109 
gives a close translation of the document, which is interesting, not 
only for its genealogical and topographical value, but for the light 
which it throws on the customs, habits and morals of the period 
to which it relates. The dispute was ultimately settled in 1443 
by the purchase by Rempston of Mathew’s claim to the property 
for TJ20. 
On the extinction of the male line of Rempston, in the reign 
of Edward. IV. the lands then forming the Manor of Godlingston, 
which, from a deed of 1450, seem to have been considerable and to 
have comprised lands at Ulwell, Studland, Herston, Worth, Corfe 
Mullen, and Sturminster Marshall, were divided between two co¬ 
heiresses, and the Godlingston Roll passed with the lands of one 
of these ladies to the Perceys and Mompessons and eventually 
came into the possession of the Serrels of Durnford on their pur¬ 
chase of the Estates which the Roll had accompanied. I do not 
know in whose possession the document' now is, but hope to 
ascertain. 
Godlingston itself passed through the other of these heiresses 
to the Carrants, and came eventually, though how it is not quite 
certain, to one, John Pole, and on his death in 1560, to his sister 
Mary,, who married a member of the family of Wells, of Ban- 
bridge, Hants. In this family, who continued to profess the older 
Faith, the property remained for over a century, during which 
time it was on several occasions seized into the hands of the 
Crown, to meet the fines levied upon them for recusancy. In 1645 
the place belonged to a Captain Henry Wells, who fought on the 
Royalist side during the Civil Wars, for we find that his property 
was sequestrated. In 1687 the property was sold by Henry Wells, 
Esq., to the Framptons, who sold it in 1765 to the Bankes family, 
who now own it, though no member of the family has, so far as 
I can ascertain, ever actually resided here. 
I have dwelt at some length on the history of the place, as it 
is only in this way that we can make a shrewd guess at the age 
of the various parts of the building. As you will doubtless have 
observed, the house is long and low, and very plainly built.of 
stone. Unfortunately some former occupiers, without much idea 
of the fitness of things, painted a good deal of the stonework 
round the windows, but it is now, I think, gradually reverting to 
its original colour. The entrance door is irregularly placed with 
reference to the windows, both on the ground floor and above. 
The arch of the door had a pair of featherings, but one of them, 
you will notice, has disappeared. In the parallel wall of the 
house there is another similar archway. This is practically oppo- 
s te the entrance door. The upper story consists practically of 
attics. “ There are the remains of three dormer windows,” says 
Hutchins, “ the gables of which have been taken down.” 
Whether he had any authority for this statement, or whether it 
is merely guesswork, I really do not know, but in either case, he 
is, it seems to me, probably right. The house was probably at 
one’ time considerably larger than it is to-day,when we remember 
