reasons for believing that Stonehenge was erected at the end of the Stone Age or the beginning of the Bronze Age. This is the only known place of the kind composed of worked stones, and the tools with which the bigger bits were worked are found in large numbers-large mauls with which the bigger bits of stone were chipped off, smaller ones which could be used with both hands, and yet smaller still, to be used with one hand, for doing the finer work; and under ground one can find a quantity of chips. As to how the stones were got there, in Japan not long ago equally large stones were moved in a simple way on rollers, being hauled by teams of men. Dr. Blackmore called attention to the numerous barrows dotting the plain around. Altogether there are some 300 of them, of the Bronze Age, and bearing the same relationship to Stonehenge as a churchyard to a church.

Leaving behind them the plain dotted with barrows and passing Lake House, a fine specimen of Jacobean architecture, the club crossed the river Avon by the bridge at Woodford and reached Netton, beyond where, nestling among some old elms, is Heale House, where Charles II. lay hid after the battle of Worcester. Charming scenery lies between Netton and Stratford, where the river Avon pursues its sinuous course. Passing through a grove of beech trees they caught a glimpse of the old house at Little Durnford, and shortly after entered the village of Stratford. This church, some two miles from Salisbury, retains its 15th Century roodscreen, altered and added to in the 18th century, also a wrought-iron hour-glass stand of simple but good design. The tower was repaired in 1711 by Thomas Pitt, son of Governor Pitt, of diamond fame. The picturesque Vicarage house is known as Mawarden Court, from a family of that name who lived there in the 15th century. On the lintel over the entrance door appears the inscription :"Parva, sed apta domino."

At tea at the County Hotel, the PRESIDENT voiced anew the indebtedness of the club to Mr. Doran Webb and Dr. Blackmore for their kind offices. Then the party left for the railway station.

Owing to the exigencies of available space in the present volume it has been found necessary to omit much interesting matter in connection with Wiltshire antiquities, notably two long contributions by the Rev. A. C. Alinack and the Rev. R. G. Bartelot. The latter appeared in the Dorset County Chronicle of Aug. 25th. (ED.]

LAST SUMMER MEETING.

ABBOTSBURY TO BRIDPORT HARBOUR.

Tuesday, September 20th.

The last Summer Meeting took the form of an excursion along the somewhat unfamiliar strip of the Dorset coast between Abbotsbury and West Bay. About 100 members attended. The President was unfortunately prevented from coming on account of indisposition; the officers present included the Hon. Secretary, the Hon. Treasurer, the late Treasurer (Captain Elwes), the Editor, and the Assistant Secretary, whose assistance at these meetings has been as assiduous as it has been welcome.

"ABBOTSBURY CASTLE."

A stiffish climb brought the party to this great prehistoric earthwork, where they were met by Dr. COLLEY MARCH, whose extensive acquaintance with the subject of "Camps "enabled him to give an interesting account of the one under inspection.

As is clearly seen by a reference to the contoured map, Abbotsbury Castle or Ringe is a promontory fort, an example of that selection of a site which minimises the work of fortification, since on the promontory side the ground sloped down steeply and there was less need of entrenchments. On the east side they found those deep ditches and lofty ramparts protecting the camp from the surface of the ridge. It was distant from Eggardon five miles and from Maiden Castle seven. Hutchins called the camp nearly square; but the Ordnance map showed it to be almost a triangle. Hutchins said that the area was 20 acres, whereas it is less than 10. Hutchins said again that in the middle of the western bank there is an entrance; but there is no entrance there, the only entrance being at the north-east angle, although Warne says that it is at the south-east angle. Leading the Club over the earthwork Dr. March pointed out two mounds on the seaward side which were probably specula or look-out posts, from which watchers could observe the approach of the enemy, coming possibly up the Fleet in their long boats. Such forts as this belonged to the late Celtic age, which is supposed to have begun two or three hundred years B.C., and long before that the sea was covered in the

summer with sea rovers who came from Scandinavia. Dr. March also called attention to an earthen ring and two barrows within the lines of the camp, but observed, contrary to Warne's opinion, that probably the barrows were there long before the camp was constructed.

A vote of thanks to Dr. March was moved by Captain ELWES.

SWYRE CHURCH.

The Club then drove to Swyre, and there entered the church, where, in the regretted absence of the Rector (the Rev. T. Horton Roberts), who was away from home, some notes which he had thoughtfully prepared were read by the Rev. J. C. M. MANSEL-PLEYDELL.

Of

The church, which dates from 1503, was (unfortunately) rebuilt in 1843 with the exception of the tower and chancel arches; and the pillars of the nave (so ran the notes) bear record to the execrable taste of the period. the bells in the tower, the devout and public-spirited churchwardens early last century sold one towards defraying the cost of repairing the roads ! The members inspected with especial interest two nice brasses to John Russell, who died in 1505, and James Russell "and Alys hys Wyfe," who deceased, 1509, the grandfather and father respectively of the first Earl of Bedford, who was born at Berwick House, a former home of the Russells, who also had another seat at Kingston Russell. The only other object that claimed attention was the large and handsome monument, on the north wall of the chancel, erected in 1692 to the memory of James Napier, brother of Sir Alexander Napier, and an interesting example of the mural tablets of the William and Mary period.

