leads to the obelisk, which is distant from the arch a mile and a half. Rising with the hill you approach the obelisk, which is situated in the midst of a fine plantation; passing through the obelisk wood, the road branches off to the left, leaving a fine expanse of lawn on the south front of the house, which is here seen to the greatest advantage.

The West Lodge. A very neat building by Mr. Wyatt. On the left of the road to the house is an interesting view of the New Inn, where company coming to see the house may receive every accommodation.

The East Lodge. A building of simple and elegant architecture, by Wyatt; from hence to the north-west is an extensive view of the rich well wooded and highly cultivated grounds of the park.

Gardens. The kitchen garden, including the outer belt, contains eight acres. The principal part is divided into three squares of one acre each-the lesser part contains two compartments of one acre each. The extent of walling comprises upwards of fourteen hundred yards in length, and fourteen feet in height, well covered with fruit trees. In the middle square are two mulberry trees, which, as they are so generally admired, may be here mentioned: the extent of one is thirty yards, and the other twenty-seven, in a fine and heathy state. The vinery, which perhaps is the finest in England, is deserving the inspection of strangers. The hot-houses and forcing frames are also deserving notice.

The Pleasure Grounds to the east of the mansion are tastefully laid out. A fine gravel walk, winding through clumps of trees and shrubs of various kinds, interspersed with many a lovely flower, beguiles the footsteps of the wandering stranger, while passing through this wilderness of sweets.

Holkham house is open for general inspection, on Tuesdays only, except to foreigners and artists. Strangers, or travellers, who wish to view the house, on other days, can only do so by particular application to Mr. Coke, who has never refused his permission.

THOMAS WILLIAM COKE, esq., M. P., for Norfolk, is of a very ancient family; the name is of great antiquity, Coke or Cocke (from whence it is derived) is the name of a river, (so called by the ancient Britons) in Norfolk and other counties. Camden derives this family of Coke, from William Coke, of Doddington, in South Greenhoe hundred, Norfolk; mentioned in a deed in 1206; who held also, in the said year, the lordship of South Burgh, in Mitford hundred, and conveyed lands there, held by knights' service, to William, son of Geleran by Felice his wife. William had Jeffrey his son residing at Doddington, &c. &c.—See Collins' Peerage. The subject of the present sketch was born May 6th, 1753, it is believed at Holkham. The paternal name of this gentleman, who in respect to landed property is one of the most powerful commoners in the kingdom, was Roberts; but his ancestors assumed that of

Coke, upon inheriting the extensive estates of their maternal uncle, Thomas Coke earl of Leicester, a descendant of the celebrated lawyer, sir Edward Coke. Mr. Coke first obtained a seat in parliament in 1776; he was again elected in 1780, 1790, 1796, 1802, and 1806, but on the latter occasion the election was declared void; and he was chosen for Derby, in the room of his brother Edward. In 1807, 1812, 1818, 1820, and 1826, he was returned a member for this county without opposition.

Mr. Coke, in 1775, married first, Jane Dalton, daughter of lord Shernborn by whom he had three daughters. Jane Elizabeth married June 20th, 1796, to Charles Nevison viscount Andover, who was accidentally killed by the discharge of his gun, January 11th, 1800; he died without issue, and his lady married secondly, March, 1806, Capt. Henry Digby, R. N. His second daughter is Anne Margaret, who married, September 15th, 1794, Thomas viscount Anson. A south-east view of Shugborough, from a drawing by lady A. and engraved by Rawle, was published in 1802. Mr. C.'s third daughter, Eliza, married the honourable Spencer Stanhope, in 1822.

Mr. Coke married secondly, in February 1823, Anne Amelia Keppel, third daughter of William Charles earl of Albemarle, by whom he has three sons.

Mr. Coke has long been distinguished as the first agriculturist in the county. The late Dr. Rigby, of Norwich, remarks, "that every one who visits Mr. Coke, is struck with the beauty of the Holkham scenery, the magnificence of his mansion, his princely establishment, and his liberal hospitality." "Mr. Coke came to his estate at Holkham, forty-one years ago; the rental was then only 2,2007. At the present time, the annual fall of timber, poles, and underwood, from his plantations, averages about 2,7001. and the total increase of rents exceeds 20,000l. per annum, an increase in the value of landed property, a creation of wealth probably unexampled, except in the vicinity of large towns, or in populous manufacturing districts."-Neale's Seats, 1819. Mr. C. contributed a few papers to "Young's Annals of Agriculture." Whether the pamphlet entitled “ An

Upon some one expressing an opinion to Dr. Parr, that his friend, Mr. Coke, aught to be elevated to the peerage, Parr exclaimed with animation, Sir, Coke of Norfolk is a title superior to any which monarchy can confer,'-New Monthly Mag Q Q

Address to the Freeholders of Norfolk," 1802, was published with his sanction, seems doubtful.

Mr. Coke was the first to encourage and grow the Swedish turnip, on a scale equal to the wants of a farm. " His sheep are all Southdowns, but he told me he had not the merit of selecting them himself. Some years ago he was visited by some gentlemen from the south of England, who found much fault with the Norfolks, which then composed his flocks; and told him, that the sheep in their county (the Sussex Southdowns) were much more profitable, and better adapted to his pastures. He bought five hundred on their recommendation, and finding they fully answered his purpose, he got rid of his Norfolks, and has had none since but Southdowns." For a more particular account of the farming, cattle shows, sheep shearing, &c. of Holkham, we refer our readers to "Holkham and its Agriculture," by Edward Rigby, M. D., F. L. S., &c., 1818.

