tinued in this See twenty-five years, during which time he “ encompassed the cloisters with a stone wall, and bestowed a rich shrine upon St. Chad, which cost him 2000l. He also ditched and walled that enclosure about the cathedral called the Close; erected two stately gates at the west and south sides of it; and joined it to the city by the bridges that he built there in 1310. He also built a new palace at the east end of the close at Lichfield, and repaired his castle at Eccleshall, his palace by the Strand in London, and his manor-house of Shutborough, in the county of Stafford. He died Nov. 16, 1321, and was buried in the chapel of St. Mary, á stately and costly building of his own erecting*.”

THOMAS STAVELEY, author of the "Romish Horseleech,” was born at East Langton in 1626, and after completing his college education at Cambridge, was admitted of the Inner Temple in July, 1647. He did not publish any other work, but left some MS collections, among which was "a History of Churches," which was published in 1712, and again with "Inprovements” in 1773. Mr. Staveley also made some collections for the Borough of Leicester, which have been used by Mr. Ni chols; who has also published portraits of Mr. Staveley and his wife in his History of Leicestershire, Vol. II.

LUBBENHAM, in ancient writings called Lobenho, a considerable villagé, is two miles west of Market Harborough, on the northern bank of the river Welland, which here divides the county from that of Northampton. The parish contains more than 3000 acres of land, the whole of which is inclosed, and mostly kept in pasture. In this parish are found some of the fossils called Astroites, or vulgarly Peter stones. On the bank of the Welland, near the village, are the trenches of an encamps meht, which Mr. Reynolds pronounces to be evidently Roman.

The hills which command it on the north and north-east,” observes this gentleman, "made me suppose that such expert soldiers would have chosen a situation not so exposed. But these hills,

Nichols's History of Leicestershire, Vol. II. p. 674.

hills, probably at that time covered with woods, formed a very necessary barrier against the east and north winds, an advantage not to be neglected in their winter habitations. The small river Welland lies at some little distance, and it is probable was originally turned through the south ditch of their camp; but in the highest flood, it never interferes with the area of the camp. The lines of the ramparts are very visible on all sides; but the ditches are nearly obliterated, except to the south. The area of the camp contains about eight acres." Near this is a mount, 'which Mr. R. calls a tumulus, and the manor-house is inclosed within the entrenchment. It may be remarked, that old manor houses frequently occupy the sites of, or are immediately contigu ous to, encampments.

About one mile from Lubbenham, is an old house called PAPILLON HALL, from the name of the person who built it. It now belongs to Charles Bosworth, Esq. The shape of this building is octangular, and it had formerly only one entrance: The rooms were so disposed, that each communicated with the next, and thus every apartment formed a sort of passage room to the others. A moat originally surrounded this odd building, but it has been filled up. The family of Papillon was settled in Leicestershire at an early period; and David Papillon* obtained a licence+ from Archbishop Abbot, in May, 1623, for himself and

* He was author of a work entitled, “A practical abstract of the Arts of Fortification and Assailing; containing four different methods of fortification, with approved rules to set out in the field, all manner of superfices, intrenchments," &c. 1645. He also published a volume, entitled, "The Vanity of the Lives and Passions of Men," 1651.

+ It appears from this circumstance, that a person in former times had not the free choice of attending any other church, but that of his own parish. Should he feel inclined to frequent another, an express licence from the primate of his diocess was necessary, as exemplified in the above instance ; and in the History of Lambeth Palace and Parish, is a reference to a licence granted by Archbishop Parker, to his son John Parker, who, with his family, were enjoined to appear in the parish church on two Sundays or

festivals

and family to frequent the church of Marston, in the county of Northampton, as being nearer and more convenient for them than the parish church of Lubbenham, which was above a mile from his house; in this licence is a proviso, that he and his family should at least once in the year (at Easter) go to the church of Lubbenham, to hear prayers and preaching, and receive the sacrament.

MEDBOURN, a pleasant village near the S. E. angle of the county, is six miles N. E. of Harborough, and consists of 102, houses, with 461 inhabitants. The village is situated at the western base of a large and lofty hill, and the lordship consists of about 1800 acres, mostly in open field.

