41 



the agents who received the rents and acted as managers of the 

 Monastic property. The party then crossed over the quaint 14th 

 Century Bridge, with its pointed arches, on its way to visit the 

 Chapel up the steep ascent to Tor Hill, commonly called the "Tory 

 Chapel " and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was erected 

 over a spring called " Lady Well," which supplied the town with 

 water. The fine tracery work in the east window indicate Jate 

 15th or early 16th Century work. It has been recently restored. 

 A descent was then made to visit the Saxon Chapel. This 

 Ecclesiola, William of Malmesbury writes, was built by Eoldhelm 

 (Aldhelm), the founder of Malmesbury Abbey and afterwards 

 Bishop of Sherborne, who died 709. Freeman, the historian, calls 

 it " The one perfect surviving Old English Church in the land." 

 Bloxam thinks it dates to the latter part of the 10th Century. 

 The history of its discovery is of interest. 



The late Canon Jones, vicar of the Holy Trinity Church close 

 by, noticed the high pitch of a roof when looking down on it from 

 Tor Hill, this led to further investigation, and the discovery of the 

 Chapel. At that time the upper portion of the Nave served as a 

 free school. The North Porch existed as at present, but the 

 south side was hemmed in by modern buildings. These were 

 cleared away, and the Saxon Church of St. Lawrence was opened 

 on August 10th, the festival of the Saint, for Divine service. 



Mr. Belben, F.S.A., of Belcome Court, then took charge of 

 the party, and described the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity. 

 It consists of a Nave with a North Aisle, Chancel, a Chantry at 

 the south-east end of the Nave with a tower and low spire. There 

 are traces of Norman work in the Nave and Chancel, the latter 

 was lengthened eastward in the decorated period. A fragment of 

 the rood loft, or gospeller's gallery, has been affixed to the west 

 end of the Nave. 



After tea at the Swan Hotel, the party returned to Bath via 

 Farleigh Castle and the picturesque Limpley Stoke Valley, and 

 left for Bournemouth by the 6.7 p.m. train, after a most enjoyable 

 day. 



Badbury Rings About 74 members availed themselves of the 

 and kind permission of Lady Dunsany to visit Char- 



Charborougfa borough Park on Wednesday, the 28th of 

 Park. August. On arrival at Wimborne at 10.57 a.m., 



they inspected the aviary of hardbills at Dr. 

 W. H. Dodd's, of Wimborne, and then drove to Badbury Rings, 

 where Mr. Brownen gave an address on this remarkable earth- 

 work, which occupies the crest of an isolated hill about 300ft. 

 above mean sea level. It consists of three ramparts and their 

 ditches, enclosing a central area elevated above the inner rampart. 

 Between the outer ramparts is a wider plateau than between the 

 second and third, probably used for the protection of cattle, thus 



