The fifth Battle Conference in Anglo-Norman Studies took place between 23and 28 July at Battle, in Pyke House as of old, and was as well-attended and enjoyable as is customary. Our enjoyment was, of course, very much due to those who gave papers even more than to those who animatedly discussed them, to the hospitable labours of the staff of Pyke House under its new warden, Mr Peter Birch, and to the scarcely less hospitable labours of the landlord and staff of the ‘Chequers’ inn next door, without which the Conference could never be the same. We are very much obliged also for the continuing support and organisation provided by the East Sussex County Council, more particularly Mrs GilIian Murton and Miss Verity Frampton, and to those who, additionally, made the Outing as notable a feature of our proceedings as always - on this occasion Dr Richard Gem for all churches visited (Shoreham, both Old and New, and Sompting) and His Grace the Duke of Norfolk, with his staff, for their kind reception, access and red-carpet treatment to us at Arundel. Mr Ian Peirce as always, armed and accoutred, stands representative of the kind welcome given to us by the local community of Battle and district, and we are particularly grateful also to Miss June Parker, the Headmistress of Battle Abbey School, who generously allowed us to continue the privileged tradition of holding our opening reception in her Abbot's Hall.

It is also very necessary to thank the British Academy for a generous grant to help us defray the expenses of those coming to give papers from overseas. Allthe papers read at the Conference are printed in this volume substantially as read, with the exception of that by Dr David Dumville which could not be made ready in time for publication. In an attempt to hold down the price of the volume, there is no index. The next index to appear will be that for volumes 1-10, and thereafter indexes will be published for every five volumes. The general editor must especially thank the publishers, Boydell and Brewer, and particularly Dr Richard Barber, for a great deal of help in seeing the volume through the press.

One very satisfying piece of general news remains to be recorded. The Battle Conference now has a daughter-house in America in the form of the Haskins Society, recently founded by Professor C. Warren Hollister, which held its first memorable conference at the University of Houston, Texas, in November 1982. We wish them we1 and Iook forward to much fruitful cross-fertilisation.

R. AIlen Brown

Thelnetham, Suffolk

26 December I982