CHMHALOGY COLLECT' :m OF THE AND ADTiQaaKMn field glqb. EDITED BY W. MILES BARNES. VOLUME XXIV. Dorchester : PRINTED AT THE "DORSET COUNTY CHRONICLE " OFFICE. 1903 Speed's Map of ^orsetsdyre. 1GW. 1413073 CONTENTS. Index to Plates and Engravings Rules Notices and Donations to the Plate Fund List of Officers, Honorary Members, and List of New Members elected since the publication of Vol. XXIII. . . xx. Hon. Treasurer's Statement of Receipts and Expenditure from Jan. 1st, 1902, to Jan. 1st, 190o . . . . . . . . xxiii. Hon. Secretary's Account from June 1st, 1902, to June, 1903 . . xxiv. The Proceedings of the Club during the Session 1902-190;!— First Winter Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . xxv- Topography of Old Dorset . . . . . . . . . . xxviii. Mr. Cunnington's Excavations and Discoveries on Maiden Castle xxxiv. Second Winter Meeting . . . . . . . . . . xxxix. Annual Business Meeting . . . . . . . . . . xliii. Shaftesbuby Meeting— St. Peter's Church . . . . . . . . . . . . liii. The Abbey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . liv. The Town Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . Ivii. The Geology of the District . . . . . . . . . . lix. Donhead S. Mary . . . . . . . . . . . Ixi. Berwick S. John . . . . . . . . . . . . Ixi. Norrington Manor House . . . . . . . . . . Ixi. Old Wardour Castle . . . . . . . . . . . . Ixi. Milton Abbey Meeting— Milton Abbas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ixii. St. Catherine's Chapel . . . . . . . . . . . . Iviii. The Abbey Church . . . . . . . . . . . . Ixv. Fifehead Neville Meeting— Shilliugstone . . . . , . . . . . . . . . Ixxii. Okeford Fitzpaine . . . . . . . . . . . . Ixxiii. The Roman Villa at Fifehead Neville . . . . . . . . Ixxiv. Sturminster Castle . . . . . . . . . . . . lxx\d. Anniversary Address of the President . . . . . . . . Ixxix. Chesil Beach, by W. H. Hudleston, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., F.G.S. . . 1 King John's House at Tollard Royal, by W. Miles Barnes . . . . 10 The Mammalia of Dorsetshire, by C. W. Dale . . . . . . 18 William Cuming, M.D., by Boswell Stone, Esq. .. . .. 84 Returns of Rainfall, etc., in Dorset in 1901, by Henry Storks Eaton (past President of the Royal Meteorological Society) . . . . 06 TheProblemofLynchets, by Hy. Colley March, M.D., F.S.A. .. 67 The Ga,ndhara Sculptures, (I.) by Lieut. -Colonel Mainwaring ; (II.) by J. Burgess, C.I E., LL.D. ; (III.) by Hy. Colley March, M.D., F.S.A. ; (IV.) by Kakasu Okakura.. .. .. .. 93 The Church Bells of Dorset, by Canon Raven, D.D., F.S.A. .. .. 103 On New and Rare British Spiders, by the Rev. O. Pickard- Cambridge, M.A.. r.R.S.,&c. .. .. .. .. .. .. 149 The Roman Villa at Fifehead Neville, by the Rev. G. H. Engleheart, M.A., F.S.A. .. .. .. .. .. 172 Report on Observations of the First Appearances of Birds and Insects, ire, and the Fii'st Flowering of Plants in Dorset during 1902, by Nelson M. Richardson, B. A . F.E.S. .. .. .. 1"8 Index to Volume XXIV. , by E. W. Young . . . . 188 INDEX TO PLATES & ENCiRAVLNGS. PAGE OE TO FACE PAGE. Speed's Map of Dorset, a.d. IfilO . . . . . . . . Frontispiece. Maiden Castle, with a Plan of the Foundations discovered THERE BY Mr. CuNNINGTON , . . . . . . . XXXvii. St. Catherine's Chapel, Milton Abbey . . . . . . Ixiii. Arms of the Abbots of Milton . . . . . . . . Ixv. Ancient Carved Oak Model of Tower . . . . . . Ixix. Contoured Map of Portland and the Vicinity . . . 1 King John's House, Tollard Eoyal, Exterior . . . . 10 King John's House, Tollard Royal, Plans . . . . 14, 16 Ancient Tiles in Glanvilles Wootton Church . . . . 30 Lynchets — (a) Scrope's, (b) Gomme's, (c) Natural, Theories 73 Lynchets— Sections .. .. .. .. 75,76,81,82,83,90 Gandara Sculptures . . . . . . . . . . 93 Forty-one Engravings of Stamps, Crosses, and Inscriptions on Bells in Dorset Churches . . . . . . 107 to 148 New and Rare British Spiders . . . . . . . . 149 Roman Pavements found at Fifehead . . . . . . 173, 176 "^i^f^ RULES OF THE DORSET NATURAL HISTORY AND ANTIQUARIAN FIELD CLUB. Object and Constitution. 1.— The Club shall be called the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, and shall have for a short title The Dorset Field Club. The object of the Club is to promote and encourage an interest in the study of the Physical Sciences and Archaeology generally, especially the Natural History of the County of Dorset and its Antiquities, Prehistoric records, and Ethnology. It shall use its influence to prevent, as far as possible, the extirpation of rare plants and animals, and to promote the preservation of the Antiquities of the County. 2.- The Club shall consist of (i.) three Officers, President, Honoraiy Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer, who shall be elected annually and shall form the Executive body for its management ; (ii.) Vice-Presidents, of whom the Honorary Secretary and Treasurer shall be two, ex officio ; (iii.) The Honorary Editor of the Annual Volume of Proceedings ; (iv.) Ordinary Members ; (v.) Honorary Members. The President, Vice-Presidents, and Editor shall form a Council to decide questions referred to them by the Executive and to elect Honorary Members. The Editor shall be nominated by one of the incoming Executive and elected at the Aimual Meeting. There may also be one or more Honorary Assistant Secretaries, who shall be nominated by the Honorary Secretary, seconded by the President or Treasurer, and elected by the Members at the Annual Meeting. Members may be appointed by the remaining Officers to fill interim vacancies in the Executive Body until the following Annual Meeting. President and Vice-Peesidents. 3.— The President shall take the chair at all Meetings, and have an original and a casting vote on all questions before the Meeting. In addition to the two ex officio Vice-Presidents, at least three others shall be nominated by the President, or, in his absence, by the Chairman, and elected at the Annual Meeting. Hon. Seceetaet. 4. — The Secretary shall perform all the usual secretarial work ; cause a programme of each Meeting to be sent to every Member seven days at least before such Meeting; make all preparations for carrying out Meetings and, with or without the»help of a paid Assistant Secretary or others, conduct all Field Meetings. On any question arising between the Secretary (or Acting Secretary) and a Member at a Field Meeting, the decision of the Secretary shall be final. The Secretary shall receive from each Member liis or her share of the day's expenses, and thereout defray all incidental costs and charges of the Meeting, rendering an account of the same before the Annual Meeting to the Treasurer ; any surplus of such collection shall form part of the General Fund, and any deficit be defrayed out of that Fund. Hon. Teeasueee. .5. — Tlie Treasurer shall keep an account of Subscriptions and all other moneys of the Club received and of all Disbursements, rendering at the Annual General Meeting a balance sheet of the same, as well as a general statement of the Club's finances. He shall send copies of the Annual Volume of Proceedings for each year to Ordinary Members who have paid their subscriptions for that year (as nearly as may be possible, in the order of such payment), to Honorary Members, and to such Societies and individuals as the Club may, from time to time, appoint to receive them. He shall also furnish a list at each Annual Meeting, containing the names of all Members in arrear, with the amount of theii- indebtedness to the Club. He shall also give notice of their election to all New Members. Oedixary Members. 6. — Ordinary Members are entitled to be present and take part in the Club's proceedings at all Meetings, and to receive the published "Proceedings" of tlie Club, when issued, for the year for which theii- subscription has been paid. 7. — Every candidate for admission shall be nominated in writing by one member and seconded by another, to one of whom at least he must be personally known. He may be proposed at any Meeting, and shall receive programmes of Meetings and exercise all the functions of a Member, except voting and bringing friends to Meetings. His name shall appear in the programme of the first following Meeting at which a Ballot is held, when he shall be elected by ballot, one black ball in six to exclude. Twelve members shall form a quorum for the purpose of election. A Ballot shall be held at the Annual and Winter Meetings, and may be held at any other Meeting, should the Executive so decide, notice being given in the Programme. 8.— The Annual Subscription shall be 10s., which shall become due and payable in advance on the first of January in each year. Subscriptions paid on election after September in each year shall be considered as subscriptions for the following year, unless other-^-ise agreed upon by such Member and tlie Treasurer. Every Member shall pay immediately after liis election the sum of ten shilHngs as entrance fee, in adtlition to his first Annual Subscription. 9. — No person elected a Member shall be entitled to exercise any privilege as such until he has paid his entrance fee and first subscription, and no Member shall be entitled to receive a copy of the "Proceedings" for any year until his subscription for that year has been paid. 10. — A registered letter shall be sent by the Hon. Treasurer to any Member whose subscription is in arrear at the date of any Annual Meeting, demanding payment within 28 days, failing which he shall cease to be a Member of the Club, but shall, nevertheless, be liable for the arrears then due. 11. — Members desiring to leave the Club shall give notice of the same in writing to the Treasurer (or Secretary), but unless such notice is given before the end of January in any year, they shall be liable to pay the Annual Subscription due to the Club on and after January 1st in that year. HONOEAKY MeMBEES. 12. — HonoKiiy Members shall consist of persons eminent for scientific or natural history attainments, and shall be elected by the Council. They pay no Subscription, and have all the privileges of Ordinary Members except voting. Meetings. 13. — The Annual General Meeting shall be held as near the first week in May as may be convenient ; to receive the outgoing President's Address (if any) and the Treasurer's financial report ; to elect the Officers and Editor for the ensuing year ; to determine the number (which shall usually be three or four), dates, and places of Field Meetings during the ensuing summer, and for general purposes. 14. — Two Winter Meetings shall usually be held in or about the months of December and February for the exhibition of Objects of Interest (to which not more than one hour of the time before the reading of the Papers shall be devoted), for the reading and discussion of PajDers, and for general purposes. The Dates and Places of the Winter and Annual Meetings shall be decided by the Executive. 15. — A Member may bring Friends to the Meetings subject to the following restrictions : — No person (except the husband, wife, or child of a Member), may attend the Meeting unaccompanied by the Member introducing him, unless such Member be prevented from attending by illness, and no Member may take with him to a Field Meeting more than one Friend, whose name and address must be submitted to the Hon. Secretary and approved by him or the Executive. The above restrictions do not apply to the Executive or to the Acting Secretary at the Meeting. 16. — Members must give due notice (with prepayment of expenses) to the Hon. Secretary of their intention to be present, with or without a Friend, at any Field Meeting, in return for which the Secretary shall send to the Member a card of admission to the Meeting, to be produced when requhed. Any Member who, having given such notice, fails to attend will be liable only for any expenses actually incurred on his account, and any balance will be returned to him on application. The sum of Is., or such other amount as the Hon. Secretary may consider necessary, shall be charged to each person attending a Field Meeting for Incidental Expenses. 17. — The Executive may at any time call a Spcial General Meeting of the Members upon a wiitten requisition (signed by Eight Members) being sent to the Honorary Secretary. Any proposition to be submitted shall be stated in the Notice, which shall be sent to each Member of the Club not later than seven days before the Meeting. Papers. 18. — Notice shall be given to the Secretary, a convenient time before each Meeting, of any motion to be made or any Paper or communication desii'ed to be read, with its title and a short sketch of its scope or contents. The insertion of these in the Programme is subject to the consent of the Officers of the Club, or any two of them. 19. — The Publications of the Club shall be in the hands of the Executive, who shall appoint annually Three or more Ordinary Members to fonn with them and the Editor a Publication Committee for the pui-pose of deciding upon the contents of the Annual Volume. These contents shall consist of original papers and communications wi'itten for the Club, and either read or accepted as read, at a General Meeting ; also of the Secretary's EejDorts of Meetings, the Treasurer's Financial Statement and Balance Sheet, a list to date of all Members of the Club, and of those elected in the current or previous year, with the names of their proposers and seconders. The Annual Volume shall be edited by the Editor subject to the direction of the Publication Committee. 20. — Twenty-five copies of his paper shall be presented to each author whose communication shall appear in the volume as a separate article, on notice being given by him to the Publisher to that effect. New Exiles. 21. — ^No alteration in or addition to these Eules shall be made except with the consent of a majority of three-fourths of the Members present at the Annual General Meeting, full notice of the proposed alteration or addition having been given both in the current Programme and in that of the previous Meeting. -^^ NOTICES. THE PLATE FUND. The Executive desire to call the attention of the Members of the D.F.C. to the existence of a " Plate Fund " for defraying the very heavy expense of the Illustrations in the volumes of Proceedings. In some cases the writer generously presents the engravings ; but, in order to maintain the high standard of excellence attained by recent volumes, without again incurring so deep an obligation to an individual Member, a special con- tribution would be extremely valuable. Donations to the Plate Fund. £ s. d. W. de C. Prideaux, Esq. . . ..200 C. W. Dale, Esq. . . . . ..100 Rev. A. Leslie . . . . ..050 Special Donations of Plates, Printing, &c., towards Volume XXIV. From A. Pope, Esq. : Facsimile of Speed's ]\Iap of Dorset. Fro77i A. L. Fox Pitt- Rivers, Esq. : The use of the Block, " King John's House." From Henry Storks Eaton, Esq. : The cost of printing the Return of the Rainfall in Dorset. XOTICE BY HOX. TEEASUKER. Vols, of Proceedings. There are found to be a few complete sets of back numbers of Field Club Proceedings in the Treasurer's hand for disposal at the following rates, to Members only : — £ s. d. A. Complete set of 20 vols, at 7s. . . . . ..700 B. Half set of 10 later vols, at Ss. . . . . ..-100 C. Quarter set of 5 later vols, at 9s. . . . . ..250 Separate vols. 10s. each, except copies of the scarce early Vols. I.— IV. inclusive, which are 123. each. All applications must be prepaid, and will be dealt with in order of priority ; of two or more simultaneous applications the larger order will take precedence. Copies of the General Index to the first 10 volumes of Proceeduigs can be obtained at 6d. each. Jlnfiquartan ^:teC6 gCuB. INAUGURATED MARCH 2bth, 1875. President : The Loed EUSTACE CECIL, F.R.G.S. Vice-Presidents : VAUGHAN CORNISH, Esa., D.Sc, F.C.S., F.R.G.S. Captain G. R. ELWES (Hon. Treasurer). W. H. HUDLESTON, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., F.L.S., F.G.S. Rev. O. PICKARD-CAMBRIDGE, M.A., F.R.S. H. COLLEY march. Esq., M.D., F.S.A., M.R.S.A.L, F.A.I. NELSON M. RICHARDSON, Esq., B.A., F.E.S. Hon. MORTON G. STUART-GRAY, F.G.S. Hon. Editoi- : W. Miles Baenes, Mouktou Rectory, Dorchester. Executive Body : The Lord Eustace Cecil, F.R.G.S. (President). H. CoLLEY Maech, Esq., M.D., F.S.A., M.R.S.A.L, F.A.I. (Hon. Sccrdar>/J. Captaiu G. R. Elaves (Hon. Treasurer), Bossington, Bouruemoutli. Honorary Members : W. Caeeutiiees, Esq., F.R.S., F.G.S., F.L.S., British Museum (Nat. Hist.), South Kensington. Rev. Osmond Fishee, M.A., F.G.S., kc, Harlton Rectory, Cambridge. A. J. Jukes-Beowne, Esq., F.G.S., 28, Jermyn Street, London, S.W. R. Lydekkee, Esq., F.R.S. , The Lodge, Harpenden, Herts. Alfeed Newton, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., Professor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy, Magdalen College, Cambridge. Clement Reid, Esq., F.R.S., 28, Jennyu Street, Loudon, S.W. A. Smith -WooDWAED, Esq., F.G.S., British Museum (Nat. Hist.), South Kensington, London,. A. M. Wallis, Esq., 29, Mallams, Portland. Sir Wm. Thiselton Dyee, Director of Kew Gardens, Loudon. Sir Feedeeick Teeves, Bart., K.C.V.O. LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE por^sct "glafuraC ^tsfor^ & ^ixtxqxxaxiaxx 5rtcC6 muB. The Eight Eevereud the Lord Bishop of Salisbuiy, D.D. The Riglit Reverend the Bishop of Southwark, D.D. The Right Hon. the Earl of Ilchester, Lord Lieut, of Dorset The Right Hon. the Earl of Siiaftesbury The Most Hon. the Marquis of Salisbury The Most Hon. the Marcliiouess of Salisbury The RightHon. Yiscouut Portman The Right Hon. Lord Eustace Cecil, F.R.G.S. (President) The Riglit Hon. the Lady Eustace Cecil The Riglit Hon. Lord Wimborne The Right Hon. the Lady Wimborne The Right Hon. Lord Digby The Right Hon. Lord Stalbridge The Right Hon. Lord Walsingham Acland, Captain John E. Acton, Rev. Edward Aldridge, Mrs. Seliua Alexander, Rev. E. Allen, George, Esq. AUhusen, Wilton, Esq. Baker, Sir E. Randolf , Bar Baker, E. Whitley, Esq. Bankes, W. Albert, Es(i. Tlio Palace, Salisbury Dartmouth House, Blackheath Hill, London S.E. Melbury House, Evershot St. Giles, Wimborne The Manor House, Cranborne The Manor House, Cranborne Biyanston, Blandford Lytchett Heath, Poole Lytchett Heath, Poole Canford, Wimborne Canford, Wimborne Miuterne, Dorchester Motcombe House, Shaftesbury Merton Hall, Thetford, Norfolk Wollastou House, Dorchester Iwerne Minster Vicarage, Blandford Shirley, Dorchester Road, Weymouth 4, Lansdown Terrace, Weymouth Strangways, Marnhull, Blandford Clevelauds, Lyme Regis Ranston, Blandford Glencairn, Wimborne Wolfeton House, Dorchester Xll. Ealph, Esq. Bankes, Eev. Canon Eldon S., M.A. Bankes, W. Ralph, Esq. Barkworth, Ed., Esq. Barnes, Mrs. John lies Barnes, Eev. W. M., B.A., E.D. Barnes, F. J., Esq. Banies, Mrs. A. Barrett, W. Bowles, Esq., F.L.S. Bartelot, Eev. E. G., M.A. Baskett, Eev. C. E. Baskett, S. E., Esq. Batten, Colonel Mount Batten, H. B., Esq. Beckford, E. J., Esq. Beesley, Eev. T. B. Bellasis, W. Dalglish, Esq. Bond, N., Esq. Bond, Gerald Denis, Esq. Bond, Wm. H., Esq. Bonsor, Geo., Esq. Bower, H. Syudercombe, Esq. Bower, Rev. Charles H. S., M.A. Bowker, James, Esq. Bramble, Lieut. -Colonel, F.S.A. Braudreth, Eev. F. W., M.A. Brennand, John, Esq, Brennand, W. E., Esq. Brown, J., Esq. Brown, Miss Browning, Benjamin, Esq., M.D. Brymer, Eev. J. G., M.A. Bullen, Colonel John Bullen Symes Burt, Miss Emma Busk, W., Esq. Bussell, Miss Katharine Buttery, Miss Butts, Captain Carter, William, Esq. Chadwick, Mrs. Norden House, Corfe Castle, Wareham The Close, Salisbury Kingston Lacy, Wimbome South House, Piddletrenthide Summer Hayes, Blandford Monkton Eectory, Dorchester Eodwell, Weymouth Eodwell, Weymouth Weymouth Church House, Salisbury Birstwith Vicarage, Eipley, Leeds Evershot Mornington Lodge, West Kensington, London Aldon, Yeovil Witley, Parkstone Cheselborne Eectory, Dorchester White's Club, S. James', London Holme, Wareham Holme, Wareham Tyneham, Wareham Seaborough Court, Crewkerne Fontmell Parva, Shillingstone, Blandford Hinton St. Mary, Sturminster Newton, Dorset Junior Conservative Club, Albermarle Street, London Seafield, Weston-Super-Mare Buckland Newton, Dorchester Belmont, Parkstone Blandford Maiden Newton Belle Vue, Shaftesbury Eoyal Ten-ace, Weymouth Childe Okeford Eectory, Blandford Catherston Lewes ton, near Charmouth Purbeck House, Swanage West Walks, Dorchester Thorneloe, Bridport Lodmore House, We3anouth The Salterns, Parkstone, Dorset The Hermitage, Parkstone Chetnole, Sherborne champ, A., Esq. Chudleigh, Rev. R. Augustine, M.A. Chudleigh, Mrs. Chudleigh, Miss W. M. Church, Colonel Arthur Clarence, Lovell Burchett, Esq. Clarke, R. Stanley, Esq. Climenson, Rev. John Colfox, Miss A. L. Coif ox, T. A., Esq. Colfox, W., Esq., B.A. Comer, Rev. A. E. Cornish, Rev. W. F., M.A. Coruish-Browne, C. J., Esq. Cother, Rev. P. S., M.A. Cox,Henry,Esq.,M.S.A.,r.R.G.S., M.J.S. CraUan, J. G., Esq., M.B. Crespi, Dr. A. J. H. Crickmay, G. R., Esq. Cross, Rev. J,, M.A. Cull, James, Esq. Cunne, Decunus, Esq. Curtis, C. H., Esq. Curtis, Wilfrid Parkinson, Esq. Dacombe, J. J. Dale, C. W., Esq. Darell, D., Esq., F.G.S., F.L.S., F.Z.S. Dansey, Miss S. J. T. Davis, Geo., Esq. Digby, J. K. D. V/., Esq., M.P. Digby, Captain H. Montague Du Boulay, Mrs. Dundas, Yen. Archdeacon Eaton, Henry S., Esq. Edwards, Miss Sarah Powell Elwes, Captain G. R. ( Vice- President and Hon. Treasurer) Erle-Drax, W. S., Esq. Bradpole Road, Bridport West Parley Rectory, Wimbome West Parley Rectory, Wimbome West Parley Rectory, Wimborne St. Alban's, Rodwell, Weymouth Coaxden, Axminster Rotherhill, Steadham, Midhurst, Sussex Shiplake Vicarage, Henley-on-Thames Westmead, Bi-idport Coneygar, Bridport Westmead, Bridport Eversley, Brauksome Park, Bournemouth Steepleton Rectory, Dorchester Came House, Dorchester 1, Clearmount, Weymouth Radipole Manor, near Weymouth Bodorgan Manor, Boumemouth Wimbome Weymouth Baillie House, Stuimiuster Marshall, Wim- borne 47, Phillimore Gardens, Campden Hill, London, W. Childe Okeford, Blandford Blandford Aysgarth, Parkstone Road, Poole] 27, Holdenhurst Road, Boumemouth Glanvilles Wootton, Sherborne St. Stephens, Plympton, Devon Luidisfanie, Weymouth Dorchester Sherborne Castle Chalmington House, Dorchester 2, Royal Ten-ace, Weymouth Chai-minster Vicarage, Dorchester The National Club, 1, Whitehall Gardens, London, S.W. Penbryn, WejTnouth Bossingtou, Bournemouth Ollautigh Towers, Wye, Kent Evans, Rev. Canon, M.A. Falkner, C. G., Esq. Farley, Eev. H., M.A. Earrer, Oliver C, Esq. Farrer, Colonel F. Ferguson, Colonel C. J. O'n. Filleul, Eev. S. E. V., M.A. Filliter, George Clavell, Esq. Filliter, Rev. W. D., M.A. Fisher, Mrs. J. F. Fletcher, W. H. B., Esq. Fletcher, "W. J., Esq. Floyer, G. W., Esq. Forbes, Mrs. Forde, Henry, Esq. Forrester, Hugh Carl, Esq. Forrester, Mrs. Freame, R., Esq. Fry, Edward Alexander, Esq. Fry, George S., Esq. Fullaway, Mrs. Fyler, J. W. T., Captain Gallwey, Captain E. Payne Galpin, G., Esq. George, C. E. A., Esq. George, Mrs. Glyn, Captain Carr Stuart Glyn, Lieut. -General J. P. Carr Glyn, SirR. G., Bart. Godman,r. duCane, Esq., F.R.S. Gorringe, Rev. P. R., M.A. Greves, Hyla, Esq., M.D. Griffin, F. C. G., Esq., M.B. Groves, W. E., Esq. Hadow, Rev. J. L. G., M.A. Haggard, Rev. H. A., M.A. Hall, Chas. Lillington, Esq. Hankey, Rev. Canou Montagu, M.A., R.D. Hansford, Charles, Esq. Hardwick, Stewart, Esq. St. Alphege, Parkstone, Dorset c/o Messrs. Annstrong, Whitworth, and Co., Manchester Lytchett Minster, Poole Binnegar Hall, Wareham Biunegar Hall, Wareham The Dinodors, Spa Road, Weymouth All Saints' Rectory, Dorchester St. Martin's House, Wareham East Lul worth Vicarage, Wareham Vines Close, Wimborne Aldwick Manor, Bogiior, Sussex The Chantry, Wimborne West Stafford, Dorchester Shillingstone, Blandford Luscombe, Parkstone St. John's Cottage, Shaftesbury Brj'anston, Blandford The Chantry, GilUngham 172, Edmund Street, Birmingham Inglewood, Upper Walthamstow Road, Walthamstow Sturminster Xewton Hethfelton, Wareham Beacon Hill, AVeymouth Clarendon Court, Clarendon Road, Bourne- mouth Fleet House, near Weymouth Fleet House, near Weymouth Wood Leaze, Wimborne Uddens, Wimborne Gaunts House, Wimborne South Lodge, Lower Beeding, Horsham Mauston Eectorj^, Blandford Rodney House, Bournemouth 12, Royal Terrace, Weymouth Dorchester IS, Royal Terrace, Weymouth Binfield Heath, Shiplake, Henley-on-Thames Osmingtou Lodge, Osmington, Weymouth Maiden NcAvton Rectory, Dorchester Dorchester 21, Commercial Road, Bournemouth Harrison, Bev. F. T., M.A. Harston, Comdr. F, A. (late E.N.) Hart-Dyke, Rev. Canou P., M.A. Hasluck, Eev. Ernest, M.A. Hassell, Miss Hawkins, W., Esq. Hawkins, Mrs. H. Hawkins, Miss V. Hayue, R., Esq. Head, J. Merrick, Esq. Henuing, Mrs. Highton, Eev. E., M.A. Hill, R. E., Esq. Hiae, E., Esq. Hogg, B. A., Esq. Wood-Homer, Miss E. C. House, Edward, Esq. Howard, Sir R. N. Hudleston, W. H., Esq., F.R.S. Huntley, H. E., Esq., F.R.S. Hurdle, H. A., Esq. Hussey, Rev. J., M.A. Jenkins, Eev. T. C, M.A. Kerr, E. W., Esq., M.D. Kettlewell, Geo. Douglas, Esq. Lafontaine, Alfred C. do, Esq. Langdou, Miss M. Lange, Mrs. E. M. de Laugford, Eev. Canon, M.A. Leacli, J. Comyns, Esq., M.D. Leeds, Oglander, Esq. Lee,W.H.Markhani,Esq.,I.S.M. Legge, Miss Jane Le Jeune, H., Esq. LesUe, Eev. E. C, M.A. Lewis, Rev. A., M.A. Linklater, Eev. Eobert, D.D. Lister, Arthur, Esq. Littledale, T. A. R., Esq. Lock, Mrs. A. H. Lock, B. F., Esq. Lock, Miss Mary C. Lush, Wni. Vaudrey, Esq., M.D., F.R.C.P. Burton Bradstock Rectory, Bridport Xewlands, Glendenning Avenue, Wejinouth Lullingstone, Wimborne Handley Vicarage, Salisbury Westfield Lodge, Parkstoue Broadway, Dorchester Rew House, Martinstown, Dorchester Rew House, Martinstown, Dorchester Fordington House, Dorchester Pcnnsylvannia Castle, Portland Frome, Dorchester Tarrant Keynston Rectory, Blandford Long Lynch, Shillingstone Beaminster Dorchester Bardolf Manor, Puddletown Tomsou, Blandford Weymouth West Holme, Wareham Charlton House, Blandford 2, Frederick Place, Weymouth Pimperne Rectory, Blandford Leigh Vicarage, Sherborne South Street, Dorchester Ilfracombe, Devon Athelhamptou, Dorchester Parrock's Lodge, Chard Winterfold, Broadstone Belle Vue, Higher Hove, Plymouth The Lindens, Sturminster Newton, Blandford The Cottage, Bridport Wyke Regis, Weymouth Allington Villa, Bridport St. Ives, Upper Parkstone, Dorset Came Rectory, Dorchester Littlebredy, Dorchester Stroud Green Vicarage, London, X. High Cliff e, Lyme Regis 11, Greenhill, Weymouth 53, High West Street, Dorchester 11, New Square, Lincoln's Inn, London 53, High West Street, Dorchester 12, Frederick Place, Weymouth Lush, Mrs. Lynes, Rev. John Lys, F. D., Esq. Macdonald, P. W., Esq., M.D. Mainwariug, Lt.-Col. F. G. L. Manger, A. T., Esq. Mansel-Pleydell, Mrs. Mansel-Pleydell, Rev. J. C. M., M.A. March, H. Colley, Esq., M.D., F.S.A. (Vice-President and Hon. Sec.) Marriott, Sir W. Smith, Bart. Martin, Miss Eileen Mate, WUliam, Esq. Maude, W., Esq., B.C. L. Maunsell, Rev. F. W., M.A. Mayo, Rev. Canon, M.A., R.D. Mayo, Miss B. Mead, Miss Middleton, H. B., Esq. Miller, Rev. J. A., B.D. Milne, Rev. Percy H., M.A, Moorhead, J., Esq. M.D. Morrice, G. G., Esq., M.D. Moule, H. J., Esq., M.A. Moullin, Arthur D., Esq. Murray, Rev. R. P.,M.A., F.L.S. Okeden, Colonel U. E. PaiTy Palmer, Colonel R. H. Pass, Alfred C, Esq. Patey, Miss Payne, Miss Eleanor Payne, Miss Florence 0. Pearson, W. E., Esq. Peck, Gerald R., Esq. Penny, Rev. J., M.A. Pentin, Rev. H., M.A., F.R. Hist. Soc. Perkins, Rev. T., M.A. Peto, Six' Henry, Bart. 12, Frederick Place, Weymouth Percy House, Wimbome 2, Lome Villas, Rodwell, Weymouth County Asylum, Dorchester Wabey House, Upwey Stock Hill, Gillingham Whatcombe, Blandford Sturminster Newton Vicarage, Blandford Portesham, Dorchester The Down House, Blandford 4, Greenhill, Weymouth Homehurst, Alum Chine Road, Bournemouth West Brack en wood, Bournemouth Symondsbury Rectory, Bridport Lougburton Vicarage, Sherborne Friar Waddon, Dorchester 5, Brunswick Terrace, Weymouth Bradford Peverell, Dorchester Northfleet, Bexhill-on-Sea Evershot Rectory, Dorchester 1, Royal TeiTace, Weymouth 17, Royal Terrace, Weymouth The County Museum, Dorchester Fermaiu, Parkstone Shapwick Rectory, Blandford Turn worth, Blandford 8, Cl3'desdale Mansions, Clydesdale Road, London, W. Manor House, Wootton Fitzpaine, Char- mouth Saxilby Vicarage, Lincoln 13, Greenhill, Weymouth Rydal, Wimborne 4, Westerhall Villas, Weymouth Sandacres, Parkstone Tarrant Rushton Rectorj', Blandford Milton Abbas Vicarage, Blandford Turnworth Rectory, Blandford Chedington Court, Misterton, Crewkerne Phillips, Mrs. Philpot, J. E. D., Esq. Philpots, John R., Esq., L.E.C.P. and S. Ed., J.P. Pickard-Cambridge, A. W., Esq. Pickard- Cambridge, Rev. O., M.A., F.R.S. {Vice-President) Pike, T. M., Esq. Pitt-Rivers, A. L. Pox, Esq. Pond, S., Esq. Ponting, Chas. E., Esq., F.S.A. Pope, A., Esq. Pope, Miss V. Pope, George, Esq. Prideaux, C. S., Esq. Prideaux, W. de C, Esq. Pye, William, Esq. Radclyffe, Eustace, Esq. Ralls, James, Esq. Ravenhill, Rev. Canon H. E., M.A., R.D. Reeve, Mrs. Henry Rendell, W. F., Esq. Reynolds, Mrs. Arthur Richardson, N. M., Esq., B.A., F.E.S. (Vice-President) Ridley, Rev. O. M., M.A. Ridley, Rev. J. Rixon, W. A., Esq. Robinson, Sir Charles, F.S.A. Robinson, Vincent, Esq. Rodd, Edward Stanhope, Esq. Rooper, T. G., Esq. Ruegg, L. H., Esq. Russell, Colonel C. J., R.A. Schuster, Rev. W. P., M.A. Schofield, F., Esq., M.D. Searle, Alan, Esq. Sells, Rev. Alfred, M.A. Shearman, John, Esq. Shepheard, T. Esq, Shepherd, Rev. C. S. Okeford Fitzpaine, Blandford Holme Cleve, Lyme Regis Moorcroft, Parkstone 22, St. Margaret's Road, Oxford Bloxworth Rectory, Wareham c/o Mr. J. Pope, Wilts and Dorset Bank, Wareham Hinton St. Mary, Blandford Blandford Wye House, Marlborough South Court, Dorchester South Court, Dorchester Weston Hall Hotel, Bournemouth 32, High West Street, Dorchester 32, High West Street, Dorchester Dunmore, Rodwell, Weymouth Hyde, Wareham Bridport Buckland Xewton Vicarage, Dorchester 62, Rutland Gate, London, W. Hallow Dene, Parkstone Westland, Bridport Montevideo, Chickerell, near Weymouth East Hill, Charminster, Dorchester The Rectory, Pulham, Dorchester Alfoxtou Park, Holford, Bridgwater Newton Manor, Swanage Parnham, Reaminster Chardstock House, Chard Pen Selwood, Bournemouth Westbury, Sherborne Claviuia, Wej-mouth Vicarage, West Lul worth S. Martins, Buxton Road, Weymouth Wilts and Dorset Banking Company, Southampton Bodorgan Manor, Bournemouth Peveril House, Swanage Kingsley, Bournemouth Worth Matravers Vicarage, Wareham Shen-en, J. A., Esq. Simpson, Jas., Esq. Simpson, Miss Slater, Eobert, Esq., F.G.S. Smith, Howard Lyon, Esq., L.R.C.P. Smith, E. Bosworth, Esq., M.A. Snook, S. P., Esq., M.E.C.S. Engld., L.E.C.P. Lond. Solly, Rev. H. S., M.A. Sotheby, Eev. W. E. H., M.A. Sowter, Eev. Canon, M.A. Stephens, W. L., Esq. Stilwell, H., Esq. Stone, Walter Boswell, Esq. Storer, Colonel, late E.E. Stopford, Admiral Stroud, Eev. J., M.A. Stuart- Gray, Hon. Morton G. Sturdy, Leonard, Esq. Sturdy, Phillip, Esq. Sturdy, Miss V. Sturt, W. Neville, Esq. Sumner, Heywood, Esq. Suttill, H. S., Esq. Swift, B. E.,Esq. Sydenham, David, Esq. Sykes, Ernest E., Esq. Symes, G. P., Esq. Taylor, J. Herbert, Esq. Telford-Smith,Telford,Esq., M.D. Tennant, Major-General Thesiger, the Hon. F. Thompson, Eev. G., M.A. Thurlow, Eev. Alfred E. Tomson, Arthur, Esq. Troyte-Bullock, Mrs. Turner, W. , Esq. Udal, J. S., Esq. Usher, Eev. E., M.A., F.L.S. Usherwood, Eev. Canon T. E., M,A. Wej-mouth Minterne Grange, Parkstone 12, Greenhill, Weymouth Waverley, Swanage Buckland House, Buckland Newton, Dor- chester Bingham's Melcombe, Dorchester 20, Trinity Eoad, Weymouth Bridport Bere Eegis Vicarage, Wareham Clevedon Lodge, Wimborne West Bay, Bridport Steepleton Manor, Dorchester Bardwell Eoad, Oxford Keavil, Bournemouth Shrotou House, Blandford South Perrott, Crewkerne Gray House, Dundee, N.B. Trigon, Wareham The Wick, Branksome, near Bournemouth The Wick, Branksome, near Bournemouth Indian Office, London, S.W. Skerryvore, Bournemouth West Pymore, Bridport 5, Great Western Road, Dorchester Bournemouth 3, Gray's Inn Place, Gray's Inn, London, W.C. Monksdene, Weymouth Grayrigg, Parkstone Eomansleigh, Wimborne 8, Belvedere, Weymouth Lytchett Minster, Poole Highbury, Bodorgau Eoad, Bournemouth North View, St. Mark's Eoad, Salisbury Sydhng St. Nicholas, Dorchester Silton Lodge, Zeals, Bath 42, High Street, Poole Antigua, West Indies West Knoyle Eectory, Bath Rossniore, Parkstone Ushei-Tvood, Miss E. L. Vosper-Thomas, Rev. A. F. C. , B. A. Vosper-Thomas, Eev. S., B.D., LL.D. Walker, Eev. S. A., M.A. Ward, Eev. J. H., M.A. Warre, Eev. Cauon F., M.A. Watson, Eev. C. 0., M.A. Watts, Rev. Sub-Dean Canon E., M.A. Waugh, Eev. W. E., F.E.A.S. Weaver, Eev.'F. W., M.A., F.S.A. Webb, E. Doran, Esq., F.S.A. Whitby, Josejjh, Esq. Wilkinson, H. A., Esq. Wilkinson, Eev. J. H. Williams, E. W., Esq. Williams, Captain Berkeley C. W. Williams, Miss Williams, Eobert, Esq., M.P. Williams, Mrs. Robert Woodhouse, Miss Workman, J. Eeece, Esq., C.E. Wright, H., Esq., B.A. (Oxon.), M.E.C.S. Wright, Eev. Herbert L., B.A. Yeatman, Mrs. Yeatman, Miss E. F. Young, E. W., Esq. Coombe Keynes, Wareham St. Luke's, Bilston, Staffordshire Moxley, Wednesbury, Staffordshire Spetisbury Eectory, Blandford Silverton Eectory, near Exeter, Devon Bemerton Eectory, Salisbury The Vicarage, Botheuham])ton, near Brid- port Bemerton Rectory, Salisbury Eosslyn Villa, Spring Gardens, Portland Milton Vicarage, Evercreech, Somerset Gaston, Tisbury, Wilts Preston, Yeovil Maiden Castle House, Dorchester Melcombe Bingham Eectory, Dorchester Herringston, Dorchester Herringston, Dorchester Osniington House, Weymouth Bridehead, Dorchester Bridehead, Dorchester Chilmore, Ansty, Dorchester Catherington, Millbrook, Southampton Wool, Wareham Church Knowle Eectory, Corfe Castle 114, Denbigh Street, London, S.W. King's Stagg, Sturminster Newton Dorchester The above list includes the New Members elected up to October 1st, 1903. -^^ "gtew '^exxxBevi Elected since the Publication of the List contained IN Vol. XXIII. Peoposed Sept. 23ed Rev. Arthur Lewis, Little Brady Dorchester Eev. W. F. Cornish, Steepletou Eectory, Dorchester The Earl of Ilchester, Melbury House, Dorchester The Earl of Shaftesbury, St. Giles House, Cranborue The Lord Wimbome, Cauford Manor, Wimborne The Lady Wimborne , Canf or d Manor, Wimbonae Sii- Eandolf Baker, Bart. , Eanston, Blandford Alex. Lane Fox Pitt-Eivers, Esq., Hinton St. Mary Miss Violet Sturdy, The Wick, Branksome Park, Bounieniouth Miss Violet Pope, South Court, Dorchester Miss Bessie Mayo, Friar Waddon, Dorchester Miss Mary Langdon, Parrocks Lodge, Chard E. Bosworth Smith, Esq., Bingham's Melcombe, Dorchester Edmund Barkworth, Esq., South House, Piddletrenthide Elected Dec. 15th, 1902. Proposer. Seconder. John E. Acland E. Williams Hon. Editor Lt.-Col. Mainwaring President „ Philip Sturdy President Dr. Hawkins Jane Legge President W. H. Hudleston S. E. V. Filleul Lt.-Col. Mainwaring Ellen M. Mead Lt.-Col. Mainwaring F, W, Braudreth Canon Eavenhill rEOPOSED Dec. 15th, 1902; Elected Feb. 18th, 1903 Captain H. Montague Digby, Chal- mington House, Dorchester Alfred Champ, Esq. , Bracli3ole Road, BridiJort The Lady Eustace Cecil, Lytchett House, Poole The Viscount Cranbome, The Manor House, Cranborne The Viscountess Cranbome, The Manor House, Cranborne Colonel Philip Farrer, Binnegar Hall, Wimborne Captain B. C. W. Williams, Her- riQgston House, Dorchester ProjMscr. Seconder. Montagu Hankey John Brown T. A. Colfox President W; Colfox F. G. MaiQwaiing W. Miles Barnes Ed. W. Williams Peoposed Feb. ISth; Elected May 12th, 1903. Proposer. Seconder. President Lord Wimborne The Hon. Frederick Thesiger, The Yarrells, Lytchett Minster, Poole Eev. T. Leonard Jenkins, Leigh Vicarage, Sherborne Miss Ellen E. Woodhouse, Chilmore, Ansty C. J. Cornish-Browne, Esq., Came House, Dorchester J. M. J. Dacombe, Esq., 27, Holden- hurst Road, Bournemouth Miss Buttery, Lodmore House, Weymouth Rev. Arthur E. Corner, Eversley, Branksome Park Canon Mayo Canon Ravenliill J. H. WUkiuson J. T. Woodhouse E. C. Leshc A. Bankes W. Maude A, Pope P. Sturdy G. P. Symes V. Pope Treasurer Peoposed May 12th; George S. Fry, Esq., Inglewood, Upper Walthamstow Road, Wal- thamstow Lieut. -Colonel Bramble, F.S.A., Sea- field, Weston-super-Mare Henry Stilwell, Esq., Steepleton Manor, Dorchester Elected July 20Tn, 1903. Proposer. Seconder. E. A. Fry N. M. Richardson F. W. Weaver R. A. Chudleigh H. S. Eaton W. M. Barnes Proposed July 20th ; Elected Avg. 6th, 1903, Proposer. Seconder. Eev. C. Stuart Shepherd, Worth Matravers Vicarage, Wareham H. L. Wright W. D. Filliter Mrs. H. Hawkins, Rew House, Dorchester W. F. Cornish H. J. Moule Miss V. Hawkins, Rew House, Dorchester ,, „ F, J. Barnes, Esq., Roclwell, Wey- mouth F. G. Mainwai-ing N. M. Richardson Mrs. A. Barnes, Rodwell, Weymouth ,, ,, Gerald Denis Bond, Esq., Holme, Wareham The President N. Bond Miss E. L. Usherwood, Coombe Keynes, Wareham T. E. Usherwood W. P. Schuster H. Wright, Esq., B.A. (Oxon), M.R.C.S., Wool, Wareham W. P. Schuster W. D. Filliter Proposed Aug. 6th; Elected Sept. 22nd, 1903. Proposer. Seconder. Leonard Pike, Esq., EngbaiTOw, Wareham Nat. Bond Eustace R. Bankes Everard A. Hambro, Esq., Milton Abbey, Blandford H. Pentiu The President George Gordon, Esq. , North Chariton , Templecombe The President Nat. Bond ■— I t^ o -ra -H i~~. in >o o O -t< CC IC -+i O CO o ^ O Ol CI J,- • • 0 a S) M . . ^^^ 1 :^ -^^n • •js .s o ^ § S : : 6 1 o -« -9 • o ^ ^ 'a ^ fj 3 1 .3 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 3-1 •oocooooo 'd r-l „• o o o '^^ o c^i --D ^ O lO iO ^ I &c o >< P^ '^. W (i; S ^ aj =M o ^ • ° W fH bp t> - .2 "a Ills- E cu -2 ^ o o f^ « •: " =s i ^ O 0) o 6 a s ■s ^ 2 a • «-► 1^ o s « e <5 H i2; U- U C3 o O w-> < «) m -^0 <1 H e-> W n M ^ ^ :5 M H-* t^ <3 O ^ W M-» o i7 U o R) '^ CC O O O O CD <= O O O CO TO "MOCOt^OO'M-HOCCO o o '=+i'M0C<).-',-i,-lC1000 s <« D 0) . . . . >, . ^ -^ . , . . O . O O 1 = 1 J = |l ' ^ -s ^ -;: ^ '" s;> ^ bJD i^ be iJ •? -5 -a t^ I s >,_ ^p^ gfi;'". 'I g g g g K -^ W 1 S ^ "o bX) I i 1-1 ITS 3-1^ » cs Q) cS g p g I o ^ fS O <» OF THE porjsef "gtafuraC ^istoxt^ & Jtnfiquartan §itef6 gCuB During the Season 1902-03. WINTER SESSION, 1902-1903. The First Winter IMeeting of the Club was held in the Reading Room of the Dorset County Museum on IMonda}', December 15th, 1902, at 1.15. The President, the Lord Eustace Cecil, occupied the Chair. There was a good atten- dance, 48 persons being present. New Members. — Fourteen new members were elected, and seven candidates for membership were proposed and seconded for election at the next meeting. General Business. — The date of the next meeting was fixed for February i8th. The Hon. Secretary reported that one of the barrows on Came Down had been destroyed, presumably for the sake of the flints which covered the interment, as large quantities had been carted away from it. He suggested that the Club should authorise the Hon. Secretary to communicate with the proper authorities and take what steps might be possible to prevent further acts of vandalism. The proposal was agreed to unanimously. The Hon. Secretary read a letter from the Bishop of South- wark inviting the Club to tea at Stock Gaylard if the Club were in that neighbourhood in the course of the next summer, and he stated that the offer would be duly considered at the Annual General Meeting, at which the summer meetings of the Club would be arranged. XXVI. THE FIRST WINTER MEETING. Exhibits. By De. C. March: Irish Straw -tlaited Devotional Crosses. — Dr. Colley March showed and described two examiiles of tlie straw -plaited cross, structurally resembling a fylfot, still used by the peasantry of Ireland for devotional purposes. He read an extract from a letter from Mr. E. Standeu, of Owen College, Manchester, who said " These curious crosses appear to be in regular use in some of the remote Antrim glens. The peasant women when working in the fields will i^luck some green rushes and plait them into a cross and say their prayers before it in some quiet comer. They also carry them to the chapels and pray to them by the graves of their- dead, and afterwards leave them on the grave." By Nelson M. Eichardson: A Sextuple Sgeafiato ok Fuddling Cup. — It consists of six cups an-anged in a triangular form communicating with each other at the lowest part, with twisted bands surrounding them on the outside, three handles, of yellow and green ware, highly glazed. The sgrafiato ornamentation, incised through the glaze, shows brown, and consists of five large tulips, one rose {':), and two stars (?). The inscription is as follows : — " No star so bright As you, my delight. 