302 PERSHORE.

26), and two following days. This is still held, as also "two others, on Easter Tuesday and the last Tuesday in October. The ancient fair has been for centuries quite an institution of this part of the world. It was formerly held in the Abbey churchyard, but the profanity of this practice led to its suppression a few years ago, under a deed of bargain and sale whereby the churchyards are held in trust, the present trustees being the vicar, and Rev. J. Foley, rector of Wadhurst, Colonel Scobell, Mr. A. R. Hudson, and Mr. G. Goodwin. A piece of land excepted from the bargain and sale (conveyed to Mr. J. Bedford) was called "The Monkey," or "Monk's Yard," and was probably the burial place of the monks. Another ancient usage in the old fair-time was for any person who hung out a bush at his door to have the privilege of selling ale without a license during the three days' fair. Modern legislation, however, at length proved too strong for ancient custom, and after some litigation the "bush-houses" were suppressed in 1863.

Giles Collier, an eminent Presbyterian minister during the Commonwealth, vicar of Blockley, and an assistant to the Commissioners for ejecting "scandalous, ignorant, and insufficient ministers and schoolmasters," was a native of Pershore. Another noted inhabitant of the town was Mary Punch, who died at the age of 105, but in what year is unknown.

Tradesmen's tokens, or halfpennies, are in existence of Henry Gibbs, 1666; Gideon Palmer, mercer, 1667; and Edward Perkins, apothecary, 1664.

The only other items on my Pershore notes are - 1, that in 1840 the Board of Guardians petitioned the Legislature, by a majority of twenty-five to five, to dismiss the assistant Poor-law Commissioners, as being a useless and expensive body of men; 2, in March, 1849, Robert Pulley was hung at Worcester for the murder of Mary Ann Staight, at Broughton, near