priests, in the reign of Henry the Fourth. The revenues of it at the dissolution amounted only to 211. 16s. 3d. per annum.

The church is in the collegiate stile, with an ancient square tower, at the intersection of the transepts. The east end is destroyed, and the remains exhibit a large nave, with its aisles, a north and south transept, and a handsome porch on the north side. Many persons of distinction are buried in this church, belonging to the Mortimer and Ratcliffe families. A flat stone in the nave records the name of Captain John Gibbs, who died 1695; he was famous for his atchievements on the turf, and notorious for his habits of gaming. Mr. le Neve informs us, that Captain Gibbs, laid a wager of 5001. that he would drive his light chaise and four horses up and down the steepest place of the Devil's ditch, on Newmarket heath; which he performed by making a very light chaise, with a jointed perch, and without any pole, to the surprise of all the spectators. Had this jolly captain lived to the present æra, he would have had an ample field open for his gambling speculations.

Attleborough has a good market every fortnight, besides a small weekly one on Thursday.

Within two miles of this town, is Hangham House, the seat of Hugh Hare, Esq. By the road side, near Attleborough, a square stone pillar is erected in memory of Sir Edward Rich, knight, who generously gave 2001. towards the repairs of the highways, and formation of a turnpike road.

From Attleborough we proceed on to WYMONDHAM. This is a market-town and parish in the hundred of Forehoe, 100 miles from London; it contains 95 houses and 494 inhabitants. This town is supposed to be of Roman origin; the name however is Saxon. It was given by William the Conqueror to William de Albini, chief butler to Henry the First, who founded a priory of Benedictines here,

cell

cell to the Abbey of St. Alban's. In 1448 the priory was erected into an abbey, the east part of the church of which was made parochial. The annual revenues

of this abbey at the dissolution were found to amount to 2111 16s. 6d. In the enquiry made into the morals of these ecclesiastics it appeared that the abbot was blameless, and all the monks, four excepted, who were convicted of incontinence. The east part of this venerable structure was at the dissolution converted into a parish church, and still remains, with the middle and west tower; the latter of which was built by the inhabitants, 1410. The choir, now ruined, was the burial-place of the Albinis.

This abbey was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. Thomas-a-Becket. The present churcin consists of a nave with aisles, a large western tower, and another at the intersection of the nave with the transepts. At the east end, on the south side of this church, are some fragments of walls. The north aiske, porch, and towers, are of much later style than the nave and south aisle. There is a large font, greatly ornamented, and elevated by steps. An handsome organ was given to the parish, in 1793, by Mrs. Anne Farmer, which cost eight hundred pounds. On the bridge is Westwade Chapel, belonging to an hermitage, which was a cell to Burton Lazars, now ruined.

The

Wymondham is a vicarage, in the patronage of the Bishop of Ely. Queen Elizabeth founded a Free School here in 1559. There is also a Parish Charity School, and a Bridewell, the keeper of which, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth had forty shillings annually, paid by the county treasurer, for his trouble. inhabitants enjoy their writ of privilege, as ancient demesne, from serving at assizes, sessions, &c. The men, women, and children are continually employed in the making of spiggots and fossets, spindles, spoons, and the like wooden wares; and all idle persons are sent to Bridewell.

The

The two Ketts who raised the dangerous insurrection in Norfolk, in the reign of King Edward the Sixth, were natives of this place, and were tanners. William Kett was hanged on the church steeple, 1549.

This town was set on fire by some incendiaries, June 11, 1615, when 300 houses were consumed; the loss sustained amounted to 40,000l. In 1631 it was visited by a dreadful pestilential disorder, which carried off a number of persons.

Wymondham gave birth to the famous and flourishing family of the Wyndhams or Windhams, which has ramified into several branches. Of this family is Henry Penruddock Wyndham, Esq. member of parliament for Salisbury, a gentleman of approved literary talents; the Windhams of Somersetshire and Glamorganshire; of Fellbrigge, Cromer, and Earsham in Norfolk. William de Wymundham was overseer of the silver mines in Devonshire, and held other offices in the Exchequer. Mr. Wymundham sent seven hundred pounds of silver to the Mint; he served high sheriff for the County, 1549. Sir William Wyndham, so celebrated for his Tory principles, was of this family; as is the present Right Hon. William Windam, of Fellbrigge, for some time secretary at war.