1743. E.H. 1743." The locality of manufacture is uncertain, but Staffordshire is suggested. In Hodgkin's book of inscribed Early English pottery, which he exhibited in connection with this " Fuddling cup," it has been endeavoured to include all the pieces of pottery of the 18th century or earlier which say anything about them- selves by inscriptions. He mentioned cups more or less similar to the present one of dates 1730, 1752, 176G, and 1770, with various inscriptions, all different. " Fill me of sidful and drink The gift is small, but good will is all." " Fill me for your ease Drink what you please." " FiU this cup And drink it up." " My friend is He that love me well But Ho he is I cannot tell." A great many grotesque and curious articles were made of pottery at this date, but very few have survived to our times, and now that is very highly valued THE FIRST WINTt;R IStEETiNG. Xxvii. which perhaps originally cost but a few pence or shillings. These inscribed fuddling cups seem very rare. Mr. Eichardsou also showed a tall earthenware puzzle pot of unusual form, with handle, but no spout. The sides, he said, are decorated with festoons and tassels with a rose between each, all raised, and the top also represents a rose. The whole is composed of a red ware covered with a rich dark brown glaze, highly iridescent. A pipe goes from the middle of the bottom to nearly the top of the inside ; the handle is hollow, and has a hole and small spout near the top. The tea or other liquid is poured in whilst the pot is held upside down, and is then poured out through the hole in the handle. Teapots on a similar principle were made by the Chinese, having a spout and handle and the pipe from the bottom, and no lid. These have been imitated in England at Rockingham and elsewhere. I possess one made in the 18th century, by Sijode, the founder of the present firm of Copeland. It is difficult to suggest a date for the pot under notice, but it might be early Jackfield ware, perhaps early 18th centuiy or even earlier. Jackfield was a manufactory of earthenware in Shropshire in very early times. The more ordinary puzzle jug with a perforated neck and several spouts does not seem to have any connection with the present specimen in its origin, as its action is on such a diftercnt principle. Ey Captain Aclaxd: A Portable Sun and Moon Dial Combined, " Horizontale Solis ct Lunoi." — This little contrivance was purchased by the Rev. S. E. V. Filleul, Rector of All Saints, in 1902, at Munich. It consists of a brass plate, nicely worked and engraved, measuring Sin. by Sgin., and has a magnetic compass fixed in the centre, by means of which the dial is placed in the correct position for use. The figures for the hours of the sundial are inscribed in the usual manner on a circular disc. A smaller circle, within the hour circle, is inscribed with figures from 2 to 28, and is marked " I&t. Lunee," the age of the moon. Within this second circle is another smaller cii'cle, inscribed with figures 1-12 twice over, and is made to revolve, and has an index or pointer attached to it where the figure 12 occurs. The shadow is cast by a piece of string or silk cord, fastened at one end of the centre of the dial immediately over the centre of the compass, and at the other end to a moveable flange, which (when the dial is to be used) is raised to a vertical position close to the hour figure 12-0. The correct angle for the cord, which is the gnomon, is obtained by varying the height of the cord on the moveable flange higher or lower, according to the latitude of the place. When used as a lunar dial, the inner row of figures is revolved until the index points to the figure on the middle circle, which represents the age of the moon, and the time is read off from the inner row of figures. It is, perhaps, almost unneces- sary to remark that the results obtained are of a very uncertain character, especially at night. In this country the moon was seldom bright enough ; and he —Captain Acland— had had "to strike a match to tell time by the moon." XXVlll. THE FIRST WINTER MEETING. By Lieut. -Colonel Mainwaeing: A Collection of Remarkable Buddhist Figures, carved in a kiud of chert, and found ou the north-west frontiers of India. He quoted a recognised authority who expressed the opinion that the date of the figui'es was from A.D. 50 to 350. (See paper ou Gandhara Sculptures.) After the declaration of the ballot the following papers were read : — I. By A. Pope, Esq., on the topography and chartology of Old Dorset, illustrated by a valuable collection of histories, maps, and engravings, as follows : — "TOPOGRAPHY OF OLD DORSET." Wheu, at the invitation of your Honorary Secretary, I consented, in a weak moment, to take charge of the Topographical, or, as he in his circular describes it, the Palwochartological section of the Dorset Field Club, I little thought what a wide subject, or subjects, would be embraced in these two words, or in either of them. Topography, I apprehend, means the description of a particular jslace, i)arish, or tract of land, and this description may be either written, or by means of drawings, or by means of maps, or may consist of all three. I have recently had sent me a copy of the prospectus of the London Topo- graphical Society, founded only a few years since, from which I gather that such society has for its object, amongst other things, "The preservation for the instruction of future generations, of pictures of fast-vanishing London, as it was, and the publication of matei'ial illustrating the history and topography of the City and County of London from the earliest times to the present day." Follow- ing the example of this larger and more important societ\', I trust that our Club may not only seek to preserve the many ancient monuments of antiquity with which this county abounds, but will also encourage among its members the collection and preservation of the old drawings, maps, and plans of those buildings and places which have long since been destroyed or allowed to fall into decay, or have been so altered and restored (?) as to have hardly a feature of their former beauty left to them ; and this, I am sure, will appeal to all those who are interested in the past history of this fair county. I propose, therefore, with your approval, to use the word Topography in connection with this section of the work of the Club, and I trust that I may have your sympathy and assistance in the many and varied researches which will become necessary in order to carry the work to a successful issue. Rusldn says, even of the present day, that " Tlie feudal and monastic buildings of Europe, and still more, the streets of her ancient cities, are vanishing like di-eams ; and it is difficult to imagine the mingled envy and contempt with which THE FIRST WINTER MEETING. XXIX. future generations will look back to us, who still possessed such things, yet made no effort to preserve, and scarcely any to delineate them." I would just like to bring to your notice one very forcible example, which must be in the minds of every one of you, of the advantages to the present generation attending the delineation of that grand cross in the churchyard at Eampisham by the illustrator of the 1st edition of Hutchins' H'story of Dorset, now some 160 years ago. In Hutchins' time the date and inscription on the cross, as well as the subjects of the panels, were clearly discernible, and are shown in the admirable reproduction of the cross, as it then stood, contained in his work. Time and the elements have made sad ravages with this interesting monument, and when the Club visited Eampisham at their October meeting not a letter could be read, and the figures in the panels had almost disaj)peared. From the drawing, however, in Hutchins' this valuable monument could be fully restored, should any member wish to under- take the task. Many other like instances showiag the invaluable worth of many of these old drawings of our vanishing monuments of antiquity may be mentioned, and I hope to show you presently some with which you may be familar. Dorchester, which appeals to us all, is changing before our eyes. It has changed rapidly during the last 20 years. The narrow South Street, with its many old curious houses and shops, has practically been rebuilt ; the quaint old buildings in " Wood and Stone Lane,'''' of which I know of no drawings, have vanished. Where is the " King of Prussia," which Mr. Thomas Hardy so graphically describes in his " Mayor of Casterbridge," the old Guild Hall, the old Graol, the " George " Inn, and the " Duke of Wellington r " And per- haps we have a more famihar instance still in " Howe's Corner," now replaced by the noble buildings of the Wilts and Dorset Bank. Have drawings been kept of all these buildings and streets, so that future generations may be able to form an idea of what Old Dorchester was like 'i I fear not. Such destruction must go on with the development of the town, and the least we can do is to preserve for our descendants an exact picture of what was, and what has noiu ceased to exist, in the representations of the ancient and interesting buildings which have been destroyed. Another thing I would impress on the members of this Club : that is, the preservation, and in some instances, where the original copies are known to be few, the reproduction of some of the rare drawings and engravings of our ancient monuments, chui'ches, and houses, and the old histories and maps of our county and towns. And in order that our members may have a better idea of the nature and number of these, and be able to recognise them more easily should they come across them, I have noted up some of the older and more important, under three heads, viz. :— (1) Histories of the county, and of the several towns and boroughs which have had histories given them, (2) Drawings and engravings of more than ordinary interest. (3) Maps and surveys of the county, together with some plans of the boroughs and towns. XXX. THE FIRST WINTER MEETING. Histories. The earliest history or survey of the county of Dorset, excepting of course Domesday Book and two Visitations made in the years 1562 and 1623 (the latter by St. George and Leunard), and Camden's description, mentioned hereafter, appears to be that by the Eev. Thomas Cox published in the year 1700, with a map by Eobert Morden. Kext comes that by the Rev. John Coker, rector of Mappowder, who left iu MS. "A Survey of Dorsetshire, containing the antiquities and natural histoiy of the county, with a particular description of all the places of note and ancient seats, and a copious genealogical account of 300 of the principal families with their arms (on six folio copperplates), with a map of the county by John Wilcox." This MS., after Mr. Coker's death, got into the hands of a Mr. Earbury, who sold it to Mr. Wilcox, a London bookseller, who in 1732 published it in thin folio in its uncorrected and discordant state. This manuscript was iu the year 1 874 in the possession of the late Rev. Nathaniel Bond, of Creech Grange, and doubtless is still in the possession of the Bond family. Next followed a more ample and satisfactory account of Dorsetshire by the Rev, John Hutchius, M.A., rector of Wareham and Swyre, published in folio in 1774, a year after his death, which took place June 21st, 1773, under the title of "The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset ; compiled from the best and most ancient historians, inquisitiones post-mortem, and other valuable records and MSS. in the public offices, libraries, and private hands ; with a copy of Domesday Book and the Inquisitio Gheldi for the county. Interspersed with some remark- able particulars of natural history ; and adorned with a correct map of the county (by J. Bayley), and views of antiquities, seats of the nobility and gentry," &c. In 1773 "A View of the principal Towns, Seats, Anti(iuities, and the remark- able particulars iu Dorset, compiled from Mr. Hutchius' History of that County," was published for the benefit of his widow and daughters, he dying before his work was completely printed. A second edition of Mr. Hutchius' work, iu four volumes, large folio, corrected, augmented, and improved by R. Gough and J. B. Nichols, with numerous additional engravings of buildings, coins, antiquities, genealogical tables, &c., was published in the years 1796, 1803, and 1807. A fire which raged at the printing works of Mr. Nichols in 1808 destroyed all the unsold copies of Vols. I. and II. and the whole that was printed of Vol. III. with the exception of a single copy. The third and last edition of Mr. Hutchius' work, wliich should be well known to you all, was publislied in four volumes iu folio, and also in royal folio (large paper) in 1861, '63, '68, and '70, by Mr. William Shipp, of Blandford, who died on Dec. 8th, 1873, before his work was completed. An English edition of Camden's description of Dorsetshu'e, with " additions " and a good map (by E. Noble), was published in the year 1795. I find that an earlier edition was published by Andrew Hee in 1637 (with a map by Kip) from the translation by Dr. P. Holland; in this Dorchester is described as being " neither rireat nor f.eautifid." THE FIRST WINTER MEEtlNG. XXXI. Mr. Grose published 1783-1787, with other counties of Euglaucl, a clesciiptiou of Dorsetshu-e, with a map and several excellent engravings, mostly engraved by Sparrow and J. Newton, and published by S. Hooper. John Britton and G. W. Brayley's "Beauties of England and Wales," pub- lished 1803, Vol. IV., pages 321 to 560, contains "Delineations Topographical, Historical, and Descriptive" of Dorsetshii'e, with many interesting engravings from drawings by Nash, Upham, and others, of churches, castles, and gentlemen's seats in the county. The late Mr. J. Pouucy, of Dorchester, published in 1857 his "Dorsetshire Photographically Illustrated : The Detail and Touch of Nature faithfully repro- duced by a new process on stone, by which views are rendered truthful, artistic, and durable; " every picture being furnished with a complement of lettei-press, the whole being intended to afford some general idea of the past liistory and present condition of the localities represented. I must not omit to mention the Kev. Canon Mayo's recent work, being a transcript of the Minute Books of the ParHamentary Standing Committee which sat in Dorset during the Civil War and Interregnum, in the possession of Mr. Bankes, of Kingston Lacy; they range from 2ord September, 1646, to Sth May, 1650, and are of more than local value, being in all probabiUty the only example of the books of the County Committees throughout the kingdom which have survived to the present day. Histories of the several towns and of various localities in the county have from time to time been pubUshed. Mr. Richard Eussell, attorney, of Wimbome Minster, collected the antiquities of that ancient town (prior to 1768). The Roman Amphitheatre at Dorchester is largely treated of by Dr. Stukcly in his "Itinerarium Cui-iosum," pages 160 to 168, published in 1774. This account was first read to a Society of Freemasons 1723. In the " Gentleman's Magazine" of July, 1764, page 336, we have the figure and dimensions of the Giant cut on Nant Hill, near Cerne. Several pamphlets have been published concerning Weymouth, particularly " The New Weymouth Guide," the first edition of which appeared in 1785, and an account of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, 1800, by Harvey. " The Histoiy and Antiquities of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis," by George A. Ellis in 1829, and others of more recent date. Of Dorchester we have "A Walk round Dorchester," by Criswick, 1820; "The Dorchester Guide," 1827; "A History of Dorchester," by Savage, 1833; and others of later date. A History and Description of Sherborne Castle and Abbey in Vol. XXXIX. of the " Weekly Entertainer." A History of the Town and County of Poole, Avith its Charter (a.d. 1568), published in 1791. An Account of the Siege of Lyme Regis by Prince Maurice and liis forces, 1614. Another by James Strong, reprinted 1674. XXxii. THE FIRST WINTER MEETING. Lul worth — Account of "La Trappe Nunnery" at that place was published in the " Gentleman's Magazine," 1801, page 923. A History of the " Antient Town of Shaftesbury from the founder, Alfred the Great," pubUshed by T. Adams, 1809. Drawings, &c. Among the most interesting of the old engravings of the abbeys, castles, and seats in the county I would mention those engraved by S. and N. Buck, 1733 : — Abbeys— Milton N.W., Abbotsbury N., Biudou S. Castles— Lulworth N.E., Chidioc N.E., Corfe S., Saudford or Wey- mouth N., and Sherborne S. The 1st and 2nd editions of Hutchins' contain many fine engravings of some of our noble country seats by eminent artists and sculptors, those made for the 1st edition and Vols. I. and II. of the 2iid edition being the more scarce, many of the valuable plates having been destroyed in the Nichol fire before referred to. The Eoman Amphitheati-e, Poundbury, Maiden Castle, andEggarden Camps, by Bayley, are most interesting and instructive. Mr. Bankes, of Kingston Lacy, has a drawing of Corfe Castle before the Civil War, and three good paintings of it by Mr. Richards were exhibited at Spring Gardens 1764 and 1766. A view of Dorchester, by Boy dell, published by S. Gould, bookseller, Dor- chester, about 1755. A set of twelve coloured oval aqua tint engravings, published by Fittler and Love, about the year 1790. A set of nineteen original water-coloured dramngs of Weymouth and Port- land, by Upham, 1802-1805, are in the possession of Mr. Merrick Head, Pennsylvania Castle. Only a part of these have been published. A set of interesting drawings, mostly by J. Nash (1840) ; lithographed by C. Hullmandel. At the British Museum, in the Kaye Collection, are some very fine views in Indian ink and drawings in pen and ink of the island of Portland, Weymouth, and other places of interest on the coast, by S. H. Grimm, drawn in the year 1790. Also, in " Buckler's Architectural Drawings" (Vol. VI.), are some fine pencil drawings of churches and mansions belonging to the county (1802-1828). Maps. Of the maps of Dorset, perhaps the most ancient and most interesting is that drawn by Remigius Hogenbergius, and published, with a description of Dorset- shire, by Christopher Saxton in the year 1575. There appears to be a somewhat later edition of Saxton's map " corrected and amended with many additions as to roads, ttc, by P, Lea,'''' published in or about the year 1600, with apian of Dorchester, and the arms of the " Earles and Marquesses of Dorset; " tliis map also shows the Hundreds. THE FIRST WINTER MEETING. XXXlll. William Kip published a map of Dorset in the year 1607, without roads or hundreds, and with and without descriptive letter press. This map is supposed to have been pii\ated from Saxton's map. Speed's map, published 1610*, has the hundreds and a similar plan of Dorches- ter to that in Lea's map, also with the arms of the Earls and Marquises of Dorset. The description or letter press to this map appears to have been published both in Latin and in English, the Latin edition probably being the older. In 1613 Michael Drayton published his " Poly-Olbiou," dedicated to Prince Hem-y (of Wales), which contains a description in verse of the county, together with a very curious old map of " Dorsetshere " with part of " Hampshere " and the " He of Wyght." In this map the towns are omitted, but the principal rivers are traced from their sources. There is a fine portrait of Prince Henry, exercising with a lance, engraved by W. Hole. J. Janson's map, published about the year 1646, -with hundreds but without roads, description in Latin, appears to have been the next published. This maj) is signed " Joannem Jansonium." Blau's map, with letter press in German, also in French, was pul)]ished in the same year. Eichard Blome pubUshed in 1672 his Britannia, or a geographical description of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and with it a general map of Dorsetshire with its divisions and hundreds, dedicated to the Honourable Humphrey Weld, of Lulworth Castle, Esquu-e, Governor of His Majesty's Isle and Castles of Portland and Sandesfoot, &c., printed 1671. Eobert Morden published his map of Dorset in 1695. There is a smaller edition of this map in Coxe's History of Dorset, published in 1700. " An accurate map of Dorsetshire divided into hundreds, illustrated with historic extracts relafive to its natural produce, manufactures, and trade, present state of its principal towns, seaports, &c." (published about 1748), dedicated to Anthony, Earl of Shaftesbury, Lord Lieutenant of the county of Dorset, by Eman Boweu, geographer to His Majesty, is referred to as being " very incoiTect" in E. Gough's "Anecdotes of British Topography," published in 1768. There is a smaller edition of this map pubhshed about the year 1760. A capital survey of this county, scale 1 inch to the mile, was published by Isaac Taylor 1765 in six sheets, having at sides views of Corfe Castle, the Amphitheatre at Dorchester, Maiden Castle, the Observatory at Hortou, and Sherborne Castle. This, though the best map, is said to be faulty. A small scale edition of this map (two miles to one inch) was published by W. Faden in 1796. " A map from actual survey and records of the county," by J. Bayley, 1773, is prefixed to Hutchins' History (1st edition) and sold separately. H. Moll's set of fifty maps of English and Welsh counties. Arc, published 1748, includes Dorsetshii'e. * A copy of this map is presented with this paper. XXXIV. THE FIRST WINTER MEETING. The Yeomanry map of Dorset, issued in 1801 in anticipation of the French invasion, is most interesting. Its title runs—" A Plan of the County of Dorset showing the Divisions along the Coast allotted for the Troops of Yeomanry, &c., for removing the Live and Dead Stock, &c., and the Depots to be removed to." This was followed in 1803 by a no less interesting and curious map under the title of — " The County of Dorset divided into divisions shewing the Beacons fixed on, Signal2Msts erected hy Government, Depots, and places of assembly of Volun- teer Corps," byW. Jennings, of Evershot, scale two miles to one inch. However, the French never landed, and the maps survive. G. and J. Greenwood's very excellent map of Dorset, scale one mile to the inch, with a view of Melcombe Eegis, was published September, 1826. One on a smaller scale (three miles to the inch), with view of St. Mary's Church, Sherborne, was published July 4th, 1829. Thomas Etcher, J. Ellis, Alex. Hogg, W. Tunnicliff, E. W. Brayley, R. Rowe, J. Gary, J. Archer, J. Gibson, C. Smith, and others also published maps of Dorsetshire in the eighteenth and early part of the nineteenth centuries. I hope that some of the more interesting of these ancient maps of our county may be reproduced in the next volume of the " Proceedings" of our Club, so that those who are unable to procure originals may have copies. Many more modern maps of the county have been published, the Government Ordnance Survey being the last, and probably the most correct and compre- hensive ; but these do not come within my province to describe as ancient maps of the county. There are also many ancient and interesting plans of the boroughs and towns in the county. Most of these may be found in the last edition of Hutchins', but I fear time may be wanting for me to give a separate reference to each one, I now propose to follow the Honorary Secretary's instructions and show you some of the places which have been recently visited by the Club. Mr. Pope exhibited a very interesting collection of old engravings, aqua-tints, and prints relating to Cranborne, Wim- borne, the neighbourhood of Weymouth and the Isle of Portland. 2. By Mr. Cunnington, on " Maiden Castle." The paper was mainly in support of his contention —that Maiden Castle was originally constructed by the Romans, not by natives. Mr. Cunnington's views on this subject have been fully stated in papers contributed by him to former volumes. In the course THE FIRST WINTER MEETING. XXXV. of his remarks he incidentally noticed, but did not dwell, as the importance of the subject deserves, upon, the noteworthy results ot his excavations on Maiden Castle in 1882 and following years. A note is, therefore, added thereon, illustrated by a map of the earthwork showing a plan of the Roman founda- tions which he discovered there. This, however, is done in the hope that he will by no means be thereby hindered from giving us a long-desired and full account of this important work of his. In several 3'ears IMr. Cunnington had digging carried on at a spot in the eastern division of Maiden Castle, marked on the plan by a star. The spot turned out to be the site of a sub- stantial, extra strongly roofed, highly adorned, and long occupied Roman building of considerable size."^' How do we know this ? The note of things found in the digging will answer the question, all of which, except of course the foundations, may be seen in the County Museum. Foundations. — They were of stone and well constructed. Roof. — Both stone and pottery tiles were found. Two speci- mens of the latter are very interesting as showing the mode of laying the tegulse and imbrices far better than can be seen in books. More than this they witness to the use of a third sort of tile, a quite flat one, which, as far as we know, is not men- tioned as so used by writers on Roman building. This tile lay on the flat part of the tegula, between imbrex and imbrex. This triple roof must have been weighty indeed, and tells plainly of substantial walls and timbers to carry it. Adornment. — Many fragments of wall plaster with patterns of green, red, and other bright colours show this. There is, too, a bit of tessellated floor of good quality, though of simple design *NOTE. — The foundations which were first uncovered Aug. 20 — 25, 1882, were covered up again, but the following ujeasurements will shew the site of them ; the end of the inner wall as marked on the plan is 165 feet from the vallum ; the S.E. corner of the outer wall in a line with the longer side is 549 feet from the vallum. XXXVl. THE FIRST WINTER MEETING. in plain grey and white. On reference to the plan it will be seen that this was the floor of a corridor. Long occupation. — That the building was long occupied is clearly proved by the 56 (and more) coins found there. These range from Helena, circa A.D. 290, down to Arcadius, who died in A.D. 408. Amongst the more important objects found in the digging was one which may indicate the purpose for which the building was put up ; it is a bronze plate, about 7 inches by 3, triangular at the top. It bears in repousse work a helmeted figure carrying a spear. It is of inferior workmanship, but very similar in other respects to the votive offering to Mars found at Barkway, Herts, and now in the British Museum. Unfortunately the plate is broken in two and only the top was found at Maiden Castle. It is to be hoped that the portion bearing the inscription may be found some day. The description of the Barkway votive offering is thus given in Hiibner (Inscriptiones Britannia? Latinae), which the writer has compared with the original and found correct. Mars armatus. Slans Ultra CBdictilam. Infra in talella aurata titulus scriptus est. D. MARTI. ALATORl DVM. CENSORINVS GEMELLi FIL. V.S.L.M. The letters V.S.L.M., which stand for "votum solvit libens merito," are an unmistakable sign of the purpose of the Bark- way bronze. They are used only on votive offerings. There was also found a fragment of a hollow bronze statue, seeming to be good in art. Of other things found at the same spot, but not so directly giving knowledge about the building, a short record is added. THE FIRST WINTER IMEETING. ^ '^ *^ ^ o o o o Ci O 0) fcJO 5 :; - :; ■2 5, i-i XXXVIU. THE FIRST "WINTER MEETING. Pottery. — An imperfect black ware urn, part of a fluted vessel of " New Forest" ware and many fragments of this ware, and of Caistor and other well-known Roman sorts. Glass. — Two fragments, pale greenish and dull white. Stone. — A large upper quern stone and part of another, a roughly-shaped tool of Purbeck rag-stone, a loom-weight of chalk. Iron. — A javelin head and stylus. Kimmeridge Shale. — Fragments of two armlets. Concrete. — A bit of very good quality, part of the bed of a floor. Bojie. — Two spindle-whorls made of the ends of human femora. In illustration of this strange find, a similar whorl from Winchester is shown in the ]Museum. Quite apart from this building, IMr. Cunnington is said to have found evidence of Roman edifices on a smaller scale and of plain style. Of this part of his discoveries, however, the writer possesses no particulars. These two finds of buildings stand quite alone as regards Maiden Castle, and are amongst the most noteworthy of ]\Ir. Cunnington's antiquarian successes. 3. By the Hon. Sec, "The Problem of Lynchets," illustrated from Delimitation Charters and other sources, by work done during the past summer, and by diagrams and photographs. This paper is printed in full in the body of the book. 4. In the absence of Canon Raven, D.D., F.S.A., who was examining for the University of Oxford, the Hon. Editor read the first section of the "Church Bells of Dorset," which will be found amongst the papers. The meeting soon after closed. WINTER SESSION. The Second Meeting of the session was held on Wednesday, February 1 8th, at 1,15 p.m., in the Reading Room of the County IMuseum, Dorchester. Membership. — The seven candidates for membership pro- posed at the last meeting were balloted for and elected, and seven candidates were proposed for election at the next meeting. Alteration of Rules. — The Hon. Sec. proposed that the words "or, in his absence, by the Chairman" be inserted in Rule 3 after the words " shall be nominated." And that the words "with or without the help of a paid Assistant Secretary or others" be substituted for the words " with or without the help of the Assistant Secretary or others." These alterations were approved by the meeting. Barrow-i?reaking. — In the matter of the demolition of a barrow on Came Down, reported at the last meeting, the Hon. Sec. stated he had corresponded on the subject with " The National Trust for the Preservation of Places of Historic Interest," and had received a letter from the Secretary, dated February loth, stating that he had duly written to the Countess of Portarlington with regard to the destruction of the barrow. Re-Discovery of Roman Remains at Fifehead. — The Hon. Sec. stated that, having heard that some Roman remains had been found at Fifehead, he wrote to Major J. K. D. Wing- field Digby, M.P., the owner of the property, asking for information about the find. He had received a letter in reply stating that the tesselated pavement was first found 15 years ago, when a drawing was made of it, which is now in the Dorset Museum, The pavement was covered in again and the ground made good, and the field had since been cultivated until this year, when a successful attempt was made to rediscover it. It was found about a foot or 15 inches below the surface. Louis Cole began digging too far down the field, and, in trenching, opened up a large quantity of fragments of paving tiles (some in $ilu), pottery, roofing slabs, &c., and several parts of foundations Xl. THE SECOND WINTER MEETING. and a drain. One Roman coin was found, which he had kept to show. He afterwards worked further up the field and suddenly came upon the tesselated pavement about one foot to 15 inches below the surface, and had half of it uncovered. The area of the ornamental part of the tile flooring is about 10 feet by 10 feet, and there is besides a border (all round apparently) of larger tesserae of a dark colour and i foot each in width, making the border average i foot ; the whole should be about 12 feet by 12 feet. There is a mark as of a ploughshare across the pavement. Probably, this led to its first discovery ; this and one or two other portions are defective. The bulk of the pattern is left, and could be measured and drawn as it lies. The surface is very uneven in places, and the tesserae are laid on a layer of soft mortar, and are easily displaced. Cole has collected a lot of loose ones he dug out of the soil. Mr. Digby has told him to be very careful in uncovering the remainder, and to cover it up with bags and lay some boards over it to protect it from damage. In his opinion, the foundation of the pavement is too weak to admit of its being taken up in section. The dolphins are of good design and workmanship, the tesserae composing them about half an inch square. Since the above notes were written the workmen have opened up the lines of some of the old walls, indicating a very large dwelling. One complete floor, 20 feet square, has been discovered and the entrance to two other floors, also a small bath and a portion of the furnace of the hypocaust. The severe weather stopped the excavations, and the tile floors were covered down until the spring, when it is proposed to make a thorough investigation of the same. Dr. CoIIey IMarch added that the dolphin came into use as an ornament in the time of the Antonines, say a.d. 128. That was important, because in the Olga Road pavement, now in the County Museum, all its ornamental details were in use before the Christian era. With regard to type, this pavement was earlier than that at Fife- head. Probably, the Club would have an opportunity during the summer of seeing the Fifehead pavement. THE SECOND AVINTER MEETING. xli. The Annual Meeting. — The Hon. Sec. announced Tues- day, May 1 2th, as the provisional date for the annual meeting. The Portrait of the Late President. — The Chairman called the attention of the members to the memorial portrait in oils of the lare venerable President of the Club (Mr. J. C. Mansel-Pleydell), which had been hung upon the walls of the room since the last meeting of the Club. It would be a pleasing reminder of their late beloved President and an incentive to them in the study of natural history to which he was so devoted. Exhibits. By the Hon. Seceetaey : A Fine Geeenstone Neolithic Celt. — It was found at Portisham last month in digging a drain. Its length is 6| inches and its extreme width 2J inches. It is of an igneous rock commonly called greenstone, but whether in this case it was a dyke or a lava cannot be told. Its place of origin might be Devon or, more likely, Pembrokeshii-e, where such weapons were made. Dr. Colley March also showed a portion of a celt found by himself two years ago in a field between Portisham and Steepleton. It is of the rock commonly called bedded volcanic ash, and is, therefore, eruptive. Of its place of origin nothing can be said. By Me. Nelson Richaedson and the Hon. Seceetaey. Some South Ameeican Jugs. — Mr. Richaedson stated that they were dug up from the large burial mounds found in Peru— mounds which sometimes rose to the height of about 100 feet and 200 or 300 yards long. The pots were pre- Spanish, certainly more than 400 years old. They were very varied in form, many of them of human fonn. He had twenty or thirty of them at home, and would be pleased to show them to anyone interested. Dr. Colley Maech said: Speaking generally, the forms of pottery can be resolved into two types — that which is founded on the basket and that which is founded on the gourd. All vessels of the gourd type have round bases, except those in which, by a process of evolution, the ring of clay in which the vessel was placed has become attached to it, the stand has grown to the vase, with the result that a small foot or pediment has been produced. In any country where gourds flourished they were used as receptacles ; baskets were not needed, and the ceramics are of the gourd type. And it may be assumed that, if basketry is now practised in such countries, it was not an indigenous, but an imported, invention. Peruvian pottery is founded on the gourd. Here is a vessel made from the gourd itself, and here are some corresponding jugs. ]\Ir. C. W. Dale then read the paper on " The Mammalia of Dorset," which is printed on page i8. xlii. THE SfeCOND WINtEk itEETlisGt. ]\Ir. R. BoswoRTH Smith read a very interesting paper on "The Raven in Dorset," which has since been printed in the "XIX. Century Magazine." The Noble Chairman, in express- ing the thanks of the Club to Mr. Bosworth Smith, said that the paper revealed both the close observation of the naturalist and the erudition of the scholar ; he did not know to what portion of the paper to give most praise, for it was filled throughout with classical, historical, and scientific knowledge, and pervaded with that literary charm of which all knew Mr. Bosworth Smith was a past master. The Hon. Sec. stated concisely the case of the Gandhara sculptures, which were well illustrated by the examples exhibited. The paper is printed in this volume with others on the same subject under the head " The Gandhara Sculptures." A paper on W. Gumming, M.D., a physician living in Dor- chester in the i8th century, written by Mr. Walter Boswell Stone, and printed on page 34, brought the -proceedings to a close. ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING. The Annual Business IMeeting of the Club was held in the Reading Room of the County IMuseum, Dorchester, at 1. 1 5 p.m., on Tuesday, May 12th. The President, the Lord Eustace Cecil, was in the chair. Seven persons proposed and seconded at the last meeting, on February 1 8th, were balloted for and elected unanimously. Three persons were proposed for membership. The Mansel-Pleydell Memorial Scheme, approved by the Committee of the Mansel-Pleydell Memorial Fund, was then considered by the meeting. The committee proposed the establishment of a prize fund for the encouragement of the study of Natural Science, the fund to be administered by the Field Club. It was decided, on the motion of the Hon. Sec. (Dr. CoUey INIarch), to refer the scheme back to the committee. Barrow Breaking. — With reference to the barrow breaking on Ridgeway Hill, the Hon. Secretary announced that the Countess of Portarlington had instructed her agent to prevent any further damage to barrows on the Came Estate. The Alienation of the All Saints' Roman Pavement. — The Hon. Sec. read communications which he had received from antiquaries with regard to the report that the Rev. S. E. V. Filleul, rector of All Saints, proposed to present a Roman pavement found in All Saints' glebe to the inhabitants of Dorchester, Boston, Mass , U.S.A. The Rev. W. Miles Barnes said he supposed that the pavement, if not sent to America, would be destroyed. The nature of the cement seemed to have gone, and the tesserae were so loose that one could take them up by the handful. Laying these pavements was a costly work, and he did not think that the Museum had funds enough to lay the pavement if offered to them. Therefore it seemed that sending the pave- ment across the Atlantic really saved it from oblivion. I\Ir. Richardson (Hon. Sec. of the INIuseum), ]\Ir. Moule (Curator xiiv. THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING. of the Museum), and Captain Acland spoke to the same effect. Exchange of Publications. — The Hon. Sec. announced the receipt of the publications of various scientific societies which they sent in exchange for the Proceedings of the Club. They included a series of valuable volumes from the Somerset Archaeological Society and the " Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries." He asked leave to hand them over as usual to the Museum Library as some return for their kindness in letting the Club use their room for their meetings. And the following letter from the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society — one of the best societies in Europe — he took to be a great compliment to the Club : — " In consequence of enquiries for the Proceedings of your Club, which are not to be found in any library in Manchester, I am instructed to enquire whether you would consent to an exchange of publications with the society. I am sending by parcels post a copy of our last volume. Should you agree to the exchange we should be glad to send you an equivalent in our memoirs of proceedings." The meeting decided to make the exchange. The Hon. Secretary's Report. — Dr. Colley March made the following report in his capacity of Hon. Secretary : — In the spring of last year a suggestion was ventured that the Club should set itself to the task of solving certain definite problems, as of the lynchets, of the gravels, and of a glaciation of Dorset ; and that in such pursuits, as well as in the study of its natural and of its ancient history, it should endeavour to achieve some measure of continuity. As yet, the important subject of gravels has been untouched ; but evidence has been slowly accumulating that tends to establish a deglaciation, and, therefore, an iuglaciation of this part of England. And here let me say that while topography is, properly speaking, the description of a place, it is by no means the same thing as pakcochartology, which is a word I offered in Vain to Mr. Pojie to denote the lore of old maps, and charts, and plans, and drawings, and mensurations, that he possesses in profusion ; a lore of itself, altogether apart from any particular locaUty, that could yet be used by the topographer as he uses any other science that suits his purpose. With resi^ect to archaiology in general, leaving to Mr. Barnes the subject of Church Bells, three hill-graves on the downs near Portesham have been examined. There was no outward sign of their presence, which was revealed only by a slipping away of TtlE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING. xlv. the hillside near its summit. The skeletons fully extended in the supine posture, their heads lying westwrards, were enclosed, as usual, by thin slabs of undressed stone arranged coffin-Tvise, after the bodies had been placed in position, so that theii- contour was closely followed. Two of the skeletons were those of women, and with one of them were the bones of a child in its first dentition, whose skull had been thinned out by hydrocephalus, or "water on the brain." No ornament, or weapon, or pottery was found in the graves, but from a similar interment on an adjacent hill I obtained from a man who discovered them portions of a wheel- made vase. This vessel indicates the Saxon period. Some trenches made for building a house between Portesham and Abbotsbury, on rising ground that commands an incomparable view, have shown that from the earliest times man has selected this spot for a dwelling-house. Worked flint, rude pottery, the point of a bronze implement, fragments of later earthenware, and a piece of ii'on demand for the site not only an ancient, but a continuous, occupation. Since the last annual meeting the Club has lost by death and resignation 20 members, and has been joined by 28 new members, including those elected to-day, so that the nett increase is eight. The total number of members May 12th, 1903, is 333. There remains only the subject of the Hon. Secretary's finance. It was necessary to provide for the stipend of the Assistant Secretary, and, besides that, it seemed proper that the cost of such matters as ijrinting and distributing the programmes of field meetings should no longer be cast upon the general fund of the Club. By raising from Is. to 2s., the sum asked for incidental expenses from the members who joined those excursions, the required amount was obtained, and, in addition, a substantial balance has been carried forward to the account of the new year. Lastly, the Hon. Secretary's financial statement has been most kuidly audited by Mr. S. Balmer Covill, a cashier at the Wilts and Dorset Bank, to whom I now ask permission to send the cordial thanks of the Club. The Hon. Treasurer's Report. — Captain Elwes, in making his report as Hon. Treasurer, said — That the past year had been a very satisfactory one for the finances of the Club. They began the year with a balance of £96 7s. 6d., and, in spite of the heavy claims made upon their funds by the production of the large and expensive volume, which cost the Club £130, they had now a balance in hand of £95. He wished members could remember that their subscriptions were payable in advance. Only that day he had received £20 in subscriptions. If the members would instruct their bankers to pay their subscriptions to the credit of the Club early in January, the interest would accrue on the money, and it would improve the Club's financial position. With reference to the Plate Fund, he remarked that Mr. W. de C. Prideaux had generously given two guineas towards the Plate Fund, and the Eev. E. C. Leslie had also made a donation. The smallest amounts would be acceptable. Captain Elwes added that for this year S7 members had not yet paid and for last year 18. xivi. THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEEXtNG. The Hon. Editor's Report.— The Rev. W. Miles Barnes read his report as Hon. Editor of the Club's "Proceedings": — No doutt all the members present possess the new volume ; their subscriptions would be in aiTear if they did not, and, if they have the new volume, they must have discovered that there is some very excellent reading in it. Perhaps the most remarkable of the papers in the book is that on Creechbarrow by a past President of the Geological Society, now one of our Vice-Presidents— Mr. "W. Hudleston. Of this address, our late President, after hearing it, said it would be one of the most important and valuable papers ever contributed to the society's volumes ; and you have, no doubt, read the excellent memoir of our late revered President by the Hon. Morton Stuart-Gray. It is a touching tribute to his memory. "Where all are so good it seems in^^dious to single out individual papers. I must express my own regret that Mr. Eaton, a past President of the Royal Meteorological Society, will not be able to continue to direct the rainfall observations throughout the county, for which the society has been so greatly indebted to him for so many years past ; his labours in past years have not been slight. There are few men who can, like Mr. Eaton, read down the columns of a ramf all return and detect the errors in it ; and even our careful observers do make mistakes sometimes, though not, perhaps, such serious mistakes as an observer I heard of the other day, who inadvertently (in a fit of absent-mindedness, let us hope), entered in his rainfall foim the number of persons present at the last parish meeting, and so increased in a very illegitimate manner the apparent rainfall for the month. It will be a satisfaction to all to know that Mr. Stilwell has consented to undertake this important work in Mr. Eaton's place, and that Mr. Eaton will continue to give his assistance. I must not omit in my remarks on the book to say a word about the printing and the illustrations. I think you will agree with me that the printing of the volume shows the highest class of workmanship. The printers (the Dorset County Chronicle Office) certainly do their work well, and they are very pains- taking and obliging. I do not know a society which, in the matter of printing, can show a better book. It is not in that direction we must look for improve- ment, but in the illustration of the book some advance might certainly be made. The members must not be too critical about diagrams ; if the diagrams make clear the points the writer wishes to demonstrate, they serve then- purpose. When a professor in the course of a lecture makes use of a blackboard and chalk, we do not criticise his work if it should be a little inartistic ; it is not intended to be artistic, and our diagrams are Uke the blackboard drawings of the lecturer. But, beyond the diagrams, there is some room for improvement, and improvement is simply a question of money. A wider support of the Plate Fund would mean a larger number and a superior class of engravings, and in succeeding volumes a larger number of illustrations will be required if the work about which I am now going to speak is to be properly illustrated. When you first appointed me to this post there were two archccological works which I thought your society, with the approval of the Publication Committee, THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING. xlvii, should take up — an illustrated record of ancient memorial brasses in Dorset and the bells of Dorset. In Mr. Prideaux the society have found a capable agent for carrying out the first. Mr. Prideaux is a skilful brass rubber and photographer, and he possesses the requisite knowledge of heraldry and of the sources of mediaeval biographical history which are so essential to a writer on the subject. The " Church Bells of Dorset" is a larger subject ; no private individual could be expected to undertake a work of such magnitude alone. It is one of great labour and expense, for the illustrations, on account of their number, will be costly, and the book, if pubUshed in the ordinary way, could not pay. It is just here that a society such as yours can do most valuable work. What one man could scarely do in a lifetime a body of men can do in a comparatively short space of time, and it is hoped that in five or six years, with the aid of members and of the clergy, " The Bells of Dorset" wUl be completed. The next volume of the Proceedings will contain an account of the bells in three of the rural deaneries of Dorset, with an introduction. It is quite time that such a work was taken in hand. Mr. Justice Clarence, who some years ago visited many towers in Dorset and made a collection of bell inscriptions from them, has most kindly given me the use of his notes, inscriptions, and sketches, and, comparing his lists with some which have come in from the same chvirches lately, I find that in 30 or 40 years many very interesting medieeval bells have disappeared. Most of them have been recast ; in one case the whole ring, belfry and all, have gone, and it seems highly probable that, at no very distant date, most of the mediaeval bells iu the county will have disappeared. Only in the last week I have heard of the recasting of ancient bells belonging to two parishes in Dorset. Your society, if it cannot prevent the melting down of these fine old bells, can at least preserve a memorial of them ; and will be able through this work to present to future generations of Dorset men a well-illustrated record of the treasures their ancient towers possessed. The society is most fortunate in the writer of the articles on the "Bells of Dorset." Canon Kaven, D.D., F.S.A., the author of the " Bells of Suffolk" and other archa3ological works, is one of the first living authorities on bells. For many years he resided in the county, when he visited a large number of towers and collected much information about Dorset bells and their founders — information which he will make use of now — and there are several members of the Club and of the clergy who are now engaged in collecting copies of bell inscriptions, taking rubbings and squeezes of lettering and founders' stamps to supplement the information already received and to make it possible to complete the work. In some rural deaneries one person undertakes to supply all the infoimation required from churches in that rural deanery ; in others the information is supplied directly by the clergy of the parishes. When received the inscriptions are looked through ; the most interesting are singled out, and rubbings are asked for and supplied. If squeezes can be obtained of letters and ornaments on bells which are considered worthy of reproduction in facsimile, they are sent to the draughtsman, who makes the line drawings from them, from which the printing blocks are produced by a photo-mechanical process. Several xlviii. THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING. gentlemen have very kindly given their aid, but more help is wanted, and, if there is any member present, gentleman or lady, who might be willing to give his or her services, but before doing so would like to know more of what is required, I have some papers of instructions here which will give the necessary information. A lady who is skilful in pen and ink dramng might give valuable assistance. I hope your Treasurer will give us £.5 towards expenses if we want it, and that you will approve of his doing so. The Curator of the County Museum (Mr. H. Moule) then read his report : — This report can begm only in one way. Its first words must be words of heartfelt grief at