Ten years afterwards, (1596) when five ships and a pinnance were offered by the Cinque Ports to the Queen, Winchelsea could not offer any part.

MODERN STATE.-Since the days of Elizabeth the sea has receded nearly another mile, and it is now a mile and a quarter from the town: which, however, has remained almost stationary. In 1705, only four freeholders, viz., James Briggs, Thomas Barnham, Benjamin Jackson, and Thomas Cooper voted at the great county contest: the principal inhabitants in 1710 may be found in the Chamberlain's rental of that year, referred to in our account of the Corporation in 1719 Dr. Harris describes the town as without trade, under his own house there were two disused crypts; and in Sliford's Collections it is said, that in 1730 the streets were over-run with grass, though well paved. The exact state of the town in 1763 is accurately given in Capt. Stephen's map, which we have engraved, and to which we have added the St. Leonard's boundary, the principal highways, and the numbers of the quarters, whereever they can be clearly ascertained. We have also marked the spots, where crypts exist on land now without buildings: under many houses, particularly the New Inn, there are also crypts. They abound in the northern quarters of the town: here, therefore, the merchants resided, whilst the tradesmen occupied the centre of the town, near Monday's Market. In 1763, the chief proprietors were Capt. Pigram, who held the Grey Friars' estate, of which, and of the house, we shall speak presently; Mr. Nesbit, who owned Bear Square, (now called Barrack square, from its having been used for barracks during the last war) and the greater part of the next quarter, westward, (No. 8,) on which, next the town hall, stood a large mansion, reported to have once been the house of the Finches, and which was afterwards the residence of the Rev. Drake Hollingbery, and was pulled down about 1830; Mrs. Harcourt, who owned St. Leonard's Church field, White Horse field, Ferry marsh, Roundle field, and Friars' orchard;

the EARL OF EGREMONT, who owned Holyrood field, the

Castle field, and Chesnut field; and Mr. Richard Wardroper, who owned Cook's green and the mansion-house in the ninth quarter, called Paradise, which is still standing, and is the residence of Thomas Dawes, Esq.

Mariteau House, in the twentieth quarter, was not then built, it was erected soon afterwards by Mr. Mariteau on the land called Truncheons. During the prevalence of that scourge, the small pox, it it was converted

into a hospital, for patients at

tacked with that frightful disease.

The house was, in 1783, purchased by and became the residence of RICHARD DENNE, Esq., a member of the Kentish family,

who bear for their arms,-Quarterly: first, three leopard's heads, affrontee, couped at the neck, or. second and third, ar. three bars erm. in chief, as many fleurs de lis, or. fourth, ar. two flaunches sa., each charged with a leopard's face, or. Crest, on a chapeau vert, turned up erm. a demi peacock, wings expanded and elevated ppr. The Dennes resided here for

many years, but the property

was ultimately sold by them; and in 1848, was bought by Mr. Legg, who now occupies this mansion.

Opposite to this house, and in the nineteenth quarter, are the ruins of a building formerly called Trojan's or Jews' Hall: a door-way and window alone remain; but whence it derived its name, or for what purposes it was used, we have neither an authentic nor traditional account.

The Court Hall or Water Bailiff's Prison is situated at the north-west corner of the eighth quarter, and shows remains of considerable antiquity: the niches and arched doorway are evidently older than the present building, which

would seem to have been re-built in the Tudor days, from the materials of the older building. Until the grant of Henry VII to the Guldeford's, it was in the king's hands, and a regular rent was paid to the crown. It passed with the office of Bailiff from them through the Ashburnhams to the family of Curteis, to whom a rent is now paid by the Corporation.2

STATISTICS.-The population in 1801 was 627: in 1811 it was 652: in 1821 it had increased to 817: in 1831 it was 772: but in 1841 it had gone back to 687, with only 127 inhabited houses, and 24 uninhabited. The annual value of real property assessed to the property tax in 1815, was £2,230. The poor's rate in 1776 was £160 1s.: in 1785 it was

1 In the accounts of the town, 1 Hen. IV, (1400) entries of payments

of 6s. 8d. a year will be found. See Corporation History, post.

2 See further as to the descent in our account of the manor of Higham.