ham. Edward III. granted the manor of Datchet, in 1335, to William de Montacute. It afterwards became parcel of the possessions of the castle and honor of Windsor. It is now the property of the Duchess of Buccleugh.

The bridge over the Thames, at Datchet, originally built by Queen Anne, fell down in the year 1795, and has not since been rebuilt.

In the parish Church is the monument of Catherine, wife of Sir Maurice Berkely, daughter of Lord Montjoy; that of Christopher Barker, printer to Queen Elizabeth, who died in 1607; and several of the family of Wheeler.

A short distance from the village is DITTON PARK, an ancient and venerable mansion, built by Sir Ralph Winwood, secretary of state to King James I. It afterwards fell to the noble family of Montague; and on the decease of the late duke, this house, and the manor of Datchet, came to her grace the Duchess of Manchester, the eldest daughter of that noble family.

The seat is built in the form of a castle, in the centre of a pleasant park, well planted with timber, and is encompassed by a large moat. The apartments are spacious and finely painted; and in the picture-gallery is a good collection of paintings, inany of which are the performances of the most capital masters.

Of late years Ditton has been the seat of Earl Beaulieu, who died in 1803. He possessed it in -right of his lady, the Duchess dowager of Manchester, daughter and sole heir of John, Duke of Montague. It is, by bequest, the property of the Duchess of Buccleugh: the reversion is vested in her second son Lord Montague.

In the parochial chapel of LANGLEY, about two miles and a half south-west before we reach Colnbrook, there is a small library of books, chiefly upon divinity, which was left for public use by Sir John Kedderminster,

Kedderminster, with the express injunction that no book should at any time be taken out of it.

There are two alms-houses in this parish. One of them founded by Sir John Kedderminster for six poor persons, each of whom receives a weekly allowance of 2s. 6d. The other was founded by Henry Spencer, Esq. for two poor men and two women. His nephew Captain Henry Seymour, in 1733, bequeathed the sum of 2001 to purchase lands for the better support of this alms-house. Its inhabitants now receive 2s. 6d. a week each.

COLNEBROOK is a small town of considerable antiquity, situated on the Bath road, partly in the parish of Langley, and partly in the parish of Horton. It derives its name from the small river Coln, upon several channels of which the town is built, and over each of which there is a small bridge. According to Camden this place is the Pontes of the itinenerary of Antoninus.

The Danes, after their defeat at Farnham, fled across the Thames, without any ford, and thence up by Colne, to a certain island, where Alfred besieged them as long as his provisions lasted. Bishop Gibson supposed this to mean the river Colne in Es

sex.

The town obtained a charter of incorporation in the year 1543, by the style of bailiff and burgessess : and at the same time a market to be held on Tuesdays, and two fairs. This charter was renewed in 1632. The market has been discontinued for some years, and there are now only two fairs, held on the 5th of April and the 3d of May,

The ancient chantry chapel at Colnbrook, which formerly stood in a narrow part of the town, has been lately removed by the commissioners of the turnpike roads, and rebuilt on the opposite side of the road in the parish of Horton.

The principal business of the town arises from its thoroughfare

thoroughfare situation, and the consequent influx of strangers.

According to the returns made under the population act in 1801, the parish of Langley, then contained 241 houses, and 1215 inhabitants.

The village of IVER, about three miles from Colnbrook, was formerly a market town; a market having been granted to Lord Neville, owner of the manor, in 1351, and confirmed in 1461 to the dean and chapter of Windsor, together with two fairs.

Ever or Iver takes its name from Roger de Iveri, who came over with the Conqueror, and had this estate among others given to him. Richard I. in the fourteenth year of his reign gave it to Robert, and King John confirmed it to his son John de Iver.

In this parish is RICHING'S LODGE, the seat of the Right Honourable John Sullivan, M. P. It was formerly the residence of the amiable and accomplished Countess of Hertford, (afterwards Duchess of Somerset) who changed its name to Percy Lodge. In one of her letters, lately published, she observes that on the spot where her green-house stood, was formerly a chapel dedicated to St. Leonard.