the loss to the Dorset County Museum caused by the death of Mr. Mansel-Pleydell. His name stands in the first list of subscribers in the year 1845 and of members of the CouncU in 1846. Ever since, to the last day of his life, he upheld it by gifts both in kind and in money with a generosity that cannot be praised enough. To the Curator his loss is irreparable. For an " all round " knowledge of natural science Mr. Mansel-Pleydell was, probably, unsurpassed. And this wealth of knowledge could at all times be drawn on by the Curator. Not merely ungrudgingly, but with eager enthusiasm, he advised the latter whenever asked for help; and "whenever" meant very often indeed. At every turn in his work he misses Mr. Mansel-Pleydell. Another good friend to the Museum was lost in 1902— Mr. T. B. Groves — whose interest in its well-beiug was untiring. "We now turn to a record of the chief gifts to the Dorset Museum during 1902, beginning with Dorset natural science specimens, taken for the most part as they arrived. The Eev. W. E. Waugh gave a very fine ammonite and several small f ossU fishes from near Lyme Regis and a pair of shells of Ostrea deltoidea from Portland. Mr. F. J. Beckford gave a pair of oyster shells from Poole. This specimen is curious from the oyster having established its footing in an old tobacco pipe. A long-tailed tit and its nest were given by Mr. W. Dunning. Lastly, but chiefly, we must record the bequest of Mr. Mansel-Pleydell of his large and most valuable herbarium. Although containing specimens from various countries, it is mentioned in this Dorset section because it contains a number of plants collected in the county. These are of special iuterest to local botanists, inasmuch as they afford a means of verifying the list of plants given in Mr. Mansel-Pleydell's "Flora of Dorset." Passing to Dorset antiquities, we have to report the gifts as very few. Begiuniug with "modern antiques," and taking them roughly as they come, we first name a curious old kitchen range, given by Colonel Williams, M.P., per the Rev. S. E. V. Filleul. Like many other of our possessions, it cannot be properly displayed for want of room. Miss F. Scott gave a brass token, or weight; Mr. G. Legg, several tokens found at Dewlish ; Mr. F. Osmond, an interesting bronze and iron mcditcval key found at the Gas Works ; Mrs. Boatswain, an 18th century wine flagon fragment bearing THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING. xlix. the Coker Arms ; the Rev. W. P. Schuster, a sixpence of William III. from "West Lulworth ; and Mr. Riggs, an old-fashioned key. Of more ancient things, very few have been given. Mr. T. Paterson presented a stone bead from a barrow near Dorchester ; Mr. T. A. R. Littledale, another ancient bead from Sydling and a very rude stone mortar of unusual shape from Preston ; Dr. March, a Saxon *' sceat," interesting from his having found it lying on a Roman floor at Newberry Terrace, Weymouth. This floor, or rather large fragment of floor, may be here recorded. It is extremely handsome and noteworthy. It was bought, and the setting up by Mr, Tite paid for by subscription. It is a valuable addition to the Museum in itself as being the only relic of the kind known to have been found at Weymouth. Mr. J. Scriven has presented a " second brass " of Antoninus Pius and Mr. W. Dunning a " third brass " of Victorinus, both found at Dorchester. Dr. March has added to his collection from his digging at Eggardon some worked flints and sea pebbles. In this antiquarian section two loans have come to us. One is from the Rev. J. R. W. Stafford. It is a beautifully-made little wooden flagon, or keg, formerly used by a Whitchurch Canonicorum smuggler. It is in three divisions, one holding a pint, the others half a pint each. The second loan is the most important addition to our collection of Dorset antiquities that has reached the Museum for a long time. It consists of pottery, with flint, bronze, and iron implements and other things, chosen out of the collection of Dorset antiquities belonging to Mr. C. L. Hall, of Osmington. Fc ur very valuable specimens may be named. Firstly, there is one of the halves of a stone celt mould from Melcombe Horsey ; secondly, a Kimmeridge shale leg of a stool from Southover, Prampton ; thirdly, a group of three pieces of gold ring-money found in Dorset ; and, lastly, a massive bronze neck-torque from Dorchester or its near neighbourhood. The first and third objects are recorded by Sir J. Evans and Mr. Warne, respectively. Several non- Dorset gifts have been received, nearly all connected with natural science. Dr. Crallan has given a large number of Lepidoptera from various places, and the Rev. Canon Hill some from India. Colonel Brymer, M.P., gave a Norwegian lemming ; Miss Ashley, an opossum ; Mr. Atherston, a very large cocoanut from Ceylon ; Mr. Willson, a curious natural needle and thread from S. America and also an old tobacco pipe from London ; and Mrs. Shephard, a number of shells and minerals. In this list we mention last, but by no means least, a fine binocular microscope bequeathed by Mr. T. B. Groves, together with many slides and specimens, including some from the Challenger dredgiugs. We turn now to the Hbrary. Among the donors we name first and foremost our constant benefactors — viz., the Dorset Field Club, Sir R. G. Glyn, Bart., and the Rev. S. E. V. Filleul. From the first have come then- last volume of " Proceedings," a paper by Mr. Clement Reid on Plant Remains from Roman Silchester, and a number of magazines, &c. ; for instance, the British Association's Report, parts of the Journal of the Irish Society of Antiquaries, and of several kindred societies. From the second and third caa e the current publications of the Egypt and Palestine Exploration Funds, respectively. And our other unfailing friends, Mr. Eaton and Mr. Stone, have not forgotten us. The former 1. THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING. gave the Meteorological Journal, Vol. XXVII., the Record of the Ben Nevis Observations, and other books, and also several numbers of meteorological magazines. Mr. Stone gave the Minutes of the Dorset Standing Joint Com- mittee, Damon's Geology of Weymouth, with other books, and also maps relating to Dorset. From him, too, came "VVorsae's Antiquities of Denmark, the Index Fungorum Britannicorum, and other books. The trustees of the British Museum have sent several volumes of their valuable catalogues and guides — c.ff., catalogue of Fossil Fishes, part 3, and Guides to Babylonian and Assyrian Antiquities. Again, Mr. Hudlestone and Mr. Jukes Browne have given copies of their important papers on Creechbarrow and on the deep boring near Lyme Regis, respectively. The Rev. W. Miles Barnes has given a Prayer Book of 1672, long used in a Dorset Church ; Mr. J. Groves, Dupin's History of Ecclesiastical Writers ; Mr. Williamson, Reminiscences of a Yorkshii-e Naturalist. Mr. Merthyr Guest has presented a list of the Blackmore Vale Hounds from 1833 to 1900 ; Mr. Pomeroy Bond, Vol. I. of Oulton's Itinerary, containing a description of Dorchester ; and Mr. R. Bastick, a volume of sacred music by Mr. J. Brown, of St. Peter's Choir, Dorchester. This long library record must yet include several papers, parchments, and prints. The parchment conveyance mentioned in the last report, as lent by the Rector (the Rev. S. E. V. Filleul) and the Churchwardens of All Saints', Dorchester, has been presented to the Museum, together with several other interesting old documents connected with the parish. Also the Rector has given an engraved portrait of the Rev. W. Ben, a noted 17th century predecessor of his. This and the parchments have been arranged and framed, and are shown in the Museum. Lastly, from Mr. G. MUes we have received a list of the subscribers to the Dorchester festi\aties there on Queen Victoria's Coronation Day ; from Mr. H. D. Sime, a list of Uploders Jurors, 1756 ; from the Rev. O. P. Cambridge, a list of the late Rev. W. Barnes' pupils, 18-14 ; from the Rev. C. V. Goddard, a paper on Milton Abbey by the Rev. H. Pentin ; and from Mr. R. Bastick, an engraved portrait of the Rev. H. F. Yeatman. About work in the Museum and library we have, as always, to thank Mr. and Mrs. Richardson for their skilful and constant care of the collection of Lepidoptera. The Curator has to report that his labours have been hindered, though only for a few days actually stopped, by illness. Still, a good deal has been accomplished, mostly connected with coins and books, branches of work to the prolixity of which any expert will testify. The last report recorded that Sir J. C. Robinson's fine gift of fragments of Roman glass had been arranged and his coins read. The Curator has since made and placed with the first collection a fair copy of an admirable essay on Ancient glass written by Sir J. C. Robinson for this very purpose. And much time was spent in properly arranging liis coins. Later the Curator had much thought and work in choosing, repairing, arranging, and in making descriptive labels for the very valuable antiquities lent by Mr. C. L. Hall. Further, there was a great deal of work in uupapering the countless parcels of plants filling the trays of the great herbarium. Each parcel had been most carefully wrapped up for safety in coming from Whatcombe ; and, under good advice, camphor has since been put into each tray. Lastly, there has THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING. H. been a very heavy task, much helped forward by Mr. Richardson, in removing many books, chiefly the great series of Valpj-'s Classics, to new shelves in the Council Eoom. This was done to give scope for the books in each compartment. Our thanks are again due to Mr. Gr. J. Hunt, the Borough Surveyor, and to Mr. J. Hooper for the rainfall returns daily posted up in the hall and for the barometer records. Mr. Moule closed his statement with an important annouucemeut. For many years, he said, it had been eagerly wished that more museum room could be found, and a complete severance effected between Dorset and non-Dorset tliiugs. To tlus end the architect originally made two provisions. He put two blank arches in the wall between the Museum and the School of Art, which could be easily opened if the School of Art was taken into the Museum at any time. He also provided a set-off course and brackets to support galleries in the Museum. Of the first and better enlargement there did not seem to be the remotest chance. It was felt, therefore, that they must turn to the second. If this was carried out, all non-Dorset things might be moved into the galleries. The Dorset collections would then have good room and a chance of proper arrangement, which was au impossibility at present. Mr. Charles Hansford, whose generosity to the Museum had been so great, had munificently offered to supply galleries at his own cost. The Lord Eustace Cecil then delivered the Presidential Address, " On a General Review of Science in Relation to the Aims of the Club," which is printed at the head of the Papers. Re-election of Officers. — The election of officers for the ensuing year being the next business, the Hon. Secretary said the Club had been most fortunate in securing the services of Lord Eustace Cecil in the chair during the past year, and hoped that they would have equal good fortune during the coming year. The Club had had ample opportunity of observing the energy, constancy, and devotion with which he had fulfilled the duties, not always very easy, that appertained to his office. He proposed that the President be thankfully and cordially re- elected, and then they might expect the Club to prosper in the coming year as it had prospered in the past. The Hon. Treasurer seconded the proposition, and it was carried with acclamation. The President, having thanked the Club for the honour that they had done him in inviting him to occupy the chair for the second year, proposed the re-appointment of the Hon. Secretary, Treasurer, and Editor, and this was seconded by Lieut.-Colonel Mainwaring, and carried unanimously. lii. THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING. The Vice-Presidents. — The President nominated the following five distinguislied members and past officers of the Chib as vice-presidents: — The Hon. Morton G. Stuart-Gray, F.G.S. (a former hon. secretary), the Rev. O. Pickard-Cambridge, M.A., F.R.S. (a former hon. treasurer), Vaughan Cornish, D.Sc, F.C.S., W. H. Hudleston, M.A., F.R.S., F.L.S., F.G.S. (Past President Geological Society), and Nelson M. Richardson, B.A., F.E.S. (a former hon. secretary). The Programme of Summer Meetings. — The following suggestions had been made for the arrangement of the summer meetings, and were printed on the programme : — a. Shaftesbury (one day), the town, church of St. Peter, excavations on site of Abbey Church, Corporation plate, charters, &c. ; h. Shaftesbury (two days), as above, and on second day to Castle Rings, Wardour Castle, Ansty, Norrington Manor House, and back through Berwick (all in Wilts) to Shaftesbury; c. Salisbur}'-, Canon Watts proffers tea ; d. Bridport, follow the line of Prince Charles' flight ; e. Clifton Maybank (near Yeovil Junction), Church of St. Mary, Bradford Abbas ; /. Milton Abbey (near Blandford), Church of St. James and Chapel of St. Catherine ; g. Stalbridge, Purse Caundlc, Fauntleroy Farm House, Holwell Church ; Fifehead Neville, Roman mosaic pavement ; Stock Gaylard, the Bishop of Southwark proffers tea, and would show the Crusader's tomb ; //. Abury, Wan's Dyke, Silbury ; i. Forde Abbey, Chard ; j. Osmington, Owermoigne to Ringstead, a walk of four miles. It was first resolved, by a small majority, to hold four summer meetings as usual, instead of only three, as last year. A show of hands was then taken for each place. Eleven voted for the combined Stalbridge, Fifehead Neville, and Stock Gavlard excursion, and eight each for the Shaftesbury two days' meeting and the Milton Abbey and Forde Abbey meetings. These four were accordingly decided upon. The order and dates and all the arrangements were left to the Executive. Hon. MejMHERS. — At the close of the meeting the Council met and elected as honorary members of the Club Sir Wm. Turner Thiselton-Dyer, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Sir Frederick Treves, Bart, liii. SHAFTESBURY MEETING. The IMeeting, which was to have been held at Forde Abbey in June, had to be abandoned in consequence of the ilhiess of the owner, so that held on Monday, July 20th, and Tuesday, July 2 1 St, at Shaftesbury became the first meeting of the summer session. From various causes the attendance was not large ; the members and their friends present at it numbered between 40 and 50. The majority of these came to Semley and Stur- minster by train, and thence by omnibus to the Grosvenor Hotel, Shaftesbury, where the Club established its head quarters. In the unavoidable absence of Lord Eustace Cecil, Mr. W. H. Hudleston, of Holme, one of the Vice-Presidents, presided. At two o'clock Mr. Doran Webb led the members from the hotel to visit the chief places of interest in the town, the Mayor and principal Aldermen and Councillors of the borough joining the party. The first place visited was St. Peter's Church, where Mr. Doran Webb addressed the meeting. Before the Town Hal] was built the principal entrance to the church was through the western porch, a 15th Century building with a stone-vaulted roof, but for some years past the handsome ISth Century gates have for good reasons been fastened up, and at present a door in the north aisle opening on the street affords the only means of access to the building. The church, late Perpendicular in style, is the only one in the town that has not been rebuilt. It consists of a nave and north aisle of equal length, a wide south aisle, having a species of crypt beneath it, a western embattled tower, and west porch. A structural chancel seems never to have existed, but doubtless a high screen ran across the entire width of the building, that portion of the nave eastwards of the screen forming the choir, having a chapel on either side. Built into the walls of the chapel at the east end of the north aisle are canopied niches, and on the floor is a stone slab with the indent of four shields, one at each corner. In the centre of the slab is a brass plate with tliis inscription : — "Sub isto saxo timulat' corpus Ste^^h'i Payne armiger', fil' et hered' uiclii' Payne, arm', quond' seueschali hujus monasterii, qui obiit xiijg die mens' Decembris : Anno D'ni MCCCCOVIJ ; cujus a'ie p'piciet' altissimus D'e Amen." Stephen Payne, Seneschal of the Abbey of Shaftesbury, held, says Hutchins, liv. SHAFTESBURY MEETING. "seven messuages, three gardens in Shaston, of the Abbess ; forty acres of land in Bellchalwel of the Earl of Northumberland ; and seventy-eight acres in the hundred of Alcester, of the Abbot of Evesham, by rent of five shillings. In the east window of the church is some old stained glass ; one shield bears the emblem of the Trinity, another of the Five Wounds of the Passion ; the third shield bears the arms of Eitzj^mes of Lenston :— Azure, a dolphin embowed or, impaling. Bendy of eight or and azure, within a bordure of the first (Newburgh of Wiufrith). The arms on the fourth shield are :— Quarterly 1 and 4, Argent, a barrulet gules, between four bars gemelles wavy azure ; 2 and 3, Argent, a chevron gules, between three castles sable. On the floor of the nave are two memorial slabs, the one to Walter Barnes who died in 1707, the other also to a Walter Barnes who died in 1722. The font dates from the 15th Century, and is of Purbeck marble, which has been barbarously painted. The altar table and alms box date back to the 17th and the pulpit, with sounding board, to the ISth Century. Ranged round the walls of the church are a number of carved bench ends and some linen-fold panelling. The roofs of nave and north aisle are late Perpendicular work, and are covered with lead. In the east end of the south aisle is a doorway blocked up, and beneath this aisle is a crypt at present used for a cellar. The south wall of the tower has been pierced with a lancet window at a height of four feet from the ground. This is now blocked up. Possibly the inn which abuts against this side of the tower was of old the priest's house. Externally, perhaps, the finest feature of the church is the pierced stone parapet of the north aisle. Carved on shields are the Tudor rose, pomegranate, portcullis, &c., which enable us to date the work with certainty to the early part of the 16th Century. The Abbey. By way of the narrow passage between the church and the Town Hall, Mr. Doran Webb conducted the party over Gold Hill to the site of the Abbey, which is now being excavated. Here, addressing the party, he informed them that they were on the site of the old church founded in honour of Our Lady and St. Edward, King and Martyr, as long ago as the loth century. The portion of ground they were now standing on was the choir of the Abbey Church, and on cither side they had the two choir aisles. The north aisle, excavated last year, was apsidal internally and square externally, and compared with the choir aisles of Romsey Abbey. The south aisle, excavated this year, was much wider than the north, and had evidently SHAFTESBURY MEETING. Iv. been extended at a later date, the work being begun in about the 15th century. The vantage ground on which he was stand- ing to speak was the top altar step, and they saw behind him the base of the high altar and the reredos at the back of it. The east end of the church was apsidal both internally and externally, and of apsidal churches there were but few in England. Norwich was perhaps the only large church of that date remaining un- altered of all the abbey churches of that shape which were built or rebuilt immediately after the Norman Conquest. The parts of the transepts that they had excavated and the whole body of the nave were on the other side of the wall. The width from transept to transept was 114 feet, larger than Worcester Cathedral and much larger than Wells. He pointed out the crypt. Over it must have been a large chapel, and he gave his reasons for believing that it was the chapel in which stood the tomb of King Edward the Martyr. The greater part of the tile paving remained in situ, and the earth had been left on most of the tiles tem- porarily for their protection during the progress of the excavations. In the north aisle the tiles displayed heraldic devices, and on them they would see the arms of the IMontacutes, the De Brions, Talbots, and Fitzjamcs's. Of the large quantity of carved stone found during the course of the excavations by far the greater part was now stored in the Town Hall. That very morn- ing they made a most interesting find — some Purbeck marble caps and bases used in an old shaft formed after the destruction of the abbey at the end of the south transept. He pointed out two rather deep graves. One when opened contained a skeleton with the nails and a portion of the wood of a coffin. The other contained very small bits of bone, the back portion of a skull, and also a gold ring which- once had a stone in it, although the stone was now gone. In the earth that came out of this coffin a lady (Miss Oliver) found a leaden bulla bearing the name of Pope Martin V. and on the other side the heads of SS. Peter and Paul. There were besides in the grave 14 bronze pinsof varying length, doubtless used to secure the vestment round the body when it was interred. It appeared that the clay used for puddling the Ivi. SHAFTESBURY MEETING. bottom of the graves, clay which did not belong to the neigh- bourhood, had had the peculiar property of destroying every vestige of the bodies deposited in them. Above the church used to rise a most magnificent and lofty tower and spire, which were said to rival those of Salisbury Cathedral in grandeur and beauty. The party then proceeded, under the conduct of Mr. Doran Webb, the IMayor of Shaston, and Mr. H. C. Forrester, to walk over the excavations. While the party were inspecting the tiles Mr. Doran Webb pointed out the winged griffin, which he stated to be the earliest paving tile of that type made in England at about the close of the 13th century. The party descended into the thoroughly-excavated crypt, 16 feet below the level of the ground, where, as he pointed out, there were two bays and two windows on the north side to admit light. The groyne springs are still picturesquely in siiu at the four corners. Mr. Doran Webb here mentioned a remarkable find that greatly strengthens his theory that a noble chapel to St. Edward, King and Martyr, once stood over the crypt. A twisted spiral Byzantine column was found in the floor of the crypt — the rarest thing they had found, the counter part of which could only be seen in Westminster Abbey or St. Alban's. This column probably supported originally a similar column and a baldachino in the chapel above, where was the tomb of the murdered monarch. In the crypt were found a large number of brachycephalous skulls, belonging to a race that inhabited the country possibly 5,000 years ago. Most of the skulls showed the indent of a fracture apparently made by some stone weapon. He conjectured that these skulls belonged to bodies of neolithic men, who were buried at the headland. Then, when during the Civil War earthworks were thrown up upon the head- land, probably the workers, finding these skulls and wishing to deposit them in some convenient sacred place, carted them away and threw them down the crypt windows into the crypt. The plastering of the walls of the crypt indicated that it was used as a chapel. The old abbey, Mr. Webb stated in answer SHAFTESBURY MEETING. Ivii. to enquiries, was built mostly of Chilmark stone and local Greensand. The party were conducted from the Abbey to St. John's House to inspect an interesting Cross standing in the grounds. The cross has a lofty shapely shaft in which are set two panels carved in alabaster, now covered with glass for their better protection ; the lower panel represents the Holy Trinity ; in the upper one our Lord is represented in a vesica piscis supported by two angels. On returning townwards the members visited I\Ir. Grove's house, as it is styled in the map of 1615, in Bimport Street. It has happily escaped much alteration and is an excellent specimen of a town house of the early part of the 1 6th century, and contains some good carved chimney pieces probably of late 1 6th century date. They then entered Holy Trinity Churchyard to see the shaft of an old cross (now surmounted by a modern head). The church itself is modern, erected on the site of the ancient church from designs by Sir Gilbert Scott. From thence' the party were conducted to The Town Hall. In the Town Hall, built in 1827, are preserved in an oak chest, the borough muniments, a report upon which, with abstracts from many of the more important deeds, has been published by the Rev. C. Mayo. In the Council Chamber is a good specimen of the Winchester standard bushel, measuring eighteen inches and five-eighths in diameter by eight and a- half inches in depth. It bears in bold raised letters the following inscription:— "LEWIS EVANS MAYOR OF THE BURROWGH OF SHASTON 1670." The Corporation of Shaftesbury are the fortunate owners of two of the oldest maces in the County of Dorset. These maces, which measure seven- teen and a-half inches in length, terminate at the butt end in an iron grip with flanges, the grip being three inches in length. Both of the shafts have a moulded boss in the middle with plain moulded bands above and below. The head of each mace is Iviii. SilAFTESBURY MEETING. surmounted with a beaten silver cresting enclosing a flat cap charged with a shield of arms. The cap of one mace, which measures two and a-half inches in diameter, bears the date 1604, the initials J. R. [for James the First] and the Ro)'al Arms ; the cap of the other, which measures two and a-quarter inches in diameter, is a shield divided into three ; in the first division are the Arms of France and England, in the middle those of the Abbey of St. Edward the Martvr, and in the third division is the old town coat of Shaftesbury. The town seal bears the date 1570- The party dined at Grosvenor Hotel. Mr. Hudleston took the chair, and was supported by the Mayor, the Hon. Sec, Canon Ravenhill, and the Rector. After dinner, and the usual toasts, the business of the meeting was transacted ; the three candidates proposed for membership at the last meeting were elected, and six candidates were proposed. Leaving the dining table shortly before 8.30, the company wended their way to the Town Hall, where Mr. Doran Webb gave an interesting lecture on Shaftesbury, illustrated by lantern slides. The lecture was much appreciated by the audience. At its conclusion the company were hospitably entertained at tea by the Mayor and Mayoress. On Tuesday the party left at 9 a.m., in three brakes, for an excursion to Wilts. The first halting place was at Castle Rings, where Mr. Doran Webb addressed them. It was, he said, a Eoman camp like Gelli Gear in Wales. General Pitt-Eiveis believed that they had there the Eoman station of Shaftesbury. The one weak side was defended by the ditch and rampart, which had been much ploughed down. The shape of the camp was a rectangle, but with the corners rounded off. Pointing to the fair stretch of pasture land lightly timbered, Mr. Doran Webb reminded the party of how altered the physical conditions were from the time when this district was completely covered by the dense Forest of Gillingham, which was certainly in existence until the end of the 12th Century. On the ploughed surface of the interior of this camp several members found a few flint implements and a number of flakes. SllAFTESBURY MEETING. llX. Mr. Hudleston then spoke on The Geology of the District. The plateau on which the Club were standing consisted of the Upper Greensand, an excessively porous formation about 150 feet thick in that district, with the Gault clay underlying it and holding up the water which it contained. Thus about 25 feet of the lowest beds of the Greensand was filled with water, while the upper beds were dry. The Upper Greensand was the middle member of the Cretaceous series here, the Chalk being the upper member (he pointed to the Chalk hills in the distance) and the Blue Gault at the bottom of the steep escarpment the lower member of the series in that region. The Cretaceous series rested upon the Jurassic found in the vale below, and as the dip of the Jurassic beds was somewhat sharper than that of the Cretaceous beds they came upon fresh Jurassic series as they went eastward. For instance, here the Cretaceous beds rested upon the Kimmeridge clay. Further on they rested on the Portland sands, then on the Portland stone, then on the Purbeck beds, and last of all on the Wealden. All of these ^vere developed in the Vale of Wardour. Drawing attention to the physiography of the region, he reminded them that the whole of the beautiful landscape before them was the result of what geologists called rain and rivers. It had been sculptured out entirely by the atmospheric agents acting upon the land raised up by certain architectonic forces. The Vale of Wardour was remarkable in that respect, and was one of three systems of east and west folding. This vale was an uprise or anticlinal axis, and along that axis the excavation of the Vale of Wardour had been developed. On the north end of the anticlinal the beds dipped as much as 20 degrees, whereas on the south side they dipped only about five degrees. There was also a permanent easterly dip of all these beds. They were then at an elevation of about 700 feet above sea-level. At Castle Ditches the elevation was about 600 feet — still on the Upper Greensand — SHAFTESBURY MEETING. while at a point on the railway between Dinton and Wilton these beds, so elevated here, were only just above the line there, perhaps 200 feet above sea-level. That had an important bearing upon the water supply of the district. Nearly all the water came out towards the south and the east. Consequently they had a wretched little stream, the Sem, formed by the escarpment water, whereas a very fine river, the Nadder or Don, came out at Donhead, becoming the principal stream of the valley. The anticlinal structure of that valley ran parallel with the anticlinal structure of the great Purbeck Hill, which had a corresponding anticlinal fold, but of much greater power and influence in the structure of the South of England than the Vale of Wardour. And there was a third, the Vale of Pewsey, in which Devizes was situated. Those three anticlinal axes governed the stratigraphical features of that part of the South of England. The speaker further remarked that it had been suggested there was something peculiar in the stratigraphy of the district, but he hoped to show, on the arrival of the party at Donhead, that there was nothing out of the normal. As he had already remarked, this was a land of springs, and Donhead was one of the points at which the Gault threw out the water that percolated down from the Greensand above it. The Gault there was a rather exceptional bit of exposure. In the rectory garden the surface of the Gault was 538 feet above Ordnance datum. A little lower the Gault was only 370 feet above Ordnance datum; and Canon Short thought this circumstance indicated something peculiar in the stratigraphy of Donhead. But, when one reflected upon the prevailing dip of the Greensand and Gault and all the Cretaceous Beds in the region to the south-east, one found nothing abnormal. In 3,000 feet there was a fall of 168 feet — a fall of one in 18, equal to three degrees, and this could not be regarded as an excessive dip, considering the locality. Thus, the idea which seemed to have been entertained of unusual disturbance of the ground in this locality could not be regarded as having any foundation in fact. At SHAFTESBURY iVIEfiTING. 1x1. DONHEAD S. jMaRY, the next halting place, the Club was received by the Rector, Canon Short, who led them into the Rectory, where a large collection of Neolithic flint implements was exhibited and some specimens of Romano-British pottery, a quantity of which had been lately discovered in the village. A curious feature of the church which the Club inspected was a Holy Table, so con- structed that by a telescopic arrangement it could be increased to more than twice its usual size. At Berwick S. John the Rector took the members to the church, rebuilt in iS6o, which contains stone effigies in chain armour of Sir Robert Lucy and John Hussey. From thence they drove on to NORRINGTON MaNOR HoUSE, which Parker thus describes : — " A tolerably perfect manor house of the loth Century with the hall and porch perfect. The hall windows are good Perpendicular, and the doorway of the porch has a fine set of mouldings with shafts and deep hollows." From Norrington the Club drove through Ansty to Old Wardour Castle, an account of which will be found in Vol. XV. of the Club's transactions, and, by kind permission of Lord Arundel, the members inspected the modern residence of the Earls of Arundel and the treasures of art which the house contains. Leaving Wardour, the Club drove on to Tisbury, where the Rector, the Rev. F. E. Hutchinson, hospitably provided tea for the party, who soon after dispersed. -^^ ixii. MILTON ABBEY MEETING. The second meeting of the summer session was held at Milton Abbey on Thursday, Aug. 6th, and was well attended, nearly loo tickets having been issued for it. The members assembled at Dorchester and at Blandford, and drove from these places in carriages, meeting at Rawlesbury Rings on Bulbarrow about noon. Here the President (Lord Eustace Cecil) joined the party. After the Hon. Sec. had said a few words about the earthwork which covers nearly eight acres of ground, and, like some other Celtic camps, contains evidence of Roman occupation, the President adverted to the surmise of Hutchins that the first sj-llable indicates the sun-god Baal, to whom temples were erected on the summits of hills. Dr. Colley March suggested, as an alternative theory, that the prefix "bull" was a sign of magnitude, as in the word bullrush, the great sedge ; and the examples bull-buttercup the marsh marigold, bull-daisy the ox-eye, bullstang the dragon-fly, and bull-frog the large batrachian of America, were afterwards added. After luncheon, which the members brought with them, the party drove to Delacombe House, which is said to have belonged to the Abbot of Milton. The farm house contains many archi- tectural evidences of 15th and i6th Century work, and bears over an archway, which seems to have been rebuilt at some time, a stone carved with the Milton rebus, a mill over a tun, with the date 15 15. Mounting their carriages, the members then drove to the parish church of Milton Abbas where they were met and welcomed by the Vicar, the Rev. H. Pentin. The church which was built a hundred years ago out of the stone and timber of the old Abbey tithe barn contains very little that is ancient. There is however a thirteenth century font on a fifteenth century step (the latter probably not made for it). The font, the Vicar stated, was brought from the Abbey. The pulpit is also supposed to have come thence, as well as two of the bells. MILTON ABBEY MEETING. Ixiii. "The Abbey registers, dating from le.^l, are kept in the iron chest in the vestry. The old books, which are preserved in this church, and are mentioned in ' Hutchins,' are not a part of Tregonwell's bequest to the Abbey church in the year 1680 (Tregonwell's books are kept in the Vicarage study), but they are ' the gift of John Chappell, Citizen and Staconer of London, January 1, 1G32.' These consist of three elaborately-bound volumes (in black letter) of Fox's ' Acts and Monuments of the Christian Martyrs,' each of which has a chain thereon and also a brass plate with the donor's name. These were formerly in the Abbey church. The Communion plate, which is displayed on the altar, and which consists of two large silver flagons, a chalice, and a large and a small paten, was given to Milton Abbey by the aforesaid ' John Chappell, Sitteson and Stationer of Loudon, 16o7,' and 'Mary Savage, 1658,' and ' Mad dam Jane Tregonwell, widdow, 1675.' There are also two pewter plates stamped ' Compton, London.' The one with the cover was probably used for the bread for Communion, the other for collecting the alms. These plates are comparatively modern, and I would not have mentioned them were it not for the fact that the study of church pewter is no longer despised." JNIr. Pentin then conducted the club to St. Catherine's Chapel on the hill above the Abbey. The legend associated with the chapel is related in Vol. iv., p. 79, in the paper " On Milton Church," by the Rev. R. Roberts, late vicar. Mr. Pentin gave some further particulars of this chapel. Ixiv. MiLTOi^ ABBEY MEETING. " Chapels on the top of a hill were often dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria on account of the legend which tells that St. Catherine's body was buried by angels on Mount Sinai. Other instances elsewhere of this dedication with its connection still remain {e.g., St. Catherine's Chapel at Abbotsbury in this county). The little church so dedicated at Milton did its work in Saxon times, and then underwent a considerable restoration in Norman days. It also underwent a lesser restoration in the early part of the 16th century. As it stands at present, it consists of a nave and chancel, measuring in all about 60 feet long and 20 feet broad. The main walls (which are very thick) and the door arches are Norman. On the west jamb of the south door is a curious and rare inscription relating to an ' Indulgeucia ;' * on the east jamb is an ancient incised consecration cross. The west front was taken down for some reason in the 18th century and an imitation Norman front erected, and at this time an effigy of a monk in his habit (lying along and resting on his liauds, looking down at the Abbey below), was destroyed. Some paintings also perisl;ed at this time. The chancel was also partly rebuilt and the roof heightened, but the Transition- Norman chancel arch was preserved. On the south side of the altar is a pedestal for a statue. The encaustic tiles in the chancel were removed from MUton Abbey in the year 1865. Some of these ancient tiles are heraldic and contain the arms of the see of Exeter, the Earls of Cornwall, Gloucester, and Hertford, and others (three lions passant, a shield vaire, another checquee, three swans, a cross between four lions rampant within a bordure engrailed). A tile, manufactured at Malvern, has an inscription and date 1456. Besides all these there are two knights ou horseback (one with a spear, the other with a sword), a stag and hound, a dog in front of a tree, a star with six points, and other more ordinary patterns. In pre-Refoi-mation days King Athelstan's Chapel was used by the monks of Milton, and was also largely visited by pilgrims who came to claiui the ' indulgence ' pertaining to ' this holy place.' But, after the Reformation, it was allowed to decny and to become desecrated. In the 18th century there is a record that it was being used as a pigeon-house. Then, when more houses were needed in the parish, the ' Chapel Royal ' was turned into a labourer's cottage ; the interior was whitewashed and a ceiling added ; the chancel became a bedroom and the nave a living room, with a kitchen grate and chimney affixed. After- wards the little church was used as a carpenter's workshop, and then as a lumber store. But, in 1901, the neglected chapel was cleaned out ; and, through the generosity of the Lord of the Manor of Milton (Mr. Everard Hambro), the building is now being most conservatively restored. Thus, the little church, which commemorates a very critical event in the early history of England, is being saved from further desecration and decay, and King Athelstan's Chapel of St. Catherine will once again be used as a House of God while remaining a valuable historic relic of Saxon days." *• The inscription will be given in fac simile with notes in the next volume of the "Transactions." — Ed. milton abbey meeting. ixv. The Abrey Church. Descending the hill and passing through the well-kept grounds, the party entered the Abbey Church. Here they seated themselves, and the Vicar, mounting the pulpit addressed them Aems of the as follows on some points of interest not Abbots of Milton, mentioned in " Hutchins ":— Hutchins, the Dorset county laistoriaii, was at one time curate of this church. He thus vn:ote very fully concerning it, and his editors in the later editions have been equally generous. But there are certain points of interest which are not mentioned, even in the latest edition of all, and some of these omissions I propose to bring before the Club this afternoon. Three churches have stood on this site. First of all there was the Saxon church founded in or about the year a.d. 938 by Iving Athelstan, in gratitude to God for the Divine encouragement given to him on Milton Hill. Of the dimensions of this Saxon church we have no account. The chief record relating to it is that it was very rich in shrines and relics. We do know, however, that a very fine Norman Abbey stood on this site. It has been conjectured (and with some reason) that its size was that of the present choir and presbytery. Perhaps it was even longer, for when excavations were being made at the west end of the present church in 1865 a number of large fragments of Norman masonry were dug up (which fragments are now carefully preserved in the north transept). These, in themselves, show that the Nonnan Abbey was a noble building. And in the third and in the sixth bay on the south side of the present presbytery is an openhig, in each case containing the remains of an enriched Norman arch. These are portions of the Norman Abbey which were not burnt down in 1309 with the rest of the building. And the probable reason why there are only four arches on each side of the presbytery, instead of six, is because portions of the Norman Abbey are encased in the present thick walls. That Milton Abbey, at one time in its history, had three spires is well- nigh certain. In the ancient painting of King Athelstan (in the present church) the King is giving to the head of the monastery a church with three spu'es. And in the 13th Century seal of the Abbey, "the Church of Middleton " is again represented with three spii-es. Of the building of the present chui'ch I will say nothing, except that it was started in 132'2, and building operations went on from time to time up to within a few years of the Dissolution. And here it may be recorded that, after the Dissolution, the Abbey Church became the parish church, and so remained until the year 1786, when it became the private chapel of the Lord of the Manor ; but in the year 1865 the late Baron Hambro not only restored the church for the service of God, but vested it in trustees for the benefit of the vicar and parishioners, and Divine service is held here every Sunday throughout the year. And now we turn to some of the chief portions of the church, IXVl. MILTON ABBEY MEETING. The Peesbyteby. — Some fragments, supposed to be original portions of the altar screen, have been found (they are lying in the south transept), including parts of the original inscription. The present inscription on the screen, with its date 1492, may be therefore a copy. The portion of a saint's statue, found with the other fragments, confirms the tradition that the original niches were filled with figures. The irons which remain in the screen may have been connected with a Tabernacle. Above the screen is the dwarfed east window, which con- tains the only old glass in the church. There are the arms of King Athelstan with his motto, " Spes mea in Deo est," and also several shields impaled and quartered, of which I have obtained full heraldic particulars, but have not yet been able to trace all their owners (Hussey and Chideock are two of the families represented). There is the monogram " W.M." and crosier of Abbot Middleton, and also his monogram " W.," with a crosier and three rudders. This latter appears twice. There is also a monk kneeling in a dark blue habit ; and there are angels, roses, leaves, and other devices. The hooks in the wall above the pulpit and vicar's desk may have been connected with the Lenten veil. The Ladye Chapel, behind the high altar, probably had three bays. Some of its columns can be seen outside, and between two of them are the arms of Sir John Tregonwell, in whose time the Ladye Chapel was ^lulled down. The Choir. — The queen represented in the painting under the canopied stall on the east side of the rood-loft is not the wife of Athelstan, for he was never married. It very possibly represents his mother, Amphelisa (or Egwynca), whose bones were buried in the church. On the west face of the rood-loft, on the north side of the entrance, is a small recess about one foot in depth, and on the south side is a consecration cross on one of the stones. In considering these things it is well to remember that the rood-loft is partly built up of fragments from various parts of the church. The bosses in the choir and presbytery are of very rich design. The first one is of a bearded man with bare feet and loose short garment, holding an orb in his left hand. The third is composed of two sei'pents with remarkable heads, each biting the other's body. The fourth is of an archbishop (full length) in full pontificals, in the act of blessing, holding a cross in his left hand (possibly this represents Archbishop Dunstan of Canterbury, through whose influence the Collegiate Church of Milton became an Abbey) ; and the fifth is a head with closed eyes and open mouth showing three teeth. The other three bosses are of leaves. NoETH Aisle. — A fragment of St. John Baptist's Chapel has been discovered, bearing the words SCS. JOHES BAP. . . This fragment is preserved, with others, in the south transept. The doorway in the easternmost bay of this aisle is probably post-Keformation. The fine brass of Sir John Tregonwell (1565) bears traces of having once been coloured. The middle door in the aisle was supposed to have led into a chapel, which was destroyed in 1737. More likely this was the sacristy, which would have measured about 25 feet long and 12 feet broad. The wall-ribs of it can be seen outside the church. The door- way nearest the north transept most probably led into a side chapel. A grave slab, dated 1711, in this aisle— that of "John