174 



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To the Editors of the Archaeological Magazine. 

 Dear Sirs, 



S the hamlet of Kennett in my parish is the scene of the 

 following very characteristic anecdote of the late Duke of 

 Wellington, which has been related to me by Mr. Butler of Kennett, 

 it may perhaps find an appropriate place in your Magazine. 



In the winter of 1836 the Duke left London for Badminton, 

 whither he had been invited on a visit on the occasion of the mar- 

 riage of Lady Georgiana, daughter of the late Duke of Beaufort. 

 Owing to a very heavy fall of snow it was with difficulty that he 

 reached the Castle Inn, (now the College) at Marlborough ; there 

 he was compelled to remain, to the best of Mr. Butler's recollection, 

 for about forty hours, or at all events for an interval of time suffi- 

 cient to enable the late George Sheppard, of Marlborough to make for 

 him a pair of very strong shoes, with which he had come unprovided. 

 It was then, and before the road had been traversed by any one, 

 that Mr. Butler was informed to his great astonishment that there 

 was a " Bounder " — i.e. a private carriage in the technical phraseology 

 of post-boys — with six horses making its way towards Kennett 

 over the down and fields to the north of the road from Marlborough 

 as it passes over Overton Hill. Mr. Butler went out and saw the 

 carriage which was being preceded by the late John Godwin, then 

 head hostler of the Castle Inn, on horseback who was acting as 

 pioneer of the route. Mr. Butler observing that Godwin was 

 leading the carriage towards a hollow in the field where the snow 

 was lying at a great depth, signalled to him, and thus conducted 

 them to his own house in Kennett. There the carraige was com- 

 pelled to remain for about an hour whilst the late Mr. Merrifield. 

 (the then Surveyor), with a large party of labourers was clearing 

 out the road between Kennett and Beckhampton. It is a further 



