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(4). A small piscina in S. wall.

(5). Tablets in walls and inscribed floor stones mentioned in Hutchins are also now gone.

A font bowl now stands in the vestry. It is said to be of Saxon origin; but this is doubtful.

BLANDFORD. (Hutchins, I. p. 214).

The present church was erected after the fire of 1731, on the site of the old church of St. Peter and St. Paul, which had been then destroyed. The chancel was lengthened in 1896, and the apse dome removed to its present positionthe Architect being Mr. C. Hunt. Masonic marks were then found on stones which apparently dated back to the 14th century, and doubtless belonged to the ancient church. It was probably built of "mixed" stones, like Wimborne Minster; and the lower part of the present N. wall of the nave may well be a portion of the old church which had been left by the fire. In the renovation of the cupola of the tower in 1878, some oak timber was found which bore marks of fire, and probably was a remnant of the former church. Mr. Norman, who did the work, has still some of the wood in his possession.

PIMPERNE. (Hutchins, I. p. 291).

According to Hutchins the church was restored in 1850, when many changes were made and the ancient features mentioned (p. 293) were removed. The church was entirely rebuilt in 1870, at the cost of Lord Portman, and from designs of the Estate agent. The Norman arch was then moved, from the entrance to the chancel, to the N. side of the chancel, and the beautiful Norman south doorway was placed at the W. end of the S. aisle.

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TARRANT CRAWFORD. (Hutchins, III. p. 118).

There was some alteration of the chancel in 1906, when the top stones of two tombs were removed from the farm garden and placed within the altar rails. They have been conjecturally assigned to Bishop Poore and Queen Joan of Scotland.

The church was renovated in 1911, when the following features were brought to light :

(1). A fresco of the "Judgment of Solomon " on the S. wall.

(2). Roman tiles and pottery which were found under the floor, as was some old glass which is now in the window. (3). Traces of an old door on the S. side, and opposite the present door.

The church is dated about 1240 A.D., and is built of a great variety of stones, e.g., Tisbury stone, Ham-hill stone, and red sandstone from Devonshire, with small pieces of York stone which can be used as whetstones.

Bishop Poore, who founded the nunnery here, died in the year 1229.

TARRANT KEYNSTON. (Hutchins, I. p. 319).

The church was rebuilt in 1853 (Architect, Mr. T. H. Wyatt). Portions of the N. aisle appear to be older and may possibly be remnants of the former church. The interior of the present church is entirely destitute of tablets, or memorials of any kind whatever. There is no single record of former days.

N.B.-There is a statement by Mr. Sidney Heath, in his Pilgrim Life, in the Middle Ages to the effect that "Mr. H. Moule, of Dorchester, told the present writer that he had seen in the chancel of the old church of Tarrant Keynston a recluse cell of the type now mentioned, and that it remained intact until the church was rebuilt.' (vide p. 88). None of the old villagers, however, are able to confirm this statement.

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TARRANT RUSHTON. (Hutchins, Vol. III. p. 462, D.F.C. Vol. XVIII. pp. 55-65, and XXX. p. lii.).

The many ancient features of the church which came to light between the years 1877 and 1886 were most carefully preserved under the direction of the late Rev. J. Penny, and will be found recorded in Vol. XVIII, of the Proceedings (especially on pages 56-58). There seems to be no lost feature to record.

MILTON DEANERY.

(16 churches, 5 returns.)

BLANDFORD ST. MARY. (Hutchins, I. p. 163).

In 1837 the S. wall of the nave and the S. porch were removed, and a new aisle was built, with brickwork windows and hideous iron pillars. Good stone work and stained glass have since been inserted in all the windows, and recently in 1919 the pillars have been removed and nice arcade erected.

In 1863 the N. transept and aisle were added and arcade erected, replacing an excrescence on the N. side of the nave which contained the Squire's pew and was probably erected by Governor Pitt in 1712. The singers' gallery at the west, which projected far into the church, was also then removed.

In 1883, the chancel roof was restored and panelled, and a new font was placed in the church; but of this no actual record seems to be obtainable.

In 1886 a one-light window was inserted in the S.E. wall of the chancel and filled with stained glass; and in 1908 the organ chamber was added and the organ given by an anonymous donor. The window in the N. wall of the chancel was placed in the N. wall of the new chamber.

During the changes made in 1863 the Pitt vault in the N.W. external corner of the nave was taken for the new

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heating chamber, and the coffins all identified and moved to a vault under the new aisle.

In 1912 the battlements of the tower were refixed, and the builder found distinct traces of former pinnacles at the

corners.

BELCHALWELL.

XXXV. p. xl.).

(Hutchins, III. p. 373.

D.F.C. Vol.

The church was renewed in 1905, under the direction of Mr. C. E. Ponting, when a new roof was placed on the nave and the pillars were made erect; they are part of the original Norman church, and the arch over the doorway remains good. A portion of the steps ascending to the roodloft were discovered at the restoration.

IBBERTON. (Hutchins, IV. p. 360, D.F.C. Vol. XXXV. p. xl.).

Between 1907 and 1909 the church was entirely renovated from a roofless and dilapidated state, under Mr. C. E. Ponting as architect, when the walls were all strengthened, not rebuilt, and the roof was constructed.

The stone work of the E. window was found buried and is of a very curious design. The parts fitted together so accurately that there could be no mistake, and the architect was convinced against his first belief.

On removal of plaster, carved heads were found on the capitals of the N. aisle pillars, and are now shown; the north aisle appeared to be an addition to the original church.

The inner arch of the porch seemed to be older than the present church and showed the old masons' marks.

(This record of facts is from Mr. Norman, the builder employed).

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SHILLINGSTON. (Hutchins, III. p. 444, D. F. C. Vol. XXIV., pp. lxxii., lxxiii.).

In 1888 two galleries were removed from the interior of the tower; one of them had been a singers' gallery. The N. wall of the nave was pierced for arcading, and the N. aisle and chancel were added.

In 1903 the E. wall of the chancel was rebuilt; the screen was erected and roofs decorated.

In 1888, two small and very early splayed windows were opened high up in the N. wall of the nave and one in the S. wall; all are now carefully preserved. These relics were also found:

(1). A stone coffin under the N. chancel wall, where Hutchins speaks of an altar tomb in 1842.

(2). A piece of an altar slab, with one of the dedication

crosses.

(3). A broken slab, showing the head of a man between the sun and a crescent moon.

(4). Parts of two tomb slabs with crosses on them. These are all carefully preserved in the tower.

Two gargoyles are said to have been removed from the tower in 1888, and the door in the S. chancel wall was blocked up.

Recently a large squared stone, a portion of an early English column, and a collection of flints were found by the sexton when digging a grave in front of the tower.

WINTERBOURNE STICKLAND. (Hutchins, I. p. 331). The church was restored in 1892 (Architect, Mr. W. J. Fletcher, of Wimborne), when the wagon-headed roof of the chancel was renewed, the west window opened out by the removal of the gallery, the tower roof renewed, the Jacobean pulpit lowered, and the oak screen between the chancel and Skinner mausoleum renovated. The old Holy Table is now in the vestry.