Clevees" (or, as it should be, MILTON ABBEY MEETING. Ixvii. Cleeves) is worthy of notice on account of the two skulls and hour-glass carved thereon. Dr. Christison, of the Scottish Society of Antiquaries, an authority on monumental carvings, states that these skulls rival in rudeness anything of the kind which he has seen in Scotland or elsewhere. And this is saying a good deal. The bosses in this aisle are very fine. The first is of King Athelstan, who is holding in his hands a wreath of leaves above his head. The second is of St. Michael, winged, holding a shield in his left hand and spear in his right (this boss shows traces of red and blue colouring). The third is of a bishop in the act of blessing, with a crosier in his left hand. The fourth is a head with open mouth, out of each side of which issues foHage. The sixth is like the one in the presbytery — containing the two sei"pents. The other two bosses are of leaves. South Aisle. — In the vestry are two oil paintings supposed to represent Gabriel and the Blessed Virgin. The remains of the alabaster marble altar are preserved in this aisle. There are several large marble grave slabs forming part of the flooring. Some of these have inscriptions on them and some have not. Those slabs which have none have possibly beeu reversed, and the inscriptions may be on the other side. One slab shows the matrix of a small brass. In the north walls of this aisle there are two recesses which Hutchins does not mention — an elaborately coloured canopied niche under the rebus of Abbot Middleton, and a small segmental headed opening, the use of which is unknown. A semi- octagonal coloured bracket at the rear of the middle seat of the sediha is also unmeutioned. North Teansept. — This is shorter than the south transept. The buildings on the north of it (the chapter-house and surroundings) prevented it being longer. In this transept are collected various fragments of cof&ns and grave slabs, also fragments of the Norman Abbey and other early work. (It may be mentioned that on several of the Norman fragments are incised crosses of different design.) A conjectural translation of the imperfect Norman-French inscription on the portion of the incised slab of Abbot " Walter de Sydelinge " is :— " You who pass tliis way, pray for the soul of him who rests here : you who seek for mercy, read your pardon here." This translation was found in a manuscript account of the Abbey, and it is certainly ingenious. The next slab to Sydelinge's has an iascrip- tion which is indecipherable ; and there is another slab here with the brass ripped off. The monogram " L. T." appears twice in the roofing, but the owner of the initials is not known. Against the north wall of the transept can be seen outside (I now quote from a recent article on the Abbey by Mr. Eoland Paul) " the remains of a vaulted slype of four bays, and on the west side are the foundations of a large staircase turret which was e\'idently connected with the doorway still visible in the north face of the western buttress. This buttress has been repaired in later times, and on its west face are the names of the churchwardens and the date 1683. The greater part of the adjacent buttress facing north is probably of the same date. The whole points to the probable existence of a staircase leading to the dormitory on the upper level over the slype, chapter-house, and other buildings which must have existed here." Ixviii. MILTON AP.P.EY MEETING. The Ceossing. — The crossing contains the arms of King Athelstau, Milton Abbey, Cerne Abbey, and the families of Bingham, Latimer, Morton, Coker, and others. The tower which rises on the crossing is bereft of its ancient bells, and has modern ones in their place. The old tenor l)ell is not at Walcot, Bath, as stated in " Hutchins." The only old bells of the Abbey whose resting place is certainly known are the two preserved in the tower of St. James' Church in tins parish, and they bear the inscriptions " ND : A : 6751," with six fleur-de-lis, and " SANG. TA. IHO. HAN. NES," with a cross on an E. South Teansept. — In the south angle of this transept are the only remains of the two altars which once existed here. In the south wall is a piscina of Decorated date, and from the east wall projects the remains of a panelled wall of Perpendicular date with a piscina and a small "credence" near its west end. In addition to the arms and devices in the roof mentioned by Hutchins, there is a monogram " T," the head of a king, the head and shoulders of a queen, and the arms of Coker. In this transept are gathered together many stone fragments which were formerly behind the altar screen and under the boarded floor of the rood loft. These fragments, some of which are richly coloured in gold, green, blood red, and pale blue, give some idea of the beauty of the interior of the Abbey in pre-Eeformation days. There are parts of the niches of the original altar screen, and also a portion of a statue which filled one of the niches. On six of the fragments is lettering, and on three of them are the words "animabus," ** hoc," and " sumptibus," which words also appear on the copied inscription on the present screen, but the wording on the other three fragments is more difficult to decipher, and, as far as it can be made out, it does not agree with the inscription on the great screen, nor is the lettering in this case painted on Ham Hill stone. Other fragments appear to have been portions of altar cornices, side chapels, chantry shrines, and the like. There are also some of the old tiles of the Abbey, There is the upper portion of a statue of St. James with his pilgrim's staff, book, scrip and hat, with its escallop shell, and also a winged figure holding the portion of a scroll with an indistinct inscription. But I must not say any more. The fragments in this church really deserve a paper to themselves, and if some learned member of the club would undertake to write it I should be very pleased to offer him any of the little help which it might be in my power to give. The Vicar then leaving the pulpit conducted the members to various parts of the Abbey and pointed out the chief features of interest. The reredos, partly renewed at the restoration of the church ; the ancient silver cross of foreign workmanship, presented to the church last year by Mr. Hambro ; the piscina and sedilia in the sanctuary taken from Abbot INIiddlcton's shrine in the south transept. The marble grave slab of Abbot Walter (in front of the altar) which it was suggested covers the grave of Abbot Walter Archer, MILTON AHBEY MEETING. who died in 141 8 ; the paintings of King Athelstan and a queen, probably his mother ; the tomb of Sir John Tregonwell who died in 1565 ; the site of S. John Baptist's Chapel, the party walls of which were removed in Wyatt's restoration in 1789. The ancient carved case in the form of a church spire. Ixx. MILTON ABREY MEETING, supposed to be a tabernacle for the reservation of the Host, but on examination, when the Royal Archaeological Institute visited the Abbey in 1897, found to contain fittings for a bell. A 15th century niche, probably for a statue, in the south transept, with the Milton rebus let in over it at some subsequent time, of which the carved canopy and mouldings have been cut off level with the wall ; not far ofif a larger opening has been treated in the same way. The latter may have been used for heart burial, and may have contained a miniature recumbent figure as at Mappowder (Vol. XV., p. xxxix.). An incised sepulchral slab with an inscription in Longobard lettering, probably relating to one of the Abbots of INIilton. This will be illustrated and fully discussed in the next year's volume. In the vestry the wall-slab of John Tregonwell (1680) was noticed. It mentions that " by his last will and testament he gave all the books within this vestry to the use of this Abbey Churcl"! for ever, in thankful acknowledgment of God's wonderful mercy in his preservation when he fell from the top of this church." The books, some of which have chains on them, are ancient editions of the fathers and other black-letter books of divinity ; but for many years they have been kept in the vicarage study instead of in the vestry. The staircase turret, and blocked-up doorway leading to the old dormitories over the slype which once existed here were next pointed out by the Vicar, and also the rib-walls of the sacristy and the columns of the Lady Chapel. This concluded the examination of the Abbey Church. On their way to the house to tea, on the kind invitation of Mr. Everard Hambro, the owner of the Mansion, some of the members lingered to admire the beautifully-carved Italian well head near the entrance to the house. After tea, by which the members were greatly refreshed, the business meeting was held in the great Hall, the refectory of the Ancient Abbey, in which the old carved oak screen, dated 1498, still stands. The noble President expressed gratification at the unqualified success of the day's proceedings, and uttered the MILTON ARP.EY MEETING. Ixxi. thanks of the members to Mr. Everard Hambro for throwing open to them his beautiful house and grounds, and also for his \\'elcome hospitality, and to the Vicar (Mr. Pentin) for having so ably conducted the party over the sacred building. The Hon. Secretary stated that the last meeting of the season would be held on Tuesday, September 22nd, when the Club would visit Stalbridge and Fifehead Neville. The eight candidates proposed at the last meeting were then elected by ballot, and three candidates were proposed, and at 5.45 the conveyances left for the Blandford and Dorchester railway stations. Ixxii. FIFEHEAD NEVILLE MEETING. The last of the summer meetings of the Chib, which was held on Tuesday, September 22nd, was well attended. The members and their friends assembled at Shillingstone Station soon after midday and drove thence to the church, passing on the way the ancient base of the village cross, which has recently been repaired and renewed by the addition of a canopied head of fifteenth century character, in keeping with the old work, and the site of a lofty maypole that was removed only a few years ago and that was devoted, as its inscription of 1850 declared, to a pious function : Pinus m aelos indicet alta viam. At the church the Club were courteously received by the Rev. R. G. Bartelot, the missioner in charge ; but, instead of the ancient church which the Club had expected to see, the building, which was opened after restoration in IMay last, now presents the appearance internally of a newly-built modern church. In the course of the restoration some ancient work unfor- tunately suffered. A 13th century piscina and an aumbry, the latter from the description of it somewhat rude in construction, were destroyed, and two brackets of 13th or 14th century date were sawn oif. It was reported that two ancient square-headed windows of the Early English period were also destroyed and new ones substituted for them ; the architect, in reply to enquiries on the subject, stated that the windows " were obviously modern and extremely ugly." The ancient windows doubtless existed in 1866, when the last edition of Hutchins' " Dorset " was published, for it is there stated that painted glass was about to be inserted in them ; in all probability it was found that the stonework of the old windows was too rotten to bear cutting for the new glass, and that they were then replaced by the windows which have been lately removed. These were of no historic, architectural, or archaeological value, and have been replaced by windows which are good in design and work- manship. FIFEHEAD NEVILLE MEETING. Ixxiii. A rumour was current that the tomb of the founder of the church had also been removed ; the architect states that no tomb was removed. The tomb of the founder had certainly disappeared from the church before 1866, and at that time there seems to have been no tradition of the date when this barbarous act was perpetrated. In the vestry INIr. Bartelot pointed out an incised stone slab with a head flanked on the one side by a figure of the sun and on the other the moon. "These figures," the Hon. Sec. said, '•' are especially interesting as an instance of the application of emblems originally pagan to Christian purposes. Thus the Solar God, under the auspices of Christianity, signifies the Sun of Righteousness and the moon the Virgin IMary, instead of Juno or Diana. In modern Roman Catholic pictures the Virgin is sometimes represented standing on the moon." The introduction of the sun symbol into Christianity may have been due to Constantine, who, before his conversion to Christianity, as a follower of Mithras, was a worshipper of the sun. Leaving the church, the party drove to Okeford Fitzpaine, where the Rev. C. A. Phillips, son of the Rev. J. H. Phillips, the Rector, read a paper on and showed some fragments of the ancient font, of which a full drawing had been prepared ; and some portions of the fine rood screen, of which "each panel was ornamented with tracery, a central quatrefoil, whose inner featherings coalesce to form square paterce." j\Ir. Phillips stated that the Rev. Duke Butler, rector, made an entry in the register in 1766 to the effect that at the time of some considerable restoration to the roof, a pulpit of Damory oak was erected, and the former one of stone converted into a font for baptism. ' ' This refers to the upper part of the present pulpit. It was used as a font, standing close to the west pier of the north arcade till the last restoration of 18U5, Ixxiv. PlPEHfiAn NEVILLE MEETING. when it was restored to its proper use, and re-illuminated by the help of Hutchins' note. The churchyard is kept up out of the road at the east end by a wall. Thirty years ago this was still of small rough stones laid one on top of another flat-wise and without mortar. Pieces of the wall have since fallen out into the road from time to time, and been rebuilt. The last piece on the north side came down this spring, and it was then that these fragments of a medieval font were found on the road, and just inside where the wall had been. They so nan-owly escaped being built in again that it is probable that most of the rest was built in when the other adjacent pieces of the wall fell out. The remains of the rood screen were preserved in 1865 by the care of Mr. Louis Loder, then clerk of the parish. Mr. George Loder, the present clerk, has kindly made a rough sketch of the screen as it was standing at that time. The tiles in the sacrarium are copies of ancient tiles found in the foundations of the chancel. Three or four of the ancient tiles are placed on the steps." INIr. W. Miles Barnes expressed regret at the old stonework having been retooled. The Roman Villa at Fifehead Neville. Then the party resumed the journey to Fifehead. A mosaic floor, i3|ft. by iiAft., was found here in 1880, and in a communication to the Society of Antiquaries was thus described : — " The design consists of a sort of vase in the centre ; next, a ring of fishes like gurnets ; and next, a ring of four sea-monsters like dolphins, which is set in a square. The colours and materials used are these: 1st, the main part of the ground of hard white clunch; 2nd, a bright red of terra-cotta; 3rd, brown of soft argillaceous pebbles from a neighbouring stream ; 4th, bluish-grey of Purbeck marble. The tesserae average §-inch square, and are set on a thick bed of cement." Much pottery and iron objects, such as roofing-nails, spear-heads, and ring staples, were found ; bronze objects, such as ear-rings, fibulte, and keys ; two bracelets and a large bead of Kimmeridge clay ; bones of the deer and horse, tusks of the wild boar, and shells of the oyster, cockle, and edible snail ; and a large number of coins. These last are of third brasses, of Probus, Carinus, and Constantinus Maximus and his son; ranging, therefore, from a.d. 276 to A.D. 340. Here the Rev. G. H. Engleheart, F.S.A., who conducted the members over the villa, read the valuable paper, which is printed on page 172. In reply to questions addressed to him, Mr. Engleheart said FIFEllEAiD NEVtLLE MEETInG. Ixxv. The coins found on the site Tcauged from 150 a.d. to 400 — the regular series that one always found on sucli sites. They could not date the house by the coins. One coin found, bearing the word " Constantinopolis," was especially interesting, heljiiug them as it did to bridge the long period of time that had elapsed since people lived in that \alla, with its fresh floors and coloured walls. In 330 Constantine the Great, having founded the City of Constantinople on the site of the ancient Byzantium, removed his Court to it from Rome and made it his capital, and, solemnly dedicating it, struck commemorative coins, of which this was one. Constantinople continued for upwards of 1,100 years, until in 1473 it was taken by the Turks. He suggested that the floor of one of the rooms had been broken up by thieves searching for booty supposed to be concealed in the hypocaust beneath it. A few members visited the spring not far off, from which the villa is supposed to have derived its water supply. The fall from the spring to the villa is so slight that the water might easily have been conveyed thence to a cistern near the villa by wooden pipes with iron collars, such as have been found at Silchester, and thence distributed to all parts of the villa by means of leaden pipes ; evidences of the use of both kinds of pipes have been found in the excavations. The water of the spring is said to be warm. The villa covered a large extent of ground. The portion uncovered, Mr. Engleheart stated, was 150 feet in length, and this was only one wing of the house. Mr. Moule, in a letter to the Dorset County C/z/y/z/VA', September 28th, after this meeting of the Club, stated that " in Dorchester there were Roman tesselated floors in situ which seem to show that the house to which they belonged was at least 130 feet in length." The Roman country house in England was often large ; at Bignor one face of the house was 300 feet in length ; at North Leigh, Oxfordshire, two faces of the house were each 300 feet long, and the space covered by it about go, 000 square feet. The Roman country house in England seems to have preserved a characteristic feature of the Roman country house in Italy in the central courtyard. The courtyard here was large and often irregular in form, not always rectangular, the sides being of unequal lengths, and on one side there was a colonnade, the Ixxvi. FiFEHEAb NEVILLE MEETINC^. rooms of the building being on three sides only. Possibly this will be shown to be the form of the house at Fifehead when the excavations are complete. Some members accepted Major Dugdale's invitation to the manor house to see the Roman column brought from the villa which had been set up in the grounds. This column was of the usual character of the period, debased Roman, very similar to the pillars found amongst the remains of the Roman temple on Jordan Hill, Weymouth. On the way to the carriages the ancient bridge was inspected, which, it is commonly believed, dates from Roman times. Nothing, however, can be definitely determined as to its age, except that it is not likely to be of later date than the 13th century and that the core of it may be Roman. Excellent photographs of the column and bridge will be found in the September number of " Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries " (subscription five shillings a year to the Rev. Canon Mayo, Longburton). Sturminster Castle. Leaving Fifehead the party drove on to Sturminster Newton, and, halting at the head of the picturesque old bridge which spans the Stour, alighted from their carriages, and climbed the hill which was the site of the Castle. Here the Rev. J. C. M. Mansel-Pleydell, Vicar of Sturminster and son of the late President of the Club, conducted the party to the portion of a stone building with 13th century arcading in its base, the only remnant of the Castle, and stated that some years ago it was slightly repaired by the late General Pitt-Rivers to keep it from tumbling to pieces. He then proceeded as follows : — Sturminster derives its name from the River Stour that flows around and below the town, and from the church that stands on its hill. The river divides the town into two parts: — (1) Sturminster proper on the N. side of the river, and (2) Newton (New Town), or Newton Castle, on the S. side. As the fine and picturesque bridge with its six arches unites these two parts, making them into one town, so the distinct names have by common consent become joined to form FIFEHEAD NEVILLE MfeETli^G. Ixxvii. ohfe natae for both — Sturmiuster Newton. The earliest record of Sturminster seems to be iu the last will of King Alfred, wherein he bequeathed to his son Ethelwald inter alia lands at Stui-miuster ; and in 968 these lands became the property of the Church, King Edgar giving the Manor of Sturr or Stour for the use of the monks of Glaston. To this gift was added Newton Castle by King Edmund Ironside, a little before his death, about 1016. At the dissolution of the monasteries in the reign of Henry VIII., the Manor, Rectory, and advowson of the Vicarage were granted to Queen Katharine. Later on King Edward VI. granted them to the Princess Elizabeth, who, when she came to the throne, demised them to Christopher Hatton, from whom they passed through a few others to the Frekes of Shroton, and from them to the Pitts of Strathfield Say, ancestors of General Pitt-Rivers and the present Lord of the Manor. The following description of Sturminster in the 16th centur}' by an anonymous author of a manuscript "Tourist's Guide," dated 1579, is interesting and worthy of a place here: — " Sturminster, two miles oif Lidlinch by the East, the which of old was given to the Abbey of Glastonbury by King Edgar. The personage whereof was impropriate to the said Abbaye with a Vicarage yndewed. A market town on Thursdays and the fayer on St. Philip and Jacob and then on St. Luke's day. Where was of old a castle now decayed, but a bewtifull house on it called Sturminster Newton Castle, a seat of Saxon Kings, chiefly of Edgar and Edward senior. Now a school there, the Schoolmaster thereof is called Lowne, a Lancashire man. The church builded by John Selwood, Abbot of Glastonbary, with Mr. John Lutterel's cote and 12 divers cotes." " Yesterday," continued Mr. Mansel-Pleydell, "I was speaking to the oldest inhabitant of Sturmiuster, and asked her what she could remember of the old castle ; and she said ' My father when a boy used to know the last person who lived in the castle — an old woman who used to sell cider.' You can see that the castle occupied a consider- able area of ground. Mr. Pitt-Rivers hopes one day to make some excavations to try to find the foundations, and gain some idea of the plan of the old castle. And, according to the ' oldest inhabitant,' such investigations will be rewarded, for, said she, ' There's a gold table in the well.' " The members then drove on to Hinton S. Mary, where they were courteously received by Mr. and Mrs. Alex L. Fox Pitt- Rivers, who showed them parts oi the house and a barn which dates from the 13th century, and other objects of interest. Business Meeting. The members then returned to Sturminster, where they were hospitably entertained at the Vicarage and refreshed with tea, which was very welcome to the visitors. After tea the meeting of the Club was held. Ixxviil. FlPEHEAt) NEVILLE MEETtNG. The Hon. Sec, referring to the bereavement suffered by the President in the death of his sister and of his elder brother, the late Marquis of Salisbur}-, said : — " By leave of the chair, — In the circumstances which we all deplore, and to which no further reference will be made, I desire, on behalf of the Club, to assure the President of our sympathy and to thank him sincerely for coming with us to-day." The President answered that he felr deeply what had been so kindly and sympathetically expressed on behalf of the Club, and it was gratifying to him to know that they shared in the feeling that had been manifested by the country at large. Lord Eustace proceeded to review the meetings held during the summer, observing that they had had a most prosperous and pleasant season. He returned thanks on behalf of the Club to all who had contributed to the success of that day's excursion, and especially to their hospitable host and his charming wife. Mr. Mansel-Pleydell was the beloved son of a beloved father ; and his presence that day had reminded him of the many days when, under their late honoured President, the Club enjoyed "The feast of reason and the flow of soul." The Hon. Sec. announced that the next meeting of the Club would be held at the Dorset County Museum on a Monday about the middle of December. The ballot was then conducted by the Assistant Secretary, when the three candidates proposed at the last meeting were elected, and eleven candidates were proposed. The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the President. ^^^ ^^ jnHE 3-car that has elapsed since the last anniversary meeting of this Club has been remarkable in many ways. A costly war has been success- fully brought to an end, and a new reign has "^^■^^^V' been peacefully inaugurated. The event, however, which concerned us most nearly, speaking as I am to the members of this Club, was the loss of our much-beloved President — one of the original founders of this society — who, for 27 years laboured in its behalf, and spared neither time, trouble, nor expense, to promote its interests. Conspicuous for his attainments in every department of natural history, nobody feels more than I, who have the honour of addressing you, tlie difficulty of emulating his example and, still more, of following his footsteps in the paths of scientific knowledge ! But, if I cannot hope to achieve the impossible, I can at least throw myself upon your indulgence and ask for the support of all those resident in the county who are interested in the discoveries of the past and the IxXX. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. progress of science in the future, so that a real love of scientific research and study may be encouraged and promoted in this county for all time ; and, in so doing, I feel confident that I shall be carrying out the nearest and dearest wishes of our late President and the founders of this society, whose labour of love will thus be more permanently acknowledged than by any other form of memorial that could be devised. Generally speaking, the discoveries made and the progress attained in every depart- ment of science during 1902 have been neither few nor unimportant. Under the head of archaeology we may include the Coronation of the King, which gave rise to all sorts of historical enquiries and researches replete with archaeological importance. The celebration of the "Millenary" of King Alfred took place at Winchester with great success, and impor- tant papers were read referring to the history and numismatics of those days. Many events of local interest, not previously well known, were also brought to light at the commemoration of the Coronation of King Edward the Elder at Kingston-on- Thames, thanks to the energy of the Mayor (Dr. Finney), himself a learned archaeologist. The fall of the Campanile at Venice, which had stood for nearly a thousand years, was an event received by the whole civilised world with the greatest regret. But, perhaps, the most interesting of all the recent discoveries abroad are those at Knossos and Phoestus, in Crete, and of the ancient city of Gezir, in Palestine. A great debt of gratitude is due to Dr. Evans, who has successfully explored the Palaces of Knossos Phoestus, with all their priceless treasures inside and out, together with the foundations of earlier buildings on the same spot going back to 2800 B.C., by all those who value the undoubted proofs of a high state of civilisation in those early times. The discovery of the remains of Gezir in ancient Philistia is also most interesting to all Biblical students, corroborating as it does the unsuspected high standard of art in painting and pottery at the time of the conquest of Canaan by Joshua. A recent discovery near Thebes, in Egypt, of the tombs of one the Pharaohs of the i8th dynasty (Thotmes IV.) by president's address. Ixxxi. Mr. Carter, Inspector of Monuments in Upper Egypt, also deserves mention. It is a magnificent sarcophagus of granite, covered with texts from the Book of the Dead. Besides mummified offerings of various articles of food made to the dead king between 3,000 or 4,000 years ago, much pottery of blue faience, with fragments of exquisitely-shaped cups and vases of rich blue, or variegated glass, were found in small chambers close by, the most unique find of all being the actual chariot made for the king, of wood covered with papier-mache of papyrus, on which the battles fought by this Pharaoh in Syria had been carved. Nor must the work proceeding at Lake Nemi, in Italy, be forgotten, where the Government, assisted by the owner, Prince Orsini, is trying to raise two galleys belonging to the Emperor Caligula, wrecked on that lake a.d. 41. They have been already found to contain much splendid mosaic work and many bronze figures and ornaments. At home we have to record the discovery of lake dwellings at Ellesmere ; of the opening of a great mound and a subterranean house con- taining many rooms at Orkney ; also of new buildings revealed at Cluniac Priory, Much Wenlock ; of pewter pottery and glass at Silchester ; of 7,000 or more diff'erent bronze coins at Caerwent, besides minor discoveries at Shrewsbury, Canter- bury, and London, showing the great energy, activity, and interest which is being everywhere shown in these matters. Last, but not least, the remains of a Roman residence or villa at Fifehead Neville in this county has lately been unearthed on the property of Mr. Wingfield Digby. Astronomy. In astronomical science it would be beyond my competence to do more than give a very cursory glance at the progress made and the experience noted. The surface of the sun has been most unusually quiescent, but in consequence of the formation of a new group of spots on the iSth September and subsequent days Ixxxii. president's address. there seems a likelihood of renewed activity. B}^ means of photography 43 small planets have been added in 1902 to the 499 already known to exist. The diameters of these planets are in general only a few miles, but that of " Eros," in which much interest is taken, is about 1 5 miles. Great interest, too, is still excited by that wonderful star Nova Persei, the colour of which during the last two years, when observed by the spectroscope, has varied in shades of white, yellow, orange, and red, with the fluctuations in magnitude. Three comets were discovered during the year. The first on April 12th by Mr. Brooks ; the second by Mr. Peniac on August 31st, which, from its brightness, excited much interest, especially as it became visible to the naked eye ; and the third was discovered by Mr. Grigg in July. Botany. Though no great discovery in the cereal, culinary, or horticul- tural plants known to us have been reported in 1902, very great progress indeed has been made in the botanical development of our African empire — surely, but silently, by a body of men well known to Londoners, but not as well known and appreciated throughout the provinces and the empire — I allude to the director and staff of the Government gardens at Kew. For many years past, under the able superintendence of the directors of that establishment, a small body of skilled and trained gardeners have from time to time been despatched to no less than 20 different points in the vast continent of Africa, north, south, east, and west, from Cairo to Capetown, and from Mombasa to Sierra Leone, to say nothing of Ceylon, the West Indies, and other colonies. The result is that they have proved that millions of acres of land in our new African empire are capable of pro- ducing the very best rubber, cotton, cocoa, sugar, and other marketable products for the use of man, Nigritia alone, the last " black diamond " just presented by Sir F. Lugard to the Imperial Crown, being alone sufficient to supply all the cotton we president's address, Ixxxiii. require, without recourse to other countries. What may we not ultimately expect in the interests of horticultural science from the devotion, trained knowledge, and energy of these worthy pioneers of civilisation ! Zoology. The records of the Zoological Society in Regent's Park are alwaj's interesting, and in igoz many specimens new to the Society's collection, besides other rare animals, were acquired. Amongst them may be named one long-haired spider-monkey (atele vellerosus), nine pheasant-tailed jacana (hydrophasianus cherargus), a pair of Prjevolskys wild horses (equus prjevolskii), from Western Mongolia ; a grey teal (querquecula versicolor), from Argentina ; one southern anaconda (eunectes notans), from Paraguay ; a sepoy finch (hoematospiza sipahi), from India ; a young male proboscis monkey (nasalis larratus), two female Grevys zebras (equus grevyi), presented by the Emperor Menelek ; and a specimen of the galapajan barn owl (strix punctalissima), the first example of this rare owl that has reached Europe, which, I feel sure, will be of special interest to Mr. Bosworth Smith. But, whilst calling attention to the acquisition during the past year of animals never before brought alive to this country, we are necessarily drawn to reconsider a danger ever present with us. I mean the more or less rapid extinction of the few wild animals that remain in Great Britain. Something, no doubt, has been done by the Legislature and County Councils in recent years, and a close time has been enacted in the case of birds hitherto unprotected, though not extended as I think would be desirable to four-footed animals like the roe-deer or badger, or to birds like the bustard, the raven, the owl, and the crane. These are at least (whatever their enemies may say to the contrary) rarely noxious to man ; they are seldom known to wander from the path of rectitude, and a place might be found amongst our valleys, heaths, and woods, where their habits could be observed, and their presence Ixxxiv. president's address. enjoyed by all true lovers of natural history. Without going to any costly expense in the matter, the Government might be asked to follow the good example of the City of London in Epping Forest by setting aside some hundreds of acres either in the New Forest or on Dartmoor, where the experiment could be tried and every encouragement given to these animals to increase in moderation. However that may be, I must be satisfied to-day to have started such an idea and leave it to others to follow up and work it out. ANTHROPOLOGy. A most interesting address was given at the meeting of the British Association at Belfast in 1902 by Dr. Haddon on the subject of Totemism, to which he had given special attention during his researches in Torres's Straits ; and in the Pitt-Rivers Museum at Oxford (named after the late General Pitt-Rivers, so many years one of our Vice-Presidents) there has been erected a remarkable Totem post from the Haida village of Masset, in Queen Charlotte's Island, British Columbia. This post, described by Professor Tyler in " Man," is about 40ft. high, and is elaborately carved with Totems belonging to the family of the chief, who erected it in the village. Several papers relating to African ethnology were published during the year by the Anthropological Institute : notably one by the Rev. J. Roscoe, describing the manners and customs of the Baganda — a finely-built negroid people speaking Bantu and living on the west side of the Victoria Nyanza. Another paper by Mr. H. B. Johnstone on the customs of the tribes near Mombasa ; and also a valuable account of the wild tribes in the Malay Peninsula by Mr. W. H. Skeat, who classifies them under three types, namely: — (i) the woolly-headed Semang, (2) the wavy-haired Sakai, and (3) the straight-haired Jakun. At home, in the neighbouring county of Wilts, a remarkable discovery of palaeolithic implements near Savernake was made by Mr. J. B. Dixon, of Pewsev, and of these relics a fine selection is now in president's address. Ixxxv. the British Museum. But perhaps the first work in the order of merit is Mr. \V. Gowland's admirable investigation of Stonehenge. It seems established that Stonehenge was erected without the use of metals, the tools having been made of flint and quartzite, examples of such work being known in Japan. Its date is, approximately, estimated at about 1800 B.C., and its object is believed to have been connected with some form of sun observance. Geology. The year 1Q02 will be ever memorable for the great volcanic disturbances which took place in the islands of St. Vincent and Martinique. I do not propose to trouble you with all the numerous descriptions which have been already given by competent witnesses of those remarkable catastrophes, but I shall confine myself to the conclusions arrived at by Drs. Anderson and Flett, specially appointed to make a report by a committee of the Royal Society which has been published in the Geographical Journal. There seems to be a remarkable similarity between the islands of St. Vincent and Martinique, physically speaking. Both are, roughly, oval in form, with the long axis almost north and south, and the north-west portion of each is occupied by volcanoes, namely, the Soufriere and Mont Pel^e, which have many points in common, but there are a few points of difference. The area devastated in St. Vincent was considerably larger, whilst, unfortunately, the loss of life in Martinique (about 30,000) was much greater. In all the eruptions commencing on May 6th in St. Vincent, and not determining till August 30th in Martinique, the usual phenomena of mud and ashes, rain and darkness (first, so vividly described by Pliny in his account of Vesuvius a.d. 79), accompanied by hot and suffocating blasts, which destroyed all living creatures within their sweep, were observed. By means of photography Drs. Andrews and Flett were enabled to make observations quite impossible before the eruption of Vesuvius in 1872 ; and Ixxxvi. president's address. they arrived at the conclusion that the mechanism of the hot blast and the source of power which propelled it, together with the strange phenomenon of the descent of a black cloud which succeeded it, at Mont Pelee, was entirely due to Gravity as in the case of an ordinary avalanche. To use their own language, " The lava which rises in the chimney of the volcano is charged with steam and gases which explode as usual, but some of the explosions have only just sufificient force to blow the mass to atoms and lift the greater part of it over the lips of the crater without distributing the whole widely in the air. The mixture of solid particles and incandescent gas behaves like a heavy liquid, and before these particles have time to subside, the whole rolls down the side of the mountain under the influence of ' gravity,' and consequently gathers speed and momentum as it goes." The discovery is a valuable result of the patient observa- tion shown by these gentlemen, who, carrying their lives in their hands, started, as Dr. Anderson tells us, with the comfortable assurance of their friends that they would certainly be killed, but that afterwards in the next world it would be a very great satis- faction to them to think that they had lost their lives in the cause of science. Of the close connection between earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, geologists in recent years seem to entertain little doubt, and we cannot therefore be astonished that the past year has been remarkably prolific of every form of subterranean disturbance. Professor IMilne has pointed out that 50 world- shaking earthquakes occur every year, and that most of these have their origin near the steepest flexures on the face of the earth. In many cases they are submarine and originate in furrows, which become deepened, whilst the neighbouring ridges undergo elevation. Turning to matters nearer home, the discovery and continued abundant supply of natural gas at Heathfield, in Sussex, having its origin in the strata of Kim- meridge clay, may, and probably will, have an important bearing upon the industries of Dorset. Some weeks ago I had the privilege of visiting that part of Sussex in which these discoveries have been made, and I was very much struck by the enormous president's address. Ixxxvii. pressure of gas (as much as 20olb. to the inch) which escaped when liberated at the various bore holes I inspected. The borings commenced low down in the Ash Down sands, traversed the Fairlight clays, and extended into the Purbeck beds to the depth of 400 feet ; the division between the two series being marked by a bed 5ft. in thickness, composed of blue sandy marl rock containing bands of bituminous shale and broken fossils. This bed was followed by a series of shelly rocks which are penetrated to a depth of about 3Sft. The following moUusca have been identified at a depth of 339 to 377 feet in the series of rock samples, namely : — Melania, hydrobia, corbula oblata, cyrena, and ostrea. Nearly every inch contains numerous fossil shells in various stages of growth, and we have only to conceive of such organic deposits of great depth and extent, of their alternate depression and upheaval through successive geological periods, and of their subjection to internal heats, to form an idea of the origin of the vast volumes of this gas now seeking to escape. Of the immense value of these discoveries in supplying a cheap fuel and illuminant for every species of industry, for the manufacture of electricity and the promotion of traction power, there can be little doubt, should the supply be what there is every reason to believe. I will merely content myself by saying, therefore, that the gas recently discovered in Sussex, and probably existing at Kimmeridge, is quite equal to American gas in calorific power and superior to it as an illuminant ! IMay we not reasonably hope, therefore, that its production and utilisation in this county will be an accom- plished fact, and be a source of increased wealth and prosperity to its industries ! And now, leaving the scientific progress of the past year, so full of interest in the present and of hope in the future, I should like to refer to matters which more immediately concern the constitution, past history, and objects of this Club. We have been in existence more than a quarter of a century, and I think without exaggeration I may say, that our record is one which we Ixxxviii. president's address. may well be proud of. Thanks to the energy of our late President, and of those eminent gentlemen who were associated with him at the time of the foundation of the Club, the interest of the public has not only been kept alive in the various depart- ments of natural history and antiquarian lore with which we have had to deal ; but no less than 23 volumes of scientific papers, now admirably edited by the Rev. W. M. Barnes, to whom we are much indebted, have been published, which — it is not too much to say — for their ability, variety, and comprehen- siveness would not disgrace the records of any society in the world. In these volumes are to be found papers with admirable illustrations upon such different subjects as the Invasion of Britain by Vespasian, Cardinal Morton, Monmouth's Rebellion, Daniel Defoe in Dorset, Lepidoptera, Volcanoes and Earth- quakes, Fairy Tobacco Pipes, Old Glass Bottles, New and Rare Spiders, Chesil Beach Fish, Kimmeridge Coal Money, Reptiles of Dorset, Church Bells, Dorset Clothes-moths, Horse Shoes, Roman Pavements, New Stars, &c., &c. ; and amongst our eminent members and contributors we may reckon Messis. Wood, Thomas Bond, Professor Buckman, E. Lees, Warne, Prestwich, Dr. Smart, Dr. AUman, Rev. W. Barnes, Professor A. Newton, Mr. Octavius Cambridge, General Pitt-Rivers, Sir Talbot Baker, Mr. Vaughan Cornish, Captain Elwes, Mr. H. Moule, Mr. Hudleston, and a host of others, and last, but not least, our late President ; and here I cannot pass over or forget the great services of our Hon. Secretaries, Messrs. Buckman, Morton Stuart, Nelson Richardson, and Colley March, whose self-denying labour, admirable powers of organisation, tact, and courtesy have contributed so much to the success of our meetings. It would be, therefore, most ungrateful, speaking on behalf of the Club, to say that we had not received an ample measure of recognition and support from those who had been resident in and connected with the county. But, whilst most grateful for past favours, I am naturally anxious that our work should be, if possible, still better known, in order that we may attract and retain the support of the rising generation of president's address. Ixxxix. Dorsetshire men and women ; and, in furtherance of that object, could I be sure of support, I would gladly see the scope of our Club enlarged so as to include both chemistry and electricity, bearing in mind the great part that they must inevitably play in the future history of the world. Of the popularity of our summer meetings there is ample proof, for last year, under torrents of pouring rain, more than 70 members and their friends were present on two occasions, and I think this scale of attendance has been borne out by the experience of other years. I am not sure that we can claim the same amount of interest in our winter meetings, but I do not despair. Papers may sometimes be too long and debates too protracted, and under these circumstances you cannot always expect ladies and gentlemen to forego other engagements, heedless of bad weather and short days. But, whatever our shortcomings may be, we still hope we may not appeal to all our members and friends in vain to do their utmost to keep up the reputation we have so well earned in the past by extending, as far lies in their power, the knowledge of the Society and its work, and especially by enlisting new recruits amongst the rising generation and so promoting the permanent interests of science in this county. And here, thanking you for the patient attention with which you have listened to the foregoing observations, I should naturally bring my address to a conclusion. But before I sit down I feel bound to allude one matter, and that is the gratify- ing response that has been made by the members of this Club and the county at large to the appeal on behalf of the Mansel- Pleydell Memorial Fund. That appeal has resulted, as you doubtless know, after defraying the cost of the portrait of our late President and all other incidental expenses, in a handsome surplus of ;^87 or thereabouts, which has been invested in the purchase of a New South Wales Government 3 per cent, bond, with the intention that the interest shall be devoted to giving an annual prize or medal for the best essay on some scientific subject to be from year to year determined. I sincerely hope that this nucleus (for I can call it nothing else) of a prize fund XC. PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. for such a purpose will be increased by donations in the future, and that thus another valuable stimulant will be given to the prosecution of scientific study. With these few remarks I now heartily wish renewed prosperity and success to the Club in the coming years. By W. H. HUDLESTON, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., F.G.S. (EeadAiigtist Gth, 1902.) THE Snhjecl of Grading. — In discussing problems relative to beach action, it should be borne in mind that the results produced by tidal currents are by no means commensurate with those produced by the wind-wave, especially above low water mark. This last is the prime factor in the movement of shingle, and its effects may be noticed in any part of the shores of the English Channel where shingle is accumulated. Hence there is nothing exceptional in the action of the wind-wave on the Chesil Beach, which there follows a law which is all but universal in its application. But you want to know why the wind-wave should accumulate the larger stones at the Portland end and the smaller stones at the Abbotsbury end. Before attempting to answer this question it may be as well once more to fall back upon facts, admitted by all but those who are hopelessly wedded to some abstract theory. The leading fact of all is that the balance of movement of the shingle is in an easterly direction ; that is to say, loivards By W. H. HUDLESTON, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., F.G.S. (Bead August Gth, 1902. ) THE Siihject of Grading. — In discussing problems relative to beach action, it should be borne in mind that the results produced by tidal currents are by no means commensurate with those produced by the wind-wave, especially above low water mark. This last- is the prime factor in the movement of shingle, and its effects may be noticed in any part of the shores of the English Channel where shingle is accumulated. Hence there is nothing exceptional in the action of the wind-wave on the Chesil Beach, which there follows a law which is all but universal in its application. But you want to know why the wind-wave should accumulate the larger stones at the Portland end and the smaller stones at the Abbotsbury end. Before attempting to answer this question it may be as well once more to fall back upon facts, admitted by all but those who are hopelessly wedded to some abstract theory. The leading fact of all is that the balance of movement of the shingle is in an easterly direction ; that is to say, ioivards 2 CHESIL BEACH. Portland.'" The first piece of evidence in favour of this view will be found in the much greater accumulation of material towards the Chesilton end, where, as we have seen, the beach is broader and nearly twice as high as at Abbotsbury.f Then, again, there is the experience with regard to wreckage, where the material is stated almost invariably to travel along the beach in a south-easterly direction. I may mention also in this connection that our most excellent ex-Secretary caused a load of bricks to be deposited oia the beach near the Coastguard Station, and I am informed that, so far as observed, these bricks have been mainly noticed between that position and Portland, thus proving an easterly progress, | as in the cases already quoted. From the above statements, which relate to matters of fact in nowise affected by any theory or attempted explanation, it may safely be assumed that the movement of the shingle on the Chesil Beach is, on the average, towards the Portland end. We are then required to offer an explanation of two leading facts — viz., the accumulation of shingle at the Portland end and the larger size of the pebbles at that locality. To this I would answer unhesitatingly that these phenomena, so far as existing causes * It is a circumstance greatly to be regretted that such a distinguished geologist as Prestwich should, in the face of all evidence, have committed himself to the theory that the shingle of the Chesil Beach travels in a westerly direction, and that the pebbles composing it are reduced by attrition, so that they get smaller and smaller as they approach Abbotsbury and Bridport. This is how he endeavoured to account for the grading. t Vide Vol. XXIII., p. xliv., where particulars as to the dimensions and composition of the Chesil Beach are given. X There are two points of importance to notice here : — 1. Bricks have not much chance for any length of time in the struggle for existence with flints, cherts, quartzites, and the like. Hence their deposition must be taken quickly. 