300 On the Origin of Proper Names. natives of that peculiar soil, and refused to flourish if transplanted into another. Thus we find the primitive names of Jones, Davies, Gryffith, and Powell, in Wales; Macpherson, Campbell, Douglas, and others, in Scotland; O'Brien in Ireland; Carruthers and Burnside in the north of England; Poynder and Thwaite in Lancashire; Tryce in Worcestershire; Tre and Pen in Cornwall; Poyzer in Derbyshire, and others in like manner throughout every province in the kingdom. Some surnames have been tortured by ignorance or wantonness, until they have become lost and completely swallowed up in the substituted anomaly Thus within the last century, as I have discovered by consulting parochial registers, a family named Hauforth has been changed into Alford; Keymish into Cammiss, and Vaustell into Fussey. Caprice has frequently affixed a bye-name to a child, which has adhered to him throughout the whole of his life, and in the end has become the name of his family. Nay, in the exercise of my professional duties, I have not only met with numbers of people ignorant of the orthography of their own name, but have in one instance baptized the children of two brothers, who actually spell their family name so variously as to give it the appearance of a different appellation. To similar causes may be attributed the gradual change of original names, which in the end would produce that complicated variety which now exists in the world. In the classification of these surnames, it has already been observed, that in early times the principal inha bitants of this nation assumed the name of the place which gave them birth, or where their estates were situated, which ultimately became the family name; and in most cases this name is still retained. But the most numerous I class consists of derivations from natural and artificial objects; then follow those compounded from Christian names, the chief of which terminate in son; some are derived from the names of animals; and some from kingdoms and people, countries and towns; others take their rise from trades or colours; many from the human frame, or the qualities of the body or mind; some from the parts of a dwelling house and its appendages; a [April, few from the weather, appearances in the heavens, the seasons, elements, and cardinal points of the compass; and a few others from good or evil fortune, titles of honour, ecclesiastical dignities, et hoc genus omne. To account for, and accurately to class, the whole circle of surnames which at present abound in the world, would probably exceed the capacity of the most talented individual, unless his whole and undivided attention were devoted to its study and developement; and it is to be feared that the effect might appear greatly disproportionate to the means employed. In this respect the theory of surnames bears an affinity to the doctrine of fluxions; without the advantage of equal utility; for, as a knowledge of algebra, geometry, logarithms, and infinite series, is equally and indispensably necessary to a right understanding of fluxions; so, to enter fully into the theory of surnames, an intimate acquaintance with history and antiquities,-dead and living languages,—the state of society and manners in all ages and nations,localities and peculiarities,-national and family connexions,-the passions and prejudices of human nature,-the cant words and technical phrases of every description of men,-is absolutely essential; else the anxious theorist will be at a loss to comprehend the origin of many uncouth names, or the relation they bear to each other, diver sified as they are by a succession of shades and tints which are almost imperceptible; and he will find it difficult to determine with undeviating accuracy, whether many of the names he investigates be primitive, derivative, or contingent; or to trace them through all the devious and uncertain etymologies in which they are imbedded and entwined. GEO. OLIVEer. 1830.] Description of Plympton, co. Devon. The buildings of interest are the Church, Guildhall, and Grammar School, and the ruins of a castle on the north. The Calvinists have also a small Meeting-house. The Guildhall is a large and by no means inelegant structure, standing on granite pillars; against the front are two small niches, one containing the arms of Sir Hugh Trevor, Knt. with the date 1696; the other is vacant. The dining room is ornamented with the portraits of George I. and II., Sir Joshua Reynolds (by himself), and several members of the Corporation. The Grammar School is a little to the S.E. of the Church, and is a stately edifice in the Gothic style, supported by an extensive piazza. It was founded in the middle of the seventeenth century, by Elizeus Hele, Esq. for the education of the youth belonging to the hundred of Plympton, and was built by his executors in 1664. In the master's house adjoining, Sir Joshua Reynolds was born in 1723, his father being at that time master of the school. In the principal street are several old houses standing on piazzas, called the "Penthouse," underneath which the pigmy market is held on Fridays. Tradition says the greater part of the