26 WALKS AND AVENUES OF DORCHESTER. 



West, and East. This is confirmed by the Bishop of Durham, 

 who puts the date of completion as 1712, doubtless on the 

 authority of Hut chins. By 1730 the trees must have 

 attained a considerable size, as visitors to the town remarked 

 upon their beauty. These " Walks " extend Westward 

 from the old South Gate of the town 187 yards, thence North- 

 ward to the North- West corner of Colliton, 767 yards, thence 

 Eastward to Gly de-path Hill, 167 yards, giving a total of 

 1,121 yards. 



The trees forming these avenues are sycamores, except 

 where they have been replaced, in more modern times, by 

 elms and limes, several of the sycamores measuring over 9 

 feet in girth, 5 feet from the ground, and 90 to 100 feet in 

 height. The following are the measurements of 6 of these 

 trees taken by Mr. Maltby and myself on 14th November, 

 1916, namely, 9ft. 9in., 9ft., 9ft., 9ft., 8ft. 9ins., and 8ft. 9ins. 

 respectively. 



The next in order of planting were the South and East 

 Walks, which were planted shortly previous to 10th October, 

 1743, as evidenced by the following " Presentment " made 

 at a Court Baron of the Manor of Fordington holden on that 

 date, namely: "We present that by a voluntary sub- 

 scription of several inhabitants of the town of Dorchester 

 and Forthington there has since the last Court been made a 

 walk and planted with trees from the corner of Grope Lane 

 near the East Gate of the said town of Dorchester to a place 

 called Gallowshill and from thence by the South Walls of the 

 said town of Dorchester to the South Gate of the said town, 

 and that the ground where such walk is made part thereof 

 is the waste belonging to the said town of Dorchester and 

 other part thereof the waste ground belonging to the said 

 Manner of Forthington, and the residue thereof is one acre of 

 arrable land belonging to John Hayne, one of the customary 

 tenants of this Mannor, and parcell of the whole place 

 tenement there, and extending East and West in the ditches 

 there, from the said place called Gallowshill to the South 

 Gate of the said town of Dorchester. We further present 



