By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson. 



323 



Esq., of Whaddon. The precise year in which the mortgage was 

 not paid off, and the manor rested with the Longs, I cannot at this 

 moment name, but it must have been after 1610. 



The "Manor of Ashton - " (as already intimated) included several 

 Ashtons. There are no less than seven mentioned in the survey of 

 1604, and in the other MS. authorities I referred to. 



1. Steeple Ash ton. 



2. West, and Little West Ashton. 



3. Chapel, or Rood Ashton. 



4. Saucere's Ashton. 



5. Middle Ashton. 



6. Hurdcote's Ashton. 



7. Sulden, Silden, or East Ashton. 



I, Steeple Ashton. — The present parish begins, as is very well 

 known, at Polebarn [properly, I believe, Paul's Barn] Grate ; and from 

 that point, all, for several miles, was in ancient times, part of the 

 Great Forest of Selwood. That Forest lay in two counties, Somer- 

 set and Wilts. It began down near Bruton ; and the Wiltshire 

 part was called " The Wiltshire Walk/'' The original bounds were 

 afterwards reduced. About the year 1650, there were some law 

 proceedings going on about the ancient limits and rights, and all 

 the " oldest inhabitants " of the day were fetched in, to say what 

 they knew about the matter. For this story I am again indebted 

 to a Longleat paper. 



In this document, a.d. 1660, William Bishop says, that twenty- 

 three years before [which would be 1627], deer used to feed in 

 Keevil Woods and Littleton Woods. There was a keeper's lodge 

 on Hag's Hill ; and his father had often told him that a herd of 

 bucks did usually live on the low grounds joining. 



"Willum" Stylman also (speaking, 1650) declared that "within 

 these six years, Mr. Long did cut 600 oaks in Slow-grove and 

 Ammer-acre ; and had inclosed, contrary to the Forest Laws." Of 

 course, nothing could possibly be more irregular, if Willum Sly 1 man 

 knew what he was talking about: but no doubt some learned 

 gentleman, for the accused, very soon convinced the Court, that pool 

 Willum Stylman's memory was very bad, and in a word that " Mr. 



