cave Family of Winchester' at St Maurice Hall in Winchester. She dealt with the history and work of these 18th century artists in a most interesting manner, in the course of which she showed a series of old Winchester views. 161 Annual Report 19 $"8-9 HE paid-up membership of the Club on 31 December was 519. During this year the Club organised 9 field meetings and 3 winter lectures, as well as a film show by Tthe Ornithological Section, ' Highland Birds', at Southampton University, which was very well attended. The Hon. Secretary has continued to represent the Club on the Committee of the Win­ chester Preservation Trust and it was with great regret that the Club learnt that despite all the efforts made by various bodies, the City Council had decided to demolish the three old houses in Upper Brook Street, which it was hoped would be preserved and repaired. Mrs Carpenter Turner represented the Club at the Enquiry held in Winchester to consider the future of Beacon Hill (Farley Mount), a matter still awaiting the decision of the Minister of Housing and Local Government. The Club gave financial support to the excavations proceeding at Selborne Priory during the summer under the leadership of the Rev. G. Knapp and also contributed towards the investigation of the Ampress earthwork near Lymington by Mr Aberg. A great deal of time has been spent on the revision of the rules by an ad hoc Committee appointed for the purpose. Copies of the amended rules have been circulated to all members and will be submitted to the Annual General Meeting 162 BALANCE SHEET, 31ST DECEMBER, 1959. s d £ d £ s d GENERAL FUND :— CASH :— Balance, 1st January, 1959 335 17 0 Current Account, Lloyds Bank Ltd. 390 10 2 Add Subscriptions for 1958 2 2 0 Deposit Account, Lloyds Bank Ltd. 29 5 8 Interest on Deposit Accounts 10 12 7 Deposit, Post Office Savings Account 413 12 5 833 8 3 348 11 7 Less Excess of Expenditure over Income for the Year 6 14 3 Balance of Cost of " Proceedings ", Vol. xx 17 19 7 24 13 10 323 17 TROKB LEGACY :— Per last Balance Sheet 50 0 EXCAVATIONS RESERVE :— Balance, 1st January, 1959 150 6 6 Add Grant "Long Barrow", not now required 25 0 0 Provision for 1959 100 0 0 275 6 6 Less Grants to— Silchester Excavations 15 0 0 Ampress Excavations 75 0 0 90 0 0 185 6 SUNDRY CREDITORS AND CREDIT :— Balances 274 4 £833 8 3 £833 8 3 D. A. COATES, Honorary Treasurer.