[B] ASBY, once called Askeby. This parish consists of four manors. The church is ancient, its beauty has been much disfigured by repairs; it has even been diminished in size, as appears by an arch now filled up in the north wall. At Sayle Bottom are several tumuli—some circular, others rectangular. At Garthorne Hall, a tumulus was found to contain human bones and a large sword, and another containing three entire skulls. Pate Hole, in this parish, is a remarkable cavern in a limestone rock, Pate Hole, an immense cavern. consisting of two galleries, one 430 yards long, towards the north east, the other, 230 yards long, making a large sweep from the extremity of the first to its middle; together, they resemble the letter P. At the end of the first gallery is a lofty dome, and a pool 20 yards long, 6 broad, and 3 deep; and in the second are two perpendicular chasms of unknown extent, from whence proceed in rainy seasons torrents of water, which fill the cavern and discharge themselves from its entrance. The noise of these operations resemble at first gentle music, but increases to the pitch of the loudest. In one part is a petrifying spring, which always stands at one temperature.

MapNames of PlacesCounty Number of Miles FromDist.
Lond.		Popul
ation.
39AscotthamWarwickShipston7L. Compton3Kineton1278...
31Ascottham & chapOxfordBensington5Dorchester4Oxford106197
39AscottpaOxford...5...4Oxford1051419
34AsgarbypaLincolnSleaford3Tattershall11Falkingham8114146
24AsgarbypaLincolnSpilsby6Horncastle6Tattershall1013857
10AshhamDerbyDerby7Uttoxeter11Burton-on-T.713650
21AshpaKentWingham3Sandwich3Ramsgate8632416
21AshpaKentFarmingham4Gravesend7Wrotham420586
37AshpaSurreyFarnham4Bagshot9Godalming8352001
16Ash, or AshepaHantsWhitchurch6Basingstoke7Kingsclere653114
11Ashe[A]hamDevonColyton2Lyme4Axminster4148...

[A] ASHE is situated in Musbury parish, which lies in the hundred of Axminster, two miles east by north from Colyton. It is the birth place of the celebrated John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough: this distinguished The birth-place of the celebrated Duke of Marlboro'. erson was born here in the year 1650. He received only an indifferent education, for his father took him to court at the age of twelve years, when he became page, as his sister, Arabella, became mistress to the Duke of York. In 1660, he obtained a pair of colours in the Guards. His first service was at the siege of Tangier, and, on his return from thence, he became the favourite of the Duchess of Cleveland, who gave him £5,000 with which he purchased an annuity for life. He afterwards served under the great Turenne, who was so pleased with his person and bravery as to call him the handsome Englishman. At the siege of Maestricht he so distinguished himself, that the King of France publicly thanked him. On his return he was made lieutenant-colonel, gentleman of the bedchamber, and master of the robes to the Duke of York, whom he attended to Holland and Scotland; and about this time married Miss Jennings, maid of honour to the Princess, afterwards Queen Anne. In 1682, he was shipwrecked with the Duke of York, in their passage to Scotland, on which occasion his royal highness expressed the greatest anxiety to save his favourite. The same year he was made a peer, by the title of Baron Eymouth, in Scotland; and when James came to the crown, he was sent to France to notify the event. In 1685, he was created Lord Churchill, of Sandridge. The same year he suppressed Monmouth's rebellion, and took him prisoner. He took Monmouth prisoner in the reign of James II. He continued to serve James with great fidelity, till the arrival of the Prince of Orange, and then left him, for which he has been stigmatized, and perhaps not unjustly, with base ingratitude. His own apology was a regard for the religion and constitution of his country. He was created Earl of Marlborough by King William in 1689, and appointed commander of the English army in the low countries. He next served in Ireland, and reduced Cork, with other strong places. In 1692, he was suddenly dismissed from his employments, and committed to the Tower: he was, however, very soon released, but the cause of this disgrace was never clearly explained. After the death of Queen Mary he was restored to favour; and at the close of that reign he had the command of the English forces in Holland, and the States chose him captain-general of their forces. On the commencement of the reign of Anne, he recommended a war with France, and his advice was adopted. In the first campaign of 1702, he took a number of strong towns, particularly Liege. In the following year he Created a Duke by Queen Anne. was created a Duke. In 1704, he joined Prince Eugene, in conjunction with whom he conquered the French at Hochstedt, took Marshal Tallard prisoner, and brought him to England, with 26 other officers of rank, 121 standards, and 179 colours. He then received the grant of the manor of Woodstock. In 1706, he fought the famous battle of Ramilies. This battle accelerated the fall of Louvain, Brussels, and other important places. He arrived in England, and received fresh honours from the Queen and Parliament. Blenheim house built for him. Blenheim house was ordered to be built, and a pension of £5,000. a year was awarded him. In 1709, he defeated Marshal Villars at Malplaquet. In the year 1711, he returned to England with additional laurels, but was soon after dismissed from his employments. To add to this unjust treatment, a prosecution was commenced against him for applying the public money to his private purposes. Indignant at such conduct, he went into voluntary banishment till 1714, when he landed at Dover, amidst the acclamations of the people. George I. restored him to his military employments, but he retired from his appointments to Windsor, and died in 1722. His remains were interred with great pomp in Westminster Abbey. His Died in the 8th year of the reign of Geo. I. Duchess outlived him several years. She was a woman of a strong mind, but overbearing passions. Her letters have been printed, and display uncommon sagacity, blended with a great share of vanity. The mansion house in which the Duke was born, now in a state of ruin, was rebuilt shortly after the civil wars, by Sir John Drake, whose daughter had married Sir Winston Churchill.

