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His GRACE THE DUKE OF SIR FREDERICK POLLOCK, BART., COL. DUNCAN A. JOHNSTON BEDFORD, K.G. LL.D., F.S.A., ETC. Director General of the Ordnance Survey President of the Zoological Society c-t T- r /- n /-i T TI T-. r. r IA SIR JOHN EVANS, K.C.B., D.C.L., PROF. E. RAY LANKESTER, M.A., His GRACE THE DUKE OF DEVON- LL.D. F.R.S., ETC. SHIRE, K.Cr. Director of the Natural History Chancellor of the University of Can,- SIR EDWARD MAUNDE THOMPSON, - bridge K.C.B.,D.C.L.,LL.D., F.S.A., His GRACE THE DUKE OF t.rc. Director of the British Museum REGINALD L. POOLE, ESQ., M.A. RUTLAND, K.G. SIR CLEMENTS R. MARKHAM, University L j'J I*f'>"", His GRACE THE DUKE OF K.C.B., F.R.S., F.S.A. PORTLAND KG President of the Royal Geographical ) "ORACE KoUND, t,SQ., M.A. S "'* WALTER RYE, ESQ. His GRACE THE DUKE OF g Q MAXWELL-LYTE, w tr, , w ARGYLL, K.T. K.C.B., M.A., F.S.A., ETC. W. H. ST. JOHN HOPE ESQ., M.A. T- T> TI T" r> Assistant Secretary of the Society of I HE RT. HON. THE EARL OF Keeper of the Public Records Antiquaries ROSEBERY, K.G., K.T. COL SIR }> FARQUHARSON> K . C . B . THE RT. HON. THE EARL OF SIR Jos. HOOKER, G.C.S.I., M.D., COVENTRY D.C.L. F.R.S. ETC. President of the Royal Agricultural Among the original members of Society SIR ARCHIBALD GEIKIE, LL.D., the Council were THE RT. HON. THE VISCOUNT F.R.S., ETC. _ . ~ THE LATE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY DILLON n i /- / T r T~> ._.,,, ... REV. 1. CHARLES Cox, LL.D., _ ,, Late President of the Society of Ann- p ,, J . TlIE LATE DR. MANDELL CREIGH- 1" ari " TON, BISHOP OF LONDON THE RT. HON. THE LORD LISTER LIONEL CtMT, ESQ., M.V.O..M.A., T n o p T n t i~ i, T 1 c ^ ^ ** k LAI t, I 'K. Ol Unnb. iJlsMOr Or Late President of the Royal Society f.o.A., ETC. r r T T ^T' T Dire c tor of the National Portrait Galle ry THE RT. HON. THE LORD THE LATE LORD ACTON ALVERSTONE, G.C.M.G. ALBERT C. L. G. GUNTHER, M.A. , Lord Chief Justice F.R.S., M.D., PH.D. THE LATE SIR WILLIAM FLOWER THE HON. WALTER ROTHSCHILD, Late President of the Lmnean Society THE LATE PROFESSOR YoRK M.P. F. HAVERFI ELD, Esq., M.A., F.S.A. POWELL /-. i r i- /-ir- ( H. ARTHUR DOUBLEDAY General Editors of the Series < ,,. c . ( WILLIAM PAGE, F.S.A.

The of the Counties of England is a National Historic Survey which, under the direction of a large staff comprising the foremost students in science, history, and archæology, is designed to record the history of every county of England in detail. This work was, by gracious permission, dedicated to Her late Majesty Queen Victoria, who gave it her own name. It is the endeavour of all who are associated with the undertaking to make it a worthy and permanent monument to her memory.

Rich as every county of England is in materials for local history, there has hitherto been no attempt made to bring all these materials together into a coherent form.

Although from the seventeenth century down to quite recent times numerous county histories have been issued, they are very unequal in merit; the best of them are very rare and costly; most of them are imperfect, and many are now out of date. Moreover they were the work of one or two isolated scholars, who, however scholarly, could not possibly deal adequately with all the varied subjects which go to the making of a county history.