FRANCIS BLAKIE, steward to Mr. Coke of Holkham, a good mechanic, and the inventor of several farming implements, is the author of "Observations on the Conversion of Arable Land into Pasture, and on other rural Subjects," giving a detailed account of the process of inoculating land, or, as he suggests it being in future called, transplanting turf, with ample instructions to those who may wish to adopt the practise. It contains also much useful and practical information on agriculture, written in a well adapted style of plain perspicuity, neatly printed by Dawson of Burnham. He also wrote "Observations on preserving Swedish Turnips," 1814; and a useful pamphlet on the subject of Farmyard Manure, &c., in which he gives a detailed account of the most profitable way of forming dung heaps, &c.; and he has added some judicious directions for making and repairing public roads; the whole well worthy the attention of the practical and economical farmer, and of parochial surveyors of roads.-Vide Rigby's Holkham. Mr. B. has likewise contributed various papers to the Farmer's Journal; and published a "Treatise on Hedges and Hedgerow Timber," 12mo.

HOUGHTON. Twenty-one miles. St. Giles. P. 206. Called Houghton in the Hale, or in the Dale by the hills, and in old writings, Hacton. The church is a single building,

and of the same height with the chancel, and has a tower with three bells, and inscriptions to the memory of Fuller, Gime, Fenn, and Swallow. Besides this church, is a small ancient chapel, which appears to have been much ornamented with crocketted pinnacles, canopied niches, &c. Unnoticed as it is by Blomefield, it is a beautiful as well as a curious specimen of architecture, having a fan roof. The front only remains, the remainder is now turned into a cottage. Its vicinity to Walsingham, leads to the supposition that it may have been attached to that abbey, which is known to have possessed lands at Houghton.-See a plate of this building in Cotman's Antiq. of Norfolk, also an engraving in Britton's Beauties of England and Wales. Here are the manors of Nerford and Ross.

P. 23.

QUARLES. Thirty-one miles. Written in Domesday-book, Guervelei.-At the dissolution of Creak abbey, Quarles was granted with it, Ao. 22, Henry VII., to Margaret countess of Richmond, the king's mother; and, on her founding Christ's college, Cambridge, was settled by her on that society, and is held of that college, by lease, at this day. The church, no longer visible, was a ruin in 1571. Thomas William Coke, esq., of Holkham, is the present proprietor, and a part of his plantations, and the triumphal arch built by lord Leicester, is on this manor, and in the parish of Quarles.

SNORING (MAGNA). Twenty-seven miles. The Virgin Mary. P. 360. Was in the possession of the Burgolyons, the Sheltons, and the Richardsons. The church has a square tower, with a spire and one bell; also stone stalls and a piscina worthy observation-etched by Cotman. And here are inscriptions to the memory of the Sheltons:

The engraved effigies of sir Ralph Shelton and his lady, in brass, in the chancel of Great Snoring church, gives, most admirably, the costume of the times (1423) in which they lived. On the upper part of the stone are the arms of Shelton, azure, a cross, Or, impaling Burgolyon, quarterly, Or and gules; in the second and third quarters three amulets, argent; over all a bend, sable; also SHELTON, impaling

Sir Ralph Shelton sold this lordship, with that of Thursford, about 1611, to Thomas Richardson, esq., sergeant at law, afterwards lord chief justice of the King's Bench. This sale gave rise to a pun, said to have been made by sir Ralph, "That he could sleep without Snoring.""

Uvedale, argent, a cross moline gules, at their feet Burgolyon, impaling Plaiz, per pale, Or and gules, a lion passant, argent; also Burgolyon impaling Shelton. The legend round the rim was "Hic jacent Radulphus Shelton, miles qui obiit xxv die Octabris, Anno Domini M,CCCC, XXIIII, et Alicia uxor ejus filia Thome de Uvedale, militis de Tacolnestone, que quidem Alicia objit XIII, die mensis Maii, Anno Domini... This is remarkable among the Norfolk brasses, as having the field of the knight's coat, and the cross moline in the lady's, enamelled with their proper colours; and in his surcoat being the first with sleeves. This brass was at one time enamelled; the figure of the lady has a mitred head dress, the side bunches of hair gradually extending upwards, the veil thrown over, sunk into the hollow between; and at last the raised hair was superseded by a wire frame. The beginning of this fashion is marked on the figure of sir Ralph Shelton's lady, 1423.-Cotman's Brasses.

Of the family of Shelton, which was exceedingly numerous, some account may be found in Blomefield, VOL. V.

Here are also inscriptions to the memory of sir John Heveningham and his lady, and to West, Fenn, &c. In this town also was a little lordslap, called Snorings, held by a family of that name.-Inclosure act, 1811.

In or about the year 1760, a silver seal was ploughed up near Snoring, curiously engraven, and a fine impress, and well ornamented, about the size of a shilling; in the centre of it is a small shield, with the head of three oxen, and this legend

"SIGILL. THOME. DE. OXWYC."

This is now in the hands of the Rev. F. H. Barnwell, of Bury. See Blomefield, VOL. v. p. 1011, article Oxwick, (Launditch hundred). An impression of this seal is in the Norfolk Museum, (No. 42).

Rev. WILLIAM STEVENS, D. D., rector of Great Snoring, &c., is the author of "Sermons," 3 vols. 8vo. Lond. 1802. ROBERT LEEKE, B. D., fellow of St. John's college, Cambridge, and rector of Great Snoring, was the author of several sermons, of the dates of 1716 to 1746.—See Nichols' Literary Anecdotes, VOL. I. p. 480.

STIVEKEY. Thirty-miles. St. John the Baptist. P. 350. Vulgarly called Stukey, is about two miles to the right of Wareham.-The church stands on a high ground near the hall; and here was interred John Calthorpe, esq. and Alice Ermingland his wife. The other church, now dilapidated, was dedicated to St. Mary.