Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/461

 THE AIICIIAEOLOCHCAL INSTITUTE. 307 preserved at Trinity College, and obtained in the North of England by Sir Robert Cotton. The liev. J. Lke Warner read a memoir on Walslngham Abbey in Norfolk, and on the curious metrical version of the Walsingliam Legend, printed by Pynson, of which a copy exists in the Pejtysian Library. He also related the results of excavations made under his direction with the view of tracing the position of the conventual buildings. Friday, July 7th. This day was devoted to an excursion to Bury St. Edmunds, with a visit to the noble old mansion of Ilengrave Hall, and other objects of attraction. The Listitute had been favoured with a special invitation from the Suffolk Archaeological Institute and their noble President, the Rev. Lord Arthur Hervey, and the preliminary preparations were concerted by the Hon. Secretary, Mr. Tymms (one of the local Secretaries of our Society in Suffolk), with the most friendly and gratifying consideration. At half- past nine a special train quitted Cambridge for Bury ; a much larger number than had been anticipated, encouraged by the promising aspect of the day, availed themselves of this conveyance, numbering not less than 185 pilgrims to the venerable site of the shrine of St. Edmund. The train halted for a short inspection of the " Devil's Dyke," and Mr. Babington gave a passing note on the supposed age and purpose of that remarkable earthwork, which excited general curiosity, since the eloquent di^^course of Dr. Guest on the previous day had invested these ancient landmarks of history with a fresh interest. At eleven the visitors reached Bury, and proceeded to the Guild Hall, where Lord Arthur Hervey, with a distin- guished body of the Archaeologists of Suffolk, offered a most cordial welcome to Lord Talbot and the members of the Listitute by whom he was accompanied. Previously to the detailed examination of the chief objects of archaeologi- cal attraction in Bury St. Edumnds, Lord Arthur Hervey delivered to the numerous audiL-nce, assembled in the Guild Hall, an excellent address, in which he gave a striking sketch of the origin of the town and of its great conventual establisiiment, the influence of that powerful monastic institution, the legendary history of its early foundation, the frequent visits of our early sovereigns, as also of the existing vestiges of the archi- tectural splendour of the abbey, and the ancient town, which had grown up amidst many stormy commotions of popular feeling. The noble lord observed that, in his estimation, the chief importance of archaeology lay in its connection with history, and in its remarkable power to elucidate historical inquiry. This is remarkably exemplified in the history of Bury. Read with a discriminating eye it is the history not of Bury alone but of England ; it sets before us the contests between the feudal system and the middle classes— those contests which ended in securing our liberty and our constitution. The archaeology of Bury, Lord Arthur remarked, may teach the very history of those contests. The chief buildings are those con- nected with the abbey — the gateway, the towers, and the walls. ^ ^yhy do they remain? Because they were built with stone at a great cost, indicating that they were reared by persons of great wealth in their day, whilst other buildings of that time were swept away, for those who erected them had not the power to raise such solid and expensive structures. H" we turn to