(1756). This monument is formed of a sarcophagus of black marble, placed in front of a marble pyramid, together with medallions of the deceased. On the north wall are the remains of two brackets.

In a small apartment under the staircase leading to the gallery at the west end of the church, is presented the singular and undesirable spectacle of two unburied coffins, containing human bodies. The coffins are covered with crimson velvet, and are otherwise richly embellished. They are placed beside each other on trestles, and bear respectively the following inscriptions:

Jessie Aspasia,

The Most Excellent And Truly Beloved Wife of

Fred. W. Campbell, Esq.

of Barbreck, N. B.

and of Woodlands in Surry.

Died in her 28th year,
July 11th, 1812...

⚫Henry

E. A. Caulfield,

Esq.
Died Sept. 8th

: 1808:

Aged 29 years.

As it was necessarily supposed that coffins thus open to inspection would excite much curiosity, a card is preserved at the Sexton's house, which states, in addition to the intelligence conveyed by the above inscriptions, that the deceased lady was daughter of W. T. Caulfield, Esq. of Rahandoff' in Ireland, by Jessie, daughter of James, third Lord Ruthven; and that she bore, with tranquil and exemplary patience, a fatal disorder produced by grief on the death of her brother.

The

The remains of that brother, removed from a former place of *sepulture, now lie beside her in unburied solemnity. As we understand that this dreary spot is daily visited by the husband of the deceased lady, we suppose that this very peculiar preservation of mouldering human fragments above ground, and without any enclosing monument, is occasioned by his extraordinary sense of regret for the loss he has experienced. Grief, in its wanderings, may furnish an excuse for much eccentricity when the feelings of the mourner alone are implicated; but a spectacle thus awful, open to the public eye, makes, humanity shudder, without conveying, as it would appear, any peculiar lesson of moral atility.

.A. Guild, in honour of God and the Virgin Mary, was founded in 1456, by John, Lord Berners, Sir John Wenlock, and several other persons, in the chapel of the Holy Cross in the Church of Staines. This Guild consisted of two wardens and a certain number of brethren and sisters. The lands appertaining to it were valued, in 1548, at 111. 17s. 6d. per ann. including 6s. 8d. for a chamber, called the chantrypriest's chamber.*.

The rectory of Staines, which had been giyen to the Abbot and Convent of Westminster by King Edward the Confessor, passed, in common with many other rectorial endowments, to lay-hands on the Dissolution of religious houses. The patronage of the vicarge is.vested in the crown.

There are, in this place, meeting-houses for the people termed Quakers, for Anabaptists, and for Methodists..

A school for charitable education on the Lancaster principle has lately been established, and is supported by voluntary subscriptions. A convenient building has been erected for this institution.

There is not any manufacture, of a peculiar character, or of a great extent, cultivated at Staines; but there are several large

* Lysons's Midd, Parishes, p. 216, after Chantry roll in the Augmentation

large flour-mills, worked by means of a minor branch of the river Colne. There are, also, Calico-grounds in this parish. The weekly market is held on the Friday, but is chiefly fi mited to interchanges dependent on the neighbourhood. The market-house is a meân brick building, at the western end of the town. There are two annual fairs, both of which last for one day only. One of these fairs was granted by Henry III. in the year 1228, to the Abbot and Convent of Westminster. The internal polity of the town is regulated by two Constables and four Headboroughs...

A bridge over the Thames at Staines is traced to a period of considerable antiquity. In the year 1262, three oaks out of Windsor-forest were granted by the crown towards its repair; and numerous grants of pontage, or a temporary toll to defray the charge of repairs, were made at different times previous to the year 1600,

*

In 1791, an act of Parliament was obtained for the erecting of a new bridge; under which enactment certain tolls were allowed to be taken, on which the sum expended in raising the structure was charged. In pursuance of this act a stone' ⚫ bridge of three arches was begun in August, 1792, and was opened in March, 1797. But the work was conducted with so little skill that one of the piers shortly gave way, and the bridge was necessarily taken down. A bridge of cast iron was then erected; but, from the continuance of ill-fortune, we are authorized in supposing that the same want of ordinary care and professional ability still remained; for this bridge likewise failed. Having thus tried in vain to render bridges of entire stone and iron as useful to the public as the homely wooden structure erected on a simple plan in a remote age, the builders employed on this occasion were obliged to rest contented with supporting the bridge of cast iron by wooden piles and frame work We submit a view of this fabric. Staines Bridge, as it is at present seen, was completed in 1807; and it is to be hoped that it will atone, by durability, for its deficiencies in regard to the graces of architecture,