60 



Wolfeton House On Thursday, June 22nd, an excursion was 

 and the made through the " Hardy " Country under the 



"Hardy" guidance of Mr. W. Munn Rankin, M.Sc., 



Country. B.Sc. The party numbered 79, including 10 



Members of the Literature and Art Association. 



The journey was made in motor chars-a-banc, the route taken 

 being via Lytchett Minster, Bere Regis and Puddletown Heath, 

 Mr. Rankin pointing out various places and citing many incidents 

 mentioned by Mr. Thomas Hardy, the novelist. 



A halt was made at Puddletown Church, where the Vicar, the 

 Rev. A. L. Helps, M.A., described its many interesting features, 

 the fine tombs and stained glass windows in the Athelhampton 

 Chapel, etc. 



On arriving at Dorchester, Mr. Harry Pouncy joined the 

 party and accompanied them to Wolfeton House, where they were 

 graciously received by Mrs. Albert Bankes at the main entrance. 

 Here Mr. Pouncy spoke at length on the succession of families 

 who had in turn held Wolfeton, of the Manor House itself, of the 

 objects of interest and treasures of art which it contains, its 

 historical associations and the literary and legendary lore con- 

 nected with the place. He told of the enforced "visit" of the 

 Archduke Philip and his consort, Joan (afterwards King and 

 Queen of Castile) in 1506, and how the presence on that occasion 

 of Tohn Russell of Berwick led to the founding of the ducal House 

 of Bedford. 



After a tour of inspection of the exterior with the Gatehouse, 

 flanked by its pair of massive cylindrical towers with depressed 

 pyramidal roofs of stone tile, the visitors were conducted over the 

 house, noting especially in the drawing room the richly carved 

 oaken doorcase and chimney pieces (a portion of the expression 

 of royal gratitude), and the arabesques of the plastered ceiling, 

 the superb newel staircase (nine steps of stone and forty-one of 

 oak) to the gatehouse and tower, where the " priest's chamber" 

 was visited; the orig'nal large stone chimney piece in the saloon 

 and the fine tapestries on the grand staircase were also seen. 



Befor^ leaving, Mr. Jas. E. Liddard, F.R.G.S., expressed 

 the heartv thanks of the visitors to Mrs. Bankes. 



Lulworth The third and last of the General Excursions was 



Castle. made on Saturday, July 18th, to Lulworth 



Castle by the kind permission of Mrs. Weld- 

 Blundell. The Rev. Hy. Shaen Solly, M.A., was the conductor 

 and the party numbered 65. 



Arriving in motor chars-a-banc they took lunch under the 

 trees in the park and Mr. Solly read a short paper describing the 

 castle and its history. 



A Lulwarde Castle is mentioned as early as the reign of King 

 Stephen, and the present castle is probably on the same site. 



