Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 12.djvu/203

 9* s. xii. SEPT. s, 1903.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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lore, should at least acquaint themselves with the rudiments of the science and be possessed of the most necessary working tools, and those who are kind enough to point out to them the newest sources of information should not be exposed to the discourteous taunt of giving themselves " the air of the superior person," least of all from those who, by their own confession and by their "obliging," but superfluous remarks, show themselves to be in a position of flagrant inferiority as regards philological questions.

[We agree with much that our contributor says, but think he is unnecessarily severe upon C. C. B., a trustworthy and valued correspondent. ]

HOLBORN CASINO (9 th S. xii. 127). The pre" sent Holborn Restaurant has absorbed the entire site of the old Casino. In the forties it was a swimming bath, but as a swimming bath did not pay in winter, the proprietors had the water drained off and converted the empty bath into a dancing saloon. This proved a profitable venture, notwithstanding the defects of bad ventilation and awkward means of access. The proprietors got over the difficulties by putting in a new floor at a higher level and improving the approaches. The swimming bath was, therefore, done away with entirely. S. P. E. S.

" National Assembly Rooms, 218, High Holborn' The most spacious and brilliantly decorated Ball Room and the best Band in London. Open for Concert and Dancing every Evening. Musical Director, Mr. W. M. Packer. Open at Half-past Eight; close at Twelve. Admission throughout, One Shilling."' Era Almanack for 1869.'

The Holborn Restaurant is built on the same site, and its number is still 218. For references to the Casino, see Mayhew's ' Lon- don Labour and the London Poor,' iv. (1862), 219, 220. ADRIAN WHEELER.

HUMAN SKELETON IN ALUM ROCK (9 th S. xii. 48). In the 'Beauties of England and Wales,' 1812, p. 335, will be found the follow- ing :

"About the year 1743 the Rev. Mr. Berwick found in the alum rock the complete skeleton or petrified bones of a man, but although the utmost caution was used in digging it up, it was broken into several pieces, and greatly mutilated : in that condition, however, it was sent to one of our Universities as a great curiosity. After this, in the year 1758, the petrified bones of a crocodile, an animal never known in this part of the world, were taken out of the rock, and these, though broken into many pieces, were sent up to the Royal Society, of which a particular account may be seen in the Philosophical Transactions, vol. 1. part ii. And about four years afterwards, the skeleton or petrified bones of a horse were found in the alum works at Saltwick, at the depth of about thirty

yards underground, which were taken up with much care, though not without being considerably broken, and sent as a natural rarity to the Univer- sity of Aberdeen."

Thinking it not improbable that the human skeleton was also sent to this university, I wrote to the Dean and inquired if any record existed of such a presentation j but his reply was in the negative.

CHAS. F. FORSHAW, LL.D.

Baltimore House, Bradford.

"HAGIOSCOPE" OR ORIEL? (9 th S. xi. 301, 321, 375, 491 ; xii. 58.) To the interesting discussion raised by MR. ADDY concerning the purpose of "hagioscopes," I beg to con- tribute a few notes on some examples seen lately in Devonshire. At Sid bury Church,* which was visited on 17 July by the Devon Association, the Norman chancel is divided from the nave by an arch with a margin of Early English walling, in which, be- sides traces of two apertures directed due west, now blocked up, there remain two open hagioscopes, oblique in direction, that in the north-west corner having one large arched embrasure on the chancel side and two smaller ones on the outer side, and that in the south-west corner one embrasure on the outer side and two, one of which is stopped, on the chancel side. It was suggested by a member that the object was to enable priests officiating in side chapels, respectively in the north and south transepts, to observe the moment of the elevation ; but surely mass was never celebrated simultaneously at high and side altars. A sub-query arose as to the situation of the latter. One can recall many instances in continental churches of series of chapels, those in the northern bays having the altar against the north wall, and those in the southern having it against the south wall ; but the opinion was expressed that in the side chapels of English churches the altar was always against the east wall.

At Axmouth the Wyke chantry, being an extension to southward of the chancel and continuous with the south aisle, must have had an altar in its east wall, as a piscina remains in the south wall, close to the south- east angle ; and it was evidently to afford a view of this altar that the very massive pier (Norman ?) at the south-east extremity of the nave was tunnelled through, for one side of the tunnel (which is about forty-five inches deep) was splayed in a south-east direction. Immediately in front of it and of the chancel

building, by D. C. A. Cave and C. H. Blakiston, published by Pollard, Exeter, is sqld at the post office for 61.
 * A detailed account of this extremely interesting