XX111. 



From Minterne the members drove to Buckland Newton by the way of 

 Dogberry, thence turning to the right over the top of Mount Silva. 

 From this point, one of the highest in the neighbourhood on the edge 

 of the chalk escarpment, a magnificent view was obtained over the Vale 

 of Blackmoor lying northward* As the afternoon had become very clear 

 and bright after the rain of the preceding night the distant points of 

 Ham Hill, Glastonbury Tor, the Mendip Hills and Stourton Tower were 

 plainly visible. Buckland Newton, which lies in the valley on the east 

 side beneath Mount Silva, was reached about six o'clock, and here the 

 party were again most kindly received by the Rev. H. E. Ravenhill, R.D., 

 and Mrs. Ravenhill. Tea was provided in the Vicarage, after which a 

 paper, which had been prepared by the Rev. C. H. Mayo on the old 

 parish register of Buckland Newton, was read by the Rev. H. E. 

 Ravenhill. This paper will l>e found at p. 97. The party were conducted 

 over the parish church by the Vicar, the Rev. H. E. Ravenhill, R.D., 

 who gave an outline of the history of the building, which is of several 

 dates. The chancel, of great length, is the oldest part of the fabric and 

 was built in the 13th century. The side windows are lancet and Early 

 English with Purbeck marble shafts, capitals, and bases. Two on the 

 north, at the west end of the chancel, remain in their original state. The 

 other north window, at the restoration in 1869, was rebuilt partly with 

 fragments of marble from the south windows and partly with new work. 

 On the south side of the chancel much of the Purbeck marble was gone, 

 and the remainder was so dilapidated that it had to be entirely removed. 

 The work had been carried out in exact harmony with the old 

 windows on the north side. When the Archaeological Institute visited Dor- 

 setshire in 1865 the Early English windows were specially mentioned as an 

 object of interest for the antiquary. They appear to be of about the same 

 date as those of Salisbury Cathedral. The Lay Rectors in 1869 put a 

 new flat roof to the chancel, nearly an exact copy of the old roof. The 

 chancel arch is of Ham Hill stone, of Perpendicular style of architecture, 

 with panelling similar in design to part of Sherborne Abbey. Some of 

 the steps to the rood screen on the north side still remain, while on both 

 sides of the arch are hagioscopes. That on the south side was partially 

 closed till the restoration of the nave in 1878. The north arcade was so 

 dilapidated that it had to be renewed when the new roof was put to the 

 nave. It was rebuilt exactly as before. The south arcade, though out of 

 the perpendicular, has been left untouched. The roof of the nave and 

 north aisle were veiy decayed and had to be entirely replaced by new 

 work. The old roof of the nave was of waggon shape and pressed too 

 heavily on the arcades, according to the opinion of the late Diocesan 



