LAVENHAM, (Suffolk) or LANHAM, 52 cm. 61 mm. from London, is a pleasant and pretty large T. on a branch of the r. Bret, from whence it rises gradually to the top of a hill, where are its Ch. and a spacious market-place, encompassed with 9 streets, or divisions, in a very healthy air. It had formerly a very considerable trade in blue cloth, and had 3 guilds, or companies, with each their hall. It has still a considerable mf. of serges, shalloons, says, stuffs, and spinning fine yarn for London; and many hundred loads of wool are delivered in a year from its wool-hall. It is governed by six capital burgesses, who are for life, and chuse the inferior officers. Mr. Tho. Spring, the rich clothier, ancestor of Sir William the present Bt. if he was not born, got his estate here. The Church, and its steeple, which is 137 feet high, are reckon'd the finest in the Co. the two pews in it bel. to the Earls of Oxford and the Springs, whose ancestors rebuilt it in the R. of Henry VI. are hardly to be equalled by any in K. Henry the Seventh's Chapel at Westminster. The arms of both families are engraven on several of the arches, and in the Ch. is the aforefaid Mr. Tho. Spring's statue in brass. Its tenor bell, though not much more than a ton, has as deep a note as a bell of twice that weight. Here is a fr. sc. and a Bridewell, part of which is a workhouse, where the poor children, &c. of the p. are employed in spinning hemp, flax, and yarn; besides which, here are other considerable charities. Both the T. and manor were the ancient inheritance of the Veres Earls of Oxford; but the late Ld. of the manor was Sir Simonds D'Eves. The tenants of the manor, and the other inh. were always exempted from serving at any court held for its H. They have that tenure of land here which is called Borough English. Its Mt. is on Tu. and on Th. for wool. Its Fair, which is on Sept. 29, is in special repute for good butter and cheese. King Edw. I. granted it a Fair at Whitsontide, which has long been disused.