Communicated by Mr. James Waylen. 



63 



remains, and exhibits perhaps the earliest, most beautiful, and most 

 perfect example of our domestic architecture, unmixed with monastic 

 or castellated buildings, which this or the neighbouring counties 

 furnish. ... I rejoice to add that this rare and precious gem 

 is still duly estimated by its possessor, and I trust will long continue 

 to give the same pleasure and interest to future visitors as it afforded 

 to the writer of this narrative." Hundred of Fruslfield. This 

 house was for a short period during the war occupied by a Parlia- 

 mentary garrison, probably with a view to check the marauding 

 action of Boville's troopers who quartered in Lacock Abbey. 



John Eyre's grandson, Sir William Eyre, was settled at Neston 

 Park, near Corsham, and was Member for Westbury in the Protector 

 Richard's Parliament in 1658. His son, Colonel William Eyre, 

 Governor of Devizes, married Anne, daughter of Charles Dauntesey, 

 of Baynton, widow of John Danvers, of Corsham, and was grand- 

 father to Jane Eyre, the heiress of Neston, who married Sir John 

 Hanham, of Wimbourn, Bart. 



We now return to Robert Eyre, the Royalist, who compounded 

 for his estate in 1648. He was half-brother to Sir William Eyre, 

 of Neston aforesaid, and was seated at Little or West Chalfield, 

 adjoining his father's larger domain of Great or East Chalfield, 

 His mansion of Little Chalfield was in like manner illustrated by 

 Mr. Matcham's descriptive pen. This was in 1834; but since that 

 date entire spoliation has swept over the scene, and the ancient fabric 

 has become replaced by a group of modern farm buildings. 



Mildmay Fane, second Earl of Westmoreland. This nobleman's 

 connexion with Wiltshire arose out of the following marriages. 

 The Lady Grace, one of the two daughters of Sir Henry Sharington, 

 of Lacock, married Sir Anthony Mildmay, of Apethorpe, North- 

 amptonshire, whose daughter, Mary, married Francis Fane, the 

 first Earl of Westmoreland. Two of the children of the first Earl 

 were Mildmay, the second Earl, who resided at Apethorpe, and Sir 

 Francis Fane, of Aston, in Yorkshire, of whom presently. Both 

 brothers took up arms for the King at an early period of the 

 struggle. Mildmay marched with his retainers to join Charles's 

 standard at Newark, 1642, and his portrait (engraved by Williamson) 



