before us; we may naturally conelude, the whole pile of edifices was immenfe and ftupendous! Our conceptions are carried away by comparisons to views of unnumbered fcenes of royal fplendour; and, when we read of the luxurious banquetings; the heroic exercifes of valorous knights; the brilliant and coftly entertainments; we muft raife to our imaginations the profufe defigus of the bowers of the ladies, the chambers of the knights and the great officers of the houfehold, the queen's chamber, the king's chamber, and all the attendant train of offices dependant on kingly state! Then fhail we be enabled to grafp in our "mind's eye" the original granduer of the antient Palace at Weftminster!

Withdrawing our ideas, fo deeply imbibed with that juft fervour, caught from the love of former times, we become common fpectators of the mean, the defpicable, and unheeded ftate of this remnant of a departing antient Royal Palace! If fome minds could partake with us of the felicity in contemplating these relic manfions of our, antient Sovereigns, how foon fhould we have to rejoice at being happy witneffes of the fweep ing command of-Away with these ufurping excrefcences, of fheds, hovels, taverns, and alehouses, that blot out and disfigure the walls of old English fplendour and old English hofpitality! and let them frand, while a particle remains, to remind us who live, that thofe hiftoric evidences which we read are not romantic fictions; and that we may emulate thofe deeds of high renown recorded by the pens of infpired Bards, which gave prophetic harmony to the enrapturing harps of the enchanting Min

ftrels!

AN ARCHITECT. (To be continued.)

MEMORANDUMS OF KINGSWOOD,
IN THE COUNTY OF WILTS.

INGSWOOD, in the hun

K dred of Chippenham, a populous place, principally inhabited by clothiers, and perfons employed in that branch of manufacture, is feated in the Vale of Gloucester, a fmall diftance from the town of Wotton Underedge, in Gloucefter fhire, by which county it is furrounded. Formerly particular places were fometimes feparated from the counties in which they were naturally fituated, and adjoined to others, for the purpose of forming integral parts of one barony; but how this principle applies to Kingf wood, I know not. However, though in the county of Wilts, it is in the diocese of Gloucester, and deanry of Durfley.

The fite is flat, principally confifting of rich meadow lands; and between the main village and the hamlet of Nind, runs a rivulet, upon which are erected mills.

The old Roman military way, branching from the great Foffe, runs through this place to Auft Paffage. (Collinfon's Somerfetfhire, I. 160.) No information on the spot enabled ine to identify it;

but there is an old road at the fide

of the manor houfe, and almoft adjoining to, its out buildings, which from its appearance and direction was, perhaps, the road Mr. Collinfon alludes to *.

Leland (Colle&. I. 32.) tells us that there was amonaftery + founded at Tetbury, co. Gloc. by Reginald

* I am unable to refer to Mr. Wyndham's Wiltshire, for the Domefday account.

"Of Ciftercians," fays Mr. Smyth, from the Pat. Rolls of 22 Ed. I. m. 6. [printed in Meyner's Apoft. Benedict. 62 feg.] and which he, who wrote before the publication of Dugdale, fays, "fheweth of whatorder each monafteryin England was of "

de

de St. Walery, which was tranf ferred to Kingfwood; in confequence of which, Roger de Berkeley, who had been the inftrument of this tranflation, was confidered as founder. Of this fecond foundation, there is the following account in Mr. Smith's MS Hiftory of Berkeley Herneffe, at Berkeley Caftle, tit. Caldecote." The Abbey of Kingfwood, by Wotton Underedge; a monaftery feated and in the county of Wilts, of the foundation of that ancient Saxon Family of the Berkeleys, of Durfley, though compaffed round about with the parts of Gloucefterfhire; and hath been taken as part of that manor of Kingfwood, antiently of old called Acholt, wherein the Abbey houfe was feated, though now fevered by the grant of in the year of his reign, made to [Sir John Thynne, knt. had Letters patent for the fite of this Abbey, and other lands in Wilts, 2 Eliz. Jones's Index, vol. I. And fee Tanner, under the article Kingswood.]

