*WICCOMB-CHIPPING, (Buckinghamshire) or WICCOMB-HIGH, 27 cm. 32 mm. from London, in the road to Oxford from Worcester, and
has therefore good inns, and is as large and fair a T. if not the richest of any in the Co. It had a mayor in the R. of
Hen. VI. and by a charter, which James I. renewed, it is governed by a mayor, recorder, 12 ald. 2 bailiffs, &c. It had
anciently a mon. of black monks. Here is a free grammar-sc. and an almsh. maintained out of lands, that formerly bel. to
St. John's-Hos. in this T. but upon the Diss. were given by Q. Eliz. to this use, together with those of a mon. called Our
Lady's Rents; all which are so improved, that in 1684 new almshs. were erected here. On the r. Loddon, bet. this and
Marlow, are many corn-mills, and some paper-mills, The T. itself stands at the turning of the little r. Wick, that from
hence cuts its way to the Thames. In Edward the Confessor's time it bel. to the crown, and was held by his Q's. tenants;
but in the next R. it was annexed to the honor of Wallingford, and not long after reverted to the crown. Camden calls it a
Bor. about the time of the Conquest; but Mr. Browne Willis, a Buckinghamshire gentleman, and curious in such inquiries,
observes that it was not such, till above 18 years after it, and thinks it was made a free Bor. by Hen. I. and first
incorporated in the R. of Ed. IV. In the R. of Edw. III. this manor was devised by the crown to the D. and canons of
Windsor, and their successors; of whom the Corp. now hold it, paying to that Ch. a quit-rent of 26 l. a year. Here is an
excellent corn-Mt. on F. said to be one of the greatest in this part of England, and is therefore much frequented by the
factors from London, &c. After the wheat is ground and dressed at the corn-mills, it is sent to Marlow, where it is put on
board barges for London. The toll of its Mt. which bel. to the corp. was lett by a lease of 21 years, lately expired, for
130 l. a year, besides 100 l. fine. The Fairs here are May 9 and Sept, 14. The T. is divided into 4 wards, containing bet.
3 and 400 houses, and the assizes for the Co. are sometimes held here. In July 1724, some workmen digging in an adjacent
meadow bel. to Ld. Shelburn discovered a Roman pavement, of about 9 foot square, with stones of various colours wrought
with exquisite art, but the biggest not broader than the square of a dye. The electors of the members for this Bor. are
the corp. and free burgesses, by them made about 170, and the returning officer is the mayor. It has returned members to
Pt. ever since the 28th of Edw. I.