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Chippenham. Notes of its History. 



of the documents belonging to the Corporation, dated A.D. 1369, 

 (just 500 years ago) the two coats are used as the Borough seal: 

 but as family arms they are older than that. The shield, on what 

 in heraldry is called the dexter side, (that on the left hand as you 

 look at them) is that of Gascelyne, a family who were Lords of 

 the Manor of Chippenham for about 170 years, ending in A.D. 

 1424. They lived, I believe, at Sheldon, and one of them, Edmund 

 Gascelyne, obtained from the Crown a favour for the town : viz., 

 that of holding a Fair for three days, on the Vigil, Feast and 

 Morrow of St. John "at the Latin Gate," as it was called in the 

 calendar, the 5th, 6th, and 7th of May. By the change from old to 

 new style, that Fair is now held on the 17th of May. Another of 

 the family, Godfrey Gascelyne, obtained the like privilege for a 

 Fair on the Eve, Feast and Morrow of St. Barnabas, 10th, 11th, 

 and 12th of June. This, (owing likewise to the change of style) 

 is now "The Long Fair," held on the 22nd of June. 



The other shield on the " sinister" or left side (though on the 

 right hand as you look at it), is that of the family of Husee, 

 anciently Lords of the Manor of Rowdon. What they did for 

 the benefit of Chippenham I cannot positively say, but no doubt 

 something of which it feels the benefit, without retaining any vivid | 

 recollection of the benefactor. It may perhaps have been a Charter 

 for another Fair. These privileges were, in those days, of great j 

 importance to aspiring young towns. Whether now so inestimably j 

 precious, or not, is another question. There are, at all events, a 

 great many, both inhabitants and neighbours of this town, who 

 are audacious enough to think, (as one of the latter in his own 

 proper person is, at this moment, to say,) that — one Charter more 

 is very much wanted ; which should be for removing the wild bulls, 

 dirty sheep, shouting boys and savage drovers out of the streets and 

 away from the very shop doors, upon these precious Fair days. 

 Any individual, Lord of the Manor or not, who would only obtain 

 that further blessing for Chippenham, would well deserve to have 

 his coat of arms brilliantly emblazoned on the other side of this 

 room, opposite to those of Messrs Gascelyne and Husee. 



From this New Town Hall our first and natural step is to an 



