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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY
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This book is DUE on the last date stamped below.
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AMBULATOR;
OR,
A POCKET COMPANION
FOR THE TOUR OF
LONDON AND ITS ENVIRONS,
WITHIN THE CIRCUIT OF TWENTY-FIVE MILES:
DESCRIPTIVE OF
THE OBJECTS MOST REMARKABLE
FOR
GRANDEUR, ELEGANCE, TASTE, LOCAL REAUTV,
AND ANTIQUITY.
ILLUSTRATED BY
ANECDOTES, HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL;
AND KMBELUSHED WITH
FOURTEEN ELEGANT ENGRAVINGS,
AND
A CORRECT MAP.
LONDON— opulent. rnl.'.r2cd, and still
Incirasiug LONDON— Babylon of old
Not more tin glory oF i!io earth than she.
A more accoinplish'd World's chief glorv now !
Thf. villas with wnicli LONDON ^taudsbrgirt.
Like a swarth Indian with his belt of beads.
Prove it! COWFER.
fVITH CONSIDERABLE ADDITIONS A^D 1 M PROrEMENTS.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR SCATCHERD AND LETTER MAN ; VVILKIE AND ROBINSON; LONG-
MAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN J C. LAW J J.HARRIS; JOHN
RICHARDSON; J. ASPERNEJ T. HUGHES^ J, CAWTHORNE J T. UNDER-
WOOD ; AND GALE AND CURTIS.
1811.
PHINTED BY WJUrriVGHAM AND ROMTLAND,
C(fswcU Street.
STACK ANNEX
ft 4^
1911
ADVERTISEMENT.
JL HE Proprietors of the Ambulator, desirous of ren-
dering it as perfect as possible, xvill be happy to receive
hifortnation both respecting the change of property that
may occur from time to time, and the errors or omissions
that may be noticed relating to Gentlemen's Seats, or re-
markable Places, either in regard to their situations,
prospects, antiquities, curiosities, paintings, ^c. ; or
other'vbise interesting, in respect to their history, or the
biography of distinguished persons.
Letters addressed to Scatcherd and Letterman^
Ave-Maria Lane, i\iiU receive due attention.
PREFACE
TO THE TENTH EDITION.
It is unnecessary to expatiate upon the utility of a
Work which has passed through so many editions, and
has enjoyed so large a portion of the public approbation.
Most country towns, with their vicinities, have their re-
spective Guides- — so truly acceptable are publications of
this kind to the generaUty of mankind. The Metropolis
of the British Empire, therefore, with its adjacent vil-
lages, is, in this respect, entitled to special distinction.
Royal palaces, magnificent seats, and elegant villas, en-
riched by the finest paintings, by inestimable antiques,
by venerable decorations of ancient splendour, or by the
exquisite embellishments of modern taste, yield an inex-
haustible gratification to the curiosity.
Indeed, to assist the inhabitants of the Metropolis, or
its occasional visitors, in the choice ot their excursions,
is a principal object of this Publication. With this \'iew,
the Editor has described not only whatever he found cu-
rious in the works of Nature or of Art, but where any
place has been distinguished by some memorable cir-
cumstance, he has not forgotten how much the incidental
recollection of it may improve the sources of conversa-
tion, nor what pleasure a well-cultivated mind may de-
rive from contemplating the favourite retreats of the be-
nefactors and ornaments of mankind — where the states-
man mused, in solitude, on the welfare of his country, or
meditated on the instability of sublunary grandeur; where
the philosopher enriched the age with his sublime dis-
coveries ; or the po€t " informed the page with music,
image, sentiment, and thought ;'' where a Richard Crontr^
PREFACE.
well preferred the scenes of iunocence and peace to all
the glory of guilty greatness ; where a Lyttelton rieceived
the first convictions of rehgious truth ; or an Addison
exemphfied, in a happy death, the pleasures and impor-
tance of a virtuous life ! It is natural to view such scenes
with a degree of enthusiasm, and to consider the ground
we tread as almost sacred. Such spots interest the imagi-
nation and impress the heart.
The fluctuations of property, as was expected, have
rendered many alterations indispensable in the present
edition of this Work. Of these the Editor has endea-
voured to procure accurate information. Besides all the
corrections to the present day, the additions and improve-
ments have been so numerous, that this edition may be
almost considered as a new work ; and in none of
the articles will such information be sought for in vain,
as can reasonably be expected in a work professedly in-
tended as a Pocket Companion.
The Editor, however, in justice to himself, cannot but
remark, that he is aware that even his utmost endeavours
have not secured a strict accuraci/. In a volume of this
kind it is absolutely unattainable. Gentlemen's seats are
perpetually changing their possessors, either through that
rage for speculation by which the age is distinguished, or
through the depredations of the last foe, who spares no
one class of society. In either cases, a few months effect
a considerable alteration ; such is the evanescent com-
plexion of this ever-changing world ! The improvement
of the Work will constantly be kept in view, whereby
every future edition will be rendered still more worthy of
the public favour.
Ulinstony Nov. 27, 1S06.
ADVERTISEMENT
lO -THE ELEVENTH EDITION.
As it has been the wish of the Editor and Pro-
prietors to render the Ambulator still more deserv*
ing of the patronage hy which it has been ever dis-
tinguished, many additional subjects are inserted in
this Edition, intimately connected with Topogra-
phy, History, and Biography: the bearings and
distances of the respective places are given from the
best authorities; and although it contain more iiv
formation and amusement, yet so strict an attention
has beenpaid to its utility as a pocket companion,
that in size it does not exceed any former impres-
sion.
Chismck, Oct. Ath, 1810.
DIRECTIONS FOR PLACING THE PLATES.
The Map to face the Title
Alban's (St.) Abbey Page 29
Eton College lOi
Gravesend and Tilbury Fort 107
Greenwich Hospital jjl
Hampton Court , 129
Hatfield House, the seat of the Marquis of Salisbury 134
Holland House, Kensington 140
Knole, near Sevenoaks, the seat of the Duke of Dorset 161
Oatlands, the seat of the Duke of York 197
Richmond 217
Severndroog Castle, Shooters' Hill 228
Straav BERRY HiLL, the seat of the Hon. Mrs. Darner 239
"Wanstead House, the seat of Miss Long 278
Windsor Castle 292
A
CONCISE ACCOUNT
ORIGIN AND EXTENT.
LONDON was a considerable, opulent, and commercial city
in the reign of the Emperor Nero. It is represented as
such by Tacitus ; and Aniniianiis Marcellinus, who wrote in the
reign of Julian the Apostate, calls it " vetustumoppidum, an
ancient city." Its Roman names were Londinum, or Londinium,
and Augusta*. The first is still retained hi its modern appella-
tion : the last is the favourite of the poets. Thus Congreve:
Rise, fair Augusta, lift thy head;
With golden towers thy front adorn:
Thy lovely form, and fresh-reviving state.
In crystal flood of Thames survey !
And Thomson apostrophises London by the title of Augusta in
his inimitable Seasons.
The metropolis of Great Britain, one of the largest and most
opulent in the world, consists of the cities of London and West-
minster, and of the borough of Southwark. The two former
being situated on a gentle ascent on the north side of the Thames ;
and the latter on the opposite bank, in a level, and once very
marshy ground. The extent of the whole, from Limehouse and
Deptford to Milbank and Vauxhall, is above seven miles; but the
greatest breadth is only three miles. The curious reader, who
* Augusta was a name given to seventy cities in the Roman pro-
vinces, in honour of Augustus. Hence London, as the capital of the
Trinobantes, in Britain, was called Augusta Trinobantina.
B
2 LONDON.
would contrast the ancient state of London with its present great
extent, may find amusement, by consulting Fitz-Siephen's ac-
count of it/in the reigu of Henry IL ; the plan of London as it
existed in the time of Queen Ehzabeth ; and Mr. Pennant's
" Account of London." But of this wonderful contrast some
idea may be foniied, Irom an anecdote of the hite Earl of Bur-
lington : " That nobleman being asked, why he built his house in
Piccadilly, so ^iir out of town 1" answered, " because he Avas de-
termined he would have no building beyond him !" Little more
than half a centurj' has so inclosed Burlington House with new
streets, that it is now in the heart of that part of the town !
GOVERNMENT.
London, considered in this extensive view as the Metropo-
lis of the Empire, consists of the City, properly so called; the
city of Westminster; the suburbs in the county of Middlesex;
and the borough of Southwark.
The City, with Southwark, is divided into twenty-six wards,
each governed by an Alderman. From the Aldermen, the chief
magistrate, the Lord Mayor, is annually chosen. There are like-
wise 236 Comracn-Councilmcn, who sit in one court with the
Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and thus form, as it were, the city
parliament, which enacts the bye laws and regulations of the
Corporation. There are likewise a Recorder, a Common Ser-
jeant, two Sheriffs, (who are also Sheriffs of IMiddlesex) a Cham-
berlain, Town Clerk, City Remembrancer, Water Bailiff, and
many inferior oflicers. The city used to be adorned, or rather
encumbered, with several Gates, all of which have been pulled
down, excepting St. John's Gate, and Temple Bar, since the com-
mencement of the present reign.
Westminster, which was once a mile from London, but now
united to it, is a distinct city, the government of which, both
civil and ecclesiastical, was once vested in the Abbot and Con-
vent of Westminster ; but, since the Reformation, in the Dean
and Chapter, the civil part being by them committed to laymen.
Of these the High Steward, who is generally a nobleman of rank,
has an Under Steward, who ofliciates for him, and is commonly
Chairman of the Quarter Sessions. Next to the High Steward is
the High Bailitf, chosen also by the Dean and Chapter. His
power resembles that of a Sheriff; for by him juries are sum-
moned, and he makes the return at the election of Membei-s of
Parliament. This part of the metropohs is usually denominated
the Court-end of the town, for here are the residences of the
principal nobility and gentry when they withdraw from tlie
country in the winter season, either for the discharge of their
duty in parliament, or for the purposes of variety and general
amusement.
The Suburbs are under the jurisdiction of the Magistrates of
LONDON. S
Middlesex, who, beside their County Hall on Clerkenwell Green,
have an office in Bow-street, long distinguished for public spirit
and activity. But as there were other Justices of the Peace,
wlio degraded the dignity of Magistracy, by prostituting it to
mercenary views, an act of Parliament was passed in 1 792, by
whi'^h seven other public offices were establislied, beside that in
Bow-sireet*. Three magistrates officiate at each of these : and,
to deprive them of all temptation to corrupt practices, they are
prohibited from taking any fees, in lieu of which they have each
an annual salary, the chief, or resident magistrate at each office,
having 1000/.; the others 500 Z. each. The fees of office, which
are paid as n«;ual, are appropriated to defray the expenses of these
new establishments.
SouTiiWARK VV3S long independent of the city of London;
but, in consequence of the inconveniences arising by the escape
of njalefactors from the great capital into this place, Edward III.
cranted it to the city, in consideration of the annual payment of
10/. It was then called the village of Southwark : it was after-
wards named the Bailiwick, and the Corporation of London ap-
pointed the Bailiff. In the reign of Edward VI. it was formed
into a twenty sixth ward, by the name of Bridge Ward Without.
On the death of the Alderman of this ward, he is succeeded by
the next in seniority, to whicliever ward he may belong; this
ward being considered as a sinecure, and, consequently, the most
proper for" The Father of the City." The City has likewise a
High Bailiff and Steward here, whose presence and activity are
necessary on all public occasions,
CHURCHES.
To begin with the public buildings of the metropolis, the
Cathedral of St. Paul, as the most conspicuous, claims our first
attention. This noble fabric is 2292 feet in circumference, and
340 in height to the fop of the cross, being seen at the distance
of many miles from almost every part of the adjacent coiuitry.
In magnificence of exterior architecture it is inferior to none
in Europe, except St. Peter's at Rome. The inside of this
church will one day be distinguished for a grandeur unknown
to our ancestors, and even to the present age: it is now destined
by the Parliament to be the receptacle of the monuments of
such illustrious men as have done honour to their coimtry by
their talents and their virtues. Three statues aud six monu-
* These offices are in Queen Square, AVestminster; Great Marl-
borough Street, Oxford Road; Hatton Garden, Holborn ; Worship
Street, Shoreditch; Lambeth Street, Whitechapel ; High Street,
Shtidvvell ; aud Union Street, SoiUhwark. Besides these, an addi-
tional office has been established at Wappiug New Stairs, for
offences connected with the shipping and port of London,
B 2
4 LONDON.
ments have been erected : the former hi honour of the celebiated
Dr. Samuel Johnson, the philanthropist Mr. Howard, and Sir
William Jones, famed for his learning in the oriental languages ;
and the latter in memory of Captains Burgess, Faulkner, AYest-
cott, Riou and Moss, General Dundas, andGeneial Ahercrorabie,
gallant officers, who have fallen in defence of their country ! But
what will attract the curiosity of future visitors to St. PauVs, will
be the spot exactly under the centre of the dome, where, on
Thtrsday the 9th of January, 1806, were deposited the mutilated
remains of the brave and illustrious Nelson, after a procession
from the Admiralty, which was the most splendid that ever
graced the annals of our country : and on the llth day of May,
1810, the same vault was opened to receive the body of his friend
and coadjutor in t!ie memorable battle of Trafalgar, the gallant
LordCoLLiNGWooD, who was also interred at the public expense,
and has had a monument voted to his memory by Parliament.
The flags taken at the battle of Trafalgar are hung round the
dome, and remind the British spectator of the union of patriotism
and piety ! The curiosities consist of the Library, Whispering
Gallery, Model, Clockwork, Great Bell, and the Ball : the Mo-
nument of General Abercrombie may also be considered as a
curiosity ; for, as a sculptural production, it is inferior to few in
the kingdom.
AVestminster Abbey, the collegiate cliurch of St. Peter, is
a noble specimen of Gothic architecture. It is said to have been
founded by Sebert, King of the East Saxons, in the year 610.
Having been destroyed by the Danes, it was rebuilt by Edward
the Confessor, in 1066. " An abbey," says Mr. Pennant, *' is
nothing without reUcs. Here were to be found the veil, and
some of the milk of the Virgin, the bladebone of St. Benedict,
the finger of St. Alphage, the head of St. Maxilla, and half tlie
jawbone of St. Anastasia." Henry III. pulled down the Saxon
pile, and began to build tlie present magnificent structure in
1245. The great work was carried on slowly by succeeding
princes ; but it can hardly be said to have been finished before
the time of Sir Christopher Wren, who built the two towers at
the west end. This church is 360 feet in length witliin the walls,
at the nave ft is TJ broad, and at the cross 195. An alarming
fire broke out in July, 1803, through tlie carelessness of work-
men, and considerable damage done. The ravages, however,
are now repaired, the aisles railed in, and the whole of the church
much improved. Tlie exterior of this cathedral has been also re-
cently in part repaired, and will be entirely : the architecture,
being that of the florid Gothic, which so peculiarly distinguished
the fourteenth century. For several ages this fine fabric has
been obscured by a group of old houses, which have been lately
taken down, and an elegant oruamental opening effected, at once
illustrative of the opulence of the nation, and the taste of its re-
presentatives, under whose auspices both the repairs and im.
LONDON. 5
provements have proceeded. Here most of our monarcbs have
been crowned, and many of them interred —
It gives them crowns, and does their ashes keep ;
There made ILke gods, like mortals there they sleep j
Making the circle of their reign complete.
These suns of empire, where they rise they set !
WALLER.
Tills structure contains a great number of monuments of kings,
statesmen, heroes, poets, and persons distinguished by genins,
learning, and science. The chapel of Henry VH. adjoining,
Leland calls " Tlie Wonder of the World." Nothing, indeed,
can be more solemn tlian a solitary walk in this mansion of the
iliustrioiis dead; nor can anything be more just and bcautifiil
than Mr. Addison's reflections on this subject : " When I look
upon the tombs of the great, every emotion of envy dies in me ;
wiien I read the epitaphs of the beautiful, every inordinate de-
sire goes out 5 when I meet with the grief of parents upon a
tombstone, my heart melts with compassion ; when I consider
t!ie tombs of the parents themselves, I consider the vanity of
grieving for those whom we must quickly follow; when I see
kings lying by those who deposed them; when I consider rival
wits placed side by side, or the holy men that divided the world
by their contests and disputes; I reflect with sorrow and as-
tonishment on the little competitions, factions, and debates of
mankind — when I read the several dates of the tombs, of some
that died yesterday, and some six hundred years ago, I consider
that great day when we shall ail of us be contemporaries,^ and
make our appearance together!" King Henry the VHth's
chapel, which has been gradually wasting to decay, is now under
external repair, and, to the credit of the present Dean and
Chapter, is to be restored to all its original pui ily and splendour.
In contemplating the beauties of this sac red pile, the following
thoughts occurred —
How magnificent ! the architectural
Boast of proud Collegiate Westminster,
This Abbf-t rears, sublimely pinnacl'u.
His massy towers ! his antique chapels,
Time-struck and mouldering ! Cemeteries
Of tlie royal, and of tlie heroic dead I
His pointed arches ! his sliafted columns i
Springing light, with many a branching groin.
Into the " high-einbos«ed roof I" florid
AVith Gothic ornaments ! The cluster'd rose ;
Trefoil; quatrefoil; and barb 'd portcullis !
Tabernacles — o'ercanopy'd, and rich
With high-wrought, gorgeous masonry ! The frette j
The crou'ket j and the flow'ry fmial ; vaulted
LONDON.
AVith finelj'-cliissel'd tracery ! Thence— base
And sacv\le^\oi\s fanatic hands have stol'n
The sojfUed image! unaw'd by the solemn
Splendour of the scene 1 such as might craven
The murderer's hand, (Infrtrer-clnlch'd ! and such
As now delays (rei)entant) the progress
Of my deviating, desultory steps,'
Bringing me back to days of calm devotion,
Sooth M by the " pealing organ's" swelling note !
The seraphic, ** fuU-voic'd quire !" echoing
Harmonious, hosannas loud I dissolving
The rapt soul in melodious ecstasy !
Here reverent the pious suppliant
Kneels ; and sees (awhile secluded from this
Wicked world) as if with pure angelic
Vision biess'd, " All heaven before his eyes I"
Or, indulging earthly contemplation
In chilling silence, seeks that sacred tomb.
Where, with senatorial dignity
And ease, the silent marble seems to speak
In Chatham's manly, veneiable form !
Pointing at the /r«f /«;'(/ vault, late yawning
To inhume the filial corse !
There coffin'd
On paternal dust, may the cold relics
Of each duteous son, coeval in the
Grave — the " none-sparing" grave ! — find honourhl rest!
And let no subject of this threateu'd isle,
Still Heaven protected ! and mildly govern'd
By that lov'd Monarch, whosejirm Minister -
Pitt died, e'er pass this consecrated Pile
Without the meed (remembering who sleeps here)
Of sympathetic woe, for Britain's loss !
And " O MY COUNTRY !" — was the expiring
Painful exclamation, that falter'd last
On oiu' Patriot Siatesman's livid lips.
A.
The curiosities ctjnsLst often more Chapels besides the above ;.
the chairs in which our sovereigns are crowned ; the wax-work ;
and Uie beautiful view obtained by ascending its tower.
St. Stephen Walbrook, near the Mansion House, is a small
church of exquisite beauty, the masterpiece of Sir Christopher
A\'ren. Perhaps Italy itself can produce no modern building
that can vie witli this in elegance and proportion. There is not
a beauty which the plan would admit of, that is not to be found
here in the greatest perfection] and foreigners very justly qali
our taste in question, for understanding the graces no better, and
allowing it no higher degree of fame. Over the altar is a beau-
tiful picture of the martyrdom of St. Stephen, by West. The
LONDON. 7
character of tlie saint is fully expressed in liis angelic counte-
nance, resigned to his fate, and full of the hope of immortality.
Bow Church, in Cheapj>ide ; St. Bride's, in Fleet Street j
St. Dunstan's in the East, near the Tower ; and St. Martin's in
the Fields, are among the churches eminent for fine archi-
tecture. Other clunches are distinguished for curious monu-
ments ; as, St. Andrew Undershaft, Leadenhall Street, for that
of Stow the historian; St. Helen, of Sir Thomas Gresham;
St. Giles, Cripplegate, where Milton, Fox the roartyrologist, and
Speed the historian, were buried. The parish churches, in what
are called the bills of mortality, amount to 146 ; namely, 97
within the walls, 16 without the walls, 23 out parishes in Mid-
dlesex and Surry, and 10 in the city and Uberties of Westmin-
ster.
Beside* these churches, that belonging to the Temple, one of
our celebrated seats of law, merits attention. It was founded
by the Knights Templars in the reign of Henry II. upon the
model of that of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. The reader
will find a full description of this church, and its ancient monu-
ments, in Mr. Pennant's account. Among the illustrious persons
of later date, interred io this church, were the celebrated lawyer
Plowden, Treasurer of the Temple in 1572, (of whom Camden
says, that in integrity he was second to none of his profession)
and Selden, the best skilled of any man in the Enghsh constitu-
tion, and in the various branches of antiquity ; but who, toward
the close of his life, was so convinced of the vanity of all human
knowledge, as to say, that the llth, 12th, 13th, and 14th verses
of the second chapter of the Epistle to Titus, aflforded him more
consolation than all he had ever read. Amongst the more recent
interments of eminent lawyers, may be enumerated that of Lord
Chancellor Thurlow ; remarkable for the roughness of his beha-
viour, his impartial administration of equity, and his unshaken
fidehty to his sovereign. As an instance of the latter, we will
only remind the reader of his memorable words, occasioned by
his Majesty's unforhmate indisposition : "■ When I forget my
sovereign may the Almighty forget me !" St, Catharine, by the
Tower, is also well worth inspecting ; the choir is very curious.
There are likewise a great number of chapels for the Established
Church, Foreign Protestant churches, Roman Catholic chapels,
Meetings for the Dissenters of all persuasions, and three Syna-
gogues for the Jews. Indeed so very various and diversified are
the places of worship in London, that a wag once remarked, that
those who were very scrupulous as to their religion, might here
suit themselyes to a shaving!
PALACES AND PARKS.
The magnificence of Royalty is not to be found in the palaces
of the Metropolis. The palace of St. James was originally an
a LONDON.
hospital for leprous females, dedicated to that sahit. It was snr«
reudered to Henry VIII., wlio erected on its scite the present
palacHj of which it has been observed, that, notwithstanding its
mean exterior appearance, it is the most commodious for tlie
parade of royalty of any in Europe -i^. He likewi.se laid out a
large piece of srouiul adjoining into a park, and formed a canal
and walks, cailiiii; it, in conformity to the former name of the
oontijrnons buildmjx, St. James's Park. Ciiarles II. enlarged and
improved this spot, adorning it with plantations of trees; bat, a
few years ago, it was rendered still more beatitiful by the genius
and taste of Brown, the distinguished pupil of the illustrious
Kent» wIjo, in the most happy manner, adopted and improved
the principles of gardening laid down by his predecessor. The
bea'ity of this park is heightened by beini? conti}j;uous to another
of less extent, called " Tiie Green Park." Here too, on the
most elevated part, is a fine piece of water, which is recruited
every tide from the Thames, by the waterworks at Chelsea; and
forms a reservoir for supplying the houses in the neighbouring
pans. In this park the Deputy Ranger, Lord William Gordon,
has a neat lodge, surrounded by a shrubbery, producing a pleas-
ing rural effect, although so near t'le houses in Piccadilly. A
tine ascent, called " Constitution Hili," from the salubrity of the
ail-, leads to Hyde Paik, another royal dpiiiesne. This is adorned
w ith a noble piece of water, called " The Serpentine River,"
and with diversified plantations of various kinds of trees, which,
together with its elevated situation, commanding extensive views,
render it a captivating scene. Hence it is the place of fashion-
able morning resort (or the nobility and gentiy, both in carriages
and on horseback, and incredible is the number of visitors on a
Sunday in the summer season! Near the ejistern edge of this
l>ark is a fine bason of water, supplied by the Chelsea water-
works, from which the houses in Grosvenor Square, and its
vicinity, are provided. The Ranger of St. James's and Hyde
Park is Viscount Sidney.
The Queen's Palace stands in the most favourable situation
that St. Jauies's Park could fiunish. It was erected by John
Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham, in 1703, and called Buckingham
House, until it was purchased, in 1761, for the royal residence,
when it acquired its present name. In 1775, Parliament settled
this house upon the Queen, in case she should survive his Ma-
jesty, in lieu of Somerset House. Here is a fine collection of
priijis, and a great variety of pictures by the most eminent mas-
ters ; also many curious Time Pieces, his Majesty being deemed
very curious in such kinds of machinery.
* A considerable part of this palace was lately destroyed by fire,
which, in the prevailing opinion, will be rebuilt on the original
plan.
LONDON. 9
Carlton House, in Pall Mall, the residence of the Prince of
Wales, the gardens extending to St. James's Park, is a stately
building, on which vast sums have been expended. The furni-
ture and interior decorations are very superb; and the armoury
is amongst the greatest curiosities of this kingdom, as it contains
the arms, accoutrements, and warlike implements of every age
and country. Its front has a princely appeaiance, and the cen-
tinels pacing to and fro add to ifs grandeor and dignity.
The Banqueting House, at Whitehall, was begun in 1619,
from a design by Inigo Jones *. It is only a small part of t\u^
vast plan of a palace, intended to be worthy of tlie residence of
the British Monarchs ; but left incomplete, on account of the
unhappy times that followed. The exterior appearance has
lately been very much improved, by pulling down the gateway,
and admitting a vit w of the Thames. The ceiling of this noble
room v\ as painted by Rubens, who had 3000Z. for his work. The
subject is the Apotheosis of James I. It forms nine compart-
ments. One of the middle represents our pacific monarch on
his earthly throne, turning with horror from Mars and other dis-
cordant deities, and giving himself up, as it were, to the amiable
goddess he had always adored, and to her attendants, Commerce
and the Fine Arts. A few years ago, the ceiling underwent a
repair by the masterly hand of Cipriani. Little did James think,
that he was erecting a pile, from which his son was to step from
the throne to the scaffold ! In front of Privy Gardens is a statue
of James II. pointing to the spot where his father was beheaded,
which is much admired for its expression of grief. The Banquet-
ing House has been long converted into a chapel ; and George
the First granted a salary of 30 Z. a year to twelve clergymen (six
from Oxford and six from Cambridge) who officiate a month each.
The interior has been fitted up for the reception of the guards ob
duty, who are marched here for the performance of divine service.
Besides the Royal Palaces, there are many fine houses of the
Princes of the Blood, and of the Nobility and Gentry. Of these
we shall only mention the most distinguished, namely, Aldborough
House, Stratford Place ; Apsley House, Hyde Park Corner, the
Marquis of Wellesley's ; the Earl of Chesterfield's, South Audley
Street j the late Duke of Cumberland's, Pall Mall, now used as
the Ordnance Office ; the Duke of Devonsire's, and the Earl of
Egremont's, and Albany House, now an hotel, Piccadilly ; the
Bishop of Ely's, Dover Street; Foley House, near Portland
Place ; Gloucester House, Upper Grosvenor Street, Earl Gros-
venor's ; Earl Harcourt's, Cavendish Square ; the Marquis of
liansdovvne's, Berkeley Square ; Manchester House, the Marquis
of Hertford's, Manchester Square; the Duke of Marlborough's,
* It is remarkable, that this great architect, who was surveyor of
tlie works, had only Ss. 4f/. per diem, and 46/. per ann. for house-
rent, a clerk, and incidental expenses.
10 LONDON.
Pall Mall; Lord Melbourne's, Whiteliall; tlie Duke of Norfolk's,
St, James's Square ; the Duke of Northiimherlaud's, in the
Strand ; Burlington House, the late Duke of Portland's, Picca-
dilly, which was said would be pulled down, and its site occupied
by an elegant crescent ; since which it is reporud that Lord
George Cavendish has p'ircliased it for his own residence; Earl
Spencer's, St. James's Place; the Earl of Uxbridije's, Bur-
lington Street ; Lady Charlotte Wynne's, St. James's Square;
Lord Grenville's, in the Green Park, &c.
COURTS OF JUSTICE.
Westminster Hall, now the seat of Parliament, and of the
Courts of Law, stands on tlie site of a royal palace built by
Edward the Confessor. The stairs to it on the river still retain
the name of Palace Stairs, and the two Palace Yards belonfred
also to this extensive pile. Many parts of it exist to this day,
appropriated to other uses. The exterior of this edifice was for
many years defaced by the erection of coffee-houses, wjjich,
Ijighly creditable to the national taste, have been pulit* 1 down,
and the entrance restored to its pristine form: the avenues have
been also very much improved, and it is reported that the whole
will be laid open to Bridge Strcpt. The great hall was rebuilt in its
present form by Richard II., who, in 1399, kept his Christmas
in it, with his characteristic magnificence : the ntmiber of his
guests, each day, being 10,000 ! This great H ill exceeds, in di-
mension, any in Europe, which is not supported by pillars. Its
length is 'J70feet; the breadth 74; and the height in proportion.
Parliaments often sat in this hall : and, in 1397, when it was
very ruinous, Richard II. built a temporary room for his Parlia-
ment, formed with wood, and covered with tiles. It was open
on all sides, that the constituents might see and hear every thing
that passed : and, to secure freedom of debate, he surrounded the
House by 4000 Cheshire archers, with bows bent, and arrows
notched, ready to ^hoot. This fully answered the intent ; for
every sacrifice was made to tiie royal pleasure. The Lords now
meet in a room hung with tape-^try, which records our victory
over the Spauish Armada ; and the Commons assemble in a
place which was once a chapel, built by King Stephen ; and de-
dicated to his namesake, the Protomartyr. Upon enlarging it
fur the accommodation of the additional Members on account of
llie union with Ireland, several curious antiquities were found.
Courts of justice, even in early times, sat in this hall, where our
sovereigns themselve« once commonly presided : for which reason
it was ca!lf>d Curia Domini Reps, and one of the three courts now
held hrre is called the Court of King's Bench ; th.e other three are
those of the Common Pleas, Chancery, ajid Exchequer. In this
hall was hf Id what was called " The High Const of Justice," for
the trial of the imfortunate Charles I. Here also was cai'ricd on
the impeachment against the arbitary minister,
LONDON. 11
Strafford, who had been once the zealom patriot, Sir Tliomas
Wentwortli. In mentioning this, Mr. Pennant relates an anec-
dote, to show the simplicity of one part of the manners of the
times. '' The Commons," says this entertaining writer, " who
had an inclosed place for themselves, at a certain hour pulicd out
of their pockets bread and cheese, and bottles of ale ; and, after
they had eat and drank, turned their backs from the king, and
made water, much to the annoyance of those who happened to
be below*. His lordship was brought into the hall by eight
o'clock in the morning." This hall has been made famous of late
years by the long and tedious trial of Warren Hastings, Esq. late
governor of Bengal ; and, more recently, by the trial of Lord
Melville, which created a general interest tlnoughout the country.
A new Guildhall, for the city of Westminster, is now erecting
on the site of the former, which was built on the foundations of
a nunnery. Every days experience teaches us to suspect the pu-
nty of tliese mansions of piety ; for, on removing a part of the an-
cient foundations, the workmen have discovered a small narrow
arch, which seems to point towards the ancient monastery ;
doubtless for the purpose of private confession!
The Guildhall of the City, situated at the end of King Street,
Cheapside, was built in the year 1431 1. Its great hall is 153 feet
long, 60 broad, and 58 high ; in which are placed two tremendous
wooden giants, the pictures of several of the kings and queens of
England, with whole, lengths of their present majesties, by Ram-
say, and the judges who distinguished themselves in determining
the differences between landlords and tenants, oh rebuilding the
city, after the fire. Here is likewise a fine picture of the late
Lord Chief Justice Pratt, afterwards Earl Camden ; a marble
whole length statue of Mr. Beckford, who was twice lord mayor ;
and a magnificent cenotaph to the memory Of the Earl of Chat-
ham, both executed by Bacon. A monument also for the son,
the Right Hon. William Pitt, has been voted ; and in May, 1810,
was laid the first stone of a monument to the memory of the la-
mented Lord Nelson. Tiie front of this hall has been lately re-
built by Mr. Dance. And from the motto of the city arms,
which is inscribed upon it in large characters, a stranger might
suppose that the good citizens were remarkable for their piety !
In this Guildhall the Courts of King's Bench and Common Pleas
hold sittings at nisi prius ; the city elections are also held, and all
the business of the corporation transa-^ted here.
The Sessions House, in the Old Bailey, in wdiich the crimi-
nals both of London and Middlesex are tried, is a large modern
* Mr. Pennant quotes, as his authority, the letters of Provost
Baillie, of Scotland, 1641.
f Before the year 1711, the court-hall, or bury, as it was called,
was held at Alderman's Bury, so denomioated from the meeting of
the aldermen there.
12 LONDON.
structure, separated from Newgate only by a small yard, where
are kept the implements of pwnislmient, those painful, but ne-
cessary £;uardian3 of society. Adjoining, a plain structure has
been erected, on the ground formerly occupied by the Surgeons'
Ilall, for the accommodation of the judges and officers of justice.
The County Hall for INIiddlesex was built by Mr. Rogers,
on Clerkeuwell Green, in 1781. The front toward the Green is
composed of four columns, three quarters, of the Ionic order,
and two pilasters, supported by a rusticated basement. The
county arms are placed in the tympanum of the pediment. Un-
der the entablature are t\AO medallions, representing Justice and
Mercy. In the centre is a medallion of his majesty, decorated
with festoons of laurel and oak leaves ; and, at the extremities,
are medallions of Roman fasces and sword, tlie emblems of
Authority and Punishment. The execution ot these designs was
by the masterly hand of Nollekens. The building may be known
at some distance by its elevated dome, whence issue down rays
of light, by which the court ball is pleasantly and copiously il-
luminated.
Doctors' Commons, or the College of Civilians, is situated
to the south of St. Paul's Cathedral. Here are held the Eccle-
siastical Courts, and the Court of Admiralty ; but the trial of of-
fences on the high seas, under the jurisdiction of the latter, is
commonly transferred to the Old Bailey ; and in the neighbour-
hood is the Herald's Office.
MILITARY AND NAVAL OFFICES.
The Tower, to the east of London Bridge, is surrounded by
a wall and ditch, which inclose several streets, like a little town,
beside the building properly called the Tower. Here are some
artillery, a magazine of small arms for 60,000 men, ranged in
beautiful order; a horse armoury, in which are seen figures of our
kings on horseback ; and likewise the crown and other regalia,
the Mint and the Menagerie. The circumference is about a mile.
It contains one garrison church, and is under the command of a
constable and lieutenant governor. The Tower was a palace du-
ring 500 years ; but ceased to be so on the accession of Queen
Ehzabeth. The most ancient part, called The White Tower,
was founded by William the Conqueror, in 1078. It is vulgarly
attributed to Julius Caesar; and to this the poet thus alludes:
Ye tow'rs of Julius, London's lasting shame.
With many a foul and midnight murder fed, *
Revere his consort's faith f, his father's fame X*
And spare the meek usurper's holy head§. gray.
^ Henry VI.; George Duke of Clarence: Edward V. his bro-
ther, &c.
t Margaret of Anjou, consort to Henry VI. t Henry V.
§ Henry VI.
LONDON. 13
What are termed the Curiosities of the Tower, rank under the
following articles ; viz. Wild Beasts — Spanish Armoury — Small
Armomy — Royal Train of Artillery — Horse Armoury — Jewel
Office — Mint and Chapel *. Of these the small armoury and
horse arnwury make the greatest impression on the mind of
the visitor. In the former are to be seen a stand of arms for
no less than 60,000 men, disposed into a variety of figures,
and arranged after a most elegant manner. In the latter are
exhibited the kings of England on horseback, with a few ex-
ceptions, from William the Conqueror down to George the
Second, clothed in the armour of the times when they lived ;
they appear in tremendous array, and, upon first sight, generate
in the minds of the spectator rather an unpleasant impression.
But they are entitled to a critical inspection, as they serve to il-
lustrate and adorn the annals of our country. To young people
they cannot fail of proving a source of improvement as well as
amusement.
The Horse Guards, a light and elegant structure, was re-
built in 1754, at the expense of 30,000/. It stands opposite the
Banqueting House, and contains apartments for the officers and
privates of tlie life guards, a troop of which constantly do duty
here. The War Office is in this place, and here courts martial
for the army are occasionally held.
The Ordnance Office, for the military department, was a
handsome building in St. Margaret's Street, Westminster ; but is
now pulled down, to give room for the improvements effecting in
the neighbourhood, and is removed to the residence of the late
Duke of Cumberland in Pall Mall.
The Admiralty, rebuilt in the late reign, by Ripley, is a
large structure, the clumsiness of which is veiled, in some de-
gree, by a handsome screen, designed by Adam. Here the
higher departments of the business of the navy are transacted,
and the lords of the admiralty have houses. On the top of this
building telegraphs are erected, for the speedy communication of
intelligence between London, Dover, Portsmouth, &c. This
public edifice is contemplated with peculiar interest, when we
recollect the recent naval achievements of our country.
The Trinity House, on Great Tower Hill, is an handsome
building, and its interior is remarkably elegant; seated on rising
ground, and having a fine area, called Trinity Square, in its
front, inclosed within an iron pallisade, it enjoys the combined
advantages of a good situation and a pure air. The corporation
is destined to superintend the interests of the British shipping ;
and they possess the power of examining masters of king's ships,
of appointing pilots for the Thames, of erecting light-houses and
sea-marks, and of granting licences to poor seamen, not free of
the city, to ply on the Thames.
* The Shell-work is removed to Exeter Change.
c
14 LONDON.
OFFICES COMMERCIAL AND FISCAL.
The Royal Exchaxge, the resort of all the nations of the
world, rises before us with the full majesty of commerce. Whe-
ther we consider the grandeur of the edifice, or the vast con-
cerns transacted within its walls, we are equally struck with its
importance. The original structure was built in 1557, by Sir
Thomas Gresham, one of the greatest merch?.nt5 in the world,
after the model of that of Antwerp. In 1570, Queen Elizabeth
went to the Bourse, as it was then called, visited every part, and
then, by sound of trumpet, proclaimed it The Royal Exchange.
Being destroyed by the great fire in 1666, it was rebuilt, in its
present forni, for the city and the company of mercers, at the
f'xpense of 80,000 Z. by Sir Christopher Wren, and was opened in
1669. In each of the principal fronts is a piazza, and in the
centre an area. The height of the building is 56 feet, and from
the centre of the south side rise a lantern and turret 178 feet
high, on the top of which is a vane, in the form of a grasshopper,
the crest of Sir Thomas Gresham. The inside of the' area, which
is 14i feet long, and 117 broad, is surrounded by piazzas, forming
walks, to shelter t!ie merchants in bad weatlier. Above the arches
of these piazzas is an entablature extending round, and a com-
pass pediment in the middle of each of the four sides. Under
that on the north are the king's arms, on the south those of the
city, on the east those of Sir Thomas Gresham, and on the west
those of the mercer's company. In these intercolumniations are
24 niches, iiO of which are filled with the statues of the kings
and queens of England. In the centre of the area is the statue
of Charles II. in a Roman habit, encompassed with iron rails.
This new statue, by Bacon, was placed here in 1792, in the
room of another of that king. In this area the merchants meet
every day. These merchants are disposed in separate classes,
each of which have their particular station, called their walk.
The Bank of England, a magnificent structure, is situated
in Threadneedle Street. The centre, and the building behind,
were erected in 17S3. Before that time, the business was car-
ried on in Grocers' Rail. The front is a kind of vestibule; the
base is rustic, and the ornamental columns above are Ionic.
Within is a court loading to a second building, containing the
hall, and other offices. Within a few years have been added two
wings of uncommon elegance, designed by the late Sir Robert
Taylor. In addition to Sir Robert's improvements, those by Mr.
Soai>e, from the model of the Sybill's Temple at Tivoli, render
the Bank respectable in its architecture, and commodious for bu-
siness. Its new north front is entitled to particular attention.
The New Mint is now erecting on Little Tower Hill, and,
when complete, will be one of the most superb structures in the
kingdom, and possess some of the finest mechanism in the world.
Already steam engines of vast power have been constructed, and
LONDON. i
h tunnel formed for supplying them with water, which commn-
njcates with the Tower Ditch. The steam engines and coininir
apparatus were fdinished by Messrs. Bolton and Watt, and the
machinery by Mr. Kennie.
The Custom House, to the w^est of tlie Tower, is a lar^^e irre-
gular structure of brick and stone, before which ships of SbO
tons can lie, and discharge their cargoes. It was built in J 71 8,
on the site of a former custom house, destioyed by fire. In
Mr. Pennant's Account of London, are some curious particulars
of the produce of the customs at ditfercnt times, from the year
1268 (when the half year's customs, for foreign merchandise in
London, came only to 75 L 6s. 10^7.) to the quarter ending
April 5, 1789, when the produce for the year amounted to
3,711,1^26 Z.
The Excise Office, in Broad Street, is a building of magni-
ficent simplicity, erected in 1768, on the site of Gresham Col-
lege. It is a building of considerable extent, and is, no doubt,
well adapted to answer the purposes to which it is appropriated.
An elegant building is now erecting near Tower Dock, for
transactuig that part of the business of tiie excise connected with
the customs, and promises great accommodation to the port of
London.
The East India House, in Leadenliafll Street, was built in
1726. A handsome front has lately been constructed, 190 feet
in length from east to west; the principal story is plain sunk
rustic, with five circular windows in each wing ; the portico from
a Grecian example: upon the centre of the pediment of the
portico Is a figure of Britannia, shielded by his present ni;ijesty,
George III. On either side are emblematical figures in relief,
and the whole is covered with handsome baliustrades. The new
building contains all the offices necessary for transacting the bu-
siness of a commercial company. What would be the reflections
of an old Roman, could he rijie from the slumber of ages, and re-
visit this island, which his compatriots then considered as be-
yond the boundaries of the world, and a voyage of difliculty and
danger, should he behold this structure, and be informed that it
was the capital, as it were, of a republic of commercial sove-
reigns, who possessed extensive territories in distant regions of
the globe, maintained vast armies, engaged in bloody and ex-
pensive wars, and now created, now dethroned, and now re-
stored the mighty chiefs of nations! — The fact would appear in-
credible.
Tiie South Sea House is a noble building, with two spacious
rooms for transacting tl\e business of the South Sea annuities ;
the upper room, more particularly, being a lofty, spacious, and
particularly grand, although unadorned, piece of architecturt',
surpassing any room of the kind in tlie Bank of England.
The General Post Office is situated in Lombard Street.
C 2
16 LONDON.
As a building it merits no distinction ; but the late arrangement
of tlie offices makes it very convenient.
So.viEKSET Place, a stnp-ndous and magnificent structure, on
tiie site of one of the most beautiful remains of the architecture
of the sixteentli century, was beiiun to be built, according to the
plan of Sir William Chambers, when the nation was engaged in a
war with America, France, and Spain. The design, in erecting
this fabric, was to bring together the most considerable public
otficcs. Accordingly, here are now the following offices : the
Auditors of Imprests, Clerk of the Estreats, Duchy Courts of
Lancaster and Cornwall, Hackney Coach, Hawkers and Pedlars,
Horse Duty, Lord Treasurer's, Remembrancer's, Lottery, Navy,
Navy Pay, Pipe and Comptroller of the Pipe, Salt, Sick and
Hurt, Signet, Stage Coach Duty, Stamps, Surveyor of Crown
Lands, Tax, Victualling, and Wine Licence Offices.
The king's barge houses are Ukewise comprehended in the
plan, with a dwelling for the barge-master ; beside houses for the
treasurer, the paymaster, and six commissioners of the navy;
for three commissioners of the victualling and their secretaiy ;
for one commissioner of the stamps, and one of the sick and
hurt ; with commodious apartments in every office for a secre-
tary, or some other acting officer, for a porter, and their femihes.
The front of this structure, toward the Strand, consists of a
rich and ornamented basement, supporting an excellent example
of the Corinthian order, containing a principal and attic stor)-.
In this front are apartments for the Royal Academy, and for the
Royal and Antiquarian Societies. Here, for several years past,
have been the Exhibitions of paintings belonging to the Royal
Academy, which prove a rich annual repast to the pubUc, and
very considerable benefits result from them.
The grand entrance, by three lofty arches, leads into a spaci-
ous quadrangle, on each side of which, to the east and west, a
street is to be formed, beyond which the wings are to be car*
ried.
The front to the Thames is erected on a noble terrace, 53 feet
wide; and the building, when finished, will extend about 1100
feet. This terrace, which is unparalleled for grandeur and beauty
of view, is supported on a rough rustic basement, adorned with a
lofty arcade of 32 arches, each 1 2 feet wide, and 24 high. The
grand semicircular arch in the middle of the basement is that in-
tended for the reception of the king's barges. Tlie length of
the arcade is happily relieved by projections, distinguished by
rusticated columns of the Ionic order.
The south or principal front, erected on this terrace, con-
sists of a rustic basement, over which the Corinthian order pre-
vails.
The Treasury, which has a noble elevated front, is situated
near the Parade in St. James's Park. Gloomy and massy pas-
Bages lead through into Downing Street and Whitehall. What
LONDON. 17
is called " The Cockpit/' forms a part of this building, and is
now the council chamber for the cabinet ministers.
THE MANSION HOUSE.
Of this huge ponderous residence of the lord mayors of tho
city, Mr. Pennant is content to observe, in the words of Pope's
character of Cromwell, that it is "damned to everlasting fame.'"
It is built of Portland stone, and has a portico of six lofty Huted
columns of the Corinthian order in the front ; the same order
being continued in pilasters, both under the pediment and on
each side. The basement story is very massy, and built in 2 usiic ;
and on each side rises a flight of steps of considerable height
leading up to the portico, in the middle of which is the door to
the apartments and offices. The columns support a large angu-
lar pediment, adorned with a noble piece in basso relievo, re-
presenting the dignity and opulence of the city of London, ex-
ecuted by Sir Robert Taylor. Beneath this portico are two se-
ries of windows extending along the whole front; and above this
is an attic storj', with square windows, crowned by a balustrade.
The building has an area in the middle, and the apartments are
extremely noble, particularly " The Egyptian Hall." — Tlie first
stone was laid in 1739 ; the expense of building it was 42,638 /.
and the sum voted for furnishing it, in 1752, was 4000/. T!it
room in the front on the right-hand is ihe office for public bu-
siness, and the room opposite is for the dispatch of private busi-
ness. The building is in a very centrical situation.
The Auction Mart is an elegant building, erected in Bar-
tholomew Lane, opposite the Bank ; and intended for the sale
of estates and goods of all descriptions ; its interior arrangement
is most commodiously disposed, and a register is kept, upon an
admirable plan, of every species of property bought or sold.
THE MONUMENT.
This noble column was erected in commemoration of the great
fire in 1666, when the damage occasioned by the devouring ele-
ment was estimated at 10,716,000/. It was begun in 1671, and
finished in 1677, by Sir Christopher Wren. It is a fluted Doric
column, 202 feet high. On the west side of the pedestal is a bass
relief, by Cibber. It is an emblematical representation of this
sad catastrophe • and King Charles is seen surrounded by Li-
berty, Genius, and Science, giving directions for the restoring ol
the city. The inscription, imputing the calamity to the Papists,
is now universally considered as unjust : a circumstance to whicb
Pope not improperly alludes :
Where London's column pointing at the skies.
Like a tall bully lifts his head and hes I
c3
18 LONDON.
It was thought, some time ago, rather unsafe, but having under-
gone some repairs, it is now deemed a column of considerable
strength and stability.
BRIDGES.
London Bridge, to the west of the Tower, was first built
of wood, about tlie beginning of the 11th century. The present
stone bridge was beemi in 1176, and finished in 1209. The
length of it is 915 feel, the exact breadth of the river in this
part. The number of arches was 19, of unequal dimensions, and
deformed by the enormous sterlings, and by houses on each side,
which overhung in a terrible manner. These were removed ia
1756, when the upper part of the bridge assumed a modern and
noble appearance. But the sterlings were suffered to remain,
although they contract the space between the piers so greatly,
as to occasion, at the ebb of every tide, a fall of five feet, or a
number of temporary cataracts, which, since the foundation of
the bridge, have caused the loss of innumerable lives. It is in
contemplation to erect a new- one, and various liave been the
plans exhibited of it.
Westminster Bridge, universally allowed to be the finest
in the world, was built by Mr. Labelye, a native of Switzerland.
The first stone was laid in 1739 ; the last in 1747 ; but on ac-
count of the sinking of one of the piers, the opening of the bridge
was retarded till 1750. The whole of the superstructure is of
Portland stone, except the spandrels of the arches, which are
built of Purbeck. It is 1223 feet in length j and has 13 large
and two small semicircular arches : the centre arch is 76 feet
wide ; the other arches, on each side, decreasing in width four
feet. The architect as.-erted, that the quantity of stone used in
this bridge was nearly double to what was employed in St. Paul's
cathedral, and the whole expense did not exceed 218,800/.
The utility of such a bridge must have been unquestionable, at
the time when the design of erecting it was formed ; yet such
was the contracted policy which then actuated the city of Lon-
don, that they presented a petition to parhament against this
noble undertaking. Great opposition too was made to the build-
ing of a stone bridge. The plan and estimate of one composed
of wood was laid before the commissioners, and favourably re-
ceived ; but, on urging the architect to fix a sum for keeping it
in repair, for a certain number of years, he declined making any
proposals ; notwithstanding which, the wooden project had many
friends, and it was only by a small majority in the House of Lords
tliat the plan for a stone bridge was carried. The minority, on
this occasion, obtained the appellation of " Wooden Peers." A
proper satire upon them for their excessive timidity.
Blackfriars Bridge, that elegant addition to the magnifi>
cence of the metropolis, was built by Mr. Mylne. The first
LONDON. 19
stone was laid in 1760, and the whole was completed in 1768, at
the expense of 152,840/. 3s. 10 d. The length of this brid<re is
995 feet; the breadth of the carriage way 28, and of the foot-
path, seven feet each. It consists of nine elliptical arches, the
centre one of which is 100 feet wide ; and both this and the arch
on each side are wider than the celebrated Rialto at Venice. Tlie
Ionic pillars projecting from the piers give a hapyy relief to the
whole, and appear singularly light and beautiful from the river.
These columns support recesses for foot passengers, in the balus-
trades of the bridge. This noble structure is built of Port-and
stone ; but its decay is already too visible, while Westminster
Bridge has stood half a century, without receiving the smallest
injury from time. London and Westminster, the river Tliames,
and the adjacent country, are viewed from no other spot with
more advantage than from this bridge. Indeed so far as regards
its position, its centrical situation gives it a decided superiority.
Acts of parliament have been lately obtained for the erection of
two new bridges ; the first is proposed to be constructed near
Somerset House,^nd the other at Vauxhall.
MUS'EUMS.
The British Museum, which is open to the public gratis, was
founded by parliament in 1753, in pursuance of the will of Sir
Hans Sloane, Baronet, who directed his executors to offer to the
pubHc his collection of natural and artificial curiosities and books,
for the sum of 20,000 1. This offer being accepted, the noble
building, called Montague House, which had been built by the
first Duke of Montague, was purchased for their reception. At
the same time were purchased for 10,000/. the MSS. collected
by Robert Harley, first Earl of Oxford. Here are likewise the
collections made by Sir Robert and Sir John Cotton ; and large
sums have since been voted to augment this noble repository*
His late majesty presented to it the libraries of the kings of
England, from the reign of Henry VII. ; and his present ma-
jesty, an interesting collection of tracts, published in the reigns
of Charles I. and II. Antiquities, brought from Italy, were pur-
chased by parliament, for 8410/. in 1762: and many benefac-
tions have augmented the library, particularly those of the late
eccentric Edward Wortley Montague, and of our late philoso-
phical envoy at Naples, Sir AVilliam Hamilton, K. B. The late
Rev. Dr. Gifford, one of the librarians, also made this public
foundation a present of a fine set of paintings, by Vandyck, pre-
served in the greatest perfection ; and one copy of every book en-
tered in the hall of the Company of Stationers is always sent here.
Additions are now making to the building for the reception of cer-
tain antiquities brought recently from Egypt. This Museum is
under the direction of forty-two trustees, twenty-one of whom are
appointed to act in consequence of their being great officers of
zo LONDOxN.
state. Two are chosen as descendants of the Cottons, two for
Sloane's collection, and two for the Harleian manuscripts, beside
fifteen elected by the others. A cooiraittee of three at least is
held every other Friday, and a general meeting once a quarter.
Applications for the use of books or manuscripts must be made
with proper recommendation to the trustees, through the prin-
cipal librarian, and there is a room appointed for their accommo-
dation, under certain regulations. The museum is open for public
inspection from ten tillfour o'clock, on the Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday in every week, except in the Christmas, Easter, arid
Whitsuu \Veeks, on Thanksgiving and Fast Days *, and during the
months of August and September. Persons who wish to see the
Museum will apply on one of those days in the anti-room of the
house, between tlie hours of ten and two, where they will be re-
quired to inscribe their names and places of abode, in a book kept
for that purpose ; upon which they will be shown into the apart-
ments as soon as the first rooms are sufficiently cleared for their
admission. No children under ten years of age, or persons who
are not decent in their appearance, will be admitted.
The Leverian Museum, which contained a most astonishing
collection of specimens in natural history, was situated in Great
Surry Street, on the south side of Blackfriars Bridge j falling,
however, into decay, it was sold by auction in 1787, and the
building is now used as the Surry Institution.
Mr. John Hunter's Museum of Comparative Anatomy has
been purchased by government, and committed to the care of
the College of Surgeons, situated in Lincoln's Inn Fields.
Were this volume devoted solely to the metropolis, we might
have given a minute description of the inns of court, the col-
leges, the societies of artists and learned men, the public schools,
the places of diversion, the public halls, hospitals, and prisons j
but as its principal design is to serve as a companion to the
reader in his excursions mto the country round London, our li-
mits will not permit us to be more copious: and we shall, there-
fore, mention the principal remaining objects in this metropolis
in a very cursory way.
Of the inns of court, or societies for the study of the law, the
principal are the Middle and Irmer Temples, Lincoln's Inn, and
Gray's Inn. These are spacious, and have large gardens, which,
at certain times of the day, are open to the public. The others
are Clilford's Inn, Clement's Inn, Seijeauts' Inn, New Inn, Lyon's
Inn, Barnard's Inn, Furnivals' Inn, and Staple Inn.
The College of Physicians, unfortunately hidden in Warwick
Lane, was built by Sir Christopher Wren. On the top of the
dome is a gilt ball. — Gresham College, erected in 1581, by Sir
Thomas Gresham, for seven professors in divinity, civil law,
* The Martyrdom of Charies the First, Ash Wednesday, Good
Friday, Gunpowder Plot, and any occasional Fast and Thanksgiv-
ing Day.
LONDON. 2f
astronomy, geometry, rhetoric, physic, and music, stood on the
site of the preseut Excise Office: but, in 1768, the reading of
the lectures was removed to a room over the Royal Exchanjre,
and the professors were allowed an additional 50 1, a year in lifu
of their apartments in tlie college. The Gresham Lectures are
read at certain seasons of the year, but they are very scantily at-
tended. Sion College, near London Wall, was founded in 1G03,
by the Rev. Thomas White. It is governed by a president, two
deans, and four assistants ; and all the clergy within the bills of
mortality are constituted fellows. Here is a large library for theii'
use, and alms-houses for ten men and ten women. It some time
ago underwent a repair, and has altogether both a neat and ve-
nerable appearance.
The Royal and Antiquarian Societies, and the Royal Academy
of Artists, have noble apartments in Somerset Place. The So-
ciety for the Encouragement ot Arts, Manuafctures, and Com-
merce, have a handsome house in the Adelphi ; in the great room of
which is a fine series of paintings by Mr. Barry, lately deceased.
Of the public Seminai ies, the most distmguislied are West-
minster School, adjoining the Abbey, and, though not originally
founded, yet nobly endowed by Queen Elizabeth; St. Paul'a
School, founded in tlie beginning of the 16th century, by Dean
Colet; the Charier House, founded both for a school and hos-
pital, by Thomas Sutton, Esq. ; and a school in Suffolk Lane,
Upper Thames Street, founded in 1561 bv tiie Company of ISIer-
chant Taylors. These four schools are seminaries of great respect-
ability, andmustprove extremely useful to the community.
With respect to the places of diversion, the Opera Houses have
been remarkably unfortunate : that in the Htymarket, called the
King's Theatre, having been destroyed by tire, on the 17th of
June, 1789 ; and the Pantheon, in Oxford Street, the most mag-
nificent structure of the kind in Europe, which had been fitted
up for the performance of operas, having met with a similar fate,
on the 14th of January, 1792 : however, they have been since re-
built. The two theatres j oyal in Drury Lane and Covent Gar-
den have been both burnt down ; the latter has been rebuilt
with uncommon grandeur and expedition : the ruins of the for-
mer have been cleared, and an act of incorporation, lately sanc-
tioned by parliament, for its re-erection ; tire performers in t!\e
meantime have been allowed to exhibit at tlie Lyceum, in the
Strand. For the dramatic entertainments in summer, is a small
theatre royal in the Haymarket. Sadler's Wells, near Islington,
for pantomimes and rope dan 'ing; Astley's Amphitheatre, near
Westminster Bridge, burnt down, Aug. 24, 1794, but rebuilt;
burnt down a second time, and again re-erected, for equestrian ex-
ercises and other amusements, meet with considerable success,
Surry Theatre (formerly Royal Circus) has been taken by Mr.
Elliston, late of Drury Lane Theatre, who has very much im-
proved the respectabihty of the pev'brmances, which n-ow consist
52 LONDON.
of operas, pantomiraes, &c. Sans I'areil, in the Strand; tli
Theatre in Tottenham Court Road, and the Royaltv Theati r
AVellclose Square, all for the pc rfonnance of little operas, pan-
tomimes, &c. ; and Astley's Olympic Pavilion, Newcastle Street,
for equestrian exercises and pantomimes. For the higher ranks
of life, are many noble rooms for concerts ; as in Hanover S(itrare ;
the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn
Fields; and the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Stiand.
Of t!ie Public Halls, the most distinguished, in point of archi-
tecture, arc Goldsmiths' Hall, Foster Lane; Ironmongers' Hall,
Fenchurch Street; and Fishmongers' Hall, near Loudon Bridge.
We mention Stationers" Hall, in Ludgate Street, with a beautiful
painted window, presented by Alderman Cadeil, and two paint-
ings given them by Alderman Boy del, and lately modernised in
front, and Apothecaries' Hall, near Bridge Street, Blackfriars,
because, in the former a great trade is carried on in almanacks,
and, in the latter, great quantities of chemical and galenical pre-
parations are vended, although no prescriptions are made up.
The principal Hospitals are Christ's Hospital, near Newgate
Street, a royal foundation for orpf.ans and poor children ; St. Bar-
tholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, another royal foimdation
for the sick and lame ; Bridewell, in New Bridge Street, Black-
friar's, once a royal palace, but now a royal hospital, for the ap-
prenticing those boys of Christ's Hospital who are orphans and
have no friends, and a prison for the dissolute ; Bethlem, in
Moorfields, now pulling down *, another royal hospital, for lu-
natics ; St. Luke's in Old Street Road, also for lunatics; St. Tho-
mas's in the Borough, the fourth royal hospital, for the sick and
lame ; and for the same purpose is Guy's Hospital, adjoining; the
London Hospital, in Whitechapel Road; the Middlesex Hospital,
near Berner's Street ; the Westminster Infirmary, near Petty
France; and St. George's Hospital, Hyde Park Corner; the
F'oundling Hospital, in Lamb's Conduit Fields ; the Asylum, at
Lambeth, for orphan girls ; the Magdalen Hospital, in St. George's
Fields, for penitent prostitutes; the Lock Hospital, in Grosvenor
Place, Hyde Park Coriier ; the Marine Society, in Bishopsgate
Street; the Small Pox Hospital, at Pancras, besides a number of
stations, dispersed throughout the metropolis for the vaccine
inoculation, where the operators perform f^ratis, particularly at
Mr. Welch's Stationer, Salisbury Court, Fleet Street, where the
benevolent Dr. Walker attends every morning; the Westminster
Lying in Hospital, and many others for the same purpose, are
also excellent institutions. A great number of Dispensaries, for
the relief of the poor, have been lately established, by vohmtary
contributions, for dispersing medicines to the sick, who keep to
their houses, under the direction of a physician to each dispensary,
and proper assistants.
* A new one is about to be ereetcd on the site of the Dog and
Duck, in St. George's Fields.
LONDON. 23
Of Prisons there are a melanclioly number ; the principal are
Newgate, a stnpendoas structure ; tlie New Compter, in Gilt-
spur Street; with Ludgate Prison beliind it, for debtors, a small
but well regulated place ; the Fleet Prison, for debtors ; the
King's Bench, in St. George's Fields, for the saine purpose, and
for the prisoners of the court ; tlie Penitentiary House, in Cold
Bath Fields ; and a new county gaol and sessions house, for Sur-
rey, near Newington Butts.
Some of the Squares and Streets in the metropolis are magni-
ficent ; and many of those which cannot boast of grandeur are
long, spacious, and airy.
The principal Squares are, Bedford Square, Berkeley Square,
Bloomsbury Square, Cavendish Square, Finsbury Square, Fitz-
roy Square, Golden Square, Grosvenor Square, Hanover Square,
Leicester Square, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Manchester Square,
Portman Square, Queen's Square Bloomsbury, Russel Square,
remarkable for tlie elegance of its houses, its ornamental area,
and the very fine bronze statue of the late Duke of Bedford ;
Red Lion Square, St. James's Square, Solio Square, and Ta-
vistock Square, to which we must now add Brunswick Square.
Portland Place forms, perhaps, the most magnificent street in
the world: Stratford Place is truly elegant; and the Adelphi
Terrace is the admiration of foreigners, for the noble view which
it affords of the river, the bridges, and other public buildings, and
of the fine hills beyond Southwark and Lambeth.
We close with mentioning the several Markets; which are in
Sraithfield, Fleet Ditch, Newgate Street, Leadenhall Street,
Carnaby Street, Honey Lane, Spitalfields, and Covent Garden,
Indeed the market in Smithfield will undergo several alterations,
or be removed. It is, to say the least of it, susceptible of con-
siderable improvements.
Such, on a very cursory view of it, is the Metropolis of Great
Britain ; to the extent, opulence, and splendour of which many
causes have contributed. These we cannot better enumerate
than in the words of Dr. Aikin. — " The broad stream of the
Thames," says this ingenious writer, '' flowing between London
and Southwark, continually agitated by a brisk current, or a ra-
pid tide, brings constant supplies of fresh air, which no buildings
can intercept. The country round, especially on the London
side, is nearly open to some distance, whence, by the action of
the sun and wind on a gravelly soil, it is kept tolerably dry in all
seasons, and affords no lodgment for stagnant air, or water. The
cleanlhiess of London, as well as its supply of water, are greatly
aided by its situation on the banks of the Thames ; and the New
River, together with many good springs within the city itself,
further contribute to the abundance of that necessary element.
All these are advantages with respect to health, in which this me-
tropolis is exceeded by few.
** Its situatiou with regard to the circumstance of navigation is
24 LONDON.
equally well chosen : had it been placed lower on the Thames,
be side* being annoyed by the marshes, it would have been more
liable to insults from foreign foes ; had it been higher, it would
not have been accessible, as at present, to ships of large burden.
It now possesses every advantage tliat can be derived from a sea-
port, without its dangers; and, at the same time, by means of
its noble river, enjoys a veiy extensive canal and railroad com-
munication with tiie internal parts of the country, which supply
it with all sorts of necessaries, and in return receive from it such
commodities as they require. With the great article of fuel,
London is plentifully supplied by sea from the northern collieries ;
and to this circumstance the nation is indebted for a great nur-
sery of seamen, not depending upon foreign commerce ; which
is a principal source of its naval superiority. Corn and various
other articles are with equal ease conveyed to it from all the ma-
ritime parts of the kingdom, and great numbers of coasting vessels
are continually employed for this purpose.
'' London, therefore, unites in itself all the benefits arising from
navigation and commerce, with those of a metropolis at which
all the public business of a great nation is transacted ; and is at
the same time the mercantile and political head of these king-
doms. It is also the seat of many considerable manufactures j
some almost peculiar to itself, as ministering to demands of stu-
died splendour and refined luxury ; others in which it participates
with the manufacturing towns in general, with this difference,
that only the finer and more costly of their works are performed
here. The most important of its peculiar manufactures is the
silk weaving, established in Spitalfields by refugees from France.
A variety of works in gold, silver, and jewellery ; the engraving
of prints; the making of optical and mathematical instruments,
are likewise principally or solely executed here, and some of
them in greater perfection than in any other country. The por-
ter brewery, a business of very great extent, is also chiefly car-
ried on in London. To its port are likewise confined some
branches of foreign commerce, as the vast East India trade, and
those to Turkey and Hudson's Bay.
" Thus London has risen to its present rank of the first city in
Europe with respect to opulence; and nearly, if not entirely so,
as to the number of inhabitants. Paris and Constantinople may
dispute the latter with it. Its population, like that of all other
towns, have been greatly over-rated, and is not yet exactly
determined; but it is probable that the residents in London,
Westminster, Southwark, and all the out-parishes, do not fall
far short of 900,000."
It ma;^ be just remarked, that the sketch which we have now
given of the British Metropolis, however short, will serve to
impart a just idea of its wealth, magnificence, and dimensions,
either to those who reside in it, or to those who visit it from the
fioimtry.
AMBULATOR;
A TOUR ROUND LONDON.
"'';^* The Distances on the Kent Roads are computed from London
Bridge ; on the Croydon, Reigate, and Epsom Roads, from West-
minster Bridge ; on the Kingston Road, from the Stone^s End
in the Borough ; on the Brentford Road, from Hyde Park Cor-
ner ; on the Uxbridge and Edgware Roads, from Tyburn Turn-
pike ; on the Barnet Road, from where Hickes's Hall stood in
St. John's Street ; on the Ware Road, from Shoreditch Church ;
and on the Essex Road,from Whitechapel Church.
A.
ABBOT'S LANGLEY, a village in Herts, four miles S. W.
from St. Alban's, and 22 from London, is pleasantly situaied
«n a hill, on the east side of the river Bulborne. Doomesday
Book informs us, that the town was given by Egelwine the
black, and Winifled his wife, to the monks of St. Alban's; hence
its name. King John confirmed the grant to tlie abbey towards
supplying the monks with clothing. At the dissolution the whole
manor reverted to the crown ; James I. conveyed it to Francis
Combe, Esq. who dying without issue, endowed a school here,
and devised the manor, &c. to Trinity College, Oxford, and
Sidney College, Cambridge, for the education of his own and
D
26 ACTON.
his wife's kindred for ever*. Laiigley Bnry, near this village,
was built by Lord Chief Justice jftaymond, who took his title of
Earor> Langley frooi this place ; his son, tiie late Baron, be-
queathed it to Sir John Filmer, Bart. It is now the residence
of Mr. Biddulph. See Cecil Lodge.
ACTON, a village in Middlesex, five miles AV. from London,
on the road to Uxbridge. Tlie parish is supposed to derive its
name from the quantity of oak-timber it produced; ac, in the
Saxon language, signifying an oak; and the hedgerows still
abound with that tree. Half a mile from East Acton are three
wells of mineral water, which, ubout the middle of the last cen-
tury, were in repute for their medicinal virtues. The assembly-
room was then a place of fashionable resort; and the neighbour-
ing hamlets of East Acton and Friar's Place were filled with
persons of all ranks, who came to reside there during the summer
season. These wells have long airo lost their celebrity, fashion
and novelty having given the preference to springs of the same
nature, at a greater distance from the metropolis. The site of
the wells is the property of the Duke of Devonshire; and the
assembly-room, being nearly in ruins, is about to be converted
into two tenements. At Acton resided Francis Lord Rous, one
of Cromwell's Peers ; and, on the site of his house, now stands a
modern mansion, called the Bank House, late the property of
Samuel Wegg, Esq. Richard Baxter, the non-conformist divine^
resided also many years in a house t near the church, where he
constantly attended divine service, and sometimes preached ;
having a licence for so doing, provided he uttered nothing against
the doctrines of the Church of England. The great and good
Sir Matthew Hale was his cotemporary at Acton, and intimate
with him. This is the more pleasing to observe, as that age was
not remarkable for religious candour and moderation. The
celebrated parliamentary General Skippon resided also in a
house near the church, which is now the property of James
Stratton, Esq. There is also a handsome new-built house and
extensive garden belonging to N. T. Selby, Esq.
On the left hand of the entrance of the village from London is
Berrymead Lodge, built in the Gothic style, with extensive
* Abbot's Langley is famous as the birth-place of Nicholas
Breakspeare, son of a servant to St. Alban's Abbey. For his great
literary endowments he was elected Abbot of St. Rufus, near Va-
lentia; Bishop of Alba, in the neighbourhood of Rome j and, at
length,. Cardinal and Pope, by the title of Adrian IV. the only
Englishman who attained to that dignity. This Pope is styled the
Apostle of Norway, for the great pains he took in converting that
barbarous nation to the christian faith. The accounts of his airo-
gance, &c. must be received with caution.
t This house was purchased some years ago by Mr. Wegg, and
pulled down.
ADD 27
grounds, formerly belonging to Lieutenant-General Morris, but
now the residence of Blr. Akers. Among several monuments in
the church, is one to the memory of Anne Lady Southwell, who
died in 1636. On each side of the monument han^s a wooden
tablet, inscribed with panegyrical verses, of which the following
may serve as a specimen :
The South '.vind blew upon -a springing well,
Whose waters flow'd, and the sweet stream did swell
To such a height of goodness, &c. &c.
At the entrance of Acton, on the London side, is a conduit
made for the benefit of the public, and endowed by Thonias
Thorney, in 1612, with a rent charjje of 205. per ann. to keep it
in repair; the overplus to be distributed to the poor.
ADDINGTON, a villasje in Surry, three miles to the S, E. of
Croydon, is situated at the foot of a range of hills, to which it
gives the name of Addington Common. On the brow of the hill,
toward the village, is a cluster of small tumuli, about twentj'-five
in number, and in them have been found Roman urns, &c. In
this parisii is Addington Place, a handsome seat, now in the oc-
cupation of iiis Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury ; but is the
property of James Trecothick, Esq. who holds it by a tenure of
making his Majesty a mess of pottage at his coronation. The
origin of this tenure is from Tezelin, the Conqueror's cook, hold-
ing a carucate here, by the service of cooking up in an earthen
platter, in the king's kitclien, at his coronation, a mess denomi-
nated deligrout ; and so lately as the coronation of Charles II. it
appears that the then lord of the manor made a mess, according
to his tenine, and brought it to the king at his table, as ordered
by the Court of Claims ; and the king accepted of his service.
Near this place are the seats of John Darby, A. Adair, John
Maberly, Beeston Long, and James Bourdieu, Esqrs.
ADDISCOMBE PLACE, near Croydon, Surry, is a hand-
some seat, the property of Captain Cliarles Clarke, and was let
to the late Earl of Liverpool for his life. His Lordship not only
beautified the house, but greatly improved the plantations. On
the east front of the house is this inscription in Roman capitals :
*' Non faciam vitio culpave minorem — I will not reduce the
estate by any vice or folly of mine," a maxim w!iich,were it always
observed by the great, would conduce in no small degree to the
benefit of the community. After his Lordship's death, it was
purchased by the Honourable the East India Company,^in 1809j,
and converted into a seminary for the education of cadets for the
military service of the company in India. The number of cadets
at present is only '60; but the estate is to be enlarged for the ac-
commodation of 150. The students are instructed in mathema-
tics, fortification, classics, French, drawing, and military tactics
in general. The language of Hhidostan is also taught by a native
d2
Its , ST. ALBANS.
of Persia. There are at present ten masters, at tlie head of whom
is James Andrew, LL. 1). who was appointed by the Company
professor of mathematics, and head classical master to the insti-
tution. The general government of the seminary devolves upon
this gentleman, wlio resides at the mansion. Mr. Glenie, who
was formerly of the Royal Corps of Engineers, and who has dis-
tinguished himself by his works on various malhcmatica! subjects,
and on militaiy tactics in general, was appointed professor of for-
tification ; and Lieutenant-Colonel Mudge, of the Royal Artil-
lery, whose abilities are also well known, was appointed to the
office of mathematical and military examiner. Tiie first occasion
which presented itself for tlie exercise of the duties of this office
was in December, 1809, when about fifteen cadets were exa-
mined by Colonel Mudge, before a Board of Easi India Direc-
tors, and in the presence of many scientific gentlemen. The
manner in which tiie cadets acquitted themselves on this occasion,
in promptly and correctly answering the numerou.5 questions
which were proposed to them in the more difficult parts of
mathematics, and military tactics, was highly gratifying to all
present, and no less honourable to the abilities and industry of
the professors and masters by whom tliey had been instructed.
ALBAN's, St. an ancient borough in Herts, 21 miles N. from
London. It is seated on the Ver, a N. W. bianch of the Coin.
This was once the metropolis of Britain, and the residence of
British princes before the invasion of Julius Ccesar. It was then
called Verulamium. When the Romans had achieved their con-
quest, they added walls to the ordinary British defence of eartli,
ramparts, and ditches ; and erected Verulam city info a munici-
pium, or city enjoying equal privileges with the Roman capital;
which so attached the British citizens to the Roman Government,
that this place consequently felt the vengeance of Queen Boa-
dicea, who destroyed 70,000 of them in the most cruel manner !
Suetonius Paulinus, the then Governor of Britain, in return for
Jier barbarity, attacked her forces, gained a complete victorj',
and put 8,000 to the sword ! Yerulara was then rebuilt, and its
inhabitants enjoyed their privileges till the Dioclesian (>ersecu-
tion, A. D. S04, when the city wa*^ again rendered famous for the
martyrdom of its citizen St. Alban. AVhen the Saxons gained
footing ill Britain, Verulam was among their first conquests, being
by them denominated Wcrlamcei'ter and Watlingacester, from
the famous Roman causeway on which it stands. Many vast frag-
ments of the Roman masonry remain, and the area of the station,
according to Dr. Stsikeley's measurement, is 3200 feet in length,
and 3000 in breadth. At present it is inclosed in two fields-
but vestijies of the buiidings are still to be traced, particularly at
a place distingnished by an immense fragment of the wall, called
Gorhambury Block. After various revolutions, this vast city fell
to decay j and from its ruins rose the present St. Alban's.
ST. ALBAN'S. 1>9
The latter town is situated on a spot of ground, formerly a
wood, named Holmhurst. It received its greatest prosperity
from the stately Abbey in honour of St. Alban, whose.relics were
miraculously discovered by Offa, Rinj? of Mercia, after his un-
provoked nu!rJ'_'r of St. Ethelbert, King of the East Angles,
whom he had invited to his court to be his son-in-law. From
Offa's Ci)mpunclion arose this magnificent abbey and monastery
for benedictine or black monks, "Hvhose abbot was dignified with
a mitre, and liad precedence of all others in England ; who was
subject, to no other power, but immediately to the pope ; and
who had episcopal jurisdiction over both clergy and laity, in
all the possessions belonging to the monastery." Of this magnifi-
cent abbey, however, not a vestige is left, except the gateway, a
large square building, with a fine spacious pointed arch beneatli ;
the rapacity of Henry VIII. with the marauding industry of his
reforming commissioners, soon levelled these magnificent build-
ings, except the abbey church, which, to the lasting honour of
the corporation and inhabitants, was rescued from impending
destruction, and purchased by them of Edward VI. for 400^
This venerable fabric was then made parochial; and though.
during the civil wars, it suffered all the sacrilegious plunder of
Cromwell and his rebellious soldiers, still at the approach to the
town, either from London, Dunstable, or Watford, St. Alban's
Abbey arrests the traveller's attention, and he beholds with awe
a building so ancient, and in such preservation, as not to be
equalled in Great Britain!
The structure is cruciform ; 600 feet at the intersection, the
transepts 180, the height of the tower 144 feet, of the body 65f
and the breadth of the nave 217. Of a pile so vast, in which so
many dissimilar parts are united, it is impossible, in a work of
this nature, to give an architectural description. However, what-
ever is striking it is our duty to preserve, as a stimulus for more
extensive inquirers, whose researches may lead them to so desir-
able a source of information.
The Saxon style of architecture is preserved in many parts of
the inside of the church; but the greatest part has been rebuilt
in the different styles of the times when repairs became neces-
sary; the objects for the ingenuity of the artist in and about
this place are many and various ; and had it not been for the
Oliveriaii devastations above mentioned, the monuments and
brasses would have been a fund of amusement for the antiquary;
but, alas! only one of the brass monuments has escaped the
general wreck. This is a handsome plate, 12 feet by 4, of Abbot
de la Mare, who lived in the reign of Edward III. This abbot,
in his robes, curiously engraved, with appropriate ornaments,
affords a capital specimen of sculpture in that reign, and forms a
vast idea of the grandeur and magnificence which might have
been expected in this celebrated structure.
D 3
30 ST. ALB AN 'S.
Facing the entrance of the south door is tlie monument of
Humphry, brother to King Henry V. commonly distin^uislied by'
the title of the Good Duke of Gloucester. It is adorned with a
ducal coronet, and die arms of France and England quartered.
In niches on one side are seventeen kings ; but in the niches on
the other side tliere are no statues remaining. Before this mo-
nument is a stroiiir iron grating, to prevent the images with
which it is adorned from being defaced. The inscription, in
Latin, alludes to the pretended miraculous cure of a bhnd man
detected by the duke, and may be tlnis translated :
Sacred to the memory of the best of men.
InterrM withiii this consecrated ground,
Lies he whom Henry his protector found :
Good Humphry, Gloster's Duke, who well could spy
Fraud couch'd within the blind impostor's eye.
His country's light, and state's rever'd support.
Who peace and rising learning deign'd to court j
Whence his rich library, at Oxford plac'd,
Her ample schools with sacred influence grac'd ;
Yet fell beneath an envious woman's wile,
Both to herself, her king, and country vile j
Who scarce allow'd his bones this spot of land,
Yet spite of envy shall his glory stand !
In the chancel is the vault, discovered in 1703, at which time
the body was entire, and in strong pickle ; the pickle, however,
is now dried up, the flesh wasted away, and nothing remains of
this great and good prince but his mere bones.
Immediately on the left hand is a raised stone, covered with
black marble ; by the five crosses on the top, it is generally sup-
posed to be one of the altar-stones with which the church for-
merly abounded. — In the floor, on the left side of the vestry-
room door, are deposited the remains of several of the Maynard
family, some of w-hom were titled Barons Uston, of Uston, in
Essex. On a board against the wall is some curious poetry to
their memory.
The shrine of St. Alban stood on the east part of the church,
now the vestry: in the pavement are six holes, wherein the sup-
porters of it were fixed : the following inscription is also still to
be seen :
•St. Albanus Verolamensis, Anglorum Protomartyr, 17 Junii, 293.
Near this place, between two pillars, is a recess built of
wood, called *« The watch-room," in which the monks attended
to receive the donations of numerous devotees, as well as to guard
the riches of the shrine. Beneath this building are deposited
lorae antiquities, and two stone coffins with their lids, one o<
ST. ALBAN'S. Si
which was found near the pillar, in the great aisle, on which is
inscribed an account of Sir Jolui Mandeville*, the greatest tra-
veller of his time.
Here the archdeacon holds his court, being separated from the
part appropriated for public worship by a beautiful stone skreen
richly carved ; on the north of this skreen is the stately monu-
ment of Abbot Ramrydge, who was elected in 1496, The fronts
are of most delicate, open Gothic work, witli niches above for
statues ; and in many parts are carved two rams, with the word
ridge on their collars, in allusion to the abbot's name. This mag-
nificent piece of sculpture, as well as the high altar, is much ad-
mired. Near is the tomb of the liberal Wheathamstead, wlio was
twice abbot, and died in 1460. On the opposite side, just before
the door, are the remains of a bra«s plate on a stone, in the floor,
of the valiant Abbot Frederic t, next heir to the crown after
Canute. Close by the last mentioned monument is a brass plate to
* Sir John Mandeville, a learned physician and great traveller,
spent 34 years in viewing; the most remarkable places of the world,
insomuch, that he was grown out of the knowledge of bis friends.
He wrote an itinerary through Africa, and the east and north parts
of Asia, countries then least known to the English; yet it was not
so much valued in his own country as it was in foreign parts, be-
cause there were many strange things which have been thought
incredible. He was born at St. Alban's, enjoyed a fair estate, and
dying in 1372, was buried at Liege, in Flanders.
f This great man made the boldest stand against William the
Conqueror. The decisive battle of Hastings was over, Harold was
killed in it, and no head made against his subduing the whole
island; and he came on, by slow marches, to take possession
rather than to subdue by force Having passed the Thames at
Wallingford, he rested at Berkhamsted, where Abbot Frederic
stopped him, by cutting down trees, and throwing them in J:he in-
vader's way. By this delay the abbot gained time to convene the
nobility of the country at St. Albans, to consult about some effort
to drive the Normans back, and free the country from the yoke
which threatened. They, however, found that any attempts to this
purpose were vain; and therefore contented themselves with the
conqueror's oath, " To govern them according to the laws of Ed-
ward the Confessor ;" and upon this they swore fealty to him.
The abbot's resolute answer to William is remarkable : being
asked by him, " Why he felled the trees to impede his progress ?'»
boldly replied, ." That he had done no more than his duty ; and if
all the clergy in the realm had done the same, they might have
stopped his progress," This produced a menace from King William,
" That he would cut their power shorter, and begin with him."
Thus St. Alban's particularly suffered for the conduct of its abbot,
who, on the dissolution of the confederacy, was obliged to seek
refuge in the monastery of Ely, where he died of grief and morii
lication: whilst William seized all the abbey lauds, between Ear^
32 ST. ALBAN'S.
the memory of Sir Antliony Grey, of Groby, knighted by Hen.VI.
at Colney ; but slain next day, near the castle, at the first battle
of St. Alban's, 14r>o. St. Cuthbert's Skreen is still standing,
and break-; tlie view in the Ions aisle.
Near the wrst door, on the wall, is a Latin inscription, setting
forth, tliat durincj the pestilence in London, in the reigns of
Henry VIIL and Elizabeth, the courts of justice were held in
this abbey.
In tl)is ancient edifice is a monument of OfFa, who is repre-
sented seated on his throne, with a Latin inscription, thus trans-
lated :
The founder of the church, about the year 793,
"Whom you behold ill painted on his throne
Sublime, was once for Mlrcian O.'^fa known !
Not the least vestige remains of OfFa's magnificent abbey, ex-
cept the church, and the gateway, a large square building. A
murder was the true source of Offa's munificence: he invited
Ethelbert, Prince of the East Angles, to his court, on pretence
of marrying him to his daughter, beheaded him, and seized his
dominions. The pious Offa had recourse to tlie usual expiation
of murder in those melancholy ages, the founding of a monastery.
