160 
notorious gang of outlaws in the neighbourhood, and one of 
whose strongholds was supposed to have been Robin Hood’s Hill, 
near Gloucester, then (according to Mr. Webster Huntley’s 
memoir from which Mr. Skrine quoted) covered with beech timber, 
obtained access to the Court one Christmastide when it was fully 
prepared and provisioned for the reception of numerous guests, 
and, having duly imprisoned the family inside their sleeping 
portion of the house, proceeded to pillage the plate and well- 
furnished larder, at their departure leaving a note of thanks for 
their entertainment and the abundant stores which they had 
enjoyed. A fall of snow concealing the traces of the robbers, 
Crewe succeeded in escaping, and was never called to account for 
this outrage—which he confessed when he arrived at the natural 
termination of his career—the Gallows. 
The narrative read by Mr. Skrine was abstracted from a MS. 
memoir of the Family written by the Rev. Richard Webster 
Huntley, late Rector of Boxwell, and illustrated by drawings and 
illuminations by the hand of his wife—and the volume was shown 
to the members. 
At the conclusion of Mr. Skrine’s notes the members walked 
through the woods to the Court, turning aside to see the great 
Boxwood, covering about 20 acres of ground, and the largest but 
‘one of that species of tree in England. The spring which issues 
from this wood gives its name to the estate, and meanders through 
the valley by Ozleworth, and so through the hills to the great 
western vale. Those who went through the house (the consent 
of the present tenant, Lady Guise, having been first obtained) 
were shown the Elizabethan chimney-piece in the dining-room, 
portraits by Sir J. Reynolds and Kneller, the usual four-posters, 
said to have been reposed in by Royalty, and then visited the 
small Church attached to the Court at the South side. Here Mr. 
Skrine gave the following account of the Manor and Church. 
‘The Church of St. Peter de Gloucestre (so states Domesday Book) 
held the Manor in the reign of William the Conqueror. The 
——" 
i 
vb Doral a 2 
ae, Bellen» 
