xli. 



Thanks having been offered by the Hon. Secretary to Mr. Dobie for his inter- 

 esting paper, the members partook of a hurried luncheon and the drive was 

 continued toBere Regis Church (6 miles), where an address was given by Rev. W. 

 Farrer, the Vicar, who pointed out the parts referred to as he proceeded. He 

 observed that the font was the oldest object in the church. It bore the date 

 1130. The arches and the carved heads on the capitals were of about the same 

 date, or later, and also the dog-tooth moulding. With regard to the carved 

 heads, he dispelled any idea which the visitors might have that they were merely 

 freaks of fantastic fancy on the part of the workmen, with as little meaning as 

 beauty. The mouth which was being opened by two hands reached down from 

 above plainly signified the giving of utterance ; the eye with the eyelid drawn 

 back the giving of spiritual vision. A scene of bear-baiting was represented on 

 another capital. The wooden roof, with its carved and painted figures, was put 

 up in the reign of Henry VII. by Cardinal Morton, who was born at Bere. The 

 figures, Mr. Farrer continued, were said to represent the Twelve Apostles. If 

 that was correct the one next to the chancel on one side holding a bag would 

 be Judas Iscariot. But would Judas be placed in such a position '< He preferred 

 to think that the figure might be meant to represent an almoner. The original 

 church was very small. It may have been cruciform, or a short church with 

 a tower. He pointed out the Turberville aisle, in which members of that family, 

 for many generations lords of the manor, were buried. Here are two altar 

 tombs, and a beautiful painted window with the arms of the successive holders 

 of the manor exquisitely tinctured. Mr. Farrer then drew attention to one of 

 the chief rarities of the church the stone altar. At the time of the Reformation, 

 when all stone altars were ordered to be taken down, this one was buried under 

 the floor. It was restored in 1875 by Mr. Hibbs, churchwarden. There was an 

 interesting monument to a former Vicar named Fisher, whose humility and 

 earnestness found expression in the brevity of the inscription, " Verbtim -non 

 amplius Fisher," as if he only wished to be remembered as a fisher of men. 

 Finally Mr. Farrer invited anyone to inspect the old Churchwardens' book, which 

 dated from 1682, and contained many quaint entries, e.g., that the village of 

 "Benjamin" was paid in 1728 for cleaning and oiling the Apostles the carved 

 and painted wooden effigies in the roof above. 



Mr. Farrer having been duly thanked for his address, the Members drove to 

 Athelhampton (5 miles), where they had been kindly invited to tea by 

 Mr. A. C. de Lafontaine, who, on their arrival, read a paper on the house and its 

 contents, which will be found in full later on in this volume. He then conducted 

 the members over the house and grounds, where there were many objects of 

 interest besides those mentioned in his paper. Tea having been partaken of, and 

 the Hon. Treasurer having expressed the thanks of the Club to the host, 

 Puddletown Church, the last feature in the programme, was visited. It will be 

 remembered that on the occasion of the visit to this interesting church of the 

 Royal Archeeological Institute in 1897, a paper on the Martin Monument was read 

 by their President, Lord Dillon, which was at his suggestion printed in Vol. XIX k 



