PREFACE. IN putting forth to the public in general, and to the Members of the British Archæological Association in particular, a volume of Transactions, in addition to the Quarterly Journal which from the commencement of the Association, in 1843, has been regularly issued, it appears essential to say a few words as to the causes which have thus added another to the already numerous publications in promotion of archæological knowledge; and it will, doubtless, be a matter of congratulation to the Members of the Association to find that, from the gradual and continued progress of their labours, the Society has after eighteen years duration found it imperatively necessary, from the accumulation of papers on various archæological, antiquarian, and historical subjects, to institute a work in addition to that which records the details of their ordinary proceedings. Seventeen volumes of the Journal, with numerous illustrations, have been published since its establishment, and it cannot be regarded as an undue assumption of praise to take credit for the diffusion of a body of antiquarian information which is now repeatedly referred to by all who labour in this field of inquiry. The number of Journals issued by various Archæological Societies, all more or less springing up from, and owing in a great measure their existence to, the spirit of research which has been thus so universally excited, are productive of information of a varied and very miscellaneous character, amidst which subjects of much importance and bearing interest for future researches are, it must be admitted, too frequently lost. The holding of an Annual Congress, fixed at a locality where subjects of the deepest archæological interest present themselves, has hitherto been found productive of communications to a far greater extent than could be given in the Quarterly Journal; hence papers have occasionally been necessarily subjected to an abridgement for insertion in the Journal, or to being altogether excluded from its pages, a severe disappointment not only to those to whom the Association has been indebted for their communications, but also to the Members at large, who have thus been deprived of information they heartily desired to hold in their possession. The Council of the British Archæological Association now venture to entertain the hope that by b the establishment of a new recipient for these more lengthened papers, for the pressure of Congress communications, and for those, also, which require extensive illustrations, they shall at the same time that they obviate future regrets, by giving greater probability of permanance to these papers, be enabled to improve their ordinary Journal by still further increasing the variety of its contents, and giving an earlier publication of the proceedings of the Association. The two parts composing this first entire volume of the Collectanea Archæologica, embrace several papers, the product of Congresses held in Shropshire and in Devonshire, the former under the presidency of Beriah Botfield, Esq., M.P., F.R.S., F.S.A., and the latter under Sir Stafford H. Northcote, Bart., M.P., C.B., M.A. Much material in relation to both these counties still remains unpublished. It will appear in successive parts, but with the means possessed by the Association, and having due regard to the publication of no matter not possessing any special interest in its pages, it is thought not possible to put forth beyond one part in each year, so that the two annual volumes of the Quarterly Journal added to the two parts composing one volume of the Collectanea Archæologica, will present the result of two Congresses held by the Association. It would be ungrateful to omit embracing this opportunity of returning thanks to many distinguished donors to the funds of the Association, by which the Council have been enabled to effect so much, and to state that their highly respected names will be found duly recorded in the Annual Statements laid before the Members at the General Meetings, and printed in the Journal. The Council earnestly solicit a continuance of this generous support from all interested in archæological researches, and can confidently promise an activity on their part proportionate to the assistance they receive. CONTENTS. X.-ON A SEPULCHRAL SLAB IN THE ABBEY CHURCH, SHREWSBURY, by T. J. PETtigrew, Esq., F.R.S. F.S.A., Vice-President and Treasurer of the British Archæological |