LEICESTERSHIRE ARCHITECTURAL AND ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. May 26th, 1862. THE REV. ROBERT BURNABY in the chair. The following gentlemen were elected members of the Society: the Rev. John Fisher (Leicester), Mr. E. J. Simons (Manor House, Ullesthorpe), and Mr. Foxton (Leicester). MR. G. H. NEVINSON exhibited a small silver coin of Hadrian, (A.D. 117 to 138), found near the Fosse Road, by Leicester. The coin of this reign is important in number, variety, and artistic skill, and interesting to English collectors from the fact of Hadrian himself having visited Britain. MR. HUNT (Thurnby) showed a spur apparently of the time of Henry VIII., with a star-like rowel upon a somewhat short neck, that form having superseded, about the time indicated, the very long neck spurs previously in use. That gentleman also produced a number of small Roman coins found in Leicester, also a farthing of Charles I. (?) which from its poverty of execution and baseness of metal, proved the truth of Humphrey's remarks upon the attempted introduction of copper farthings in this reign-"The farthings being of course below their intrinsic value, caused endless discontent and disturbance." MR. JAMES THOMPSON exhibited various articles of considerable interest, which he explained in the following remarks: "In laying before the Society to-day two articles of a date approaching the close of the seventeenth century, I am aware that their antiquarian interest is less than that of objects of more ancient character, but the dagger and sconce which I exhibit to-day for Mr. Henry Goddard are worthy of inspection. The dagger has a crown engraved upon it, and a crowned head stamped upon it, and it bears on one side, near the hilt, the inscription "GOD SAVE KING VOL. II. I JAMES, 1686." The sconce, or candlestick, has a hook to hang against a wall. It is curiously wrought with scroll ornaments. It bears the initials R.B.P., and the date 1684. It has been used very much as the sconces represented in Mr. Wright's work on Medieval Manners and Customs were used, and would seem to have been placed in some public room or large apartment. Two other things which I bring to-day belong to Policeman Hart, who has entrusted them to me for exhibition. The one is a black urn of Roman character, probably an unguent jar. The other is probably a mortar or handmill, which was found near Mountsorrel. The urn was found in removing the earth to make a cellar in Lower Brown Street, Leicester. Both should, I think, be placed in the Leicester Museum. I here take the opportunity of saying that Policeman Hart has proved himself very serviceable in watching over and preserving antiquarian remains found at intervals in making street excavations in Leicester. He has an intelligent and discriminating appreciation of the remains discovered, but I regret to learn that he has experienced annoyance and obstruction in the prosecution of his endeavours. I am sure that the Watch Committee of the Borough would, if they were aware of the fact, check the annoyance to which Hart is exposed, and allow him to act in future as he has done hitherto, with advantage to the Museum and to the antiquarian gratification of the public, in respect to local excavations and discoveries." MR. VINCENT WING (Melton Mowbray) contributed the following paper upon HOLY WELLS, which was read in that gentleman's absence by the Secretary, Mr. North: The subject of Holy Wells, it is submitted, is worthy of the consideration of our Society; and in the hope of provoking more extensive research, the following brief paper has been drawn up. As the archæologist attempts to retrace the history of them to their origin, the mind is carried back to a remote antiquity, but can only conjecture the source in which they have had their commencement. In pursuing the inquiry, however, we enter upon a flowery path in which poetry and fancy afford the richest sensations of romance; for both the classic and the modern muses garnish their choicest strains of narrative with conceptions drawn from the sacred spring or venerable holy-well. We are at once reminded of the nymphs in the imagination of the ancients, and the many fanes or grottoes with their streams hard by, whose mysterious waters were the reputed baths of deities, and the subjects of so many fictions. It is not inadmissible to suppose that these notions and mysteries which have been transmitted so extensively have, like others widely disseminated, had their commencement in obscure traditions and perversions of some important realities: the marvels of the Jordan, or of Siloam and Bethesda, may have been the prototypes to produce the counterfeits of ancient story. Then the superstitions of the heathen, we know, were often adopted, and would easily be grafted on the practices of an unenlightened age of the church's history. The mind of the vulgar clings with tenacity to resorts for gifts of healing, or communication from unseen spirits; and the teaching of a better faith would not escape the mixture of such delusion. Hence, not only has the pagan sprinkling of holy water been introduced in the middle ages, but localities of streams or fountains have been confided in for a mysterious presence and supernatural