To tiie south of St. Stephen's church are the remains of the
church and house of St. Julian, founded for lazers by Gaufridus,
Abbot of St. Alban's.
In the church of St. Michael is the monument of the illustrious
Viscount St. Alban (more commonly, but erroneously, styled
Lord Bacon) whose effigy is in alabaster, finely executed, but
the sculptor is not known. There is a Latin inscription, by Sir
Henry Wotton, of which the following is a translation :
Francis Bacon, Baron of Verulam, Viscount St. Alban's, or, by
more conspiciious titles, of sciences the light, of eloquence
the law, sat thus : who, after all natural wisdom and secrets
of civil life he had unfolded, Nature's law fulfilled, ' Let
compounds be dissolved !' in the j^ear of our Lord 1626, of his
age 66. Of such a man, that the memory might remain,
Thomas Meautys, living his attendant, dead his admirer,
placed this monument.
Tills paneg\ric, as it respects the literary character only of
this sjreat man, will be universally allowed ; and the gratitude
of the faithful old servant, thus extended beyond the grave, will
be ever pleasing to a virtuous mind ; but we must here subjoin
two poetical characters of this philosopher, as awful lessons of
net and London Stone, together with the manor of Redburn, and
would have efi'ectually ruined the monastery, but for the solicita-
tious of Lanfiranc, Archbishop of Canterbuiy.
ST. ALBANS. 33
iiwtniction to all who contemplate splendid talents, without ad-
verting to the superior splendour of moral excellence :
If parts allure thee, think how Bacon shin'd
The wisest, brightest, meanest of mankind !
POPE.
Thine is a Bacon hapless in his choice,
Ujifit to stand the civil storm of state.
And through the rude barbarity of courts,
With firm, but pliant virtue, forward still
To urge his course • him for the studious shade
Kind nature form'd j deep, compiehensive, clear,
Exact, and elegantj in one rich soul,
Plato, the Stagyrite, and TuUy join'd.
The great deliverer he! who, from the gloom
Of cloister'd monks, and jargon-teaching schools,
Led forth the true Philosophy, there long
Held in the magic chain of vvords and forms,
And definitions void, he led her forth,
Daughter of Heaven ! that, slow-ascending still.
Investigating sure, the chain Of things,
With radiant finger points to Heaven again !
THOMSON-
In the centre of St. Alban's stood one of tlie niaj>nificcnt
crosses, erected by Edward I. in honour of his Queen Eleanor.
A building was erected in its stead, in 1703, which retains the
name of" The Cross."
On the river is a curious mill, erected for the pvnpose of
polishing diamonds, but now employed in the cotton manufactory
of Messrs. Gill and Maxey. On its banks also is Holywell Hou^e,
the seat of Countess Dowager Spencer, built by Sarah, Duchess
of Marlborough, who here founded nine almshouses for thirty-
six persons. In Holywell House is preserved the portrait of tlie
duchess, in white, exquisitely handsome. *' In this," ohserves
Mr. Pennant, " are not the least vestiges of her diabolical pas-
sions, the torments of her queen, her husband, and herself." —
On ascending into the town, up Fishpool Street, is a bottom on
the right, which was once a great pool. The Saxon princes are
supposed to have taken great pleasure in navigating on this piece
of water. Anchors have been found on the spot, which occa-
sioned poets to fable that the Thames once ran this way. Dray-
ton, addr .sshig the river Ver, says,
Thou saw'st great burdeu'd ships through these thy vallies pass,
Where now tlie sliarp-edged scythe shears up thy springing grass j
And where the seal and porpoise us'd to play.
The grasshopper and ant now lord it all the day !
Near the town is a Roman fortification, supposed to have heen
the camp of Ostorius, tJie propraetor ; the common pecp'e call
it <* The Oj ater Hills," but Mr. Pennant, who calls this bv.nj or
54 A M W
mount Osterhill, conjectures it to have been tlie site of the Saxon
palace at Kiugsbnry.
St. Alban's is famous for the victory obtained in 1455 over
Henry VI. by Richard Duke of York; the first battle fonght in
the famous quarrel, which lasted thirty years, and is computed to
have cost the lives of eighty princes of the blood, and to have
annihilated almost entirely the ancient nobility of England. In
1461, a second battle \ras fonght here, in which Queen Margaret
defeated the great Earl of Warwick.
The town is governed by a Mayor, High Steward, Recorder,
twelve Aldermen, 6cc. and sends two Members to Parliament.
It has given the titles of viscount, carl, and duke, to the families
of Bacon, Jermyn, and Beauclerk. There are two places of
worship for dissenters in the town, to one of which belongs a
charity school, established near a century ago, and extremely
well conducted. Such schools are a blessing to society.
ALBINS, in the parish of Stapleford Abbot, in Essex, six
miles and a half S. W. from Chipping Ongar, and 16 miles from
London ; the seat of the late Rev. Thomas Abdy Abdy, and now
possessed by his widow, is ascribed to Inigo Jones : " but,'' says
Mr. Walpole, '' if he had any hand in it, it must have been dur-
ing his tirst profession, and before he had seen any good build-
ings." The house is handsome, has large rooms and rich ceilings,
but all entirely of Uie King James's Gothic.
ALBURY HOUSE, in the parish of Cheshunt, the seal of
John Russell, Esq. part of whose garden is inclosed by a frag-
ment of the wall which surrounded Theobald's Park.
ALBURY PARK, six miles E. S. E. from Guildford, Surry,
the seat of Samuel Thornton, Esq. M. P.
AMWELL, a village in Herts, two miles S. S. E. from Ware,
21 miles from London, is famed for giving rise to the New River,
which, proceeding in a direct course by the church, receives a
spring which flows with great copiousness. In this village are
Amwell Bury, the villa of Captain Brown, and the house and
gardens of Mr. Hooper. These gardens were laid out by the late
Mr. Scott, who has rendered the village interesting to the senti-
mental traveller by a beautifid poem called " Amwell." From
his epistle to a friend we extract a poetic description of the cu-
rious grotto which he constructed at this place :
" Where China's willow hangs its foliage fair.
And Po's tall poplar waves its top in air,
And the dark maple spreads its umbrage wide,
And the white bench adorns the bason side;
At noon reclin'd, perhaps, he sits to vievv
The bank's neat slope, the water's silver hue,
Where, midst thick oaks, the subterraneous way
To the arch'd grot admits a fe«ble ray ;
A S C .35
Where glossy pebbles pave the varied floors,
And rough flint-walls are deck'd with shells and ores,
And silvery pearls, spread o'er the roofs on high,
Glimmer like faint stars in a twilight sky :
From noon's fierce glare, perhaps, he pleas'd retires,
Indulging musings which the place inspires.
Nqw where the airy octagon ascends.
And wide the prospect o'er the vale extends.
Midst evening's calm, intent perhaps he stands.
And looks o'er all that length of sun-gilt lands.
Of bright green pastures, stretch'd by rivers clear,
And willow groves, or osier islands near !"
Besides being the residence of Mr. Scott, Amwell boasts of
having had amongst its inhabitants Mr. Hoole, the translator of
Tasso, and Mr. Walton, the angler; the scene of his " Angler's
Dialogues" is the vale of Lee, between Tottenham and Ware :
he particularly mentions AmAvell Hill.
In the churchyard is the following curious epitaph :
That which a Being was, what is it ? show :
That Being which it was, it is not now :
To be what 'tis, is not to be, you see :
That which now is not, shall a Being be.
Here also lies buried William Warner, author of Albion's
England, Argeutile and Curan, &c.
" The delightful retreat in this neighbourhood, denominated
Langley Bottom, is adapted to contemplation ; and possesses
such capabilities of improvement, that the genius of a Shenstone
might easily convert it into a second Leasowes. The transition
from the solitude to Widbury Hill is made in a walk of a few
minutes, and the prospect from that hill, in a fine evening, is
beautiful beyond description."
ANKERWYKE HOUSE, the seat of Lady Kingsborough, is
situated in the parish of Wraysbury, Bucks, on the side of the
Thames opposite Runny Mead. Tt was formerly a Benedictine
nunnery, built in the reign of Henry II,
ANKERWYKE FURNISH, two miles W. from Staines,
delightfully situated on Cooper's Hill, in the parish of Egham,
Surry, is the seat of Lord Shouldham, during the life of his lady,
the widow of Simon Harcourt, Esq. — Near it was the house of Sir
John Denham, the bard of Cooper's Hill ; but not a trace of it
remains.
ASCOT HEATH, six miles S. W. from Windsor, on the road
to Bagshot, is a celebrated race ground, on which the king's
plate of 100 guineas is annually run for, and many other plates
and sweepstakes, that usually constitute five days sport. These
races eoMimeace a fortnight after Whitsuntide, and are frequentl^•
56 AVE
attended by the Royal Family. Near the course is the lodge
for his Majesty's huntsmen, where the royal stag-hounds are
kept. This fine heath is thus noticed by an ingenious poet :
As my devious course I steer,
Fancy, in fairy vision clear,
Bids, to beguile my 'tranced eyes,
Past joys in sweet succession rise :
Refreshing airs she bids me breathe
Where, Ascot, thine enchanting heath.
Impregnated with mild perfume,
Bares its broad bosom's purple bloom ;
Gives me to view the splendid crowd,
The high born racer neighing loud.
The manag'd steeds that side by side
Precede the glittering chariot's pride.
Within whose silken coverture
Some peerless Beauty sits secure.
And, fatal to the soul's repose,
Around her thrilling glances throws !
ASCOT PLACE, Surry, five miles S. W. from Windsor, on
the site of Ascot Heath, near Winkfield, is a modern well-built
edifice, erected by the late Andrew Lindegreen, Esq. and in the
possession of Mr. Aggatt.
ASHFORD, a village three miles S. E. from Staines, in Mid-
dlesex, in which is the seat of Mr. Shaw. On Ashford Common
are frequent reviews, chiefly of cavalry, and of course much
frequpnted.
ASHTEAD, a village 2 miles S. W. from Epsom, in Surry, in
which is the handsome seat and park of Richard Bagot Howard,
Esq. uncle to Lord Bagot, who took the name of Howard after
his marriage with the Hon. Miss Howard, sister of Hsnry, the
twelfth Earl of Suffolk. Here Kin^ Charles II. was entertained,
and the table at which he dined is still preserved in the family.
AVELEY, a pleasant village in Essex, eight miles S. E. from
Romford, near Purfleet, comprises the manor of Alveley, Bel-
house, Bretts, and Bumpsted. Alveley church stands in the
middle of the village, and is a peculiarly clean and neat struc-
ture. It belonged to the convent of Caen, in Normandy, after-
wards to that of Lesnes. Henry VIII. gave it to Cardinal
Wolsey towards his Collegiate foundations ; but upon his disgrace,
it was again granted to the Dean and Chapter of St, Paul's,
London.
Thi^re are several handsome monuments erected to the me-
Hiory of the Dacre family. In the village Lord Newburgh, in
1639, built a lofty almshouse of brick for twelve families: on the
ifont was inscribed Domum Dei 1639. See Belhouse.
BAN a?
B.
BAGNIGGE WELLS, a noted place of public entertain,
ment, situated in the parish of Pancras, in the valley be-
tween the New-River-Head and the Foundlins? Hospital, was
formerly the residence of Mrs. Eleanor Gwyn, one of Kin*»'
Charles's mistresses, of whom here is a bust. It was opened
about the year 1767, in consequence of the discovery of two
springs of mineral water ; the one chalybeate, and the other ca.
thartic. There is' something romantic and pleasant in the situa-
tion.
At the time the Elder Colman wrote his witty prologue to
Garrick\<i farce of Bon Ton, this place was nmch in vogue, and is
thus spoken of:
" Ah ! I loves life, and all the joy it yields-
Says Madam Fussock, warm from Spitalfields.
Bone-Tcnes the space 'twixt Saturday and Monday,
And riding in a one-horse chair o' Sunday !
Tis drinking tea on summer afternoons
At Eagnigge-wells, with china and gilt spoons !"
BAILEYS, Bucks, between Slough and Salt Hill, is a neat
modern ediiice, formerly the residence of the Earl of ChesJcr-
field, but now of the Countess Dowager of Rossiyn. The ap-
proach to it is by an avenue of stately firs.
BANCROFT'S beautiful Almshouses, School, and Chapel, on
the N. side ot the Mile-end-road, in the parish of Stepney, were
erected in 173;'), pursuant to the will of Francis Bancroft, who
bequeathed 28,000/. for purchasing a site, and erecting and en-
dowing the building; a not uncommon expedient this, to com-
pound with heaven for a life of rapine and extortion. This man
was one of the Lord Mayor's officers, and, as he rose to be senior
ofHcer often, sold out, and became " Young Man," receiving a
gratuity from each for the sake of seniority ; and living to be old,
he got a considerable stun of money by this practice, by informa-
tions, and snnunoniiig the citizens before the Lord Mayor upon
ihe most trifling occasions.
The almshouses are for 24 poor old men, who were allowed by
the fonnder's will 8 1, per ann. and coals ; but the improvements in
the estate have allowed the pensions to be augmented to 18Z. per
ann. The school-room is for 100 boys,withdwelIing-liousosfor two
masters. The boys, who are appointed by the Drapers' Company,
are now clothed, boarded, lodged, and taught Heading, writing,
and accounts. They are admitted between tlie age of seven and
ten, and suffered to remain till 15, when tiiey are allowed by the
will 4.1. for an apprentice fee, or 2Z 10s. to (it them for service *.
* In the founder's will (which, as well as the rules and orders
for the pensioners and boys, are in print) is the following singular
£
38 BAR
Tliis structure occupies three sides of a sjiacious quadrangle.
On tlie N. side are the chapel, the scliool, and the dwelling-
houses for the masters; th»? former Uavinj; a handsome stone por-
tico of the Ionic order. On the E. and \V. sides are the habita-
tions of tlie pensioners. It has a respectable appearance from
the great road leading to Bow and Strat.'brd.
BANSTED, a village in Sun v, between Dorkina: and Croy-
don, and ,'iiiree miles and a hall S. E. from Ewell. Lady Tryon's
park here w as famed for walnuts ; but her ia<lysl»ip has ordered
many of the trees to be cut down. Banstod is much more cele-
brated for iis downs, one of the most delightful spots in England,
on account of the pleasaut seats, the prospect on both sides of
the Thiuues, and liie fineness of the turf, covered with a short
grass, intermixed with thyme and other fragrant herbs, that ren-
der the mutton of this tract, thoudi small, remarkable for its
sweetness; but the plough has made such encroachments upon
it, thit the pastures and Hocks are greatly diminished. Dyer,
describing the situation most proper for slieep, says,
<' Such are the downs of Bansted, edg'd with woods
And towery vUlas!"
On tliese downs is a four mile course, on which Epsom races
arc hold en. See the Oaks.
BARKING, a market town in Essex, seven miles E. from
London, on the river Roding, running into the Thames, had once
a magnificent abbey, founded in 675. It stood on the N. side
of the churchyard: and a gateway and a considerable part of
the wall are still visible. The Roding is navigable within two
miles of the town, which is cliiefiy inhabited by fisliermen. The
adjacent country is highly cultivated, and furnishes the metropolis
with vast quantities of vegetables, particularly potatoes. Lately
a spacious and convenient svorkhouse and penitentiary house
have been erected here ; the latter on Howard's plan. In this
parish is Bifrons, the seat of Bamber Gascoyne, Esq. and, in tlie
road to Dagenham, is Eastbury House, an ancient structure, sup-
posed to have been built by Sir W. Denham, to wliom Edward VI.
granted the estate. An unfounded tradition prevails in this
neighbourhood, that tiie discovery of the gunpowder plot was
clause: " My body I desire may be embalmed within six daj's
after my death, and my entrails to be put into a leaden box, and
enclosed in my coffin, or placed in my vault next the same, as
shall be most convenient ; and that my coffin be made of oak,
lined with lead; and that the top or lid thereof be hung with
strong hinges, neither to be nailed, screwed, locked down, or
fastened any other way, but to open freel}', and without any
trouble, like to the top of a trunk !" This singular order gave rise to
the report that the old gentleman made his appearance after his
d^ath at certain seasons of the year.
B A li 39
owing; to a mistake, in deliverino; a iettfir which was designed for
Lord Monteavh to an inhabitant of this lionse, named Montagu.
In tiiis palish also is tlie celel. rated Faiiiop Oak; and its boun-
daries inchide CLiybury Hall, the seat of Mrs. Hatch, near Wood-
ford Bridge, and Anbury Hail was the villa of the late Wil-
liain Raikes, E«q. near Barking Side. See Fairlop.
BARNES, a vilia^re in Smry, on tlie Thames, six miles W.
from London. On B^.rnes Terrace Lady Archer had a villa,
noted for its titie lireenhoc.ses, which is now the residence of the
Marquis de Cliabe, a French emigrant. The church is an ancient
structure. On the outside of the S. wall is a stone tablet, in-
closed by pales, with some rose trees planted on each side of it.
This tablet is dedicated to ine memory of Edward Rose, citizen of
London, who died in 1653, and left I'O/. to the poor of Barnes,
for tlie purchase of an acre of laud, on condition that the pales
shoidd be kept up, and the rose trees preserved. Upon the
monument of Aim Baynatd, a learned and pious lady, who died
in l()97, and which used to l)e seen iu the east end of the church-,
yard, were these singular lines ;
Here lies that happy maiden, who often said,
That no man is happy until he is dead ;
That the business of life is but playing the fool,
Which hath no relation to saving the soul ;
For all the transaction that's under the sun
Is doingof nothing — if that be not done,
All wisdom and knowledge does lie in this one !"
A quarter of a mile from the church, is
BARN ELMS, so called from its majestic trees, the theme of
many a pastoral poet. It consists of two houses only. The first
is an ancient mansion, called Queen Elizabeth's Dairy. In this
house lived and died Jacob Tonson, the bookseller, who built a
j^allery near it, at the time he was secretary, for the occasional
accommodation of the meeting of the nobility, gentry, and cele-
brated wits of the time, known by the appellation of the Kit Kat
Club; so denominated from Christopher Kat, the landlord, at
whose house the meetings were f^enerally held. Garth wrote
the verses for the toasting glasses of the ^lub, which, as they are
preserved in his works, have immortalized four of the principal
be;iutif'S at the comuiencement of the bst ceutiuy: Lady Car-
lisle, Lady Essex, Lady Hyde, and Lady Wharton. In this
caliery Tonson placed the portraits of all tlie members of the
I chib, which were piinted by Sir Godfrey Kueller. These have
j been removed to Hertincfordbury, the seat of Samuel Baker,
I r„s<]. near Hertford ; but the gallery remains, and the house is
: the residence of jMr. Ackland. The other house is the nranor-
I liouse. Queen Elizabeth, wlio had a lease of it, granted lier in*
I E 2
40 BAIINET.
terest in it to Sir Francis Walsing^ham and his lieirs. Here, in
1589, that great man entertained the queen and her whole court.
The unfortunate Earl of Essex, who married his daughter, (the
widow of Sir PhiHp Sydney) resided i'requently at Barn Elms*.
This house is seated in a small paddock, at some distance from
the Thame?;. It was purchased by the late Sir Richard Hoare,
Bart, who enlarged and modernized it, abiding the two wings;
and it is now the jointure and residence of Lady Hoare. In the
dining parlour and drawing room are some j^^ood picture!;, par-
ticularly two admirable landscapes by G. Ponssin. The pleasure
<?rounds are laid out with jjreat taste. At Barn Elms Cowley
the poet resided, before he went to Chertsey.
BARNET, a market toMTi in Herts, 11 miles N. from Lon-
don, on the top of a hill, whence it is called High Barnet, and
also Chipping Barnet, from the privilege granted to tlie monks
of St. Alban's of holding a market here : the word Cheep being
the Saxon word for a market. The church has been reported,
though erroneously, a chapel of ease to East Barnet. Queen
Elizabeth built a free-school of brick, which is under the control
of 21 governors, who elect the master and "usher. Nine children
are taught gratis; all the rest of the parish at 5s. per quarter.
In this town is also a handsome row of almshouses for widows,
who are allowed the apartments with furniture. On the com-
mon adjoining the town races are annually holden, to the great
annoyance of the sober inhabitants, as they are the resort of the
dissolute and profligate rabble of the metropohs. Barnet is re-
markable for the decisive battle fought between the houses of
York and Lancaster, in 1471, in which the great Earl of War-
wick was slain. The lield of battle is a green spot, a little be-
fore the meeting of the St. Alban's and Hattield roads ; and here,
in 1740, a stone column was erected by Sir Jeremy Sambrooke,
* Mr. Heydegger, Master of the Revels to George II. was for
some time the tenant of this house. His Majesty gave him notice,
that he would sup with him one evening, and that he should come
from Richmond by water. It was Heydetrger'i- profession to invent
novel amusements, and he was resolved to surprise his Majesty
with a specimen of his art. The king's attendants, who were in
the secret, contrived that he should not arrive at Barri Elms before
niglit, and it was with difficulty that he found his way up the
avenue to the house. When he came to the door, all was dark; ;
and he began to be angry that Heydegger t^hould be so ill pre- '■
pared for his reception. He5'degger suflfered his majesty to vent
his aiiger, and affected to make some awkward apologies, when,
in an instant, the house and avenues were in a blaze of light, a
great number of lamps having been so disposed as to communicate
with each other, and to be'lit at the same instant. The king
laughed heartily at the device, and went away much pleased with
his entertainment.
BAT 41
Bart, to commemorate this great event ; which Dn!;dale, and
others, liowever, think was at Friarn Barnet, in Middksex.
BAKNET EAST, a village in Herts, near AV'hetstone, ten
miles and a quarter N. from London, formerly much liequented
on account of its inerlicinal spring, on a neighbouring common.
The mineral vvatei-, of a catiiartic quality, was tbrmerly in much
repute, and has lately been inclosed, and a pump erected, at tlie
expense of the neighbouring gentlemen of the county of Herts.
The spring has been lately analyzed by r>Ir. Goodwin, of Hamp-
siead, who recommoids the Highwood Hill chalybeate water
and the water of this spring to be frequently druniv conjointly.
Here is Mount Pleasant, late the seat of Vv^iliiam AVroughton,
Ejq. and the villas of Joseph Kingston, Esq. and Mr. Tempest j
the latter the property of Mr. Willis.
BARNET FRTARN, a village of Middlesex, between Finch-
ley and Whetstone, one mile S. E. from the latter. This parish
includes the hamlet of Colney Hatch, and half that of Whetstone.
The manor-house, a very ancient structure, near the church, is
held of the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's, by John Bacon, Esq.
who has some portraits here of the Bacon family, among whicli
are the Chancellor, the Lord Keeper, and one said to be Roger
Baoon. He has also the original cast of Roubiliac's bust of
Handel, over which is placed a portrait of Charles Jennings, Esq.
who compiled the words of many of his oratorios, — Haliwick
House, in this parish, is the property of Richard Down, Esq.
BATTERSEA, a village in Surry, on the Thames, four miles
S. from London, remarkable as the birth-place of Henry St. John
Viscount Bolingbroke, who died here in 1751. The family seat
was a venerable structure, which contained forty rooms on a
floor. The manor was purchased for the present Earl Spencer,
when a minor, in 1763, and, about fifteen years after, the greatest
part of the house was pulled down. On the site of the demo-
lished part are erected the horizontal air-mill, and malt distillery,
oF Messrs. Hodgson, Weller, and AUaway. The part left stand-
ing forms a dwelling-house lor Mr. Hodgson, one of whose par-
lours, fronting the Thames, is lined with cedar, beautifully mlaid,
and was the favourite study of Pope, the sc» r.e of many a literary
conversation between hin» and his friend St. John — The air-mill,
now used for grinding malt for the distillery, was built some years
ago, for the grinding of linseed. The design was taken from
that of another, on a smaller scale, constructed at M.irgate by
Captain Hooper. Its height, from the foundation, is 140 feet;
the diameter of the conical part 54 feet at the base, and 43 at the
top. The outer part consists of 96 shutters, 80 teet high, and
nine inches broad^ which, by the pulling of a rope, open and shut
in the ujannvr of V'tnetian blinds. In lUe inside, tue main shaft
E o
43 BATTERSEA.
of the mill is the centre of a large circle formed by the sails,
which consist of 96 double planks, placed perpendicularly, and
of the same height as tiie planks that form the shutters. The
wind rushing through the openings of these shutters, acts with
great power upon the sails, and, when it blows fresh, turns the-
mill with prodigious rapidity; but this may be moderated in an
instant, by lessening the apertures between the shutters; which
is effected, like the entire stopping of the mill as before observed,
by the pullni^' of a rope. In this mill are six pair of stones, to
which two pair more may be added- On the site of the garden and
terrace Messrs. Hodgson and Co. have erected extensive bullock
houses, capable of holding 650 bullocks, fed with the grains from
the distillery, mixed with meal.
In the E. end of the church (which was very neatly rebuilt a
few years ago) is a window, in which are three portraits; the
first tiiat of Margaret Beauchamp, ancestor (by her first husband.
Sir Oliver St. John) of the St. Johns, and (by her second hus-
band, John Beaufort, Duke of Scunerset) grandmother to
Heniy VII.; the second the portrait of that monarch; and tl-.e
third that of Queen Ehzabeth, which is placed here because her
grandfather, Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire, (father ot Queen
Anne Boleyn) was great grandfather of Anne, the daughter of
Sir Tiiomas Leighton, and wife of Sir Jolin St. John, the first
baronet of the family. — In this church is a monument by Roubi-
liac, to the memory of Viscount Bolingbroke, and his second
wife, a niece of Madame de Maintenou. A panegyrical epitaph
mentions his " zeal to maintain the liberty, and restore the an-
cient prosperity of Great Britain." The best comment on this
are the words of his great admirer, the Earl of Chestei field :
*' The relative, political, and commercial interests of every
country in Europe, and particularly of his own, are better known
to Lord Bolingbroke tlKin to any man in it; but fiow steadily he
haspnrsrted the latter in his public conduct, his enemies of all parties
and denominations tell txith joy.^'' Another monument, to the
memory of Sir Edward "Winter, an East India captain in the
reign of Charles II. relates, that being attacked in the woods by
a tiger, he placed himself on the side of a pond, and, when the
tiger flew at him, he caught him in his arms, fell back with him
into the water, got upon him, and kept him down till be had
drowned him. This adventure, as well as another wonderful
exploit, is vouched for by the following lines:
Alone, unarm'd, a tyger he oppress'd,
And ci'ush'd to deatli the monster of a beast j
Thrice twenty mounted Moors he overthrew, 1
Singly on foot, some wounded, some he slew ; \
Disperst the rest ; what more could Sampson do ? ^
Battersea has been long famous for the finest asparagus. Here
EEC 43
Sir Walter St. Jolin founded a free-school for twenty boys; and
here is a bridge over the Thames to Ciielsea.
BATTERSEA RISE, Surry, four miles S. from London,
which forms an extremity of Clapliani Common, is orr.amented
with several villas, being a spot much admired for its prospects
and situation.
BAYSWATER, a small hamlet in the Parish of Paddington,
Middlesex, one mile W. from London, in the road to Uxbridge.
The public tea-gardens were, about 25 years ago, the gardens of
the late Sir John Hill, who here cultivated his medicinal plants,
and prepared from them his tinctures, essences, &c. The reser-
voir at Bayswater was intended for the supply of Kensington
Palace, and the property was granted to the proprietors of the
Chelsea water-works, on their engaging to keep the basin before
the palace full. The wheel at Hyde Park wall, near Knights-
bridge chapel, was made for the conveyance of this water. The
conduit at Bayswater belongs to the city of London, and supplies
the houses in and about Bond Street, which stand upon the city
lands. The Queen's Lying-in Hospital, instituted in 1752, for
delivering poor women, married or unmarried, was removed
here, in 1791, from its former situation near Cumberland Street.
It is an excellent institution.
BEACONSFIELD, a market town in Bucks, 23 miles and a
quarter W. by N. from London, haa several fine seats in its
vicinity. In its church lies interred the celebrated Edmund
Burke; and in the churchyard, the poet Waller. The seats in
the neijihbonrhood are, Wilton Park, James Duprle, Esq. ; Hall
Barn, Hugh Maxfield, Esq. ; and Butler's Court, Mrs. Burke. See
Bulstrode, Butler's Court, Hall Barn, and Wilton Park.
BEAUMONT LODGE, Berks, formerly the seat of Henry
Griffiths, Esq. situated on an easy ascent, by the side of the
Thames, at Old Windsor, was the seat of the late Duke of Cum-
berland. It became afterwards the property of Thomas Watts,
Esq. of whom it was purchased by Governor Hastings, who sold
it to Mr. Griffiths. This gentleman has built one entire new wing,
with correspondent additions to the other: he likewise raised
the centre to an equal height. In the front of this is a colonnade,
consisting of six columns and two pilasters, which are raised from
four pedestals, two shafts springing out of each base. These are
from the design of Mr. Emlyn, according to his new order of
architecture. Under the colonnade, and even with the first
floor, is a light and elegant balcony, commanding a pleasing view
of the Thames and of the adjacent country. The present occu-
pier is Viscount Ashbrook.
BECKEN HAM, a village near Bromley, in Kent, nine miles and
three quarters S. from London, Here is Langley, the seat of Lord
44 BEDDINGTON.
Gwvdir, aiul Beckcnliam Plare, belon'^inir to John Cator, Esq. Af^
Beckenliam also is tlje residence of Loul Aiicklan.l, called Eden's
Farm ; it is a beautiful seat, with pleasant grounds in its vicinity.
BEDDINGTON, a villasre in Sisrry, eleven miles and three
quarters S. from London. Hero is the seat of the ancient family
of C;ire\v, which descending; to Richard Gee, E«q. cf Orpington,
in Rent, that gentleman, in 1780, look the name and arms of
Carew. It was forfeited, in 1.539, on the attainder and execu-
tion of Sir Nicholas Carew for a cou'-piracy. His sou, Sir Francis,
havins; »>rociired the reversal of the attainder, purchased this
estate of Lord Darcy, to whom it had been cranted by Edward YI.
He rebuilt tlie mansion-house, and planted the frardenswith choice
fiiiit trees, in the cultivation of whtcii he took great delieht*.
The park is still famous for walnut trees. Tiie manor-house,
situated near the church, is built of brick, and occupies three
sides of a square. It was rebuilt in its present form in 1709. The
* Sir Francis spared no expense in procuring them from foreign
countries. The first orange trees seen in England are said to have
been planted by him. Aubrey says, they were brought from Italy
by Sir Francis Carew. But the editors of the Biographia, speaking
from a tradition preserved in the family, tell us, they were raised
by Sir Francis Carew from the seeds of the first oranges which
were imported into England bj"- Sir Walter Raleigh, who had mar-
ried his niece, the daughter of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton. The
trees were planted in the open ground, and \^ere preserved in the
winter by a moveable shed. They flourished for about a century
and a half, being destroyed by the hard frost in 1739 — 40. In the
garden was a pleasure-house, on the top of which was painted the
Spanish invasion. lo August, 1599, Queen Elizabeth paid a visit
to Sir Francis Carew, at Beddington, for three days, and again in
the same month the ensuing year. The queen's oak and her fa-
vourite walk, are still pointed out. Sir Hugh Piatt tells an anec-
dote, in his Garden of Eden, relating to one of these visits, which
shows the pains Sir Francis took in the management and cultivation
ofhis fruit trees: " Here I will conclude," saj's he, " with a conceit
of that delicate knight. Sir Francis Carew, who, for the better ac-
complishment ofhis royal entertainment of our late Queen Eliza-
beth, of liappy memory, at his house at Beddington, led her ma-
jesty to a cherry-tree, whose fruit he had of purpose kept back
from ripening, at the least one month after all other cherries had
taken their farewell of England, This secret he performed by
straining a tent, or cover of canvass, over the whole tree, and
Avetting the same now and then with a scoop or horn, as the heat
«)f the weather required; and so, by withholding the sun-beams
from reflecting upon the berries, they grew both great, and were
very long before they had gotten their perfect cherry colour; and,
.vhen he was assured of her majesty's coming, he removed the
t«nt, and a few sunny days brought them to their full maturity."
JjinQ-is's Environs of London ^ Vol, I. page 5G.
BEL 45
great door of the hall has a curious ancient lock, richly wrought :
a shield, with the arms of Eng'itnd, moving in a s«oove, conceals
the key-hole. In this hall is the portrait of a lady, falsely shown
as Queen Elizabeth; a small room adjoining to the hall retains
the ancient pannels with mantled carvings; over the chimney is
a small portrait of one of the Carews, surrounded by a pedigree.
Another room has several portraits of the Hacket family, parti-
cularly one of liishop Hacket, by Sir P. Lely. In the parlour
at tlie north end of the hall aie some other family portraits,
amon:^; which is one of Sir Nicholas Carew, beheaded in the
reign of Henry VIII. In the aisles of the church, which is a
beautiful Gothic pile, are several stalls, afier the manner of
cathedrals, having formerly belonged to Merton Abbey. Here
are tiie seats of J. H. Tritton, C. Wall, J. Daniell, Esqrs. and
AdiVtiial Pigo«^. See IVallington.
BEDFONT, Middlesex, 13 miles and a quarter S. W. from
Londvvn, is c'jiefly noted for the accommodation afforded by its
inns. In the chnrrhyard, two yew trees unite to form an arch
over the foot path, and oxinbit in sombre verdure the date of the
year 1704. Thev make a singular impression from the road on
the eye of the traveller. Tlie seats in the neiglibourhood are
those of Anderson, and G. Ingohlheart, Esqrs.
BEECHWOOD, Herts, near St. Alban's, the seat of Sir John
Sebright, B;'.ronet.
BELLHOUSE, the seat of the Dowager Lady Dacre, at
Aveley, in Essex, ''O miles E. from London, in the road to Til-
bury, is situated in a well wooded park, and was built in the reign
of Henry VIII. The late lord much iuiproved this noble man-
sion; and to his skill in architecture, BolUiouse owes the elegant
neatness of its decorations, from designs made by liiinself, and,
executed under his own inspection*.
BELLHOUSE, Essex, four miles S.W. from Chipping Ongar,
is the seat of the Hon. George Petre.
BELLMONT, an elegant villa and park in the parish of
'^ Weever and Fuller mention a circumstance concerning one of
the former possessors of this niansion worth recording-. " I'homas
Burryt, Squire to Kine; Harry the Syxt, oftentimes impio5'-ed in the
French vvarrys under the command of JoA/? Due of Bedford, as also
John Due of Norfolk, being alway trew legiman to his Sovereisrne
Lord the Kyng, having taken sanctuary at Westmynstre to shon
the fury of his and the Kyng's enemys, was from thence halyd
forth, and lamentably hewn apieces. Abut vvhilke time, or a little
before, the Lord Scales, late in an evening, entrying a wherry bott
wyth three persons, and rowing toowards Westminstre, there lyk-
wys to have takyn sanctuary, was descryed by a woman, when
anon the wherry man fell on him, murthered him, and cast his
manglyd corps alond by St. Mary Overys."
46 -BEL
Great Stanmoie, Middlesex, occii{»ied at presf nt by George
Drummond, Esq.
BELMONT CASTLE, 22 miles from London and one from
Grays, most de!i:_'lir!iilly snuated in the connty of Essex, was the
property and residence ot t':e late Zacliariah Bntton, Esq. who
a few years since finished it in a costiy style of Gothic architec-
tnre. The biuiding contains, Ijesides other convenii^'nt apart-
ments, a circiilar n.-atly finishci room, called ilio round tower,
from whence there are the most deliirhtliil prospects of tl.e r'nvr
Thames, of the shipping, for many miies, and ot'tiie ricli Kentish
inclosnres, to the lulls beyond the ^rcat Dover road. An ele-
gant drawing-room, '26 feet by 18, wills circnlar front, highly en-
riched ; five airy, cheerful bed chambers, and two dressinu rooms ;
staircase of veiy hantLsome wainscot, witli mahogany ha!id rat!;
a ciieerrnl entrance hall, finished with Gothic njonldings, niches
for figures or lamps, atid paved with stone, and black marble
dots; a spacious eating room, finished with high'y enriclied cor-
nice, grey stucco side«, and Gothic moldings, a beanfifal (diimney
piece, and wainscot floor; the library is oval sha[)ed, and veiy
elegantly fitted np and finished, with Gothic bookcases and
moldinL's ; from this room a double fllirlit of i'.andsoine stone steps
descend to the terrace, fronting the grcfrt lawn, and in fnil view
of the river. The large and very excel !^•nt kitchen garden is en-
compassed by lofty walls, clothed and planted with a choice '
selection of the best fruit trees, and a c jpital ho^-house. Sur-
roimding tlie liouse are the pleasure grounds, which are beanti-
f(dly and tastefully disposed, and ornantentf d with very valuable
forest trees, shrubs and pknts, terminatin;; towards the west by a '
Gothic temple, and towards the east by an orchard and paddock.
There are two approaches to the house ; the one by the neat '
brick Gothic Iodide, tlnough the great s^ourh lawn, from the road
between West Thurrock and Grays; and the other from the
village of StiiJbrd, by the north lawn.
BELVEDERE HOUSE, the seat of Lord Eardley, is Mtuated
on the brow of a hill, near Erith, in Kent, and commands a Vcist
extent of country beyond tlie Thames, wliieh is a mile and a half
distant. The river adds to the beauty of the scene, which ex-
hibits a very pleasing landscape. The ships employed in the
trade of London are seen sailing np and down with their accus-
tomed stateliness and beauty. On tiie otlser side aie prospects
not less beautiful, though of another kind. His lordship has
judiciously laid out his grounds. The old hou^se was but small;
he, therefore, built a noble mansion, and the only apartuient left
of the former is an elegant drawing room, built by his father.
The collection of pictures contains many capital productions of
the greatest masters, and the connoisseur in paintings, therelbre,
jnay here receive no snvall gratification.
BET 47
BENTLEY PRIORY, Middlesex, three miles S. E. from
Watford, the ma£;nificent seat of tlie Marquis of Abercorn, is
situate on the summit of Stauniorc Hill, but in the parish of Har-
row. It is supposed to occupy the site of au arjcient priory,
which, at the dissolution, was converted into a private house.
The house, which commands extensive views, was biult from the
designs of Mi-. Soane, by Mr. James Duberly. Of him it was
purchased, in 1788, by the Marquis of Abercorn, who lias made
Im-^e additions to it, and converted it into a noble mansion. It
is furnished with a valuable collection of pictures by old masters,
and a few antique busts : that of Marcus Am-elius is much ad-
mired by the connoisseurs. The dining room is 40 feet by 30-
the saloon and music room are each 50 feet by 30. In the lat-
ter are several portraits of the Hamilton family. In the saloon
is the celebrated picture of St. Jerome's Dream, by Parmegiano.
— The beautiful plantations contain !iJOO acres, and may on this
account be said to boast of their extent as well as their beauty.
A cousideiable addition to these plantations has been lately made
by the noble proprietor, by enclosing a considerable portion of
the adjoining common.
BERTIE PLACE, near Chislehurst, in Kent, an ancient
mansion, long in the possession of the family of Farrin|j;ton. Tho-
m:!s Farrington, Esq. bequeathed it to his neph.ew, the late Lord
Robert Bertie, who greatly improved the house and grounds. It
is now the residence of the Right Hon. Charles Townsend.
BETCHWORTH, a village in Surry, two miles E. from Dork-
ing, with a castle of the same' name. The castle formerly be-
longed to the great Earl Warren ; then to the Fitz Alans, Earls of
Arundel ; from whom, by different descents, it devolved to Sir
Adam Brown, whose daughter and heir married Mr. Fenwick ;
whence it came to the late Abraham Tucker, Esq. (author of an
excellent work on metaphysics, entitled the Light of Nature pur-
sued, under the signature of Abraham Search, Esq.) He be-
queathed this estate to his daughter, Mrs. Tucker,- and on her
disease Sir Henry St. John Pawlet Mildmay, Bart, became lord
of the manor, who has let the castle to Henry Peters, Esq. A
mile from this is Tranquil Dale, the elegant villa of Mr. Petty,
The situation of this charming place seems to correspond with its
appellation ; being consecrated, as it were, more particularly to
the lover of rural quiet and contemplation :
Who, when young spring protrudes the bursting gems,
Marks the first bud, and sucks the healthful gale,
Into his freshen'd soul ; her genial hours
He full enjoys ; and not a beauty blows,
And not an opening blossom breathes in vain.
THOMSON.
48 B L A
BETHNAL GREEN, Middlesex, once a liamlnt of Stepney,,
from which it was separated in 1743, and formed into a distinct'
parish, by the name of St. Matthew, Bethnal Green; is situated
N. E. of the metropolis, cxtentlinjij over a considerable part of
the suburbs, and contains about 490 acies of land, not built upon.
The well-known ballad of the Bhnd Beirffar of Betli .1 Green was
WTitten in the reijin of Elizabeth: the les^end is told of the reign
of Henry III. and Henry de Monttord, (son of the Earl of Lei-
cester) who was supposed to have fallen at the battle of Evesham,
is the hero*. Though it is probable that the author might have
fixed upon any other spot with equal propriety for the residence
of his beggar; the story, nevertheless, seems to have gained
much credit in the village, where it decorates not only the sign-
posts of the pubhcans, but the staff of the parish beadle ; and so
convinced are some of the inhabitants, that they show an ancient
house on the Green as the palace of the blind beggar. This
old mansion, now called Bethnal Green House, was built in the
reign of Ehzabeth, by IMr, Kirby, a citizen of London, and is
still called in the writings Kirby Gas le. It Is cow the property
of James Stratton, Esq. and has been long appropriated for tlie
reception of insane persons.
BEXLEY, a village in Kent, two miles and a half W. from
Dartford, and 12 miles from London. Bexley IManor was in the
possession of the celebrated Camden, who bequeathed it for the
endowing of a professo^^hip of History at Oxford. In this parish
is Hall Place, the residence of-- • Stone, Esq. See Danseri
Hill.
BILLERICAY, a market town in Essex, 23 miles E. from
London, is seated on a tine eminence, in the road from Chelms-
ford to Tilbury Fort, and conmiands a beautiful prospect of ihe
Kentish hills, with a rich valley, and the river Thames intervening.
It has an ancient chapel ; but the mother church is at Great
Bursted. At Blimts Walls, near this place, are traces of a Ro-
man vallum and ditch.
BLACKHEATH, Kent, five miles and a quarter S. E. from
London, is a fine elevated heath, in the parishes of Greenwich,
Lewisham,aad Lee, commanding some noble prospects; particu-
larly from that part called " The Point," which is a delightful
lawn, situated behind a pleasant grove, at the west end of Choco-
late Row. On this heath are tlie villas of Lord Lyttleton, the
Duchess of Brunswick, and tlie Princess of Wales, to whose
grounds a portion of Greenwich Park has been lately added ;
and further on, near the end of the heath, is Westcoinb Park,
the seat of William Foreman, Esq. ; and adjoining. The Wood-
lands, that of J. J. Angerstein, Esq. At the entrance of the heath,
are the seats of the Earl of Dartmouth and the Hon. Wellesley
* Percy's Reliques of Ancient Poetry, vol. ii. p. 162.
BLACKHEATH. 49
Pole. But the greatest ornament of the heath was the magni-
ficent seat of the late Sir Gregory Page : it consisted of a centre,
united to two wings by a colonnade; and was adorned with
masterly paintings, rich hangings, maibles, and alto relievos.
But how imstable is human grandeur ! Sir Gregory died in 177.5,
and left tiiisseat to his nephew, the late Sir Gregory Turner, who
took the name and arms of Page. — Sir Gregory Page Turner
disposed of the noble collection of paintings by auction ; and, by
virtue of an act of pa: Haraent, the house and grounds were sold
by auction to John Cator, Esq. for 22,550/. This gentleman sold*
it again by auction, in 1787, in a very different way ; all the ma-
terials, with its magnificent decorations, being sold in separate
lofs*.
In 1780, a cavern was discovered, on the side of the ascent (o
Blcickheath, in the road to Dover. It consists of seven large
rooms, from 12 to 36 feet wide each way, which have a commu-
nication witli each other by arched avenues. Some of the apart-
ments have large conical domes, 36 feet high, supported by a co-
limin of chalk, 43 yards in circumference. The bottom of the
cavern is 50 feet from the entrance ; at the extremities 160 feet;
and it is descended by a flight of steps. The sides and roof are
rocks of chalk; the bottom is a fine dry sand; and 170 feet un-
der ground, is a well of very fine water, 2;7 feet deep. The en-
* This seat, now a melancholy shell, may remind the reader of
Canons, near Edgware, the once princely palace of the princely
Chandos, which rose and disappeared in less than half a century !
Similar was the fate of Eastbui-y, in Doi'setshire, a magnificent
seat, which cost 100,000/. It was built by the famous George
Bubli Dodington, whom Thomson celebrates in his "Summer," for
all the public virtues; whose own Diary, published since his death,
has unmasked the wily courtier and intriguing statesman ; and
whose vanity at the age of fourscore, when he had no heir to in-
herit his honours, induced him to accept the title of Lord Mel-
combe Regis. This seat, on his death, devolved on the late Earl
Temple, who lent it to his brother, Mr. Henry Grenville, on whose
death, the earl ofiered to give 200/. a year to any gentleman to
occupy and keep it up; but the proposal not being accepted, he
determined to pull it down, and the materials produced little more
than the prime cost of the plumber and glazier's work. Events of
this kind lead the mind into awful reflections on the instability of
the proud monuments of human grandeur ; directing our attention
to the consummation of all things, when
The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces.
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve.
And, like the baseless fabric of a vision,
Leave not a rack behind ! sua kspkare.
F
50 B L E
(ranee to it may be seen from tlie great road leading to Dartford,
Rochester, and Canterbury.
BLACKMORE, a village in Essex, between Ongar and In-
gatestone, seven miles S. W. tVom Chelmsford. An ancient priory
stood near the churcii. " It is reported," says Morant, *' to have
been one of King Henry tlie Eighth's pleasure houses, and dis-
tinguished by tiie name of Jericho ; so that when this lascivious
prince had a mind to repair to his courtezans, the cant word
among his courtiers was, that he was gone to Jericho " Here
was born his natural son, Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond
and Somerset, the friend of the gallant and accomplislied Earl
of Sinry, whose poetry makes such a distinguished figure in the
literature of the 16th century. This ancient stinctnre was re-
paired, and some additions made to it, nearly 80 years ago, by
Sir Jacob Ackworth, Bart, whose daughter. Lady Wheate, sold
it to the present possessor, Ricliard Preston, Esq. The river
Can, which partly surrounds the garden, is still called here the
Jiiver Jordan. Not far from Jericho is Smyth's Hall, the seat of
Charles Alexander Crickett, Esq. to whom it was left by his
uncle. Captain Charles Alexander. Mr. Cricket has new fronted
this old mansion, in a window of which was some fine stained
glass, of great antiquity, representing ancient military figures.
These he has carefully preserved, and formed into a beautiful
window for the staircase. It is certainly no inconsiderable or-
nament to the mansion.
BLACKWALL, tw© miles and a half E. from London, si-
tuate between Poplar and the mouth of the Lea, became famed
for its ship-yard and wet dock, both formerly belonging to Mr.
Perry. By this gentleman a dock was constructed, capable of
containing 28 East Indiamen and 60 Greenland ships ; together
with all necessary storehouses, and every other convenience. In
excavating these docks, roots and pieces of trees were found
in a perfect state, although they had probably lain there for
ages. The ship-yard and appendages have been lately purchased
by Sir Rohert Wigram, and the dock by the East India Com-
pany. See Dock, East India.
Not far from this dock is a copperas work belonging to Mr.
Perry, on the river Lea, near the Thames, in the parish of St.
Leonard, Bromley, the mo^t complete work of the kind in the
i^ingdom.
ULECHINGLY, a small borough in Surry, without a market,
•20 miles S. from London, and heincj situated on a hill on the side
of Ho'.mesdale, atfoids a fine prospect as far as Sussex and the
South Downs. The manor of Blechingly, upon the Norman
Survey, was held by Richard de Tonebridge, a relation of Wil-
liam the Conqueror ; and his freemen possessed to the value of
BOX bl
7os. and 4(7. Tiie borough consists of about 60 small houses;
the lijjht of voting is burg-age tenure, and the members are sent
to parHament by the borough-holders only, without any officer's
return. This place has sent members to parliament from 'iSd
Edward I. Here are the remains of a castle, built, it is said, by
Gilbert, Earl of Clare. In the midst of a coppice, is a view to
the west into Hampshire, and to the east into Kent.
BOOKHAM, GREAT, a village near Leatherhead, in Surry,_
eight miles mid a half S. from Ewell. H»Me are the tine seats of
Viscount Downe and Laurel, Esq. The church of tliis
village was built by John de Rumerwick, abboi of Chertsey, in
1340. See Poheden and Norbury Park.
BOTLEYS, Surry, two miles S. VV. from Chertsey, the ele-
gant villa of Sir Joseph Mawbey, Bart.
BOW, or STRATFORD-LE BOW, a village in Middlesex,
two miles to the E. of London, on the great Essex road. Here
is a bridge over the river Lea, said to have been built by Ma-
tilda, queen of Henry I. and to be the tirst stone bridge in Eng-
land *. In common v\ith Stratford, on the opposite side ot the ri-
ver, and many other Stralfords in various parts of the kingdom, it
takes the name of Stratford from an ancient ford near one of the
Roman highways. Its church, built by Henry II. was a chapel
of ease to Stepney ; but was made parochial in 1740. It stands
in the middle of the public road, and has a venerable appear-
ance, for it bears marks of antiquity.
BOXHILL, two miles N. E. from Dorking, in Surry, re-
ceived its name from the box trees planted on the south side of
it, by the Earl of Arundel, in the reign of Charles I. ; but the
north part is covered with yews t. These groves are interspersed
with a number of little green spots and agreeable walks. From
the highest part of this hill, in a clear day, is a prospect over part
of Kent and Surry, and the whole of Sussex, quite to the South
Downs, near the sea, at the distance of 36 mile.«. The west and
north views overlook a large part of Surry and Middlesex ; and
advancing to the place called The Quarry, upon the ridge of the
hill that runs toward Mickleliam, the subUrae and beautiful unite
together in forming a delightful scene : we look down, from a
vast and almost perpendicular height, upon a well cultivated
vale, laid out in beautiful inclosures, and see the river Mole
winding close to the bottom of the mor.ntain, as if it were di-
rectly under our feet, though it is at a great distance. In this
* Whence it originally obtained the name of Le Beau. See the
history of this bridge in Lysons's Environs, vol. iii. p. 489.
f Although these trees were merely planted for ornament, the/
were lately sold for 15,000/.
f3
52 BRANDENBURG HOUSE.
charming valley arc Binford Lodge, built by Mr. Eckersall, but
now the property of George Barolay, Esq.; and the cottage
called The Grove, belonging to John Louis Goldsmid, Esq. In-
deed the spot altogether is charming from the wildiiess and va-
riety of its scenery.
An eccentric man, an officer in the marines, a few years ago,
requested to be buried on the summit of this hill in an erect pos-
ture ; and at his decease this singular request was complied with,
liis coffin having been immured in a perpendicular position. Per-
haps he took the idea from Leith Hill tower, which covers the
remains of^SU. Hull. At the foot of this beautiful hill is Burford
Bridge, where a most commodious and romantic little inn, the
Fox and Hounds, affords every comfort the rational traveller can
wish for. Here the gallant Nelson, in company with Sir Wil-
liam and Lady Hamilton, enjoyed several days of calm retirem< nt,
a short time before he quitted England, to take the command of
that glorious expedition which raised him to immortality.
This romantic spot has been the favourite retreat not only of
the hero, but of the contemplative aud despondinir individual;
and we picked up, not long ago, on a rustic seat in the garden,
the manuscript sonnet which we here insert.
SONNET.
Written at Burford Bridge.
*' O ye kno'jon objects !" parks, and tranquil dales ;
S-tbterranean Mole ; Box, whose steepy brow
Guards his perennial wood from storms that blow.
When Eurus sweeps the sweet dscklious vales.
His prouder "rival, moimniental Leith,
VVith misty top, tow'rs i.i the distant «cene
E'en to the main ; rich \vea!d><, and do'vns between ;
Sequester'd Nuthurst, dimly seen beneath. —
O thou lost paradise I thy joys 1 know,
The quiet comforts of thy calm domain
Are s:one ; and ne'er the like shall come again 1
In roving solitude I vent my woe —
The dear, uninterrupted, love-wingVl hours
That flitted swift within thy bloouiini? bow'rs,
The ** graced respect," that warui'd my heart, are fled—
Neglect, and interdiction cold, I find instead !
BRANDENBURG HOUSE, the residence of her Serene
Highness the Margravine of Anspach, a celebrated villa, seated
on the Thames at Hammersmith *, was originally erected about
the beginning of the reign of Charles I. by .Sir Nicholas Crispe,
* This house, although it adjoins to, and is generally esteemed a
part of Hammersmith, is actually in the FiUham division of the
parish of Fulham.
BRANDENBURG HOUSE. 53
Bart, a famous merchant, warrior, and royalist, wlio is said fo
have been the first inventor of the art of makijig bricks as now
practised, and to have built this mansion with those materials, at
•tite expense of near !^3,000Z. It afterwards became the properly
of Prince Rupert, who tzave it to his !)eantifnl mistress, Margaret
Huglies, a much-admired actress in the reiun of Cliarles II.
From her it passed thiough several hands, till the year 1748,
when it was pnrcliased by George Br.hh Dodington, afterward
Lord Melcombe Regis, who repaired and modernized the house,
giving it the name of La Trappe, fron^ the celebrated monastery
of that name in France. He likewise built a magnificent callery
for statues and antiques: the floor was inlaid with various mar-
bles, and the door-case supported by tuo coUmms, richly orna-
mented with lapis lazuli. In the gardens he erected an obelisk
to the memory of his lady, which Tliomas Wyndham, Esq. (to
whom his lordship left this estate) removed, and it was placed in
the Earl of Aylesbury's park, at Tottenham, in Wiltshire, in com-
memoration of his majesty's happy recovery in 1789. It has
been since the property of Mrs. Sturt, and was purchased,, in
179;^, for 8,500 I. by the late Margrave of Anspach, who, having
abdicated his dommions in favour of the King of Prussia, re-
ceived from that monarch a princely icvenue. His s<Mene high-
ness married Elizabeth Dowager Lady Craven, and sifter of the
Earl of Berkeley. The margravine's taste is conspicuous in tlie
improvements and decorations of the house, which are both ele-
gant and magnificent. The state drawing room, which is 38 feet
by 5:?, and 30 feet in height, is fitted up with white satin, and has
a broad border of Prussian blue in a gilt fiame. At the ui)per
end is a chair of state, over which is placed a picture of the late
Frederick, King of Prussia, the mai grave's uncle; the whole co-
vered with a canopy, which is decorated with an elegant and
rich cornice. The ceiling of this room was painted for Lord
Melcombe, l)y whom also the very costly chimney-piece, repre-
senting, in white marble, the marriage of the Thames and Isis,
was put up. The antichamber conlais.s several good pictures,
and some beautiful pieces of needlework, being copies of paint-
ings by the old masters, wrought in worsteds, by the margravine
herself, in which the spirit and character of the originals are ad-
mirably preserve^!. Under the cornice of this roo.n hangs a deep
border of point lace, with which the curtains are also decorated.
Tlie gallery, which is 30 feet high, 20 in width, and 82 in length,
remains in the same state as left by Lord Melcombe, except that
ilie marble p nvement is removed, and the staircase, where the
I'ohmms stood, in the room of the latter, is a chiinney-piece.
The ceiling of the gallery is of u)osaic work, ornamented* w ith
roses. Two new staircases, of stone, have been built, and a
chapel has been made on the site of the old staircase, the wails of
which were pair;ted with scripture subjects, In the halh on the
F ,3
:,4. B R E
ffrotmd floor, are the followinsf verses, written by Lord Mel-
combe, and placed under a bust of Comus:
While rosj' wreaths the goblet deck,
Thus Comus spake, or seem'd to speak:
" This place, for social hours design'd,
May care and business never find.
Come every muse without restraint.
Let genius prompt, and fancy paint :
Let miith and wit, with friendly strife,
Chase the dull gloom that saddens life :
True wit, that, firm to virtue's cause.
Respects religion and the laws ;
Time mirth, that cheerfulness suppUes,
To modest ears and decent eyes ;
Let these indulge their liveliest sallies.
Both scorn the cankerYl help of malice,
True to their country and their friend.
Both scorn to flatter or offend !"
Adjoining to the hall is a library, which opens into the conser-
vatory ; and, on the opposite side, is a writing closet, where are
some good cabinet pictures, particularly a line head, by Fra-
gonard.
Near the waterside is a small theatre, where the margravine
occasionally entertained her friends with dramatic exhibitions,
and sometimes gratified them by exerting her talents, both as a
writer and performer, for their amusement. Tliis theatre is con-
nected with the dwelling-house by a conservatory of 150 feet in
length. It is of a curvilinear form, and occupies the site of a
colonnade. It is neat in its appearance, and, though small, its
visitors are comfortably accommodated.
BRASTEAD PLACE, two miles E. from Westerham, in
Kent, the elegant villa of Mrs. Turton.
BRAY, a village in Berks, two miles S. from Maidenhead, is
notfd, in a famous song, for its vicar, who, according to Ftiiler,
changed his religion four times in the reigns of Henry VIII. and
his three successors ; keeping to one principle only, that of liv-
ing and dying vicar of Bray ! The story is told with some va-
riations, but the fact is not questioned.
Here is an hospital, founded in 1627, by William Goddard,
Esq. for 40 poor persons, who are each allowed a house and eight
shillings a month. A.t Braywick are the seats of Thomas Slack,
E^q. Mr. Pepys, and Major Law. See Cannon Hill.
BRENTFORD, a market-town in Middlesex, seven miles W.
from London, lias its name from a brook, called The Brent,
which rises in the parish of Hendon, and here flows into the
Tljamcs, In this town tlie freeholders of Middlesex assemble to
choose their representatives. That part of the town called Old
BRI 55
Brentford is situated in the parish of Great Ealing, and is oppo-
site R('w Green. New Brentford is situated partly in the parish
of Hanwall, and forms a parish of its own name, which contains
not more than 200 acres. This town affords employment to nu-
merous poor ; having a flour mill, on the construction of the late
Albion Mills, erected at the sole expense of Messr,-!. R. W. John-
son and Gould ; an extensive pottery, belonging to Messrs. Tur-
ner ; a considerable trade in brick and tile making ; and a large
malt distillery, the property of Blessrs. Roberts and Co. The
chapel of Brentford, which (the tow^er excepted) wa* rebuilt in
1764, is situated in the centre of the town, and is an appendage
to the church of Great Ealing *. It has two charity-schools ; a
market, wliich is kept on Tuesday, and two fairs for cattle and
swine, on May 18 and September 13. Here, iu 1016, King Ed-
mund Ironside defeated the Danes with great slaughter ; and
here, in 1612, Charles I. defeated some regiments of the Parlia-
mentarians. For his services in this engagement, he created Pa-
trick Rutheu (Earl of Forth in Scotland) an English earl, by the
title of Earl of Brentford. His majesty is building a palace op-
posite the worst part ot Old Brentford. See Kew.
BRENTWOOD, a market town in Essex, on a fine eminence,
on the road to Harwich, 18 miles E. from London, is a hamlet of
the parish of Soathweald, and has a chapel dedicated to St. Tho-
mas a Becket. It is a place of considerable antiquity ; as a
Roman road passed hence towards Ougar, and the remains of an
iEstiva, or summer camp, are visible. Tlie chapel is also very
ancient, having been erected by David, abbot of St. Osyth, in
the tifth year of Henry III. The perquisites of the chaplain
arose from travellers on the road, and such as came out of devo-
tion to St. Thomas, to whom the chapel was dedicated ; whence
a gate npon the military way, from Ongar in this parish, is deno-
minated Pilgrim's Hatch. Here is a grammar school, founded
by Sir Anthony Brown, by royal licence, 4 and .5 Mary. Near
this town is JVarley Common, which commands a beautiful pros-
pect, and has been famed for its encampraents in time of war.
BRICKLEY PLACE, the handsome seat and plantation of
John Well;?, Esfj. at Bromley, in Kent, on the left hand of the
road from London to Chislelnust.
BRITWELL HOUSE, three miles N. E. from Maidenhead,
the seat of the late Lady Ravensworth, upon whose death it was
purchased by Lord Grenville, and is inhabited by George Irebv,
Esq.
BRIXTON CAUSEWAY, Surry, three miles S. from Lon-
don, has lately sprung up from the neighbouring brickfields. It
* The Revi John Home, afterwards Rev. John Home Tooke,
and afterwards John Home Tooke, Esq. late member of parliament
for Old Sarum, officiated for many years as minister at this chapel.
6d , B R O
contains nir\ny elcfrant hou?es, and, till other buildinjrs oppose
and annoy them, they must connnand a beautiful view of the
country round Norwood.
BROCKET HALL, Herts, three miles N. W. from Hatfield,
the magnificent seat of Lord Melbourne, oceupies the site of
an ancient edihro, which once helonizcd to tlif fymily of Brocket.
The mansion, begun by the lite Sir Matthew Lamb, was com«
ftleteii by liis son, the present proprietor, wiio made trreat im-
provements in tlie park, and rendered it one of the most elegantly
picturesque in the kingdom. IMr. Paine was the architect, who
likewise oxecufed the beautiful bridge over the spacious ^heet of
water that enriches the enclianting scf-nejy. In this seat are
■ many paintings by the tirst masters, particularly a fine picture by
Teniers, and Sir Joshua Reynoldss excellent painting of the
Prince of V/ales and liis hor<e.
BROCKLEY HILL, Middlesex, two miles N. W. from Ed^r-
ware, the liandsome seat of "William Godfrey, Esq. the view*
from whose sua)mer-house are extensive. In a handsome draw-
inc-room are some larjre pictures fastened \u the pannels, and said
to have been part of King Cliarles's collections. Near or upon
these hills is said to have been a Roman town named Suloniaccs.
BROMLEY, a market town in Kent, nine miles and three
quarters S. E. from Londoji, in the road to Tnnbridge. TliC
Bi&liop of Rochester has a palace near the town. wJiere is a mi-
neral spring, the water of wiiich has the game qualities as that of
Tunbridge. The palace is a brick house, and ha' the appearance
from the road of a lart^e !iO!T;ely manj>ion. Kiuir Edgar gave the
manor, in the year 700, to the Bishop of Rochester ; and here is
also a (tollege, erect^^d by Dr. Warner, bishop of that see, in the
r^-ign of Charles II. for W poor clergymen's widous, willi an an-
nual allowance of 20Z. and 50 1, a year to the chaplain. This was
the first endowment ofthe^ort pver established in EnjiJand. The
niiiuificence of the Rev. Mr. Heth<^rington, who left -.000/. to
this college, and of Bishop Pearce, who left 5000/. to it, enabled
the trustees to augment the allowance of the widows to 50/. per
annum, and that of the cliaplt'.in to 60/. Ten additional houses,
handsomely endowed, for the same benevolent purpose, are
now completed, in pursuance of the will of Mrs. Betenson, of
Beckenham *. Near the nine mile stone, to the riaht, on a fine
comniaudms; situation, is Clay Hill, the villa of George Giennie,
Esq. See Erickley Place and Sundrldge House.
BROMLEY, a village near Bow, in ?>Iiddlescx, two miles and
a half E. from London, hud once a Benedictine nunnerv, founded
in the reign of William the Conqueror. Its cliapel is now the
■'' In this church are deposited the remains of Dr. Ilawkes-
wortii.
B R U 67
parish church. Lying at some little distance from tlie road
gives it the air of retirement. New Grote House^ tUe property
of J. W. Adams, Esq. was the dweiiini; of the late Richard
DaiiriL', Esq. who dying March, 1805, left it to its present pos-
sessor, who has greatly improved it, and is still making further
improvements. It stands in what is usually termed the Boiv, or
Mile- End Road.
BROMPTON, Middlesex, one mile and a half S. W. from
London, is a hamlet of Kensington, adjoining to Knightshridge,
remarkable for the salubrity of its air. Hale House, an ancient
mansion here, commonly calk-d Cromwell House, is said to have-
been the residence of Oliver Cromwell*. It was the joint pro-
perty of the Earl of Harrington and the late Sir Richard Wor-
sley, Bart, who married the daughter of the late proprietor, Sir
John Fleniinsr, Brirt.
The lare Mr. William Curtis had a botanical garden near the
Queen's E'm Turnpike, one mile and a half from Hyde Park
Corner, on the Fulham road. Subscribers to this iiarden, atone
guinea per annum, are entitled to the privilege of walking in it,
inspectin,"; the plants, perusing the books in the botanical li-
brary, and examining the extensive collections of drawings in na-
tural history, with liberty to introduce a friend. A subscription
of two guineas entitles the subscriber to seeds, roots, &c. of a
certain value, and gives him the privilege of introducing as many
of his friends as he pleases. Non subscribers are admitted on
the payment of 2 s. 6d. These advantages nmst be highly re-
lished by the lovers of botany.
BROXBOURN, a small but pleasant village in Hertford-
shire, 15 miles N. from London, is charmin:^ly situated on a rising
ground, with meadows down to the river Lea ; it is also watered
by the New River, which passes near the church towards London.
The church is a handsome structure, and contains many ancient
and handsome monuments. This place formerly belonged to the
knights of St. John of Jerusalem ; there being between Brox-
bourn and Hoddesdon, which is partly in this parish, a stream
called Spital Stream.
BROXBOURNBURY, the seat and park of Jacob Bosan-
quet, Esq. is situated by the village of Broxbourn, near Hod-
desdon, in Herts. The house is a noble structure, in the midst
of the park ; and at a small distance from it are offices, erected
in a quadrangle, on the same plan with the royal Mews at Charing
Cross. They are placed behind a large plantation of trees, which
circumstance in a great measure conceals them from pubhc view.
BRUCE CASTLE, Tottenham, Middlesex, five miles N. from
London, the seat of the late Thomas Smith, Esq. but now of John
* It appears from Mr. I^ysons's accurate statement, that there
are no grounds for this tradition. Vol. iii. p. 182.
58 B U It
Wilniot, Esq. obtained its name from Robert Bruce, king of Scot-
land, one of the ancient possessors of tlie manor. Beiny forfeited to
the crown, it had different proprietor", till 1631, when we find it
in the possession of Hugli Hare, Lord Coleraine. Henry Hare,
the last Lord Coleraine of that family, having been deserted by
his witie, the daughter of John Hanger, Esq. who obstinately re-
fused, for twenty years, to r(;turn to him, formed a connection
with Miss Rose Diiplessis, a French lady, by wlioni lie had a
daughter, born in Italy, whom he named Henrietta Rosa Pere-
grina, ami to whom he left all his estates. This lady married the
late jMp. Alderman Towni-end ; but, being an alien, she cotdd
not take the estates, and tlie will having been legally made,
barred the heirs at law ; so that the estates escheated to the
crown. However, a grrint of these estates, confirmed by act of
pariiainent, was made to ?>Ir. Tow nsend and his lady, whose son,
Henry Hare Townsend, Esq. in 179"^ sold all his estates here to
Mr. Smith. This seat is partly ancient and partly modern.
Near the house, to the S. W. is a deep well, over which is an an-
;.'ieut brick tower, the upper part of which serves as a dairy.
BULSTRODE, Bucks, three miles S. E. from Beaconsfield,
was the seat of the late Duke of Portland, and, since his decease,
has been purchased by the Duke of Somerset for 35,000 L; is a
noble house, containing fine apartments, and some pictures by
the best masters. The park is peculiarly fortunate in situation,
by means of contrast. The country adjoining is very flat, and
hus few of those elegant varieties which are pleasing to the tra-
veller; and yet this happy spot contains not a level acre ; it is
composed of perpetual swells «nci slopes, set off by scattered
plantations, disposed in the justcst taste. Bidstrode was for-
merly the seat of a family of that name, the heiress of which was
mother of Sir Bulstrode NV'hiteiocke, a celebrated statesman and
historian. It belonged, afterwards, to the infamous lord chan-
cellor JefFeries ; by whose attainder it fell to the crown, and was
granted by King William to the first Earl of Portland. Such are
the vicissitudes to which the residences of the great aio sub-
jected ! By the will of the late duke, the fine herd of deer be-
louging to this park were ordered to be all killed !
BURNHA^M, a village in Bucks, three miles N. E. from
Mriidenhead, had once a nunuery, built by Richard, son of King
John. Part of the building is now a farm-house, known by the
name of Burnham Abbey. See Bntxcell House and Droumore
Hill.
BURNHAM, EAST, a villajje in Bucks, about a mile from
Burnham. Here \^ the pleasant seat of Captain Popple, now in
the occupation of iMr. Otteley ; and here also are the villas of
Heniy Sayer, Esq. and Mr. Stevenson.
BURWOOD. See IValton.
BUS 59
BUSH HILL, Middlesex, three quarters of a mile S. W,
from Enfield, a deliglitful spot in tlie parish of Edmonton, eight
miles from London. Here was formerly a wooden aqueduct,
or trough, 660 feet in length, for tlie conveyance of the water
of the New River, by obviating tlie inequality of the level. It
was supported by arches of various dimensions, and was kept
in repair till 1784, soon after which it was removed ; a new chan-
nel having been contrived, by raising the ground on the sides, and
making secure embankments. The site of the wooden trough is
within the pleasure grounds of John Blackburne, Esq. to which
the new channel is a considerable ornament. Mr. Blackburne's
seat was the property and residence of Sir Hugh Middleton,
Bart, the celebrated projector of this river, who left it to bis son
Simon.
On Bush Hill, adjoining Enfield Park, is the seat of Samuel
Clayton, Esq. (and enclosing a part of his garden) are the re-
mains of a circular intrenchment, by some antiquaries' supposed
to have been a Roman camp, aud by others a British intrench-
ment.
BUSH HILL PARK, the seat of William Mcllisb, Esq. mem-
ber of parliament for Middlesex, is likewise situated on Bush Hill,
and commands a pleasing prospect toward Epping Forest. In the
hall is a curious piece of carving in wood, by the celebrated
Gibbons, representing the stoning of St. Stephen: the architec-
tural parts are particularly fine. The park, which is ornamented
by the beautiful windings of the New River, exhibits some
pleasing scenery, and is said to have been originally laid out by
Le Notre, a celebrated French gardener. Near the house is a
fine clump of firs, called " The Bishops."
BUSHY, a village one mile S. E. from Watford, in Herts, ad-
joining to which is a spacious common, called Bushy Heath, ex-
tending toward Stanmore. This heath rises to a considerable
height, and affords a delightful prospect. On the one hand is a
view of St. Alban's, and of all the space between, which appears
like a garden ; the inclosed corn fields seem like one parterre ;
the thick planted hedges resemble a wilderness ; the villages in-
terspersed appear at a distance like a multitude of gentlemen^
seats. To the south-east is seen Wesminster Abbey; to the
south, Hampton Court, and on the south-west, Windsor, with the
Thames winding through the most beautiful parts of Middlesex
and Surry. Busliy seems to have been very unfortunate in its an-
cient owners. Its first Norman possessor, Geoffrey de Mamie-
ville, having incurred the pope's displeasure, was obliged to be
suspended in lead, on a tree, in the precinct of the Temple, Lon-
don, because Christian burial was not allowed to persons under
such circumstances. Edmond, of Woodstock, was beheaded
through the vile machinations of Queen Isabella, and her para-
mour Mortimer, on a suspicion of intending to restore his bro-
60 B Y F
Iher, Eilwaid II. to the throne; and so much was he beloved by
the people, and his persecutors detested, that he stood from one
to five in the afternoon before an executioner could be pro-
cured, and then an outlaw from the Mar?halsea performed the
detested duty. Thomas, Duke of Hurry, was belieaded at Ciren-
.cester, in rebelhon against Henry iV. Thomas de Blontucutej
Marl of Salisbury, after obtaining the highest iionour in the cam-
paigns in France with Henry V. was killed by the splinter of a
window-frame, driven into his face by a cannon ball, at t!ie siege
of Orleans. Richard, the stout Earl of Warwick, another pos-
sessor, was killed at Barnet. George, Duke of Clarence, was
drowned in a butt of Malmsey. Richard III. was the next pos-
sessor. Lady Margaret De la Pole was beheaded at th'^ age of
TS, by the cruel policy of Henry VIII. in revenge for a suppt>sed
affront by her son the cardinal. In this parish also lived the in-
famous Col. Titus, who advised Cromwell to deliver the nation
trom its yoke, in a pamphlet entitled, '• Killing no IMurder."
The church is an ancient building, and in the west corner of its
church-yard is the tomb of Elizabeth Fuller, who bequeathed to
the poor for ever twelve loaves, to be delivered on her tomb
every Sunday morning, on condition that the parish keep the
tomb in repair.
BUSHY GROVE, is the residence of D. Haliburton, Esq.
Clay Hill, in this parish, is remarkablf^ for the famous passage of
Edui((!i(l Ironside, when he routed Canute and the' Danes at
Brentford, in 1016.
BUSHY PARK, a royal park, near Hampton Court, Middle-
sex, seven miles E. from Staines, is well stocked with deer. The
Duke of Clarence is ranger. See Hampton Wick.
BUTLER'S COURT, Bucks, formerly called Gregories, the
seat of the l<«te Rij^ht Hon. Edmund Burke, at Beaconsfield, has
great similarity in front to the queen's palace, and is situated in a
country where the prospects are diversified by a profusion of
beaiititui inclosures, a continual interchange of hills and vallies,
and a number of befell and coppice woods. The apartments
contain many excellent pictures, and some valuable marbles.
This srat being at some small distance from the town is m a plea-
sant retired situation. It is occupied by IVlrs. Burke.
BYFLEET, a village in Surry, four miles and three quarters
S. from Chertsey, is situated oji a branch of the river Wey.
Here is a tine seat, the property of George Chamberlaine, Esq.
and residence of Lady Young. Near Byfleet is Brooklands, the
seat of George Payne, Esq. There was tbrmerly a royal palace
in this place, Henry VIII. having been nursed here. See Wal> <
ion.
CAN fil
c
^AEN-WOOD. See Kenwood.
CAMBERVVELL, in Surry, two miles S. from London,
is an extensive paristi, including Peckham and Dulwich. Its vil-
lage reaches througli a considerable extent, and can boast of
many respectable houses, inhabited by citizens of property, who
retire hither for air and recreation. See Grove House.
CAMDEN PLACE, at Chisleiturst, Kent, five miles E. from
Bromley, was the seat of the late Earl Camden, and formerly of
Mr. Camden, the celebrated antiquary, who died here. Over a
well, in the lawn, the late earl erected a celebrated piece of ar-
chitecture, called The Lantern of Demostlienes, on the same
scale as the original. This was curious and well worth inspec-
tion. At present it is inhabited by Thomas Bonner, Esq.
CAMPDEN HOUSE, a venerable structure at Kensington,
Middlesex, two miles W. from London, M'as built in 1612, by Sir
Baptist Hi ekes, who had been a mercer in Cheapside, and was
afterwards created Viscount Campden. Here Queen Anne, when
Princess of Denmark, resided five years, with her son, the Duke
of Gloucester. The young prince (whose puerile amusements
and pursuits were of a militaiy cast) formed a regiment of boys,
who were on constant duty at Cainpden House. This mansion is
the property of Stephen Pitt, Esq. a minor, and is now an emi-
nent ladies" boarding-school. In the garden is a remarkable ca-
per free, which has endured the open air of this climate for the
greatest part of a century, and, though not within the reach of
any artificial heat, produces fruit every year. This may be termed
a real curiosity.
CANNON HILL, the seat of Mrs. Law, atBraywick, Berks,
one mile and three quarters S. from Maidenhead, was the villa
of the late Peter Delra^, Esq. Considerable additions have been
made to the house and offices hy the late Mr. Law j and the
grounds have been much enlarged, and laid out with taste. The
views, in general, are rich, and in many parts truly picturesque.
CANONBURY HOUSE, half a mile to the N. E. of Isling-
ton Church, is supposed to have been a mansion for the prior of
the canons of St. Bartholomew, in West Smithfieid, and thence
to have received its name of Canonbury, that is Canons' House,
as Canons (tiie next at tide) had its name from belongmg to the
canons of Kentley Priory. The ancient part of Canonbury House
is supposed to have been built in tiie reign of Henry VIII. by
William Bolton, the last prior; his device, a bolt and tun, re-
maining in several parts of the garden wall. At the Dissolution
it was granted to Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex; on whose
6
62 CANONS.
I
attainder it reverted to the crown, and tlie divorced Qneen Anne
of Cleve had an annuity of '20 I. from this manor toward her
jointure. Edward VI. jrranted the manor to John Dudlej , Earl
of Warwick, afterwards Duke of Northumberland, wliose ambi-
tion involved in ruin his own family, and his dautihter-in-law, the
excellent Lady Jane Grey. On his exectition, it was granted to
Sir John Spencer, aldern)an of London, commonly called " Rich
Spencer;" whose only child married Wiliiara, second Lord Comp-
ton, afterwards Earf of Northampton: who appear<!, in conse-
qjience of this vast accession of wealth, to have been in a state
of temporary distraction. In this family the manor has con-
tinued ever since. Great part of the old mansion has been
pulled down, and the site is occupied by several neat modem
houses, the gardens of which stretching down to the borders of
the New River, have a romantic appearance on account of the
surrounding scenery. A brick tower, 17 feet square, and 58 high,
remains ; and the inside retains great part of its primitive ap-
pearance. This tower, seen from afar, is let out in lodgings, and
lias been the residence of Chambers, author of the Encyclopedeia,
Goldsmith the poet, and other individuals in the republic of letters.
CANONS, Middlesex, adjoining Edgware, eight miles and a
quarter N. W. from London, late the handsome villa of Dennis
O'Kelly, Esq. from whom it descended to his nephew, but at
present let to Mr. Atkinson, is furnished with great taste, and
contains some good pictures, particularly the portrait of the ce-
lebrated horse, Masque, by Stubbs. Here too expired, at nearly
30 years of age, the lamous horse, Eclipse ; the origin and source
of his master's wealth. This noble animal, not so particularly re-
markable for his beauty as his wonderful speed and muscular
strength, performed the very singular exploit of walking over
every course in the kingdom without a competitor for the plate :
out of gratitude to his memory, he was interred, by his master's
orders, in the paddoc fronting his house. A reduced and melan-
choly grandeur pervades this once princely domain, now reduced
in pxtent to about ninety acres.
On the site of this villa rose and vanished, in the last century,
the palace erected by the first Duke of Cliandos, wliose princely
spirit was such, that the people in this neighbourhood still style
him " The Grand Duke." The short time that intervened be-
tween the erection and demolition of the structure, affords such an
instance of the instability of human grandeur, that it merits par-
ticular attention. The «luke having accumulated a vast fortune,
as paymaster to the army, in Queen Anne's reign, formed a plan
of hving in a state of regal splendour, and, accordingly, erected
this magnificent structure, which, with its decoration and furni-
ture, cost 250,000/-! The pillars of the great hall were of mar-
ble, as were the steps of the principal staircase, each step con-
sisting of one piece, twenty-lwo feet long. The locks and iiinges
CANONS. 63
"Kere of silver or gold. The establislinifent of the household was
Dot interior to the splendour of the habitation, and extended even
to the ceremonies of reli-rion. " Tlie chapel," says the author of
' A Jonrney through Enirland,' " has a choir of voc;d and instru-
niental music, as in the royal chapel ; and, wlien liis ^Mace goes
to church, he is attended t)y his Swiss ^uarda*, ranged as the
yeomen of the guards ; his nnisic also plays vthen he is at table ;
lie is served by gentUmen in the best order ; aiid I most say, that
few German sovereign princes live with that mai/nitirence, gran-
deur, and good order." The duke, indeed, had divine service
performed with all the aids that could Ijh derived from vocal an«i
instrumental music. He retained some of the most celebrated
performers, and engaged the greatest masters to compose an-
thems and services, with instrumental accompaniments, after the
manner of those performed in the churches of Italy. Near
tw enty of Handel's anthems were composed for this chapel ; and
the morning and evening services were principally by Dr. Pe-
pusch.
It is to be lamented that Pope, by his satire on the ostenta-
tious but beneficent Chandos, has subjected himself to the impu-
tation of ingratitude ; it having been said, that he was under
great personal obligations to this nobleman. Besides, the ceu-
snre in this satire is not always founded on fact. For instance :
His gardens next your admiration call,
On every side you look, behold the wall !
But the author of the ' Journey through England,' speaking of
the gardens, says: " The division of the whole being only made
by balustrades of iron, and not by walls, you see the whole at
once, be you in what part of the garden, or parterre, you will !"
The house was built in 1712 ; and notwithstanding three suc-
cessive shocks, which his fortune received, by his concerns in the
African Company, and in the Mississippi and South Sea specula-
tion, in t718, 1719, and 1720, the duke lived in splendour at
Canons till his death in 1744 +. The estate was unquestionably
encunibered ; on which accoimt the Earl of Aylesbury, father-in-
law to Henry the second duke, and one of the trustees in whom
it was vested, determined to part with a palace which required
an establishment too expensive for the dukes income. As no
purchaser could be found for the house that intended to reside
* This is explained by another passage in the same work: " At
the end of each of his chief avenues the duke hath neat lodgings
for eight old Serjeants of the army, whom he took out of Chelsea
College, who guard the whole, and go their rounds at iiijht, and
call the hour as the watchmen do at London, to prevent disorders ^
and they wait upon the duke to chapel on Sundays,"
f When the plan of living at Canons was concerted, the utmost
abilities of human prudence were exerted, to guard against impro-
04 CAR
in it, the materials were sold by auction, in 1747, in separate
lots, and produced, after deduciinc; the expenses of sale, 11,000 1.
The marble staircase whs purchased by the Earl of Che>terlield,
for his house iu May Fair, the fine colunms were bou;/ht for the
portico in Wanstead House; and the equestrian statue of George I.
one of the numerous sculptures that adorned the i^.round;', is now
the ornament of Leicester Square. One of the principal lots was
purchased by Mr. Hallet, a cabinet-maker in Long Acre, who
having likewise purciiased the estate at Canons, erected on the
site the present villa, with the materials that composed his lot*.
William Hallet, Esq. his jjrandson, sold this estate, in 1786, to
Mr. O'Kelly, who left it to his nephew. See WIdtechurch.
CANT's HILL, the seat of Sir John Lade, Bart, at Burnbam,
Bucks, a little to the N. W. of Britwell House. Mrs. Hodges,
the last possessor, greatly improved it, which, with the additions
made by Sir John, have rendered it a very desirable villa. See
Burnhain.
