The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-07-12 00:00:00

LIMN.
DORSET FIELD CLUB.

The second meeting of this club was held it Leigh
on Wednesday, ant,though archieologica'ly of not
much ai count, it was one .f the most charm ng of these
iritereetb g gatherings. A party, which, ouneider ng
the storm of the previous evening and the heavy .1111.•
of the mom ng, was r,markably liege, testified at ones '
to the popularity if the club and if its host of the day,
the Rev. George Thomps .n. 11.itchins notes two, and
only two, fiatines of rarebit logical intereet here, and
both of them we I high obliterated—a Maze, which be :
speaks of as almost gone iu 1800, and two old encamp-
ments—and these, u item the guidanceof Mr. Thompaoi,
the party pr. needed to visit. The rings of the Alan
are still to be clearly seen. It stood on the top of the
high, at point in the pariah, commanding a charming
clew of tho well-wooded vale. Tbe locale of the two
camps is lest clear. Hutchins assigns thstia to an
eminence; but on the hill now called "The Castle"
there are no remains at all, and what is known as
Gudgina Hants seem to have been formed by the
meandering, of a stream, bud the highest 'nth° icy
in the party, the old Poet ..f I)..raet, confessed hi.-
self sceptical as to this ever having been a camp, tither
in &huh times, or the C'OTLIPS atively too tern data,
when it is believed by the villagers the parliameotary
force encamped heie. Enquiriee for the mass were at
first received with blank eui ;Aye by the c ittager
until one hi: on the right scent by decoaring that it was
the stis-mam that was meant, and on this hum; a
capital little story. A former curate was asked to go
and emit, but excins..l lion-elf on the ground that lie
dol not know the lady I After a moat pleasant ramble
along shady lanes and over bright-gravelled road., the
party weye tAte.l t i the church, a small building of
early P. rp on limier woik, with an embattl.il tower .1
three stage., a di pointeo do oway, having on one ehle
a 01011.80 8111, , and on the other side • shield of
arms containing three cab:ew Inuide is is large
baptismal font up, o.ed to be 14th century wotk.
This, the most lit .e •tuvr 1-sture within the building,
L. entirely unnoticed by Hutchins It stands on •
mourn elatiohill plinth, and may thee, fore have
teen brought lrom another part. In the chorea.
yard is the b so of an oil crow of which there
are sod t have been t•,ree. Als ge porti of
the remains of one of them is .e . up at the
Cr'., way... It is. Professor Buckinen pointed out,
remarkably beautiful in its coning,, althougt thwas
are now ta be descr.e I but dimly. on the too a late
cur..ty with mire piety than taste had plenty., the
sacred embl:m. Tim party, now cmpihing tbe
excellent Pr.odeut, Mr. Manwl-Pletdel., wile.* re-
appearance was most heartily gr. wed ; Rev. W.
Barnes, the Rev. H. Wood ano Miss Wool, Rev. M.
Wynn, Whitcliurcn ; Rev. Mr., Mime, and Mr.
Weatherby, Rev. W. H. May and Mr.. Mube,
Professor and MiBloB Buckman, Mr. S. Buckman, Mr.
Dickenson and Mr. Stevens, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. .1..1
Miss B. Maggs, Mr. and Miss Ruegg and Miss K.
Miller, Mr. Cieminshaw, Miss nook-, Totnel ; Mr.
and MU. Batkett, Mr. C. Dale, &c., were reoeived by
Mr. arid Mrs. Thompson and the young ladies, and
entertained at a most handsome Inuchtoo, which, as
well as the heartiness and cordiality with which it was
offered, will long be held In remembrance. Aft,-
ward., Mr. Wood conrretulate I the Club that its
president was again amongst them and decla-el,
amidst warm expreeious of approval, that they
wanted no other president, and meant to keep him
Professor Buckman handed to him a beautiful-bound
copy of "The Spiders of Dorset" for presentation from
the Club to the learned author, the Itev. 0. P. Cam-
bridge, and which tho President, after briefly thank-
ing the Club for their kind feeling, promiwen to hand
personally to Mr. Cam midge. With coffee there was
a pleasant conversa:ione, in which Mr. Barnet and
others took part, and, altogether, the meeting was •
delighttrl one.