2. Much depends upon the time of the year when such bricks are thrown down. If early in March, they are likely to travel toicards the west for a time, thus reversing the mean direction of movement. The month of March, 1903, when south-westerly gales prevailed, would be an exception. In this particular year during the month of March the shingle no doubt has travelled in what may be regarded as the normal direction. CHESIL BEACH. 3 act, are due to the preponderance of westerly winds. I have already stated that it is to the wind-wave, rather than to tidal currents, that we must look for the main part of beach action ; at least, above low water mark. Now, does any inhabitant of the British Isles doubt the preponderance of westerly winds on an average throughout the year .^ Where groynes are numerous and the distance to be travelled is not far, the effect of gales from alternate quarters may be well studied, as, for instance, on the Sussex coast, where the wind-wave for the time being prevail- ing heads up the shingle against the opposite groyne. But in the case we now have under consideration there is only one gigantic groyne — viz., Portland itself, which also protects the shingle of the Chesil Beach from the effects of easterly gales. Thus not only is there a preponderance of the wind-wave from the west, but the easterly gales are deprived of a portion of their driving power for some distance from the Chesilton end owing to the shape of the West Bay. No wonder, then, that the shingle accumulates against Portland, the biggest groyne in the Channel. Still, you will say, the mere fact of accumulation does not seem to account for the marked increase, or grading, in the size of the stones. On this point there may be some slight room for difference of opinion yet. For instance. Sir John Coode, if I remember rightly, argued that powerful wind-waves moved big stones more than little ones. I may, however, be doing him injustice in this respect. At any rate, that author always based his arguments on the eastward movement of the beach material. It remained for Dr. Vaughan Cornish to point out that the grading was effected by the preponderance of the wind-wave from the westward. The same cause which heaps up the shingle at the Portland end also serves to pick it over, because not only is there a balance in favour of west winds, but they are also the most violent. We may grumble at the persistence of the east wind in spring, yet its effects are slight, compared with those of such a hurricane as the one five years ago, which blew from the west. Now, it is just these hurricanes which enable 4 CHESIL BEACH. tlie waves to lift the big stones, and where is the east wind that can take them back in sufficient numbers, or to a sufficient distance, to compensate for the movements already effected ? Year by year and century by century the process goes on, and seems likely to continue so long as the present equilibrium is maintained. Without doubt there are other factors accountable for the supply of large pebbles at the Chesilton end, such, for instance, as the limestones and cherts of Portland origin. The former are frequently of considerable size, but they can hardly stand the wear and tear of a beach life for very long ; in the struggle for existence the flints and quartzites are bound to have the best of the day. Sources of Supply. — Having considered the subject of grading, so far as the action of the wind-wave is concerned, it may not be uninteresting to pass in review another important factor in the natural history of the Chesil Beach, viz., the soiirccs frovi which the shingle is derived, and, in so doing, we are bound to glance at its geological history. The grading action already claimed for the wind-wave would be seriously interfered with if there was a large supply of fresh material from beyond Bridport. But here Dr. Vaughan Cornish tells us that the supply of large pebbles is for the most part cut off by the projections of Golden Cap and Thorncombe. Perpetual attrition, then, without material renewal from the western beaches, must partly account for the very small size of the pebbles near Bridport. From this place to Abbotsbury the beach is attached to the shore for a distance of about eight miles, but, as the cliffs are mainly of Jurassic rocks, yielding nothing harder than calcareous nodules, these soon pass away and leave no mark. From Abbotsbury to Chesilton the beach becomes a bank, isolated by the Fleet on the landward side, so that no supplies are obtained from this quarter. Before we come to Portland, then, there remains only the sea as a possible source for additional pebbles. For my own part I entertain no doubt that the storm-waves are perfectly capable of bringing pebbles to the beach from any part of West Bay, supposing them to be there ; but soundings in a great majority CHESIL BEACH. 5 of cases, Dr. Vaughan Cornish tells us, show only fine material with stones in very few places. Hence at present the supply from this quarter is certainly limited, though I think that more is derived from this source than is generally admitted. On the other hand, at the east, or Portland end, there is a considerable supply of fresh materials in the shape of limestone fragments and black flints, which are sometimes called cherts. These limestone fragments, being comparatively fresh, are often still in large pieces, and the curious westward curl of the wave in the bight at Chesilton serves to carry some of these stones towards the north-west, thus reversing for a short distance the mean direction of the beach movement, as far as individual distribution goes. Everyone knows that, whilst there is a fairly gradual increase in the size of the pebbles on the Chesil Beach all the way from Bridport Harbour to a point about two miles from the eastern end, there is a sudden increase in the size of the pebbles as we approach Chesilton. No doubt there are several causes which conduce to this result. I may venture to indicate one or two. The most obvious is the local supply of fresh material from Portland, but, as much of this consists of large limestone pebbles, their life is sure to be short in that terrible struggle for existence, which only those who have witnessed a full gale in this strange corner of the ocean's shore can realise. Such pebbles as happen to have a good core of black flint may survive for a time, but in that case our limestone pebble becomes a flint pebble, and even then he has to do battle with chalk- flints and, above all, with quartzites, which congregate here in somewhat unusual numbers and often of considerable size. Mr. Clement Reid has remarked that a great part of the large pebbles at the eastern end are tough Budleigh Salterton quartzites, whose life is longer than that of a flint pebble, since the latter is liable to lose substance from conchoidal fracture. These large quartzites, which have already been brought here owing to the preponderance of the wind-wave from the west, are reduced more slowly than the other stones. Hence their size and comparative abundance in this part of the beach. 6 CHESIL REACH. Returning to the general question of the sources of suppl}-, we perceive that the Chesil Beach obtains but Uttle material at the present day either from its north-west end or from its landward connections. There is a fair supply of easily identifiable material from the Portland end, but where do the bulk of the pebbles come from ? It would seem as if the geologist alone can answer that question. The Chesil Beach, or Bank, is doubtless a feature of considerable antiquity, going back most probably in its origin far beyond the historical period. At present it may be regarded as approximately in equilibrium ; that is to say, the loss from attrition is about balanced by the acquisition of fresh material. If there was a notable increase of material, there would be an overflow at the eastern end, which would probably take the direction of the Portland Roadstead. If, on the other hand, there was no fresh supply whatever, the loss from attrition would inevitably cause the Beach, or Bank, to shrink. If that shrinkage was small in amount, it could only be detected by periodical measurements. I must leave this question in the hands of the Admiralty. I have already observed that we must look to the geologist for further information as to the source of the pebbles on the existing beach, and an answer has been practically given by the Government Surveyors, Messrs. Strahan and Reid. The views of the former may be summarised in the statement that the Chesil Beach represents the accumulated gravels and hard parts of the whole land surface that once occupied the West Bay. To the lay mind this may appear an astounding conclusion, since it practically regards the beach itself as partaking somewhat of the nature of a fossil beach. To a certain extent I am in accord with this view, though possibly differing in some of the details. The shape of the great Bay of Lyme indicates pretty clearly that the sea has eaten up the land in comparatively recent times, and I doubt not that there were accumulations of gravel within that area. But when we bear in mind that a large quantity of chalk must have been destroyed in the operation, of which chalk such a fragment as Beer Head is but a monument of what has CHESIL BEACH. 7 departed, it seems to me probable that many of the Cretaceous flints and cherts which now figure on the beach have been derived directly from such denudation, and need not have been accumulated in gravel beds — scarcely at least in hill gravels. The same argument applies to materials derived from still further westward. However, this is such a purely geological question that I must not trouble the meeting of the Dorset Field Club with further remarks in this connection, but hasten onwards to other considerations. Origin of the Fleet. — It is almost impossible to speculate on the physical history of the Chesil Beach without alluding to what I may term a parallel phenomenon, viz., the tidal estuary known as the Fleet, which interposes itself between the great pebble beach, or bank, and the main land. It should be borne in mind that the Chesil Beach is practically watertight owing to the quantity of fine sand in the interstices of the pebbles, so that the water in the Fleet is derived from the bi-diurnal tide flowing through Smallmouth, and such trifling amounts of land water as may flow off the surface in rainy weather. To a geologist it presents a most interesting phenomenon in the fact that we have here an instance of pure cliff'-edge erosion which is not interfered with by the direct action of the sea. The tidal currents are just strong enough to sweep away the waste produced by atmospheric denudation. The relative hardness or softness of the strata are, therefore, the sole determining factors in the shape of the inland coast line. Thus we perceive that, w^hilst the seaward coast line, formed by the beach, is remarkably regular, the landward coast line is marked by a series of indentations, the Fleet widening out as a rule where the Oxford Clay prevails and narrowing where Corallian, or Corn- brash rocks occur. I can scarcely doubt myself that the initia- tion of the Fleet is subsequent to the formation of the Beach, but, at any rate, it owes its present existence to that rampart of pebbles, and the two phenomena are inseparably linked together. True Movcfucnt of the Chesil Beach. — You will be tired of facts by this time, and even theories will begin to pall upon you, yet I 8 CHEStL BEACH. must ask your attention for a moment to a point in connection with the Chesil Beach, which has an indirect bearing also on the raised beach at Langstone Ope, a place we are expecting to see later in the day. Nothing in the physical world stands still, and so far as the movement of the shingle up and down the beach is concerned that is sufficiently obvious, but such movements merely relate to the oscillations of pebbles according as each set of wind-waves prevail. There is, however, as pointed out by Mr. Strahan, a proper motion of the whole Beach towards the land. The shelf of clay on which it rests is obviously the result of marine erosion. In great gales the waves erode the base and carry stones over the top, so that the beach increases in this direction and is slowly travelling landwards. If my previous remarks as to the sources of supply of pebbles are correct, this landward motion of the beach seems almost to follow ; at the same time it is not obvious to the physical eye, and the notion of this movement inland must be regarded in the light of a probable hypothesis. The movement is thought to have been most considerable at the Portland end, whilst the Bridport end is viewed as almost stationary. Thus Mr. Strahan represents the movement as a swinging one, and he seems disposed to suggest some connection between the Chesil Beach of to-day and the raised beach of the past.'^' Protection afforded by the Beach. — The last point we have to consider is a more practical one than any of the others. We are told by the poet that " Britannia needs no bulwarks," but this is certainly not true in a physical sense, for the value of shingle beaches to the greater part of the south coast of England is very great indeed, as the most casual observer can testify. Nowhere are there stronger evidences of this preservative action of a shingle beach than in the case now before us, I have already indicated the nature of this action in connection with the history of the Fleet. But the shape of Lyme Bay is eminently * Since the party was unable to get to Langstone Ope on account of the weather the further consideration of this hypothesis is deferred. CttESIL 15EACH. 9 suggestive of what would happen if this barrier was removed or became inefficient. That tremendous sweep of the Ocean*' into the softer secondary rocks of the south of England would speedily be enlarged, and the sea would doubtless by this time have penetrated to the valley of the Wey, if not to the foot of the Ridgway Hill itself. Nor is this land-preserving action the only economic benefit which the county and the nation derive from the Chesil Beach. We owe to it likewise the splendid roadstead of Portland. The Government may construct as many breakwaters as they please, but the true breakwater is one that was placed there by natural causes, and which holds in check the furious western wave and rolls it back upon itself. When our rivals across the Channel wished to make a good roadstead at Cherbourg they were obliged to construct a " digue " at great expense. In the case of the Portland roadstead, Nature herself has made the principal " digue," and anything else is but an accessory. To conclude this long story, then, we recognise in the Chesil Beach a natural feature, which is interesting in its past history, and instructive in the phenomena of its present condition, whilst, as an instrument in preserving the coast of Dorset from the inroads of the sea, it is a factor of supreme importance. -^^ * Although forming part of the English Channel, Lyme Bay (theTortlaud end is called West Bay) is really open to the Atlantic, since a line drawn at right angles to the mean trend of the Chesil Beach would meet no land nearer than the uorthera coast of South America. By W. MILES BARNES. (Read July J Olh, 1001.) CCORDING to Sir Thomas Hardy's Itinerary of King John, that Sovereign was at Cranborne on the following dates : — 1200. Dec. 10 (an. 2). 1 20 1. Ap. 15. 1205. Jan. 9, Aug. 16, 17. 1206. Ap. 15, 16, 17, May 16. 1207. Jan. 20, Mar. 26, 27, 28, Ap. 6, 7, 8, Sep. I, 2, 3. 1208. Nov. 6, 19. 1209. June 29, Sep. 17, Dec. 16. 1 2 10. Jan. 22. 12 1 3. March 16, July 6, 7, 8, 16, Aug. 10. The King may have visited Cranborne on other dates, but, so far as our present knowledge goes, there is only evidence of his having done so on those days, the evidence being mainly his subscription to various documents in the form of " Teste me ip ap Craneburn," together with the internal evidence contained in documents, which are still preserved amongst the records, muniments, and archives of the nation. ICtNG JOHN S HOUSE AT TOLLAkD ROYAL. I I It has been too readily assumed that the King's " camera apud Craneburn " in these documents was the manor house of Cranborne, whereas from various circumstances it seems more reasonable to suppose that the King's camera was in Cranborne Chase, and was not Cranborne Manor, and that the word Crane- burn was used indifferently to denote either. The King's "camera apud Craneburn" would be a sufficient address wherever it was in the chase, for any one who lived at the time and had business there would know where to look for it. That the "camera" was at Tollard, and not at Cranborne, seems more than probable from its position. It was here in the very heart of the chase, close to the spot where tradition affirms that King John's hounds were accustomed to meet. At Cran- borne it would have been altogether outside of the short bounds of the chase, and on the very outskirts of its large bounds, and to get into the midst of the chase the King would have had to ride at least ten miles ; and further, if he wished to reach the more distant walkes — (from the dates of the King's visits given at the head of this paper it will be seen that the King was often only a single day at Cranborne) — would he have chosen for his residence a place where he would have twenty miles to ride, to and fro, to attend the hunt, in addition to the many miles in following the deer ? Besides, it seems more than doubtful whether the King was in possession of the manor and manor house at that time. That there was then a manor house at Cranborne where the present one stands there is little doubt, for the walls of the dungeon in it are built of " clunch " in the characteristic style of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. But the King had ceased to own it in the year of his first recorded visit to Cranborne. As Prince John, Earl of Morton, he had married Isabella, daughter of William, Earl of Gloucester, and through her held the honor of Gloucester with its appendages, which included the manor of Cranborne. He might have visited the manor house then, but when as King he divorced Isabella, in the second year of his reign, the manor of Cranborne passed from him with the honor of Gloucester, and afterwards became the I 2 KING JOHN S HOUSE AT TOLLARt) ROYAL. property of Geoffrey de Mandeville, who married the divorced Queen. There is an order made in 17 John, to Hugh de Nevil, which shows that the King still had his chase at Cranborne, though the manor of Cranborne with its chase was then the property of Geoffrey de Mandeville. The order is to the follow- ing effect: — 17 John. The King to Hugh de Nevil, order to make a perambulation to know what was the King's chase (in Dorset) and what was the chase of Geoffrey de Mandeville, to wit, the chase which William, Earl of Gloucester formerly held, also to make a like perambulation of the forest of Cranborne and Chittenden between the King's chase and the chase which the Earl of Gloucester had held. Did the King build the house at ToUard when he divorced his Queen and so lost the manor house of Cranborne with its chase ? It looks very like it. The confusion which seems to exist between the King's chase at Cranborne and the chase of the manor of Cranborne might be capable of this explanation — that when the King was in possession of the manor of Cranborne he afforested lands on the Tollard side of it and so extended the chase of the manor, making a royal forest of it — (the King acted in this manner all over England, and caused much misery thereby) — and, when the manor of Cranborne with its chase passed out of his possession, he built the house at Tollard as a hunting lodge for the afforested lands which he had added to the chase of Cranborne Manor, but which were now separated from it, and had become the King's chase or forest of Cran- borne, the old name of Cranborne being retained. Again, an old map of the chase plotted in 161 8 shows only one park within the short bounds of the chase, and that one park the one attached to this house at Tollard. Whom would the King allow to enclose a park in the midst of his chase against his own deer ? The existence of this park at an early date seems to show that this house was a royal house, at least when this park was enclosed ; so it seems that the tradition which affirms that this is King John's house is based on reasonable grounds. KING JOHNS HOUSE AT TOLLARD ROYAL. 1 3 There is corroborative testimony to the date in the archi- tecture of the building. The imposts which support the pointed heads of the windows show very early thirteenth century work ; indeed, they might be almost Transition Norman. And this house is exactly such a house as the King would have inhabited at that date. It has been supposed that this house was a castellated building, and that the foundations of a tower found at the south corner is evidence of its having been so. But King's houses were not in those days built with all the rooms, kitchens, and hall under one roof like a modern mansion, except in confined situations, or when it was necessary for defensive purposes, as in castles. Here, as elsewhere, there was a group of detached buildings, and in this one in which we are met you have the principal chamber of the group, which has every appearance of having been the King's chamber ; and it is still almost perfect — so much so that if the King could visit it again he might give an order for its renovation in the form so frequently met with in the Liberate Rolls, and it could be carried out and restored to its pristine condition within two or three months. This chamber, which is thirty-eight feet long by sixteen broad internally, has survived all other buildings of the group, probably on account of its very substantial construction, for it would be no trifling work to take down a house like this, with its walls four feet thick. And the fact that it /> so substantially built, together with its form and character, are reasons for believing it to have been the King's chamber. The actual chamber would be the solar above. This room beneath is probably the chamber of the King's knights, which frequently occupied this position. They were not a studious class of men who required a good light for their literary labours, so that the fact that this room was only lighted by slits, as you see by the one on the S.E. side (C), did not affect them much. They were generally in attendance on the King, or hunting, or engaged in outdoor sports, or in the hall. Windows on the ground floor were generally narrow slits, too narrow for a man to force his way through, and there was no 14 IvING JOHN S HOUSE AT TOLLARD ROYAL. 4 T te i;;^ii^ winiifuiiiujumiY, Scfilc— J, inch = 10 feet. King John's House, Tollard Royal. Ground Plan and Plan of Solar. King John's House (loth Cent.) Tudor. Walls black in the Plan Walls hatched in the Plan There were windows on the north west side in the 13th Cent walled up or obliterated by the insertion of later work. have been KING JOHNS HOUSE AT TOLLARD ROYAL. 1 5 glass in them, and the wide splay inside gave command to the crossbow men and archers within of a wide stretch without in the event of a sudden attack being made on the house. '^' In the solar above, in the King's chamber (if I may be allowed to speak of it as such throughout these notes), it was safe to have larger windows, and the windows are here of two lights (L.M.). They had some protection from their height above ground, and if the light zvas sometimes dim and the King was inclined to read he could occupy one of those stone seats, which no doubt was well cushioned, in the window there.f In the south-west end of the lower room is an aumbrey, or locker (F.), where the King's relics and valuables could be kept under guard during his stay. When discovered the original hinges were upon the hooks. The openings (A.J.) in the north-east end wall were evidently made in Tudor times to give access to the Tudor additions (R.W.) to the original house, and the doorway (H.) probably dates from the same time, the porch (X.) outside it being later. The large window (B.) is also Tudor, and the windows (D.E.) are the original slits enlarged at some time. The thirteenth century entrance to the lower room was by the archway (G.) ; there was almost certainly a porch outside it, and above the porch a small chamber, an ante-chamber to the King's chamber, to which there was access by means of outside steps. The additions (S.V.) which have been made on this side seem to have been made on the foundations of these steps. There are certainly some ancient foundations here. The door at the south-west end of the King's chamber (N.) was not an entrance to the chamber, but the door of a camera * In the course of my search in the Close Rolls I came across an order to the bailiff for the payment of the King's crossbowmen (probably the chief of them) at Cranborne. The order is dated Dec. 15th, 1213. The King was at Crauborne six days in that year, and it was the last time he visited it. t In the note on the thirteenth century house at Barnestone in the last volume (Vol. XXII., page Ixv.), there is a drawing of a window with the characteristic stone seats in it ; the window there has not been restored as these have been. i6 KING JOHN S HOUSE AT TOLLARD ROYAL. priuata, which was built in the form of a turret with a chimney to it, as at Winchester.* j >^"^r>''^ Jk YM I — ^^Y /^l II MONG the worthies of Dorset we ma}' claim some 'W/^S ^^ right to number William Cuming, M.D., who, having settled here while still a young man, could never be tempted away from us by the brilliant prospects of a London practice, but spent the remaining portion of his seventy-four years in our county town. Dr. Cuming's autobiography is contained in a letter (dated Dorchester, August, 1783), written by him to his friend, the celebrated physician, John Coakley Lcttsom. From this source we learn that Cuming was born on September 19th (O.S.), 1714. His father (he tells us) was " INIr. James Cuming, an eminent merchant in Edinburgh." William Cuming was educated in Edinburgh. Before he was eighteen he began " the study of physic . . . daily attending the lectures " on that science given in the University of Edinburgh. In 1735 he went to France, where he devoted nine months to visiting hospitals and dissecting. Leaving France he and his friends, Whytt and Kennedy, made a three weeks' tour through Flanders to Leyden. At Rheims, where they took medical degrees, a courteous professor, on being 1413073 WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. 35 informed of their nationality, remarked " Qui se dicit Scotum, dicit doctum." At Leyden they attended the lectures of Dr. Boerhaave. The illness of his father re-called Cuming to Edinburgh in October, 1736. Two. months later James Cuming, senior, died (his wife had predeceased him), and his son, per- ceiving that Edinburgh had no lack of physicians, went to London, with a view of obtaining information about some provincial practice in England. From his friend, Dr. Fothergill, he heard of a vacancy at Dorchester. Cuming settled at Dorchester early in 1739. The town was then the head-quarters of the North British Dragoons, several of whose officers were personally known to him. They were much liked by the Dorchester folk, and their introductions procured him a trial. His receipts during the first three years of his practice were (as he says) " very moderate," but the emoluments of the fourth year surpassed the sum of the pre- ceding period, and thenceforth his business increased yearly. He tells us that, as time wore on, he was employed " in every family of distinction within the county, and made several excursions into the adjacent ones." Yet, according to our standard, his practice was not very lucrative, since it appears from his pocket book that his professional income for 1766 amounted to ;^3i2 8s. The autobiographical letter, already quoted, is the chief authority for Cuming's life. But, besides this source of infor- mation, there exists: (i) His printed correspondence with Dr. Lettsom on general subjects ; and (2) his unpublished letters to Richard Gough, written mainly in regard to the preparation for the press of " Hutchins' History of Dorset." Moreover, I have a quantity of printed and manuscript odds and ends collected by Cuming, some of which chronicle local events and topics in the Dorchester of his day, while others serve, in conjunction with his letters, to throw light upon his character and pursuits. Many of us, perhaps, are aware that, on July 12th, 1775, Dorchester suffered greatly from fire. In a letter to Gough 36 WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. (dated July 24th, 1775), Cuming gives the following report of this casualty: — "We had indeed a very narrow escape in this plase {s/c). The first Appearance of the Fire was very alarming, and it spread imdequaqiie amongst the thatched houses in the Lower Parish, from One till Six in the Morning. At which time it was most providentially and unexpectedly mastered. We have made a Collection amongst (the) Parishes in the Town, and with the Assistance We have received and expect from the benevolent in the County, We hope to pay the poor Sufferers above half their Loss." The postscript of a letter to Gough (dated September 9th, 177S) conveys similar tidings: — "About three Weeks ago we were greatly alarmed by a Cry of Fire at Midnight, but it was most providentially extinguished in about 2 hours after burning only an old house of small value opposite to the Antelope Inn." Records of fire and pestilence may be fitly linked with a grim memorandum in a pocket book of Dr. Cuming for 1766. Under Tuesday, December 2nd, he notes: "This Day the Gallows removed f"" JMaumbury and a new One erected on Fordington Down at Expence of ye County Cost of £\r Speed's plan of Dorchester shows that, in 16 10, the gallows stood upon or close to the Roman wall at the end of the South Walks. When Mrs. Channing was executed, in 1706, it had been shifted to Maumbury ; which, maugre its direful presence, was, according to Stukeley, who visited Dorchester in 1723, "a common walk for the inhabitants and the parapet or terras at top is a noted place of rendezvous, as affording a pleasant circular walk, whence you see the town and wide plain of cornfields all around, much boasted of by the inhabitants for most excellent grain." From Cuming's correspondence we get a glimpse of Dor- chester stirred by a wave of popular emotion. In February, 1779, there was widespread rejoicing over the acquittal of Admiral Keppel, who had been tried by court martial for misconduct and neglect of duty during the indecisive action with the French fleet off Ushant on July 27, 1778. His accuser WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. 37 and subordinate officer in the battle, Sir Hugh Palliser, Vice- Admiral of the Blue, was generally blamed for bringing these charges against Keppel. London illuminated after the declara- tion of the verdict ; and a mob, taking advantage of the absence of a guard appointed to protect Palliser, smashed his windows, broke into his house, and wrecked his furniture. On February 24th, 1779, Cuming was writing to Gough at the moment when Dorchester gave milder, but not the less peremptory, expression to public opinion : " This," says the doctor, " is our adjourned Fair day. I just now see from my Window the Figure of the unhappy Sir Hugh conducted on the Hangman's Cart, properly escorted, to a Gibbet erected in our INIarket place, where he is to be suspended till the Evening, when he will be consigned to the Flames, and to-night we must all illuminate our Windows or suifer the resentment of their High Mightiness the Mob, whose vassals we are." I shall touch next upon borough politics, as illustrated by some documents among the miscellaneous collections formed by Cuming. In 1750 both seats at Dorchester were vacated by the death of John Browne, of Forston, and the retirement of Nathaniel Gundy, appointed puisne justice of the Common Pleas. The merits of three candidates who then took the field are set forth in as many stanzas composed by " Sappho," a pseudonym I cannot unveil. The poetess snubs " Martial Demar" {sic), who, no doubt, was George Darner, a lieutenant in the Foot Guards : What has he done ? Alas ! no Tongue can tell. What has he spoke ? Why, not a Syllable. On the other band, she heartily commends John Pitt, of Enconibe, to the electors' choice : Take then the Son, Ye Friends of freedom, take, And hail him Victor, for the Mother's sake. His mother was Mrs. Lora Pitt, second wife of George Pitt, of Stratfieldsage, the lady who gave Dorchester its London-road 38 WILLIAM CUMING, M.ft. approach, and to whose piety and benevolence there is a warm tribute in " Hutchins' History of Dorset." A third candidate was Robert Browne, of Frampton, an elder brother of the deceased member. " Mighty Browne " (says Sappho) was Huzza'd by Mobbs, a Calithumpian crew. An explanation of this mysterious epithet involves a glance at a shady side of political alliance which, as we shall presently see, was not peculiar to Dorchester. In November, 1770, there was a contest at New Shoreham, Sussex, which led to a sham charitable association, composed of electors of that borough and called the " Christian Club," becoming the subject of Parliamentary enquiry. Its real purpose was, as a witness who had once belonged to it deposed, "To bring Members of Parliament into the borough without the assistance of other voters." The club offered its united vote to candidates' competition and shared the proceeds of the sale. Among the Cuming papers are (i) a draft (written and corrected in his hand) of a resolution framed against the " Gallithumpian Club"; and (2) a printed list of the members composing the club, with his MS. additions. The terms of the resolution premise that "■ Sundry persons of the lowest of the people Voters in this Borough have within these few Years associated themselves together by the Name of the G. Club upon principles of opposition to y^ (corporation) and many of y^ principal Inhabitants, have avowedly let themselves out to hire at Elections to the highest bidder, and arrogate to themselves the power of determining y^ Choice of Representatives." The resolution bound its subscribers not to "Countenance or Support deal with or employ any person or persons who now are, whose Names (in the printed list) are hereto subjoined, or hereafter shall be Members of the s'^ G. Society during y^ time yt he or they continue to be Members of y^ Same." The subscribers would also engage not to vote for any candidate who used means to "bribe or promise to reward the said society for their Votes." The " List of the Gallithumpian Clubb Dorches" WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. 39 (Cuming's MS. heading) comprises the names of " Thomas Pitman, Captain-Commandant John Gale, Lieutenant," and thirty-three members. The names of five members were added in Dr. Cuming's hand. He drew his pen through eighteen names and wrote " d'^' " or " dead " against four and "resigned " against one. Among the members were a postmaster, three yeomen, two labourers, and a journeyman. The rest were tradesmen and artisans. A scrap of paper (endorsed " Ale house Supper Bills on Mr. Foster's Account whilst a Candidate for Dorchester") suggests that in the Dorchester taverns of the last age such revellers were to be seen as Hogarth drew in his contemporary picture of "An Election Entertainment." Pencilled on the face of the paper are the words : " Expenses of IMr. Foster's Enter- tainm^s at the difft Inns to his Voters." The whole amount disbursed was £"^3 15s. The inns benefited by the outlay were: "Feathers" {i.e., Plume of Feathers), Black Horse, Oak, Greyhound, Green Dragon, Antelope, Crown, King's Arms, Phoenix, Red Lion, and " 3 Tons" {sic). The largest sum {£12'^ 15s. 3d.) was secured by the Phoenix; the smallest {£'^3), by the King's Arms. I have merely to add that Mr. Thomas Foster, of Egham, Surrey, was one of the members returned for Dorchester in the General Election of 1761. Enough of such politics ! Another document in Dr. Cuming's hand concerns an innovation which perhaps roused little less warmth than did the plots of Gallithumpians. Four folio pages (nearly filled) are endorsed : " Copy Petition presented to Dr. Hume, Bp. of Bristol, 1757." The petitioners affirm " that the old solemn Tunes, adapted to the Translations of the Psalms in Metre," are " no\v-a-days in a manner quite laid aside, so that they are seldom or never sung in Churches, particularly those of this place (We would not be understood to mean that the Abuse here complain'd of is confin'd to this place, since it has spread itself over most of the Churches within your Lordship's Jurisdic- tion in this County), where a few persons who, from what 40 "WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. Authority we know not, call themselves the Choir, have, instead of those devout solemn Compositions, introduced a Sett of light, flippant, Sing-Song Airs, which under the Name of Hymns and Anthems they constantly sing in spite of repeated Admonition to the contrary and which they execute very unskilfully and even indecently, to the great disturbance and Concern of many pious and well disposed persons, who are thereby excluded from their Share in this edifying & delightfull Act of Worship, as they seldom can hear and understand the Words, and are quite unacquainted with the Tunes. We beg Leave to refer your Lordship to the rev'^ Mr. Hubbock rector of the Churches of St. Peter's and the Holy Trinity in this Town for the Truth of the Facts here alledgd, who has had ample Experience of the Many bad Consequences that follow the irregular & indecent practice which we are so soUicitous to have reformd." The petitioners then plead that, on his first visitation in 1724, Dr. Gibson, Bishop of London, urged the clergy of his diocese to bring their congregations " to sing five or six of the plainest & best known Tunes ;" but warned them not to invite " those idle Instructors, who of late years have gone about the several Countries to teach Tunes uncommon & out of the way." Finally, the petitioners request Dr. Hume " to direct that those pious devout Com- positions the Psalms may henceforth be sung to the old solemn known Tunes." A luminous sidelight is thrown upon this petition by a facetious letter in The Co7inoisseur,ixo\i\ Mr. Village to Mr. Town, dated August iqth, 1756. The writer observes that " psalm-singing is, indeed, wonderfully improved in many country churches since the days of Siernhold and Hopkins ; and there is scarce a parish-clerk, who has so little taste as not to pick his staves out of the New Version." He adds: "The tunes themselves have also been new-set to jiggish measures ; and the sober drawl which used to accompany the two first staves of the Hundredth Psalm with the gloria patri is now split into as many quavers as an Italiafi air. For this purpose there is in every county an itinerant band of vocal musicians, who make it their business to go round all the churches in their turns and, WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. 