"And King Henrie the Third, in 11th of his reigne, confirmed to the Abbot of Kingswood and his Convent, the manor of Acholt, which Roger de Berkeley, of Durfley, gave to that Monaftery, and all other their lands as freely as King Henry the fecond, his grandfather, confirmed them to them; in which are alfo divers liberties recited. And to bee free, ab omni feculari exactione et fervicio*, as by Rot. Chart, 11 Hen. III. pärs 1. mem. 12. appeares. For which charter of confirmación, the Abbot gave to the Kinge to marks, as by Rot. Fin. 11 Hen. III, appeares, where of the premiffes is alfo a particular expreffion."

3 Hen. V. Feb. 2, 1415. Thomas Lord Berkeley left by will, among other legacies, to the church of Kingfwood, his best collar of the King's livery, his pair of quilt vestments, wrought with white an

This they had long before claimed

Hearne's Lib. Nig. Scacc. I. 166, ed. 1774.

gels, &c. Id. Mr. Smith, in "Lives of the Berkeley Family, II, 349.MS."

"The laft Abbot of the monaftery, before the diffolution thereof, was William Bewdeleye; as a leafe fhews, made by him, 20th Dec. 28 Hen. VIII. and the monaftery was diffolved by furrender." Id. Mr. Smith, Berkeley Herneffe, loc. fup. cit.

In 1610, the manor was, among other lands and revenues, affigned for the eftablishment of P. Henry, and then valued at 781. 9s. 6d. per annum. Ordinances of Royal Houfholds, 314.-It now belongs to Mr. Wale, of Adderley.

"The impropriate rectoryofKingf wood (if I may foe call it), and the 71. per annum of antient cuftome, paid by the inhabitants there, or rather 61. 13 s. 4d. were by the Letters patent of Queen Eliz. dated 21 Julii, a 5 Eliz. granted (inter alia) to Humphry Shelton, and Edmund Hunt, and theire heires, from whom the fame forwith came, accordinge to the trufte in them repofed, to Thomas Hanbury, one of her auditors, and from him to Francis his fon, who aliened the fame to Roger Fulfe." Smith, (Berkeley Herneffe, loc. fup: cit.) The inhabitants have ftill a payment, called the Clobury rents, charged upon certain houfes and lands. Whether it was this Mr. S. alluded to, I could not learn. I was alfo informed, that no other tythes or modus was paid than 10l. per annum to the minifter, and a like fum for the church.

Of the antient buildings remainîng hère, the principal is the Abbey gate; a relick of the rich florid Gothic work, in part, at least, probably built, not long before the diffolution. In the window over the gateway, the mullion is a flower refembling the cone and leaves of a pine, but more flender, whofe branching fhoots form the ramifications of the bend of the window. Above is a rich crofs, with our Saviour crucified, rich knots down the coping, and on cach fide the

pine

pine end are two tufted pinnacles. Above the gateway is a demi-angel, with wings difplayed, and a plain fhield covering his breaft. Upon the right fide an empty niche with a rich canopy, above which, in the corner (for the hollow of the niche is carried above the canopy), is a bird defcending obliquely; which fhews plainly that it was filled by the ftatue of a Pope, this being their uniform distinction in the cuts of the "Golden Legend*." Upon the other fide of the gateway is a flight of steps leading to a door.. The roof, within, is richly vaulted with numerous heavy ribs, elaborately moulded with foliage, roles, &c. as the interfections; and, in one corner, an Abbot's head with his mitre. In the centre is a large rofette.

About a mile out of the town is a fine old houfe, which I was informed was another Abbey; and, perhaps, the cell, which the monks of Tinterne had here. (Lel. Col. I. 104.) There is work in this houfe of the 13th and 15th centuries. There is a rich crofs formy charged with rofes upon the roof of the projecting porch; and over the door, on a plain fhield, is

W

T. E.

1705.

for Tho. and Eliz. Wichell, of Bourton, near Wotton Underedge, who refided here as the Manor houfe. Near, or upon the fite of a narrow flip of ground, about fix yards wide and thirty long, flood an antient church. Within this place are flat ftones for families of the names of Thomas Smith, efq. 1732, and branches of his family; as well as for Robert Fenley, clothier, 1772, and his wife and children.

The prefent church is a modern *The dove, or Holy Ghoft, watpering in the r ears; obvious alluding to their office and fuppofed infall bility. The ftatue in question was perhaps one of the four fathers that was a Pope, viz. St. Gregory. This however is quite uncertain.

