It was in the Isle of Ely, some few miles distant from the Cathedral town, on the side of a long straight road, which ran through the fields for miles without even a bush to cheer it.

The name of his place was Nethercoats, and here he lived generally throughout the year, and here he intended to live throughout his life.
His father had held a prebendal stall at Ely in times when prebendal stalls were worth more than they are at present, and having also been possessed of a living in the neighbourhood, had amassed a considerable sum of money.

With this he had during his life purchased the property of Nethercoats, and had built on it the house in which his son now lived.

He had married late in life, and had lost his wife soon after the birth of an only child.

The house had been built in his own parish, and his wife had lived there for a few months and had died there.