ARELEY KINGS. 17

stone in the chancel of the parish church that he was "ruinated by three Quackers, three lawers, and a fanatic to help them." How these combined forces operated on Mr. Walsh no record sayeth. Another worthy, who once resided at "The Sturt," in this parish, is commemorated in the churchyard by a monument built of sandstone blocks, like a portion of a wall, being part of the ancient fence, and bearing this inscription in old capitals:

"LITHOLOGEMA QUARE?

REPONTIVR SIR HARRY."

Which, being liberally interpreted, means -

"Wherefore this heap of stones?

Why, to cover Sir Harry's bones."

This was Sir Harry Coningsby, of Herefordshire, who is said to have broken his heart in consequence of having accidentally let fall his only child and drowned it in the moat, whereupon he retired to Areley and died there. A walnut tree was planted close to the grave, and the boys of the parish were to have the walnuts and crack them on Sir Harry's gravestone; but the tree was cut down by a late rector. The monument formed the "pane" or portion of the churchyard fence, which it was the duty of the owner of the Sturt Farm to repair, the ancient custom here being for each parishioner to keep in repair a certain specified part of the said fence. The names of Yarranton, Bayley, Benbow, and Rufford, are also connected with the history of the parish, not to go so far back as the time of Lazamon, or Layamon, a famous old historian circa the Norman conquest, who was born here, and who wrote the history of the ancient Britons, whom he traced up to the Noachian deluge. "The Lord be gracious unto him!" as, be himself desireth in his parchment MS. History, unfortunately, contributes another name from this parish, which must be mentioned here - namely, William Lightband, who, on the 23rd of March, 1837, was executed in front of the county