tury; (3) the
really fine oaken pulpit, dating from the year 1627. There was formerly
a small monastic house in the town, a cell to Westminster Abbey. From
the village it is an open, breezy walk N. to Ashwell Common or S.E. to
Ashwell Field, between the village and the station.

ASPENDEN (1 mile S.W. from Buntingford Station, G.E.R.) may be reached
from the Old North Road by turning to the left before entering
Buntingford. It is a small, quiet, unimportant village; but much of it
is picturesque and interesting. Readers will remember that Macaulay was
at school here, and that it was the birthplace of Seth Ward,
mathematician and bishop, a contemporary and antagonist of Thomas
Hobbes. The church is a flint structure,--a conglomeration of many
styles. Notable features are the Easter sepulchre in the N. wall of
chancel, the Norman window close to it, the piscina, ambry and credence
table, discovered during the restoration of the church by Sir A. W.
Blomfield in 1873. There are also memorial windows to members of the
Lushington family, and an altar tomb, under a canopy of marble, to "Sir
Robert Clyfford" (d. 1508), who built the church porch in 1500, and to
his wife Elizabeth. The tomb bears brass effigies of these worthies,
which were once in the Church of St. Michael, Cornhill, but were brought
to Aspenden at the time of the fire of London. The aisle (S.) was built
by Sir Ralph Jocelyn in 1478. This Sir Ralph was lord of the manor; he
is remembered in history for his sally against Thomas Nevill, when that
adventurer attempted to rescue Henry VI. from the Tower. He was twice
Lord Mayor of London (1464 and 1476). He died in 1478 and was buried at
Sawbridgeworth.

ASTON (21/4 miles N.E. from Knebworth Station, G.N.R.) has an ancient
church restored in 1883. There is E.E. work in parts of nave and
chancel, but other portions are largely Perp., especially the tower,
which is embattled. The alabaster reredos and several memorial windows
are worth notice; nor should visitors overlook the brass at the foot of
the chancel steps to one John Kent, his wife and ten children. This
worthy died in 1592; he was a servant of Edward VI., Mary and Elizabeth.
The village is scattered upon a hill a little W. from the river Beane,
and dates from Saxon times. The manor was once owned by three men under
the protection of Archbishop Stigand; afterwards by the Abbot of
Reading. It fell to the Crown at the Dissolution, like so many other
propertie