COBBETT AT KINGSCLERE 261 



rector of Highclere, and mother of the famous 

 Oriental traveller, Dr. Richard Pococke, bishop of 

 Meath. It was this Bishop Pococke who brought 

 direct from Lebanon a cone, from which the 

 famous cedars at Highclere were raised. In later 

 times the house was occupied by the famous sports- 

 man Mr. F. R. O. Villebois, Master of the Craven 

 Hunt, who in 1844 fought out in the Law Courts 

 the question of free chase and warren in connec- 

 tion with the Earl of Carnarvon's Hampshire 

 manors. It was proved that the two manors of 

 Burghclere and Highclere had passed down 

 through various hands with their ancient privileges 

 intact to the ancestors of the then owner, and the 

 verdict was therefore given in favour of Lord 

 Carnarvon. At Budd's farm in this parish resided 

 for some years Mr. William Budd, an eccentric 

 attorney at Newbury and an ardent admirer of 

 Cobbett. The despotic radical and pig-headed 

 reformer who believed in beer, scorned tea, and 

 contemned the potato, may be found at Budd's 

 farm by those who accompany him on his attractive 

 1 Rural Rides.' The new church at Burghclere was 

 built in 1838, and a new parsonage erected during 

 the incumbency of the late Canon Portal, whose 

 name will be long remembered with affection for 

 the many good works in which he took a leading 

 part. Portal has been an honoured name in the 

 Clere country for many generations. 



The pilgrim to Kingsclere who was so pleased 

 to find that it was 'five miles from everywhere, 