+ Modern; and not for the anient ufe of thofe by the entrance of churches.

building, entering between two pillars at the Weft end, and a fmall turret for a bell at top. The Eaft, end is all along the wall painted in the moft paltry ftyle of modern beautification, like the frontifpiece of a barn theatre, or alehoufe puppetfhow; to reprefent the fky with a glory; and Jehovah in the middle; Belief; Conimandments; pelican feeding her young ones, emblematic of the facrifice of Chrift; communion-table clothed in crimfon velvet and gold lace, &c. On each fide the altar are two long narrow-arched windows, in which are the arms of Berkeley twice repeated, croffes paties, rofettes, ftars, funs, foliage, tabernacles of niches; a fhield with a narrow faltire of spiked thorns, furmounted by four fceptres in crofs, conjoined in the fefs point at their bases Or, (as I cannot think the faltire to have been raguly, the whole feems to me to have been a complex pun upon the crofs, crown of thorns, and kingdom of Chrift); a very fine head of a pilgrim in a light crown and couched hat, turned up before, and an efcalop thell in front; and on the oppofite window, another head of a nobleman of the 14th century, as is plain by the headdrefs. On the fame window, Sable, fretty Azure, between every joint a fleur de lis Or, twice repeated, Ermine in a canton Gules, a crofs croflet fitchy, Argent, joined to the item of the crofs; below the tranfverfe bean a fquare banner of St. George's crofs, (badge of a Crufader), parts of the following letters H. I. HHPS. In the win dow of the fide wall, a lion paitant, Or, leaves, ftars, foliage, flowers within circular bodies.

The pulpit, on one fide of which is the King's arms, has a red velvet cloth, with fringe and a cypher, (M. B.) Mary Blagden, 1723. The benefactions, as too numerous, I omit, adding only, that the table tells us the church was built ao 1722.

There is only one monument in this church (brought from the bid

one)

one) worthy note. It is a mural tablet on which is Or, on a bend Sable, three efcalops Argent, creft a demi-hind faliant, attired and unguled Or." In memory of his deere Father Thomas Webb, late of Kingf wood, fon of Richard Webb, of Wotton Underedge, gent. who died May 24, 1674, aged 84. His obfequious fon Richard Webb fet up this monument." (Then fome verfes.) "And in memory of his virtuous mother Perfis, daughter of Anthony Webb, who died 15 years before; viz. April 17, 1659.'

On a brafs on a flat ftone in the church-yard: "Juxta requiefcit Reverendus Richardus Nelmes, M. M. C. C. C. apud Oxonienfes quondam focius, theologus acutus, medicus fagaciflimus, omnibus iis artibus, quæ vitam et ornant et utiliffimam reddunt, excelluit. Mors tua, vir præftantiffime, ecclefiæ femper luctuofa, patriæ funefta, bonis omnibus acerba, divinâ illà quâ enituit fcientiâ, quæ, Deo juvante,jam fæpe et feliciter aliorum morbis et languoribus fanitatem reftituit,fua folum fata retardare heu fruftra tentavit. Medio enim curfu, morte triumphante, natura lugente, correptus, obiit.

Anno

{

Nov. die X.

Chrifti M DCC XXIII. Etat. XLI. Hicetiam jacentexuvia Richardi et Catharine Nelmes, filii et filiæ Richardi Nelmes fupradicti." Gloucefter fhire.

T. D. F.

Mr. URBAN, Temple, Jan. 4. LERICUS afks, vol. LXIX. p. 1067, whether a notice, delivered to a tenant at willt, on the 28th day of September, is a fufficient notice for him to quit the premifes at the lady-day following. If Clericus does not know it, he ought to be informed, that the advice of counfel, without a fee, is

* It antiently fignified "Careful of ohfeqnies or of funeral rites."-Vide Jo. and St. Sh. vi. 483.

† I prelune a tenant from year to year is meant.

never to be depended upon; he must not, therefore, rely too much upon the opinion I fhall attempt to give him, unleis he fends me a proper fee.

