176 Swindon and Us Neighbourhood — No, 2. 



had the very best reason in the world for remembering it, and 

 might well be curious to knew whether Henry VIII. had erased 

 him as well as Bishop Becket from the calendar. 



Fasterne. 



One meets all over the county with country houses, that are now 

 converted into farm-houses, or sometimes divided into labourers 

 cottages, but which were once occupied by gentry or nobility, 

 perhaps even by royalty. One of these is Fasterne, a mile or so 

 from Wootton Basset. There is nothing now very striking in its 

 appearance, but it becomes interesting when we know its history. 

 It was once the chief residence, the manor-house, of the Despensers, 

 the well-known favorites of Edward II., in the middle of their large 

 property here. The fall of these omnipotent noblemen was owing 

 to the French lady Isabella, King Edward's wife. Being brought 

 over to be Queen of England, she determined to be a Queen, and 

 would never rest till she had got those two out of her way, which 

 she accomplished at last by promoting them to a gallows 50ft. 

 high. After their execution all kinds of complaints against them 

 for arbitrary acts of violence poured in from the neighbourhood. 

 One Henry of Hook, near Lydiard, had refused to give up his 

 right to some land, whereupon he had been seized, shut up in a 

 dungeon at Fasterne, and kept there a whole week till he consented. 

 On the other hand, the heir of the Despensers had his grievances to 

 report. He complained that Fasterne had been invaded violently 

 by his father's enemies, naming men of the Audley, Berkeley, and 

 Clifford families. They had rifled the house and inmates, carried 

 off the furniture, arms, armour, &c; had taken the rents from 

 the tenants, broken up the park, killed the deer, and caught the 

 fish; total damages estimated at £30,000. Also that they had 

 forced their way into Stanley Abbey, near Chippenham, and carried 

 off Hugh Despenser's strong boxes, deposited there for safety, con- 

 taining his deeds, plate, and money. That they had done the same 

 to his castle at Marlborough, where the plunder consisted of books, 

 vestments, sacramental cups, crosses of gold, tapestry, and other 

 things, to the value of £6000 . The heirs, however, of the Despensers, 

 did not succeed in recovering the lands that had been forfeited to 



