Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 12.djvu/189

 10 B. xii. AU. 21, 1909.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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inside the fort, which stands on a promontory overlooking the valley of the Thames and the Mercian frontier.

This land, part of Elcombe manor, was held by the Loyels for about 200 years. One of them, William Lovel de Yvry, was one of the barons at King John's corona- tion. Early in King John's reign Maud, wife of William Lovel, endowed the monks of Ivry with revenues from Minster Lovel (Oxon). A pension from Elyndon Church was applied to the same purpose, and is recorded in Pope Nicholas's Taxatio under ' Ecclesia de Elindone ' as " Pensio mona- chorum de Briaco in eadem," 21. ; and in Tanner's ' Notitia Monastica ' we read concerning Minster Lovel :

"The church of this place being given to the Abbey of St. Mary de Ibreio or Ivry by Maud, the wife of William Lovel, before 8 Johannis, it became an alien priory of Benedictine Monks, cell to that foreign monastery, which after the suppression of those houses was granted to Eaton College. lEd.4."

These facts show the connexion of Ellen- dune Church and land inside the dun or hill fort with the family of the Levels and with the Abbey of Ivry in Normandy. Possibly it was " The Ivery " itself that supplied the tax paid from " Elindone to Briaco." T. STORY MASKELYNE.

" PENNYWORTH " (10 S. xi. 487). In common usage are many expressions of good and bad "pennyworths" in relation to bargains. Children all know where they can get the best and biggest " penn'orths," and also where " penn'orths " are "skinchy." Of the sayings there are " Hey 's browt his penn'orths to a bad market" ; "Shoo '11 get her penn'orths if shoo marries him " a man with not an over-good reputa- tion ; and " Th' penn'orth turned out a bad ha'porth." On the other hand, "Ah tonn'd ma penn'orth intow tup-pence " when a deal has resulted well. A " penn- 'orth " in the way of a good or bad bargain is still in pretty common use. One speaking of losses and crosses says : " Ah should like aw my penn'orths agen."

THOS. RATCLIFFE.

Work sop.

LEADEN FIGURES (10 S. xii. 28). If MR. ALECK ABRAHAMS will look in the Archaeo- logical Journal, vol. xlv., 1888, he will find an article entitled * English Ornamental Lead Work.' This may give him the infor- mation he requires.

ALFRED SYDNEY LEWIS.

Library, Constitutional Club, W.C.

VINTNERS' COMPANY (10 S. xii. 30). In 'The Boy's Own Annual,' vol. vi., 1884, there is an article on the Vintners' Company. ALFRED SYDNEY LEWIS.

Library, Constitutional Club, W.C.

THE EEL-PIE SHOP (10 S. xii. 26, 93). Halfway up Holborn Hill, on the right-hand side when one was coming from the City, in the forties and early fifties (i.e., long before the Viaduct and its approaches were built) there stood a popular pie-shop, also cele- brated for its soup. In one of the windows that flanked the entrance doorway was dis- played a card upon which was printed in large letters :

A la mode Soup,

and no flies.

JFourpence a basin.

I remember that, as a lad, I used to wonder what kind of soup that defined as "a la mode " really was.

In those days one of the most popular eel-pie resorts in North London was (as the sign stretched across the gables read) "The Highbury Sluice House Tavern,' y more generally known as " The Sluice House." This was situated close by the bank of the New River, just at the termina- tion of the public way by the side of the latter, field paths leading direct to Hornsey Wood House. There, in sylvan arbours,, lining three sides of a tree-shaded lawn r which was enclosed immediately in front of the modest hostel, delicious eel-pies " all hot " were consumed by numerous appre- ciative visitors, the majority of whom had strolled out of town purposely to enjoy them,

HARRY HEMS.

Fair Park, Exeter.

Correspondents on the subject of old- time eel-pie shops may like to know of a once well-known establishment in Notting- hamshire, on one of the coaching-roads. A& a matter of fact, the Ordnance maps still show "Old Eel-Pie House," 2J- miles N.W. from Tuxford, on the Great North Road, beside a tributary of the river Idle. The spot is well known in county history as " Merrils Bridge." In July, 1667, the place was of sufficient standing to afford hos- pitality to Dr. Cosin, Bishop of Durham, when on a journey to London. He is re- corded as having called there " to water his coach horses," and to treat himself to " 3 eele pyes," for which he paid 2s. 6d. (Surtees Soc. Pub., vol. lv. p. 351). Thoresby several times in his diary mentions " the noted Eel-Pie House," which he records passing on 20 Feb., 1683, 14 May, 1695,