<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information
extracted from Standish, Ayer & Wood Investment Trust
form N-SAR for the year ended September 30, 2000
and is qualified in its entirety by reference to
such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 051
<NAME> Standish Small Capitalization Equity Fund
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-2000
<PERIOD-END> SEP-30-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 117,987,348
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 146,195,704
<RECEIVABLES> 252,377
<ASSETS-OTHER> 9,377,534
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 155,825,615
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 2,073,711
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 2,688,961
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 4,762,672
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 59,638,127
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 1,966,309
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 2,705,327
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 63,920,460
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 27,504,356
<NET-ASSETS> 151,062,943
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 8,239
<INTEREST-INCOME> 311,108
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 1,377,126
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (1,057,779)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 90,466,086
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 10,575,161
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 99,983,468
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (28,497,713)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 176,261
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (1,366,458)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 451,179
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 3,731,049
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 27,266,760
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,117,757
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1,434,970
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 185,893,299
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 54.46
<PER-SHARE-NII> (0.43)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 33.90
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (11.10)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 76.83
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.74
</TABLE>