41 after a prelude with the pitch-pipe, astonish the audience with hymns set to the new Winchester measure and anthems of their own composing." Let us turn to lighter aspects of Dorchester life. The (fuming IMSS. include numerous jciix d'esprit. Take, for example, a manifesto (headed "Read, Judge, and Try") from "a learned Ingenious artist," who "is lately come to this good towne of DorchestS" to teach " y*^ Art of making Love ; " and " is to be spoken with at any time from 9 in the morning till 3 or 4 y« next day at y Crowne in this towne. If therefore any Young Gentle- man has occasion for any rules in that noble art he may be very well Instructed." The advertiser held " a choice collection of Darts, flames, racks, tortures, inquietudes, daggers, poisons, fire, raptures, extacy, harmonious voices, angells, goddesses. Tem- porary death, imaginary Heavens, Empty Hells, and abundance of such like mighty nothings which he would willingly dispose of for y Benefitt of the Dull Youth of Dorchester." He " has allready Vended a good quantity of Aforesaid commoditys amongst Ladies, to their great satisfaction and happyness." And (bidding people " Beware of Counterfeits, for such are abroad"), he ends with "Jove bless King Cupid and Queen Venus. Amen." Those scions of Dorchester that deserved to be called " dull " might have needed instruction which could make them present- able to the reigning toasts of the county town ; who are enumerated in an undated poem entitled, "The Carnival Concluded." Three of these fair dames were, perhaps, veiled under the designations of Sylvia, Cloe, and Belindo. The following lines, however, are more precise : — Here Kellaway's Shape and Bromfield's Smile, Our Hearts eugage, our Cares beguile ; While Chappie's Air and Mien can tame The roughest Peasant of the Plain. The ladies thus distinguished (including the Hawkers, who were possibly sisters), shared a divided empire Till Wolverton's Charms forc'd all to yield ; 42 WILLIAM CUMING, M.E). and the arrival of the Misses Trenchard, of Wolverton (to whom the whole effusion is dedicated), drew from the poet a flattering, but rather invidious, compliment : So wheu the Sun exerts its Pow'r The Lesser Stars are seen no more. These ladies were (I conjecture) Henrietta and Mary Trenchard, children of Mary, daughter and heiress of Colonel Thomas Trenchard, of Wolverton, and George, son and heir of Sir John Trenchard, of Bloxworth. The opening lines of the poem recall the past : While you my Fair ! resorted here Each Heart was gay and debonair ; Gladness appear' d in every Face And Beaux and Belles adorn'd the Place ; All Nature smil'd upon our View, Joy, Love, and Beauty came with you : The Girls (for) Plays, Balls, Cloaths, & pinners. Were glad to give up half their dinners ; The Men (strange change you brought about) Left their October and their Gout. When the poet wrote, the bewitching Trenchards were far away, for not only do " these Walks" (doubtless the pleasant ramparts so familiar to us) Their Use and Duty know no more ; but Despoil'd of Arms the God of Love With Dryads sigh(s) in Wolverton Grove. Another loss to society is bewailed in a series of twenty four- lined stanzas, entitled "The doleful Lamentation of the Single Women of Dorchester on the Departure of Colonel Pitt — f™ a Lady to Her Friend in Town — which may be said or sung to the Tune of the Broom or of any other mournful Tune." The subject of these pathetic strains was George Pitt (afterwards Lord Rivers), Colonel of the Dorset Militia from its first embodiment in 1757. Though elderly at the date of the poem, he was handsome and active; his "grace" and "elegance of WILLIAM CUMIKG, M.D, 43 mien " in a ball room were generally admired. " How did he swim along ! " cries the writer. Moreover, he was an accom- plished horseman, springing "like feather'd JMcrcury " upon the back of a steed given him by the King and compelling the animal every day to Paw, curvet, champ, & prance Aud to the Music of the Band In justest Measure dance. In his phaeton, drawn by six ponies, Colonel Pitt resembled " that aspiring youth " after whom the vehicle was named. The colonel's politeness, good humour, and " am'rous chatt," made him a favourite of the ladies, who were undeterred by change- able weather from attending an important military function ; ■ But view'd each day at Noontide hour The Mounting of the Guard. When jovial Horns, Bassoons, and Drums With Clarinette most sweet Did with the shrill ear-piercing Fifes In joyful Concert meet. A few verses are devoted to the praise of " Our blooming Knight o' the Shire," Colonel Pitt's son, the second Lord Rivers. That plays ranked among the amusements of Dorchester appears from a line in the lament on the departure of the Trenchards. How excellent the acting might be is shown by a London visitor's letter to the General Eveidng Post. The year has not been left or noted on the cutting which preserves this testimony ; and I can only remark that the letter could not have been written before 1761, and, presumably, should not be assigned to a later date than 1786. The writer says : " Being in company last Friday evening at Dorchester with several gentle- men, they invited me to the play, and told me, if I went, I should find myself agreeably entertained, at which I smiled. They said you must not think you are in London, or expect the excellencies of a Garrick or a Barry ; yet, nevertheless, you will be agreeably surprized. Upon which I attended the playhouse, which is in the county-hall : the play was Cato, which I 44 WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. expected to see mauled, or murdered, in a shocking manner, as I had seen many before in the country : but when the curtain drew up I was agreeably surprized with a noble stage and very good scenes ; however, as I had no other intention than to doze or laugh, I took but little notice of the beginning; but a speech from Marcus being delivered with great judgment, I was immediately alarmed, and gave more attention ; and was never more surprized than at the exquisite acting of Juba and Syphax, performed by Mr. Venables and i\Ir. Wolfe, whose powers seem equally adapted to please and to surprize ; and Mrs. Williams, in the character of Marcia, convinced me that she is an excellent actress : the other characters were well supported, and the play most elegantly dressed. The farce was the Citizen, and Miss Williams in the part of IMaria shewed uncommon talents ; Mr. C. Williams was very decent in young Philpot ; and Mr. Venables was equally pleasing in young Wilding ; but the inimitable acting of old Philpot by Mr. Wolfe does not fall short of the merit of a Shuter or a Yates. In short, it is the best Company I ever saw in the country ; and I am now convinced there are people in the country, as well as in London, who can display their talents to the best advantage. As I went to the house prejudiced, it is but justice to their merit that I should give them the character they deserve : they are all people of merit ; their cloaths and scenes are as good as any I have seen, and their regularity is very commendable. I must do the gentry of Dorchester the justice they deserve : they are as polite an audience as I have ever seen, and prove their judgment by giving marks of approbation where 'tis deserving." The letter is signed "A Lover of Merit." The company so highly praised acted, as we learn from this magnanimous Londoner, in the Shire Hall. But I have a broadside proving that not long before Dr. Cuming's death Dor- chester possessed a humble structure appropriated to dramatic performances. The broadside is headed " An Occasional Prologue, (Spoken at the New Theatre, Dorchester) by ]Mr. Hollocombe." It is endorsed by my grandfather, Edward "WILLIAM CUMING, ^LD. 45 Boswell : " 1786 An Occasional Prologue Supposed to be written by The Rev'' Mr. Russell." The latter was, no doubt, the Rev. Thomas Russell, of Beaminster, a scholar and a poet, who died in 1788 at the early age of twenty-six. The prologue opens thus : What end to Changes in this varying Age, When ev'n a Riding School is made a Stage ? When Shakespeai'e's Scenes to Surcingles succeed The strutting Actor to the prancing Steed. The past and future uses of the new theatre suggested to Russell a long series of facetious comparisons or contrasts, but, happily, one line is descriptive of the place : And sure, though Wood its Walls, and Furze its Roof, This House will guard us from the Critic's Hoof. A card-assembly was, as we might expect, another public provision for the entertainment of the townspeople. By means of a modest little card, dated " Antelope Inn, Dorchester, September 12, 1785, T. Carter returns his sincere thanks to the Ladies and Gentleme77, for the many Favors already received, and begs leave to Inform them, that the Card-Asse?}ibly will be continued as usual, notwithstanding Mr. Bailey s representing it otherwise." Mr. Bailey, irate, responds, literally and metaphori- cally, with a broadside (a small folio of fine paper printed in an elegant italic type), explaining to "the Ladies and Gentlemen frequenting the Card-Assembly .... that Mrs. Carter, in the presence of Captain Steel, did on Thursday last VERY CONTEMPTUOUSLY decline having the Card-Assembly at her house, unless there was a certain Subscription of Twenty Guineas. Knowing that several families . . . meant not to enter into any Subscription this Year," jMr. Bailey, anxious to " have the honor of being instrumental in promoting a social Amusement," sought for "another place of meeting ; " and he concludes with the announcement that the "Grand Jury Room has been engaged, and will be opened, for Coffee, Tea, and Cards, this Evening (September 13, 17S5) and every Tuesday thro' the winter." 46 WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. Resuming now the narrative of Cuming's life, an absolute dearth of records during the interval obliges me to proceed Avithout pause from 1739 (when he settled at Dorchester) to 1752. In the latter year he obtained from Edinburgh Universit}-, by his own request, a diploma, which was granted " Benevolentia et Honoris Causa," he having, as I mentioned, taken his degree at Rheims in 1736. Soon after an unsolicited distinction was bestowed upon him. The Edinhii7-gh Evening Cojirant for August loth, 1752, has the following paragraph : — "At the last Meeting of the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh) Dr. William Cuming, Physician at Dorchester in Dorsetshire, Son to the late Mr. James Cuming, an eminent INIerchant in this City, was unanimously chosen Fellow of the said College." His pocket-book shows that on April 5th, 1766, he joined in a petition from " Gentlemen Clergy Freeholders & Inhabitants of the C. of Dorset" to the House of Commons against a proposed Bill " for amending, etc., several Roads leading from y^ Town of Wareham ; " and subscribed £z 2s. towards the expense of engaging counsel. About two years later his attachment to us was tested. On November 28th, 1768, died Alexander Russell, a notable London physician, and Cuming was then invited by Dr. Fothergill to take the practice vacated by Russell's death. The three were old friends, and in early days had been fellow- students. Fothergill was most anxious that " his Cuming" (as he called his surviving associate) should be near him, but neither friendship, ambition, nor the prospect of gain could vanquish our doctor's fidelity to us. The next recorded event of Cuming's life is his enrolment in 1769 among the Fellows of the London Society of Antiquaries. The succeeding year is memorable in the annals of this shire. At the summer assizes of 1770 a large meeting "of the first persons of the county" agreed to encourage the publication of Hutchins's "History of Dorset " (a work which stands in the front rank of its class), and Dr. Cuming was "unanimously requested to undertake the care of it, to receive subscriptions, etc." " Hutchins" (says Cuming) " was a reserved man, and but little known," whose proposals WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. 47 for publishing the result of thirty years' toil " met not with the reception they merited." During the next four years Cuming's leisure was devoted to the county history, and, when the book came out, Hutchins's preface to the edition of 1774 was found to contain this acknowledgment of the doctor's services : " With- out his friendly assistance my papers might yet have remained undelivered to the press ; or, if they had been communicated to the publick, would have wanted several advantages and embel- lishments with which they now appear." The perusal of a thick folio correspondence between Cuming and Gough increases one's gratitude to them for the con- scientious care which they bestowed upon Hutchins's great work. All honour is due to Gough, but he must " divide the crown " with Cuming, to whose erudition, zeal, and laboriousness were added a local knowledge and influence which made his services invaluable to a colleague living so far away. The doctor's professional opportunities even were not neglected. Thus, on March 5th, 1771, he tells Gough that a patient — Mr. Bankes, of Kingston Hall — "ought properly" to give a plate of Corfe Castle. "I shall visit him to-morrow" (remarks Cuming), " & I will certainly mention it to him, & to his Brother the Commissioner who is now in the Country." To Cuming was entrusted the duty of furnishing accurate plans, drawings, and descriptions of antiquities. " The Letters between the Cerne Giants Leggs shall be carefully copied," he assures Gough in a letter dated December 8th, 1770. Writing on January 29th, 1772, he says: "As soon as the Weather becomes a little Milder, I shall have the Amphitheatre accurately measured and compared with Dr. Stukeleys Plans and Descrip- tions, after which the Drawing shall be sent to you." On April 5th, 1773, he reports some business done at Minterne Magna : " Last Friday (April 2) our friend Mr. J. Templeman my Amanuensis accompanied me to Grange or Middlemarsh Hall, and dictated from my Blazoning the Arms painted on the windows in that house." A passage in a letter to Gough (dated September nth, 1773), relates to the font at Winterborne 48 WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. Whitchurch, which, as is mentioned in Hutchins's " History of Dorset" (Vol. I., page 68), was engraved from a drawing " made by William Shave, parish-clerk and a carpenter." The letter affords the further information that the Rev. Francis Kingston, Vicar of Whitchurch, doubting the accuracy of a drawing made by him of the font, applied for corrections to one of his parishioners; "and" (Cuming announces) " by this Mornings post received from his own parish Clerk William Shave a very elegant Drawing of it, which ecclipses that of the Vicar. If he understands Psalmody as Avell as he does Drawing, I will endeavour to have him sent to the Metropolis ... I must desire as it will make the poor Man happy, that you will order the Engraver to insert at the Bottom Williavi Shave delineavit, and send me a couple of dozen of the Impressions on paper the Size of the plate." Cuming's watchful supervision is shown in a criticism for Gough's guidance delivered on February 19th, 1774: "The Plan has been returned from Weymotith, and declared to be correct. I think I see two trifling Mistakes in the Orthography of the Names of Places, H. Governers Lajie ought to be Governor''s Lane and DelamoUis ought to be Dcla»iottee's, when these Peccadillos are corrected, it may be worked off." Cuming had previously (December 27th, 1773), offered a suggestion regarding the same plan : "At that part of the Shore which I have marked in Squares with red Ink I wish to have two or three Bathing houses engraved, with a Single Horse in each." Among the illustrations was comprised the view of Dorchester, published by Samuel Gould in 1750. Perhaps those of us who know this engraving have looked with a more than indulgent eye upon the bygone townsfolk in the foreground, strolling about the meads or along the newly- opened road and fishing in the Frome. But since to the doctor (writing on January 29th, 1772), these people were modern, and therefore commonplace ; his artistic sensibility prompted him to words and deeds which may seem to us almost cruel : " As to those frightfid kmnan Figures'" (he tells Gough) "I resign them entirely to your Mercy or your Judgment no WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. 49 Body here is at all interested in their Preservation. I made sad havoc among them in the Impression sent, you may if you please compleat their Destruction." Early in 1774 the labours of Cuming and Gough drew to a close. Folding and stitching the sheets and the carriage of the published volumes from London to Dorchester had become matters for serious consideration. With regard to the latter point, Mr. Gould (a Dorchester bookseller) opines " that it will be safer to have the Books packed up in Boxes of rough Deal, than to send them in matting ; and " (was this Cuming's thrift ?) " Care shall be taken to sell these Boards for as much as can be got for them " (Cuming to Gough, February 4th, 1774). Anent the disposal of the component parts of each copy in their right order, Cuming found occasion (on July 4th, 1774) to rebuke urban arrogance : "The Book I have been told is difficult to arrange, but I cannot entertain an Idea of such superior Abilities in London Booksellers, beyond their rural brethren, as to think that they alofie are equal to it. Both Blandford and Dorchester can boast of Booksellers that I think are just as capable of it as those that live in the Strand or Covent Garden." In several letters to Gough, Cuming recommended that a single copy should be prepared before the spring assizes brought the county gentlemen to Dorchester; and it appears that by March 14th, 1774, this specimen of the completed work was on view at Gould's shop. " Our Squires" (wrote Cuming five days later) " were glad to hear the Book was near publication." On May 9th, 1774, the first edition of Hutchins's "History of Dorset" was ready for delivery to the subscribers. Ere that day dawned people had awakened to a sense of the book's value. "There was a time" (says Cuming to Gough on October 31st, 1772), "when we were obliged to sollicit Subscriptions with great Earnestness, that time is over ... no fewer than four SoUicitations since I began this Letter." Cuming regarded it as "superior much to the History of any County yet published"; adding: "How much that is owing to the Abilities and Attention which you have e.xerted, we are all 50 WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. very sensible here" (Cuming to Gough, INIay 17th, 1774). So early as March ist, 1777, a new edition was contemplated (Cuming to Gough) ; and in the following month Gould went to town to discuss the project with John Nichols, the London publisher (Cuming to Nichols). But on May 23rd, 1778, Cuming informed Gough that "Mr. Gould's Scheme of a new Edition of our Hislo/y has vanished into Air." No time was lost in providing materials for the second edition, which appeared in 1796. On June 29th, 1774, Cuming asked Gough to notify errors observed that they might be amended in the doctor's "interleaved Copy For the Bcjicfit of Posterity T On April 4th, 1777, and November 7th, 1778, he writes that he keeps his copy up to date in its list of sheriffs, &c., and has corrected and augmented Mr. Frampton's pedigree. The latter year was marked by a temporary disturbance of Cuming's normal habits. "I have been employd " (he tells Gough on March 7th) "not in the most agreeable manner, in changing my Habitation. The Widow Browne of Frampton chuses to live in her own house in Dorchester, which has obliged me to find another. I am just now gott into that w^-'ii was the property of our friend Mr. Nath Templcman." The close of 1780 brought sorrow for the death of an old comrade, the learned and beneficent physician, John Fothergill. Forty-seven years had elapsed since an acquaintance, which ripened into aff"ection, began at Edinburgh, where Fothergill went to study medicine. He settled in London about a year after Cuming's choice of Dorchester. In 1781 (the year of their establishment) the Scottish Society of Antiquaries made Cuming, without his previous knowledge, an honorary member of their fraternity. I have now related all the known events of Cuming's tranquil life, but, happily, a clearer idea of the man than such scanty annals convey is to be derived from various particulars which have been preserved touching his friends, tastes, and opinions. In his autobiographical letter he writes : " The surviving companions of my youth are still the friends and correspondents WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. 51 of my advanced years ; those that remain, who consulted me professionally soon after my arrival in this place, still visit and consult me ; and retired from business as I am, and almost wholly confined within doors, when I can contribute but little to their benefit or amusement, I have the singular satisfaction not to be forgotten, but to be visited by gentlemen the most respect- able in the county for probity, rank, and fortune." There was, no doubt, a spice of the canny Scot in his procedure when he began practice at Dorchester. Archer, as Cuming remarks, "was no formidable rival, to be sure, but I cultivated his friend- ship and gained it." He tells us also that during this critical time he lost no friend whom he had once made. A friendship, which might have been expected to result in a closer tic, subsisted between him and IMiss IMary Oldfield. From their contemporaries my mother heard that " Dr. Cuming never married ; but he and Miss Polly Oldfield, a clever and attractive woman, were greatly attached to each other in a Platonic fashion, which amused their friends and neighbours. They almost always spent their evenings together, but, when they met at a party or at a friend's house, the doctor always saw her safe home, attending carefully to her wraps in cold weather and carrying a lantern on dark nights." In his will he bcciucathed "the picture of the late Mary Oldfield" to the wife of William Templeman, a Dorchester lawyer, and to tlie wife of John Templeman, "Attorney in Dorchester" (youngest brother of William), he gave " the funeral inscription to the memory of the said Mary Oldfield with the gilt frame and glass in which it is enclosed." Mention has been made of Fothergill and Russell, his fellow students at Edinburgh, Frampton, of INIoreton, associated with the early days of Cuming's settlement in Dorchester, and Lettsom, whose cheerful letters must have brightened the elder doctor's later years. With these we may number Samuel Gould, the Dorchester bookseller. Writing about the Biographical and Literary Anecdotes of W. Boivyer, Cuming asks the author (John Nichols) for a print of Bowyer's portrait, prefixed to the book, 52 AVILLIAM CUiMING, M.D. partly because " it bears a strong resemblance to my old Friend Mr. Gould, of this place, whom you know." By his will Cuming left to John Templeman "the INlodcl in wax of our late friend Samuel Gould." An obituary notice in Cuming's hand (perhaps drawn up by him for a local newspaper) describes Gould in the following terms: "On Saturday the 22nd of February died in the 73rd year of his Age Mr. Samuel Gould Bookseller in Dorchester, where he carried on the Business of his Profession during 45 Years in a liberal and reputable Manner. He was a I\Ian of strict Integrity of a friendly benevolent and social Disposition, well versed in English Literature in which he had acquired a correct Taste, he was much respected by People of all Ranks to whom he was known, and died very generally regretted." In a printed broadside (which, I suspect, was also composed by his old acquaintance) he is styled "Superintendent of the Amusements of Dorchester," and his character is thus sketched : " He sold Books, He scattered Jokes and promoted INIirth, He cemented Friendships, He hurt no Body, He wish'd to do good to All, He especially studied to befriend the Widow and the Orphan : He was the Companion of Men of Learning, and Was ever receiv'd with Friendship and Cheerfullness By all Persons of Distinction, to whom he was known. And he was known to Many. He died the 22nd of February 1783, Aged 73 Years." The materials for Cuming's biography enable me to add a few more names to the list of those already noticed, with whom he held cordial relations. In his will he says : "I give to the Honourable Hester wife of Will'" Clapcott Lisle Esq»'e if she survive me the picture of her father the late Lord Viscount Malpas my much valued friend." A letter to Nichols contains the information that Cuming " was intimately acquainted from the Year 1741 to the time of his Death" (1769) with Dr. Peter Templeman, a native of Dorchester distinguished in his day for his medical and literary ability. Writing to Gough, Cuming speaks of William Tytler, the champion of Mary Queen of Scots, as " my old Friend and School Fellow." John Templeman, the lawyer, was Cuming's sole executor. WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. 53 From the correspondence with Gough we learn something of Cuming's taste as a collector. His instructions for the binding of his copy of Hutchins' must awaken a responsive throb in the heart of every true book-lover. The sheets are to be " carefully folded," and the work is to be " half bound — leaves uncutt, covered with marble paper, leather Back. The Cutts to be sent all together separate — not bound in the books." He was thrifty withal, for, when giving Gough commissions at a tempting auction, he could resolutely say that he would not buy any book " insano pretio." If Granger's Biographical History of England " is a neat clean well bound Copy, so much under the Shop price as will [J warrant) the Purchase," Gough " may buy it, otherwise not." " Prints of all kinds I am glad to be possessed of," he tells Gough on February 17th, 1781, and on March 31st in the same year he desires that Mr. Norris (Secretary to the Society of Antiquaries) will send him the print of " the great Harry, as you call it," enclosed for safety "in a Cylindrical Tin Case, similar to that in which he sent me the Print of the Champ du Drap d'Or." He bequeathed to his niece (I\Irs. Sclham Maitland) " one of my setts of the engravings taken from the Ceiling of Mr. Willett's Library at Merley." A letter to Gough (June i2th, 1773), conveys a list of Cuming's town-pieces. Pie had then specimens issued at Dorchester, Blandford, Lyme, Poole, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Weymouth, and Wimborne ; and to Gough he left by will " all my Dorsetshire Tradesmen's Tokens about 76 in number." He collected English and Irish tokens and town-pieces generally, and his will shows that he possessed medals and coins, but no classification of them is given. Next to coins his will makes mention generally of shells — the fruit, no doubt, of a study of conchology pursued during his later years, which was engrossing his attention when he wrote to Gough on November 7th, 1778. jMeteorology was a subject of interest to Dr. Cuming. In his pocket-book for 1766 (the only one of a long series now remaining) he frequently records the weather and the temper- ature. One of his miscellaneous papers exhibits comparative 54 AVILLIAM CUMING, M.D. scales of the degrees in the thermometers of De Lisle, Fahren- heit, and Reaumur. ' There is also a memorandum comparing the amount of rainfall in two gauges placed respectively above and below the chimnies at the top of the same house. On February 7th, 1784, he informs Gough of a recent great snowfall, blocking the road from Dorchester to Bridport. Between 1 1 p.m. and 7 a.m. the Fahrenheit thermometer stood at 19 degrees beneath freezing. We may infer that Cuming possessed an accomplishment most useful to' an archseologist, for in a letter to Gough (dated May 23rd, 1778, Saturday), the doctor says that he intends next week to sketch the monument erected about a month ago by her husband to the memory of Lady Milton. This is an elaborate piece of Westmacott's work in the church of Milton Abbas, containing figures of Caroline Lady Milton and Joseph Damer, Baron Milton, afterwards (1792) Earl of Dorchester. Perhaps Cuming made sketches when, in che autumn of the same year, he saw some Roman remains at Chatham, discovered while the fortifications were being enlarged. But he seldom journeyed so far from home, and there in May, 1774, he read the newspapers' account of the opening of Edward L's tomb at Westminster Abbey — an important archaeological event. Philology naturally appealed to Cuming's antiquarian predilections. On May 22nd, 1776, he informs Gough that he has been urging Mr. G. Baton and " some others to compile a Dictionary of the ancient and vulgar Scottish Language, which by the more general Inter- course of the Inhabitants of the different Parts of the Island will become daily more difficult to execute. Could such a Work be effected by the joint Labours of a judiciously selected Society in Scotland, I think it would be a valuable Aquisition (sic), and would contribute more to elucidate our old English Poets than all the Glossaries and vague Conjectures of the whole Tribe of Editors and Commentators." Long afterwards (in 1808) this design was accomplished single-handed by John Jamieson, D.D. I trust that Cuming was not hoaxed by a sham Latin inscrip- tion published anonymously in 1756, although a copy of it is WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. 55 among his miscellaneous papers. Tt seems at first sight to commemorate the Emperor Claudius, and presents the usual abbreviations of Consul, Imperator, and Senatus Consultu, but, when the letters are properly divided, turns out to be no more than an epitaph on one Claud Coster and his wife Jane. Antiquity had a predominant charm for Cuming, but he was not careless of the new and wider conceptions of the world which arose through the explorations of Captain Cook. The ships employed in the great navigator's last vo3'age returned about four months prior to February 17th, 17S1, when Cuming, writing to Gough, observes : " Whatever you hear relating to the Discoveries in Geography and Natural History made by the Resolution and her partner (the Discovery), will prove accept- able Intelligence." He bequeathed to his niece his copy of " Cook's Voyage to the Northern Hemisphere " (containing the record of this exploration) and its additional volume of fine plates. As Cuming's uneventful career has left no more to record, I must pass to the closing scenes of his earthly life. In March, 1783, his health was failing. For the last six months (he tells Lettsom) he has been abed at nine in the morning. About four months later he seldom went beyond his garden, where he walked ^'sedately " (as he phrases it) for a quarter of an hour at a time; and by December, 17S4, his outdoor exercise was confined to that limit. 1784 brought with it the death of another old friend — James Frampton, of IMoreton. Cuming's last extant letters to Lettsom and Gough are dated respectively on September 4th and November 28th, 1787 ; and on the following 5th of December he executed a codicil to his will in order to augment the legacies of his faithful servants. This was his latest recorded action. " Serenely placed in the Hour of Death " (as a friend who perhaps stood by reports). Dr. Cuming passed away during the afternoon of iMarch 25th, 17S8, in the 74th year of his age. '^etxtxxn^ of "giatttfaCf, &c., in ^oxsct in 1903. By HENRY STORKS EATON (Fast President of the Royal Meteorological Society). |70]\IPLETE returns of daily rainfall have been forwarded from 42 of the stations enumerated in Tables I. and II. and an abstract from Bloxworth Rectory. The death of Mr. J. C. Mansel-Pleydell, the lamented President of the Dorset Field Club, has brought to a close the record at Whatcombe. Mr. IMansel-Pleydell was an observer of many years' standing. Unfortunately, a break in the continuity of the observations at Whatcombe in 1873, and shifting the position of the gauge in 1S90, detracts from the value of what would have been a fine series of observations at that place. In Portland the Rev. W. R. M. Waugh has moved to a new station at Fortune's Well, about 100 feet above sea-level, within a short distance of Chesil, in N. Latitude 50° 33' 40", W. Longitude 2° 26' 30". This, though in a more open situation than Chesil, does not seem to have a good exposure. There is a great falling off in the rain collected. The results are, there- fore, given in italics, and have been excluded in preparing RAINFALL IN r)ORSET. 57 Table III. At Swanage, on the decease of the Rev. J. Fix, observations were carried on by Miss Fix to the end of the year, when they were discontinued. They have also ceased at Coombe Farm, Sherborne, owing to the removal of Mr. Creed. No returns have been received from Chickerell Rectory. An inch of rain in 24 hours fell on 1 1 different days in the course of the year — thus distributed : — On i day in February, April, June, July, and December ; on 2 days in November ; and on 3 in August. The wettest day was the ist of December, with an average fall of •82in. ; the next to this was the i6th of August, with ■73in. The heaviest fall occurred on the 6th of September at Fortland Bill. The rain was very local. It began shortly before 1 1 p.m., was exceedingly heavy between 4 and 6 a.m., and was continuing at 8 a.m., when rSoin. was measured. At Chickerell, the only place outside the Island with a record of more than an inch, the amount was ri6in. ; at Wyke it was ■74in., Fleet House '71 in., Abbotsbury 'Giin., and at West Lul worth '57in. Short of half an inch at all the other stations, at Weymouth the depth was •48in. The average rainfall on this day was •21 in. In North and at some places in Central Dorset there was no rain. The number of rainy days, computed from thirty-one stations marked with an asterisk in Table II., was 168. The ratio of the rainfall, deduced from twenty-five stations, is 88'o, being 12 per cent, under the average. It varied between a minimum of 81 '2 at Beaminster Vicarage, 81*3 at Buckhorn Weston, and 81 "8 at Gillingham, and a maximum of 95 '8 at Bridport, 94-6 at Blackdown House, and 94-2 at Shaftesbury. The range — 14'6 is less than usual. The largest falls of rain for the year were : — Blackdown House, 36"4iin. ; Cattistock, 35-6jin. At the other end of the scale the fall at Buckhorn Weston was 23'i7in., at Weymouth, 24-28in,, and at Fleet House, 24-73in. Snow was recorded on 1 1 days between the 24th January and 9th of February, and on the 5th, 29th, and 30th of December; 14 days altogether, but never to a large amount. 58 RAINFALL IN DORSET. Lightning or thunder was noticed on lo days; on i day in July, September, November and December, on 2 days in June and August, and on 3 days in May. Observers' Notes. Beaminster, Fleet Street. — Average maximum temperature in the shade : — January, 46°'2 ; February, 4o°"2 ; March, 52°"6; April, 54°-9; May, 58°-3; June, 65°7; July, 68°-8; August, 68°-o; September, 64°"o ; October, 56°-3 ; November, 5i°'i; December, 4i°-5 ; Average, 56°-5. A thunderstorm occurred about mid-day on August ist, during which a labourer was killed by lightning. Bloxworth Rectory. — A remarkable feature in the rainfall was the persistency of rainy days with lesser amounts, and the few days with excessive rain. Broadwindsor Vicarage. — May 3rd and i8th: Hail. June 14th : Clap of thunder. November 22nd : Lightning and thunder from 5 to 6 p.m. Chickerell, ]\Iontevideo. — Rain or snow on 27 days to a less amount than •oiin. May 12th: Thunder a long way off. Storms came up from the North East. August 1 6th : Heavy thunderstorm. November iSth: At 4.20 a.m. the sky was suffused with a beautiful rose colour. This was a steady glow, not flashing, as is frequently the case with an aurora. December 5th : A very little snow fell for about half-an-hour in the morning, with a clear blue sky and bright sun. Dorchester, Waterworks. — March 6th : A brilliant sun pillar between 6.15 and 6.30 p.m. The time of sunset at Dorchester on March 6th is 5.55 p.m. August 14th : A waterspout in the north was seen from Dorchester about 4.15 p.m. A rainstorm was slowly moving from west to east. Westward of this the clouds were broken. A dark conical projection from a cloud somewhat to the windward of the rain cloud shot downwards from it, and kept extending and retreating, but apparently never reached more than half way to the earth. The column seemed to rotate rapidly and RAINFALL IN DORSET. 5Q sometimes lean over before the wind. Finally, the phenomenon assumed the appearance of a thick black cord against the lighter cloud. From first to last the spout lasted about a quarter of an hour. GiLLiNGHA]\r.— July loth : A house was struck by lightning and somewhat badly damaged during a thunderstorm which passed over the town in the afternoon. Lyme Regis. — August ist : Thunderstorm. Parkstone, Heatherlands. — The second rain gauge recorded zq-^s'ni., being "Soin. above the standard. Last year the excess was •73in. Portland, Fortune's Well. — IMay qth : Lightning and thunder in evening. 12th : Distant thunder. August i6th : 6 p.m. to 1 1 p.m., heavy storm of lightning and thunder. Sherborne, Coombe Farm. — January 24th : Nearly an inch of snow and hail. May 17th : Lightning and thunder. iSth : Hail. June i6th : Thunder. August 16th : Lightning and heavy thunder and rain to the south-west. Just the end of the storm reached here. 17th : Thunderstorm in west. Weymouth. — July 31st : Shortly before half-past eleven, the weather being dull and oppressive, with heavy black clouds, a waterspout was observed in a north-east direction, apparently over the cliffs between Osmington and Winfrith. The " spout," which very quickly formed, was snake-like in appearance, and was finally lost to view in a black cloud. The phenomenon lasted for about five minutes. On the same date, about 4 p.m., another spout was seen at Sherborne in a south-easterly direction. Winterbourne Herringston. — June 13th: Temperature at midday 49°. Winterbourne Steepleton.— The rain was more evenly distributed than usual, so there was no long interval of drought. The coldness of the summer, together with the great amount of rain which fell in August and the first half of September, had a bad effect on the harvest. Wyke Regis. — August iGth and September 9th : Thunder. 6o RAINFALL IN DORSET. ■'lpCOC:G-JO:Ci7*'pp'*OO^^CO^^^pOa300^*rHt < O CQ Ir^ -M t- -# O GO O -M O t-f O-l 1-1 c-i.«? m c -J §2S^fepg255pg;^g§§§§SS§§Sgg ■5 S^g£?§g3§2SS|]S|]S5^£8SSg5§3 "B Sp§SS?2gp^S;i:|5SS^SSSSf^S§S; s >. ,-1 (M W IM (M OJ IM C^ (N Oq (M IM IM IN OJ w i^ ei oq ] oi i>q (>q iq s^ (?q ssiiiiiisigiliii gsiiliis S 1-5 8??ggS|! |^pgSp^g^^S;^p§8^p|J .2 Abbotsbury, New Barn . . Beaminster, Fleet Street . . ,, Vicarage Bere Kegis Vicarage.. Bloxworth Rectory . . Bridport, Coneygar Hill . . Broadwindsor Vicarage . . ,, Blackdown House Buckhorn Weston Rectory Cattistock Lodge . . Chalbiiry Rectory . . Cheddington Court .. Chickerell, Montevideo . . Dorchester, AVaterworks . . ,, AVollaston House East Stoke, Binnegar Hall FleetHou.se Gillinghain Holwell, Westrow . . Horton A'icarage Lulworth, We.st, Vicarage .. Lyiue Regis, Colway Cottage Melbury Sampford . . 1 O J. C. P. White J. Andrews Rev. A. A. Leonard . . A.Lucas Rev. 0. P. Cambridge H. Gordon . . : . Rev. G. C. Hutchings C.E. M.Pinney Rev. W. H. H. D'Aeth E. S. Wilmot-Sitwell Rev. G. H. Billington H. Blrkinshaw Mrs. Richardson G. J. Hunt . . Captain J. E. Acland O. C. Farrer . . Mrs. George . . S. H. Stephens G. Coffin Rev. G. Wellington .. Rev. W. P. Schuster Dr. .T. Spurr . . R. Rintoul RAINFALL IN DORSET. 6l 1 ?i,t2S?:i?'cS355gS§55gS'^§S^g 2 ^^j^^ ^^^^jl^^^C^^^^CflrH (M i ?|^^g||?|^|p||||^||^ ^ 1 ?Jp?;S5^51??S?g^3PP8P?3S§f5 S S§g|]c^2?.Pfi?Pg^|^^|gP| ? < ^ii^Sii^ill^Sll^l^ll i 1^ i-(rHOJmi-^r-lrH(NrHr-lr-liHiH(M>Hr-l-liHi-li-l -1 >^ CO « 5.) ? ? ? ^ ?: « i 1 o " ' " 'h '.'f'.'.'lT'. 62 RAINFALL IN DORSET. TI'aT I O'M Cn t^ O fM t^ -X M O Ol^CO -M O CO CC CO i-C t^ ! •• i-^ A in t^ o -o in -o r- 1^ 1^ i^ o o t^ oo CO CO -* o -o LO c •qcle^j •.Ct'K -.idy ^lCO?0?10^]0:OfM'^0'M^»nrtlr-IC5!0.-'OW,-(fMOOrH>OOmc I O ^1 Oi O O : O^O-li-HCS'M.-'COCit ) OO m CO CO CO lO r^ O t^ LO Ul t :ocoocoi^coooir:C50C3t-ior-oi:~'n'*:£> -HOO'MCO^^CO'MO- C100rHC205C5^C-lC:OT-ICOrHOi-iOOOC5T-(COOt^ o o C5 o c; c iOC-J'Mi-IOaiOOOCBOi ■Xtuo •inXO- co.-i.-(c:cr:.-ii-ir-ir5,-i:Oi-icocococa35M-*coo. .lO-H»OCOOOOI^iCrHt^I>-CO'M'nt-(i-ICOCOlrtt^lOt ^Or-('-lpCSO'>IrHS5rHCir-lrHpOinOC3lC5GOr-(COC lp7HOC10C»t~.-IODO.-l05I^WMOCOcpOC ) M C-] M CO K> M (M « !M « 0-1 W) K! m Ol N CO CJ Si ^1 t fccaj^j^l^ai ?5Soc« S>> ^^§mi -2 -Tex MMMffl tfooooQ S PsH o W S iJ iJ S RAINFALL IN DORSET. 63 ■.idy o^ioocococooiC'Oooor-oooooo COi-jajOOOC-lOCOCO-tiaCROlCCOO-HWC-. oco ■ cia)ociGC-*toc;i >o-t< o -f «o c ) o oi c: « -M c; M (M o » o t~ o ^ o; 0-. -M oooi-<'+cocsoc:OQoa)a)C5o-+ociOx) •.quo •iiiIO. s' 3"-- c. -3 - -fe y: - .t-' >.bi> sit; d M Y-*<^-ji i-s Z<5 ^5 H5 <; 12; << ;z; j; -< C3 CO TtiGo or COCltbi^OOOrHOOOvOO rt'o Sg 33., ci J3 ;=s'ii-S-SPs-fea)?-2, C J: — _- O 'E it a^ > 64 RAINFALL IN DORSET. TABLE III. — Average Monthly Rainfall. 1902. 47 years, 1856-1902. Average Proportionate fall (a). Difference from 47 years average (b). Days Proportionate fall (c). of 42 Stations. of -Olin. or more. Do. corrected for inequality of clays (d). In. (a). (b). In. (e). (d). January . . 1-091 37 -60 10 3-259 971 953 February 1-917 65 - 10 11 2-530 754 8] 8 March .. 2-328 79 +11 12 2-299 685 672 April 69 +2 13 2-233 665 674 May 2-319 7S +19 18 1-972 588 577 June 3-241 109 +42 17 2-234 665 675 July 1-862 63 - 7 11 2-335 696 683 August . . 4-019 136 +57 19 2-660 793 778 September 1-820 61 -31 12 3-071 915 928 October .. 2-610 88 - 27 17 3-874 1154 1132 November 4-343 147 +42 16 3-537 1054 1069 December Year 2-007 68 -38 12 3-556 1060 1040 ^9-009 1000 108 33-500 10000 10000 RAINFALL IN DORSET. 65 TABLE IV.— Statistics of the Temperature of the Air, AND OF THE HuMIDITY AND AMOUNT OF ClOUD AT WiNTERROURNE StEEPLETON IMaNOR AT 9 A.M., FORWARDED BY Mr. H. StILWELL. January February INIarch April .. May . . June . . July .. Aujt'ust September October November December Temperature of tlie Air. In Stevenson Screen. 45-8 40-5 51-3 52-7 56-1 61-9 66-6 C5-9 63-3 56-2 49-8 451 36-3 30-5 37-9 37-0 39-8 47-4 49-1 50-6 46-9 43-0 40-2 44-4 44-5 47-5 54-0 57-2 57 -S 54-7 49-4 45-0 40-9 2V2 20 0 25-2 38-2 33-1 27-5 33-5 32-3 34-7 43-8 43-7 46-0 41-5 37-7 34-6 31'5 15-7 14-8 20-0 18-4 211 35-8 32-0 34-5 27-4 20-0 14-2 r-' 0 <; II ■ II 52 S rt 6 "^ Z 8'0 90 6-8 87 8-3 79 6-5 82 7-6 76 6-7 85 7-9 85 5-9 90 8-1 91 7-8 88 6-8 85 7-3 ■giBc '^voHcm of c?t?ttcBct^. By HY. COLLEY MARCH, M.D., F.S.A. ^->C^>.„ jyniROUGHOUT many parts of Dorset these curious terraces arrest the attention of strangers and defy the explanation of natives. The inquirer asks — Are lynchets of natural origin ? Were they produced, without direct intention, by continual ploughing along a slope ? Were they made on purpose, the work of laborious design, like the built-up vineyards of Italy ? Were they wrought by modern or media3val farmers, by Anglo-Saxon settlers, by Belgic invaders, by our friends the Phoenicians, or by the Durotriges ? By any or by all of them in succession .'' I. As regards a natural origin, apart from the question of old river-beds and raised sea beaches, which cannot now be dis- cussed, it should be noticed that in this county the underlying geological structure lends itself to the formation of terraces by differential hardness and solubility. In the chalk insoluble bands of flint will retain their position longer than cretaceous material. Mr. Mansel-Pleydcll affirmed ("Proc." D.F.C., THE PROBLEM OF LYNCHETS. 67 Vol. XXII., p. XXV.), that "the Dorset hill-terraces in the chalk were produced by the forces of denudation acting on the hard and soft strata, which alternated in that formation." A similar result may be expected from the existence of cherty bands in Purbeck and Portland Beds, from the varied and rapid succes- sion of the Oolite layers, and from the masses of concretionary matter with a calcareous cement that step up the hills of Widford Sands. 2. It must not, however, be overlooked that farmers of a certain bent or training, driven perhaps by economic require- ments, would be apt to use these ledges, whether incipient or complete, for any cultural purpose. And those which are known to have been so cultivated may be usefully compared with terraces that have never been tilled. 3. Theorists have dogmatised as usual, and have complacently generalised on insufficient data. Scrope was of opinion that all lynchets were produced by ploughing to and fro along a hillside, the moved earth falling ever downwards until arrested by a lower hedge. He was sure of this, because he had seen a lynchet so wrought on his own estate. Let it be noticed that the present race of farmers endeavour to plough out and obliterate all such ledges, however produced. 4. Seebohm (Eng. Vil. Communities, p. 381), observes that furlongs were divided into strips or acres by turf balks left in the ploughing. On hillsides, in consequence of turning earth down the incline, the strips became terraces, and the balks became steep banks, called linces (A. S.) or ranes (Ger.). 5. Gomme, in his well-known work (Village Communities), has propounded a much more extended and detailed explanation. He observes that the common meadows of the Teutonic settle- ments adjoined the river, where clustered the houses and homesteads. Beyond were the arable fields, which stretched upward until the sloping land became too steep, or too thin, for the plough. The so made undesigned lynchets were always far away from and much higher than the village ; and by this fact 68 THE PROBLEM OF LYNCHETS. they can be distinguished from pre-Aryan lynchets, with their almost perpendicular banks, which began at the top of the decUvity, immediately around the hill fortress, and crept, terrace by terrace, down the environing slopes. "These terraces," he proceeds, " were artificially formed with faces of stone or flint by a race of hill-folk, who expended upon the construction stupendous labour." On this it may be remarked that the hill fortresses of Dorset were pastoral, and were used on occasion to protect multitudes of sheep or cattle from the passing onslaught of raiders. It is unlikely that the same race of men, who were large holders of livestock, for which extensive grazing ground would be required, should at the same time be laborious agricultural spade-workers, destroying their own pasturage. Caesar said of the Britons, that they did not sow corn, but lived on milk and flesh, and clothed themselves with skins, and that the number of their cattle was very great (De Bell. Gall. V. xiv. xii.). And Strabo declared that they were totally unacquainted with horticulture and other matters of husbandry, that they enclosed an ample space with felled trees, where they made themselves huts and lodged their cattle, though not for any long continuance (IV. v.). It may be remarked further that the lynchets of Dorset, as we now see them, do not surround and spread out from hill fortresses. On the contrary, lynchets of the cultivation type are seldom to be found very near to these great pastoral camps, though they may abound on hill slopes at a distance. At the same time it is obvious that any natural terraces, however slight originally, must by degrees have become in pastoral districts greatly exaggerated by the constant treading for thousands of years of countless flocks and herds. Again, the steepest lynchets are to be found in the lowest valleys ; and, lastly, of all the terraces that, so far, have been cut through or otherwise examined in this county not one shows any retaining wall either of stone or of flints. THE PROBLEM OF LYNCHEIS. 