There can be no doubt whatsoever that our meetings at Newbattle Abbey are becoming more and more popular and getting better and better. For the first time we completely sold out all day places and all accommodation. When we mentioned this to one of our Scottish members she remarked that, selling out all accommodation was "nothing" as after taking into account the places taken up by students there was very little left. In fact Newbattle Abbey has more accommodation than the average large hotel. For example, more than seven times that of the nearby Rosslyn Glen Hotel. Not only that, but whereas our original meeting were held over two week-end days (Saturday and Sunday), they have now gradually extended until they cover almost four days. Originally the previous Friday was the occasion of a small private dinner, mostly for authors and lecturers who were speaking early the following morning, the Officers of the Society and a small handful of interested early arriving members.- numbering some ten or fourteen. This is always a great occasion to be able to discuss things in depth in an informal atmosphere. This November there were 57 persons for Friday dinner alone. We have settled on a buffet dinner since we tend to get people arriving over a wide time spectrum. A more formal meal might lead to problems in supplying food to latecomers. Especially with the wide-spread flooding prevalent through- out the South of England this year. As usual the Saunière Society hired a vehicle for the week-end which one of our members, Tom Graham, volunteered to drive, in order to help out those who were experiencing difficulty in getting to the Abbey. As a result we are pleased to report that only two members failed to arrive. Considering that we had a considerable international gathering, we consider that something of an achievement. Although a good deal of this was due to the ingenuity and resilience of members themselves. It is a hall-mark of our Scottish meetings in particular that they are genuinely more a gathering of friends than lecturers and audience, which leads to the wonderful warm atmosphere that characterises them all.

After dinner we had a short introduction by our President, Henry Lincoln who introduced his co-author Erling Haagensen with a brief summary of the details of their new book, The Templar's Secret Island which was on sale for the first time at our meeting. Following this, with his customary aplomb and good humour Henry Lincoln gave a private viewing of his now very rare, first television film - The Lost Treasure of Jerusalem - which even the writer had only seen twice before in their original broadcast.- and that was some twenty eight years ago. It was therefore a particularly keen and enthusiastic group that gathered for this privileged showing. Nor were they disappointed. But who amongst those who watched that first ever programme on Rennes-le-Château dreamed that it would still be attracting enthusiastic audiences one whole generation later?

Our first speaker of the day was the well known author of "Arthur and the Lost Kingdoms", ex-head of Scottish tv and an originator of the celebrated Edinburgh Fringe, ALISTAIR MOFFAT. Alistair is a fine scholar; meticulous in his research, with a touch of inspiration that never deviates from the supporting facts. Considering how solid his base of factual material and how startling his findings, it is a matter of amazement that no historian has ever discovered them before. In this respect Alistair Moffat must be regarded as a prime example of what Academia is slowly having to recognise; that even in the "age of specialisation", it is clear that only those with multi-disciplinary skills are able to take the next and essential steps forward. In this case it is the application of philology, a knowledge of equestrian requirements, given facts, and a mind open enough to recognise what they add up to in toto. An intelligent audience able to recognise what they are being offered is the last ingredient that makes Alistair Moffat an inspired lecturer.

Most members are aware that recent work in the Abbey grounds produced the discovery of what was at first thought to be an ancient Cistercian burial ground. According-ly we had listed as our next speaker JOHN GOODER, the head of the Archaeological Research team in charge of the "dig". However on mature consideration Mr Gooder quite properly decided that it was too early to be able to give a considered opinion on the find. We understand that about seventy skeletons have been removed for study and it will be some considerable time before a proper report is feasible. Accordingly he declined to speak to our members on the subject. We hope that we may have the benefit of his expertese at some later date.

Our next author therefore was Dr Karen Ralls-MacLeod who lectures on Music and Celtic Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Karen is the author of a well researched work entitled MUSIC and the CELTIC OTHERWORLD, from Ireland to Iona. Her research sources are mainly Old and Middle Irish Mediaeval manuscripts. This is herhaps yet another example that demonstrates that a multi-disciplinary approach is not merely desirable, but essentiasl for the proper study of some subjects.- in this case calling for a good knowledge of music as well as Celtic history, customs and ways of thought. The historian has literally to think herself into the minds of her ancient Celtic subjects. The result is a new slant on a subject that has always left academics wary, covering as it does the Otherworld of fairy lore, little people and magical musical effects. But if a world is real to those under the microscope, it matters little what the personal opinion of the historian may be - except and insofar as she is able to reconstruct the mindset of those under review. In this respect Dr Ralls-MacLeod has succeeeded admirably as was amply demonstrated by the quiet intense concentration of an audience learning something new.

