By the Rev. J. Wilkinson. 325 
pearance of his name in that register, which is rather a genealogical 
record of the people belonging to the great house, than an Ecclesias- 
tical memorial. There is no such reason to be given for the appear- 
ance of thename here. Of Sir John’s sons, William was the one, who 
constantly was with us, in all except his latter end, which was at 
Corsham. Here were born to him eight sons and four daughters, 
and here he was brought to be buried. 
John Horton, grandson of Sir John and heir presumptive to our 
manor, died before his father. He lived at Little Chalfield, and at 
Combend, a house of the Hortons at Elston, on the hill at the val- 
ley head. He left a son, Thomas, who succeeded to our manor 
1693. The Lords’ Journals 7th Dec., 1722, show that he was then 
a lunatic. A petition was presented by his wife Mary and his 
two daughters, was referred to two Judges, and ended in a Bill, 
the chief provision of which was, the raising £3000 for the daugh- 
ters. 
His son Thomas visited us on a memorable occasion: he was 
married here to Jane Lewis, of a family connected with Broughton, 
and the adjoining parishes of Chalfield, Whaddon and Hilperton. 
She died within 3 years. This lord resided at Wotton, another 
house of the Hortons near the city of Gloucester. By his will, 
dated 13th January 1735, one Richard Brereton and his two sisters, 
Bridget and Elizabeth, no relations, described as “ Mrs. Brereton’s 
children,” were the devisees of all he possessed, with the exception 
of petty legacies to his mother, to some of his nephews and nieces, 
and to Gloucester charities; one annuity to “ Black Susan,” and 
another to “old Farmer Ebsworth.” Richard Brereton was to 
reside “on the hills at Combend, either repairing the old house 
and making it tenantable, or renting or purchasing a new one 
within a mile of the place, and selling the house at Wotton, on 
penalty of forfeiting the estate to the poor of Elstone and the se- 
veral parishes of Gloucester.” This in law was no forfeiture at 
all. The statute of Mortmain would have prevented it. 
Whether this will came to the knowledge of the relations my 
information of the affairs of the family does not permit me to say. 
* However, it is certain that by indenture 24th March 1789 Thomas 
