wich. The sum of 5001. and upwards is yearly given ont of the house in temporary relief to families disabled by sickness or other distresses; besides which more than half that sum is expended in clothing children not in the house to fit them for services and apprenticeships, and in rewards to encourage indus

try.

There is a weekly market at Dereham, very plentifully supplied with fowls, butcher's meat, butter, fruit, and vegetables of all sorts, and it is the largest pig market in the county. The market-day is on Friday. There are two fairs in the year, on Thursday and Friday before Old Midsummer, and on the Thursday and Friday se'nnight before Old Michaelmas. For upwards of 30 years past there has been a justice-sitting constantly held at the George Inn on every Friday, which has been attended with the most beneficial consequences.

In this town was formerly a considerable business carried on in the worsted-weaving branch, which has lately much declined. The air of East Dereham is esteemed peculiarly fine, and many persons of independence and opulence have retired from the metropolis and its vicinity, to inhale its salubrious breezes. The London post comes in every day of the week, except Monday, and returns every day except Saturday.

Two miles from East Dereham, parted by a small rivulet, is the village of SCARNING, which at one time was so celebrated for its fruitfulness and plenty, as to be called, "The Land of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey." It was then inhabited by a generous and hospitable yeomanry, who lived on their own landed estates, which consisted chiefly of rich pasture land, the greatest part of which has since been converted into arable. The Free School of Scarning is well endowed, and was much improved recently by the Rev. St. John Priest. This

parish is in the hundred of Launditch, and contains 56 houses, and 439 inhabitants.

Passing through Vendling and Fransham, a mile beyond which on the right is Durham Hall, the seat of Robert Dener, Esq. and a mile and a half further on the left is the seat of William Mason, Esq. we arrive at SWAFFHAM, a market town, and parish in the hundred of South Greenhoe, 34 miles from Newmarket, and 93 from London; it contains 441 houses, and 2,220 inhabitants. It is a very neat town, stands in a fine open country, on a gravelly soil, and is peculiarly beautifully situated. The air is esteemed very salubrious; several instances of great longevity have occured here. The town is extensive, and the houses are distributed over a considerable space of ground. Near the centre is a large open area, in which is a pool of water. The market hill is very spacious, and a handsome cross has been erected on it by Lord Orford; and on the west side of the hill a Subscription Assembly Room has been recently built.

Camden says that Swaffham was once the estate of the Earl of Richmond. The church is a handsome building, in the form of a cathedral; it was begun about the end of the reign of Edward the Fourth, but was not finished until the reign of Henry the Seventh; it has a nave, north and south aisles, chancel, and two transept chapels, making it in the form of a cross. In the windows are some remains of stained glass; the tower steeple is particularly light, well proportioned, and elegant, surrounded with a neat turret erected in 1777. The whole is covered with lead, and built with free-stone, flint, and brick. The upper part of the nave is coped and embattled, in which there is a clock and eight bells. Above the water table, and under the battlements, are two shields, in one of which are the cross keys, and in the other two swords across, the emblems of St. Peter and St. Paul, to whom the church is dedi

cated.

cated. The tower was begun in 1507, and finished in 1510: over the doors are several niches for images. The vault of the church and the side aisles are supported by fine slender pillars, consisting each of four small pilasters joined together, forming 14 handsome arches, seven on each side, over which there are 28 neat light windows. The roof is inimitably beautiful, of oak neatly wrought and carved. The north aisle and steeple are said to have been built by John Chapman, a travelling tinker; but Mr. Gough, in his additions to Camden, views the story of Chapman being a pedlar as a vulgar tradition; but there is little doubt of this story being founded in truth, as there originally was in each window of the aisle painting of the tinker, his wife, and three children. In this aisle a large and lofty gallery is erected for the singers; the ascent is by a stone staircase in the adjoining wall. The arches of the chancel and west end are grand and spacious, rising almost to the summit of the roof of the church. The roof of the chancel is of oak, supported by angels.