Following Dr Karen Ralls-MacLeod came lunch which, of course is free. Although we lose a lot of money by supplying a three course lunch without charge, it is our philosophy that it is the interchange of ideas amongst people who become friends in a common interest, that is important. Throughout the lunch period there ios much discussion on Dr Karen's talk and time for copies of her book to be signed for those whose interest has been awakened.

Dr KEITH LAIDLER was our first speaker after lunch. Keith had originally agreed to address our members at Templar Lodge Hotel on his controversiakl book The HEAD of GOD

but circumstances had conspiored against it. In that book he had cited the details of how the Scots people were said to have been descended from the daughter of the most controversial Pharaoh of Egypt, Akhenaten. This idea had been summerarily dismissed by many, although it is now the focus of a very well researched work by Lorraine Evans entitled Kingdom of the Ark, The Startling Story of how the ancient British race is descended from the Pharaohs, and appears to endorse Dr Laidler's work. Keith has now followed up his first book with a second - The DIVINE DECEPTION, which continues his research, but deals mainly with the enigma of the so-called Turin Shroud. The writer may be wrong, but there seemed to be a note of scepticism amongst the audience that presaged the onslaught of what they had perceived to be biting questions to deflate Dr Laidler's thesis. But he had come armed with

a glass-cased head, and a few simple tools of his research. It soon becanme apparant that he had carried out some excellent basic research of his own and had an in-depth knowledge of his subject that was easily able to cope with all questions. At the conclusion Keith's audience were wildly enthusiastic about his work and we still get e-mails requesting his address for follow-up enquiries.

Our next author was AHMED OSMAN author of four books on Ancient Egypt and all dealing with the enigmatic 18^th Dynasty. On this occasion however Ahmed moved a little further on from his usual subject, to a new book that he is currently co-authoring with Robert Bauval. This work deals with the true origins of Christianity and covers one of the greatest acts of vandalism ever recorded in the whole of human history - the destruction of the Great Library at Alexandria, the Serapion. He also covers the information available from the Nag Hamadi manuscripts and the early Gnostics. Ahmed's knowledge of Ancient Egypt is encyclopaedic. He invariably speaks without notes and goes where his spirit moves him. This ensures that no two lectures are ever the same, and wherever it leads him, his research is built on a rock-solid base that ensures he is never caught out for questions that call for expansion of detail.

Ahmed has spent over 30 years researching his subject. As a native born Egyptian he has been able to understand obscure philological and theological points that have long escaped Western scholars.

ALICE and the LOOKING GLASS GRAIL was the chosen subject of Nigel Graddon who has often proved contraversial. Those who have read the criticism by Donald Wray in this issue will also apreciate that at least a good part of Nigel's enigmas stem, in some ways at least, from a failure of communication, if not a missunderstanding. Since the Saunière Society have published the text of his lecture in full recently, readers are able to judge for themselves what they think about the validity of his contentions. Certainly he was very well received at this particular meeting and has attracted a larger than usual number of post-symposium enquiries. It would be as amazing as it would be undesirable if we all agreed with each other. One has to sift through tons of dross in order to find a little gold. Perhaps some of our other readers might care to write in?

DINNER followed Nigel Graddon. Apart from those staying at Newbattle Abbey, quite a high percentage of those attending for the day, also stay on for the evening meal, some eightyseven in all. We regard the evening meal as a very important part of our meeting, since apart from the opportunity to renew acquaintances with old friends from other parts of the country or abroad, it is an excellent opportunity to discuss matters with particular authors or to thrash out thesis with specialist researchers. We supply the first glass of wine free which helps to engender the relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Following dinner, members were in for something of a surprise - in the presence of GERALD O'FARRELL, FRS

Gerald O'Farrell treated us to an hour long peroration on Ancient Egypt; delivered at break-neck speed, covering everything from: How the pyramids were really built to the secret of the Hall of Records, and just about everything in between. When facts are thrown out faster than a quick-firing machine-gun can deliver its bullets, there is little hope of being able to remember it all - or even a small part of the whole - but it was so full of wit, wisdom, and a great humour mixed with erudition, that in general it did lodge itself in our memory banks.

We understand that Gerald will shortly have published a new book that gives an unexpected and unusual slant on AThe Curse of Tutankhamun". How on earth he managed to say so much in so short a time and not give away one single secret from his forthcoming book is hard to grasp - but he did so.

That Gerald's talk was a great hit with his audience is completely beyond dispute. Whether it was his humour or his erudition that captivated we do not know. But his quick and sure-fire mixture of the two made for a rousing and sensational end to our first day's session.