two chapels; and at the west end is a tower, surmounted by a massy spire, covered with lead. Among the monuments are those of the rev. Dr. Chester, William Prat, and Stephen Hilliard, all rectors.:

Here is an almshouse or hospital, founded by the above Stephen Hilliard, in the reign of Henry VII called All Christian Souls House; and a grammar free school, which was founded in the reign of Philip and Mary, besides se veral other funds of charity. This is a great thoroughfare in the north coach road from London, both for people and eattle, to and from Hertford, Hitchen, Baldock, &c.

KNEBWORTH, two miles south, has a market on Friday, and a fair at Midsummer. Its situation is on a hill, or knap, from whence it has the name.

WELWIN, six miles south, on the river Mimram, in the great coach road to the north, was so called by the Saxons from its plenty of springs. It is said, that in 1012, the general massacre of the Danes began here. Of this place, the celebrated Dr. Edward Young was many years rector, and here was the scene of his melancholy but pleasing ef fusions, "The Night Thoughts." In this village is a chalybeate spring, at the corner of the rector's garden.'

WALKERN, on the north-east of Stevenage, on the river Beare, is mentioned on account of Jane Wenman, who was tried for a witch. Mr. Justice Powell obtained a reprieve for the poor creature, after the jury had found her guilty, contrary to his directions. She lived several years afterwards on an allowance from the parish; and it is said that she afterwards became possessed of a comfortable subsistence; that she did a great deal of good with it to the poor, and became as much the object of their esteem as she had

* At Siffivernes, in Codicote parish, near Welwyn, in the year 1627, was a most prodigious walnut tree, covering seventy-six poles of ground. The weight of the boughs at last cleft the trunk to the ground. Mr. Penn, then lord of the manor, had nineteen loads of planks out of it; a gunstock maker at London had as much as cost 101. carriage: there were thirty loads more of roots and branches. This was attested by Edward Wingate, before a neighbouring justice of peace, to whom Mr. Penn declared he had been offered 501, for the tree. 5

been

been of their detestation. This oppressed woman had been frightened into a confession that she was a witch; and thereupon was committed by Sir Henry Chauncey *, of Yardleybury, who would fain have had her retract, and pacify her accusers.

Salmon and Noble report, that another woman was tried before the same judge Powell, who, among other things that constituted her a witch, had laid to her charge, that she could fly: "Ay," said the judge, "and is this true? Do you say you can fly?"-" Yes, I can," said she-" So you may, if you will, then," replied the judge; "I have no law against it."

BENINGTON is said to have been a residence of the Mercian kings, and a council was held here by Bertulph, in the year 850, on complaint of Askill, a monk of Croyland. The king, in consequence of the great devastations committed by the Danes upon the property of that abbey, granted it a new charter, with vast liberties and extensive manors. The manor has passed through many noble and respectable families, particularly the Magnavilles, Parres, Bourchiers, and Devereux, earls of Essex; and that of Cæsar, who purchased it of Robert, the third earl of Essex, who was compelled to sell it, after his divorce from lady Frances Howard. Benington continued in the Caesar family till 1744, when it came into that of Cheshire, whose representative, John Cheshire, Esq. is the present possessor.. The old manor house was burnt down many years since, and a smaller erected on the site.

tient monuments.

The church contains many an

ASPEDEN belonged, in the reign of Edward IV. to Sir Ralph Jocelyn, twice lord mayor of London, and knight of the Bath at the coronation of queen Elizabeth Gray. Sir Ralph died in 1478; his widow married Sir Robert, third son of lord Clifford. It afterwards passed to the noble family of Yorke, the duke of Buccleugh, and to that of

This gentleman was one of the deprived judges of James II. but it is said he never sat as judge but one day. He wrote "The Antiquities of Hertfordshire."

Boldero;

Foldero; Charles Boldero, Esq. is the present owner. The church contains many memorials of the antient lords of the manor; particularly of Sir Robert Clyfford, and his lady. In the chancel window was the portrait and achievements of Sir Ralph Jocelyn, which having been removed, an engraving from it was published in 1796, in a quarto account of the church of Aspeden. In the churchyard is a memorial for John and Martha Ward, the parents of Dr. Seth Ward, bishop of Salisbury, who was born here*.

BUNTINGFORD.

Thirty miles from the metropolis, on the road to Royston, is a small market town and chapelry to Layston, situated upon Ermine Street, lying also in the several parishes of Aspeden, Throcking, and Widial.

