this, as in the vast stone trade which he opened up on his own estates, that it was his own business, and that he was accountable to One only for the righteous use of that which was righteously gained. The income from the national sources, and from his estates and quarries, averaged large sums; no doubt more than has ever been conjectured.

It may have been two or three years after his second marriage, with Elizabeth Holder, ie., 1730, that Allen took up his residence at Hampton Manor House. The mansion at that time consisted of the centre, without western and eastern annexes, which are quite modern. The doorway and the

rest of the front have been much altered. Over the doorway or hall was a small belfry, and the country adjacent was rough and unenclosed. The low-lying lands near and around the house were cultivated as kitchen gardens, from which Bath derived a considerable supply; the whole scene was monotonous and deficient in the picturesque. Allen was a man of taste, and to remedy this defect he built a hawhaw, and laid out the lawn; removed the belfry, and made the centre what it now is. To the east and to the west may be seen extending, each way, an avenue which he planted, of great beauty. Allen also made roads to the Down and about the estate. It was also about this time that he began to develop the stone works on Hampton Down, which, as we shall show, he carried on with the same energy and the same humanity as he did shortly after on Combe Down, above Prior Park. The machinery used in this earlier work for bringing down the dressed stone from the quarries to the banks of the Avon differed from that referred to later as to Combe Down. Nearly all the beds of oolite on the former were hewn in the open, dressed with much care, and laid by for seasoning. A series of short trams were laid on to a centre, where was constructed a large drum worked by some kind of machinery, but we cannot quite tell what. A tram

line or way was constructed, extending from the drum along the Down, then descending the slope to the edge of a rather steep gorge. The stone was here unladen and conveyed to Allen's stoneyard and basin, but what was the precise mode of conveyance is not clear.

In 1810, or a little earlier, the old quarries were again worked by the Directors of the Kennett and Avon Canal for the construction of the locks, but the quality of the stone left was very inferior. The old tram-road was, used to the edge of the gorge, and then passed over a bridge and down

an inclined embankment to the canal bank. Since the Warminster Road was made, which passes under the bridge, it is called "The Dry Arch".

There were two things to be done by Allen when he acquired Prior Park, namely, to get into and out of the estate on the north-east and north-west sides of it. He made a private carriage-road down the former, and the stone tramway down the other [see illustration]. The document quoted is characteristic. Only two strips were wanted of the adjoining property, of which Bennet was the owner. The tram itself was not to emerge beyond the Prior Park boundary.

"THIS INDENTURE made the twentieth day of March in the fourth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King defender of the faith &c. Anno D'm' One thousand seven hundred and thirty Between Philip Bennet of Lyncomb and Witcomb in the county of Somerset Esq. and Jane his wife both dec'd which said Jane was the sole daughter and heir of Scarborough Chapman late of Lyncomb and Witcomb aforesaid Gentleman also dec'd of the one part and Ralph Allen of the City of Bath in the said County of Somerset Esq. and Elizabeth his wife of the other part Whereas the said Ralph Allen hath lately made and cut a certain Waggon-way or road for the carriage of stone from the quarries of him the said Ralph Allen in and through a certain piece or panel of ground called the Mill Ground late belonging to the said Scarborough Chapman (which among other lands) by the last will and testament of the said Scarborough Chapman stands charged with the payment of a debt of Two Thousand Pounds or more due by Mortgage on the Joynture Estate made to the said Jane the Daughter which according to agreement ought to have been paid of long since the greatest part thereof having been raised out of his said daughter's estate which was settled to that Interest And the said piece of Ground called the Mill Ground is by the said Will inter alia devised to Trustees of whom or of whose Undertenant or lessee the said Ralph Allen hath rented the same to protect the said Jointure Estate from the same debt and from any other dormant incumbrance as by the said will may more fully appear And whereas a bill is shortly intended to be brought by the said Philip Bennet in the High Court of Chancery (amongst other things) for the due execution and performance of the said Will and for such releise as he the said Philip Bennet shall seek and pray therein Now this indenture witnesseth that the said Philip Bennet for and in Consideration of the Grant and Covenant of the said Ralph Allen hereinafter mentioned and expressed and of five shillings of lawful money of Great Britain by the said Ralph Allen to the said Philip Bennet in hand paid at or before the sealing and delivery hereof and for diverse other good causes and considerations him the said Philip Bennet thereunto moving Hath granted releesed ratified and confirmed unto the said Ralph Allen All that the aforesaid waggon-way or road so by him made and cut in and through the said ground called the MillGround together with the ground and soyle of the said road to have hold and enjoy the same to him the said Ralph Allen and his heirs and assigns for ever And the said Philip Bennett doth hereby for himself and his heirs and assignes Covenant promise and agree to and with the