In the church is an altar-tomb with an effigy of Dr. John Botewright, chaplain to King Henry the Sixth, and master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Some of the pews are curiously carved, and in the library is preserved a fine missal. The rectory of this church is a sinecure; the patronage of the vicarage is in the Bishop of Norwich.

The tale of Chapman the pedlar or tinker is, that "He dreamed of going to London, to hear good news, and there accidentally met with a stranger, who told him where he should find a pot of gold in his own yard; which upon digging he found, and became a great benefactor to the church."

There is a Quaker's meeting-house at Swaffham. The market on Saturday is well supplied, and the great butter mart has lately been removed from Dereham to this place. The fairs are kept on May 13, F

Jaly

July 21, and November 3. Here is a bank and a regular post; the inns are, the Crown and the White Hart. This town was formerly famous for its manufactory of spurs.

Near Swaffham is an extensive heath, which forms. an admirable race ground. The races are annually held about the end of September; coursing matches are frequent here, and the greyhounds are regularly entered for the purpose. At Swaffham on the

left is a turnpike road to Downham.

Proceeding on, we continue our course to NARBOROUGH, which is five miles distant from Swaffham, and 96 from London, and in the hundred of South Greedhoe. This township contains 19 houses and 268 persons. This small village is situated on the river Nar. Sir Henry Spelman says, that it was a British city in the time of Uther Pendragon. From various works in its vicinity it is supposed to have been a Roman station.

On the right of Narborough is Narford Hall, the seat of Brigg Fountaine, Esq. It was erected by Sir Andrew Fountaine, the friend of Pope. Mr. Britton has enumerated the fine collection of paintings which this house contains. On the right also is Narborough Hall, the seat of the late Samuel Tyssen, Esq.

Passing through Bilney and East Wynch we observe MIDDLETON; this is a parish in the hundred of Freebridge Lynu, two miles from Lynn, and 94 from London. It contains 51 houses, and 467 inhabitants. This was anciently the seat of the noble family of Scales, whose gate-house, built in the reign of Henry the Sixth, yet remains. This family founded Blackborough Priory. Roger de Scales and Maud his wife, in the reign of Henry the Second, built and dedicated this priory to the Virgin Mary and St. Catherine, in which there were religious of both sexes; but Robert, son of the said Roger de Scales, settled this house upon the nuns of the order

of

of St. Benedict, who were ten in number, and continued till the general suppression. At Hardwick turnpike gate, on the left, is a turnpike road to Brandon and Downbain.

LYNN REGIS,

Is a sea-port, borough, and market town, in the hundred of Freebridge Lynn, eleven miles from Downham, and 96 and a half from London. It stands on the right bank of the Ouse, near its mouth, about eight miles from the sea. Camden supposes this ancient port and town to have been a British settlement. Sir Henry Spelman observes, that its ancient appellation was "Lynn Episcopi: Bishop's Lynn." As early as the reign of WilJiam the Conqueror, Lynn was a place of consequence and commerce, and enjoyed the privilege of certain duties and customs, payable on the arrival of any goods by sea or land. King Henry the First granted liberty for a fair to be held at Lynn. During the civil wars between the unfortunate King John and the barons, this town eminently distinguished itself by its unshaken fidelity to that monarch.

In 1204, King John having chastised the revolting barons of Norfolk, halted with his army at this place. The kind and affectionate attention of the inhabitants excited him to grant a eharter, constituting it to be a free borough for ever; his majesty also presented the corporation with an elegant double gilt embossed and enamelled silver cup and cover, weighing seventy-three ounces, and holding about a pint; this cup is still in a high state of preservation, and used by the corporation on all public occasions, in drinking the health of the King and Queen, and whoever goes to visit the mayor is requested to drink out of this cup; the king likewise gave them from his own side, a large sword with a silver mounting, to be carried before the mayor. Spelman and Bishop Gibson assert that it was actually the gift of

F 2

King