This town is not mentioned in Domesday Book, nor before 21 Edward III. when that king granted one market every year, and one fair yearly, to Elizabeth de Burgo, and her heirs in Buntingford; the same king afterwards granted another market to be held in the highway, on Saturday every week, and a fair every year, on the day and morrow of the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul the Apostles, June 29, to the Lord, his tenants, and their heirs.

* Seth Ward, was born April 15, 1617, and educated at the free school at Buntingford, whence he went to Sidney College, Cambridge, where he was a scholar and fellow. In 1643, he was imprisoned, with several others, for his loyalty, in St. John's College, where he joined in writing a book against the Covenant. After the Restoration he obtained ⚫ many preferments, and was successively bishop of Exeter and Salisbury; to the latter he obtained that the chancellorship of the order of the Garter should be annexed for ever. He was a learned and charitable prelate. "He was the first that brought mathematical learning into vogue in the university of Cambridge; he excelled in astronomy, and was the first that demonstratively proved the elliptical hypothesis, which is more plain and simple, and consequently more suitable to the analogy of nature than any other. He was polite, hospitable, and generous; and, in his life time, founded the college at Salisbury for the reception and support of ministers widows; and the sumptuous hospital at Buntingford, in Hertfordshire."-Granger.

VOL. VI. No. 123.

G

The

The manor is Corney Bury, in the parish of Layston, which being given by Hugh Tricket to God and the church of the Holy Trinity in London, was at the Dissolution granted by king Henry VIII. to Sir Thomas Audley, lord chancellor of England, who obtained of Henry, "That he and his tenants should have a market in the High Street, in the town of Buntingford, on Monday in every week of the year, and two fairs every year, to continue four days, viz. on the day and morrow of St. Peter and St. Paul the Apostles, and on the day and morrow of the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, November 30, and December 1, with all the customs and profits belonging to a fair or market:" And the king further granted, "That the said Thomas, lord Audley, and his heirs, lords of the manor, should yearly chuse two men out of the tenants, who should receive the said profits, and pay them to the king, for the public good of the town; to be expended as often as shall be needful."

The chapel was erected by the care and desire of Alexander Strange, vicar of Layston, but at the charge of the neighbouring gentlemen, who contributed 4187. 138. 8d. towards the building. It was begun in 1614, and finished in 1626, and the bishop of London granted a licence for a priest to celebrate divine service. It was erected on account of the parish church standing at a great distance from the town. Mr. Strange was vicar of this place forty-six years, and lies buried in the chapel. He also gave one acre of land to the vicar for reading divine service, and preaching a sermon yearly upon the Monday next after the feast of St. Michael, on Faith and good Works, and in a short prayer to beg God's blessing on the posterity of those good people, at whose expence the chapel was built; and eight acres and an half lying in Great Harmead and Layston, towards the repair and ornaments of the chapel, to which William Brown added half an acre for the repair of the windows.

The other benefactions to this town were by lady Jane Barkham, who gave 100l. to purchase land, the rent of

which she ordered to be paid to the schoolmaster of the grammar school in Buntingford, for the teaching of five poor children. Henry Marshall and Thomas Andrews, gave five acres and an half of land in Layston, Throcking, and Widial, to the use of the poor in Buntingford, for ever. Sir John Watts, knt. granted an annuity of 41. per annum out of a messuage and pasture in this town, for the same use. And John Crouch, of Alswick, gent. gave 5l. per annum out of five tenements in Layston, to twelve poor people in Buntingford.

The greatest benefactor to this place was bishop Ward. He erected a building near the chapel, containing eight mansions or dwellings, having four rooms each, two above stairs, and two below, and endowed it with a sufficient quantity of lands, appointing certain trustees, to elect and maintain four poor men, and as many women, such persons as having formerly lived handsomely, were by misfortune fallen into poverty, out of the parishes of Aspeden and Layston. The school was built in 1630 by Mrs. Freman, widow of William Freman, Esq. of Aspeden Hall, who gave 7. a year to it, to teach seven poor children; and Mr. Bland, rector of Buckland, gave 401. a year more, to teach two poor children; and lady Barkham 5l. per annum to teach five poor children; the bishop also gave four scholarships of 121. per annum to Christ's College, to be enjoyed by four scholars, who being born in Hertfordshire, were educated at Buntingford school, till they were masters of arts.

In WIDDIAL church are some curious monuments; and some of the windows have been ornamented with painted glass, designed in a masterly manner, representing the history of Jesus Christ. A few of the subjects are yet perfect. It is a curious circumstance that in the parish of THROCKING, the rector has neither house, nor land, except the churchyard.

BRAUGHING belonged to the Saxon kings, and was given by William I. to earl Eustace, upon whose rebellion it reverted to the crown, and was given by king Stephen to the