was built by Odulph, fon of Ogarius Duke of Devonfhire, in 961. At the Diffolution of Monafteries, the Scite of this religious Structure was granted to John Ruf fel, Anceftor to the D. of Bedford, its prefent Proprie tor. A laudable Cuftom ftill prevails here, that of reading Saxon Lectures, in order to preferve the Knowledge of our Mother-tongue.

Afbburton, 7 M. from Chudleigh, 191 from Lond. is a great Thorough-fare, being about half Way between Exeter and Plymouth. Its Situation is among Hills, noted for Mines of Tin and Copper, and has a Manufacture of Serge. The Church is a noble Structure in the Form of a Cathedral, with a Tower 91 F. high, on which is a Spire of Lead.

Dartmouth, 7 M. from Totnefs, 30 from Exeter, 192 from Lond. includes in it what was formerly called 3 Towns, Clifton, Dartmouth, and Hardness; ftands on the Side of a craggy Hill, is about a M. long, the Streets very irregular, the Houfes generally high, that it feems crowded. The Harbour is esteemed good, and 500 Sail of Ships may ride fafe in the Bafon, which is not only defended by 3 Caftles with Forts and Blockhoufes, but, upon Occafion, the Entrance of it may be fhut up with a Chain. Here is a large Key and a fpacious Street before it, where many confiderable Merchants live, who trade to Portugal, Italy, and the Plantations. The Mother-Church is called Townftall, and is fituated on a Hill 3 Quarters of a M. diftant from the Town. The Tower of this Church is 69 F. high, and is of good Ufe as a Sea Mark. Dartmouth Caftle is very ancient ; for there has been a Chapel in it ever fince the time of Ed. III. and belongs to Stoke-Fleming Church, which i9 2 M. off; but the Stone Tower and Spire.were built by the Inhabitants not many Years ago.

Brixam, a little fishing Town 3 M. to the W. is noted for its Spring called Laywell, which ebbs and flows," fometimes 4 Times in an Hour for & Hours together about an Inch and one eighth, though now and then it intermits. A full Account of this Spring is given' in the Philofophical Transactions, No. 204.

Berealfton,

14 Meeting

DEVONSHIRE f Receive

Berealfton, 3 M. from Tavistock, 163 from Lond fituated on the River Tave; its Church is near 2 M. from the Town.

Tiverton, 165 M. from Lond. formerly called Twyford Town, from 2 Fords then through the River Ex and Loman; but over which there are now Stone Bridges : 'tis an ancient Town, noted for the greatest Woolen Manufactory in the County next to Exeter, and of all the inland Towns next to it alfo in Wealth, if not in Number of People. A great Ornament and Advantage to this Town is a Free School, founded by Peter Blondel, who gave 2000l. for purchafing Lands to maintain 6 Scholars at Oxford and Cambridge, to be elected from this School. This Town has remarkably fuffered by Fire, but those Injuries are repaired, and proper Methods made Use of to prevent it for the future. Tiverton Caftle was given by H. I. to Richard de Ripariis ; but, the male Iffue failing, it afterwards came to the Courteneys, and from them by Marriage to the Trelaw

neys.

Biddiford, an ancient Port and Corporation 10 M. from Hartland, 30 from Exeter, 197 from Lond. fituated on the Towridge, which a little lower joins the Tave, and falls with it into Barnstaple Bay, in the Bristol Channel. Over this River there is a very fine Bridge built in the XIVth Century, on 24 beautiful and stately Gothic Arches. The Town is clean, well built and populous, and has a Street that fronts the River near a M. long, in which are a noble Key and Cuftom-Houfe, where Ships of good Burden load and unload in the very Bofom of the Town, which has a large Trade both foreign and domeftic.

South Moulton, an ancient corporate Town 6 M. from Biddiford, 30 from Exeter, and 177 from Lond. ftands on the little River Moule, which falls into the Tave; has a large and fpacious Church, and a good Manufacture of Serges, Shalloons, and Felts.

Great Torrington; an ancient and populous Town, 5 M. from Biddeford, and 192 from Lond. fituated on the Declivity of a Hill, on the Banks of the Towridge, and

has

has a good Trade to Ireland and other Parts. Here are 2 Churches, one of which has a Library belonging to it. In the S. Part of the Town are the Remains of an ancient Castle.

Torbay, 12 M. from Dartmouth; remarkable for the landing of Will. III. then Pr. of Orange, Nov. 5, 1688. It is a good Road for Ships, about 12 M. in Circumference. Croken-Torr, a noted Hill and Rock in the Forest of Dartmore, 4 M. from Tavistock, where the Tinners are obliged by their Charters to affemble their Parliaments or Courts of Stannary.

Crediton, 7 M. from Exeter, and 183 from Lond, was, in the Times of the Saxons,a Bp's See, till it was tranflated to Exeter; but the Cathedral is ftill ftanding, a magnificent Structure 200 F. in Length. It was a flourishing Town till the 14th of August 1743, when it was almoft entirely destroyed by Fire.

