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•Italy enclosed in a box, and were, after the demolition of the castle, long in the 

 possession of the Reede's, and afterwards of Mr. Sheldon, of Abberton, in Wor- 

 cestershire. Another tradition is, that a raven, presumed to be an infernal spirit, 

 sits over the moat to guard a chest of money, buried within the island whereon 

 the castle stands, which treasure must remain there until discovered by the right- 

 ful owner, but that even he cannot attain it unless he possesses the bones of the 

 old Baron. About the year 1840 the moat was partly cleaned out by the late 

 Mr. Watson, of Bronsil. I was told by Thomas Gale, of Ledbury, stonemason, 

 who helped at the work, that some weapons, and many other things were found, 

 particularly buckles of great size, oddly shaped spoons, &c. In the bottom of 

 the moat were many large, rounded stones. This I can readily believe, as the 

 trap bosses in close contiguity to the castle afford a multitude of "greenstones" 

 of various sizes, from grape-shot upwards— some intensely hard— and it is 

 quite probable when the moat was first excavated a trap dyke was cut into. He 

 also said there was a dungeon within the ruins, but he did not go down into it. 

 Prior to the reign of Her piesent Majesty might be seen in some of the cottages 

 small cannon balls picked up in the neighbourhood, which the people called 

 " Oliver's Pills." Castle Ditch was taken in 1644 by a small body of Roundheads, 

 under a younger son of Sir Richard Hopton, after some firing and a brief show of 

 resistance by Mr. Thomas Cocks, and it is probable these missiles were employed 

 at that period. The Rev. Edward Higgins was told by the late Earl Somers 

 that many leaden bullets were found imbedded in the old oak doors of the 

 ancient mansion, which was taken down when Eastnor Castle was built, towards 

 the end of the first decade of the present century. Hopton's triumph over his 

 neighbour was of very short duration, for after a few days jjossession, a party 

 from Hereford invested the house, to whom, in less than four and twenty hours, 

 he was obliged to surrender, and, with 40 foot and 20 horse, was carried prisoner 

 to that city, before Massey could send aid from Gloucester. Doubtless field pieces 

 were used on this occasion. 



The following entries relating to the Reedes of Bronsil, occur in the parish 

 register of Eastnor : — 



1596, December 20. — Gabriel, sonne of Richard Reede, was baptised. 



1603, November 20. — Milboro, daughter of Willm. Reede, was baptised. 



1611, December 8.— Margt., daughter of Willm. and Sybill Reede, was 

 baptised. 



1613, December 4. — Gabriell Reede, Esq., buried. 



1614, January 27. — Milboro, wife of Gabriel Reede, buried. 



1614, February 19. — Richard, sonne of William and Sybill Reede, baptised. 

 1024, July 17. — Sybilla, wife of William Reede, died, and was buried at 



Much Cowarne. 

 1634, December 11. — William Reede died, and was buried at Lugwardine. 



