WOOD YATES 237 



been garnished and painted, and rechristened of late 

 years by the title of the ' Shaftesbury Arms.' But 

 there it is, and portions of it may be found to date 

 back to the old times. 



It was given the name of ' Woodyates ' from its 

 position standing at the entrance to the wooded 

 district of Cranborne Chase ; the name meaning 

 'Wood-gates.' It also stands on the border-line 

 dividing the counties of Wilts and Dorset. 



Bokerley Dyke, a prehistoric boundary consisting 

 of a bank and ditch, intersects the road as you 

 approach the inn, and goes meandering over the 

 downs amono- the o-orse and Ijracken. Built, no 

 doubt, more than fifteen hundred years ago by 

 savao'es, solelv with the aid of their hands and 

 pointed sticks, it has outlasted many monuments 

 of costly stones and marbles, and when civilisation 

 comes to an end some day, like the blown-out flame 

 of a candle, it will still be there, with the existing, 

 but more recent, Roman road still beside it. That 

 road goes across the open country like a causeway, 

 or a slightly raised railway embankment. 



The Dyke may have sheltered the fugitive Duke 

 of Monmouth on his flio-ht in 1685. The readino- of 

 that melancholy story of how the handsome and gay 

 Duke of Monmouth, a hao-o-ard fuoitive from Sedore- 

 moor Fight, accompanied by his friend. Lord Grey, 

 and another, left their wearied horses near this spot, 

 and, disguising themselves as peasants, set out for 

 the safe hiding-places of the New Forest, only to fall 

 prisoners to James's scouts, paints the road and the 

 downs with an impasto of tragedy. All the country- 



