*CIRENCESTER, (Gloucestershire) 68 cm. 85 mm. from London, and 20 m. but bad road, from Lansdown, is commonly called
Cicester, and by some reckoned the largest, as well as the oldest T. in the Co. 'Tis said to have been built by Ciffa, one
of the Saxon vice-roys. It was of great note, both under the Romans and Saxons, of whom it is said, the latter built the
abbey here, of which two old gate-houses still remain. Its abbot was mitred. K. Canute the Dane held a general council
here, anno 1020. It was formerly 2 m. round, but suffered so much by the Danes, the Barons wars, the civil war, &c. that
not above one 4th of that com. is now inhabited. It had also 3 p. Chs. and now but one. 'Tis, however. a post T. and
maintains a stage-coach to London. It has its name from the r. Churn, that passes by it towards the Thames, and the word
Cestre, i.e. castle; it having been fortified by the Romans, and is the Corinium of Ptolomey, and the Durocornovium of
Antoninus. Two of the Roman consular ways cross each other here, one of which is still visible, with a high ridge as far
as Birdlip-Hill; the other runs to Cricklade and Newbury. K. Hen. III. took its castle from the Barons, and demolished it.
Hen. IV. gave it a charter and several privileges, and Q. Eliz. in whose R. it first sent members to Pt. gave them
another, by which it was incorporated, with a steward and bailiff; but 'tis now governed by 2 high-constables, and 14
wardsmen over the 7 wards, appointed yearly at the court-leet. It has Mts. on M. for corn, and on F. one of the greatest
in the Km. for wool, the principal mf. that is carried on here, there having been no less than 5000 packs brought hither
in some years, from Leicestershire, Northhamtonshire and Lincolnshire, and sold, for most part, to the clothiers of this
Co. and Wilts; and the weeks before Palm-Sunday and Bartholomew-day are considerable Fairs for cloth. It has 3 other
Fairs, Easter-Tu. July 7, and Oct. 28. It is observed, that in this T. the first act of rebellion was committed in 1641,
and that here was the first blood shed at the revolution in 1688. The Ch. has 28 windows of painted glass, representing
scripture history, and the fathers, martyrs and persecutors of the christian religion. The foundation of the old wall is
visible in many places; and antiquities, especially Roman, are dug up here every day, as was a fine mosaic pavement in the
year 1723, with many coins. K. Edw. II. granted this manor to his brother Edmund of Woodstock; from whom it came to the
Earls of Kent and Darby, the Seymours and Pools; which last sold it to Sir Ben. Bathurst, whose descendant, the present
Ld. Bathurst, has a house here, that was built by the E. of Danby. K. Rich. I. annexed the jurisdiction of 7 Hs. to its
abbey, which was lately veiled in Sir Rob. Atkins of Saperton. The seite of the abbey was granted by Q. Eliz. to her
physician Rich. Mailer, whose descendant Tho. Master, Esq; the present owner, has a fine house on the spot. Here are
several hoss. and almshs. besides a fr. sc. and ch. sc.