By Mr. Richard Jefferies. 



181 



Roman station at Nidum, now Nythe, Lower Wanborough. I have 

 seen a handful of small coins of Constantine found at that spot. 

 Perhaps the paucity of Saxon remains may be due to what I have 

 lately seen stated as an historical fact, that this very northern cor- 

 ner of Wiltshire, where we now stand, was the last spot from which 

 the ancient Britons were driven by the invaders. Here it is said 

 they maintained an independence, to a very "late period, a statement 

 attested by the prevalence of the pure Welsh or British name 

 Lydiard in this neighbourhood, both as the names of persons and of 

 places down to this very day. The details in Domesday relating to 

 Swindon have been already published. The first mention of Swindon 

 which I can find after Domesday is an order from King John to the 

 Sheriff of Wilts, in A.D. 1205, in these words :— " Know ye that 

 we have quit claimed to Hugh de Cature £7. 18s., claimed from 

 him for stock on the manor of Swindon, and therefore we command 

 that you hold him discharged. Witness our order at Benton, 8th 

 July." In the reign of Henry III., the manor of Swindon was given 

 to William de Valence, Earl of Pembroke. The Hundred Rolls, under 

 Blackgrove Hundred, contain some interesting entries, showing the 

 state of Swindon at this period : — " Hundred of Blackgrove. — The 

 Jury say that William de Yalence holds one knight's fee of the 

 King, in chief, in Swindon. And it is of the Honour of Pontlarge. 

 The Abbot of Malmesbyrie holds half a knight's fee in Nether 

 Swindon of the King in chief, and Robert Stine holds the other 

 half of the Abbot. But how it was alienated, and how it is held 

 they know not. William de Valence has right of gallows, assize, 

 and bread and beer in High Swindon, by grant from the crown : 

 and has set up a new market in the said vill, but by what warrant 

 they know not. They say that William de Valence has warren in 

 High Swindon. Borough of Marlborough. — The Jury say that 

 William de Valence set up a market in the vill of Swindon which 

 is of much injury to the King, and to the Burgesses of Marlborough, 

 to the amount of 40s. a year. This he hath done for 15 years past 

 of his own authority, and they know not by what warrant/' So 

 that there was a market in Swindon six hundred years ago, and a 

 market of such importance as to do serious injury to Marlborough. 



