Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 8.djvu/537

 9* s. viii. DEC. 28, 1901.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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1280, a description of which, and of the bricks with which it is built, is given in the 'Oxford Glossary of Architecture.' Turner, in his 'Domestic Architecture ' (Lond., 1851, p. 151), seems to think that the earliest brick buildings of this period were the work of Flemings, or at least were built of Flemish bricks. Afterwards the use of bricks became more and more common, especially in those counties where stone is scarce. Mr. Henry Youens said at a meeting of the British Archaeological Association that, upon looking over some outhouses connected with a farm at Plaistow in Essex, he noticed an ancient brick arch which had evidently formed a gateway. It had been the entrance to a convent. Over this gateway in compartments were the date 1575 and the inscription " This is the Gate of Everlasting Life " (Proceedings, vol. vii. p. 431). See also Mr. 11. C. Hussey's memoir on mediaeval brickwork in the Archaeological Journal, vol. v. p. 34, and Randle Holmes's 'Armoury,' bk. iii. ch. viii., Nos. Ixxxi., Ixxxii., Ixxxiii. I once had a collection of Anglo-Roman and English bricks and tiles, and while I never met with the oblong Roman shape although such a shape was known to the Romans as the lydius I encountered on more than one occa- sion (once while watching the excavations for the formation of the new Copthall Avenue) a small cream or fawn coloured brick about four or five inches long and one and a half wide. The Anglo-Roman brick, examples of which I obtained during the Post Office excavations in Aldersgate Street, was a massive affair of red clay about a foot square and one inch thick.

J. HOLDEN MACMlCHAEL.

The restoration of the art of making bricks in England dates further back than 1442. I would refer your correspondents to chap. viii. of Charles Frost's ' History of Hull.' With regard to machine-made bricks, according to Haydn's ' Dictionary of Dates,' Messrs. Cook <fc Cunningham brought out their machinery in 1839, by which 1,800 bricks can be made per hour. L. L. K.

The general process of, brick-making is, I think, explained in lire's ; Dictionary of Arts.'

Little Wenham Hall, Suffolk, and Caistor Castle, Norfolk, both lay claim to be the first building erected in England with modern bricks.

For the various Acts of Parliament regulat- ing the size of bricks and the duty payable thereon from 17 Edward IV. (1477) until the tax was repealed in 1850 see 6 th S. xi. 354.

EVERARD HOME COLEMAN.

" HALSH " (9 th S. viii. 81, 255, 327, 411, 509). If MR. MAY ALL will look at the cover of the Black and White Budget for 30 November, and on p. 314, he will find this word spelt hatch. So there is still a difference of opinion.

Q. V.

CURIOUS EPITAPH (9 th S. viii. 362, 386, 490). Lysons, in his 'Environs of London' (1792, vol. i. p. 533), refers to a tablet underneath one of the west windows of Lord Wimble- don's chapel in Wimbledon parish church, which is thus inscribed : " Dorothy Cecil, u n marry ed as yet." G. F. R B.

HENRY SEYMOUR CONWAY, 1721-95 (9 th S. viii. 465). Field-Marshal Con way may have been at Harrow, but he certainly was at Eton in 1732. In the list for that year he is placed next below his brother Lord Conway. Horace Wai pole is thirty-second on the list, and Conway seventy-sixth. H. S. V.-W.

Field-Marshal Conway was at Eton.

CONSTANCE RUSSELL. Swallowfield.

"PANSHON" (9 th S. viii. 243, 406). These articles were made at several places in Derby- shirethree kinds: pancheons for many purposes, milk pancheons, and bread making and keeping pancheons. This was the in- variable spelling of the word, pronounced panshun. The hawkers went about with loads of "pots an' pans," and clattered a couple of the smaller pancheons together to show soundness, and shouted, "Pots an' pans ! " Small earthenwares were " pots," and the pancheons and mug-pots were " pans," or " panches," as some called them. The women- folk went out to buy on hearing the clatter and cry, and handled the articles carefully for fire-cracks and flaws. So far as I re member they were made in sets of six, and if well made fitted one into the other. If, when buying a set, the woman found the pans

in sets probably comes the saying that very close friends " pan with each other." Another saying, when something has been successfully done, is that " it panned out well."

Children played a game called "cracked pancheons" in this way, though I cannot remember exactly how the words went. A seller of panches or pans comes forward with his wares a row of girls and boys on their haunches by a wallside. The buyer, "a farmer's wife," inspects the row of ' pans with critical eye and derogatory remarks with the object " o 1 bating " the prices. She then