the top; in which are three bells, and in the interior are inscriptions to the memory of D'Eyes, or Day, an ancient family here; also a fine disrobed marble (the arms and inscription gone) to the memory of John Fitz Rauf, esq. 1440. At the upper end of these aisles was a chapel and an altar. On the screen are the instruments of the Passion, in different shields, as the hammer, scourge, crown of thorns, the spear and sponge, a pierced heart, the nails, the five wounds, the cross, the name of Jesus, and several arms. When Blomefield wrote, here were the manors of Scoultons, Mortimers, Old Lands or Ollands, and Burdelass or Newlands.-Inclosure act, 1805.

STOW BEDON. Fourteen miles. St. Botolph. P. 290. Joins to the side of Breccles, and is, says Blomefield, commonly called Stow Breccles; it was formerly called Stow Bydon. The church has a square tower and three bells. Here are no memorials, although Spelman and the registers inform us that several of the name of Spelman were buried here. Here are the manors of Bydon or Bedon, and Bekerton Hall. The large piece of water called Sandwade (now Stow*) mere, belongs to the former manor.-Inclosure act, 1813.

THOMPSON. Eighteen miles. St. Martin. P. 427.The church has a square tower, and in the interior are the old stalls for the master and fellows of the college, with their arms on them. Here is a south chapel and south porch; the vestry is in ruins. April 7th, 1350, William Bateman, bishop of Norwich, and Simon Bozoun, prior, at the request of Thomas de Shardelow, knight, and John his brother, who had founded a perpetual chantry of six chaplains in this church, for the souls of his father, wife, &c. &c. appropriated the church to the said college or chantry; but the church was to be served by one of the chaplains, with due obedience to the bishop, &c.

In 1369, Joan, widow of sir John de Shardelow, knight, took upon her the vow of chastity, and became a religious votary in this college of Thompson, where she died. The manner of this solemn vow was thus, she appeared before Thomas Percy, bishop of Norwich, in the private chapel of his manor-house at Thornage, where he then lived, and at mass she kneeled down before the bishop, (master William

* Stow, a house or place of habitation.

Blithe, archdeacon of Norwich, sir Simon de Babingle, and William de Swineflete, and others, being present as the bishop's witnesses) and joining her hands he took them in his hands, and then she vowed in these words:

Jeo Johanne qui fuy la femme Johan de Shardelow, avowe et promette a DIEUX et a nostre Dame Seinte Marie, et a Seint Martin, et a toutz seintz de vivere et perpetuale chastete a term de ma vie, a vous reverent pere en Dieux Sire Thomas par la grace de Dieux Evesque de Norwitz et en vostre presence et en la presence de Sire Thomas de Shiredelow, chevaler, Sire Johan Grane, mestre de la chauntrie de Thomestone, John Clovylle et autrez.

Blomefield says he saw sir Thomas de Shardelow's will in the Commons, by which it appears that he himself, mother, wife, and all his ancestors, were buried in this church, though there are no memorials remaining of any of them, save his own stone, which lies in the south chapel of St. James, before the altar of St. Martin, which chapel he founded for his college, but the inscription is imperfect; he seems to be in a habit much like a priest, with only these words legible: Grate Salvetur qui fuit .......... cuius anime propicietur Beus Amen.

And here are inscriptions in the church to the memory of Cater and Futter. Here is Buttort or Butters Hall.-Inclosure act, 1815.

THREXTON.

Fifteen miles. St.

P. 34.

Sometimes written Trekestone, and in Domesday-book, Trestunam, and Trectuna.-The village, when Blomefield wrote, was reduced to one house, in which Mr. Knopwood dwelt.* The steeple of the church is low and round.

TOTTINGTON. Twenty-six miles. St. Andrew. P. 284. Written in Domesday-book, Totingtuna.-Is a small irregular village, lying between Thetford and Watton. The church is a large pile, with a square tower, supported by strong buttresses at each corner. It was formerly crowned with a spire covered with lead, but being in a ruinous state was, in 1802, taken down, with the archdeacon's consent. In the tower are four bells. It is well seated throughout, and the heads of these seats are all carved, on the back of one of these,

• Eliza Knights died at Threxton in 1818, aged one hundred and seven years.

at the

upper end of the south aisle, is this inscription :—

Orate pro a'i'ab' Walteri Salter et Alicie ur' eius et pro quib’

tenetur.

At the east end of the nave are two large pews, which in Blomefield's time stood in the north aisle; that on the south side has this inscription :

Su'ptu Ed'i Salter et Brigitt Nup' Uxor' ej' Ao D. 1631.

