WALKS AND AVENUES OF DORCHESTER. 33 



THE MANOR ROAD, SOUTH COURT, AND HERRINGSTON 

 ROAD AVENUE were planted at the expense of the owner 

 of the South Court Estate (Mr. Alfred Pope) in 1890, and 



QUEEN'S AVENUE, VICTORIA PARK, was planted in 1891 

 by the Victoria Park syndicate. The trees in Cornwall Road 

 and Maumbury Way were planted in 1888. 



This, then, is the true history of the far-famed " Walks " 

 and avenues of Dorchester, as evidenced by the Court rolls of 

 the Manor of Fordington, part of the possessions of the Duchy 

 of Cornwall, the official records and accounts of the town 

 of Dorchester, and the various maps of the town and the 

 locality which have from time to time been published, and I 

 hope it may set at rest the many doubts and surmises as to 

 when and by whom our beautiful avenues were planted. I 

 need hardly add that these walks and avenues are much prized 

 and appreciated by the townspeople of Dorchester. They are 

 justly proud of them, and take great interest in them. Of late 

 years they have been added to and improved, both by private 

 enterprise and the Dorchester Avenue Society ; and it is to be 

 hoped that the mania for cutting down and over -pruning the 

 trees, which some few years ago obtained with the governing 

 body of the borough, will not again be renewed. 



I have to acknowledge the courtesy received, in my re- 

 searches at the Duchy of Cornwall office, from Mr. Walter 

 Peacock, M.V.O., the secretary, who placed the Court rolls 

 of the Manor of Fordington and ancient maps and plans 

 relating to the Manor at my disposal, and also the assistance 

 given by the Rev. R. G. Bartelot, the Vicar of Fordington, 

 who has supplied me with many useful facts and figures. 



The research has been a real pleasure, though somewhat 

 wearisome and difficult, and has taken up more time than I 

 originally contemplated ; but it has proved most interesting 

 work, and well repaid the time and labour expended. I 

 think I may claim to say with the poet Herrick 



" Attempt the end, and never stand to doubt, 



" Nothing's so hard but search will find it out." 