PUNCKNOWLE.

Of this picturesque little village, Sir Frederick Treves draws an admiring picture, the truthfulness of which the members present fully approved, especially in regard to the Manor House.

"Hidden in a garden behind the church is one of the daintiest and most beautiful of the manor houses in the county, a marvel of ancient dignity and peace."

When, by the courtesy of Colonel Walter L. Mansel, the party entered the grounds of his house and found themselves

face to face with its exquisite façade, all felt immediately that Sir Frederick Treves' enthusiasm was amply justified. The house, charming in design, with its protecting porch supporting a room above, is of that interesting period, the transition from the Elizabethan to the Jacobean.

The Rev. J. C. M. MANSEL-PLEYDELL, who received the Club, assured them that both Colonel and Mrs. Mansel were most glad to welcome them there, and to invite them to inspect everything there of interest, both inside and outside the house; but regretted that Colonel Mansel's delicate health did not admit of his receiving them himself. It was not known, continued Mr. Mansel-Pleydell, when the house was built. It belonged to the Napier family until 1700, when it was sold to a Mr. Clotterbooke, modernised into Clutterbuck, who migrated from Devon into Dorset to marry a daughter of the Chafyns, originally of Chettle. Inside the house the Club were much interested in the two curiously panelled rooms upstairs. The panels were occupied by ancient paintings, and they inspected the numerous portraits of members of the Chafyn and other families. The HON. SECRETARY drew attention to the portrait of the Rev. Mr. Chafyn, who was chaplain to the Dorset Rangers. The portrait is by the Dorset artist Thomas Beach, who painted the portraits of all the officers of that regiment, now hanging in Came House. Upstairs also was seen the original portrait of the famous sporting parson, the Rev. William Butier.

From the Manor House the church was visited, and attention was called to the extensive remains of Norman work. The Rev. R. H. GASH, the Rector, told the story of the pair of ancient fonts, the one resting on the other.

Bexington, on the seaward side of Puncknowle, used to be an independent parish; but during the 16th Century it suffered so much from a French invasion that the people abstained from rebuilding their burned church, and united with Puncknowle. Of that union there were two symbols in this church the one was the Bexington font, the other the Bexington aisle. The church, like that of Swyre, is rich in associations of the Napper or Napier family. The Rector pointed to the memorial to Sir Robert Napper, whose humility expressed itself in the characteristic inscription :-"Reader, when thou hast done all thou canst, thou art but an unprofitable servant; therefore this marble affords no roome for fulsome flattery or Vaine Praise.— Sr. R. N. (Johannis Hamiltonis Scoto, Britannus fecit.)" Upon the church wall hang the tilting helmet, gauntlets, and spurs of Sir William Napier.

Leaving the church, the Club inspected the base and shaft of the old churchyard cross.

BERWICK.

In Saxon times Berewick was the seat of the family of Here the first Earl of Bedford, Thomas Mr. C. Bryant kindly allowed the visitors but little remains of the original structure

Tour or de Turri.
Russell, was born.

to view the house;

save some portions of the chapel.

BURTON BRADSTOCK.

At the Church the Rector, the Rev. F. T. HARRISON, gave an interesting account of the parish.

Burton was 'Bride-ton," the tun or village of the Bride; and Bradstock, Bradenstoke, because it belonged to the priory of St. Augustine at that place in Wilts. Henry I. gave the manor to the Abbey of Caen, in Normandy, to redeem the regalia which the Conqueror had at his death handed over to that abbey. The church is a large, handsome, cruciform structure, principally Perpendicular, with a high tower adorned with battlements and containing five bells. Originally in that parish they had no less than six churches or chapels. The Rev. C. H. W. DICKER added a few words about the Norman history of the church, and called attention to the Jacobean communicants' rails, as prescribed by Archbishop Laud, and with projecting nobs supposed to be intended to help old people rise from the kneeling posture. Upon the front of the rails is carved the date 1686 and the initials of the churchwardens of that year.

THE GEOLOGY OF THE COAST.

Some of the party from this point drove straight to West Bay, but a strong pedestrian contingent went across some fields to the spot where the little river Bredy approaches the beach. Here Dr. W. THEOPHILUS ORD kindly gave a most lucid and interesting lecture on the geology of the coast of Dorset. He first laid stress on the exceptional advantages offered by the coast of Dorset for the study of the geological formation of England, since, out of the different stratified rocks of the country, 24 in number, more than half, to be precise 13, were exposed in the Dorset cliffs.

In walking from the west at Lyme Regis to the east at Canford Cliffs, one finds all the formations arranged in their proper and unbroken succession,