388 ON CANDLES, TALLOW, AND FUEL. 



On three occasions, 1689, 1694 and 1696, Magdalen College 

 buys Wedgebury coal by the load. The price of this article 

 does not differ materially from that of coal by the chal- 

 dron, which is also purchased by the same society in the same 

 years. This is I conclude inland coal from the forest of Dean, 

 or the South Staffordshire pits, sent perhaps on speculation in 

 fine weather to Oxford. The quantity purchased is small. 



Winchester College generally burns charcoal, tall wood, and 

 faggots. But between 1674 and 1700 it buys sea-coal thir- 

 teen times, both by the bushel and the chaldron, the latter, in 

 1674, being said to contain 32 bushels l . Sea-coal is dearer 

 at Winchester than elsewhere. It was no doubt brought to 

 Southampton and conveyed by land to the College, for I do 

 not suppose that the river Itchin was navigable even to barges. 



Between 1588 and 1613, a few entries of sea-coal by the 

 chaldron have been found in the S. John's College accounts. 

 The price does not differ from that registered at King's. 

 There are also a few entries in the early period at Kirtling, 

 the seat of Lord North. These are at about the price of 

 the Cambridge entries. Similar to these are also an entry 

 from L'Estrange's Lands in Norfolk, from Theydon Gernon, 

 Mendham, and D'Ewes' accounts, all in the Eastern Counties. 



There are a few entries from London, where the article is 

 generally sold by the sack or chaldron. The price is a little 

 higher as a rule than that at Cambridge in the same year. 

 Once a price is given from Chatham. In 1643 coals are sold 

 at Worcester by the ton. I suppose that this is sea or pit-coal. 

 The price, 8j. 4^., is not very high, but Worcester is near the 

 coalfields. 



For seven years Shuttleworth enters the price of cannel. 

 It is by the load, and is very cheap. I have no means of 

 knowing what the load is. The material I infer is from the 

 Wigan district. 



At Worksop, coal is bought by the load at the pit, and we 

 are told that the pit was at Bolsover, near Derby. In 1595 



1 This measure may be the traditional custom of the College. 



