almshouses forwarded a petition to Sir Harbottle Grimston, Master of the Rolls, stating that "on some pretence, or title unto us unknown, there is some obstruction in the receiving of the rents appointed for the payment of our pensions." The dispute rose so high that "John Warren, Churchwarden, was arrested in the town's cause," for which annoyance he received remuneration to the amount of two shillings. Dorothy Seckford, wife of Henry Seckford, became owner of the estates upon her husband's death in 1638. In 1650,*"one Gibbon laid claim to the Clerkenwell estates as John Seckford, and got possession of the house." He received the support of Lady Bedingfield, whose husband, an ardent Royalist, had been committed to the Tower. A force of military was needed to eject "the claimant" from "Seckford's Seat." The claim was renewed by Gibbon's wife after the Restoration, who by gift entitled the King to the house and garden, 25 May, 1669. The Woodbridge townsfolk would not yield up their claim, and they readily paid "Mrs. Aldis ten shillings for healing old Stewart's wife of the hurt that Seckford's man gave her." With Dorothy Seckford the name and family died out 1672. Descendants were left, who proved their connection with this ancient house by the adoption of the name, as Seckford Cage, Seckford Gosnold, Seckford Purpet, Seckford Drury, but even this mark is now swept away, and there remain only the noble Hall, and the still more noble Charity to make the name of Seckford a lasting one in the County of Suffolk. Seckford Hall in the days of the Commonwealth was occupied by Captain Robert Kirby, a staunch Cromwellian, and relative of the Seckfords. It was sold by Seckford Cage to Samuel Atkinson, Esq., of Croydon, in Surrey, and in 1844 was the property of James Morrison, Esq., M.P., by purchase. It is now owned by Captain E. G. Pretyman, M.P. *Churchwardens' Accounts, 1650-1669. PEDIGREE OF THE SEKFORDS OF SEKFORD HALL. William Sekford (Bodleian Charter) William de Sekford (Pipe Rolls, Ric. i. 1189). Robert de Sekford (Bodleian Charter). Bartholomew de Sekford (Bodleian Charter and Davy.) John Sekford=Anne, da. & heiress of Sir Walter or Peter Sir John de Sekford, Priest, Joan da. & heiress of Sir Sir John de Sekford, Knt. = Alice. | Elizabeth m. Henry de Elmham. Sir George de Sekford, Knt. Margaret, da. & heiress of Sir Thomas T George a. s. p. 1463. d. Thomas Seckford=(1) Margaret, da. of John Purrye Eleanor m. John Manoke. Chrystian m. Robert Warner. 3 Nov. 1505. Thomas Sekford Margaret da. of Sir John Wingfield of Letheringham, b.1495.d. at Beal- | d. 29 Oct. 1557. æt 64. Cicely m. Thomas Felton of Playford. ings M. 20 Sep. 1575. ford. ington. d. at Clerk relict of Francis Eleanor Thomas-Elizabeth John-Anne Cranwell Anthony. Seck-Whitt bur. of Cranwell Sir at Hall, in Lin. m. enwell Martin Beal 22 Jan. 1547,bu. 15 Dec. Bowes ings 26 Ap. 1571 at October May 1603. 1594 at S. rine (2) Cathe da. of Geo. Metham. B 1587 bu. m. at S. 1581. G. Bealings. 1593. at Mary Matthew, Ipswich. Woolnoth A Wood John Seckford of Bealings bap. 9 Nov. 1548. bur. 8 June 1570 at S. Matthew, Ipswich. Henry Seckford Dorothy dau. of Sir Henry North bu. at Wood- | bu. at Woodbridge 8 April 1672. bridge 1 Dec. (1) Charles Drury m. Sarah m. (2) John 2nd son of Dudley 3rd Lord North. bu. at Wood June 1642. Charles Seckford Mary Steyning. bu. at Wood-| m. at Framlingbridge 20 Feb. ham 6 Oct. 1575 159. bu. at Woodbridge 24 Aug. 1596. Thomas P. bu. at Petistree14 Aug. 1633. Samuel P. bap. at Petistree, 8 Feb. 1629. Francissa P. bap. at Petistree, 2 Aug. 1631. LAVENHAM CHURCH TOWER. BY HENRY C. MALDEN, M.A. Date of Erection proved by wills in the Courts of Rich as Suffolk is in its Churches, few, if any, of the Church Towers can compete with that of Lavenham in grandeur. Rising to a height of 141 feet on walls seven feet in thickness at the base, it is in as good condition as when first built; the lower part is faced with split black flints only, most of which are very small; as the work advanced, however, the builders were not quite so particular as to the materials used. Weever tells us that Thomas Spring, in conjunction with John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, built the greater part of the steeple, but the following extracts from various wills show that this is not strictly accurate. John de Vere died in 1513, leaving legacies to numerous Suffolk Churches, but nothing, apparently, to Lavenham, probably for the very good reason that he had just completed the building of the body of the Church. Still, at the time of his death, the tower was only half completed, as we shall presently see. Previously to the year 1486, only small legacies to the "reparation" of the then edifice are found, the most important being one by Thomas Spring, in whose will, dated 16 June, 1440, preserved at Bury S. Edmunds, vol. ii., fol. 19, we read "Lego summo altari ecclê pro oblatis oblitis £10. Lego fabrico p'dict ecclie c sh." But in 1486, Thomas, the eldest son of the aforesaid Thomas Spring, died, and by his will left 300 marks, i.e. £200," ad edificationem Campanilam in stepyl ecclesie." The foundations were |