that a rude ftone pillar was once worshipped upon this hill; and the ftone called PANCAKE, the altar, and the ftones now lying difpersed about, once formed (though of rude materials) an heathen temple, which upon the prevalence of chriftianity, and the rife of more enlightened times, was destroyed, nay, is even to this day wafting more and more.

I was informed when there, that young people would affemble in fine weather, and with iron crows, and levers, amuse themfelves by removing these large and ponderous ftones from off each other, for the purpose of trying how far they would tumble, and how long they would be in rolling down the floping hills. Thus we see the devouring teeth of time, determined, fcarcely to leave one stone upon another upon this once facred ground.

At Mow-Cop in Cheshire, is a rude upright ftone pillar, called the Oldman at Mow, and faid, by the country people, to be an idol, perhaps once used for idolatry, at the fame time with this in Saddleworth.

Account

Account of an ANCIENT MONUMENT in HULN ABBEY, NORTHUMBERLAND; by JOHN FERRIAR, M. D.

READ MARCH 28, 1788.

TH

HE monument here exhibited, was dug up, a few years ago, from among the ruins of the church of Huln Abbey, now in poffeffion of the Northumberland family. The table is broken, as marked in the drawing.

No account of this curious monument has yet been published, and it is fo covered with ivy, in its present fituation, at the weft end of the church, as to escape the obfervation of travellers; who are generally attracted to visit the remains of the abbey, by the uncommon beauty of its fituation, more than by antiquarian zeal.

Huln abbey, the firft Carmelite monastery founded in England, was built in 1240, by Ralph Frefborn, under the patronage of William de Vefcy, then Lord of Alnwick, and of the immenfe poffeffions of the Tyfons, granted to Ivo de Vefcy by the Conqueror. During the laft of the Croisades, Vefcy, with fome other Northumbrian Gentlemen, vifited the monaftery on mount Carmel. They found there Frefborn their coun

tryman,

tryman, one of the religious, and became fo attached to him, as to defire that he might be permitted to return with them to England. The fuperior agreed to their requeft, on condition that Frefborn fhould found a Carmelite monastery in his native country. Frefborn chofe a spot near the caftle of his friend, to fulfil his obligation; the land was granted by Vefcy; and Frefborn became the abbot. Tradition ftill denominates one of the largest towers of Alnwick caftle, the Abbot's tower.

Some fancied refemblance to mount Carmel determined the fite of Huln abbey. It is controverted, (as all truth is important) whether the hill on which the abbey ftands, or an oppofite eminence, were the object which occafioned this choice. However difficult this point may appear, it would ill become a lover of antiquity to omit an opportunity of deciding by conjecture. I must confefs, then, it appears from a comparison with prints, that the fite of the abbey refembles Carmel, and that the oppofite rock, rifing in a fine cone, almoft from the brink of the river, has the appearance of mount Tabor.

But there needed not thefe affociations of romantic devotion, in favour of a place, which, in Sandys's phrafe, "would make folitarinefs "delightful, and ftand in competition with the "turbulent pomp of cities."

Here,