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By the Rev. Canon J. BE. Jackson. 331 
2. West Asuton is the next division of the parish. It includes 
Stourton, and the two Paxcrofts. Mr. Long’s survey of 1604 speaks 
of a cottage at West Ashton, “ next to the King’s Hall.” I don’t 
know what this means, unless that whilst the manor belonged to 
the Crown, the steward might have occupied some house so called. 
The Beach family of this place has been already mentioned. 
They lived here; and a Mr. Thomas Beach was steward under the 
Crown whilst the manor belonged to Prince Henry, son of James I. ; 
he was also steward of the Longleat estates. They removed to 
~ Woolley, near Bradford, and their house at West Ashton was taken 
down. In the grounds of it was a labyrinth or “ miz-maze,” [such as 
you may see at Hampton Court] a common addition to pleasure- 
grounds of former times. The last.male heir, Lt. Col. Thomas 
Beach, changed the name of his family to Delabeche. Their estate 
‘here was purchased by R. Godolphin Long, Esq. 
There used to be in Covent Garden, in London, a celebrated tavern, 
called “‘ King’s Coffee-House.” It was first established by Thomas 
King, son of Harman King, of West Ashton, about 1720. 
Stourton Hill, close by the Park, takes its name from the Lords 
Stourton, formerly owners of Stourhead. They had a good deal of 
“land at West Ashton, Poulshot, Marston, Potterne, and Worton. 
In 1543, William Lord Stourton sold these lands, together with - 
the Manor of Hilperton and Whaddon, and the patronage of the 
Rectory of Hilperton, to Mr. Thomas Long, of Trowbridge. 
There are two Paxcrofts (the old name was Packle’s-croft). One 
adjoining Hilperton was formerly part of Romsey Abbey property. 
hay, in Sulde Ashton, Ashton Dunstanville,* and West Ashton. Also to have 
24 pigs in the woods of the Abbess, and certain other rights of feeding for 6 
cows &c. Also a court and house with shrubbery belonging to the Rectory, 
the old vicar’s house to go the Abbess. except 2 acres of old vicarage. The 
Vicar, having more than 20°. burden to bear, to receive 12°. a year from Bradley 
Church, 5°. from Trowbridge Church and 4°. from the Abbess’s demesne at 
Tylshyde. All the rest of the Rectory to the Abbess. But the Vicar shall 
have Iwo chaplains continually with him, to serve the church at his own 
expense: and the vicar shall bear one third part of the Episcopal and other 
charges, and the Abbess the rest. Sealed and dated. Kal. Oct., 1252.” 
a. This is now Ashton Gifford, in the Hundred of Heytesbury, usually considered to have be- 
longed to quite different baronial lords: but its name Ashton, and the Abbess’s property in tithes 
seem to indicate that there had been some connection with the manor of Ashton belonging to the 
Abbess of Romsey. 
VOL. XIII.—NO. XXXIX. 2B 