The chief manor of Wymondham was sold to Sir Harry Hobart, lord chief justice of the common pleas in the reign of James I. in which family it now remains. The market-day at Wymondham is on Friday; fairs, February 2, May, 6, and September 7. This is a post town, but there is no inn. Within three miles of the town is Wymondham Common. Within one mile, on the left, is the seat of R. Burrows, Esq.; Kimberly Hall, the seat of Lord Wodehouse, and the seat of - Darrel, Esq. Two miles on the right is Stanford Hall, the seat of Isaac Preston, Esq. From Wymondham, passing through Hatherset and Crayford, we cross the Yare river,

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and

and enter Easton, in the road to Norwich; at the entrance of which city, on the right, is a turnpike road to London, through Ipswich.

Four miles from Norwich, and 114 from London, is HORSHAM ST. FAITH, a parish in the hundred of Taverham; it contains 189 houses, and 883 inhabitants. Here was a priory of black monks, founded by Robert Walter, 1105. The foundation deed was confirmed by Pope Alexander the Third, 1165, and various donations were made to this monastery by different persons. In the time of King Richard the Second this priory was discharged from its subjection to the Abbey of Couches in France. At the dissolution it passed into the hands of Sir Richard Southwell and Edward Ellington, Esq. An Hospital of Knight Templars was also established here; and in the church yard was a cross which Helen Carter, in the year 1521, gave an acre of land for the repair of. This place is particularly noted for its large cattle fair, on October the 20th. Adjoining to this village is that of NEWTON ST. FAITH; about two miles on the right of which is a seat of R. Masham, Esq.

Passing through Havingham, we proceed through MARSHAM, which is a vicarage, in the hundred of Clackclose, two miles from whence is AYLSHAM. This is a respectable town, seated on the southern side of the river Bure, which is navigable hence to Yarmouth, for barges of thirteen tons burden. During the reigns of Edward the Second and Third, Aylsham was the chief town in this part of the kingdom, for the linen manufacture; but that branch of trade has long declined, and the inhabitants are chiefly employed in weaving; it contains 330 houses and 1,667 persons. The town was formerly governed by a bailiff, and had a weekly market on Saturday; but this has been changed to Tuesday, and the period for holding the two annual fairs have also been altered,

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The church consists of a nave, with two aisles, a chancel, a transept, and square tower, surmounted by a small spire. This edifice is said to have been erected by John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, the court of whose duchy was held at Aylsham. In the south window of the church is a painting on glass of the Salutation. The font has four bassorelievos, emblamatical of the evangelists, it has also armorial bearings. The Free School was founded 1507; the County Bridewell was built 1543. Aylsham is much visited in summer, on account of a vitriolic purgative spa of great efficacy. The inns at Aylsham are the Black Boy and Black Bull.

One mile and a quarter from Aylshain is BLICKLING, a parish in the hundred of South Erpingham, near the river Bure, containing 50 houses, and 594 inhabitants. Blickling Hall is an interesting antique mansion. When doomsday survey was made by order of the Conqueror, one part of this manor belonged to Beausoc, bishop of Thetford, and the other moity was possessed by the crown. The King settled the whole town and advowson on the see; and after this was fixed at Norwich, the bishops had a palace, with a park here. This manor was allowed the liberties of leet, namely assize of bread and ale, a gallows, tumbrill, or cucking-stool, and free-warren. The hall afterward became the property of the family of Dagworth; from them it passed to the family of the Boleyne's, and Henry the Eighth married the Lady Anne Boleyne, from this house. The present mansion was built by Sir John Hobart His great grandson John, was created Baron Hobart, and Earl of Buckinghamshire. The house is seated in a bottom, and nearly environed with large old trees.

Blickling is now very expensively fitted up, and contains many large rooms; the entrance from the court-yard is over a bridge of two arches, which crosses a moat. In the house are fine statues and

paintings.