?39 



WORTH MALTRAYERS. 



£ Read at the Corfe Museum, Februaiy, 18C0. ] 



The parish of Worth, or Worth Maltravors as it Is sometimes 

 called, is iii the Isle of Purbeek and Hundred of Rowbari'ow^ 

 in the County of Dorset. It has an area of about 2,646 acres^ 

 and contains about 400 inhabitants; the greater part of these 

 find emplo^Tnont either on the land or in quarr;>^ng the well- 

 knowTi Poi-tland stone, which is of very fine quality. 



In the hamlet of Woody-hide iJiere is a quarry of the 

 celebrated Piu-beck marble, from wliich was obtained the 

 stone used in the restoration of the Temple Church, and in the 

 embellishment of our Cathedi-als, including Salisbury, and 

 many other Ecclesiastical edifices. To these we may now add 

 with pleasure, the Churches of Swanage and Corfe. 



The parish has the English Channel on the South, its ex- 

 treme point being St. Aldlielm's, or as it is more commonly 

 termed, St. Alban's Head. On the summit of this Cliff 

 stands an ancient chapel dedicated to the Saint. It has been 

 described in a former page. 



The Church, though it may not be the most ancient in tlie 

 Island, is nevertheless of great interest to the antiquary 

 and claims some distinction as the Mother Church of Swanage. 

 Its stnictiiral characteristics bespeak a design at once simple 



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