CARSHALTON, a village in Surry, eleven miles S. from Lon-
don, is situate among- innujnerable springs, which form a river in
the centre of the town, and joining oti)er streams from Croydon
and Beddington, form the river Wandle. On the banks of this
river are es'ablished several manufactories; the principal of
wliich are the two paper mills of Mr. Curtis and Mr. Ansel ; Mr.
Savign^c's mills for preparing leather and parchment ; Mr. Kil-
burn's cotton mills; Mr. Sliipley's oil mills; Mr. Ansell's snuff
mills; and the bleaching-grounds of Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Kill-
vident provision. One of the ablest accomptants in England, Mr.
AVatts, \v:is employed to draw a plan, which ascertained the total
of a year's, a mouth's, a week's, and even a day's expenditure. The
scheme was engraved on a large copper-plate ^ and those who have
seen it pronounce it a very extraordinary efiort of economical wis-
dom. To this we may add, that the duke, though magtii6cent,
was not wasteful. All the fruit in the garden, not wanted for his
table, was sold on his account. " It is as much my property," he
would say, " as the corn and hay, and other prpiluce of my fields."
An aged man, u'ho had been the duke's servant, and now appeared
** the sad historian of the pensive scene," informed the writer of
this note, that, in his occasiunal bounties to bis labourers, the duke
would never exceed sixpence each. " This" he Mould observe,
" may do you good ; more may make you idle and drunk."
* The two porters' lodges remain; and it has been observed, in
some accounts of Canons, that they were built upon so large a
scale, as to be each the residence of a baronet. They are two sto-
ries high, with six ro(nns on a floor, and one of them was certainly
the residence of Sir Hugh Dahymple, Bart. Mr. Hallet, it must
be observed, had raised them a story higher, that he might fit them
up for gentlemen. They have lately been modernised and im-
proved, and one of them is now inhabited by Colonel Lindsey, the
other by Francis Aikin, Esq. late of Drury Lane Theatre.
C H A 65
hp.rn. Here Ur. Ratcliffe built a house, wliicli afterwards be-
longed to Sir Jolin Fellows, who added gardens and curious
waterworks. It is now the seat of Clement Kynnersly, Esq.;
here are also the seats of Baring and Taylor, Esqrs.
CASHIOBURY PARK, near Watford, in Herts, 15 miles
N. W. from London, is said to have been the seat of the kings of
Mercia, till Otfagave it to the monastery of St. Alban's. Henry
VIII. bestowed the manor on Richard Morison, Esq. from whom
it passed to Artlmr Lord Capel, whose descendant, the Earl of
Essex, has here a noble seat in the form of an H, with a park
adorned with fine woods and walks, planted by Le Notre. Tiie
front faces Moore Park. A little below the house is a river,
wl)ich winds through the park, and supplies a magnificent lake.
The front and one side of the house are modern ; the other sides
are very ancient. The whole has been recently repaired by the
present earl, under the inspection of Wyatt, and its interior de-
corations are finished on a most superb scale.
CECIL LODGE, near Abbot's Langley, Herts, four miles
S. W. from St. Alban's, one of the seats of the Marquis of Salis-
buTy, purchased by his lordship, for his residence, during the
lifetime of his father; is now in the occupation of Lady Talbot.
CHALFONT, St. PETER'S, a village in Bucks, n miles W.
from London, in the road to Aylesbury. Chalfont House is the
seat of Thomas Hibbert, Esq. In this parish are also the follow-
insr residences : Orchard Furm, Thomas Ludby, Esq.; the
Grange, Col. O'Lochlin ; the Vicarage, Rev. Dr. Chambers ;
and the seats of Robert Frisby and J. Dupre, Esqrs. and Mr'=.
Woollams.
CHALFONT, St, GILES'S, two miles further, was the resi-
dence of Milton dining t!ie plague in London, in 1665. The
iiouse in all probability, from its appearance, remains nearly in
Its original state. It was taken for him by Mr. Elwood, the
Quaker, who had been recommended to our blind bard as one
that would read Latin to him for the benefit of his conversation.
Here Elwood first saw a complete copy of Paradise Lost, and
having perused it, said," Thou hast said a great deal on Paradise
Lost, but what hast thou to say to Paradise Found r" This ques-
tion suggested to Milton the idea of his Paradise Regain'd.
Near this place Sir Henry Thomas Gott has a seat calbd New-
lau'l Park, and the late Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser, Bart, a seat
called the Vatch, now the property of James Grant, Esq. Beil
House is the residence of Render Mason, Esq. ; the Stone
House, of Mrs. Molioy, widow of the late Charles Molloy, Esq. ;
and the Rectory, of the Rev. Mr. Morgan Jones.
CHARLTON, a village in Kent, two miles S. from Woolwich,
G 3
66 CHELSEA.
on the ecUe of Blackheath, is famed for a fair en St. Luke*s day,
when the mob wear horns on their heads. It is called Horn
Fair, ami horn wares of all sorts are sold at it. Tradition says,
that Kins John, hnniinii near Cliarlton, was separated from his
attendants,wlien, enferm^ja cottasre, he found the mistress alone.
Her husband .Uscovered them, and threatening to kill them, the
king was forced to discover himself, and to purchase his safety
with gold ; beside which, he gave him all the land thence as far
as Cuckold's Point, and established the fair as the tenure. A ser-
mon is preached on the fair day in the church. James I. irranted
the manor to Sir Adam Newton, Bart, (preceptor to his son
Henry) who built here a Gothic house. On the ouMde of the
wall is a long row of some of the oldest cypress trees in England.
Behind the house are lar:,'e yardeus, and beyond these a small
park, which joins Woolwirh Common. It is the seat of General
Sir Thomas Spencer Wilson, Bart. See Blorden College.
CHART PARK, Snrry, half a mile S. E. from Dorking, the
beautiful seat and pleasure-grounds of Mrs. Cornwall.
CHEAM, a village in Surry, twelve miles S. S. W. from Lon-
don. The manor-hou«e of East Cheam, the seat of Philip Antro-
bus, Esq. is an ancient structure. In the church, in Lumley's
chancel, is the monument of that learned female Jane Lady
Lumley, who died in 1577. She translated the Iphigenia
of Euripides, and some of the orations of Isocrates, into English,
and one of the latter into Latin. It is remarkable, that of six
successive rectors of Cheam, between 1581 and 1662, five became
Bishops; namely, Anthony Watson, Bishop of Cliirhester; Lan-
celot Andrews, Bishop of Winchester; George Mountain, Arch-
bishop of York ; Richard Senhouse, Bishop of Carhsle ; and
John Hacket, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. Cheam has
long been celebrated for its excellent school.
CHELSEA, a village in Middlesex, seated on the Thames,
two miles W. from London, extends almost to Hyde Park
Corner, and inchides a considerable part of Knightsbridge. At
the upper end of Cheyne Walk is the episcopal palace of Win-
chester, purchased by act of Parliament, in 1664, on the aliena-
tion of t!ie demesnes belondng to that see in Southwark and
Bishop's Waltham. In'*ho place called the Stable Yard, stood
a house, once the residence of Sir Robert Waipole, which has
been lately pulled down, and the ground purchased by Colonel
Gordon, commissary in chief; who is now building an elegant
new mansion on the scite of the old one. Here it is said the
famous, or rather infamous, Eleanor Gwynn, once held her
" revel routs." Near Lord Crenjorne's is the villa lately inha-
bited by Lady Mary Coke, formerly the property of Dr. Hoad-
ley, author of The Suspicions Husband.
The great Sir Thomas Moie resided in this parish, and his
mansion-house, which (according to Mr. Lysons, vol. ii. p. 83)
CHELSEA. er
stood at the N. end of Beaufort Row, was inhabited afterward
by many illustrious characters. It is said, thnt Sir Thomas was
buried in the church; hut this is a disputed fact. Houever
there is a inoninnent to his memory, and that of his two wives,
with a long Latin inscription written by himself In the church-
yard is the monument of Sir Hans Sloane, Bart founder of the
British Museum; and on the S. W, corner of the church, is
affixed a mural monument to the memory of Dr. Edward Cham-
berlayne, with a punning Latin epitapli,which, for its quaintness,
may detain the reader's attention. In the church is a slill more
curious Latin epitaph on his daughter; from which we lea-n, that
on the 30th of June, 1690, she fought in men's clothing six hours
against the French, on board a fire ship, under the command of
her brother. It was no doubt thouglit proper that these Amazo^
nian feats should be handed down to posterity.
In 1673, the Company of Apothecaries took a piece of ground
at Chelsea, by the side of the Tliames, and prepared it as a bota-
nical garden. Sir Hans Sloane (who had studied his favourite
science there, about the time of its first establishment) when he
purchased the manor, in 1721, granted the freehold of the pre-
mises to the company, on condition that they should present an-
nually to the Royal Society 50 new plants, till the number should
amount to 2000. In 1733 the company erected a marble statue
of their benefactor, by Rysbrack, in the centre of the garden.
On the N. side of the garden is a spacious green-house, 110 feet
long, over which is a library, containing a large collection of bo-
tanical works, and numerous specimens of dried plants. On the
S. side are two cedars of Libanus, of large growth, and very sin-
gular form. They were planted in 1685, being then three feet
high ; and, in 1793, the girth of the larger, at three feet from the
ground, was 12 feet 11^ inches; that of the smaller, 12 feet and
'^ of an inch. In January, 1809, both these fine trees suffered
very severely from a heavy fall of snow, its weight breaking off
several of tlieir massy limbs : the company will, however, it is
presimied, take care that this accident do not bring ou a prema-
ture decay !
The Chelsea water- works were constructed in 1724, in which
year the proprietors wefe incorporated. A canal was then dug
from the Thames, near Ranelagh, to Pimlico, where there is a
steam engine to raise the water into pipes, which convey it to
Chelsea, the reservoirs in Hyde Park and the Green Park, to
Westminster, and various parts of the west end of the town.
The office of the proprietors is in Abingdon Street, Westminster.
In Cheyne Walk is a famous coffee-house, first opened in 1695,
by one Salter, a barber, who drew the attention of the public by
the eccentricity of his conduct, and by furnishing his house with a
large collection of natural and other curiosities, which remained
in the coffee-room till August, 1799, when tUey were sold by
68 CHELSEA.
public auction: previous to that period, printed catalogues were
sold, with the names of the principal benefactors to the collection.
Sir Hans Sloane contributed largely out of the superfluities of
his own museum. Admiral jMunden, and other officers, who had
been much on the coasts of Spain, enriched it witli many curio-
sities, and <;ave the owner the name of Don Saltero, by which he
is mentioned more than once in the Tatler, particularly in No. 34
of that entertaininir work.
Ill the hamlet of Little Chelsea, the Earl of Shaftsbury, author
of the Ciiaracteristics, had a house, in which he generally resided
during the sitting of Parliament. It was purchased, in 1787, by
the Parish of St. George, Hanover Square, as an additional work-
house ; tliat parish e.\tending over great part of Chelsea.
On tlie site of a oace celebrated manufactory of porce-
lain (in an old mansion by the water side) is a manufactory o€
stained paper, stamped after a peculiar manner, the invention
of Messrs. Eckhardts, who established it in partnership with Mr.
Woodmason in 1806; it is now the property of Messrs. Harwood
aiid Co. who have made consideiable improvements in the art,
since paper hangings have become an indispensable article in
the internal decoration of houses. They likewise established at
Biacklands House, in 1791, a new and beautiful manufacture of
painted silk, varnished linen, cloths, paper, &c.; and, after carry-
ing it on for a few years, became bankrupts, and the whole un-
dertaking failed. The premises are now occupied by Messrs.
Cooke and Co. as a stained paper manufactory. Near the
King's Road, is Triquet's manufactory of artificial stone, and that
of blue melting pots, crucibles, &c. formerly carried on by Mr.
Hempel, but now under the firm of Messrs. George Ludwie and
Peter Warner. Hark Lodge is the property and occasional resi-
dence of Alexander Stephens, Esq. a man of fortune as well as a
man of letters, being the author of The History of the Wars
arising from the French Revolution, 2 vols. 4to. It is a small but
elegant building, said to be erected after a plan of one of the
pupils of the late Mr. James Adams, the celebrated architect,
with a field in front, and Chelsea Park behind, in the latter of
which are a small lawn and kitchen garden, which are surrounded
by a shrubbery. Although in the cottage style, there are apart-
ments of considerable dimensions. The windows are in the old
English style, with large plates of German glass, and the npjier
compartments of the principal rooms being adorned with stained
glass, produce a very pkasintr effect. The Pavilion, Hans Place,
the property of Peter Denys, Esq. is an elegant building, its
front havijit; i)een originally built as a model for the Prince of
Wales's Pavilion at Brighton. The interior is enriched with
busts of eminent men, paintings. Sec. and in the centre of the
house is a clock of very curious mechanism. On the western
side of the lawn is an ice house, surrounded by an admirable re-
CHELSEA HOSPITAL. 69
presentation of the ruins of a priory ; which, together with the
taste displayed by Brown in the arrangement of the grounds,
combine to render it a most interesting and unique villa.
CHELSEA HOSPITAL, for invalids in the land service, was
begun by Charles 11. and completed by William III. The first
projector of this magniticent structure was Sir Stephen Fox,
grandfather to the Right Hon. Charles James Fox. " He could
not bear," he said, " to see the coHiniou soldiers, who had s})ent
their strength in our service, reduced to hog; "and to this struc-
ture he contributed 13,000/. It was built by Sir Ciiristopher
Wren, on the site of an old college whicli had escheated to the
crown.
The royal hospital stands at a small distance fiom the Tliames.
It is built of brick, except the quoins, cornices, pedimfnts, and
columns, whicli are of freestone. The principal building con-
sists of a large quadrangle, open on the S. side ; in the centre
stands a bronze statue of Charles II. in a Roman habit, which
cost 500^. and was given by Mr. Tobias Rustat. The east and
west sides, each 365 feet in length, are principally occupied by
wa'dsfor tlie pensioners ; and, at the extremity of the former, is
the Governor's house. In the centre of each of these wings, and
in that of the N. front, are pediments of freestone, supported by
columns of the Doric order. In the centre of the S. front is a
portico, supported by similar coluams ; and on each side is a piaz-
za, on the frize of which is this inscription : '* In subsidium et
levamen emeritorum senio belloque fractorunj, condidit Carolus
Secundus, auxit Jacobus Secundus, prefecere G?ilielmus et Maria
Rex et' Regina, 1690." The internal centre of this buih^ing is
occupied by a large vestibule, terminating in a dome. On one
side is the chapel, tlie altar-piece of which, representing the as-
cension of our Saviour, was painted by Sebastian Ricci. The
Hall, w here the pensioners dine, is situated on the opposite side
of the vestibule. It is of the same disnensions as the chape!, 110
feet in length ; and, at the upper end, is a picture of Cliarles IT.
on horseback, the gift of the Earl of Ranelagh. The whole
length of the principal building, from east to west, is 790 feet ; a
winii having been added to each end of the N. side of the great
quadrangle, which forms part of a smaller court. These courts
are occupied by various otRces, and the infirmaries. The latter
are kept remarkably neat, and supplied with hot, cold, and va-
pour baths. To the N. of the college is an inclosure of 13 acres,
planted with avenues of limes and horse- chesuutsj and, towards
the S. are extensive gardens.
The ordinary number of in-pensioners is 336, who are pro-
vided with an uniform of red lined with blue, lodging, diet, and
eight-pence a week. The various servants of the hospital, among
whom are 26 nurses, make the whole number of its inhal)itanls
530. Tlie nuciber of out-pensioners is unlimited j their alio ■«■•
I'D CHE
ance is 71. l^s. 6d. a year : there are now npward of '21,00(7/
wlio are dispersed all over the three kin'gdonis, exercising their
various occupations, but liable to perform garrison duty, as in-
valid companies, in time of war. The annual expense of the
house establishment, including the salaries of the officers, and
all accidental charges, varies from 25,000 to 28,000/. This, with
the allowances to the out-pensioners, is defrayed by a sum
annually voted by parliament, and which, in 1794, was 151,742/.
5s. lOrf. Within these few years has been erected near the
royal hospital a large handsome building, which does honour to
the country, called the Royal M'ditarij Asylum, for the support
and education of children of soldiers of the regular army. They
remain here till of a proper age, when they zue disposed of as
apprentices or servants; unless the boys should by their own free
consent choose to enter the regular army as private soldiers.
Parliament granted a sum of money for its erection, and each
regiment contributes one day's pay towards its support.
CHEPSTED HOUSE, two miles N. W. from Seven Oaks,
Kent, the seat of the PolMlls, an ancient and respectable fiamily.
Its present proprietor is George Polhill, Esq, whose grandfather
was one of the five Kentish g^intlemen, who distinguished tliem-
selves for a patriotic spirit in the reign of King William of glorious
memory. The grounds, though not extensive, are neatly laid
ont, and fancifully decorated ; a stream running through the
whole heightens the beauty of the scenery.
CHERTSEY, a market-town in Surry, 20 miles S. S. W. from
London. Here, says Camden, Julius Ca sar ci ossed the Thames,
v.hen he first attempted the conquest of Britain ; but Mr. Gough,
in his ad<htions to the Britannia, has advanced some arguments
against this opinion.
Here was once an abbey, in which was deposited the corpse
of Henry VI. afterward removed to Windsor. Out of the ruins
of this abbey, (all that remains of which is the outer wall of the
circuit) Sir Henry Carew, master of the buck-hounds to Charles
II. budt a fine house, which now belongs to Mr. Weston. On
the side of St. Anne's Hill, is the seat of the Hon. Mrs. Fox,
relict of the late Risht Hon. Charles James Fux, with a capital
collection of paintings by the first masters, and other well se-
lected curiosities; at the bottom of the garden, throuuh a lo-
niaiitic avenue, is the grotto, a neat structure, finished in 1790.
The dairy is lined with while tiles edged with green; the dressers
and stands are of marble, supported by fiuted green and white
pillars. The green house is very handsome, and supported also
by pillars ; it is stored with a s^jlendid collection of odoriferous
plantN and flowers. The lawn, as well as the ditferent parts of
the pleasure grounds, are pleasantly interspersed with statues
descriptive of heathen mythology, which have a classic effect.
St. Anne's Hill forms a coroplettiy charming retreat, worthy the
CHE 7i
s-esidence of its late owner. On this hill, which commands a
beautitui prospect, is still part of the stone wall of a chapel dedi-
cated to St. Anne. Not far from this hill is Monk's Grove, near
which was discovered a once celebrated medicinal sprinjr. It was
lost for a considerable time, but has been found again. The
bridge at Chertsey was erected in 1785, by Mr. Paine. It con-
sists of seven arches, each formed of the segment of a circle, and
is built of Purbeck stone, at the expense of 13,000/. The origi-
nal contract was for 7,500/.
In 1773, digging a vault, in the chancel of the church, a leaden
coffin was discovered, containing the body of a woman in high
preservation. The face appeared perfectly fresh, and the lace of
the linen sound. As the church was built with the abbey, in the
time of the Saxons, it is supposed that the body must have been
deposited there before the Conquest.
To this place Cowley, the poet, retired ; and here he ended
his days, in a house called the Porch House, now belonging to
Mr. Alderman Clark. His study is a closet in the back part of
the house, towards the garden. In this retreat, as Bp. Sprat ex-
presses it, " some few friends and books, a cheerful heart, and
an innocent conscience, were his constant companions." The
value of such companions exceeds human estimation.
CHESHUNT. a village, once a market- town, 13 miles N. N. E.
from London, is situated in an extensive parish and manor, which
were once in the possession of John of Gaunt, fourth son of Ed-
ward III. afterward of Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond, natu-
ral son of Henry VIII. and the pi esent proprietor of the greatest
part of the manor is Sir George Bayton, Bart.
The manor of St. Andrew le Mot was granted by Henry VIII.
to Cardinal Wolsey, who is supposed to have resided in Cheshunt
House, a }>lain brick structure, almost entirely rebuilt since his
time, but still surrounded by a moat. The people here mention
some circumstances very unfavourable to the character of his
eminence, but which we do not think it right to relate, without
better evidence than that of village tradition. His boundless am-
bition, rapacity, and ostentation, have fixed an odium on his me-
mory, which it is unnecessary to heighten by the imputation of
insatiable lust and inhuman assassination. His character has
been already sufficiently marked in the historic annals of the
nation. See Esher.
Cheshunt Nunnery, formerly the seat of Mrs. Blackwood, was
a nunnery, a small part of which remains. It is now the pro-
perty of James Butts, Esq. who has made considerable improve-
ments, and the apartments are modern and elegant. They con-
tain an excellent collection of paintings; among which is a re-
markable one by three different masters ; the buildings, by
Viviani ; the figures, by Miel 5 and the back-ground, by Claude.
The river Lea forms a canal in the front of tiie house ; and a
72 CHI
beautiful vista is terminated by a view of thie woodland hills of
Essex and ot Waltham Abl»ey.
At Cheshimt, Richard Ciomwell, the protector, spent many
years ot a venerable old aie ; a striking lesson, how much obscu-
rity and peace are to be preferred to ihe splendid infelicities of
guilfy ambition. He assumed t!ie name of Clark, and first re-
sided, in 16B0, in a house near the church : and here he died, iu
iriy, in his aoihyear; enjoying a good state of health to the last,
and so hale and hearty, tliat at fourscore he would gallop his
horse for many miles tog»-ther.* Oliver Cromwell, Esq. lineal de-
scendant of the protector, has lately built an elegant house here,
called Cliesiuint Park. Here is also a college for qualifying stu-
dents for the ministry, in that class of christians denominated
methodists, under the patronage of the late Lady Huntingdon.
See Theobalds.
CHEV^ENING, a village of Kent, 21 miles S. from London,
in the road to Sevenoaks. Here is the seat of Earl Stanhope,
a handsome modern structure, fronted with stucco. The manor
having been in the several possessiorts of De Chevening, Isley,
and Leonard, the daughters of Thomas Lord Dacre, Earl of
Sussex, who sold the vrliole to the great Earl Sranh.ope, ancestor
of the present owner. The grounds belonging to the seat have
been much improved by the present earl, wlio is weil known for
his patriotism and activity in the political world ; and for his me-
chanical genius, particularly ijis improvement of the printing
press.
CHEYNEVS, Bucks, five miles E. from Amersham, has been
the seat of tiie Russels, Dukes of Bedford, above 200 years, and
is still their burying place, adorned with noble monuments.
CHIGWELL, a village in Essex, 10 miles E. from London,
on the road to Ongar. Here is a free-school endowed by Abp.
Harsnott, who had been vicar of this place. He was buried in
* When Richard left VVhitehall, he was very careful to preserve
the addresses sent to him from every part of the kingdom, ex-
pressing, " that the salvation of the nation depended upon his
safety, and his acceptance of the sovereignty'' ; and man}' of
them proffering him even the lives and fortunes of the addressers :
the.-e w eie packed in a small ronnd trunk, depo>ite.'! iu a dirty gar-
ret, and never shown, except to neiv-made acquaintances in the
moment of conviviality. On these occasions, the quondam Pro-
tector, followed by his company with the bottle and glasses, seated
the new man on the trunk, and filling him a bumper, made him
drink ' Prosperity to Old Enaland ;' with a caution, at the same
time, to sit hghtly, for he had no less than the lives and fortunes of
all the good people of England under him : the trunk was then
opened, and the original addrv.sses shown him, which created no
small mirth and laughter. Memoirs of the Cromwell Family.
CHI 75
the church ; and, over his grave, was his figure in brass, as large
as life, dressed in his robes, with his mitre and crosier. This,
for the better preservation of it, lias since been erected upon a
pedestal in the chancel. Here is Rolls, the seat of Eliab Har-
vey, Esq. Brownings, belonging to Thomas James, Esq. and
Woolston Hall, the residence of Robert Bodle, Esq.
CHINGFORD, a village in Essex, five miles S. from Wal-
tliarn Abbey, so agreeably situate for retirement, tl.at the most
remote distance from the metropolis can hardly exceed it.
CHISLEHURST, a village near Bromley, in Kent, 11^ miles
S. E. from London, was the birth-place of Sir Nicholas Baccni, Lord
Keeper, father of the great Viscount St. Alban'sj and Sir Francis
Walsingham. Here also lived and di^d the great antiqjuiry,
Camden, to whose great work, entitled Britannia^ topographical
writers are so much indebted. In this parish, near St. Mary's
Cray, is Frognal, the seat of Viscount Sidney ; and, oppo.«ire
Bertie Place, are the villa and park ot Mr. Tvvycross. Here are
also Camden Place, William Lushington, Esq. and Lady Mary
Townsend's; also Kemnel Farm, the seat of the Right Hon. Ar-
chibald Macdonald, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. See
hertie Place and Camden Place.
CHTSWICK, a village in Middlesex, six miles W. from London,
seated on the Thames, near the road to Hounslow. The church has
lately undergone a partial repair, and additional seats for 300 per-
sons have been erected. In the church-yard is a monument to
the memory of Hogarth ; on which are the following lines by
Garrick :
Farewell, great painter of mankind,
Who reach'd the noblest point of art;
Vv''hose pictured morals charm the mind,
And through the eye correct the heart !
If genius fire thee, reader, stay ;
If nature move thee, drop a tear ;
If neither touch thee, turn away ;
For Hogarth's honour'd dust lies' here !
Near this is the tomb of Dr. Williarii Rose, who died in 1786,
and was many years a distinguished writer in the Monthly Re-
On tliis are inscribed the following lines, by Mr. Mur-
phy :
Who'er thou art, with silent footsteps tread
The hallow'd mould where Rose reclines his head.
Ah ! let not folly one kind tear deny.
But pensive pause where truth and honour lie.
His the gay wit that fond attention drew.
Oft heard, and oft admir'd, yet ever new;
The heart that melted at another's grief.
The hand in secret that bestowed relief;
H
74 CHI
Science iintinctur'd by tlie pride of schools,
And native goodness free from fornoal rules.
With zeal through life, he tolTd in Learning's cause,
But more, fair Virtue ! to promote thy laws.
His every action sought the noblest end ^
The tender husband, fiither, brother, friend.
Perhaps, ev'n now, from yonder realms of day.
To his lov'd relatives he sends a ray ;
Pleas'd to behold affections, like his own,
With filial duty raise this votive stone !
In a tomb in the church yard rs interred George, Earl of
Macartney, who spent the greatest part of a v^ry active life in hii
country's service.
In the chmch is another epitaph by Mr, Murpliy, on John
Ayton Thompson, a youth of fifteen :
If in the morn of life each winning grace.
The converse sweet, the uiind-illumined face,
The lively v\ it thatcharm"d with early art.
And mild affections streamuig from ihe hearty
If these, lov'd youth, could check the hand of fate,
Thy matchless worth had claim'd a longer date.
But thou art bless VI, while here we heave the sigh;
Thy death is virtue wafted to the sky.
Yet still thy imasre fond affection keeps.
The sire remembers, and the inother weeps ;
Still the friend grieves, who saw thy vernal bloom.
And here, sad task ! inscribes it on thy tomb.
In the church, in the Earl of Burlington's vault, is interred the
illustrious Kent, a painter, architect, and the father of modern
gardening.
In 1685, Sir Stephen Fox (grandfather of the Right Hon.
Charles James Fox) built a villa here, with which King William
■was so pleased, that he is said to have exclaimed to the Earl of
Portland, on his first visit, " This place is perfectly fine : I could
live here five days." Tliis was his usnal expression when he was
nmch pleased with a situation ; and he is said never to have paid
the same compliment to any other place in England, except to
the Earl of Exeter's, at Burleigh. It is now the property and
residence of Lady Mary Cooke, On the Mall, is a large com-
modious housebuilt by Sir N. Crispe, Knt. the first importer
of gold from Guinea; now inhabited by Mr. C. Whittingham,
who has devoted a part of it to the purpose of fine printing: the
whole has been arranged on a plan quite novel in its kind, and
fitted up at a "^reat expense. Ciiiswick has two porter brew-
eries, one of them belonging to Messrs. Sich, and Co. famed for
the superior quality of the materials employed, and for the whole-
some beverage produced. See Grove House, and Turnham Green.
CHISWICK HOUSE, a celebrated seat of tJie Duke of De-
vonshire, built by the great Earl of Burlington. Before the prs-
CHISWICK HOUSE. 75
!*ent structure was raised, here was a plain, commodious building,
with good offices; but part of this edifice having been destroyed
})y fire, the earl formed this plan of the beautiful villa we are de-
scribing, which, for elegance of taste, is supposed to surpass
every thing of its kind in England. Kent was the architect,
under his lordship's immediate direction.
" This house," says Mr. Walpole, " the idea of which is bor-
rowed from a well-knowft villa of Palladio, is a model of taste,
though not without faults;, some of which are occasioned by too
strict adherence to rules and symmetry. Such are too many
corresponding doors in spaces so contracted ; chimneys between
windows, and, which is worse, windows between chimneys ; and
vestibules, however beautiful, yet little secured from the damps
of this climate. The trusses tliat support the ceilins of the corner
drawing-room are beyond measure massive; and the ground
apartment is rather a diminutive catacomb than a library in a
nortliern latitude. Yet these blemishes, and Lord Hervey's
wit, who said ' the house was too small to inhabit, and too large
to hang to one's watch,' caiinot depreciate the tasie that reicns
throughout the whole. Tlie larger court, dignified by pictu-
res^que cedars, and the classic scenery of the small court that
unites the old and new house, are more worth seeing than many
fragments of ancient grandeur, which our travellers visit under
all the dangers attendant on long voyages. The garden is in the
Italian taste, but divested of conceits, and far preferable to every
iit>le that reigned till our late improvements. The buildings are
heavy, and not equal to the purity of the house. The lavish
quantity of urns and sculptures behind the garden front should be
retrenched."
Such were the sentiments of Mr. Walpole on this celebrated
villa, before the noble proprietor attempted the capital improve-
ments which he has completed. Two wings have been added to
the house, from the designs of Mr. Wyatt. These remove the
objections that have been made to the house as more fanciful and
beautiful than convenient and habitable. Tiie Italian garden
displays the beauties of modern planting; and some of the som-
bre yews, with the termini, and other pieces of sculpture, liave
been removed. The court in the front, which is of a proportion-
able size with the building, is gravelled and kept in the neatest
order.
The ascent to the house is by a sraud double flight of steps,
on one side of which is the statue of Palladio, and on the other
that of Inigo Jones. The portico is supported by six fine fluted
columns of the Corinthian order, with a very elegant pediment ;
tiie cornice, frizes, and architrave, being as rich as possible. In
fact, this front is so tiuly magnificent, that all who behold it are
fascinated, and do not quit the scene without revolving admira^
tioa. In the portico is a fine bust of Augustus,
H %
76 C H O
The octagonal saloon finishes at top in a dome, through which
ilis enlightened, is truly elegant. The late arrangements are
tests of the classic taste of the present noble owner; for in this,
as in all the other apartments, the visitor may sit in a chair and
read; may recline on a sopha and contemplate; or, if he choose
to admire surrounding beauties, may look around, and wonder at
the assemblage of science and the arts, each striving most to
please; for here is literature at our elbow; we are surrounded
by the noblest efforts of painting ; and the sister-arts seem emu-
lous to afford the most rational entertainment. AVhilct nature
and art thus contribute to the gratifications of man, he may be
said to enjoy on this spot the consummation of earthly felicity.
The pictures, which are too numerous to notice in tliis work,
form one of the finest collections in the kingdom ; being chiefly
executed by masters of the first celebrity.
The inside of the structure is finished with the utmost elegance ;
the ceilings and mouldings are richly gilt upon a white ground,
which gives a chaste appearance to the whole ; the principal
rooms, chair-high, are embellished with books, handsomely, but
neatly bound, so arranged as not to appear an encumbrance, but
ornamental : the tops of the bookcases are covered with white
marble, edged with gilt borders. To mention every particular
would exceed our limits ; we can only add that Chiswick House
is a beautiful assemblage of multum in parvo.
Tiie gardens are laid out in the finest taste ; the vistos are ter-
minated by a temple, obelisk, or some similar ornament, so as to
produce the most agreeable effect. At the ends next the house
are two wolves in stone, by Scheemaker ; the opposite end ex-
hibits a large lioness and a goat; and this view is terminated by
three fine antique statues, dug up in Adrian's garden at Rome,
with stone seats between them. The orangery is a charming ob-
ject. Along the serpentine river we are led to an enclosure,
where are a Roman temple and an obelisk; and on its banks, the
exact model of the portico of Covent Garden Church exhibits
itself. Besides the statues in and about the gardens, those of
Sampson, a Gladiator, Faunus, and Venus de Medicis are in the
finest preservation. Tiie view from the house over the Thames
affords a fine prospect of the adjacent country, which, when the
tide is up, is greatly enlivened by the boats and barges passing
the river in constant succession.
CHOBHAM, a village in Surry, 19 miles S. from London, in the
road to Guildford. Here is a seat built by Earl Ligonier, after
the manner of an Italian villa. The river Mole passes by the side
of the gardens, and, being made here four or five times broader
than it was naturally, has a happy etfect, especially as the banks
are disposed into a slope, with a broad grass walk, planted on
each side with sweet shrubs. At one end of this walk is an elc
CLA 7?
grant room, a delightful retreat in hot weather, being shaded with
large elms, on the south side, and having the water on tlie north
and east. The liouse is situated half a mile from the road to
Portsmouth, and is so much hid by the trees near it, as not to be
seen till you rise on the heath beyond Chobham. The property
of this seat is still in the representatives of the late earl, since
whose death it has never been let but as a temporary residence.
Near Chobham are to be seen Burwood House, the seat of Sir
John Dallins?, Bart, and Buthill, that of J. K. Tynte, Esq. See
Burwood and Paine's Hill, Kent.
CHOBHAM PARK, Kent, 25 miles S. from London, the elegant
seat of Harvey Christian Combe, Esq. near the road to Roclies-
ter, was formerly tlse residence of Lords Chobham, andnovir gives
the title of Viscount to the Marquis of Buckingham. The half,
which with the out-houses is said to have cost 60,000/. in jbuild-
ing, is a most noble fabric, consisting of a centre and two whigs ;
the former the work, of Inigo Jones. The great hall is superbly
fitted up ; each apartment being spacious and neat ; the library
is fitted up in an elegant style, and contains a well-chosen collec-
tion of the best literature. Tlve stately niausoleum in the park, is
an octangular structure of the Doric order, with double fluted
columns at each angle, supporting a sarcophagus. The top ter-
minates with a quadrangular pyramid ; over the family vault is a
beautiful chapel ; the columns which support the dome are cased
with the finest Brocatello marble highly polished ; the painted
glass in the windows has a fine effect ; as has a neat altar-piece of
marble.
CLANDON, East and West, are two contiguous villages in
Surry ; West Clandon, 26 miles S. from London, is the manor of
Earl Onslow, whose noble seat, after an Italian model, is consi-
dered as the best family house in the county, and was lately in the
occupation of the Archbishop of Canteibury, See Hatchlands,
CLAPHAM, a village in Surry, 5\ miles S. from London, con-'
sisting chiefly of many handsome houses, which surround a com-
mon, that commands some pleasing views. This common was
formerly little better than a nlOIa^s, and the roads were almost
impassable. The latter are now in an excellent state; and the
common itself is so beautifully planted with trees, both Eugli'h
and exotic, that it has nmch the appearance of a park. These
improvements were eftected by a subscription of the inhabi-
tants, who, on this occasion, have been much indebted to the
taste and exertions of Christopher Baldwhi, Esq. whose villa
is adjacent ; and, as a proof ot the conf^equent increased value
of i>ropei ty on this spot, Mr. Baldwin has since sold 14 acres of
land, near his own house, for 5000/, Among other villas on this
delight jyi common, are those of Robert and Henrv Thornton^
M 3
73 CLE
Esqrs. the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval, and John Dent, Esq.
members of parlianieut. Near the road to Wandsworth is a re-
servoir of fine water, from which the village is supplied. On the
N. E. corner of the common, is a new church, erected in 1776,
at the expense of ll,OOOZ. but neither in the church itself, nor in
the ground inclosed around it, are any interments suffered. Of
the old church only one aisle remains; in which the funeral ser-
vice is performed, when there are any interments in the adjoining
cemetry. The manor-honse, now a boarding-school for young,
ladies, is situated near this spot, and is rendered conspicuous by
a curious oietagonal tower.
CLAPHAM RISE, is a continuation of houses from Stockwell
Swan to the common, and very aptly so named, being suited t»
the rapid rise of some of its inhabitants.
Here tailor's rich, who cahbaoUl long in town,
Raise aarden cabbage, and their trade disown.
The pricking-needle to the dibb/e yields,
And geese alive, hiss round their brick-burnt fields :
Thus parch'd and over-roasled when alive,
These pondless commoners no longer thrive ;
In dusty solitude are sickly seen,
And prove at table, any thing h\xt gnen. A.
CLAPTON, the upper part of Hackney parish, a pleasing vil-
lage, with many genteel houses, and several boarding-schools, par-
ticularly the late Mr. Newcome's of considerable classical repu-
tation. Brook House, nearly opposite the turnpike, was once the
residence of a nobleman, but is now devoted to the accommod^i-
tion of those unhappy beings who are afflicted with that worst ot
all human maladies, insanity.
CLAREMONT, at Esher, in Surry, was the seat of John
Holies Pelham, Duke of Newcastle, by whom, when Earl of
Clare, its present name was given ; on which occasion Garth
wrote his poem of " Claremont," in imitation of " Cooper's
Hill." It was purchased by the late Lord Ctive, who pulled
it down, and erected an elegant villa, in a much better situation.
The park is distinguished by its noble woods, lawns, mounts, &c.
The summer-house, called the Belvedere, on a mount on that side
of the park next Esher, affords an extensive view of the country.
It is now the property and residence of C. Rose Ellis, Esq.
CLAY HALL, in the parish of Old Windsor, an elegant cot-
tage, the property of Mrs. Keppel. It was much improved I y
the late Mr. Aylet, and is now the residence of Sir Henry Dash-
wood, B:irt.
CLEWER, a parish adjoining to Windsor, in which is the well-
built seat of Mr. Payne,
COM 79
CLIFDEN HOUSE, the seat of the Marchioness of Thoniond,
two miles N. E. from Maidenhead, Bucks, was built by George
Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, and came by marriage to the late
Earl of Orkney. This stately mansion, which had a noble ter-
race in front, supported by arches, was totally destroyed by fire,
on the 20th of May, 1795, together with all the furniture and
paintings, and the fine tapestry hangings, representing the vic-
tories of the great Duke of Marlborough, in which the late Earl
of Orkney hin)self had a conspicuous share.
Pope has commemorated this place, in the celebrated lines ic
which he records the wretched end of its founder :
In the worst inn's worst room, with mat half-hung,
The floors of plaster, and the walls of dung.
On once a flock-bed, but repaird with straw,
With tape-ty"d curtains never meant to draw,
The George and Garter dangling from that bed
Where tawdry yellow strove with dirty red,
Great Villiers lies. Alas ! how chang'd from him,
That life of pleasure, and that soul of vvhim !
Gallant and gay, in Clifdens proud alcove.
The bovrer of wanton Shrewsbury and love.
Or just as gay, at council, in a ring
Of mimic statesmen, and their merry King,
No wit to flatter left of all his store 1
No fool to laugh at, which he valued more.
There, victor of his health, of fortune, friends.
And fame, this lord of useless thousands ends !
COLE GREEN, to the W. of Hertford, the seat of Earl Cow-
per, built by the late Lord Chancellor Cowper,
COLN, a river which rises in Herts, divides Middlesex from
Bucks, and falls into the Thames at Staines. It is thus mentioned
by Pope:
Coin, whose dark streams his flowery islands lave !
COLNBROOK, a market-town, 17 miles W. from London,
on four channels of the Coin, over each of which it has a bridge.
One part of it is in Middlesex; the other in Bucks. Market,
'I'hursday
COLESHILL, a village, four miles W. of Rickraansworth, in
Herts, and a part of that county which is insulated in Bucks,
was the birth-place of Waller the poet, of versatile memory.
COMB-NEVILLE, a manor of Kingston upon Thames, so
called from William Neville, who w^as in posBession of it in the
«" coo
reign of Edxvard II*. Sir Thomas Vincent is said to have built
the old manor-house, where Queen Elizib-nh honoured him with
a visit in 160?. It was aftei-ward in the family of Harvey, with
an ancient gentleman of which name Kin? William "/ould often
go a hawking m the warren opposite the house. Tlie manor is
now the property of Earl Spencer. Near the site of the oM man-
sion (which was pulled down in 1752) is Comb House, the resi-
deuce ot Major Tollemache ; and not far from this are some re-
servoirs ot water, constructed bv Cardinal Wolsev, to supply
Hampton Court. Tiie water is conveyed under the Thames by
pipes ot a particular construction. It is much estr em^d as effi-
cacionsin the gravel ; is excellent for drinking and washino- but
as It turns the vegetables that are boiled in it black, it is unfit for
culinary purposes.
COMMERCIAL ROAD, commencing at Wiiitechapel church,
and extending to the West and East India Docks at Blackwall, is
a happy proof of l!ie enterprising spirit and commercial prospe-
rity of this country ; being daily covered with carts and waggons
loaden Muh the produce of our distant colonies.
COOMB-BANK, the noble seat of Lord Frederic Campbell,
at bunbr.dge, between sevenoaks and Westerham in Kent It
is watered by the river Darent, which adds greatly to its beauty.
The pleasure-grounds are laid out with elegance, which, with its
extensive prospects, render it an enchanting villa.
COOPER'S HILL Surry, the subject of a celebrated poem
ro^a?fr"orT n T''''\'^''^^ P^"«J^ of Egham, on the rightof tlfe
road from Loudon. An ingenious, but perhaps fastidious critic
has observed, that Cooper's Hill, 'the professed subject of >e
piece IS not mentioned by name, nor is any account given of
standn? 't'.^'"'^"'"' ''' \''''''^ '^ ^"^ ^^at it serves, like the
stand of a telescope merely as a convenience for viewing other
objects. He adds : - There are many performances whifh have
mountains, though tho.r valleys are dark : but Cooper's Hill has
an unifoVm riiass of dullness, on which the sun has not bestowed its
idintost irradiation.
surl^/-"?'"* ^''^ ''"^'-^' °'^''"'' ^^"' ^^^^" ^^'«e Denham to acquire
such high reputation? Here it can only be said, that he was a
Fatllf'wil'^'?^^.^^';^ belonged to the great Richard Neville,
tarl of Warwick, who distinguished himself so much in the civil
bllv ?.;r".*^^^"'^'''^ York and Lancaster; but this is pro-
tArZlH *" foundation, as Mv. Lysons, who appears to have
«f thU \''^.,foperty with great accuracy, says, that after the death
had marv/^""" Neville, the manor went to John Hadresdam, uho
had man led one of his three daughters. Envnvns nf London, Vol. I.
COOPER'S HILL. 81
man of r'amily and fortune, known in public life as High Sheriff of
Snrry, Governor of Farnliam Castle, and K. B. In such a man
small literary mentis naturally niaifuitied too much ; and the cen-
sure or praise of the day is too often confirm<-(i without examina-
tion, by the censure or praise of posterity." Scott's Critical
Essays.
It would be unjust not to quote here tlie sentiments of a cele-
brated critic, too rigid, and perhaps too surly, to be fascinated
by mere popular opinion ; " Coopers Hill is the work that con-
fers upon Denham the rank and dignity of an original author. He
seems to have been, at least among us, the author of a species
of composition that may be termed local poetry, of which the
fundamental subject is some particular landscape, to be poeti-
cally described, with the addition of such embellishments as
may be supplied by historical retrospection or incidental medita-
tion.
" To trace a new species of poetry has in itself a very high
claim to praise, and its praise is yet more when it is apparently
copied by Garth and Pope. Yet Cooper's Hill, if it he mali-
ciously inspected, will not be found without its faults. The di-
gressions are too long, the morahty too frequent, and the senti-
ments, sometimes, such as will not bear a rigorous inquiry."
Johnson''s Life of Denham.
Praise thus extorted from a critic not unreluctant to censure,
will contribute to secure tlie fame of Denham, whicii the charm-
ing eulogy of the Bard of Windsor Forest alone would have ren-
dered immortal :
Bear me, oh bear rne to sequestered scenes,
To bowery mazes, and surrounding greens;
ToThames's banks which fragrant breezes fill,
Or where ye Muses sport on Cooper's Hill ;
On Cooper's Hill eternal wreaths shall grow,
While lasts the mountain, or while Thames shall flow,
I seem through consecrated walks to rove,
I hear soft music die along the grove :
Led by the sound, I rove from shade to shade.
By godlike poets venerable made :
Here, his first lays majestic Denham sung;
There*, the last numbers fliow'd from Cowley's tongue !
Nor should we here omit the homage of the excellent Poet of
the Cliase :
Tread with respectful awe
Windsor's green glades; where Denham, tuneful bard,
Charm'd once the list'ning dryads with his song
Sublimely sweet !
* See Chertsey.
ns CRA
On this celebrated hill are the seats of Lord Shuldham and
Mr. Smith. See Ankawyke, Purnish, and Kingsicood Lodge.
COPPED, or COPT HALL, Essex, the seat of John Conyers,
Esq. in the j-^arish of Epping, was built by his falher, and is a
perfect model of convenient as well as elejiant architecture. The
oriiriDal house stood at the bottom of the hill, in the parish of
V/altham Holy Cross; and here was a private chapel for the use
of tlie family, wliich anciently belonged to the Abbots of Wal-
thani Abbey. This chapel was decorated by the beautiful painted
window now in the church of St. Margaret, Westminster.
CRANBURN LODGE, Berks, formerly a seat of the late
Duke (jf Gloucester's, in Windsor Forest, has an extensive pros-
pect over a tine plain that exhibits a beautiful landscape. In a
spacious room are painted, and regularly ranged, in large pannels,
the mihtary dresses of the different corps in the armies of the
European! nations : at present it is the residence of the Hon,
George Villiers, wiio is ranger of Cranburn Chase.
CRANFORD PARK, Middlesex, on the N. of Hounslow
Heath, tive miles N. W. from Brentford, the seat of the Earl of
Berkeley, is an ancient structure, situate at an angle of the park,
rear Cranford Church. The park is well watered by a branch of
the river Coin; and, though it commands no variety of prospects,
yet from the distribution of the woods and other accompani-
ments, it may be deemed a pleasant retirement. Notwithstand-
ing its vicinity to the metropolis, it is celebrated for game, parti-
cularly pheasants, which are to be seen in great numbers ; consi-
derable pains having been taken for tlieir preservation.
CRANHAM, a village, near Upminster, in Essex, 16 miles E.
from London, was anciently denominated Bishop's Ockinirdon,
and Cravenham ; it was held by the Petre family, one of whom
sold the manor to the ancestors of Sir Nathan Wright, whose
daughter having married General Ogletliorpe *, at her death
Cranham House came into the possession of Sir T. H. Aprcece,
and is at present the residence of Lord Callan.
CRAYFORD, a market town in Kent, 13 miles S. from Lon-
don, had its name from having anciently a ford over the Cray, a
little a!)ove its influx into the Darent. This place is famous for
the decisive battle between Hengist and Vortimer ; where the
Britons lost four of their chief commanders, and were so routed,
that they fled to London, and abandoned Kent to the Saxons.
This battle is generally supposed to be fought on Addington
* General Oglethorpe died here, in 1785, at the very advanced
age of 103, after having lived to see his colony of Georgia, in North
America, which lie settled in 17p2, become independent of th»
la^otber country.
CROYDON. 83
Hills, l^mile east of Croydon: several Roraan urns, &c. have
been found here. Somner, Burton, and Bishop StillingHcet, have
fixed here the Roman station Noviomagus. Tliis is however dis-
puted by Camden and Talbot in favour of Croydon — the dis-
tance however is more favourable for Crayford. In the adjacent
heath and tields are several caves, supposed to have been formed
by the Saxons, as places of security for their wives, children,
and effects, during their wars with the Britons. In the chmch is
a fine altar-piece worthy attention. On the right is Bowmmi's
Lodge ; and on the left May Place, the seat of Lady Fermanagh,
may be seen one mile beyond Crayford.
CROYDON, a market town in Surry, on the edge of Eansted
Down«, 9^ miles S. from London. Abp. Whitgift founded an hos-
pital here, for a warden and 28 men and women, decayed
housekeepers of Croydon and Lambeth, with a school for ten
boys and as many {iirls, with Wl. a year, and a house for the
master, who nuist be a clergyman. " This good archbishop,"
observes Stowe, " through God's favourable assistance, in his
own lifetime, performed and perfitted these premises, for that
(as I myself have heard him say) he would not be to his executors a
cause of damnation." Such was the sohcitude of this munificent
prelvite for the success of his foundation. This school is now en-
tirely neglected, to the very great disgrace of the inhabitants.
The manor has belonged, ever since the Conquest, to the Abps.
of Canterbury ; and here is a venerable palace, in which the first
prelate that can be traced as resident was Abp. Peckham in
1278, and the last, Abp. Button, in 1757. In 1780 an act of
parliament was obtained, empowering certain trustees to sell the
old palace, and to build a new one at Park Hill Farm, half a
mile from the town. The old palace was sold, pursuant to the
act, to the late Sir Abraham Pitches, for 2500/. and the premises
are now occupied by a bleacher. What reflections nmst this sug-
gest on the vicissitudes of our sublunary scene ! In this palace,
Abp. Parker, in 1573, entertained Queen Elizabeth, and all her
retinue, consisting of the principal nobility of the kingdom *.
* Arrangements for Queen Elizabeth's visit to Croydon, written
by Mr. Beyer, gentleman of the black-rod, deposited in the li-
brary at Lambeth.
" Lodgings at Croydon, the Busshope of Canterburye's house,
bestowed as followeth, the 19th of May, 1574.
" The lorde chamberlayne his old lodgings.
" The lorde treasurer wiier he vvas.
" The ladie marques at the nether end of the great chamber.
*• The ladie of Warwicke wher she was.
*' The lorde admyral at the nether end of the great chamber,
" The ladie Howard wher she vvas.
54 CROYDON.
This magnificent entertaioment lasted seven days. The parish
church, which is a handsome gothic structure, the largest and
most elegant church in the county, contains some fine monu-
ments ; among which are those of the Archbishops Grindall, Whit-
gift, and Sheldon : the fijiure of the last, in a recumbent posture,
is a very fine piece of sculpture, in white marble. Here are like-
wise the tombs of Archbishops Wake, Potter, and Herrinjj;, who
possessed much of the candid and liberal spirit of Christianity,
See Craiiford.
In tliis parish, at Nortii End, is Oakfield Place, the seat of
Mrs. Minier,and near the town are the handsome villas of Chris.
Taddy, Esq. and Lady Blunt, but who does not reside there ;
near this place John Brickwood, Esq. has an elegant seat, and at
no great distance are the residences of John Rogers, Thomas
Baiubridge, George Field, and Thomas Walker, Esqrs. About a
mile from the town, in the road to Addington, is a large chalk-pit,
which produces a great variety of extraneous fossils. A new
" The lorde Hundsdon wher he was.
" Mr. Sect)'. Walsingham wher Mr. Smith was.
" The ladie Stafford wher she was.
" Mr. Henedge wher he was.
" Ladies and gentlemen of the privie chamber ther olde,
*' Mrs. Abingdon her olde, and another small room added for the
table.
*' The maydes of honour wher they wher.
** S"^ Geo. Howard wher he \\as.
" The capt of the garde wher my lorde of Oxforde was.
** The grooms of the privye chamber ther olde.
** The esquyers thrs olde.
" The gentfi hussars thrs olde.
•' The physysyons thrs olde.
" The physysyons two chambers.
'* The queens i-obes wher they were.
** The clerke of the kitchen wher he was.
" The wardrobe of beds.
" For the queens wayghters I cannot find any convenencyroomes
to place them in : but I will do the best I can to place them else-
wher: but yf it plese you, sir, that I doo remove them, the
grooms of the pryvie chamber nor Mr. Drewreye, have any other
way to their chambers but to pass them that way. Agayne if
my lady of Oxforde should come, I cannot then tellwher to place
Mr. Hatton, and for my lady Carewe, here is no place with a chim-
ney for her; but she must lay abroad with Mrs. Apparty, and the
rest of the pry vyr chamber ; for Mrs. Skelton there is no room with
rhimney, 1 shall staye one chamber without for her. Here is as
mytch as I have been any ways able to do in this house. From
Croydon, this present Wensday morning,
*' Your honours always mostbounden,
*' S. BOWYER."
D A R 85
turnpike road is now opened to Brigbton from this town, which
takes its course through Smithan Bottom, Leaden Cross, Chip-
stead, and Merstham to Reigatc, avoiding Keigafe Hill, and fall-
ing into the old road behind Gatton Park ; the distance 11
miles. The iron railway from Wandsworth is continued by the
side of this road to Merstham. From this town also, taking its
course northward, is a new navigable canal, which adds conside-
rable beauty to the village of Sydenham, and falls into theThapiej
at Rotherhithe. See Addiscombe Place and Haling House.
D.
DAGENHAM,a village in Essex, nine miles E. from London,
remarkable for the great breach made here by the Thames,
in 1703, which laid near 5000 acres of laud under water. After
many expensive projects to stop this breach, the land owners re-
linquished the undertaking as impracticable. In 1714, parliament
interfered, and trustees wore appointed, who, the next year, con-
tracted with Captain John Perry, who had been employed by the
Czar Peter the Great, in his works on the river Don. He ac-
complished the arduous undertaking in less than two years, for
25,00()Z. the sum agreed upon.
DAGNAM PARK, Essex, two miles N. E. from Romford, in
the parish of Southweald, the seat of Sir Richard Neave, Bart.
DANSON HILL, at Bexley, in Kent, formerly the elegant
seat of Sir John Boyd, Bart, but now of R. Johnson, Esq. The
grounds are beautifully disposed, and adorned with a grand sheet
of water; which, with woods, plantation?, and agreeable inequa-
lities of surface, constitute a delightful piece of scenery.
DARENT, a river in Kent, which rises near Riverhead, and
falls into the Thames below Dartford. Pope thus celebrates this
river :
And silent Darent, staiu'd with Danish blood !
DARENT, pronounced Dame, a village in Rent, 2§ miles
S. of Darttbrd. Darent originally belonged to the church of
Rochester, afterward to Canterbury ; Hubert AValter, Archbi-
shop, exclsanged it for the manor of Lambeth, and Henry VIII.
confirmed it to the newly erected Dean and Chapter of Roches-.
ter, who are now lords of tiie manor, impropriators of the rectory,
and patrons of the vicarage. Darent church is of Saxon archi-
tecture ; on the front is cawed the history of St. Dunstan, of
which, for the satisfaction of the curious, we sl)all be particular
in the description. It consists of eight compartments — in the 1st
is represented King Edgar, who raised Dunstan to the Archbi-
ghopric. Thp '2nd represents Satan under the similitnde of a
I
86 DAR
dragon, ilUislrative of one of the Saint's conflicts ; die Saint is
represented playing on a harp, which, as his legend informs us,
had this miraculous power, that when suspended on the walls of
Dunstan's cell, would, without the aid of any visible hand, pour
out the most harmonious sounds*. The 4th represents a centaur,
by which is meant the Evil Spirit, when, with his barking dogs,
he interrupted St. Dunstan, whilst a lad, hastening to a church
to return thanks for a supposed miraculous recovery, and whom
the stripling, by brandishing his stick in the face of the opposing
spectre, routed with all his pack. The 5th represents the horse
on which the Saint rode, miraculously struck dead when the voice
from heaven informed the Saint, that King Edred, whom he was
going to comfort in his last moments, was dead. Tlie 6th re-
presents the Fox or the Wolf, under which forms it is said the
devil tempted him. The 7th has the human form, witli tlie frjce
of a hon or bear ; this denotes the sharp encounter the Saiut had
with the Devil under one of these fonns, in beating of whom he
broke his pastoral staff. The 8th is said to apply to an anecdote of
the birth of King Ethelred II. who having defiled the sacred font
at baptism, the Saint prophetically denounced with an oath, as
most unfortunate through life. Such were the idle tales of for-
mer times.
DARTFORD, a market-town in Kent, 15 miles S. from Lon-
don, situate on the Darent. Here are the remains of a nunnery,
founded by Edward III. Biidget, daughter of Edward IV. was
prioress here; and many ladies of noble families were nuns in
this house. At the dissolution, Henry VIII. converted it into a
royal mansion, and granted the office of keeper of it to Sir
Richard Long. On his death, Edward VI. granted the same
office to Lord .Seymour, ihe unfortunate brother of the unfortu-
nate Duke of Somerset. It was granted, the next year, to Anne
ofCleve, the divorced wife of Henry VIII. ; and, on her death,
Queen Mary granted it to the Friars Preachers of Langley in
Herts. Elizabeth kept it in her own hands ; but James I. granted
it to the Earl of Salisbury. He conveyed it to Sir Robert Darcy,
who gave to it the namt- of Dartford Place. What remains of
this nunnery is only a fine gateway, used as a stable, and a con-
tiguous farm-house. Henry VI. founded an almshouse at Dart-
ford for five decrepit men. On the river, t!ie (ir-t paper-mill in
England was erected by Sir John Spihnan, who obtained a pa-
tent, and L>00/. a \ear, from Charles I. to enable him to carry on
that manufacture; and on this river was aho the first mill for
slitting iron bars for making wire. Here is a cliurcli, uitli two
churchyards ; one round the church, and the otlier on the top
* As St. Dunstan was a " cunynge workman in iron, brasse, and
woode," may he not have been the" inventor of the instrument now-
called the Eoiian Harp ?
DEN 87
of a hill, which is so high tliat it overlooks tlie tower of the
churcli. The rebellion of Wat Tyler began in this town. Here
a small but neat Bridewell, a little out of the town, was built
several years ago. About a mile beyond Dartford are the pow-
der mills of Messrs. Andrews and Pigou ; as to the destructive
material here manufactured, it is famed for the fineness of its
quality.
DATCHET, a village in Bucks, eight miles W. S. W. from
Colnbrook, is situated on the Thames, over which it had a wooden
bridge, lately carried away by floods : a new one is however in-
tended to be erected near the site of the former, its place being
at present supplied by a ferryboat. Below this bridge, the
banks of the river are enriched with handsome villas, which com-
mand a fine view of Windsor Castle, &c. Here the famous
astronomer Hcrschel lias fixed his immense telescope, by means of
a complicated scaffolding: it is a real curiosity, and cannot fail
of exciting attention. See Ditton Park and Slough.
DEEPDEN, Surry, adjoining the S. E. of Dorking, is situated
in a valley, surrounded by steep hills. In the last ceniury, Mr.
Charles Howard, who here amused himself witii chemistry and
other philosophical researches, planted the level ground about the
house with a variety of exotics. The hills were covered with
trees on every side, excepting the south aspect, which was
planted with vines ; and some tolerably good wine was nrade
here, though the hill is so steep, that it is difficult to ascend it :
but the vineyard is no more. On the summit of the hill is a
summer house, from which, in a clear day, the sea, over the
South Downs, near Arundel,^may be discerned. This romantic
spot descended to the late Duke of Norfolk, who pulled down
the old house, and built a handsome one in its stead. The oifices
being considerably lower than the house, the communication be-
tween them is subterraneous. The late duchess was very fond
of the gardens, and formed here a hermitage, with all the humble
requisites for a holy anchorite. In the gardens, on the sides of
the hill, are several uatural caverns. The present duke sold the
place, in 1791, to the late Sir William Burrell, Bart, At present
it is inhabited by Thomas Hope, Esq.
DENBIGH8, near Dorking, Surry, was remarkable for its
t'ardens, laid out in a singular style, by Jonathan Tyers, Esq. the
first proprietor of Vauxhall of that name. It is now in the pos-
session of William Joseph Denisoii, Esq. Among other singula-
rities, Mr. Tyers had contrived to represent " The Valley of the
Shadow of Death." Awful and tremendous the view, on a de-
scent into this gloomy vale ! There was a large alcove, divitjed
into two compartments, in one of which the Unbeliever was re-
presented dying in great agony. Near bim were his book;i>
1 S
88 D E P
which encouraged liim in his hbertine course, such iis Hobbes,
Tindal, &c. In the other was the good Christian, cahn and se-
rene, taking a solemn leave of the world, and anticipating the
joys of immortaUty !
DENHAM, a village in Bucks, three miles N. W. from Ux-
bridge, in which is the seat and park of Benjamin Way, Esq.
Here al<o is Denham Conrt, the property of Sir William Bowyer,
Bart, now let to Henry Hugh Hoare, Esq.
DENMx\RK HILL, a fine hill near Camberwell, Surry, in the
road from that village to Dulwich. It commands some pleasing
prospects, and, on that account, some handsome houses have lately
been erected on it.
DEPTFORD, anciently called West Greenwich and Deep,
ford, a large town in Kent, divided into Upper and Lov^cr D' pt-
ford. It is seated on the Thames, tour miles S. S. E. fiom Lonr'on,
and is remarkable for its noble u. ck-yard, in which a great num-
ber of hands are employed. Lately first-rate ships have been built
here; the fin'^st ship iv ti.e British navy, the Queen Qnrlotte,
having been 'aunched frcm this ^ocK, or. July 17, 1810, amidst
the greatest c<n-course ;^*" s. e<'ta<ors ev''i assc-mbled o: :?urij -an oc-
casion. It has a wet do^k of two acre-, ^nd ar<»thi^r of a'» acre
and a half, with great qua'.itities of tin b^*', ^x'' <• ive storehouses,
See. Here the royal yachts aje gentixily kept: md here is the
manor of Say's Court, the property o^Sir Frederic EveI)n,Bart.
The manorlioiise was the scat of his aricestor, John E- '^lyn, Esq.
a celebrated natural philosopher of the last ct-ntury, ai-t t'-e re-
sidence also of the Czar Peter the Great, during the time that he
worked as a shipwright in the yard. But this house has been
demolished many years; ami on its site now stands the workhoiise
of the parish of St. Nicholas *.
In Deptford are the two parishes of St. Nicholas and St. Paul,
and two hospitals, one of which was incorporated by Henry
VHI. and is called Trinity House of Deptford Strond : it contains
21 housfs, and is situated near the church. Tiie other, called
'i'iii:i?y Hospital, has 58 ho:isos. Both thase houses are for de-
cayed pilots or masters of ships, or their widows, the men being
allowed 20s. and the women l6s. a n^nnth. Hither a grrrind pro-
cession comes on Trinity Monday from the Trinity House on
Tower Hill ; they are received with the firing of cannon, and
the otlier usual marks of joy and festivity. Beside the churches
* Whilst resident here, the Czar frequently amvsed himself by
being wheeled in a wheel-barrow through Mr. Evelyn's holly-
hedge, which provoked the philosopher to make the following: ob-
servation, " thanks to the Czar for spoiling my garden." Cer-
tainly an ungrateful return for the use of such a place.
DOC 89
already specified, there are chapels belonging to the methodists,
to tlie general baptists, and other classes of the protestant dis-
sentei-s.
Deptford, though in general very dirty, has many good houses,
and an extensive population.
At the distance of lialf a mile S. from Deptford, a large build-
ing has been lately erected on the banks of the Ravensbourne,
iunnin;s; through the town; at which gun-barrels, bayonets, hal-
berds, &c. are manufactured by machinery, which is set in motion
by a steam-engine of vast power. Within tliese few years a com-
modious wooden bridge for foot passengers has been thrown over
Deptford Creek, which was formerly passed in boats, and fre-
quently-attended with danger. See IVutton and Greenwich.
DERHAM PARK, formerly the seat of Christopher Bethel,
Es(j. two miles N. W. of Barnet, in the parish of South Mimnis,
is situate on an eminence, in a small valley, and surrounded, at a
little distance, by high hills. At the entrance of the extensive
park is a magnificent gateway, which cost '■lOOOl. This estate
has been lately purchased by John Trotter, Esq.
DITTON PARK, the seat of Lord Montagu, in the parish of
Datchet, was built by Sir Ralph Milwood, Secretary of Stale to
James I. on the scite of a mansion which had been occupied by
Cardinal Wolsey. It is surrounded by a moat. Tiie apartments
are spacious and finely painti'd ; and in the gallery there is a
good collection of pictures. The park is famed for its ancient
majestic oaks.
DOCKS, EAST INDIA, at Blackwall, have be^n formed by
the East India Company for the acconunodation of their trade.
They were originally constructed by Mr. Perry, but have been
much enlarged, and store-houses have been erected cu the quays
for the purpose of deposiiing the rigging, sails, guns, and other
stores of the shipping. The import dock is 1410 feet long, 560
feet wide, 30 feet di-ep, and contains an area of 18^ acres: the-
export dock is 780 feet long, 520 feet wide, 30 feet deep, and
contains an area of 9^ acres. In this dock is a curious mechanical
contrivance, for dismasting and masting ships, the invention of the
former proprietor. By this machine, a ship of I'iOO tons burthen
can take in her masts in three hours time ! From this dock all tlie
goods imported are conveyed to the Company's warehonses,
locked up in covered waggons, and all means of smuggling effeb-
lually prevented.
DOCK, LONDON, situated on the banks of the river, in the
heart of Wapping, and occupying a space formerly inhabited by
many tiiousands of tiadesmen, labourers, and others. This dock
is 126? feet long, 699 feet wide, 27 feet deep, contains 20 acres,
J3
9t> DOW
and has a very large and spacious entrance bason. The ware*
houses for containing the various goods and commodities imported
here are on a very grand scale, and afford all the facilities for
immediate consumption, or exportation. In this dock are the
King's tobacco warehouses, and under them the tirst range of cellars
in the world: those cellars are solely appropriated to the recep-
tion of wines and brandies, and frequently cohtain 5000 pipes of
the former.
DOCKS, WEST INDIA, are situated in the Isle of Dogs,
and have been constructed for tiie accommodation of the West
India trade. The import dock is 2600 feet in length, 510 feet in
breadth, 29 feet in depth, and has thetinest range of warehouses
ever erected: the export dock is !^600 feet in length, 400 feet
in width, and 29 feet in depth. The former dock will contain
between 200 and 300 sail, and the latter about 200. The en-
trances into these docks are from Blackwall on the east, and
from Limehouse Hole on the west.
DORKING, a market-town in Surry, 23 miles from London,
is seated on the river Mole, and upon a rock of soft sandy stone,
in which deep cellars are dug, which are extremely cold even in
the midst of summer. An incredible quantity of poultry are sold
in Dorking, which are large and fine, and remarkable for having
five claws. Here are tiequently, about Christmas, capons so
large, as to weigh between seveu and eiaht pounds out of their
feathers. This town was destroyed by the Danes, but rebuilt
either by Canute or ihe Normans. It is remarkable, that, ac-
cording to the custom of the manor, the youngest son or brother
of a customary tenant is heir to the customary estate of the tenant
dying intestate. It is impossible for those who visit Dorking not
to be charmed with the graceful variety of the surrounding
scenery. See Chart Park, Deepden, and Denbighs.
DORNEY COURT, near Eaton Wick, the seat of Sir Charles
Harcourt Palmer, Bart.
DOWN HALL, Essex, three miles and an half E. N.E. from
Harlow, the scat of the late Thomas Selwyn, Esq. on an eminence
that commands a fine prospect, was chosen by Prior for retire-
ment, after mriny years of political intrigue ; and in his works is
' Down Hall,' a ballad, of which the best line is,
* I shovv'd you Down Hall : did you look for Versailles ?'
Prior, alter having filled many public employments with ability,
found himself, at the age of 53, in danper of poverty. But his
friends procured a subscription for his Poems, which amounted
to 4000 guineas ; and Lord Harley, son of the Earl of Oxford,
to whom he bad invariably adhered, added an equal sum for the
DUL 91
purchase of this place, which our poet v/as to enjoy dnring life,
and Harley after his decease.
' He had now,' says Dr. Johnson, < what wits and philosophers
have often wished, tlio power of pa-^sinjj; tlie day in contemplative
tranquillity. But it seems, that busy men seldom live i()U2; in a
state of quiet. It is not unlikely tiiat his health declined. He
complains of deafness ; for (says he) / took little care of my ears,
while I was not sure whether my head was my otvn.' — Our poet
alludes here to the terrors of an impeachment wiiich had been
impending over him. He died at Wimpole, in Caml>vid<reshire,
the seat of the Earl of Oxford, in 17'21. After his death, the
noble proprietor much improved the grounds, cut vistas through
an adjacent wood, and sometimes made it the place of his resi-
dence. The present mansion, a handsome edifice, was rebuilt a
few years ago, and is now in the occupation of Mr. Lovibond.
In the eye of the lover of classic ground, however, it will still
retain a value for having been the residence of Prior, whose
iiame stands conspicuous in the annals of British poetry.
DOWN PLACE, Bucks, the e)egant villa of John Huddle-
stone, Esq, is situated on the Thames, three miles and a half
S. S. B. from Maidenhead. The noble buildings of Windsor and
Eton are here seen in a point of view which is not to be equalled
in any other place.
DROPMORE HILL, the new built villa of Lord GrenviUe,
at Burnham, in Buckinghamshire, seated on the side of Wooburn
Common. Its elevated situation commands the most extensive
and varied prospects.
DULWICH, a village, in the parish of Camberwell, five miles
S. S. E. from London, celebrated a few years ago for its medi-
cinal water, to wl-.ich there was such a resort of conipany, that
the master of the house, then called the Green Man, erected a
handsome room for their accommodation. The wells have since
fallen into disrepute, and the house was occupied for some time
by the late liord Tliurlow. The fine walk opposite tljis liouse,
through the woods, affords from its top a noble prospect : but
this is murh exceeded by that from a hill behind the house, under
a tree, called The Oak of Honour. Dulwich is delightful for its
rural simplicity, thus celebrated by the iEscuIapian bard :
Or lose the \A'orld amid the silvan wilds
Of Dulwich, yet by barbarous arts unspoiPd.
Dulwich was the birthplace of the celebrated Nan Catley, after*
Wards Mrs. Lascelles.
A singular murder was lately committed here on a poor old
man called the Heimit ofDuhvich. It was never discovered who
•2 DUR
perpetrated the deed, though certain circumstances with which it
was accompanied excited no small attention. See Knight's Hill.
DULWICH COLLEGE, founded at Dulwich, in 1614, by
Mr. Edward Alleyn, who named it the College of God's Gift.
This gentleman was an actor in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and
tlie principal performer in many of Shakspeaie's plays. He
founded this college for a Master and Warden^, who were always
to be of the name of Alh yu or Allen, with four Fellows, thne
of whom were to be di\ine.5, and the fourth an organist , and for
six poor men, as many poor wonien, Jind twelve poor boys, to be
educated by two of the Fellows. When the boys arrive at a
proper age, they are sent to the tmiversities, or placed out ap-
prentices. A premiiun of 10/. is given with each of the latter ;
and, if they behave well, they arc presented with 5/. ai the ex-
piration of their servitiuk'. Mr. Alleyn constituttd, for visitors,
the Churchwardens of Si. Botolph, Bishopsgate ; St. Giles, Crip-
plegate ; and St. Saviour, Soutlnvark ; who, upon occasion, were
to appeal to the Archbis!»op of Canterbury, before whom all the
Members were to be sworn at their admission. To this college
belongs a chapel, in which the founder himself is buried. The
Master is Lord of tiie Manor for a con^iderable extent, and en-
joys the affluence and ease of the Prior of a monastery. Both he
and the Wardens must continue unmarried, on pain of being ex-
clndf (I thi' college. The Warden always succeeds upon the death
of the Master.
Tiie original edifice was after a plan of Inigo Jonts, in the old
taste, and contains the chapel, and Ma.Hter's apartments, in the
front, and t!ie lodgings of the other inhabitants in the wings.
That on the east side was new-built in 1739. The Master's rooms
are adorned with noble old furniture, which he is obliged to pur-
chase, on his entrance into that station ; and there is a library, to
which every Master generally adds a number of books. An idle
tradition, sufliciently refuted in the Biographia Britannica, as-
signed as the motive of the found* j- for thi^ endowment, that once
personating the devil, he was so te; rilied at seeing a re^l devil, as
lie imagined, on the stage, that he quitted his profession, and de-
voted his hfe to religious exercises. An idea has also prevailed,
that the founder excluded all future benefactions to this college ;
but this is erroneous. In 1686, Mr. Cartwright, a celebrated
comedian and bookseller, in Holborn, bequeathed to the college
his collection of books an<l pictures, and 400/. in money ; and,
in 1756, a legacy of 300/. was left to the college by Lady Falk-
land ; the interest to be divided among the poor bretliren and
sisters, according to the will of the donor. It is altogetlier a
singular but valuable institution.
DURDANS, near Epsom, Surry, was originally built by
George, first Earl of Berkeley, with the materials brought from
E A L 9S
Nonsuch, when that celebrated royal residence was demolished*
It was do>troyed by fire, many years ago, but was rebuilt hy Mr.
Dalbiac, and is now the seat of Cliarks Blackraan, Esq.
E.
IT^ALING, a parish in Middlesex, situate near the road to
[j Uxhriilpe, about seven miles W. from London. One part
of ii is cal!ed Great, and the other Little Ealing. In tiie former
are many handsome villas ; among which the most distinguished
are Ealing House, the seat of Edward Payne, Esq.; Hicks, upon
the He.iih, the S' at of Sir William Tnnnbull (Secretary of State
to K'ug William, and the intimate friend of Pop* ), and now the
property of Frederic Barnard, Esq. who has enlarged arsd im-
proved the premises ; Ealing Grove, which was successively the
seat of the Dnkes of Maill)orough and Argyie, and lately of
James Baillie, Esq. (ieceased ; Rockwork Gate House, tiic resi-
dence of Thomas Mathias, Esq.; and a hous>"binlt by tlie?ate T.
Wood, Esq. on Hanger Hd', on the right of tiie road from Acton
to Hanwell, iu)\v the residence of W. Wood, Esq. At Little
Ealing are Place House, the s«at of Cuthbert Fisher, Esq. and
the villas of Sir Charles Morgan and Lord Banbury. At Castle
Hill is the elegant villa of the lat'-' Henry Beaufoy, Esq. now the
residence of his Royal Highness tl.fj Duke of Kent ; and on Castle
Bear Hill is tl.e villa of Richard Meux, Esq.
The old church having fallen down, March 27, 1729, a neat
new one was erected. At Old Brentford, in this parish, is George
Chapel, built in 1770, as a chapel of ease.
The Sunday sdiools in tiiis parish, instituted in 1786, by the
Rev. Charles Sti.rges, the present vicar, have been particu-
larly etficacious, in consequence of the persevering attention
of Mrs. Trimme), so well known by her useful ieatis^s, tending
to increase the coiidorts, and relbrm the manners of the poor,
Abeut 60 boys, and more than lOO girls, are now educating in
these scliools, which are conducted on a plan that affords great en-
couragement to the meritorious, and is admirably calculated to
excite a spirit of emtdalion and improvement *. A school of in-
df.stry for girls has been some time established; at present they
are 40 in number, and are employed in making coarse shirts.
A school of industry for boys has also been lately opened : hitherto
* One of the regulations is, that every child who is a constant
attendant, and comes to scheol before nine in the morning, neat
in person and apj^erel, on paying a half-penny, shall receive a
penny ticket. The advantages of this regulation proved to be
such, that gowns were purchased for all the girls who had been three
months in the school, and clothing for the boys according to their
respective merits.
91 E G H
they have been employed only in combing wool ; but it is in
ronteniplation to find them some otlier occupation, which may
prove of more service to them in future life. For such perse-
vering attention to the nnderstandinj? and morals of the rising
generation, among the lower classes, Mrs. Trimmer deserves
veil of the British comn)unity. See Gnnntrsburij House.
EDGWARE, a market-town, eiu'ht miles N. W. from London,
on the road (the ancieiit Watling Stteet) to St. Alban's. The
west side of the street is in the parish of Whitechurch. See
Urocklcy Hill.
EDMONTON, a village in Middlesex, seven miles E. from
London, on the i oad to War<^. Near Tanners End, in this parish,
is The Firs, formerly tiie seat of the late Sir James Winter Lake,
JBart. See Bush Hill and Southgate.
EFFINGHAIM, a village in Surry, thiee miles N.E. from
Leatheihead, was once, according to tradition, a populous place,
in which were 1 6 churches. There are still proofs of its having been
much larger than it is at present ; for weiis and cavities like cellars
have been frequently found in the fields and woods here; and iu
the church are several old stalls and monuments. Here is the late
seat of General De Lancey, which he built himself, surrounded
by his own estate, where the beauties of nalme and art are most
happily combined. Tliis beautiful place has been recently given
up by the General to commissioners, for the pui-pose of liquidating
a debt due to government ; and although the estate has been sold,
and netted more than the debt incurred, no balance has been
produced !
EGHAM, a village in Surry, on the Thames, 18 miles W. S. W.
from London. Here is a neat almshouse, founded in 1706, by Mr.
Henry Strode, merchant of London, for six men and six women.
The centre of this building is a good house for a schoolmaster,
who has the education of twenty poor boys of Egham. Sir John
Denham, Baron of the Exchequer in the reigns of James and
Cliarles L resided in this parish, and founded an ahnshouse here
for six men and six women. Sir John Denham, his .^on, cele-
brated Cooper's Hill, in a work which will last longer than even
the applause of that loyalty for which he sacrificed his family
estates ; a loyalty
* Strong without rage, without o'erflowing full.'
Here also dwelt the famous Sir John Doddridge, a very able
judge and scholar, whose memory is kept up by the jury which
was impannelled in consequence of his reproof to the Sheiiff of
Huntington, on account of the meanness of the former jury which
had been returned ; the next list of jurors, however, so fur com-
ELT 95
pensated for the neglect, that on calling them over in court, the
gravity of tlie bench was invaded by having named Maximilian,
King of Toseland ; Adam, Prince of Godmanchester ; the rest
were a Duke, Earl, Marquis, Lord, a Bishop of Biickden, and
other sounding names, ending with Knight, Squire, and Yeomen.
See Cooper's Hill and Runny Mead.
ELSTREE, a village in Herts, 11 miles N. N. W. from London,
in the road from Edgware to St. Alban's, is thought by Norden
to have been the Roman city called Sulloniacte, mentioned by
Antoninus ; but Camden and Horsley are of opinion that it was
on Brockley Hill, in this neighbourhood ; many urns, coins, Ro-
man bricks, &c. having been dug up there ; and at Penny-well,
near Brockley Hill, are still visible the foundations of several
walls. In the church was buried, on the 14th of April, 1779, the
unfortunate Miss Ray, the daughter of a labourer in this parish,
and the chere amie of the late Lord Sandwich. She was 8hot by
the Rev. Mr. Hackman, under the Piazza of Covent Garden,
coming out of the theatre. Her enthusiastic lover and mur-
derer was tried a few days after, and executed on the 19th of the
same month. If the pedestrian, on quitting this melancholy re-
positO)7 of murdered frailty, takes his course eastward, he should
pause at the Telegraph on Woodcock Hill, within a mile of Elstree,
where he will command a view of St. Alban's Abbey, the tine
seats in Hertfordshire, and, in the extreme distance, the second
corresponding station of the Telegraph, at Dunstable, in Bed-
fordshire. We have been industrious to point out these stations,
because they atford the best views in the coimty. See Brockley
Hill.
ELTHAM, a market town in Kent, eight miles S. from Lon-
don, on the road to Maidstone. Anthony Beck, Bishop of Durham,
having fraudulently secured the possession of this manor, beauti-
fied the capital mansion, and left it to Eleanor, the queen of Ed-
ward I. Edward II. frequently resided here. His queen was
here delivered of a son, who had the name of John of Eltham,
Possibly, from this circumstance, it is improperly called King
John's Palace ; unless it obtained this appellation from the sump-
tuous entertainment given here by Edward III. to the captive
King John of France. Succeeding princes, and particularly
Henry \ II. enlarged and improved this palace; but it was
neglected, after Greenwich became the favourite country resi-
dence. Our princes often c( lebrated their festivals at Eltham
with groat pomp. One of the last of these feasts was held here
at Whitsuntide, 1515, when Henry VHI. created Sir Edward
Stanlev Barow Monteagle, for his services at Flodden Field.
Part of the stately hall, which was the scene of those feasts, is
still in go'xl preservation, and is used as a barn. The roof, in
particular, is somewhat like that of VYestminster Hall. The large
96 ENF
moat round the palace, although the t-'reatest part of it is dry, and
covered with verdure, has still two stone briiges over it, one of
which consists .of four arclies. The fai in-h<;use, in the inclosure,
though soniewliat modernized, or rather disguised by plaster and
wliite-washing, \va<« part of this ancient palace. Queen Elizabeth,
who was born at Greenwich, was frequontly carried thence to
Eltham, wlien an inlaut, for the benefit of the air; and this pa-
lace she visited in a summei exciiisioii round the country in 1659.
It was granted, with the manor, for a term of years, perpetually
renewable, to one of the ancestors of Sir John Shaw, who has here
a seat and plant itions, called Eltham Lodge ; but the trees in the
park are the property of the crown, and many of them were marked
for sale in a former survey. In the handsome garden o' M»-. Dorring-
ton is a;;ri^en house in which were foiiiif-ly kept the exotics of that
eniineni botanist, Dr. Sherard. Thc^ Hortus KIthamiensis is well
known to tlie curious in boiany. In Eltham churchyard lie the
remains of Bishop Home, of pious memory. His wiitings are
much read and admired by the religious wo; Id. — For an account
of Shooter^s Hill, and its castle, in this parish, see that article in
a subsequent part of this work.
EMBER COURT, at Thames Ditton, between Kingston and
Esher, was the seat of Arthur Onslow, the celebrated Speaker
of the House of Commons. It is now the seat of Colonel Taylor.
ENFIELD, a town in Middlesex, 10 miles ca«t from Lon-
don, was famed for its chase, a large tract of woodland, filled
with de^r. This was granted by tiie Conqueror to an ancestor
of the Mandevilles, Earls of Essex, from whom it came lo the
Bohuns. It was afterwards annexed to the Duchy of Lancaster.
When King James resided at Theobalds, this chase was well
stocked with deer ; but in the Civil Wars it was stripped of the
game and timber, and let out in farm«. At the Restoration, it
was again laid open, woods were planted, and the whole chase
stocked with deer; bnt, by an act of Parliament, in 1779, it was
disforested. Part of it was allotted to different parish' s, and in-
closed, when it was found to contain 8349 acres; and another
part, reserved to the crown, was sold in eight lots, at the office
of the Duchy of Lancaster. In the town is part of an ancient,
ro\al palace, respecting the building of which antiquaries are not
agreed. It w^as the manor-house of Enfield ; and either in this^
or another ancient house, called Elsynge-hall (now demolished),
Edward VI. on his accession to the throne, kept his court, for
five months before he removed to London. INIr. Ly^ons is of
opinion ( lol. II p. 28^, that the palace ' underwent considerable
repairs, or perhaps was wholly rebuilt, in the reign of this prince,
and most probably upon occasion of the manor being granted to
the Princess Elizabeth."
