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8 unusual facts about John Aubrey


Awen

In 1694, the Welsh poet Henry Vaughan wrote to his cousin, the antiquary John Aubrey, in response to a request for some information about the remnants of Druidry in existence in Wales at that time, saying

History of beer

The popularity of hops was at first mixed—the Brewers Company of London went so far as to state "no hops, herbs, or other like thing be put into any ale or liquore wherof ale shall be made—but only liquor (water), malt, and yeast." However, by the 16th century, "ale" had come to refer to any strong beer, and all ales and beers were hopped, giving rise to the verse noted by the curious antiquary John Aubrey

Jean-Baptiste Joseph Émile Montégut

Among his numerous critical works are Ecrivains modernes d'Angleterre (3rd series, 1885-1892) and Heures de lecture d'un critique (1891), studies of John Aubrey, Alexander Pope, Wilkie Collins and Sir John Mandeville.

Mary Sidney

Mary's husband died in 1600 leaving her, John Aubrey reported, with less financial support than she might have expected (through views on its adequacy vary).

Rushlight

One of the earliest printed descriptions of rushlights was written by English antiquary John Aubrey in 1673.

Sylvanus Scory

According to John Aubrey his father "loved him so dearly that he fleeced the Church of Hereford to leave him a good estate".

The Stones of Blood

The Doctor claims to have met John Aubrey, who first suggested stone circles were connected to druids, saying Aubrey invented druidism as a joke.

Thomas Billingsley

According to John Aubrey, Billingsley taught Dorset and his retinue of 30 gentlemen to 'ride the Great Horse.


Burton, Wiltshire

Most of the ancient glass was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell's men in the Fanatique Tymes, as John Aubrey put it, but some fragmentary pieces remain in the north aisle windows, mainly heraldic forms.

Chorography

William Lambarde, John Stow, John Hooker, Michael Drayton, Tristram Risdon, John Aubrey and many others used it in this way, arising from a gentlemanly topophilia and a sense of service to one's county or city, until it was eventually often applied to the genre of county history.

Mermaid Tavern

based on a note by John Aubrey, but Raleigh was imprisoned in the Tower of London from 19 July of that year until 1616, and it is hardly likely that someone of Raleigh's status and temperament would preside over tavern meetings.

Troy Town

Pimperne, Dorset "Troy-town" (unique design, roughly triangular, with paths winding apparently at random; described by antiquary John Aubrey in 1686; ploughed up 1730)


see also

A Good Word for the Vicar of Bray

Thibaw, last king of Burma, decapitated seventy or eighty of his brothers on his accession, but planted Tamarind trees in Mandalay, and Mrs Overall, wife of Dean Overall was a wanton but was commemorated in an entertaining poem about her - "The Shepherd Swaine" by John Aubrey.