300 



President's Address. 



manor was leased out to Henry, Earl of Pembroke, by Queen 

 Elizabeth, and afterwards to Sir Francis Walsingham. It then came 

 through a series of changes to the Hobhouse family. The troublous 

 times of the Commonwealth affected many of the chief people of 

 this town and neighbourhood, who had to compound for their estates. 

 Amongst others was Edward Yerbury, members of whose family 

 were involved in the insurrection against the Protector, Oliver 

 Cromwell, and more properly known as " the Penruddocke Rising - " 

 in 1655, but they fortunately escaped the death which fell to the lot 

 of my brave ancestor. During Monmouth's rebellion part of the 

 forces of King James II. fell back upon the town. A pair of pistols, 

 left by an officer of the Duke of Monmouth, were exhibited in the local 

 museum at the last meeting of the Society at Bradford just fifteen 

 years ago. The woollen manufacture in this town, even as far back 

 as the time of Lei and the historian, was of considerable importance. 

 Paul Methuen, the leading clothier of the day in the 17th century, 

 raised the character of the manufacture by introducing " spinners " 

 from Holland. That portion of the town where those spinners 

 lived still goes by the name of Dutch Barton. The church, certain 

 portions of which partake somewhat of the Norman character, is 

 worth a visit, and has many tombs and monuments. On the sum- 

 mit of Tory Hill are the remains of a chapel dedicated to the Virgin 

 Mary, and a small chapel originally used for mass is still in existence 

 on the ancient bridge of the town, while the ecclesiastical looking 

 barn at ^Barton may claim your attention as a work of the 14th 

 century. Efforts are being made to preserve and completely restore 

 the Saxon church of St. Laurence, to which I have alluded, and this 

 society has already contributed the sum of £25 towards that object. 

 (Applause.) Conspicuous from the railway is the Jacobean house, 

 built by one of the Hall family, and afterwards the residence of the 

 Duke of Kingston. Here lived that very eccentric lady, the 

 notorious Duchess of Kingston. The house, after falling into disuse, 

 happily passed into the hands of Mr. Stephen Moulton, a magistrate 

 of this county, who has restored it in the best manner with great 

 taste and judgment. Our route will now be through the picturesque 

 village of Westwood, with its pretty church and interesting old 



