appropriated by ancient usage for the purposes of this court. The bishop appoints the steward, and is lord of the manor here called Ely Barton.*

IN the deanery of Ely, and about sixteen miles from thence, is a parish of very great extent. This is the mother church to March, Benwick, and Wimblington, though much inferior to the chapel of March, her daughter, in point of building and beauty. The church, dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary, is neat and in good condition, with a tower, on which is placed a spire of stone, and in the tower five bells. It has a nave, with two side aisles,

The compiler is indebted to the Rev. Dr. Chatfield for much valuable information respecting this parish. The doctor is well known as the author of the Historical View of Hindostan, a work of considerable merit; he is also a most zealous advocate in the cause of the Greeks, in their present arduous struggle for freedom, and has made several appeals to the public in the behalf of the warriors of that deeply injured and classic land, against their ruthless enemies: but above all, he is eminent as a parish priest, in the faithful discharge of Christian and relative duties, whose character may be comprised in a few words, as a man of sound virtue and humility, with an union of talents, zeal, and consistency of conduct, at all times to be depended on. This is no panegyric, but a tribute of respect, which all who know the worthy doctor will freely acknowledge, though the compiler feels sensible, whilst he makes this slight remark, he is running the risk of incurring his displeasure.

~ 1845. M.A. Ajutbercolt, MA:

and a chancel almost as big as the nave, tiled, and handsomely roofed with wainscot, and the whole church and chancel well and neatly paved with freestone. It is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £22. 4s. 11d. The altar stands on two steps, and is railed round. On a grey marble slab on the north side, within the rails, is an inscription to a late rector, the reverend Philip Williams, who left a benefaction of £50. to buy books for the poor of March. Exactly before the door, and on the steps in the middle aisle, lies a beautiful white marble slab, with this inscription:

"En lector! hic ad pedes tuos inter pios majorum "cineres Dni Sewsteri Baronetti."*

Over the north door, at the foot of the steps, hangs the achievement of Sir Sewster. In the middle chancel is a black marble slab, with the following inscription:

"Here lies the body of Mr. Thomas Waddington, "who departed this life July 19th 1722, æt 62.”

Also three plain marble slabs to the memory of three of the children of the reverend Algernon Peyton, the present rector.

There are stalls round the chancel, which is separated from the nave by a screen, over which are the king's arms, the ten commandments, with the Lord's prayer, and creed. In 1595, Dr. Clayton was rated for his parsonage at Doddington, to raise one light horse, furnished.+

* See Engraving of Sir Sewster Peyton.

+ Coles' MSS.

John Nalson, the historian, who married Alice, the daughter of Dr. Algernon Peyton, was rector of this parish in 1668. The rectory is remarkable, as being one of the richest in England. The parish is the largest in the isle and county, as well as one of the most extensive in the kingdom, containing 38,000 acres of rich land, subject to tithe.

The presentation of this valuable preferment is in the gift of Sir Henry Peyton, being his private property. The living was originally vested in the bishoprick of Ely, but queen Elizabeth, by the act before mentioned, passed in the first year of her reign,* took the same into her hands, with the manor of Doddington, upon the demise of the then bishop, and by letters patent, in the 44th year of her reign, (1601) granted the manor, with all the rents, &c. the little and great park in Doddington, all courts leet, franchises, &c. together with the advowson to the right and patronage of the church of Doddington, to Sir John Peyton, the elder, knight, governor of Jersey and Guernsey, and Sir John Peyton, the younger, knight, and their heirs and assigns, in consideration of £3000. paid by them, and of a fee farm rent of £74. 6s. 8d. For a century before this period, the family of the Peytons appeared to have been settled at Doddington as lessees to the bishop of Ely. This manor has a court leet and court baron, and in 1613, the lords of the manor consented to an amicable decree, whereupon the fines, which had been before accustomed to be arbitrary, were made certain, and have so continued ever since.

See page 114.

A.D.

The reverend doctor Algernon Peyton, the son of Sir John Peyton, the younger, was lord of the manor in 1654, and also rector of the parish for twenty-six years, since which time the living has not been in the possession of any of the family of Peyton until it was held in 1805, for the present incumbent, by his uncle, who is since dead. The present incumbent, the reverend Algernon Peyton, has now enjoyed it for sixteen years.

The presentation to this living was, in the year 1750, sold by Sir Thomas Peyton, who had no issue, for £1000. to the reverend doctor Proby, dean of Litchfield, and brother to the right honourable lord Carysfort, who held it for fifty-five years.

Whilst the bishops of Ely held this manor, they had a seat or palace at Doddington, and bishop Balsham died there in 1286. Bishop Cox and his family also resided here in the latter part of his time, about 1580. The last account of the manor house was in 1660, in which year it appears that colonel John Fisher, of Wisbech, died there; but it has been altogether so long forsaken by the family of Peyton as a residence, that it is not now even recollected at what period the seat was pulled down. A clump of trees, and an old moat of considerable extent, mark the site, and what remains of the mansion is now fitted up as a farm house.

The following rectors are on record :

1600 Samuel Wright.

1641 Algernon Peyton, D.D. who died in 1667, having added much to the convenience of the parsonage-house.

Lionel Walden, esq. in the year 1719, gave £500. in money, for the purpose of building a free school at Doddington, the place of his nativity, for the education of so many poor children as his trustees should think fit. The benefaction remained many years unappropriated, so that it accumulated to £1800. 3 per cents., and £500. 4 per cents. A school has been recently established, a school-house built, and a master appointed, with a salary of £40. per annum.

Mr. Thomas Waddington, in 1722, gave a piece of land, then valued at £2. per annum; the rent to be applied towards the instruction of the poor children of Doddington.

The Rev. Dr. Jobson, of Wisbech, gave £100., the A.D. interest thereof to be employed in providing religious 1816, books for the poor.

In 1821, some copper coins of the emperors Decentius and Constantius were found in this parish.

The population of Doddington in 1821 was 339 males, 337 females, total 676; Benwick, 264 males, 250 females, total 514; making together 1190. In 1676, the population of Doddington-cum-Benwick was 813.