320 



Notes on the History of Merc. 



grand and substantial court has only been destroyed within the last 

 twenty years ; part of the wall still stands at the back of the Angel 

 Inn. Old men can remember when it was well patronised. 



The Horse Eace on Mere Down. 



(Sir H. C. Hoare gives full details of two days' racing here in 

 1733, which was patronised by all the leading men of the neigh- 

 bourhood. 



Bull-baiting. 



This sport was indulged in up to the beginning of this century. 

 " The Bull Ring " retains its name at the present day. It is 

 situated on the western side of the Castle Hill. Old men, living 

 within the last ten years, could recollect an old woman, named 

 Betty Dolby, called " Bull-riding Betty," who used to ride the bull 

 to the scene of its torture. 



Coursing. 



Mere Down was from time immemorial noted as being a centre 

 for coursing. Thirty years ago it was the head-quarters of the 

 Mere Down Coursing Club, when for a few years it attained great 

 notoriety, but these days of wire fencing have entirely abolished it. 



Single Stick Playing. 



" The Annual Single Stick playing will take place at Mere on Tuesday, the 

 19th instant for a Purse of Twenty Sovereigns, play to commence at ten o'clock 

 in the forenoon precisely. Great encouragement will be given to young Players." 



" Ordinaries will be provided at the Ship, Angel, and George Inns at two 

 o'clock." (Salisbury and Winchester Journal, May 18th, 1829.) 



Markets. 



In 1408 Henry IV. granted a charter for a market to be held at 

 Mere on Wednesdays ; to what proportions it attained there is no 

 evidence to show, but it appears to have died out at the close of the 

 last century, when an attempt was made to revive it, as appears by 

 the following advertisement in the Salisbury Journal, 30th De- 

 cember, 1799 : — 



