ntly situated in the valley of the Windrush, the broad, picturesque
main street sloping upward from the stream, beside which stands the fine
church, to the summit of the ridge flanking the valley on the south, along
which runs the high road from Oxford. The church of St John the Baptist has
a nave and aisles, mainly Perpendicular in appearance owing to alterations
in that period, but actually of [v.04 p.0812] earlier construction, the
south aisle flanked by two beautiful chapels and an ornate porch; transepts
and a central tower, and choir with flanking chapels. The massive Norman
tower contrasts strongly with the delicate Perpendicular spire rising upon
it. The church contains many interesting memorials, and, in the nave, a
Perpendicular shrine dedicated to St Peter. Near the church is the
half-ruined priory house, built in the 17th century, and containing much
fine plaster ornament characteristic of the period; a curious chapel
adjoins it. William Lenthall, speaker of the Long Parliament, was granted
this mansion, died here in 1662, and is buried in the church. In the High
Street nearly every house is of some antiquity. The Tolsey or old town hall
is noteworthy among them; and under one of the houses is an Early English
crypt. Burford is mentioned as the scene of a synod in 705; in 752 Cuthred,
king of the West Saxons, fighting for independence, here defeated
AEthelbald, king of Mercia; and in 1649 the town and district were the scene
of victorious operations by Cromwell.

BURG, a town of Germany, in Prussian Saxony, on the river Ihle, and the
railway from Berlin to Magdeburg, 14 m. N.E. of the latter. Pop. (1900)
22,432. It is noted for its cloth manufactures and boot-making, which
afford employment to a great part of its population. The town belonged
originally to the lordship of Querfurt, passed with this into the
possession of the archbishops of Magdeburg in 1496, and was ceded in 1635
with other portions of the Magdeburg territories to Saxony; in 1687 it was
ceded to Brandenburg. It owes its prosperity to the large influx of
industrious French, Palatinate and Walloon refugees, which took place about
the end of the 17th century.

BURGAGE (from Lat. _burgus_, a borough), a form of tenure, both in England
and Scotland, applicable to the property connected with the old municipal
corporations and their privileges. In England, it was a tenure whereby
houses or tenements in an ancient borough were held of the king or oth