Townsend, Esq.; and thus, in the compass of a few short years, a mansion, which for so many centuries had opened its portals only to nobles, princes and kings, sunk for ever from its proud splendour and magnificent hospitality; and became lost in the long extended list of country houses, to which undistinguished, though opulent individiuals, retire after the fatigue of business. Sic transit gloria mundi.

OF THE MANOR HOUSE OF PEMBROKES.

The Parsonage-its Situation—its Building—its Possessors-purchased by Mr. Sperling in 1797-of the Great or Rectorial Tithes.

THE Manor House of Pembrokes (called the Parsonage or Rectory House) which has long been alienated from the estate (111), is situated about three quarters of a mile from the high road in White Hart Lane, formerly called Parsonage Lane. It is large and convenient, and was formerly surrounded by a moat, over which was a drawbridge. The house was built about the year 1636 for Soames, one of the lords of the Admiralty, at which time the moat was dug and walled in. After Soames, the possessors of this mansion were the families of March; Hobby; Jermyer, and others.

In 1797 Henry Piper Sperling, Esq. purchased the mansion house of Pembrokes with forty-nine acres of land adjoining, and the whole of the great or rectorial

(111) Mr. Lyson had not been able to ascertain at what time, or through what hands it passed, before it came to the Hobbys.-Lyson's Environs, vol. iii, p. 528, note 74:

tithes of the parish of Tottenham (which are said to arise out of 4528 acres of fertile land), and also a quit rent of 17s. per annum, for the sum of £7120. The house and land were tithe-free, and held under the Dean and Chapter of the cathedral church of St. Paul's (112), London, for twenty-one years from April 5, 1796, renewable every seven years according to the custom of church leases, subject to the rent and other outgoings of £27 per annum; viz.

£. S. d. 700

To the dean and chapter
For the augmentation of the vicarage. 10 0 0
Visitation charges....

10 0 0

£27 0 0

Soon after Mr. Sperling purchased the estate he caused the moat to be filled up, and in 1815 sold the mansion house, with about twenty-six acres of land adjoining, to Mr. Wright the present occupier, with the concurrence of the dean and chapter, who granted a separate lease to Mr. Wright for twentyone years from Lady-day 1817, at £5 per annum, and the annual sum of £15 for a proportion of the land tax of £40 redeemed by them, renewable every seven years according to the custom of church leases. Mr. Sperling still holds the great tithes. The renewing fine paid to the dean and chapter upon the great tithes in the year 1810 was £975. The last renewing fine which was paid by Mr. Sper

(112) The rectorial manor and advowson of the vicarage were granted by Henry VIII in 1544 to the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's, in which body they are still vested.-Beauties of England and Wales, vol. x, pt. 5, p. 702.

Jing in April 1817 for the whole estate, including the house, &c. sold to Mr. Wright, was something under £2000.

In 1813 Mr. Sperling caused the great tithes to be put up to sale by auction, which were bought in at the sum of £23,090. In 1815 they were offered for sale for £17,000 at the rent to the dean and chapter of £10 per annum, and the annual sum of £40 for land tax redeemed by them, as before-mentioned.

OF THE MANOR HOUSE OF MOCKINGS.

MOCKINGS House was also formerly surrounded with a moat and drawbridge, and was situated on the south side of Marsh Lane, about a quarter of a mile from the high road. The house had not any thing remarkable about it: it was formerly in the occupation of Mr. Edwin Pain, was bought by Mr. Smith of Henry Hare Townsend, Esq. and was attached to the manor until the year 1803, when Mr. Smith the then lord of the manor of Tottenham, sold it with about forty-three acres of land. afterwards pulled down.

This house was soon

OF WILLOUGHBY HOUSE.

• AN account of the Manor of Willoughbies in Edmonton and Tottenham is given in Lyson's Environs, vol. 2, p. 255–6. The antient site of the manor was in Edmonton. The present Willoughby House, which stands in the parish of Tottenham, was in 1697 the