thedrals; on the top of which hangs a bell, called the Saint's Bell; it has four chapels, two on the north, and two on the south side. The roof of St. Edmund's Chapel is ornamented with the arms of Ely, and at the upper end stands a very antique chest, in which are deposited the records of the church; it is of curious workmanship, above four hundred years old, and was taken out of the ruins of Buckenham Castle, and presented to the church in 1786. At the end of the church is a fine piece of antiquity, the baptisimal font, erected in 1468, adorned with carvings in stone, representing the seven sacraments of the church of Rome; and before it is a brass eagle. A strong quadrangular steeple or tower stands in the church-yard, containing eight musical bells. The church has also a very fine organ. In the north transept of this church, which is dedicated to St. Nicholas, is a monument of white marble, with the following inscription: In memory of WILLIAM COWPER, Esq, Born in Hertfordshire, 1732, Ye, who with warmth the public triumph feel Here, to devotion's bard, devoutly just, Pay your fond tribute, due to Cowper's dust, England, exulting in his spotless fame, Ranks with her dearest sons his favourite name. The church and chancel are ornamented with several other mural monuments; one in memory of the Rev. James Verdon and his family, rector of this parish 60 years, another to the memory of the Rev. Samuel Clarke, M. A. and others belonging to the families of Woodbine, Ward, and Rash. The The organ was built by Bernard Schmidt, a German; it was the property of the Hon. Roger North, of Rougham, attorney-general to King Charles the Second's Queen, and brother to Lord Keeper North. It was then esteemed one of the greatest efforts of human ingenuity, for the sweetness of its stops and soundness of its pipes, although inade of wood, and not of metal. Schmidt built the organs which are now at Windsor, Whitehall, the Temple, St. Paul's, Christ Church, St. Mary's, Oxford, Trinity College, Cambridge, and St. Margaret's, Westminster. So little were the people of Dereham judges of this fine piece of mechanism, that for a series of years it was thrown about the church as lumber. It was purchased of the North family by a poor man, who sold it to the inhabitants of East Dereham for thirty pounds, by his widow, and was put up in the church 1786. Morning and evening service is performed in this church every other Sunday, and when no service is performed at Dereham the morning service is performed at Hoc, two miles distant. The living of Dereham and Dillington, with the chapelry of Hoc annexed, is both rectorial and vicarial, and was held by lease from the crown by the Rev. Francis Wollaston, of Charterhouse Square, an immediate descendant of the learned author of "The Religion of Nature Delineated." The profit of the rectorial part, consisting of the great tithes, with a large barn, granary, and a field, containing five or six acres adjoining, are rated at 3201. per annum, for which no duty is done, nor any residence required. Three dissenting chapels have been erected in this town, within a few years, before which time there was only a small meeting-house for Quakers. Edmund Bonner, bishop of London, whose acts of cruefty, during the Marian persecution of the Protestants, has rendered his name execrable, was rec tor of Dereham church, from 1534 to 1540. Mar ket ket Dereham has suffered much from fire: in 1581 it was nearly burnt down, and in 1679 a dreadful fire destroyed property to the amount of twenty thousand pounds. In 1756 a handsome Assembly Room was built by subscription, in the place where the old market cross stood. This room for many years was greatly frequented by the neighbouring gentry, but now is very seldom used, except for the girls' sunday schools. In 1785 two sunday schools were established by subscription, one for boys, and the other for girls, principally through the exertions of Lady Fenn, whose eminent abilities has been displayed in teaching "the young idea how to shoot." There are several good mansion houses in this parish, ornamented with pleasure grounds, orchards, and walks, most of them walled in, which afford abundance of fruit; particularly those of Sir John Fenn, Mrs. Pratt, and Dr. Baggs. There are also large gardens and orchards, which produce such a quantity of fruits and vegetables of all kinds, as not only to serve the parish, but also to be sent out for sale into the neighbouring villages; so that Dereham may justly be called the garden of Norfolk. The principal manor is part of the royal