XXVI. 



interesting. In a will, dated 1404, reference is made to a chapel of 

 Thomas a Beckett at Wareham, but it is difficult to say whether it 

 alluded to this chapel or not. Notice was taken of the double piscina 

 and credence, sedilia, and brass alms dish of Tudor date, after which the 

 chapel dedicated to Edward the Martyr was visited. The building in 

 the opinion of Mr. Blackett existed before St. Mary's, and was either the 

 priory chapel or lady chapel of a church now destroyed. It was possibly 

 the burial place of at least two kings Britteiic or Bertric, King of the 

 West Saxons, who was buried either here or at St. Martin's, and 

 Edward the Martyr, who was stabbed at Corfe Castle in 978, and accord- 

 ing to Hutchins was buried there, and was then removed to Shaftesbury. 

 Attention was called to the piscina near by in which was now kept the 

 curious stone carving of the Crucifixion formerly over the centre doorway 

 of the north aisle. Sir William d'Estoke was buried in 1247 on the south 

 side, and the effigy on the north might probably be his. The family of 

 Estoke owned East Stoke, Stowborough, and Bestwall ("by the east 

 wall "), and in the present day Bestwall still pays tithe to East Stoke. 

 St. Mary's Church was stated to be rich in having two double piscina. 

 Hutchins, the Historian of Dorset, was buried in King Edward's 

 chapel. 



From the church of Lady St. Mary the members were conducted to a 

 structure of a totally different character the church of Holy Trinity 

 an historic building whose venerable walls are now coloured blue, and 

 devoted to the useful purpose of a mission chapel. This, Mr. Blackett 

 said, was at one time the mother church of Wareham, and one of the very 

 earliest. It was then called St. Andrew's, but after its destruction by 

 the Danes it was re-built, and, though bearing its original name for some 

 time, it appeared in the ancient documents as Holy Trinity. In a Papal 

 Bull, dated 1145, it was called St. Andrew's of Wareham. It fell into 

 ruin, and was used for some years as the National Schools, but it 

 eventually became unsafe, and new schools were generously built by the 

 Misses Rodgett. It was now used as a meeting place for religious or 

 secular purposes. It was once the chapelry of St. Nicholas at Arne. 

 Besides the three churches already visited there were formerly St. John's, 

 on the site now occupied by the police station ; St. Peter's, where now 

 stood the Town Hall ; St. Nicholas, in North-street at the corner of 

 Cow-lane, and now turned into a stable ; All Saints, now called Globe 

 House the residence of Mr. Daniell ; and St. Michael's, in West-street. 

 Tradition said Wareham had 15 or 16 churches, but, as many of them 

 had different names, they might have been counted twice over. The old 

 registers of St. Mary's began in 1594, and another beginning in 1700 was 



