By the Rev. J. E. Jackson. 43 



the list of the Vicars of Malmsbury, in 1312.^ By what peculiar 

 display of dexterity the Yicar of Malmsbury had earned the 

 cognomen, does not appear ; but, if Aubrey's tale be true, it was 

 one that fitted the Ex-bailifi" of the Abbot's Manor of Kington 

 exceedingly well. For he mentions a tradition as current at that 

 time in the village, that the Bailiff, foreseeing the Fall of the Abbeys, 

 and as a necessary consequence, the termination of his own services, 

 had followed the example of another unrighteous Steward on the 

 eve of dismissal, hj providing for himself at his Master's expense. 

 He forgot (so the story went,) to settle with the Abbey for the latest 

 arrears of rent, and poor Abbot Whiting having something else 

 to think of than any balance there might be to his credit in his 

 BailiiF's books, Snell used that money in buying the estate. The 

 purchase was made in 1543, for £803 17s. 2^d. 



By Letters Patent dated 22 April, 35 Hen. VIII. (1543), the 

 King granted to Nicholas Snell of Mychels Kyngton, gentleman, 

 all the Manor of Kyngton with all rights, together with Haywood 

 (220 acres), late part of the possessions of the Abbey of Glaston- 

 burj'-, to hold to him and his heirs for ever, paying yearly at 

 Michaelmas £3. 8s. 4^d. to the Crown, and an annual fee of 16s. 8d. 

 to the Steward.' 



The village would no doubt gladly cherish any malicious joke 

 against their new landlord ; first perhaps because he had been the 

 Steward and was now the Squire, but chiefly because, for his own 

 benefit, he dejorived them of certain usages to which they had been 

 accustomed. The Abbot's Park, or Demesne in hand, in which 

 was a large carp-pond, or rather several ponds in train, lay west of 

 the Church and Court-house, " extending round to the ditch in a 

 close called Ptyding, north of the said house." This seems to have 

 included the present Lodge farm, Haywood farm, and about 40 



1 Wilts Instit. 

 2 Sec orig. grant, 35 Hen. VIII., lloU 121, part 3. In the Chapter House 

 Fines, and in Harl, MS 760, p. 29, Sir Edward Darell is mentioned as having 

 died in 154!) seized of the Manor of Kington St. Michael, leaving AVilliam his 

 son and heir. Possibly this may refer to some other part of the Parish. Tlie 

 Abbot's estate certainly belonged at that time to the Snells. 



