To give an instance of the import of this, I will mention the case of Ludlow Castle, which, if I am correctly informed, is much to this effect :-The late Earl of Powys lent £2000 to the crown, or the Woods and Forests, upon a sort of mortgage of this castle, in the reign of George III., or George IV., the crown granting to his lordship and his heirs the constableship of the castle, they undertaking to repair or maintain the castle, and to surrender it to the crown upon the latter repaying the £2000, with interest. The noble family alluded to fully understand the obligation that lies upon them, and have done much towards the repair of the castle; but their example has not been imitated in other instances. If the original grant of tenure of Conway Castle to the Seymour-Conway family, in the time of Charles II., could be examined, it would probably be found to imply a condition of maintenance and reparations; and so probably of Pembroke, Harlech, Denbigh, &c. It is understood that the crown is willing to repair all its Welsh castles, but that the holders in some instances oppose, and in others ignore, the right of the crown to enter, they themselves being careful to do nothing. I cannot suggest a more suitable occupation than this for some of the members of our body who are resident in the metropolis, and can obtain the means of access to our public records.

A third desideratum connected with the study of mediæval remains is the completion of the new Monasticon for Wales. It will be remembered by the Association that this was commenced in the Archæologia Cambrensis, and that the histories of the following monastic establishments have been completed in the pages of our Journal, viz. :—

Merioneth .Cymmer ...

.....

Radnor .. ..Abbey Cwmhir.
Monmouth..... Llanthony.

H. L. JONES.

J. W. REES.
G. ROBERTS.

Besides these, we have Neath, by the Rev. H. Hey Knight, and the admirable History of St. David's, by Mr. Basil Jones, and Mr. Freeman. It is greatly to he desired that the histories of the other three cathedrals should be completely re-written and finished, and also that the entire list of the Monasticon should be gone through and terminated. I consider this as a most important desideratum for the study of Welsh mediæval antiquities.

The surveying, measuring, delineating and describing of the parochial churches, the manor-houses, and the other ancient buildings of Wales must still remain, I am afraid, a desultory and unsatisfactory operation. Whether from its magnitude, or from the paucity of persons to carry on the work, there is little hope of seeing it accomplished before most of the buildings are themselves destroyed. A series for Anglesey was commenced, and nearly half terminated, in the Archæologia Cambrensis, and one for Caernarvonshire was also commenced; but such descriptions require ample illustrations, and until something is done to improve and amplify the illustrative part of our Journal, it would be of no use going on with either of these series, though the materials for them are all complete for Anglesey, and are advancing in Caernarvonshire.

It has been a subject of great disappointment and regret to myself to find so few persons inclined to come forward and co-operate in carrying on a survey of this kind. From some persons, indeed, I used to receive, as Editor, strong remonstrances against such descriptions of parochial mediæval architecture; but, with the exception of Mr. Freeman, who has given us most able compendious views of the architecture of Monmouthshire and Gower,2 nothing notable of this kind has been done in our Journal.

2 Also of South Pembrokeshire; Arch. Camb. 1851, p. 161.-ED.

Though, perhaps, if a questionary were addressed to the parochial clergy, including arrangements for obtaining the principal dimensions of the plans of their several churches, some more general and satisfactory idea might be formed of the actual riches of Wales in parochial mediæval architecture.

I cannot, however, avoid adverting here to the most extensive and interesting collection by the Rev. John Parker of Llanyblodwell, one of the most industrious and scientific antiquaries of whom our Association can boast. That gentleman, as is known to many among us, has visited, measured and delineated nearly all the antiquities of Wales of an architectural kind, some of them entirely, others in parts, and his drawings, all classified and arranged, now fill many folio volumes. Their strictly scientific fidelity, as well as their artistical merit, render this collection of very high value. May I be allowed to express the hope that at the next annual meeting of our body, he will allow the whole collection to be brought to our place of assembly and be there examined by our members. And may I to this add another hope, that whenever we have the misfortune to lose him from amongst us,-for our loss but for his gain, he will be found to have made arrangements for his collections to stand side by side with those of Mr. Westwood, within the walls of the British Museum? At a very humble distance from these two collections, each unique for Wales, I may now add that my own collections for Anglesey, which I am now recopying and illustrating as profusely as my limited leisure will permit, I have already promised to Mr. Franks, one of the conservators of National Antiquities in the British Museum, that it shall be forwarded as soon as it is completely arranged, for deposit in the only place where it will be of general utility to brother antiquaries.

