XXIX. 



Membury Camp, some two miles further on the west of the ridge, was 

 next visited. This is an ancient British fortress occupying a commanding 

 position, from which seven or eight other earthworks can be seen ; it is 

 considered to have been constructed to protect the inhabitants of Somerset 

 from their Dorsetshire enemies. 



On turning homewards from Membury Camp the route lay through the 

 parish of Chardstock, where the new church, erected by Canon Woodcock, 

 was visited. In the same parish there is an old barn, which is stated to 

 have formed a portion of the summer palace of the Bishops of Sarum as 

 far back as A.D. 1070. The timber roof and the mullions of the windows 

 were the most noticeable features. 



The expedition reached Chard at about 6.45 p.m. after a successful day 

 and no serious drawbacks. The weather, so important an element in such 

 an undertaking, was favourable, the slight rain of the morning served to 

 lay the dust, and, if the scenery was obscured by mist, the heat was at 

 any rate diminished. The party averaged about 40 during the day. 



Dinner was served shortly before seven at the George Hotel, and was 

 attended by various friends and residents of the neighbourhood. After 

 dinner the Rev. H. A. Cartwright fulfilled his promise of the earlier part 

 of the day, and related some interesting anecdotes of predecessors of his 

 in his own parish. A conversazione was held at eight o'clock at the Town 

 Hall, and was attended by some 50 people. Adjoining the Town Hall is a 

 small museum, presented to the town by the late Mr. Arthur Hull. The 

 chief features of its contents are a spinnette of Queen Elizabeth's reign, 

 some Dorset tokens, and various stone implements. Amongst the objects 

 of interest exhibited in the room were a piece of lace worked at Messrs. 

 Wheatley and Co.'s factory on the preceding day, an engraving of Forde 

 Abbey, dated 1734 ; an oil painting of the Market Place, Chard, by John 

 Terry, date 1750-60, with nine celebrities of the town represented in it ; 

 another painting of Chard by Francis Builland, dated 1818. The President 

 exhibited some specimens of Carex teretriuscula and Orchis incarnata. The 

 Rector of Chard exhibited a rare medal struck in commemoration of the 

 Seven Petitioning Bishops. 



The programme for the evening included a discussion on the Roman Road 

 discovered the preceding autumn between Badbury Rings and Ashmore, 

 and its probable connection with the Roman Road running along the ridge 

 of the Mendip Hills in the direction of Old Sarum. The Rev. Prebendary 

 Scarth, Rector of Wrington, Somerset, one of the leading authorities on 

 Roman antiquities, gave an interesting address on this subject, which will 

 be found at p. 153 of this volume. 



The Hon. Secretary read the second part of the Review of Mr. Warne's 



