Crux-Easton (St. Michael)

CRUX-EASTON (St. Michael), a parish, in the union of Kingsclere, hundred of Pastrow, Kingsclere and N. divisions of the county of Southampton, 7 miles (S. S. W.) from Newbury; containing 102 inhabitants. The parish comprises by measurement 994 acres, of which 696 are arable, and about 200 woodland: the road from Andover to Newbury passes through the village. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £12. 12. 6.; net income, £180; patron, the Rev. James Bagge: there is a glebe-house, with about 23 acres of land. The church was repaired about a century since by casing the old walls. There is a chapel of ease, called New Chapel; and a school is supported by the Earl of Carnarvon. In the neighbourhood are remains of several encampments. Here was the celebrated grotto constructed by the nine daughters of Edward Lisle, Esq., and commemorated by Pope; it has been suffered to go to ruin, the shell only remaining.