Inspector of Ancient Monuments manuscripts
This is a listing and transcription of some of the material donated by Anthony Pitt-Rivers to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 2012. Box 1
Handwritten summary on modern paper:
1 Portfolio on Ancient Monuments correspondence which has not been answered
2 Aberlemno stones Forfarshire
3 Dorset Tenant Hill Circle
Gorwell Circle
Dorchester Ampitheatre
Poxwell Circle
4. Pewsey & Salisbury light railway including a lecture on rifle shooting]
1 Portfolio on Ancient Monuments correspondence which has not been answered
B6856 30 Oct 1896 Public Buildings Estimates 1897-8 Protection of Ancient Monuments, memo asking how much PR thinks should be set aside in estimates for care of ancient monuments, PR replies at bottom:
“Since 1891 the Ancient Monuments Act has been virtually in abeyance, in consequence of the decision of the Board of Works, that I should no longer endeavour to obtain fresh monuments, but that “the Act being permissive the attitude of the Government should be passive.” If this working of the Act is still considered satisfactory, I see no reason why any additional sum should be noted beyond what is necessary to keep the Monuments now under the Act in good repair. I have no opinion to offer on the subject. My letter to Mr Primrose of the 20th Feb 1891 sufficiently explains my views, but I think it desirable to take this opportunity of referring to the subject, in case dissatisfaction should be expressed on the part of archaeologists, and in order to show that it was not by my desire that the Act was discontinued. There has been some private correspondence with the owners of monuments since 1891, and some good done, but nothing contrary to the general tenor of my instructions. I have no knowledge whether the sum of £100 is sufficient or even whether it has been drawn.
Nov 14th 1896 A Pitt Rivers
[There follows a set of Govt correspondence relating to ancient monuments
Folder with ribbon, Amesbury and Military Camp Light Railway
Letter from The National Trust 8 January 1897 drawing attention to the destruction of prehistoric remains on Sherburton Common Dartmoor from Lionel Curtis [2 copies]
2. Cardboard Folder with printed label ‘Ancient Monuments Act / Monument: Aberlemno Stones / County:- Forfarshire, N.B. / Parish:- Aberlemno / Owner:- Mr Patrick Webster
Envelope marked: Anc. Mons. Act. / Aberlemno Stones / (a) Sheriff Thoms’s letters / (b) Genl. Rivers letter to Mr Webster / (c) Webster’s (Mr) Reply
Contains:
1 letter dated 13 September 1889 from George H.M. Thoms to PR
1 letter dated 7 October 1889 from George H.M. Thoms to PR
1 letter dated 10 October 1889 from PR to Patrick Webster
1 letter dated 22 October 1889 from ….ship [illegible, appears to be Webster’s offspring to PR]
1 letter dated 28 October 1889 from PR to unnamed recipient ‘My dear Sir’
Piece of paper headed ‘Aberlemno Plates 78 to 81 vol I [PR’s handwriting]
2 drawings of crosses and iconography on them marked Plate 80 and Plate LXXXI
One set of carbon copies of letters marked ‘Complete’ of correspondence about Aberlemno Stones.
Contains:
1 letter from George H.M. Thoms to PR dated 13 September 1889
1 letter from George H.M. Thoms to PR dated 7 October 1889
1 letter from PR to Patrick Webster dated 10 October 1889 [see above]
1 letter from Patrick Webster [NB the signature did not look like it to me, but see above] to PR dated 22 October 1889
1 letter from PR to George Thoms dated 28 October 1889
Typed transcript of formal memo from PR regarding Ancient Monuments Act 1882 and Aberlemno Stones [2 copies]
2nd copy of above correspondence marked ‘Incomplete’which in addition to the above includes
1 letter from H. Cuffe dated 15 April 1890 regarding stones
1 letter from Patrick Webster dated 12 April 1890 to H. Cuffe
1 memo from PR to ?Cuffe dated 21 April 1890
1 memo from PR to ?Cuffe dated 2 February 1891
3rd copy of above correspondence marked ‘Incomplete’which in addition to the above includes
1 letter from H. Cuffe dated 15 April 1890 regarding stones
1 letter from Patrick Webster dated 12 April 1890 to H. Cuffe
1 memo from PR to ?Cuffe dated 21 April 1890
1 memo from PR to ?Cuffe dated 2 February 1891
3. Dorset
1 Letter marked ‘Crichel Wimborne’ and ‘Friday’
1 set of correspondence fastened together:
Letter from John Evans, June 16 1890
Nash Mills
Hemel Hempstead
June 16 1890
Many thanks for the sight of the enclosed which I return in case you may like to send it to some one else. I do not think that the amphitheatre at Dorchester is one of the monuments under your charge, but I may mention that I have a letter from Mr Onion that is suffering from the turf being worn through and holes being grubbed in the underlying chalkby the boys of the neighbourhood. Is it worth while writing to the Mayor of Dorchester?
