The church is now being restored to something of its original character. The Norman arches were cleared out this spring, but were found to hang so much to the north that it was deemed necessary to rebuild them. They were very carefully taken down and replaced exactly as they were before. The new aisle is of a transitional character, the side windows having two lights with a broad mullion between them, in front of which is a cylindrical shaft supporting the arch. The one at the east end is a pointed transition window, with broad mullion, and the head pierced with a trefoil.

The south side also is being restored. The arches have been taken down, but will be rebuilt exactly as they were before. The pillars are firm and straight, and only require the capital of one of them repairing.

As this portion of the church is not required for seats, the population of the village being small, and there being plenty of room in the nave and north aisle, it will be used as a baptistery, the font being placed in the eastern half of it, the western half being used as an atriolum or porch.

The chancel arch is to be restored, and a new three-light east window to be put in. The chancel walls which had been raised, probably when the old flat roof was put on, have been lowered, and there is to be a high pitched roof of stained pine. The seats will be of oak and the pavement of red and black tiles. Three pieces of stained glass windows of the fourteenth century, taken out of the church before commencing the restoration, are in the safe keeping of the Rev. Mr. Norris, the curate of the parish. Two of them consist of collections of different glass, probably the remains of windows placed in the church years gone by; some of the pieces are very rich, especially the rubies. The third piece is a coat of arms of the Bakepuiz family, who were formerly lords and patrons of Alexton, whose chief seat was (according to Burton) Barton Bakepuiz, co. Derby, and whose family adhered to the noble house of Ferrers, Earls of Derby, to whose deeds they appear often to be witnesses. The Bakepuiz family adopted (as was commonly the case in those days) the arms of their suzerain lord. They bore upon their escutcheon the following:-"Gules, two bars argent, three horse shoes in chief, or;" the three horse shoes being the emblems of the house of Ferrers.

In Burton's time, two other escutcheons adorned the windows of the church: 1. "Gules, two bars argent; three horse shoes in chief, or, with a mullet sable upon the uppermost bar." These being the arms of Hakluit, who held a separate manor at Alexton, 36 Elizabeth, who had also a separate manor at Hallaton. 2. The other coat of arms was "Gules, three poll axes, or;" the bearer of these unknown.

The manor has been held by various families, Bakepuiz, Blunt,

Andrewes, &c.: also, by Henry Lord Cromwell, and Lord Willoughby de Broke, of whom it was purchased in 1760. It is now in the possession of Henry William, Lord Berners, who is restoring the venerable church of Alexton in the most approved and admirable manner, the greater portion of the expense being borne by the noble lord.

The restoration of the church is placed under the able management of Mr. Millican, of Leicester.

November 24th, 1862.

THE REV. ROBERT BURNABY in the chair.

After general and financial business had been transacted, the following gentlemen were unanimously elected honorary members of the Society:-The Rev. Prebendary Trollope, M.A., F.S.A., Leasingham; Thomas Wright, Esq., M.A., F.S.A.; Edward Levien, Esq., M.A., F.S.A., British Museum.

The usual exhibition of antiquities, &c., comprised the following: By MR. NORTH: Remains of Roman and other pottery, &c., lately discovered in making excavations preparatory to the erection of new buildings by Messrs. T. Crick and Son, upon ground behind their present premises in Southgate Street, Leicester. They consisted of pieces of Samian ware, having embossed patterns; the necks of several ampullæ or earthenware bottles, one of peculiar form, two sides of the neck having been pressed together by the finger and thumb of the potter when the clay was soft, and so two openings formed into the interior of the bottle, a large one near the handle for pouring the liquor into the bottle or jug, and a small one answering the modern spout, through which to pour it A small vessel of Samian ware quite plain, three inches in diameter and two inches in height, having the potter's mark, EPPN., impressed upon the bowl inside. In addition to these remains of Roman pottery, which were found about eighteen feet below the present surface, a piece of medieval pottery and a small vessel of the ware known amongst collectors as the "Derby Biscuit China," the art of making which has been lost for many years, were turned up.* Not many yards to the north of the ground here indicated, a portion of a Roman pavement was discovered many years ago. Above these marks of the habitation of the Roman, and within three feet of the present surface, were found several wooden coffins containing human bones; respecting these Mr. North regretted he could give no information, they

out.

The Derby works were founded in 1751 by William Duesbury. The present proprietors are Messrs. Stephenson and Hancock.

having been again covered by the workmen before they had been inspected by any one competent to give an opinion as to their date or origin. Adjoining the ground where they were found stands a portion of an old building traditionally said to have belonged to the Guild of Corpus Christi, and to have been inhabited by the Guild priests. Could this burial ground have been connected with their establishment?

By MR. JACQUES, Birstall: A small hexagonal dish of Limoges Painted Enamel, about six inches in diameter and two inches in height. In the bowl appeared the Virgin and Child, with the inscription MARIA-MATER DEJ. This, like all the painted enamels for which Limoges was so famous, was upon copper, and belonged to that period of the art now known as "the Fine Style," the peculiarities of which mark the enamels of that school produced between about the years 1530 and 1580. The dish formerly belonged to the Strawberry-hill collection. To show different styles of the art of enamelling, Mr. Jacques further exhibited a small dish of Chinese enamelled ware very curious and rare, and a small box or casket-enamelled-of the French school of the time of Louis Quatorze; also a watch with enamelled face and elegantly chased gilt case of the same period as the last mentioned article (Louis XIV.). The works of the watch which appeared to be of a more recent date, had the name of the maker, Ardriot a Paris, 312.

