By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson. 



325 



j was burned : before which time it was a market-town ; but out of 

 | the ashes of this, sprang- up a market at Lavington, which flourisheth 

 still — i.e., Market Lavington tripped up the heels of poor Mar- 

 j ket Ashton. 



In the middle of the street at Steeple Ashton, on a large base of 

 several steps, is a round column surmounted by a huge ball, and other 



j bcautifications. They call it, — out of courtesy, I suppose — a Cross. 



i The resemblance is not particularly striking; but such as the 

 interesting object is, it is probably the representation of the original 

 Market Cross. 



In those days (1640 or thereabouts) there were in Steeple Ashton 

 several names of families still among us — as Angell, Goldney, 

 y Awdry, Locke, and Greenhill. Of the last-mentioned family there 

 n was a Henry Greenhill, to whom there is a monument in Stockton 

 Church, beyond Warminster. He is called, in the inscription, 

 ! Esquire, and his wife was a Champneys, of Orchardley, near Frome. 

 I He was born in 1646 ; passed the greater part of his life at sea, 

 \ burning and destroying French ships ; became Governor of the Gold 

 Coast in Africa ; afterwards a Chief Commissioner of the Navy ; 

 and laid the foundation of, and finished the building of, the Dock- 

 yards at Plymouth. Other eminent natives there very likely were : 

 but I do not happen to have met with their names in history, except 

 one whose case I must mention to you, as it is an example which 

 just at this particular time it might be useful for us to follow ; but 

 only to a certain extent, because he was an eminent sheep-stealer. 

 I found the story among old John Aubrey the Wiltshire antiquary's 

 papers, in a cupboard at Oxford, many years ago, in a letter, written 

 from London, by one John Hoskins, serjeant-at-law, to Aubrey, 

 which runs thus : — 



"London, Deo. 14, 1661. 

 " Mr. Aubrey — T have bin told that in the time of Baron Tanfield, about 1620 

 (40 years before), there was indicted one John Brewer of Stiple Ashton for 

 sheepstealing, who had a trick to keep the mutton sweet 7 weeks without salt ; 

 but would not tell his way to the Judge, no not at his trial. He was acquitted. 

 Now will you oblige me and some other of your servants, if you can enquire 

 how this was done. Your servant, 



John Hoskyns." 



