1782 Grasmere purchases an oak tree for seats in her third, 13s. 4d., carpenter 13s. 4d.; with a final 11s. 6d. next year for repair of the old ones. 1783 Loughrigg and beneath Moss proceeds to the same; and two new "Sole-trees" [foot-rail] with the railing and repairing of four forms cost £1 9s. 0d., besides 1s. 8d. spent in ale at the public auction of the contract, and 2d. for advertisement of same. s d 1811 For Levelling Church & mending Windows 1 6 1819 To clearing Church of Stones and Rubbish 1 6 1828 Outlay unusual. Grasmere shows "To Flags & Flagging in the Church" 19s. 4d. "To repairing seates" 2s. 0d. Loughrigg and beneath Moss "To Ambleside Church-warden paid for New Seats" £2 1s. 6d. Langdale "To Repairing Flags in Church" £1 6s. 6d.; Seats and Wood 19s. 9d. 1833 Grasmere repairs "fermes" in Church, 6d. The soil beneath the church is thus literally sown with bones, and the wonder is that room could be found for so many. But in this connection it must be remembered that the practice of burying without coffins was the usual one until a comparatively recent period. No wonder that plague broke out again and again, that the fragrant rush was needed for other purpose than warmth, and that fires within the church could not have been tolerated. The custom concerning these forms or _ferms_, as locally pronounced, was rigid. Every man had a right, as townsman or member of a _vill_, to a recognized seat within the church, which was obtained through the officials of his township. This seat was, of course, within the division of his township. The women sat apart from the men, and even the maids from the old wives. So tenaciously was the hereditary seat clung to, that reference to it may occasionally be met with in a will.[128] [128] Edward Forrest, of Ambleside, when providing, in 1637, for his younger son (then under age) as a landholder, adds "and it is my mind and will that my said son Richard shall sitt next his elder brother Edward in the same forme, and likewise to haue another seate for a woman in the other forme, or seate accustomed for women." This was in Ambleside Chapel, but the custom was general.