MARCH

Is a large hamlet belonging to the parish of Doddington, containing a population of nearly 4000 inhabitants, situate eleven miles from Wisbech. A considerable inland trade is carried on here in coals, timber, and corn, by means of the river Nene, which passes through the hamlet. In 1671, a grant was made by king Charles II. to Sir Algernon Peyton, bart., his heirs and assigns, to hold two marts or fairs, the one on Monday before Whitsuntide, and the other on the third Tuesday in October, with a court of Pie Powder; the tolls and profits whereof were to be received by Sir Algernon and his heirs; and also a market on every Friday.t

The manor, which now forms part of Sir Henry Peyton's estate, was given to the monks at Ely by Oswi, and Leoflede, daughter of Brithnod.‡

The church or chapel is a noble and beautiful Gothic structure, with a grand tower at the west end, on which is a lofty and fine spire of stone, with five bells; a spacious nave and two side aisles, the south, as well as north porch, leaded. The chapel is dedicated to St. Wendreda, and was built about the year 1343, as is

Pie Powder is a court incident to fairs and markets, to be held only during the time the fair is kept, to administer justice to buyers and sellers, and for redress of disorders committed in them: so called because they are most usual in summer, when the suitors to the court have dusty feet, and from the expedition in hearing cases proper thereunto, before the dust goes off the feet of the plaintiff and defendant. Jacobs' Law Dictionary.

The town of Wisbech seems to have entertained some jealousy of this grant and privilege, as it appears by the records of the corporation, that they directed the town-bailiff to take certain proceedings to prevent March being made a market town. + See page 116.

shewn by a grant of indulgence, still preserved among the archives of the parish, to all those who should frequent this chapel, or have any other affairs relating to the same; dated at Avignon, August 14th 1343, in 2d year of the pontificate of pope Clement VI. during the time of Simon Montacute, bishop of Ely. The chancel is tiled, and seems to have been more recently added, not being of equal grandeur with the rest of the building. At the east end of the north aisle is a neat stone turret for a bell. Under the battlements on both sides of the church, the flint work in the freestone represents various grotesque figures. Beneath the belfry is a large arch to walk through. Notwithstanding so fine a building, it is only a chapel, as before observed, to the rectory of Doddington, about four miles distant from it. The altar stands on an elevation of three steps, railed round: the altar-piece is handsomely painted, gilt, and adorned, having festoons of fruit and flowers, with urns at the top, and in front the ten commandments, the Lord's prayer, and the creed. In the chancel are several stones and marbles: at the foot of the steps is one to Mary Marshall, who died in 1683; a handsome slab to Ann, daughter of Joseph Herrenden, esq. of Morcot, in the county of Rutland, the affectionate wife of Abraham Jobson, who died 27th January 1790, aged 52.* Also another to W. Walsham, esq. who died in 1732; with several others to the same family. Also a mural monument to Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas Shepheard, and a recent one to Ann, the wife of Edmund Barley, who died in 1825.

At the west end is a mural monument to Thomas Harrison, esq. who died in 1699; and at the east end

She was the first wife of the Rev. Dr. Jobson, afterwards and now vicar of Wisbech.

of the north aisle is an ancient slab, on which is a brass tablet, with the inscription, "Pray for the soule of Simon

Payne, who died in the year of our Lord 1501." Also another to Catherine, the wife of Anthony Hansard, esq. She was sister to Sir Robert Southwell, counsellor to king Henry VIII., and died in 1517. Also, in the nave or middle aisle, is an ancient tombstone to William Dredeman, who died in 1503; there are effigies of himself and wife on brass. The ornamental part of the roof is said to have been erected by him.*

In the south porch is a monument to the memory of Thomas Shepheard, esq.

The roof is of wood, with numerous projecting figures of angels, and is one of the richest specimens of the kind in Cambridgeshire.

A guild-hall, dedicated to the holy trinity, was formerly established in this town, which fell into decay at the time of the dissolution of religious houses. A building in the High Street, on the south side of the road, has from time immemorial borne the name of the "Guild-hall."

In 1730, when the road † was making from Wisbech to March, two urns were found, in one of which were

Lyson's Cambridgeshire mentions that his name appears found marked by flints on the outside of the wall of the nave, which seems to be an error, as such letters are intended for “ St. Wendreda,” to whom the church is dedicated.

1729-30, January 14th. A petition of the gentlemen, freeholders, merchants, tradesmen, and other inhabitants of Wisbech and March, was presented to the house of commons, setting forth, that the ancient road between the two towns, particularly between March Chain and Guyhirn, (which was a way upon sufferance, and for which a toll was taken) was

bones and ashes, and in the other, about three hundred pieces of silver coin, of all the Roman emperors from Vespasian to Constantius, both inclusive, no two pieces alike. Also, a few years since, some coins of Adrian were found in a field of Mr. Richards'; and more recently, in digging a hole for a gate-post, nearly half a peck of base silver, of about the time of Gallienus, was found at Stonea, near March.

In the year 1792, an act of parliament was obtained for inclosing the open commons of this hamlet. The house of reception for the aged and impotent poor has a handsome exterior, and stands in an airy situation on the south side of the turnpike road: it was erected in the year 1823.

On the front of that part of the White Hart inn, in March, which fronts the river, used formerly to be some

become dangerous and almost impassable, occasioned by great numbers of cattle driven, and large quantities of provision carried that way; and that a nearer and much more commodious road might be made between the towns, at a small expense, from March common to Guyhirn; and that the proprietors of lands between those places were consenting to dispose of a sufficient part thereof for that purpose, for reasonable considerations, but that it could not be done without the aid of parliament, by reason of the infancy of Joseph Dixon, one of the proprietors; and therefore they prayed for leave to bring in a bill for erecting a turnpike, and appointing a toll for making the said road, and keeping it in repair, and also all the ancient road through the town of March, and for enabling the said infant to convey his part of the said lands for that purpose. Journals of the House of Commons, vol. xxi. page 400. Coles' MSS. vol. iii. page 30.

1729. A petition was also presented on behalf of Richard Fiennes, an infant, by Dame Alice St. Barbe, his guardian, setting forth, that he was advised that certain clauses in the intended bill were likely to take away his right to an ancient toll paid for a way, by permission, over the manor of Waldersea, the petitioner's estate, and the same was ordered to be heard by counsel. Journals of the House of Commons.

square bricks of great antiquity, on which were imprinted the following letters: "HEWGARNARMGTGV "GJJ;" which first make out a person's name, viz. Hew Garnar, and the others were probably initial letters of his children's Christian names. There were also other. devices, viz. a coronet and a shield. This is reported to have been the first house that ever was built in March.

A handsome avenue, consisting of double rows of elm trees, with a beautiful gravelled foot-walk, leads from the town to the church, which is nearly half a mile distant from the bridge and market-place, and in one part of this walk stands a stone cross, the time of the erection of which is not known, though it is supposed to have been built about the period of Henry VI.

The fairs are held on Monday before Whit-Sunday, on Whit-Monday, and 27th October.

By the population returns in 1821, the number of of inhabitants was 1924 males, and 1926 females, making together 3850.

In this town are several valuable charities, four of which are very important, and known by the names of Neale's Charity, Wade's, Guild-hall, and Fringe's. Neale's charity consists of thirty-three acres and a half of adventurers' land in White Fen, the rents whereof were directed to be applied to provide a schoolmaster, and were given for such purpose in the year 1696. Henry Wade, in the year 1713, gave the residue of his estate to the use of the poor, with an annual sum to be paid to a schoolmaster, and for putting out children apprentices, and buying heifers for poor housekeepers.