owed their extraction to Phoenicia in Syria; fince we find the Celtiberi of Spain to be of Phoenician origin, as well as the founders of feveral cities in Italy; and it may be difficult to prove the Celta of old Gaul, who inhabited between the rivers Garonne and Seine, to have fprung from any other fource. Almoft all writers agree, that the first inhabitants of this island had an intercourfe with the Phoenicians, who are allowed to have traded to Britain, from those once famous fea ports Tyre and Sidon; and where they left a colony, would no doubt leave with them, all the rites and ceremonies of their Syrian worship. If it be admitted, that this hill has been dedicated to heathen worship, the ground called Aldermans, I fhould imagine to extend to the place where the idol once ftood. The word Aldermans, I fuppofe not to be its original name, but to have been afterwards given by the Saxons, fignifying, in their language, the elderman, or oldman, from a rock-idol or ftone pillar, there once worshipped, by the Celtic Britons, the true name of which was unknown to the Saxons. We read in the Levitical law, that Mofes forbid the Ifraelites to rear up a ftanding image, or fet up any stone in their land, to bow down to it or worship it. The adoration of stones was common at that day, we read, or why forbidden ? So that upon the whole I fhould conclude, that that a rude ftone pillar was once worshipped upon this hill; and the ftone called PANCAKE, the altar, and the ftones now lying difperfed 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 fee the devouring teeth of time, determined, fcarcely to leave one stone upon another upon this once facred ground. At Mow-Cop in Chefhire, 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. ΤΗ READ MARCH 28, 1788. 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 prefent fituation, at the weft end of the church, as to escape the observation 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 monaftery 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 last 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 chose a spot near the castle 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 castle, the Abbot's tower. Some fancied resemblance 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 confess, then, it appears from a comparison with prints, that the fite of the abbey resembles Carmel, and that the oppofite rock, rifing in a fine cone, almost 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, Here, De Vefcy was probably buried, and I conceive the monument before us to have formed the covering of his ftone coffin, It appears, from an inspection of many ancient monuments, that the cross was a common ornament for the covers of ftone coffins, both before and after the conqueft. Several fpecimens of this kind are brought together, in Gough's fepulchral monuments: in fome, the crofs is accompanied with the armorial bearings of the perfon interred. Our artist, with more tafte, has introduced the arms and infignia of Vefcy, in a kind of trophy, with very elegant fillets. I am not quite fatisfied about the meaning of the wheel contained in the creft. Most of the croffes I have mentioned have a circular ornament on the top, fometimes enclosing a quatrefoil. The wheel, in this inftance may allude to Vefcy's travels. Or more probably it is that bearing known in books of heraldry, by the name of the Catherine-Wheel; a bearing, according to the Accidence of armory, proper to the most honourable perfons only. It would be inaccurate not to obferve, that the form of this wheel is different from that given to the Catherine-Wheel by the heralds; for in this before us, there are two concentric circles, in the outer of which, radii, like fpokes, are drawn to the circumference; but whether this be a piece of ingenious flattery, by which the honour of the wheel is doubled, or whether |