36 



fleport of (gmeral Rummer <&xtux8wn$, 1915. 



Highcliffe The first of the Summer General Excursions 



Castle. took place on Saturday, May 29th. 



It was conducted by the President, Sir Daniel 

 Morris, K.C.M.G., J. P., and the party, consisting of about 120 

 members, was very graciously received by the Hon. Mrs. Stuart 

 Wortley and her daughter. 



The first house was built by John, the third Earl of Bute, who 

 was for a short period Prime Minister in the reign of George III. 

 He tock a keen interest in Botany, and died in 1792, a victim to 

 his favourite pursuit by falling down the cliff near Christchurch 

 to secure a new plant, believed to have been a purple Stock 

 (Matthiola). Associated with him in scientific work at Kew was 

 a remarkable man, Sir John Hill, the great-grandfather of Dr. 

 S. McCalmont Hill, ex-Mayor of Bournemouth. The first house 

 does not exist ; its site, owing to the erosion of the coast, is said 

 by the present owner to be about two miles out at sea. Lord 

 Stuart de Rothesay, a grandson of the Earl of Bute, when 

 Ambassador at Paris, purchased material from the Mayor's house 

 at Les Andeleys on the Seine, including the exquisite traceried 

 stonework and the beautiful oriel window, transported them by 

 water to Highcliffe, and incorporated them in the present house. 

 The famous Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford, succeeded her 

 father, Lord Stuart de Rothesay, and the present owner, General 

 the Hon. Stuart Wortley, came into possession in 1891. Among 

 the objects of interest in the house are two fine pieces of tapestry, 

 looted by Napoleon from the palace of the Knights of Malta ; a 

 well preserved copy of the Bible, dated 1639; the Mahdi's Flag, 

 captured at Omdurman ; a carpet which had belonged to Marshall 

 Ney, bearing the initial N and his baton, and two chairs of 

 Napoleon I. with a receptacle for snuff in the arms. In the 

 grounds are many fine trees, including a tall Scots Fir, 90ft. high, 

 a group consisting of the Turkey, scarlet, and common oak, 

 numerous evergreen oaks forming a fine avenue, and a well 

 grown Monterey Pine (Pinus insignis). 



Cranborne On Thursday, June 17th, by permission of Lord 



Manor. Salisbury, an excursion was made to Cran- 



borne Manor House. Over 90 members and 

 friends took part, under the leadership of the Rev. Hy. Shaen 

 Solly, M.A. , chairman of the Archaeological Section. Owing to 

 difficulties with the cars, part of the programme had to be 

 omitted. By permission of Mr. H. E. Monro, of Edmondsham 

 House, Castle Hill was first visited. There are three theories 

 of the origin of this earthwork. 