Lidford, 18 M. from Plymouth, on the River Lid, remarkable for the River, near this Place, being confined with Rocks, by which Means it has worked itself fo deep a Channel in the Ground, that the Water can hardly be feen from the Bridge, or the Murmurs of it heard by thofe who pass over it. The Bridge is level with the Road, but the Surface of the Water near 70 F. perpendicular below it.

About a M. Distance from this Place, is another natural Phænomenon ftill more remarkable, namely, a Cataract, or Fall of Water, from a Height of near 100 F. The Water comes from a Mill at fome Diftance, and after a declining Courfe arrives at the Edge of the Precipice, or steep Rock, from whence it projects in a very beautiful Manner, and ftrikes upon a Part of the Cliff standing out fome fmall Diftance beyond the Brink of the Precipice, by which it is fomewhat divided, and falls from thence in a wider Cataract to the Botton, where it has formed a deep Bason in the Ground.

Antiquities of Devonshire.

Ford-Abbey, was originally the Seat of Adeliza, Daughter of Baldwin, of the Family of Brionis, and given by

her

her to fome Ciftercian Monks, and by this Means the Abbey was founded. In Procefs of Time, it came to the Family of Prideaux, Barts. where it continued till the male Iffue failed, when, by the Marriage of a Daughter to Francis Gwin, of Glamorgan, Efq. it paffed into that Family.

Buckfaftre-Abbey, 3 M. from Ashburton, was, accord ing to fome, founded by Alfred, before the Conqueft; but others attribute it to Athelwald, Son to William de Pomeroy, in the Time of Hen. II.

Ottery-Priory was originally a Benedictine Priory, built in the Time of Ed. III. Some Time after this, with feveral other Estates belonging to Monafteries in this Diocefe, was given to John Grandifon, Bp. of Exeter, for him to lay out the Money arifing from the Sale, on facred Things of much more general Ufe to Mankind; such as Churches, Hofpitals, and Colleges. Accordingly he converted this Monaftery into a College of Secular Canons, confifting of a Principal, 8 Prebendaries, 10 Vicars, a Teacher of Grammar, a Mufician and 8 Chorifters, 2 Officiary Priefts, 8 Deacons, &c. This College was fuppreffed in the Reign of Hen. V.

Buckland-Priory, was founded by Amicia, Daughter of Gilbert de Clare, E. of Gloucefter; but, in the Reign of Q. Eliz. it came into the Poffeffion of Sr. Francis Drake, and is now the Seat of Sir Francis-Henry Drake, Bart.

Frithelstoke Priory, near Tonington, was founded and endowed by Robert de Bello Campo, or Beauchamp.

Darlington-Temple, near Totnefs, was, in all Probability, a Houfe of Knights Templars; but the whole Order being diffolved about the 5th Year of Ed: II. a few Par ticulars only are to be fouud in their History.

Seats of the Nobility and Gentry.

Berry-Pomeroy Castle, 7 M. from Dartmouth, was built by Ralph de Pomeroy, in the Conqueror's Reign, and in the Time of Ed. VI. was fold to Edward Seymour Duke of Somerfet, and is ftill in that Family. Armington, 9 M. from Plymouths Stovers, Efq;

Tawflock,

Tawflock, 6 M. from Biddeford. Sir Bourchier Wrey, Bart. Said to be the largest and best finished House, in the County.

Raleigh, 9 M. from Biddeford.-Sir John Chichefter, Bart.

Coppleston, 10 M. from Exeter.-Sir Warwick Bampfylde, Bart.

But the greatest Number of Seats lie round the Skirts of a Common, called Hall-Down, a dry Heath, about 7 M. long and 3 broad; among which are

Ugbrook, 2 M. from Chudleigh, -the Seat of Lord. Clifford of Chudleigh. i

Powderham Cafle near Topsham,-Lord. Vifc. Courtenay. It was built by Ifabella de Ripariis, or Rivers, Countefs of Albermarle.;

Hallden, 4 M. from Exeter, one of the best modern Houses in the County, built by the late Sir Geo. Chudleigh, Bart. after the Model of the Queen's Palace in St. James's Park.-'Tis now the Seat of the Lady Dowager Chudleigh.

Dawlifb, near Exmouth, Bp. of Exeter.
Haynton, Earl of Orford.

DORSETSHIRE

S bounded by Somersetshire and Wiltshire, on the N. by Devonshire, and fome Part of Somersetshire on the W. by Hampshire, on the E. and by the Engl. Channel on the S. It is about 40 M. in Length from E. to W. and about 30 in Breadth from N. to S. contains about 959 fquare M. 34 Hundreds, 22 Market Towns, 248 Parishes, 6 Caftles, and 772000 Acres.

Dorfetfhire, is one of the pleafanteft Counties in Engl. the Profpect of the Sea from the Hills on one Side, and the fruitful Plains, tufted Woods, and winding Rivers on the other, cannot fail of pleafing the Eye of every Spectator. Several of the Succeflors of Egbert, the Saxon K. of Engl. chofe this Shire for their Refidence and Burial.

The Soil in the Vallies is rich, in Pafture and Corn; here graze the black Cattle, while the Downs and Hills feed an incredible Number of Sheep.

The