on a Barn in Kent, &V. m

bays the height is gradually leffened ; and near the fouth end there is a very low underpinning of ftone, and above the ftone work to the eaves the fides are boarded. The fouth end of the barn, almoft from the ground, is of brick, and was not ever covered with plaiiler as it is difplayed in the view. In this wall there is a {lone- window frame that I think never had on it any infcription or ar- morial Ihield. In the plan, by an overfight, the numeral figures are fet in this wall, whereas they are in the north end wall, which is of brick, raifed upon rag-ftones of the height of fix feet, and the four corners of the barn have coigns of ftone of the fame kind. The oafthoufe is entirely of brick, except that there are ftone coigns at the. corners. This building is of workmanfhip not inelegant, and were it viewed by a furveyor converfant in antient architecture, I am aflured he would not fix its age before the end of the fixteenth century. But its being conftrucled with brick fubverts the pre- fumption of its being coeval with the date of the year infculped upon it. What can be the fignification of this date is then the quef- tion ? And Mr. Hafted's anfwer is, that it denotes either the time when the Colepepers came into this county, or perhaps that of their fettling at Prefton-Hall. The latter appears to me to be the more plaufible furmife, though I apprehend it will ever remain deftitute of proof pofitive, as the name of Colepeper has not been found in any w r riting previous to the reign of king John. This is advanced on the authority of Philipott, who, in Villare Cantianum, obferves, that " the firft of the family whom he found eminent in record was Thomas de Colepeper, who, as appears in the bundle of incertain years in the pipe-office, was one of the Recognitores [e] magna AJfiza in (/] Recognitores magnet Affi%ce. Both Philipott and Hafted miftook the province of Rfcognltores. " It was," remarks the former, (Villare Cantianum, p. 271) "a place of