a census of 1555 when seven residents are recorded. In 1687 it became attached to the nearby town of Uceda, and the first record of the King of Patones dates from about this time. In the 17th century it appears to have been the property of The Marquise of Ensenada, and at one time was owned by the Bishop of Toledo. The King of Patones The Kings of Patones were hereditary sages, and fulfilled the functions of mayor and justice of the peace. They governed the town until 1750 when the last incumbent moved to Madrid. There is an account of this role written in 1781 by Don Antonio Ponz, in his monumental work Journey around Spain, in which there is significant entry in Vol. X. The work was published in Madrid, about 1781 The (Spanish language) entry concerning the Kingdom of Patones is (approximately interpreted) as follows: Places of interest Patones Arriba is almost exclusively constructed in black slate and provides an important source of information for students of medieval and drystone architecture. General environment The lower part of the municipality is agricultural, with cereals, vineyards and olive groves which stretch up-hill. The banks of the river Jarama a very attractive arboreal landscape that follows the road to Torrelaguna. Higher up, rockroses appear, and the northern and eastern facing slopes are commercial pine forest. Above Patones Arriba, in different areas known as eras there are crop terraces once used for growing rye, pens for holding livestock (which were mostly goats) and sties for pigs. All of the eras are now abandoned and disused except as marked paths for hill-walkers. Hunting wild animals is strictly licensed. Ponton De la Oliva The Ponton de la Oliva is a reservoir now in disuse. It is the last of six reserves along the course of the river Lozoya and is also its oldest, having been built in 1857 as part of a system of dams and canals supplying drinking water to the capital. Canal de Cabarrús This irrigation channel was constructed between the 16th and 18th centuries. It has a length of 13 kilometers (eight miles), and was the first to be built to irrigate the valley of Uceda from the river Lozoya (and later the Ponton de la Oliva). Its course runs through the towns of Patones, Torremocha and Torrelaguna. Originally there were six bridges, three aqueducts, eight guardhouses and numerous smaller