By the Rev. Edward Peacock. 87 



of very ancient tyme an"old Maner Place wher Brook Hale now is, 

 and parte of it yet appearethj but the new Byldinge that is there is 

 of the Lord Steward unto Kynge Henry the VII. The windows 

 be full of Rudders. Peradventure it was his badge or token of the 

 Admiraltye. There is a fayre park, but no large thynge. In it be 

 a great Nomber of very fayre and fine greynyd Okes apt to sele 

 houses." 



Leland again mentions Brook in a journey from Trowbridge to 

 Frome. " From Broke on to Frome Celwood in Somersetshire, a 4 

 mile." He also says, " The Broke that rennithe by Broke is prop- 

 arly called Bisse, and riseth at a place called Bis-mouth, a 2 mile 

 above Broke village, a hamlet longynge to Westbury Paroche. 

 Thens it cummithe onto Broke village ; and so a myle lower onto 

 Broke Hawle, levinge it hard on the right ripe." 



Whilst on the subject of the brook that runs past Brook House, 

 I may mention that Mr. William Francis, the tenant of Cutteridge, 

 told me, that, in cleaning out a part of the brook, he found the 

 remains of a horse, and as the stirrup irons were found as well as the 

 horse^s shoes, it would seem that the horse was either drowned in an 

 attempt to ford the brook during a flood, or having been killed in some 

 skirmish, was tumbled into the water and there left. I have seen 

 the stirrups and shoes, which are undoubtedly of some age : and on 

 wishing to have a second examination of them a short time since, I 

 was told that they were now in the possession of Mr. Broad, the 

 veterinary surgeon, of Bath — ^he having begged them of Mr. 

 Francis. 



Aubrey also mentions this old manor-Kouse. " Brook House,'^ he 

 says, " is a very great and stately old house. In the Hall which is 

 great and open, with very old windows, remain only the Cote of 

 Pavely. In the Canopie Chamber, in the windows, Stafford— 

 Maltravers — Cheyne — Willoughby, impaling many others. In 

 dining room, Willoughby quartering Beke. France and England : 

 John Lord Neville — Willoughby — Beke, and Latimer. In the 

 parlour: the sun in full glory, with an eye in tears (a crest of Blount), 

 Charles Blount Lord Mountjoy — Willoughby quartering Beke. In 

 the Chapel, Robert Willoughby, K.G., Hen. VIL, within the garter 