ENFIELD. 97
One of tlie rooms still remains in ifs original state, with oak
pannels, nn<\ a richly ornamented ceilinjr. The cliimney-piece is
supported by columns of the Ionic and Corinthian oidcr, and
decorated with the cognizances of the rose and portcullis, and
tiie arms of France and England quartered, with the garter,
and royal supporters, a lion and a grypiion. Underneath is this
motto : ' Sola salus servire Deo, sunt ccBterafraudes — ' Our only
security is to serve God : aught else is vanity.' In the same
room is preserved part of another chimney- pifce, with nearly the
same ornaments, and this motto : * Ut ros super herbam, est bene-
volenfia regis — * Like tlie dew on the grass is the bounty of the
king ;' alluding, it is probable, to the royal grant. Among the
collection of royal letters in the British Musem is a Latin one
from the Prinress Elizabeth, dated Enfield ; and in the Bodleian
Librai-)' is a MS. copy of a sermon, translated by the princess,
from the Italian of Occhini. It is written on vellum, in her own
hand, and was sent as a new-year's gift to her brother, King
Edward. The dedioition is dated Enfield, Dec. 30 ; the year not
mentioned. When Elizabeth became queen, she frequently vi-
sited Entield, and kept her court there in the early part of her
reign. The palace was alienated from the crown by Charles I.
and has been ever since in. private hand?. In 1670 it was taken
by Mr. Uvedale, master of the grammar school, who being at-
tached to the study of botany, planted a cedar of Libanus, now
one of the finest in the kingdom, and measuring, at three feet
from the ground (in 1793), twelve feet in girth. The whole
building in front was taken down in 179^, and on the site of it
are erected some small houses. The small part left standing be-
hind (and which contains the old rooms) has been new fronted,
and is in the occupation of Mrs. Perry. The whole of this old
palace was purchased, in 1786, by Mr. Thomas Callaway, steward
of Guy's Hospital, of tlie representatives of Eliah Breton, Esq.
Enfield Park, part of this ancient royal demesne, is the seat of
Samuel Clayton, Esq. In this parish also are several villas ; par-
ticularly Four-tree Hill, the seat of the late Edmund Armstrong,
Esq. said to have been built by Inigo Jones ; East Lodge, which
had been occasionally used by C'narles I. as a hunting seat; West
Lod^'e and North Lo(Jg^• (all three held by lease under the crown
by the guardians of the D'lcltess of Chandos, a lunatic), the lat-
ter in tiie occupation of Thomas James, Escp ; a iarge new built
bouse on Beech Hill, the seal of J. Davis, Esq. and the hand-
some villa of Ravvson Hart Boddam, Ef-q. formerly governor of
Bombay. That emiiient antiouary, Richard Gou^-h, Esq. resided
many years at Enfield. He died Feb. 20, 180P, leaving many
legacif'S; piuticukriy the whole of his invaliuible collection of
books on British Topography, to the Bodleian Library at Ox-
ford. See Souilkgatey South Lodge, and Trent Place.
9S EPS
V ENFIELD HIGHWAY, just beyond the 10 mile stone ou
the rigbt, stands the liouse (now a baker's shop) where the once
famous Betty Canning was said to be contined in the year 1753.
Her case and trial were tlie subjects of public conversation for
several moutbs.
ENGLEFIELD GREEN, in the parish of Eghani, but ia
the county of Berks, is delightfully situated on the summit of
Cooper's Hill, in the road that leads through AVindsor Great Park
to Reading. Among some good houses here is the handsome seat
of Mrs. Hervey, and Englefield HoQse, belonging to Richard
Benion, Esq.
EPPING, a town in Essex, 161 miles E. from London. The
markets, wliich are on Thursday for cattle, and on Friday for
provisions, are kept in Epping-Street, a hamlet about a mile
and a half from the church. The butter made in this part of the
county, and known in London by the name of Eppiog butter,
is in particular esteem, and sells at a higher price than any other.
See Copped Hall.
EPPING FOREST, a royal ckase, extending from Epping
almost to London, was anciently a very extensive district, and,
under the name of the Forest of Essex, included a great part of
the county. It had afterward the name of Waltham Forest,
w'uich has long yielded to its present appellation. To this forest,
tliat of Hainault, which lies to the south-east, was once, it is
supposed, an appendage. Both these forests are adorned with
many seats and villas. A stag is annually turned out on this fo-
rest, on Easter Monday, for the amusement of the London sports-
men. The Ranger is Samuel Bosanquet, Esq. See Hainault
Forest.
EPSOM, properly Ebbesham, a town in Surry, 142 mJle*
S.S.W. from London. Its mineral waters, which issue from af
rising ground near Ashted, were discovered in 1618, and soon
became famous ; but, for many years past, they have been neg-
lected, and tiie public rooms are gone to decay. Horse races
are annually held on the neighbouring downs, in the months
of May and October, which are attended by a vast concourse of
spectators. The race course is nearly equal to that of Newmar-
ket, and being on an elevated situation, commands a delightful
view of the surrounding country. The town extends about a
mile and a half, in a semicircle, from the church to Durdans, the
seat of Charles Blackraan, Esq. There are many fine seats in
the neighbourhood, beside Durdans ; as a seat on Woodcote
Green, belonging to William Northey, Esq. lord of the manor;
Woodcote Park, the late Lord Baltimore's, now the seat of
j^ewis Tessier, Esq.; and Pit Place, so called from its situation,
E S H 94
])ein» in a chalk-pit. It was built by the late Mr. Belcher,
and is a very whimsical but elegant retiretmnt. The last pro-
prietor, Mr. Fitzherbert, made ^leat improvements in it: the
drawing-room, conservatory, and aviary, in particular, are sup-
posed to be the most beautifid of the kind in Surry. It is now
the property of Mr. Jewdwine. Epsom has a light and airy ap-
pearance, and stands in a pleasant situation.
ERITH, a village in Kent, on the Thames, 14 miles from
London. In this neighbourhood formerly stood tlie abbey of
Lesnes. The Spire of Erith is noticed in the following picturesque
manner by Mr. Bloomfield in his Wild Flowtrs :
O'er eastward uplands gay or rude,
Along to Eriths hied spire ;
I start with strength and hope renew'd,
And cherish life's rekindling fire.
Now measure vales with straining eyes.
Now trace the church-yard's humble names,
Or climb brown heaths abrupt that rise.
And overlook the winding Thames !
See Belvedere House.
ESHER, a village in Surry, four miles S.W. from Kingston.
See Claremont.
ESHER PLACE, formerly the seat of the late Right Hon„
Henry Pelham, was anciently one of the seats of the prelates of
Winchester, being built by Bishop Wainfleete, and greatly improved
by Cardinal AVolsey, when he held that see in conjunction with
tliose of York and Durham. The whole was rebuilt by Mr. Pel-
ham, in the same style as the original, and after the design of
Kent, except ihe two towers in the body of the honse» which
belonged to the old structure. In one of these tow ers was a very
curious winding staircase, which excited theadnuia*ion of many
eminent architects. This mansion afterwards became the pro-
perty of Miss Pelham, and at her decease was sold to John
Spicer, Esq. who pulled down the old mansion, except one of
the towers, and has erected an elegant house on the same spot.
The late noble mansion was situated in a low vale, on the
banks of the river Mole, and approached, by a circular sweep,
through a declining lawn : the river winding pleasijntly throngli
the grounds, and forming a very beautiful piece of water. On
the left, entering the park, at some distance, the groun<l takes a
serpentine fornj ; and the heights being planted with chimps of
firs and other trees, have a rich and bold effect. On a further
advance, to the right, the eye is attracted by a fine open cotmtry.
An elegant summer-house, situate on the most elevated spot in
the park, commands a variety of rich and pleasant prospects.
100 E S H
Among the nearer views, are Richmond Hill, Hampton Court,
Harrow on the Hill, Windsor Castle, the windings <jf tiie Thames,
&c. and, on the other si;le, are Claremont, and other tine seats.
— Another biiildin;:, railed The Bower, is overhung with ivy, the
massy foliage of uliich is at once beantifnl and picturesque. Al-
most every step affords a new and pleasing object; and, to en-
rich the scene, tlie river frequently presents itself througti the
trees, or in full view from an open space; and it is again obscured
by the intervention of some object, perhaps not less pieasing.
These enchauting scenes are immortalized in the charming
poetry of Thomson ;
Esher's groves.
Where in the sweetest solitude, embrac'd
By the soil windings of the silent Mole,
From courts and senates, Pelham finds repose !
And the unassuming genius of Dodsley has seated the genius of
Gardens,
In the lovely vale
Of Esher, where the Mole glides lingering; loth
To leave such scenes of sweet simplicity !
The philosopher too will here find subjects of n)editation ;
especially when he is disposed to reflect on the instability and
vanity of all earthly grandeur. To this piace ('Len called Asher)
was the magnificent Wnlsey comm^mtlpd to retire, just after he
had perceived, for the first time, that he had for ever lost the
favour of his sovereign ; and the great master of thf human
heart has made him give utterance to his feelings in this affecting
exclamation :
Nay, then, fare^vell !
I have touch'd the highest point of all my greatness;]
And, from that full meridum of my glory,
I haste now to my setting ! I shall rail
Like a bright exhalation in the evening.
And no man see me more !
The world, that had piid him such abject court during his
prosperity, now deserted him (all but the faithful Cromwell) on
this fatal reversi^", of fortune. He himself was much dejected with
the change, and from the same turn of mmd which had made
him so vainly elated with his grandeur, he felt the stroke of ad-
versity with double riijour :
In full-blown dignity see Wolsey stand,
Law in his%'oice, and fortune in hand :
To him the church, the realm, their pow'rs consign.
Through him the rays of regal bounty shine :
Turn'd by his nod the stream of honour flows :
His smile at once secui'ity bestows.
'^
I
E W E 101
Still to new heights his restless wishes soar;
Claim leads to claim, and pow'r advances pow'r j
Till conqnest unresisted ceas'd to please, ,
And rights submitted, left him none to seize !
At length his sov'reign frowns — the train of state
Mark the-^ceen glance, and watch the sign to hate.
Where'er he turns, he meets a stranger's eye;
His suppliants scorn him, and his followers fly.
Now drops at once the pride of awful state.
The golden canopy, the glitt'ring plate.
The regal palace, the luxurious board.
The liveried army, and the menial lord !
With age, with cares, with maladies oppressed.
He seeks the refuge of monastic rest.
Grief aids disease, remeniber'd foUjf stings,
And his last sighs reproach the faith of kings !
^ JOHNSON.
ETON, a village on the Thames, in Bucks, opposite Windsor,
from which it is only separated by a bridge, was in ancient times,
and is at present, famed for its royal college and school, founded by
Henry VI. in 1440, for the support of a provost and seven fellows,
and the education ofseventyyouths in classical learning. It consists
of two quadrangles ; one appropriated to the school, and the lodg-
ing of the matsers and scholars ; in the midst of which is a copper
statue of the founder, on a marble pedestal, erected at the ex-
pense of Dr. Godolphin. In the other quadrangle are the apart-
ments of the provost and fellows. The library is one of the finest
in England. The chapel is a stately structure, apparently by the
same hand who designed King's College, Cambridge. At the
west end of this chapel is a marble statue, by Bucon, of the ill-
fated Heiny.
The seventy king's scholars, as those are called who are on the
foundation, when pro[>eriy qualified, are elected, on the first
Tuesday in August, to King's College in Cambridge, but arc not
removed till there are vacancies in that college, and then they
are called according to seniority; and after they have been three
years at Cambridge, they claim a fellowship. Beside those on
the foundation, there are seldom less than 300 noblemen and
gentlemen's sons, who board at the masters' houses, or within
the bounds of the college. The school is divided into upper and
lower, and each of these into three classes. To each school-
there is a master and four assistants. Tiie revenue of the col-
lege amounts to about oOOOZ. a year. The lover of poetry will
always rt^collect Gray's Ode to Eton College with pleasure and
satistaction.
EWEL, in Surry, 13 miles S. from London, is a neat little
town, pleasantly situated, and remarkable for its nunjerous crys<.
u 3
102 F O O
tal springs, which unite and form t'le head of a line stream, called
Hog's Mill River, which falls into the Th^^.mes at Kingston. Here
are the elegant seal and pleasiire-gronmls of the late Philip Row-
den, Esq. the mansion of Sir George Glyn, Bart, and the seats of
A. Potts, Hurst Barrett, Thomas Reid, and J. Woodman, Esqrs.
F.
FAIRLOP, a celebrated oak, in tlie parish of Barking, aud
forest of Hair.anit, in Essex. See HainauU Forest.
FAIRY HILL, a villa at Mottingham, a hamlet of the city of
Rochester, near Eltham, in Kent, eight miles S. E. from Lon-
don, was many years in the occupation of the late Earl Bathnrst,
who greatly improved the grounds. It is now the residence of
Count Biland.
FETCH AM, a village near Leatherhead, Surry, six miles
N. W. from Dorking, inwhich is ti.e fine seat of Mrs, Hankey.
FINCHLEY, a village in Middlesex, seven miles N.N. W.
from London, in the road to St. Alban's. It is a pleasant airy
spot, and its adjoining Common was, some years ago, the frequent
scenes of robberies ; but since the regula'iojis in the police, they
have been nearly tmknown, hs almost instant detection follows
the commission of the crime. From hence the {/nards matched
in 1743, io extinguisli ilie rebellion then raging in Scnlland.
FITZROY-FARjI, the villa of Lady Southampton, near
HiL;l:gate, foui miles N. N.W. from London. The grounds aie
kept in the highest cultivation of the ferme orn4e.
F[TZWATEK, the seat of Thomas Wright, Esq. at Shen-
.' Id, tive miles N. W. from Billericay, in the road to Chelms-
tbrd. Being of an octagon form, it is commonly called tlie
Round House. Mr. Wright has formed a fine serpentine piece
of water in (he front of the house, over which he has built a
beautiful little bridge; and next to the great road he hat, erected
two lodg?s for porters.
FOOTs-CRAY PLACE, Kent, four miles and a half W.S. W.
from Dartford, 12 m.iles from London, in the road to Maidstone,
was built by Bourhier Cieve, Esq. a pewterer of Cheapside, after
a design of Palladio's. It be "ame the property of Sir George
Yonge, Bart, who married Mr. Cleve's d^mghter, and was sold
for less than a third part of the original expense, to Benjamin
Harence, Esq. The hall is octagonal, and has a galleiy round,
\vhich leads to the bed chambers. It is enlightened from'the top,
and is very beautiful. The house, which is l)uilt of stone, stands
«n a rising ground, with a gradual descent to the wate/, which,
F U L 103
from th3 house, appears to be a small river gliding throngh the
whole length of the ground ; and in that part of the water op-
posite to the house is a fine cascade ; but this water, which ap-
pears to be such a pretty natural stream, is an artificial one
brought from tiie river Cray. In this neighbourhood are Blendon
Hall, the seat of General Pattison, and Blount Maskell, belong-
ing to John Maddox, Esq. but has since been sold.
FROGMORE HOUSE, Berks, half a mile E.S.E. from
Windsor, formerly the seat of the Hon. Mrs. Egerton, of wliom it
was purchased by her Majesty, who has made very considerable
additions to the house and cardei;s. The house adjoining, the re-
sidence of the late Mrs. Macartney, has been taken down, and
the gardens added to those of her Majesty. In different parts of
the grounds, Gothic temples, rural huts, &c. have been erected^
The grounds were laid out by Uvedale Price, Esq. and the orna-
mental improvements were effected by the directions of her
Royal Highness the Princess Elizabeth, under the superintendence
of VVyatt. Nearly adjoining, on the opposite side of the road, is
a neat house, the seat of the late Earl of Porafret, as Ranger of
the Little Park, within the limits of which it is situated. Near
tlie house is the Queen's Dairy, often commended for its neatness
and simplicity.
FULHAM, a village of Middlesex, four miles S. W. from
London, is situated on the Thames, opposite Putney, with which
it is connected by a wooden bridge. To the prelates of London
the manor belonged a considerable time before the Conquest. In
the churchyard are the tombs of the Bishops Compton, Robin-
son, Gibson, Hayter, Terrick, and Lowtb. The episcopal pa-
lace, on the bank of the Thames, is neither of a very ancient
date, nor does it contain any thing remarkable : but the gardens
have long been curious. They were first noted in the time of
Bishop GiindalJ, one of the earliest encouragers of botany, and
the first who imported the tamarisk tree into this country, about
the year 1560. Bishop Compton, who was himself an excellent
botanist, made them still more celebrated by the introduction of
many new plants and forest trees, particularly from North Ame-
rica. Of th se the following only were remaining, on a survey
of the garden in 1793; and these may be regarded with some
Veneration by the botanist, as the parent stocks of their respec-
tive races in this kingdom. The girths, which were accurately
taken at three feet from the ground, are here given, with their
computed height:
Girth* Height,
feet. in. feet,
^cer Negitndo, Ash-leaved Mai^le 6 4 43
Cupressus Sempervivens,\]pr]ght CyTpress.... 2 3 30
Juniperus Virginiana, Virginian Red Cedar. 2 5 20
Gi
-th.
Height
feet.
in.
feet.
11
2
70
in
80
rj
11
70
10
10
45
4
3
40
8
50
8
3
8-
11
104 GAT
Jualans Nigra, Black Walnut-tree
Piti'ts Pinaster, Chester Pine
Sluernis Alba, White Oak
2'/prci/s Suber, Cork-tree
Acer Rubrnm, Scarlet-flowered Maple
i>.uercus Her, Ever-green Oak • ...
Gleditsiu Tricaidhits, Three-thorned Acacia,
on the Lawn 8
Another, near the Porter's Lodge
On the side of the Thames are likewise, the handsome villas of j
Dr. Milman, Sir Philip Stephens, Bart. Sir Andrew Snape Ham-
mond, Dr. Cadogan, Newbolt, H. Legg, and H. Sayer,
Esqrs. ; the Enrl of Egremont, and Mrs. Channcey ; and Stonr-
ton House, a beautiful cottage, the property aud residence of
William Sharp, Esq, See JValliam Green,
GAD'S HILL, Kent, two miles and an half W. N. W. fron»
Stroud, is i endered famous by Shakspeare's description ot
the frolics of Henry V. when Prince of Wales, and his loose
companions. Falstaff "s adventure at Gad's Hill is likely to be,
according to the poet's prediction, not only an argument for a
week, laughter for a niontii, but a good jest for ever. The late
Sir Francis Head built on the top of the Hill, towards Rochester,
a neat cottage, which he denominated Gad's Hill Casa ; and ou
its being licensed for a public-house, he directed that the sign
should have, on one side, a portrait of Henry V. and on the
other, a representation of the fat knight and his associates, as
described by the poet. Act II. Scene 4. After the death of
Sir Francis, this siuu was removed, and in its place a plough was
put up, with the motto, God speed the Plough. This change does
not seem to have been propitious to mine host of the Falstaff";
for the new sign soon disappeared, and one of the rooms being
converted into a seed shop, the motto would be far more perti-
nent than it was before. It must, however, be a satisfaction to
the traveller to see that the subject, which has for centuries ren-
dered this spot so memorable, is revived on both sides of the sign,
in the front of another public-house lately erected.
GATTON, in Surry, two miles and three quarters N. E. from
Reigate, was formerly a very populous place, but now only a
mean village. Ever since the reign of Henry VL it has sent
members to Parliament, who are returned by its Constable, an-
nually chosen at the Lord of the Manor's court by seven electors.
At the entrance of this place from London, is Upper Gattori
G I D 105
House, formerly the property of M'^illiam Pefrie, Esq. and resi-
dence of Mark Currie, E^q. Tlii-s is surrounded liy fine plauta-
tioiis, and commands rich and extensive prospects. — A mile I'ur-
tiier is Gatton Park, or Lower Gatton House, a new and beauti-
ful structure. Tliis is the mansion-house, whicii carries with it
the entire property of thf3 borough, and was purchased by Mr,
Pc'frie of Robert Lilbroke, Esq. for 110,000^. and by him sold
to Colonel .Sir Mark Wood, Bart. The appi-oach to tliis iiouse is
thought to equal any tiling of the kind in the kia^ifdora. From the
lodge, which is on liie sunmiit of the hill leadirijsr to Reiaate, the
road winds beautifully down the park, for a milt% amid woods
and groves of fir ; presenting, here and there, throuuh breaks,
some enchanting views of the country below. From the south
front of the house the prospects are rich, various, and extensive.
At the foot of the sloping eminence on which it i^ situated
is a tine lake of 40 acres, enriched with two beautifiil well-
planted islands, the haunts of swans and otiier aquatic fowls.
The adjacent comi try is finely broken and diversifi' d by wood-
crowned hills atid luxmiant vales. Further ou is Lad broke
House, the residence of Miss Ladbroke.
GIDEA HALL, the seat of Richard Benyon, Esq. near Rum-
ford, Essex, was originally a venerable mansion, Ijeyun in the
reign of Edward IV. by Sir Thonias Cooke, whose sufjerinffs
dining the civil wars obliged him to leave it unfinished at his
deatii, in 1478. Sir Antliony, his grandson, one of th(» preopp*
tors of Edward VI. finished it in the reign of Elizabeth, whom
he had the honour of entertaining in 1568*. Queen Mary de
* Sir Anthony Cooke was particularly fortunate in his four
daughters, all eminent for their literary attainments. Mildred, the
eldest, was forty-two years the wife of Wiliim Lord Burleigh. She
was learned in the Greek tongue, and wrote a letter in that lan-
guage to the University of Cambridge. She had great political
talents, was a patroness of literature, and distinguished for her nu-
merous charities. — Anhe, the second, was the second wife of Sir
Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper, and mother of the great Lord St.
Alban's. Eminently skilled in Greek, Latin, and Italian, she had
the honour of being appointed governess to Edward VL To her
instructions was probably owing the surprising knowledge of that
young prince. Her sons, Anthony and Francis, were not a little
indebted for the reputation they acquired, to the pains taken with
them, by this excellent woman, in their tender years. When
they grew up, they found in her a severe but admirable monitor.
She translated from the Italian the Sermons of Barnardine Occhini ;
and from the Latin, Bishop Jewel's Apology for the Church of
England ; both which met with highest applause. — Elizabeth, the
third, was equally happy in improving the advantages conferred
upon her J for such was her progress in the learned languages, that
106 G O R
Medicis was lodged here, in 1637. It was purchased by Sir
John Eyles, Bart, who took it down, and built the present
{Structure, which he sold, in 1745, to Governor Benyon. The
house has been lately raised and enlarged by his son, Mr. Ben-
yon, who has much improved the grounds by plantations, and a
fine piece of water, which the great road crosses, over a bridge of
three elliptic arches, designed by Wyatt.
GOBIONS, in the parish of North Mims, Herts, five miles
N. N. VV. from Barnet, so named from the Gobioms, its ancient
lords, ^vas afterwards the seat of Lady More, mother-in-law of
that illustrious clsaracter Sir Tlionias More ; on whose execution
it was wrested from her by the tyrant Henrj', notwithstanding
it was her jointure from her fir.st husband. This venerable man-
sion, once famed for its fine gardens in the ancient taste, was
purchas' d by the late John Hunter, Esq. who here devoted his
attention to tillage and grazing. His teams and ploughs were
drawn by oxen, which is a great singularity in this county. At
present it is in the possession of Henry Browne, Esq.
GODSTONE, a village in Surry, 19 miles from London, six
miles W. S. W. from Westerham, in the road to Lewes, has its
name from its excellent stone quarries, the contents of which can,
by means of architectural skill, be converted into structures,
wiiose elegance and durability excite lasting admiration. Ste
Blarden Park.
GORHAxAlBUKY, Herts, 2-^ miles W.S<, W. from St. Alban's,
a manor which belonged to the church of that place, was grauted,
at the Dissolution, to Sir Ralph Rowlet, and by him sold to
Sir Nicholas Bacon, the Lord Keeper, who built a magnificent
specimen of ancient architecture, now demolished, and adorned
it with famous gardens. Sir Nicholas was succeeded by his son
Anthony, at whose death it devolved on that glory of our cotm-
try, Fraucis Viscount St. Alban's, whose matchless talents, de-
plorable weaknesses, and merited fall, have been the subject of
so many able pens. Foreseeing his fall, he conveyed his estate
to his faithful secretary. Sir Thomas Meautys, from whose heirs it
passed by sale into the family of Lord Grimston, who erected th»
present structure.
Here, in 1557, Queen Elizabeth was entertained by Sir Ni-
cholas Bacon^ from Saturday, May 18, to the Wednesday fol-
6he gained the applause of the most eminent scholars of the age.
Slie was tirst the wife of Sir Thomas Hobby, Ambassador to France ;
and afterward, of John Lord Russell, sou of Francis Earl of Bed-
ford. For the tombs of both her husbands, she wrote epitaphs in
Greek, Latin, and English. — Catharine, the fourth, married to Sir
Henry Killegrew, was famous for her knowledge in the Hebrew^,
Greek, and Latin tongues, and for her skill in poetry.
^
il;
-^
1 ! 1 1
1
* ' HI
G R A loir
lowing, at the expense of 5771. 6s. 7{d. beside 15 bucks and two
j<tag8. Among the dainties of the feathered kind, in this enter-
tainment, we observe herons, bitterns, godwittes, dotterds,
shovelers, curlews, and knots ; and it may not be improper to
add, that in Mr. Nichols' relation of her Majesty's visit to Cow-
dry in Sussex, where she spent some days, we find " the propor-
tion of breakfast was three oxen and 140 geese !" Those who
partook of such fare for breakfiist, might well exult in the jovial
days of good Queen Beesj though we cannot compliment them
upon any great niceness or delicacy.
GRAVESEND,in Kent, the first port in the Thames, 22 milei
E. S. E. from London. The parishes of Gravesend and Milton
were incorporated by Queen Elizabeth, and are governed by a
Mayor, 12 Jurats, and 24 Common Councilmen. It has a market
every Wednesday and Saturday. Tije manor of Gravesend being
in the possession of the Abbot of St. Mary la Grace, of Tower
Hill, he obtained of Richard II. a grant to Gravesend and Milton
of the exclusive privilege of conveying passengers to London, on
condition that they should piovide boats, and carry all persons, at
two-pence a head, or the whole boat's fare at four shillings. They
still enjoy thi« privilege : but the fare is now one shilling and six-
pence each. The boats depart on the ringing of a bell a quarter of
an hour; they go to London with every flood, and return from Bil-
lingsgate with every ebb. Coaches attend the arrival of the boats,
to convey the passengers to Rochester. Here also some bid a sad
adieu to their relatives and friends when they are about to visit
cither of the Indies, and here others land after having visited
the most distant parts of the world, hailing with emotions of joy
their return to their native country.
In 1727, the church and great part of the town were consumed
by fire. Soon after, the present church was erected. The town-
house was built in 1764. In 1772 an act was obtained for new-
paving and lighting the streets. A new road has been lately
made through tlie town in the direct way to Canterbury. On
the east side of this town commences the Thames and Medway
Canal, passing through the several parishes of Milton, Denton,
Chalk, Higham, Shorne, and Chff, to the river Medway at Ni-
cholson's ship-yard ; from this canal, a cut is made from White
Wall in the parish of Friendsbury, into the river Medway, oppo»
site his Majesty's dock-yard at Chatham.
GRAY'S THURROCK, 25 miles E. by S. from London, a
market-town in Essex. The town is small, but plea«antly si-
tuated on the side of a hill. Its market-house is a good building,
on which is a large session-room, where the petty sessions are
held. The church is built hi the form of a cross. Gray's market
as held on Thursday. See Belmont Castle.
108 G R E
GREENHIHTE, in Kent, three miles N. E.fi-om Dartford, a
haniltt ui Swan*' onil), od the Tlianies, has a horse-ferry to AWst
Tlinrrock, in Essex. Great quantities of lime are conveyed
henoe to LuimIou, i'or building; and not only tlie farmers on the
Essex roast, but constina: vessels also, from different parts of the
kingdom, tiequontly take in lure a freight of clialk. Extraneous
fossils are often found unbedded in the chalk. The flints per-
vading the chalk, are also collected, and sold to the potteries in
Stiifford^hire, and are even s^ent to China. The view of the ship-
ping imparts a picturesque effect to the surrounding scenery.
GREENSTED, a village, one mile S. W. from Chippinsr On-
gar, ni F>sex, remaika^'Ie for its ancient little church, which is
consideied by some of the best informed antiquaries as one of the
inost sinijniar and ancient \n Great Britain. It is entirely com-
pos d of woon , the sides being formed of the trunks of large
chesnnt trees, split, or sawn asunder. These are set upright
closo to each other, and let into a cill and plate ; at the top they
are fastened uiili wooden pins. It seems not improbable, that
this rough and nn{)oIishpd fabric was erected as a sort of shrine
for the reception of the corpse of St. Edmund, which in its re-
turn from London *o Rury, was carried in a chest. Greenstf.d
Hall is the seat of Craven Orde, Esq.
GREENI STREET HOUSE, the seat of William Moiley,
Esq. in the parish of East Htm. It stanls aboiit a mile N. \V.
of the churcli, and is partly ancient, and partly moJeinized, with
an old tower in the garden. .50 feet liigii. This house is said
to have been biiilt by King Henry YIIl. for Queen Anne
Boleyn. The e.<tate has been in the fanniy of the "Nevils, Earls
of Westmorland and Lords Latimer, some of whom are interred
in the cimrcl;.
GREENWICH, a town in Kent, five miles E. S. E. from Lon-
don, is situated on the sor.thern bank of the Thames. Although
the street^ are irregular, they still contain many fpspectalde and
even li>m'.lsoiie houses, inhabited by pe;vons vi' respsctahilty
and gentlemen who ha\e retired from the service, after ha\ing.
spent th*^ prime of their life in the' faithful discharge of their re-
spective duties. The church is a iiandsomc stone fabric, whose
interior is constructed in the Grecian order, and handsomely
paved : it contains three portraits of sovereigns, and a curious
painting on board, rfpre^entinif a monumental effigies of Queen
Elizutn'th. The Old ciiiuch wa- oinanienied by a number of
CTirionsfij-ass^s, monuments, and a portrait on glass, of Hnmphrey,
Duke of Gloucester ; of the former, tliut in memory of Thon^as
Talys, esteemed the father of the collegiate style of music, and
musician in the chapel in the reigns of Henry VIU. and his three
puccessois, is worthy of notice for the quaintness of its epitaph :
GREENWICH. 10
Enteried here dothe ly a worthy vvyght
Who for a lonp," tyme in musicke bore tlie bell,
His name to she we was Thomas Tally s hyght.
In honest vertuouse life he did exet^ll.
He served long tyme in ehappeli with grete prayse,
Four sovereynes reygnes, a thing not often seene,
T mean Kyng Henry and Prynce Edward's dayes,
Quene Mary, and Elizabeth our Quene.
He marj'^ed was, though children he had none,
^ And lyved in love full thre and thirty yeres
With loyal spouse, vvhos name yclypt was Jone,
Who here entombd him company now bears.
As he did lyve, so also he did dy.
In myld and quvet soit, O ! happie man !
To God full oft for mercy did he cry,
. Wherefore he lyves, let death do what he can.
He died in 1581.
Among the charitable foundations, are two collesjes for poor
people, one founded by the celebrated antiquary William Lam-
liard, being the first erected by an English protestant subject;
and tiie other by Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton : in the
chapel of the latter, is a monument of the founder by tiie cele-
brated Stone, for which tliat artist was paid 500^ ! Here also
are three scliools for bciys, and one for girls, besides various
annual benefactions. In 1367, two Burgesses were returned to
parliament ; and the assizes were holden here iu the 1st, 4th, and
5tt» years of Queen Elizabeth. This town has been the resi-
dence of many noble and literary characters. William Courtenay,
Ear! of Devonshire, resided here after ins release from prison,
by Henry Vin, till his death, in 1512 ; Bishop Gastrell lived
here before his promotion to the See of Chester, in 17J4; the
brave Sir John Lawson, the scourge of the Dutch, died here of
the wounds received in the great engagement witii the Dutch
fleet, in May 166r> ; the latter days of Sir John Leake were
passed here, iu a vil!.* huilt for his own residence ; and D;-. John-
son had lodgings in Cluirch Street, in 1737, when he composed
a great part of his Irene as he walked in the park. Lately, for
the accommodation of loot-passengers, a convenient bridge ha»
been erected over Deptford creek, which was previously passed
in boats, and not nnfrequently attended with danger. JMarke's,
AVednesday and Saturday : the tolls of wtiich were given to tiies
hospital by Earl Komney.
Greenwich was the birth-plare of Queen Mary and Queen
Elizabeth : and here Edward VI. died. A palace erected here,
by Humphry Duke of Gloucester, who named it P{acenti:i, was
enlarged by Henry VII. and completed by Henry VIII. hut
being afterward suffered to run to ruin, was pulled down by
Charles IL who began a magniticent edifice, and lived to see th«
I.
110 GREENWICH.
first wing finished. He also enlarged the park, walled it round,
planted it, and erected a royal observatory on the top of the
hill, for the use of tiie celebrated Flamstead, whose name the
hill retains. He likewise furnished it with mathematical instru-
ments for astronomical observations, and a deep dry well for ob«
serving the stars in the day-time. The instruments have been
very much improved, and are supposed to be the best in
Europe : from the meridian of Greenwich, all English astrono-
mers make their calculations. On the site of this ancient palace
is the handsome residence of the ranger of the park ; which
office is now enjoyed by H. R. H. the Princess of Wales ; and at
the entrance of the park there is now erecting a building, which,
when finished, will very much add to the attractions of Green-
wich, and confer immortal honour on the parliament by which it
was voted. This grand structure, which is called the Naval
Asylum, has its centre formed by the building formerly called
Pelham House, and will receive the addition of two wings ; each
wing being connected with the centre by an elegant colonade,
supported by 40 stone columns. When complete, it is destined
to receive 3,000 of the children of seamen belonging to the
Royal Navy ; and at present it contains 200 boys and i50 girls,
who are clothed and supported, and receive such an education
as may render them useful members of society. When at a pro-
per age, the boys are to be sent to sea, unless they dislike it, in
which case they will be bound out apprentices ; and the girls ap-
prenticed, and sent into the service of respectable families. Such
disabled seamen as may have received a good education, will be
employed as assistants, and thus again have an opportunity of
serving their country by training up " Britain's Bulwark." This
park is well stocked with deer, and affords as much variety in
proportion to its size as any in the kingdom ; but the views from
the Observatory and the One tree Hill are beautiful beyond ima-
gination, particularly the former. The projection of these hills is
so bold, that you do not look down upon a gradually falling
slope or flat enclosures, but at once upon the tops of branching
trees, which grow in knots and clumps out of deep hollows and
imbrowning delis. The cattle feeding on the lawns, which ap-
pear in breaks among them, seem moving in a region of fairy
land. A thousand natural openings among the branches of the
trees break upon little picturesque views of the swelling surf,
which, when illumined by the sun, have an effect, pleasing be-
yond the power of fancy to exhibit. This is the foreground of
the landscape ; a little further the eye falls on the noble hospital
in the midst of an amphitheatre of wood ; then the two readies
of the river make that beautiful serpentine which forms the Isle
of Uogs, and presents the floating commerce of the Thames.
To the left appears a fine tract of country leading to tlie ca-
pital, which there terminates the prospect.
p^
GREENWICH HOSPITAL. Ill
At the summit of Maize Hill are Vanbruish Fields, in which
is a house built by the celebrated Sir John Vanbrugh, in imita-
tion, it is said, of part of the late Bastile at Paris, in which he
was certainly confined for some time. It is the residence of
William V/ebber, Esq. Not far from it are some other houses in
the same style of building, one of whicli was the seat of the late
Lord Tyrawley, but is now inhabited by Henry Goodwyn, sen.
Esq. See Blackheath, Westcomb Park, and Woodland House.
GREENWICH HOSPITAL, was founded in 1694 by King
AVilliara and Queefi Mary, for the use of disabled English seamen
and their clnldren, and for the widows and children of such as
were slain at sea *.
It is erected on the south side of the Thames, on a terrace
860 feet in length, and consists of four distinct piles of building,
called King Charles's, Queen Anne's, King Wi!Ham's,and Queen
Mary's. The interval between the two most northern buildings,
King Charles's and Queen Anne's, forms the grand square^ which ,
is 273 feet wide.
In the centre of the grand square is a fine statue of George II.
by Rysbrach, sculptured out of a single block of white marble,
which weighed 11 tons, and was taken from the French by Sir
George Rooke. On each of the four sides is a suitable inscrip-
tion in Latin.
King Charles's building is on the west side of the great square.
He resided in the east part of it, which was erected by Webb,
afrer a design by Inigo Jones : it is of Portland stone, and rusti-
cated. In the middle is a tetra-style portico of the Corinthian
order, crowned with its ]>roper entablature, and a pediment.
At each end is a pavilion, formed by four corresponding pilas-
ters of the same order, with their entablature, and surmounted by
an attic order, with a balustrade, pediment, &c. Queen Anne's
building, opposite, is in a correspondent style. In the north front
of each of these two buildings, the pediment is supported by two
ranges of coupled Corinthian columns, and the same order is
continued in pilasters along the building. The projection of the
entablatures gives an agreeable diversity of Hght and shade. In
the centre of each part, between these ranges of Corinthian
* Kiiig AVilliam appointed Commissioners for the better carrying
on his intentions, and desired the assistance of his good subjects, as
the necessity of his affairs did not permit him to advance so consi-
derable a sum toward this work as he desired. In conformitj'- to
this request, many benefactions were made in that and the suc-
ceeding reigns to this noble charity, which, according to the tablets
hung up ixtthe entrance of the hall, amount to 58,209/. and after-
ward the forfeited estate of the Earl of Dervventwater, in l715j
amounting to 6,000/. per annum, was given by Parliament to this
hospital.
L2
112 GREEiNWICH HOSPITAL.
columns, is the door of the Doric order, adorned above with a
tablet and pediment. Within the height of these lofty columns
arc two s«^ries of windows, enlighteninfr two floors. The under-
most, which are the smallest, have rustic cases, crowned with
pediments ; the upper series, which are large and lofty, are
adorned with the orders and with uprieht pointed pediments.
Over these is an attic storv : the entablature of the Corinthian
columns and pilasters supports a reyular attic course ; the pilas-
ters of this order, rising over every column and pilaster of the
Corinthian below, between which the windows are regularly dis-
posed ; and the top is covered Avith a balustrade.
To the south of these are the other piles of building, with a
colonnade adjoining to each. These colonnades are 115 feet
asfluder, and are composed of 300 duplicated Doric columns and
pilasters of Portland stone, '20 feet high, with an entablature and
balustrade. Each of them is 347 feet long, having a return pa-
vihon at the end 70 feet long.
Of the two south buildings, that on the east side is Queen
Mary's, In this is the chapel, the interior part and roof of
which having been destroyed by fire, on the 2d of January, 1779,
has been jestored in the most beaut fid style of Grecian archi-
tecture, from the designs of the late Mr. James Stuart, the cele-
brated publi.Nher of the Antiquities of Athens, commonly called
*' Athenian Stuart."
Immediately before the entrance of this chapel, is an octan-
gular vestibule, in which are four niches, containing the statues
of Faith, Hope, Chanty, and Meekyiess, in Coade's artificial stone,
from designs by West. From this vestibule we ascend,' by a
flight of fourteen steps, to the chapel, which is 111 feet long,
and 52 broad, and capable of conveniently acconmiodating 1000
pensioners, nurses, and boys, exclusive of pews for the directors^
and for the several officers, under-oflicers, <!tc. Over the portal,
or great door of the chapel, is this inscription in letters of gold :
" Let them give thanks whom the Lord hath redeemed, and de-
livered from the hand of the enemy." Psalm evil.
The portal consists of an architrave, frize, and cornice of sta-
tuary marble, tlie jambs of wliich are twelve feet high, in one
piece, a)id enriched with excellent sculpture. The frize is the
work of Bacon, and consists of the figures of tw o angels with
festoons, supporting the sacred writings, in the leaves of which
is the following mscription :
The law was given by Moses:
But grace and truth came bj' Jesus Christ !
The great folding-doors are of mahogany, highly enriched, and
the whole composition of this portal is not to be paralleled in
this, or perhaps in any other country.
GREEmVICH HOSPITAL. 113
Within this entrance is a portico of six flnled marble columns,
fifteen feet iiigli. The capitals and bases are Ionic, after Greek
nio<lels. The oohimns support the orffan-gallery, and are crowned
with an entablature and balustrade enriched %vith suitable or-
naments. On the tablet in the front of this gallery is a basso-
relievo, representing the figure of angels sounding the harp, on
the pedestals on each side, are ornaments consisting of trumpets,
&c. and on the tablet between is this inscription in letters of
gold:
Praise him with tlie sound of the trumpet !
Praise him with stringed instruments and organs!
In this gallery is a fine organ made by IMr. Samuel Green,
and on each side are four grand columns; tlieir sliafts of scagliola,
in imitation of Sienna marble, by Richter, and their capitals
and vases of statuary marble. At the opposite end of the cha-
pel are four otiiers of the same sort, which support the arehed
ceiling and roof. These columns are of the Corinthian order, and,
with their pedestals, are 28 feet high.
On tlie sides of the chapel, between the upper and lower
rang^ of windows, are the galleries, in which are pews for the
officers and their families : those of the governor and lieutenant-
governor, which are opposite each other, are distinguished by or-
naments consistinjr of the naval crown, and other suitable insignia.
Underneath these galleries and the cantilivers which support
tiiem, are ranges of fluted pilasters. The cantilivers are dero-
rated with antique foliage; the entablature over the pilasters with
marine ornaments; the interval between with festoons, &c. and
the pedestals of t'.e balustrade in the front of the galleries with
tridents and wreaths. Tiie tablets in the middle of each balus-
trade contain the hospital's arms, and the frize below is carved
with a fohage in the Greek mode. Over the lower range of win*
dows are paintiugs in chiaro oscuro, representing some of the
principal events in the life of our Saviour, which are accompanied
with ornaments of candelabra and festoons.
Above the galleries is a richly-carved stone fascia, on which
stands a range of pilasters of the composite mode, their shafts
]»eing of scagliola, corresponding with tliose of the eight great
columns, and jointly with them appearing to support the epis-
tylum which surrounds the whole chapel. This epistylum is en-
riched with angels, bearing festoons of oak-leaves, dolphins, shells,
and other applicable ornaments. From this rises the curved
ceiling, which is divided into compartments, and enriched with
foliage, go'.ochi, &<•. in the antique style. Between the upper
pilasters are recesses, in which are painted, in chiaro oscuro, the
Apostles and Evangelists.
At each end of the galleries are concave recesses, the coves
of which are ornamented with cotiers and flowers carved iu
L.3
114 GREENWICH HOSPITAL.
stone: in these recesses are the doors of entrance into the gal-
leries, decorated with enriched pilasters and entablatures, and a
group of ornaments, consisting of the naval crown, wreaths of
laurel, and tridents. Above the doors are circular recesses, con-
taining paintings in chiaro oscuro, of the prophets Isaiah, Jere-
miah, Moses, and David.
The comnuinion-table is a semi-oval slab of statuary marble,
near eight feet long. The ascent to it is by three steps of black
marble, on which is lixed an ornamental raihng, representing fes-
toon^ of ears of corn, and vine foliage. This table is supported
by six cherubiins, standing on a white marble step of the same
dimensions.
Above is a painting by West, in a superb carved and gilt frame,
representing the Preservation of St. Paul from shipwreck, on the
island of Melita.
This picture is 2^ feet high, and 14 wide, and consists of three
principal groups. The first, which is at the lower part, repre-
sents the mariners and prisoners bringing on shore the various
articles which have been preserved from the wreck : near these
is an elegant figure, supposed to be a Roman lady of distinction,
clasping with affection an urn, containing the ashes of her de-
ceased husband, who had fallen in the wars of Judea. Before
her Ls an asfed, infirm mai^^ho, being unable to assist himself, is
carried in the arms of two rofjust young men.
In tiie middle part of the piece is the principal group, consist-
ing of St. Paul, shaking into the fire the viper that had fastened
on his hand, the brethren who accompanied him, his friend the
ccnti'.rion, and a band of Roman soldiers with their proper in-
signia.
The figures above these, on the summit of the rocks, form the
third group, and consist of the hospitable islanders lowering down
fuel and other necessaries for the relief of the suffierers.
The sea and wrecked ship appear in the back ground, and
combine to exhibit a scene that cannot fail of having a proper
effect on the minds of seafaring men, and of impressing them
with a due sense of their past preservation, and their present
comfortable situation and support in this noble asylum for naval
misfortunes and naval worth.
On either side of the arch which terminates the top of this
picture, are angels of statuary marble, as large as lifie, by Bacon ;
one bearing the cross, the other the emblems of the eucharist.
This excellent combination of the works of art is terminated
above, in the segment between the great cornice and ceiling, by
a painting of the Ascension, designed by West,and executed by
Rebecr-a, in chiaro oscuro; forming the last of the series of paint-
ings of tiie life of our Saviour which surround the chapel.
The middle of the aisle, and the space round the organ galleiy,
•re paved with black and white marble, in golochi, frets, and
GREENWICH HOSPITAL. 115
other ornaments ; having, in the centre, an anchor and seaman'*
compass.
The pulpit is on a circular plan, supported by six fluted co-
lumns of lime-tree, with an entablature above, richly carved, and
of the same material. In the six inter-columns are the followiti;?
alto-relievos, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, and executed
after designs by West: The Conversion of St. Paul ; Cornelius's
Vision ; Peter released from Prison by the Angel ; Elymas strnck
blind ; St. Paul preacliinsi: at Athens, and converting Dionysius
the Areopaj^ite ; and Paul before Felix.
The reader's desk is formed on a square plan, with columns
at the four corners, and the entablature over them similar to
those of the pulpit : in the four inter-columns are also alto-relievos
of the prophets Daniel, Micah,Zechariah, and Malachi, copied
after desiijns by the same artist.
The following paintings, in chiaro oscuro, relative to our Sa-
viour, are placed over the lower windows.
The first four of the series, painted by De Bruyne, are at the
east end of the south side of the chapel, and represent the Nati-
vity : the Ajigels appearing to the Shepherds ; the Magi wor-
shipping ; the Flight into Ejjypt.
The four which follow on the same side, are by Catton, and
represent St. John baptizinsi ; the j^pMing of St. Peter and St.
Andrew; our Saviour preaching fro 'i a Ship to the people on
shore ; tlie stilling of the Tempest.
The four at the west end of the north side, are by Milbourne,
and represent our Saviour walking on the sea, and saving Peter
from binkincf ; the Blind Man cured ; Lazarus raised from the
Dea<l ; the Transfiguration.
The next four on the same side are by Rebecca, and repre-
sent the Lord's Supper ; our Saviour carried before Pilate ; the
Crucifixion ; the Resurrection.
The Apostles and Evangelists in the recesses between the
upper windows, and the four Prophets in the circles above the
gallery-doors, are after the designs of West.
King William's Building, opposite to Queen Mary's, contains
the great Hall, which is 106 feet long, 56 wide, and 50 high. It
was painted by Sir James Thornhill. In the cupola of the vesti-
bule is a compass with its proper points duly bearing : in the
covings are the four winds in alto-relievo. Eurus, the East Wind,
risinj; out of the east, with a lighted torch in his right hand,
as bringing light to the earth, seems, with his left hand, to push
the morning star out of the firmament, the demi- figures and boys
which form the group, shewing the morning dew that falls be-
fore him. Auster, the South Wind, his wings dropping water, i»
pressing forth rain from a bag, the little boys near him throwing
about thunder and lightning. Zephyrus, the West Wind, is ac-
companied by little Zephyrs, with baskets of flowers, scattering
116 GREENWICH HOSPITAL.
them around: the figure playing on the flute denotes the pleasureij
of tlie spring. Boreas, the North Wind, his dragon's wings de-
noting liis fury ; his hoisterous companions flinging about hail-
stones, snow, &c. Over the tl)ree doors are large oval tables,
with the names, in gold letters, of such benefactors as have
given 100/. or upward, toward the building; among tlie most
considerable of which were King William, who gave 19,500/.
Queen Anne, 6,472/. John de la Fontain,Esq. 2,000/. Robert Os-
baldeston, Esq. 40,000/. together w ifh his unexpired grant of the
North and South Foreland Light Houses, which grant has since
been renewed for 99 years; Sir John Cropley, and Mr. Evelyn,
2,000/. each. John Evelyn, Esq. 1,000/. Each table is attended
by two charity boys, as if carved in white marble, sitting on
great corbels, pointing up to the figure of Chaiity, in a niche,
intimating that what money is given there is for their support.
This vestibule leads into the saloon or grand hail, on the ceil-
ing of which are the portraits of King William and Queen Mary,
sunoinided by the cardinal virtues, &c. The other decorations
of this saloon are correspondent to the magnificence of the ceil-
ing.
From this saloon we ascend into the upper hall, the ceiling
and sides of which are adorned with different paintings. In the
centre of the ceiling is represented Queen Anne and Prince
George of Denmark, with emblematical figures.
In the four corners are the arms of England, Scotland, France,
and Ireland, between which are the four quarters of the world,
with the emblems and productions of each.
On the left hand, as we enter, is a painting in imitation of
bisso relievo, representing the Landing of ihe Prince of Orange.
Over the chimney is the Landing of George I. at Greenwich.
At the further end are the portraits of Geome I. and his family,
with many emblematical figures ; among which the painter has
introduced his own portrait ; and on the right and left of the
entrance are paintings representing the Public Weal and Pubhc
Safety.
This celebrated work was begun in 1708, and completed in
1727. It cost 6,685/. at the rate of 3/. per yard for the ceiling,
and 1/. per yard for the sides.
Out of all tliat is given for showing the Hall, only threepence
in the pound is allowed to the person who shows it : the rest
makes an excellent fund towards the maintenance of the boys, the
sons of slain or disabled mariners ; who are provided for, and
taught such a share of mathematical learning as may fit them out
to the sea service.
King William's Building, and Queen Mary's, are each sur-
mounted by a dome, the tambour of which is forniod by a circle
of coluqms <hiplicated, of the Corinthian order, with four pro-
jecting groups of columns at the quoins. The attic above is a
GREENWICH HOSPITAL. 117
circle without breaks, covered with the dome, and terminated by
a turret.
In Kins; Charles's Building, adjoining to the Governor's apart-
ment, is the council-room, in wliich are the followiny; portraits :
viz. George II. by Shackleton ; King William, Kneller ; Queen
Mary, ditto ; the late Earl of Sandwich, Gainsborough ; Ed-
ward, first Earl of Sandwich, Lely ; Viscount Torrington, a half
length, and another, a whole length, Davison; Robert Osbaldes-
ton, Esq. Dugard ; Admiral Sir John Jennings, Richardson; Cap-
tain Clements, Lely ; and the head of a venerable old man, said
to have been the tirst pensioner admitted into this hospital.
Near the hospital are the infirmary and schools, two commo-
dious brick buildings, designed by the late Mr. Stuart; and not
far from the infirmary is a low but extensive neat brick-building,
which has been recently erected for the reception of such pa-
tients as are helpless.
In consequence of various abuses, in the management of the
Chest at Chatham, having been discovered by the late commis-
sioners of Naval inquiry, a new building has been erected near
the western entrance of the hospital, for transacting all business
relating to it, which is now under the control of the Governors of
the hospital.
For the better support of this hospital, every seaman in the
royal navy, and in the service of the merchant-, pays sixpence a
month.
There are 2410 old or disabled seamen in this hospital, besides
3000 out-pensioners, each receiving?/, annually; and VOO boys,
the sons of seamen, are instructed in navigation, and bred up
for the service of the royal navy. Each of the mariners has a
weekly allowance of seven loaves, weighing 16 ounces each ;
three pounds of beef, two of mutton, a pint of pease, a pound
and a quarter of cheese, two ounces of butter, 14 quarts of beer,
and U. tobacco-money: the tobacco-money of the boatswains is
2s. C)d. a week each ; that of the mates Is. 6d. and that of the
other ofiicers in proportion to their rank ; beside which, each
common pensioner receives, once in two years, a suit of blue, a
hat, three pair of stockings, two pair of shoes, five neckcloths,
three shirt?;, and two nightcaps.
This hospital has about 100 governors, composed of the nobi-
lity and great officers of state. The principal officers of the
house, wirh their armual salaties, are, a master and governor 1,000/.;
a clerk 50/.; lieutenant-governor 400/. ; four captains, each 230/. ;
eight lieutenants, each 115/. ; treasurer and receiver 200/. ; one
clerk 100/. ; two clerks, 60/, each ; secretary 160/. ; a clerk 60/.
and another 50/. ; physician lO*', per day ; steward 160/. ; clerk
601. and three 40/. each ; auditor 100/. ; clerk 50/ ; two chaplains,
each 130/. ; surgeon 150/. ; two assistants, each 40/. ; servant 30/. ;
clerk of the cheque 160/. ; four clerks, each 60/. ; three, each 40/. j
118 GREENWICH HOSPITAL.
surveyor 200Z. ; clerk of the works bs. per day ; clerk 601.; dis-
penser 30^; assistant 30/.; three matrons, each 40/. ; school-
master 150/.; master brewer 60/. ; organist 60/.; butler iS/.;
two mates, each 151. ; two cooks, eacli 30/. ; four mates, two at
20/. and two at 15/. ; sciilleryman 20/. ; two mates, each 15/. ;
messenger 30/. ; two porters, each 15/. ; barber I'Ul.
The revenues of the hospital aris6, from the payment of six-
pence per month made by all seamen and mariners ; from the
duties arising from the North and South Foreland Lighthouses ;
from the half-pay of several of the olficers of the hospital ; from
the salaries, with the value of provisions, &c. of the two chap-
lains of Woolwich and Ueptford dock-yards ; from the rents and
profits of the Derwentwater estates, including lead mines, which
ill the years 1766— 7, and 8, produced the vast sum of 170,030/. ;
from the rents of the market at Greenwich, and from liouses
there and in London ; from interest of money vested in the
funds; from fines for fishing in the river Thames with unlawful
nets, and other offences ; and from the forfeited and unclaimed
shares of prize and bounty money which are paid over to the
* chest.'
In ancient times, the site of this stupendous building was oc-
cupied by a Franciscan monastery, founded by Edward IV. :
here Catherine of Arragon, first wife of Henry VIII. was accus-
tomed to rise at midnight, and join in their devotions; and she
even appointed John Farrest, one of the monks, to be her con-
fessor. Her partiality to the order induced a grateful return, and
they became strenuous advocates in her cause ; this conduct so
provoked the imperious Henry, Ihat he instantly suppressed tlie
whole Franciscan order throughout the kingdom.
In more modern times, Greenwich was distinguished for being
the landing-place of the Princess Augusta of Sax Gotha, the mother
of his present Majesty; and the first interview between that lady
and Frederic Prince of Wales, her destined husband, took place
in the balcony of the Ranger's Lodge, fronting the park. Her
Royal Highness the present Princess of Wales also landed here
previous to her marriage. But the most memorable event of
this description, was the landing of the remains of the ' ever to
be lamented ' Nelson, who greatly fell in the battle off Trafal-
gar, on the 21st of Octobei-, 1805. His body was brought to
England, and being decreed a public funeral, was ordered to be
laid in state in the Hall at Greenwich Hospital, where, during
three days, the 5th, 6th, and 7th, of January, the view of his
honoured bier drew forth the heartfelt sigh fiom an immense
multilude of his countrymen. On the 8th of January, the body'
was conveyed, in a solemn procession by water, to the Admi-
ralty, preparatory to its interment in St. Paul's Cathedral ;
where, on the following day, it was deposited with every solem-
nity and attention, in the power of a grateful nation to bestow.
GRO 119
Several Princes of the Blood Royal, the chief officers of state,
and a great number of prelates, nobility, naval officers, Sec. ac-
. companied the procession from the Admiralty ; together with a
military force of nearly 8000 men. The remains of the immortal
Nelson were carried to the Cathedral on a splendid funeral car,
which was afterwards presented by the Lord Chamberlain (the
Earl of Dartmouth) to Greenwich Hospital; " there to remain
as a permanent memorial of the gratitude a generous nation is
ever willing to show to those heroes who have fallen gloriously in
its naval service." The car is now placed in the upper part of
the Great Hall.
GROVE, or GROVE PARK, Herts, two miles N. W. from
Watford, the seat of the Earl of Clarendon. The late earl greatly
improved the house and park.
GROVE, Suriy, li mile N. from Dorking, a curious thatched
cottage, the late romantic retreat of J. Bocket, Esq. but now of
John Louis Goldsmid, Esq. ; at the foot of Box Hill, near Mick-
leham, situated in a dell, almost obscured from sight by the
luxuriant foliage of the trees which overspread it on every side.
It is much frequented by strangers, who admire the taste of Mr.
Reeves, the original projector. Art has been successfully em-
ployed to improve the natural beauties of this sequestered spot.
After visiting circuitous walks which deceive in their length, the
whole being contrived to cover only a small piece of ground, the
following lines, descriptive of the place by Mrs. Knowles, relitt
of Dr. Knowles, appear on a seat surrounding one of the trees :
Come, gentle wanderer ! sit and rest.
No more the winding maze pursue :
Art thou of solitude in quest ?
Pause here — and take a solemn vievv.
Behold this spirit-calming vale ;
Here stillness reigns — 'tis stillness all;
Unless is heard some warbling tale.
Or distant sound of water-fall.
The letter'd stone, the Gothic gate.
The hermit's long forsaken cell.
Warn thee of thy approaching fate : —
Oh ! fear to die ! — not living well ! —
But if in virtue thou increase,
Thou'lt bear life's ills, nor fear to die ;
Then ev'ry breeze will vvaft thee peace,
And foretaste sweet of promis'd joy ! m. k. 1782-
GROVE HILL, Surry, half a mile S.S. E. from Camberwell,
the seat of Dr. Lettsom, so well known in the medical world,
containing a very valuable library, a museum of subjects con-
120 GRO
iiected with natural history, and a collection of capital philoso-
phical instruments. The utmost art is displayed in the arrange-
ment of tlie grounds, and the accompanyini; l)uiidin<::s display the
consummate taste of the proprietor. Tiioutrh but little more
than three miles from tiie three city bridges, the situation is so
uncommonly tine as to afford extensive and picturesque views
over a circumference of two hundred miles, in front, indeedj
the city presents itself; but tlie eye soon passes over this grand
display of human elegance and wealth, to the summits of those
hills where Hampstead, Highgate, and other hamlets are scat-
tered ; among which Caen Wood and various charming seats are
interspersed ; beyond tiiese Harrow on the Hill and its lofty
spire arise ; and wandering towards the palace of Windsor, «nd
passing along the counties of Middlesex and Hertford, enjoys an
extensive view of Essex ; and crossing the Thames, returns on
the east by Shooters' Hill and Greenwich. The soutli is bounded
by Sydeniiam Hills and Norwood ; whilst the west takes in
Chelsea, and the upper part of the Thames al»ove the bridges.
In this range of view five telegraphs may be distinctly seen by
the eye alone.
GROVE HOUSE, Middlesex, the beautiful villa of Mrs. Ln-
ther, at Cliiswick, seated on the Thames, in a desirable and se-
questered spot. The premises, containing eighty acres, are en-
closed within a brick wall. The paddoc abounds with a number
of old walnut-trees and Spanish chesnuts, the fruit of which has
been known to produce 80Z. a year.
This seat was formerly the residence of Morris, Esq.
who left it to Mrs. Luther above twenty years ago, under the
tollowing very singular restrictions : all the horses and dogs on
the premises were to be carefully fed and attended till they died
a natural death, and his own servant was to have two rooms in
the house as long as he lived. In default of such attention to
the animals, Mrs. Luther would only have a life interest in the
premises; but if she fultilled the intentions of the will, the estate
would be absolutely at her own disposal. The last surviving
horse died about two years ago, after having been iniable to rise
for nearly two years ; but the servant is still alive to claim the
use of his two rooms.
GROVE HOUSE, Middlesex, the seat of Philip Godsall,
Esq. on an eminence on the verge of Hampstead Heath, with
pleasure grounds, and a terrace that commands a delightful
prospect.
GROVE HOUSE, Berks, the seat of Lady Dowager Onslow,
at Old Windsor, built by INIr. Batcraan, uncle to the late Lord
IJateman. This gentleman niadeit a point, in his travels to no-
ice every thing that pleased Uun in the monasteries abroad ;
HAC 121
and, on his return to England, he built this house ; the bed-
chambers being contrived like the cells of monks, witli a refec-
tory, and every other appendage of a monastery, even to a ce-
nietry, and a cotiin inscribed v.ith the name of a suppositious an-
cient bishop. Some curions Gothic chairs, bought at a sale of
the curiosities in this house, are now at Strawberry Hill.
GUILDFORD, the. rounty town of Surry, twenty-seven miles
and three-quarters S. S. W. from London', returning two members
to parliament, is a place of great antiquity, having been one of
the residences of the West Saxon Kings, the ruins of the castle
being still visible. It is a large well-built town, with many com-
modious inns, having one long street, intersected by nine smaller
ones. The churches, three in number, are handsome ; and the
town-hall, in which tiie assizes are holden, is an elegant structure,
built entirely of stone, at the joint expense of Lords Onslow
and Grantley: the summer assizes are holdin alternately here
and at Croydon. The amusenienis of the inliabitants consist of
a theatre, asfsemblies, and races in Whitsun-week, annually.
The ancient friary is fitted up for the accommodation of the
jndires at the assizes and assemblies ; public feasts, &c. are usually
' kept here.
GUNNERS BURY HOUSE, late a noble seat, in the parish
of Ealinj;, in Middlesex, was built for the celebrated Serjeant
Maynard *, in Ido.S, by Webhe, a pupil of Inigo Jones. In 1711
it was purchased for the late Princess i\nieli;j, after whose death
it was sold, in 1788 The materials have been sold by auction,
and the house is now no more. A neat villa has, however, be,en
erected on the same, site, the property of Alexander Copland,
Esq. surroinided by extensive and ornamental gardens and plea-
sure-iirounds •, iu the latter are a beautiful grotto and sheet of
water.
H.
HACKNEY, Middlesex, a large and populous village, two
niihs N.E. from London. The parisli ha^ several ham-
lets, amoni; which are Upper and Lower Clapton on the north;
Dalston, Siiacklew«;ll, and Kini^sland, on the west ; and Homer-
ton on the east. The parish chinch was an old Gothic structure,
and adjoining to the ciiurchyard, a new one, on a larger scale,
* When this great lawyer, first appeared before King William,
after the Kevolution, being then at a very advanced age, that mo-
narch observed to him, that he supposed he had survived most of
the great lawyers of his time. " Yes," answered the Serjeant^
" and if your majesty had not seasonably come over, I should hare
survived the law itself.''
122 HAD
was begun in 1791, in pursuance of an act of parliament for that
purpose, and has been for some time finished. It is a fine mo-
dern structure, but has no tower, wliilst the body of the old churcli
is taken down, and the tower left standing. Thus a church with-
out a steeple, and a steeple without a church, in one parish, may
be deemed a curiosity. Lately an elegant chapel of ease has
been erected in Well Street.
On the south side of the church-yard was an ancient mansion,
many years a boarding school for young ladies. In one of the
windows were the arms of James I. Charles I. the Elector Pa-
latine, and the Duke of Holstein, brother of Queen Anne of
Denmark. These arms, it is conjectured, were placed there to
commemorate some entertainment given to these illustrious per-
sonages. This house belonged, in the reign of Charles II. to Sir
Thomas Vyner, son of the Sir Robert Vyner, of m ho>e familiarity
with that monarch a pleasing story is told in the Spectator, No.
460. It was entirely demolished a few jears ago.
At that period, when the residences of our princes and nobility
were scattered over the metropolis and its environs. Hackney
was distinguished by capital mansions. At Clapton (which is the
upper and more pleasant part of Hackney parish) is Brooke
House, formerly the seat of a nobleman of that name, now a re*
ceptacle for lunatics. An ancient house in Well Streef, let in te-
nements to poor people, and called St. John's Palace, is sup-
posed to have been the residence of the prior of the order of
St. John of Jerusalem.
A spacious mansion, at the corner of the road leading to Dal-
ston, and now let as a lodging-house, was the property and resi-
dence of John Ward, Esq. M. P. whom Pope has thus '' damned
to everlasting fame :"
Riches, in effect,
No grace of Heav'n, or token of th' elect :
Giv'n to the fool, the mad, the vain, the evil.
To Ward, to Waters, Chartres, and the Devil.
Hackney was the first village near London that was accommo-
dated with carriages for occasional passengers; and hence the
origin of the name of Hackney-coaches.
In this parish, a little to the south of Lea Bridge, are situated
the Temple Mills, so called from having once formed pkrt of the
possessions of the Knights Templars, and afterward, on the abo-
lition of that order, of the Knights of St. John. Tiiey are now
used for preparing lead ; and, at the Wick, are some silk mills.
HADLEY, a village in Middlesex, three quarters of a mile
N.N. E. from Barnet, had once a liermitage, called Monken
Hadley. The church is built witli flint : over the west door it
HAINAULT FOREST. 125
the (late, 1498, and tlie sculpture of a rose and a win». On
tlie top of the steeple is the identical iron pitchpot, used many-
centuries since as a fire-beacon : being, several years ago, blown
down by a very high wind, it was replaced in its former situ-
ation by the care of one of its most respectable inhabitants.
Hence the view of Essex, over the trees, is beautiful. At Had-
ley is ihe seat of Archibald Paris, Esq. Mrs. Chapone, the ce-
lebrated author of Letters on the Improvement of the Mind,
died at Hadley, Dec. 1801 : and the late Rev. Mr. Garrow, the
father of counsellor Garrow, resided here many years: he died
here in 1805, at an advanced period of life, greatly respected.
HAGGERSTONE, Middlesex, formerly a distinct village, is
now united to Shoreditch by the many new houses which have
sprung up within the last five years. In ancient times Hagger-
stor.* was fanned for a palace of King John ; and, more lately, for
being the birth-place and residence of Dr. Edmund Halley. See
Lee.
HAINAULT FOREST, adjoining Epping Forest, in Essex,
two miles and a half N. E. from Woodford. In this forest, about
a mile from Barking Side, stands an oak, which has been known
throuch many centuries by the name of Fairlop Oak. " The
tradition of the country," says Mr. Gilpin, in his Remarks on
Forest Scenery, " traces it halfway up the Christian aera. It is
still a noble tree, though it has suffered greatly from the depre-
dations of time. About a yard from the ground, where its rough-
fluted stem is thirty six feet in circumference, it divides into
eleven vast arms, yet not in the horizontal manner of an oak, but
rather in that of a beecli. Beneath its shade, which overspreads
an area of tliree hundred feet in circuit, an annual fair has long
be< n lield on the first Friday in July ; and no booth is suffered to
be erected beyond the extent of its boughs. But as their extre-
mities are now become sapless, and age is yearly curtailing their
length, the liberties of the fair seem to be in a very desponding
co!idition. The honour, however, is great. But honours are
often accompanied with inconveniences; and Fairlop has suf-
fered from its honourable distinctions. In the feasting that at-
tends a fair, fires are often necessary ; and no places seem so
proper to make them in as the cavities formed by the decaying
roots of the trees. This practice has brought a more speedy
decay on Fairlop than it might otherwise have suffered." This
tree was, a few years ago, fenced round with a close paling, above
five feet liigh, almost all the extremities of its branches sawed
off, and Mr. Forsyth's composition applied to them, to preserve
them from decay ; and the injury which the trunk of the tree
had sustained from the lighting of fires in the cavities, was re-
paired, as much as possible, by the same composition. At the same
time, on one of the branches was fixed a board, with this in-
M 2
i'J^ HAL
f.ciiplion : " All good foresters are requested not to liurt this old
tree, a plaster havingt been lately applied to his wounds." Tlie
I vibhie, however, repardle.ss ot" the respect due to the veteran of
the forest, have broken down the palinir, lighted fires within the
trunk, as before, and in consequence of it several of tlie limhs
I'.ave broken otf. Many years ago, Mr. John Day, a worthy but
whimsical character, a block-umker in Wappinir, used annually
to go and dine with his friends, on beans and bacon, under this
tree ; from which circumstance originated the annual fair now
held under it. Mr. Day had his coffin made out of one of the
largest arms of this tree, and kept it many years by him. In ho-
nour of the founder of the fair, the block-makers of Wapping
annually attend, being drawn in boats mounted on wheels, and
accompanied with bands of music, flags, streamers, &c.
HAILEY-BURY, Herts, 19 miles N. from London, the seat
and plantations of William Walker, Esq.
HALING HOUSE, Surry, one mile S. from Croydon, tlu
ancient seat and fine park of William Parker Hamond, Esq.
Charles Howard, the celebrated lord admiral in the reign of Eli-
zabeth, held it by a lease of the crown, and died here in 16i^4.
The fine grove in the park contains a great number of exotics
and evergreens ; a circumstance which is thus celebrated by the
late William Whitehead, in a poem, entitled, " Answer to an
Epistle from a Grove in Derbyshire to a Grove in Surry :"
I envy not, I swear and vow.
The temples or the shades of Stow j
Nor Java's groves, whose arms display
Their biossoms to the rising day ;
Nor Chili's woods, whose fruitage gleam?.
Ruddy beneath his setting beams;
Nor Teneriffa's forests shaggy,
Nor China's varying Sharawaggi :
Nor all that has been sung or said
Of Pindus, or of Windsor's shade.
HALL-BARN, Rucks, three quarters of a mile S. from Ben.
consfield, is celebrated as the seat of Waller the poet. It is re-
markable that this great man, who was born at Coleshill, toward
the decline of life bought a small house, witli a httle land, on his
natal spot ; observing, " that he should be glad to die like the
stag, where he was roused." This, however, did not happen.
'* When he was at Beaconsfield," says Johnson, " he found his
legs grow tumid : he went to Windsor, where Sir Charles Scar-
boroiigii then attended the king, and requested him, as botli a
friend and physician, to tell him what that swelling meant. ' Sir,'
answered Scarborough, ' your blood will run no longer.' Waller
repeated some Hues of Virgil, and went home to die. As the
HAM Ud
disease increased upon him, lie composed Iiimself for liis depar-
ture ; and calling upon Dr. Birch to give him the holy sacra-
ment, he desired his children to take it with him, and made an
earnest declaration of liis faith in Christianity. It now appeared
what part of his conversation with the great could be remem-
bered with deliiilit. He related, that being present when the
Duke of Buckiiiufliam thilked profanely before King Charles, he
said to him, " My Lord, I am a great deal older than your Grace,
and liave, I believe, heard more arguments for atheism than ever
your Grace did ; but I have lived long enough to see there is no-
thing in them, and so I hope your Grace will."
This celebrated poet died at Beaconsfield, in 1687, at the age
of 8i. A handsome monument was erected to his memory, by
his son's executors, in 1700, on the east side of the church-yard,
near the family vault, where an old walnut-tree is remaining, at
the west end of the monument, enclosed within the iron rails
around the toni'-;. Part of the branches hanging over the spiral
pillar that rises from the monumeni has a pleasing effect, and
Isappily illustrates the rebus alluded to in the family arms, which
is a walnut-leaK The Latin inscription on the monument is by
Rymer, and is to be seen in every edition of our poet's works.
Waller is celebrated for the tenderness and softness of his poe-
tical effusions.
HVLSTEAD PLACE, Kent, five miles N.W. from Seven-
oaks, the seat and park of George Arnold, Esq.
HAM COMMON, a village in Surry, one mile and a half N.
from Kingston, to which it is a hamlet. Here is the villa of the
Earl of Buckinghamshire, and in the house now the residence of
Lady Douglas, lived the Duchess of Queensbury, the celebrated
patroness of Gay.
On Ham Common are also the residences of General Forbes,
Lord Kerry, Lady Rowley, AVood, Esq. Lord Torring-
ton, W. Douszlas, Nicholson, Bnrrough,
Ainsley, H. Wright, Griffith, Willcock, W. Go-
li^htley, T, Cotton, J. Bradney, Esquires, and Mrs. Nichols ; and
in Ham Lane aie the seats of Major Hook, Sir W. Parker, Jo-
seph Bradley, Tliomas Mostyn, and Henry Cowper, Esquires.
This assemblage of gentlemens' houses enriches and diversifies
the surrounding scenery.
HAM, EAST, a village in Essex, half a mile E. from Barking,
is peculiarly noted for tlie growth of vast quantities of potatoes
and vegetables for the supply of the metropolis; and for being
the residence of the poor Irish labourers, who cultivate the
crops. In this parish is a spring, called Miller's Well, the water
of which is esteemed to be exceedingly good, and has never been
known to be frozen or to vary in its height. A part of Kent, in
the parish of Woolwich, lies on this side of the Thames, and di-
1*26 HAM
vides tliis parish from that river. This singularity of distribution
may be remarked in other parts of the kingdom. See Green
Street House.
HAM FARM, was the seat of the late Earl of Portmore, at
Weybrid^e, in Suiry, a handsome brick structure, with a fine
lawii before the garden front. The grounds consist of 500 acres,
130 of which are laid out for pleasure, beside a paddoc of 60
acres. Here is a fine command of water, there being two navi-
gable rivers ; the Thames, which comes with a fine bending
course by the side of the terrace ; and the Wey, which runs di-
rectly through the grounds, and joins the Thames at the terrace.
There is a swing bridge over the Wey, which may be turned aside
at pleasure, to let boats and other vessels pass. The Wey is na-
vigable to Guildford. Wliat is called the Virginia Water, runs
from Windsor Great Park, and flows hither through Woburii
Farm, the seat of Sir John St. Aubin, Bart. The terrace next
the Thames is beautiful ; and there are good views from it, and
other parts of the gardens. This place was first beautified by
the Countess of Dorchester, mistress of James II.; tliough it has
since that period undergone several important improvements.
HAM HOUSE, Surry, one mile and a half N. from Kingston,
the seat of the Earl of Dysart, is situate on the Thames, being
built in 1610, and intended, it is said, for the residence of Henry,
Prince of Wales. Charles II. granted it to the Duke and
Duchess of Lauderdale, and to the heirs of the latter by her first
husband, Sir Lionel Tollemache, Bart *. It then underwent con-
siderable alterations, and now remains a curious specimen of a
mansion of that age. The ceilings are painted by Veirio, and
the rooms are ornamented with that massy magnificence of de-
coration then in fashion. The furniture is very rich ; and even
the bellows and brushes, in some of the apartments, are of solid
silver, or of filigree. In the centre of the house is a large halJ,
surrounded by an open gallery. The balustrades of the grand
staircase, which is remarkably spacious and substantial, are of
walnut-tree, and ornamented with military trophies. On the
west side of the house is a gallery, 92 feet in length, hung with
portraits. Ham House contains some fine pictures by the old
masters, among which the w orks of Vandervelde and Wouver-
mans are the most conspicuous. The connoisseur in painting
would here find materials for the gratification of his curiosity.
HAM, AVEST, a village in Essex, one mile S. of Stratford.
Xear the Abbey Mills are the site and remains of a monastery,
* This lady was one of the two daughters and coheiresses of
William Murray, Earl of Dysart, which title was granted to her-
self and heirs by Charles II. The great John, Duke of Argyle, her
grandson, and his brother and successor, Archibald, were born in
tkis house.
H A M 127
called The Abbey of Stratford Lanthorne, founded in 11S5, the
demesne of which in this parish inchided 1500 acres; and they
had manors in niauy counties. A gateway of the Abbey is still
standing ; and, adjoining to the Adam and Eve pubHc-honse and
tea-gardens, is one of the stone arches of the Abbey, where the
ground has been much raised. In the kitchen is a carved grave-
stone, on which were once some inscriptions cut in brass. In the
garden is a stone coffin, dutj up in 1770 ; and, in 1792, several
urns, with three leaden coffins, an antique seal, and some old
coins, were dug up in a field adjoining to the Adam and Eve.
Mr. Holbrook, the proprietor of the field, after having built walls
with some of the stones, sold large quantities of them to great
advantage. In the same field is one of the chapels, nearly en-
tire, and now a stable. That unfortunate divine. Dr. Dodd, re-
sided for some years at West Ham, and here wrote some of his
best publications : nuicli, therefore, it is to be regretted that he
ever quitted this his favourite place of retirement. In this parish
are twelve acres of valuable marsh, the profits of which are ap-
propriated to the binding out poor boys apprentice.
HAMMERSMITH, a village in Middlesex, four mih s W. from
London, on the great western road, which, with Biook Green,
Palien-^wick, or Stanbrook Green, and Shepherds' Bu><h, forms
the Hammersmith division, or side, as it is termed of the parish
of Fulliam. Here is a nunnery, which (according to respectable
information conmiunicated to Mr. Lysons, vol. ii. p. 420) took
its rise from tlie following circumstance. In 1669, Mrs. Beding-
tield and another lady set up a boarding-school at Hammersmith,
for young ladies of the Roiuan Catholic persuasion. Soon after
its institution, the governesses and teachers having voluntarily
obliged themselves to the observance of monastic rules, it ob-
tained the name of a ninmery. Its celebrity as a Roman Ca-
tholic school has continued during the present century; and
most of the fashionable females among the Roiijian Catholic*
have received their educ^-ition there. It has kept up its claim
also to the title of a nunnery, many devotees having, from time
to time taken the veil, and doomed themselves to a voluntary se-
clusion. There is a chapel at the nunnery, and another at Brook
Green, where, also, there is a Roman Catholic charity-school.
At a house on the water-side, called The Mall, occupied as au
academy by the late Dr. Jones, Queen Catharine, dowager of
Charles II. resided for some years during the summer season. —
In Mr. Cotton's house, also on the side of the Thames, are two
remarkably fine catalpa trees, each of them five feet in girth.
Hammersmith has a chapel of ease, which is a curacy, in the
patronage of the Bishop of London, and here Mr. Dorville
and General Morrison have handsome seats. See Brandenburg
House,
V2& HAMPSTEAD.
HAMPSTEAD, a large and populous village in Middlesex,
four n)iles N. W. tVoni London, lies on the declivity of a hill, on
the summit of which is an extensive heath. The fine views of
the metropolis, and of the distant country, whicli are to be seen
from the heath, and from most parts of the village, are not the
only beauties of i!ie scene : the home landscape, consisting of
broken ground, divided into inclosures, and well planted with
elms and other tree-, is extremely picturesque. This village now
ranks liii^h, for the number and variety of its medicinal waters.
Beside the old Spa, of a chalybeate quality, there are two other
kinds of mineral waters, which have lately been discovered by-
Mr. Goodwin, a skilful practitioner of tiiis place; the one a pur-
gative saline, similar in quality and effects to the Cheltenham, the
other is of a sulphureous nature *.
To the south-west of Hampstead was an ancient mansion-
house, called Belsyse, the seat of many persons of consequence
from the reign of Henry VIII. In ] 720 it was converted into a
place of public entertainment; particularly for music, dancing,
and play ; and it was much frequented on account of its vicinity
to London. It continued open till the year 1745, when it expe-
rienced the caprice of fashion. The old mansion has been pulled
down some years, and on its site is a modern-built house. The
estate is held under the dean and chapter of Westminster, by the
Earl of Chesterfield, whose under-tenant is Mr. Richardson.
A house in Hampstead, now the property of James Pilgram,
Esq. is supposed to be that in which the celebrated Sir Henry
Vane resided at the time of the Restoration. It afterward be-
longed to Dr. Joseph Butler, Bishop of Durham, author of the
Analogy between Natural and Revealed Religion. That prelate
lived here many years, and ornamented the windows with a con-
siderable quantity of stained glass, (principally subjects from
scripture) which still remains there.
On the side of the hill is an ancient building, called The
Chicken House, in a window of which are small portraits in
stained glass of James I. and the Duke of Buckingham. Tra-
dition says that it was a hunting-seat of James II.
Several of the nobility have beautiful villas on this spot, and in
its vicinity.
The church was considered as a chapel of ease to Hendon till
1477, when it became a perpetual curacy, and has since been
* See an instructive and entertaining little volume lately pub-
lished, entitled, " An account of the Neutral Saline Waters re-
cently discovered at Hampstead, with Chemical Experiments on
their component Parts, Observations on their mechcinal Applica-
tion and EfTects in certain Diseases, and on the different Modes of
Bathino:, as an Aiixiliary to the drinking of Mineral Waters,"
l»y Thomas Goodwin, Member of the Royal College of Surgeons.
y HAM 1 29
constantly annexed t(i the manor, which belongs to General Sir
Thomas Spencer Wilson, Bart. The cluirch was rebuilt in 1747,
and its spire rising throui^h the trees forms a picturesque object
froni whatever parts it is seen in the adjacent country.
On a tomb in the church-yard, to the memory ot the Hon.
Miss Elizabeth Booth, and of her two brothers, (by whose death,
in 1757, the title of Lord Delamefe became extinct) are the fol-
lowing lines, written by Mr. Cooper, author of the Life of So-
crates, and of other ingenious pieces :
Heav'uward directed all her days, ,
Her lile one act of prayer and praise,
With every milder grace inspir'd,
To make her lov'd, esteem'd, admir'd :
Crown'd with a cheerfulness that show'd
How pme the source from whence it flow'd :
Such was the maid — when in her bloom,
Finding th' appointed time vvas come,
To sleep she sunk, without one sigh —
The saint may sleep, but cannot die.
Rest \indistnrb'd ye much-lamented pair.
The smiling infant and tne rising heir.
Ah 1 what avails it that the blossoms shoot,
In early promise of maturer fi'uit,
If death's chill hand s;hall nip their infant bloom,
And wither all their honours in the tomb ?
Yet weep not, if in life's allotted share,
Swift tied their youth — —They knew not age's care.
Near Hampstead, in 1774, were dug np several Roman se-
pulehial urns, vases, earthen lamps, and otlier venerable remain*
of antiquity.
Child's Hill, west of Hampstead Heath, (the second station of
the Yarmouth telesraph,) commands one of the tinest views this
picturesque spot affords. The horizon presents Windsor Castle,
and the obelisk near the Duke of Gloucester's residence on Bag-
shot Heath; the extensive range of the Surry hills; and, faintly
delineated, the holder ascent of the Hog's-back, in Hampshire.
