Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 4.djvu/518

 542 NOTES AND QUERIES. Castle was demolished, and Roger Bygod, Earl of Norfolk, obtained a License, 10 Edward I., to embattle his House on the place where this Castle stood." Some remains of this good old fortress can still be seen, it forming a garden to the "King's Head" Hotel, Bungay, Suffolk. G. GREEN SMITH. Moorland Grange, Bournemouth. REV. RICHARD WALTER (9th S. iv. 479).— What is the use of the ' Diet. Nat. Biog.' if, it is never consulted ? See vol. lix. pp. 260-1, for a full account of Richard Walter. A. F. P. The Rev. Richard Walter, M.A, Chaplain of Portsmouth Dockyard (1745 - 85), and Chaplain of H.M.S. Centurion in Anson's voyage round the world, died at Great Staughton, Hunts, on 10 March, 1785, where a brass plate records the facts of his being the author of ' The Voyage round the World,' of his interment in that church, as also that of Jane his wife, who died 14 December, 1813, aged ninety. Many articles on the authorship of Anson's voyage have appeared in 'N. & Q.' (see 5th S. hi., iv.; 7th S. vi., vii., viii.; 8th S. ii., iii.; also the Gentleman's Maga- zine, vol. Ixxxiv.). By a notice in the Athe- nceum of 7 November, 1896, the Rev. Richard Walter's name will appear in the 'Dictionary of National Biography.' EVERARD HOME COLEMAN. 71, Brecknock Road. BOUNDARY STONES IN OPEN FIELDS (9th S. iv. 476).—I suspect (but I speak with some diffidence) that MR. ADDY is mistaken in supposing that these stones were placed as bounds between the different holdings. A great part—probably the greater part—of the land in this neighbourhood is in open fields such as MR. ADDY describes (see 9"1 S. i. 204, under ' Selion'); but, so far as I can ascertain, the strips have never been divided by mere-stones. The "oldest inhabitant" has no recollection of this having been done, nor have I met with any record of it. The fields are, however, intersected by roads known as " meres" (boundaries), and some of these have mere-stones (though this word is no longer in general use) on one or both sides. The purpose of the stones, as their name denotes, was apparently to prevent encroachments on the mere, by marking the bounds beyond which the owners of the strips were not to plough or sow. There are not many of the stones left, and in most cases where they are still found they are some two feet from the actual edge of the road they were meant to protect; but that when in 1856 some Crown land in the neigh- bourhood was distributed into small holdings, bhe road that was made across it was marked out in this way. Some of the boundary stones then put down are s_till in situ, and there are a few others, both in this and con- tiguous parishes, still left from an older time. From most of our meres, however, they have altogether disappeared, and the meres are either not protected at all, or are protected by " balks, unploughed ridges or small banks, frequently used as footpaths. MR. ADDY says that the stones would not hinder the plough, but I fancy few farmers will agree with Trim here. When the strips ran up to the mere—not lengthwise with it— it would be very difficult to avoid ploughing beyond the stones. There are, of course, no headlands to these open-field holdings, and the inevitable tendency is to encroach on the road. The stones at the point where the plough has to be turned must be more or less in the way. and there would thus be a double reason for their removal—the team would be in danger of stumbling over them, and they would be standing evidence of the farmer's encroachment. Of course I have spoken only of what I know of this district, and these remarks may not apply to the Royston case; but the conditions appear to be the same in both cases. C. C. B. Epworth. THE ANTIQUITIES OF EAST LONDON (9th S. iv. 145, 215, 315,386,485).—In connexion with my reply under the above heading, appearing at the last reference but one, the following extract from the Daily News, showing that the ancient Court Leet of the Manor of Stebonheath is held to this very day, may prove interesting. I might mention that the fl Rising Sun," Green Street, Bethnal Green, is situated within a comparatively short dis- tance of the site of Bishop's Hall, the original manor-house:— " One of those curious survivals of ancient times, a Court Leet or Court of Homage, or General Court Baron, as it is now called, will beheld at the ' Rising Sun,' a public-house in Green Street, Bethnal Green, to-day (Tuesday), about noon. It is the Court of the Lord of the Manor of Stebunheth. otherwise Stepney Manor, who is Sir Kdward Colebrooke, and all the freehold and copyhold tenants of the Manor are bound to attend it to do their suit and service. The Court always meets in 'Low Week'—that is, the second Tuesday after Easter and the first Tuesday in December, and it is presided over by the Steward of the Manor, Mr. Reginald Stewart Hart-Dyke, brother of Sir William Hart-Dyke. The proceedings are private and quaint and genially conducted. A Homage Jury ia empanelled, and presentments are
 * he protection of the road was originally
 * heir purpose is clear from the fact that