94 THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. 



Slower Provost. 



Fontmell Magna. 



Hammoon. 



Rampisham. 



Nether Compton. 



Chetnole. 



Holnest. 



Wambrook. 



Aimer. 



Bloxworth. 

 East Morden. 

 Sturminster Marshall. 

 Winterbourne Anderson. 

 Gussage All Saints. 

 Blandford S. Mary. 

 Charlton Marshall. 

 Shapwick. 



With regard to the Knowlton tradition before-mentioned, I 

 venture to insert the following : 



" In walking from Blandford to Damerham in September, 

 1852, I shaped my course by Horton, with a view to seeing 

 Monmouth's ash on Horton Heath. Having reached the road- 

 side inn, I found that the ash was four miles distant, and, not 

 having time to proceed thither, I waited at the inn. Whilst 

 waiting I saw a small ruined tower at the distance of half-a-mile 

 or so, and, on asking a man, found it was the ruin of Knowlton 

 Church. He also told me that at a very distant period there 

 was a very valuable bell in that tower, so much so that it excited 

 the cupidity of some fellows, who planned to steal it, take it to 

 the coast, and, having crossed the Channel, sell it in France. 

 This, considering the loneliness of the church, could be no very 

 difficult matter ; but somehow, after they had got the bell out of 

 the tower, they were discovered, pursued, and overtaken at the 

 bridge of Sturminster Marshall, and, being unable to proceed 

 further with it, they threw it into the Stour and made off. The 

 Knowlton people let down ropes and pulled it up nearly within 

 reach of hand, when down it went, without there being any 

 apparent reason for the ropes breaking. A second and a third 

 attempt were attended with the same result till, weary and 

 dispirited, they gave it up. The old man said that there was a 

 verse to the effect that 



' All the devils in hell 

 Could never pull up Knowlton bell,' " 