Believe me
Yours most truly
John Evans
Copy letter from PR 23 June 1890
>June 23rd 90
Dear Mr Mansell Pleydell
Thanks for sending me the report of your address it is most useful to give a resumé of …. Work of the year in the way you have done.
I enclose a typed copy of a letter from Mr Evans the President of the Society of Antiquaries about the … amphitheatre. I moved in the matter of its protection some time ago the Mayor was in favour of putting it under the act but it belongs to the Duchy of Cornwall & the Duchy refused. I know nothing of the damage reported in the letter but it is a pity … not been looked after. I always now refer such …. to the local archaeological body and some good has been done in that way perhaps you could take it up
Yrs very truly
A Pitt Rivers
June 23rd 1890
Dear Sir
I enclose a type written copy of a letter from Dr [?] Evans President of the Society of Antiquaries relating to some damage done in the Ampitheatre in Dorchester and shall be glad if you should find it in your Power to stop the injury complained of. You will remember there was a previous correspondence on the subject
Yours truly
A Pitt Rivers
… Inspector of Ancient Monuments in Britain
Town Clerk’s Office
Dorchester June 26th 1890
Sir,
The Mayor has handed to me your letter of the 23rd inst. with enclosure relating to certain damage stated to have been committed to the Maumbury Rings or Ampitheatre at this town. A letter has also been received by the Mayorfrom Mr Henry Moule the Curator of the Dorset County Museum on the same subject. As I think was pointed out in the previous correspondence to which you allude the amphitheatre is the property of The Duchy of Cornwall and the Corporation of Dorchester has no jurisdiction over it which would enable them to take steps for its preservation.
The Mayor however is much obliged to you for drawing his attention to the matter which he has directed me to bring under the notice of the Duchy authorities.
I remain Sir Yours obediently
H. Symonds
… Town Clerk
To Genl. A. Pitt Rivers
Inspector of Ancient Monuments
Rushmore Salisbury
Empty envelope marked ‘Ampitheatre at Dorchester A.M. Act Correspondence
1 letter dated 5 October 1887 addressed from 13 Brunswick Terrace Brighton [Bridehead Dorchester] from Mr Robert Williams regarding two monuments
Line drawing of Cromlech near Tenant Hill, near Gorwell, Dorsetshire with plan
Letter from J. Mansell Pleydell dated 22 September 1887 to PR saying he had written to Mayor about placing Ampitheatre at Dorchester under Ancient Monuments Act
Letter from Albert Banks to PR from Wolfeton House, Dorchester dated 27 September 1887 saying he would write to Mayor about placing Ampitheatre at Dorchester under Ancient Monuments Act
Letter from Albert Banks to PR from Wolfeton House, Dorchester dated 29 September 1887 saying he had reply from Mayor saying that Ampitheatre was partly on Borough and partly on Duchy land
Letter of support from Alfred Pope South Walk House Dorchester dated 30 September 1887
Further letter from Alfred Pope South Walk House Dorchester dated 31 September 1887
Letter from J. Mansell Pleydell dated 1 October 1887 to PR
Illegible letter from unknown correspondent dated 1 October 1887 to PR
Letter from PR to ? dated 6 October 1887 asking if Duchy have considered request to place Ampitheatre at Dorchester under Ancient Monuments Act
Letter from Duchy of Cornwall Office dated 7 October 1887 sayig request to place Ampitheatre at Dorchester under Ancient Monuments Act will be referred to Council
Letter from Duchy of Cornwall Office dated 13 December 1887 turning down request to place Ampitheatre at Dorchester under Ancient Monuments Act.