said Ralph Allen his Heirs and Assignes that he the said Philip Bennet shall will as soon as conveniently may be make and execute a cause and procure to be made and executed a good and sufficient conveyance and assurance in the law unto him the said Ralph Allen and his heirs of the aforesaid waggon-way or road so by him made and cut in and through the said ground called the Mill-Ground and of the Ground and soyle of the said Road for and in consideration of the summe of Thirteen pounds nine shillings and sixpence of good and lawfull money of Great Britain to be paid to the said Philip Bennet his heirs and asignes by the said Ralph Allen his heirs or assignes at the time of making and executing of such conveyance or assurance But in case the said Philip Bennet should not recover the said ground by the said intended bill in Chancery so as to make or procure such conveyance or assurance to be made thereof unto the said Ralph Allen and his heirs aforesaid And in case the said Ralph Allen his heirs or assignes shall at any time hereafter be Evicted Ejected dispossessed or deprived of the Use Benefitt and enjoyment of the said waggon-way or road so made and cut in and through the said ground called the Mill-Ground by any person or persons claiming or to claim the same under the said Scarborough Chapman That then the said Philip Bennet his heirs or assignes make and execute or cause and procure to be made and executed a good and sufficient conveyance and assurance in the law to him the said Ralph Allen and his heirs of all that part and so much of the said Philip Bennet's Orchard lying in Lyncomb and Whitcomb aforesaid at the lower end of his Garden there belonging to his New Mansion as contains forty-four leeygs in length and one leeyg in breadth to be measured from the highway leading from Witcomb Church to hanging land on the south side to the bounds or hedge at the lower end of the Orchard there belonging to Mary Wiltshire Widow or her son William Wiltshire for and in consideration of the said summe of Thirteen pounds nine shillings and sixpence of like lawfull money of Great Britain to be paid by the said Ralph Allen his heir or assignes unto the said Philip Bennet his heirs or assignes at the time of making or executing such last-mentioned conveyance and assurance And this indenture further witnesseth that the said Ralph Allen and Elizabeth his wife for and in consideration of the grant and covenant of the said Philip Bennet before mentioned and expressed and of five shillings of lawfull money of Great Britain to the said Ralph Allen and Elizabeth his wife by the said Philip Bennet in hand also paid before the sealing and delivery hereof the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged and for diverse other good causes and con

siderations then the said Ralph Allen and Elizabeth his wife thereunto especially moving Have and each of them hath given and granted and by these presents Do and each of them doth give and grant unto the said Philip Bennet his heirs and assignes the full and free use liberty and priviledge from time to time and at all times hereafter with his and her family friends & servants with His and their horses coaches chariots chairs chaises to ride pass and repass in upon and through his the said Ralph Allen's new made waggon-way or road so far as the same extends from the gate called Dolemead Gate to the way or road newly made by the said Philip Bennet from the waggon-way or road of him the said Ralph Allen up to the mansion-house of him the said... Philip Bennet at Whitcomb aforesaid and to his estate and lands there provided the same be not made use of by him the said Philip Bennet his heirs and assignes or any of his friends or servants in any wise with any carts cars drags waggons or any other heavy carriages To Have hold use exercise and enjoy the said waggon-way or road of him the said Ralph Allen hereby granted in the manner before mentioned and expressed unto him the said Philip Bennet and his heirs And the said Ralph Allen for himself and for the said Elizabeth his wife and for their and for either of their heires or assignes doth covenant promise and agree to with the said Philip Bennet his heirs and assignes by these presents That he the said Ralph Allen and Elizabeth his wife and their heirs shall and will from time to time and at all times hereafter at the reasonable request costs and charges of the said Philip Bennet make do and execute or cause and procure to be made done and executed any further or other lawfull and reasonable act device conveyance or assurance in the law for the better moveyure and absolute granting assuring and confirming the full and free use liberty and priviledge of his the said Ralph Allen's said waggon-way in the manner herebefore mentioned and intended to be hereby given and granted unto him the said Philip Bennet and his heires as the said Philip Bennet his heirs and assignes or his or their councell learned in the Law shall be reasonably advised or devised and required so as the person or persons required to make the same be not compelled for the doing thereof to have further than his or her or their respective place or places of abode In Witness whereof the said parties have hereunto interchangeably sett their hands the day and year first above written.

"PHILIP BENNET.

"Sealed and delivered (being first duly stampt in the presence of Ann Bennet)-John Noble.