Mr. Burton states, that Medbourn has "doubtless been a Roman station, as a great number of coins and medals have been found here." In the year 1721, a tesselated pavement was discovered at this village. It was again opened in 1793, and found to be about three feet and a half beneath the surface. The floor consisted of small square stones, of about three quarters of an inch over; most of these were coloured red, black, &c. but the pavement does not appear to have been ornamented with any figures. In a field N. W. of the village, are the remains of entrenchments, with foundations, &c. covering a plot of ground. of about half a mile square. "Tradition says, that in this field once stood a cíty called Midenborough, or Medenborough, which was destroyed by fire; and there appears some degree of proba bility in the name, from the situation and the present town now retaining the former, part of the traditional name. The undisturbed part of the Roman Road is lofty and visible for four or five hundred yards; and when it joins Slauston lordship, it is called Port-Hill; a very strong evidence in favour of a station and Roman road being

festivals every year. This Parker was allowed the privilege of an Oratory, either in his house at Lambeth, or at Nunney Castle in Somersetshire; or in any house which he might for a time inhabit: a similar licence, dated 1455, is mentioned in the same work, granted to the host of the Checker-Inn, in Lambeth, by the Bishop of Winchester.

being here. In this field were three barrows, or tumuli*,” but none of these are perfect. Numerous coins, pieces of pottery, bones, &c. and a small mill-stone, have been discovered here. Some of the coins are represented by engravings in the history of Leicestershire.

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‹‹ At ́ HOLT, a hamlet attached to Medbourn, a mineral spring was discovered in 1728; and Dr. Short published a pamphlet in 1742, descriptive of the "contents, virtues, and uses of NevilHolt spaw-water; with some histories of its signal effects in various diseases," &c. This was reprinted with additions, &c. in 1749. In the church at Holt; are some monuments to the family of Nevill; a descendant of whom, Cosmas Nevill, Esq. F. S. A. has a large handsome house here,

The village of NORTON, anciently called King's Norton, seven and half miles distant from Leicester, has a remarkably handsome small modern church, which was built by the late William Fortrey, Esq. who died, seized of the lordship of Norton, in the year 1783; The church consists of only a nave, at the west end of which is a steeple. The whole building is uniform in style, and has seven pointed arched windows on each, side, with three at the east end.. These are all divided into four lights each, by a perpendicular and a horizontal mullion, over which is a quaterfoil opening. The parapet has two rows of perforated stones, and the summit is ornamented with sixteen crocketed pinnacles. The inside of this sacred structure is fitted up with two rows of pews (in the manner of collegiate chapels) made of fine English oak.

1

The church of King's Norton was given to the abbot and convent of Quston, by Robert Grimbald, and confirmed to them by King Henry the Second, and again by King Richard the First. Some disputes arose between the rector and the abbot, at three or four different times; and the Pope appointed delegates to settle these differences.

NOSELEY,

* Nichols's History of Leicestershire, Vol. II. p. 117.

NOSELEY, in some old writings written Noveslie, Noustee, and Gnousale, is a village, about seven miles north from Market Harborough. Here is an old manor house, called NoseleyHall, which belongs to the Hesilrige family; and was much enlarged and nearly rebuilt by Sir Arthur Hesilrige, Bart. whe was an admirer of the fine Arts, and passed a considerable time in Rome and other parts of Italy; whence he brought home many pictures and antiques. Among these are the following: A large portrait of Peter the Great, painted when he was in England in 1698. A portrait of the late Sir Arthur Hesilrige, in the Green parlour, where are some other pictures painted by Francisco Trevisani, at Rome, in 1723. A full length of Buffardin, who was musician to the King of Poland, with two listening females. Portraits of Albano, Rembrandt, Pietro de Testa, Raffael, Michael Angelo, and Titian. Large portraits of George Villiers, first duke of Buckingham; and of Henry Rich, first Earl of Høiland. In the dining room are six views of different subjects in and near Rome. Full length of Caianus, a Swede, æt. 27, painted by E. Seaman; he was seven feet ten inches high, and was shewn at the king's theatre in London, in 1734. Two small portraits of King Charles the First and his Queen: a whole length portrait of Oliver Cromwell in armour. His head is uncovered, and an attendant at his side is tying his sash. Besides these, here are a great number of portraits, landscapes, and other pictures. Part of the house is now occupied by a farmer; but the principal rooms are fast hastening to decay.

The church at Noseley, with the tithes and the churches of Carleton, Glenfield, and Balgrave, aud two virgates of land, were given by Hugo de Grentesmainell to the abbey and convent of St. Ebrulph. Leland says, at Noseley "is a collegiate paroch chirch, of three priests, two clerkes, and four choristers. Noseley longeth to the Blaketes; and an heir general of them, aboute Edward the Third tyme, was maried to one Roger Mortevalle, that foundid the litle college of Noseley. This Noseley and

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