The Anniversary Dinner. 



141 



The Rev. A. C. Smith attempted to reply, but was unable, from 

 emotion, to do so at first. Subsequently, however, he did so, and 

 having- acknowledged the gift to his daughter and to himself, he 

 remarked that during the time that the Society had existed he had 

 received nothing but the greatest possible kindness from one and 

 all the Members. He felt very grateful for the kind words uttered 

 by the President, which went home to his heart. 



The Rev. J. Blunt Wilkinson (Rector of Holy Trinity and 

 St. Peter's) then read a paper on " The Ancient History of Shaftes- 

 bury," which was, in fact, the paper written by his predecessor, the 

 Rev. J. J. Reynolds, in 1861, and a very able paper it is. At its 

 conclusion Canon Jackson was invited to make some remarks, and 

 he expressed his complete disagreement with the opinion set forth 

 in that paper, that King Alfred marched his troops to Shaftesbury 

 from iEglea just before the battle of Ethandun, his object un- 

 doubtedly having been to attack the Danes as speedily as possible. 



At the conclusion of the Meeting, many of the visitors to 

 Shaftesbury rambled over the town, visiting the old abbey wall, 

 the Churches, an old house, once the abode of an Arundell, with 

 panelled walls and imposing mantlepieces, and above all to the 

 commanding prominence known as Castle Hill, at the extreme 

 point of which appear to be the remains of an ancient camp, pro- 

 tected on three sides by abrupt precipices, and on the town side by 

 what appears to be the remains of a ditch of considerable breadth. 



THE ANNIVERSARY DINNER 



took place at the Grosvenor Arms Hotel, when the room was com- 

 pletely filled by a large company of ladies and gentlemen, for 

 whose benefit a haunch of venison had been liberally sent by Mr. 

 and Mrs. Alfred Seymour, of Knoyle House. The President of the 

 Society occupied the chair, and the usual loyal and complimentary 

 toasts were given, Canon Glynn responding for the " Bishop and 

 Clergy " ; Lord Arundell of Wardour for the " Lords Lieutenants 

 and Magistrates of the two counties of Wilts and Dorset"; Mr. 

 Fane Benett Stanford for " The Army " ; the Mayor of Shaftes- 

 bury for the "Municipal Authorities of the Town"; the several 



