152 Combermerc. 



not remarkable building, on the site of an Abbey of 

 Benedictine monks, founded A.D. 1133, and interesting 

 chiefly for its armoury and library, the former containing 

 numerous trophies from the East Indies, whence they were 

 brought by the late renowned Lord Combermere, when Sir 

 Stapleton Cotton. His lineal ancestor, George Cotton, 

 Esq., is described in the account of Vale Royal, above 

 referred to, as " a man of singular accompt for wisdom, 

 integrity, godlinesse, gentlenesse, facility, and all generous 

 dispositions." Sir Stapleton Cotton held a foremost 

 place in the great wars that ensued upon the French 

 Revolution of 1789, both in the East Indies and the 

 West, and particularly distinguished himself in the Pen- 

 insula. In 1814 he received a baronetcy for his numer- 

 ous services, and in 1826 he was created Viscount. 

 The decease of Lord Combermere, it will be remem- 

 bered, was one of the events of the year 1865. In the 

 library of the Abbey is some fine wood-carving, and the 

 heraldic history of the family for five centuries, beauti- 

 fully emblazoned in colours upon the walls and ceiling. 



The natural-history of the Combermere woods is about 

 the average. Standing upon the extremest verge of Che- 

 shire, the vegetation accords with what we are accus- 

 tomed to farther north ; and if there be rarities, none 

 appear, though many may lie hidden. It is marvellous 

 what curiosities come to light in the open spaces unbo- 

 somed by the woodman. Filix-mas grows here in pro- 

 digious quantity and great luxuriance ; Epipac'tis lati- 



