SHERBORNE MEETING. llll. 



under the jurisdiction of their venerable Vicar, was built, largely out of the 

 ruins of the old castle, by William, Lord Digby. The deep moat, he thought, 

 had always been dry. There was a castle there for centuries before the Norman 

 era, probably there was one in Koman days. Roman relics had been found there, 

 including a Neapolitan stone mould for casting coins of the Emperor Galienus. 

 The Norman castle was built by Bishop Roger in 1107. The great thickness of 

 the wall of the keep and the curtain, and its rough but sound workmanship, 

 indicate that the work is early Norman ; but the fine-jointed ashlar and ornate 

 character of the chapel windows suggest that the castle was built in the reign of 

 Henry II. rather than that of Henry I. 



Leading the party into the enclosure, Mr, Digby pointed out 

 the defensive features of the gatehouse entrance, the remains of 

 the keep and its turret, on the dizzy summit of which the wild 

 pinks are blossoming. He led them down to the spur jutting 

 out to Pinford Lane, and then, returning to the castle enclosure, 

 said that there it was proposed to hold the open-air play next 

 year on the occasion of the i,2ooth anniversary celebration. Mr. 

 Digby then conducted the party through his extensive and finely- 

 timbered pleasure grounds, overlooking the lake, the new castle, 

 and the deer park beyond with its oak coverts and massive 

 American cedars planted by Sir Walter Raleigh himself. Some 

 people, observed Mr. Digby, stated that there were no cedars in 

 England 300 years old, yet here were undoubtedly specimens, 

 for he had records to prove that Sir Walter Raleigh planted 

 them. Mr. Digby pointed out a very old specimen of the Judas 

 tree, one of the labiatae. The waterfall is a striking feature, 

 with its series of white cascades, and the party visited Raleigh's 

 seat, where, according to tradition, Sir Walter was sitting enjoy- 

 ing the " weed nicotian," when his servant, thinking that he 

 was afire, threw a tankard of ale over him ! The lake now 

 looks a level green expanse, being filled with yellow-flower- 

 ing water lilies. It was, said Mr. Digby, constructed 150. 

 or 200 years ago, and was cleaned out at the beginning of last 

 century. 



The party were then conducted to the New Castle, where 

 Mrs. Wingfield Digby joined Mr. Digby in bidding them a 

 hospitable welcome. Here tea awaited the members, and after 