69 6. The term lynchet is from the A. S. hlinc, a masculine noun of the first declension, which Bosworth renders "a linch, balk, ridge of land, high land"; and Lye, "agger limitaneus, quandoque privatorum agros, quandoque paroechias, et alia loca, dividens, finium instar. Hodie Linch " ; and Somner, " agger limitaneus." The A. S. poem about the Phoenix says " Beorgas j^a^r ne muntas, hlcewas ne hlincas," neither hills nor mountains, neither mounds nor ridges, in that blest abode. Galfrid's glossary, a.d. 1440, gives linke as the equivalent of the monkish hilla and hi'niar' Kemble gives for hline " rising ground." Wright's Dialect Dictionary, now being issued, says that linch means (i) rising ground, a raised bank of untilled ground dividing or bounding a field, a bank covered with copse ; (2) a ledge, especially the narrow ledges running along the steep face of downs ; (3) an inland cliff. While for lynchet the meaning assigned by the same authority is (i) a strip of untilled land dividing ploughed fields ; and (2) a narrow terrace on the escarpment of downs. Linch and lynchet, then, are nearly synonymous. They both have a dividing and a delimiting connotation, and they are both applicable to the terraces we are about to consider. The latter term, lynchet, is not confined to Dorset, Hampshire, and Wilts, where it is most used, but occurs also in Kent, Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire. It seems to be a diminutive of linch, a more widely used word. It is not found in any Anglo- Saxon charter, although hlinc, or linch, is frequent. Indeed, the suffix et is not of Anglo-Saxon affinity, but came into use after the Conquest, no doubt with a diminutive intention. In a trilingual charter of Hants, a.d. 959, the words "J^onne bufan Sam hlince" are rendered "tunc desuper monticuli * Hern means a horn, projection, angle : A. S. an-h;irn dcor = unicorn ; O.X. hiirna = the peak of a moimtain, a horned ewe is hcrna, and dtt-hurning = octagon. 70 THE PROr,LEM OF LYNCHETS. desccnsum." Had the word h-nchet been in existence, here would have been an occasion for its employment. But, after it was once introduced, it rapidly superseded the older word, which in this county is no longer to be met with, except in topical nomenclature. There is a place called Linch by a steep clifif on the Fleet near Wyke Regis, like the Lynch on the Somerset coast, an East and West Linch by Corfe Castle, a Lydlynch near Sturminster, and Sydeling, between Dorchester and Cerne, used to be spelt Sedelinch. This last may be compared with the " sidlingj'eg " in a Somerset charter, A.D. 956, meaning " the road on the wide lynchet." Linch is to be found in Domesday Book, but not in relation to Dorset. 7. In approaching the Delimitation Charters,-'' it should be premised that the boundaries there assigned usually follow pre- existing and easily recognised features of the country. Streams, highways, footpaths; " se hara stan," the hoary lichen-covered stone ; " se ifihta sesc," the ivy-clad ash ; as well as barrows, springs, chalk pits ; cliifs, combes, and hangers ; and the furrow along the edge of arable fields. So a favourite formula is "along the linch — to the linch's end or head." And we find specific mention of the small, the short, and the little linch ; the high and the steep linch; "stan hlinc" and " stenihte hlinc," the stony lynchet; and " se hpita hlinc," where the white chalk, somehow, was visible. Then there is the " wogan," " wohan," or " won hlinc," bent or crooked ; and " se wearrihta hlinc," or "se ruga hlinc," gnarled or rough ; and "se clofena hlinc," cleft or broken. IMention, too, is made of " J^ridda hlinc," or the third lynchet, and of "middcl hlinc." A dividing function may be discerned in " se landscar hlinc," the "landscaru" being what- ever separates one estate from another ; and in " maer hlinc " * These charters are best consulted iu Kcmble's Codex Diplomaticus iEvi Saxonici, 6 vols., lS:J9-lStS, and in Birch's Cartularium Saxouicum, 3 vols., 1885-1893. THE PROBLEM OF LYXCHETS. /I and "stall macres hlinc," "maer" being a boundary; and perhaps also in tlie " nor^lang-a," "west langa," "east langa," and " ni'5'er langa hlinc," and in the frequent " hlincreaw," which is indicative of a hedge. That roads sometimes ran on 1} nchets, as they do now, may be seen in such phrases as "of cS'am hlinc andlang drafce on 'S'one hlinc xt Waddxnce " from the lynchct along the [cattle] drive to the lynchet at Waddcn (Wilts, a.d. 934-), and "spa for^ on gate hlinccs heafde " so forward to the road-lynchet's head (Wilts, a.d. 958). It may seem odd that lynchets should have been named after animals. There is " rah line " for the roe, " deor hlinc," " cattes hlinc" for the wild-cat, " earnes hlinc" for the eagle, and the frequent " hafoc hlinc " for the hawk. Lynchets were named, too, and perhaps more fitly, from vegetation, as " INIcos hlinc," " grena hlinc," " brom hlinc," " ropan hlinc," " burch link," and " Jiorn hlinc." 8. On the whole, the impression made upon one's mind after going through these charters — hundreds of them — is that lynchets were not, as a rule, in those days tillage terraces. Nevertheless, there is abundant evidence of agriculture. The frequent word " cecer" shows this, and so does the term " furli," the terminal ridge made by the plough. Thus, a boundary runs "to Jicere gedrifonan furh, andlang fyrh 0} hit cym^ on pide geat be eastan pelandes smid^an," to the driven furrow, along the furrow till it comes to the wide road east of Wey- land Smith's (Berks, a.d. 955). A trilingual charter renders "andlang pacre furh" by "per longum furgum " (Wilts, a.d. 966). Ploughed fields were often called " yr^land " or " wyr'^land," and we read "up andlang yrt^landes on ^a ealden die" (Wilts. a.d. 968). and "andlang waddenc on wyr'^e " (Dorset, a.d. 996), and " ]-'a3St for j^once seal stub [willow stump] o^ ^xt yrdland" (Hants, a.d. 826). There seems, however, to be only one instance of a cultivatetl lynchct, and that is in a Worcestershire charter, a.d. 972 — 72 ttlE I'ROBLEM OP LYNCHfiTS. " of afene on caldan pyllan ... on pyr^ hlinc," from the Avon to the cold spring ... to the ploughed lynchet. 9. Plantations occur under the names " wyrtruma " and " wyrtwala," the latter being the more protected. The smaller enclosures were "hamas," such as '' mint-hammas, flex-hammas, and pceter-hammas " (Berks, a.d. 956). The "elebeam " mentioned in the same charter and elsewhere is alleged to have been the olive. This is most unlikely. " Eletreop," with that meaning, occurs in the Vespasian Psalter, and the term may have been conferred on some English plant for a fancied resemblance. 10. Was the vine cultivated? In the year 956 a vineyard, " quandam vinee particulam cum herentibus sibi duobus mansiunculis," at Mere, in Somerset, was assigned by King Eadwith to Glastonbury Abbey in a Latin charter. But nowhere in these Anglo-Saxon documents is there any mention of vineyards or of wine. There are several refer- ences to a "pines treop" in Berks and one of a "pines hlinc," but also one of a " pines brycg." It is clear that the tree and the lynchet and the bridge belonged to a man called Vine or Vines, a cognomen still to be found in that locality ; and the occurrence of " /Ethelmes hlinc" and "Ecgunes treop," also in Berks, is confirmatory. 11. Lastly, there is evidence that water was conveyed along lynchets, but this subject can be dealt with more con- veniently when aqueductal terraces come to be considered in Section 26. 12. We can now turn with advantage to what has been accomplished by the spade during the past summer ; and the thanks of this club are especially due to Mr. Middleton, of Bradford Peverell, Mr. Colfox, of Bridport, Mr. Compton, of Minstead, and his tenant, IMr. Lcgge, of INIelplash Court, for permission given to excavate on their land ; and to the two former, as well as to Mr. Solly and IMr. Wilkinson, for active and most willing assistance. THE l^ROBLEM OP LYNCHETS. 73 What, then, are the theories to be tested by cutting through a lynchet ? Diagram A shows what ought to be found on Scrope's view, namely, humus turned downhill by the plough and accumulated against a hedge, beyond which the slope suddenly steepens. Diagram B shows the wall of stone or flint that Gomme requires, against which humus or soil has been purposely placed to make a cultural terrace. A. Scrope's theory ^ Tlic vertical lines indicate the uiKlistnrbed earth ; the ^ ^, , , horizontal Hues indicate earth either turned down by the B. Gomme s theory - I plough and an-ested by a hedge and its roots ; or C. Natural theoiy J purposely placed there and retained by a wall. D. Nature and art conjoined. The numerals indicate the angle of slope. 74- THE PROI'.LEM of LYNXHETS. In both cases the section shows the underlying hillside, indicated by vertical lines, descending at a steady angle. Diagram C shows a section in accordance with the natural theory, that lynchets are produced by differential hardness and solubility, aided by the perennial passing of graminivorous animals. There is very little accumulation of humus on the ledge ; the slope of the lower bank, except immediately beneath the treading feet, is much the same as that of the upper bank, and the underlying hillside is itself marked by a step or terrace. Of course, when advantage has been taken of a natural ledge, and a tillage lynchet has been made upon it, the section ought to resemble that shown by Diagram D, which is intermediate between A or B on the one hand and C on the other. 13. But another test can be brought to bear upon theory besides the cutting of a lynchet, namely, a comparison of the angle of the lynchet's lower slope with the angle of repose ; that is, the angle with the horizon that loose materials assume after being tipped. Immediately afterwards it may approach 45°, the theoretical limit, especially if the material be wet and therefore en- dowed with some adhesiveness. Subsequently the angle flattens. The angle made by Nature's tipping seen in the slope of a talus is precisely similar, whether it is occasioned by the debris of rocks, the crumbling of ruins, or the slope of hills. If the tipping or the shedding of debris is carried on very slowly, or has ceased altogether, the angle becomes in course of time increasingly low. 14. By practical engineers the angle of repose of ashes is given as i to i, or 45°, in the first instance and as becoming after a while \\ to i, or 33° 42 '; clean gravel and dry shingle as 31° 40', but, if wet, 11° 42'; and hard ivhitc clialk as from 45*^, when freshly tipped, to 31° 40'. These angles, together with many others that I have myself taken of tips in this neighbour- hood, are set out on Diagram E. It would thus appear that any slope of apparently loose materials that possesses a higher angle tiian 45° must be assumed to be artificial, and that, if a slope is known to be due tHE PROBLEM OF LYKCHEtS. 75 33 clean pv/riZ. 3 "i ' J-loM-d hfluU chalk . JlcM'Wa.yi. to the crumbling of a wall or other vertical structure, its age must be assumed to correspond with its flatness. 15. On the way to Melplash, Warren Hill meets the eyes of the traveller, and displays a number of conspicuous lynchets covered with grass and a little gorse. On a close inspection, one finds that the terraces are not as flat as from a distance they appear to be. The top of the hill is composed of Inferior Oolite, which has been largely quarried, and which rests upon IMidford Sands, whereon lie the lynchets. Of these, which are three in number, one above the other, the highest was chosen for section. They are all shown by Diagram F. THE PROBLEM OF LYNCHfiTS THE PROBLEM OF LYNCHETS. 77 It can be seen that the summit has a gentle outward inclin- ation of 3" ; then all at once begins a more rapid descent, 14ft. 3in. in depth, at an angle of 19^. At the foot of this declivity is the first terrace, 21ft. in width, with an outward inclination of 10° in its higher part and 7® beyond. It is this lynchet that was cut through. Its lower bank, iift. in depth, has a steep descent at 40° leading to the second terrace, which has a width of 25ft. and an outward inclination of 18°, In its turn, its lower bank, 20ft. in depth, descends at an angle of 39°, and then the third terrace is reached, which has a width of 24ft. and an outward inclination of 16°. Last of all comes the general slope of the hillside, which falls away at an angle varying between 34° and 36°. The section, carried down into the firm micaceous yellow- sand, was 4ft. deep throughout, so that it was easy to measure the thickness of the layer of humus and sandyhumus. At the highest point of the lynchet, marked a (on Diagram F), this Ia3-er had a thickness of 12 inches, and it gradually diminished to 8 inches at $, to 7 inches at 7, and at s to only six inches. Concretionary sandstone was found at a, implying a hardening or cementing action at the former spot. The labourer declared that at 3 his spade had encountered a similar hardness, but there were no sandstones. His assertion was verified by samples that were secured. The soil thrown out of the trench contained no flint flakes, nor potsherds, nor any foreign sub- stance whatever. And there are no signs of a hill-fortress on the summit, nor any place-names in the neighbourhood that suggest one. And it is apparent that what the section reveals does not answer the requirements of any theory of artificial formation. 16. On Allington Hill, near Bridport, of the same geological formation, Midford Sands, is a lynchet that tells quite another story. It is shown by Diagram G. Along the upper border runs a stone wall, behind which the hill rises quickly to the summit. The terrace has the great width of 45ft. and a gentle inclination outwards of 5°, which increases to 8°, and at last becomes 10°. 7 8 THE PROBLE^r OF LYNCHETS. The lower bank is 17ft. in depth, and slopes at the high angle of 42° to 44°; and at its foot the hill falls away at angles of 17°, 16°, and 15°. The section was made well down into the firm yellow sand, and the superficial huer of humus and sandy humus was measured. At the upper part of the lynchet, a, this layer was only 7in. thick, at 3 ift. Sin., at 7 3ft. yin., and 5ft. Sin. at 5, this being precisely the reverse of what was found at Warren Hill. The section also revealed the underlying terrace that existed prior to cultivation. It began with an inclination outwards of 5° for the first nine feet, then it became 8°, then 13°, and 17°, and finally 23°, which was the slope of the original bank, at the foot of which the hillside fell awar as now. The soil turned out of the trench contained at various depths fragments of tobacco pipes of a sort that has gone out of use, pieces of Cornish roofing slate, and perhaps also of Welsh, bits of iron, and a great many glazed potsherds. Though the terrace is at present in pasture, a map drawn 2nd May, 1839, gives it as arable, area la. ir. 3op., of the rateable value of 8s. gd., whereas 5s. 6d. is given as that of an adjacent pasture of nearly the same size (la. 2r. 23p.). In William III.'s reign the tythe of hemp and flax was ascertained at 5s. an acre. [11 and 12, III., c. 16.] Here seems to be an excellent example of a construction according to Diagram D — an extension outwards of a flat portion of a hillside that was already almost a lynchet by tipping along the outer margin soil and refuse, which remain almost at their primary angle of repose. This, apart from other evidence, allows us to assume that the time when tillage was abandoned on the terrace is comparatively recent ; and we know positively that it could not have been more than 60 years ago. And when was the cultivation begun ? Cornish slate quarries, as at Delabole, have been worked since the XVI. century. But some of the glazed pottery can be certainlv dated to the early days of Hen. VIII., and some of it is older still. 17. Are we able, now, to throw any light upon the fact that on most of the hillsides round Bridport, if not on all, similar THE PROr.LF.M OF LYKCHETS. 79 terraces are to be seen ? It Avould appear from the preamble to an Act passed in the twenty-first year of Hen. VIII. that the inhabitants of that town claimed that they " out of time that no man's mind is to the contrary, have used and exercised to make the most part of all the great cables, halsers, ropes, and all other tackling aswel for your Royal ships and Navie as for the most part of all other ships within this Realme." And they point out that divers persons had withdrawn themselves into the country, there taking farms and using husbandry, to the injury of their town. And it was enacted that no person dwelling within five miles of the borough of Bridport should henceforth sell, out of the town's market, any hemp that should happen to grow within the said five miles. The natural result of this paternal legislation would be to enhance the price of cordage and to enrich Bridport at the expense of the Navy, for it is clear that almost all the hemp required was grown in that neighbourhood. Accordingly, we find after a lapse of three years, a further and a very remarkable enactment. High prices had been tempting importers, who were flooding the market, so that men, women, and children were thrown out of employment. The Act required that " all manner of persons having to their occupation threescore acres of errable lantl or pasture, or three- score acres of errable land and pasture, being apt for tillage, shall yearely after the feast of S. Michael the archangcll next coming, at their proper costs and charges, till and sowe, or cause to be tilled and sowen, in seasonable time, one rode, that is to say the fourth part of an acre of land, with line seed, otherwise called flax seed, or hemp seed, or with both, the said rod to be sowen in one place together, or in severall places at their pleasure, one rod for every fortie acres." This was re-enacted by each Parliament during Henry's reign, and in the thirty-third year it was forbidden " to water hempe or flax in any streame or common-pond which beasts use, but only in the pits for the same ordeined." This, indeed, was no hardship, since the used water was found to have good manurial THE PROBLEM OF LYNCHETS. properties. There was no further legislation with regard to these plants till the twenty-third year of George III. (c. 27), when a bounty of threepence a stone was allowed on all hemp raised in Great Britain ; and a duty laid on all that was imported. iS. Were any of these tillage terraces made for the growth of flax and hemp ? The essential matters for their cultivation are a suitable soil, such as a sandy loam, freshly-broken pasture, land constantly enriched (25 tons of well-rotten manure to the acre). Moreover, an analysis of the ashes of hemp-stems shows that decomposing mica, such as occurs in the Midford Sands, would be a valuable auxiliary. Perfect drainage, too, is neces- sary ; since, if water remains on the land at any time of the year for only very short periods, the crop is injured. Water is required for the steeping-pools in which the stems are soaked, and an expanse of short grass on which to spread them for bleaching — a process that occupies about three weeks. How easily Bridport could furnish all these requisites. Lastly, as regards ploughing, the furrows must not be more than six inches ivide, nor less than six inches deep. 19. But lynchets are also numerous on the chalk. Diagram H shows the section of a lynchet cut by I\Ir. Middleton at Eweleaze, Bradford Peverell, and visited by the club in Septem- ber, iqo2. fyutdlcnd Pcmeli. H. THE PROBLEM OF LYNCHETS. O-ymiMQ.bn. HARD CHALK jiwnuot, k umuU 6. 36. We saw there a nearly level terrace, 15^^ feet wide, its upper bank inclining at an angle of 33° and its lower at 39°. For half the width of this lynchet the goniometer stood at zero, and then, passing outwards, at 6°, and finally at 9°. The surface of the underlying hard chalk was for two-thirds of the width like- wise level, and beyond had a slope of only 3°. Upon this lay humus 13 inches thick at a, the inner border, and, gradually diminishing, only 5 inches thick at 5, the outer border. This lynchet, therefore, though it is so nearly level, agrees with that on Warren Hill in having no accumulation, but a reduction of humus towards its lower edge, and, similarly, it answers none of the theoretical requirements of artificial origin. 20. An interesting section is shown by Diagram I, and Diagram K is a sketch of the localitv. (Jy?ruyTzalam byhte on J^aes cumbes heafode on cealc crundel, Wilts, 943 (C.S. II. 522), "from the hollow on the combe's head to the chalk crundel "... to I'an stanegan crundel, Dorset, 935 (C.S. II. 415), "to the stone crundel." . . . J^anon on scortan dye . . . ponne to scealdan crundle . . . ]^onne on iebyng crundele, J^anon on Sceorran hlinc [sccaru = a division] . . . I^anon to }'an wylle on Collcngaburnan, Wilts, 92 r (C.S. II. 310), "thence to the short ditch . . . then to Shald crundel [in connection with the stream now called Shalbourn] . . . then to where the crandel ebbs [or is emptied], thence to the shire lynchet [scir = a division] . , . thence to the spring at Collingbourne." The foregoing Anglo-Saxon has been glossed by Early English, perhaps of the XIV. century, and by Latin. The corresponding sentences in Early English are : — . . . "fro thennys anone to the schort dyche, then to Scheld-crundle . . . than to ebyng of crundele, fro thennys to Scherlync . . . fro thennys to the wel of CoUyngborn" : And in Latin . . . "delude procedas ad illam brevissimam fossatam, ac tunc ad quendam locum vocatum Scheldcrundle . . . tunc ad limitem vocatum //le ebj'ng of Crimdele, ah illo loco ad Scherlinc ... ad fontem de Collyngburne." . . . andlang streames . . . andlang die . . . on \ia. fulan lace. . . . fram peardan hylle 0} crapan crundel ... to pidan crundle ... to hean hlincum ... on ^one broc cet ^am pyllam, Hants, * Cartularium Saxonicum. §8 THE PROBLEM OF LYNCHETS. 928 (C.S. 11. 341) . . . "along the stream . . . along the ditch ... to waterfowl lake . . from the fenced hill to crow crundel ... to the wide crundel ... to the high lynchets ... to the brook near by the spring." . . . to ^on nor^ langan grafette ... to ^ere lytlan die aet l^am Crundelum . . . to Cleran, Hants, 931 (C.S. II. 358) . . . " to the north of the long quarry . . . to the little ditch by the crundels ... to Clere." Erest of crapan crundul . . . and ]>ev }yyves ofer Jireo crundelas ... on pes hlinces ende, Wilts, 932 (C.S. II. 382). " First from crow crundel . . . and there across over three crundels ... to the lynchet's end." . . . on Jiane crundel . . . for]? ofer burnan . . . spa for]? andlang hlinces, Berks, 949 (C.S. III. 30) . . . "to the crundel . . . away over the stream . . . and so along the lynchet." . . . to grenan hlince . . . andlang pseter dene . . . eft on lillan hlgepe crundele, Berks, 956 (C.S. III. 174) . . . "to the green lynchet . . . along the water valley . . . back to the little hill-crundel." iErest on Jione J^riddan hlinc ... on jjonon hpitan peter yeg, Hants, 956 (C.S. HI. 166). " First to the third lynchet ... to the white watercourse." . . . on ane hlinc reape 0} hit cym^ to blacum grafum ... on podnes die . . . Jjonon on anne crundel, Wilts, 957 (C.S. HI. 195) . . . "to the lynchet hedgerow till it comes to the black pit . . . on Woden's Dyke . . . thence to the crundel." Ufeperde of l^aere dene innan avene, on J^aene greatan hlinc, )7onan on mor^ crundel ... on ]>sene chelc pyt, Wilts, 968 (C.S. HI. 496). " Up from the valley of the Avon to the great lynchet, thence to deadman's crundel . . . to the chalk pit." . . . of |?am hlinche on ^nne crundel . , . innan scyt hangran, Wilts, 972 (C.S. III. 598) . . . "from THE PROBLEM OF LYKCHETS. 8q the lynchet to a certain crundel ... to the hanging water-shoot." In a grant of land at Fontmell, Dorset, 932, the boundary line runs along to the hlinchcs broc{C'Si. II, 384), "the stream on the lynchet." And in a grant of land at Mitchelder, Hampshire, qoo, mention is made of a -^cBter-hlinc (C.S. II. 245), "a water lynchet." 27. It is now sufficiently clear, not only that the Anglo-Saxons were careful irrigators, but also that they constructed water- channels of such magnitude as to serve for lines of demarcation. And it is clear, too, that the crundel itself was often carried along the lynchet. The former existence of a water-lynchet was assumed by Major Coates in order to account for certain ledges and levels near Dorchester, and the excavations that were conducted last summer fully substantiate the theory. The terraces to which he called attention were, by the kind permission and consent of the landowners and tenants, cut across in seven places, namely, in one at Poundbury east of the section made by Mr. Barnes, in one at Eweleaze beyond Brad- ford Peverell, and in five places at Whitefield. These five excavations were necessary in order to clear up a very serious difficulty, for the Whitefield lynchet, as it approaches Dorchester, descends as much as 16 feet below the level of that at Pound- bury. It was discovered that the crundel left the lynchet at the point where the latter begins to dip too much and kept up along the hillside at such a gradient as to be able, without hydraulic miracle, to join the Poundbury channel. The facts thus disclosed afford an interesting proof that solid hills may travel — that their surface, moved by winds and rains, may slowly advance in a definite direction, after the manner of sand-dunes that progress quickly, and obliterate all that lies below. As stated elsewhere, the watercourse is at present about six feet wide and four feet deep. Its sides probably sloped. It is go THE PROBLEM OP LYNCttETS. certain that a terrace was first levelled and that then the channel was hollowed out. It was not lined with puddled clay. Worked flints were found in it, and small pieces of samian ware, together with glass and pottery much less ancient. All these things probably lay in the adjacent soil that slowly fell in and over- whelmed the channel. Perhaps in the approaching summer a section may be made much nearer Compton Vallance. Should the conduit be found there also, a presumption will be raised that a stream once issued from the hollows under the greensand rocks of that valley comparable to the abundant flow that now escapes from a similar formation in the Vale of Portesham. The channel in question, which would be competent to convey a steady and constant stream like that, would be wholly unable, in consequence of its many windings, sharp curves, and shallow gradients, to carry storm waters. By whom the channel was made, and what was its objective, Poundbury or Dorchester, have yet to be determined. 28. The last Diagram, M, shows the angles of slope of the inner and outer walls of Poundbury near the great entrance. It is hoped that by such observations it may be possible to determine, in the absence of other evidence, the relative age of prehistoric fortresses, of which the walls are built of known materials, like the pastoral camps of Dorset. Jnyit^ s[vf>i_ yaUuArL. the troblem of lynchets. ql Appendix. The following is the description written on a map now in the possession of Mr. Charles Hawkins, of Waddon : — ESQR. GROVES'S FARM. A ]\Iap of Little Waddox Fields. Wherein is set forth all the Arable Lands Lanchards Green Hills and other Commonable Places of Pasturage, as Roads, Ways &c in the Fields and the Pasture Hill called Ridge : With Letters and figures refering to the Survey for the IMeasuremcnt of all those Arable Lands Landchards and other Particulars relating to the' Same ; in Statute and Customary Measure as it laid [sic] before the division of the said Arable Fields and all Pasture Hills Lanchards Roads W^ays and other Commonable Places. Which Survey likewise giveth a true and exact Account of the Measure of the Arable Lands and Parts of Arable Lands in each Allotment : Also Lanchards Hills and Parts of Hills Roads Ways and other (before) [sic] Commonable Places as are now contained in Each Division since the same was made : as also what each Person (consern'd) has to his share in the Pasture Hill called Ridge : which sivral [sic] Particulars belonging to each Allotment being added together giveth the Content of the whole of the said Allotment ; as in the Survey doth plainly appear. And the Lines where the fences are that Divideth and Separateth those foresaid Allotments are coloured with Different Colours to distinguish the same and show to whom that fence doth belong : As thus Esqr. Groves's fence is coloured Red, Mr. Cases with a Sky Coloured Blew, and I\Ir. Hawkings's with a Yellow Colour. There is also an Account on the Survey of the Value of Each Land in each furlong throughout the fields set opposite the Measure of the same, according as it was valued per acre gi THE PROBLEM OF LYNCHEtS. before the fields was [sic] divided : As likewise the Value of the Pasture Grounds according to each Persons Right of Pasturage thereon. And in each Division the Value of the whole Lands and parts of Lands contained in the said Allotment it falls into ; are set opposite to the Measure thereof. And also the Value of the Pasture Grounds in the Fields and the Allotments at Ridge are likewise set opposite to the IMeasure of the same : which proves that every Person consern'd in these Divisions hath his Propper Right and Due according to his Right of Claim in all the Arable and Pasture Lands before the same was Alloted out Seperated and Divided between the Proprietors thereof. Note the Letters and figures on the Lands set forth in this Map Refereth to the Survey to show to whom the same did belong before the Division was made and the Allotments set out. As thus, E, G or E, G. Esqr. Groves's, C or C, Mr. Cases, H or H, Mr. Hawkings's And all the Landchards Hills Roads Publick and Private, the Old Quarre, Midlands, and Ridge are marked with Letters thus A B C D &c to describe the same and each Particular thereof. Which afforesaid Allotments was set out and fenced each from the other and things settled and finnished before the beginning of the year 1765- Esq. Groves's Farm. A SYMPOSIUM. I. Lieut.-Colonel F. G. L. Mainwaring, late Indian Staff Corps. II. Dr. James Burgess, LL.D. (late Director General of the Archaeological Society of India). III. H. CoLLEY March, M.D., F.S.A. IV. Prof. Kakam-Okakura, Japan. I. By Lieut.-Colonel MAINWARING. IHESE Buddhist sculptures are a portion of a collection made by me — whilst on Field Service in that part of the North-Western Frontier of India, known as the Swat Valley (40 miles N.E. of Peshawar) — during the latter part of and after the Chitral Relief Campaign, 1895-96. Whilst my regiment was encamped at Malakand and breastworks were being made by the soldiers with the dedris of dwellings rased to the ground at some bygone period, I picked up a fragment of schistose rock, which had been worked or chiselled into the shape of an elephant's head ; and, conjecturing that it was a piece of orna- ment of a Buddhist stupa or shrine, I enquired of some of the natives of the villages in the neighbourhood where similar sculptures could be obtained. 94 THE GANDHARA SCULPTURES. A few months later, my regiment being then encamped at Chakdara, on the north or right bank of the River Swat, I was informed by the headman or Khan of Aladand (two miles S.W. of Chakdara) that a quantity of "biats" (idols) lay buried at a spot on the hill-side, half-a-mile from his village, in the direction of, and near, the Shahkot Pass. By leave of my Commanding Officer I took a fatigue party of sepo}s to the spot shown me by the aforesaid Khan and there, after a little excavation, I found the ruins of an ancient Buddhist stiipa. Unfortunately some previous invaders had completely destroyed (probably many centuries ago) what had once been a beautiful shrine, containing excellent specimens of the sculptor's art. Some fragments of them I col- lected, and, by the help of my men, took back to camp ; and at the first opportunity sent off a small percentage of them to India. The Political Officer, in the interests of the Governments of Bengal and the Punjab, retained this collection and also the sculptures subsequently found by myself and other officers of my regiment. The sculptures symbolise the philosophy or doctrine taught by Gautama Buddha (the Founder of Buddhism), a princeling who lived, according to tradition, about the fifth century B.C. Two or three centuries after the Buddha's death his teaching became a form of religion, and an order of monks sprang up, who erected monasteries and embellished them with idols and figures carved out of rock or wood, or moulded in stucco, repre- senting legendary scenes in the life of the Buddha. Buddhism flourished throughout India till the seventh century of the Christian era, when it began to decay, giving way to other forms of religion, viz. : Brahmanism, Vedism, Saivism, Vaishnavism, Jainism, &c., — and finally disappeared altogether. The Gandhara sculptures are found in the ruins of stupas,* in that part of the North-Western Frontier of India, known to * Sti"ipa (Pilli = Thupo, Anglo-Indian "Tope") applies to any mound, as a funeral pile or tumulus, hence to domical structures over sacred relics of Buddha or other Sthavira or saint, or as memorials on spots consecrated by some remark- able event in Buddha's life. THE GANDHARA SCULPTURES. 95 the ancients as Gandhara, and which includes the modern country of Kabul, Afghanistan, Kohistan, Bajaur, Buncr, Swat, Yusufzai, Peshawar and Kohat, &:c., west of the river Indus, the country traversed by Alexander the Great 326 B.C. After this event itinerant Greek artists are supposed to have visited Iran (Persia), Gandhara and India, and presumably influenced the Buddhists in their sculptor's art. Hence Grecian types of face and dress seen in Gandhara sculptures and in figures of ancient temples found in Central and Southern India, which latter were presumably, more or less, copied by Hindus at a later period from those sculptures in Gandhara. Dr. James Burgess, late Director General of the Archceological Society of India and editor of " Buddhist Art in India," says : " A glance at the Gandhara panels represented in this book will show that for decorative purposes and the representations of buildings, pillars, and other architectural forms, the Perso- Indian and Indian styles were employed side by side, sometimes on the same slab, with columns having Hellenic capitals and bases. Structurally the architecture of the same age may have shared in this hybrid character, but we have not much evidence to guide us to a determination." II. By J. BURGESS, CLE., LL.D. Within the last fifty years the legend of Sakyamuni Buddha, and certain phases of the religion that he and his disciples founded, have been popularised by translations and other works for European readers, and many of these are easily accessible. It will be sufficient to premise here that the Buddha was born about the middle of the 6th century, B.C., as the son of a land- holder, at the base of the Himfdayas, and named Siddhartha. Legend has magnified his father into a wealthv king, his mother into a princess, and adds that he was born from her side in a 96 THE GANDHARA SCULPTURES. garden, received and attended to by Hindu gods, and that on his birth he strode forth proclaiming himself the greatest in the universe. Before he was thirty years old he left home as an ascetic, taking the title of Sakyamuni, " the ascetic of the Sakya family." After some years of austerity in company with Brahman ascetics, he undertook a great fast which reduced him almost to death. He then realised that fasting could not bring superhuman merit or knowledge, and gave it up. Like the North American medicine men and women, after taking food he had visions of temptations by Mara, "the wicked one," and afterwards declared that he had attained Bodi, or saving wisdom. After this he went about teaching his doctrines and attracting disciples until his death about 477 B.C. Nirvana or, practically, annihilation was the goal he taught as the highest bliss, being the close of the endless transmigrations of sentient being. No god as eternal or creator was admitted, and Nirvana could only be obtained by merit through self-abnegation carried to absurd lengths. His religion was, properly, a sort of ethical philosophy or cult of self-sacrifice abounding in beautiful moral precepts largely borrowed from the Brahmanic literature. At first, at least, it had no worship properly so called : attention to its precepts was the only ritual or Dharma. Hemispherical mounds, faced with stone, and containing relics of the founder or some of his notable disciples, became centres of assemblage where the community, or Sangha, could hear the law read by the Monks and pay reverence to relics of the teachers and to the symbols of their religion. These structures were called Stiipas, and were surrounded by procession paths ; for to go round a shrine of any kind with the right hand towards it was supposed to bring good. A wheel, representing the law, and called the Dharmachakra ; a pair of footprints of the Buddha ; a relic casket placed on a throne or seat ; a sacred or Bodhi tree ; a figure of an elephant — were the principal symbols used in the earlier times. No images of the teacher seem to have been employed as objects of worship before the Christian era or somewhere about that date. THE GANDHARA SCULPTURES. 97 After the time of Alexander the Great's invasion of India, about 326 B.C., Greek kingdoms were founded in Persia, Baktria, and Parthia, and Greek traffic was gradually extended ; and when these principalities were overthrown by Skythian hordes from Central Asia, who seem early to have accepted a later form of Buddhism, traders and even travelling artists found their way from Asia IMinor and through Palmyra to the region of the Indus. The more primitive Buddhists had then become known as followers of the Hinayana, or narrow way ; but another school had brought in a large mythology with numerous grades of supernatural beings and emanations. This Mahayana, or " wider path," was the school accepted by these Skythian conquerors. They felt the want of palpable forms for their quasi-divinitics, and appear to have sought the aid of the clever-handed artists from Ionia whom they met with about Peshawar and Swat. These learnt the characteristics of the beings they were asked to represent, and, taking their models from the gods of the Greeks, they fashioned out corresponding forms for those of the Budd- hists. Apollo may have served as the basis of the ideal Buddha, Jupiter as that of Sakra — the bearer of the thunderbolt and protector of the religion — and so on. The evolution of Buddhist art from Greek ideals has been wrought out in detail in Prof. Griinwedel's "Buddhist Art in India" (English edition). In some such way we see how the sculptures in Colonel IMain- waring's collection — as in all others from the North-West Frontier of India — at once strike us as bearing the impress of Greek art in an unmistakeable way. Very few, indeed, are inscribed, and it was long a puzzle to what date they were to be assigned. The few inscriptions we have as yet found date from the time of a king Gondophares — to whom, it is said, the Apostle Thomas went to preach the Gospel — about a.d. 50 till the fourth century a.d., and to this age we must assign these sculptures. Among Colonel Mainwaring's collection represented in the plate there appear only two figures of the Buddha, viz., in the 9» THE GANDHARA SCULPTURES. lower tier towards the right, where he is seated fully robed — this is, probabh', of late date, — and a still smaller figure is seen to the left of it. The Mahayunist sect created a series of beings called Bodhisattvas — somewhat of the dignity of archangels — :beings who, if they were to assume human natures, would become Buddhas and attain Nirvana : they do not become incarnate in order to be more serviceable to humanity, and so are much worshipped under such titles as Maitreya, Padmapiini, ManjusrI, Vajrapani, &c. Maitre3'a is expected by and by to assume our nature and become the next Buddha. Four of these appear in the plate: — (i) At the top, in the centre — an all but perfect figure — perhaps of Maitreya ; (2) to the right of his feet, a smaller figure that has lost the feet; (3) on the left of the plate, near the bottom one with a finely-chiselled head ; (4) on the extreme right below, a seated figure, wanting the head — also perhaps Maitreya. Atlantes for supporting copings, &c., as well as Caryatids, were known in Greek art, and in this plate we have two examples — a larger one, just under the central Bodhisattva, the head evidently copied from an Atlas figure, and a much smaller one, but with wings, to the right and some- what higher. On the extreme left and right are two small figures of entirely different type that would be used in like positions. Much of the sculpture in the Buddhist monasteries on the North-West Frontier represented scenes from what are known as the Jiitaka stories, or parables from the previous births of the Buddha, and events in the legend of his own life. On a curved sculpture on the left of the plate are three of the latter, the right hand one being the birth of Siddhartha from his mother's side, the central one, the chariot and cavalcade, taking her home as a bride. The central slab below, with animal figures on it, is of purely western conception, and does not belong to any properly Buddhist story. THE GANDHARA SCULPTURES. 9Q III. By HY. COLLEY MARCH, M.D., F.S.A. The Gandhara sculptures, inasmuch as they are represented for us by those examples now in the possession of our associate Col. IMainwaring, assuredly pertain to Dorset quite as much as the migratory cuckoo, the wandered whale, or the planet Jupiter. The mere fact that the sculptures illustrate legendary Buddhism gives them a profound interest, since they belong to a cult that shows, before the Christian era, a miraculous birth, a moment of divine enlightenment, a primal preaching when the first converts washed their master's feet, a sore temptation by the evil one succeeded by exhaustion and angelic support, a walking upon the water when a wondering disciple followed in a boat, a mystical incident like that of the Veil of Veronica, and at the last that utter passing away that leaves nothing whatever behind. But we are now concerned with the artistic problem that the sculptures present. They are found in the North-West of India, in Gandhara, a region visited in the fourth century before Christ by Alexander the Great, whose route is shown by a diagram. At that time, and in that district, Swat, Peshawar, and Bannu were occupied by Hindus, whose neighbours to the north- west were the Skythians, and to the south-west the Parthians under Persian influence ; and the Indian language continued in use on the coins of the Baktrian-Greeks and the Indo-Skythians, down to A.D. 100. The very beginning of the first century marks the culmination of the glyptic art of Gandhara, since towards its close the Indian coinage quickly deteriorated, a sign of artistic decadence. The sculptures have no inscriptions, but to similar carvings elsewhere dynastic dates are added, which probably relate to A.D. 45, A.D. 21, A.D. 6i. Persons capable of forming a true judgment, who have studied these works, are of opinion that they were preceded by the art of painting, and were based upon scenes drawn by the pencil. The grouping is too lively, too picturesque, to have been evolved 100 THE GANDHARA SCULPTURES. by a wielder of the chisel. The nimbus that originated in Assyria and arose in Greek art during the time of Alexander appears in the Gandhara carvings as an attribute of the Buddha, but has here assumed very large dimensions; and while it is evident that Gautama's divinity had already been accepted, it appears also that the nimbus had already been amplified by an earlier school of draughtsmen. In the Gandhara sculptures the predominant influence is Parthian and Persian, shown, for example, by the introduction of the fire altar and of Persepolitan columns. The Parthian dynasty of the first century might well account for this ; as the Hellenism of the Arsakides explains the subordinate influence of Greece. Indeed, the mixture of styles is fantastic. The Hindu lattice- work and rail-pattern of wall and frieze and the tympana of portals divided into lunular spaces for sculptural enrichment ; Persian pillars with bell-shaped heads surmounted by twin animal forms, such as crouching elephants and winged goats, lions, horses, and gazelles ; Greek barrel-roofed alcoves set with decorative panels, the classical torus, and columns with Corin- thian base, capital, and architrave ; all these may be found in one and the same composition. And yet, overborne by the fact of the Alexandrine invasion, which nevertheless cannot be left out of account, it has been the custom to speak of these works as wrought by Greeks, and of this Art as Hellenic. The object of the present communication is to show reasons against this view. For if a guild of Greeks cut those carvings, what portion of the mongrel style should best reveal the authors' knowledge and skill ? That, undoubtedly, with which the Greek hand and eye were most familiar, the Hellenic portion. Turning to the sculptures we find that where the dress of women, especially in the folds of drapery, is most Greek, the wide trousers, sleeved tunics, and shawl-like robes are Persian ; and it is the Hindu form that is rendered with charming naturalism and grace. In the representation, too, of the Buddha himself, though a classical robe may cover both shoulders and the THE GANDHARA SCULPTURES. lOI countenance may have become Apollonic in dignity ; though the ushmsha, the protuberance on the summit of his head, has been dressed with locks of hair so as to resemble the krobylos, nevertheless the face preserves the round, protruding Indian chin, and the ear-lobes, as a sign of holiness, remain unduly long. On the other hand, the Grecian columns are squat and ugly, the Corinthian capitals are inexpressibly poor, and the foliage that ought to be something like the Acanthus often has more resemblance to the palm. The remarkable honeysuckle pattern which adorns an iron shaft of the Asoka period had, like that of the Ionic order which it closely resembles, an Assyrian derivation (Fergusson's "Eastern Architecture," p. 53). Moreover, in a significant Gandhara relief some men-at-arms that have received what has been called "a powerful Greek characterisation " are dressed in coats of mail that have the scales placed the wrong way up. The Gandhara sculptures, then, were the work, not of Europeans, but of travelled artists with eclectic tastes, of an Indian guild of sculptors who brought from afar reminiscences of foreign skill, but who rendered with feeling and precision what they saw in their own country. IV. By KAKASU OKAKURA. Written in English by this native of Japan, " long known to his own people and to others as the foremost living authority on Oriental Archceology and Ai-t." (Murraii, 1903 J I'AGE 71, The first stage of Buddhism, immediately after the Nirvana, about the middle of the VI. Cent. B.C., is con- cerned with the ascendancy of the primary group [of 72. religious teachers.] Asoka, III. Cent, u.c, the great 102 THE GANDHARA SCULPTURES. emperor who united India and made the influence of his empire felt from Ceylon to the limits of Syria and Egypt, deliberately recognised Buddhism as its unifying force. 