25 DECEMBER 1926, Page 25

AN INVENTORY OF . THE HISTORICAL MONU- MENTS IN HUNTINGDONSHIRE. (Stationery

Office. 85s.)—The little county of Huntingdon—the smallest save three in England—has at last attracted the attention of the archaeologist. Until a few months ago the county had no standard history. One volume of its Victoria County History has since appeared, and now the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of England has devoted a superbly illustrated volume to Huntingdonshire. Herein every church, house, cottage, bridge or other structure dating from before 1714 is exhaustively described and, more often than not,- photographed as well. The parishes are taken alphabetically, and there is an excellent index of subjects as well as names, so that-.one ean easily find the old bridges or the crosses, the ancient inns,brasses, pulpits, carved benthends

(a3 at Eynesbury) or any other special features of interest. Hinehingbrooke, near Huntingdon, is one of the most notable of early English mansions ; Buckden's two inns, the Lion and the George, are exceptionally well preserved ; the county town and St. Neots retain much of their antique charm. It is good to have this authoritative catalogue of all that Huntingdonshire has inherited from the past. Lord Crawford in his preface hints at Treasury disapproval of the Commission. For our part, we wish that all the money allotted to depart. ments were as well spent as the Commission's modest grant has been.