26 Life and Times of " The Druid." 



person of one Halth de Manchsel, in the 

 reign of Henry II. None of the family ever 

 acquired the rank of knight, but they seem 

 always to have maintained their position as 

 gentry and squires of moderate possessions 

 and means. There is a stone now set in the 

 wall of the stabling with initials and date in 

 raised characters, thus . — 



" This stone refers to Launcelot Machell, 

 the father of two sons, Hugh and Thomas, and 

 it was doubtless raised to commemorate some 

 alterations he made in the old hall. Hugh 

 succeeded to the estate, and Thomas was at 

 the same time Fellow of Queen's College, 

 Oxford, Fellow of the Royal Society, Rector 

 of Kirbythore, and Chaplain in Ordinary to 

 King Charles II. It is to his method and 

 diligence as an antiquary in collecting, record- 

 ing and preserving information concerning 

 various parishes in the two counties that all 

 our local histories have hitherto been so 

 much indebted. 



