xlii. 



of the Club's Proceedings, and illustrated by two excellent plates of the effigy, 

 presented by him to the Club. 



A paper on the Church was read by Mr. E. -Doran Webb. 



In thanking him, the Hon. Treasurer mentioned that there was some idea of 

 restoring the church, and a hope was expressed that its many antique character- 

 istics would be carefully preserved. 



At 6.30 p.m., the party drove to Dorchester to catch the 6.57 aud other trains, 

 having made altogether a circuit of nearly 30 miles. 



MERE, STOURTON, AND STAVORDALE MEETING. This, the fourth and last 

 Summer Field Meeting of the Club was held on Thursday, September 14th, 1899. 

 The President and two Vice -Presidents attended the Meeting and about 

 40 Members and their friends. In anticipation of his probable absence from 

 home the Hon. Secretary had delegated his post to Mr. E. Doran Webb, who 

 kindly acted as Secretary, and also gave an immense amount of information 

 about the various places visited. 



The party started in breaks from Gillingham Station on the arrival of the 

 9.33 a.m. train, and drove first to Woodlands House (4 miles) which was inspected 

 by permission of the tenants. 



This house, Mr. Doran Webb explained, belonged to the Dodington family, 

 who during the civil war were active supporters of the King, and once attempted 

 to cut off troops from Wardour Castle. For their loyalty to the Crown the 

 Dodingtous had to pay heavy fines. They compounded for their estates, and it 

 was their ruin. The oldest part of the house remaining is a 14th century chapel, 

 the rest being of later date. The house is surrounded by a moat, which is now 

 dry, but picturesquely fringed with trees. Mr. Doran Webb led the way up the 

 old worn stone steps to the chapel, passing under archways with ornamented 

 spandrels. He called attention to a massive wooden door with the original iron 

 strap- hinges and bolt. The chapel is now used as a cheese store. There 

 is a window in the east end, and two in the north wall, one with rather 

 elaborate reticulated tracery. In the wall on the other side is a piscina. 

 Mr. Doran Webb said that access to the chapel was obtained by an outside 

 staircase, of which there were traces. At a later date the chapel was turned 

 into a room of the dwellinghouse, and the ornamental Jacobean chimney- 

 piece was then put in at the west end. Four or five years ago it was proposed to 

 make extensive alterations, but a representation made to the owner preserved the 

 chapel from being touched. The waggon-headed roof is original, and the wooden 

 ribs are in good condition. The dining hall downstairs was once cut in half. 

 The party entered the surviving half and inspected the mullioned windows, the 

 carved mantelpiece, with fluted pilasters and over it the arms of Dodington 

 impaling those of Zouche, and the plaster ceiling, which Mr. Webb observed to be 

 a good specimen of Elizabethan moulded plaster work. 



