Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 2.djvu/232

208 of the Round Towers, &c., by George Petrie, Dublin, 1845, 4to.—By John Murray, Esq., Practical Geology and Ancient Architecture of Ireland, by George Wilkinson, 1845, Royal 8vo.—By ]Mr. George Bell, The History and Art of Warming and Ventilating Rooms and Buildings, with notices of the progress of personal comfort in ancient times, by Walter Bernan. London, 1845, 2 vols. 12mo.

Mr. John Gough Nichols, in a letter to the Secretary, called the attention of the Committee to the following advertisement which appeared in the Times of May 22:—"Reigate, Surrey. Notice is hereby given, that unless the heirs or personal representatives of the following deceased persons, viz., Richard Elyott, who died in December, 1608, Richard Elyott, his son, who died in February, 1612, Katherine Elyott, who died in 1623—repair the monuments in the chancel of the parish church, such monuments will be taken down at the expiration of one month from the date hereof. Application to be made to Mr. Small, parish clerk." Mr. Nichols stated that a quarto plate was engraved some years since at the private expense of Mr. Bryant, which gives a representation of these monuments. The larger tomb exhibits recumbent effigies of Richard Elyott, Esq., justice of the peace, and his son Richard, one of the servants of Henry, Prince of Wales, both in armour; in front are kneeling figures of his wife, Rachael, daughter of Matthew Pointz, of Alderley, Gloucestershire, and her six daughters. The other monument consists of a kneeling effigy of Katherine, fifth daughter of Richard Elyott. The inscriptions may be found in the History of Surrey, by Manning and Bray. Mr. Nichols suggested the expediency of some endeavour to discourage the practice of destroying sepulchral monuments in the manner proposed in this instance. Mr. Way stated that, having recently visited the church of St. Peter's in the East, Oxford, his attention had been arrested by a notice of a similar description, which was affixed to a board near the outer door of the porch:—"The tomb of the family of Hirons having fallen into decay, notice is hereby given to the said family, that if none of their kindred repair the tomb within two months of this date, it must be removed by due authority. April 9, 1845. E. Hobhouse, vicar. Fras. Thos. Cooper, Chas. R. Hickman, churchwardens." The tomb in question is a stone table-monument of simple but not unsightly fashion: it stands in the church-yard, on the south side, not far from the entrance: a slab which formed part of the side of the tomb had fallen down, and might have been replaced at a trifling cost: the monument appeared, in other respects, to be in fair repair. The Committee considered it very desirable that the legality of such destruction of a monument should be ascertained, for although the freehold is undoubtedly in the parson, as stated by Blackstone, tomb-stones are regarded as descending in the nature of heir-looms, and cannot be removed or defaced without liability to an action of trespass from the heir.

The following books were presented:—A Manual of Gothic Mouldings, illustrated by nearly 500 examples, by F. A. Paley, Hon. Sec. of the Cam-