blished an annual feast, at which they made their libations out of one common patera, as a testimony of friendship and unanimity.*

PICKEDFIELD, which formerly constituted part of Littlecot domain, was purchased, in 1803, by government, for the purpose of establishing a Depot for the interior. It includes about forty acres of ground, on which are erected three magazines, capable of Containing nearly 11,000 barrels of gunpowder; also a mixing-house for the powder, storehouses, apartments for the labourers employed upon the establishment, barracks for a detachment of the military, and houses for a storekeeper and a clerk of the cheque. At Knyghton, a small hamlet on the north bank of the Kennet, near Littlecot Park, is an ancient encampment, which does not appear to have been noticed in any published work.

RAMSBURY is a village situated to the westward of Littlecot, at the distance of six miles east from the town of Marlborough. When Plegmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, about the year 909, constituted Wiltshire a distinct bishopric, the two first bishops of that See fixed their seat at this place; but the third bishop removed his residence to Wilton; and his example seems to have been followed by his successors. Ramsbury church, however, nost probably continued to be the cathedral church of the dioccse till after the Conquest, when Herman having prevailed upon King William to unite the bishoprics of Sherborne and Wiltshire into one, established the seat of his new diocese at Old Sarum. Hence the church here is still considered as the mother church to Salisbury cathedral. The present building is a large and spacious structure, divided into a nave, two ailes, and a chancel, with a massive tower, supported by bold buttresses at one end. In the chancel is a very old monument of Purbeck marble, without any inscription; and on the floor is a long stone, adorned with tracery work, which, according to tradition,

• "Britannia Romana." By John Horsley, M. 4, and F. R. S.

↑ Vide arte, p. 28.

dition, covers the grave of a giant. Here are likewise some stones to the memory of the Jones's, of Ramsbury Park; also one to the sister of Sir Francis Burdet. In the south aile are several monuments to commemorate the Reads, of Crowood; and, in the north aile, is a small marble tablet, inscribed thus:

"Here lye the bodys of Jeff. Dariell, and Wmn his son, (the last of the ancient family of Daresbury, in Cheshire, who came into Wilts in Henry VIII time) of St. Margaret, Esq. both members of parliament for Marlbro. ye father of the 1st Parliament after Kg Ch. ye 2d's restoration, who was also of the convention for the restors of the sd Kg; the son, of the 1st Triennial Parlt began the 7th of Ks Wm 3d. Jeff. died April 2. 168! Wm April 25, 1697.”

Adjoining to Ramsbury is RAMSBURY-MANOR, long the seat of the family of Jones, and now the property of Sir Francis Burdet, Baronet, in right of his mother, second daughter to the late William Jones, Esq. son of *** Jones, Esq. sometime attorney-general, who purchased the estate from one of the Earl's of Pembroke. The house was built from designs by John Webb, nephew to Inigo Jones, the father of classical architecture in this country. It is a handsome building, situated on the north bank of the river Kennet, which flows through the middle of the inclosures, and forms in its passage a beautiful island, by dividing itself into two branches, one of which is spread out into a lake. These grounds abound with wood, and rise from the sides of the river in easy, sloping lawns. Many improvements were effected in their arrangement, and ornamented by the late Lady Jones, the eldest sister of Sir Francis Burdet's mother. Among other changes, that lady threw a bridge over the river, and built a handsome entrance gateway into the park.

Crawood, or Crowood, the seat of the Read family, is situ ated about a mile and a half to the north-east of Ramsbury. It is now the property of General Read. Adjoining to it, on the north, is Marriage-Hill-House, formerly belonging to the family of Whitelocke.

ALBOURNE,

ALBOURNE,

AUBURN, or AUBOURNE, is a town situated at the distance of six miles and a half north-east from Marlborough. In former times it was a place of much more importance than at present, having had the honour to give name to a royal chace. According to tradition, King John had a hunting-seat here, in which he occasionally resided. Part of the supposed regal mansion is yet in existence, but converted into a farm-house.Albourne is further celebrated in history as the scene of a severe conflict between the forces of the parliament and the king's army, in September, 1643. The royalists were commanded by King Charles I. in person, assisted by Prince Rupert; and the parlia mentarians by the Earl of Essex. The latter was on his march to London from the siege of Glocester, when he was unexpect edly attacked, and notwithstanding the most determined efforts, was beaten, and driven as far as Hungerford with great loss both of men and materials. At this period the town suffered considerably; but the damage was trifling compared to that which it sustained from fire on the 12th of September, 1760, when no fewer than seventy-two houses were completely destroyed.

According to the parliamentary returns of 1811, Albourne parish contains 274 houses, and 1260 inhabitants, who are chiefly engaged in agriculture, and in the manufacture of fustians. A market is held here on Tuesday, weekly, but it is very partially attended. Albourne has been supposed by some persons to be the place alluded to, and described by Goldsmith in his exquisite poem of the "Deserted Village;" but it is most probable that village was in Ireland.

ALBOURNE-CHACE, or Forest, extended several miles both in length and breadth. It was formerly well wooded, and supplied with deer; but that animal has now given place to the rabbit, which

* Clarendon's History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, folio,

p. 350.