The remains of that brother, removed from a former place of sepulture, now lie beside her in unburied solemnity. As we understand that this dreary spot is daily visited by the husband of the deceased lady, we suppose that this very peculiar preservation of mouldering human fragments above ground, and without any enclosing monument, is occasioned by his extraordinary sense of regret for the loss he has experienced. Grief, in its wanderings, may furnish an excuse for much eccentricity when the feelings of the mourner alone are implicated; but a spectacle thus awful, open to the public eye, makes humanity shudder, without conveying, as it would appear, any peculiar lesson of moral utility. A Guild, in honour of God and the Virgin Mary, was founded in 1456, by John, Lord Berners, Sir John Wenlock, and several other persons, in the chapel of the Holy Cross in the Church of Staines. This Guild consisted of two wardens and a certain number of brethren and sisters. The lands appertaining to it were valued, in 1548, at 117. 17s. 6d. per ann. including 6s. Sd. for a chamber, called the chantrypriest's chamber.* The rectory of Staines, which had been given to the Abbot and Convent of Westminster by King Edward the Confessor, passed, in common with many other rectorial endowments, to lay-hands on the Dissolution of religious houses. The patronage of the vicarge is vested in the crown. There are, in this place, meeting-houses for the people termed Quakers, for Anabaptists, and for Methodists. A school for charitable education on the Lancaster principle has lately been established, and is supported by voluntary subscriptions. A convenient building has been crected for this institution. There is not any manufacture, of a peculiar character, or of a great extent, cultivated at Staines; but there are several large *Lysons's Midd. Parishes, p. 216, after Chantry roll in the Augmentation Office. large flour-mills, worked by means of a minor branch of the river Colne. There are, also, Calico-grounds in this parish. The weekly market is held on the Friday, but is chiefly li mited to interchanges dependent on the neighbourhood. The market-house is a mean brick building, at the western end of the town. There are two annual fairs, both of which last for one day only. One of these fairs was granted by Henry III. in the year 1228, to the Abbot and Convent of WestminThe internal polity of the town is regulated by two ster. Constables and four Headboroughs. A bridge over the Thames at Staines is traced to a period of considerable antiquity. In the year 1262, three oaks out of Windsor-forest were granted by the crown towards its repair; and numerous grants of pontage, or a temporary toll to defray the charge of repairs, were made at different times previous to the year 1600. In 1791, an act of Parliament was obtained for the erecting of a new bridge; under which enactment certain tolls were allowed to be taken, on which the sum expended in raising the structure was charged. In pursuance of this act a stone bridge of three arches was begun in August, 1792, and was opened in March, 1797. But the work was conducted with so little skill that one of the piers shortly gave way, and the bridge was necessarily taken down. A bridge of cast iron was then erected; but, from the continuance of ill-fortune, we are authorized in supposing that the same want of ordinary care and professional ability still remained; for this bridge likewise failed. Having thus tried in vain to render bridges of entire stone and iron as useful to the public as the homely wooden structure erected on a simple plan in a remote age, the builders employed on this occasion were obliged to rest contented with supporting the bridge of cast iron by wooden piles and frame work. We submit a view of this fabric., Staines Bridge, as it is at present seen, was completed in 1807; and it is to be hoped that it will atone, by durability, for its deficiencies in regard to the graces of architecture. 6 At At a short distance from the town, and in the vicinity of the church, is an ancient and commodious house, termed Duncroft, the property and occasional residence of Lord Cranstoun. The parish of Staines is bounded on the west, throughout its whole extent, by the river Thames. In other directions it meets the parishes of Stanwell, Ashford, and Laleham. The river Colne falls into the Thames near Staines church. At the distance of about two miles from Staines, on the north-east, is the village of STANWELL. The parish is separated from Buckinghamshire by the river Colne, and, in other directions, is bounded by Bedfont, Staines, and Harmondsworth. A great benefit has accrued to this parochial district from its recent enclosure. The waste land, while it remained open, consisted of more than 500 acres, of which about 350 were situated on Hounslow-heath, The whole is now placed under a system of profitable cultivation. In the record of Domesday Stanwelle is said to be held of the King by Walter Fitzother. It answered for fifteen hides. Two knights had two hides and a half. There were four mills, yielding seventy shillings and four hundred eels, save twentyfive; and three wears, which produced one thousand eels. Meadow for twelve ploughs (or equal to twelve carucates). Pasture for the cattle of the village; and pannage for one hundred hogs. Its whole value was fourteen pounds; when received six pounds.* William, the eldest son of the above Walter Fitzother, was warden of Windsor-castle; and in consequence of this appointment he assumed the surname of Windsor. His descendants possessed the manor of Stanwell until the year 1541;† and resided here in the exercise of ancient English hospitality, Bawdwen's Trans. of Domesday for Midd. p. 19. In |