Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 1.djvu/236

192 he is evidently unaware that both Hobbes and Cotton refer to the one at Barmoor Clough alone, as the context in each work shows. Now the latter terms the spring "Weeding-wall, or Tydes-well," i.e., the well of the tides. Does not this point out the probability of Tideswell having a similar origin?

The following lines are taken from 'A Ballad of Darbyshire,' by Sir Aston Cokain, printed in 1658:

and accepted by Leyland in his 'Peak of Derbyshire' (1891), 246, as relating to Tideswell.

It is singular that in Cox's 'Magna Britannia' (1720), i. 439, and also in 'A Journey through England,' by John Macky (1724), ii. 192, the account of the spring is a transcript from Cotton's work, in which "Near Tide's- Wall" replaces the words in the original.

The Philosophical Transactions of 1729 contains a paper by J. Martyn, relating 'An Accounta Journey to the Peak of Derbyshire,' in which, when describing the wonders, he says (p. 25):

"An ebbing and flowing well is far from being regular as some have pretended. It is very seldom seen by the Neighbours themselves; and, for my part, I waited good while to no purpose."

B. Martin, in 'The Natural History of England' (1759), remarks:—

"What renders this place [Tideswell] most remarkable, and from whence it takes its name, is a (spring or Well that ebbs and flows," &c. II. 234.

The following paragraph is transcribed from Defoe's 'Tour':—

"This Spring lies near the little Market-town of Tiddeswall wherein are a very good church, and a Free-school." Ed. 1748, iii. 90.

Pilkington's 'View of Derbyshire,' published in 1789 in 2 vols., contains the most trustworthy report of both wells, which were visited by the author. Of the one at Barmoor Clough he records that in dry weather "it has sometimes ceased to flow" for three weeks or a month. "At the time I saw it which was in a wet season, the interval betwixt ebbing and flowing was about five minutes. Of the one at Tideswell he states:

Upon inquiry I found that it is now very imperfectly remembered by any person; but I was informed that the well, which is now closed up, might be easily restored to its ancient state. "—I. 250-253.

He quotes the remarks made by J. Martyn in 1729 as applicable to the latter, and not to that at Barmoor Clough. In all these respects he is followed in Lysons's 'Derbyshire' (1817), cxcii. Davies ('Derbyshire,' 1811) probably never visited either place, and his recorded dimensions of the pool at the latter differ much from those of other writers. One of the latest authors (E. Rhodes) who visited the locality affirms:—

"The spot where the well once was is still pointed out but it is now choked up, and its ebbings and flowings have long since terminated."—'Peak Scenery' (1824), p. 74.

I have examined and quoted from every authority on the subject to which I have had access, and am led to the conclusion that there are records of intermitting springs at two places in Derbyshire one at Barmoor Clough, still in existence, but in a state of decadence (similar to St. Keyne's Well in Cornwall); the other at Tideswell, which for more than a century has ceased to flow.

1em

(10th S. i. 148).—Any old peerage would have proved to ARCHÆOLOGIST the relationship between the third and fourth Earls of Egremont. It would indeed have been "unaccountable" if the third earl's "entailed estates" had devolved on his illegitimate sons; but nothing of the kind occurred. Like many others before and since, the third Earl of Egremont disposed by will of whatever property he had the power of disposition over. Such estates as were entailed followed the entail—a not unusual occurrence.

As practically every memoir-writer from about 1770 to 1837 refers to the Lord Egremont in question, from Horace Walpole down to Creevey, and Petworth during his reign was one of the best-known great houses in England, ARCHÆOLOGIST can hardly be termed correct in assuming that very little is known about him. I think Charles Greville mentions the story of the alleged paternity of Lord Melbourne. The latter called the story in question "a lie," but the old proverb of a "wise child," &c., gives later generations, if they choose to think otherwise, an option.

The descent of the present noble owner of Petworth from Lord Egremont makes the whole subject not altogether suitable for discussion in the press.

Has ARCHÆOLOGIST consulted the 'D.N.B.'? There is a long and interesting article upon Sir George O'Brien Wyndham, third Earl of