A piece of Ancient Embroidery from Littledean, Gloucestershire, was exhibited by Mr. Francis Niblett, Architect.

Mr. Garrard exhibited the Ancient Civic Seals belonging to the Corporation of Bristol.

Thanks having been voted to these Gentlemen, and to the Chairman for his able conduct in the Chair, the Meeting separated.

A General Meeting of the Society was held at the Literary Institution, Park Street, on Monday, the 10th of December, 1849, at 8 o'clock P.M. The Venerable the Archdeacon of Bristol in the Chair.

After the Minutes of the last Meeting, and the list of Presents had been read, and thanks voted to the donors thereof,

A paper on Church Bells was read by the Rev. Henry Thomas Ellacombe. Several Drawings and Engravings of English and Foreign Bells were exhibited, and the Model of a Bell and Wheel served to illustrate many parts of the Paper.

A vote of thanks was given to Mr. Ellacombe, and he was requested to allow his Paper to be printed in the next Report of the Society, illustrated with such Engravings as might be agreed upon by Mr. Ellacombe and the Committee.

A long conversation ensued upon the reading of this Paper as to the proper position of the ringers, whether on the ground floor of the Church, in the sight of the congregation, or in a loft above. In support of the latter position, it was argued that no arrangements appear to have been made for passing the ropes through the groined ceilings of the towers, which might have been expected from the careful way in which every thing was finished by the old Church Builders.

Instances were requested to be forwarded to the Secretary of Bells being rung in peal after death, and before and after funerals, according to the direction of the Canon.

The thanks of the Meeting were carried by acclamation to the Venerable Chairman, for his kindness in taking the Chair, and it being past ten o'clock the Meeting separated.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE BRISTOL AND

WEST OF ENGLAND

Architectural Society,

FOR THE YEAR 1849.

If any apology is necessary for presenting the Report of the Committee of this Society for the year 1849 at so late a period as the present time, it is hoped that it may be found in the fact, that circumstances of more immediately pressing importance have from time to time prevented the holding of a General Meeting, composed entirely of Churchmen, and at which the wish of the Committee is to assemble as many of the Clerical Members as possible.

Nor would it be right to disguise the fact, that a wish to present the pecuniary affairs of the Society in as favourable a light as possible, has partly influenced your Committee in delaying the General Meeting to this late period. The difficulty of collecting the Subscriptions of Members has been such, that the Officers of the Society have been put to the greatest possible trouble in arranging its affairs, and the statement of the