town, when in the meridian of its mercantile grandeur, was built in the same manner. On the north side of the town are the ruins of a castle. The keep, which was circular, stood on an artificial hill 60 feet high; a part of the outer wall only is now remaining: this is of great thickness, and is about twenty feet high in the highest part; two apertures (apparently flues) a foot square, run through it, several feet from each other. This hill has obviously sunk in the centre, certainly confirming the report of its being hollow, and communicating with the Priory of Plympton St. Mary. The green is in the form of an amphitheatre, and is surrounded by a deep fosse, which once communicated with the Plym, though, by means of embankments, this river has for centuries ceased to fill it with its waters. The sides are considerably elevated above the middle, and are *The hundred of Plympton comprises the parishes of Plympton St. Mary, Plympton Shaugh, Plymstock, Wembury, Brixton, and Yealmton. 801 planted with trees, affording an agreeable walk for the inhabitants. This castle was the residence of De Redvers, Earl of Devon, who was Baron of Plympton, of whom many of the neighbouring gentry held lands in castle-guard; among whom was his castellan, named De Plympton, whose son assumed the name of his estate De Newenham; an heiress of this family in the reign of Hen. II. was married to Adam le Stroud, whose descendants still retain it: a singular circumstance, that they should be the only family which still hold the lands originally granted to their ancestors, when even the ownership of the castle has long since passed from the family of its ancient lords, and many of their offspring are obliged to earn their bread by the sweat of their brow." On the extinction of the family of de Redvers in the male line, by the death of Baldwin, eighth Earl of Devon, without issue, in the reign of Edward I. the barony of Plympton, together with the earldom, became the property of his sister, the lady Isabella, wife of William de Fortibus, Earl of Albemarle; she likewise dying issueless, her titles and extensive domains passed to Hugh Courtney, her cousin, Baron of Oakhampton, the son and heir of Mary, eldest daughter of William, surnamed De Vernon from his birth-place, by her first husband Sir Robert Courtney, Knt. This Hugh at first neglected to assume the dignity and functions of Earl of Devon, until compelled to do so by the King. He died in the reign of Edward III. After a series of forfeitures and restorations, this title finally passed from the Courtney family by the death (generally supposed by poison) of Edward, son of Henry, created Marquis of Exeter by Henry VIII. This Henry was attainted and beheaded in 1538, and his titles and estates forfeited to the Crown; but Mary restored the Earldom to Edward, she being greatly attached to him. He died unmarried at Padua in 1556: his possessions were divided among his nearest relatives, who were the descendants of the four sisters of his great-grandfather. This castle, after passing through various families, was purchased some years ago by the present Earl of Morley, of Now spelt Strode. 802 Description of Plympton, co. Devon. The Church is dedicated to St. Maurice, and was originally founded as a Chantry chapel by John Brackley, esq. It consists of a nave, chancel, and two aisles, with a neat tower at the west end. The interior is plain, and the aisles are separated by obtuse arches. The walls were formerly decorated with scriptural sentences, adorned with angels, &c.; but about three years since, when the Church was whitewashed, they were defaced, though they can still be distinctly traced. This practice is unfortunately too common, and cannot be too severely reprobated. The pulpit was erected in 1670, and is neatly divided into small pannels. The font, which is ancient, is surmounted by a modern wooden cover. In the south aisle is an ancient seat, on which is rudely carved the figure of a man bearing a cross: near this on the wall is an unassuming monument, containing the following inscription, in Roman capitals: "Sacred to the memory of Lieutenant Thomas William Jones, son of Mr. Richard Jones, surgeon of this place, commander of his Majesty's schooner Alphea, of ten guns and forty men. She was blown up in a night action with the French privateer Le Reynard, of fourteen guns and fifty men, pear the Start Point, on the ninth of September MDCCCXIII.; when, after an obstinate contest of two hours and a half, the enemy having made two unsuccessful attempts to board, were, according to their own account, clearly overpowered. This monument is erected by the family of Lieutenant Jones, in affectionate remembrance of an amiable relative, and in grateful respect to the loyalty and valour of those who supported him in that memorable conflict." On the floor in the eastern end of the same aisle, is the inscription following, in black letter: "Will. Snelling, Gent. twise Maior of this towne: he died the xx day of Nouember, 1624. The man whose bodie that here doth lie, On each side the entrance of the chancel is an opening, looking into either aisle, through which the people [April, might see the host elevated. On the south side of the altar is an old tablet, with this inscription : "Hic situs est Thomas Browne, hujus ecclesiæ eximia doctrina, morum suavitate, MDCXCVIII. Mariti memoriæ sacrum Near it is a white marble slab to the memory of Katherine Kite, who died in May 1811, aged 69, and William Kite, Gent. her husband, who died in Oct. 1815, aged 70. Also a wooden tablet, with the following: "Mem. anno Dom. 1687. "That Mrs. Mary Moulton of this parish, the widdow of Edward Moulton, Gent. (out of her pious bounty) gave the rents of one feild called Hilly Feild to the poor of this parish, to be distributed yearly on the 25th of December. And alsoe gave the rents and profits of another feild, commonly called Pryor's Parke, scituate in the parish of Plimpton St. Mary, unto the minister and poor of y's parish, to be divided equally between them. And did likewise give the rents and profits of another feild commonly called Horsman's Meadow, scituate within this parish, unto the minister and ministers that shall actually serue the cure within this parish, for ever.' On the opposite side is another of minor donations, and a neat white marble monument to the memory of Lucy, youngest daughter of Admiral Forster of this town, who died on the 1st of Feb. 1826, aged 11 years and 7 months. In the north aisle is a handsome monument: "Sacred to the memory of Rowland Cotton, Esq. Vice-Admiral of the Blue, and Commander in Chief of his Majesty's ships and vessels in Plymouth Port, son of the late Sir Lynch Cotton, Bart. of Combermere Abbey, in the county of Chester, who died the 30th day of November, 1798, in the 53d year of his age." There are likewise two tablets commemorative of Mrs. Frances Full, who died Oct. 29, 1803, aged 73, and Miss Charlotta Lofter, who died in April 1811, aged 52. On the floor is a stone, with this inscription, nearly obliterated, round the margin: "Credo: I beleeve that although after my skinne worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. Iob, xix. 26.” In the centre: "I beleeue that neither death nor life, states nor principalities nor powers, nor thinges present, nor things to com, nor height nor depth, nor any other *** shall be able to separate me from the loue of God which. I beleeve this, if thou *** bee saued, as did * * * Burried here * * * December 1634." There are many monumental in scriptions on the floor in the body of the Church, chiefly at the entrance of the chancel, but they are either much mutilated, or covered by the pews. In the fret-work of the windows are some remnants of painted glass. In the church-yard are a few tombs, but of no interest to the tourist. One, however, on the north records the name of the Rev. Robert Forster, who was above forty years minister of the parish. He died in 1800, aged 70. At the north-east of the town is a large, square, heavy-looking brick mansion, with the north and south fronts of Bath-stone. It was built in the early part of the last century, by Mr. Secretary Treby,* and is commonly known by the name of the "Great House." Though uninhabited, it contains many good portraits of the Treby family. The parish was taken out of Plympton St. Mary, and is probably the smallest in the kingdom, as it scarcely contains 150 acres. Plympton is one of the four stannary towns appertaining to the tin-mines of Devon. It is a place of great antiquity, and formerly of much commercial importance. It was first incorporated by Baldwyn de Redvers, Earl of Devon, in 1242, who granted it the same privileges that Exeter then enjoyed, together with the fairs, markets, &c. reserving a yearly rent of 24l. 2s. 3d. Its incorporation was many years previous to that of Plymouth, the recollection of *He was Secretary to Charles II. + The present Mr. Treby resides at Goodamoor, in Plympton St. Mary, about three miles distant. These are Tavistock, Chagford, Ashburton, and Plympton. 303 which is preserved in the following distich: "Plympton was a borough town, When Plymouth was a furzy down." It is now of little consequence. The Plym, which anciently flowed up to the castle walls, now approaches no nearer than a mile and a half, and the turnpike road is more than a quarter of a mile distant. Its market, from being the first in the county, has dwindled down to two or three butchers' stalls. It has, however, several cattle fairs in the year, generally well attended; and still continues to send representatives to Parliament, which it has done ever since the reign of Edward I. The freemen are chiefly, none resident. JOSEPH CHATTAWAY. Mr. URBAN, Y taste and judgmetit as an architec tural critic and antiquary are so frequently displayed in the pages of your Magazine, at p. 203 of your present Volume, complains of two or three omissions in my little account of Peterchurch, which appeared in the December number,-omissions which I will now endeavour to supply. First, of the dimensions. The apartment lettered A, is 52 feet long by 26 ft. 6 in. wide; B, 22 ft. 3 in. by 21 ft.; C, 16 ft. by 19 ft. 6 in.; D terminating in a half circle (not an ellipse, as your artist has represented,) the radius of which is 7 feet 7 inches, and the distance from the step, marked in the plan by a transverse line, to the wall eastward, is 13 ft. 7 in. The walls throughout are 3 ft. 9 inches in thickness. I regret equally with your Correspondent the absence of a scale to the engraving, but the blame will not attach to me, inasmuch as a scale was appended to the drawing which accompanied my communication. I cannot agree in the opinion expressed by your Correspondent, that the portions D, C, formed the first Church, A and B having been subsequently added,—without indeed the erection of the latter followed imme diately upon the completion of the former, and my reasons are as follow. 