Copy letter from PR to Mayor of Dorchester 6 October 1887 on preservation of amphitheatre
Copy letter from PR to Duchy of Cornwall 6 October 1887 on preservation of amphitheatre
Letter 10 June 1893 from Richard C. Tuckett, The Bristol and District Footpath Preservation Society to PR regarding ‘certain wrongful encroachments’ on Hambledon Hall near Blandford
Letter dated May 6 1895 regarding Tenant Hill Circle from Edward Cunnington to PR with copy reply sent 18 May 1895 from PR.
Large sealed Legal sized envelope marked ‘Dorchester Ampitheatre’
Letter from J. Mansell Pleydell dated November 2?
Letter to paper about Dorset Field Club on the Monument in county by PR 7 February 1888:
Rushmore
Feb 7th 1888
Sir
From the remarks that were made at the meeting of the Dorset Natural History field club the report of which appeared in your last number. It would appear as if I had advocated some lesser scheme for collecting scientific information than that which this club are able and willing to undertake. this however requires explanation. there can be no doubt that the field club is well engaged in collecting and tabulating information upon all the various subjects that fall within its province and this is sure to be well done under the able guidance of Mr Mansel Pleydell the President. Any recommendations that I have made upon the subject have need had reference to the Ancient Monuments Act only the carrying out of which in Great Britain has been placed in my hands by the Government. the Act is purely permissive and at present relates to prehistoric monuments only nor does the Government propose to include in the Act all the [insert] purchasable [end insert] monuments that can be obtained but only the most important ones. It would not be right to saddle the country with the expense of maintaining minor monuments which must be left to local societies to look after. It is possible the scope of the act may be excluded hereafter meanwhile neither British nor Romanroads have as yet been included to protect a road would require the voluntary cooperation of all the owners over whose property the road passes, Dorsetshire is not very rich in monuments of the better class of prehistoric monuments Mr Williams has offered the nine stones at Winterbourne Abbas. Mr Sheridan the grey mall & colts and king stone Russell stone circle has been offered by the Duke of Bedford which I trust will be accepted & others no doubt maybe added to the list.
Handwritten transcription of an extract from The Gentleman’s Magazine1768 regarding stones a quarter of a mile east of Poxwell
Drawings of Poxwell stone circle with covering paper
Letter from J. Mansel Pleydell dated March 7 1887
Letter from PR to Mansel Pleydell re Pokeswell [sic] 2 November 1887
Letter from Jocelyn Cambridge 6 November 1887 regarding Poxwell to PR
Ancient Monuments Act memoranda dated 1 November 1887 regarding Tenant Hill circle B 6936 / 87
Ancient Monuments Act memoranda dated 6 October 1887 regarding Gorwell circle B 6278 / 87
4. Pewsey & Salisbury light railway including a lecture on rifle shooting]
Envelope marked Amesbury Light Railway postmarked 23 April 1896 from Light Railway Commission, to authorise proposed railway
Supplement to London Gazette March 2 1858[Promotions to Army Ranks, presumably Lane Fox is listed]
2 copies of Draft lecture, presumably this might be draft from 1850s, the handwriting is much more legible than later drafts but the paper is apparently very similar to the large blue paper used later for draft papers. One is in rougher hand than other
Covering letter from Ambrose Poynter Secretary of National Trust 13 February 1899 enclosing
Draft Bill for the Preservation of Interesting Places 7 February 1899
Draft Bill to amend the Ancient Monuments Protection Act 8th February 1899
And saying meeting on 22nd February to discuss
Copy of printed The Light Railways Act 1896 Great Western Railways Pewsey and Salisbury Light Railway with correspondence
AP May 2012
