The principal Rivers are the Stower, the Frome, the Piddle, the Lyddon, the Dulish, and the Allen, from whence the Inhabitants are supplied with all Sorts of River Fifh; while the Sea affords them Plenty of those Species which are Inhabitants of the Ocean. Dorchefter, 123 M. from Lond. is the Shire Town, and was the most confiderable Station of the Romans in those Parts; they had a Camp near it with 5 Trenches, inclofing 10 Acres, the Veftiges of which are ftill vifible at a Place called Maiden Caftle, about a M. from the Town. It is fituated on an Afcent, on the Banks of the River Frome. St. Peter's, Trinity, and All Saints Churches, and the Shire Hall, are the principal Buildings in the Town. The Ikening Street of the Romans is plainly traced here, and the Foundations of the old Roman Wall appear quite round the Town, except towards the E. where the Ditch is filled up, and a Street built upon it, yet the Place is ftill called The Walls. The Romans had an Amphitheatre in the Neighbourhood, now called Maumbury, the Terrace on the Top of which is a noted Place for the Inhabitants to walk on, having an elegant Profpect of the Town and Country round it. Lyme-Regis, or King's Lyme, 22 M. from Dorchester, and 145 from Lond. is a Sea-port of good Trade, and remarkable for a Kind of Pier, called The Cobb, fituated about a Quarter of a M. from the Town, and which forms a Harbour, that perhaps has not its equal in Europe. It is a maffy Building of 2 lofty thick Stone Walls, raifed in the Sea at a good Distance from the Shore; these Walls, which are broad enough for Carriages to pass, and even Warehouses to be erected on them, break the Violence of the Waves, and defend the Ships which lie in the Bafon. 1 Bridport, 8 M. from Lyme, and 137 from Lond. was formerly a Place of good Trade; but the Sea has almost choaked up the Harbour with Sand. Weymouth, 132 M. from Lond. is fituated on the River Wey, which divides it from Melcombe-Regis; it had formerly a good Trade, but greatly decayed at present. Sandford, Sandford, or Sands-foot Caffle was built for the Defence of the Coast, and of the Harbour of Weymouth. Melcombe-Regis is feparated from Weymouth by the River Wey, over which is a Stone Bridge. It is united to Weymouth, and both form one Corporation: and jointly fend 4 Members to Parliament. Wareham, 108 M. from Lond. had formerly a Mint and a Castle. It was a Roman Town, and was once very large, having no less than 17 Churches though they are now reduced to 3; and thofe all fupplied by one Mi nifter. The chief Ornament of the Town is the Tower of St. Mary's Church. . I Corfe-Caftle, 6 M. from Wareham, and 14 from Lond. ftands in the Middle of that called the Ifle of Purbeck, and has its Name from a Caftle fuppofed to have been built by King Edgar, who kept his Court here. Soon af ter the Death of that Monarch, his fecond Wife. Alfrith rendered it remarkable by the execrable Murder of K. Edward, furnamed The Martyr, Son to K. Edgar by a former Wife, whom the caused to be ftabbed as he called to fee her, and afterwards boafted of the Success of her Wickedness. Some Years after, however, the made the ufual Attonement of thofe Times, by founding religious Houfes, and taking herfelf a religious Habit. Near the Caftle is a large and lofty Parish Church, which is a roy al Peculiar, not liable to any epifcopal Vifitation or Ju rifdiction. The Caftle was demolished by the Parlia ment's Forces in the Time of the civil Wars; but the Ruins ftill retain great Marks of the Strength and Grandeur of this ftately Fort, and their Situation on an Eminence renders them vifible at a confiderable Distance. Pool, 7 M. from Wareham, and 104 from Lond. is a Place of great. Trade, and one of the moft confider able Ports in the Weft of England." Shaftsbury, or Shafton, 12 M. from Blandford and 103 from Lond. is fituated on a Hill in the grand Poft Road to Exeter. It is faid to have been built by K. Alfred in 880, and had, in the Saxon Times, a famous Monaftery and 10 Churches, but they are at prefent rel duced to four. Un Blandford, Blandford, 107 M. from Lond. is an ancient and flourishing Town. It was almoft entirely confumed by Fire the 4th of June 1731, but was soon after rebuilt in a very elegant Manner. Wimburn, 16 M. from Dorchester, and 98 from Lond. was one of the Roman Stations; it had formerly a Monaftery, in which K. Ethelred, Brother to K. Alfred, was buried; but it was afterwards changed into a collegiate Church and rebuilt: This Choir is the only one in the County. The Church is a noble Edifice, about 180 F. in Length, built in the Form of a Cathedral, with a fine Tower in the Middle, and another at the West End, each about 90 Feet high. Sherburn, 14 M. from Shaftsbury, and 118 from Lond. is an ancient, large, and much-frequented Town, it being both the Coach and Poft Road