Mr. URBAN, Shaftesbury, Feb. 1.
AVING obtained permission

proprietor of the site of the late Ab-
bey of Shaftesbury, to make any
searches I might think proper, I em-
ployed a workman to dig there, and
at the depth of about six feet from
the surface, came to the floor (as I
apprehend) of the Conventual Church.
It is composed of what is called Ro-
man tile, having gryphons, dragons,
grey hounds, and other animals, burnt
in the bricks or tiles, interspersed
with the arms of Stourton and Bon-
ham in painted shields, similarly
burnt in, surrounded in each case
with a border. The bricks or tiles
are about four inches square, and I
send you a Drawing of one (See
Plate II. fig. 1.), having the arms of
Bonham, done, as I suppose, when
the Abbess Bonham presided her
Abbacy commenced in 1462; she suc-
ceeded the Abbess, Stourton., I met
in the search with many mutilated
Monuments, chiefly of Purbeck mar-
ble; a Drawing also of one of these
I send you (See Fig. 2.) It seems as
if those into whose hands the Abbey
materials fell were anxious that the
names of the dead should be con-
cealed, as the face of the figure is
destroyed, as well as the legend which
once surrounded it. I have met with
several other Monuments, but not a
single one with an inscription. Re-
mains of the billety mouldings of
massive pillars, of the Purbeck slen-
der marble shafts, every where dis-
persed under-ground, convince me,
that this once grand pile of buildings
was composed of Saxon, Norman,
and the modern architecture or point-
CH. BOWLES.
ed arch.

Mr.URBAN, Wimpole-street, Feb.6.
I
SEND you the Impressions and
Drawings of two Antique Seals
which were dug up at Evesham is
GENT. MAG. March, 1817.

Worcestershire, of the Inscription on
which a facsimile is annexed to
seal,

magnifying glass; they are in Go-
thic letters, which shew them to be of
the fourteenth century. The inscrip-
tion on the smaller seal, fig. 4. is:

S'1. DE THROKEMERTOR.

i.e. Sigillum Johannis de Throkemertor.
On Fig. 5.

HEMERIT. VA'DER MANDERT.
i.e. Hemerit. Vander Mandert.
probably a Fleming.

The arms of this person are in the center of the seal. Fig. 4 appears to have been a seal of the Throckmortons, a family mentioned by Tindal, in his History of Evesham, as having lived near Evesham at the time of the dissolution of the monastery. This inscription shews the orthography of the name at that period. Perhaps some of your Correspondents conversant in antiquities may be able to communicate some information respecting the other seal.

6) is from a gem found by a husbandman in the vicinity of Rumsey; it is a very fine and highly polished garnet, the under surface hollowed out. It was set in fine gold, the back quite plain, the rim very neatly chased, in the upper part of which chasing were three small holes probably to suspend it by a gold chain. or thread.

It was in the possession of Mr. Sweeper, a Silversmith at Rumsey, who had taken out the stone for the convenience of weighing the gold, who was about to make it into a broche until I dissuaded him from the design, and urged him to remount it as when found.

The Inscription is submitted to the Antiquary for explanation, as well as the purpose for which the gem was intended.

ITH this you will receive a W representation of a Bronze Medallion of the unfortunate King Charles I. (See Fig. 7.) The original (of the exact size of the Engraving) is now in the possession of Mr. James Lawrence of Axbridge. It was found Broadfield not long since at a place called

Broadfield Down, about eight miles S. W. from Bristol, and is supposed to have been lost there by some faithful adherent to his sacred King in the march of the troops to, or retreat from that city. - Broad field Down was formerly a wild uncultivated waste of many hundred acres, but has lately been enclosed.

The likeness of the King in the original is remarkably striking. The

falling band which his Majesty wears, is very rich and elegant, somewhat like that on the painting at Hampton Court; and the inscription on the reverse, surrounded by a wreath of laurel, speaks for itself. By permitting this to appear in one of your future Numbers you will confer a favour on one who has often "shed a generous tear for the fate of Charles the First."

COMPENDIUM OF COUNTY HISTORY.

COUNTY PALATINE OF DURHAM.

SITUATION AND EXTENT

G.B.

Exclusive of its detached members of Norhamshire, Islandshire, Bedlingtonshire, and Crake.

Boundaries. North, Northumberland.

East, German Ocean.

South, York.

West, Cumberland and Westmoreland. Greatest length 45; greatest breadth 36; circumference 178; square 1040 miles. Province, York. Diocese, Durham. Circuit, Northern.

ANTIENT STATE AND REMAINS.

British Inhabitants. Brigantes.

Roman Province. Maxima Cæsariensis.-Stations. Vindamora, Ebchester; Vinovia, Binchester; Glanoventa, Lanchester; Gabrosentum, Gateshead; Ad Tinam, South Shields; Magæ, Presbridge.

Saxon Heptarchy. Northumbria.

Antiquities. Maiden Castle, Roman Encampment. Durham Cathedral. Holy Island, or Lindisfarne, Jarrow, Gateshead, and Finchale Monasteries. Chester-le-Street Church, spire 156 feet, and Monuments of the Lumleys. Brancepeth Church and Monuments of the Nevills. Darlington Church, spire 180 feet. Bishop Wearmouth Church. Barnard, Brancepeth, Durham, Hilton, and Norham Castles. Kepyer Hospital Gateway. Beaurepaire Park Mansion.