That on the north side is thus inscribed :

1636. THOMAS SALTER AND HIS WIFE JANE.

At the entrance into the chancel lies a slab, robbed of a brass plate; in the north-east corner of the nave, there appears to have been either a niche for a statue, or a doorway to the rood loft. Here are many small remnants of painted glass; in the upper part of the east window of this aisle, is the figure of an angel, with wings and an outstretched arm, approaching a throne, having these words:-s'c's SANCTVS SCS (Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth). The north aisle is lighted by the same number of windows as the south aisle; many fragments of painted glass remain. In the south-east corner is a trefoil-head piscina; the woodwork of the roof of this aisle is carved, the supporters rest on half-length figures, only two of which now remain, and both are decapitated. The chancel is separated from the nave by a pointed arch; the decalogue and royal arms occupy the upper part of the arch, the lower part is ornamented by a handsome screen, carved and gilded. Here are also inscriptions to the memory of Knopwood. Blomefield says, at the east end of the north aisle lies a loose brass, under the effigies of a woman and her daughter, thus inscribed :

Here lyeth interred the corpses of Margaret Pory, whose soul the Father of Spirites receive into eternal rest, the 5th of April, Ao Dom. 1598, in the 54th year of her age. This monument was erected by Lvke Vnger, her second husband, in token of a thankful and loyal mind. In the daughter's coat is E. V.

Also inscriptions to the memory of Duffield, and Farrar ; on the back of a seat at the east end of the aisle, Thomas Salter, 1636. The north vestry of this church is down. Service is performed here once every Sunday, alternately

morning and afternoon. Great part of the churchyard wall was topped with large coffin stones, with crosses of various forms on them; they were formerly laid over the vicars, or other religious persons who were buried here, and have been since taken from their graves, and applied to the present use, of this churchyard nothing now remains but foundation walls. In 1404 there was great complaint made, that the profits of the vicarage were much impaired by the number of rabbits on the warren of John Fitz Rauf, so that it was not able to pay the whole tenth of 40s. At the Conquest the whole town was more than four miles in length. Here are the manors of Tottington or Mortimers, Stranges, Stanfords, Campesses, Thetford Monks, Bokenhams, and Marthams or Machams. The site of the parsonage joined the east part of the churchyard, where a large barn now stands. There are about 2266 acres of land in this parish: the soil consists of a light sand, so light indeed is it in some of the adjoining parishes to the west, that it frequently drifts in the wind, and is bare of vegetation. A Sunday school was opened in this village, October 5th, 1817, by the then curate. The following are the names of the vicars of Tottington since Blomefield wrote:-William Clough, 1750, Thomas Scott, 1778, and William John Burford, 1800.-See a detailed account of this place in Gent.'s Mag. Jan. and Feb. 1819.-Common inclosed 1774.

WATTON. Twenty-one miles. St. Mary. P. 894. Or Wadetun as it is originally spelt, or Wanelund in Domesday-book. In 1204, there was a writ brought to inquire whether the market here, granted to Jahn de Vaux, who held Watton hall manor, was not prejudicial to the market at Saham, and it being found so the market was recalled; but, before the expiration of this year, Oliver de Vaux, having the manor conveyed to him by his brother, by his great interest with the king obtained a new charter, in which the market was granted to be held every Wednesday, as it is at this day. The church was built by the old manor-house, (which latter has not a vestige left), and stands between the present town and Watton green; it was probably built about the time of Henry I. and dedicated to St. Giles, though it seems it was re-dedicated to St. Mary. It is a small building, which shews that the town has increased since its foundation,

it is only twenty-six yards long, and, including the two aisles, eleven yards broad. Its tower is round at bottom, but octangular at top, with three large bells. The remains of a curious crucifix, carved in stone, in the front of the north porch, may still be seen; and here are inscriptions to the memory of Hammond, Wodehouse, and Samwell. Here are some almshouses, with half an acre of land, founded by Edward Goffe of Threxton, who died in 1612, and is buried at Saham. See the following clause in his will:

"I will that four of the poorest aged couples dwelling in Watton, shall have their dwelling in the almshouses during the term of their natural life; and also an annuity of 51. per annum, for ever, granted out of my houses and lands lying and being in Griston, to be equally divided among them yearly, during the term of nine years, at four several payments, viz. at the feasts of the Annunciation, St. John the Baptist, St. Michael the Archangel, and the Nativity of our Blessed Saviour; and in the tenth year, the sum only of 50s. and the other 50s. to be laid out in repairing the almshouses, if need require, at the discretion of the feoffees."

Watton is a small market town, situate just into the woodland, but near the open part of the county; it is a good thoroughfare, and its market, in Blomefield's time, was no despicable one, great quantities of butter being sent through this place to Downham bridge, from whence the factors return it to London by water. There are several annnal fairs, one on Michaelmas-day, another on the day of St. Simon and St. Jude, &c. The town's name is odly expressed by a rebus or device carved on the market cross, viz. W a hare, and a tun; a hare is often called, by the country people, Wat, which joined with tun, makes, in the conceit of those days, Watton town, to which for further elucidation W is affixed.

In 1673, on Saturday, the 25th of April, there happened a most dreadful fire in this town, which burnt down above sixty houses, &c. &c. with the butcher's shambles! to the value of 74501. and goods to the value of 26601. for which there was a brief granted to gather all England over, till the 20th of September, 1675. Between this town, says Blomefield, and Merton, on the left hand, lies Wayland wood, commonly called Wailing wood, from a tradition of two infants having been murdered by their uncle in this place, of which the old ballad of "The Two Children in