XXV11. 



consumed in the great fire in 1762. In 1735, the register stated, Dr. 

 Seeker, Bishop of Bristol, confirmed a vast number, there having been 

 no confirmation there in the memory of man. In 1749 Dr. Butler 

 confirmed 1,100 and above 300 more of whom no account was taken ; in 

 1752 Dr. Conybear confirmed 260, and in 1770 Dr. Newton administered 

 the rite to 1215. The register of St. Martin's began in 1762, the old 

 register beginning 1540 and another having been consumed in the great 

 fire. Shortly after that time, St. Martin's having been converted into a 

 receptacle for poor people, all marriages and public baptisms were ordered 

 to be solemnised at St. Mary's, by direction of Dr. Newton, then Lord 

 Bishop of Bristol. That, Mr. Blackett remarked, was the disappearance 

 of St. Martin's, which henceforth had no separate parish church of its 

 own, though it still had church property and churchwardens. 



Leaving the church of Holy Trinity the Town Hall was next visited, 

 where through the kindness of Mr. Freeland Filliter and Mr. A. S. Drew 

 an exhibition of objects connected with Wareham had been arranged 

 expressly for the meeting. Amongst these an ancient silver chalice and 

 paten were particularly noteworthy bearing the inscription : " Lady St. 

 Mary, Wareham." These had been discovered by Mr. Montague Guest 

 in the possession of a dealer in Kent, who purchased them and presented 

 them to the town. Mr. Drew's collection, which was arranged by itself 

 in a separate room, comprised various objects of Roman manufacture, 

 which had been discovered in Wareham or the immediate vicinity during 

 excavations for building purposes ; of these some of the vases were quite 

 complete and in excellent preservation ; there were many ornaments and 

 silver coins, tools for making pottery and Kimmeridge coal money. An 

 adjournment was now made to the King's Arms for luncheon, at which 

 some 60 members and friends were present ; the chair was occupied by the 

 Rev. Sir Talbot Baker, Bart. After luncheon the Chairman referred to 

 the serious illness of Mr. Mansel Pleydell, the president ; he expressed 

 the thanks of the society to the Rev. S. Blackett for his excellent address 

 in the morning and to Mr. Drew for exhibiting his collection at the 

 Town Hall. 



Three new members were then elected. The Secretary briefly indicated 

 a provisional programme for the next meeting at Lyme Regis, which had 

 been arranged for July 21st and 22nd. 



The Chairman then requested the Secretary to read a paper, which had 

 been announced on the programme, " Wareham : Its Invasions and 

 Battles." This is printed at pp. 82 114 of this volume. 



Mr. John Bellows, of Gloucester, subsequently gave a most excellent 

 address on "The Roman Origin of Wareham," which he illustrated by 



