Thus Tring was held till the dissolution of monasteries, when the archbishop of Canterbury reconveyed it to the crown, with the patronage of the rectory. This conveyance and reconveyance seemed to be only matter of form; for the archbishop again conveyed it to Sir Edward North, treasurer of the augmentations, who passed it away to Sir Richard Lee, of Blunts; this gentleman exchanged it with Edward VI. for lands in St. Alban's, who granted it to the archbishop of Canterbury; this prelate regranted it to the crown, and queen Mary gave it to Henry Peckham, Esq. and his wife, for his services against the rebellion of Sir Thomas Wyat. Mr. Peckham having forfeited the manor, for treason in the reign of queen Elizabeth, it reverted once more to the crown, and was settled by James I. in trustees for ninety-nine years to the use of prince Charles, who, when he succeeded to the throne, again settled it in the same for the use of his queen Henrietta Maria. Tring manor remained in the crown till it was granted to Henry Guy, Esq. who built the house, and laid out the grounds with great beauty.

The manor came by purchase from Mr. Guy to Sir William Gore, knight, alderman of London, who paid the quit-rents of the manor to queen Catharine, consort of Charles II. as part of her dowry during her life. Sir William's son laid out the park, three hundred acres of which are on the Chiltern *.

Having remained in the Gore family for a considerable time, Tring manor was purchased of the last representative by Drummond Smith, Esq. who, in the year 1804, was created a baronet, and is the present possessor. The custom of this manor is two years fine, upon admission to a copyhold.

*Hills which nearly divide the county of Bucks, and were formerly covered with beech, to such a degree as to be a constant harbour for thieves; this, according to antient historians, induced Leoffstan, abbot of St. Alban's, to cause the trees to be levelled, and reinoved the nuiBance. These hills reach from Bedfordshire to the county of Oxford, and form part of the great chain from Norfolk to Dorchester.

There were several subordinate manors to Tring; MISSEWELL, called in Domesday Book MASCEWELLE, given by William I. to Robert de Todeny. A future possessor bestowed it on Feversham Abbey. GUBLECOTE, belonged to earl Moreton, who is said to have separated it from Tring, when he was lord of Berkhampstead. DANESLAI belonged also to earl Moreton, and appears to have been a portion of Gublecote. WILLSTON was held antiently by the family of Lake. These manors falling into the hands of the chief lord, are now accounted parcels of the manor of Tring.

The TOWN OF TRING, has a very romantic and pictu resque appearance; but the houses are mostly built low, and the streets are very uneven and unpaved, except the foot path, which abounds in rough pebbles; the MARKET HOUSE, if a miserable barn on tottering oak pillars can be so called, is in a dreadful state, for want of repair, or, more properly, of a new and handsome structure. Were such a desireable alteration to take place, it would form a good object to terminate the fine opposite avenue to the park; or If it were entirely removed, and an opening left, the church, the greatest ornament of the town, might be seen to the utmost advantage; whereas, at present, it is nearly hid from public view. ACKMAN STREET, which retains its antient name from the Roman way which passed here, has all the appearance of a Welsh town. The entrances to Tring, however, from London and Aylesbury, are very fine, particularly the former, where the traveller is shaded by stately trees on each side of the road, closed by the handsome hedges of the park.

TRING PARK, the seat of Sir Drummond Smith, bart. is ornamented with a fine mansion, the entrance to which, under a large portico, surmounted by a gallery, leads to the GREAT HALL, which is paved with black and white marble, and decorated with stately Corinthian pillars and pilasters; above which, at the east end, is a gallery: whence are seen the following portraits. SOUTH SIDE. James I.; general Lambert; Oliver Cromwell; Mary II.; general

Ireton,

FIRST

Ireton. WEST SIDE. George I.; Hunting piece, SNYDERS; Edward VI. NORTH SIDE. Charles I.; queen Elizabeth; Beauclerk, first dake of St. Alban's; Anne of Denmark, queen of James I.; antient portrait of a lady. ROOM, LEFT HAND. Queen Elizabeth, as Una; Sea fight between admiral Rodney and Don Langara; fine head of an old man, over the chimney piece; and a beautiful Cupid. ARABESQUE ROOM. Chairs of fine Gobelin tapestry; the ceiling representing the Seasons, finely painted by Sir Drummond's first lady. The room adjoining has an enchanting view of the park; on the cieling a fine representation of Venus and Adonis. FOURTH ROOM, on the right hand, is handsomely finished in the Chinese style. · In the BILLIARD ROOM is the fine picture of the Relief of Gibraltar; View of the Adelphi, in the manner of Canaletti. The upper rooms are very rich in their bed furniture of the old fashion. In the first room, on the right hand, is a fine, painting of a devotee, seemingly by Spagniolletti. The centre of the upper rooms forms a grand Ball Room, the breadth of the house; the offices are extensive and convenient; adjoining the house, in the park,, is a fine tulip tree; the front towards the town of Tring, commands a fine prospect; and though the road passes a short distance from this side of the park, a contrivance by means of a wall, continues the landscape, without any interruption.

