other buildings in Poole are the so-called "Town
Cellars", referred to variously in the town's remarkable collection of
records as the "Great Cellar", the "King's Hall", and the "Woolhouse".
The original purpose of the building has not yet been definitely
determined. It is largely of fourteenth-century date, and its doorways
and windows have a decidedly ecclesiastical appearance. At the same time
there is no evidence whatever that it ever formed part of a monastic
foundation, or was ever built for religious purposes. The old battered
building was the scene of at least one fierce fight, when a combined
French and Spanish fleet attacked the town to revenge themselves on the
dreaded buccaneer, Harry Paye, or Page, who had been raiding the shores
of France and Spain. When the hostile fleets entered Poole Harbour early
one morning five hundred years ago, the town was taken by surprise. The
intrepid "Arripay", as his enemies rendered the name, was absent on one
of his expeditions, but his place was worthily taken by his brother, who
was killed in the fighting. The Town Cellars were full of stores and
munitions of war, and when the building had been captured and set on
fire, the townsmen retired, while the victorious Spaniards, who had been
reinforced by the French after a first repulse, returned with a few
prisoners to their ships, and sailed out of the harbour, having given
the mariners of Poole the greatest drubbing they have ever received in
the long history of the place.

[Illustration: POOLE HARBOUR FROM CONSTITUTIONAL HILL]

Near Poole is Canford Manor, the seat of Lord Wimborne and the "Chene
Manor" of the Wessex novels. There was a house here in very early times,
and in the sixteenth year of his reign King John, by letter-close,
informed Ralph de Parco, the keeper of his wines at Southampton, that it
was his pleasure that three tuns "of our wines, of the best sort that is
in your custody", should be sent to Canford. In the fifth year of Henry
III the King addressed the following letter to Peter de Mauley:--

"You are to know that we have given to our beloved uncle, William, Earl
of Sarum, eighty chevrons (cheverons) in our forest of Blakmore, for the
rebuilding of his houses (_ad domos_) at Caneford. Tested at
Westminster, 28th July."

The present house occupies the site of the old mansion of the Longspees
and Montacutes, Earls of Salisbury, of which the kitchen remains, with
two enormous fireplaces, and curious ch