in the vicinity of Staines church, and bears the date of 1280. It was repaired during the may oralty of Sir Watkin Lewes, in the year 1781, at which time it was placed on a new pedestal, but the ancient site was most scrupulously preserved.

Dr. Stukeley supposes a Roman road, which he terms the Via Trinebantica, to have passed through Staines; but we believe that not any relics of Roman antiquity have been found in the neighbourhood, to impart strength to the conjecture. According to the Saxon chronicle an army of Danes, after burning Oxford and perpetrating many other atrocities in the year 1009, passed the river Thames at this town, but in too much haste to commit any serious injury, as they were intent on avoiding an army which was marching from London to op pose them. The next period which furnishes materials for an historical notice of Staines, is that briefly subsequent to the Norman conquest. In the Survey made by order of William the first, the circumstances of property in this place are described in the following manner: "The abbot of St. Peter holds Stanes for nineteen hides. There is land to twenty-four ploughs. Eleven hides belong to the demesne, and there are thirteen ploughs therein. The villanes have eleven ploughs. There are three villanes of half a hide each; and four villanes of one hide; and eight villanes of half a virgate each; and thirty-six bordars of three hides; and one villane of one vir gate; and four bordars of forty acres; and ten bordars of five acres each; and five cottagers of four acres each; and eight bordars of one virgate; and three cottagers of nine acres ; and twelve bondmen; and forty-six burgesses who pay forty shillings a year. There are six mills of sixty-four shillings; and one wear (guort) of six shillings and eight pence, and one wear which pays nothing. Pasture for the cattle of the vil lage. Meadow for twenty-four ploughs, and twenty shillings over and above. Pannage for thirty hogs; and two arpents of vineyard. Four berewicks belong to this manor, and they be longed to it in King Edward's time. Its whole value is thirty

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five

five pounds; the same when received; in King Edward's time forty pounds. This manor laid and lies in the demesne of the church of St. Peter."

Speed, in his Catalogue of Religious Houses, and Weever, in his Funeral Monuments, assert that there was in this place a priory, founded by Ralph, Lord Stafford; but Newcourt shews that the priory of Stanes alluded to by these writers was really situated at Stone, in Staffordshire; which place, like all others of a similar denomination, was termed Stane in ancient records. Until the reign of Henry III. it appears that the whole tract of country between Staines and Hounslow, on the southern side, was subject to forest-laws, and was termed the Forest, or Warren of Staines. This district was disforested and diswarrened in the year 1227.

*

The Parish Church is distant more than one quarter of a mile from the town, on the north-west.* This is a building of various ages, the whole being in the Gothic or pointed style. Some of the windows evince considerable antiquity, among which is one of the lancet kind, situated in the chancel. A part of the nave has been rebuilt, and the great east window is modernised, and disfigured with wooden frame work. At the west end is a square brick tower, on the south side of which is an inscription, stating that this portion of the structure was raised after a design of Inigo Jones, in the year 1631. But it may be remarked that the stone bearing this inscription was put up so lately as 1791.

The interior comprises a chancel, nave, and north aisle, divided by pointed arches. In the north aisle is the monument of Henry Barham, Esq. (1746) and Elizabeth his widow, (1756).

The situation of the church would appear to denote the site of the more ancient town of Staines; in support of which conjecture it may be ob served that the boundary-stone, which is supposed to give a name to the town, stands near that building.

+ In the Anecdotes of Painting, p. 275, Inigo Jones is said to have resided for some time at Staines; but it does not appear that any notice of his residence is preserved in the parish books,

(1756). This monument is formed of a sarcophagus of black marble, placed in front of a marble pyramid, together with medallions of the deceased. On the north wall are the remains of two brackets.

In a small apartment under the staircase leading to the gallery at the west end of the church, is presented the singular and undesirable spectacle of two unburied coffins, containing human bodies. The coffins are covered with crimson velvet, and are otherwise richly embellished. They are placed beside each other on trestles, and bear respectively the following inscriptions:

Jessie Aspasia,

The Most Excellent And Truly Beloved Wife of

Fred. W. Campbell, Esq.

of Barbreck, N. B.
and of Woodlands in Surry.

Died in her 28th year,
July 11th, 1812.

Henry
E. A. Caulfield,

Esq.
Died Sept. 8th

1808.

Aged 29 years.

As it was necessarily supposed that coffins thus open to inspection would excite much curiosity, a card is preserved at the Sexton's house, which states, in addition to the intelligence conveyed by the above inscriptions, that the deceased lady was daughter of W. T. Caulfield, Esq. of Rahanduff in Ireland, by Jessie, daughter of James, third Lord Ruthven; and that she bore, with tranquil and exemplary patience, a fatal disorder produced by grief on the death of her brother.

The