chimney breast, are eight quarterings; those on the dexter being the coats of Shirley, and those on the sinister the quarterings of Devereux. The date of the work is fixed on one of the pseudoclassical pillars, which stands by the side of the panel, namely, 1631; and the initials H. D. S. (Henry and Dorothy Shirley) plainly indicate under whose directions the carving was executed. In the oak wainscot of the chamber over the parlour the arms of Shirley and Devereux were also carved. Sir Henry was a great lover of genealogy as well as heraldry; as by his directions the fine family pedigree (now preserved at Staunton Harold) was completed, in 1632. In the year ensuing he died.

Sad times for the Shirleys followed. The only son of Sir Henry who lived to perpetuate the stock was his second son, who was a devoted royalist, and who was imprisoned seven times in the Tower, where he died in 1656, under thirty years of age. He erected the beautiful Gothic chapel at Staunton Harold, which remains a monument of his good taste, imperfect as may be the execution.

The misfortunes of the father, however, made the fortunes of the son, Robert. Only six years of age at his father's decease, he was elevated to the Barony of Ferrers of Chartley, in 1677, by King Charles II., who in this way recognized the great services of his loyal parent. The claim to the Barony of Ferrers, it should be stated, was based on the young baronet's descent from his grandmother, Dorothy Devereux. In the year 1711, he was created Earl of Ferrers and Viscount Tamworth. Towards the close of Charles the Second's reign, he built the largest bow to the old manor house at Rakedale, near its western extremity, and he made the place his hunting-seat, where he kept the hawks he used in falconry, the stone trough upon which they were fed being in existence about 1800, when Nichols published his volume of East Goscote Hundred.

It may be inferred that when the old house became a huntingseat, the Shirleys gradually abandoned it as a residence; and this would take place after the decease of the first Earl, in 1717. About that time, doubtless, the proprietors let the place to a tenant named Henton. In the adjoining church lies George Henton, who died in the year 1731, aged 70; and who may be supposed to have been the first occupier after the first Earl's decease. Born in 1661, he was eleven years younger than that nobleman, and was probably a confidential tenant, treated on familiar terms by Lord Ferrers in his hunting seasons. Nichols (writing in 1799) says: "The old mansion house is at present inhabited by Mr. Henton, a substantial farmer, Earl Ferrers' tenant"; and it may be thence inferred that the oldfashioned tie of landlord and tenant had been preserved unbroken from the first lord's time to that of the seventh Earl Ferrers.

From these particulars, chiefly compiled from Nichols's History, we learn something of what the old hall has been in ancient times, and the history of the structure is so intimately inwoven with the history of the family that both gain in interest in consequence. I have therefore laid the pedigree details before you, previous to inviting your attention to two watercolour drawings of Rakedale Manor House, from Mr. Dudgeon's pen and brush, which have been kindly lent to me for exhibition to-day.

The first of these represents the building from a point south west of it. It gives the whole range of the front. The two gables nearest the spectator surmount the Jacobean portion of the edifice, that added by Sir George, the first baronet; the bay beneath the first gable having been added (as above stated) by the first Lord Ferrers, towards the close of Charles the Second's reign. Next to the two gables is the porch erected by Sir Henry, the second baronet, where often the falconer may be supposed to have stood, waiting for his master and Lady Dorothy, hawk on wrist, before they set out for the morning's recreation. Above the door is the shield with the fifty quarterings. Beyond the porch to the right, is the timbered dwelling of the reign of Elizabeth, raised by John Shirley, Esq., the father of the first baronet. To the right of this is a third gable, with bay beneath it, the latter made by Sir Henry. The façade is completed by an ancient wing with a modern frontage. It is not difficult to perceive from the roof lines that different parts have been erected at different periods.

In the second picture the front is taken from a south eastern locality. It shows the church, and the old market cross on its south side, more fully than the other view; the latter being particularly elegant and striking. The church has been much mutilated, and possesses little interest. All the other details of the hall will be recognized after the explanation of the first drawing.

From the two illustrations it will be seen that Rakedale Manor House stands second in picturesque effect to no building in the county, of its date, and perhaps has no rival. The drawings do ample justice to the subject, and afford the Society additional proofs of the high artistic accomplishment of its member, Mr. Dudgeon.

25th January, 1864.

ANNUAL MEETING.

THE REV. J. H. HILL in the chair.

The Secretary read a letter from Miss James acknowledging the resolution passed at the last Meeting.

Arrangements were made with regard to a General Meeting at Hinckley, in the summer of 1864, and a Sub-Committee formed to carry them out.

MR. NORTH (in the absence of the Treasurer) presented an audited Statement of Accounts for the past year, shewing a balance of £31. 16s. Od. in favour of the Society.

THE HONORARY SECRETARY (Mr. North) presented, and read, the following Report of the Committee, for the year 1863:

REPORT.