HAMPTON, a village of Middlesex, seven miles E. S. E. fronv
Staines, is situate on the Thames, opposite the month of the river
Mole. Here is' a ferry over the Thames to West Moulsey, and
a bridge to East Moulsey. Adjoining to this village is
HAMPTON-COURT, a royal palace, situate on the north
bank of the Thames, two miles W. from Kingston. It was mag-
nificently built with brick by Cardinal Wolsey, who set up '280
silk beds for strangers only, and richly stored it with gold and
silver plate ; but it raised so much envy against him, that to
screen himself from its eft'ects, he gave it to Henry VIII. who,
in return, suffered him to live in his palace at Richmond ! Henry
130 HAMPTON COURT.
greatly enlarged it, and it liad then five spacious courts adorned
with buihiings, which, in that age, were greatly admired.
Of the splendour of this palace we have few remains. The
ancient apartments still standing, having been oiidtially used
merely as domestic offices, can convey no idea of the times in
which they were built. The principal part of the old palace was
taken down in 1690 ; and tlie present structure was raised by
Kin-; William, under the direction of Sir Christopher Wren.
The grand facade towards the garden extends 330 feet, and
that towards the Thames 328. The portico and colonnade, of
duplicated pillars of the Ionic order, at the grand entrance, and
indeed the general design of these elevations, are in a superior
style of majinificence.
The park and gardens, with the ground on which the palace
now stands, are three miles in circumference. On a pediment
in the front of the palace on this side, is a bas-relief of the tri-
umphs of Hercules over Envy; and facing it is alartre oval basin,
answering to the form of this part of the garden, which is a large
oval divided into gravel walks and parterres.
At the entrance of the grand walk are two marble vases of ex-
quisite workmanship ; one said to be performed by Cibber, the
father of the poet laureat, and the other by a foreigner : these
pieces are reported to have been done as a trial of skill; but it is
difficult to determine which is the finest performance. They are
adjrned with bas-reliefs; one representing the Triumphs of Bac-
chus, and the other Amphitrite and the Nereids. At the bot-
tom of this walk, facing a large canal which extends into the
park, are two other laige vases, the bas-relief on one represent-
ing the judament of Paris, and that of the other Meleager hunt-
ing the Wild Boar.
In four of the parterres are four fine braes statues. The first
is a gladiator. The original was pertormed by Aeasias Dositheus
of Ephesus, and was in the Borghesian palace at Rome, till the
plunder of that city by Bonaparte. The second, is a young
Apollo : the third, a Diana ; and the fourth, Saturn going to de-
vour one of his children ; all after fine oriirinals.
On the south side of the palace is the privy garden, which was
sunk ten feet, to open a view from the apartments to the Thames.
In this garden is a fountain, with two grand terrace walks.
On the north side is a tennis court; and beyond that, a gate
which leads into the wilderness. Further on is the srreat g^te of
the gardens. Some of the genteel inhabitants of Hampton and
its vicinity are indulged with a key, which enables tliem to visit
the palace and gardens by this gate.
The usual way of entering the Palace hfiom fhe town, through
four large brick piers, adorned with the lion and unicorn, <S:c.
well sculptured on stone.
Passing through a long court, on each side of M'hich are sta-
bling, we come next to the first portal, decorated with the
HAMPTON COURT. ISl
heads of four of the Caesars ; namely, Tiberius, Viteliius, Trajan,
and Adrian.
Tlirongh this portal we pass into a quadrangle, which leads to
a second quadrangle, where, over tlie portal, is a beautiful
clock, by Tompion, on which are the twelve signs of the zodiac,
with the rising and setting of ihe sun, the phases of the moon,
&c. In the front is a portal of brick, adorned also with four
heads of the Caesars, without names.
On the left hand of this quadrangle is the great old hall, in
which Queen CaroHne erected a theatre, wherein it was intended
that two plays should be acted every week, during the continu-
ance of the court there ; but only seven plays were performed in
it, by the players from Drury-Lane, the summer when it was
raised, and one afterward for the entertainment of the Duke of
Lorrain, afterwards Emperor of Germany.
On the opposite side of this quadrangle is a stone colonnade
of the Ionic order, which leads to the great staircase, adorned
with gilt iron balustrades, erected on porphyry. This staircase,
with the ceiling, was painted by Verrio.
The paintings in the various apartments of this palace are nu-
merous, but as they are pointed out by the guide who attends on
those occasions, the description would be superfluous.
The celebrated Cartoons of Raphael have been removed
from Windsor Castle to this palace ; and Mr. Holloway, and his
ihdiistrious assistant, Mr. Thomas Webb, have for several years
been employed in making drawings from them ; and have lately
published one curiously engraved plate, Paul })reaching at Athens,
The other Cartoons will appear in regular succession, and, we
doubt not, do equal credit to these eminent artists.
The palace consists of three quadrangles: the first and second
are Gothic, but in the third are the royal apartments, magnifi-
cently built of brick and stone by King William III. The gar-
dens are not in the present style, but in that which prevailed
some years ago, when matliematical figures were preferred to
the forms of natural beauty*
The celebrated Brown had his present Majesty's permission to
make whatever improvements in these gardens his fine imagina-
tion might suggest ; but he declared his opinion, that they ap-
peared to the best advantage in their present state. Their re-
gularity and grandeur are, indeed, more suitable to the magni-
ficence of a royal palace, than the natural beauties of a private
villa.
At the extremity of the gardens, opposite Thames Ditton, is
the lodge belonghig to the late Duke of Gloucester, but now to
the Duke of Kent, as Rnngpr of Hampton-Court Park. It is
called the Pavilion, and is a neat little structure.
To this palace Charles the First was brought by the army in
1647 J and here '* he lived for/ some time," says Hume, " with
132 HAR
an appearance of dignity and freedom." From this confinement,
however, (for such in reality it was) he soon escaped.
His late Serene Highness William V. Prince of Orantre, Stadt-
liolder of the Uniteci Provinces, having been driven from his
country, by the successful termination of the French invasion,
at the commencement of the year 1795, resided in tliis palace
with his illustrious consort. The apartments which were allotted
to them are those called The Prince of Wales's.
HAMPTON HOUSE, the elegant villa of Mrs. GaLrick, at
Hampton. When the late David Garrick purchased the house,
he gave it a new front, by Adam, the celebrated architect ; and
the extensive grounds were laid out with taste, under his own
direction. Near the Thames he erected an elegant temple to
Shakspeare. On a pedestal in this temple is tlie statue, by Rou-
biliac, of our inunortal bard. The " Four Periods of an Elec-
tion," by Hogarth, are the most remarkable among a few good
pictures with which this house is decorated.
HAMPTON WICK, a village in Middlesex, at the foot of
Kingston Bridge. A patriot of this place has his memory re-
corded in a tine print of him, which the neighbours, who are
fond of a walk in Bushy Park, must regard with veneration. It
has under it this inscription: " Timothy Bennet, of Hampton
Wick, in Middlesex, Shoemaker, aged 75, 1752. This true Bri-
ton (unwilling to leave the world worse than he found it) by a
vigorous application of the laws of his country in the cause of
hberty, obtained a free passage through Bushy Park, which had
many years been withheld from the people."
HANWELL, a village, eight miles W. from London, in the
road to Uxbridge. Its little church, a neat structme of brick,
was rebuilt in 1782. See Brentford.
HANWELL HOUSE, in the parish of Hanwell, the seat and
park of William Harwood, Esq.
HANWORTH PARK, in Middlesex, 3| miles S. W. from
Hounslow, lately the seat of the Duke of St. Ai ban's, was a
favourite palace of Henry Vlll. and here, in 1600, Queen Eli-
zabeth dined and hunted. After having been sold to a carpen-
ter, and let out in lodgings, this fine old house was destroyed by
fire in 1796. See Kempton Green.
HAREFIELD, a village in Middlesex, 4-^ miles N. from Ux-
bridije, iind i>0 miles from London. Here Sir Edward Ander- '
»on. Lord Chief Justice of tlie. Common P.'ea.s in the reign of
Queen EUzabeth, had a seat ; which cominsr into the possession
of the late Geo)ge Cooke, Esq. that gentleujan rebuilt it ; and
it is now the property of his grandson, and in tfie joint orcupa-
tion of three daughtors of the Earl of Winchelsea, Lady Ks^ex,
HAR 133
Lady Hatton, and Lady Augusta Finch. The old Louse was
famous for the residence of the Countess of Derby, before whom
Milton's Arcades was there presented. " I viewed this house,"
says Mr. Warton, in his edition of Milton's Juvenile Poems, '* a
few years ago, when it was, for tlie most part, remaining in its
oriirinal stite. Milton, when he wrote Arcades, was still living
with his father, at Horton, near Colnbrook." This Lady Derby,
Dowager of Ferdinando the fifth Earl, married Lord Chancellor
Egerton, for whose sou, John Earl of Bridgewater, Milton wrote
his Comus. Harefield Place, in this parish, is the seat of Sir
Christopher Baynes, Bart. Near this is a villa, which Count
Bruhl purchased of the Treusdale family. His Excellency has
made many capital improvements in it; having built, in particu-
lar, a fine observatory, and furnished it with the best mathema-
tical instruments.
HARE HALL, Essex, one mile N. E. from Romford, the
elegant seat of Potts, Esq. 13 miles from London, on the
right hand of the road to Chelmsford. It consists of a centr«
and two wings, built of stone, by Mr. Paine.
HARLOW, a neat village in Essex, 23^ miles E. N. E. from
London, had once a market, now discontinued : but, on a com-
mon, two miles from the town, is an annual fair, on the 9th of
September, for horses, cattle, &c. which is much resorted to by
the neighbouring gentry. The provision of the day is, accord-
ing to ancient usage, roasted pork, and it is not a little curious
to see eveiy booth busy in preparing that one article It is called
Harlow Bush Fair. See Pishiobury.
HARMONDSWORTH, a village in Middlesex, four miles
S. from Uxbridge, has one of the largest barns in England,
whose supporting pillars are of stone, and supposed to be of
great antiquity. See Langford.
HARROW ON THE HILL, in Middlesex, 10 miles N.W.
from Loudon, on the liighest hill in the county. Tliis hill, insu-
lated as it were, and rising out of a rich vale, affords a variety
of beautiful prospects. The view toward the east is terminated
by the metropolis, to the south by the Surry hills. Toward the
north it is the least extensive, being intercepted by the high
ground about Stanmore and Harrow-weald: on this side, the
village of Stanmore, and Bentley Priory (the Marquis of Aber-
corn's seat,) are the most conspicuous objects. The view to-
ward the west and south-west, which is very extensive and beau-
tiful, may be seen to the greatest advantase from the church-
yard, whence the ground declines precipitately to Roxeth Com-
mon, where the scenery is very pleasing: the distant prospect
takes in Windsor Castle, and a considerable part of Berks and
Buckinghamshire. On the brow of the hill, descending to Sud-
N
134 HAT
bury Common, is a small villa belonging to Sir William Green,
Bart, with a beautiful garden and shnibbery, wliich commands,
nearly tlie same prospect. On the brow of Sudbury Hill, is a.
Villa called the Hermitage, now in the occupation of Mrs. Ro-
berts.
The manor-house of Harrow is the seat of Lord Northwick.
Another manor-house, called Headstone, is the property of John
Asgill Bucknall, Esq. ; and a third, called Wembley, late the
property of Richsn d Page, Ej-cj. deceased, whose family had
been resident proprietors for two centuries and a half! The
present owner is Jolin Grey, Esq. On an eminence opposite,
called Barn Hill, is an unfinished building, commaudmg a beau-
tiful view, erected by the late Mr. Page, and called his Folly :
it is much secluded from general observation, and has escaped
the notice of our most eminent topographers.
The parish church, with its lofty spire, forms a very conspicu-
ous object. But Harrow is chiefly celebrated for its free-school,
wliich now ranks among the first public seminaries in the king-
dom. Hence Sir Wilham Jones, Dr. Samuel Parr, and other
luminaries, have issued forth to enliehten and improve the world.
It w>is founded, in the reign of Elizabeth, by John Lyon, a
wealthy yeoman of Preston, in this parish. On the dissolution of
the monasteries, &cc. Henry VIH. who was partial to Harrow,
gave the living to Bolton, Prior of St. Bartholomew the Great:
and some years afterwards, this village was the resort of an in- I
numerable mnltitudf^, who flocked here from London, in conse- i
quence of a silly prediction that the city would be destroyed by
a deluge. See Bentley Priory.
HATCHLANDS, Surry, the seat of George Holme Sumiier, '■
Esq. five miles E. N. E. from Guildford, on the Epsom road, is [
a handsome modern house, with a small park.
HATFIELD, a market-town in Herts, 19 miles N. from
London, is a neat, clean town, occupying the sides of the high
north road. The buildings are irregular, and many of them an- ;
cient ; but the principal inn and other houses of entertainment ,
are commodious, and well adapted for the numerous travellers i
passing through it, who chiefly constitute the si|pport of the in- i
habitants. Fairs, April 23, and Oct. 18 ; Market, Thursday. |
HATFIELD HOUSE, Herts, adjoining Hatfield, was in
ancient times part of the revenue of the Saxon princes, till be-
stowed by Edgar on the monastery of Ely, in which it continued ^
till that abbey was converted into a Bishopric in the reign of
Henry I. It then became one of the residences of the prelates,
who had no fewer than ten palaces belontiiug to the see ; and
hence the town was called Bishop's Hatfield. It was alienated
to the crown in the reign of Elizabeth, hut had been before that
period an occasional royal residence. William of Hatfield, se«
I
HAV 135
cond son of Edv/ard III. was born here : Queen Elizabeth re-
sided here many years before slie came to the crown ; here, in
1587, she was visited l)y Queen Mary ; and from henqe, on the
death of the latter, she was conducted to ascend the tlirone.
James I. exchanged this ro>al demesne for Theobalds, in Herts,
with Sir Robert Cecil, afterwards Earl of Sahsbiny ; who erecied
the present magnificent seat on the site of the ancient episcopal
palace, and it still continues in the possession of the same noble
family.
The honse is bnilt of brick, in the form of a half H. In the
centre is a portico of nine arches, and a lofty tower, on the front
of which is the date i6ll. The strticlure has the appearance of
venerable antiquity.
The noble founder enclosed two parks; one for red, and
the otlier for fallow deer; and in the first he planted a fine vine-
yard, which was in existence when Charles I. was conveyed here
a prisoner to the army.
James, tli« fifth Earl, suffered this palace to fall into decay ;
l^nt the late Earl restored it to its pristine masjnificence, after
the designs by Mr. Donowell. Tlie park and plantations too,
which are watered by the Lea, now exhibit all the beautiful sce-
nery of modern gardening. The present IMarchioness has lately
enclosed a small part of tiie park, which she has devoted to ex-
periments in agriculture.
In this house are several fine paintings; among which are a
portrait of Queen Elizabeth, having in one hand this flattering
motto, " Non sine sole iris;" and a portrait of Petrarch's Laura,
on which is this inscription. '* Laura fui: viridem, Raphael fecit,
atque Petrarcha."
HAVERING BOWER, or HAVERING ATTE BOWER,
a village in Essex, three miles N. from Rinnfortl, in the parish
of Hornchurch, and liberty nf Havering, was a seat of some of
our Saxon Kings ; particularly of that sinipie saint, Edward the
Confessor, who took great deliirht in it, as being woody, soli-
tary, and fit for devotion. " It so abounded," says the old le-
gend, " with waibling nightingales, that they disturbed him in
his devotions. He therefore earnestly prayed tor their absence;
since which time never nightingale was heard to sing in the park,
but many without the pahs, as in otiier places !" It ua« jiamed
Bower, from some fine bower, or shady walk, like Rosamond's
Bower, at Woodstock. It is a charming spot, having an exten-
sive prospect over a great > art of Essex, Herts, Kent, Middle-
sex, and Surrj, and of the Thames, with the ships sailing up and
down. Here the Confessoi is reported to have built a palace,
some patt of the walls of which are still standi.tg. Besides this
palace there was another, called Pergo, that seems to have been
always the jointure house of a Queen Consort. Here died Joan,
n2
156 HED
Queen of Henry IV^ It was certainly one of the royal seats in
the reii,'n of Queen Elizabeth ; for, dining lier progress into Suf-
folk, in 1570, she resided here some days. It was the seat of
the late Lord Archer, ;ind was pulled down in 1770. On the
site of the former is tlie ele<;ant villa of Lady Smith Burgess, re-
lict of Sir John Smith Burgess, Bart, called the Bower House,
and near this is Bedfords, the seat of John Heaton, Esq.
HAYES, a village in Middlesex, 13 miles from London, three
miles and a half S. from Uxbridge, has a large church, the chan-
cel of which is curiously ornamented, and has some good monu-
ments. In this parish is Hayes Park, the property of Capt. Jo-
seph Fraine, of the navy, and the residence of Mr. Justice Heath,
Here is also a fine old mansion, formerly the re^dence of Mr. Al-
derman Combe, well known for his patriotism and zeal among the
citizens of London. See Paddington.
HAYES PLACE, one mile and three quarters S. from Brom-
ley, in Kent, the elegant villa of the late Earl of Chatham, who
laid out great sums in fine improvements. It was afterwards the
property of Lord Lewisham, who advertised it for sale. Philip
Dehany, Esq. is t)ie present possessor. The spot wall be always
viewed by the patriot with that veneration which is inspired by
the love of our country.
HEARTS, Essex, eight miles and ahalfN. N.E. from Lon-
don, is the handsome new-built mansion of the Rev. Sanniel
Clarke Jervoise, situate behind several rows of elms, which form
a fine evcKing walk. The former house w as built by Sir Hum-
phrey Handforth, master of the robes to James I. That king
was so fond of this house, that he often breakfested here, when he
hunted in Epping Forest. By marriage it became the property of
the Onslows ; and the famous Speaker of the House of Commons
was born here. When the Onslows removed into Surry, this
estate was sold, since which it has had ditferent proprietors. The
last owner, Richard Warner, Esq. whose only niece the late ]Mr.
Jervoise married, was a literary character. He left here a col-
lection of pictures, by eminent masters, and was very curious in
the disposition of his garden, in which is a large maze, and a
thatched house in the middle, with lines in Latin and English, (al-
most illegible) emblematical of the situation.
HEDSOR LODGE, Bucks, four miles S. W. from Beacons-
field, the elegant seat of Lord Boston, stands in a lofty situation,
near Cliefden. The grounds are formed by nature into iiigh slop-
ing hills and deep vallies, with a variety of woods well distri-
buted. The declivities of the hills, towards the west, are steep;
and, in the south, near the Tliames, is a chalky precipice, whence
tlie ground rises boldly by the summit, on which this noble man-
HEN 137
sion appears conspicuous. The extensive views from this spot
arc eririclied by villages, seats, and rural scenery.
HEMPSTEAD, or HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, a market town
in Herts, 22^ miles N. W. from London, is situiitpj, anions: hills,
upon the river Gade. It was incorporaied hy Hetny VHI. and
is governed by a Bailiff. The market, whicli is !<till a very good
one, was formerly esteemed one of the ereate><t in En.land for
wheat; 20,000/. a week havuig been oftpn nturned only for
meal. Eleven mills are said to be found witliin four niil< s of the
place, a circnmstiince indicative of labour and industry, and its
contiguity to the Grand Junction Canal lias already had a bene-
ficial effect on its trade. Market, Thursday.
HENDON, a village in Middlesex, seven miles N. N. W. from
London, situate on a rivulet called the Brent. In the church
yard, is the following singular epitaph :
In Memory of Robert Thomas Crosfield, M. D.
Son of the late Francis Crosfield,
Of Spinnithorn, in the County of York,
Died 8th Nov. 1802, aged 44 Years.
Previous to which he wrote the following epitaph, so truly
characteristic of himself.
Beneath this stone Tom Crosfield lies.
Who cares not now who laug-jis, or cries ;
He laugh'd when sober, and when mellovr,
AYas a harum scarum heedless fellow :
He gave to none design'd offence,
So " Honi soit qui mal y peiise ! "
The prospect from this church-yard, is strikingly pleasant: the
leading objects are, Cannons, Whitchurch, Stanmore, Brockley
Hill, Bentlcy Priory, and the verdant brow of Elstree, on which
stands the third station of the Yarmouth telegraph.
Hendon Place, a fine seat in this parish, is the property of
George Snow, Esq. of Langton, in Dorsetshire. Here was a
remarkable cedar- tree, which was blown down, Jan. 1, 1779.
Its height was 70 feet ; the diameter of the horizontal extent of
the branches, 100 feet ; the circumference of the trunk, at seven
feet from the ground, 16 feet ; at 12 feet from the ground, 20
feet J the limbs from six to 12 feet in girth. The gardener, two
years before it was blown down, made 50/. of the cones ! Lysons,
Vol. III. p. 4.— In Brent Street, not far from the church, is the
ancient mansion of the Whichcotes, now the property and resi-
dence of John Cornwall, Esq. The face of the country is en»
riched by these structures of antiquity.
n3
158 HES
HERTFORD, Herts, 21 miles N. iVoni London, is pleasantly
situated on the river Lea, which is navigable for barges to the
town. The streets, which are neat, clean, and well biiiit, are
disposed in the form of the letter Y, the ancient castle standing
in the middle of the two horns. Here are two parish churches, a
handsome sessions-house in which the assizes areholdeu, a market-
house, and town hall; the quarter sessions and county courts be-
ing kept in the latter. The only manufactured article is malt, by
which, and the large quantities of corn and wool sent down
the river to tiie metropolis, the inhabitants are principally sup-
ported. The public seminaries for education are of the most
respectable class; consisting of a college for the ed:ic<ition of
youth destined to fill the various offices in tlie civil dt^partments
in India, for which purpose Hertford Castle has been lately
rented by the East India Company ; and a iarge school, called
the Buildings, belonging to Christ's Hospital, in London, where
about 500 of the younger ciiildren are kept for a certain number
of years, prior to their being sent to town. The charities con-
sist of an excellent free grammar school, having seven scholar-
ships at Peter Rouse, Cambridge ; a charitv school, under the
management of the corporation, and a sunday school. Lately a
county gaol and penitentiary house have been erected on ]Mr.
Howard's plan. Hertford retunis two members to Parliament.
Market, Saturday. This town was of .some note in the time of
tlie ancient Britons; afterwards accounted one cf the principal
cities of the East Saxons, where their King> often kept their
court, and a parliamentary council was held in 673. To this
town the Lea was once navigable tor ships In 879 the Danes
erected two forts here for the security of their ships ; but Alfred
turned the course of the stream, so that their vessels were left
on dry ground ; which so terrified them, that they abandoned
their forts, and tied. Edward, the eldest son of Alfred, built a
castle, v\hich has been often a royal resident e, and is now the
property of Sir George Beeston Prescot, Bart.
In the parish of Little St. John is the New River Head; and
near the town are many handsome villas ; particularly Baytord-
bury, the seat of WilliaUi Baker, Esq.; Balls Park; Goldens,
the seat of Richard Emmet, Esq. ; Hertingfbrdbury, the seal of
Samuel Baker, Esq. and Brickdenbury Park, Mr. Blackmore's.
At Hertingfordbury are the portraits of the members of the Kit
Kat Club. See Barn Elms and Cole Green.
HESTON, a village of Middlesex, IO5 miles from London,
and a mile and a halfN.N.W. from Hounslow. The soil (in
general a strong loam) is noted for producing wheat of a very
fine quality. Camden speaks of it as having, before his time,
furnished the royal table with bread ; and Norden, who bears
th« same testimony to its superior quality, says, it was reported
H I L 139
that Queen Elizabeth had " the manchets for her higliness's own
diet" from Heston. This curious circumstance must endear the
spot to royalty. See Hounslow and Osterleij Park.
HIGHGATE, Middlesex, a populous hamlet in the parishes
of Hornsey and Pancras, four miles N. N. W. from London.
The cliapel and two thirds of the village belonj? to Hornsey. It
has its name from its high situation on the top of a liill, and a
gate erected there about 400 years ajjo, to receive toll for tlie
Bishop of London, upon an old road fiom Gray's-Inn-Lane to
Barnet being turned through the Bishop's park. On its site was
once a hermitage; near which Sir Roger Cholmeley, Lord
Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench, built a freeschool, in 156*2.
Some of the public houses in Highgate have a large pair of horns
placed over the sign; and when any of the country people stop
for refreshment, a pair of large horns, fixed to the end of a staff,
is brought to them, and they are pressed to be sworn. If tliey
consent, a kind of burlesque oath is administered, that they
never will eat brown bread when they can get white ; and abim-
dance of other things of the same kind, which they repeat after
the person who brings the horns; being allowed, however, to
add to each article, the words ^' except I like the other better.'^
On the right hand of the entrance into Highgate from Kentish
Town, is a house built by Sir William Ashhurst, Lord Mayor of
Loudon, 1694. It was the seat of the late Thomas Walker,
Esq. Accomptant General. Highgate being most pleasantly
situated, has to boast of other handsome houses belonging to per-
sons of opulence and respectability.
Recently an act has passed the Legislature, for constructing a
tunnel through Highgate Hill, which will be sufficiently capacious
to admit two carriages abreast; at once obviating both the la-
bour and time consumed in the very steep and difficult ascent to
the village.
HIGHWOOD HILL, in the parish of Hendon, in Middlesex.
Here is a mineral water, tbrmerly enclosed by Mrs. Rachel Russel,
erroneously inserted in several publications to be of a cathartic qua-
lity"; butwhichhas lately undergone examination by Mr. Goodwin,
of Hampstead, who informs us that it is a chalybeate, nearly of the
same strength as the steel water in Mr. Barret's field at Chelten-
ham, now rising in much repute, and he advises it to be drunk at
times with the mineral water of Barnet. We understand Mr. G.
means to publish some account of it.
The water in Mr. Jackson's field, he assures us, is of no effi-
cacy as a mineral, although it has been resorted to very frequently
by persons of the neighbouring villages.
HILL HALL, Essex, three miles S. S. E. from Epping, the
seat and park of Sir William Smyth, Bart, situate in the parisk
140 H O L
of Theydon Mount. For elegance, and the fineness of its pro
spects, is esteemed interior to few in the county. It w-^s built
by Sir Tliomas Smyth, Secretary of State, in 1548 ; but great
alterations have since been made in it. The approach to it is by
a tine avenue of stately elms.
HILLINGDON, Great and Little, two villages in Middle-
sex, near Uxbiidge, whi'^h is a hamlet to the former. In the
church yard is a remarkable higl) yew tree, above 200 years old !
On the left hand of Hillingdon Heath from London, a veiy ele-
gant house was erected for the Count di Sahs, an Italian noble-
man ; and, at Little Hillingdon, is Hillingdon House, the seat
of Jonas Du Pre Poroher, Esq. The grounds are picturesque,
and enriched by a fine piece of water.
HODDESDON, Herts, a hamlet on the river Lea. in the
parishes of Amwell and Broxburn, 17 miles N. from London,
ha-* a market on Thursday, and a fine fountain in the middle of
the town, which is thus ludicrously mentioned by Prior :
A nymph with an urn, that divides the highway.
And into a puddle throws mother of tea!
HOLLAND HOUSE, Middlesex, tlie ancient mansion-house
of the Miannr /f Abbot's Kensington, in the parish of Kensington,
two miles W. from London, having from the public road a most
venerable and iiitere^ting appearance. It takes its name from
Henry Rich, Earl cf Holland ; was built by iiis father-in-law,
Sir Walter Cope, in 1607, and affords a very good specimen of
the aichitecture of that period.
The celebrated Addison became possessed of this venerable
mansion, in 1716, by his intermarriage with Charlotte, Countess
Dowairei'of Warwick and Holland. Here was the scene of his
last moments, and of his affecting interview with his son in law
(communicated to the world by Dr. Edward Young) the Earl of
Warwick, to whom he had been tutor, and whose licentiousness
of manners he had anxiously, but in vain, endeavoured to re-
press. As a last effort, he sent for him into the room where be
lay at the point of death, hoping that the solemnity of the scene
might make some improssim upon him. When that young no-
bleman came, he requested to know his commands, and received
the memorable answer, *' .See in what peace a christian can
die!" to which Tickell thus alludes:
He taught us how to live ; and oh ! too high
A price for knowledge, taught us how to die !
On the death of this young nobleman, in 1721, unmarried, his
estates devolved to the father of the present Lord Kensington
(maternally descended from Robert Rich, Earl of Warwick)
HOR 141
who sold it, in 1762, to the Right Hon. Heniy Fox. Here was
born the late Right Hon. C. James Fox, uncle of the present
proprietor. Lord Holland.
A gallery, which occupies the whole length of the west wing,
about llSleet, is ornamented with portraits of the Lenox, Fox,
and Digby families.
HOLLO WAY, Middlesex, a village on each sideof the public
road leading from Lsliugton to Highgate, to both of which it is
now nearly connected ; has many new houses, some of a p^irticu-
iarly fanciful construction, and a small chapel has been lately
erected here for the accommodation of the i)ihabitants. The si-
tuation is pleasant, and has its attractions from the charms of the
surrounding country.
HOLMESDALE, a rough and woody tract, in Snrry, lying
immediately beneath the hills to the S. and E. of that county,
and extending into Kent. Red deer are still found here ; and
it is said to take its name from the holm oak with which it
abounds.
HOLWOOD HOUSE, Kent, formerly the seat of the late
Right Hon. William Pitt, on Holwood Hill, in the parish of
Keston, five miles S. from Bromley, is at present inhabited by
Col. Kirkpatrick. Gieat part of tlie Roman camp at Keston is
enclosed in the grounds : and hence is one of the most delightful
prospects in the county. See Keston and Putney.
HOMERTON, Middlesex, the eastern portion of Hackney
parish, is a small neat village with several good houses. Here is'
an ancient academy for the education of young men for the mi-
nistry among the Independents, a class of protestant dissenters.
HORNCHURCH, a village in Essex, the only parish in the
liberty of Havering, 'if miles S. E. from Rumford, of which it
is the mother church. A large pair of horns is affixed to the east
end of the church, for which tradition assigns some reason too
idle to be repeated. Here is Langtons, the handsome seat of
Richard Wyatt, Esq. and Marshalls, the pleasant villa of the
late Jackson Barwis, Esq.
HORNDON ON THE HILL, a decayed market-town in
Essex, 19 miles E. from London, in the road from Chelmsford
to Tilbury Fort. From this place is a very beautiful prospect.
HORNSEY, a village in Middlesex, five miles N. from Lon-
don, In the footway from this village to Highbury Barn, as
Islington, is a coppice of trees, called Hornsey Wood, at the
entrance of wliich is a public-house, to which numbers of per-
sons resort from the city. This house being situated on the top
of an eminence, affords a delightful prospect of the neighbouring
14* H Y D
country. The New River winds beautifully through Homsey.
On the side of the road from Ishngton to Southgate, is Harringay
House, a capital mansion, with handsome porters' lodges, built
by Edward Gray, Esq. See Highgate and Muswell Hill.
HORSELEY, East and AVest, Surry, two villages, four miles
S. W. from Leatherhead. In the former is a fine seat, the pro-
perty of William Currie, Esq. In the latter is the handsome
house of Henry AYeston, Esq.
HORTON, a village in Buckinghamshire, one mile S. W.
from Cohibrook, where Milton, after he had left the university,
resided five years with his father. The house, called the manor-
house, is now in the occupation of Mrs. Hugford. Here his mo-
ther died, in 16.37, and is buried in the chancel of the church.
Hf^re also is the seat of Miss Lawson.
HOUNSLOW, a market-town of Middlesex, 9| miles W.
from London, is a hamlet to two parishes ; the south side lying
in Isleworth, and the north side, with the chapel, in Heston.
Here was formerly a priory, which belonged to the brethren of
the Holy Trinity, whose peculiar office it was to solicit alms for
the redemption of captives. The site of the priory, with the
manor-house adjoining the chapel, is the property of Mrs. Sophia
Bulstrode.
Hounslow stands on the edge of the heath of the same name,
on which are some powder-mills on a branch of the river Coin.
On this heath James H. formed an encampment, after the sup-
pression of the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion, in order the more
etfectually to enslave the nation ; and here he first perceived the
little dependence that he could have upon his army, by their re-
joicings on receiving the news of the acquittal of the seven Bi-
shops, an event, at that period, most auspicious to the welfare
of the country. In 1793, barracks were erected on the N. side
of the heath, capable of containing 400 men.
HOXTON, Middlesex, a small village in the parish of Shore-
ditch, formerly quite distinct from, but now joined to the metro-
polis. The houses are mostly old and decayed. The Square has
been long remarked for having among its residents several of the
established and dissenting clergy. Here are also some houses for
the reception of persons labouring imder insanity.
HUNSDON HOUSE, Herts, five miles S. E. from Ware,
was a royal palace, erected by Henry VIII. and was granted te
Lord Hunsdon, by his first cousin, Queen Elizabeth. It is the
properly of Mr. Calvert.
HYDE, THE, near Ingatestone, Essex, six miles and a half
W. from Sudbury, late the seat of Thomas Brand Hollis Esq.
who died, 1804, and now of the Rev. Dr. Disney, (author of the
H Y D 143
Lives o^Joriin and Sykea, and also of two volumes of excellent
sermons) in which is aline collection of ancient coins and medals,
busts, marbles, vases, and other antiquities. Some of them are
from Herculaneum, and were collected by the late Thomas Hollis,
Esq. who died 1774, and Thomas Brand HoIIis, Esq. when they
were in Italy*. In the hall, in particular, are two sarcophagi,
esteemed superior to those at Wilton. The plantations and a
tine piece of water are disposed with great taste, and command
the beautiful adjoining country*
HYDE HALL, EsseXj three miles and a half S* from Bi-
shop's Stortford, the seat of the Earl of Roden.
HYDE PARK, a celebrated Park at the west extremity of
the metropolis, adjoining on the south side to Knightsbridge, and
lying between the two roads which lead to Hounslow and Ux-
bridge* It is the site of a manor, which anciently belonged to
the church of Westminster, till it became the property of the
crown in the reign of Henry VIII. by exchange for other lands.
In 1652 this park contained 620 acves. During the usurpation,
it was sold in different lots, and produced 17,068 Z. 6s. 8d. in-
cluding the timber and the deer. The crown-lands being re-
sumed after the Restoration, it was replenished with deer, and
surrounded by a brick wall, having, before that time, been
fenced with pales. It has been considerably reduced since the
survey in 1652, partly by buildings between Hyde Park Corner
and Park Lane, but principally by the making of Kensington
Gardens, By a survey taken in 1790, its present extent appears
to be 394 A. 2 R. 38 P. In the upper part, adjoining to Ken-
sington Gardens, are some fine trees, and the scenery is very
pleasing. The large canal, called the Serpentine River (which
has so often proved fatal to adventurous skaiters and desponding
suicides) was made by Queen Caroline in 1730; the water being
supplied by a small stream which rises at Baysvvater, and falls
into the Thames near Ranelagh, dividing the parish of Chelsea
from that of St. George, Hanover Square.
Hyde Park has been long a favourite place for taking the air^
and exhibiting line coaches, fine horses, and expert horseman-
ship. Ludlow, in his Memoirs, has tlie following Curious re-
mark: *' May 1, 1654. This day was more observed for people
going a maying than for divers years past. Great resort to Hyde
Park : many hundreds of rich coaches, and gallants in attire, but
most shameful powdered hair men, and painted spotted vvouien."
— In Hyde Park also, the troop- in and about the metropolis,
are exercised and frequently reviewed with great strictness and
* This gentleman took the a'Iditional surname of Hollis, in con-
sequence of Mr. H.'s leaving him a very considerable part ojp his
property and fortune.
14 i . ISL
regularity ; and for some years, the whole volunteer military
force of the capital and adjoining villages, annually assembled
here on tiie 4tii of June, in commemoration of liis Majesty'*
birth-day, by whom tlieyhad the honour of being inspected.
TCKENHAM, a village in Middlesex, two miles N. E. from
Uxbridue. lu tliis is Swakeley House, the seat of the Rev.
Mr. Clarke.'^
JES.SOP'S WELL, Surry, three miles N. from Leatherhead,
is a sulpiiureous spring, of tlie same kind as that of Harrowgate.
ILF« )RD, Great and Little, two villages in Essex, in the parish
of Barking, situat*^ on each side of the river Roding, the former
6| miles E. N. E. from London, in the road to Chelmsford. Here
is Highland House, the elegant seat of Isaac Currie, Esq. As it
is built of stone, it forms a fine terminatitm to a vista from Wan-
stead House. See Valentine House.
INGATESTON, Essex, formerly a market-town, 23 miles
E. fi o>n London, on the road to Harwich. Here is the ancient
seat of the liberal and intelligent Lord Petre, whose ancestor,
Sir William Petre, founded eiyht fellowships, at Oxford, called
the Petrean Fellowships, and erected here an almshouse for
twenty poor persons. Part of the house is pulled down : the rest
is inliabited by the steward and some Roman Catholic families
depcMideut upon his lordship. The town consists of one street,
tlia north side of which, and half of the south side, are in the
parish of Fryerning. In the church are some stately monuments
of the Ptti:e family.
INGRESS PARK, at Swanscombe, in Kent, 19 miles S.
from London, the elegant villa of W. Havelock, Esq. which
commands a fine view of the Thames.
ISLE OF DOGS, a part of Poplar Marsh, on the north side
of the Thames, in Middlesex. When our Sovereigns had a pa-
lace at Greenwich, they used it as a hunting seat, and, it is said,
kept the kennels of their hounds in this marsh. These hounds
frequently making a great noise, the seamen called the place the
Isle of Dogs, though it is neither an island, nor a peninsula. A
Canal has been lately made here to enable shipping in their pas-
sage up and down the Thames to avoid the circuitous and incon-
venient course rounr'. the Isle of Dogs. Here also are to be
found the H'e.st India Docks of immense size and curious con-
•truction. The northern dock covers a space of thirty acres,
and in capable of containing 2 or 300 Si^il of shipping! Th«
ISL 145
smaller dock covers an area of 24 acres, and is devoted to the
business of loading outwards, as the other is appropriated to un-
loading inwards. The warehouses are astonishingly hree, and
the appearance of them is grand and impressive. The West
India trade arrives in fleets, and this new disposal of tliem pre-
vents the nsual damage, crowding, and confusion. It is indeed
a singular proof of tiie enterprising spirit of this flourishing and
commercial country. See Docks.
ISLEWORTH, a viUage in Middlesex, on tlie Tliames, 8^
miles W. from London. The church is a modern structure ; but
it has a venerable tower, covered with ivy, which belonged to
the former chuicli. Near the grand entrance into Sion Park, is
a house, tiie property and resiJeiice of Sir JSathaniel Ducken-
field, Bart. Gumky House, the residence of the last Eari of
Bath (and so called from h;iviug been built by John Gumlry,
Esq. father of his Countess) belongs to Mr. x^n^ell, and is on
the north side of the road from Twickenham to London. Front-
ing the Houuslow road, is the handsome villa of David Go ifjoy,
Esq. and, on the banks of the Thames, a house bnilt by James
Lacey, Esq. now the property of the Hon. Mrs. Keppel, and
the residence of the Earl of Warwick, See Sion House and Sion
Hill.
ISLINGTON, a considerable village N. of London, to which
it is now united. The parish contains, besides the villaj^e, the
hamlets of Holloway, Kingsland Green, and part of N-wing-
ton Green. The church, erected in 17.')4!, is a neat brick struc-
ture, with a spire, quoins, cornices, and architraves of Portland
stone. Its height, to tiie top of the vane, is 164 feet. Its length
is 108 feet, and its breadth 60. Its roof is supported without
pillars, and the inside is adorned witli elegant simplicity. In
1787 it underwent considerable repairs. The scafi^olding was of
wicker-work, framed upon a very curious plan roiiud the steeple,
by Mr. Birch, a basket-maker of St. Al ban's, who had before
contrived a similar work for the repaits of the spire of the abbey
church in that town. He engaged to erect this scaffold for 20 l.
and the privilege of showing it at sixpence each person, which
amounted to a considerable sum. An old building: in Canou-
bury-Field, is absuidly called Queen Elizabeth's Lodge *. In
^ Strype records the following curious anecdote: " Beyond Al-
dersg-ate Bars, leaving the Charter House on the left hand,
stretches up toward Iseldon, commonly called Islington, a coun-
try-town hard by ; which, in the former age was esteemed to be
so pleasantly seated, that in 1581, Queen Elizabeth, on an even-
ing, rode that way to take the air; where, near the town, she was
environed wilh a number of begging rogues, which gave the Queen
much disturbance. Whereupon Mr. Stone, one of the footmen,
o
146 ISLINGTON.
the Crown Public House, in the Lower Street, among other de-
corations on painted glass, apparently of the reign of Henry VII.
is an original portrait of Elizabeth, the Queen of that Monarch,
supposed to have been painted in 1487 ; and the Pied Bull Inn
is said to have been the residence of Sir Walter Raleigh, whose
arms are still to be foimd on one of the windows. In the fields,
to the N. W. of tie Wliite Conduit House and Tea Gardens, is a
large inclosure, called the Reed Mote, or Six-acre field, sup-
posed to have been a Roman camp. The White Conduit House
takes it^ name from a conduit near it, which formerly supplied
the Charter House; and a pipe belonging to it is still existing,
and conveys water to the late Dr. De Valengin's house in Pen-
tonville. On repairing the road a few years ago, nearly oppo-
site the Queen's Head public house, a subterraneous vault was
discovered which seemed to point towards Smithfield; from this
circumstance, many were inclined to suppose it formed a com-
ronnication between the Piiory of St. Bartholomew and Canon-
bury, the country residence of that body.
On the S. W. side of Islington, is a fine reservoir, called New
River Head, which consists of a large basin, into which the
New River enters : part of the water is thus conveyed by pipes
to London, while another part is thrown by an engine through
other pipes, to a reservoir, which lies much higher, in order to
supply the highest parts of London. Near the New River Head
is the well-known place of public amusement, called Sadler's
Wells, which takes its name from a spring of mineral water, now
called Islington Spa, or New Tnnbridge Wells. This spring
was discovered by one Sadler, in 1683, in the garden belonging
to a house, which he had then just opened as a music-room. The
water resembles much in quality and effect that of Tunbridge
Wells in Kent. Sadler's music house came, after his death, to
one Francis Forcer, whose son was the first that exhibited there
the diversions of rope-dancing and tumbling, to which have for
many years been added musical interludes and pantomimes. At
the Sir Hugh Middleton's Head is a very large picture, contain-
ing twenty-eight portraits of the Sadler's Wells Club; it is a cu-
rious representation of some known characters ; among them is
Mr. Rosamond, the builder of Rosamond's Row, Clerkenwell.
To the N. of Islington, is Highbury Place, which fronts the
fine hills of Highgate and Hampstead. Higher still is Highbury
came in all haste to the Lord Mayor, and to Fleetwood, the Re-
corder, and told them the same. The same night did the Recor-
der send f»u1 w.^rrants into the same quarters, and into Westminster
and the Duchy, and in the morning he went out himself, and took
that day 74 ropues, whereof some "were blind, and yet ^reat
usurers, and very rich. They were sent to Bridevrelf, and pu-
nisked." *
IVE 147
Terrace, which commands a beautiful prospect. Near this is
the neat villa, paddock, and pleasure grounds of the late Alex-
ander Aubert, Esq. who erected near the house a lofty and spa-
cious observatory, furnished with a complete collection of astro-
nomical instruments. On the site of these premises was a moated
spot, called Jack Straw's Castle, on which stood the mansion of
the Priors of the order of St. John of Jerusalem, which was
burnt to the ground by the commons of Essex, June 13, 1381,
in the insurrection under Wat Tyler and Jack Straw. Near this
is a noted tavern and tea-gardens, called Higlibury Barn, much
frequented by the citizens in the summer season.
At the entrance of the town, but in the parish of St. James,
Clerkenwell, are almshouses for ten widows, of the parish of
Islington, and a school for 25 boys of the same parish and
that of Clerkenwell. They were erected by Dame Alice
Owen, and are under the government of the Brewers' Company ;
from whose records it appears, that they were founded by her
in consequence of a providential deliverance from de<ilh, in the
reign of Queen Mary, when this part of Islington was all open
fields. In those days archers practised with their bows and ar-
rows at butts ; and whilst this lady was walking in the tields with
her maid, an arrow pierced the crown of her hat (high crowned
hats being then in fashion) without doing her the least injury !
In commemoration of this deliverance, she built the schobl and
almshouses, about three years before her death. For many
years, an arrow was fixed on the top of these houses, which
stand on the very spot where this accident happened.
Islington is altogether a large and populous place, superior
both in size and appearance to many consideiable towns m the
country. At the Angel Inn are several roads diverging towards
the metropolis, and leading to its extremities and centre ; a cir-
cumstance which proves convenient to those inhabitants whose
occupations call them to town in the day-time.
In this parish, in the road from Islington to Hoxton, is the
white lead manufactory of Samuel Walker and Co. of Masbo-
rough, near Rotheram, who erected here, in 1786, a curious
windmill, for the purpose of grinding white lead, having a brick
tower crowned with a great wooden top, or cap, to wliich five flyers
are affixed on one side. At right angles to these flyers is a pro-
jecting beam, having at its end a set of smaller sweeps, which,
by the impulse of the wind, spontaneously retain the mill in its
working situation. See Canonburt/f Kingsland, Newington Green^
and Pentonville.
IVER, a village in Bucks, ihree miles S. from Uxbridc:e.
Here was Delaford, the seat of Sir William Yoimg, Bart. « liich
was lately pulled down ; the extensive pleasure grounds being
added to those of Mr. Cleves, whose seat is near the church.
03
148 KEN
These, with otljer additions, and turning the. road on the fronT
of the house, has rendered Mr. Cleves'aa delii^htru! retreat.
At Shredding's Green, in this parish, is the seat of Mrs. Col-
bonio, built by Sir Joliu Vanbrugh, for the Dov.agcr of Lord
Moiiun, who was unfortunately killed in the dm 1, that likewise
proved fata! to his antagonist James Duke of Hamilton. A con-
siderable cotton mill has lately been erected at Iver.
K.
KELVEDON HALL, in the parish of Kelvedon Hatch, in
E-sex, near 20 miles E. N. E. from London, on the read
to C'hipping Ongar, tlis elegant villa of Lady Clive. It com-
mands a rich and extensive prospect, in which, on a tine day, a
part of London may be seen by the naked eye. It is supposed
that the massacre of the Danes commenced at Kelvedon.
KEMPTON PARK, in the parish of Hanworth, in Middle-
sex, four miles S. W. from Hounslow, formerly the seat of the
famous traveller. Sir John Chardin, and now of Sir John Chardin
Musgrave, Bait.
KENDAL'S HALL, Herts, the seat of William Phillimore,
Esq. six miles S. S. E. from St. Alban's, and in the parish of Al-
denliam.
KENNINGTON, Surry, one of the eight precincts of Lam-
beth. Here was a royal palace, which Edward III. made a
part of the Duchy of Cornwall: and here Edward the Black
Prince resided. It was likewise the residence of Richard II.,
when Prince of Wales. In 1396, the young Queen Isabella was
conveyed, amid a prodigious concourse of people, from Kenning-
ton to the Tower ; and it was the occasional residence of Henry
IV., VI., and VII. The manor was first farmed out by Henry
Vni. Camden says, that in his time there were no traces of
this palace. It was probably pulled down, after it ceased to be
an occasional royal residence, and a manor-h.ouse built on the
site, which was occupied by Charles I. wlien Prince of Wales.
In a survey, taken in 1656, this manor-house is said to be
" small, and an old low timber building, situate upon part of
the foinidation of the ancient mansion-house of the Black Prince,
and otlier Dukes of Cornwall alter him, which was long ago ut-
terly nuned, and nothing thereof remaining but the stable, 130
fve' long, built of flint and stone, and now used as a barn." At
this tinif', therefore, not only the manor-house, but, what Cam-
den could not find. The Lon^ Barn, (as it was then called) was
visible; and the latter, in 1709, was one of the receptacles of
the poor distressed Palatine Protestants. In 1786, in digging
uear this barn, tor a cellar, some spacious vaults of stone were
KEN 149
discovered, the arches of which were cemented by a substance
harder than stone itself. The manor belongs to the Prince of
"Wales, as part of the Duchy of Cornwall. The Long Barn was
pulled down in 1795 ; and on the site are erected some houses,
which form a continuation of Park P'ace, Kennington Cross.
The road, by Elizabeth Place, to Lambeth Butts, is still called
Princes' Road, and was so denominated in all ancient writings ;
having been the road by which the Black Prince came to his
palace, when he landed at the stairs at Lambeth. Kennington
gave the title of Earl to William Duke of Cumberland, son of
George II. Kennington has improved much of late years in ap-
pearance and respectability.
KENNINGTON COMMON, on the road to Clapharo, was
the common place of execution for the county of Surry; this nui-
sance has however been removed to the top of the county
goal, in Horsemonger Lane. Some of the rebels, who were
tried by the special commission in Southwark, in 1746, suffered
here ; but the common is now nearly surrounded with modern
respectable houses. Here is a bridge, formerly called Merton
Bridge, because the Canons of Merton Abbty had lands for the
purpose of repairing it.
KENSINGTON, a village in Middlesex, l^ mile W. from
Hydtt Park Corner, contains the hamlets of Brompton, Earl's
Court, the Gravels, and a part of Little Chelsea ; but the royal
palace, and about 20 other houses on the north side of the road,
are in the parish of St. Margaret, Westminster. At Earl's Court,
was the villa of the late celebrated John Hunter, who here pro-
secuted his curious and useful experiments and discoveries, and
whose valuable museum was lately purchased by Parliament, and
presented to the College of Surgeons.
KENSINGTON PALACE, was the seat of Sir Heneage
Finch, afterward Earl of Nottingham, and was sold by his son
(Daniel the second Earl) to King Wilham, who greatly im-
proved it, and caused a royal park to be made to it, through
Hyde Park. The gardens were originally only 26 acres. Queen
Anne added 30 acres, which were laid out by her gardener, Mr,
Wise j but the principal addition was made by Queen Cat oline,
who took in near 300 acres from Hyde Paik, which were laid
out by Bridgman; and they have since been nmch iinproved by
Brown. They are 3^ miles in circumference; and have, for
many years past, been a very fashionable promenade, particu-
larly on Sundays, when citizens, arrayed in their best clothes,
repair thither for show and recreation.
The palace is a large irregular edifice of brick, built at various
times. The state apartments, which are very nobie, consist of a
suite of 12 rooms. We first ascend the great staircase, in which
are painted balconies, with the portraits of particular people, ia
o3
150 KEN
groups ; and then proceed thronch tlie apartments in the follow-
ing order: The Presence Chaml)er, the Privy Chamber, the
Queen's Drawing Room, the Queen's Dining Room, the Queen's
Dressing Room, the Queen's Gallery, the Cube Room, the
Great Drawing Room, the King's State Bed Chamber, the
Prussian Closet, the Green Closet, which was King William's
writinj; closet, containing his table and escrutoir, and his Ma-
jesty's Gallery. Wo are next conducted down stairs to the
Guard Chamber. Tiiese various apartments are adorned with
paintini;s, tapestry, and sculpture, the productions of masters of
distinguished cel'.'brity.
This palace was the frequent residence of King William and
Queen Mary, Queen Anne, George I. and the late King. These
monarchs (George I. excepted, who died at Hanover) all ex-
pired within its walls, as did Prince George of Denmark,
Queen Anne's consort, in 1703. During the present reign, Ken-
sington has been forsaken by the royal family, though indeed
lately it has been fitted up for the occasional residence of their
Royal Highnesses the Princess of Wales and her august mother,
the Duchess of Brunswick, who sought an asylum in thi"? country
from the commotions on the Continent ; and his Royal Highness
the Dnke of Kent has also apartments here.
KENTISH TOWN, Middlesex, a village in the parish of St.
Paurras, three miles N. from London, between London and
Hampstead, containing several handsome houses, particularly
an elegant seat built by the late Gregory Batemans, Esq. a> a
kind of miniature of Wanstead Hou-e. It is the property of
Messrs, Biddulph, Cocks, Cocks, and Ridge, Bankers, and' the
residence of Richard Jolmstone, Esq. Here is a hindsome
cliapel of ease to St. Pancras. In its vicinity are n'any pleasant
spots, which will be relished by the lovers of rural scenery. At
this villag'-^ in 1798, died a gentleman of the name of Little,
who, with an income of upwards of 4000 Z. per ?innum, denied
h'::v-<.lf the absolute necessaries of life, and actually died for
want of food suited to his age!
KEN WOOD, Middlesex, the beautifid seat of the Earl of
Mansfield, situate in the parish of Pancras, on a tine eminence
between Hampstead and Highgate, was purchased, in 1755,
of the Earl of Bute, by the first Earl of Mansiield, then At-
torney General, who improved the whole, with the utmost
rlegance, after the designs of the celebrated architects of the
A(hlp!ii. Tlje grand front, which is near the side of the road
leading from H^ighgate to Hampste id, is opposite the wood that
gives name to tlie house. The cinlen front, which is more ex-
lensive than the other, commands a fine view of rich meadows,
falhng in a gentle descent, and reUeved by some noble pieces of
KES 151
water, that supply part of the metropolis ; but this view is ter-
minated by tlie spires of London, enveloped in fogs and smoke,
which can add no beauty lo the rural scenery. The most re-
markable room in the house is the library, a beautiful apartment,
60 feet by 21, desi{,'ned by Adam, and ornamented with paint-
ings by Zucchi. In this loom is a whole length of the first Earl,
by Martin, and a fine bust of him by Nollekins. There is ano-
ther bust of his Lordship, when young, in the hall ; one of Sir
Isaac Newton ; and the antique bust of Homer, which was be-
queathed to him by Pope. The paintings in the hall are by Re-
becca. In the breakfast parlour is a bust of Pope, and a por-
trait of Sir Christopher Hatton. In the other rooms are some
portraits well deserving of notice; particularly those of Pope,
Garrick, the Duchess of Queensbt^rry, and a good headofBet-
terton, the tragedian, said to be by Pope, who had haen in-
structed in the art of painting by his friend Jarvis. On the
death of the Earl of Mansfield, in 1792, the title and estate de-
volved to his nephew, the late Vi>count Stormont, who improved
and enlarged the house very considerably, (under the direction
of Saunders, the architect); he dying, in 1794, his son, the pre-
sent Earl, enjoys the estate, who has also made improvements
in the grounds.
The pleasure groimds, including the wood which gives name
to the place, contain about forty acres. Their situation is na-
turally beautiful ; and the hand of art has been successfully em-
ployed in making them still more picturesque. On the right of
the garden front of the house, is a hanging wood of tall spread-
ing trees: and, oji the left, the rising hills are planted with
clumps that produce a pleasing effect. A sweet shrubbery im-
mediately before this front, and a serpentine piece of water,
render the whole a very enlivening scene. The cedars of Li-
banus, though youuir, are fine, and are shot up to a great
height with their leaders entire. One of them was planted with
his own liands by the first Earl. The inclosed fields, adjoining
to the pleasure grounds, contain about thirty acres. Hornsey
great woods, held by tlie Earl of Mansfield under the Bishop of
London, join this estate on tiie north, and have been lately
added to the inclosures. Few noblemen's scats have been raised
in a more charming situation.
KESTON, a village in Kent, five miles S. from Bromley, in
the road to Westerliara. At Holwood Hill, in this parish, are
the remains of a large fortification (probably a Roman one) of
an oblong form ; the area of which is partly inclosed by ram-
pires and double ditches of great height and depth. It is two
miles in circumfen nee, inclosing near 100 acres of ground. A
path descends from the camp to the spring-head of the river Ra-
vensbourne. Of this spring an excellent cold bath was formed.
152 KEW.
fiurroiinded by pales and trees ; but these have been long ne-
glected and destroyed. The river flows hence through Bromley
and Hayes, to Beckenham and Lewisham, and crossing the
great road at Deptford bridge, falls into the Thames below.
See Holwood House.
REW, a village in Surry, formerly a hamlet of Kingston, but
united to Petersham, as one vicarage, by act of Parliament in
1769, is seated on the Thames, seven miles W. S. W. from Lon-
don. Here is a chapel, erected at the expense of the nobility
and gentry in the neighbourhood, on a piece of ground given by
Queen Anne. Against the south wall is a tablet to tlie memory
of Jeremiah Meyer, a celebrated miniature painter, with some
elegant verses by Hayley.
In the cemeiery adjoining is interred the celebrated artist,
Thomas Gainsborough : a flat stone only recording his name and
the day of his exit from this mortal scene. The woodlands of
Suffolk were his first academy, where Nature herself taught him
to sketch the rude rural landscape, between the tender years of
ten and twelve. His talents, when matured by cultivation, pro-
duced exquisite approaches to perfection in his art. — On Kew
Green, on the site of Mrs. Theobald's beautiful gardens, once
stood a house, the favourite retirement, in the latter part of his
life, of Sir Peter Leiy. Here is a stone bridge, of seven arches,
over the Thames, from a design of Paine's, which was opened
in 1789, and is private property. The width is too contracted
for its length and height ; it has neither a pavement for foot pas-
sengers, nor recesses for shelter in case of danger ; it is how-
ever a pleasing object, and heightens the beauty of the adjacent
scenery.
KEW PALACE, now a royal palace, foimerly belonged to
the Capel family, and by marriage became the property of Sa-
muel Molineux, Esq. Secretary to George II. when Prince of
Wales. The late Frederic Prince of Wales took a long lease of the
house, which he made his frequent residence ; and here too occa-
sionally resided his favourite poet, James Thomson, the universally
admired author of " The Seasons :" it is now held by his Majesty
on the same tenure. The house was improved by Kent, and con-
tains some pictures ; among which are a portrait of Lord Burleigh,
and the celebrated picture of the Florence Gallery, by Zoffaui.
In the long room above stairs is a set of Canaletti's works.
The gardens, which contain 120 acres, were begun by the late
Prince of Wales, and finislied by the Princess Dowager; and
ot these we shall give a description, in the words of the late Sir
Wilham Chambers.
The gardens of Kew are not very large ; nor is their situa-
tion advantageous, as it is low, and commanda no prospects.
KEW PALACE. 153
Originally the ground was one continued dead flat ; the soil was
in general barren, and without eitiu^r wood or water. With so
many disadvanta-ri s, it was not easy to produce any thing even
tolerable in garde ning ; but princely nnniificence overcame all
difficulties. What was once a desert is now an Eden.
" On enteiiiigilio garden from the palace, and turning toward
tlie left hand, the first building which appe;4rs is
" The Oraii'ferij or Greenhouse. The design is mine ; and it
was built in 1761. The front extends j45 feet ; the room is
142 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 'i5 high. In the back shade are
two furnaces to heat flues, laid under the pavement of the
orangery, which are found very necessary in times of hard
frost!
" The Temple of the Suti is situate<l in an open grove near the
orangery, in the way to the physic gardens. Its figure is of the
circuhu- peripteros kind, but without an attic; anil there is a
particularity in the entablature, the hint of which is taken from
one of the temples of Balbec. The order is Corinthian, the co-
hnnns fluted, and the entablature fully enriched. Over each
column, on the frize, are basso-relievos, representing lyres and
sprigs of laurel; and round the uppi^r part of the cell are sus-
pended festoons of fruits and flowers. The inside of the cell
forms a saloon richly finished and gilt. In the centre of its cove
is represented the sun; and on the frize, in twelve compart-
ments, surrounded with branches of lainel, are represented the
signs of the zodiac in basso relievo. This building was erected
in 1761."
The next object to which we are conducted by Sir William
Chambers, is The Physic or Exotic Garden : but as this was in
its infancy in 1763, when Sir William published his description,
we shall omit his account of it,
'* Contiguous to the Exotic Garden," proceeds Sir William,
" is The Flower Gaiden^ of which the principal entrance, with
a stand on each side of it tor rare flowers, forms one end. The
two sides are inclosed with hij^h trees, and the end facing the
principal entrance is occupied by an aviaiy of a vast depth, in
which is kept a numerous colleciion of birds, both foreign and
domestic. Thfe parterre is divided by walks into a great ninnber
of beds, in which all kinds of beautiful flowtrs are to be seen
during the greatest part of the yearj and in its centre is a bason
of water, stocked with gold fish.
" Fiom the Flower Garden a short windine walk leads to The
3Ienagerie. It is of an oval figure; the ceutie is occupied by a
large bason ofwatei, surroimded by a walk; and the whole is
inclosed by a range of pens, or large cages, in which are kept
great numbeis of Chinese and Tartarian [)heasants, beside many
other sorts of large exotic birds. The bason is stocked with
such waterfowl as are too tender to live on the lake ; and in the
154 KEW PALACE.
middle of it stands a pavilion of an irregular octagon plan, de-
signed by me, in imitation of a Chinese opening, and executed in
1760.
" Near the Menagerie stands The Temple of BellonOf designed
and built by me in 1760. It is of the prostyle kind; the portico
tetrastyle Doric ; tlie metopes alternately enriclied with helmets
and daggers, and rases and pateras. The cell is rectangular,
and of a sequialteral proportion, but closer writh an elliptical
dome, from which it receives the light.
" Passing from the Menagerie toward the lake, in a solitary
walk on the left, is The Temp'e of the God Pan, of the mo-
nopteros kind, but closer on the side toward the thicket, in
order to make it serve for a seat. If is of t.he Doric order ; the
profile imitated from that of the theatre of Marcellus at Rome,
and the metopes enriched with ox skulls and pateras. It was
built by me in 17.58.
" Not far fiom the last described, on an eminence, stands
TIte Temple of Eolus, like that of Pan, of the menopteros figure.
The order is a composite, in which the Doric is predominant.
Witliin the columns is a large semicircular niche, serving as a
seat, which revolves on a pivot, and may with great ease be turn-
ed by one hand to any exposition, notwithstanding its size. The
Temple of Solitude is situated very near the south front of the
palace.
*' At the head of the lake, and near the Temple of Eolus,
stands a Chinese octagon building of two stories, built, many
years ajo, from the designs of Goupy. It is called The House
of Confucius. The lower story consists of one room and two
closets; and the upper story is one little saloon, commanding a
very pleasing prospect over the lake and gardens. Its walls
and ceiling are painted with grotesque ornaments, and little
historical subjects relating to Confucius, with several transac-
tions of the Christian missions in China. The sofa and chairs
were desi<:ned by Kent, and their seat* and backs are covered
with tapestry of the Gobelins. In a thicket, near the House of
Confucius, is erected the engine which supplies the lake and
basons in the gardens with water. It was contrived by Mr.
Srneaton, and executed in 1761. It answers perfectly well,
raising, by two horses, upwards of 3600 hogsheads of water in
twelve hours.
From tlie House of Confucius, a covered close walk leads to
a grove, where is placed a semi-octajron seat, designed by Kent.
A winding walk, on the light of the grove, leads to an open
plam, on one side of which, backed with thickets, on a rising
ground, is placed a Corinthian colonnade, designed and built by
me m 1760, and called The Theatre of Augusta.
•II* ■'^'*i ^^'"^'^ *>/ Victory is the next object. It stands on a
hill, and was built in commemoration of the victory obtained
KEW PALACE. 155
in 1759, near Minden, by Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, over
Marshal de Contades.
" The figure is tlie circular peripteros ; the order Ionic de-
castyle, fluted and richly finished. The frize is adorned with
foliages; and round the attic are suspended festoons of laurel.
The cell, which commands a pretty prospect towards Richmond, '
and over Middlesex, is neatly finished with stucco ornaments.
Those in the ceiling represent standards and other French tro«
phies. The whole was designed by me, and executed in 1759.
" As you pass from the Temple of Victory toward the upper
part of the gardens, are seen the ruins of an arch, surrounded by
several vestiges of other structures. Its description will be given
hereafter.
*' The upper part of the garden composes a large wilderness;
on the border of which stands a Moresque building, commonly
called The Alhambra, consisting of a saloon, fronted with a por-
tico of coupled columns, and crowned with a lantern.
" On an open space, near the centre of the same wilderness,
is erected the tower, commonly called The Great Pagoda. It
was begun in the autumn of the year 1761, and covered in the
spring of the year 1762. The design is an imitation of the Chi-
nese Taa. The base is a regular octagon, 49 feet in diameter;
and the superstructure is likewise a regular octagon on its plan,
and in its elevation composed of ten prisms, which form the ten
different stories of the building. The lowest of these is 26 feet
in diameter, exclusive of the portico which surrounds it, and 18
feet high ; the second is 25 feet in diameter, and 17 feet high ;
and all the rest diminish in diameter and height, in the same
arithmetical proportion, to the ninth story, which is 18 feet in
diameter, and 10 feet high. The tenth story is 17 feet in dia-
meter, and, with the covering, 20 feet high ; and the finishing
on the top is 17 feet high ; so that the whole structure, from the
base to the top of the fleuron, is 16S feet. Each story finishes
with a projecting roof, after the Cliinese manner, covered with
plates of varnished iron of differenf colours, and round each of
them is a gallery inclosed with a rail. All the angles of the roof
are adorned with large dragons, 80 in number, covered with a
kind of thin glass of various colours, which produces a most daz-
zling reflection ; and the whole ornament at the top is double
gilt. The walls of the building are composed of very hard
bricks; the outside of well-coloured and well-matched greystocks,
neatly laid, and with such care, that there is not the least crack
or fracture in the whole structure, notwithstanding its great
height, and the expedition with which it was built. The stair-
case is in the centre of the building. The prospects open as you
advance in height ; and from the top you command a very ex-
tensive view on all sides, and, in some directions, upward of 40
miles distant, over n rich and variegated country.
156 KEW PALACE.
" Near the grand Pagoda, on a rising sjronnd, backed with
thickets, stands The Mosque, \vliirl) was designed and built by
me in the year 1761. 'Hie body of the building consists of an
octairon saloon in the centre, flanked with two cabinets, finish-
ing with one lai Jie dome and two small ones. The large dome
is crowned with a crescent, and its ispriglit part contains 28
little arches, which give light to the saioon. On the three front
sides of t!ie central octagon, are three doors, giving entrance to
the building; over each of wliich there is an Arabic inscription,
in golden characters, extracted from the Koran, by Ur. More-
ton, from whom I had the following explanation, viz.
Ne sit coactio in religione.
Non est Deus alius praeter Deum.
Ne pouatis Deo similitudinem.
" The minarets are placed at each end of the principal build-
ing. In my design of them, as well as in the whole exterior de-
coration of the building itself, I have endeavoured to collect the
principal particulars of the Turkish architecture. With regard
to the interior decoration, I have not so scrupulously adhered to
their style in building, but have aimed at something uncommon,
and at the same time pleasing. The walls of the cabinet are
painted of a rich rose colour, and those of the saloon are straw-
coloured. At the eight angles of the room are palm-trees mo-
delled in stucco, painted and varnished with various hues of
green, in imitation of nature; which at the top spread and sup-
port the dome, represented as formed of reeds bound together
with ribbons of silk. The cove is supposed to be perforated,
and a brilliant sunny sky appears, finely painted by Mr. Wilson,
the celebrated landscape painter.
" In the way from the Mosque, toward the palace, is a Go-
thic building, the front representhig a cathedral.
" The gallery of Antiques was designed by me, and executed
in 1757.
" Continuing your way from the last mentioned huilding, to-
ward the palace, near the banks of the lake, stands The Temple
ofArethusa, a small Ionic building of four columns. It was
designed and built by me in 1768.
Near it is a bridge thrown over a narrow channel of water,
and leading to the inland in the lake. The design is, in a great
measure, taken Irom one of Palladio's wooden bridges. It was
erected in one niylit.
In various parts of the garden are erected covered seats,
executed from two designs composed by me in 1758.
" I'here is alsfo a Temple, designed by me, in commpmora-
tion of the peace of 1763. The portico is hexastyle Ionic, the
columns fluted, the entablature enriched , and the tympan of the
KEW PALACE. 157
pediment adorned with basso-relievos. The cell is in the form
of a Latin cross, the ends of which are inclosed by semicircular
sweeps, wherein are niches to receive statiies. It is richly fur-
nished with stucco ornaments, allusive to the occasion on which
it was erected.
" The Ruin was designed and built by me in 1759, to make a
passage for carriages and cattle over one of the principal walks
of tlve garden. My intention was to imilate a Roman antiquity,
built of brick, with an incrustation of stone. The design is a
triumphal arch, originally with three apertures, but two of them
are now closed up, and converted into rooms, to which you en-
ter by doors made in the sides of the principal arch. The soffit
of the principal arch is enriched with cotFers and roses, and both
the fronts of the structure are rustic. The north front is con-
fined between rocks, overgrown with briars and other wild
plant«, and topped with thickets, amongst which are seen seve-
ral cohmms and other fragments of buildings; and at a little dis-
tance beyond the arch is seen an antique statue of a Muse. The
central structure of the ruins is bounded on each side by a range
of archos. There is a great quantity of cornices, and other frag-
ments, spread over the ground, seemingly fallen from the build-
ing ; and in the thickets on each side are seen several remains of
piers, brick walls, &c."
These gardens are opened every Sunday, from Midsummer to
the end of Autumn. The Exotic Garden, since Sir William
Chambers wrote this account, has been enriched with a great
number of new plants; with several, in particular, fiom New
South Wales. They were under the care of the late Mr. Alton,
celebrated throughout Europe for his excellent work, " Hortus
Kewensis."
The old house, opposite the palace, was taken on a long lease
by Queen Caroline, of the descendants of Sir Richard Levett,
and has been inhabited by different branches of the royal family.
The Prince of Wales was educated there, under t!:e superintend-
ance of the late Dr. Markham, Archbishop of York. This house
was bought in 1761 for her Majesty. Near this spot a New Palace
is now erecting by his Majesty, under the directions of Wyatt,
whose north front, the only part open to public inspection, pos-
sesses, indeed, an air of solemn, sullen grandeur; but it very ill
accords with the taste and science generally displayed by its no-
minal architect. Genius, when shackled by restrictions, has
very little opportunity of exhibiting its native energy; this ob-
servation arises from the unremitting watchfulness with which
all access is here denied, by which we are compelled to regard
this Anglo-Teutonic structure as one of the abortive produc-
tions of royalty; a production, at once illustrative of its bad
taste and defective judgment. From the small size of the win-
158 KIN
dows, and the diminutive proportions of its turrets, it would
seem to possess
" windows that exclude the light,
And passages that lead to nothing."
By Manning's Surry, we learn that the northern front is in-
tended to be appropriated to the uie of domestics; and, by
common report, that the whole buildinj.' is rendered nearly inde-
structible by fire, by means of cast-iron joists, rafter.*, &c.
KTLBOURN,a villageof Middlesex, two miles and a half N. W.
from London, in the parish of Hampstead, is famed for a fine
spring of mineral water, belonging to a tea drinking house called
Kilboum Wells. Near this was once a hermitage, converted
afterwards into a nunnery ; of which there are not now any
remains.
KINGSBURY, to the N. of St. Alban's, is the site of a pa-
lace of the Saxon princes, who, by their frequent visits to the
neighbouring abbey, became an insupportable burden, till Ab-
bot Altric prevailed on Ethelred II. to dispose of it.
KINGSBURY, a village in Middlesex, eight miles N. W. of
London. Its name denotes it to have been a royal residence,
perhaps of some of the Saxon monarchs.
KINGSLAND, a hamlet, partly in the parish of Hackney,
and partly in that of Islington, had formerly an ancient hospital,
or house of lepers, called Les Loques; an obsolete French word,
signifying rags, whence a lock was formerly used as a synony-
mous term with a lazar, or poor house; and hence, in a peri-
odical paper written in its favour, in 1713, (the Tatler, No. 17)
this place is called The Lock Hospital. This hospital was long
an appendage to St. Bartholomew's in London, and was used as
a kind of outer ward, till 1761, when all the patients were re-
moved from Kingsland, and the site of the hospital was let on a
building lease. The neighbouring inhabitants having petitioned
that the chapel might continue, it was repaired accordingly, hut
is one of the smallest in the vicinity of the Metropolis ; the
Chaplain is appointed by the Governors of St. Bartholomew's
Hospital. Kingsland is now united by a continued range of
buildings to Shoreditch !
KING'S LANGLEY, near Abbot's Langley, in Herts, re-
ceived its name from a royal palace built here by Henry III.
the ruins of which are still 'to be seen. Richard II. was buried
in its monastery, but afterward removed to Westminster by
Henry V. Here was also born and buried Edmund of Langley,
Duke of York, son of Edward IIL his wife Isabel, and several
KIN 159
other noble personages. The palace, park, and manor, were
given by James I. to Henry Prince of Wales. The Earl of Essex
is now Lord of the Manor. ,
KINGSTON HOUSE, the seat of the late celebrated Duchess
of Kingston, (tried and convicted of bigamy) now of Sir George
Warren, K. B. situate on the south side of Knightsbridge, near
Kensington Gore, but in the parish of St. Margaret, West-
minster.
' KINGSTON UPON THAMES, a market-town in Surry,
11^ miles S. W. from London, is, as its name implies, situated
on the banks of the Thames, over which is a wooden bridge to
Hampton Wick; and consists of two principal streets and several
smaller ones. The erection of modern houses, intermixed with
those of a more ancient date, gives an appearance of irregularity
rather disagreeable. The church is a spacious structure, and the
summer county assizes are generally holden here in the town-
hall. The town formerly sent members to parliament, till by
petition the inhabitants prayed to be relieved from the burden !
The chief trade of the place consists in corn, meal, and malt, which
are here purchased in large quantities. Kingston was either a
royal residence, or a royal demesne, so earJy as the union of the
Saxon heptarchy; for there is a record extant of a council held
there in 838, at which Egbert, the first Ric^of all England, and
his son Athelwolf, were present ; and in this record it is styled
Kyningetistun, famosa ilia locus. Some of our Saxon Kings were
also crowned here ; and close to the north side of the church is a
large stone, on which, accordmg to tradition, they were placed
during, the ceremony. Adjoining to the same side was formerly
a chapel, in which were the figures of some of the Saxon Kings
that were crowned here, and also that of King John, who gave
the inhabitants their first charter. Of these kings Mr. Lysons
gives the following account, on the authority of our ancient his-
torians, viz. Edward the Elder, crowned A. D. 900 ; his son
Athelstan, in 925 ; Edmund, in 940 ; Eldred, or Edred, in 946 ;
Edwy, or Edwin, in 955 ; Edward the Martyr, in 975 ; and
Ethelred, in 978 ; Edgar, who succeeded to the throne in 959,
is said to have been crowned either at Kingston or at Bath. In
the inscriptions over these figures, some of them were said to be
crowned in the market-place, and others in the chapel ; but no
particular spot is mentioned in the old chronicles. These figures
were destroyed by the fall of the chapel in 1730 ; at which time
Abraham Hammerton, the sexton of this parish, digging a grave,
was buried under the ruins, with another person, and his daugh-
ter Esther. The latter, notwithstanding she lay covered seven
hours, survived this misfortune 17 years, and was her father's suc-
cessor. The memory of this event is preserved by a print of
P2
160 K N I
this singular woman, engraved by M'Ardell. Here is a free
school, founded by Queen Elizabeth, the school-room of which
is an ancient chapel, that belonged to the demolished hospital of
St. Mai7 Magdalen. Here also is an almshouse, built, in 1668,
by Alderman Cleave, for six men, and as many women. Tn
this place is Canbury-House, the seat of John Henry Parker,
Esq. ; near which is a spacious barn, in which twelve teams may
unload at once. It has four entrances, four thrashing floors, and
is supported by twelve pillars. In the hamlet of Norbitou
(which is the entrance into the town from London) is Norbiton
Hall, the seat of Thomas Lintall, E^q. Norbiton Place, be-
longing to John Sherrar, Esq. ; and the handsome house of AVil-
liam Bowles, Esq. At tiie other extremity of the towai is the
hamlet of Surbiton, in which, on the banks of the Thames, is
the villa of the late Edward Fuhr, Esq. and further on, in the
road to Ewel, is Surbiton House, the seat of Thomas Fassett, Esq.
whose gardens extend to the Tliames. In 1769 an act of Par-
liament was obtained for separating the parish church of Kings-
ton, and its dependent chapels of Richmond, Moulsey, Thames
Dittou, Petersham, and Kew, and forming the whole parish
into two vicarages and two perpetual curacies. See Comb
NeviL
KINGSWOOD LODGE, the elegant seat of William Smith,
Esq. on Cooper's Hill, in the parish of Egham. Near the house
is placed a seat, which the lovers of poetry will deem sacred,
for being on the spot whence Denham took his view of the rich
and various scenery described in his celebrated poem. From
this housp, which is 19 miles from London, the hour and minute
hands of St. Paul's clock have, by the aid of a telescope, been
distinctly seen.
KIPPINGTON, near Seven Oaks, in Kent, late the seat of
Sir Charles Farnaby RadclifFe, Bart, now belongs to Motley
Austins, Esq.
KNIGHTSBRIDGE, Middlesex, the first vi'lage from Lon-
don, in the great western road, is situated in the parishes of
Chelsea, St. George, Hanover-square, and St. Margaret, West-
minster, but has a chapel independent of those parishes. On
the south side of Knightsbridge, near Kensington Gore, but in
the parish of St. Margaret, are some handsome insulated villas,
particularly those of Jame<« Vere, Esq. Sir George Warren,
K. B, and the Duke of Rutland. See Kingston House.
Near Hyde Park Corner, on the south side of the road, is St.
Georjje's Hospital for the sick and lame. The centre part was
the seat of Jumes Lane, Viscount Lanesborough, who died
tliere in 1724; and is recorded by Pope in this memorable line ;
Sober Lanesborough dancing with the gout !
if<
^1
v5l
K
s
KNO 161
N'Sar the end of Knightsbridge, a large range of barracks has,
within these few years, been erected, capable of containing two
re(?iments of cavalry.
In Sloane-street lias lately been opened a new Botanic Gar-
den and Library, planned and conducted by Mr. Salisbury, the
ingenious pupil and successor of the late learned and universally
respected botanist, Mr. William Curtis, author of The Flora
L'Ondinensis. There is much science and taste displayed in the
arrangement of this garden ; and, when completed, it will con-
lain six acres. Being only three quarters of a mile from Hyde
Park Corner, it is much easier of access than Curtis's old gar-
den at Brompton, which Mr. Salisbury has converted into a
nursery-ground since this work went to press ; the account of it,
at page 57, is therefore incorrect, and ought to have been
omitted. The terms are, one guinea entrance, and one guinea
per annum for each individual ; two guineas per annum gives the
privilege of introducing visitors. The library is fitted up in the
cottage style; in which lectures on botany are read during the
Burnmer, viz. on Monday and Thursday evenings at seven
o'clock. A- concert of instrumental music is performed at the
same hour on Tuesday and Saturday evenings : admission is
granted to non-subscribers on paying two shillings and sixpence,
which is returned if they afterwards become subscribers. A
very extensive catalogue, and plan of the garden, may be pur-
chased of the gardener, at the lodge; and an explanatory ac-
count of the whole institution, written by Mr. Salisbury, may
be found in The GentlemarCs Magazine for August 1810.
KNIGHT'S HILL, Surry, one mile E. S. E. from Streat-
ham, was formerly the seat of the late Lord Thurlow. When
his Lordship purchased this estate of the Duke of St. Alban's, a
few years ago, there was only a farm house upon it, which he
new fronted; building, at the same time, some additional
apartments ; he afterwards took the whole down, and erected
the late mansion, in a plain and simple style, under the direction
of Mr. Holland. This house was the first ever finished through-
out with the new invented cone flooring. From the upper
stories were dehghtful views over Kent, Surry, and the Metro-
polis; and the Thames was discernible, in various parts, from
Chelsea to Gravesend. His Lordship, during the building of the
mansion, resided at a smaller house in the neighbourhood. Last
year, the house was pulled down, and the materials sold by
auction.
KNOLE, the seat of the Duke of Dorset, a minor, (but the
residence of Lord Whitworth since his marriage with the
Duchess of Dorset,) near Sevenoaks, in Kent, one of the most
p3
162 KNOLE.
magnificent ancient mansions in the kingdom, was possessed, in
the time of King John, by Baldwin de Bethun. From him,
through tlie Mareschals, Earls of Pembroke, and the Bigods,
Earls of Norfolk, it descended to Otho de Grandison, who held
it in. the reign of Edward I. Sir Thomas Grandison, in the time
of Rtrhard II. conveyed it to Geoffrey de Say, whose daughter
tranfened it to Sir William Fiennes, and Sir William's son to
Archbishop Boiichier, by w-hom considerable additions were
made to the edifice, and who bequeathed it by will to the see of
Canterbury. Archbishop Moreton likewise added to the build-
ing ; and Craumer observing that the grandeur of the structure
excited the invidious remarks of the laity, exchanged it for lands
with the crown. It continued a royal domain till the reign of
Edward VI. who granted it to his uncle the Duke of Somerset.
John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, obtained possession on
Somerset's conviction. Northumberland's execution again trans-
ferred it to the crown ; and Cardinal Pole procured it of Queen
Mary for his life. On its lapsing a third time, Elizabeth pre-
sented it to her favourite the Earl of Leicester, who resigned it.
The Queen then conferred it on Thomas Sackville, Earl of Dor-
set, who (with the exceptions of its being seized on in the time
of the Usurpation, and of an alienation, by Richard, the third
Earl, to Henry Smith, Esq. Alderman of London, which was
redeemed by his Lordship's nephew) transmitted uninterrupted
possession to his descendants. Scarcely any of the ancient man-
sions of our nobility can impress us more with the ideas of feudal
magnificence than this does. Its site, " embosomed high in
tufted trees;" the space it occupies, upward of five acres; its
towers and battlements ; all concur in recalling to recollection
the days of chivalry and romance.
The entrance into the house is through a great tower portal,
which leads into a large quadrangular court, with a grass plat
on each side, in one of which is a gladiator, and in the other,
Venus orta Mari. From this court is an entrance, through a
large tower in the centre, into another court, with a portico in
front, supported by eieht Ionic columns ; over which is an open
gallery, with a balustrade, for walking. In visiting tlm apart-
ments, in the order in wiiich they are shown, we first enter
The Hall. In this room are the horns of an elk, seven feet
two in;lies from tip to tip, and weighing 56 pounds; the horns
of a rhinoceros; the horns of an antelope ; a Caribbean canoe; a
fine marble statue of Demosthenes, purchased in Italy, by the
late Duke, for 700/.; a marble statue of Egeria; and a grand
music gallery, with a screen of curious old carving. The antique
windows are of stained glass.
The Brown Gallery; the Horn Gallery; Lady Betty Ger-
maine's Bed Chamber; the Dressing Room.
KNOLE. 163
The Spangled Bed Room, containing a state-bed, presented
by James I. to Lionel Earl of Middlesex, Lord Treasurer, and
a curious large ebony cabinet.
Tbe Dressing Room ; the Billiard Room.
The Venetian Room, in which is a state-bed intended for
the reception of J.imes II,
The Dressing Room ; the Ball Room.
The Chapel Room. In this room are the portraits of Madame
Baccelii, Gainsborough ; and of Sir Fleetwood Shepherd ; and a
beautiful ebony cabinet, with figures of the Crucifixion.