1. From the uniform thickness of the walls. We know that the antiquity of a building may generally be inferred from the quantity of materials consumed in its formation, the oldest walls being immensely stout and strong, having withstood the ravages of time and the revolutions of kingdoms; that as civilization advanced, and architecture became studied as a science, the quantity of materials used was considerably reduced, the support being nicely and duly apportioned to the weight it had to bear. In the present fabric no distinction of this kind can be made between the chancel and the nave. The brushes of the industrious whitewasher within, and roughcaster without, prevent a more minute examination of the structure of these walls. 2. From the similarity of the style of architecture which prevails throughout every part of the edifice, the tower only excepted. The main characteristic of the chancel is its semi-circular work, all the arches being of that form. It is entered from the nave B, under a lofty semi-circular arch,-which arch is now walled up, and a small door in the pointed style inserted; all the windows formerly were loop-holes with semi-circular heads, although only three of them retain their original shape and size. Now we find in the nave A, B, the same prevailing characteristic. The two apartments communicate under a semi-circular arch; the south door has a semi-circular head, and is enriched with the peculiar ornaments of the Anglo-Saxon, Norman, and AngloNorman buildings; four of the windows are semi-circular arched loopholes, and two recesses at the sides of the north door were likewise loopholes,-these correspond even in diimensions to those in the chancel. Thus the strictest uniformity of style is perceptible in the principal features of every portion of this building. East-Ham and Dunwich Churches, adduced as examples in your Correspondent's communication, are favourable to my notion; to these may, perhaps, be added the Church of Lastingham in Yorkshire. The Church of Stewkeley, co. Buckingham, is in the Norman style, and has three square apartments, the middlemost surmounted by a tower; Iffley Church, co. Oxford, of the same period, is similar in plan. May not the high-altar have been situated in the chancel B? and that B See Britton's Architectural Antiqui [April, was the chancel, or a part of it, is obvious, from its being separated from the nave by the rood-loft; C and D being used occasionally in the same manner, and for the same purposes, as the retro-choir or lady-chapel of our cathedral and collegiate churches, or for the celebration of obits. I will now venture, Mr. Urban, to offer an opinion as to the probable dates of the several parts of this remarkable Church. The four apartments were built at one and the same time, and may, with the font, be referred to the eleventh century. The north door and its porch are in the lancet-pointed style, which was in fashion during the thirteenth century; and the piscina, under the south-east window of the nave A,near to which doubtless was founded an altar,-is perhaps of the same or a little later date. The larger windows, the rood-loft staircase, lighted by a small square-headed opening, the door forming the communication between C, D, and the tower, cannot be assigned to an earlier period than the fifteenth century. The spire was, I believe, put up in the year 1782. The ancient altar is a curiosity.* Altar-tables are frequently met with in our old churches, not occupying, it is true, their former dignified situations, but quite as usefully appropriated as paving stones. If the zeal of our early reformers had extended no further than removing the altars, sacred images, and other mummeries of the Popish religion, we should have but little cause to complain; but unfortunately the truly useful, innocent, and ornamental labours of our pious ancestors were neither respected nor spared. It is to be hoped the "liberalism" and infidelity of modern times, will not tend to the utter destruction of the few remains which escaped the fury of the Reformation and the Commonwealth. Yours, &c. WILLIAM Sawyer. ties, vols. II. and V. Mr. Fosbroke considers Stewkeley Church to be of much greater antiquity; Encyclopedia of Antiquities, p. 90. *In the Chapel of the Pix, Westminster, the altar is still in existence; it is delineated by the late Mr. J. Carter, and described in your vols. LXXXIV. i. p. 9, and xcIII. ii. p. 132, and in the Encyclopedia of Antiquities. See also Neale's Westminster Abbey, vol. 11. p. 299. |