OLD PORTLAND. 245 



the house ' Nethercoombe " now stands, was filled in about 

 45 years ago ; it was both large and deep deep enough 

 for a boy to bathe in and be drowned. 



S. George's Church was built, it is said, of stone from the 

 large quarries in the Grove district ; and stone from old 

 S. Andrew's Church was also incorporated. When con- 

 secrated in 1766 it had a fourth gallery (over the chancel) 

 with a flight of steps outside leading thereto. The music 

 in the church was supplied by an organ, clarionet, and violon- 

 cello ; there were also paid "singing-men." The "Easter 

 Vestry " meeting was held at Christmastide on S. Stephen's 

 Day and the custom still obtains. 



While S. George's Church was being built (1756-66) 

 the parishioners worshipped in a large temporary structure 

 known as "the Tabernacle." There are reasons for sup- 

 posing that it stood somewhere near the back of the present 

 Mermaid Inn at Wake ham. Holy Communion was 

 celebrated occasionally in the Tabernacle, and the altar- 

 table from the ruins of S. Andrew's Church was brought 

 up each time for this purpose and then returned to the old 

 church. Unfortunately, the ancient Communion plate (the 

 chalice was of silver) and some pewter disappeared about 

 this time. 



XI. The Clerk's House. 



The Jacobean house at the top of Reforne* Street was 

 known for a time as " the Clerk's House " because William 

 Butts, the Parish Clerk of S. George's, lived in it. He had 

 his initials and the date 1765 incised on the house, and they 

 can still be seen. It is the house in the picture Avith the 

 angular roofed porch, and is now the George Inn, where, 

 in Georgian days, like other coast inns, more was probably 



* Reforne, a curious word, is often spelt " Ralphton " in old Dorset 

 maps. " Rayforme " was a local variant. 



