ABBOTSBURY TO BRIDPORT HARBOUR. Iv. 



face to face with its exquisite fagade, all felt immediately that 

 Sir Frederick Treves' enthusiasm was amply justified. The 

 house, charming in design, with its protecting porch sup- 

 porting a room above, is of that interesting period,the transition 

 from the Elizabethan to the Jacobean. 



The Rev. J. C. M. MANSEL-PLEYDELL, who received the Club, assured them 

 that both Colonel and Mrs. Mansel were most glad to welcome them there, 

 and to invite them to inspect everything there of interest, both inside and 

 outside the house ; but regretted that Colonel Hansel's delicate health did 

 not admit of his receiving them himself. It was not known, continued Mr. 

 Mansel-Pleydell, when the house was built. It belonged to the Napier family 

 until 1700, when it was sold to a Mr. Clotterbooke, modernised into 

 Clutterbuck, who migrated from Devon into Dorset to marry a daughter of 

 the Chafyiis, originally of Chettle. Inside the house the Club were much 

 interested in the two curiously panelled rooms upstairs. The panels were 

 occupied by ancient paintings, and they inspected the numerous portraits of 

 members of the Chafyn and other families. The HON. SECRETARY drew 

 attention to the portrait of the Rev. Mr. Chafyn, who was chaplain to the 

 Dorset Rangers. The portrait is by the Dorset artist Thomas Beach, who 

 painted the portraits of all the officers of that regiment, now hanging in 

 Came House. Upstairs also was seen the original portrait of the famous 

 sporting parson, the Rev. William Butier. 



From the Manor House the church was visited, and atten- 

 tion was called to the extensive remains of Norman work. 

 The Rev. R. H. GASH, the Rector, told the story of the pair 

 of ancient fonts, the one resting on the other. 



Bexington, on the seaward side of Puncknowle, used to be an independent 

 parish ; but during the 16th Century it suffered so much from a French 

 invasion that the people abstained from rebuilding their burned church, 

 and united with Puncknowle. Of that union there were two symbols in this 

 church : the one was the Bexington font, the other the Bexington aisle. 

 The church, like that of Swyre, is rich in associations of the Napper or Napier 

 family. The Rector pointed to the memorial to Sir Robert Napper, whose 

 humility expressed itself in the characteristic inscription : " Reader, when 

 thou hast done all thou canst, thou art but an unprofitable servant ; there- 

 fore this marble affords no roome for fulsome flattery or Vaine Praise. 

 Sr. R. N. (Johannis Hamiltonis Scoto, Britannus fecit.) " Upon the church 

 wall hang the tilting helmet, gauntlets, and spurs of Sir William Napier. 



Leaving the church, the Club inspected the base and shaft 

 of the old churchyard cross. 



