I. Observations on the Antiquity and Use of Beacons, more particularly here in England. By Mr. Professor Ward, of Gresham College

Extract

In the year 1740, as I was viewing, with a friend, the church at Burton Dasset in Warwickshire, we happened to observe a painted board placed over the entrance into the chancel, but so covered with dust, that neither we, nor the sexton who attended us, knew what to make of it. But as it seemed to represent something uncommon, we desired we might inspect it somewhat more nearly: And when the sexton had taken it down, and washed it, we perceived it was the picture of a coat of arms, with a Beacon for the crest, (as represented in plate I.) and upon further enquiry we found that, by tradition, there had been formerly a Beacon upon the North-west side of the hill where the church stands, erected by one of the Belknap family, who was then lord of that manor. The board that contains this picture, is nineteen inches and a half in height, and fourteen in breadth. The draught here given of it is reduced to the size of one fourth of the original.