spandrils with a quarterfoil. In the north window of the nave, at the apex of the arch, are two coats of arms on the glass, one of which is argent, a cross gules.

Some other fragments of painted glass are also remaining in the opposite windows. The usual division of the nave and chancel is preserved by a wooden screen. The altar is plain but neat, and on the right are the seats of the priesthood, and a piscina, rather elegantly arched.

The floor has probably been relaid. In the middle of the nave are some ancient stones, the inscriptions of which are quite obliterated: upon one of them is the impression of a diminutive full length figure, from which the brass has been taken; two of these are coffin stones.

The font is very ancient, built by Sir John Stapleton, as appears by an Orate for him, carved horizontally round the base. The altar window of this church is large, and there is a neat burial ground.

At a short distance from it, stands the rectory house, a very pretty thatched cottage, extremely neat and rustic in its appearance, the residence of the Rev. Edward Thurlow, the rector, who holds this living with Ashby.

At nearly a mile from hence, is an excellent house of T. Morse, Esq., surrounded and almost hidden from the view by some luxuriant trees.

Near the mill water, a few years since, on the side of this village, were found several pieces of antique armour, with various coins.

Regaining the high road to St. Olave's bridge, at about a mile distant from it, we enter the small village of Fritton, long celebrated for its spacious decoy. The manor formerly belonged to the Sydnors, then it came to the Allens, afterwards to Richard Fuller, and is now in the possession of A. G. Johnstone, Esq. In this village is Caldecot Hall, now a farm-house, in the occupation of Mr. George Glasspoole, to which is annexed a manor, the property of the President and Scholars of Magdalen College, Oxford, who hold it in fee. The living is a rectory, in the gift of Mrs. Burroughes, of Hoveton, in Norfolk, now in the possession of the Rev. Charles Barlee.

The church, dedicated to St. Edmund, is pleasantly situated to the left of the road, and consists of a nave, chancel, and tower. The chancel is circular at the east end, a perfect specimen of Saxon architecture, unquestionably of the highest antiquity. It has six windows, and a small narrow loop over the altar; they are square and very ancient, with a single transum running quite through, surmounted by a border coping, the whole of which is in perfect preservation. The interior is irregularly floored with bricks; the chancel windows have a few fragments of painted glass, and a square, containing the arms of the rector. Embedded in the exterior

Y

of the wall, between the south windows, is a small grey stone, with this inscription—

In memory of Mr. Tho. Skeet, rector of this church 45 years, who died Sepr. ye 22, Anno Domini 1720, aged 68.

The church-yard is small, and contains some monuments of the Greens. The nave appears to have been built at a later period; but the tower, which is low, round, and unembattled, is of the Danish construction, peculiar to the churches in Suffolk. Near it is Fritton Hall, a good house, the seat of A. G. Johnstone, Esq.

The decoy is a fine fresh water lake, of more than two miles in length, and in some places of a considerable breadth. The banks of this water, fringed with woods, vallies, and glades, are highly picturesque and beautiful. It abounds with a great variety of fish, and is the resort of widgeons, ducks, teal, and every other denomination of wild fowl, during the season, which begins in October, and continues until the April following, when vast numbers are caught,* and produce a considerable sum to the proprietors, who are three gentlemen whose lands are adjacent to the water. On the verge of the decoy, near the road, is a

The method of taking the wild fowl is as follows: Creeks or canals are cut in particular parts of the decoy, over each of which is a long net or pipe, wide at the entrance, and tapering at the further end, similar to a purse. Into these the fowls are enticed by ducks, bred up tame for the purpose, who are constantly fed at these places, with which they are quite familiar. As soon as the decoy man perceives the flocks fairly settled in the water, he goes down secretly behind a reed fence, and throws into such places as the decoy ducks are accustomed to, a quantity of corn, to which they immediately resort, followed by the strangers, until they are all at

pleasant sporting cottage, the occasional residence of Captain G. W. Manby, of Yarmouth, the ingenious and humane inventor of the apparatus for preserving the lives of seamen shipwrecked upon a lee shore. The apparatus, as every maritime person in the kingdom is already aware, has been eminently successful; and Captain Manby has the heartfelt satisfaction of knowing, that his meritorious exertions have been instrumental in preserving from the boisterous element the lives of more than 300 of his fellow creatures.

Passing through Herringflcet, which will be described hereafter, I shall now proceed to the beautiful village of Somerleyton.

In the reign of the Conqueror, this manor was in the possession of William, Earl of Warren and Surrey. It was afterwards held by the powerful family of Fitz Osbert, who were lord wardens of Lothingland, and had many lordships in Suffolk, from whom it came by marriage to the Jernegans or Jerninghams, ancestors of the present noble family of that name, at Cossey Park, in Norfolk.

Sir Walter Jernegan, of Horham and of Stonham-Jernegan, (in Suffolk) knt. married Isabella, length insensibly led into the pipe, without perceiving it above them. When the decoy man has ascertained that they are all within the net, a dog, who is perfectly trained, rushes from behind the reeds into the water, swimming directly after the fowl and barking at them; they immediately take wing, but being beat down by the net, naturally swim forward to avoid the dog, until they are hurried into the purse, and there become an easy prey to the decoy man, who immediately sets the tame ducks at liberty. The whole business is conducted with so little noise, as not to alarm the fowl in the other parts of the decoy.

daughter, and at length heiress of Sir Peter Fitz Osbert, of Somerleyton. This lady was the widow of Sir Henry De Walpole, knt., ancestor to the late Earls of Orford, and was endowed with a third part of the manor of Houghton, in this county. She afterwards became coheir to her brother, Roger Fitz Osbert, who was summoned to Parliament, 22nd Edward I.* Sir Walter died before the 34th Edward I., his wife Isabella being described at that time as a widow, 40 years of age. He was succeeded by his son, Sir Peter Jernegan, of Somerleyton, knt., who, on the death of his mother, inherited the large possessions of the Fitz Osbert family; for his maternal uncle, Roger Fitz Osbert, dying without issue, the estates devolved to Isabella, his mother, and to the issue of Alice, her sister and coheir, married to Sir John Noyoun, knt. On a division made between the two sisters, this manor, with those of Uggeshall, in this county, and Hadeston and Whittingham, in Norfolk, were settled upon Isabella. From this period, the manor descended through a long line of the Jernegans, as will be seen by the tabular descent annexed to this account, until the reign of King James I., when Henry Jerningham, Esq. of Costessy (who had married for his second wife, Frances, daughter of Sir John Jernegan, of Somerleyton, and widow of Thomas Bedingfeld, Esq. of Oxburgh) sold it to John Wentworth, Esq. whose son, Sir John Wentworth, succeeded him, and married Anne Soame; but dying without issue, in 1652, the estate descended to his

*Herald's Books, Betham's Baronetage, &c. &c.