x l. WEST DORSET. 



Paulet family. Over the hall chimney-piece used to be in stucco the 

 arms of the Paulets, with supporters, with the motto, " Aimes 

 Loyaulte " and the Paulet crest a hawk with extended wings. This 

 coat of arms, and also another that used to be over the parlour 

 chimney-piece, were removed to Mapperton by Mr. Compton, a later 

 owner of the property. Besides the interesting Tudor house, with its 

 chapel and barn, the original circular pigeon-house with its conical 

 roof was worth attention, deserving to rank with the few others still 

 left in the county, notably those at Athelhampton, Bingham's Mel- 

 combe, Piddletrenthide, and Portesham. 



Mr. GILLHAM then showed the visitors over the house. He 

 mentioned the traditional story that the hall, with its oaken screen, 

 was in olden times used as a court of justice for the neighbourhood, 

 and that two small chambers, on the east projecting front, one on the 

 first floor and the other above it, each with a small square window, 

 were originally used as cells for the temporary detention of prisoners. 

 In the kitchen the party observed with interest the ancient settle, the 

 bread-oven in the wall, and the smoke- jack or roasting-jack still fixed 

 above the five-centred arch of the Tudor fireplace. The fact that 

 the little building called the domestic chapel, now used as a dairy 

 house, orientates with precision supports the theory that it was origin- 

 ally built for religious worship. A low octagonal stone is said to 

 have been the base of the pulpit, and Mr. W. DE C. PRIDEAUX called 

 attention to how the base of the east window had evidently been cut 

 away to the floor level so as to convert the window into the present 

 doorway. On the south side of the house some handsome mullioned 

 windows have been walled up. The west front of the house is a later 

 addition, made a little over a hundred years ago, as is borne out by the 

 date 1808 over the porch, while the initials " H. C. C. " are evidently 

 those of Mr. Compton, of Mapperton, then the owner. Besides the 

 dovecot the party also inspected the fine barn on the west side, wherein 

 the original timbers of the roof, probably contemporaneous with the 

 older part of the house, are still in place. This is a matter for con- 

 gratulation, since the effect of the interior of most ancient barns, 

 including the fine monastic tithe-barn at Cerne Abbas, is marred by 

 the disappearance of all or nearly all of the original timbers. In this 

 barn the Club also had an opportunity of observing the interesting 

 operation of reed-drawing, the reed being the best of the wheaten 

 straw drawn by hand for thatching purposes. 



The PRESIDENT returned thanks heartily to Mr. Gillham^ 

 for his kindness in allowing the Club to visit his premises and 

 receiving them so courteously. 



