Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/284

 264 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTELLIGENCE. to its original condition, to re-open the many windows, galleries, and apart- ments that have been so long closed, so that when the necessary repairs are concluded, the building may present a perfect specimen of the ancient Norman fortress. But the mere bare walls and scanty furniture of a Norman keep would create little interest for the public, and the Society therefore feel that the embellishment of the restored castle should be en- trusted to a body whose interest is entirely directed to the accumulating and preserving the relics of former ages, and especially of those connected with the town of Newcastle, and the county of Northumberland. The Society of Antiquaries therefore solicit the Corporation of Newcastle to grant them a lease of the keep, in order to place therein their valuable collection of Roman and medieval antiquities, for which purpose no build- ing could be more appropriate, while the attention of the members would ever be carefully directed to the gradual restoration of the building to its original condition. The Society of Antiquaries propose that the whole building should be entrusted to a committee composed of three members of the Corporation and three members of the Society. A guardian to re- side in the keep at a fixed salary would also be necessary, and a small fee should also be fixed for exhibiting the museum and the castle, the proceeds of which should be exclusively devoted to the further restoration of the building." It need scarcely be said, that the Committee of the Institute take great interest in the result of this application, which it is believed will be success- ful, both as regards the grant of the lease, and a contribution towards the repairs ; at the same time a free exhibition, under certain regulations, would be preferable to the demand for " a small fee." Here we may announce that His Grace the Duke of Northumberland, whose liberal support of archaeological studies is well known, has accepted the office of Patron of the Newcastle Society. Dr. Bromet communicated the following extract of a letter from the Rev. John Stacye, Vicar of Worksop: — "With respect to any further discoveries about Worksop church, I have not much to report. I may mention, however, that in pulling down the wall of the north aisle, a monumental niche was removed, underneath which was found a slab nearly seven feet in length with an incised cross, of which I inclose you a rude sketch. Beneath this, in the foundation of the wall, were found two skulls with other bones, and upon one of the skulls the hair remained nearly perfect ; this hair is fine and long, of a brown or auburn colour, and apparently that of a female. It seems rather remarkable that the hair should have remained in such perfect preservation for sb long a period, the flesh &c. having quite gone, for if it belonged to one of the original occupants of the tomb, it must have been in the ground about 600 years, the date of the niche being of the thirteenth century."