( 122 ) 
(part of a Letter from Francis Gulfton, Effa to 
Mr. John Ward. 
SIR, 
I Can give you no further Account of the An- 
tiquity of the Building, than that in general ’twas 
efteemed ancient. Before the Houfe was burnt, on 
the Timbers there were feveral old Coats of Arms; 
fome we looked on as belonging to the Family of 
the Scalers 5 thele were PoflefTors of JViddihale a , 
with other Eftates, foon after the Conqueft. The 
Houfe, in Probability, might have been of greater 
Antiquity, and I believe really was ; for at the Time 
of the Conqueft ’twas in the PofTefTion of a con- 
ftderable Follower of Harold ' 
The Piece of Timber I fend you, was the Top 
of a Door-way, in a Timber-built Houfe, and 
plaftered over with Mortar. From the Date on the 
plaftered Wall, the Door had not been ufed at 
leaft 343 Years ; for on the Qutfide was plainly to 
“ a Width ah in Hertford (hire in the Time of the Conqueror was 
<c Parcel of the Eftate of Hardwin de Scalers, as appears by Domefdei 
Book, foi. 1 4 1. 
el It continued in that Family for feveral Generations, till it came 
€l to Anthony Widvile , by the Marriage of the Daughter and Heir of 
** Scalers. But when he would not comply with Richard the Third to 
€i deftroy the young Princes, all his Lands were feized, and ti e 
Manhor continued in the Crown, till Henry the Eighth granted i: to 
Gecrge Canon and John Gill : George Gill , the Son of John , marrying 
the Daughter of George Cantm, obtained the whole.” 
tf In this Family it continued till the Beginning of the Reign of 
*Cjames the Firft, when it w 3 s fold to John Goulficn , Efq; whole De- 
<e fcendants now hold it.” See Sir Henry Chauncy’j Hijtory and An- 
tiquities of Hertford (Hire, f, m. 
be 
