AVKST PURUECK MEETING. Ix'lX. 



have been originally the hall of the ancient manor house, and to 

 date from the late i3th or early i4th century. 



It seems probable that when the new house was built, in 1567, 

 this hall being no longer required as a hall, and being in too 

 good condition to be pulled down, was converted into a cottage. 

 A floor was put in, and the space above and below it was 

 divided into rooms, and the walls pierced for the insertion of 

 the windows which now light the rooms upstairs and down. 

 The Rev. W. D. Fiiliter, who has had the experience and train- 

 ing of an archirect, has examined the building, and concurs in 

 the view that the floor and the dividing walls are additions 10 the 

 older building, which was originally a hall, 45 feet long by 20 

 broad, with a handsome timbered roof of oak of late i3th or 

 early I4th century date. A portion of this roof is still in 

 position, and is a remarkable, perhaps a unique, specimen of 

 timber roofing. The writer is not aware that there is on any 

 existing domestic building a timbered roof of a similar char- 

 acter ; indeed, roofs of early i4th century date are very rare. 



It is unfortunate that the lower parts of the moulded braces of 

 the principal are gone. The side wall plates which supported 

 them are, however, in position with their mortices. Mr. Fiiliter, in 

 his excellent measured drawing, has made a conjectural restora- 

 tion of the lost portion, and the restoration seems justified by 

 the details on the curved braces which support the lower purlins. 



Leaving Tyneham, the Club drove to Creech Grange, where 

 they were graciously welcomed by Mrs. Bellasis and members of 

 the familv, and refreshed by tea supplied from tables laid out 

 under the trees on the lawn. After tea some members of the 

 party rambled about the grounds and gardens, and inspected the 

 house ; others paid a visit to St. John's Chapel, a sham Norman 

 building, with nothing ancient in it but the chancel arch, which 

 was brought from the old Cluniac Priory at Holme, but which, 

 however, has been mutilated, some moulded caps being used as 

 bases of small pillars at the sides of it. 



On leaving Creech Grange, the party drove back to Wareham 

 to catch their trains. 