Lindisfarne was an Episcopal See.

Monk Wearmouth Church was the first in England that had glass windows; they were introduced about 680 by Biscopius its founder. In Durham magnificent Cathedral, founded in 1093, by Bishop William de Carilepho, lie the remains of St. Cuthbert brought hither from Lindisfarne; of Venerable Bede removed from Jarrow; and of Ralph Lord Neville, Philippa's General at the battle of Neville's Cross, who was the first Layman permitted to be interred within its walls.

PRESENT STATE AND APPEARANCE. Rivers. Derwent, Done, Gaunless, Lune, Skern, TEES, Till, Tweed, Tyne, Wear.

Inland Navigation. Hartlepool Canal, Tees, Tyne, Tweed, and Wear rivers. Eminences and Views. Beacon, Billy, Bail, and Brandon hills. Teesdale Forest hills. Gateshead and Cockfield fells. Bolt Law. Merrington Church, and St. Giles's Church-yard, Durhami.

Natural Curiosities. High Force and Cauldron Snout, Cataracts on the Tees. Birtley and Butterby Salt Springs. Marston and Blackhalls rocks. Cavities in the earth at Oxenhall, called Hell Kettles. Hartlepool Promontory.

Public Edifices. Sunderland iron-bridge, one arch 236 feet span, weight of iron 260 tons, finished Aug. 9, 1796, expence 26,000l. Winston bridge, one arch of 111 feet span. Arch over Causey Burne, span 108 feet. Newton cap, and Durham (new) bridges. Sunderland pier and light-house.

Seuts.

Seats.

RABY CASTLE. Earl of Darlington, Lord Lieutenant of the County. Bishop Auckland, Bp. of Durham, ex officio Custos Rotulorum. Axwell Park, Sir Thomas John Cla- Lumley Castle, Earl of Scarborough.

vering, bart.
Blackwell Grange, George Allan, esq.
Cocken-hall, Carr Ibbetson, esq.
Croxdale-hall, William Salvin, esq.
Gibside, Earl of Strathmore.
Hardwick-hall, Matthew Russell, esq.
High Walworth-hall, John Harrison,
esq.

Lambton-hall, Lady Anne Lambton.

Ravensworth Castle, Sir Thos. Henry
Liddel, bart.

Seaham, Sir Ralph Milbanke, bart.
Streatham Castle, Earl of Strathmore.
Stub-house, Cornelius Harrison, esq.
Whitburn, Sir Hed. Williamson, bart.
Windlestone, Sir Robert Eden, bart.
Witton Castle, John H.T. Hopper,esq.

Members to Parliament. For the County, 2; Durham, 2; total 4. Produce. Coal, Lead, Iron, Slate, Marble, Mill-stones, Grindstones, Freestone, Limestone,--Cattle, Salmon.

Manufactures. Iron, Steel, Glass; Coal Tar and Pitch; Pottery; Paper; Cottons; Tammies, Huckabacks, Damasks, Diapers, Checked Linens, Sailcloths; Ropes; Shipbuilding; Copperas.

POPULATION.

Wards, 4; Parishes, 120; Market-towns, 10; Houses, 29,923.

Inhabitants. Males, 83,671; Females, 93,954: total 177,625.

Families employed in Agriculture, 10,288; in Trade, 17,094; in neither, 11,906: total, 39,288.

Baptisms. Males, 2,778; Females, 2,617.-Marriages, 1,262. — Burials,
Males, 1,819; Females, 1,876.

Towns having not less than 1000 Inhabitants, viz.
Houses. Inhab.

Barnard Castle......

Houses. Inhab.

Durham (capital city).. 956 6,763

456 2,986

Wolsingham.....

Bishop Auckland.

Bishop Wearmouth....1103

Monk Wearmouth...... 671 5,355 Sedgfield..

Darlington...........

Stockton on Tees.

Tweedmouth..

836 5,059 Staindrop..

808

4,229 Hartlepool...

Total, Towns, 17; Houses, 11,969; Inhabitants, 75,773.

HISTORY.

A, D. 685, Egfrid King of Northumbria granted all the land between the Wear and Tyne to St. Cuthbert, to hold in as full and ample a manner as the King himself held the same, This was the origin of the Palatine rights of the Bishops of Durham.

1040, Durham successfully defended by the inhabitants against Duncan, King of Scots.

1068, On Gateshead Fell, Edgar Atheling, and Malcolm King of Scots, defeated by William I,

1069, At Durham, Robert Cumin, Earl of Northumberland, and 700 Norman attendants, put to death by the inhabitants; in revenge of which, William I. laid waste all the country between York and Durham. 1080, May 14, at Gateshead, Walcher Bp. of Durham and Earl of Northumberland murdered by the populace.

1139, April, at Durham, Maud Queen of England, and Henry son of David, King of Scotland, met and concluded peace.

1346, October 17, on Red-hills, David King of Scotland defeated and taken prisoner by Philippa, Queen of Edward III. and Ralph, Lord Nevill, the latter of whom erected a cross in commemoration of the victory, whence it is generally called the battle of Neville's Cross. The Scots lost from 15 to 20,000 men. David surrendered himself to Sir John Copeland.

1657, May 15, Durham made an University by Oliver Cromwell, but it was abolished at the Restoration.