WHERE IZAAK WALTON DIED 169 



was predecessor to the seyd William Hawkins, for the 

 wainscott in his dwelling-house, the sum of twenty- 

 seven pounds twelve shillings fower pence halfpenny." 



This was a discovery of more than passing interest. 

 Dr Nicholas Preston had been Dr Hawkins' predecessor 

 at Droxford, and he lies buried in Droxford Church ; 

 and now Dr Hawkins was to succeed to Dr Preston's 

 residence at Winchester, as he had already succeeded 

 to his rectory at Droxford. The Mrs Frances Preston 

 to whom the wainscot money was paid lies in the retro- 

 choir of the Cathedral. The date of the transaction, 

 as confirmed by the Dean and Chapter, was, as the 

 Wainscot Book shows, 28th November 1676. This 

 was the very year in which William Hawkins married 

 Ann, the only daughter of Izaak Walton. It is clear, 

 therefore, that on his marriage Dr Hawkins took posses- 

 sion of the house in Dome Alley that had formerly be- 

 longed to Dr Preston ; that there he brought home his 

 bride ; and also took his aged father-in-law to live with 

 them. It is further clear that Dr Hawkins continued 

 to reside in the same house, probably until his death in 

 1691, certainly till the year 1685, when, as the Wainscot 

 Book shows, he panelled his " new parlour " and also 

 " the Roome over it, as far as the wainscoting would 

 go." At the time of his daughter's marriage Izaak 

 Walton was in his eighty-fourth year, but he had still 

 some seven years (1676-1683) to live, and we may think 

 of him as spending this closing time 



" serene and bright, 

 And calm as is a Lapland night," 



with his daughter and Dr Hawkins, partly in the house 

 up Dome Alley, in Winchester Close, and partly in the 



