152 Sungerford. 



is called for, fresb names are enrolled, and fresh vigour is thereby 

 infused into the ebbing vitality of the old feoffees. A commoner 

 once raised to the dignity of a feoffee, only forfeits his privilege 

 hj removal or death. A word concerning the constable. This 

 distinguished functionary is the chief Magistrate of the Borough, 

 and Lord of the Manor for the time being. He is the custodian of the 

 Borough purse, he is empowered to preserve the pnblic peace, and 

 in order that he may not exceed the bounds of a rigid economy, 

 he must not spend more than £2 without consulting the 

 Corporation. A commoner refusing to serve the office of constable 

 is fined £5. The constable of Hungerford is by virtue of his office 

 Coroner for the Borough, a circumstance without a parallel in the 

 county of Berks. No person can be constable until he has filled the 

 office of bailiff and portreeve. The overseers of the common have 

 been mentioned. Their title explains their office. A fine of £2 

 for a horse and £1 for a cow is inflicted on a commoner found 

 guilty of infringing on the custom of the manor. In days gone by, 

 no stranger was allowed to start in business in the borough of 

 Hungerford, unless he was bound over to keep the peace, in a sum 

 of £5. This custom has become obsolete, but at the present time 

 such a person must pay 5s. to the constable for his privilege, and 

 a journeyman is mulcted at 2s. 6d. Any purchaser of property in 

 the Borough of Hungerford renders himself liable to pay the 

 price of a gallon of beer to the next Hock- tide jury. But I hasten 

 to take up another branch of the subject. When Edward YI. gave 

 the Manor of Hungerford to the Duke of Somerset he retained 

 Hungerford Park, which in the year 1595, was granted with all 

 manorial rights within its limit, to the trustees of Robert, Earl of 

 Essex, who built a mansion therein, at the east end of which were 

 placed the arms of Queen Elizabeth. A large room over the 

 servant's hall was called Queen Elizabeth's room. In the following 

 century Hungerford Park belonged to the family of Boj'land. 

 It subsequently came into the possession of Mr. Stenhouse, who 

 also owned Standen, and by him it was sold in 1707 to Mr. Eenou. 

 It afterwards fell into the hands of Mr. "Waters, and Sir Charles 

 Dalbiac, of whom it was purchased by Mr. Willes, in 1796. 