demesnes, called Dereham Reginæ, in reference to Queen Elizabeth, who had it in exchange from the Bishop of Ely, in Consequence of a violent threat; she swearing by her Maker she would soon "unfrock him" if he refused the exchange. Sir Charles Morgan, late judge advocate, held this maner by lease from the crown.There are also three other manors, one called Old Hall, and Fyrricks, belonging to the Earl of Essex, which it is said was given by Queen Elizabeth to her favourite, Robert Devereux, earl of Essex.There is a small manor, called East Dereham Rectory, and another called Moulds, the property of Jeremiah Ives, Esq. of St. Clement's, Norwich. Before the year 1737 this town was reputed to be the the dirtiest in the county; the streets uneven, filled up with filth and mud, and on the spot where a handsome obelisk now stands, given by Sir Edward Astley, was a pit of dirty water, called the Sand Pit, which was generally filled with dead cats, dogs, and other species of filth; but the streets are now levelled and paved by subscription and at present Dereham is the neatest and best built market-town in the county of Norfolk. Sir Robert Walpole, the celebrated premier of his late Majesty, afterward Earl of Orford, understanding that a subscription was entered into for paving of this town, was so pleased with the intended improvement that he gave a public entertainment to the inhabitants, at his magnificent seat at Houghton, Sir Robert gave twenty guineas; but while the inhabitants were sumptuously regaling themselves at the expence of Sir Robert, the richness of the wines had an inebriating effect, and, in defiance of Sir Robert Walpole's established whig principles, they began to sing in chorus a well known Jacobite or Tory song, called "All joy to Great Cæsar." At that time many of the parish were reputed to be Jacobites. Sir Robert with that pleasantry so peculiarly characteristic of him, sent them all home happy in themselves and him. September 22, 1761, at the coronation of his present Majesty, one thousand poor people were entertained at dinner in the Market-place. On April 23, 1789, on account of the happy recovery of our revered Sovereign, the inhabitants of East Dereham entertained 1,300 poor people with a very plentiful dinner; so great was the joy and hilarity of the inhabitants on this occasion, that it was accounted the greatest day Dereham had ever beheld. In 1775 an act of parliament was obtained for incorporating Mitford and Launditch hundreds, containing fifty-one parishes; for the better provision of those parishes of which East Dereham is the princi pal. pal. This beneficial measure was highly encouraged by the late Marquis Townsend. The corporation soon after purchased an old farm-house, barn, and about 60 acres of land in Gressenhall, and on an open fine spot of land, erected a large convenient building, with proper offices, and a windmill for grinding corn. This house is situated nearly in the centre of both hundreds, upon a gradually rising hill. The land produces vegetables sufficient for the constant supply of the poor; there are also eight cows, which supply the house with butter, milk, and some cheese. The poor in this house may be averaged at 450 of all descriptions, of which two-thirds are children, the rest aged and infirm. The building consists of a very large dining hall, convenient and necessary offices, good lodging and working rooms, and in the wings are contained many separate rooms, called cottages, appropriated to married persons, widows, and widowers, fitted up with a fire place in each, to the comfort of the aged, infirm, and better sort of poor. At a convenient distance from the chief building is another, called the Hospital, fitted up for the reception of the sick and infirm poor. The paupers in this house of charity, the epitome of neatness and cleanliness, are principally employed in spinning of hemp and wool, in gardening, and other works of industry; a quantity of hemp for spinning is grown and dressed on the premises; the children attend regularly at prayers, and are taught reading. There is a chaplain to perform all religious services, preaching every Sunday, and prayers every night and morning, appointed by the governors; a surgeon is in attendance whenever wanted. The principal officers are the chaplain, house surgeon, secretary and solicitor, governor, besides a matron, nurses, schoolmasters and mistresses, miller, baker, and others. In 1776 a place was set apart for a burial-ground, and enlarged in 1785, when it was consecrated by Dr. Bagot, late bishop of Nor |