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Chippenham. Notes of its History. 



and as it drew to an end in 1645, a contribution was required for 

 demolishing the military works at Lacock. Nevertheless, in 1648, 

 in order to bury the past in oblivion, and to show that Chippenham 

 was ready to forget and forgive, it paid 4s. 8d. to Robert Smith for a 

 bowl of sack and a bottle of claret, which was presented to General 

 Cromwell when he dined at the White Hart, on his way towards 

 Bristol for Ireland. 



In 1650, when a fresh struggle began between Cromwell and 

 Prince Charles (afterwards Charles II.), the county was put to 

 further expense, and the Corporation of Chippenham subscribed, 

 out of the borough fund, £2 8s. 8d., towards one horse sent to the 

 fight at Worcester, and 15s. 8d. for a sword and saddle for ditto. 

 A great many sums were advanced for the Commonwealth. But 

 in 1656 the Commonwealth came to an end. The Bells of Chip- 

 penham Church rang out: and Oliver Cromwell was proclaimed 

 at the White Hart, Lord Protector of England : Edward Hawkins 

 being then Bailiff of Chippenham. 



Three years afterwards, on the 12th of May, 1660, King Charles 

 II. was proclaimed: and the drinking of his good health by the 

 soldiers in the town, cost the borough £4 12s. The townsmen 

 who were musketeers consumed 10s. extra, and the gunpowder 

 cost £4. But at the coronation, the gunpowder, the rockets, the 

 ringers, and the beer, came to £11 19s. 8d. Soon after King 

 James II. succeeded to the throne, he passed through the town, 

 and exacted from the corporation what was called a homage fee, of 

 £36 6s. 8d. This was probably a sort of payment expected in 

 return for a new charter which he granted them. 



The Causeway and Hermitage. 



On going out from Chippenham, on the way towards Calne, 300 

 or 400 years ago, the public road must have been at times very little 

 better than what Wiltshire people call a " gogniire." The ground 

 slopes beyond the New Cemetery, and is very flat towards the Swan 

 public house. A little stream there, called the Pewe, was always 

 in former times flooding the road. There were constant complaints 

 against the Abbot of Stanley, to whom the land belonged, for not 



