28 WALKS AND AVENUES OF DORCHESTER. 



thence northward to the Gas Works, and are 740 yards in 

 extent. 



The avenues consist of two rows of fine horse chestnut trees 

 (a single row only is shown in Simpson's map of the Manor 

 1779, on the North side of the South Walks Road, the other 

 row not being with in the Manor), some being over 12 feet in 

 girth, 5 feet from the ground, and at least 100 feet in height. 

 I recently, with the assistance of Mr. F. T. Maltby, surveyor, 

 took the measurements of six of the largest of these trees, 

 and they measured in girth, 5 feet from the ground, 12ft. 9ins., 

 12ft. Gins., lift., 10ft. Sins., 10ft. Gins., and 10ft. 2ins. 

 respectively. A tree which stood opposite South Lodge, 

 the residence of Dr. Kerr, taken down last winter, measured 

 9ft. Bins, in circumference, and was over 90 feet in height. 

 The trees are planted in rows 24 feet apart from row to row, 

 with 20 feet from tree to tree 1 . 



This disposes of the trees known as the " Walks " planted 

 on the site of the Walls and Ditches of old Dorchester, and of 

 the tradition commonly accepted that they were planted by 

 the French prisoners of the Napoleonic wars, and of the 

 French pennies said to have been dug up from time to time 

 beneath the roots of the old trees now and then removed 

 to make room for new ones. It is just possible, however, 

 that prisoners of war taken during the Duke of Marlborough's 

 campaigns might have had a hand in planting the West 

 Walks, which, as we have seen, were planted early in the 

 18th century. 



THE WEYMOUTH ROAD AVENUE, comprising two fine 

 rows of English elm trees planted 36 feet apart and at a 

 distance of 36 feet from tree to tree (from the Station Gate 

 to Maumbury, these distances are 30 feet only), formerly 

 extended along the Weymouth Road, from the South gate 

 of the town to the confines of the Manor of Fordington on 

 the South as shown on Taylor's map, 1795 ; but when the 

 cutting was made by the Turnpike Trustees in 1803 in order 

 to level up and widen the road at this point, it was found 

 necessary to remove some of the trees. The avenue was 