The Chapel, in which is a picture of our Saviour ; Christ
scourged ; Christ walking on the sea.
The Lower Chapel contains a picture of the Apostles com-
posing the Creed, done in Raphael's School.
The Organ Room ; the Drawing Room ; the Cartoon Gallery.
The King's Bed Chamber, tlie pictures, Mr. Crewe ; and
Lucretia, by Guido Rheni, worth 1400/. Here is a state-bed of
gold and silver tissue, that cost 30001. It is lined with pink
satin, embossed with gold and silver, Sec.
The Dining Parlour : in the chimney is a curious pair of dogs,
with the arms of Henry VIII, and Anne Boleyn.
In the Colonnade are- the armorial quarterings, on curious
painted glass, of all the marriages in the family, from Thomas,
the first Earl, to the present time ; marble busts (antiques,
bought at Rome) of Antony, Mithridates, Pompey, an Ancient
unknown, L. J. Brutus, Theseus, J. Caesar Marcellus, M.
Brutus, and a young Hercules ^ and two sideboards made of the
lava of Vesuvius.'
The Guard Room ; the Blue Room ; and the Drawing Room
below stairs.
The pictures in these various apartments form one of the finest
collections in the kingdom, being the rare productions of the
most eminent painters.
In ceneral, it will suffice to observe, that many of the rooms
are hunj; with curious old tapestry; and that the furniture and
decorations, which are ancient, and which exhibit a perfect idea
of the style of decoration in the 16th century, are in high pre-
servation.
The architecture of this immense pile bespeaks a variety of
dates; the most ancient is probably coeval with the Mareschals
and Bigods. It seems as if the whole of it was antecedent to its
becoming the possession of the Sackvilles ; though, certainly,
many of the family have considerably repaired it, particularly
Richard, the fifth Earl. No part of it appears of a more mo-
dern date than the reign of Elizabeth". Tliomas, the first Earl
of Dorset, came to reside at Knole in 1603: he died in 1607;
and as the water-spouts, which were put up by him throughout
the house, are dated 1605, it would appear that no part of the
164 KNOLE.
building is subsequent to this period. The garden gates, the
sundial, and many other places, bear the aims of Dorset and
Middlesex ; a title brought into the family by Frances Cranlield,
heiress to the Earl of Middlesex, and Countess to the above
named Richard.
The park owes much to nature, and much to its late noble
proprietor. The line of its surface is perpetually varying, so
that new points of view are constantly presenting themselves.
The soil is happily adapted to the growth of timber. Stately
beeches and venerable oaks fill every part of the landscape.
The girth of one of these oaks exceeds 28 feet; and probably its
branches afforded shade to its ancient Lords of Pembroke and
Norfolk. The late Duke repaired the gaps made in the woods
by one of his ancestors, who, " foe to the Dryads of his father's
groves," had unveiled their haunts, and exposed their recesses
to the garish eye of day. The plantations are not dotted about
in clumps, as if they had no reference to a whole or general
eflfect, but in broad and spacious masses cover the summits of
the undulating line, or skirt the valleys in easy sweeps. Not to
dwell, however, on " barren generalities," there are two points
of view, among many others, that deserve attention : the one is
from the end of a valley which goes in a south-west direction
from the house. It forms a gentle curve ; the groves rise mag-
nificently on each side, and tlie trees (many of them beeches of
the largest size) are generally feathered to ^the bottom. The
mansion, with its towers and battlements, and a background of
hills covered with wood, terminate the vista. The time most fa-
vourable for the prospect is a little before the setting sun, when
the foreground is darkened by a great mass of shade, and the
house, from this circumstance, and its being brightened by the
sun's rays, is brought forward to the eye in a beautiful manner. —
The other view is fi-om a rising ground of the same valley, and
of a different kind from the former. On gaining the summit of a
hill, a prospect of vast extent bursts at once upon the eye;
woods, heaths, towns, and villages, appearing all in bright con-
fusion ; and in the sudden and abrupt manner in which the pro-
spect presents itself being in perfect unison with the wildness of
the scenery. The eye takes in the greater part of West Kent, a
considerable part of Sussex, and a distant view of the hills of
Hampshire. The foreground is woody; the whitened steeples
rising every where among the trees, with gentlemen's seats scat-
tered roimd in great abundance ; and Penshurst, the ancient re-
sidence of the Sidneys, standing conspicuously on a gentle swell ;
forming a middle point between the foreground and the South
Dovms that skirt the horizon, reminding the reader of the spot
where the patriot Algernon Sidney, and the gallant Sir Philip,
were born, and where the amorous Waller immortalized his Sa^
charisia. This delightful spot is called River Hill, lu the park
LAM 165
is abundance of fine deer, whicli completes the richness and
beauty of the scenery.
L.
LAINDON HILLS, LANGDON HILLS, or LANGDON
WITH WEST LEA, a parish in Essex, contiguous to
that of Lingdon and Basildon, and lying in the road from
Chelmsford to Tilbury Fort, 22 miles E. by N. of London. This
parish was once supposed to be the highest ground in Essex ;
but on a survey, it has been found not to be so high as Danbury.
The ascent on the north side is easy ; but, on the south, S. E.
and S. W. the traveller is astonished at the descent before him,
which exliibits a very beautiful and extensive valley, with a view
of London to the right, the Thames winding through the valley,
and the view extending to the left beyond the Medway. Mr.
Young, in his Six AVeeks' Tour through the Soutiiern Counties,
thus describes this prospect : " On the summit of a vast hill, one
of the most astonishing prospects to be beheld, breaks out, al-
most at once, upon one of the dark lanes. Such a prodigious
valley, every where painted with the finest verdiue, and inter-
sected with numberless liedges and woods, appears benealh you,
that it is past description ; the Thames winding through it, full
of ships, and bounded by the hills of Kent. Nothing can exceed
it, unless that which Hannibal exhibited to his disconsolate
troops, when he bade them behold the glories of the Italian
plains ! If ever a turnpike road should lead through this country,
I beg you will go and view this enchanting scene, though a jour-
ney of forty miles is necessary for it. I never beheld any thing
equal to it in the West of England, that region of landscape !"
This turnpike road is not now wanting to augment the pleasure
of the traveller who may be inclined to gratify an innocent
curiosity.
LALEHAM, a villai:e in Middlesex, between Shepperton and
Staines, two miles S. E. from the latter, is famed for the enter-
tainment it affords to the lovers of angling. The Thames nar-
rows considerably here ; and, about the shallows or gulls, the
water is beautifully transparent. The tranquillity of the scenery,
the various objects gliding on the stream, and g«iwps of cattle in
the adjacent meadows, present a pleasing subject to the con-
templative mind. Here the late Earl of Lonsdale had a hand-
some seat, wiiich has been pulled down and sold.
LAMBETH, a village in Surry, which the late increase of
buildings, in eve»y direction, from the three bridges, has now
united to the metropolis. It extends a considerable way along
the banks of the Thames, from Vauxhall to Southwark : and the
166 LAMBETH.
parish, which extends to Norwood, Streatham, and Croydon,
contains six precincts, or liberties; namely, the Archbishop's,
the Prince's, Vauxhall, the Marsh and Wall, Stockwell, and the
Dean's. Near Westminster Bridge, is a spot of ground, con-
taining an acre and 19 poles, named Pedlar's Acre, which belongs
to the parish, and is said to have been given by a pedlar, oa
condition, that his picture, with that of his dog, be perpetually
preserved in painted gla&s, in one of the windows of the church ;
which the parishioners carefully perforwicd in the south-east
window of the middle aisle. It has been suggested however, and
with probability, that this picture was intended rather as a rebus
upon the name of the benefactor, than as descriptive of his trade;
for, in the church at Swaffhara, in Norfolk, is the portrait of
John Chapman, a great benefactor to that parish ; and the device
of a pedlar and his pack occurs in several parts of the church j
which circumstance has given rise to nearly the same tradition as
at Lambeth. But whatever be the origin of this gift, when it
took place, in 1504, it was only let at 2s. Qd. per annum ; in
1752, it was leased at 100/. per annum, and a fine of 800Z. ; and
it is n(/w estimated at 250/. a year. The annual value of all the
estates belongmg to this parish is 96BI. 16s. 8d.
The church is close to the palace. Mary, Queen of James IL
flying with her infant son from the ruin impending over her
family, after crossing the river from Whitehall, took shelter be-
neath the ancient walls of this church, a whole hour, from the
rain of the inclement night of Dec. 6, 1688. Here she waited,
a melancholy spectacle of fallen majesty, till a coach, procured
from the next inn, arrived, and conveyed her to Gravesend,
from whence she sailed to France, and never again returned to
this country.
In this church were interred the mild and amiable prelates,
Tunstal of Durham, and Thirleby of Ely, who being deprived
of their sees for their conscientious attachment to the Catholic
religion, lived, for the remainder of their days, in Lambeth pa*
lace, under tlie protection of the good Archbishop Parker, who
revered their virtues, and felt for their misfortunes. The body
of Thirleby was found, in digging a grave for Archbishop Corn-
wallis. His long and venerable beard, and every part, was en-
tire, and of a beautiful whiteness ; a slouched hat was under his
left arm ; his dress that of a pilgrim, as he esteemed himselt to be
upon earth !
In the church-yard is the tomb of John Tradescant, father and
son, founders of the Ashmolean Museum, at Oxford. It was
ornamented, on the sides, by emblematic devices, denoting the
extent of their travels, and their attention to natural liistory.
These are nearly defaced ; but, in 1773, a new slab was placed
upon the tomb, and the epitaph engraved upon it, which no
naturalist should neglect to read. An amusing account of these
LAMBETH. 167
remarkable characters will be found in Pennant's History of
London, Here are also interred Mr. Edward Moore, ainhor of
Fables for th»» Female Sex, the Gamester, several comedies and
poems; and Thomas Cooke, the celebrated translator of Hesiod,
Terence, &c.
In 1769, an artificial stone manufactory was erected by Mrs.
Coade, at King's Arms Stairs, Narrow Wall. It answers every
purpose of stone carving, having the peculiar property of re-
sisting frost, and, consequently, of retaining that sharpness in
which it excels every kind of stone sculpture, and even equals
marble. Here are many fine statues from the masterly models
of Bacon. It extends also to every kind of architectural orna-
ment, in which it comes much below the price of stone. In this
parish is aUo a very capital British wine and vinegar manufac-
tory, in which it is said, as much fictitious Port wine is made, as
is really imported from Portugal ! Every other kind of wine is
also manufactured, except Madeira.
Here is the Asylum, instituted in 1758, for Orphan Girls,
whose settlement, after a residence of six months in the bills of
mortality, cannot be found ; and the Westminster New Lying-
in Hospital, founded in 1765, having particular wards appro-
priated to the reception of unmarried women.
At Lambeth, the Danish King Hardicanute died suddenly, in
1041, during an entertainment given on account of the marriage of
a noble Dane. His death was imputed by some to poison ; by others,
to intemperance ; and the scene of it was probably at Kenning-
ton, where the vestiges of an ancient royal palace were lately to
be seen. In the beginning of the present century Lambeth con-
tained 1400 houses. The present number, including those build-
ing, or newly built, and not yet inhabited (which are about 500)
is 4250. At a public house in Oakley-street, in this parish, Des-
pard and his dissociates were seized, whilst holding their trai-
terous meeting.
Lambeth has been famed for astrologers and almanac makers,
amongst whom were, Dr. Foiman, the Rev. Dr. Napior, Capt.
Bubb, and Francis Moore ; but it has derived much jireater ce-
lebrity for having been the birth-place of the late eminent sculp-
tor, Thomas Banks, Esq. R. A.
LAMBETH PALACE, the venerable mansion of the Arch-
bishops of Canterbury, situate on the Tliames, opposite West-
minster Abbey.
Its founder seems to have been Archbishop Boniface, in the
13th century. Archbishop Chichele built the Lollards Tower,
in 1435. Archbishops Stafford, Morton, Warham, Cranmer,
Pole, Parker, and Bancroft, expended great sums on this pa-
lace. It had suffered much in Wat Tyler's rebellion, in 1381,
when the Commons of Essex there murdered Archbishop Sud>
168 LAMBETH PALACE.
Iniry; aud, on the decollation of King Charles the First, it was
purchased for 1073Z. by Colonel Scott, who converted the chapel
into a dancing-room, demolished the great hall, and, in other
respects, reduced the venerable pile to a ruinous condition.
Archbishop Juxon rebuilt the great liall, at the expense of
10,r)00l. and the Archbi>hops Sheldon, Sancroft, Tillotson, Te-
nison, Wake, Seeker, and Cornwallis, spared no cost to render
this ancient structure not only convenient and comfortable, but
v/orthy of being the residence of the Primates of all England. In
1776 it was determined to be extra parochial, by a decision in
the Court of Common Pleas.
The gardens and park, which contain near thirteen acres, are
laid out with taste, and were enlarged and improved by Arch-
bishop Cornwallis, who (besides building an extensive brick
wall) made a new access to the house, for cairiages, through the
park. In the garden are two remarkable lig- trees, of the white
Marseilles, which bear delicious fruit. Tradition says, they
Were planted by Cardinal Pole. They cover a surface of 50 feet
in height and 40 in breadth. The circumference of the southern-
most is 28 inches, and the other 21.
We are jiow to take a cursory view of the apartments :
The Chapel: When this chapel was converted into a dancing-
loom, the body of Archbishop Parker was taken out of his tomb
here, and buried in a dunghill. After the Restoration, Sir Wil-
liam Dugdaie acquainted Archbishop Sancroft therewith, by
whose care the body was discovered, aud again deposited in the
spot whence it had been taken. Over it is a Latin inscription,
the Endish of which is: " The body of Matthew the Archbishop
here rests at last." Another monument, recounting the demoli-
tion of his tomb, and the treatment of his body, was set up, by
the sime prelate, in the south-west corner of the chapel.
The Gateway: The archives of the see are kept in a room over
the i;afeway, called the record room. This gateway, and the
adjoining tower, which are of brick, were built by Archbishop
Morton, about the year 1490.
The New Buildings: A house on the right hand of the first
court, built by Archbishops Sancroft and Tillotson, is thus
called.
The Great Hall: The dimensions of this hall are 93 feet by
38. It has a gothic roof of wood.
The Guard Chamber, anciently used ^s such, is .56 feet by 27^,
and is supposed to have been built before the year 1424. It is
roofed iike the hall. Adjoining to this aie a drawing room and
dressing room, biiiit by Archbishop Cornwallis.
The Presence Chamber lias three windows adorned with painted
glass, representing St. Jerome aud St. Grenorv, with old En-
glish verses beneath \\wm. The middle window has a painted
suu-dial, with a view of the theatre at Oxford, aud the arms of
LAMBETH PALACE. J6P
the See, and of Archbishop Sheldon, at whose expense it was
done.
The Lobby : In this room is the portrait of Henry Prince of
Wales, son to James I.
The LoHf^ GiiUny, built by the mild and amiable Cardinal
Pole, is 90 feet by 16. The wainscot remains in its ori«iiiml
state, beinfi all of mantled carving. In the windows are coats of
arms of dittei> nt Prelates of this See. It is tilled with portraits,
chiefly prelates, among which are Archbishops Warham and
Pai ker, by Hoibein ; another of the last prelate, by Lyne ;
and Bishep Hoadl), by his .••econd wife.
Aichbishop Consvallis made a very handsome bow window,
in the modern taste, tiom the ceiling to the floor, which affords
a tine view of the lawn and plantations; and, in the latter, open-
ines have been niadf', ihroujih which Westminster Abbey, the
Bridge, the Patent Shot Manufactory, St. Paul's, and the Mo-
nument, lire seei) to great advantage, and produce a fine effect.
The Great Dining Room has all the Archbishops from Laud to
Comwalfis. 'Ihatof Laud is by Vandyck ; Juxton, from a good
orifjinal, at Longieate; Tenison, by Dubois; Hening, by Ho-
garth; Hutton, by Hudson; Seeker, by Reuiolds; and Corn-
wallis, by Dance. In these portraits may be observed the gradual
change of the clerical dress, in the articles of bands and wigs.
A large riift anciently supplied the place of the former. Arch-
bishop Tdlotsou was the first prelate that wore a wig, which
was then not unlike the natural hair, and worn without powder.
The Lollards Tower: At tlie tp|. of this tower is the room in
whicli the Lollards were confined. It is only 12 feet long and
nine broad. In the wainscot, which is of oak, are fastened eight
iron lings; and there are many half sentences, with names and
letters, cnt with a knife, as is supposed by the persons confined
liere. It is to be observed, that the Archbishops, before the
Ketormation, had prisons for the punishment of ecclesiastical of-
fenders. Queen Elizabeth iieqiH iitly made this palace a prison;
not only committing the two Pi pish Prelates, Tunstall and
Thirlel)y, to the cistody of the Archbishop, but other persons of
rank. Here the Earl of Essex was confined before he was sent
to the Tower. It was n.'^ual tor them to be kept in separate
apartments, and to eat at the Archbishop's tal)le.
The Library was founded by Archbishop Bancroft, in 1610.
His successor, Abbot, took great pains to secure the books to
the See, and, at his death, much increased them. During the
civil war, they were deposited at Cambridge, at the suggestion
of the celebrated Selden, that Trinity College, in that univer-
sity, had a reversionary right to them, on the abolition of the
hierarchy. Here they remained till the Restoration, when they
were returned to Archbishop Seldon, who made a considerable
addition to them. Archbishop Tennison also bequeathed part
Q
170 LAMBETH PALACE.
of his books to this hbrary, as did Archbishop Seeker ; many
valuable books have been added by Archbishop Cornwallis ; and
the number of them amounts to 25,000 volumes. On the north-
east window is painted in glass the portrait of St. Augustine,
with old English verses beneath it ; and near it is a figure of
Archbishop Chichele, with the motto of Archbishop Stafford,
put here by the mistake of a glazier. This library is adorned
with a fine picture of Canterbury Cathedral, and prints of all
the Archbishops from Warham to the present time. Here also
Archbishop Cornwallis placed some small prints, framed, of the
principal reformers from popery, and of the most eminent non-
conformist ministers of the last and present century. The shell
of a tortoise is shown, to which a label is affixed, importing, that
this tortoise was put in the garden by Archbishop Land, and
killed in 1757 by the negligence of a gardener. This library
stands over the cloisters, and forms a narrow gallery, which oc-
cupies the .four quarters of a quadrangle. Among the books, is
an octavo edition of the Liturgy of the Church of England,
translated into the Mohawk language by the famous Indian
Chief, Colonel Brandt.
The Library of MSS. stands over part of the last, and con-
tains about 11,000 manuscripts, many of which are very curious:
Archbishop Cornwallis gave a considerable sum for the fitting up
of a proper repository for this collection.
The present Archbishop Sutton, was translated to Canterbury
from Norwich, where he was esteemed for the politeness of his
manners, and the suavity of his disposition. Ever since the
time of the furious and bigotted Laud, the legislative power has
raised persons distinguished for tlieir moderation to this high sta-
tion; wisely remembering, that such characters most effectually
advance the interests of religion, and promote the welfare of the
country.
In this palace, several of our Sovereigns have been enter-
tained ; particularly Henry VII. previous to his coronation ; Ca-
tharine of Arragon, and her ladies, resided here prior to her
marriage with Henry Prince of Wales (afterwards Henry MIL ;)
Queen Mary often visited her cousin. Cardinal Archbishop Pole,
having, at her own expense, caused the palace to be furnished
for his reception; and Queen Elizabeth was frequently enter-
tained here by Archbishop Parker. On one of these occasions,
the following circumstance occurred : the Queen could never be
reconciled to that part of the reformation which allowed the mar-
riage of ecclesiastics; and unfortunately Parker had not only
wiitten a treatise oh the lawfulness of marriage, but had abso-
lutely entered into that holy state prior to the repeal of the sta-
tute forbidding celibacy. The haughty Elizabeth, although ele-
gantly entertained by the Archbishop and his Lady for several
days, could not at her departure refrain from venting her re-
LAMBETH. 171
sentment, in the following rude manner; addressing herself to
Mrs. Parker, by way of taking leave, she said, " Madam I may
not call you ; Mistress I am ashamed to call you ; yet as I know
not what to call you, yet I thank yort."
LAMBETH, SOUTH, between Stockwell and Vauxhall,
is a pleasant and populous village, extending three quarters of a
mile southward from Vauxhall turnpike into the Clapham road ;
and so long ago as the year 1600 was thought so agreeable a situa-
tion, by Sir Noel Caron (who was, for 33 years. Ambassador to
this country from the United Provinces) that he erected here a
handsome palace with two wings. On the front was written,
Omne solum forti patria. What remains of it is an academy,
called Caron House; and on a spot, which was part of his park,
is the handsome villa of Sir Charles Blicke, Knt. Opposite to
this is a new chapel of ease, built by a subscription of the inha-
bitants.
We shall here introduce a description of tliis place and neigh-
bourhood, by a literary character " whose occupation's now,
alas ! no more." The vulgar tradition respecting the endowment
of Sir Noel Caron's almshouses, in 1622, for seven poor women,
is thus humorously related :
Where " satchell'd boys" now creep to Caron Place,
Con the long task, and lag in learning's race ;
Sir Noel Caron, with affections low,
Made love to Molly as she milk'd his cow :
Nine month's after, his Excellency to appall,
A young Ambassador arrived — Van Squawl!
Since boldly thus we tell this gossip's tale.
This Dutch amour with humour quaint detail ;
Let us not hide the good, from this bad deed
Which did in charitable act succeed.
Near Vauxhall spring, those dwellings of the poor,
Where palsied age peeps trembling at the door,
From this mischance. His said, repentant rose ;
And Caron's conscience lulled to sweet repose.
In scandal's page, the ill-report is shown,
The charitable deed is registered in stone*.
That garden bounded by Sir Noel's park.
The white-wash'd house, that was Tradescant's arkf ,
Where spare Ducarrel, antiquary slyj,
Mur'd up a mummy till himself was dry !
* In a Latin inscription over the gateway.
f The first virtuoso in England.
X He published an account of Lambeth parish.
172 LAT
Became the villa next of rity taste,
A cominon-couMcilman laid antiques waste :
He saw no fit n in any thing, not lie.
But eatins *' calapash and calapee !"
Each night rode clown to smell his in-door trees,
To smoke, to zormnndi%e, to drink, and wlieeze !
Where yon decaying elms branch out a screen,
A neat and quiet dwelling peeps between,
Then poet Mnoie, by tender strokes of art,
Reveal'd and tonch'd the feelings of the heart;
His fablinsr lessons, moral and refin'd,
Stam))'d sweet instruction on the female mind^.
In bolder luies of genuine tragic prose,
A lasting moral more pathetic rose;
His frantic Gnnu^sler, mad with desperate playf ,
Speaks to the gamesters of the present day :
This lesson too coiiveys with equal force,
That sp'endid talents cannot stay its course;
That Moore himself, who painted strong its svvay,
Was his own Beierley — a dupe to play ! A,
LANGLEY BROOM, a scattered village in Buckinghamshire,
18 miles W.S. W. from London, to the right of the road to Coin-
brook. 1 he parish consists of three districts, called Westmore
Green, Horsemore Green, and the Southern or Middle Green ;
in the last of which is the elesant seat of Mr. Irby, and a neat
house, built by Mr. Webb, and the residence of Robert Spragge,
Esq. Lanyley Broom is frequently appointed by liis Majesty as
the rendezvous for turning out the deer, and for meeting the no-
bility previous to the chase.
LANGLEY PARK, Bucks, near Colnbrook, the seat of Sir
Robert Bat< sf,n Harv( y, Bart, is a handsome stone building,
erected by the late DuKe of Marlborough. It is in the centre of
a fine pai k, abounding with a variety of fine timber. A piece
of water runs along the south front of the hou^e, at the foot of a
sloping lawn, on whicli are scattered some beautiful clumps of
trees, and other woodland sc(>nery. A rising ground, at the
west extremity of the paik, leads to an extefisive inclosure,
called tlie Black Park, entuely covered by firs, except whe!e some
roads are cut. In the ceutie is a fine lake. There is something
of Alpine .scenery in this sequestered spot, the idea of which is
tliH mor- forcibly impressed by the surrounding sombre woods of
deep- tin ted firs.
LATTON PRIORY, three miles N. from Epping. The
priory church, now used as a barn, consists of a nave and a
* Fables adapted to the Female Sex.
t The pathetic tragedy of the Gamester.
LEA 173
cross aisle ; and the inside of the building is of the lighter style
of Gothic, with the pointed arch. The materials of which it is
composed are flint, stones, mortar, and the old flat bricks called
Roman ; and what appears to have been the site of the priory is
surrounded by a moat, without which, south of tlie present build-
ings, human bones are frequently found; which circumstance
points out the ancient burial-place. East of the church, without
the moat, appears a small rising, with a hollow without it, Hke
the remains of an intrenchment. The interval between this rise
and the moat, the inhabitants, from its appearance, call the
Monks' Bowling-green. The canons of this priory were Au-
gustine. At the Dissolution it was granted to Sir Henry Parker.
It was purchased in 156'i by James Althani, Esq. whose de-
scendant. Sir William Altham, sold it to William Lushington,
Esq. with the fine manor and mansion of Marks Hall, in this
parish. Mr. Lushington rebuilt the house in the modern style,
and sold it to Montague Burgoyne, Esq.
LAVER, the name of three parishes four miles N. W. from
Chipping Ongar, in Essex, distinguished by the appellations of
Highy Magd(den, and Little. In the parish of High Laver was
Gates, the seat of Sir Francis Marsham, member of parliament
for Essex, from 1690 to 1708. That illustrious philosopher, John
Locke, spent much of his time, in the last ten years of his life, at
Gates, wh^re he was treated with the utmost friendship by Sir
Francis and his excellent lady, Damaris, who consoled his last
moments by her kind offices, and by reading to him the Psalms
and other portions of Scripture. Here he died, in 1704, and was
buried in the south side of the church-yard, under a black mar-
ble gravestone, inclosed by iron rails ; and on the wall of the
church above is his epitaph, printed in his works. This tomb
and monument are now in a decayed state. Gates continued in
this family till the death of the last Lord Marsham, in 1776. We
are sorry to add, that the mansion of Gates, which the author of
the Character of Mr. Locke, published in 1705, fondly imagined
would be famous to posterity for the long abode that great man
made there, was levelled with the ground about seven years ago,
and the ploughman now " plods his we^ry way" over a spot once
the residence of so many virtues and accomplishments ? It is also
to be regretted, that the monument of the great Locke should
not be found either in St. Paul's or in Westminster Abbey.
LAYTGNSTONE. See Low Layton.
LEA, a river of Herts, which rises out of Leagrave Marsh, in
the south of Bedfordshire, and flowing obliquely to the eastern
side of the county, washes the towns of Hertford and Ware,
from the former of which it is navigable to the Thames. It col-
lects in its course all the streams of the northern and eastern
parts of the county, divides part of it from Essex, and is the
Q3
174 LEE.
boundary between that county and Middlesex. From this river a
sliort caiirtl hav, within these few years, been cut to the Thames,
near Limehonse.
LE\THKRHEAD, a village in Snri-y, four miles S.W. of
Epsom, had tornierly a market. Here is a neat bridge of several
arclies over tlie rivei Mole. In its vicinity are some handsome
villas ; particiilriily Thorncroft, the seat of Henry Boulton, Esq.
lord of the manor'; Randall House, tlie seat of Sir John Coahill,
Ba; t. ; and Gihbon Grove, the residence of Richard Bolton, Esq.
EEE, a nn al village in Kent, six miles S. from London, on the
south s'd" nt Blackheath, and on the road to Maidstone, con-
tains Le(^ Place, the !iand.some seat of the late Lady Dacre, but
now of Trevor Roper, E«q. Here is likewise the ancient family
seat of Oiarles Boone, Esq. occupied by Benjamin Harrison,
Esq. On the summit of the hill, next the heath, stands the an-
cient eliurcli of Lee, in a situation particularly rural and pic-
lure>^qne. In the church-yard are two tine monuments; the one
of the Boone, and the other of the Fludyer family. The great
a:>tronomer royal. Dr. Ednumd Halley, is interred here, under a
plain tomb, with a Latin inscription, which is printed with his
life. It is to be lamented, that the illustrious Halley had not the
scifutitic and munificent patron of a Herschel. Here also lies
buried, with a small headstone, Parsons, of comic memory.
In this church yard also stands the monument of the Right
Hon. Charles Roper, Baron Dacre ; erected by his widow, Lady
Dacre, who is lately dead, and lies buried with him. Of the very
sintrnlar and pious attachment of this lady, the following sketch is
given by Mr. Pratt, in his ' Gleanings.'
" In Lee chuich-yard are deposited the remains of the Right
Hon. Charles Baron Dacre, who is preserved to the memory by
n)ore poweiful ties upon it, than his wealth, titles, or the com-
mon tradition of his having been born one day, and having died
on anoilier. Suffer me to lead you, with consecrating steps, to
what better separated him from the surrounding and oblivious
map of mortality. You will, I trust, one day read the whole of
the inscription L'raven on his tomb : meanwhile I shall offer you
a partial extract.
* His afflicted Widow, as a testimony of their distinguished and
unclouded union for near twenty years ; their unexampled
happiness, and of the unbounded confidence in which they
lived, and as a sincere token of her real gratitude for his uni-
form endearing affection, and particular generosity, herdeep-
felt sorrow, and tenderest remembrance, has erected this un-
adorned Monument; and herself inscribed those well-known
truths, to his beloved memory: accounting them most con-
sonant to the purity of his life, his mdd disposition, his ami-
able temper, and genuine character.'
LEE. 175
" This conjuo^al tribute proceeds in the same strain, and rloscA
with the mourner's assurance, that she sul)mits with pious faith
to the will of her Gofl, and trusts in the same intercession to his
mercy, with brightest hopes of lasting' re-union in eternal hH<s.
" In this spirit of attachment she lias acted ever since the era
of her Joss to tlie present hour, and will probably continue so to
deport herself to the latest of her life ; at least while the power
is given her to walk, or to be conveyed to the sacred spot where
she has enshrined her heart. Lady Dacre has been in tiie prac-
tice of visitiiiii the grave of her husband ever since the time of
his burial ; in truth aln»ost daily, as slie chiefly resides at her vi'la
in this parish. The precincts of the tomb are kept sacred from
every profanity, both of ill accident or malicious desisn ; indeed,
from tiie elements and winds of heaven, which she will 'not suttcr
to visit too roughly.'
" \7hile I was making these reflections with my pencil, f ob-
served the lady who had called them forth coming towards the
church yard with hasty and anxious steps ; which, on perceiving
I was seated on the stile, she directed to a smaller gatf^, and
found it locked, and seemed much iisappoiiited. L'nwiliing to
interrupt her pious purpose, I quitted the stile, when, bendiuir in
acknowledgment, she passed into the church yard, but was again
diverted from her purpose.
** A party of people (it being Sunday) were hastening to tlie tomb
to read the inscription ; tlie throng increasing by the entrance of
some additional company, her ladyship went back into the road,
where she remained, walking backward and forward in view of
the church-yard, till the intruders had left itj when, returning to
the spot from whence she had been so long withheld, slie re-
doubled her attention ; and I saw her, while I stood aloof, (my-
self unseen) kneel in reverence at the foot of the grave. After
remaining some time (I presume in prayev) she went back to her
villa, where, in his lifetime, she had so long been blessed with the
society of him Avhose loss she now bewails.
" Hallowed be that tender and generous fortitude, and sacred
be the pious griefs, that are superior to and resist such con-
temptible dominion over all the ribald jests and insults, that a
reverence for natural impression induces!
" The care of this temb was undertaken by the valet of the
deceased, upon principles of unbought attachment to his noble
master, under the sanction of his lady; who had the heartfelt
satisfaction to perceive her wishes (that the sacred structure
should be kept unsullied) accomplished by this faithful domes-
tic ;* who has contimred uniformly attentive, defying all seasons
and circumstances ; and, even when the whole village appeared
* But, since the death of Lady Dacre, the tomb is no longer
distinguished for that neatness in which it was formerly kept.
176 LEITH HILL.
to be lost in snow, his care was never allowed to feel more
weight than must inevitably collect in the few hours that sus-
pended his visit."
In one of this lady's pions visits a depraved villain robbed her
of her gold watch and purse. -^
LEITH HILL, five miles W. by S. of Dorking, in Surry, w
admired tor affording one of the noblest prospects in Europe, of
which Mr. Dennis has given the following description, in his
* Familiar Letters.'
" In a late journey I took through Surry, I passed over a hill
which showed me a more transporting sight than ever the coun-
try had shown me before, either in England or Italy. The
prospects which in Italy pleased me the most, M'ere, the Val-
darno from the Appennines ; Rome and the Mediterranean from
the inoimtains of Viterbo, the former at forty and the latter at
fifty miles distance ; and the Campagna of JRome from Tivoli
and Frescati : from which places yon see every foot of that fa-
mous Champagne, even from the bottom of the Tivoli and Fres-
cati to the very foot of the mountains of Viterbo, without any
thing to intercept your sight. But from a hill I passed in my
late journey, I had a prospect more extensive than any of these,
and which surpassed them at once in rural charms, pomp, and
magnificence — the hill which I speak of is called Leith Hill, and
is situated about six miles south of Dorking. It juts out about
two miles beyond that range of hills which terminate the north
Downs on the south. When I saw from one of those hills, at
about two miles distance, that side of Leith Hill which faces the
Downs, it appeared the most beautiful prospect I had ever seen.
But, after we had conquered the hill itself, I saw a sight that
would transport a stoic ; a sight that looked like enchantment
and a vision ! Beneath us lay open to our view all the wilds of
Surry and Sussex, and a great part of those of Kent, admirably
diversified in every part of them with woods, and fields of corn
and pasture, and every where adorned with stately rows of trees.
This beautiful vale is about thirty miles in breadth, and about
sixty in length, and is terminated to the south by the majestic
range of the southern hills and the sea; and it is no easy matter
to decide, whether the hills, which appear thirty, forty, or fifty
miles distance, with their tops in the sky, seem more awful and
venerable, or the delicious vale between you and them more in-
vitine. About noon, on a serene day, you may, at thirty miles
distance, see the water of the sea through a chasm of the moun-
tain ; and t!)at, above all, which makes it a noble and wonderful
prospp.'t is, tiiat at the very time that, at thirty miles distance,
you behold the very virater of the sea, at the same time you be-
hold to the southward the most dehcious rural prospect in tlie
world. At the same time, by a little turn of your head towards
L I M iff
the noitli, you look full over Box Hill, and seft the country be-
yond it between that and London : and, over tlie very stomachers
of it, see St. Paul's, at twenty-five miles distancp, and London
beneath it, ai;d Hainpstead and Hiejligate beyond it!" It com-
mands a view of tlie county of Surry, part of Hampsliire, Berk-
shire, and Nettlebed in Oxfords'dre, some parts of linck-, Hert-
fordsliire, MiddUsex, Kent, and Essex; and, by the help of
glasses, Wiltshir-^. The whole circumference of the extent of
vista is at least two lumdred miles, wliich fir exceeds (hat of the
keep and terrace at Windsor Castle, over which you may see as
tar as the eye, unarmed with art, is able to distinguish land from
sky.
At the top of one part of the hill a square tower has been
erected, with an inscription, importing, that Mr. Hull, after
having served in several parliaments, retired from public business
to the exercise of the private virtues, and having chosen this de-
lightful spot for the depository of his bones, is here interred.
Leith Hill Tower is a very conspicuous object, and very lately
it has been thoroughly repaired.
ST. LEONARD'S HILL, a fine eminence in Windsor Forest,
beautifully clothed with venerable oaks and majestic heeches.
On the summit is a noble seat, built by Maria Countess Dow-
ager Waldegrave, and having been greatly improved hy the late
Duke of Gloucester, on his marriage with that lady, it received
the name of Gloucester Lodge. This eleirant villa, with tlie plea-
sure-grounds, lawns and meadows, consistinjr of about seventy-
five acres, were sold by auction, in 1781, to' Mr. Macnamara, for
7100 guineas ; of him it was purchased by General Harcourt for
10,000/. The principal elevation of the building is regular, and
the apartments are spacious and elegaut. In the ^outli front, ad-
joining the hall, is a Gothic room, called the Saloon, where the
plate-glass in the compartments on one side, and the larfje convex
mirrors on the other, reiterate the objects, and produce a very
pleasing effect.
LEWISHAM, a village in Kent, five miles and a halt S. from
London, in the road to Bromley. In this parisli is a hiil, with an
oak upon it, called the oak of honour, bf cause Que* n Elizabeth
i>; said to have dined under it. The oriijinal tree, which served
for a canopy to this illustrious princess, is, lon^ ai;o, peri-^hed ;
but care has be^n taken to plant an oak on the spot, that this
traditional anecdote may not be forgotten. The church is an
elegant modern edifice, which contains several momunents hy
Messrs. Banks and Flaxman. A branch of the river Rnens-
bourn runs through the street of this village, and is a great addi-
tion to its beauty.
LIMEHOUSE, ST. ANNE's, at the eastern extremity of the
metropolis, is a parish taken from that of Stepney. The church,
178 LUX
a massy inelegant structure, is one of the fifty new churches
built in the reign of Queen Anne. Its tower has a remarkable
appearance, and seems to want a spire for its completion. A
new cut, from the river Lea, euters the Thames at this place, and
saves the circuitous navigation round the Isle of Dogs. It was
made about the year 1797, and must have many advantages at-
tending it.
LIMEHOUSE HOLE, part of the hamlet of Poplar, has two
considerable yards for ship- building ; one belonging to Mr. Bat-
son, and the other to Messrs. Hill and MeUish.
LINGFIELD, in Surry, four miles and three quarters N. from
East Grinstead, on the borders of Kent and Sussex; has a fine
spring on a common, paled in, possessing the same properties as
the Tunbridge waters.
LITTLETON, a village in Middlesex, three miles S. E. from
Staines. Here is the handsome seat of Thomas Wood, Esq.
LONG DITTON, a village in Surry, two miles S. from
Kingston, has a neat, and even elegant, new church.
LONGFORD, a hamlet of Harmondsworth, in Middlesex,
15 miles W. from London, in the road to Bath, is watered
by the river Coin, which crosses the road here in four branches.
It is frequented by the lovers of angUng.
LOUGHTON, a village in Essex, 11 miles E.N.E. from
London, in the road to Epping. Loughton Hall is the seat of
Miss Whitaker, and Golden Hill, in the same parish, of Mrs. Clay.
Here also is an ancient building, called Queen Elizabeth's Lodge,
said to have been a hunting seat of that princess. It is the pro-
perty of William Heathcote, Esq. and is occupied by his game-
ke^pi-r.
LOW LAYTON, a village in Essex; (which, with that of Lay-
tonstone, forms hut one parish) on the skirts of Eppmg Forest,
five miles and a quarter N. E. from London. Here are some
fine seats; particularly the Forest House, fronting the forest,
the property of t!ie late Samuel Bosanquet, Esq. ; the beautiful
mansion of tlie late Thomas Oliver, Esq. ; and the Manor House,
once the seat of that great lawyer. Sir John Strange, and now of
Lane, Esq. Here was a Roman station ; several foun-
dations, with Roman bricks and coins, having been found near
the Manor House; and some urns, with ashes in them, have been
dug lip in the chnrch-yard and other parts.
LULLINGSTON PLACE, Kent, six miles N. from Seven-
oaks, the fine seat and park of Sir John Dixon Dyke, Bart.
LUX BOROUGH, was the elegant villa of the late Admiral
Sir Edward Hughes, K. B. and afterwards of Lady Hughes,
MAR 1^9
situated in the parish of Chigwell, near Woodford Bridge, Es-
sex, and was built by Lord Lnxborough, in the year 1742. It
afterwards became the property of Sir Edward Walpole, who
having in vain endeavoured to drain effectually the surrounding
land, which was occasionally flooded, disposed of it to Mr. Sa-
muel Peach, who purchased it on speculation ; and by him it
was again sold, in 1782, to Lady Hughes, who, during the ab-
sence of the admiral, in the East Indies, directed all the im-
provements in the house and gardens. In these she displayed a
fine taste, and indefatigable perseverance ; for she contrived the
most effectual preservation against any future encroachments of
the river Roding, which afterwards adorned the fertile grounds it
had been accustomed to disfigure by its terrible inunditions.
In July 1800, the mansion was pulled down, and the materials
sold by auction.
M.
MADAM'S COURT HILL, a hill in Kent, 19 miles S. S. E.
from London, in the road to Sevenoaks, commanding a
very rich and extensive prospect.
MALDEN, a village in Surry, four miles S. E. from Kingston,
has a powder-mill, on a stream that runs from Ewell to that
town.
MARBLE HILL, the villa of the late Earl of Buckingham-
shire, at Twickenham, Middlesex, situate on a fine green lawn,
open to the Thames, and adorned on eacli side by a beautiful
grove of horse chesnut trees. The house is a small white build-
ing, without wings, but of a pleasing appearance. It was built
by George II. for the Countess of Suffolk, mistress of the robes
to Queen CaroUne. Henry Earl of Pembroke was the architect j
and the gardens were laid out by Pope. They are very plea-
sant, and have a beautiful grotto, to which you are conducted by
a winding alley of flowering shrubs. This house was lately in
the occupation of Mrs. Fitzherbert, but is now advertised for
sale.
MARDEN PARK, near Godstone, in Surry, the fine seat
and park of Hatsell, Esq.
MARGARETTING, (pronounced Mdrget-EndJ a village in
Essex, five miles and a half S. W. from Chelmsford ; on the left
hand of which is Coptford Hall, the handsome seat of J. H. Har-
rison, Esq.
MARYBONE, or ST. MARY-LE BONE, once a country
village to the north-west of London. It was anciently called
Tyburn, from its situation near a small bourn, or rivulet (for^
180 MERTON. I
merly called Aye Brook, or Eye Brook, and now Tyburn Brook)
which inns from the south side of Kampstearl, by Belsyse, and,
aiter a subterrane^an course, through different parts of Marybone,
Oxfoid Street, St. James's Park, A.C. flo^^s through Tothil Fields
into the Thames. Hence it is conjectured, fSee Lysons, vol. iii.
p. i'4^') that wlien the .site of the church was altered lo another
spot near the same brook, it was called St. Mary at the bouriiy
now corrupted to St. M-ary -le -bone, or Mary-bone. Here was
once a royal paik well stocked with game ; and, in Queen Eli-
zabeth's ' Prog:resses,' it is recorded, that, " on the third of Fe-
bruary, 1600, the ambassadois trom the Emperor of Russia, and
other IVIii.>«covites, rode tlirough the city of Loudon to Marybone
Park, and there hunted at their pleasure, and shortly after re-
turned homeward." What a contrast to the present state of this
parish, now coutaininjij magnificent streets and squares, which
form a part of t)ie metropolis! Of two thousand five hundred
acres of land, which it contains, one third is occupied by build-
ings ; tlie remainder, extt nding northward to Primrose Hill,
and west to Kilbourn turnpike, is almost wholly grass-land, with
a few acres occupied by market gardeners.
At the begmning of the last century, Marybone was a
small village, about a mile distant from the nearest part of the
metropolis. The commencement of building was betbre 1720,
by the erection of Cavendish Square. Maiiland, who published
his History of London in 1739, says tliere were then five hun-
dred and seventy-seven houses in the parish of Marybone, and
thirty-five peisons who kept coaches. The buildings have since,
proceeded progressively (though not without occasional checks,
by every war) and the present number of houses is computed at
upwards of ei^ht thousand I Indeed, such has been the increase
of buildings, that the quota of this parish to the land-tax (564/.
3 s. 1 d.) is raised by a rate of only one f;irthiugin the pound !
MERTON, a village in Surry, eight miles S. S. W. from Lon-
don, in the road to Epsom, is seated on the river Wai die, and
was once celebiated for an abbey, founded in the reign of Henry I.
In I'i'iZ, Hubert de Rurgh, the able and virtuous minister of
Henry III. bfing disgraced, took shelter in the church of the
abbey; whence the king ordered him to be dragged, but re-
called his orders, and, in the sequel, restored him to favour. At
a parliament held in this abbey, in 1236, the famous " Provisions
of Merton' (the most ancient body of laws after Magna Charta)
were enacted, and the Baions gave that celebrated answer to
to the clergy, Nolumesleges Anp^licBmutare — "We will not change
the laws of England." It is nut less memorable for the constitu-
tions which the clergy of England uiade there in 1258 ; whieh
v^ere n(.'t only calculated to promote their own grandeuv, at the
expense of the crown, but were so iuimical also to the authority
M E R 181
«fthe Pope, that, at the King's request, the Sovereign Pontiff
himself thought proper to abrogate tlieni ; although some of the
principal articles which they enacted were in favour of points,
for which the great champion of the papal authority, the canon-
ized Becket, had suffered assassination. At Merton Abbey also,
in 1216, was concluded the peace between Henry III. and Prince
Lewis, the eldest son of Philip king of France. During the civil
wars between Charles I. and the Parliament, this abbey appears
to have been used as a garrison. In 1680 it was advertised to
be let, and was described as containing several large rooms and
a fine chapel. This chapel, so late as the year 1733, was entire.
At present there is no other vestige of the abbey, but the east
window of the chapel, which appears, from the style of its archi-
tecture, to have been built in the tifteenth century. The walls
which surround the premises, including about sixty acres, are
nearly entire, being built of flints. On the site of the abbey
(which, after the Dissolution, passed into various hands) a ma»
nufactory for printing calicoes was established in 1724; it is
now occupied by Messrs. Newton, Hodgson, and Leach. Ano-
ther calico manufactory, established within these walls in 1752, is
now carried on by Mr. Halfhide : and, at the north-west corner
of the premises, is a copper-mill, in the occupation of Mr.
Thoytts. Upon a moderate computation, one thousand person*
are now employed in the different manufactories within the walls j
a pleasing contrast to the monastic indolence which reigned
here in the gloomy ages of superstition ! The parish church was
built of flints, early in the twelfth century, by the founder of the
abbey. From the style of architecture there can be little doubt
that the present church was the original structure. It hds been
lately neatly plastered on the outside, and beautified in other
respects. The bridge over the river, btiifl; in 1633, is remark-
able for its arch, which is turned with tiles, instead of brick or
stone ; and it is the boundary of the three parishes of Mitcham,
Wimbledon, and Merton.
MERTON PLACE, built by Sir Richard Hotham, became
afterwards the residence of Thomas Sainsbury, Esq. from whom
it was purchased by the late and much lamented Lord Nelson.
Here he intended to pass the evening of life, having had the
house and grounds tastefully arranged by the accomplished Lady
Hamilton : the latter are particularly beautiful ; the walks re-
presenting, in miniature, the windings of the Nile, in compliment
to the Hero *. This desirable place was lately advertised for
* The following very appropriate summary of the character of
Nelson was given in a periodical publication of the day, after a full
description of his funeral, &c.
*' Thus has died, and thus has been buried, with the tears of a
nation ov«r th« bier of their benefactor, a man a» truly our own, a«
R
183 M I L
sale. In tliB parish are the seats of Josopli Huddart, Esq. and
James Heron Park, Esq.
MICKLEHAM, Surry, three miles X. from Dorking, a vil-
lage, at the foot of Box' Hill, between Leatherhead and Dork-
ing, is watered by the Mole. Here Lady Talbot has a seat ;
and adjoining the Downs is Juniper Hill, a handsome house, with
curious plantations, the seat of Sir Lucas Pepys, Bart.; and Ju-
niper Hall, the residence of J. Worrall, Esq.
MILE END, Middlesex, at present joins Whitechapel on the
west and Strattbrd-le-Bow on the east ; althoutrh, formerly, it
was situated at the end of one mile from London. Here are
Bancroft's almshouses, (see Bancroft J and a row of almshouses
belonging to the Trinity House, in one of which the widow of
the great Captain Cook resided.
MILL GREEN HOUSE, the property of Mr. Smith, wine
merchant, London, in the parish of Fryerning, two miles S. E.
from Ingatestone, Es-sex, may justly be styled a palace in mi-
niature, being fitted up with uncommon elegance. The windows
of the drawing-room, which front the east, command a beautiful
prospect. The extensive pleasure grounds are planted with ex-
quisite taste ; aud great judgment is visible in the garden, which
has a capital greenhouse, hothouse, grapery, Sec.
MILL HILL, a village in I^Iiddlesex, in the parish of Hendon,
nine miles and a half N. from Londou, has the handsome seat of
Sir J. W. And*/rson, which commands a beautiful prospect.
truly formed in the characteristic mould of British virtue, as has
ever dignified the most golden page of our days of glory; a man,
whose courage vas a principle, not a passion, an element which,
cherished by natiuai honour, informed and animated hisprudencej
and thus by a rare union of judgment and resolute enterprise, ren-
dered it equal to the perils of the time : a man whose exalted me-
rit was only equalled by his retreating simplicity ; a simplicity so
without any visible promise, any external appearance of the mighty
soul within, that the Hero was unknown till seen in his acts, and
then by his unequalled modesty, seemed known as such to all, but
unknown to himself. And if any thing be yet wanting to complete
the full measure of that excellence with which tlie best of our
poets have ever arrayed that fond image of their imagination, a
perfect English Hero, he had it; for, with a piety equal to his va-
lour, considering himself, in his best successes, as an humble in-
strument of God, he imputed the whole of his success to the pro-
tecting hand of Providence ; and that Providence, in return, re-
membering him in the day of peril, and in the hour of death, al-
lotted him a death in victory, and an eternal name amongst the
brave defenders of their country." See Greenwich Hospital.
MIT 183
MTMS, NORTH, a village in Hertfordshire, two miles S.
from Hatfield. In its neighbourhood was the seat of tlie late
Sir Joseph Jekyll, master of the rolls, in right of his lady, heiress
to her brother, the great Lord Somers. The body of that noble-
man is interred in the chancel of the church, without any in-
scription. Here is Mims Place, the fine seat of the Dnke of
Leeds.
MIMS, SOUTH, a village of Middlesex, 15 miles from Lon-
don, in the road to St. Alban's. The tower of the church, which
stands by the road side, is so entirely mantled with ivy as to form
a very picturesque object. The church-yard is quite in unison
with It, the perfect village cemetery, and has produced the follow-
ing verses :
" How sacred are the turfy heaps,
That verdant show where virtue sleeps !
And where the chisel seeks no fame.
But just to crd the valuhl name '
There, blooming round the peasant's grave,
* Flow'rs in wild luxuriance wave :'
The mallow streak'd j the speedwell blue ;
The cranesbiil soft, of purple hue ;
The yarrow white with branchy head,
Peering o'er, archangel redj \
The yellow cinquefoil, ranker grown,
Rooting thro' the rifted stone,
The body lost in kindred clay,
The hollow slab has given way !
Ascending from the belfry wall
Pellitory with blossoms small j
And glossy ivy, climbing higher,
Mantlin^^-green the taper spire :
The velvet moss, when these decay,
And drifting snows obscure the day ^
As flitting, tame, from stone to stone,
The frost-pinch'd robin pipes alone.
Here ' uncouth rhymes' in sad detail.
Deform the grief-erected rail ;
And, wet with drops of morning dew,
Dripping from leaves of mournful yew,
Some rustic friend with awe draws near.
To spell the rhyme — and leave the teur.^' A.
MITCH AM, a village in Surry, eight miles 8. S. W. from London,
on the road to Reigate. Mitcham Grove is the handsome seat of
Henry Hoare, Esq. The river "^l^andle, which is an excellent
trout stream, winds through the plantations, and adds greatly to
their beauty. On t!i:s river is erectod a small wheel, by which
the water is'couvevcd in pipes to Jhe highest part of the house.
R 2
I8i MON
In this parish also are Colher's Wood House, Ravensbury, and
othor villas. On the river are some snufF mills, spinning mills,
and calico manufactories; in one of the lalter is an engine, in
case of fire, the pumps of which arc worked by the same wheel
tliat is used in the business. In the chancel of the church is a
monument to the memory of 8ir Ambrose Crowley, an aldeiinaa
of London, who died in 1713, and is celebrated in the Tatler,
Ko. 73, under the name of Sir Humphrey Greenhat. By the
construction of a rail road from Wandsworth to Croydon, which
passes within a mile of this village, the inhal)itants are supplied
with coals, lime, and other articles, at a comparatively easy rate.
MOLE, a river in Surry, which rises in the south part of the
county, runs north to Dorking, and passing beneath Box Hill, is
generally believed to disappear in its vicinity, and to rise again
near Leatherhead. Hence Pope calls it.
The sullen Mole that hides his diving flood.
But the fact is, that a tract of soft ground, nearly two miles in
length, called The Swallows, in very dry seasons) absorbs the
waste water in caverns in the sides of the banks ; but not so as
to prevent a constant stream from taking its course in an open
channel above ground, winding round in the valleys from Dorking
to Leatherhead ; though not of that breadth as when it crosses
the road at Pflickleham ; beyond which, at Biirford Bridge, its
channel, in very hot seasons, is sometimes dry. This river, pro-
ceeding from Leatherhead to Chobham, enters the Thames at
East Moulsey, on the south side of Hampton Bridge.
MONKEY ISLAND, Berks, in the centre of the Thames,
between Maidenhead and Windsor, three miles W. N. W. from
the latter ; and in the parish of Bray. On this island, which con-
tains three acres, is a neat house, with convenient offices, built
by the late Duke of Marlborough. On the ceihng of the room
called Monkey Hall, is painted a variety of such flowers as grow
by the water-side, Here are also represented several monkeys,
some fishing, some shooting, and one silling in a boat smoking,
\vhilc a female is rowing him over the river. In the temple, the
inside of the saloon is enriched by stucco modelling, representing
mermaids, dolphins, sea-lions, and a variety of sea shells, richly
gilt. The establishing this delightful seal cost the duke 10,000
guineas. The lease of it for some years, at 25 /. a year, was sold
by auction, in July 1787, for 240 guineas, to the late Heniy
Townley Ward, Esq. who had a seat in the neighbourhood. See
The IVilloivs.
MONTREAL, the handsome seat of Lord Amherst, situate in
the valley of Holmcsdale, at Riverhead, near Sevenoaks, Kent.
M O R 186
In the park is a column, erected to perpetuate tlie happy
meeting of this noble Jord and his l)rotljer, wlio, after having
been enija^ed on diflferent services, in distant parts of the globe,
during' tije last war bat two, and gained honour both to tiiem-
selves and their country, were peiniitted, by the favour of Hea-
ven, to enibriice each other on tlieir native spot. This instance
of fraternrii affection does honour not only to t!i« individiials im-
mediately concerned but to mankind.
MOOR PARK, near Rickmansworth, in Herts, was formerly
the seat of the late Lord An::,on, and afterwards of Thomas Bates
Rous, Esq. ; of w^hose executors it was purchased by Robert
Williams, Esq. The park is extensive and beautiful. The house
was ori;i>;inally built by Cardinal Wolsey, and was afterward in
the possession of the unfortunate Duke of Moninouih. it then
' came into the hands of Mr. Styles, who enlarged and beautified
it, under the direction of Sir James Thornhill. From the south,
or principal iVont, he made a vista through the hillj that once ob-
structed its view toward Uxbridge. He erected also a north
front, and cut through the hill towat d Watford, fior a vista. This
circumstance did not escape the censure of Pope:
Or cut wide views thro' mountains to the plain,
You'll wish your hill or shelter'd seat again.
This he thus explains in a note: ''This was done in Hertford-
shire, by a wealliiy citizen, at the expense of above 5000?. ; by
wiiich means (merely to overlook a dead plain) he let in the
north win] upon his house and parterre, which were before
adorned and defended by beautiful woods." The house is built
of stone, of the Corinthian order. Tise principal front has a por-
tico and pediment of foin- columns. The offices are joined to the
house by a beautiful circular colonnade, of the Ionic ordei".
Great improvements were made in the house and gardens by
George Adams, Esq. to whom the united fortimes of his uncles
devolving, he assumed the name (if Anson. The carriage of the
stone from London alone cost 10,000 Z. Mr. Anson soon after
sold it for 20,000/. to the late Sir Lawrence Dtmdas, Bart. ;
whose son. Sir Thomas, completed the improvements. This
noble seat was s'/ld by auction to Mr. Rous, in 1787.
raORDEN COLLEGE, Kent, on the east side of Blackheath,
in the parish of Charlton, for the suppost of (decayed merchants,
was erected by Sir John Moi.den, Bart, a Jurkcy merchant, se-
veral years before his death, v\hich happened in the year 1708.
It consists of a large brick building, wilii two wings. The prin-
cipal entrance is decorated with Doric columns, festoons, and a
pediment on the t0|>, over which rises a turret with a dial ; and
from tliC dome rise a ball and vane. To this entrance there is sm
r3
186 BIOR
ascent by a flight of circular steps ; and Iiaviiic; passed tlirough
this part of the buildin-r, we enter into an inner square, sur-
rounded by piazzas. The chapel has a cusly altar-piece.
This structure vSir John INIorden erected at a small distance
from his own habitation, and endowed it, after his lady's decease,
with his whole estate, to the value of about 1300 L per annum.
He placed in this hospital twelve decayed Turkey merchants in
his lifetime ; but Lady Morden, finding; that the share, allotted
her by Sir John's will was insufficient for her decent support,
was obii<:ed to reduce the number to four. Upon her death the
number was increased ; there are now thirty-tive ; and the num-
ber beini,' unlimited, is to be increased as the estate will atford ;
for the building will conveniently hold forty.
The treasurer has 40 Z. a year; and the chaplain, who reads
prayers twice a day, and preaches twice every Sundaj', had at
tirst a salary of 30Z. per annum, which Lady Morden doubled at
her death. She was, in other respects, a benefactress of the
college, and, as she had put up her husband's statijc in a niche
over the gate, the trustees put up hers in a niclie adjoining. The
pensioners have each 20/. a year, and at fust wore a gown with
the founder's badge ; but litis has !)een long disused. They have
a common table in the hall to eat and drink together at meals;
and each has two couveaiient rooms, with a cellar.
The trpasnrer, chaplain, and pensioners, are obliged to reside
in the college ; and, except in case of sickness, no other persons
are to reside or lodge there. No person can be admitted as a
pensioner under sixty years of age.
Seven merchants have the direction of this hospital, and the
nomination of the persons to be admitted into it. To them the
treasurer is accountable; and when any of these die, the surviv-
ing trustees choose others in their room.
MORDEN PARK, the elegant villa of George Ridge, Esq. is
situated at Morden, lO miles S. S. W. from London, in the road to
Epsom, on an eminence, happily formed by nature, and embellish-
ed by art. The extensive pleasure grounds are agreeably diversified
by plantations, two fine sheets of water, an elegant temple, tea-
room, Sec. Here also are the seats of Sir Robert Burnett and
Abraham Goldsmid, Esqrs. ; the latter, uniting all tJie beauties of
nature and art, is at once formed for the enjoyment of the com-
forts and luxuries of life, and is illustrative of the taste and opu-
lence of the proprietor.
MORTLAKE, a village of Surry, on the Thames, about seven
miles W. from London. Great part of this parish is inclosed in
Richmond Pnrk. The stone lodge, upon the hill, was built after
a design of Henry Earl of Pembroke's, and was intended by
George I. as a place of refreshment after the fatigues of hunting j '
M U S 187
but it was not finished till the late pvincess A n^elia became ranger
of the park. Great quantities of asp'ii3i,iis are raised in this pa-
rish ; and, at the extremity of th^^ jMrish, toward Richraood, his
Majesty has a farm of about rijihty acres, in his own occupation.
The manor, which is included in that of Wimbledon, belonged
once to the see of Canterbury ; and the manor-house at Mortlake
was occasionally the residence of the archbishops, from Anselm,
who celebrated the feast of Whitsuntide here, in 1099, to War-
ham, who was the last, and whose successor, Cranmer, alienated
the manor to Henry VIII. in exchange for other lands. This
monarcli, at the Dissolution, gave the manor to his new-erected
dean and chapter of Worcester, with the great tithes of the
church at Wimbledon, on condition of their appointing three per-
petual curates, to serve the church there, and the two chapels of
Mortlake and Putney. At Mortlake are the handsome house
and gardens of Mr. Franks ; and there is an ancient house, let
to Miss Aynscomb, which is said to have been the residence of
Oliver Cromwell ; but which was certainly the residence, in the
present century, of that excellent man, Edward Colston, Esq.,
the great benefactor of the city of Bristol, who, in his lifetime,
expended more than 70,000/. in charitable institutions! The
account of his being preserved, on his voyage home from the In-
dies, by means of a dolphin stopping a hole in the ship, show^s the
interference of Providence. In memory of this event, the boys
educated at the school in Bristol wear a brass dolphin on their
breasts.
MOULSEY, two villages in Surry, so denominated from the
river Mole, which flows between them to the Thames. East
Moulsey is situated opposite Hampton Court, and was granted
by Charles II. to Sir James Clarke, grandfather to the late lord
of the manor, who had the ferry thence to Hampton Court, in
the room of which he erected a handsome bridge, where a high
toll is taken of all passengers, carriages, &c. it is now the pro-
perty of Lord Brownlow. West Moulsey has a ferry to Hampton
town, which belongs to the same nobleman.
MUSWELL HILL, a village in Middlesex, five miles and a
half N. from London, in the parish of Hornsey. It derives its
name from a famous well on the hill, where, formerly, the frater-
nity of St. John of Jerusalem, in Clerkenwell, had their dairy,
with a large farm adjacent. Here they built a chapel for the be-
nefit of some nuns, in which they fixed the image of our Lady of
Muswell. These nuns had the sole management of the dairy ;
and it is singular, that the said well and farm do, at this time,
belong to the parish of St. James, Clerkenwell. The water of
this spring was then deemed a miraculous cure for scrofulous
and cutaneous disorders. For that reason it was much resorted
188 NEW
to; and, as tia-Ution says, a king of Scotland made a pilgrimage
liitiier, and was perfectly cmed!
There is not within one hundred miles of London a village
more ruial and pleasant, or that can boast more varied and exten-
i-ive prospects. Here are many genteel seats of persons of
respectability.
N
N.
ASIN'G, a village in Essex, between Waltham Abbey and
Roydon, thus noticed by the Poet of Amwell :
Delightful habitations ! o"er the laud
Dispers'd around, from Waltham's osicr'd isles
To where black Nasing's lonely tow'r o'erlooks
Her verdant fields. scott.
NAVESTOCK, a villa?e in Essex, four miles and a half S.W.
from Chipping Ongar. Here is Navestock Hall, the seat of the
Earl of Waldegrave.
NETTLE WELL, a village near^Harlow, in Essex. In this
parish a school was built, pursuant to the will of William Mar-,
ten, Esq. for poor ciiildren of this and two adjoining parishes. In
the chancel is a monument to the memory of this gentleman, with
a Latin inscription. There is another monument erected by the
widow of jMr. Marten, to the memory of her brother and nephew :
on a pyramid, rising from an elevated base, are the medallions of
both : she is represented below, as large as life, in a mourning
posture, looking up earnestly at both the medallions.
NEW CROSS, Kent, three miles and three quarters 8.S.E.
from London, was, till lately, only noticed for having its turn-
pike-gate erected on the boundary line separating the counties
of Kent and Surry: but, since the construction of the Grand
Surry Canal, it has assumed an air of bustle and business; and
the navigation here presents the singular spectacle of seven locks
within tiie short distance of a quarter of a mile! Here are the
seats of Thomas Hulcomb and Robert Stanfield, Esqrs. At
half a mile's distance on the left, in the road leading from hence
to Peckham, is Plow Garlic Hill, on whose summit is erected
the second station of tiie 13eal telegraph ; the first being in West
Square, St. Gt.-orge's Fields. An otficer of the navy, who has lost
a leg, hears more the character of better days than the other
members of this dull triumvirate, who occasiojially work this cu-
rious and " thougiit-executing" machine. A sins^le signal has
been communicated, in a clear day, from the Admiralty to IJeal,
a distance of seventy three mi'es, in two minutes and a half; but
the usual time required to convey a full )nessagc is til'ieen mi-
iiutes
NEW 189
The pedestrian will be amply rewarded by crossing the fields
and ascending this vert!ant hill ; the prospect surrounding it be-
ing both extensive and beautifid, particularly that part of it
commanding the view of Greenwich and the Tliames. This va-
riety of scenery, the confined inhabitants of the telegraph can-
not enjoy through their magnifying tubes, the telescopes being
screwed to a post, and ever pointing at the same unpicturesque
object :
Thus fix'd and dull, the married man must peep
At ugly spousy till he falls asleep j
Nor change the view, or other focus try,
Tho' beauties tempt his unrelieved eye. A.
NEWINGTON BUTTS, a village in Surry, extending from
the end of Southwark to Kennington Common, is said to have
received the name of Butts from the exercise of shooting at huttSy
anciently much practised here, and in other towns of England,
to fit men to serve as archers. In this village are the almshouses
of the Fishmongers' Company ; the most ancient of which is
St. Peter's Hospital, erected in 1618, for twenty- two of their
poor members. To the south of this hospital is another, founded
in 1719, by Mr. Hulbert, whose statue stands upon a pedestal.
This is for twenty poor men and women. Tlie church was re»
built, on a larger scale, but on the same inconvenient spot, by
the side of a great road, in 1793. It has in its cluirch) id a re-
markable tomb, raised over the body of William Allen, a young
man killed by the firing of the soldiers at the time that John
Wilkes was in the King's Bench prison. There are several sin-
gular inscriptions, and amongst the rest-— O earthy cover not thou
my blood! which has excited general attention.
NEWINGTON GREEN, a village in Middlesex, between
Islington and Stoke Newington, consisting of a liau'lsome square,
partly in the parish of Islington, and partly m that of Newington.
On one side of it is a meeting-house, of which the late celebrated
Dr. Price was minister for many years. An old house, in the
centre of the south side, is said to have been the residence of
Henry VIII. ; and a footpath in the neighbourhood retains the
name of King Harry's A'^'^alk. On the ceiling of the principal room
of this house are the arms and initials of James I. Over the lire-
place are the arms of Lord Compton.
NEWINGTON, or STOKE NEWINGTON, a village in
Middlesex, two miles and a half N. from London, in tiie road to
Edmonton. Behind the church is a pleasant grove of tall trees,
known by the name of Queen Elizabeth's Walk. In the manor-
liouse, then the seat of Sir Thomas Abney, the excellent Dr.
V/atts was treated, for thirty six years, with all the kindness that
friendship and respect could dictate. The golden ball, at the top
190 NEW
of the house, is noticed by Dr. Watts, in Iiis Lyric Poems, as
well as the other parts of the mansion, then just built for its re-
cently deceased proprietor. Mrs. Abney, the daue;hter of Sir
Tiiomas, whose piety and virtues rendered her woi thy of such a
father and such a triend, ordered, by her last will, that this estate
should be sold, and the produce distributed in charitable dona-
lions. It was accordingly sold to Jonathan E^de, Esq. and the
produce, amounting to many thousand pounds, was distributed
accordimily. Here is a pleasant villa, near the New River,
erected lately by .Tonathan Hoare, Esq. and now the property
and residence ot Peter Gudgeon, Esq. In the churchyard is a
monument recording the deaths of the late Alderman Picket, his
son, and daugliter. His daughter fell a victim to filial aftiection :
in endeavouring to coyer her father's face with her handkerchief,
whilst asleep in his dining-room, her dress caught fire, and she
was so much burnt as to occasion her death. His son, Lieut.
Picket, was slain on board the Triton East Indiaman, in Telli-
<l;erry Roads, by a body of French, who made their escape from
prison and seized the ship. Thus were t!ie expectations of a
good man blighted! The memory of Alderman Picket will be
ever remembered v.ith respect ; for by his exertions those im-
provements near Temple Bar were principally etiected, wliich,
by the unanimous resolution of the city, now bear his name.
NEW LODGE, the seat of Francis Baronean, Esq. at Hadky,
in Middlesex, which deserves altenlion as one of the most ele-
gant villas in the county.
NEW LODGE, Berks, ihc agreeable scat of General Hodg-
son, on a delightful plain in V/jndsor Forest, four miles S. AV.
from Windsor, commands an extensive prospect.
NEW RIVER, a fine artificial stream, brought from Kei ts,
for the supply of the Uictropolis with water. This river has its
source at the village of Auiwell, on the Hertford road, at the
distance of twenty miles from London. A number of springs arc
here collected into a wide open basin, of considerable depth, on
the side of which is placed a large stone, with inscriptions on
each side, implying that from the Chadweil spring the river flows
foity miles, and that the stream was opened in 1608. The ori-
ginal supply of water having been foinid inadequate to its vast
consumption, the mill stream of the liver Lea was resorted to ;
and, after various di.'^pntes and litigations between its proprietors
and the New River Company, the mill, at length, became the
Conipanvs property, and they liave now the unrestrained use of
the water; so that the river Lea may be consideied one of its
sources. A man is constantly employed to raise or lower the
floodgates, according to the fulness of tie water below; and,
that he may not err in the given quantity, a gauge, consisting of
NEW RIVER. 191
a stone of immense bulk, is placed across the sluice, pallsadoed
round, appearing from the road like a tomb, under which all the
water passes ; so that by this simple contrivance it is perfectly
easy to rejjulate the current. In order, however, to preserve a
level, the New River takes a winding course ; its general direc-
tion being parallel to the Lea, at the distance of a mile or two
from it, on higher ground, passing Ware, Hoddesdon, Amwell,
Broxbourne, and Cheshunt; at Waltham Cross it enters Middle-
sex ; and making a circuit towards Entield Chase, returns to the
town of Enfield. At Bush Hill the water was conveyed across
the valley in a large wooden troueh, six hundred and sixty feet
in length, supported by arches. The vast improvements in form-
ing canals, have, however, suggested a better mode for the pur-
pose, by means of a raised mound of earth, completed in 1785,
over which the water proceeds in a new channel. The river,
with two very devious bends, returns to Hornsey, between which
place and Highbury another wooden aqueduct, one hundred and
seventy-eight yards in length, is exchanged for a raised bank of
clay. Still winding among the gentle elevations of this charming
valley, it approaches the upper end of Stoke Newington ; and
passing onward beneath Highbury to the east side of Islington, in-
gulfs itself under the road in a subterranean channel of two
hundred yards. At this part of the river is a brick building,
containing several mains, by which the water is conveyed to the.
eastern parts of London ; and a little spring above, which con-
tributes its store to the genuine stock, is much used by the inha-
bitants of Islington. The liver again rises in Colebrook Row,
and still coasting the southern side of Islington, reaches its termi-
nation at the New River Head, Sadler's Wells.
In the third year of James I. an act of parliament was obtained,
whereby the city was empowered to bring water from the springs
of Chadwell and Amv/ell; but the city not attempting it, the
arduous undertaking was begun by Mr. Hugh Middleton, ci-
tizen and goldsmith, who, in the course of the work, met with
great difficulties and other obstructions, and when he had sur-^
mounted these, and brought the water into the neighbourhood of
Enfield, was so impoverished by the expense, that he was obliged
to apply to the city to assist him. On their refusal, he applied,
with more success, to the king, who, in consideration of one
moiety of the undertaking, agreed to pay half the expense. It
then went on with vigour, and, on Michaelmas Day, 1613, the
water was brought into the basin, called the New River Head, at
Islington, in presence of Mr. Middleton's brother. Sir Thomas
Middleton, lord mayor elect, and Sir John Swinnerton, lord
mayor, attended by many of the aldermen, &c. ; when about
sixty labourers with green caps, carrying spades, &c. pri>cede<l
by drums and trumpets, marched ihrice round the basin, and
stopping before the lord mayor, 6cc. seated upon an emiiience,
192 NEW RIVER.
one of tliem spoke some verses in praise of this great nndertalt-
irii: ; and then, the sluices being opened, the stream rushed into
the b -.sin, under tht sound of drums and trumpets, the discharge
of cannon, a;id acclamations of the people. The property of this
w-ater was di>idf il into twenty-nine shaies, and the proprietors
were incorporated by the name of The New River Company, in
1619: but though Ring James was a proprietor of one half of
the whole uork^ Mr. 3Iiddleton, to prevent the direction of the
company's affairs from falling into the hands of courtiers, pre-
cluded liim from having any share in the management ; and only
allowed him a person to be present at the meetings of the com-
pany, to prevent any injustice to his royal principal. No divi-
dend was made till 1633, when 11 /. 9s. Id. was divided upon
each share. But the second dividend amounted only to SI. 4s. ?d.
and, instead of a third dividend, a call being expected, Charles I.
resolved to get rid of such an hazardous affair : and therefore
proposed to Sir Hugh Middleton, now created a baronet, that if
he would secure to him and his successors a clear annual rent
of 500/. out of the protits, he would reconvey to him all his
right in the New River : which proposal being accepted, the
royal moiety was reconveyed to Sir Hugh, who divided it into
thirty-six shares, to equal the shares of the other moiety, called
* The Adventurers,' now divided into thirty-six shares also ; and
be not only burdened them with the said rent of 500/. but hke-
wise subjected two of the Adventurers' shares to the payment
of it. From this time there were seventy-two shares, one half
of which are called the Adventurers' the others tlie King's.
The proprietors of the former, as above mentioned, being origi-
nally twenty-nine in number, the government of the company was
lodged in their hands ; and by this preclusion of the holders of
tlie King's shares from the government, their shares, exclusive
of being subject to the said annuity, are not quite so valuable as
those of the Adventurers. This corporation consists of a gover-
nor, deputy governor, treasurer, twenty-six directors ; a clerk
and his assistant ; a surveyor and his deputy ; fourteen collectors,
who, after deducting five per cent, for collecting tlie rents, pay
the money every Tuesday to the treasurer; fourteen walksmen,
who have their several walks along the river, to prevent the
throwing of filth into the same ; sixteen turncocks ; twelve pa-
viours ; twenty pipe-borers, 6:c. By an exact measurement of this
river, it appears to be thirty- eight miles three quarters and six-
teen poles long. It has forty-three sluices and two hiiiidrpd and
fifteen bridges ; over and under it, a great number of brooks and
veatercourses have their passage; and as, in some places, it i«
carried over vales, in others it forces its way throutih subterra-
neoiis passages, and arrivrng at the basin, near Islington, it is
ingiilfed by fifty-eight main pipes of a bore of seven inches ; by
which it ig conveyed into all parts of t))e metropoli», to the great
N O N 193
convenience of the inhabitants, who, by leaden pipes of a half-
inch bore, have the vt^ater brought into their houses, to the
amount of near forty thousand ! The shares, in consequence,
are of considerable value. By means also of one water and two
steam-engines, the water is raised to a higher level, and supplies
the inhabitants of Pentonville, Tottenham Court Road, and great
part of Marybone and its vicinity. We cannot better conclude
our account of the New River, than in the words of its own poet,
Scott :
From ChadwelPs pool
To London's plains, the Cambrian artist brought
His ample aqueduct ; suppos'd a work
Of matchless skill, by those who ne'er had heard
How, from Preneste's heights and Anio's banks,
By Tivoli, to Rome's imperial walls,
On marble arches came the limpid store,
And out of jasper rocks in bright cascades
With never-ceasing mvu'mur gush'd ; or how,
To Lusitanian Ulysippo's tow'rs*
The silver current o'er Alcant'ra's vale
■Roll'd high in air, as anrient poets feign'd
Eridanus to roll thro' heav'n ; to these
Not sordid lucre, but the honest wish
Of future fame, or care for public weal,
Existence gave : and unconfin'd, as dew
Falls from the hand of evening on the fields,
They flow'd for all. Our mercenary stream,
No grandeuf boasting, here obscurely glides
O'er grassy lawns or willow shades.
As thro" the human form, arterial tubes
Branch'd every way, minute and more minute.
The circulating sanguine ilood extend;
So pipes innumerable to peopled streets
Transmit the purchas'd wave ! Old Lea, meanwhile,
Beneath his mossy grot o'erhung with bows
Of poplar, quiv'ring in the breeze, surveys
With eye indignant his diminish'd tide
That laves yon ancient pri'ry's wall, and shows
In its clear mirror Ware's inverted roofs.
The surveyor, Robert Mylne, Esq. resides at the New River
Head ; but the business of the company is transacted at a hand-
some house in Doi-set-street, Salisbury-square.
NONSUCH, Surry, two miles N. E. from Ewell, was the
name of a magnificent palace begun by Henry VHI. in a village
called Codinton, or Cudington, which no longer exists, but
which was then contiguous to the parish of Cheam, near Epsom.
It obtained its name from its unparalleled beauty. Hentzaer
• The ancient name of LbboB.
t
194 NOR
says, that " it was chosen for his pleasure and retirement, and
built with an excess of uiagniHcence. One would iniajrine every
thing that architecture can perform to have been employed in
this one work : there are every where so many statues tliat seem
to breathe, so many miracles of consummate art, so many casts
that rival even the perfection of Roman antiquity, that it may
well claim its name of Nonsuch. It is so encompassed with
parks full of deer, delightful gardens, groves ornamented with
trellis-work, cabinets of verdure, and walks so embrowned
by trees, that it seems to be a place pitched upon by Plea-
sure herself to dwell along with Health. In the pleasure and
artificial gardens are many columns and pyramids of marble, two
fountains that spout water one round the other, like a pyramid,
upon which are perched small birds that stream water out of their
bills. In the grove of Diana is a very agreeable fountain, with
Acteon turned into a stag, as he was sprinkled by the goddess
and her nymphs, with inscriptions ; and there is another pyramid
of marble full of concealed pipes, which spirt upon aJi who come
within their reach." Such were the palace and gardens when
Hentzner wrote : and on this description Mr. Walpole has made
the following observations: " We are apt to think, that Sir Wil-
liam Temple and King William were, in a manner, the intro-
ducers of gardening in England ; but, by the description of Lord
Burleigh's gardens at Theobalds, and of those at Nonsuch, we
find that the magnificent, though false taste was known here as
early as the reigns of Henry VIII. and his daughter. There is
scarce an unnatural and sumptuous impropriety at Versailles,
which we do not find in Hentzner's description of these gardens."
Henry only began the palace of Nonsuch; but Henry Earl of
Arundel, " for the love and honour he bare to his olde raaister,"
purchased it of Qneen Mary, and completely finished it, accord-
ing to the intentions of the royal founder. He left tliis house to
his posterity; but Lord Lumley, who had married his daughter,
reconveyed it to the crown in 1591. It afterward became a fa-
vourite residence of Elizabeth, and it was here that the Earl of
Essex first experienced her displeasure. It was settled upon
Anne, Queen of James I., and, in the following reign, upon
Queen Henrietta Maria. Charles II. granted it to the Duchess
of Cleveland, who pulled down the house, sold the materials,
and disparked the land. Her grandson, Charles Duke of Graf-
ton, sold the estate, in 1730, to Joseph Thompson, Esq. uncle
to the late proprietor, the Rev. Joseph Whately ; here is at pre-
sent a very elegant house built by Farmer, Esq. See
Durdans.
NORBURY PARK, in the parish of Mickleham, near Lea-
therhead, Surry, is the seat of William Lock, Esq. This estate
was many years possessed by the ancient family of Stydolfe. a
NORBURY PARK. 195
name considerable in this and the adjoining counties ever since
the Conquest. (In an old register, from 1549 to 1680, is a cu-
rious licence granted in 1632 by Moses Wall, parson of Mickle-
ham, upon the certificate of Lawrence Wright, M.D. to the
worshipful LacJy Frances Stydolfe, to eat flesh during Lent, and
on all fish days, on account of her ill health, she paying ail dues
for this indulgence. Tlie next year the whole family were taken
ill, and had the same licence on the same conditions.) This an-
cient fnuiily declining in a female, the Tryons came into posses-
sion: from them it passed to Mr. Chapman, of whom the pro*
prietor purchased the estate, with all its manorial appendages.
The old mansion-liouse stood on the lower side of the park, near
the road; but bring decayed and ruinous, Mr. Lock pulled
down the greatest part of it, reserving the north end for his
farm, and erected, upon a well-chosen eminence on the oppo-
site side of the park, one of the most elegant and beautiful seats
in the county. From the church-yard, the rising slopes of Nor-
bury Park, beautifully vaiiegated with stately trees, appear to
the greatest advantage: the park itself is extensive and well di-
versifiiid: it is asserted that, when Sir Richard Stydolfe was
owner, it was famed for containing 40,000 walnut trees.
The extent and richness of prospect from the house fill the be-
holder with admiration. To the north a large expanse of country
displays a varied and magnificent scene. The south presents a
picture equally striking: elegant villas and plantations on each
side ; Deepden, late the Duke of Norfolk's, but now belonging
to Lady Burrell, majestically closing the vie^v. The hanging
hills, adorned with stalely beech on the right, contrast with the
fine downs covered with evergreens, and the chalky crags of
Box Hill, on the left. Beneath is a fertile vale through which
the river Mole silently pursues its course, and then sinks imper-
ceptibly from the sight. Tlie banks of Arno cannot excel this
scene. Mr. Lock's saloon unites this grand amphitheatre of na-
ture with the most excellent production of the late Barren's in-
imitable pencil : an attempt unprecedented. The magnificent
scenery with Mhich he has embellished the walls, being artfully
managed to appear as a continuation of the view, introducing in
the western compartment an assemblage of the lakes and moun-
tains in Cumberland and Westmorland, blended together, forms
a landscape expressive of the most majestic idea of rural gran-
deur. The rude crags and distant summit of Skiddaw, are con-
trasted with the placid meer below, which seems genially heated
by the warm rays of a sunnner's setting sun, rendered more bril-
liant by the tints of a retiring storm, shadowing the mountain's
side, 'J'he second compartment presents a nearer view of im-
mense rocks in the dreary complexion of those stupendous de-
serts: the sun here scarcely affords a ray to cheer the gloon.y
scene. The fire-place forms the third : here the chimney glass
S 2
19(5 N O R.
is so let into the wall, that were it not for the real appearance of
the hearth, imagination would suggest the entrance ot'an elegant
arbour. In the fourth compartment the scene is continued, but
with the placid effect of evening serenity : here the shepherd
tells his amorous tale to the attentive fair. The figures are hap-
pily introduced. This scene opens to an organ, with a figure of
St. Cecilia, by Cipriani, who painted the landscape figures — as
did Gilpin the cattle. The ocean, bounded on one hand by hills
and rocks, with a variety of characteristic accompaniments, com-
plete the fifth scene. The ceiling represents a correspondent
sky, seen through a circulai treiiliage, by Pastorini; the carpet
resembles a mown hiwn. The whole is admirably connected
with a view from the windows, and adapted to convey a classical
idea of a perfec* landscape. — The water to supply the honse is
raised by an e'.gine, from a depth of 361 feet. — At Norbury
many Roman coins have been found.
NORTHEND, a village in the parish of Fulham, Middlesex,
three quarters of amileS S. E. from Hammersmith. Here is
Browne's House, the handsome villa of the Dowager Lady
Heathcote, the gardens of which are finely disposed.