from Lond. to Exeter It was once the retiring Place of W. the Conqueror. An epifcopal Chair was fixed here in 705, by Ina, Ks of the W. Saxons, in which there fat fucceffively no less than 25 Bishops; but, in the 11th Century, it was removed to Sarum, foon after which, the Cathedral was converted into an Abbey, the Church whereof is very magnificent both within and without; being the best in the County, and fo much valued by the Townfmen at the Reformation, that it is faid they bought it, and pulled down 3 Churches and 4 Chapels to preferve it. At the Entrance from the Porch, lie interred Ethelbald and Ethelbert, 2 of our Saxon K. about 200 Years before the Conqueft; and in one of its Ifles is a grand Monument of John Digby, Earl of Bristol (who died in 1698) faid to have coft 1500l. In the Tower are 6 Bells, fo large, that they require near 20 Men to ring them. Sherborn-Castle was built by Roger, the third Bishop of Salisbury, about the Year 1107. Portland, over against Weymouth, was formerly an Island, and still retains that Name, though it is now only a Peninfula, and joined to the Continent: It is fcarce 7 M. in Circumference, and but thinly inhabited. From the E. End of it, where there is a Church and feveral Houses, the Sea has thrown up a prodigiousRidge of Beach, Beach, called Chefil Bank, not above half a Stone's Caft from the Shore. It runs W. parallel with the Shore near 7 M. quite to Abotsbury, leaving an Inlet of Water in fome Places near a M. and a Half over; in the broadeft. Part of which Lake is a Swannery, where are no less than 7. or 8000 Swans. The Land here is fo high, that, in clear Weather, one fees above Half over the Channel between Eng. and France. By reafon of the high and dangerous Rocks, it is acceffible only on the N. Side, where it is defended by a ftrong Castle, built by H. VIII. and another fince erected on the oppofite Shore called Sandsfoot Caftle. The inland Parts are famous for Quarries of the finest free Stone, the most durable and handfome for all Manner of Buildings. Antiquities of Dorfetfhire. Middleton-Abbey, was built by K. Alhelftan, to attone for the Death of his younger Brother, who being falfe ly accufed to him, he ordered to be put to Sea in a Boat, without Oars or Sails, and with one Page only, by which means he perifhed. At the Diffolution of Monalteries, this Abbey was granted to the Family of Tregenwall, who refided here 160 Years; and in Process of Time came into the Poffeffion of Sir J. Banks. Abbotsbury Abbey, was founded by Orcus, or Orkery, and his Wife Tola, a Norman Lady, about the year 1026. Brindon-Abbey, 6 M. from Wareham, was founded and endowed by Roger de Newburg, and his Wife Maud, K. H. III. and his Q. Eleanor, undertook the Patronage of it. Seats of the Nobility and Gentry. Eaftbury, the Seat of the late Lord Melcombe, 6 M. from Shaftsbury, in the Parish of Gunfield. This is one of the largest and moft magnificent Houfes in Engl. its Gardens and Park are 8 M. in Circumference. Hook-Caftle, 9 M. from Dorchester Duke of Bolton's. Kinton-ball, not far from Wimburn-Minster. Banks, Efq. Wimborn St. Giles, 10 M. from Shafifury. Earl of Shaftsbury. Breinfton, Breinfton, about a Mile from Blandford. Portman's, Efq; Sherburn-Caftle, near the Town of the fame Name. Lulworth-Caftle, near Dorchefter. Mr. Wills. It was built in the Reign of K. James I. by J. Howard, E. of Suffolk, after a Design of Inigo Jones. Cranbourn-Houfe, 11 M. from Shaftsbury. E. of Salisbury. Buckland, 6 M. from Dorchefter. -Earl Powlet's. Piddleton, 4 M. from Dorchefter. Earl of Orford's. Chidiock-Caftle, near Budport, was formerly the Seat and Lordship of a Family of the fame Name, but in Procefgrof Time came into the Family of Arundell, of Lanherne in Cornwall. I SOMERSETSHIRE S bounded on the W. by Devonshire; on the S. by Dorfetfhire; on the N. by the Severn Sea and Part of Gloucestershire, and on the E. by Wiltshire. It is more celebrated for its Mineral Waters than any County in England, and is one of the richest and largeft, being about 60 M. in length from W. to E. and 50 in breadth from N. to S. contains, according to Templeman, 1335. fquare M. three Cities, 42 Hundreds, 385 Parishes, 30 Market Towns, and about 1700 Villages. The Soil is very rich and various; it abounds with Grain of all Kinds; its Paftures feed great Numbers of black Cattle, and its Hills large Flocks of Sheep. The County is almoft every where well watered; its most noted Rivers are the Avon, Parret, Froome, Ax, Torr, Tone, Ivill, and Brew.. Bristol, 12 M. from Bath, and 115 from Lond. is the fecond City in the British Dominions for Trade, Wealth, and Number of Inhabitants. Tho' it lay in two Counties, before it was made a County of itself, which was in the Reign of Ed. III. it was by the Parliament Rolls reckoned in Somerfetfbire. The College or |