LAMBOURN, a parish in the hundred of LAMBOURN,
county of BERKS, comprising the market town
of Chipping-Lambourn, and the tythings of Blagrave
with Hadley, Eastbury with Bockhampton, and Upper
Lambourn, and containing 2299 inhabitants, of which
number, 1096 are in the town of Chipphig-Lambourn,
5 miles (N.) from Hungerford, and 68 (W.) from London.
This place formed part of the dower of Ealswitha,
Queen of Alfred the Great, and continued in royal
demesne under Edward the Confessor; after the Conquest
it was given to "the baronial family of Fitzwarren,
at whose instance a market and three fairs were granted
to it by Henry III. The town is pleasantly situated
in a hilly district, near the source of a small rivulet of
the same name, and which has the peculiar property
that, during the summer months it has a full stream,
which, decreasing about October, for a few of the winter
months, sometimes leaves the channel perfectly dry. The
streets are neither paved nor lighted; the inhabitants are
supplied, with water from wells; in the centre of the
town is an ancient cross, consisting of a tall pillar, approached
by a circular ascent of steps, and surmounted
by an ornamented capital, supposed to have been originally
the figure of a sphynx, but now nearly obliterated.
The market is on Friday} fairs are held on May 12th,
October 14th, and December 4th, chiefly for cattle.
The living is a vicarage, in the archdeaconry of
Berks, and diocese of Salisbury, rated in the king's
books at £10. 11.10., and in the patronage of the Dean
of St. Paul's. The church, which is dedicated to St.
Michael, is an ancient and handsome cruciform structure,
in the early style of English architecture, with
a square embattled tower rising from the intersection,
and containing a peal of eight .bells; in the interior
are two chantry chapels, in one of which the
inmates of the adjoining almshouses assemble every
morning for prayers, kneeling around the tomb of the
founder, Mr. John Isbury, who died in 1372. There
is a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists. Here
are two free schools, one erected in 1735, by Organ
Hippisley, Esq., and endowed with a small rent-charge
for teaching eight boys to read and write: a Sunday
school has been united to this institution, in which from
sixty to one hundred children are taught to read, and
for this an additional stipend is raised by subscription.
Another school was founded, in 1792, by John Serjent,
and endowed with a messuage and rent-charge of £-11,
for the education of twenty-five children; the master and
children to be appointed by the vicar and churchwardens
of the parish. On the north side of the church is an
hospital, founded, in 1502, by the son of the above-mentioned
John Isbury, for ten poor men, who are nominated
by the War den and Fellows of New College, Oxford.