F President’s Address. 293 
—of which I confess I don’t know the meaning—and “ burg,” which 
signifies a hill. Trowbridge in the days of the Normans had its 
Castle, which stood on an eminence now known by the name of 
Court Hall, and at present covered with factories. Around the 
Castle, the town grouped itself. In the 4th year of the reign of 
King Stephen, Humphry de Bohun, a great noble, held the Castle 
for Maud—daughter of Henry 1st, in such sort, says Dugdale, that 
it was impregnable, and withstood the attacks of the King. In the 
reign of Edward III., the Castle was held by John of Gaunt. Leland, 
in his Itinerary, speaking of the Castle in Henry VIII.’s time says it 
stood on the south side of the town, but is now “clene down.” 
_ There was in it “a 7 very great toures, whereof peaces of 2 yet 
stand.” Some part of the towers, remained as late as the year 1670. 
There is an engraving of the Castle, which answers to Leland’s 
description in a book called “The Church Restored,” by the Rev. 
J. H. Hastings, late Rector of Trowbridge. It is taken from an old 
painting found some years ago within the wall in the house of the 
late Mr. Samuel Salter, and now in the possession of W. Stancomb, 
Esq., the lord of the manor of Trowbridge. After his little notice 
of the Castle, Leland says, “the river runneth hard by the Castle.” 
-I am sure that it did not run blue in his time, as it does now, and I 
trust that it will eventually be made to resume its natural colour, 
and become a source of pleasure to the angler. (Hear, hear.) Well 
worthy of inspection is the fine parish church of this town, built 
about the year 1475. In the Register chest is still to be found a 
document containing the names of the contributors to the good 
work. Close to the church used to stand an almshouse built by 
_ James Terumber, “a very rich clothier,” as Leland calls him who, 
in addition to its endowment, founded a chantry, and bestowed 
certain lands, which would in the present value of money be about 
_ £300 ayear, forits maintenance. It is possible that at the dissolytion 
of the chantry, the payments for the alms folk was neglected, as 
provision for the chantry and almshouse was made in the same deed. 
Tam not aware whether any portion of the old building of Terumber’s 
exists, but I am pleased to add that through tke liberality of other 
rich clothiers, a new almshouse was built, and worthily endowed ; and 
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