86 



THE HAMPSHIRE ANTIQUARY & NATURALIST. 



it is easy to understand that the arrival of a few children 

 home for the Christmas holidays would make all the differ- 

 ence between an ordinary and a crowded congregation. 

 The Chilcombe parishioners, for example, numbered, a 

 short time since, 21 persons, and in the absence of a belfry 

 or any other tower, the congregation were summoned by a 

 small bell suspended from the arch at the west end of the 

 church. Culbon Church is 34 feet by 12, and has the further 

 distinction of being so romantically situated deep down in 

 a cove or gully that the sun never reaches it during three 

 months of the year. Abbeys and Clint dies. 



WEATHER REPORT FOR THE WEEK. 

 From the meteorological register made at the Ordnance 

 Survey Office, Southampton, under the direction of Col. Sir 

 Chas. Wilson, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., F.R.S., R.E. Lat. 50" 

 54' 59" N.; long. i 24' o" W. ; height above sea, 84 feet. 

 Observers Sergt. T. Chambers, R.E., and Mr. J. T. Cook. 



Black bulb in vacuo. 



THE HAMPSHIRE INDEPENDENT, June 14, 1890. 



SOUTHAMPTON IN 1787. 



Mr. Alexander Paris, of Southampton, has in his 

 possession an interesting Southampton "Guide," 

 published in 1787, and giving "an account of the 

 ancient and present state of that Town," to which are 

 added " Rules observed in the Subscription Coffee 

 Room, Terms of Board and Lodging ; the going out 

 and coming in of the Mail ; account of Pacquets and 

 Hoys ; Rates of Chairs ; a List of the Stage Coaches, 

 Carriers, &c. , and the Days they set out from South- 

 ampton, with the places where they inn, &c." It is an 

 eighth edition, "corrected and enlarged, "and was sup- 

 plemented by a map which, unfortunately, is missing. 

 The Advertisement states that "as the present Master 

 of the Ceremonies is studiously attentive to show 

 every mark of respect to the Nobility and Gentry who 



honour this place with their presence it would prove- 

 highly conducive to that end, as well as beneficial to 

 the proprietors of lodging-houses, if they would fur- 

 nish him with immediate notice of the names, rank, 

 and arrival of their respective lodgers." We are 

 next informed in the Preface that "A Guide is a 

 matter of real utility, as well, perhaps, as of 

 some amusement," and that a certain "de- 

 viation from the plan of similar performances 

 has been of considerable expense 

 and undertaken out of respect to the good sense of 

 the public, who are more pleased with rough proofs 

 than polished fictions, such as the history of King 

 Bladud in the Bath Guide. It was judged proper to 

 enlarge the first design of this Guide, and take in a 

 number of agreeable objects . . . hereby 

 exhibiting a pleasing variety, without danger of 

 cloying, too often the consequence of attending closely 

 to one subject." The Guide proper (which was 

 published by Skelton, " near the Bank") starts with 

 a history of Southampton "from the earliest ages 

 down to the present time/' We are informed that 

 the town "shared in the common miseries of the 

 nation during the Danish tyranny." The story of 

 Canute is told in grandiloquent language, 

 copied from " Henry of Huntingdon." The South- 

 ampton Water is " an arm of the sea, and runs up so 

 deep for many miles that men of war of 74 guns have 

 been built upon it." Richard II "built a strong 

 castle on a high mount for the defence of harbour." 

 The walls " consisted of those small white shells, 

 like honeycombs, that grow on the back of oysters ; 

 it is a sort of stone extremely hard, and was gathered 

 on the beach of the town ; and indeed a very trifling 

 expense might form this town into a Peninsula, 

 if not an Island, which would render it 

 the most eligible port in the kingdom for foreign 

 trade. The castle is now converted into a pleasure 

 house." In the article on the "present state of 

 Southampton, 1 ' we are told " the Corporation have 

 several officers, such as a Town Clerk, whose em- 

 ployment is both genteel and lucrative ; four 

 Sergeants at Mace, a Town Crier, &c. " Borough 

 Surve3 r ors, Water Engineers, Borough Treasurers, 

 Officers of Health, and such like officials were never 

 even dreamt of in those days. "The Mayor is 

 Admiral of the liberties from South Sea to that of 

 Hurst." The principal trade was with Portugal, for 

 wine and fruit, and the Channel Islands "to these 

 are exported, annually, certain quantities of un- 

 kembed wool, allowed by Act of Parliament " in pro- 

 portions that are given. " Besides the many opulent 

 wine-merchants, we have some considerable corn- 

 factors and timber-merchants, together with manu- 

 factories for silk, carpets, parchment, &c., which 

 meet with good encouragement." The principal fair 

 " at Trinitytide " was held " near Chapel Mill, about 

 half a mile from the town " " a Pie Powder Court is 

 constantly held to determine disputes and punish 

 offenders." " The officer who presides is the senior 



