252 



Notes on the History of Mere. 



resident in the mansion house of Woodlands. In 1705 he 

 purchased Woodlands. He died 1711, and was buried in Mere 

 Church. His coffin, with inscription on it, was found in the Still's 

 vault a few years since, together with that of Dame Ann Andrews, 

 his wife, who died 1701. 



There are no memorials to the Dodington family in the Church, 

 although many deaths are recorded in the registers. 



Sir Matthew Andrews was succeeded by his son, Henry, who 

 sold the estate in 1753 to Richard Wotton, apothecary of St. 

 Greorge, Hanover Square, and William Kay, of the same place, 

 gent., and in 1756 it was purchased by Thomas Pitt, Earl of 

 Londonderry, from whom it descended to his son, who bequeathed 

 it to his sister, Lady Lucy, 1 who married Pierce Meyrick. Lady 



Moreton, 97 ; Henry Cornish, 82. 1714, Henry Andrews was defeated ; Ed. 

 Nicholas polled 140 ; Samuel Rush, 134 ; William Benson, 130 ; Henry Andrews, 

 100. On petition Benson was declared duly elected, but none of the others, and 

 a new writ was ordered for one member. 



1 The following is from a newspaper published about thirty years since, 

 headed " A Romance of the last Century " : — 



" When Lady Essex Cholmondeley's sister, Lady Londonderry, died, Lady 

 Esses had under her care Lady Londonderry's only daughter, Lady Lucy Pitt. 

 Miss Cholmondeley and her cousin were educated together with great strictness 

 and exactness, almost amounting to severity. When the family were at Vale 

 Royal the young ladies were only allowed to walk up and down for some hours, 

 Lady Essex Cholmondeley placing herself at the window to watch them. They 

 were to walk perfectly erect and never to speak. Lady Essex Cholmondeley had 

 a house in London, near the parks. One day the two girls stayed out rather 

 late, and as they passed by Lady Lucy's uncle he said " What will Lady Essex 

 say to your being out so late ? " The poor frightened girls at that moment met 

 two Westminster boys whom they were acquainted with, the Mr. Meyricks, 

 brothers, of Bodorgan, in the Island of Anglesea, the eldest heir to an immense 

 estate and a beautiful place. The boys proposed that they should set off im- 

 mediately for the Fleet and be married, and take the maidservant, who was then 

 walking with the young ladies, and then all sail over to France. They agreed 

 to go, but Lady Lucy Pitt said she could not possibly go without a little figure 

 of a dog, a toy that when it was pressed down the dog barked ; and Miss 

 Cholmondeley said that she must take with her a beautiful bird which opened 

 the door of the cage, hopped out, and sang. So childish were the girls that they 

 returned home solely to get these things. On their arrival at the Fleet they did 

 not delay a moment, but sent for a clergyman, and they all went to Church, 

 Lady Lucy Pitt not quite fourteen years old and Miss Cholmondeley thirteen. 

 The clergyman demurred about marrying Lady Lucy, she was so very little, and in 