NORTHFLEET, a village in Kent, 21 miles S. from Lon-
don. The church is uncommonly large ; and, on the north wall,
is a beautiful alabaster monument to the memory of Dr. Edward
Browne, who resided at Ingress. He was physician to Charles II.
and emment for his skill in natural history, as appears from
his Travels, published in 1685. The steeple commands a diver-
sified prospect. Vast quantities of lime are burnt here. The
grounds having been cut away, in different directions, for this
purpose, a scene is exhibited perfectly romantic. Extraneous
fossils have also been dug up. But the circumstance most wortfiy
of observation is, that in the flint stones (of which there are fre-
quent strata, and which are wrought up into flints for guns) com-
plete cocklesiiells filled with chalk are found, and sometimes of
so large a size as to be esteemed a great curiosity.
NORWOOD, a village in Surry, two miles S. from Camber-
well, scattered round a large wild common, five miles from
London, in the parishes of Croydon, Streatham, Lambeth, and
Camberwell. It bears no marks of its vicinity to the capital :
and those who love an occasional contemplation of tmimproved
nature, will find great satisfaction in a visit to this place. It was,
fome years ago, a principal haunt of the gipsies. At Norwood
Green is Norwood House, the seat of William Spencer, Esq. re-
markably well built, aiui surrounded by his own estate. The
pleasuie-grounds aie laid out with much taste and beauty.
NORWOOD, a villa-e of Middlesex, 11 miles W. from Lou-
V
OAT 191
dnn, between the roads to Uxbridge and Hoinislovv. Dorman's
Well, near Sonlhall, in tfiis parish (formerly the srat of Lord
Dacre, and described by Norden, as surrounded by a park and
pale) is now the property of Geor£;e Merick Ayscough, Esq.
The little chapel of Norwood is only an appendage to Hayes.
O.
OAKS, the villa of the Earl of Derby, on Bansted Downs,
between Croydon and Dorking, Surry, was built by a so-
ciety of gentlenjen, called the Hunters' Club, to whom the land
was leased by Mr. Lambert. Mr. Simmons was the first occu-
pier of the house, which was intended as a place of festivity in
the hunting season. Sir Thomas Gosling afterward occupied it
for a short time. General Burgoyne Ihen purchased the lease,
and built a dming-room 42 feet by ^I, with arr niched reef, ele-
gantly finished ; 28 small cased pillars of fine workms^nship, and
a concave minor at each end. The dining table is of plain deal
boards, in conformity to the style of a hunting seat. Tiie red
hall entrance is small, but elegant : it contains two landscapes
and a few other pictures. The drawing room, on the first floor,
is an octagon, ornamented v/ith a variety of small pictures. It
commands a prospect of Norwood, Shooter's tlill, niany churches
in Lot)don and its environs, Hampstead, Highgate, &c. Lord
Derby having acquired a fee simple in the estate, added, at the
west end, a large brick building, witli four towers at each cor-
ner; and there is a similar erection at the east end, which ren-
ders the structure uniform, and gives it an elegant Gothic ap-
pearance. In the pleasure grounds are a number of ancient
beeches. In one tree, in particular, it is said, there is a spring ;
because it always contains water, altliough the well at the house
is jOO feet- deep. Lord Derby, who is remarkable for his hospi-
tality to the gentlemen hunteis, con accommodate his guests
with upward of fifty bed chanibers. — Tliis circumstance forms a
just picture of ancient iiospitality.
OATL4NDS, adjoining to Weybridge, in Surry, the seat
of the Duke of York, who ^nuciiased it of the late Duke
of Newcastle. The park is four miles round. The house
IS situated about the middle of the terrace, whose majestic
grandeur, and the beautiful landscapes it commands, cannot
he described by words. The serpentine river, when seen
from the terrace, though artificial, appears as beautiful as
if it were natural ; and a stranger, who did not know the
place, would conclude it to be the 'I'hames; in which opinion he
would be confirmed by the view of Walton Bridge over that
108 ONG
rivpi , wliich, by a happy contrivance, is made to look like a
biidire over the serpentine river, and gives a pleasing finish to
this di.lisfitfnl prospect. Tiie grotto, which is uncommonly
beautiful and romantic, was constructed and finished by V: -^e
})ersons, a father and his two sons, and is reported to have co.
nearly 12,()00L ! A gate, erected from a design of Inigo Jones,
Las been removed a small distance from its original situation,
and repaired, with the addition of an inscription, by the Duke
of Newcastle. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York
passes much of her time here in an agreeable and pleasant re-
tirement.
OCKHAM, Surry, six miles N. E. from Guildford, where
Lord King has a seat and park. The church stands almost op-
posite to the house; and in the churcli-yard is a stone over
tiie ^'■'^^e of John Spong, a carpenter, on which is this punning
epitapii :
AVho niany a sturdy oak had laid alonjr,
Fell'd by Death's surer hatchet, here lies Spong;
Posts oft he made, 3'et ne'er a place could get;
And liv"d by railing, though he was no wit;
Old saws he had, although no antiquarian;
xi.nd stiles corrected, yet was no grammarian !
OLD FORD, Middlesex, two miles and three quarters,
E. N. E. from London, in the parish of Stratford Bow, and on
the river Lea, over wliicli, in this place, passed a Roman mili-
tary way. Here is an ancient gateway, still entire, supposed to
be the remains of a roj a1 palace, vulgarly called King John's
palace. Here, in ancient times, Avas a ford over the river Lea,
in which Maud, Queen 0/ Henry I. was nearly drowned : this
occasioned tbe building of Stratford Bridge with stone, which in
those times was thought so beautiful, as to be called Le Beau,
and since corrupted into Le Bow.
ONGAR, the name of two adjoining parishes in Essex, called
Chipping Ongar and High Ongar. Chipping Ongar is an ancient
market-town, seven miles and a half E. N. E. from Epping,
chiefly consisting of one long str.eet, situated within the area of ■
an extensive entrenchment, wliiclj may yet be traced on its dif-
ferent sides. The church is a sma.ll neat structure, and, having
many Roman bricks worked into it, has been by some antiqua- ,
rians f-upposod to occupy the site of ii Roman station. The mar-
ket is not much used, thoui^ii from the term Chipping or Cheping,
affixed to the name of tlie town, it is ^Mobably ofjemote origin.
Market, Saturday. High Ongar is on.? mile and three quarters
W. from Chipping Ongar. It was the .manor of Richard Lacy,
O S T 199
who, being protector of England, wfiile Henry II. was in Nor-
mandy, built tlie church. He also built a castle, which w^as
situated on the top of" an artificial mount, and surrounded by a
large moat : but this castle growing ruinous, was taken down in
the reign ot Queen Elizabeth, and a brick structure erected on its
site. This was demolished in 1745, by Edward Alexander, Esq.
who erected, instead of it, a handsome summer-house, surrounded
by a moat, and ascended by a steep winding walk, arclied over,
the greatest part of the way, by trees and shrubs. From the
embattled top is a beautiful prospect. Near Ongar is Kelvedon
Hall, the ^eat of John Wright, Esq. and Myless, the seat of the
late John Luther, Esq. who left it to Francis Fane, Esq. It is
now in the occupation of Duncan Davidson, Esq. Mr. Luther
had been the pupil of Dr. Watson, Bishop of LandafF, and be-
qucatl'.ed him a handsom.e sum of money at his dissolution. See
Kelvedon Hall and Greensted Hull.
ORPINGTON, a village in Kent, on the river Cray, four
miles and a half S. E. from Bromley. Henry VIII. granted the
manor to Sir Percival Hart, who biiilt a seat here, in which he
magniticeutly entertained Queen Elizabeth, July fi, 1573; who
on iier reception here, " received," says Philipot (Hist, of Kent,
p. 259) " the first caresses of a nymph who personated the genius
of the house ; then the scene was shifted, and, from several
chambers, which, as they were contrived, represented a sliip, a
sea conflict was offered tip to the spectators' view, which so
much obliged the eyes of this Princess with the churms of de-
light, that, upon her departure, s'le left upon this house (to com-
memorate the memory both of the author and t'le artifice) the
name and appellation of ^^ Bank Heart, ^' by v^hich it is still
called. Such anecdotes give us a just idea of the manners of
that period of our history, which was distinguished for its ro-
mantic hospitahty. It belongs to Sir Jolm Dixon Dyke, Bart.
OSTERLEY PARK, Middlesex, one mile and three quar-
ters N. from Hounslow, in the parish of Heston, formerly the
seat of the late Robert Child, Esq. but now of the Earl of Jersey.
It belonged to the convent of Sion, on the suppression of which
it Vi^^as granted to Henry, Marquis of Exeter ; and, reverting to
the crown on his attainder, Edward VI. granted it to the Duke
of Somerset. Being again forfeited by his attainder, it was
granted, in 1557, to Augustine Thaier. Between tliis period
and 1570, it came into the possession of Sir Thomas Gresham,
by whom a nol)le edifice was erected. Here this great mer-
chant magnificently entertained Queen Elizabeth*. This man-
* Of this visit the following anecdote is recorded in Mr. Ni-
chols' Progresses of that Queen : ** Her Majesty found fault with
the court of this house, affirming it would appear more handsome,
feOO OSTERLEY PARK.
sion aftoiwards passed into seveial liands, and was tbe seat of
Su- William Waller, the celebrated Paiiiamentary General. Iq
the beginning of the last century it was pnrchased by Sir Francis
Ciiild.
We enter the piirk by a gale, on each side of which is a hand*
some lodge. The park, finely wooded, is six miles in circum-
ference. The house (tlie shell of which was completely rebuilt
by Francis Child, Esq. in 1760) is a magnificent structure, ex-
tcndins.' 140 teet from E. to W. and 117 from N. to S, At each
angle is a lairet; and to the east front is a fine portico of the
Ionic order, which is ascended by a grand flight of steps, and
profusely adorned by antiques, ice. The apartments are spa-
cious, and are mai/nificently fitted up with the richest hangings
of silk, velvet, and Gobelin tapestry, elegantly sculptured mar-
bles, highly enriched entablatures of mosaic work, &cc. The
decorations of the apartments display the great talents of the
late Mr. Robert Adam, the architect, and of Signior Zucchi, the
painter ; and they were all fitted up by the late Robert Child,
Esq. who succeeded his brother Francis in 1763.
From the lodges at the entrance of the paik, we descend a
spacious road, between two fine sheets of water, which being
on ditierent levels, may be termed the upper and lower. The
first is opposite the east front, and in view of the house. Though
not large, it gives beauty and variety to this part of the park.
The lower water is of much greater extent, and partly inclosed
by woods, through which it makes a noble sweep. On the
north shore of this lake is a menagerie, containing a fine collec-
tion of exotic birds. Here the lake bends to the N, W. and, at
some distance, has abridge of stone: beyond this it begins to
contract, and is soon lost to tlie eye of the observer.
Mr. Child's only daughter having married the Earl of West-
moreland, he left this estate to the second son of that nobleman,
or, in default of a second son, to any daughter who should first
attain the as^je of 21 ; and, in either case, the said son or daugh-
ter to assume the name of Child. In consequence of this, the
if divided with a covert in the middle. What dees Sir Thomas, but
in the night time sends for workmen to London, who so speedily
and silently apply their business, that the next morning disco-
vered the court double, which the night had left single before. It
is questionable whether the Queen, next day, was more con-
tented with the conformity to her fancy, or more pleased with
the surprise and sudden performance thereof. Her courtiers dis-
ported themselves with their several expressions; some avowing it
was no wonder he oovdd so soon change a budding, who could
build a Ciiange : others, retiectijig on some known differences in
tbe Knight's family, affirmed, that a house is easier divided than
united."
PAD SOI
estate was rested in the hands of the late Robert Dent, Esq.
and others, in trust for Lady Sarah Child, (the eldest daughter
of the late Countess) who married the Earl of Jersey.
OXFORD, a village, in Kent, three miles N. of Sevenoaks,
where Otfa, King of Mercia, defeated Lothaire, King of Kent,
Offa, the treacherous murderer of Ethelbert, to atone for the
blood he had shed in this battle, gave Otford to Christ Church,
Canterbury, in pascua jmrorum (as the deed says) fvr pasture for
the Archbishop^s hogs. Such were the acts of piety, so much
esteemed in that superstitious age, that Malmesbury, one of the
best of the old English historians, declares himself at a loss to
determine, whether the merits or crimes of this prince prepon-
derated ! Such were the times of Popery — when religion seemed
to sanction and encourage the vices of mankind. Otford conti-
nued in the See of Canterbury till exchanged with Henry VIII.
for other lands.
OTTERS HAW, Surry, the seat, with a fine park and gar-
dens, of Edmund Boehm, Esq. four miles S. W, of Chertsey.
This gentleman has improved both the house and grounds, and
has enclosed and planted 160 acres of the adjoining common.
OXHEY PLACE, in Hertfordshire, the seat of the Hon.
William, Bucknall, three miles south of Watford.
PADDINGTON, a village one mile N. W. of London. The
church, a beautiful structure, erected in 1790, near the site of
the old church, is seated on an eminence, finely embosomed among
venerable elms. Its figure is composed of a square about 50
feet. The centres on each side of the square are projecting pa-
rallelograms, which give recesses for an altar, a vestry, and two
staircases. The roof terminates with a cupola and vane, and
the whole does the highest credit to the taste and skill of the ar-
chitect, Mr. John Piaw. Although Paddington is now conti-
guous to the Metropolis, there are many rural spots in the pa-
rish, which appear as retired as if at a distance of many miles.
From this place a canal has been made, w hich joins the Grand
Junction Canal at or near Hayes. It is now finished, and there
are noble wharfs for Staffordshire coal, &c.
At the Basin, a passage boat to Greenford Green, and Ux-
bridge, sets off daily during the summer months at eight o'clock
in the morning: a breakfast is provided on board, and other re-
freshments may be obtained. The terms are reasonable, vh.
five miles for a shilling, ten miles for eighteen pence, and th«
f 02 P A I
extent of Uiis fitill voyage to Uxbridge may be enjoyed for half
a crown.
Here, like a gorging alderman on Lord Mayor's day,
A city wife may float and eat, in proud array,
No chance of beino^ tempest-lost, or even sick,
Unless o'er surfeited with half-bak'd ham and chick j *
For such refreshment, in this voyage of tzvenly miles >
TJie longing lady, or the squawling babe beguiles I ,
About three miles west from the Basin, is the Mitre tavern,
situate on the bank of the canal, opposite to a spot, once of pu-
gihstic note, called Wormwood Common, or more generally
Wormwood Scrubs : this brutal amusement no longer detiles this
verdant waste, asid the contemplative man n>ay iiere view unin-
terruptedly, a panorama of beautiful and very distant objects in
Surry ; tlie spire of Streatham, the pinnacles of Croydon church,
the heights of Headly, the foliage of Box Hill, the commanding
tower of Lciih, and, still more distant, the telegraph on Netiey
Heath near Guildford ; but the latter requires the aid of a teles-
cope, being distant about 30 miles.
A pleasure boat is establi.-ihed by the civil and attentive land-
lord of the ?rlitre, which leaves the Basin of the canal early in
the afternoon, and returns at a reasonable hour in the evening:
in this rural place of accommodation, the refreshments arc ex-
ccUent. A.
Little Shaftesbury House, in this parish (near Kensington
Gravel Pits) is the seat of Ambrose Godfrey, Esq. and is said to
have been built by the Earl of Shaftesbury, author of the Charac-
teristics, or by his grandfather, the Lord Chancellor. See Uays-
ivuter, Tyburn, and IVestbnxirn Place.
PADDINGTON GREEN, is about a mile N.N. W. from
Tybuin tutnpike, on whicii stands Paddiugton House, the resi-
dence of Mr. Symmonds. In the front court are four bronzed
antique tigures, very fine. This gentleman possesses a most
an)ple fortune, " and is of very great and approved allowance."
His favoiuite pursuit ten years ago was botany, and lie had a
choice and raie collection of plants, exotic and indigenous,
whicli were arranued according to the Linnean system. It is re-
ported that the ground tluis f(nnierly scientifically occupied, is
now appropriated to the purjioses of common vegetation.
Where the proud canna rear'd his lofty head,
The curling parsley forms an hua;ble bed 3
Where the rich orange bow'd with odoious fruit,
The trailing pea extends his vagrant shoot. A.
PAINE'S HIIX, Surry, sevesi miles und three quarters S. W.
/rem Jiiijgston, the eh-gaut seat and celebrated gardens of the
PAINE'S HILL. g03
lale Benjamin Bond Hopkins, Esq. but now of the Earl of Gar-
hampton, in the parish of Walton upon Thames. Tlie gardens
are formed on the verge of a moor, which rises above a fertile
plain watered by the river Moie. Large valleys, descending in
different directions toward the river, break the brow into sepa-
rate eminences; and the gardens are extended along the edge, in
a semicircular form, between the winding river which describes
their outward boundary, and the park which tills up the cavity
of the crescent. The moor lies behind the place, and sometimes
appears too conspicuously ; but the views on the other sides,
into the cultivated country, are agreeable. Paine's Hill, how-
ever, is little benefited by external circumstances; but the
scenes, within itself, are grand and beautiful ; and the disposi-
tion of the gardens affords frequent opportunities of seeing the
several parts, the one from the other, across the park, in a va-
riety of advantageous situations.
The house stands on a hill, in the centre of the crescent. The
views are charming, and in the adjacent thicket is a parterre,
and an orangery, where the exotic plants are intermixed, during
the summer, with common shrubs, and a constant succession of
flowers.
The hill is divided from another much larger by a small valley :
and, from a seat placed on the top of the second eminence, a
scene totally different appears. The general prospect, though
beautifid, is the least engaging circumstance ; the attention is
immediately attracted from the cultivated plain to the point of
hanging wood at a distance, but still within the place. Opposite
to the hill thus covered is another in the country, of a similar
shape, but bare and barren ; and beyond the opening between
them, the moor, falling back into a wide concave, closes the
interval. Had all these heights belonged to the same proprietor,
and been planted in the same manner, they would have com-
posed as great, as romantic a scene, as any of those we rarely
see, but always behold with admiration, vvhich are the work of
nature alone, matured by the groAVth of ages.
But Paine's Hill is all a new creation ; and a boldness of de-
sign, and a happiness of execution, attend the efforts vvhich art
has there made to rival nature. Another point of tlie same
eminence exhibits a landscape, distinguished from the last in
every particular, except in the area of its existence : it is en-
tirely within the place, and commanded from an open Gothic
building, on the very edge of a high steep, which rises above an
artificial lake in the bottom. The whole of this lake is never
seen at once ; but by its form, by the disposition of some
islands, and by the trees in them and on the banks, it always
seems to be larger than it is. On the left are continued planta-
lions, to exclude the country; on the right, all the park opens;
and, in front, beyond the water, is the hanging wood, the point
504 PAINES HILL.
of which appeared before; but here it stretches quite across th«
view, and displays all its extent and varieties. A river, issuing
from the lake, passes under a bridge of five arches near the out-
let, directs its course toward the wood, and flows underneath
it. On the side of the hill is couched a low hermitage, encom-
passed with thickets, and overhung with shade ; and, far to the^
rijrht, on the summit, rises a lofty tower, eminent above all the
trees. About the hermitage, the closest covert and darkest
greens spread their gloom: in other places the tints are mixed;
and in one a little glimmering light marks an opening in the
wood, and diversifies its uniformity, without diminishing its
greatness. Throughout the scene consistency is preserved in
the midst of variety; all the parts unite easily : the plantations
in the bottom join to the wood which hangs on the hill ; those
on the upper grounds of the park break into groves, which after-
ward divide into clumps, and in the end taper into single trees.
The ground is various ; but it points from all sides toward the
lake, and, slackening its descent as it approaches, sHdes, at
last, gently into the water. The groves and lawns on the de-
clivities are elegant and rich ; the expanse of the lake, enlivened
by plantations on the banks, and the reflection of the bridge on
the surface, animate the landscape; while the extent and height
of the hanging wood give an air of grandeur to the whole.
An easy winding descent leads from the Gothic building to
the lake, and a broad walk is afterward continued along the
banks, and across an island, close to the water on one hand,
and skirted by wood on the other. The spot is retired, but the
retirement is cheerful; the lake is calm, but it is full to the
brim, and never darkened with shadow ; the walk is smooth and
almost level, and touches the margin of the water ; the wood,
which secludes all view into the country, is composed of elegant
trees, full of the lightest greens, and bordered with shrubs and
flowers; and though the place is almost surrounded with planta-
tions, yet within itself it is open and airy. It is embellished
with three bridges, a ruined arch, and a grotto ; and the Gothic
building, still very near, and impending directly over the lake,
belongs to the place ; iDUt these objects are never visible all
together ; they appear in succession as ihe walk proceeds ; and
tlieir number does not crowd the scene, which is enriched by
their frequency.
The transition is sudden, almost immediate, from this polished
spot, to another of the most uncultivated nature; not dreary,
not romantic, but rude: it is a wood, which overspreads a large
tract of uneven ground. The glades through it are sometime*
closed on both sides with thickets ; at other times they are only
cut through the fern in the openings ; and even the larches and
firs, which are mixed with beech on the side of the principal
glade, aje left in such a state of apparent neglect, that the.f
PAINE'S HILL. SO
seem to be the product of the wild, not decorations of the
walk. This is the hanging wood, wliich before was so noble an
object, and is now such a distant retreat. Near the tower it is
thin, but about the hermitage it is thickened with trees of the
darkest greens. A narrow gloomy path, overhung with Scotch
and spruce firs, leads to the cell, composed of logs and roots.
The design is as simple as the materials. And the furniture within
old any uncouth. All the circu'n-^tances winch belong to the
character are retained in the utmost purity, but in the approach
and entrance ; in the second room they are Rudi-enly changed for
a view of the gardens and the conn'!/, which is rich with every
appearance of inhabitants and cuUivution. From the tower, on
the top of the hill, is another prospect, much more extensive,
but not more beautiful: the objects are not so well selected, nor
seen to so great advantage ; some of them are too distant; some
too much below the eye : and a large portion of the heath inter-
venes, which casts a cloud over the view.
Not far from the tower is a scene polished to a liigh degree of
improvement, in which stands a large Doric building, called the
Temple of Bacchus, with a fine portico in the front, a rich alto-
relievo in the pediment, and on each side a range of pilasters ;
it was formerly decorated within with antique busts, and a beau-
tiful antique colossal statue of the god in the centre, which has
lately been sold by auction ; the room has nothing of that so-
leamity wliich is often affectedly ascribed to the character, but,
without being gaudy, is full of light, ornament, and splendour.
The situation is on a brow, which commands an agreeable pros-
pect; but the top of the hill is almost a flat, diversified, how-
ever, by several thickets, and broad walks whiding between
them. These walks run into each other so frequently, their re-
lation is so apparent, that the idea of the whole is never lost in
the divisions ; and the parts are, like the whole, large. They
agree also in style: the interruptions, therefore, never destroy
the appearance of extent : they only change the boundaries, and
multiply the figures. To the grandeur which the spot receives
from such dimensions, is added all the richness of which planta-
tions are capable; tlie thickets are of flowering shrubs ; and the
openings embellished with little airy groups of the most elegant
trees, skirting or crossing the glades ; but nothing is minute or
unworthy of the environs of the temple.
The gardens end here : tliis is one of the extremities of the
crescent, and hence, to the house in the other extremity, is an
open walk through the park. In the way, a tent is pitched,
upon a fine swell, just above the water, which is seen to greater
advantage from this point than from any other. Its broadest
expanse is at the foot of the hill : from that it spreads in several
directions, sometimes under the plantations, sometimes into the
midst of them, and at other times winding behind them. Tht
T
f06 PANCRAS.
principal bridge of five arches is just below. At a tlistaMce^
deep in the wood, is another, a single arch, thrown over a stream
which is lost a little beyond it. The position of the latter is di-
rectly atiiwart tijat of the former; the eye passes along the one
and under tlie other ; and the greater is of stone, the smaller of
wood. No two objects bearing the same name can be more
different in figure and situation. The banks also of the lake are
infinitely diversified : tliey are open in one place, and in another
covered with plantations, which sometimes come down to the
brink of the water, and sometimes leave room for a walk. The
glades are either conducted along the sides, or open into the
thickest of the wood; and now and then they seem to turn
round it toward the country, which appears in the offskip, rising
above this picturesque and various scene, through a wide open-
ing between the hanging wood on one hand, and the eminence
crowned with the Gothic tower on the other.
The house was built by the late Mr. Hopkins, but the en-
chanting scenes we have been describing were created by the
late Mr. Charles Hamilton.
The premises, which consist of 98 acres and three roods, are
situated in the parishes of Chobham, Walton, and Wisley. They
were vested, by the last will of Mr. Hopkins, in trust, in George
Chamberlaine, Esq. George Bond, Esq. and Sir Samuel Hayes,
Bart. ; by whom the whole, under certain provisions, were to
be sold. The estate, however, consisting partly of freehold
land, and partly of detached parcels held by lease under the
crown, and the boundaries of which could not be ascertained,
the trustees obtained an act of parliament in 1795, to enable his
Majesty to grant to them all the said pieces of leasehold ground
in fee.
PANCRAS, an extensive parish of Middlesex, situate N. of
London, one mile from Ho! born Bars. It not only includes
one-third of the hamlet of Highgate, but the hamlets of Kentish-
town, Battle-bridgp, Camden-town, Somers town, as well as all
Tottenham-court Road, and all the street^ to the west, as far as
Cleveland->treet and Rathbone place. Tlie cliwch and church-
yard, dedicated to St. Pancras, have be* n lontr noted as the
burial place for such Roman C-ithohcs as die m London and its
vicinity; almost every stone exiiibiting a cross and the initials
R. L P. { Hequiescat in Puce — May he rest in peace) which ini-
tials are always used by the Catholics on their sepulchral monu-
ments. " I have heard it assigned," says Mr. Lyson*«, " by
some persons of that persuasion, as a reason for this piefereuce
to Pancras as a burial-place, thar before the late convulsions in
that country, masses were said m a churcl) in the south of France,
dedicated to the same Saint, for the souls of the deceased interred
at St. Pancras in England!" The church-yard was enlarged in
PEC 207
1793, by ihfi addition of a large piece of ground to the south-
east, in whicii is to be seen the monument of Mrs. Godwin (the
celebrated Mary Woolstonecroji J author of the Rights of Woman,
and of other pubHcations which excited general attention. In
this parish are likewise several chapels of ease, and the cemete-
ries belongins; to the parishes of St. James, Westminster; St. An-
drew, Holborn : St. George the Martyr; and St. George,
Bloomsbury. The Foundling Hospital, at the end of Lamb's
Conduit street, is in this parish; in which also is the Hospital for
Inoculation, to which a building v/as added, in 1795, for the
Hospital for the reception of patients with the natural small pox,
then removed from the site in Cold-bath Fields. In Gray's Inn
Lane, is the AVelsh Charity School, bnilt in 1771. In a house,
near the church yard, is a mineral spring, formerly <ai}ed Pan-
crus Wells, in great esteem some years ago; and near Battle-
bridge is another called St. Chad's. See Highgate, Kenwood,
Kentish Town, and Veterinary College.
PARK FARM PLACE, a beautiful villa, the property of
the late Lady James, and residence of the late Sir Benjamin
Hammet, at Eltliam, Kent. It is oniameoted with pilasters of
the Ionic order; and the grounds are laid out with great taste.
It stands in a very pleasant situation, and is occupied by Lord
Rauclitfe.
PARSON'S GREEN, a hamlet to Fulham, from which it is
distant one mile N. E. An ancient house, at the corner of the
Green, belonged formerly to Sir Edmund Saunders, Lord Chief
Justice of the Khig's Bench, in 168'i, who raised himself to that
elevated situation trom the low station of an errand-boy in an
attorney's chambers, in which lie taught himself writing, and
first obtained an insight into the law, by copyuig precedents,
&c. in the absence of the clerks. It was the residence of Sa-
muel Richardson, the celebrated author of Sir Charles Grandison,
&cc. A house on the east side of the Green, built by Sir Franci-s
Child, Lord Mayor of London in 1699, and modernized by the
late John Powell, Esq. is now the residence of Sir John Hales,
Bart.
PECKHAM, a hamlet of Camberwell, Surry, three miles
and ahalf S. S. E. from London, with several seals in its neigh-
bourhood, \a famous for its fair (hiring the summer season.
Hence the common saying', " All Holiday at Peckham." It is
held on the 2lst, 2'id, and 23d days of August, and succeeds
that of Cainbeiwell, which is on the'l9th and !^Oth.
This fair, although it affords as much fun, does not abound
vrith so many delicacies as Croydon. There are no walnuts,
roast pork, or tough old geese; but plenty of clammy gingerbread t
T 2
•08 PET
sizzling* sausages, and oysters stewed in the sun ! all cool, sun-
mer-Uke refreshments !
Nor here, the scratching rattle do we lack,
Which tickles sore the tender maiden's back.
This very pretty, iitihding sport,
Moves the warm damsel to a quick retort ;
And s-weetheart Bill, who soon's to make a match,
Receives in turn the animating scratch !
So CATS in gutters, at the midnight hour,
Shew first by ^cra/c/ii'i^. Love's tormenting power! A.
I^eckham Las recently been embellished by many gentlemen's
«eats, which contribute to its richness and beauty. Here is ^
whimsical building called t!ie Folly, which at some distance
forms a conspicuous object.
PENTONVILLE, a village, on a fine eminence to the west
of Islington, and, although joining that village, is in the parish
of St. James, CierkenweU ; and when that parish church was re-
built by act of parliaraerit, an elegant chapel here was made pa-
rochial. The houses in gen^?ral are neat and commodious, and
have nearly all sprung up within the last thirty yf^ars. The late
Dr. De Valangea's niansioii was alaiost the first built on the
spot, and lie lived to see a town rising around Irim!
PETERSHAIM, a village of Surry, nine miles and a half S. W.
from London, situate on the Thames, in the midst of beautiful
scenery. The churcli was a chapel of case to Kingston till 1769,
when, by act of parliament, this parish and Kew are now one
vicarage. Here stood a seat, built by Lawrence, Earl of Ro-
chester, Lord Treasurer in the reign of James II. It was burnt
down in 1720; and the noble furniture, curious paintings, and
inestimable library and MSS. of the great Earl of Clarendon,
were destroyed. On the site of this house, William, first Earl of
Harrington, erected another, after one of the Earl of Burling-
ton's designs. On the death of t!ie late Earl, it was sold to
Lord Camelford, of whom the Duke of Clarence bought it in
1790. It was sold, in 1794, to Colonel Cameron ; and is now
the residence of Sir William Manners, Bart. The front, next
the court, is plv;in; but the other, next the garden, is bold and
regular, and the state apartments on that side are elegant. The
pleasure grounds are spacious and beautiful, extending to Rich-
mond Park, a .small part of which has been added to them by a
grant from his Majesty, including the Mount, where, according
to tradition, Henry VIII. stood to see the signal for Anne Bo-
ley n's execution!
* A Suffolk word for frying.
POP 2oy
PINNER, Middlesex, a hajnlet to Harrow on Uie Hill, from
which town it is distatit about three miles N. W. Though not
parorliial, it liad once a weekly market, long ago disused. Pin-
ner Hill is the residence of Major Bracey.
PISHIOBURY, Herts, five miles and a half S. S.E. from
Bishop's Stortford, the seat of Mrs. Milles, said to have been
built by Inigo Jones, for Sir Walter Mildmay. Mrs. Milles
made great improvements in the grounds, which are watered by
the Stort; a river, navigable from Stortford to the Lea.
PLAISTOW, a village near Bromley, in Kent. Here is the
SPat of Mrs. Thellusson, widow of the late Peter Thellusson,
Esq. fitted up in a style of elegance, scarcely to be equalled in
the kingdom*.
PLASTOW, a village in the parish of West Ham, Essex, two
miles S. W. from Barking, gives the name of Plastow Levels to
the low land between the mouth of the river Lea and Ham
Creek, r
PLUMSTED, a village in Kent, between Woolwich and
Erith, on an eminence rismg from the Thames, lias a neat church,
anil had formerly a market.
POLESDEN, in the parish of Great Bookham, Surry, nine miles
S. VV. from Ewell, the noble seat of the late Sir William Geary,
Bart, but now of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Esq. is situated
on an eminence, commanding a beautiful prospect. Behind the
house are the finest beech woods imaginable.
POPLAR, a hamlet of Stepney, on the Thames, two miles
and a quarter E. from London, is, by the late construction
of the East and West India Docks, daily rising into opu-
* Peter Thellusson was a native of Geneva, and after having
been in p irtnership in Paris, with the late great financier, Neqker,
.settled in London as a brandy merchant, where he acquired an
immense fortune, fie died in 1798, leaving to his relations lega-
cies to the amount of 100,000/. ; the remainder, amounting to
more than half a million, was, by his will, to accumulate till a
certain period; when, if none of his descendants and name ex-
isted, the whole should be applied by Parliament towards paying
off the national debt. In about 100 years, the amount will be
nearly 1 43 millions. The familj'^ have endeavoured to set aside
this will, but without success.
His eldest son died suddenly, Sept. 16, 1808, aged 47, whilst out
with a shooting party near his house in Suffolk; consisting of
Louis XVI II. and several noblemen, having only enjoyed the title
of Lord Rendlesham for two years !
t3
210 PRI
lence. The chapel was erected in 1654, by subscription, the
ground being given by tlie East India Company; since which
time that Company have not only allowed the Minister a house,
with a garden and iield containing three acres, but 20/. a
year during pleasnrn. It was nearly rebuilt by the Company
in 1776. The chaplain's salary is now 100^ with the pew
rents and burial fees. Here is an hospital belonging to the
Company, in vliich are 2^ pensioners (some men, but more
widows) who have a quarterly allowance, according to the rank
which they, or the widows' husbands, had on board, and a chal-
dron of coals aniuially. There are also many out-pensioners be-
longing to the Company.
Poplar Marsh, called also Stepney Marsh, or the Isle of Dogs,
is reckoned one of the richest spots in England j for it not only
raises the largest cattle, but the grass is esteemed a restorative
for all distempered cattle j and cattle turned into it soon fatten,
and grow to a large size. In this marsh was an ancient chapel,
called the Chapel of St. Mary ; perhaps an hermitage, founded
by some devout persons, for tlie purjiose of saying masses for the
souls of marineis. On its foundation, still visible, is a neat
farm-house. But the improvements recently introduced into
this spot have greatly altered the appearance of the situation.
See Doclis.
PORTER'S LODGE, Herts, the seat of the Countess Howe,
1A\ miles N. W. from London, situate belweeri Radler and Col-
ney Street, on the right hand of the road from EdgAvare to St.
Al ban's.
PRIMROSE HILL, between Tottenham Court and Hamp-
stead, has been also called Green-Berry-Hill, from the names of
the three pcisons who were executed for the supposed assassina-
tion of Sir Ednuindbury Godfrey, and who were said to have
brought him hither after he had been murdered near Somerset
House. But Mr. Hume, while he considers this tragical affair
as not to be accounted for, chooses to tuspect, however unrea-
sonably, that Sir Edmund had murdered hinjself. Hume, Vol.
VIII. p. 77.
This verdant and gently-sloping hill, (which commands an ex-
tensive view of the Metropolis) even in modern limes has been
contaminated with blood. At the soutli east declivity several
duels have been fought. That of most note was between Colonel
Montsonifiy and Captain Macnamara, in the year 1803: the
former fell, and expired at Chalk Farm, a house of public enter-
tainment on the same spot; known also a few years back as llie
rendezvous of the Corresponding Society, who lirst assembled in
a discontented manner at Copenhagen House. Having, in our
former editions, omitted to notice this well-known resort of
PUT 211
Sunday smoakers, and Mondaj^ skittle-players, we shall here
remark, that it deserves equally to be ranked with White-Conduit
House and Bagnigge Wells, for its ample supply of " hot roils
and butter in July." A.
PROSPECT PLACE, Surry, the villa of James Meyrick,
Esq. situate on an eminence three miles N. E. from Kingston.
The grounds are well laid out, and cnmmand a rich view.
PIJRFLEET, in Essex, 19 miles S. E. from London, is si-
tuated on the Thames, and has a public magazine for gunpowder,
which is deposited in detached buildings, that are all bomb-
proof; so that, in case an accident should happen to one, it
would not affect the others. Each of these buildings has a con-
ductor. This place has also some extensive lime- works.
PURLEY, in the parish of Sandersted, Surry, two n^iles S.
from Croydon, lately the delightful residence of John Home
Tooke, Esq.; whence an ingenious philological work, by that
gentlensan, derived the singular title of " The Diversions of
l*urley." This honse was the seat of Bradshaw, president of
the court at the trial of Charles I., a circumstance to which Mr.
Tooke humorously alludes in his introduction to the above men-
tioned work. Tlie second part of this interesting work has
lately appeared, and though two large Quarto Volumesh'd\e. been
published, yet the plan is not finished.
PUTNEY, a village in Surry, four miles and three quarters
S. W. from London, is pleasantly situated on the southern bank
of the Thames, over wKich there is a wooden bridge connecting
it with Fulham. The church is an old gotliic structure similar
to that of the former place, and has au additional cemetry in the
road from Wandsworth to Richmond, the ground for which was
given to the parish by the Rev. Roger Pettiward, D. D. in the
year 17G3. Putney was the birth place of the unfortunate
Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, whose father was a black-
smith here. It gave birth also to Nicholas West, Bishop of Ely,
an eminent statesman of the same reign, whose father was a
baker. In 1647, the head-quarters of the army of the Parlia-
ment were at Putney, General Fairfax being then (martered at
the ancient house of Mrs. D'Aranda, and Ireton*ln a house
which is now a school belonging to the Rev. Mr. Adams : during
this period, the officers held their 'councils in the church, round
the comniu))ion table! An obelisk was erected in 17H6, on
Putney Common, on the side of which, toward the road, is an
inscription, importing, that it was erc^cted 110 years after the
tire of I^ondon, on the nnniven'^ary of that dreadful event, in
niemoiy of an invention, for securing buildings against fire ; an
inscription tovvard Putnt y records a resolution of the House of
Commons, in 1774, granting 2500/. to David Hartley, Esq. for
gig PUTNEY.
this invention ; on tlie side toward London, is a resolution of a
Court of Common Council, grautina; the frefdom of the city to
Pilr. Hartley, in consideration of tlie advanlafjes hkely to accrue
to the public from this invention ; and, on the sitle toward Kings-
ton, is their resolution, ordering this obelisk to be erected.
Near it, is a house three stories high, and two rooms on a floor,
built by Mr. Hartley, willi fire plates between the ceilings and
floors, in order to try his experiments, of which no less than six
were made in this house, in 1776; one, in particular; when
their MajesMes, and some of the Royal Family, were in a room
over the ground floor, wliile the room under them was furiousiy
burning.
On Putney Common, in the road to Roehampton, are the
agreeable villas of Lady Lucas, Lady Grantham, the Riirht Hon.
Tiiomas Steele, Andrew Berkley Drummond, Esq. Beilby
Thomson, Esq. and Mr. Church. On the side of the Thames,
is Copt Plill, the late residence of the Countess Dowager of Lin-
coln, and. a house the property of Simeon Warner, Esq. Be-
tween the roads which lead to Wandsworth and Wimbledon, is
t!ie late villa of Mrs. Wood, widow of the late Robert Wood,
Esq. so well known to the public as a scientific and a classical
traveller. Tlie faim and pleasure grounds, wliich adjoin the
house, are spacious, and command a beautiful prospect of Lon-
don and the adjacent country. Mr. Wood purchased it of thq
executois of Edward Gibbon, Esq. uhose son, the celebrated
liistorian, was born there. In Putney Lane (leading to Putney
Common) are the villas of Godschall Johnson, Esq. Lady Bar-
ker, Walter Boyd, E'^q. aud Sir John Earner.
On Putney Heath, in January 1806, died that eminent states-
mrm, ti:e Right Hon. Wilbaju Pitt ; who, for the long period of
nearly thirty years, filled the high stations of Chancellor of the
Exchequer and First Lord of the Treasury ; enjoying in the most
ample sense, the confidence of his Sovereign and the nation at
large*. Besides his official situations, he was Warden of the
Cinque-Ports, Governor of the Charter House, Master of the
* The character of this Great Man must be left to posterity,
fully and justly to appreciate : the utmost that his greatest ene-
mies pretend to charire liiui with, is auihition ; whilst they are
compelled to allow him the m^rit of vigorous application to busi-
ness, uncommon elo(|uence, i>rofoun(l financial wisdom, and above
all, yerfect disinterestedness. Though he had been so many
years in pouei-, and had at his disposal sineciue places to the
amount of miiiions, he never appropriated to himself any other
than the VVardeitship of the CiiKjue-Ports; and at length died in
debt ! This debt was discharged by a vote of Parliament, and
his remains interred at the public expense, in the, same vault with
those of his father. See WcitmitnLer Abbejj.
RAN 213
Trinity House, and High Steward of the University of Cam-
bridge.
R.
RAGMAN'S CASTLE, a pretty box on the banks of th«
Thames, at Twickenham, Middlesex, so named from a
cottage that once stood there, built by a dealer in rags. It is
so hid by trees as hardly to be seen, and is the property of
George Hardinge, Esq.
RAINHAM, a village in Essex, 15 miles E. from London,
is situated on the Ingerbnrn, which is navigable to the Thames,
where there is a ferry to Erith. The road hence to Purfleet
commands an extensive view of the Thames and the Marshes,
which .arc here uncommonly fine, and in summer are covered
Avith prodigious numbers of cattle,
RANELAGH, a once celebrated place of amusement, si-
tuated near Chelsea, was highly admired for the beauty of its
structure, the taste of its interior decorations, and the elegance
of its entertainments. The Rotunda, somewhat resembling the
ancient Pantheon at Rome, was 185 feet in its external, and 130
feet in its internal diameter ; the sides being tastefully fitted up
with recesses, for such part of tlie company as chose to partake
of the refreshments of coffee, tea, &c. ; and the amusements,
consisting of concerts, vocal and instrumental, contributed in
no small degree to enliven a promenade, at once the resort of
fashion and the display of splendour. With all these fascinating
accomplishments, Ranelagh was doomed to feel the all-power-
ful inliuence of ever- varying fashion ; and, having ceased to
be the resort of the ' haut ton,' became an unprofitable con-
cern to the proprietors: it has therefore been pulled down,
and the materials sold. This place, which like all others de-
voted to public gratification, was liable to what in high life
is termed the intrusion of mixed company, has given rise to
the following very appropriate, sprightly, and justly satirical
lines :
The gay Rotunda, where in circling rows,
In dizzy miU-horsc pace, mov'd bag-wig dheaus;
Where belles in rustling silks of rich brocade,
And hoop'd, wheel'd round in stiff \ia.V2ide ;
Where sworded 'prentices, fine city fops !
Forgot their warehouses, and vulgar shops,
And cramming ha/f-hak^d rolls, for fudfa. crown, ""
JIu/f~rhonk]n^, as the douglnj lamps went down,
214 RANELAGH.
Till the *blue tea, with sweet diluting charm
r/^-choak'd, and eas'd them from this dread alarm :
Where these rpgal^d, these Q;iddy folks turn'd round, \
No stone is left, no vestige can be found ! A,
Bloomfield, whose poems are universally known and admired,
was, at the pressing solicitations of his friends, induced to visit
this spectacle, on the fveninsj of the fete celebrated in honour of
the peace of 1803. The impressions made on the mind of one
unaccustomed to the glittering lustre of factitious embellishment,
}»rodnced from his untutored muse the following sketch ; abound-
insj in accurate description, native humour, and keen satire ,
tilothed in his own peculiar simplicity of diction :
To Ranelagh, once in my life,
Ey good-natur'd force I was driv'n ;
The nations had ceas'd tlieir long strife,
And Peace beam'd her radiance from Heav'n.
What wonders were there to be found
That a clown might enjoy or disdain r
First we trac'd the gay ring all around,
Aye — and then we ^ent round it again.
A thousand feet rustled on mats,
A carpet that once had been green ;
Men bow'd with their outlandish hats,
With corners so fearfully keen !
Fair maids^ who at home in their haste
Had left all clothing else but a train,
Swept the floor cltan, as slowly theypac'd,
And then — walk'd round and swept it again.
The music was truly enchanting !
Right glad was I when I came near it ;
But in fashion I found I was wanting : —
'Twas the fashion to walk and not hear it !
A fine youth, as beauty beset him,
Look'd smilingly round on the train;
'' The king's nephew," they cried, as they met him j
Then — we went round nnd met him again.
Huge paintings of Heroes and Peace
Seem'd to smile at the sound of the fiddle,
P;oud to fill up each tall shining space
Round the lauternf that stood in the middle.
* J5/wfrom had mWk, called at boarding-schools sicifblue.
t The intervals between the })illars in the centre of the'Rotunda
were filled up by transparent paintings.
RANELAGH. gl5
And George's head too ; Heav'n screen him !
May he finish in peace his long reign !
And what did we when we had seen him ?
' Why — went round and saw him again.
A bell rang, announcing new pleasures,
A crowd in an instant press'd hard,
Feathers nodded, perfumes shed their treasures,
Round a door that led into the yard.
'Twas peopled all o'er in a minute.
As a white flock would cover a plain !
We had seen every soul that was in it.
Then we went rouiid and saw them again.
But now came a scene worth the showing.
The fireworks ! midst laughs and huzzas,
With explosions the sky was all glowing,
Then down stream'd a million of stars;
"With a rush the bright rockets ascended.
Wheels spurted blue fires like a rain ;
We tmn'd with regret when 'twas ended.
Then — star'd at each other again.
There thousands of gay lamps aspir'd
To the tops of the trees and beyond;
And, what was most hugely admir'd,
They look'd all up-side-down in a pond !
The blaze scarce an eagle could bear ;
And an owl had most surely been slain ;
We return'd to the circle, and there
And there we went round it again.
'Tis not wisdom to love without reason,
Oi*to censure without knowing why :
I had witness'd no crime, nor no treason,
" O life, 'tis thy picture," said I,
'Tis just thus we saunter along,
Months and years bring their pleasure or pain ;
We sigh midst the right and the wrong;
— And then we go round them again!
RANELAGH, NEW, which is situated on Millbank, West-
minster, has been lately fitted up in humble imitation of the one
mentioned above. The house, formerly the Ring's Arms Ta-
vern, is well finnished, and calculated io entertain the com-
pany frequenting it; and the grounds are laid out something
after the manner of those at Vanxhall. The amusements, which
consist of a ball, fireworks, transparencies, &c. are afforded to
the public at an easy price of admission ; and thus atiow the more
humble votaries of pleasure to participate in those enjoyments
whicli are denied them at other more expensive placeso
216 RIC
RANMER COMMON, Surry, an elevated and exteusive
common, one mile W. N. W. from Dorking, commanding some
fine views, in which St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey,
and Windsor Castle, are distinctly seen, so as to form a beau-
tiful landscape, having the constituent qualities of a delightful
scenery.
REIGATE, a borough in Surry, in the valley of Holmesdale,
21 miles S. from London, returns two members to Parliament.
The town is pleasantly situated in a fertile valley, chiefly con-
sisting of two well built streets ; the church and town-hall forming
its only public buildings. The latter was in ancient times a
chapel, dedicated to Thomas a Becket. In the neighbourhood
are several pits of fuller's earth, which is now easily forwarded
to the Metropolis by means of the rail road terminating at
"Wandsworth. Here are still a part of the ruins of a castle built
by the Saxons, particularly a long vault, with a room at the end,
large enough to hold 500 persons ; where the Barons, who took
up arms against John, are said to have had their private meet-
ings, especially the evening preceding the general congress at
Runny-Mead: from this circumstance, this cave (for such it
may be called) becomes an object of curiosity. On the south
side of the town is a large house formerly a priory, belonging to
Mr. Jones, beautified with plantations and a large piece of
water, and surrou: ded by hills, which render the prospect veiy
romantic.
In this town the Earl of Shaftesbury, author of the Charac-
teristics, had a house, to which he retired when inclined to se-
clude himself from company. It came afterwards into the pos-
session of a gentleman, who laid out and planted a small spot of
f round in so many parts, as to comprise in miniature whatever
can be supposed in the most noble seats. It may properly be
deemed a model of a garden and park ; for in it are a mount,
river, parterre, wilderness, and gardens, and a lawn containing
four or five deer, terminated by a small wood : yet the whole
extent of ground does not exceed four acres. This has occa-
sioned it to be called * All the world in an acre.' It is now ti}e
seat of Richard Barnes, Esq.
RICHING PARK, one mile and a half N. E. from Coin-
brook, in Bucks, a new seat, erected by John Sullivan, Esq.
It stands on the site of Percy Lodge, formerly the residence of
Frances Countess of Hertford, afterwards Duchess of Somerset,
(the Cleora of Mrs. Rowe, and the Patroness, whom Thomson
invokes in his " Spring"). " It was her practice," says Dr.
Johnson, " to invite, every summer, some poet into the coun-
try, to hear iier verses, and assist her studies. This honour was
one iummer conferred vn Thomson, who took more delight in
-^JUffiifi. ,j:i'^!'
RICHMOND. 217
carousing with Lord Hertford and his friends, than assisting her
Ladysliip's poetical operations, and therefore never received
another summons." But whatever were the merits of this ex-
cellent lady's poetry, some of her letters, which have been pub-
lished, evince, in the opinion of Shenstone, " a perfect rectitude
of heart, delicacy of sentiment, and a truly classic ease and ele-
gance of SI vie."
RICHMOND, in Surry, nine miles W. S. W. from London,
the finest village in the British dominions, was anciently called
Sheen, which, in the Saxon Tongue, signifies resplendent. From
tlie singular beauty of its situation, it has been termed the Fres-
cati of England. Here stood a royal palace, in which Ed-
ward I. and 11. resided, and where Edward III. died of
grief, for the loss of his heroic son the Black Prince. Here
also died Anne, Queen of Richard II. who first taught the
English ladies the use of the sidesaddle ; for, before her time,
they rode astride. Richard was so affected at her death, that
he deserted and defaced the fine palace ; but it was repaired by
Henry V. who founded three religious houses near it. In 1497,
it was destroyed by fire; but Henry VII. rebuilt it, and com-
manded that the village should be called Richmond ; he having
borne the title of Earl of Richmond before he obtained the
crown ; and here he died. Queen Elizabeth was a prisoner in
this palace for a sho4l time, daring the reign of her sister. When
she became Queen, it was one of her favourite places of resi-
dence ; and here she closed her illustrious career. It was after-
wards the residence of Henry Prince of Wales; and Bishop
Duppa is said to have educated Charles II. here. It is not now
easy to ascertain when this royal palace absolutely ceased to be
such. Some parts of it appear to have been repaired by James
II. whose son, the Pretender, it is said, was nursed here. [See
Bishop Burnet, Vol. I. p. 753.] It is not totally demolished.
The hous'^s now let on lease to William Robertson and Matthew
Skinner, Esquires, as well as that in the occupation of Mr.
Dundas, which adjoins the gateway, are parts of the old palace,
and are described in the survey taken by the order of Parlia-
ment in 1649 ; and, in Mr. Skinner's garden, still exists the old
yew-tree, mentioned in that survey. [See Lyscns, Vol. 1. p. 441.]
On the site of this palace also is Cholmondeley House, built
by George, third Earl of Cholmondeley, who adorned tlse
noble gallery with his hue collection of pictures. It is novi' the
property of the Duke of Queensberry, who transferred hither
the pictures and furniture from his seat at Ambresbury. The
tapestry, which hung behind the Earl of Clarendon in the Court
of Chancery, now decorates the hall of this house. A large
house, the property of Mrs. Sarah W-Ay, and the residence of
herself and her late sister, the Countess Dowager of Northamp>
218 RICHMOND.
ton, is also on the site of this palare, as is the elecrant villa of '
Whitshed Keene, E«q. built hy the I;ite Sir Charles Asgill, Bart.
from a design of the late Sir Robert Taylor.
Tliere was formerly a park adjoining Riclimond Green, called
the Old or Little Park, to distinguish it from the extensive one
made by Charles I. and called the New Park. In this Old
Park was a lodge, the lease of which was granted, in 1707, for
99 years, to James Duke of Ormond, who rebuilt the house,
and resided tliere till his impeachment in 1715, when he retired
to Paris. Not fiir trom the site of the lodge, stands the obser-
vatory, built by Sir William Chambers in 1769. Among a fine
set of instruments, are to be noticed a mural arch of 140 dejirees,
and eiglit feet radius ; a zenith sector of 12 feet ; a transit in-
strument of eight fe^;t; and a 10 feet reflector by Herschel. On
the top ot the building is a moveable dome, which contains an
equatorial instrument. The observatory contains also a collec-
tion of subjects in natural history, well preserved; an excellent
apparatus for philosophical experiments, some models, and a
collection of ores from his Majesty's mines in the forest of Hartz
in Germany. A part of the Old Park is now a dairy and grazing
farm in his Majesty's own hands. The remainder constitutes the
royal gardens, whinh ware altered to their present form by the
exquisite taste of Browne.
Inst«^ad of tiie trim formality of the ancient style, we now see
irregular groups of trees adorning beautiful swelling lawns, in-
terspersed with shrubberies, broken clumps, and solemn woods;
through the recesses of which are walks, that lead to various
parts of these delightful gardens. The hanks along the margin
of the Thames are judiciously varied, forming a noble terrace,
which extends the whole length of the gardens ; in the S. E.
quarter of which, a road leads to a sequestered spot, in which is
a cottage that exhibits the most elegant simplicity. Here is a
collection of curious foreiirn and domestic beasts, as well as of
rare and exotic birds. Being a favourite retreat of her Ma-
jesty, this cotta^f^ is kept in great neatness. The gardens are
open to tlip public every Sunday, from Midsummer till toward
the end of Autumn.
At the foot of Richmond Hill, on the Thames, is the villa of
the Duke of Buccleuirh. From the lawn there is a subterrane-
ous communication witli the pleasure grounds on the opposite
side of the road, which extend almost to the summit of the hill.
Near this is the charming residence of Lady Diana Beauclerk,
vho h^s lierself decorated one of the rooms with lilacs and other
flowers, in the same manner as at her former residence at Twic-
kcniiam. Here likewise are the villas of Lady Morshead, the
Earl of Cirdigan, the Earl of Leicester, Marquis Townshend,
and Miss Darell.
On Richmond Green is a house belonging to Viscount Fitz-
RICHMOND. 215
williani, whose maternal grandfather, Sir Matthew Decker, Bart,
an eminent Dutcli merchant, bnilt a room here for the iteeplion of
Geortip I. In this house is an ancient p inting of Ricimiond Pa-
lace by Vinkeboom; and there is anotlier, said to !)p the work
of one ot Rnbeiis' scholars, and supposed to represent the Loathe
in the Old Park, before it was pnlled down by tlie Duke of Oi-
mond. The Green is surrounded by lofty elms, and at one cor-
ner of it is a theatre, in which, during the simimer season, dra-
matic entertainments are performed. Mrs. Jordan often per-
forms here, and other actors of celebrity.
Tlie town runs up the hill, above a mile, from East Sheen to
the New Park, with the Royal Gardens sloping all the way to
the Thames. Here are four alms houses ; one of them built by
Bishop Diippa, in the reign of Charles II. for ten poor widows,
pursuant to a vow he made during that Prince's exiie. An ele-
gant stone bridge, of live semi-circular arches, fioin a design by
Paine, was erected here in 1777.
The summit of Richmond Hill commanr's a luxuriant prospect,
which Thomson, who resided in this beautiful place, has thus
celebrated in his Seasons:
Say, shall we ascend
Thy hill, delightful Sheen '^ Here let us sweep
The boundless laudscape : now the raptured eye,
Exulting swift, tolmge A7ia;usta send;
Now to the sister-hills* that skirt her plain.
To lofty Harrort' now, and now to where
Majestic Windsor lifts his princely brow.
In lovely contrast to this glorious view.
Calmly magiiificentj then will vve turn
To where the silver Thames first rural grows.
There let the feasted eye unwearied stray :
Luxurious, there, rove through the pendent woods,
That nodding hang o'er Harrington s retreat f ?
And stooping thence to Ham's embowering walks;}:.
Here let us trace the matchless vale of Thames;
Far-winding up to where the muses haunt
To Twit'nam bow'rs: to royal Hampton's pile,
To Claremont's terrass'd height, and Esher's groves,
Enchanting vale ! beyond whate'er the muse
Has of Achaia, or Hesperia sung !
O vale of bliss ! O softly-suelling hills I
On which the Power of Cultivation lies,
And joys to see the wonder of his toil.
Heavns ! what a goodly prospect spreads around,
Of hills and dales, and woods, and lawns, and «pires,
And glitt'ring towns, and gilded streams, tiij all
The stretching landscat>e into smoke decays
* Highgate and Hampstead. f Petersham Lodge.
X Ham House.
US
220 RICHMOND.
A native poet, fondly attached to the subject of bis poem, may
possibly be suspected of a partiality, from which a foreigner
must be exempt: viewing it even in tliis litjht, we subjoin a cur-
sory description of tiie beauties of this charming spot by Mr.
C. P. Moritz, of Berlin.
'' In every point of view, Richmond is assuredly one of the
first situations in the world. Here it was that Thomson and
Pope gleaned from nature all those beautiful passages, with
which their inimitable writings abound.
" Here I trod on that fresh, even, and soft verdure, which is
to be seen only in England : on one side of me lay a wood, tiian
which nature cannot produce a finer; and on the other, the
Thames with its shelvy bank, and charming lawns, rising hke
an amphitheatre; along which here and there, one espies a
picturesque white house, aspiring in majestic simplicity, to pierce
the dark foliage of the surrounding trees; thus studding, like
stars in the galaxy, the rich expanse of this charming vale.
" Sweet Richmond ! never, no never, shall I forget that
lovely evening, when from thy fairy hills thou didst so hospitably
smile on me, a poor, lonely, insignificant stranger! as I tra-
versed to and fro thy meads, thy little swelling hills, and flowery
dells; and above all, that queen of all rivers, thy own majestic
Thames. I forgot all sublunary cares, and thought only of Heaven
and heavenly things. Happy, thrice happy am I, I again and
again exclaimed, that I am here in Elysium, in Richmond !'
Thomson's residence, Rossdale House, in Kow-foot Lane,
came into the possession of the late Hon. Mrs. Boscaweu, but
has been since sold by her son, Lord Falmouth. It was pur-
chased after the poet's death by George Ross, Esq. who, out
of veneration to his memory, forbore to pull it down, but en-
larged and improved it at the expense of 9000L ! Mrs. Bos-
cawen repaired the poet's favourite seat in the garden, and
placed in it the table on which he wrote his verses. Over the
entrance is inscribed;
" Here Thomson sung the Seasons and tlieir Change.'*
The inside is adorned with suitable quotations from authors who
have paid due comphments to his talents; and in the centre
appears the following inscription : " Within this pleasing retire-
ment, allured by the music of the nightingale, which warbled in
soft unison to the melody of his soul, in unaffected cheerfulness,
and genial though simple elegance, lived James Tiiomson. Sen-
sibly alive to all the beautie? of Nature, he painted their images
as they rose in review, and poured the whole profusion of Ihem
into his inimitable Seasons. Warmed with intense devotion to
the Sovereign of the Universe, its flame glowing through all his
compositions ; animated with unbounded benevolence, with the
tenderest social sensibility, he never gave one moment's pain to
RICHMOND. 221
any of his fellow-creatures, save only by his death, which hap-
pened at this place, on the 22d of Aiiijust, 1748." — Thomson was
buried at the west end of the nortli aisle of Richmond <huich.
There was nothing to point out tlie spot of liis internienr, till a
brass tablet, with the following inscription was lately put up by
the Earl of Bnchnn : '* In the earth below tliis tablet .ue the re-
mains of James Thomson, author of the beautiful poems en-
titled. The Sea.sons, The Castle of Indolence, &c. who died at
Richmond on the '^2d of Aujjust, and was buried there on the
29th O. S. 1748. The Earl of Buchan, unvMlling that so "ood a
man and sweet a poet should be without a memorial, has denoted
the place of his interment for the satisfaction of his admirers, in
the year of our Lord 1792." Underneath is this quotation from
liis " Winter :"
Father of Light and Life, Thou God Supreme !
O, teach me what is good ! teach me Thyself I
Save me from folly, vanity, and vice,
From every low pursuit! and feed my soul
With knowledge, conscious peace, and virtue pure ;
Sacred, substantial, never-fadmg bliss 1
RICHMOND PARK, formerly called the Great or the New
Park, to distinnnish i' from that which was near the Green, was
made by Charles I. Sir Robert Walpole (afterward Earl of Or-
ford) was fond of lumtin? in this Park, and h's son. Rohert
Lord Wrilpole, beinj; the Ranger, he built the Great Lodge for
him, and thus paid nobly for his amusement. This is an el^^gant
stone edifice, with wings on each side of brick. It stands on a
rising ground, and commands a very good prospect of tl:e Park,
especially of the fine piece of water. When Lord Walpole, af-
terward second Earl of Orford, died, the Princess Amelia was
appointed Riinger. While it was in her hands, the public right
to a foot-way through the paik, was estaMished by the issue of
a trial at law, in 1758, at Kmsrston assizes, in consequence of
which dfcision, ladder-jrates were put up at some of the en-
trances. Here also is another Lodce, calb d the Stone Lodge.
See Mortlake. This park is eight miles in circumferenre, and
contains 2253 acres, of which not quite 100 are in Richmond
parish : there are 650 acres in Mnrilake, 265 in P' teisham, 230
in Putney, and about 1000 in Kintrston. HiS Majesty, who
since the death of the last Ranger, the E^rl ot Bute, has taken
the Park into his own hands, is now making several inpvove-
ments, which promise to make it on»- of the most beantitnl parks
in the kingdom. The present Deputy Ranger is the Countess
Dowager of Mansfield.
RICHMOND HOUSE, a handsome villa, on the banks of
the Thames at Twickenham, Surry, was, in the last century,
u3
222 ROD
the seat of the Earl of Bradford, a distingnislied character in the
reigns of Charles and James II. and an active promoter of the
Revohition. Since his deatli it has belonged to different pro-
prietors, and is now the seat of Mrs. Allanson.
RICRMANSWORTH, a market town in Herts, 18 miles
N. W. from Loudon, situate on the Coin, has lately leceived
considerable improvements in consequence of the formation of
the Grand Junction Canal, which adjoins the town ; and several
manufactories have been recently established, particularly a silk
mill, which is an object worthy of curiosity. In the neighbour-
hood is a warren-hill, where the sound of the trumpet is re-
peated twelve times by the echo! In this place is Bury Paikj
the seat of Fotherby Whitfield, Esq.
RIPLEY, Surry, gS^ miles S. from London, in the road to
Portsmouth, has a chapel of ease to the parish of Send. It is
one of the prettiest villages in the county, and was formerly fa-
mous for cricket-players. Dunsboro' House, on the beautiful
green, belongs tOr the Rev. C. W, Onslow.
RIVERHEAD, a village, near Sevenoaks, in Kent, so called
from the Darent having its source in this parish, is situated in
;he celebrated valley of Holmesdale, which gives the title of
Baron Holmesdale to Lord Amherst. It has a delightful vicinity.
See MGntreal.
RODING, the name of eight parislies in the west of Es.?ex,
distinguished by the appellations of Abbots, Berners,*Be^u-
chrfmp, Eythorp, High, Leaden, xMargaret, and White. They
take their name from the river, which flowing through therii
liom Canfield, falls into the Thames below Barking. Formerly
the Rodings were proverbially distinguished for the badness of
the roads, and the uncouih manners of the inhabitants ; in both
these respects they are now very much improved. Roding Ber-
ners is supposed to be the birth-pJace of Juliana Berners, daugh-
ter of Sir James Berners, of that parish, who was belieaded in
the reign of Richard II. This lady, w ho was Prioress of Sope-
well Nunnery, was one o( the earUest female writers in England.
She was beautiful, of great spirit, and fond of hawking, hunting,
&c. In these sporis she vvas so thoroughly skilled, that she
wrote treatises on hunting, hawking, and heraldry. " From an
abbess disposed to turn auUjor," says Mr. Warton, " we might
reasonably have expected a manual of meditations for the closet,
or select rules for making salves, or distilling strong waters. But
the diversions of the field were not thought inconsistent with the
character of <i religious lady of this eminent rank, wlio resembled
ian abbot in respect of exercising an extensive manorial jurisdic-
tion, and who hawked and hunted with otlier ladies of distinc-
tion." Mrs. Thornton has had, it seem?, a predecessor in tlie
annals of the chase, of great celebrity ! '
ROE 223
ROEHAMPTON, Siiriy, a hamlet to Putney, at the west
extronaty of Putney Heath. Here are many handsome villas ;
among which are Mount Clare, late Sir John Dicks ; and the
houses belonging to the Earl of Besborongh, Lady Robert
Bertie, Ricliard G. Temple, Esq. John Thompson, Esq. Mrs.
Goldstnid, and Colonel Fnllarton, the latter in Roehampton
Lane ; Herbert Lodge, the villa of James Daniel, Esq. situate
in Putney Park Lane. Clarence Lodge, the seat of Sir Thomas
Jones, Rai t. aisd Mount Clare, whiclt was built, in the Italian
style, by the late George Clive, Esq. Sir Wilham Chambers
was the architect of the Earl of Besborough : in this house are
some valuable antiques; particularly, the celebrated trunk of a
Venus, from tin; collection of Baron Stosch ; and there is a bust
of Demosthenes, by Benvenuto Cellini ; with some good pic-
tures, among which are, the IntermenJ of a Cardinal, by John
ab Eyck, the first painter in oil colours ; Sir Theodore Mayerne^
Physician to James I. by Rubens; and Bishop Gardiner, by
Holbein. In this hamlet is a neat chapel, over the altar of which
is the La.^t Supper, by Zucchero. See Roehampton Grove and
Roehampton House.
ROEHAMPTON GROVE, lately the seat of Thomas Fitz-
horbert, Esq. but now of William Gosling, Esq. is situated on
^art of the ancient royal park of Putney, which no longer exists.
The fee simple of this park was granted by Ctiarles I. to Sir
Richard Weston, afterward Earl of Portland, whose son alien-
ated both the house and paik. They were afterward the resi-
dence of Christian, Countess of Devonshire *, whose family sold
this estiite in 1689 ; after which it came into the hands of dif-
ferent proprietors, till it was purchased by Sir Joshua Vanneck,
afterwards Lord' Huntingfield,/ who pulled down the old man-
sion, and built the present elegant villa, after a design of
Wyatt's; forming a tine piece of water, which is supplied by
pipes from a conduit on Putney Common. On the acquisition
* She was a woman of celebrity, and of singular character. She
was extolled for her devotion ; and yet she retained Hobbes, the
freethinker, in her house, as tutor to her son. She kept up the
dignity of her rank, and was celebrated for her hospitality : yet
so judicious was her economy, that her jointure of 5000/. a year
she nearlj'^ doubled ; and she extricated her son's estate, from a
vast debt and thirty lawsuits; so that King Charles once jestingly
said to her, "Madam, you have all my Judges at your disposal."
She was the patroness of the wits of that age, who frequently as-
sembled at her house, and there Waller often read his verses.
She was active in the restoration of Charles IL, who had such a
sense of her services, that he frequently visited her at Roehamp-
ton, in company with the Queen Dowager, and the royal familVj
with whom she enjoyed an intimacy till her death in 1675.
2'24 RUN
of his brother's estate, Lord Huntingfield sold Roehampton
Grove to Mr. Fitzherbei t, who hkewise exp^^nded great sums in
improvements. The principal front commands a view of Ep-
som Downs in the distance : but Richmond Park approaches so
near, that it sei-ms to beiont; to the grounds, and gives an air of
sylvan wildne.«s to the whole. The prospect to the nortli charms
the eye with variety; at tiie termination of the lawn, is the
piece of water before mentioned ; and beyond tliis, the Thames
is seen, at higli water, winding through a well-wooded valley,
from whicli a rich display of cultivated country, adorned with
villages and seats, rises to Harrow and the adjacent elevated
parts of Middlesex.
ROEHAMPTON HOUSE, the seat of William Drake, Esq.
at Roeliampton, was built in the yeai- 1710. The ceihng of the
saloon, which was painted by Tliornhill, represents the Feast
of the Gods, an interesting portion of the Heathen Mythology.
ROMFORD, a town in Essex, llf miles E. N. E. from
London; in tlie road to Harwich, is governed by a bailiff and
wardens, who, by patent, were once empowered to hold a
weekly court for the trial of treasons, felonies, debts, &c. and
to execute offenders. Its church was a chapel of ease to Horn-
churcli, but is both a neat and roomy structure. In 1795, ad-
joining the town on the west, banacks were erected capable of
containing six troops of cavalry. Romford has three market-
days in eacli week, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday ; on the
two former of which, immense numbers of calves and pigs ar«
sold for the supply of the London Market.
RUNNY MEAD, near Eghara, in Suity, is celebrated as
the spot where King John, in 1215, was compelled to sign
Magna Charta and Cliarta de Foresta. It is true, that here his
consent was extorted ; but these charters wore signed, it is said,
in an island between Runny Mead and Ankerwyke House. This
island, still called Charter Island, is in the parisli of Wraysbury,
in Bucks.
In the rpigns of John and his son, Henry III. the rigoins of
the feudal tenures and forest laws were so strictly enforctd, that
they ofca^oned many insurrections of the barons or principal
feudatoi ies ; which at length produced the most beiKficial
effect, as, first Kins John, and afterwards his son, consented to
the two famotis charters of English liberties, Magna Charta and
Charta de Foresta The particulars may be seen in Hume's His-
tory of England, and a Fac Simile of the paper sitjned on the oc-
casion may bp inspected in the British Museum, which is most
assuredly a real curiosity.
On Runny Mead are annual horse-races, which are attended
by their Majesties and the royal family.
SAI 225"
KUSSEL FARM, Herts, two miles and ahalf N,N. W.
iiom Watford, the handsome seat of Lord Henley
RYE HOUSE, Herts, an ancient honse, in the parish of
Stanstead Abbot, in the road from Hoddesdon to Ware, one
mile N. E. from the former, was built by Andrew Ogard, in the
reign ofHeniy VI. that monarch having granted him a licence to
build a casile on his manor of Rye. It came afterwards into the
family of the late Paul Field, Esq. Part of the building (which
now serves as a workhouse to the parish) has both battlements
and loopholes, and was probably the gate of the castle which
Andrew Ogard had liberty to erect: and if so, it is among the
earliest of those brick buildings, erected after the form of bricks
was changed, from the ancient tlat and broad to the modern
shape.
The Rye House has become celebrated from having been te-
nanted by Rumbold, one of the persons engaged in the real or
pretended conspiracy to assassinate Charles II. and the Duke of
York in 1()83, on their return from Newmai-ket. See Hume.
Vol. III. chap. 5. where an account is given of this singular bii*
siness, forming a curious part of the English History.
The Lea and the New River, in this vicinity, afford excellent
.^port to the London anglers, who frequently resort here during
the summer.
What though noTROUT they tidle with the tempting fly,
A tempting dinner iickks them at ancient Rye!
AINT ANNE'S HILL, Surry, one mile and a quarter
iv_> W. N. W. from Chertsey, was the favourite residence of
tlie Idte Right Hon. Charles James Fox, and is now occupied by
Mrs. Fox. The house, which is elegantly furnished, contains a
choice collection of paintings by the first masters, and a selec-
tion of very valuable curiosities. The lawn and pleasure grounds
are tastefully interspersed with statues descriptive of the Heathen
Mythology, producing a classic effect; and ornamented by a
handsome green-liouse supported by pillars, which is stored with
a splendid collection of odoriferous plants and flowers. The grotto,
seen through a romantic avenue at the bottom of the garden, is
a neat structure, linisiied in 1790 ; and adjoining the grounds is
a daily, which for its decorations may be considered an unique
structure ; the sides being lined with white tiles edged with
green, aud the marble dr< ssers and stands supported by fluted
green and white pillars. On the hill, commanding a beautiful
and extensive prospect over the counties of Surry, Middlesex,
?26 S A N
Bucks, and Berks, is still a part of the stoue wall of an ancient
chapel dedicated to St. Anne. To this eharniing- Httle villa,
Mr. Fox frequently retired from the enioarrassnient of conflict-
ing circumstances; here he planned a final retirement from
public life; and here he is believed to have C' mmenced the ar-
rangement of some important collections for a history of the
royal family of Stewart*.
SALTHILL, in Bucks, 21^ miles \V. from London, on the
Bath road, is remarkable for its fine situation and elegant inn.
It is also famous as being the spot to which the scholars of Eton
make their triennial piocession ; when a public collection is made
from the cemprttiy, fur the benefit of the Captain of the School,
who is generally elected a member of Rmg's College, Cam-
bridge. This collection, in some years, amounts to near lOOOZ.
Owing to the carelessness of a cook, some gentlemen weje poi-
soned here severa! ye.irs ago : they had made an excursion hither
to enjoy the pleasures of the country.
S\NDERST£D, in Surry, three miles S. S. E. from Croy-
don, ha^ a deiii;i.tfnl prospect on tiie north to Croydon, and on
the norMi-vvest to Harrow on the H.ll, some part^j of Bucks,
Berks, Hampshire, and over all Bansted Downs. See Purley.
SANDRIDGE, a village in Hertfordshire, three miles N. by
E. of St. Alban s. Here is the elegant seat of Charles Bouchier,
Esq, who has lately made great improvements in the house and
grounds.
* The character of this Great Statesman, has been thus ably
pomtrayed by a late biosrrapher : " He has been seen a nursling
in science and polii-y, grouiHg up in the prevalent vices of the
times, and ascending the tribune rash, impetuous, au'i inconsi-
derate, but showing at the same time a mind strong, well stored,
and educated. He is seen expanding into man with all the best
principles of patriotism: views enlarged beyond self or country,
opinion or belief, rank or profession ; creating a policy suited to
all, and to which all are suited j and forming a government at
once great and heneticent: then struggling vvith adversity, and
with conflicting passions; sometimes a partizan, and then retiring
to rustic vacancy, social endearir.ent, and infantine simplicity.
Again called suddenly to the restoration of a mighty government,
stretching every nerve, and exciting beneficence; receiving the
applause of private friends and enemies, and expiring patiently
under a painful disease, with no other affliction than that of sor-
rowing frie ids and of a sorrowing country !'' Thus died the
Eight Hon. Charles ,)ames Fox, on the 13th day of September,
1806, in the 58th year of his age, at Chiswick House, the seat of
his Grace the Duke of Devonshire, to which he had been re-
moved as a place of repose, between London and his own seat.
SHE 227
SEVENOAKS, a market-town in Kent, 25 miles S. S. E.
from London, is pleasantly situated on a gentle eminence; and
contains many large and respectable mansions, the residences of
genteel and independent families. The church, which is a spa-
cious, handsome structure, forms a very conspicuous object for
several miles round, through its elevated situation at the south
end of the town. Here is an hospital and school, for the main-
tenance of aged people, and the instruction of youth, first
erected by Sir William Sevenoaks, Lord Mayor of London,
1418, who, according to tradition, was a foundling, educated at
the expense of a person of this town, whence he took his name.
Queen Elizabeth having augmented the revenue of this school, it
was called Queen Elizabeth's Free-School, and now possesses an
annual income of 800?. It was rebuilt in 1727. Mear this town,
in 1450, the royal army, conmianded by Sir Humphrey Stafford,
was defeated by the i ebels headed by John Cade ; and at the
end of the street leading to Dartford, is an open space called
Sevenoak-Vine, where many of the grand matches of cricket,
the provincial amusement of Kent, have been played. This
town is supposed to have obtained its name from seven large oaks
which tjrew on the spot when it was first built. See Kippington
and Knole.
SHEEN, EAST, Surry, a hamlet to Mortlake, situated on
the Tiiames, two miles E. from Richmond. Here are several
villas ; particularly that of Lord Palmerston, a descendant from
Sir John Temple, brother of the celebrated Sir William Temple;
the seats of Henry Hope, E-q, Sir Pitilip Francis, and Lady
Watson, relict of Sir Brook Watson, Bart.
SHEEN, WEST, the name of a hamlet to Richmond, which
once stood a quarter of a mile to the N. W. of the Old Palace of
Richmond. Here Henry V. in 1414, founded a convent of
Carthusians, within the walls of which Perken Warbeck sought
an asylum. An ancient gateway, the last remaiiis of this priory,
was taken down in 1770. The whole hamlet, consisting of J 8
houses, was at the same time annihilated, and the site, which
was made into a lawn, added to the King's enclosures. Sir Wil-
liam Temple had a lease of the site and premises of the priory;
and West Sheen was his favourite residence till his removal to
Moor Park, near Farnham. King William frequently visited
him at this place. When his patron was lame with the gout.
Swift usually attended his Majesty in his walk roimd the gardens,
and here he became acquainted with the beautiful and accom-
plished Stella, who was born at this place, and whose father was
Sir William's steward.
SHENLEY, a village of Hertfordshire, two miles N. by W.
of Chipping Barnet. Here is High Canons, the handsome seat
of Henry i?onham, Esq. Tije uiary elegant improvements
'^28 ' SIO
were effected byT. Fitzherbert, Esq. a former proprietor, par-
ticularly two fine pieces of water in the park, which, sloping
from the house, terminate, at some distance, in a delijihtful wood.
SHEPPERTON, a village in Middlesex, on the Thames, 19|
miles W. from London, is much resorted to by the lovers of
angling. Hence is a bridge to \Yalton.
SHOOTER'S HILL, Kent, eight miles S. from London, in
the road to Dover, from the summit of which is a tine view of
London, and into Essex, Surry, and even part of Sussex. The
Thames also exhibits a magnificent appearance. There is a
handsome inn and gardens for the entertainment of those who
visit this delightfid spot. On the top of this hill is a tower, seen
at a great distance from almost every part of the adjacent coun-
try. It was built by Lady James, to commemorate the reduc-
tion of Severndroog, in 1756, a strong fort which belonged to
Angria the pirate on an island near Bombay. This stmrtiire,
called Severndroog Castle, was erected from the design of Mr.
Jupp, and is of a triangular form, with turrets at each angle.
Mr. Bloomfield, in his recent little volume called fVild Flowers,
has a charming piece entitled Shootefs Hill, from which we tak«
the following stanza :
This far-seen monumental tcvcr
Records the achievements of the brave,
And Angria's subjugated power,
Who plunder'd on the eastern wave ;
I would not that such turrets rise
To point out where my bones are laid ;
Save that some wandering bard mijrht prize
The comforts of its broad cool shade !
The view of the country from the top of the tower is truly de-
lightful, including the great metropolis, with its lofty and nu-
merous spires, the shipping of the river Thames, and the long
range of the Surry hills. The eye indeed may be said to be
presented with a rich and overpowering variety. On the top
of this hill, whose summit is 410 feet above the low water mark
at Woolwich, is a tine mineral spring.
SHORNE, a village in Kent, three miles and a half S. E. of
Gravesend, containing a variety of landscape. The hills are
wide, steep, and almost covered with wood ; risine into bold
variations, beneath the breaks of which prospects of the valley
beneath, and the Thames winding through it, are seen, and
from the tops of them prospects of the surrounding <'0iintry.
SION HILL, in the parish of Isleworth, Middlesex, the ele-
gant villa of the Duke of Marlborough. The grounds, which
were planted by Brown, fall with a gentle descent from the
house to the great road to Hounslow.
12
i
S I O Sr29
SIGN HILL LODGE, near tbe last mentioned, the seat of
Mrs. Palmer, a neat villa, with extensive otfices, pleasantly
situate in a small paddock. This estate is a manor, called Wyke :
it anciently belonged to the convent of iJion : and, among its
proprietors since the dissolution, we find the name of Sir Thomas
Gresham.
SIGN HGUSE, in the parish of Isleworth) Middlesex, a
seat of the Duke of Northumberland, situated on the Thames,
opposite Richmond Gardens, is called Sion, from a nunnery of
Bridgetines, of the same name, originally founded at Twicken-
ham, by Henry V. in 1414, and removed to this spot in 1432.
After the dissolution of this convent in 1532, it continued in
the crown during the remainder of our eighth Henry's reign.
His unfortunate Queen, Catharine Howard, was confined here,
from Nov. 14, 1541, to Feb. 10, 1542, being three days before
her execution. Edward VI. granted it to his uncle the Duke of
Somerset, who, in 1547, began to build this magnificent struc-
ture, and finished the shell of it nearly as it now remains. The
house is a majestic edifice, of white stone : the roof is flat and
embattled. Upon each of the four outward angles is a square
turret ; flat-roofed and embattled. Ttie gardens were enclosed
by high walls before the east and west fronts, and were laid out
in a grand manner ; but being made at a time when extensive
views were deemed inconsistent with the stately privacy affected
by the great, they were so situated as to deprive the house of all
prospect. To remedy that inconvenience, the Protector built a
high triangular terrace in the angle between the walls of tlie two
gardens: this, by his enemies, was afterwards called a fortifica-
tion, and adduced as one proof, among others, of his having
formed a design dangerous to the liberiies of ihe king and people.
After his execution, in 1552, Sion was forfeited; and the house,
which was given to John Duke of Northumberland, then be-
came the residence of his son. Lord Guildford Dudley, and of
his daughter-in-law, the unfortunate Lady Jane Grey, who re-
sided at tiiis place, when the Dukes of Northumberland and
SuflTolk, and lier husband, came to prevail upon her to accept
the fatal present of the crown ; and hence she was conducted, as
then usual on the accession of the sovereign, to reside for some
time in the tower.
The Duke being t)elteaded in 1553, Sion House reverted to
the Crown. Queen Mary restored it t6 the Bridgetines, who
possessed it till they were expelled by Elizabeth. In 1604, Sion
House was granted lo Henry Percy, ninth Earl of Northumber-
land, in cojisideration of his eminent services. His son Algernon
employed Inigo Jones to new face the inner court, and to finish
the great hall in the manner in which it now appears.
In 1682, Charles Duke of Somerset, having married the only
X
'230 SIGN HOUSE.
child of Josceline Earl of Northumberland, Sion House became
his property. He lent this house to the Princess Anne, who re-
sided here during the misunderstanding between her and Queen
Mary. Upon the Duke's death, in 1748, his son Algernon gave
Sion House to Sir Hugh and Lady Elizabeth Smithson, his son-
in-law and daughter, afterwards Duke and Duchess of Northum-
berland, who made the fine improvements.
The most beautiful scenery imaginable is formed before two
of the principal fronts; for even the Thames itself seems to be-
long to the gardens, whicli are separated into two parts by a
new serpentine river, which communicates with the Thames.
