Dallwood, in the county of Dorset.- Widworthy is rather a small parish, about eight miles in circumference, nearly resembling in form a trapezium, bounded on the West and North by Offwill, on the east by Shute, and on the South by Colyton, and a small part of Northleigh. The soil varíes, being in part meadow and pasture, part arable; and in the centre, on a hill, private property, though not inclosed, there is a very deep and extensive stratum of limestone, in the North-west part of the parish, which employs many of the inhabitants in burning that useful article for building and manure. There is likewise some excellent free-stone from the Northern and Southern extremity of the lime-stone rock. About a mile distant from each other, issue two remarkably transparent, warm springs, which, when diverted over some meadows immediately beneath them, leave a considerable slime on the surface, and render them luxuriantly fertile. The one falls into the river Coly, the other into a rivulet on the West side of the parish. The parish is inclosed with very good turf-hedges, on which the underwood grows fast; and the usual sorts of timber-trees are flourishing, and abound in the hedge-rows and coppices. The roads made and repaired with flints are sound, but rather rough. There is only one village, Wilmington, where a fair or revel is held the Monday after St. Matthew's day. It is situated on the great Western road, which divides the parish from Offwill on the North. The houses are all thatched, except the manor-house, and are neat and compact; and have all, even the cottages, gardens and a little orchard annexed to them. The inhabitants are all tenants at rackrent. Their farms are in as good a state of cultivation as most Devonshire farms, and are from fifteen to a hundred pounds per annum. The number of houses, of every description, is about thirty-five. Reckoning six souls to a house, you will nearly have the number of parishioners; among whom are not more than three freeholders.

The men are mostly employed in husbandry; the women spin wool. Benedictus Marwood, Esq. of Hornshays, in Colyton, first purchased the manor of the Chichester family, and, dying unmarried, left it to his brother Thomas, whose grandson now inherits it. Besides the manor and barton of Widworthy, there are two capital estates in this parish, Cookshays and Sutton, with large, decent houses on each, built by the Marwoods about eighty years since, and twenty years before they purchased the manor of the Chichesters. See Risdon, part II. p. 64. "Widworthy hath had divers Knights so named dwellers there and Lords

thereof. The last Sir William, and Sir Hugh de Widworthy his son, in the age of King Edward I. left his daughter Emma, first married unto Sir William Prouse, secondly to Sir Robert Dinham, Knights. These lands remained divers descents in the name of Prouse, until by an heir of Wootton, that had wedded an heir of Prouse, it was carried into the family of Chichester of Raleigh, who gave this manor unto John his son, which he had by his second wife, the daughter of Bryett."

The mansion-house is situated near the church, a large old building, in form of a quadrangle, the undoubted residence of De Widworthy, Knt. the founder of the church. The front of the building is of more modern erection than the three other sides. Over the porch are the arms of the Chichesters, viz. Checky, a chief vairy; crest, on a helmet, an ostrich with a bit of iron in his mouth, in lead. In the ceiling of the hall is the date 1616.

The highest point of Widworthy-hill, which is as high a hill as any in the neighbourhood, is nearly the centre of the parish; on the North-east side of which are some remains of an ancient entrenchment; and near the church, on an eminence having a descent every way, in a field still called Castle Wood, are remains of a small entrenchment. In the Northern extremity of the parish there is a remarkably large flint-rock, five feet in height, and four in width and depth, known by the name of grey-stone; and nearly opposite, on the Southern extremity, is another stone of nearly the same dimensions, both of them evidently placed there by design. A school was founded by one Searl, but, having been endowed with a leasehold estate, is fallen into hand. A house and school have been since given by James Marwood, Esq. 1767: some other benefactions have increased the master's salary eight pounds per annum. No Dissenting Meeting, or Dissenters. The church is situated on a rising ground in the North part of the parish, dedicated to St. Cuthbert: it is built of flint, in the form of a Latin cross; as are all the churches I have hitherto seen dedicated to that Saint. The church is an uniform building, consisting of a nave, a chancel, and a transept; and, I should suppose, was built by one of the De Widworthys, Knights: though Mr. Incledon supposes it to have been built at different times. The height of the church, inside, is twentyone feet; the extreme length within, from the altar-piece to the tower, fifty-one fect; the breadth of the transept, including the nave, is thirty-six feet. The old timber being decayed, a new roof, covered with slate, was erected