THE recurrence of the Annual Meeting of the Leicestershire Architectural and
Archæological Society imposes a duty upon its Committee to render, as upon
previous occasions, a short account of its stewardship during its year of office.
In order to do this as concisely as possible, it may be well to speak of the
Society-

I. As to its Position.
II. As to its Proceedings.
III. As to its Prospects.

The Committee for the previous year (1862) congratulated the Society upon its increased number of members. This congratulation can again be repeated, the member roll of the Society having been further strengthened by the addition of forty-nine names during the past year, whilst the loss by withdrawal and death has been very small.

This number of members gives the Leicestershire Society no mean position in the goodly band of similar institutions existing in the midland counties, and extends its influence in some degree more generally over the county, into most of the districts of which its publications now find their way, disseminating its principles, propounding its objects, and encouraging a taste for studies of an Archæological and Architectural character.

The Proceedings of the Society during the year just closed having differed little from those of previous years, may not seem to call for special remark. It may however, be said that the volume of the Associated Societies, placed in the hands of all the members, fully sustained the reputation of its predecessors, both as to the Reports and Papers printed, and the illustrations. The Rev. G. A. Poole's paper upon Painted Glass should be read by all who feel an interest-and what member of these Societies does not?-in an article now so extensively manufactured, and respecting which an opinion was expressed in our last Report. The contributions from the Leicestershire Society, consisting of the Rev. Prebendary Trollope's Paper upon Bosworth Field, and that of Mr. Roberts upon St. Martin's Church, have, no doubt, been read with interest by all the members. The former of these Papers was considerably enriched by an illustration contributed by Messrs. Goddard and Son, Architects, being an exact representation of the ancient Inn known as the White (afterwards the Blue) Boar, or King Richard's House, as it existed in Leicester in the time of Richard III. This drawing was made from exact dimensions taken of the edifice, and a careful examination of all its details previous to, and at, its unfortunate destruction in the year 1836. As this drawing had never before been published, not only all who feel an interest in the memorials of the Battle of Bosworth Field, an event which stands out so boldly in our local and national history, but also all students of the domestic architecture of that period, will feel indebted to Messrs Goddard and Son for their courtesy and liberality in placing so valuable a drawing at the disposal of the Society. In addition to this volume, the Committee have had the pleasure of handing to each of the members, free of charge, Part II. of the Transactions of their own Society, comprising an account of its meetings, exhibitions, and excursions, with the Papers read thereat during the year 1857, and part of 1858. This section of a volume contains various Papers of local and general interest, which it is thought will not be unacceptable to the members. For the illustrations to this part, the Society is again indebted to the artistic pencils of Mr. Joseph Goddard and Mr. Bellairs. The Rev. J. H. Hill and the General

Secretary of the Associated Societies also permitted the use of various steel plates and wood blocks, whilst the cost of printing two of the illustrations was defrayed by Mr. T. T. Paget and Mr. Thomas Nevinson. By the kindness and liberality of all these gentlemen, the interest of the Papers and the value of the publication is considerably enhanced,

The annual general summer meeting was held last year, in conjuction with the Northamptonshire Society, at Kibworth, and the usual excursion was made from thence. The Committee and they believe they may say all the members there present -look back upon both the meeting and the excursion with unmingled feelings of pleasure and gratification. The courtesy, kindness, and hospitality extended towards the members, and the interest shown in their proceedings by rich and poor fully compensated for all the trouble and expense necessarily attending the carrying out of their programme.

Tuesday and Wednesday, the 4th and 5th of August, were the days chosen for the proceedings. The first day was unusually wet-the rain scarcely ceasing to pour down in gloomy earnestness the whole day. This, however, did not prevent a goodly assemblage of the members of both Societies, and of the ladies and gentlemen of the neighbourhood, in the parish church of S. Wilfred, where the day's proceedings commenced with Morning Prayer; after which Mr. Wm. Slater, Architect, of Carlton Chambers, London, described the architectural features of the fabric which had been recently restored under his care. As this description will be printed with illustrations in the forthcoming annual volume of the Associated Societies, it is unnecessary here to give even an abstract of Mr. Slater's remarks, which were listened to with considerable interest by all present.

From the church the party proceeded to inspect the contents of the temporary Museum in the National Schools: one room being devoted to Archæology, and the other to Architecture; the former was well supplied with objects of considerable interest and value, consisting of ancient swords, knives, rings, seals, keys, personal ornaments and dress; ancient books, letters, and manuscripts; many autographs ; fine collections of coins and medals; a large collection of china, &c., &c. The Architectural room contained many drawings of Leicestershire churches, Architectural designs, views in Leicestershire, carvings in wood, and specimens of mural decoration and stencilling. Later in the afternoon a large party assembled, by invitation, at the house of Mrs. Buzzard, Kibworth Beauchamp, to inspect the ancient tapestry with which a large upper room in her house is completely covered. This gave much pleasure to those present. The tapestry was pronounced to be Flemish of the sixteenth century; and though the whole is in fair preservation, it was, on account of the anachronisms in dress, &c., and in consequence of some portions being cut away, an interesting puzzle to attempt to assign an origin for the various designs, which evidently embraced both scriptural and secular subjects. Various and conflicting and-it must be confessed, with regard to several of the designs-unsatisfactory attempts at solution were offered.