The PARK consists of a hill and dale, finely blending together an assemblage of forest scenery, enlivened by deer, sheep, &c. The south side of the park is skirted by an amphitheatre of stately trees, in the midst of which is a terrace, commanding views of an extensive country to Aylesbury; and nearly to Buckingham, north-west; beyond Leighton Bosard, north, and nearly to Dunstable, northeast. A fine coach way is about to be formed round this part of the domain, which will, afford one of the most pleasant rides in Great Britain.

TRING CHURCH is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, and is a very handsome fabric, constructed about the reign

of

of Edward IV.; the interior is peculiarly handsome, the Gothic arches, supported by slender clustered pillars, above which are monstrous animals, such as a bear muzzled, a boar, à talbot, a wild man, &c. intended either as crests, agreeably to Salmon; or rather in allusion to the vicious lives of the monks; the upper story is supported and surmounted by oak pillars, carved with the twelve Apostles, and a fine oak roof. At the west end is a recess, in which an organ might be placed to great advantage; indeed it seems to be the only necessary ornament of which the church stands in need. It has been said that Sir William Gore, or his son, proposed to give 500l. for the purchase of an organ, provided the parish would provide an annuity of 201. for an organist; this was refused, and the donation was retracted. The body is well pewed and paved. The chancel was originally wainscoted by Sir Richard Anderson; but decorated in the present manner by Mr. Gore, whose taste in forming it with Corinthian pilasters and pannels, did not accord with the other embellishments of a Gothic structure. The altar is painted in a masterly manner, exhibiting Moses and Aaron, and the arms of England. The only monument worthy of particular description is on the north side of the chancel, to the memory of Sir William Gore and his lady; Sir William is dressed in his prætorial gown and chain, and the lady in the habit of her time, adorned with lace; above are the sword and mace; the inscription under Sir William is as follows:

"Here lieth the body of Sir WILLIAM GORE, knt. Alderman of the City of London, who served the chief offices of dignity and trust in that City with great reputation and applause, and was the third Lord Mayor of his name and family. He was a wise and impartial magistrate, faithful to his prince, and useful to his country. He was Governor of the Hamburgh Company, a fair and successful merchant, a loving and careful husband, a kind and provident father of many children, of which 4 sons and 5 daughters survived him. He was remarkable for diligence in his calling, for encouraging those to industry that could work, and for charity to those who could not. He was a good bene

factor

factor to the hospitals of the city, to the parish in which he lived, and to this parish. He was sound and steady in the prin ciples of religion and loyalty, and exemplary in the practice of them. Ob. Jun. 20. 1707. æt. 64."

The inscription under dame Gore, specifies her virtues. The monument was erected by their son, William Gore, Esq.

In the tower are six deep toned bells, and chimes. The tythes of Tring, with the chapelry of Long Marston, and parish of Wiggington, are appropriated to the use of the dean and chapter of Christchurch, Oxford, who lease them out to Sir Drummond Smith, and find a curate to officiate here and at the other livings; the consequence is that though the curate of Tring has all the duties of a vicar or rector, his yearly allowance is little more than 50%. It was observed when we visited this neighbourhood, that Sir Drummond had offered, with the concurrence of the patron, to have made the income 100l. but it has never been carried into effect.

At LITTLE TRING, in this parish, rises one of the heads of the Thames, which, leaving the county at Puttenham, runs by Aylesbury to Thame. WILSTERN is a hamlet in the manor of Tring.

WIGGINGTON is on a hill between Tring and North Church, and joins on the south-west to Bucks, and the Ikening Street runs over the common. It is a new-erected parish, taken out of that of Tring. It has a small ruinous church.

The Ikeneld and Ackman Streets crossed near Tring, and there are several encampments in the neighbourhood.

Besides the fine view from Tring Park, there are others of most extensive and brilliant prospects from Hastow Hill, and Aston Hill, which take in a circuit of spectacle, from Wendover by Oxfordshire, Buckingham, Luton, &c. to Dunstable. The soil about Tring consists of chalk, and the bye-roads are some of the most untractable we have seen in all our perambulations; yet the beauty of the country, compensates all the inconveniences of the roads. Sir Drummond Smith is about to erect a mill, for the use of the inhabitants.

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