in 1785, and neatly plaistered within, with a handsome cornice. There is a strong, square, plain tower, with battlements, in height forty feet, with five bells; a neat wainscot altarpiece, given by James Marwood, Esq.; and the church was newly seated with wainscot by the parishioners in 1787. The font is of one solid free-stone, in an octagon form, about four feet high, and bears evident marks of antiquity. The screen and rood-loft were taken down before my remembrance. There are several small niches for the holywater; and on removing the old plaister when the church was lately new roofed, the walls appeared to have been painted throughout. No stained glass. On the North wall of the chancel is a handsome marble monument, erected to the memory of some of the Isacks of Ford, who were buried here, though they lived in the adjoining parish of Dallwood, in Dorsetshire; it bears date 1685. Arms: Sable, a bend, Or; in a canton Argent, a leopard's head Sable, impaling, Ermine, on a bend, between bendlets Sable, three griffins' heads Or. The rest are modern, viz. another on the North, erected to the memory of three brothers, James Marwood, M. D. Benedictus and Thomas Marwood, Esqrs. eminent for honesty, piety, and good economy. Arms: Gules, a chevron Ermine, between three. goats' heads erased Ermined. On the South wall of the chancel is a monument to the memory of " Jacobi Somaster, viri probi & rei medicæ periti, quam Honitoni novem per annos feliciter exercuit; 1748." Arms: Argent, a castle between five fleurs de lis, within a bordure Or. Crest, a portcullis. In the South transept is a very handsome monument to the memory of Robert Marwood, of Cookshays, Esq. 1755; and Mrs. Bridget Marwood, his sister, 1756: an unmeaning inscription at the bottom. Sua præmia virtus. Arms of the Marwoods, as above described. Crest to this: a goat couchant proper, on a wreath Sable and Gules. In the North transept is a monument to the memory of the late James Marwood, Esq. which exceeds my description: it is executed by that celebrated statuary Bacon, and is in his happiest style. In the centre is a beautifully enriched vase, placed upon a Roman pedestal. On the right side is a most animated figure of Justice, suspending her scale; and on the left, Benevolence, reclining over a pelican in its nest, feeding its young from its breast. The delicacy and expression of their countenances, attitude, and drapery, and the harmony and just proportion of the whole, rank it with the first performances of its artist. Beneath is an inscription: "James Marwood, Esq. died April 3, 1767, aged 65. LI

VOL. IV.

The memory of the Just is blessed." The whole is pleasingly relieved by a back-ground of deep yellow marble, with an elegant white marble bordure rising conically to an obtuse angle over it.

Under an arch in the wall, immediately under the Northern window in the same transept, lies the statue of a man, very perfect, at full length, in complete armour, with spurs; his shield, suspended by a belt from his right shoulder, hangs over his left arm, and reaches to the lower part of his thigh; his head is supported by a cushion, with a cherub on each side, his feet by a lion; his hands recline on his breast, in the attitude of prayer. On his shield are three lions rampant between five crosslets, two at the top, one in the centre, and two in the base. There is not the least vestige of an inscription, nor, I believe, was there ever any. There is no tradition in the parish whom it was intended for; though I should suppose it the founder of the church, De Widworthy, Knt. There are two large flat stones, one in the chancel, the other in the body of the church. One has its inscription quite defaced; the other the Chichester arms, with this inscription: DORMITORIUM JOHANNIS CHICHESTER, ARMIGERI, QUI OBIIT NONO DIE IVNII, AN'O SALVTIS 1661. In a table over the door at the West end of the tower, on the outside, are three emblems; and over them some relief, but much defaced, which has the appearance of a crucifix, and on each side a person in a suppliant posture.

The following is an extract of the table of benefactions. In 1733, Robert Marwood, Esq. annually 20s. to the poor on St. Luke's day. 1741, Benedictus Marwood, Esq. the interest of 100l. to the parish school-master. 1767, James Marwood, Esq. 40s. yearly, and a school-room to ditto. 1769, Rev. Joseph Somaster, Rector, the interest of 1001. half to the parish school-master; the other to the poor, in bread, on Christmas-day. The communion plate is handsome; a chalice and a large silver vessel for the wine, given by Mrs. B. Marwood, of Cookshays, dated 1756, and a patten, given by the late rector, Jo. Somaster, in usum sacrosancte eucha rista, 1756; who also gave a velvet cloth for the pulpit. The church-yard is large for the parish, being near half an acre; a large flourishing yew-tree decorates it. There are two old tombs, and a few head-stones,-the inscriptions not remarkable. The register is in good preservation, and quite complete from 1540 to the present date, 1791.-The population has been rather on the decline, though it is now increasing.

July, 1791.

VI. Description of Neath Abbey, in Glamorganshire.

MR. URBAN,

YOU will oblige me by inserting in your Magazine the following account of Neath Abbey. I cannot, at present, procure a drawing of it; but, if I should hereafter, it will be much at your service.

It is situated on the Western bank of the placid, serpentine Neath, one mile from the town of Neath, in the county of Glamorgan, surrounded on all sides by the most beautiful and romantic scenery. It was founded in the beginning of the reign of Henry I. by Richard de Grana Villa, or Granville, who then held the lordship of Neath, and was brother to Robert Fitz-hamon, chief of Norman knights, who conquered Glamorganshire about the year 1190. The monks here were, at first, of the order of Savigny, but soon afterwards became Cistercians. Mr. Wyndham justly observes (in his "Tour through Monmouthshire and Wales") that there are no "traces among the ruins" so ancient as the "original foundation;" for, the plain Gothic style of building, which the present remains exhibit, was not introduced into this country until the latter end of the reign of Henry II. nor did it generally prevail until that of Henry III.

This Abbey once afforded a temporary asylum to an unfortunate monarch and his favourite. Edward II. and Hugh Le Despenser, the younger, having taken a vessel at Bristol, A. D. 1326, with a design to sail to the Island of Lundy, or (according to other accounts) to Ireland, were driven by contrary winds on the coast of Glamorganshire, and remained concealed a short time at this place. This flight of the king is the more memorable, as it furnished the queen and her party with a specious pretext for declaring the Prince of Wales guardian of the kingdom.

Lewis of Glamorgan*, a celebrated Welsh poet, who flourished about the year 1520, gives a particular description of this Abbey, in an ode comprising the twenty-four different metres of ancient British poetry. He describes it as a spacious building covered with lead, with some fine painted windows, and a pavement of glazed brick, These bricks are, at present, frequently picked up among the

* Lewys Morgannwg.