ton
market for 12d. a quarter.

The church was erected close to the monastery late in the thirteenth
century, and at the Dissolution was constituted the parish church.
Thirty years ago it was restored, and more recently enlarged, and is now
an imposing structure of flint and rubble, E.E. in style. The tower (W.)
is embattled and carries four pinnacles. The fine lancet windows in the
chancel were discovered during restoration in 1872, as were also the
fragments of the old screen, since pieced together to form the present
pulpit and reading desk. The alabaster effigy in the chancel, of a
knight in armour, is believed to represent one of the Scales family.
There are several old brasses: (1) to William Taberam, Rector of
Therfield (d. 1432), this was large, but only the upper part now
remains; (2) to a civilian and his wife (_circa_ 1500); (3) to Father
William Chamber, who founded an annual sermon to be preached in the
church on Rogation Mondays (d. 1546). There are some good modern windows
of stained glass.

James I., who had been entertained at Royston by Robert Chester during
his progress from Scotland to London, built a lodge near Royston Heath,
to which both he and Charles I. occasionally resorted, the latter being
brought here as prisoner in 1647. Some cottages still standing on the
outskirts of the Heath are said to have been used for stables when James
I. used to hunt in the neighbourhood, and by inquiring for the "Old
Palace" visitors will be shown what little remains of his Majesty's
hunting lodge. The Heath is now famous for its fine golf links.

Beneath the old boundary between the two counties, and close to the Post
Office, is the famous _Royston Cave_, which visitors should not fail to
see. It was accidentally discovered in 1742 by some men who were digging
a hole in the market-place, and is now entered by a specially
constructed passage under the street. It was visited by Louis XVIII.
Hewn out of the solid chalk, its greatest height is about 25 ft., its
diameter about 17 ft. It contains curious, and in some cases uncouth
figures and coloured reliefs of saints, kings, queens, etc., of all
sizes and ages, and some crucifixes. The late Joseph Beldam, F.S.A., was
of opinion that the cave dates from pre-Christian times, that it became
in turn a Roman sepulchre and an oratory, and that it was closed during
the Reformation.

There are still the traces of several tumuli in the neighbourhood, and
ancient coins,