tately to Wales. The following are the dimensions of this

venerable tree:

Girt at bottom, close to the ground

Ditto, 5 feet from the ground ....

Ditto, 8 feet ditto ....

The height of the tree to the top of the main trunk,

or principal bough...

This tree is now very much decayed, and has a hollow at the bottom sufficient to hold, with ease, half a dozen persons.

HAUGHMOND ABBEY, of regular canons of St. Augustine, four miles east of Shrewsbury, is situated on a rising ground, backed by an extensive chace or forest, which still bears much of the original wild and romantic character. In front, the abbey commands a very rich and extensive view of the great plain of Shrewsbury, with the town and castle, enriched by mountainous tracts: in the fore-ground appears the fine demesne of Sundorn House, within which the ruins are included. These are picturesque, but not extensive.

There was formerly a farm-house on the spot; but it has of late years been removed to some distance, and this venerable pile is now totally deserted, except by the crows and martlets, that fit around its mouldering battlements. There is no entire trace of the whole foundation; but part of the ancient garden is still cultured for culinary purposes. Of the abbeychurch, nothing remains but the south door of the nave, a most beautiful

M 4

See Mr. Parkes's description of the Shelton Oak, in the Gent. Mag. October, 1810, p. 305. The authors of the present volume of the Beauties of England and Wales cannot suffer this mention of the name of Mr. Parkes to pass by without acknowledging the very friendly and generous assistance that gentleman has rendered them, both during their actual survey of Shropshire, and since the commencement of their work; particularly in his liberal communication of several drawings, the accuracy of which the subscribers will know how to appreciate, without any recom. mendation of theirs.

beautiful and highly adorned round arch, resting on slender shafts, between which on each side have been inserted a Gothic tabernacle, inclosing statues of St. Peter and St. Paul. The chapter-house is entire: it is oblong, with the upper end form

ing two sides of an hexagon. The roof is of fine oak, and above has been another story. The entrance is by a richly decorated round arch, with a window on each side, divided inte two round arched compartments, by slender short pillars. Like the door of the church, the spaces between the shafts of these arches have Gothic niches, and statues of the Virgin Mary, the angel Gabriel, St. Catharine, St. John, &c. South of the chapter-house, and opposite the site of the church, are remains of the refectory, and beyond a large building consisting of a spacious hall, eighty-one feet by thirty-six, lighted by Gothic windows on each side, and a large one, once filled with tracery at the west end. On the north side is a curious antique fireplace.

Communicating with this, at the eastern extremity, and at right angles, is another apartment of nearly the same size, once evidently in two rooms. At the south end is an elegant bay window, very perfect. Above this part has been an upper story. It is conceived this range of building formed the abbot's lodging and hall. The abbey belongs to John Corbet, Esq. who takes great care to preserve it.

This abbey was founded in the year 1100, being the last of King William Rufus, by William Fitz-Alan, as appears by bulls of Pope Alexander the Third, and he conferred on it the land on which it stood, with all its appurtenances. All grants made to these canons are recited and confirmed in the charter of the 13th of Edward the Second. William Zouch also by deed confirmed to them the grant of the mill of Rocheford, made by his ancestors.

Henry the Second, at the request of Alured, abbot of St. John's of Haughmond, granted to William Fitz-Alan, or his heirs for ever, the keeping of this abbey, and all its possessions,