Fairs, April 6, and Oct. 11, for pedlary.

MapNames of PlacesCounty Number of Miles FromDist.
Lond.		Popul
ation.
4AshamsteadchapBerksEast Ilsley5Streatley4Newbury949346
31AshamsteadchapOxfordGt. Marlow4H. Wycombe4Henley635...
36Ash BockingpaSuffolkNeedham6Ipswich6Woodbridge875234
10Ashbourn[A]m.t. & paDerbyDerby13Leek16Wirksworth91394756
34AshbrittlepaSomersetWellington6Wiveliscombe5Dulverton10254635

[A] ASHBOURN is very pleasantly situated in a rich valley on the eastern side of the Dove, over which is a stone bridge. It is divided into two parts by a rivulet, which is called Henmore, the southern part of which is termed Compton, the ancient Campdene. From the descent of the hill on the Derby road, the view of the place as it presents itself embosomed amongst the hills is beautifully picturesque. It is a neat town, but there is nothing remarkable in its buildings. At the time of the conquest it was a royal manor, and subsequently became a part of the Duchy of A royal manor of the Saxon Kings made part of the Duchy of Lancaster. Lancaster, until it was sold by Charles I. It is supposed that the church, which is dedicated to St. Oswald, was finished in the thirteenth century; in it are many monuments to the Cockaines, Bradburns, and Boothby's, successively possessors of the manors. Sir Thomas Cockaine and other natives, founded a Free Grammar School, in the reign of Elizabeth, for children of the town and neighbourhood, and also a second for the poorer class of children of both sexes. Here are also a chapel and a neat row of alms-houses, founded in 1800 by a native named Cooper, who made a fortune in London, for six poor men and women, and several other hospitals for decayed house-keepers, including one for the maintenance of four clergymen's widows. A very considerable trade is carried on here in cheese and malt, many horses and cattle are sold at its fairs. Much lace is made here, and a great many persons are employed in the iron and cotton factories in the neighbourhood. The romantic and beautiful glen of Dovedale is within a short distance. This town is one of the polling places for the southern division of the county.

Market, Saturday.—Mail arrives 11 A.M., departs 2¾ P.M.—Fairs, first Tuesday in January, and Feb. 13, for horses and horned cattle, April 3, May 21, and July 5, for horses, horned cattle, and wool. August 16, October 20, and November 29, for horses, and horned cattle; the fairs for horses begin two or three days before the fair-day.—Inns, Blackmoor's Head and Green Man.—Bankers, Arkwright and Co.; drawn on Smith, Payne, and Co.

MapNames of PlacesCounty Number of Miles FromDist.
Lond.		Popul
ation.
38Ashburnham[A]paSussexBattle6Hailsham6East Bourne 1155 721
11Ashburton[B]bo. m.t. & paDevonExeter20Torquay13Totness71924165
4Ashburyto & paBerksLambourn16Wantage10Highworth770698
11AshburypaDevonHatherleigh5Oakhampton6Launceston1420174
24AshbypaLincolnGt. Grimsby7Caistor9Louth12160179
24AshbypaLincolnSpilsby2Burgh3Wainfleet6134170
24AshbypaLincolnSleaford6Lincoln13Navenby6121178
24AshbytoLincolnBrigg6Epworth7Gainsboro'14157378
27AshbypaNorfolkNorwich8Acle7Bungay911672
27AshbypaNorfolkAcle3Norwich12Yarmouth812582
36AshbypaSuffolkLowestoft5Yarmouth8Beccles711942
28Ashby, ColdpaNorthampNorthamp12Daventry10Harborough1078385
23Ashby-de-la-Zouch [C]m.t. & paLeicesterLeicester18Kegworth10M Bosworth101154727

[A] ASHBURNHAM is in the hundred of Foxearle, and rape of Hastings. This village gives the name and title of Earl to the representatives of the ancient family of Ashburnham, who possessed this manor before the conquest. The shirt and white silk drawers in which Charles I. was executed, Bequests of Charles I. made on the scaffold. on the 30th of January, 1649, and also the watch which he gave to Mr. John Ashburnham, on the scaffold, are still preserved in the church, having been bequeathed by one of his descendants to the clerk of this parish for ever, and are exhibited as great curiosities.

[B] ASHBURTON is situated in a valley encompassed by hills; it is about a mile from the river Dart, and consists principally of one long street, through which runs the high road from London to Plymouth. The houses are neat, and most of them covered with slate, of which there is abundance in the vicinity. The manor belonged to the crown in the reign of James I., but it has since passed through various private hands. The town, which is governed by a portreeve, chosen at the court leet and baron of the manor, is a borough by prescription, (that is to say, a custom continued until it has the force of law;) and was constituted one of the four stannary One of the four stannary towns of the county. towns of Devon, by a charter of Edward I., in the twenty-sixth year of whose reign it sent two members to Parliament, but only returned members once subsequently until 1640, in which year its privilege was restored: by the late reform bill, it now returns but one member; the electors on the old constituency were 101, and £10 householders 342. The portreeve is the returning-officer. The borough comprises the parish of Ashburton.