I20 Devon Notes and Queries. possessed of a knight's fee in Devonshire under Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester. In 12 lo we have mention of Richard de Fynmore and Margaret his wife in a fine of lands at Woodhewish. Is this the modern parish of Huish a few miles south of Bideford ? It is worth while noting that it is in a district in which a family of Finnimores has been settled since the sixteenth century. W. P, W. Phillimore. 84. Iron Shoes for Plough Oxen (II. par. 56, p. 79.) — Sir Roper Lethbridge opens a very interesting subject by his enquiry, which throws light on the mode of the transit of heavy goods by our forefathers. By enquiries among our old men, I find it was usual to shoe the strongest plough oxen with iron cues, or Q's, as they were called, to enable them to work on rough hard roads. It was not necessary to Q oxen for work in the fields only. Thus a farmer having a very strong yoke of oxen Q*d them. This meant he would hire them out to assist heavy loads up some neighbouring hill and so bring some cash on to the farm. If an ox showed off its strength by being restive or wicked, the farmer would exclaim, "I'll Q' he," meaning make it work hard on the roads, and earn its living outside the farm. Farmers residing near long hills on our main through roads, always kept their best yokes of oxen Q*d, to help timber, stone, or mer- chandise up. By this means a few horses which could draw the load on level or ordinary gradients, were able to transport heavy loads very long distances across a rough country. The rivers were generally crossed at fords ; timber was not permitted to cross bridges. This was the case at Totnes bridge, where timber wagons followed the ancient way from Berry to an ancient ford just below the Seymour Hotel garden, went across to the island and over the other arm of the river to the plains or open space. In the South Hams, large, strong, heavy red beasts were bred for the purpose of drawing timber to the Plymouth Dock- yard. As horses were introduced, being quicker in motion and more reliable for drawing timber, these South Hams beasts were at a discount for draft purposes, but the breed was judiciously crossed with that of the Channel Islands, which has produced the famous South Hams dairy cattle of to-day. P. F. S. Ambry.