Mr. Jacques further exhibited the Virgin and Child carved in ivory. The Virgin standing and holding in her arms the infant Saviour, who had fruit in his left hand, the right arm being unfortunately broken off. The figure of the Virgin, was about seven inches high; her robes had been richly coloured, and her hair, which was loose and was flowing, had been golden; remains of colour and gold were still remaining. Judging from the seraph which aided in adorning the base upon which the Virgin stood, this exquisite carving would be the work of the end of the fifteenth or the beginning of the following century. It probably formerly belonged to a shrine or to a more ordinary tomb. Henry VII. commanded in his will that in the sides and both ends of his tomb, tabernacles should be graven and the same filled with images -Two small chasings in silver about two inches and a half square, the one representing the creation-the Deity standing with outstretched arms, whilst around were grouped various animals-the other, the bringing of the beasts of the fields and fowls of the air unto Adam to see what he would call them (Genesis ii. 19), where the Creator and Adam were represented with the creatures passing in review before them. The mark upon the silver [A] [B].

By MR. G. C. NEALE: A very beautiful carving of the Fall of our First Parents, upon which Mr. Neale read the following remarks:-The rule of our Society being absolute that all objects

exhibited at its meeting must be accompanied with a written description, relieves at least one of its members from the feeling of pretension or obtrusiveness in the observations which he may occasionally have to make. This morning I have great pleasure in exhibiting an ancient ivory carving, in alto-relievo, of Adam and Eve, at that crisis of their history denominated "The Fall." It would, I think, be an injustice to the school in which this interesting work was designed, or to the skill of the artist who executed it, to pass it by without especial notice. We have before us the first six verses of the third chapter of Genesis, not written in verse or painted on canvas, but carefully and artistically carved on ivory. The subject is of too sacred a character to be styled allegorical; we must classify it with the numerous Scripture historical works which emanated from the Italian, Flemish, and Spanish schools in mediæval times. Our first parents are here represented standing one on each side of the tree of knowledge, round the stem of which is coiled the fatal deceiver. Rich foliage and tempting fruit cluster in the boughs above, whilst death, symbolized by the human skull, lies significantly at the feet of the guilty pair. The serpent is rudely carved; the termination of the tail is obtuse and of a dart-like form, the head protruding from the tree is heavy and coarse, the mouth distended, apparently in the act of speaking. I am indebted to A. W. Franks, Esq., of the British Museum, for an opinion which I now give. He considers the work to be Flemish or Italian, and to date about the latter end of the sixteenth century. Mr. Franks having given his attention to carvings of an earlier period, did not like to speak confidently. I am inclined to think it is Flemish from the literal apple-like form of the fruit. The ebony frame, which is probably of a later period, is handsome and appropriate; the mouldings are good, and it is surmounted by two cherubims embracing. The size of the ivory section measures, after being squared, eight inches long, five broad, and two thick. We conclude from these dimensions that the animal to which it belonged must have been of colossal size. The figures have never been separated from the plaque, but are carved out of one solid piece. The architecture, if I may be allowed so to call it, the proportions and beauty of the human frame, the easy. position of the figures, the contrast between the muscular, sharp, angular development of the male with the rounded and delicate. form of the limbs of the female figure, are all details worthy of criticism and attention. The slight inclination and peculiar position of the heads indicate guilt and shame, and in the sad expression of the features we can trace sorrow and remorse. The female figure has unfortunately lost a hand, and the features have suffered several slight mutilations, not accidental, but the result of a vulgar morbid taste to injure and destroy what is beautiful and rare. We are constantly meeting repetitions on a smaller scale of the

maniacal destruction of the Barberini vase. There appears to be an innate mischievous propensity in some Englishmen to desecrate every work of art. We have seen valuable family pictures converted into targets for after-dinner sport; and whoever saw the walls of an ancient castle, or the shaft of a market cross, free from the traveller's autograph, or the monograms of the rustic lithographer? We rejoice to think that it is the pleasure and privilege of such societies as this to throw the mantle of protection over every work of art, and to screen from desecration the labours of those who, though dead, ever live in their works.

By MR. HENRY GODDARD: Some additional Romano-British or Auglo Saxon remains, found near Butt Close Lane, Leicester, consisting of a circular ring fibula, with movable pin attached; a small oval fibula, the outer circle of which was formerly filled with enamel, or a vitreous paste, portions of which still remained (the pin of this was missing); portions of clay beads, and a bead of stone about an inch in diameter.

By MR. J. F. SARSON: Plans and elevations in folio of Henry VII. Chapel, by L. N. Cottingham, architect, 1822.

By MR. FIRN: A piece of continental carving in wood, consisting of a group of eleven figures representing the entombment. It was made to hang upon a hook in a wall, there being a staple behind for that purpose. It was probably a Pieta. A model of the head and bust of a man in complete plate armour.

January 26th, 1863.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.

MR. G. H. NEVINSON in the chair.

MR. G. C. BELLAIRS presented the audited accounts of the Society for the past year.

MR. NORTH (Hon. Sec.) presented the following

REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1862.

UPON presenting a Report of the proceedings of the Leicestershire Architectural and Archæological Society for the past year (1862), the Committee have again the satisfaction of announcing the increasing strength of the Society as to numbers, there having been twenty-two members added to the member roll, and but few lost by death or withdrawal during that, the eighth year since its formation. This continued increase in the funds of the Society enabled the Committee, during the past year, to place in the hands of the members, in addition to the costly and profusely illustrated volume of the Associated Societies, the First Part of the Transactions of your own Society, comprising an account of its Meetings, and the Papers read during the two first years of its existence-1855 and 1856. The preservation, in this permanent way, of a record of our proceedings, has, your Committee venture to think, met with the approval of the members generally. The value of the publication is considerably enhanced by the illustrations, for several of which you are