NEIGHBOURHOOD OF SALISBURY MEETING. Ixxv. 



Winchester Cathedral, tried his 'prentice hand on the church. 

 He pointed as one result to the first Decorated two-light window 

 ever built in the country, and called attention to the picturesque 

 contrast of the red and green sandstone in the pillars of the 

 nave arcading. Incidentally he observed that people were 

 beginning to think that the Dorchester of which Birinus was 

 Bishop was Dorchester, Dorset, and not Dorchester, Oxfordshire. 



Leaving the church, the party were conducted by Mr. Squarey, 

 who had warmly received them on their arrival at Downton, to 

 his house, where they were hospitably entertained at tea on the 

 lawn. 



After tea the President, on behalf of the Club, warmly thanked 

 Mr. Squarey for his hospitality. Mr. Squarey, having suitably 

 responded, led the way to 



THE MOOT, 



a remarkable terraced mound in the grounds of the house. The 

 moot hill is 70 feet high, with a slope towards the river cut in 

 a succession of terraces. As to whether these terraces were 

 ancient or of more recent date opinion was divided. 



There was no time for discussion, but, in conversation, various 

 theories were propounded, of which the following are the 

 principal : 



That the mound was a Saxon Burg ; that it was a place of 

 assembly in Saxon times, a " cradle of mighty parliaments ; " 

 that it was a Saxon stronghold, within an earlier British earth- 

 work ; that it was a military work constructed to command the 

 passage of the River Avon, and to protect it from foes coming 

 from the eastward. 



Mr. Squarey, in the course of his remarks upon it, said the 

 late General Pitt- Rivers once did him the honour to stay with 

 him three or four days in order to inspect the earthworks which 

 abound in the neighbourhood. The General was delighted with 

 The Moot, although he would not hazard an opinion upon it. 

 At last, at the end of his short sojourn with him, General Pitt- 

 Rivers said " Now, Squarey, give me leave to cut a trench 