The queftion, indeed, is not enfily answered. It is a matter of confiderable doubt with profeffional men, whether fuch a notice would be fufficient. It muft, however, be confidered, that the half year's notice to quit is not required by any pofitive ftatute; but it has been gradually introduced by ufage, and cuftom, from the convenience and expediency of the thing, till it has certainly become a part of the general law of the land. This general law, however, like many others, may be, and frequently is, controuled by particular cuftom. Thus in the city of London, where a tenement is rented under fol. a year, a quarter of a year's notice only is neceffary. A fimilar cuftom prevails in fome parts of Yorkshire; and, probably, in many other places. As to lodgings, the notice varies, according to the length and terms of holding. In many parts of the country it is ufual (as in the cafe ftated by Clericus) to deliver the notice for quitting at new Lady-day, between the 24th and 29th of September, which is thought fufficient. But this cuftom has never, that I know of, been fupported by any legal decifion. I think, however, if it generally prevails in the country where the queftion arifes, Clericus need not be under any great apprehenfion but it would But, in order to establish the cuf be fupported in a court of law. tom, it must be proved that it has tifed, and acquiefced in, for many been usually or frequently prac years paft, otherwife the notice is clearly a bad one. clearly a bad one.

TH

CONSIL. AD LEGEM."

Mr. URBAN, Jan. 8. THE Gentleman's Magazine being the acknowledged yehicle for local information, your correfpondent cannot adopt a bet

ter

ter method than, with your permiffion, to avail himself of fo refpectable a channel for the following remarks and queries. In the Statute Book we find, in the 38 Geo. III. c. 52. an act to regulate the trial of caufes, indictments, and other proceedings, which arife within the counties of certain cities and towns corporate, within this kingdom. The preamble of which states, that, "whereas there at prefent exifts, in the counties of cities and towns corporate, an exclufive right, that all caufes and offences, which arife within their particular limits, fhould be tried by a jury of perfous refiding within the limits of the county of fuch city; which antient privilege, intended for other and good purposes, has, in many inftances been found, by experience, not to conduce to the ends of juftice." The act then goes to remedy thofe evils, by enacting that the trial of caufes, indictments, and other proceedings, which arife within the counties of cities, and towns corporate, may be had and profecuted in the county next adjoining, with the exception of the cities of London and Weftininfter, the borough of Southwark, Brittol, Cheffer, and Exeter; and, laftly, guards the antient privileges of corporations, by not obliging them to attend as jurors, upon any caufe or indictment removed from the limited jurifdiction, to the county at large. This wife and falutary law removes fome, but not all the evils, arifing from the exclufive adminiftration of juftice in chartered corporations having counties be longing to them. Where the county of any city or town is round about, and adjoins the feat of juftice, the inconvenience can only be in proportion to the want of qualification of thofe to whom the lot of adminiftering juftice may fall; but where the county of the town, as GRANTHAM, extending over 13 parishes (called the Soke), of which only four parishes join the town and lie together; the remaining nine, being interfperfed with three

parishes in the county of L and three of them at the diftan of eight miles from the corporate town; the inconvenience to the neighbourhood of fuch a jurifdiction must be great, and fuch as calls for the interpofition of the legiflature. The evil ftated is not merely local, arifing from lofs of time and delay, in being obliged to get warrants backed, in order to be executed in the next parith (in the county of Lincoln); but the fafety of the publick, and the fervice of the ftate, are materially implicated. The traveller, for infiance, when he leaves Grantham, and proceeds Southward on the great North road, is not aware that, before he reaches Coifteworth (eight miles), he pales through the jurifdiction of the Soke, and the parts of Kefteven, county of Lincoln, five times alternately; fo that, if he be affaulted or robbed on his journey, it is very probable, and frequently happens, that he cannot afcertain with precifion in what parish, the misfortune befel him. What is the fituation of the magiftrate to whom he complains? If he takes cognizance of a breach of the peace out of his jurifdiction, he is unquestionably fubject to an action of falfe imprisonment. With regard to the ftate, the difficulty attending the apprehenfion of deferters from the army and navy from the above circumftances, is almost infurmountable; and this upon the great North road! Your correfpondent is not aware that any other county of a city, or town corporate, is fo fplit and divided as that which he has been defcribing. If there be any fo circumftanced, your pages, which find their way into every corner of the kingdom, will, it is hoped, produce information, and be the means of co-operation to remedy fo ftriking an evil.

No SOCKMAN.

Mr. URBAN,
Jan. 12.
N Vol LXIX. p. 1014, I find
it pofitively afferted, by an ano-

nymous