12 



Under the guidance of Mr. Arkwright, the club now went down by the 

 mill — mentioned as a source of income in "Domesday Bjok" — to the interesting 

 old bridge of three arclies. Here, when striking into a lovely dingle along anarrow 

 path on its steep side, those who looked back got a most picturesque view of 

 the bridge, the old mill, the murmuring brook, and the stream of gentlemen 

 threading their way up the irregularities of the path. Over a broad weir the 

 road lay, and then for two miles down the side of a charming glen with water on 

 cither hand, 



A detour was made to visit some very fine old oaks— one of them, "Tho 

 Rabbit-pool Oak," msajurinj 23ft. 4in. in circumference at five feet, whilst at 

 the ground level it spread out to 48ft. It is a hollow tree with an opening on 

 one side, which is gradually closing by the formation of new wood, and which 

 is now only from four to six inches wide at the lower part. 



Then back again to the glen with the curious name the " Hill Hole " glen 

 —possibly reached in this way : The Holywell brook joins the Humber brook 

 just below the northern corner of P.isbury Camp, and is named from the Holy- 

 well of Pencombe and by a series of transmutations and corruptions which 

 tradition substantiates, though we won't follow them ; the whole glen receives its 

 present singular appellation of "Hill Hole." 



Crossing by the large pike pond and the old decoys, down through the deer 

 park, disturbing rabbits beyond number, admiring the gi-oopiug of the trees, 

 the gracefulness of the wj-ch elms, and the views opening at every step, the club 

 reached the fine old tree, "The Gipsy Oak." 



A large specimen of the common fungus, the Pohiporus Squamosus was 

 gathered by the way, some 18 inches broad, growing gracefidly with an actual 

 stem of its own, from some decayed stump under the turf. This fungus, when 

 dried — cut in strips — and glued on pieces of wood, makes razor strops of the 

 highest virtue. 



" The Gipsy Oak" is a noble tree in full luxuriance, with a perfect bole 

 and fine spread of branches — some that nearly toiiched the ground have been 

 cropped by deer perchance, again and again, vintil they serve now in their death 

 for places to rub themselves against, or what is of higher import to give an 

 excellent picturesque effect to the tree itself. "The Gipsy Oak," at 5 feet 

 measures 24 feet 1 inch iu circumference ; but at 2 feet 4 inches from the ground, 

 its smallest girth, the measure is 22 feet G inches. 



There was no time to linger to measure the other fine trees here, or to watch 

 the pheasants pkying amidst the birch boughs lying before the hen coops. The 

 march was resumed, the mansion was in sight, and was soon reached. 



The members were most kindly led through the house by Mr. Arkwright to 

 the chajjel, where a fine old painted window — noticeable not only for the richness 

 of its colours, but also for the subjection in which all the accessories are kept 

 ^—through pasHagPs filled with cases of well-stuffed birds and animals, through 



