This priory fell, of course, with the smaller houses, and was valued at 19l. 0s. 8d. Essheholt remained in the crown till the first year of Edward VI., nine years after the dissolution, when it was granted to Henry Thompson, Gent., one of the king's gens-d'armes at Boulogne. In this family the priory of Esholt remained somewhat more than a century, when it was transferred to the neighbouring and more distinguished house of Calverley by the marriage of Frances, daughter and heiress of H. Thompson, Esq., with Sir Walter Calverley. His son, Sir Walter Calverley, Bart., built, on the site of the old priory, the house which now stands.
Over a door of one of the out-buildings is an inscription in ancient letters, from which may be traced—"Aleisbet. Pudaci, p——," with a bird sitting on the last letter p. (Elizabeth Pudsay, prioress).
The builder of the present house died in 1749; and, in 1755, his son of the same name sold the manor-house and furniture to Robert Stansfield, Esq., of Bradford; from whom the present owner is descended.[[1]]
Chas. W. Markham.
Jan. 10. 1851.
Footnote 1:[(return)]
Thoresby's History of Leeds.
Crossing Rivers on Skins (Vol. iii., p. 3.).—Mr. C. M. G., a near relative of mine, who lately returned from naval service on the Indus, told me, last year, that he had often seen there naked natives employed in fishing. The man, with his fishing-tackle, launches himself on the water, sustained by a large hollow earthen vessel having a round protuberant opening on one side. To this opening the fisherman applies his abdomen, so as to close the vessel against the influx of water; and clinging to this air-filled buoy, floats about quite unconcernedly, and plies his fishing-tackle with great success. The analogy between this Oriental buoy and the inflated skins mentioned by Layard and by your correspondent Janus Dousa, is sufficiently remarkable to deserve a note.
G. F. G.
Edinburgh.