I have reason to believe that several antiquaries are at work in delineating mediæval remains in Wales, here and there, as opportunity offers, and leisure permits. To them I would recommend the consideration of the following

ARCH. CAMB., NEW SERIES, VOL. IV.

2 P

principle:-that though it is very agreeable to form individual collections, yet these collections are ultimately of small value, unless they be made complete for certain districts, invested with a scientific character, and at length made accessible to the antiquarian world. Three of our members are making collections for their respective counties, Mr. Wynne, for Merioneth; Mr. Francis, for Glamorganshire; Mr. Wakeman, for Monmouthshire. The collection of the last named gentleman is, I believe, pretty nearly complete, and I sincerely trust that our descendants will find it in Museo Britannico; Mr. Wynne's is, I know, very rich, but it is still in progress; to give some idea of Mr. Francis',-his collection for the town and neighbourhood of Swansea alone fills nine folio volumes. Now those antiquaries and amateurs who sketch buildings with some degree of architectural knowledge, those who measure them-a most important thing, and those who copy incised slabs, &c., would be doing a great kindness and service to all antiquaries if they would send duplicates of their drawings, &c., either to the gentlemen in the various counties who might be forming complete local collections, or if they would send them to the county museums, when established, or else, and indeed generally, to the British Museum. In order to promote the study of archæology, of architecture, and of history, this is one of the best services a desultory and occasional observer can render; and, if persevered in, our public collections would soon become exceedingly rich and useful.

I think that the issuing of a questionary, upon the plan mentioned above, might prove useful, and at all events the subject is worthy of consideration.

VI.-Parochial Histories, though one of the most generally interesting of antiquarian pursuits, because level to the understanding of many who are not acquainted with the higher and scientific branches of archæology, and therefore sure of many readers, have not been furnished to our Journal as I could have expected. Mr. H. H. Knight has lately shown what

may be done in this way, in his excellent History of the Parish of Newton Nottage, but otherwise the example of Rowlands, in his Antiquitates Parochiales, has not been much followed. And yet how easy it would be for anybody to collect materials for his own parish! They might be more or less complete, more or less important, nevertheless they would always be highly interesting,— and then constitute another desideratum in our antiquarian knowledge. It is known that several gentlemen have formed, and are forming, very extensive local collections of documents. I do not allude to such an one as that of Mr. Traherne, because from its magnitude, -embracing the whole county of Glamorgan, if not the diocese of Llandaff,-it is not to be brought into comparison with others; but I mean parochial or district collections. The learned editor of the Antiquitates Parochiales himself possesses an immense fund of historical and topographical information concerning Caernarvonshire, and other portions of North Wales. Mr. Wynne's collections are rapidly growing and extending in the width of their comprehensiveness. I would encourage other gentlemen to imitate the examples of these two antiquaries, and, while imitating, to consolidate their collections, so that when any given parish or district becomes complete, it may be prepared for publication, and may appear in the pages of the Journal, if it does not go to form a portion of some more important work.

We should not despair of seeing new editions of the County Histories already published for Wales, such as of Fenton's Pembrokeshire, Meyrick's Cardigan, and Jones' Brecknock; but I think we should advocate and promote the compilation of histories for the other eight or nine counties of the Principality, (Flintshire has been almost exhausted by Pennant,) and it is much to be wished that gentlemen would act on the suggestion here thrown out, so as to carry it into practical effect. For example why should not the remainder of Anglesey be added to the Antiquitates Parochiales? There are scholars and antiquaries resident in that island quite competent to