The flagon is of the usual shape, tapering towards the top, and having a moulded base 7 inches in diameter. The height to the top of the cover is 13 inches. The hall marks have been almost obliterated - certainly they are quite illegible - owing to the greatest enemy of old silver, injudicious cleaning.

The two patens are exactly alike, and stand 21 inches high, with a diameter at the base of 4 inches.

Mrs. Rawstorne, the donor of this handsome. plate, was the daughter of John Fleetwood, of Penwortham, and married Lawrence Rawstorne, of New Hall, in Tottington, who was born in 1619, and held the office of high sheriff of Lancashire in 1681. Their son William was high sheriff in 1712, and married Isabella, daughter of Sir Richard Atherton, of Atherton. The present head of the family of Rawstorne, of Hutton Hall and Penwortham Priory, is a direct descendant of the donor of this valuable gift.

FLAGON, 1719.

This piece of plate was purchased by order of the vestry; the record in the Church books for 1719 containing the announcement that

"Gastrell, the Commissary," had "generously "given four guineas to encourage the matter. At the same time they ordered that "two old "calices and pattens to go towards the charge."

Flagons of silver had at that period not been long introduced, and their use was becoming more general. Samuel Peploe was then vicar of Preston, and held the distinguished office of Warden of Manchester Collegiate Church, afterwards being appointed Bishop of Chester.

The flagon is of plain workmanship, standing 13 inches high, with a diameter at the base

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of 7 inches. Near the base is engraved the sacred monogram, and it is inscribed, Preston. "Lancs. 1719," and at the bottom, "St. John the Evangelist, Parish of Preston." As on most of the plate, the hall marks are obliterated.

FLÁGON, 1725.

This vessel, like the last, was also provided at the expense of the parish, the Church books containing an order, under date 1725. for an "additional silver flagon to be purchased." The Rev. Samuel Peploe was Vicar also at this time. and it is strange that his name does not appear upon either of the flagons. This vessel is identical in all respects with that of 1719, with the exception. that the inscription on the bottom reads Thos. Astley, Robert Walsham, Churchwardens, 1725.”

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TWO CHALICES, 1729.

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According to the Church books, these two chalices. were also provided at the expense of the vestry. They are alike, standing 8 inches high, of small capacity, a plain bell-shaped bowl resting upon a stem, in the centre of which is a narrow band, whence the base gradually spreads to a plainly moulded broad bottom. The bowls are gilt inside. The hall marks are illegible.

TWO CHALICES, 1785.

These two vessels are the handsomest pieces of plate belonging to the Church. They are each 8 inches high, with a shallow, straight-sided bowl, the stem having a massive knop of the familiar antique pattern, the facets of which, however, are plain; the stem ends in a broad-spreading sexfoil base, destitute of points, but with a moulded bottom, perfectly plain. There is no inscription on these

chalices, but from the remains of the hall marks it would appear that they were assayed in the year 1785-6, the marks visible being the date letter k and the King's head.

WINE STRAINER, 1819.

This, the most modern of the plate, was apparently purchased at the expense of the Parish, and bears the inscription, "The Parish Church of "Preston, 1819."

III.-LYMM CHURCH PLATE.

The Parish Church, dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin, Lymm, is the fourth built upon the site. The building consists of nave, with aisles, transepts, and chancel, organ chamber and porch. A handsome reredos, in Caen stone, adorns the church, and represents in its panels scenes from the Passion of our Lord. The tower is one of the great features of the exterior: the old one stood firm until 1850, when it was decided to raise it in height; but the heavy masonry placed upon it rendered it so insecure that it had to be rebuilt in 1889. An interesting relic of the third church, which was built about 1322, remains in a canopied recess in the south wall; but a fragment, considerably older, consisting of a carving of a head, is inserted in the north wall of the chancel.

Of sacramental vessels the Church possesses an old chalice and cover, the latter used as a paten, and an old paten.

THE COVERED CHALICE

was presented to the Church by one of the Warburtons of Arley. Though plain, it is a fine example of seventeenth century manufacture. The bowl is bell-shaped, bearing on one side the arms

of the house of Warburton, with mantling, and on the other side the crest of the same family. The chalice is an unusually fine one, standing 8 inches high, and having a diameter at its rim of 43 inches, and an inside depth of 5 inches. The stem is heavy and baluster shaped, ending in a plain ogee moulded foot. It bears the London hall marks, as follows:-Leopard's head crowned; lion passant; the date letter a, in black letter, small, of the year 1691-2; and the maker's initials, 1.c., above a mullet, the distinctive mark of Joseph Clare, a London goldsmith. The cover, which is used as a paten, is plain, having at the top a small flat knob, on which is engraved the arms and crest of the Warburton family. The cover bears the same hall marks as the chalice.

THE PATEN,

also the gift of the Warburton family, is considerably older than the chalice, though the local idea seems to be that it was made about the year 1710, the hall marks on the paten having been read as those of 1710. It bears, however, the London hall marks of the year 1652-3, being a leopard s head crowned, lion passant, and the date letter, p. In addition to the marks mentioned it bears the mark of a maker, R.C., which, although often met with in plate manufactured between 1630 and 1660, has not yet been identified. This paten has a

prettily moulded rim.

No record appears to exist in the books of the Church as to the circumstances of the presentation of this plate; but they are exceedingly fine and well-preserved examples of seventeenth century manufacture.

ON SOME FEATURES OF

ROMAN MILITARY DEFENSIVE WORKS.

By John Garstang.

Read October 25th, 1900.

THE HE present article deals only with certain aspects of Roman military works. It is concerned chiefly with the principles of defence, as illustrated by some of the excavated or visible existing monuments. It does not claim to be more than an insight into the possibilities revealed by modern research; and while it indicates by comparison a natural sequence in the development of the art of fortification, it does not attempt to make that sequence chronological. Great though the progress of investigation has been in recent years, much yet remains to be done, or to be re-done in more systematic fashion, before that can be effected. Each branch of archæological evidence requires separate and special study. The pottery, to the neglect of which Mr. Haverfield has called attention in The Athenæum, is still to be classified and reduced to types suitable for reference. The grouping of coins, again, the nature of fortifications and defences, the types of