74. In India the Art of this early Buddhism was a natural growth out of that of the Epic Age that went before. For it is idle to deny the existence of pre-Buddhistic Indian art, or to ascribe to it a hidden birth under the influence of the Greeks, as European archaeologists are wont to do. The Mahabharata [" The great (war of the) Bharatas," an epic of the war between the Kurus or Kauravas and Pandavas, X.-XII. Cent. B.C.] and the Ramayana [" The Adventures of Rama," V. Cent. B.C.] contain frequent and essential allusions to storeyed towers, galleries of pictures, and casts of painters, not to speak of the golden statue of a heroine and the magnificence of personal adornment. In the sculptures of Asoka's rails are images of Indras and 75. Devas worshipping the bo-tree. There is here no trace of 76. the influence of the Greeks. The lofty iron pillar of Asoka at Delhi — strange marvel of casting, which Europe, with all her scientific mechanism, cannot imitate to-day — like the twelve colossal iron images of Asoka's contemporary, the Shin Emperor of China, points to ages of skilled workmanship and vast resources. Images of the Buddha himself, though absent from the early stupas, may probably have been the first work of his disciples, who soon learned to clothe his memory with the Jataka legends and to beautify his ideal personality. 77. The remains of Mathura [birthplace of Krishna, the modern Muttra], and Gandhara fall into the general movement and reveal a greater prominence of Chinese [Mongolian] than of the so-called Greek characteristics. The Baktrian kingdom in Afghanistan was never more than a small colony in the midst of a great Tartar population, and was already lost in the late centuries before the Christian era. The Alexandrian invasion means rather the extension of Persian influence than of Hellenic culture. 'gfpc gr^urcfp ^BcCCo of por^ct. By Canon RAVEN, D.D., F.S.A. S now the idea of recording the inscriptions on the bells of this county is beginning to assume a practical form, and those of one Rural Deanery are completed, it will be useful to make a start by giving some account of what may be expected as the ground is more and more cleared. When I sent my communication, entitled " On some Dorset Bells," to the Secretary of the Royal Archaeological Institute, for their Dorchester meeting in 1S97, ^ expressed a hope that Dorset might be added to the published counties, but I had not dared to anticipate that a body like the Field Club would so energetically throw itself into the task. On this occasion, with much gratitude, I send a few prefatory remarks, on the lines of the original paper, enriched by what has been lately found in the Rural Deanery of Dorchester, Dorchester Portion. If not cast within the county boundaries, the bells must have been imported by sea or by land. But ports were few and insignificant. " Lyme Regis," says Camden, " can scarcely be reputed a sea-port town or haven." Bridport he passes over with hardly a word of notice ; while Bishop Gibson mentions its being barred with sand. INIelcombe was a port till its 104 THE CHtTRCH BELLS OE DORSET. privileges were taken away by Act of Parliament in 2 Henry VI., though afterwards recovered. As Poole in 14 Edw. III. returned two burgesses to Parliament, it may have possessed some little importance, but Parliamentary representation in those days was rather inflicted on little boroughs than desired by them. There seems to have been satisfactory communication by road with Devonshire, Somerset and Wiltshire ; but at present we know little or nothing that we can trace to these counties in the middle ages. Civic archives at Exeter or Salisbury may some day enlighten us. Within home bounds we may conjecture early foundries at Dorchester, Blandford, Sherborne, Wimborne Minster, or the little ports mentioned. I may quote here what I said about an ancient foundry on the Devonshire coast and the Dorset bells of that period. Those of the Rural Deanery of Dorchester do not add to the list there given either of " Longobards," as we call those which are in- scribed in capital letters, or to those in ordinary black letter. Of the former we may expect at least two types, probably more. There is a village named Paignton, near the mouth of a little creek in Tor Bay, where, at the end of the thirteenth century and in the fourteenth, lived three generations of a family named de Ropeford, who exercised the combined callings of founder, organ-builder, and clock-maker. Here in 1285 Bishop Peter Quivil, of Exeter, granted to Roger de Ropeford, Campanisiarius, and his heirs, for one penny each Easter, a certain tenement, they to perform the work of the aforesaid crafts, receiving all things necessary for the work, with victuals and drink whenever so employed. Roger was succeeded by his son William, and WiUiam by his son Robert, and from one of the three may have come a few of the group of earlier Longobardic bells. Paignton was the greatest lordship that belonged to the See of Exeter, and here was a goodly house of the Bishop's. Under these favourable circumstances, with ready access to the sea, the work of the de Ropefords may well have extended into neighbouring counties. In the course of a century this family disappears, and THE CHURCH BELLS OF t)ORSET. t05 one Thomas Karoun, alias Belhuter, possibly a Scotchman, is at work for Bishop Brantingham in 1372. Of the Dorset bells belonging to this period may be men- tioned, firstly, two which bear the Salutation, in whole or in part : — ^ pUe fflpl^lfl. Blandford St. IMary, 2nd. ^ fflflF^l^ : I^LiGRp : GI^fKilfi : ffl : Wambrook, treble. To these may be added : — le SU Fllil DC I ffllS ei^ ei^e. Winterbome Whitchurch, 3rd. •^ Sfin©©fl CQfll^Ifl. Durwcston, treble. •^ flUe GI^fKSl^. ShiUingstone, 3rd. (Recast.) ^ mpr^Ifl. Hammoon, 2nd. ^ Spn@"©e ee©I^e. Tarrant Crawford, tenor. •^ SfinCS©^ fflfll^I. Winterborne Houghton, 2nd. S^n©'© : flRDI^eU : IS : (Hy : HflCQG : Wam- brook, 2nd. So far as I can judge by the pen-and-ink drawings which I made in my youth, the lettering and initial crosses on these bells are of a more simple character. Another group shows greater elaboration, and on that account may probably take a later date in the fourteenth century. In the case of the Silton 2nd we get some limits of date assigned us, the Bidyck family having been patrons of that Rectory from 1312 to 1412. The Rector's initials are J. C. according to my MS., but the second letter may be G or T. The inscription in my book reads ^ DOffiinus ; ii5 ; BiDy©x : i : © ; i^e©"feOi^ : ; DUO ; PG6"ei^un©. " Fieri fecerunt " is the general expression for donors, but in this rather early bell Bidyck and the Rector may be the two referred to, or the reference may be to two bells. 106 THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET, Alton Pancras 3rd is inscribed flUG Gl^fl^Ifl ©liGn^ in Lombardic, but I am not sure of the lettering. A bell at Cranborne with the same inscription is in handsome style, with a saltire cross. The second at Charlton Marshall only takes the first and second words, with a considerably floriated cross. One of the bells at Milton Abbas, evidently not the work of one of the monks, is marked S^R© Sfl IP^Of^fll^neS ►t FJ. The tenor at Fontmell, flUG fflf^I^Ifl, and the bell at Tarrant Keynston bears good crowned capitals, the latter with a rather elegant cross and with a fleur-de-lis between the second and third letters of the name tQfll^Ifl, the only word on it. The Charlton Marshall tenor, with a plain cross, has endured the ineptitude of some wiseacre, who has marked it — ^ SI© no (Hen do m ne bg ne di© sua). I should be inclilied to class Haselbury Bryan 3rd with the bell at Tarrant Keynston, the lettering being fine, and there being a fleur-de-lis stop between the two only words, S^HCSSG Two of these " Longobards " bear unusual legends, the 3rd bells at Iwerne IMinster and Shapwick. After the words >^ Y)Ul<3 (uQ^LlGSie DGDI© on the former, which appears to have emanated from one who would not let his left hand know what his right hand did, there follows a hexameter hard to scan as to interpret : — ©ei^@i^ SI© Bon^ SUB lesu nominp sonp. At Shapwick are two hexameters, adapted to metrical destruc- tion, from a well-known hymn to St. Christopher : — iliIjo neffiee dig nuniiO iijqnGOi^e Gi^fiuefeui^ ©r^iSfeOHOi^i sfin©"©! ©ficQi^finfiffl guiciufflQUG Specicm is the third word in the second line of the original, and Ncmpe is an alteration from iiamquc, and perhaps in this instance an improvement on it. THE CHURCH BELLS OE DORSEt. 107 The last of this group which I will mention is the 5th at Broadwinsor, with s^ncsse g^bi^igii oi^b i?r^o noBis. On this we happily get a founder's mark, No. 5 in Ellacombe's Devon, the initials X. U. being those of Robert Norton of Exeter. He flourished in the west in the early part of the fifteenth century, and I\Ir. Ellacombe, in his Church Bells of Somerset, records a petition presented in 143 1 against him by the parish- ioners of Plymtree before John Stafford, Bishop of Bath and Lord Chancellor. The result is not recorded. As a rule his bells are good. Some of these may come from the hands of a founder whose initials were t 0, or from some predecessor of his. An initial cross is used. No. 18 in Ellacombe's C.B. of Devon, and No. 30 in his C.B. of Somerset, by this man, with ordinary black letter 1. inscriptions, but we find it also on Longobards, and notablv on the bell which stands or stood on the floor of S. David's Cathedral inscribed : — ^ SO lii DC o r?o noi^ e© glio i^ifi. 168 THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. This was the motto of King Henry V. after Agincourt, and as William Lyndewode, the Canonist, who was present at the battle, became Bishop of S. David's, it seems that the bell belongs to the days of his episcopate. We now turn to some of the ordinary black-letter class, in the style of the fifteenth century. A few of these, which bear simply matia, as Alton Pancras 3rd, Compton Abbas 2nd, and Winter- borne Came 2nd (which last inserts a capital R), are presumably turned out by a not too literate craftsman. The Winterborne Came smaller bell, which prefixes ^^miKtlV, has a beautiful initial cross, with which I should be inclined to compare those on the Compton Abbas bell just mentioned, and on the Tarrant Hinton treble, which bear a remarkable inscription, theologi- cally speaking : — ■^ i&'«ttf wmx ^\)t^ lui tvc]&' x\)0 mw'ux J. This inscription is on the tenor at Compton Paunccford, Somerset. The same cross appears on Farnham tenor. Warm- well 2nd, Fontmel 5th, Charlton Marshall 3rd, Cheselborne 3rd, Winterborne IMonkton, Stinsford treble, Winterborne Whitchurch 3rd, Compton Abbas 4th, and other bells in the county. THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. lOQ Another curious trait of ignorance is ^h %\x ^ci* BtAt :Pia :jPxo MoU^ 'W'm^ XsElavia, which adorns the 4th bells at Stourpaine and Fontmel Magna, while the tenor at Blandford St. Mary's has a new form for Hcvc :— 4* M-t Gam ^mnx BMt ... in Jxiom y^t jQElavie. At Burstock is one of the earliest instances of advertisements, metrically condemnable : — *i< mc \m\'m' vm now t^t m\\\\nxM ^\\h acvc, with which may be cited an East Anglian puff of later date : — Thomas Gardiner have (sic J at last Made as good as can be cast. A less obtrusive and more harmonious, though censurable, hexameter appears at Whitchurch Canonicorum : — 'i' \)\th^ oh \)hm\\i \\i mt tarn ^finu.o' mtdit. The composer, it is feared, would hardly have been able to justify his use of adverbs, but this is a trifle to some solecisms. It is not chargeable on the Canons of Whitchurch, for Mr. Ellacombe found it on twenty-two bells in Devon ; and it may have originated the incomplete line in which the bell-founder Thomas Purdue alliteratively celebrated his recasting with additional metal in 1676 the noble " Peter," given by Bishop Peter Courtenay in 1484 : — PLEBS PATRI^ PLAUDIT DUM PETRUM PLE[AY^^ AUDIT]. A beautiful line, though like the others culpable in scansion, is on Broadvvinsor 4th : — no THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. This is also very common in Devon, and is found on sixteen bells in Somerset, but it disappears as we go eastward. An approximate date may be given to the 3rd and 5th at Fordington, inscribed respectively ^ HitttctH ;Klufftiuii Ont ,pj;0 ^o¥x^, and *i' J.n pEiwltl^ j?^mn^ ^e^ouct (Jnmpau ^LoUauui.^, for they bear the shield (No. 3), in which may be discerned 6. — FORDINGTON. John Walgrave's initials. Like many other foundrymen he himself became a founder. In 1408 he was servant to the great William Dawe, called William Founder, M'hose marks are all over England. In that year died a wealthy and charitable man, John Plot alias Rouwcnhale, citizen and maltman of London, and among legacies for Mass of Requiem and repair of " fowle ways" is iij.s. iiij.d. for " John Walgrave, servaunt of Wyllyam fondour."^' I am inclined to connect with this pair a bell which was recast more than 50 years ago, the tenor at Pimperne. When I was bell-hunting there in 1850 Mr. Ewart, then curate of the parish, told me that the old tenor was dated in Arabic numerals 141 5, and inscribed >h ^WluU X3E),m'U1[ C±>Xl\ '^XO Fifty Early EivjUsh Wills, p. 15. THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. I I I The alphabet as far as g occurs on the smaller bell at Hammoon. I)( is inverted. We find alphabet bells in every variety in many parts of England, and are much puzzled as to their meaning and intent. 4. — CHARDSTOCK. 5. — CHARDSTOCK. At Chardstock the two smaller bells were adorned with the beautiful shields (Nos. 4 and 5) and cross (No. 6) of Henry Jurden, a man probably of Loughborough extraction. 6. -CHARDSTOCI The symbolism of his first shield indicates an unusual mixture of avocations, the dolphin and keys being emblems of the 112 THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. Fishmonger ; the bell and the laver, of the Founder ; while the wheat-sheaf is a charge in the arms of Harleton, the maiden name of Margaret Jordan, who lies with her husband Giles in Loughborough Church. In Henry Jurden's will the description of his house and shop, in the lane called Billiter (Bellezetter) lane in the p'yshe of Seynt Katheryn Crechurche w^in Aldgate of London, has led to its identification with the site at the north- west corner of Billiter Street, fronting on Leadenhall Street, while his foundry was on the west side of Billiter Street, on a space partially occupied by the East and West India Dock- house. At Steeple we find a bell marked with the rebus of William Culverden (7), a later mediagval citizen and founder, educated, 7. — STEEPLE. as his will tells us, at Westminster. The Culver, or dove, with ttCW above it, gives his name, and there are the usual insignia of his craft. Lastly among medisevals there is the bell at Ford Abbey in Thorncombe parish, found by Mr. L. B. Clarence and myself on July 5th, i860, a very beautiful specimen from the Norwich foundry, far separated from all its fellows, the only Norwich bell THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET, 113 known to any of us west of London. Its note is C, and its diameter 28 inches. The inscription is On the shoulder thrice repeated is the sprigged shield of the Brasyers (No. 8). The initial cross (No. 9), the rhyme-stop (No. 10) and lettering deserve all that has been said about them by East Anglian campanists. From which of the family this bell proceeded it is impossible to say. The date is about the middle of the fifteenth century, and if any light can be thrown on its history it will be most welcome. 8. — FORD ABBEY. 9. — FORD ABBEY. 10, — FORD ABBEY. [•&! ^ U7 C^ cr> f^ THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. II5 Among post-Reformation bells there are many by John Wallis, of Salisbury, and his successors, the Purdues, of Closworth, the Bilbies, of Chewstoke, and of course by the Rudhalls, of Gloucester, whose fame as founders is great, and by the long line of London men. These as we proceed I hope to particularise more fully. DEANERY OF DORCHESTER. (Dorchester Portion.) No. 5. I. BRADFORD PEVERELL (S. Mary). Five bells. Tenor — Diam., 3-i--Mn. ; height, 25Ain. 1. H. N. Middleton, 1S96. 2. Anno Domini 1616. Recast 1896. 3. Harry Meggs, Esq., C. W., 17+7. Recast 1896. 4. T. P., 1674. 5. To the Glory of God, and in loving memory of Hastings Charles INIiddleton. This bell and the treble were added by his grandfather, Hastings Nathaniel Middleton. 2. BROADMAYNE (St. Martin). One bell. Tenor — Diam., 34in. ; height, 27in. Warner and Sons, Crescent Foundry, London, 1881. 3. CHARMINSTER (S. Mary). Five Bells. Tenor— Diam., 43Ain.; height, 33iin. 1. TP. An. no. Do. mi. ni. 1663. W. M., W. H., C. W. 2. Anno Domini 163 1. 3. J. Taylor and Co., Founders, Loughborough, 1S67. 4. TS. WD. CW. IH. TP. Give thanks to God. An no Do mi ni 1661. 5. For inscription see Fig. 15. Il6 THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. 4. COMPTON VALENCE (S. Thomas of Canterbury). Four bells — Tenor— Diani., 3 Sin. ; height, 2Qin. ; note B flat, 1. C. and G. l\Iears, Founders, London. Lauda Dominum 1847. 2. Cast by John Warner and Sons, London, 1862, (Royal Arms) Patent. 3. Anno Domini 1620. G. P. 4. T. P. An: no: Do: mi: ni. 1676. H. B. L S. C.W. 5. DORCHESTER (Holy Trinity). One bell in a bell gable. Diam., 36in. ; height, 28in. The Reverend DoC: Leigh, Mv Robert Filden, MV lohn Galech (C. ?), W. 1732, Bilbie fecit, Mt Richard Cooper, Mv Samuel Rickvvood. This is one of the old peal. Another is said to have been given to Cattistock. (Four in 1550.) 6. DORCHESTER (All Saints). Two bells. Tenor — Diam., 26in. ; height, 22in. 1. LD. R.T. 1G24. 2. Anno: Domini: 1697 <§) T ^ P ^ (4 vines) ^ Ro : Scvtt : Ro : Loke : C : W. (Three in 1550.) 7. DORCHESTER (St. Peter). Eight bells. Tenor — Diam., 4gin. ; height, 37in. 1. M'; John King and Mv Thomas Jones Ch. Wardens 1750. T. Bilbie fecit. 2. This bell was recast in the year 1808. George Frampton and John Cooper Church Wardens. T. Bilbie Cullompton fecit. 3. Although my sound it is but small I'll be heard among you all. The gift of Robert Browne, Esq'; . T. Bilbie fecit. M^ Danniel {sic) Arden and IVIV Joseph Gigger Church Wardens, 1734. THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. II7 4. M^ Daniel Arden and M^; Joseph Gigger, Ch. W. 1734. Bells No. 4, 6, 7 were recast, and the whole peal rehung by public subscription at a cost of ^300 os. od. A.D. i8Sg. A. H. Lock, Mayor. J. Warner and Sons. 5. I\K Daniel Arden, Mv Joseph Gigger, Ch. Wardens, 1734. Geo. Richards, Esql', Mv Renaldo Knapton, Ml' Tho. Loder, Ml Tho. Cooper, Ml William Bryer. Bilbie fecit. 6. Recast by John Warner and Sons, London, 1889 (on waist). Recast 1889. J. Marvin Lock ) ^, , ^ , ^^ ,, , } Churchwardens. Robert Holland ) God send us good luck. 7. Recast by John Warner and Sons, London, 1889 (on waist). Recast 1889. Rev. Tho. Kingdon Allen, Rector. Come let us go up to the house of the Lord. 8. Mr. Renaldo Knapton saw me cast the 21st September, 1734. ]\Il Daniel Arden, Ml Joseph Gigger, Ch. Wardens. Tho. Bilbie cast all these six bells. Ring to the praise of God. Inscriptions on the old bells now recast, copied by me in 1852:- 4. I\Il Daniel Arden Ml Joseph Gigger Ch. Wardens, 1734. 6. God send vs good lock. ]\Il Daniel Arden Ml Joseph Gigger, Ch. Wardens 1734. T. B. F. 7. Si W™ Chappie Kl and John Browne Esql Mem'? of Parliat gave a 105 Povnds to thes bells. The Revrl^ Docl Leigh D.D., Docl Archer M.D., The ReV.^i Ml John Nelson Jos. Seward gent IMl Geo Cooper Ml Arden, Ml Gigger Ch. W. T. B. (Five in 1550.) 8. FORDINGTON (Christ Church). One bell. Modern. In a bell cot. Il8 THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSiEt. 9, FORDINGTON (S. George). Six bells. Tenor — Diam., 43111.; height, syiin. 1. Praise ye the Lord. V.R. Ano. XIV. C. & G. Mears, 1850. 2. To the Glory of God. V.R. Ano. XIV. C. & G. Mears, Founders London 1850. 3. >i* H««ct» J^lJUcviiui (Dxix ;]^)f0 ;i?lol>i^'. (Fig. 12.) 4. God defend us INIercy send us. V.R. Ano. XIV. C. & G. Mears Founders London 1850. ^ # # <# ^ ^ 5. "^ 3Eu X^ulfijsi J5^nni^ Xifi&iC«<'t ©ampnu iroUauuiis'. (Fig. II.) 6. No gaine like Godlines. G^P. 1602. J R (Royal Arms) J W. T W. Inscription on old Tenor — To make a joyful noise I here am mounted To God and Charles II. his anointed. 10. FRAMPTON (St. Mary). Six and a small bell i4in. diam. Inscribed R.B. Tenor — Diam., 43in. ; height, 32in. 1. I was cast at the cost of Rob. Browne Esqf. 2. This year brother broke I then first awoke And rung a good peal For old Framptons weal. 3. I was cast at the cost of Rob. Browne Esq^ 1694. Cast by John Warner and Sons, London 1866 4. Cast in November Let all remember The year I can fix Eighteen sixty six. (Royal Arms) Patent. THE CHURCH l^ELLS OF DORSET. II9 5. Robert Wood Will. Prickett C.W. Anno 1733 ^ W. K. P. E. 6. Rob. Browne £sq^ 1 694 All 6 cast by T 4^ Cockey. 11. FROME VAUCHURCH (Dedication unknown). One bell. Small bell, in a cot — Diam., iSin. ; height, iiin. 1855- 12. KNIGHTON, WEST (S. Peter). One bell. Diam., 29£,in. ; height, 23^in. Pra3'se the Lord I W 1603. 13. MORETON (S. Nicholas). Two bells. Tenor — Diam., 39in. ; lieiglit, 3iin. 1. J. Warner & Sons London 1877. 2. Pack & Chapman of London fecit 1776 14. STAFFORD, WEST (S. Andrew). Three bells. Tenor — Diam., 34in. ; height, zSin. 1. Prais God I W 1620. 2. God is faith fvl I W 1595. 3. Serve ye the Lord I W 1620. (The second bears John Wallis's larger lettering.) 15. STRATTON (S. Mary). Five bells. Tenor— Diam. 42in. ; height, 31 in. 1. # Elias Wood. David Casher. C.W. 1753. 2. Samvell <^ Fisher C "^ W ^ T : P. Anno: Domini^ i&95- 3. IB. CW. TP. 20 Anno Domini 165 8 4. An no Do mi ni 1627 R^P (Royal Arms.) 5. Anno Do mi ni 16 19 GP The treble was taken to Closwortli aud recast by Mr. Rock in 17''3. 120 THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. From Stratton Churchwardens' Accounts — £ s. d. 1753— 26th April, Pel. Mr. Eichd. Eock his bill lor casting the bell .. ., .. ., .. 10 15 11 Pd. for carriage of ye bell to Closworth and home again . . . . . . , . ..0126 29th Dec, for stuff and work done by EHas Wood about ye church steepl wheels and several other things . , . . . . , . 1 06 4 16. TOLLER FRATRUM (S. Basil). One bell. Anno In a cot, hardly accessible. This word and a little ornament alone discernible from the ground. 17. WHITCOMBE (Dedication unknown). Two bells. Tenor — Diam., 3iin.; height, 25in. 1, Hope well. IW. i6io 2. Love God I.W. i6io. (These hang north and middle in a three-bell frame. As there is a sequence of tones the tenor is probably the missing one. J. J. R. 15 July, 1892.) 18. WINTERBORNE CAME (S. Peter). One bell. Tenor — Diam., 3 i|in. ; height, 26in. 1. -^^ .S H « C t il ^Mi » X i H . (Fig. 14.) 2. PEl a n n (Fig. 13.) (The cross on the smaller bell is No. 32 in Ellacombes' Miscellaneous Scraps, appended to the Church Bells of Devon, &c., p. 509.) 19. WINTERBORNE S. MARTIN. One bell. Diam., 37in. ; height, 33in. Bell. Morgan Baleson. Joseph Blanchard, C.W. 1746. W t^ iv t^ B t^ F (Fleur de-lis border and other ornamentation.) THE CHURCH P.ELLS OF DORSET. Ill 20. WINTERBORNE MONKTON (Dedication unknown). One bell. Diam., 26^in. ; height, ziin. "i* Ji vc mil na (Fig. i6.) 21. WOODSFORD (S. John Baptist). One bell. Diam., lyfin.; height, i5in. Bell. <^ T <^ P Anno Domini ^1693. 22. WYNFORD EAGLE (S. Lawrence). One bell. Diam., igin. ; height, c. i6in. No inscription. In this district only three towers contain mediaeval bells — those of the old parish church of Fordington and two out of three of the group of Winterbornes, Came and IMonkton. At Fordington the third and fifth bells bear the same stamps, a shield, which was the trade mark of John Walgrave, a London founder, c. 1400, and a cross fleury in an octagon. His was a not unusual instance of a faithful servant succeeding to his master's business. In the reign of Richard II. one William Dawe was carrying on important work in Aldgate, the founder's 122 THE CHURCH BELLS OF L)OkSEt. quarter. His trade name was William ffoundor, and the identity of the two was established by the industry of Mr. Stahlschmidt. Mr. Walter Rye allowed him to look through a batch of East London deeds belonging to the Cornwallis family. Among them were two title-deeds belonging to the same property, one in 1393 witnessed by " William Dawe Found?','' the other, two years later, by " William Foundor." His works were in many parts of England. In 1385 he was casting guns for Dover Castle, at the time of the great scare, and if we may judge from nearness to the London and Dover road his bells at Dovvne, Upper Hardres, and Otham belong to the same visit. Devonshire knows his well-known marks, the three lavers, the roundlet with ►t' '^^tZ'iniam . ffOUUrtOV . mt . fCSM, and two birds, probably intended for daws, at Brent Tor, Brushford, and else- where ; and indeed it was my discovery of them in Suffolk some fifty odd years ago that brought me into correspondence M'ith Mr. Ellacombe. As yet we cannot report him in Dorset, quod sciam ; but if we have not the master Dawe we have the man Walgrave. The latter was evidently a man of good repute, for in the will of John Plot, proved in 1408, there is a legacy for him : — " Also my wyll ys that John Walgraue seruaunt of Wyllyam Fondour haue of my gode iijs iiijd." "^' I have found Walgrave's mark at Ightham in Kent, and this is not the only instance in that county. Mr. Tyssen reports him from Balcombe and Pulborough, Sussex ; Mr. North from Tansor and Twywell, Northamptonshire ; INIr. Cocks from Astwood, Tingcwick, and Old Bradwell, Bucks ; ]\Ir. Owen from Ellington, Chesterton, and Overton Longueville, Hunts ; and Mr. Walters, whose Church Bells of Shropshire we most earnestly hope will some day be completed, from Oldbury. This is of course a very sketchy list of Walgrave's bells ; but it is enough Will of Johu riot (or Eouweuhole or Eouwenhale). Fijtij Earliest Eivjlish Wills (E.E.T.S.), p. 15. THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. 12^ to show the extensive nature of his business. At Fordington the inscriptions are, on the 3rd : — 'i* Huncfa Jiatmnu C£>xix '^JPxo ^oVx^., and on the 5 th — Hh 3En XIlul[tii&' M-\m^ :Eir;&ouct (STjunpuu Johnnni^'. The frequent occurrence of the name of the former Saint on bells is probably due to the introduction of the wheel instead of a simple lever for the rope. The latter Leonine hexameter is all over England, and was the first inscription I ever copied, from the old 5th bell in IMildenhall tower, Suffolk, in the year 1848, cast after Walgrave's time, but probably at the same foundry. The capitals on the Fordington 5th are crowned as in the facsimile of the inscription, Fig. 11. The smaller bell at Winterborne Came and the bell at Winter- borne Monkton bear the same initial cross which Ellacombe has engraved, as at Osmington and elsewhere in Dorset, and has given as on Rimpton tenor, Somerset. At present we know nothing about it, save that it seems entirely confined to the south-west of England. I cannot find it in Ellacombe's Gloucestershire book. As we go on we may come upon some evidence which may help us. The same remark applies to the larger bell at Winterborne Came, bearing only CT) » xi Jl. We now come to the period between the accession of Queen Elizabeth and the Commonwealth, which gives us a dozen bells. The earliest of these is late enough, the second at West Stafford, dated 1595, which bears the initials of John Wallis, of Salisbury. Like most of his bells it bears a short pithy motto, . GOD IS FAITH FVL. Mr. Lukis* says of him that he seems to have been a man of few words, but of great deeds. " A man," he adds, " is known by his works, and a man's character and tone of life may be known in some measure by his words. If we * An Account of Church Bells, p. 7. 124 THE CHURCH EELLS OF DORSET. estimate him by his works he was a great man ; and if we take his laconic epigrams as an index of his heart, he was a trustful, thankful, religious character." Thus we have PRAYSE THE LORD at West Knighton, 1603; HOPE WELL, and LOVE GOD, at Whitcombe, 16 10; PRALS GOD, and SERVE YE THE LORD, at West Stafford, 1620. There are many more of the same kind in other parts of this county, as well as in Wiltshire, where 1581, at Figheldean and Little Bedwin, are the earliest dates recorded by Mr. Lukis, who laments his failure to gain information either from published histories or from local antiquaries about the foundry. One precious item, however, came to him through a Charity Commissioners' Report, viz., that what is now called Culver Street in Salisbury was also called Bellfounders' Street. In 1624, which is about the time of Wallis's retirement, a tenement, three gardens, and two orchards, &c., " in Culver Street all Bell-founders' Street in New Sarum" were conveyed to trustees under the will of Thomas Bee. John Danton, from whom came the bell at Dorchester All Saints', is regarded by Mr. Lukis as taking up the work which Wallis carried on for a good forty years. Three of the group of bells with which we are dealing, the tenor at Fordington S. George, 1602, the fourth at Stratton, 1 61 9, and the third from Compton Valence in the following year, are from George Purdue's foundry, which was located at Taunton. The churchwardens' accounts at Nettlecombe, Somerset, for 161 3, testify to this.*' The Fordington tenor is a very fine bell, bearing the Royal Arms and other ornamenta- tion. Roger Purdue, presumably a son, cast the fifth at Stratton in 1627, in which year Thomas Purdue was aged six, for he was buried at Closworth, Somerset, in 171 1, aged go years, with this couplet inscribed: — " Here lies the bell founder honest and true Till ye Resurrection— named Purdue." * EUacombe's Church Bdls of Devon, p. 56. THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. I 25 From this honest and true nonagenarian we have a considerable group round Dorchester — the third at Stratton, 1658 ; the fourth and treble at Charminster, 1661 and 1663 ; the fourth at Bradford Peverell, 1674; the fourth at Compton Valence, 1676 ; the bell at Woodsford, 1693 ! the second at Stratton, 1695 ; and the second at Dorchester All Saints', 1697. To these may very likely be added the recast bells at Frampton. It is quite clear that we want more information from Salisbury, Taunton, Closworth, and elsewhere in Somerset and Wilts about the men who wrought in these towns. The six at Frampton were cast by T. Cockey in 1694. We know that William of the same name was at Frome from 1 7 15-1747, ''••' and the maker of the Frampton ring may have been his father. We get no information from EUacombe's Church Bells of Somerset. Perhaps some Frome archaeologist will come to our help. Robert Browne, Esq., the donor, is known to Dorset History. Thomas Purdue and T. Cockey have carried us a little down the historical stream, and we find ourselves in the eighteenth century. Here our chief subject is the company in the grand old tower of S. Peter's, Dorchester, which in the return of 1550 contained five bells. The equinox of the autumn of 1734 witnessed a recasting of the bell-metal from S. Peter's ; and another witness was Mr. Renaldo Knapton, concerning whom information is needed. From the inscription he must have been an inportant local magnate. The founder was Thomas Bilbie, and his foundry may have been either at Chewstoke or Cullompton. Sixteen 5'ears later two trebles at S. Peter's completed the octave, and the second of the two was recast in 1808 by another Thomas Bilbie at Cullompton. Thus we get in one tower these several dates for one name, Thomas Bilbie — one name, but not one person. At iMartinstovvn the bell is dated 1746, with the initials of William Knight, stated to have been a founder at Blandford. Here again we shall be glad of local help. * Lukis, p. 16. 126 THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. The Loughborough foundry has sent us the third at Char- minster. Whitechapel and the Crescent Foundry in Cripplegate are represented also in other churches, as may be seen by the list of inscriptions. Those at Frampton cause a thankful acknowledgment that the gift of poetry is not yet extinct. DOECHESTEE, Fcb. 13, 1903. Mt Dear Sib, You ask for a note of what I have heard about certain bells at Fordington. I now give it, as well as I am able. In 1882 the late W. (?) Kendall, then Vicar of E. Lulworth, told me that some years before that time he was curate of Wool. He found that there were several traditions still on the lips of his parishioners. They had a tale of a lot of red- haired men coming up the river, and killing folks, and burning and wasting far and wide — Danes we may believe. Again, in the time of one Cromwell there was a King to every county — seemingly a dim memory of Sultan Oliver and his Pashas — Desborough here in Dorset. But, to our present purpose, the Wool folks liad this jingUng rhyme :— " Wool streams and Coombe Keynes wells — ■ Fordington rogues* stole Bindon bells." The first line doubtless alludes to the fine spring at the west end of Wool ^-illage, sending a rili of water all down the street, and to the very deep well at Coombe Keynes, an adjoining parish. As to the second line, the belief was as follows : — When Bindon Abbey was suppressed and looted, the bells formed no small part of the plunder. Now Bindon Abbey was of the Puritan Cistercian Eule, which forbade any tower to the church, and more than one bell. Such a lapse from regulations had, however, taken place, that Bindon Abbey had a tower and, more than that, a ring of twelve in it. I think (but T am not sure of this point) that these bells were to be divided between Wool and Coombe Keynes. " Fordington rogues," however, had other views. With cleverness *' worthy of a better cause " they secretly earned off five of the twelve and hid them in a lane near by, still called Bell Drong in 1882. When night fell they came with waggons and got clear off with the bells to Fordington, where two, St. John's and St. Katharine's, ling to this day. Wool had to put up with four, Coombe Keynes with three of the remainder. It should be added that there was a connection between Bindon Abbey and Fordington, where certain plots of ground are called Cistercian lands. Variant " cuckolds,' THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. I 27 The weak point of the legend seems to be the alleged existence of a ring of twelve in a Cistercian Abbey. I have been told that the doggerel rhymes above are not unknown in Fordington. Another and quite different tradition about these bells has come to me. But as I cannot name my mformant, nor say whence he got his tale, I give it for what it is worth. It dates before the suppression, for the Abbey services were being duly held at the time. While Abbot and Convent were all in church — at Lauds we may suppose — the "Fordington rogues" slipped up the tower. They unshipped the twelve bells, lowered them, and heaved eleven of them into waggons, without a sound. But the clapper of the twelfth got loose somehow, and gave a clang which was heard in church. However, away went the raiders at their best pace, bells and all. The Abbot and his household gave chase, but did not overtake them tQl they reached Frome Billett Down, which by the bye is half-a-mile or more out of the present track. Five of the bells were, notwith- standing pursuit, carried off to Fordington. Seven, however, were rescued, whether through skirmish or parley tradition sayeth not, I think. A curious rider is that out of these seven bells two somehow found their way to Stinsford. You know, better than I do, all about the two pre-Eeformation bells above- named. I may say that the present ring was changed from five to six by re -casting a rather heavy (two-man) tenor, dated 1602. It was all to pieces — more bolted and strapped together, I should think, than any bell sounding in a ring. The present dull-toned tenor was second. I am, yours truly, H. J. MOULE. The Eev. Canon Raven, D.D. DEANERY OF WHITCHURCH. (Bere Regis Portion.) No. 14. I. AFFPUDDLE (S. Lawrence). Four bells. Tenor — Diam., 4+in. ; height, 35in. 1. TPRSCWTP Anno Domini 1685. WKBF 1755. 2. Thomas INIichel, George Neppred, C.W. Anno Domini. 3. Pray se the Lord. J. W. 1598. 4. Thomas Scut, John White, Churchwardens. 1655. THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. |i h THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. I 29 2. ATHELHAMPTON. The Rector writes " Athelhampton Church was built iS6o, and the present bells were placed in the turret about ten years since. I have no means of getting to the bells to copy the inscriptions." There is now no church at Burleston. 3. BERE REGIS (S. John Baptist). Five bells. Tenor — Diam., 48in. ; height, 3 Sin. ; note D. Although I am but small yet I be hard above them all. A L I P : C W. Anno Domini 1656. Taylor and Co., Bell Founders, Loughborough. 1S75. 3. Praise the Lord. 4. Robert Frampton, Thomas Frampton, Thomas Knight, William Knight. Anno Domini 1709. Justeryen Ekens and John Hazzard, Churchwardens ; Job Auchterlony, Vicar. The giveft of Hilary Dyet. Clement Tosiear cast me in 1698. 4. CHESELBORNE (S. Martin). Five bells. Tenor — Diam., 48in. ; height, 34in. 1. In God reioys 1618 IW. 2. ^ ^c :Elott X^mV\ X^xw X^i.sii :E)iva;si j^Lmc XHium (17-) 3. ►^ ^auc ^n XliJU'ia Ova ^xo "JFlobi.o'. J (is.) 4. '^ (19.) ^,% William : Arnold : Robert : Kingsbcry : C : W:T : R: E : F : 1752. 5. Remember Thy Creator IW 1618. MO THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. 20. — DEWLISH 2nd. THos. Purdue's signature and ornament. THE CHTRCH RELLS OF DORSET. I31 5. DEWLISH (All Saints'). Three bells. Tenor — Diam., 30111. ; height, 2310. ; note C. 1. In God reioj-ce IW 1620 2. SA . WA : C.W : TP (20.) : An - no - Do - mi - ni . 1663. 3. W.K : B F : C W : Samvel . Addams . Anno Domini . 1704. 6. MELCOMBE BINGHAM- In the church tower. Diam., 39iin. ^s ^s ^3 ^3 ^3 ^3 ^S ^H ^3 ^3 ^3 ^a ^S ^3 o O o BCpSfl 0 ©I^ini©fIS 0. (21.) In the coachhouse (cracked). Diam., 36in. »t t'cjjinn 0 ttli 0 ictiu'c o uU'u 0 wWix. (22.) 7. MILBORNE S. ANDREW- Five bells. Tenor — Diam., 3Sin. ; height, 28in. ; note A. 1. 161 6 recast 1898 D. C. Smart vicar, Cast by John Warner and Sons Ltd London 1S98 2. 161 6 recast 1898 W. B. Norton Churchwarden. Cast by John Warner and Sons Ltd London 1898 3. 161G recast 189 8 Praise the Lord J. C. INIansel-Pleydell Lord of the INIanor Churchwarden Recast (&:c., as treble) 4. An no do mi ni F G H 5. Cal upon God I W O 1622 O. 8. PIDDLEHINTON (S. Mary). Five bells. Tenor — Diam., 4iMn.; height, 33in. 1. LS ID TP An.no.do:mi:ni: 1682. W.K. B.F. 2. Ml Chvrchel . U\ Rabets . CW . Anno Domini . 172 1. 132 :he church bells of Dorset. THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. Ijj § ^ # # 3. ^ ^"it '43)omfn X)omi«i ^cncdicidmu. ^h (coin.) (24.) <§> <§>'§''§ ^ "^ •^ 3E (coin) H :r?lo,$' ^homc X^cvitiis X^Q-Cvcumuv O'unrtiit ;Ukud^. (23.) 5. IT . WM. RP , Anno Domini 1633 9- PIDDLETRENTHIDE (All Saints'). Five bells. Tenor— Diam., 48Ain. ; height, 39in. Anno Domini 1631. AC . IC . CW TP . IP . An no Domi ni 1658. Love God Anno Domini 1603. 4. .S"a»c i\x mavia ou\ pva nobic. (25.) 5. *i' Com . when . I . call . to . serve . God . all . 1631. 10. PIDDLETOWN (S. Mary). Six bells. Tenor— Diam., 46in. ; height, 35in. ; \veight, ]6c\vt. iqr. iSlb. ; note E. 1. To the glor}' of God and in memory of Emily Jane Freeman, the beloved wife of the Vicar of Puddletown 1897. 2. John Goodings care twice cavse me hcare T.P. W.G. IH. CW. Anno Domini 1674. 3. John Shering Robert Alner Anno Domini 1728 W.K. B.F. 4. Serve the Lord IW. 1599. 5. Blank. ^^. 5 r^ , ^ E I tR 1^ N^ THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. 1 35 6. John Stile, Robert Howid, ^^^ George Stile, '^ ^^ Thomas Trenfild Churchwardens Litel John «)|(» «jj(? «i|i? «){(' ^ Thomas George. Recast in the 60 year of the reign of Queen Victoria 1897 ^y IMears and Stainbank London. Inscription on the old tenor — (Every letter and the fleur-de-lis crowned.) II. STINSFORD (S. Michael). Three bells. Tenor — Diam., 38iin. ; height, 31 in. 1. 4* (2.) BiXMU :jp(txc Oviv :jPx0 'MoV\^. 2. WC. TG. CW. TP. An no . Do . my . ni 1663. 3. 1616. 12. TINCLETON (S. John the Evangelist). One bell. Diam., 24in. ; height, 2oin. ; note C. 1. C &: G. Mears founders London 1849. 2. BTIBD(?C)W 13. TOLPUDDLE (Dedication unknown). Four bells. Tenor — Diam., 4oAin. ; height, 3 2in. 1. "^ HHUcta imnw. (26.) 2. John Drew . Richard Hall CW. 1655 WP. F (? B) F. (27.) 3. ^i* SI© noGQ noffline. (28.) 4- ^ flUG G¥{fi * (ain EL # GHfl. (29.) w THE CHURCH 15ELLS OF DORSET. I37 14. TONERS PUDDLE (Holy Trinity). Two small bells. Tenor— Diam., i6in.; height, i8in. I. * GflBI^ieiJ flRGGLiUS. # fflKSF^^eii * fflfll^Ip. (30.) 30. — TONERS PUDDLE. 2. Churchwardens : Barnabbas : Joyner. Clemant \ Tosiear cast mc in 1691. 15. WINTERBORNE KINGSTON (S. Nicholas). Four bells. Tenor — Diam., 3Sin. ; height, zgin. ; note D (?). 1. Love God I.W. 1600. 2. Praise God I.W. 1600. 3. Fear God I.W. 1600. 4. George Neppred, John Littcll, churchwardens, William Elery, B.F. Anno Domini 1749. DEANERY OF WHITCHURCH. (Cerne Portion.) No. 16. I. ALTON PANCRAS (S. Pancras). Four bells. Tenor — Diam., 4iin. ; height, 33in. Anno Domini 1596 ^ Xllaviii. (32.) 3. 4^ fiue cQfii^i^ i?iienfi. (31.) 4. NH. RI. C.W. T.P. An no do my ni 1664. THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. « 28. — TOLPUDDLE 3RD (Square l|in.)- 29. — TOLPUDDLE TENOR (Square 2-}[;in.). THE CHURCH RELLS OF DORSET. I39 2. BUCKLAND NEWTON (Holy Rood), Five bells. Tenor — Diam., 44111. ; height, 32111. 1. John Phillipes vicar Gilbert Dvning John Sqvier 1581 IW. 2. (26.A.) ►!* ^ue ffit^I^I^. 3. LM. IE. TP. Anno Domini 1670. 4. Henry Pople & Wm. Caines churchwardens Thos. & James Bilbie Chewstoke Somerset fecit 1793. Fear God and Honour the King. 5. John Phillipps vicar Edward Boxley Thomas Frye church- wardens i6og IW. 3. CERNE ABBAS (S. Mary). Five bells. Tenor (cracked) — Diam., 43iin. ; height, 36^in. 1. M': J. Hassell m T. Bowering IM^: G. Davis, Mv J. Cockeram Ch wardens 1762 T. Bilbie Fecit 2. (Same inscription as on treble except that " cast me " is used instead of " Fecit." 3. M^ Charles Davis and John Cockeram I\P; John Flassell ch wardens 1762 T. Bilbie. 4. Phillip White and William Davis Anno 1747 WK <^ B ^ F. 5. Come when I call to serve God all. An iron plate rivetted to the bell conceals part of the inscription. 4. EVERSHOT (S. Osmund). Six bells. Tenor — Diam., 42in. ; height, ; note A. 1. T. Bilbie fecit 1775. 2. Mr. J. P. Ch. W. TB . fecit 1775. 3. Thomas Bilbie CuUompton fecit 1775. Mr. J. P. Ch. W. 4. T 4 Bilbie fecit 1775. 140 THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. 4- I THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. [41 5. Mr. John Pitman Churchwarden T ^ Bilbie ^ fecit 1775. 6. I to the church the living call & to the grave do summon all T ^ Bilbie fecit 1775. T. BILBIE FECIT. 177^ BILBIE S BELLS. 5. FROME S. QUINTIN. Two bells. Tenor — Diam., 3oin. ; height, 23in. ; note C. 1. Thos. Bilbie fecit Collumpton 1782 George Baker Ch, W. ^. 2. ^ MC mm\. (16.) 6. GODMANSTONE. Three bells. Tenor — Diam., 44in. ; height, 34in. ; note E. 1. ^ Sxi mmn Aornu IrcnfiTutum. (33) 2. Anno Domini 1607. 3. Anno Domini 1 610. 7. HASELBURY BRYAN (SS. Mary and James). Five bells. Tenor — Diam., 44in. ; height, 345in. 1. Feare God IW 1613 2. fiye Gi^^^ifi BLienfi. (34.) 142 THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. id 0:r n omrn Domini brnrtiirl\im 33. — GODMANSTON TREBLE. (CrOSS Ifill.). 34«. — HASELRURY BRYAN 2nD (liin.). THE CHURCH REIXS OF DORSET. I43 3. sfiR^se i^ ^nD¥{efi i^ * (35-) 4. Remember thy end IW. 1613. 5. C & G. Mears Founders London 1855. The inscription on the old tenor bell, *i* SpHCsSfl • CQ^I^Ip : Ol^fl ; l^r^O ; nOBIS, was in Longobard letters of uncommon form. Specimens are given below. 36. — HASELJ5URY BRYAN. 9. HILFIELD (S. Nisholas). A small bell. 10. MAPPOWDER (SS. Peter and Paul). Five bells. Tenor — Diam., 4i|in. ; height, 33^,in. Bells I, 2, 3, 4 all bear the same inscription — William Knight BF. Anno Domini 1735. 5. Anno Domini 1735 William Knight B.F. Breath W.C. Esq. Sound to bid the sick repent in hope of life when spent. H THE CHURCH BELLS OF PORSET, U /O H-H p . "^ m G ^ CO Q£7 Z i9 <; ^ ^ >< ^ .^ ^31^ ■< 1 uo CO THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. 1 45 II. MELBURY BUBB. Four bells. Tenor — Diam., 35^in. ; height, zyin. 1. Anno Domini 1638. 2. There are two shields and two coins at four points equally divided round the bell (cracked). 37.— MELBURY BUBB. (Coin Uin. diam.) 3. Anno Domini 1671. 4. Geve thanks to God 16 16. 12. MINTERNE MAGNA (S. Andrew). The bells regularly used are eight tubular bells given, it is said, by an aunt of Lord Digby. Ancient bells. Tcnor^Diam., 24in. ; height, igin. Treble — Diam., 22111.; height, i8in. Notes reserved for Appendix. 13. NETHER CERNE (Dedication unknown). Three bells. Tenor — Diam., 4oMn. ; height, 3i^in. I. Anno Domini 1607. 2. sfin©©^ finn^ # or^fi ei^o robis. (38.) 3. ►Pfiue eke n^ G^fi @ie. '^9-; 14. PLUSH. A small bell without inscription. §.cr uo © C5 iii' pq THK CHURCH liKLLS OF DORSET. 1 47 15. PULHAM (S. Thomas a'Becket). Four bells. Tenor — Diam., 35in. ; height, 27.^11. 1. 2, 4. Recast by John Warner and Sons London 188^;,. 3. For inscription see Fig, 42, 16. SYDLING (S. Nicholas). Five bells. Tenor— Diam., 47 Mn. ; height, 36in. John Warner and Sons Ltd. London 1900. Maud Josephine Bechton ) ^ , ^ Donors James Bernard Paynter. i 2. Mag Sancta. Joseph Warner and Sons Ltd. London igoo J. LI. Jones Evans Vicar, Joseph Sherry Philip Green- slade Churchwardens. 3. Love God Anno Domini 161 1. 4. Love God Anno Domini 16 13. ® 9^ ## <& ^ # # / X Inscription and stop on old treble same as on Winterborne INIonckton. (Fig. 16.) Liscription and stop on old second ^i6 SANCTAINL (41.) 17. UPCERNE (Dedication unknown). Three bells. Tenor — Diam., igin. ; height, is^in. I, 2, 3. Mears and Stainbank founders London GEB. 187 1. 18. WOOTTON GLANVILLE (S. Mary). Four bells. Tenor — Diam., 36Ain. ; height, 3oMn. 1. Sunt mea spes hii tres IHS. INIaria Joh'es (in Rom. caps). Cast by John Warner and Sons London Recast ad 1876. 2. Thos. Knight, John Crake Anno Domini 1700. 3. Cast by John Warner and Sons London 1876. " In memoriam patris E. R. Dale ad. 1876. ■4- ^ (2.) fiye ffl!^ i^ip- 1+8 THE CHURCH RELLS OF DORSET. U Plate A. Proc.Dorset.N.K£A.F.Clul.M.XXlYJ90S. I f^c^ PM^. l;iJk)t^^ ^"P ^s^ 6 I ' \1 V 0 0 '1 3. 3:_. O.Pickar