In the 1747 PCC will of Miriam WITTS, widow, of Aldbourne, Wilts., she made the following bequest: "Item I do give and bequeath unto my said daughter Joan Smith my alembick and my Riding Hood" In my Concise Oxford Dictionary I have found the following entry for "alembic" 1. hist., an apparatus formerly used in distilling 2. a means of refining of extracting The WITTS family lived next door to the George Inn on the Green in Aldbourne but I don't know if they were involved in the running of it. The family were fustian weavers and manufacturers and Miriam also bequeathed her callendar house. Would anyone have any idea what kind of apparatus an alembic was and how it was used? Was it used for distilling drink or for something used in the callendaring process? Julia Hunt --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 22/05/2004