After the Civil War nothing is heard of any interference on the part of the Chancellor of the Duchy, but it is quite obvious that the Stanleys, Molyneuxes, and other great families often exercised an influence over the elections, and yet probably not more than local magnates exercised all over England at that time. From 1660 the Parliamentary elections are regularly entered in the Records formally without comment.

THI

THE BIRKENHEAD PRIORY

REPARATION

By A. M. Robinson

Read 15th January 1903

HIS Society took action in the year 1896, and with the support and assistance of the Birkenhead Literary and Scientific Society, and the Chester Archæological Society, succeeded in inducing the authorities at Birkenhead to acquire the ruins, funds being privately subscribed for the purpose. The late E. W. Cox, the well known antiquary, and Member of the Council of this Society, was consulted as to what repairs would be necessary, and the following was his report :

REPORT ON REPAIRS REQUIRED

South Gable End of Prior's House.-Stones to be numbered with distemper paint, beginning at the lowest course, and numbering from left to right. Numbers to be continued in jambs of windows, with a distinguishing mark, say +, and continued across exterior, in each course using, say, even numbers; the same to be done in interior, using odd numbers. Diagrams and photographs to be taken showing these numbers in their places. The gable end to be taken down where unsound, and the stones stacked in order for replacing as they stood in original courses. Any re-used stones of earlier date found in the ashlar or grouting to be taken out and kept apart; new stones to replace them in rebuilding. The tracery, and any unsound stones of the arches, to be taken out with extra care. When a sound base for rebuilding is reached, the facings to be rebuilt, and the grouting replaced by good sound brickwork in the lower courses,

set on cement, and the stone facing set on with very good mortar, ground with smithy ash, not with red sand. When this brickwork is carried high enough to make a solid base, grouting may be used in the upper portion, made, say, of 1 part of Portland cement, I of ground smithy ash, making the concrete up with cinders riddled to inch, and rubble filled in in, say, 6 or 9 inch courses, the rubble to be well bedded in the concrete. This will be lighter than brick or solid stone concrete. Old facing stones to be cleaned of old mortar, and wet when put in, and well flushed. Care to be taken to keep old beds and joints of the ashlar; all tracery to be reset, and joints leaded; top of wall to be made good with concrete, to be covered when set with asphalt, the wall not to be run to a level, but formed in accordance with the irregularity of the ancient stones. Fireplace to be

reset.

Refectory, or Prior's Hall.-Reset the arch of small door at south end leading to church, also the rear arch of upper south-west window and the late upper door under it, and the fallen piece of cornice above this door; replace tracery of north-west side window (of which fragments are in a summer-house) with four new mullions, so worked and marked as to show their date; joints to be leaded. Replace missing stones in buttresses, and rebuild south-west angle buttress, dating it with marks as a repair. Reface the destroyed part of external wall in Cloister garth with masonry differing from the ancient to show it as a repair. The chimney-back in Prior's room may want a new backing to support the old ashlar, which, where very weak, may be tied with copper cramps. Alms window and square window at south end to be reopened and fitted with shutters. The interior to be cleared down to original level, and trench sunk as dry area round exterior walls down to plinths. Before doing this all the grave slabs and fragments now in garden and hall to be collected and safely stored where they may not be used up as old stone. Walls to be pointed and the tops covered with concrete, loose stones to be reset, and asphalt put over concrete.

Crypt and Refectory Over.-Only the eastern wall of the refectory or upper room is ancient, and this requires careful pointing and repair, done in the usual way. The upper side walls are also modern, and can be repaired as usual; they replace a timbered structure. Any old timber removed from lintels, &c., where required should be kept for examination for traces of old work, re-used. Small door at north-east angle to be carefully The summer-house to be taken down, and the fragments of details of which it is built carefully stored. Steps from Prior's Hall to be taken down, and pieces of detail stored. Remove earth from floor and from the pockets of groinings, and flush back of groining, where mortar decayed, with cement after

reset.