PORTESHAM AND BRIDEHEAD DISTRICT. Ixxvii. 



preferred the word " dolmen," which meant " table stone or cap- 

 stone." Charles Warne, in his "Ancient Dorset," published in 

 1872, speaking of the Helstone before its restoration, said (page 

 135) : " This cromlech stands on a gently-elevated mound. The 

 supports of the capstone have sunk on the south-west side, and 

 are virtually buried by it, its great weight being now chiefly 

 sustained by a single prop on the north side, so that it rests in a 

 greatly-inclined position. It measures more than ten feet in 

 length, about seven feet in breadth, and has an average thickness 

 of at least two feet and a-half. Originally it must have rested 

 upon eight or ten supports. No doubt it was devoted to 

 sepulchral purposes, and in its original state was probably 

 covered with a mound of earth." It was generally believed, 

 continued Dr. Colley March, that most of these dolmens were 

 originally covered with a mound of earth, and so resembled 

 tumuli. If so, of course the almost entire disappearance of the 

 mound showed the great antiquity of the dolmen. But all 

 dolmens were not covered with mounds of earth. He had seen 

 some in Brittany, on the top of little conical hills, which could 

 not by any possible human agency have ever been covered with a 

 mound; and those that were not covered with earth had some 

 connection with the custom of dual interment. In his preface 

 (page ii.) Mr. Warne said : "An attempt has been made to 

 restore its ideal construction. Incredible as it may appear, the 

 parties concerned seem to have thought it a meritorious act, for 

 we find their names recorded in a note attached to a photograph 

 of their great achievement : 



"We, the undersigned, a happy and obliged company, on the llth June, 1866, 

 desire to record our thanks and best wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Manfield, on 

 occasion of the initiatory restoration of the Helstone, Portesham. (Signed) 

 MAETIN F. TUPPER, J. V. W. VANDELOUR, JOHN NICHOLS, H. DE BEAUVOIR 

 TUPPEE, ROBERT GAMBLER SWEETING, JOHN BULL, and W. K. TUPPEE." 



[As for the signatories to this curious and not unamusing 

 record, Martin F. Tupper appears to be no other than the author 

 of the " Proverbial Philosophy." He showed some interest in 