virtues. In fact wells of heathen fame have been transferred to saints in many instances. The legendary history connected with our subject bears us to the very extreme of poetic license; and the faith in it has been more than excessive. How many of our English towns owe their names, or the terminations of them, to their sites, which were selected from the supposed guardianship that accompanied the sainted wells that they could boast of. Not only does the city of Wells derive its name from its own St. Andrew's, but we may infer that the Chadwells, the Holwells, the Barwells, the Eastwells, and others of our own county even, had their high repute for healing or benedictory attractions; and the streams which once lured the pilgrim to devotions and works of supererogation, may still be found to luxuriate upon, with pensive contemplation of the past, and thankfulness for the brighter light that has dispersed the fogs of superstition. Frequently has medieval art enshrined the sacred spot, and the structures have been singularly picturesque. One laments on this account that, from their delicate construction and the deadness of archæology in later times, so few now exist to illustrate the artistic skill and the romantic fancy of our forefathers. Still the imagination is aided by some solitary remaining examples; and with them, and the knowledge of what was once attributed to the patron saint, we may bring up visions of the past, and place ourselves for the moment amongst these exquisites of bygone times. The most remarkable relic of this description is that existing at Holywell, in North Wales. We may suppose that this has escaped the ravages of time and an ultra-protestantism through the appeal made by its great beauty, and the durable character of the stonework. The notable legend of St. Winifred may possibly have secured for it a continued veneration; for a lingering faith in what had once been paramount in the traditions of a simple people is not easily extinguished; and the Golden Legend, published in 1512, would be treasured and appealed to as the exponent and verification of the story. If any one present has not seen the building, the small engravings now exhibited will give an idea of it. When a spring or stream had gained repute for celestial occupancy, it was a practice to choose a site upon it for a baptistery; and probably most holy wells have been thus honoured, or, at least, have served the purpose of furnishing the water for administration of baptism in the immediate district. But besides this common use, the superstitious reliances on the saints of these springs for various helps have been remarkable, and the powers of cure imputed to them were innumerable. Each well was commonly in repute for its own specific virtue, and this will often give an interest in tracing the origin of their names. Even to the present day the Wishing-wells perpetuate the absurdities of these superstitions; where the drop of a pin is supposed to gain the wish that accompanies it. But leaving the puerilities of the present and the grosser delusions of past ages, there are aspects in which we may look back upon the history of these things with more favour; for benevolent intentions and pious devotion are seen in a manner to command our admiration. There are numerous examples of baptistery and hermitage remains in Cornwall. In many cases the hermit's cell has been built near the sacred spring on some cliff, or sea commanding eminence, or even insulated rock, that at the tempest's howl the recluse might be engaged in watching the dangers of the seafaring adventurers, and ply his earnest intercessions in their favour, or aid in restoring the half-drowned mariners. Such selfsacrifice and devotion to the vital interests of others is worthy of perpetuated remembrance, if only to provoke to equal zeal the professors of a purer faith. The river Lene at Nottingham had a fame of great antiquity: the hermitages which were upon its bank, not long ago, showed carvings of details of Norman architecture. Other holy wells, with the hermit's oratory, have had their sites remarkable for their extreme seclusion, as being favourable to ascetic sentiment, and some for the impressive scenery surrounding them. In this brief notice of the subject, no elaborate research after existing examples is undertaken. Their design and a general view of them only are aimed at To give an account of the many relics of this class, with their history, traditions, and supernatural attributes, the imputation of which still lingers in some instances, would be more laborious than valuable. One ruin of a Wellchapel, however, may properly be brought into especial notice, as it is but little known, and its charms are so extraordinary. In the beautiful vale of Clwyd, near the Cefn rocks, there remains a small cruciform chapel. It was in the form of a Greek cross, the four limbs being equal; the walls of the three eastern limbs of the cross area are yet standing, and the western portion has enough remaining to show what the fabric was when entire. The well is in the nave, or more properly the western limb, and the wall enclosing the well is still in good preservation to the height of some eighteen inches above the flooring. There is happily |