37 



The first is that of the Rev. W. Barnes, who believed it to have 

 the form of a " Cor " or ring, used, like other Celtic rings for 

 the transaction of Bardic law. The second is that of Dr. Wake 

 Smart, who refers it to Saxon workmanship The third is that of 

 Mr. Heywood Sumner, who considers Castle Hill to have been a 

 Norman stronghold, an example of the "Motte and Bailey" Castle, 

 with inner keep, the Motte, and outer' courtyard, the Bailey, all 

 surrounded by a ditch and bank. Dwelling amid a hostile Saxon 

 peasantry, the Norman Baron wished to defend his inner tower 

 against his retainers and others admitted to the outer courtyard, 

 whereas in a Saxon fortified place the walls were planned to 

 protect the whole community. It is possible that there is truth 

 in all three theories, and that the plan was first a Celtic and after- 

 wards a Saxon fortification and subsequently altered to suit the 

 requirements of a Norman Baron. 



The Abbey of Cranborne was founded in 980 A.D. Of the 

 Norman church, the site of the original Saxon building, nothing 

 remains except the doorway arch, a fine specimen of Norman 

 work- The footings of the pillars are possibly those which sup- 

 ported the Norman columns ; they are considerably larger than is 

 required for the pillars of the present church, which dates from 

 1252 and is a noble example of Early English architecture. 

 The tower dates from 1420. A most interesting oak pulpit carved 

 out of a single trunk bears the initials T.P., those of Thomas 

 Parker, Abbot of Tewkesbury, 1398-1421. This pulpit has sur- 

 vived the restoration of 1855 when much of archaeological interest 

 was destroyed. 



At the time of the Doomsday Survey the Manor of Cran- 

 borne belonged to Maud, wife of William the Conqueror; it passed 

 to his nephew, who founded the Abbey of Tewkesbury. The 

 " Forest " of Cranborne was a royal hunting ground, not subject 

 to ordinary law, but under special regulations made by the King. 

 When the King parted with these special privileges it became 

 a " Chase " ; it was of very wide extent and was a great resort 

 of poachers. It was not till 1828 that the Chase came finally 

 under ordinary jurisdiction. One of the places where offences 

 against the game laws were tried was the Larmer Tree at Rush- 

 more. Another was the noble hall of the Manor House at Cran- 

 borne. 



There was a Norman house where King John stayed at least 

 14 times for the sake of the hunting ; it was replaced by the 

 present building early in the 16th century, and here King James 

 1st often came, and he granted the Manor to Robert Cecil, Earl 

 of Salisbury, in whose family it remains. Queen Elizabeth's 

 hunting saddle and two figures, representing Justice and Mercy, 

 or, as some think, Peace and Plenty, are among the noted 

 features of the place. The Jacobean Loggias, designed by Inigo 

 Jones, are the best features of the external architecture. 



