are, likewise, found Chara Tomentosa. Brittle chara. Spergula Nodosa. Knotted spurry, or English marsh saxifrage. In the hedges is frequently seen valantia cruciata. Cross wort, or mugweed. PLOUGHLEY HUNDRED is separated from Wootton by the river Charwell, and joins the hundred of Bullington on the south and south-east. The aspect of country is in general flat, or relieved only by downy expanses little conducive to pictorial effect. The soil of the higher land is shallow, but tenacious; the stonebrash pervades a large portion of the other districts. The Oxford canal runs along the whole western side. A part of this hundred, including the parish of Lillingstone-lovel, is isolated in Buckinghamshire. The money raised for the assistance of the poor, &c. in the year ending Easter 1803, was 83381. 15s. 101d. making an average of 3s. 34d. in the pound. This hundred contains the market town of BICESTER, and the following parishes and hamlets: Ardley; Bletchingdon; Boycot (extra-parochial;) Bucknell; Charlton upon Otmore; Chesterton; Cotsford; Fencot and Murcot; Finmere; Fringford; Fritwell; Goddington; Hampton-Gay; Hampton-Poyle; Hardwicke: Heath; Heyford lower; Heyford warren, or upper; Islip; Kirklington; Launton; Lillingstone-lovel; Middleton-stoney; Mixbury; Newton-Purcel; Noke; Oddington; Shelswell; Somerton; Souldern; Stoke-Lyne ; Stratton-Audley; Tusmore; Wendlebury; Weston on the Green. BICESTER is a neat market town, but in a flat situation, near the eastern border of the county. The parish is divided into two districts, termed King's End and Market End. In the former division is a handsome 2 M 3 a handsome structure, the property and occasional residence of John Coker, Esq. Many of the domestic buildings inhabited by traders are respectable, though few surpass mediocrity of character. The church is a spacious and pleasing edifice. No peculiar manufacture is here cultivated, but the town derives great benefit from its market and fairs, which are well attended by dealers in cattle. Two turnpike roads are projected, which promise much advantage to the inhabitants. One is intended to open an eligible communication with Buckingham, and the other with Woodstock. Bicester is one of the parishes on which Dr. Kennet * has bestowed unwearied attention. We are indebted to his "Parochial Antiquities," for the substance of the following observations. Tradition, and some slender authority, report that St. Birinus bore a particular relation to the town of Bicester; which from him, it is said, was called Birini-castrum, or Birincestre. Others argue that the town takes its name from a small rivulet called the Bure, which rises in the neighbourhood. Plot believes that it gains its appellation from the Forest of Bernwood," upon the edge whereof it was seated." It does not seem likely that so trifling a stream as the Bure should impart a name to a settlement of consequence; and the nearest part of Bernwood Forest must have been three miles distant when the town was founded. Kennet is inclined to think the name derived from the Saxon term signifying castrum primarium, or principal fort; this town being, probably, a place of the greatest strength and hope to the West Saxons against the Britons or Mercians. It certainly was, in the age of Birinus, a frontier garrison; and was possibly built about his time, and by his advice, from the ruins of Alchester. The old town of Berincester was first built on the west part, or in King's end. This ancient town is believed to have been destroyed • Dr. Kennet wrote his Parochial Antiquities while resident in the small neighbouring village termed Ambrosden, of which parish he was vicar. Sir Gregory Page Turner had a seat at Ambrosden, now pulled down. destroyed by the Danes, though authors differ as to the period. Gilbert Basset, Baron of Headington, founded here a priory of canons regular of St. Augustine, dedicated to St. Edburg. * In the close vicinity of Bicester is a spring, called St. Edburg's Well: a spot, no doubt, of great resort with the superstitious of past ages. This was, by long neglect, stopped up in the seventeenth century; but the summer of 1666 proving unusually dry, the head of the spring was opened and cleansed, when such a sudden and great supply of water gushed forth, that, certainly, says Kennet, "had the old adorers now lived they would have termed it another miracle." The remembrance of the saint is, likewise, presreved in Edburg-Balk. This is a corruption of St. Edburg's Walk, which was a neat and frequented path to the well from the priory. In a record of about the 10th of Edward I. this is termed St. Edburg's green way. Richard II. in the first of his reign, granted to Sir John De Worth, Lord of the mauor of Bigenhull, the privileges of a weekly market, and one yearly fair. Bigenhull† was a small village which stood on the site of the present King's end of the town. The Bigenhull market was discontinued in the reign of Henry VI. In the 19th of that king, a market was granted to the Bury End, which from that circumstance obviously ac quired its present appellation. The customary oblations at Bicester, about the year 1212, are curious. These were one peuny for a burial, and the same for a marriage, or for churching a woman. The altar, or sacrament offerings, 2 M 4 • Valued, at the Dissolution, according to Dugdale, at 1471. 2s. 10d. per ann.; according to Speed at 1671. 2s. 10d. There were at least seven English saints of the name of Edburg; this to whom the priory church of Bicester was dedicated was St. Edburg of Aylesbury. An allusion to the ancient name of this manor is still retained in a single dwelling, termed Bignal House, on the north of the contiguous village of Great Chesterton, but in the Lordship of Bicester King's end. offerings were threepence at Christmas, two pence at Easter, and a penny at the two other principal feasts; besides offerings at confessions, } The population of Bicester was returned, in 1811, at 2,146, The same returns to Parliament state the number of houses to be 428. At the distance of one mile and a half on the south-west of Bicester are the faint traces of ALCHESTER, a city that was of a square form, and divided by four streets. Richard of Cirencester, in his Itinerary, terms Alchester Alauna, and makes it a city of the Dobuni. Camden seems of opinion that the word merely signifies old Town; but the author of the manuscript at the end of Kennet, would derive the appellation from Allectus, who slew the Emperor Carausius, and usurped his honours. Dr. Stukeley warmly supports this latter notion; and is desirous of finding an allusion to Carausius himself, in the neighbouring district termed Caversfield. The story of Carausius and Allectus is briefly this:-The guard of the British sea coasts against northern Pirates was, by the Romans, committed to a standing admiral; and this command, about the third year of Dioclesian, was bestowed on Carausius, a native of Britain or Ireland. He availed himself of his opportunities to insinuate to his countrymen that if they would receive him for king he would expel their foreign masters. On this he was admitted to the government, and renounced allegiance to the Romans. He maintained his elevation for seven years, but was slain by Allectus, his friend, about the year 292, who usurped the supreme power. The author of the MS. at the end of Kennet, supposes that Allectus fixed his chief seat on this spot, and called it, after his own name, Allecti Castrum; since Alchester, or Aldcester. The battle in which the rebel chief slew Carausius he informs us was fought more than two miles from Alchester, on the field now called Cayersfield. It will be seen that this conjecture is ingenious, rather than probable. The author has no historical support, and depends chiefly .7 |