In Iver Church is a monument to the memory of Sir George and Sir Edward Salter, successively carvers to King Charles I. with the effigies of Mary, Lady Salter (wife of Sir George) rising from her coffin in a shroud. There is also a monument in memory of John King, who was killed by his kinsman Roger Parkinson, who, in a drunken fit, struck a shoemaker's awl into his forehead.

A Free School was founded at Iver about the middle of the last century, by Robert Bowyer, who endowed it with a sum of money, which at present, produces an income of about 211. per an

num.

The parish of Iver is stated in the act of parlia

ment

ment for its inclosure, to contain 2462 acres : this act was passed in 1800.

In the parish Church of WYRARDISBURY, about three miles to the south of Colnbrook, are some monuments of the Harcourt family, and of Thomas Wright, Esq. and Thomas Gill, Esq. aldermen of London, partners in a very extensive business as stationers, who died within a fortnight of each other, in the year 1798.

At ANKERWYKE, in this parish, there was a nunnery erected in the time of Henry II. by Sir Gilbert de Montfichet knight, and Richard his son for religious of the order of St. Benedict. There were

five nuns in this place at the Dissolution, and their revenue was 1321. Os. 2d. per annum.

In 1550 Ankerwyke Priory, and the estates belonging to it, was given by King Edward VI. to Sir Thomas Smith, the celebrated statesman. The priory was for many years afterwards the seat of the Salter family. There are at present no remains of the conventual buildings, which are described as wholly ruinous in the report of the commissioners in the reign of Henry VIII. Soon after the Dissolution a mansion was built on the site, the hall of which still remains.

Near the house is a remarkably large yew tree which, at six feet from the ground, measures 30 feet five inches in girth.

Nobility of the County, and Places which have given title to any branch of the Peerage.

The county of Buckingham first gave the title of duke to John Sheffield, Marquis of Normanby, who was advanced to that dignity in the year 1703. The title became extinct upon the death of his grace's son Edmund, who died unmarried in 1736. In 1746 John Lord Hobart was created Earl of Buckinghamshire, which title is now enjoyed by his grandson.

The first earl of Buckingham was Walter, surna

med

med Gifford, son of Osborn de Bolebec, He was succeeded by his son, who dying in 1164 without issue the title became extinct. In the reign of Henry II. the famous Richard Strongbow, earl of Pembroke, descended from the sister and heiress of the second Walter Gifford, assumed this title in some deeds. After this it lay dormant a long time, till in 1377, Richard II. created his uncle Thomas of Woodstock, sixth son of Edward III. Earl of Buckingham. He was succeeded by his son Henry Plantagenet, who died without male issue. His daughter marrying Edmund, Earl of Stafford, had Humphrey earl of Stafford created duke of Buckingham, by Henry VI. in whose cause he lost his life at Northampton; upon the attainder of Edward Stafford, duke of Buckingham, in 1521, this title became extinct. In 1617, George Villiers, Baron Whadden, and Viscount Villiers was created Earl and Marquis of Buckingham; and the year following his mother was created Countess of Buckingham for life. In 1622, the marquis was advanced to the title of Duke of Buckingham, which became extinct by the death of his son, and has not been since revived. In 1704 Earl Temple was created Marquis of Buckingham, and still enjoys the title.

The town of Aylesbury gave the title of earl to Robert Bruce in 1663. It became extinct in 1747, but was revived in 1776 in the family of Brudenell.

Sir Edward Henry Lee was created Viscount Quarendon in this county; and Earl of Litchfield in the year 1674, both which titles are extinct.

Robert Lord Dormer was created Viscount Ascot (a hamlet of Wring in this county), in 1628, and Earl of Caernarvon, both which titles are now extinct. The village of Haversham gave the title of Baron, to Sir John Thompson, in 1696, now extinct.

Thomas Lord Wharton was created Viscount Winchendon in this county, and Earl of Wharton