470 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 133. 



ANCIENT TIMBER TOWN-HAIXS. 



(Vol. v., pp. 257. 295.) 



Me. Parker makes some inquiries relative to 

 the ancient town-halls of our country towns ; and 

 should the following particulars of some still in 

 existence be of service, I shall feel a pleasure in 

 having been the means of gratifying his curiosity. 



The town-hall in the city of Hereford is a timber 

 structure built upon twenty-seven pillars, and was 

 originally a very handsome building, but was many 

 years since denuded of its upper story, in which 

 the fourteen different trading companies of the 

 city transacted their business. It was erected by 

 the celebrated John Abel, in the reign of James I. 

 Prior to the erection of the present county hall, 

 the assizes were held in this building. 



The town-hall at Leominster, or Butter-cross as 

 it is frequently called by the inhabitants, was 

 erected in the year 1633, by the above-named ar- 

 chitect ; it stands upon twelve oak pillars, and was 

 originally ornamented with a variety of curious 

 carvings, and the shields of arms of those who 

 contributed towards the expense of its erection, 

 but which have long since vanished. Around the 

 building, just above the pillars, was inscribed the 

 following sentences, but portions of which only 

 now remain. On the south side : 



" Vive Deo gratus, toti mundo tumulatus, crimlne 

 mundatus, semper transire paratus." 

 On the east side : 



" Where justice reigns, there virtue flows. Sat clto, 

 si sat bene vive ut post vivas. As columns do support 

 the fabric of a building, so noble gentry do subprop 

 the honour of a state." 

 On the north side : 



" In memoria asterna erit Justus, 1 663." 

 ^ In the year 1793, this hall underwent very con- 

 siderable repairs, more properly called spoliation, 

 by taking down the gables, and with them the cu- 

 rious carvings, shields of arms, &c., which must 

 have greatly destroyed its picturesque effect. It 

 contains a clock, and Is surmounted by a cupola, in 

 which is a bell, whereon the hours strike. 



The town-halls of Brecon, Kington*, and 

 Weobly, and probably others of which at present 

 I can give no particulars, were built by the same 

 person. Mr. Abel being in Hereford when that 

 city was besieged in 1645, was of great service by 

 constructing mills to grind corn for the use of the 

 inhabitants and soldiers confined therein, for which 

 Charles I. afterwards conferred upon him the title 

 of one of his majesty's carpenters. 



In Sarnesfield churchyard, in the county of 

 Hereford, is a monument consisting of the effigies 



* This hall had similar inscriptions to those of 

 Leominster. 



of himself and his two wives, with the emblems of 

 his profession, executed by his own hands after he 

 reached the patriarchal age of ninety years ; it has 

 the following inscription, being his own compo- 

 sition : 



" This craggy stone a covering Is for an archltector's 

 bed, 

 That lofty buildings raised high, yet now lyes low his 



head: 

 His line and rUle, so death concludes, are locked up 



in store, 



Build they who list, or they who wist, for he can 



build no more. 



His house of clay could hold no longer. 



May heaven's joy frame him a stronger. 



John Abel. 



Vive ut vivas in vitam seternam." 



I believe Sarnesfield was his native place ; he 

 died there in 1694, having attained the great age 

 of ninety-seven years. J. B. Whitbobne. 



Leamington. 



In my reply to a Query upon the interesting 

 subject introduced by Me. J. H. Parker, I felt 

 anxious to direct his attention to other peculiar 

 characters appertaining to the ancient town of 

 Wokingham, besides those marks by which it in 

 some degree approximates to his general descrip- 

 tion of the English towns in France. In reply to 

 Mr. Parker's inquiry respecting the mediaeval 

 town-halls, and other public halls of that period 

 remaining in England (Vol. v., p. 295.), I have 

 much pleasure in forwarding the following ac- 

 count of the Town-hall of Leicester, which for- 

 merly belonged to the Guild of Corpus ChristI, in 

 the church of St. Martin. It was built In the 

 reign of Elizabeth, and was first opened by a ban- 

 quet, given by George Norris, the mayor, to cele- 

 brate the victory over the Spanish Armada. This 

 anniversary was continued until within the me- 

 mory of some of the burgesses now living, and 

 was called the " Venison Feast." The hall is a 

 low-roofed timber building, lighted by plain lat- 

 ticed windows, and was enlarged, by the addition 

 of the Mayor s parlour, in 1636. The great hall, 

 or court, is fitted with appropriate seats of state 

 for the mayor and aldermen, and with galleries 

 for spectators of municipal ceremonies ; and its 

 walls were formerly enriched with many valuable 

 paintings. The adjoining parlour Is remarkable 

 for the quaint character of its decorations ; it is, 

 like the great hall, provided with state seats or 

 benches, and has a long range of low windows, 

 containing stained glass Illustrative of religious 

 subjects, and emblems of the seasons. The Town- 

 library is a storied building, containing a large 

 hall, founded by the Corporation in 1632, and 

 possessing at present about 1000 volumes, chiefly 

 of old divinity, together with a few miscellaneous 

 books, and a MS. of the Greek Testament written 



