328 Rood Ashton, 8fc. 



In one of the houses at Steeple Ashton, occupied by Mr. Deacon, 

 there are some pieces of stained glass heraldry in the window, and 

 among them the arms of Cecil, Marquis of Exeter. I used to be 

 much puzzled to know what business that coat had at Steeple 

 Ashton, where the Cecils never had property ; but my late lamented 

 friend Mr. Wilton (who knew Steeple Ashton traditions well) told 

 me that many years ago the house had once been occupied by a Mr. 

 Hicks, a curioso, and collector of such things, and that this was 

 the way it came there. Little matters of that kind often mislead 

 the inquisitive archaeologist, and give a deal of trouble for no- 

 thing. 



Among the Vicars of Steeple Ashton there have been two or three 

 of whom something remains beyond the mere name. George Webbe 

 (of Wiltshire family) , Vicar in 1605, was appointed to the Bishoprick 

 of Limerick, and during some riots was imprisoned by the rebels in 



daughter, 1732. Mrs. Elizabeth, widow of George Turner of Linfield, Co. 

 Surrey, 172 — . Arms, Vaire A. & G. three annulets counterchanged, Amer- 

 ville. On a small obelisk against the south wall, John Sharp, 1814. He was 

 great nephew of Rev. Samuel Hey, formerly Yicar. A brass plate, with a 

 merchant's mark, towards the east end, to Peter Crooke, who left 40s. a year to 

 the poor for ever, is described in " Kite's Wilts Brasses," p. 89. 



In the Nave, Thomas Darcy of Grangebeg, Co. Westmeath, 1819. Arms 

 Crusilly of cross crosslets, three cinquefoils or. Motto, " TJn dieu, un foy" 

 Below, William James Sugden of Bath, 1810. Mr. Darcy married a Miss Long 

 (not of the Rood Ashton family) and took the name of Sugden under a will. 



In the north aisle, John Hicks, 1782. John Lewis Hicks, his son, 1788. 

 The elder Mr. Hicks was a lawyer: he married the daughter of Rev. John 

 Lewis, Rector of Great Chalfield, and left a small charity. The son was a 

 captain, and collector of curiosities. 



At the east end was once a brass to John Stylman, of Steeple Ashton, and 

 his wife, Christian Philpot of Erie Stoke, the arms of the wife being a cross 

 between four swords erect. The Stylman family were of old date in this parish. 

 Their Pedigree is in the " Visitation of 1565." [Harl. MS., 5184., p. 137.] 

 Markes is also another ancient family here ; see the same Visitation. 



Among the monuments in the church-yard is, on the north side, One to Ellen 

 Jones, daughter of Richard Long of Rood Ashton, Esq., and wife of Daniel 

 Jones, of Bradford. She died 1794. Also Mrs. Warriner of Conock, 1815, set 

 94, daughter of Richard Long, Esq. Another records Dorothy, third daughter 

 of Thomas Browne, Esq., of Camfield Place near Hatfield, Herts. [He was 

 Garter King at Arms.] Her sister Martha was wife of Dr. Richard Hey, 

 brother of Samuel Hey, Vicar here. 