The gentlemen forming the Local Committee at Kibworth having given directions for the opening of a tumulus existing on the west side of the village, in a field adjoining the Leicester turnpike road, as many of the members as would encounter the pouring rain paid it a visit. The excavations, although undertaken in a most spirited and praiseworthy manner (those who know the large size of the tumulus will feel it required no ordinary courage to commence such a work), were not conducted in that careful and systematic way so necessary in such cases. Enough, however, was discovered in broken pottery, &c., to prove that it had been used as a place of interment in Roman times. Perhaps, had the excavations been continued lower than they were, the primary interment or interments might have been discovered.

After a Public Dinner at the Rose and Crown, to which about forty gentlemen sat down, the usual Public Evening Meeting was held in the Grammar School, where Papers were read:

1. By Mr. Levien, M.A., F.R.S., F.S.A., Some Notes on the Lords of the Manor of Kibworth.

I. By the Rev. M. Osborn, on the History and Antiquities of Kibworth.

III. By Mr. V. Wing (in his absence by Mr. North), on the Requirements of Gothic Architecture in order to a successful competition with the Works of Antiquity.

The Rev. Prebendary Trollope then gave a short description of the tumulus just referred to, with the results of the excavations; and Sir Henry Dryden, Bart., offered some remarks, both humorous and practical, upon the Architecture of Churches and their fittings.

The usual complimentary speeches closed the meeting, which was a very crowded one all the available space in the room being occupied.

Fortunately for all concerned in the excursion, the following morning opened favourably, a bright sunshine welcomed all who assembled for an early breakfast at the village inn, previous to starting for the pleasures of the day. At half-past eight o'clock precisely the bugle sounded for the start. The party was quickly increased by the addition of many carriages which joined it on the rout, and the numbers soon reached about two hundred persons. And here the only disappointment of the day was deeply felt and expressed-the enforced absence of the Rev. Canon James, through indisposition. Mr. James had undertaken to be the interpreter of the churches during the excursion, and had a short time previously gone over the intended route in company with the Rev. J. H. Hill, in order to prepare himself for the occasion. In the meantime, however, his physical weakness had so much increased as to render his presence impossible. He nevertheless had, with that forethought and consideration for others which always distinguished him, written notes upon the various churches to be visited, which he transmitted to the Secretary for the guidance of any gentleman who, without preparation, might be called upon to fill his place. Since then, as we all know, his gentle spirit has passed from hence, leaving a void in Leicestershire which will be long felt, not only by all the clergy, but also by a large body of churchmen interested in, and anxious. to promote, church extension and church work of every kind within the county. He has left an example of courtesy and kindness to all with whom he had any intercourse, of a highly cultivated mind and great scholarly attainments, made subservient to the encouragement of an extension of all that was good and beautiful, and likely to benefit his fellow-men or elevate their taste, which we shall do well to prize, and attempt to follow, but which we can scarcely hope to emulate.

The first place visited was Thorpe Langton, and there the Rev. Prebendary Trollope entered upon the duties of expositor, which he had kindly undertaken at the last moment, and which he discharged throughout the day to the gratification and instruction of the large assembly he addressed. It would be wearisome to repeat here the proceedings of a day still fresh in the memory of those present. It must, therefore, be sufficient to note that Church Langton was next visited and descanted upon; then at Nosely the company not only visited the interesting (once) Collegiate Chapel, but through the courtesy of Sir Arthur and Lady Hazlerigg were invited to inspect the Hall, to see its paintings, and to read many original letters and documents of great interest and value. From thence a short drive brought the party to Keythorpe Hall, where the Society was entertained by Lord and Lady Berners, in a manner combining the profuse hospitality for which the English noble and gentlemen have always been proverbial, and the grace, elegance, and refinement which now happily add such a charm to their entertainments. After showing every appreciation of their noble host's hospitality the travellers again filled the carriages, and the Churches of Tugby, East Norton, and Allexton were visited in succession; then, after many congratulations upon the success and pleasures of the meeting, the party separated, some returning to Kibworth, and some driving direct to Leicester.

The Bi-Monthly Meetings of the Society have been productive of considerable interest, and the exhibition of antiquities well worthy of notice. A record of these has been preserved, and will appear, it is hoped, in a future number of the "Transactions" of the Society.

The Papers read comprise the following:

Town Crosses, by Mr. R. W. Johnson.

Genealogical Notes upon the family of Tailbois, by the Rev. J. H. Hill.

The Jewry Wall, Leicester, by Mr. Henry Goddard.

On some relics from Little Oxendon, by Mr. Thomas North.

On an ancient Gothic House on Chitterman Hill, by Mr. James Thompson.
On Nosely, by the Rev. J. H. Hill.

On a Penny of Athelstan I. (supposed to be unique), by the Rev. A. Pownall.
On Ragdale Hall, by Mr. James Thompson.