Notes from the Register Books of the Parish of Preshute. 101 
_ The following note by the then Vicar, the Rev. John Hitchcock, 
at the commencement of Volume I. shows that an older register 
book was unfortunately destroyed by fire :— 
“The other [book] wch I made for many yeares before remaining in my house 
was consumed by ye fire with ye rest of my goodes.”’ 
The average number of baptisms is 12.98 per annum, the highest 
point, 33, being reached in 1655. 
The average number of burials is 9.34 per annum, the highest 
_ point, 26, being reached in 1638. 
The average number of marriages is 6.95 per annum, the highest 
point, 48, being reached in 1642. 
_ he number of entries, however, rises and falls very irregularly. 
Owing no doubt to the disturbances caused by the Civil War, 
and its results, the entries under all three heads are very irregular 
during the years 1643 to 1658 inclusive, and in some of the years 
there are no entries at all. For instance, in the years 1644, 1651, 
and 1652, there are no entries of any sort. In the year 1648 there 
are 1 baptism 2 burials, and 6 marriages. In 1645 and 1646 
there is 1 baptism in each year, but no burial or marriage. In 
1647 there are no baptisms or burials but 13 marriages. In 1648 
there are 1 baptism, 1 burial, and 17 marriages. In 1649 there 
are 4 baptisms, no burial, and 23 marriages. In 1650 there are 1 
baptism, no burial, and 2 marriages. In 1683 there are 13 
baptisms, and 4 burials, but no marriage. 
It may be noted that in 1642, the year of the commencement of 
‘the Civil War, the number of marriages was 48, or nearly eight 
times the average. 
_ From 1653 to 1666 the date of birth as well as baptism is given 
regularly, but afterwards only occasionally. 
_ The parish being in its nature almost entirely agricultural, as 
distinguished from residential, there are but few entries having 
a y but a local interest. 
_ The following entries relate to the Seymour family, the owners 
of the mansion built upon the site of Marlborough Castle. This 
mansion afterwards became the Castle Inn, well known in coaching 
d ays as a stopping-place on the road from London to Bath. On 
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