Two bridges form a communication between the two gardens,
and there is a stately Doric column, on the top of which is a
finely proportioned statue of Flora. The greenhouse has a
Gothic front, in so light a style, as to be greatly admired. The
back and end wails of it are the only remfiins of the old mo-
nastery. These beautiful gardens are stored with a great many
cnrious exotics, and were principally laid out by Brown.
The entrance to the mansion, from the great road, is through
a beautiful gateway, adorned on each side with an open colon-
nade. The visitor ascends the house by a flight of steps which
leads into The Great Hall, a noble oblong room, 66 feet by 3t,
and 34 in height. It is paved with white and black marble, and
is ornamented with antique marble colossal statues, and par-
ticularly with a cast of the dying gladiator in bronze, by Va-
ladier.
Adjoining to the Hall is a magnificent Vestihidey in an uncom-
mon style ; the floor of scadiola, and the walls in fine relief,
with gilt trophies, &c. It is adorned Avith 12 large Ionic co-
lumns and 16 pilasters of verde antique, purcliased at an intnieose
expense, being a greater quantity of this scarce mar' le than is
now perhaps to be found in any one building in the world : on
the cohminsare 12 gilt statues. This leads to The Dining Room,
which is ornamented with marble statues, and paintings in
chiaro oscuro, after the antique. At each end is a circular re-
cess separated by columns, and the ceiling is in stucco gilt.
The Drawing Room has a coved ceilinji, divided into two
small compartments richly gilt, and exhibitine designs of all the
antique paintings, that have been found in Europe, executed by
the best Italian artists. The sides are hung with a rich three-
coloured silk damask, the first of the kind ever executed in
England. The tables are two noble pieces of antique mosaic,
found in the Baths of Titus, and purchased from Ahbate Fu-
rietti's collection at Rome. The glasses are 108 inches by 65,
being two of the largest ever seen in England. The chimney-
piece is of the finest statuary marble, inlaid and ornamented
with 07- mouM.
The Great Gallery, which also serves for the library and mu-
S L O 231
scum, is 133^ feet by 14. The bookcases are formed in recesses
in the Mall, and receive the books so as to make them part of the
general finishing of the room. The chimney-pieces are adorned
with medallions, &c. The whole is after the beautiful style of
the antique, and gave the first instance of stucco-work finished
in England, after the finest remains of antiquity. Below the
ceiling, which is richly adorned with paintings and ornaments,
runs a series of large medallion paintings, exhibiting the portraits
of all the Earls of Northumberland in succession, and other
principal persons of the houses of Percy and Seymour; all taken
from originals. At the end of this room is a pair of folding
doors into the garden, which uniformity required should repre-
sent a bookcase, to answer the other end of the library. Here,
by a happy thought, are exhibited the titles of the last Greek
and Romnn authors, so as to form a pleasing deception, and to
give, at the same time, a curious catalogue of the authores de-
perditi At each end is a little pavilioii, finished in exquisite
tastp; as is also a beautiful closet in one ot' the square turrets
risjng above the roof, which commands an enchanting prospect.
From the east end of the gallery are a suit of private apart-
ments, that are convenient and elegant, and lead us back to
the great hall by which we entered. All these impi ovements
were begun in 1762 by the late Duke, under the direction of the
late Robert Adam, Esq. The present i!luslrio\is Duke (who
distinguished himself at the battle of Bunker's Hill) passes the
principal part of his time here, as he seems to enteitain a predi-
lection for this spot and its vicinity.
SLOUGH, a village in Bucks, 20| miles W. from London,
and two from Windsor. Part of it is in the parish of Stoke, the
other in that of Upton. Here the celebrated Dr. Herschel pur-
sues his astronomical researches, assisted by a royal pension.
His telescope is a prodigious instrument; the length of the tube
is 39 feet 4 inches; it measures 4 feet 10 inches in diameter;
and every part of it is of rolled or sheet iron, which has been
joined together, without rivets, by a kind of seaming, well
known to those who make iron funnels for stoves. The concave
face of the great mirror is 48 inches of polished surface in dia-
meter ! The thickness, which is equal in every part of it, is
about three inches and a halt ; and its weight, when it came from
the cast, was ?,118 pounds, of which it must have lost a small
part in polishing. The method of observing by this telescope, is
by what Dr. Herschel calls the front view; the observer being
placed in a seat, suspended at the end of it, with his back to-
ward the object he views. There is no small speculum, but the
magnifiers are applied immediately to the first focal image.
From the opening of the telescope, near the place of the eye-
glass, a speaking-pipe runs down to the bottom of the tube,
X ?
'-ZS'i . SOU
where it jKOGs into a turning joint; and, after several oth'^r in-
flexions, it at length divides into two branches, one going into
the observatory, and the other into the work-room; and thus
the communications of the observer are conveyed to the assistant
in the observatory, and the workman is directed to perform the
required motions. The foundation of the apparatus by which
the telescope is suspended and moved, consists of two concen-
tric circular brick walls, the outermost of which is §2 feet in
diameter, and the inside one 21 feet. They are two feet six
inches deep under ground, two feet three inches broad at the
bottom, and one foot two inches at the top ; and are capped
with paving stones abotit three inches thick, and twelve and
three quarters broad. The bottom frame of the whole rests
upon these two walls by 20 concentric rollers, and is moveable
upon a pivot, which gives a horizontal motion to the whole ap-
paratus, as well as to the telescope. The description of the ap-
paratus and telescope occupies 65 pages in the second part of
the Philosophical Transactions for 1793, and the parts of it are
illustrated by 19 plates. It is altogether a most curious piece of
art, and the discovcri s made by means of its powers constitute
2ome of the leading topics of modern astronomy.
SOPEWELL, Herts, one mile S. from St. Alban's, was a
nunnery, founded in 1142. In this Iiouse, Henry VIII. was
privately married to Anne Boleyn, by Dr. Rowland Lee, after-
wards Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry.
SOPHIA FARM, Berks, two miles and a half S. W. from
Windsor, is the seat of George Birch, Esq. See St, Leonard's
Hill.
SOUTHFLEET, a village in Kf nt, three miles and a half
S. W. from Gravesend. The Bishops of Rochester were pos-
sessed of the manor before the Conquest, and, as w^as not un-
usual in ancient times, the Court of Southflect had llie power of
trying and executing felons. Tiiis Jurisdiction extended not only
to acts of felony done within the village, but also over criminals
apprehended there, though the fact had been cojnmitted in ano-
ther county.
SOUTHGATE, Middlesex, eight miles and a half N. from
London, a hamlet to the parish of Edmonton, is situate on the
skirts of Enfield Chase. Among many handsome houses here,
are Mincheudon House, the seat of the Duchess of Chandos,
but occupied by her brother, Sir Richard Gamon, Bart. ; Can-
non Grove, the seat of Sir William Curtis, Bart, and Arnold's
Grove, of John Walker, Esq.
SOUTH LODGE, Middlesex, two miles and a half W. from
Eiifield, an elegant vdU on Enfield Cluse, was a seat of the first
i> T A 253
Earl of Chatham (when a commoner) to whom it was left by
will, with 10,0007. On this bequest, he observed, that he
should spend that sum in improvements, and then <rrow tired of
the place in three or four years; nor was he mistaken. Yet
here, for some time, tliis ilhistrious statesman enjoyed the
sweets of rnral retirement, and even indulged in some poetic
effusions. When he parted with South Lodye, the succeeding
proprietor greatly neglected it ; but the late Mr. Alderman
Skinner, who atterwards purchased it, restored this delightful
spot to its former beauty. The plantations, which are well
wooded, are laid out with great taste, and adorned with two
fine pieces of water; the views across which, from different
parts of the groimds, into Epping Forest, are rich and extensive.
It was lately purchased by Mr. Gundry.
SOUTHWEALD, a village in Essex, one mile and a half
W. N. W. from Brentwood, where is the handsome house of
Christopher Tower, Esq. in whose park is a lofty building, npou
an elevated point, commanding an extensive prospect.
SPENCER GROVE, the beautiful villa of Miss Hotham, de-
lightfully situate on the Thames, at Twickenham, Middlesex,
was fitted up with great elegance by Lady Diana Bcauclerk,
who decorated several of the rooms herself, with her own paint-
ings of flowers. It was afterwards the residence of the late
Lady Bridget Tollemache.
SPRING GROVE, at Smallberry Green, near Hounslow,
Middlesex, the neat villa of Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. President
of the Royal Society, who has devoted the greater part of his
life to the study of botany and natural history, having for that
express purpose accompanied Captain Cook in one of his voyages
round the world.
STAINES, a market-town in Middlesex, 16 miles W. S. W.
from London. An elegant stone bridge has been built here,
from a design by Thomas Sandby, Esq. R. A. It consists of
three elliptic arches; that in the centre 60 feet wide; the others
52 feet each. One or two of the piers having siini;, the opening
of this bridge was retarded for some time. At some distance,
above this bridge, at Coin Ditch, stands London Mark Stone,
the ancient boundary to the jurisdiction of the city of London
on the Thames. On a moulding round the upper part is in-
scribed " God preserve the city of London. A. D. 1280!"
STAMFORD HILL, the upper part of Clapton, Middlesex,
three miles and a half N. N. E. from London, containing many
well-built houses raised on an eminence, which command a
pleasing prospect of the adjacent country.
534 S T A
STANMORE, GREAT, a village in Middlesex, ten miles
N. W. from Loudon, in the road to Watford. Here is the seat
of James Forbes, Esq. built by the first Duke of Chandos, for
the residence of his Duc!u^s, in case she had survived him. Mr.
Forbes enlarged it, and has ereatly improved the gardens, in
which he has erected a small octagon temple, containing jjroups
of figures, in Oriental sculpture, presented to him by the Brah-
mins of Hindostan, as a grateful acknowledgment of his bene-
volent attention to their happiness, during a long residence
among them. They are ancient, and the only specimens of the
Hindoo sculpture in this island. In the gardens is also an ele-
gant structure, containing a cenotaph, inscribed to the memory
cf a deceased friend ; and here is a rustic bridge, part of which
is composed of a few fragments of a large Roman watch-tower,
which once stood upon the hill *.
Tlie villa of George Heming, Esq. in this place, was ori-
ginally a pavilion, consisting only of a noble banqueting-room,
with proper culinary offices, and was built by the first Duke of
Chandos, for the reception of such of his friends as weie fond of
bowling ; a spacious green having been likewise formed for that
amusement. See Belmont and Bentley Priory.
The church, rebuilt on the present more convenient spot, in
1633, is a brick structure ; and the tower is covered by a re-
markably large and beautiful stem of ivy. The situation of the
old church is marked by a flat tomb-stone, which has been lately
planted round with firs. The inhabitants had been long accus-
tomed to fetch all their water from a large reservoir on th«^ top
of the hill ; but a well was dug in the village, in 1791, and water
found at the depth of 150 feet. Upon this hii' is Stanmore
Connnon, which is so elevated, that the ground-floor of one of
the houses upon it is said to be on a level v\ ith the battlements of
the tower of Harrow church ; and some hii;h trees on the Com-
mon are a landmark from the German Ocean. At the entrance
of the village, are the seats of Lord Castlereagh, Harvey,
' Bartlet, and S. Martin, Esqrs. ; and at the end, are those
of Hughes, Lambeth, and Nath. Conant, Esqrs.
STANMORE, LITTLE. See Whitchurch.
STANSTED ABBOTS, a village of Hertfordshire, once a
flourishing borough, above two miles S. £. of Ware, near the
* Mr. Forbes was unfortunately one of the persons travelling in
France, at the period when the order was issued fur the detention
of the Eiidish ; and during his captivity was exultingly shown a
large map of Enaclaod, in which the different estates were parti-
cularized and parcelled out in allotments; amongst these was his
own at Stanmore ! He however solaced himself "in the reflection,
"that although the Lion's skin was sold, there 3'et remained the
ifling difficulty of killing the noble animal !»
S T E rdS
river Stort. Stausted Rury, in this parish, is the seat of George
Porter, Esq. See Rye House.
STAN WELL, a village in Middlesex, two miles N. E. from
Staines. In this parish is Stan\vell Place, the seat of Sir Wil-
liam Gibbons, Bart. It is a flat situatioji, but commands plenty
of wood and water.
STEPNEY, a village near London, whose parish was of such
extent, and so increased in buildings, as to produce the parishes
of St. Mary Stratford, at Bow; St. Mary, Wliitechapel; St.
Anne, Limehouse; St. John, Wapping; St. Paul, Shadwell;
St. George in the East; Christ Church, Spitalfields ; and St.
Matthew, Bcthnal Green ; and it contains the hamlets of Mile
End Old Town, Mile End New Town, RatcHff, and Poplar.
On the east side of the portico of the church, leading up to
the gallery, is a stone, with this inscription :
Of Carthage great I was a stone,
O mortals, read with pity !
Time consumes all, it spareth nonC;,
Men, mountains, towns, nor city :
Therefore, O mortals ! all bethink
You whereunto you must,
Since now such stately buildings
Lie buried in the dust !
The hamlet of Ratcliff, which lies* in the Avestem division of
this parish, contained tl50 houses, of which 455, with 36 ware-
houses, wen' destroyed by a dreadful fire on the 23d of July,
1794. Tiiis fire, which broke ojit at Cock Hill, in its progress
consumed nioie houses than any one coiiflagration since the
great fire ot London, in 1666. It was occasioned by the boiruig
over of a pt(h kettle, at a boat builder's, from whose ware-
houses, which weie speedily consumed, the flames spread to a
barge, laden with saltpetre and other stores, and thence com-
municated to several vessels and >mnii craft that were lying near,
and could not be got off thron!.'h ii:e >tate of the tide The
blowing up of the saUpi tre in the barge earned the flames to
the saltpetre warehouses of tlie East India Company, from
which It spiead with immense rapidiry, in consequence of the
different exp'osunis ot the saltpetre, winch blew up with sounds
resemliliiifi the rolling of subterraneous thmuier, and threw large
flakes of fire upon all the adjacent builainjis. The scene now
became djeadfnl ; the wind blowing sirong from the south-west,
directed the flames to Ratcliffe High Street, which, being nar-
row, took fire on both sides, and as very little water could be
procured for some hours, the engines could offer no effectual
check. The premises of a timber-merchant m London Street
^36 S T O
added greatly to the strength of the conflagration, and Butcher
Row was almost wholly consumed. During the night, the de-
vastation on the side oV Liraehouse was stopped by tho great
exertions of the firemen and inhabitants; but towards Stepney,
almost every building in the line of the fire was destroyed, till,
having reached an open space of ground, where the connection
of combustible substances was broken off, the flames ceased for
want of materials to consume. Tt was observed as a remarkable
circumstance, that a large insulated brick-building, belouiring
to a Mr. Bere, which stood nearly in the centre of the burning
ruins, remained uninjured, not even a single pane of glass being
cracked.
By this accident several hundred families were deprived of
their all, and thrown on the public benevolence. In this dis-
tress, government sent 150 tents from the Tower, which were
pitched in an enclosed piece of ground adjoining to Stepney
churchyard, tor the reception of the sutferi^s ; and for some
time provisions were distribnted among them ft om the vestry.
A subscription was also opened for their relief at Lloyd's Coffee
House ; and some of the gentlemen of the neighbourhood at-
tended at the leading avenues, for the purpose of soliciting the
benevolent assistance of those whom curiosity might induce to
visit the desolated scene where the fire had raged. Tlie collec-
tion from the visitants on the Sunday following, amounted to
more than 800Z. ; 426/. of which were in coppt r ; and 38/. 14s.
in farthings ! The total sura collected on this melancholy occa-
eion, was upwards of 16,000/.
All seamen in the merchants' service pay threepence monthly
towards the poor rates of this parish : with which sum a fund is
raised for the maintenance of all persons born at sea ; who can
claim Stepney as their parish, provided they have not obtained
any other settlement.
STOCKWELL, a village in Surry, in the parish of Lambeth,
three miles and a half S. from London, has a n'-at chapel of ease,
to which Archbishop Seeker contributed 500/. On the site ot the
ancient manor house, a handsome villa was eieeted by the late
Bryant Barrett, Esq. one of thepioprietorsotVauxhall Gardens,
and is now occupied by his widow. Part of ihe ancient offices
are still standing; but Mr. Lysons says, that the tradition ot its
having been the property of Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex,
is without foundation, as, in his time, it belonged to Sir John
Leigh, the younger.
This village, like Cock Lane, has had its impostors, and much
about the same period; it is however to be regretted that they
were not detected and brought to punishment. This ghost did
not pretend to tell about murders coum)itted, but merely broke
plates, dishes, glasses, 6cq. and tormented a pious old widow lady.
STOKE. 237
STOKE, Bucks, two miles N. N. E. from Slough, is a large
scattered village, which obtained the appellation of Pogeis from
its ancient lords of that name. Tl>e heiress of this family, in
the reign of Edward III. married Lord Mollines, who shortly
afterwards procured a licence from the King to convert tiie
manor-house into a castle. From him it descended to the Lords
Hungertbrd, and from them to the Hastings, Earls of Hunting-
don, and seems afterwards to have been the residence of the
Lord Cliancellor Hatton. Sir Edward Coke having married an
heiress of the Huntingdon family, became the next possessor, and
here in 1601, he was honoured with a visit from Queen Elizabeth,
■whom he entertained in a very sumptuous style, presenting her
■with jewels to the value of lOOOL; and here he died in 1634. It
was afterwards the seat of Viscountess Cobliam, on whose death
the estate was purchased by Mr. WilUam Penn, chief proprietor
of Pennsylvania, in America, and now belongs to John Penn,
Esq. his grand'^on. The old manor-house furnished the subject
for the opening of Gray's humourously descriptive poem called
The Long Siory, in which the style of building, and fantastic
manner^ of Elizabeth's rei^n, are delineated with much truth.
Gray, when a student at Eton, occasionally resided with his aunt
in this village, whose churchyard was the scene of his much ad-
mired Eiei^y, occasioned, s.ys his bioarapher, *' by the recent
loss of his invaluable mother, and his particular friend. West."
On the plain slab covering her tomb, he wrote the following
epitaph, which, in the opinion of the same gentleman, excites
more sympathy by a single stroke, than the beautiful lines of Mr.
Pope, expressive of his lilial piety:
Here sleep the remains of
DOHOTtlY GRAY,
widow, the careful tender mother
of many children, one of whom alone
had the misfortune to survive her.
The same tomb, by Mr. Gray's paiiicular directions, became
also the place of his interment; tliough neither tt iend nor rela-
tion raised a stone to his meniory till the year 1799, when the
Genius of Poetry animated the kindred bosom of Mr. Penn to
perform the long-neglecte<l task. Tlie monument erected by
this gentleman htand.s m a field adjoining tiie churcii, and forms
the termination of one of the views from Stoke House. It is
composed of stone, and consists of a large sarcojihagu?, sup-
ported on a square pedestal, with inscriptions on each side.
Three of them are selected trom the Ode to Eton College, and
Elegy written in a Country Churchyard: the fourth is as
follows :
538 STO
This Monument, in honour of
THOMAS GRAY,
Was erected A. D. 1799,
Among the scenery
Celebrated by that great Lyric and Elegiac Poet.
He died in 1771,
And lies unnoticed in the adjoining Chui-ch-yard
Under the Tomb-stonie on which he j)iously
And pathetically recorded the interment
Of his Aunt and lamented Mother.
Edward Lord Loughborougli here founded an hospital, with a
chapel, in which he himself was interred; but the former has
been rebnilt by Mr. Penn in a more convenient spot.
In this parish is the handsome seat of the late Field Marshal
Sir George Howard, K. B.; and, at the west end of the village,
the neat residence of the Rev. Dr. Browning.
STOKE D'ABERNON, a village seated on the river Mole,
in Surry, 8^ miles S. W. from Kwigston. Here is a spacious
ir.an;<ion, the property of Sir Francis Vincent, and residence of
Admiral Sir Richard Hughes, Bart. In this parish is a mineral
spring. See Jessoji's Well.
STOKE PARK, is the seat of John Penn, Esq. who within
a few years has made it one of the most charming and magnifi-
cent residences in this part of the county. The house was built
in the year 1789, from designs by Janies Wyati, Esq. since
which period, it has experienced several judicious alterations,
and considerable additions. It is constructed chiefly witli brick,
and covered with stucco, and consists of a large square centre
with two wings. The north, or entrance front, is ornamented
with a colonnade, consisting of ten Doric columns, and ap-
proached by a flight of steps leading to the Marble Hall. The
south front, 196 feet in length, is also adorned with a colonnade,
consisting of twelve fluted columns of (he old Doric order.
Above this ascends a projecting portico, of four Ionic columns,
sustaining an ornamental pediment. The Marble Hall is oval,
and contains four fine marble busts, supported on scagliola pe-
destals. The whole interior length of the south front is intended
to be occupied l)y an elegant and well-stored library. The park,
thouirh rather Hat, commands some very fine views, particu-
larly to the south, where the eye is directed over a large sheet
of water to the majestic castle of Windsor, beyond which. Coo-
per's Hill and the Forest woods close the prospect. A large
lake winds round the east side of the house, with a neat stone
bridge thiown over it. The lake was originally formed by Rich-
mond, but it has been considerably altered by Repton, who
»ilso directed the laying out of the park. About 300 yards from
«
1
S T R 239
the north front of the house is a handsome fluted column, 68
feet high, lately erected from a design by Mr. Wyatt : on the
top is a colossal statue of Sir Edward Coke, by Rosa.
STRATFORD, 3| miles E. from London, the first village
in Essex on crossing the Lea, at Bow Bridge, is in the parish of
West Hara. At Maryland Point, in this hamlet, is Stratford
House, where the late Lord Henniker had extensive gardens,
though the house itself makes no figure. This house was built
by a gentleman who had i aised an estate in the colony of Mary-
land; and was likewise proprietor of those houses called froim
that circumstance Maryland Point. The whole estate was a
few months ago advertised for sale. The village is straggling,
but there are some good houses, and considerable gardens be-
longing to tlieni.
SIRATFORD BOW. See Bow.
STRAWBERRY HILL, near Twickenham, Middlesex, the
vilk of the late Earl of Orford (better ktiown in the literary
world, and often quoted in this work, as Mr. Horace Walpole)
is situated on an eminence near the Tiiames. It was originally a
small tenement, built, in 1698, by the Earl of Bradford's coach-
man, and let as a lodging-house. Colley Gibber was one of its
fust ten.mts, and tliere wrote his comedy, called The Refusal.
It was afterwards taken by the Marquis of Carn;nvon, and other
persons of consequence, as an occasional summer residence. In
1747 it was puicliased by Mr. Walpole, by whom this beautiful
structure, formed from select parts of Gothic architecture in
cathedrals, &c. was built, at ditferent times. Great taste is
displayed in tne elegant embellishments of the edifice, and in
the choice collection of pictures, sculptures, antiqiiities, and
curiosities that adorn it; many of which have been purchased
from some of the first cabinets in Europe. The approach to the
house, through a grove of lofty trees; the embattled wall, over-
grown with ivy; the spiry pinnacles, and gloomy cast of the
building ; give it the air of an ancient abbey, and fill the be-
holder with awe, especially on entering the gate, where a small
oratory, enclosed with iron rails, and a cloister behind it, appear
in the fore court.
On entering the house, we are led through a hall and passage,
with painted glass windows, into the Great Parlour, in which
are the portraits of Sir Robert Walpole, his tv.fo wives and chil-
dren, and other family pictures ; one of which, by Reynolds,
contains the portraits of the three Ladies Waldegrave, daughters
oi the late Duchess of Gloucester. Here is likewise a conversa-
tion in small hfe, by Reynolds, one of his early productions ; it
represents Richard, second Lord Edgecumbe, G. A. Selwyn,
and G. J. Williams, F^sq. The window has many pieces of
240 STRAWBERRY HILL.
stained glass, as have all the windows in every room. These add
a richness to the rooms, which, particularly on a bright day, have
a very good eflfect. The Gothic screens, niches, or chimney-
pieces, with which each room is likewise adorned, were designed,
for the most part, by Mr. Walpole himself, or Mr. Bentley, and
adapted with great taste to their respective situations.
To enter into a minute description of the valuable collection
in this villa would much exceed our limits. Some of the most
valuable articles we shall endeavour to point out, in the order in
which they are shown.
The Little Parlour. The chimney-piece is taken from the
tomb of Bishop Ruthall in Westminster Abbey. In this room is
Mrs. Darner's much admired model of two dogs in tena cofta ;
a drawins: in water colours, by Miss Agnes Berry, fron» Mr,
William Lock's Death of Wolsey ; and a landscape with gipsies,
by Lady Diatia Beauclerk. Tiie chairs are of ebony, as are se-
veral others in the house.
TJie Blue Breakfasting Room contaim several exquisite mi-
niatures of the Digby family, by Isaac and Peter Oliver, and
others by Petitot, ^c. Two other pictures here deserve atten-
tion : one represents Charles II. in a garden, and his ganiener on
his knee, presenting the first pine-appl*^ raised in Englrtnd ; the
other a charming portrait of ('ow :ey,wlien youns, as a shepherd,
by Leiy. In a closet, among otii< r picture**, are a porti;;it by
Hoa:arth, of Sarah Malcolm, m Newgate ; anrl a good view, by
Scott, of the Thames at Twickenham. In this closet are two
kittens, by Mrs. Darner, in white marble.
In a niche on the stairs is the rich anH valuable armour of
Francis I. of Fiance. It is otst<el, gilt; and near it is an an-
cient picture, on board, of Hi-niy V. and liis family.
The Library. The rliimney piece is tttken from the tomb of
John Earl of Coi iiwall in Westminster Abbey ; the stonework
from that of Thomas Duke of Clarence at Canterbury. The
books, of which there is a very valuable co'lection, are ranged
within Gothic arches of pierced wood. Among the most re-
markable objects, are an ancient painting representing tlie mar-
riage of Henry VI. ; a clock of silver, gilt, a present from Henry
VIII. to Ann Boleyn ; a screen of the tir;<t tapestry made in
England, being a map of Surry and Middlesex : a cmfew, or co-
ver-fire ; and an fsprey eagle in terra cotta, by Mrs. Damer.
The Star Chamher, a small anti-room leading to the Holbein
room and gieat eallery, contains the famous bust of Henry VII.
•done for his tomb by Torregiano. This room has its name from
the ceiling bein'T stiidded with stars in Mosaic.
The Holbein Chamber is adornod with pictures, chieflv by and
after Holbein ; particularly, the Triumph of Riches and Poverty,
by Zucchero ; and Holbein's design for a magnificent chimney-
j>iece for one of Hejiry the Eighths palaces. There is a curious
STRAWBERRY HILL. !&41
picture of the Duchess of Suffolk, and her husband, Adrian
Stokes, by Lucus de Heere. The chimey-piece is taken chiefly
from tlie tomb of Archbishop Warham, at Canterbury. Part of
tliis room is separated by a screen, behind which stands a bed,
the canopy of which is crowned with a phime of red and white
ostrich feathers. By the side of the bed hangs the red iiat of
Cardinal VVolsey.
The Gallery is fifty-six feet long, seventeen high, and thirteen
wide. A* w^e enter it out of the gloomy passage, which leads
from the Holbein Chamber, the effect, particularly on a bright
day, IS very striking. The ceiling is copied from one of the side
aisles in Henry the Seventh's chapel, ornamented with fret-work,
and gilt. The most remarkable pictures are Henry VH. Ma
beuse; Sir Francis Walsinaham, Ziicchero ; Admiral Montague,
Earl of Sandwich, Lely; Sir George Villiers, Janssen ; George
Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, Reubens ; Sophia Countess of
Granville, Rosalba; Men at Cards, Miel; a Landscape, Poussin;
Anne Duchess ot York, by Mrs. Beale; the Wife of Alderman
Le Neve, Lely ; Henry Jermyn, Earl of St. Alban's ; James se-
cond Earl of Waldegrave, Reynolds ; the Bashaw Bonneval,
Liotard ; Henry Lord Holland, Ditto ; Alderman Le Neve,
fine, Lely ; John Lord Sheffield, More ; Virgin and Child, by-
John Davis, Esq. ; Mr. Le Neve, Janssen; Margaret of Valois,
Duchess of Savoy, More; Maria Countess Wa'degrave, Rey-
nolds; Mr. Law, Rosalba; Earl of Hertford, Ditto; Frances
Countess of Exeter, Vandyck; Sir Godfrey Kneller, by iiimself;
Catharine S'dley, Countess of Dorchester, D<thl ; Madame de
Seviiine ; Girl scowering Pots, Watteau ; Sevonyans, the Painter,
by himself; Mary Queen of France and Charles Brandon Duke
of Suffolk ; Tobit burying the Dead, fine, Castiglione; Catharine
de Medecis and her Children, Janet; Griffiere, the Painter,
Zouist; a Portrait, Giorgione; a flower-piece, Old Baptist;
Anne Countess of Dorset and Pembroke ; Thomas Duke of
Norfolk, More; Henry Carey, Lord Falkland, whole length Van-
somer ; Frances Duchess of Richmond, ditto, Mark G;rrard ;
Ludowic Stuart, Duke of Richmond, whole length ; Thomas
Lord Howard, of Bindon, Ditto ; several Landscapes and Sea-
pieces, by Scott. In one of the recesses, on an antique pe-
destal, is a noble bust of Vespasian, in basaltes. In the other re-
cess, on an antique pedestal, adorned vrith satyrs' heads, and
foliage, in relief, stands the famous Eagles, of Greek workman-
ship, one of the finest pieces of sculpture known : it was found
in the baths of Caracalla, at Rome. On, and tmder the tables,
are other pieces of ancient sculpture, in busts and urns. On the
japan cabinets are choice specimens of Roman earthenware,
finely painted and well preserved. In the windows, and other
parts of the room, are some good bronzes.
The Round Room, a circular drawing-room at the end of the
Y
542 STRAWBERRY HILL.
Gallery, the cliimney-piece of wiiich was designed from the
tomb of Edward the Cnnfe-sor in Westininstc^r Abbey. This
room, which is hrhted by a bow window of fine painted glass, is
richly ornamented, and lias a beautihil chimney-piece of marble,
gilt, and inlaid vvirli scagliola. In this room is the valuable an-
tique bust, in basaltes, of Jupiter Serapis, from the late Duchess
of Port 1 unci's collection. The pictures are^ Mrs. Lemon, the
mistress of Vandyck, by himself 5 the Education of Jupiter,
N. Poussin ; Bianca Capella, Va«ari ; Jacob leaving Laban, S.
Rosa, a Landscape, with Rocks, Gobbo Caracci : the Coun-
tesses of Leicester and Carlisle, Vandyck ; a charming Land-
scape, P.ud Brill.
The Tribune, or Cabinet. This is a small square room, with a
semicircul ir recess m the middle of each side. It is beyond
conception splendid and enchanting. Entire windows of painted
glass, in which are larg^ heads of Christ and the Apostles, sur-
rounded with beautiful Mosaics; a brue star of yellow stained
glass in the centre of the dome; the carpet, imitating the
Mosaic of the windows and the star in the ceiling ; and the gilt
niouidines and ornaments; all conspire to throw such a golden
gloom over the whole room, as to give it the solemn air of a
Romish Cliapel; especia'ly when first viewed through the grated
door. In this room is the cabinet of enamels and miniatures,
containing a {greater number of valuable portraits, by Petitot,
Zincke, and Oliver, than ai c to be found in any other collection.
Among the most beautiful are Cowley, by Zincke ; the Countess
d'Olonne. Petitot ; and Isaac Oliver, by himself. Catharine of
Arraifon and Catharine Parr, by Holbein, are very valuable. In
the glass cases on each side of the cabinet are some exquisite
specimens of art ; particularly a small bronze bust of Caligula,
with silver eyes, found at Herculaneum ; a magnificent missal
with miniature?-, by Raphael and his scholars; and a small silver
bell, of the mo.-st exquisite workmanship, covered over with li-
zards, grasshoppers, bcc. in the highest relief (so as to bear the
most minute inspection) by Benvenuto Cellini. Among the pic-
tures, are the Countess of Somerset, Isaac Oliver; and a beau-
tiful picture of Cornehus Polenburg, by himself.
In The Great, or North Bedchamber, are a state bed of French
tapestry, and a chimney-piece of Portland stone, gilt, designed
by Mr. Walpole, from the tomb of Bishop Dudley, in West-
minster Abbey. Here are also a glass closet, furnished with
many curiosities and antiquities; and a beautiful ebony cabinet,
inlaid with polished stone, and medallions, and embellished with
charming drawings, bv Lady Diana Beauclerk, of some of the
most interestins; scenes in Mr. Walpole's tragedy of tlw? Myste-
rious Mother. The chief pictures in this room ale, Philip Earl
of Pembroke, whole length; Henry VIII. and his Children, ou
board ; Margaret Smith, whole length, Vandyck j the original
S T R 243
portrait of Catharine of Brairanz;i, sent to Enwland previously to
her marriage with Charley II. ; Henry VII. a fine portrait, on
board ; Rehearsal of an Opera, Marco Ricci ; Oaleby the Poet,
in his shirt ; Sketch of the Bef^i^ar's Oj»era, Higarth ; Pre-
sentation in the Temple, Reinhraudt; Counters of Grannnont,
after Le!y , Duchess de Mvizarine ; Niuon I'Enclos, original;
Richard I. Prisoner to the Archduke of Austn;i, iVlierivs; Duchess
de hi Vahere ; Madam de Maintenon; Frances Duchess of Tyr-
connel ; a Landscape and Cattle ; G. Poussin ; two "Views of
Venice, Marieski.
Library over the Circular Drawings Room. In this is a profile
of Mrs. Barry, tlie celebrated actress in tlie reign of George I.
Kneller ; an<i Mr-*. Clive, Davison. This library contains a va-
luable aud extensive collection of prints ; am^ng which are a se-
ries of English engraved portraits, bound in volumes.
The piers of the gardeu-y:ate are copied from the tomb of
Bishop Wilham de Lnda, in Ely cathedral. The garden itself is
laid out in the modern style ; and, in the oncirchng wood, is a
neat Gothic Chapel, erected on purpose to contam a curious mo-
saic shrine, (sent from Rome) the work of P. ter Cavaliui, who
made the tomb of Edward the Confessoi in Wesfminstei Abbey.
In this chapel are four pannels of wood from the Abbey o* St.
Edmundsbury, with the portraits of Cardinal Beaufort, Hum-
phrey Duke of Gloucester, and Archbishop Kemp. The wijidow
in this chapel was brought from Bexhill, in Sussex : the principal
figures are Henry III. and his Queen.
By tlie late lord's will, this mansion is appointed to be the re-
sidence of the Hon. Mrs. Darner, the present possessor, who ex-
cels in the charming art of statuary.
STREATHAM, a village in Surry, five miles S. from London,
in the road to Croydon. The Duke of Bedford is loid of the
manor, and his seat here was the residence of Lord William
Russel, who has disposed of it to Brown, Esq. Here
also is the villa formerly inhabiled by Gabriel Piozzi, Esq. who
married the widow of Mr. Thrale, a lady distinguished by vari-
ous publications in the literary world. During the lifetmie of
Mr. Thrale, Dr. Johnson frequently resided here, and experi-
enced that siiicere respect to which his virtues and talents were
entitled, and those soothing attentions which his ill-health and
melancholy demanded. Here are the seats of the Earl of Co-
ventry, Rev. Dr. Bullock, John Keymcr, W. Barlow, A. Atkins,
W. Borradaile, and E. Bullock, Esqrs. ; and on the common
those of W. Wilkinson, Robert Brown, W. Holmes, Bur-
net, and Stockwell, Esqrs. A mineral water, of a ca-
thartic quality, was discovered in this parish, in 1660, which is
still held in esteem; and the water is sent in quantities to some
of the ho'oitals in London. Contiguous to this mineral spring is
Y 2
544 SUN
Lime Common, an elevated spot, wliicli, like the hill at Willsdon,
takes the pedestrian by surprise, and affords liim an extensive
and diversified prospect. The more prominent objects are, Wind-
sor Castle, to the West ; Staninore, north ; and Woolwich, east.
In the chancel of the church is an epitaph oh Rebecca, tlie wife
of William Lyne, v»^ho died in 1653, written by her husband, who,
aftttf enumerating her various virtues, thus concludes :
Should I ten thousand years enjoy my life
1 could not praise enough so good a wife !
On the south wall is a monument to a woman of equal ex-
sellence :
Elizabeth, wife of Major General Hamilton, who was married
near forty seven years, and never did one thint^ to* disoblige her
husband ! She died in 1746. These instances of such superior
female excellence are worthy of bting thus banded down to
posterity !
SUDBROOK, Surry, the s°at and fine park of the late Lady
Greenwicii, now the residence of the Duke of Buccleugh, situate
between Richmond and Kingsion, has its park extending to the
Thames.
SUNBRIDGE HOUSE, late tlie elegant seat, beautiful park,
and extPiisive pleasure-grounds, of William Wilson, Esq. at Brom-
ley, in Kent. This estate, inchidaig tlie manor, and a pretty
villa, in the occupation of Mr. Pinchbeck, is now the property of
George Lynd, Esq.
SUNBURY, a villaze in Middlesex, on the Thames, sixteen
miles and three quarters S. W. froiU London, contains the line
seat of the late Earl of Pomfret, now of William 'I'homas St.
Quintin, Esq. This seems to be an epitome of part of the fa '^ ad e
to Hampton Court, and has otten borne the appellation of that
palace in miniature. Here also are the villas of P. Windham,
• Burnet, and Coluigridge, Esqrs.
SUNDRIDGE, a village in Kent, between Westerham and
Sevenoaks. See Combank.
SUNNING HILL, Berks, a village in Windsor Forest, six
miles S. S. W. from Windsor, is noted for its tine situation, and
its medicinal wells, which are efficacious in paralytic cases. Here
are the villas of J. Barni:!!, Esq.; Col. Fitzpatrick, Sir Home
Popham, and Dowatrer Lady Harewood. In the neighbourhood
i3 the seat of James Tibbald, Esq. on Beggars' Bush Heath ; on
the side of the heath is the E<ul of Bridgewater's; at Bucket's
Hiil, is that of Smith Barwell, Esq. ; at Titnest Wood, is Ge-
jaeial Crosby's; at Sunning Hill Park, or, as it is sometimes
S Y D 245
called, Beaver Park, is that of Jeremiah Crutchley, Esq. ; and
near the New Mile Course, is that of Mr. Carter.
SUTTON, SURRY, twelve miles S. S. W. from London, in
the road to Ryeffate. Here are the villas of Thomas Miller and
Oakley, Esqrs. ; and Suttou Lodge, the seat of the Rev.
Mr. Thomas.
SWAKELEY HOUSE, about one mile north of Uxbridge, in
the county of Middlesex, is a curious old family mansion. It
was erected by Sir Edmund Wriglit in the year 1638, and after-
wards became successively the property and residence of Sir
James Harrington, one of King Charles's judges, and of Sir Ro-
bert Vyner, thefacetious !or;l mayor of London, who entertained
King Ctiarles IF. at Giuldijall. Il'now belongs to Thomas Clarke,
Esq. w'iose father purphds(*d it, in 17.50, of Mr. LethieuUier.
The house is a large square building, witli spacious windov.'s ; its
lookens, chimneys, &(•. nearly resemble chose of the old palace
of Kew. See Lysojis's Historical Account of the Middlesex Pa-
rishes^ &c. 4to. 1800.
SWANSCOMBE, a village in Kent, four miles S. S. E. from
Daitf)>d, lias tl'p remains of a camp, supposed to be Danish.
This is said to be t'sp place where the Kentish men, witli boughs
in their hands, like a moving wood, surprised William the Con-
queror, an'<, riirowiui; dov\n ftieir bou-ihs, threatened battle, if
they hful not tlieir ancient customs and franchises granted to
theuj ; to w)iich he imnr.ie<liately consented, " But the fact,"
says Dr. Aikin, " is dtuibted ; though it is certain that many pe-
culiar ciisionis Mill remain iu. Kent, one of the most remarkable
of wiiich i.v that of gravelkind." See Ingress Park.
SWINLEY LODGE, Berks, on the southwest side of Sunning
Hil, the rrsidence of the master of the buckhound«5. Here al-
ways numbers of deer are kept for the royal chase, under his
care and direction : he appoints the days of hunting, lakes care
of the forest deer, and his Majesty's stag and buckhounds; and,
for this purpose, has inferior olficers under him, who superintend
the forest, divided into different walks or appointments.
SYDENHAM, a village in Kent, on the declivity of a fine hill,
seven miles S. from London, once famous for its medicinal wells.
The common commands one of the finest views near London ;
and its deliL'htfid scenery has lately been rendered more attrac-
tive, by the Croydon Canal winding its course in the vale be-
neath. Its beauties are soon to be disturbed by enclosure, an
act of parliament having passed for that purpose.
Y 3
246 ^ E D
ry^ADWORTH COURT, Surry, four miles and three qv.av'
X ters S. S. E. from Ewell, the seat of Robert Hudson, Usq.
TAPLOW, a village near Maidenhead, in Buckiniiljamsliire,
twenty-five miles W. from London, is finely elevated above the
Thames, being distinguijihed by its noble woodlands atxl pic-
turesque appearance, and adorned with many handsome houses.
Taplow House, the ancient seat of the Marchioness ofThomonJ,
stands on the summit of the hill. On a fine eminence in the
park, is an oak, said to have been planted by Queen Elizabeth,
when in confineraeiit here. " But I suspect," says Mr. Ireland,
" that it must at that period have been of sufficient growth to
afford ample shade to her majesty, which could not have I'een the
case had she planted it hercelf. It is the noble remains of a very
aged tree,
** Whose antique root peeps out
Upon the brook that brawls along the wood !"
This delightful village is adorned with handsome houses ; pa) ti-
cularly, the seats of Lady Mopre, Lord Elibank, Lady Wynne,
.Sir AVilloughby Aston, and the Kev. Mr. Packstone. Taplow
Lodge, on the common adjoining tlie side of Cliefdeu Gardens,
the seat of John Friar, Esq. was lately the property of Sir John
Lade, Bart, who much improved it, and sold it to Mr. Fryar for
7000/. Mr. Fryai- has made great additions to the house and
gardens.
TEDDINGTON, a village in Middlesex, seated on the
Thames, twelve mfles W. S. W. from London. Some have sup-
posed its name to denote the ending of the tide, which does not
liow above this village — Tide-end-tovin, or, in the Saxon, Tyd-
end-ton. Mr. Lysons observes, that there can be no other ob-
jection to this etymology, than that the place is called Totyngton
in all records, for several centuries after its name fiist occurs.
On the banks of the Thames arc S( vci al good houses ; particu-
larly the Manor House, built by tlie celebrated Lord Buck-
hurst, in 160:2. It was the property of the late George Peters,
Esq. and is now in the occupation of Captain Smith and his lady,
the Dowager Lady Dudley and Ward. In one of the bed-cham-
bers is a state-bed, given by the Emperor Charles VI. to Sir
George Rooke, and two portraits of that gallant admiral ; the
one taken when he was a young man, the other after he became
an admiral. Near the Hon. Mrs. Darner's is the handsome seat
of John Walter, Esq. built about thirty years ago, by the lat«
THAMES. 247
Moses Franks, Esq. after a design by Sir William Cliambers, who
•likewise laid out the ^rourtds \viU» taste. Tiie hoiise has a tine
liwn in (iont, at an ai/recable distance from the road, under
wliic.h is a subterranean groito, commuuicating with the 'J'haines,
an;i with a terrace, having a fine view of the most; pleasing ob-
jects aloni? and across the rivei*. Mr. Walter, who purchased
this seat of the representatives of the late Mr. Franks, has made
considerable improvements. The seat of the late Robert Ud-
ney, Esq. has a lari^e and valuable collection of pictures, by the
old masters, chiefly of the Italian school. In this parish is also
a house, built and tilted up at a great expense, toward the close
of tlse 17th century, by Sir Charles Buncombe, lord mayor of
London, in 1709. The ceilings were painted by Verrio, and the
carvings executed by Gibbons. Two rooms thus ornamented
still remain ; an<l the house is now the residence of William
Douglas, Esq. The churcti is a perpetual curacy, which was en-
joyed fiiity one years by that good man and great phiiosopiier,
Dr. Steplu^n Hales, who lies buried under the tower of the
church, which he had erected at his ov.n expense. It Jias been
jtistly remarked of this eminent character, that he deserved the
title of Tlie Cinistian Philosopher, as all his studies and all his
rescarclies into nature tended only to one point, that of doing
«iOod to ma^nkiud !
THAMES, the finest river in Great Britain, which takes i«s
rise from a copious spring, called Thames Head, two miles S. W. '
or Cirencester. '' Under the name of Ttianies," says Dr. Aikin,
*' is included its principal branch, the Isisj for, in tact, the best
writers assert, that Isis is a mere poetical name, not known by
the inhabitants of its banks, who uniformly call the principal ri-
ver the Thames, quite up to its head. Isis is the ancient name,
Ouse, common to so many rivers, latinized. The Tame, com-
monly supposed to give name to the Thames, is an inconsiderable
rivulet, which llowing by the town of Tame, bends round to
meet the imaginary Isis above Wallingford." About a mile be-
low the source of the river, is the first corn m.ill, which is called
Kemble Mill. Hore the river may properly he said to form a
constant current : which, though iiot more than nine feet wide
in suinmer, yet, in winter, becoines such a torrent, as to overflow
the meadows for many miles around. But. in summer, the Thames
H«;ad is so dry, as to appear nothing but a large dell, inter-
spersed with stones and weeds. From Somerford the stream
winds to Cricklade, where it unites with many other rivulets.
Approaching Kemsfoid,it again enters its native county, dividing
it from Berkshire and Ingleshem. It widens considerably in its
way to Lechlade ; and, behjg there joined by the Lech and Coin,
at the distance of one hvmdred and thirty-eight miles from Lon-
don, it becomeis navigable for vessels of ninety tons. At Eiir
2-18 THAMES.
sham, in its coarse N. E. to Oxford, is a handsome bridge of
stone, of three arches, built by the Earl of Abingdon. Passing
by the ruins of Godstow Nunnery, the river reaches Oxford, in
whose academic proves its poetical name of Isis has been so often
invoked. Being there joined by the Charwell, it proceeds 8. E.
to Abingdon, and thence to Dorchester, vt'here it receives the
Thame. Continnins; its couise S. E, by Wallingford to Reading,
and forming a boundary to the counties of Berks, Bucks, Surry,
Middiesex, Essex, and Kent, it washes the tow^ns of Hf^nley,
Marjow, Maidenhead, Wmdsor, Eton, E:;]ian'!, Staines, Laleham,
Chertsey, Weybridge, Slieppetton, Walton, Sunbuiy, East and
West Moiilspy, Hampton, Thames Ditton, Kingston, Tedding-
ton, Twickeniiam, Richmond, Islevi'orth, Brentford, Kew, Moi t-
lake, B irnes, Chiswick, Hammersmith, Fnlham, Putney, Wands-
ivortli, Battersea, Chelsea, and Lambeth. Taen, on the north
bank of the river, are Westminster and London, and, on the op-
poisite side, Southwark; forming together one continued city,
extending to Limehoiise and Deptford ; and hence tiie river pro-
ceeds to Greenwich, Erit)i, Greenhithe, Gray's Thurrock, Graves-
end, and Leigh, into tlie Ocean. It receives in its course from
Dorchester, the rivers Kennct, Loddon, Gobi, Wey, Mole, Wan-
die, Lea, Roding, and Darent.
It is impossible to describe the beauties which the banks of
this noble river display from Windsor to London ; the numerous
villages on each side being adorned with mauniHcent seats, ele-
gant villas, extensive pleasure-grounds, and beautiful gardens.
Nor can any thing be more pleasingly picturesque tlian tlie great •
number of barges and boats, both for pleasure and burden, which
are continually passing and repassins, above Westminster Bridge;
and, below London Bridge, what an idea must a foreigner con-
ceive of the commerce and opulence of tlie metropolis, when he
beholds the innumerable masts, vvhich extend, like a forest, to
Deptfoi d and Limehouse !
The lord mayor's jurisdiction over the Thames extends from
Coin Ditch, a little to the uest of Staines, to Yendal or Yenjeet,
to the east, including part of tlie rivers Medway and Lea; and
he has a deputy, named the water-bailiff, who is to search for,
;md punish, all offenders against tlie laws for the preservation of
the river and its fish. Eight times a year the lord mayor and
aldermen hold courts of conservancy for the four counties of
Surry, Middlesex, Essex, and Kent.
Thou<.'h the Thames is said to be navigable one hundred and
thirty-eight miles above bridtre, yet there are so many fiats, tliat,
in summer, the navigation westward would be entirely stopped,
when the springs are low, were it not for a number of locks.
But these are attended with considerable expense; lor a barge
from Leclilade to London pays for passing through them 13 /.
15 s. 6d. and from Oxford to London 12/. 8*. This charge
THA^MES. t49
jiowever, is in summer only, when the water is low ; and there is
no lock from London Bridge to Bolter's Lock ; that is, for fifty-
one miles and a half above bridge. The plan of new cuts has
been adopted in some places to shorten and facilitate the naviga-
tion. There is one near Lechlade, which runs nearly parallel to
the old river, and contiguous to St. John's Bridge: and thnre is
another a mile from Abingdon, which has rendered the old
stream, toward Culham Bridge, useless.
Some of our poets have been fond to imagine a Junction be-
tween the Thames and the Severn. Pope suggested the idea ia
a letter to Mr. Digby, dated in 1722. And thus the Poet of the
Fleece :
Trent and Severn's wave,
By plains alone disparted, woo to join
Majestic Thamis. With their silver urns
The nimble-footed naiades of the springs ,
Await, upon the dewy lawn, to speed
And celebrate the union. T)Yek.
This poetical vision has been realized. A canal has been made,
by virtue of an act of parliament, in 1780, from the Severn to
Wall Bridge, near Stroud. A new canal ascends by Strovd,
through the vale of Chalford, to the height of three hundred and
forty-tliree feet, by means of twenty-eight locks, and thence to
the entrance of a tunnel near Sapperton, a distance of nearly
eiglit miles. Tins canal is 'forty-two feet in width at top, and
thirty at the bottom. The tunnel (which is extended under Sap-
perton Hili, and under that part of Earl Balhurst's grounds,
called Haley V/ood, making a distance of two miles and three
furlotigs) is nearly fifteen feet in width, and can navigate barges
of seventy tons. Tiie canal, descending hence one hundred and
thirty four feet, by fourteen locks, joins the Tiiamesat Lechlade,
a distance of twenty miles and a q^iarter.
In the course of this vast undertaking, the canal, from the
Severn at Froomlade to Inglesham, where it joins the Thames, is
a distance of more tlian thirty miles. The expense of it ex-
ceedpd the sum of 200,000 L of which 3000 Z. is said to have been
expended in gunpowder alone, used for the blowing up of the
rock. This work was coujpleted in 178'J, in less than seven
, years from its commencement. A conununication, not only
with tlie Trent but witli the Mersey, has likewise been effected
by a canal from Oxford to Coventry ; and another canal from
this, at Braimston, to the Thames at Brentford, has been lately
completed, called The Grand Junction Canal. On tne extensive
advantages resulting from tliese navigable communications from
the metropolis with the ports of Bristol, Liverpool, Hull, A:c. and
the principal manufacturing towns in the inland parts of the
^ingdpm, it is needless to expatiate.
250 THE
The tide flows up the Thames as high as Richmond, which,
following the winding of the river, is seventy miles from the
oc an ; a distance ereater than the tide is carried by any other
river in Europe. Tiie water is esteemed extremely wholesome,
and tit for use in very long voyages, during which it will work
itself perleriiy tin*>.
To coinpare thf Thames with the principal rivers of the Eu-
rop-an continent, or, in language of rhomson, to call it " King
of Floods," is only to injure it by a parallel, which it were ab^urd
to suppose it could sustain; yet, indup^ndf^ntly of the greatness
it ar(iuires by association, it has intrinsic merits, wluch must ever
secure to it a respectable rank. Few of tUe most celebrated
rivers of Europe afford a length of navigation for lar^e ships equal
to that of the Th-imes in point of safety, ea^e, and regularity :
and certainly no European metropolis is so mucli benefited by
its river as London by its Thames. The Seine at Paris is a mere
ditch to it.
THAMES DITTON, a village in Surry, tno miles and a
quarter fe. from Kingston. Here are Boyle Farm, the villa of
Lord Henry Fitzgerald, and the seat' of Richa; d Joseph Suliivan,
Tayior, and Spears, Esqrs. See Embei' Court.
THEOBALDS, a hamlet on the New River, in the parish of
Clieshunt, Herts, two mihs W. N.W. from AV'altham Abbey.
Here the groat Lord Burleish built a seat, and adorned it with
magnificent gardens, in which he seems to have anticipated all
the absurdities that are commonly ascribed to a taste, supposed
to have been Ipng after imported from Hollmd. " The garden,"
says Hentzner, " is encompassed by a ditch filled with water,
and large enough to have the pleasure of rowing in a boat be-
tween the shrubs ; it was adorned with a great variety of trees
and plants, labuinths made with much labour, a ,;>^ dVau with
its basin of white marble, and with columns and pyramids"
But let It be remembered to the honour of Lord Burleigh, that
botany, tiien in an infmt state, was much indebted to him. He
patronized that celebrated botanist John Gerard ; and his garden
contained the best collection of plants of any nobleman in the
kingdom.
Queen Elizabeth was entertained in this house no less than
twelve times ; and each time it cost Burleigh 2000 /. or 3000 /.
her majesty being tiiere sometimes three we;ks, a montii, or
even six weeks together. He yave this seat to his younger son,
Sir Robert Cecil, (afterwards Earl of Salisbury) in whose time
James L, staying there for one night, in his way to take pos-
session of the crown, was so delighted with the place, that he
gave him the manor of Hatfield in exchange for Tlieobalds, and
afterwaids enlarged the park aud encompassed it with a wall ten
T H O 251
miles round. This palace he oftPiv visited, in order to enjoy the
pleasure of hunting in Enfield Chase and Eppiu',' Forest ; and
here he died. In the civil war it was plundered and defaced-
having; been the place from whence Charles I. set out to pr(ct
his standard at Nottingham. Chailes II. granted t!ie maiioi to
George Monk, Dnke of Albemarle; but reverting to the crown,
for want of heirs male, Ring William gave it to WiUiain Ear! of
Portland, from whom it descended to the late Duke, wlio sold it
to the late Sir George Prescott. The park has been converted
into farms, and the small remains of Theobalds (suc;i as the room
where King James died) were demolished, in 1765, by Su George
Prescott, who leased out the site of it to a builder, and ererted a
handsome house for himself, about a mile to the so"tli of it. It
is now the property of Sir George Beeston Prescott, Bart., and
the residence of Job Matthew Raikes, Esq.
THEYDON BOIS, a village in Essex, fourteen miles E. from
London, to the left of the road to Chipping Ongar. Thcydon
Hall is the seat of Mr. EUves.
THEYDON GERNON, Essex, between Theydon Bois and
Theydon Mount, is frequently called Coopersah, from a capital
seat of that name, two miles north of the church. This, and
some of the neighbouring parishes, may be called " The Garden
of Essex," from the pleading variety of hills and vales, the ff^tility
of the soil, the number of villas interspersed, and the diversity of
beautiful prospects.
THEYDON MOUNT, near sixteen miles E. from London,
on the left of the road lo Ciiipping Ongar. Tiie church, which
had been burnt by liglitning, was rebuilt by Sir William Smith,
Bart. In it are some njonument*, the most ancient of whirh is
that of Sir Thoinas Smyth, an able statesman, one of the most
learned men of his ago, and a great promoter of the study of the
Greek language. See Hill Hall.
THOBY PRIORY, Essex, two miles W. S. W. from Tn^ate-
stone, so called from Tobi;is, the first ab*>ot, is situatpd in the
parish of Monntnessing. It was founded in the reisrn of Stephen,
and was granted by Henry VHI. to Cardinal Wolsey. It is now
the property of Henry Presott Blencowe, Esq. and iti the oc-
cupation of Ferguson, Esq. The louse, though still a
spacious edifice, has been considerably reduced within the last
century, and some arches, still standing, are the chief monuments
of its original destination.
THORNDON, or HORNDON, EAST and WEST, Essex,
two parishes between Brentwood and Horndon-on-tiie-Hill. The
churches of West Thorndon and Ingrave bomg boiii ruinous, the
two parishes were united by act of parliament,^ and anew church
252 TIL
was built, in 1734, by the grandfatliev of the present Lord"
Petre.
THORN DON HALL, the magnificent seat of Lord Petre,
in the parish of West Thorndon, Essex. The house, built by
Paine, is sitiiHtcd on a fine eminence, at the termination of an
avenue from Brentwood, two miles long. It is built of white
brick, and consists of a centre and two wings, connected by cir-
ciUar corridors. Tha approach from Brentwood i"* to tiie west
front, which is not adorned with any portico or columns; but the
«ast front has a noble portico, with six fluted pillars of the Co-
linthian order. The lawn falls hence in a gentle slope, and the
ppospect over the Thames into Kent is very fine. The hall is a
noble room, forty feet square 3 richly stuccoed, ornamented with
tine marble, and containing; a great number of portraits. The
drawing-room, thirty-eight feet by twenty-six, is hnns with green
damask. Adjoining to this is the library, over one of the corri-
dois, and this is terminated by the gallery, in which tlie family
sit, when attending divine service in the elegant chapel which
occupies the right wing. The noblest apartrat ut, whenever it is
finished, will be the grand saloon, which is in the west front, and
is sixty feet by thirty. Among the paintings at Thorndon Hall
are Lewis Ccrnaro and his family, and Sir Thomas More and his
family ; the fir.st said to be by Titian, and the second by Hoi-
bein ; but the origiuality of the latter is disputed. See Walpole's
Anecdotes of Painting, vol. i. p. 143.
The park is extensive, finely timbered, and very beautiful.
Th5 woods are large, and, for variety as well as rarity of trees,
JUG supposed to be unequalled. The menagerie is a charming spot.
THORPE, a village in Siury, between Chertsey and Egham.
At Ambrose's Barn, on the borders of this parish but included
in that of Chertsey, resides ]Mr. Wapshott, a farmer, whose an-
cestors liavc lived on the same spot ev^r since Hie time of Alfred,
hy whom the farm was granted to Reginald Wapshott. Not-
withstanding the antiquity of this family (and can the Howards or
Percys a?cend higher?) their situation in life has never been ele-
vated or depressed by any vicissitude of fortune! In the parish
are the seats of Sir Edward Blacket, Bart., John Manningham,
Esq., and the Rev. Mr. Beimett 3 and at Thorpe Lea is the villa
of i\Ir. Wyalt.
THUNDRIDGE, a village of Herts, two miles N. E..of Ware,
and on the <:ont!i side of the river Rib. At Thundridgebury is the
seat of P. Hollingsworth, Esq.
TILBURY, EAST. Essex, five miles E. from Gray's Thurrock,
is situated on the Thames, below Tilbury Fort. '" In this pa-
rish," says Morant, '' was the ancient ferry over the Thames.
The famous Higham Causeway from Rociiester by Kigham-
TIL £53
yet visible, points out the place of the old ferry ; and this if*
supposed to be the place where the Emperor Claudius crossed
the Thames, in pursuit of the Britons, as related by Dion Cassiu?,
i. 60." In this parish is a field called Cave Field, in which is an
horizontal passage to one of the spacious caverns in the neigh-
bouring parish of Chadwell. Of these Camden has given a sketch
in his * Britannia' ; and he describes them as in a chalky dilf,
built very artificially of stone to the height of ten fathoms, Dr^
Derham measured throe of the most considerable of them, and
found the depth of one of them to be fifty feet, of another seventy
feet, and of the third eighty feet. Their origin is too remote
for investigation.
TILBURY, WEST, an ancient town in Essex, three miles E,
by N. from Grays Tlmrrock. Here the four Roman proconsular
ways crossed each other, and, in the year 620, this was the see of
Bishop Ceadda, or St. Cliad, who converted the East Saxons„
It is situated near the marshes, which are rented by the farmers
and grazing butchers of London, who generally stock them with
Lincolnsi)ire and Leicestershire wethers, which are sent here
from Smithfield in September and October, and ted till Christ-
mas or Caiidiemas, and is what the butchers call right marsh
mutton. In this parish is a celebrated spring of alterative water,
discovered in 1717. When the Spanish armada was in the Chan-
nel, in 1588, Queen Eliziibeth had a camp here on the spot where
the windmill now stands, of which some traces are still visible;
and, having here assembled her army, addressed them in the fol-
lowing celebrated speech :
" MY LOVING PEOPLE,
*' We have been persuaded by some, that are careful of our safety,
to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes,
for fear of treachery : but, I assure you, I do not live to distrust
my faithfiil and loving people. Let tyrants fear ! I have always
so behaved myself, that, under God, I have placed my chiefest
strength and .safeguard in the loyal hearts and good-will of my
subjects. — And thereto!* I am come amongst you, as you see
at this time, not for any lecreation and disport, but being re-
solved, in the midst and heat of tiie battaile, to live or die amonifst
3'ou all; to lay down, foi my God, and for my kingdom, and for
my [jcople, my honour and my blood even in t!ie dust. I know
I have the bodie but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have
the heart and stomach of a king — and of a king of England too !
and think foul scorn, thai Parma or Spain, or any prince of Eu-
rope, should <iare to invade the borders of my realm, to which,
rather tlian any dislionour sliall grow by me, I myself will take up
arms; I myself will be your general, judge, and recorder of everio
one of your virtues in the field. I know, alieadie, for jour for-
z
S5i TOT
wardnessf, you have dosprved crowns ; and we do assure ynn, on
t!ie worii of a prince, tliey shall be duly p?rd yon. In the mean-
time my lieutenant-general* shall be in my stead, than Avhom
prince never commanded more noble or worthie subject ; not
<ioubtinK but, by your obedience to my general, by your concord
in the camp, and your valour in the field, we .shall shortly have a
famous victory over those enemies of my God, of my kingdoms,
and my people.'
TILBURY FORT, in the parish of West Tilbury, opposite
Gravescnd, is a regular fortification, and may be termed the key
to London. The plan was laid by Sir Martin Beckman, chief
engineer to Charles II. It has a double moat, the innermost of
which is one hundred and eighty feet broad ; with a good coun-
terscarp, a covered way, ravelins, and tenailles. Its chief strength
on the land side consists in its being able to lay the whole level
nnder water. On the side next the river is a strong curtain,
w ith a noble gate, called the Watergate, in the middle ; and the
ditch is palisaded. Before this curtain is a platform in the place
of a counterscarp, on which are plajited one hundred and six-
guns, from twenty-four to forty-six pounders each, beside smaller
ones planted between tliem ; and the bastions and curtains are
also planted with guns. Here is likewise a high tower, called
tiie Blockhouse, said to have been built in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth.
TITTENHANGER HOUSE, Herts, three miles S. E. from
St, Alban's, a seat of the Earl of Hardwicke, and the residence
of Mrs. Crawley.
TOOTING, UPPER, a hamlet in the parish of Streathani,
and in the road to Reigate, five miles and a half S. from London.
Here is Grove House, the seat of William Abbott, Esq.
TOOTING, LOWER, six miles from London, on the same
road, has also many good hou>es. The tower of the church is
remarkable for being of a circular form, with a low spire.
TOTTENHAM, a village four miles and a lialf N. from Lon-
don, in the road to Ware. In this parisii is an ancient manor-
house, called Biuce C3:!^tle, tiie residence of John V/ilmot, Es-
quire. Here also is iMount Pleasant, the elegant lesidnnce of
J. Heathcote, Esq. Grove House, the seat of Thomas Smith,
Esq. lord of tlie manor, was several years the residence of that
upright and excellent judge, Sir IMichael Forster.
The church is situated on an eminence, almost surrounded by
the Mosel, a rivulet, which' ,iises on Muswell Hill. Over the
porch is an aoaitment in which the parish business was formerly
^' Ro^ioit Dcvcroux, Earl of F.-^ex.
T R E is^
transacted. The vostry was erected in 1697, by Lord Coleraint,
who nmde a vault in it tor himself and his i'amily. It has, indeed,
the appearance of a mausoleum, having a dome leaded, and
crowned with an obelisk.
At the end of Pai'c Green stands i remarkable circular clump
of elms, called The Seven Sisters. In a field on the west side of
the road is St. Loy's Well, which is said to be always full, and
never to run over ; and, in a field opposite the vicarage house,
rises a spring, called Bishop's Well, of which the common peo-
ple rf:'port many strange cures.
In the town has been a cross from time immemorial. It was
formerly a column of wood, raised upon a little hilloc, whence
the village took the name of High Cross. It was tak'^u tJo :n
about two hundred years ago, and the present structure erected
in its stead, by Dean Wood.
In this parish are three almshouses. Of one of them, for eight
poor people, it is remarkable, that it was erected by Balthazar
Zanca, a Spaniard, who was confectioner to Philip If. of Spain,
with whom he came over to England, and was the first that ex-
ercised that ait in this comitry. He became a Protestani, and
died in 1602. It is said that he lived in the house nov/ tiie
George and Vulture inn ; at the entrance of which are fivf«d the
arms of England, within a carter, supported by a lion and giiffin,
and with the initials E. R. Over another door is IrSr. Here
also is a free school, of which, at the end of the last century, that
celebrated scholar and antiqaary, Mr. William Baxter, was
master.
There is a Quakers' meeting at Tottenham; on which ac-
count many families of that persuasion have their country houses
here.
TOTTERIDGE, a village of Hertfoidshire, two miles S. from
Barnet, is a chapelry appendant to the rectory of Hatfield.
Among many other handsome houses, is theseat, with a fine park,
of Mrs. Lee.
TRENT PLACE, Middlesex, a beautiful villa on Enfield
Chase, three miles W. N.W. from Enfield. When that part of
the Chase, which was reserved to the crown, in consequence of
the aci for disforesting it, was sold by auction in the duchy court
of Lancaster, two of the lots were bought by the late Dr. Ri-
chard Jebb, who had successfully attended the late Duke of
Gloucester, when dangerously ill, at Trent, in the Tyrol. Dr.
Jebb converted his purchase into a dehghtful park, and erected
this elegant villa, in imitation of an Italian logyia, with a music
room, &c. His Majesty, on conferring the dignity of baronet oa
Dr. Jebb, gave the name of Trent Place to this villa, in srrateful
commemoration of the medical skill by which the Duke's life, had
been prescived. After the death of Sir Richard this estate wa
Z 2
256 TWICKENHAM.
purchased by the Earl of CholmoHdeley, but is now the pro
perty of John AVigston, Esq.
^TURNHAM GREEN, a village in Middlesex, five miles W.
from London, in the parish of ChisAvick. Here is tlie villa of the
late Lord Heathfield; and near this is the new-built house of
James Armstionrv, Esq., and also the residence of J. Griffifh.s,
Esq., proprietor of the Monthly Review. Neai thi? village aie
Sutton Court, J. Sidebothani^ Esq , and Gicve House, IMis. Lu-
ther.
TWICKENHAM, a village of ^Middlesex, ten miles and a
quarter AV. S. W. from London, is situated on the Thames, and
adorned with many handsome seats. Proceeding along the river
from Teddington, is a delightful cottage, the retreat of the late
Mrs. Clive, which Mr. AYalpole gave to her for her life ; and in
the gardens of which he placed an urn, with this inscription :
Ye Smiles and Jests, still hover round ;
This is Mirth's consecrated ground :
Here liv'd the laughter-loving dame,
A matchless actress, Clive her name,
The Comic Muse with her retir'd,
Aud shed a tear when she expir'd H. W.
This house adjoins the wood belonging to Strawberry Hill,
and is now the residence of Miss Mary and Miss Agnes Barry.
Near to Strawberry Hill is a house the property of Lord De-
Dunstauville, now in the occupation of the Ladies Murray. Be-
low this is Mr. May's beautiful little house, built by Mr. Hud-
son, the painter, the master of Sir Joshua Reynolds ; opposite
the back of which is a small house, with an elegant Gothic front,
the property of Mr. Lewen. Next was the celebrated villa of
Pope, the property and residence of the late Lord Mendip ; ad-
joining to whose gardens is Colonel Crosby's. Near this is the
eeat of Countess Dowager Poulet, Further down is Ricfiraond
House, the seat of Mrs. Allanson. All these houses enjoy a pleas-
ing prospect up and down the river, perpetually enlivened by
the west country navigation, and other moving pictures on the
surface of the water. Below the church is Yorkc House, the seat
of Colonel Webber. On the site of the late Earl of Strafford's
house Lady Anne Conolly has erected a noble seat. Next to this
is the house of George Pocock, Esq. (son of the late Admiral Sir
George Pocock, K. B.) the additional octagon room to which
was built to entertain Queen Caroline at dinner, by the then
proprietor, James Johnstone, Esq. In 1694, it was lent (by the
then proprietor, Mrs. Davies) to the Princess Anne of Denmark;
change of air being thought necessary for the Duke of Glou-
cester ; and the Duke brought with him his regiment of boys,
[See Campdeyi House] which he used to exercise on the opposite
aite. Below this is Mr. Harding's pretty box, called Ragman's
TWICKENHAM. 2^?
Caslie. Near this are Mavbie Hill and Spencer Grove; below
which is the seat of the Rev, (jeorge Owen Cambridge, v.ho has
a ^ood collection of pictures by the old masters, and some valu-
able portraits : particularly a fine portrait of Secretary Thurlow,
by Dobson ; Mnry Davis, a celebrated actress in the last cen-
tury ; Angelica Kauflman, by herself; and a large group of the
late Nabob of Arcot an J his family, Kettle. Tlie view of Rich-
mond Hill, by Tillenians, is particularly interesting, so near the
spot whence it was taken. Next this is Twickenham Park, the
seat of Lord Frcdeiic Cavendish. Here t!te great Sir Francis
Bacon (whom Voltaire calls the father of experimental philo-
sophy) spent nuich of the early part of his life, in studious retire-
ment; and here he enterta!ne(l Queen Elizabeth, to whom he
tlien presented a sonnet in praise of the Earl of Essex. In this
house are two fine portraits, said to be of General Monk and
General Lambert; Edward Earl of Orford, and two other ad-
mirals, in a conversation piece ; a frame, with sketches of six
heads, in Lely's manner ; a Spanish bull fight, &c. These, with
all the furniture, were left as heirlooms by the Countess of
Monntrach, from whom Lord Frederic inherits the estate. Part
of the house is in the parish of Isleworth. In the meadows be-
tween this house and the river, was originally the site of Siou
nunnery.
We now return to Pope's liouse and gardens. In his lifetin)e
the house was humble and confined. Veneration for his me-
mory has since enlarged its dimensions. The centre building
only was the residence of Pope. Sir William Stanhope, who
purchased it on his death, added the two wings, and enlarged the
gardens. Over an arched way, leading to the new gardens, is a
bust of Pope in white marble, under which are these lines, by-
Earl Nugent :
The humble roof, the garden's scanty lin«,
111 suit the genius of a bard divine :
But fancy now displays a fairer scope.
And Stanhope's plans unfold the soul of Pope.
The late Lord Mendip, who married the daughter of Sir Wil-
liam Stanhopr-, stuccoed tiie front of the house, and adorned it in
an elegant style. The lawn was enlarged ; and, towards the mr.r-
gin of the river, propped with uncommon care, stand the twa
weeping willows planted by Pope himself. They who can cherish
each memorial upon classic ground, will rejoice to find that ihe^a
trees (one of which is one of the finest of its kind, a vegetable
curiosity) are as flourishing as ever. Not only the pre.'^enT pro-
prietor preserves inviolate the memory of Pope, but slips of il\is
tree are annually transmitted to diffes^nt parts; and, iti 1789,
the late Empress of Russia had some planted in Lsr o\sk gardwn
at Petersburgh.
IS
258 TWICKENHAM.
The once celebrated grotto is no longer remarkable biit for
Laving been erected r.nder the immediate direction of onr bavd.
The dilapidations of time, and the pious thefts of visitors, who
select the spars, ores, and even the common flints, as so many
sacred relics, have almost brought it to ruin. It no longer forms
a " ca^lera obscura;" nor does " the thin alabaster lamp of an
orbicular form" now " irradiate the star of looking-glass" placed
in the centre of it. Even " the perpetual rill that echoed through
the cavern, day and night," is no longer in existence. See Pope's
Letter to E. Blunt, Esq. June 2, 1725.
In two adjoining apertures in the rock are placed a Ceres and
a Bacchus, an excellent bust of Pope, and some other figures.
In the right cavity, which opens to the river, by a small window
latticed with iron bars, our bard sat, it is said, when he com-
posed some of his happiest verses. At the extremity next the
garden is this inscription, from Horace, on white marble :
Secretum iter et fallentis semita ritae.
In another grotto, which passes under a road to the stables,
and connects the pleasure-grounds, are two busts, in Italian
marble, of Sir William Stanhope and the Earl of Chesterfield.
In a niche opposite each, is a Roman urn, of exquisite work-
manship. Masses of stone are scattered round, in imitation of
rocks ; and wild plants and hardy forest trees are planted on each
side, to give a sylvan rudeness to the scene. From this spot,
after visiting the orangery, &c. you are led to a small obelisk,
erected by the filial piety of our poet, with this tender and pa-
thetic inscription :
Ah ! Editha,
Matrum Optima,
MuuERUM Amantissima,
Vale !
In this parish is a house, belonging to Mis. Duane, which was
the residence of the witty, profligate, and eccentric Duke ol
Wharton.
In the church of Twickenham, Pope and his parents are in-
terred. To their n)emory he himself erected a monument : to
bis own the gratitude of Warburton erected another. On ihe
outside of the church, on a marble table, are the following lin«-«;
by Miss Pope, to the memory of Mrs. Clive :
Clive's blameless life this tablet shall proclaim.
Her moral virtues, and her well-earn'd fame.
In comic scenes the stage she early trod,
** Nor sought the critic's praise, norfear'd his rod."
In real life was equal praise her due.
Open to pity and to friendship too;
In wit still pleasinjr, as in converse free
fvoni all that could afflict humanity :
TWO 259
Her gen'rons heart to all her friends was known,
And e'en the stranger's sorrows were her own.
Content with fame, e'en affluence she wav'd.
To share with others what by toil she sav'd;
And, nobiy bonnteous, from her slender store,
She bade two dear relations not be poor !
Such deeds on life's short scenes true glory shed.
And heav'nly plaudits hail the virtuous dead.
On the small river Crane (which enters the Thames at Isle-
worth) are the late Mr Hill's gunpowder * and Mr. Winslow's
oil-mills. See Marble Hilly Rahman's Castle^ Richmond House,
Spencer Grove, Sfraivberry Hill, fVhifion, and Yorke House.
TWO WATERS, a village in Herts, two miles S, S. W. from
Hemel Hempstead, is pleasantly situated at the union of the
river Gade with Bulborne Brook and adjoining the Grand Junc-
tion Canal. On an elevated situation is the handsome residence
of White, Esq.; and in the village is the elegant little
cottage of Plenry Fourdrinier, Esq. Two Waters, ard its vici-
nity, have been long noted for the number of paper-mills erected
on the sides of the stream ; but that belonging to Mr. Four-
drinier is more particularly worthy of notice, for containing the
invention of manufacturing paper by machinery. By this ma-
chine, and appendant apparatus, every part of the process is con-
ducted without the intervention of manual labour; and it cannot
fail of exciting surprise in the spectator, on beholding the rag
first wasiied, then beaten or reduced to pulp ; and, lastly, con-
ducted through pipes to the reservoir of the machine, which con-
stantly feeds itself, and, in a very few seconds, produces a paper
so perfect in all its parts, that it is wound off upon a reel, exactly
like a web of clotli. The paper thus manufactured is superior in
quality, firmer in texture, and more parallel than any ever made
by hand ; the machine is capable of working up half a ton of rags
* Mr. Hill, who died November 9th, 1809, was an eminent gun-
powder manufacturer and merchant at Whitton, near Hounslow.
Having had the exclusive privilege of supplying Turkey with gun-
powder, and of freighting back with Turkish merchandise ; he
amassed a princely fortune, amounting to 800,000/.: out of this
sum he gave by will to a Mr. Fish and another gentleman, each
the sum of 360,000/. ; to a first cousin, a clergyman, 37,000/.;
and to a minister in Hatton Street 56,000/. Previous to his death
he had been for many j^ears blind, and was so very penurious as
scarcely to allow himself a glass of wine, or the luxury of sitting in
an arm-chair, for fear of wearing out the elbows of his coats : yet,
like John Elwes, he could so far conquer his natural disposition as
to be guilty of an act of extravagance ; for at the last Brentford
election he actually built an elegant new carriage ! According tc
report, he was originally a journeyman breeches-maker, and af-
terwards settled as a master tailor at Brentford.
260 T Y B
ill one day, and of making the whole, if required, into a single
sheet of paper f Indeed, the writer of this article, who feels much
indebted to the politeness shown him by Mr. Fourdrinier, has
seen a single sheet of paper seven hundred and fifty yards in
length, witiiout one pin-lole or break in the whole, and of a tex-
ture resembling in fineness the spider's web. This invention,
which originated in France, was brought into this country by
Mr. Didot*, and purcliased bv Messrs. Fourdrinier, who have
not only obtained a patent for the same, but an extension of that
patGrit, sanctioned by the legislature. After having, however,
bestowed the just tribute of our applausp on the invention, and
the gentlemen who had tiie spirit to embark in so expensive an
undertaking, we cannot conclude without observing, that to the
skill of Mr. Donkin, one of onr own countrymen, the greatest
excellences in this fine piece of mechanism are chiefly indebted.
TWYFORD, Middlesex, two miles and three quarters N. N.
W. from Acton, is situated on the Paddingtou Canal, two miles
beyond the Mitre, and is remarkable for containing only one
house, and for all the land being in the possession of one owner^
Mr. AVillan. He has lately pulled down the old mansion and
erected a new one, in imitation of the modcim Gothic, and a bad
imitation it is. The castellated appearance of tlie unfinished pa-
lace at Kew, we imagine, suggested the idea; we wish he had
followed his model closer. It appears to most advantage on the
beautiful hill we have described at JVillsdon, and is in the same
point of sight with IVindsor Castle. The church is lonely and
obscure : in the church-vard.
Blooming on the peasant's grave
Flowers in wild luxur'iance u-ave.'
TYBURN, anciently a village, west of Lgndon, on the rivulet
Tybourn, whence it took its name. It is situated in the parish of
Paddington. Here the city had nine ancient conduits. Close
to Tybourn Bridge stood the mayor's banquetting house, to
which his lordship used to repair, with the aldcrmin and their
ladies, in v/aggons, to view tlie conduits ; after which they had an
entertainnient at the Banquetting House. This edifice was taken
down in 1737. Tyburn was, till 1783, the place ot execution
for Loudon and Middlesex, where numberless poor wretches
iiave been sacrificed to the justice of their country !
* This gentleman manufactured all the paper for the assignats
during the whole of the Revolution, and became so indispensable a
persouage to all the various republican rulers, that, like Perrigaux,
the bauker, he bid defiance to the guillotine. By the communica-
tion of this discovery he probably may have endangered his life ;
as he is now settled in England, and has lately iuvented a method
of casting printing types by machiijtry.
V A U 261
V.
VALENTINE HOUSE, the seat of Charles Wclstead, Esq,
is situated at Ilford, in Essex. In a hothouse, here, is a
vine, so almost incredibly productive, as to have given rise to the
following account in Mr. Gilpin's Reflections on Forest Scenery :
" This vine was planted, a cutting, in 1758, of the black Ham-
burgh sort ; and as this species will not easily bear the open air,
it was planted in the hothonsi^ ; though without any preparation
of soil, which in those grounds is a stift' loam, or rather clay.
The hothouse is seventy feet in the front; and tlie vine, which is
not pruned in the common way, extends two hundred feet, part
of it running along the south wall on the outside of the hothouse..
In the conunon mode of pruning, this species of vine is no great
bearer; but managed as it is, it produces wonderfully. Sir
Charles Raymond, on the death of his lady, in 1781, left Valen«
tine House, at which time the gardener had the profits of the
vine. It annually produced about four hundred weight of grapes 3
which used formerly (when the hothouse, I suppose, was kept
warmer) to ripen in March ; though lately they have not ripened
till June, when they sell at 4iS. a pound, which produces about
80 Z. This account I had from Mr. Eden himself, the gardener,
who planted the vine. With regard to the profits of it, I think it
probable, from the accounts I have had from other hands, that
when the grapes ripened earlier, they produced much more than
80 1. A gentleman of character informed me, that he had it from
Sir Charles Raymond himself, that, after supplying his own table,
he made 120/. a year of the grapes; and the same gentleman,
who was curious, inquired of the fruit-dealers, who told him, that
in some years, they supposed the profits liave not amounted to
less than 300/. This does not contradict Mr. Eden's account,
who said, that the utmost he ever made of it (that is, I suppose
when the grapes sold for 4s. per pound in June) was 84/. Tiie
stem of this vine was, in 1789, thirteen inches in circumfe-
rence *."
VAUXHALL, one of the six precincts of the parish of Lam-
beth. Tiiere is a tradition that Guy Faukes resided in the ma-
nor-house of Vauxhall or Fauxhall, the site of which is now oc-
cupied by Marble Hall and the Cumberland tea gardens; but
there appears no ground for this tradition, except the coinci-
^ Since the former part of this Work was printed, we have been
favoured with the following account of a very singular vine in one
of his Majesty's hothouses at Hamptou Court; the vine niea:^ures
seventeen inches in circumference, and has now (September,
1810) hanging on its branches two thousand two hundred and
thirty-two bunches of grapes, each bunch averaging one pound !
*262 VAUXHALL GARDENS.
dence of names. Hore is an ahnsliouse for seven poor women,
founded in i6\2, by Sir Noel Carron, wtio was }'.inl)>ts8;idor from
Holland to this country. Over tiie ^ate is a Latin inscription,
importing that it was founded in the thirty- second year of his
embassy, "as an insiirnificant monument of what he owed to the
jrlory of God, in gratitude to the nation, and in munificence to
the poor." Tlie j)resent income of these houses is 28/. per
annum, payable out of Caron Park, the villa of Charles Blake,
Esq. (exclusive of a legacy of 1100/. bequeathed to the alms-
people, in 17/3, by the Dowaj^er Countess Gower. These wo-
men must be paii.sluoners of Lambetli, and upward of sixty years
old. They are allowed to get an addition to their income by the
exertions of industry. On the right-hand of tiie road to Wands-
worth is a fine spring, called Vauxhall Well ; which, in the
kardest winter, is never known to freeze. See Lambeth South.
One mile from Vauxhall turnpike, on the Wandsworth road, is
Souihville. These miniature attempts at Cockney villas are very
taity :
A pretty daz'ied laivn before each door,
A circle of three feel, not one inch more ;
Two yello:v seniinels of broad sun-flow'r, ^
To guard a lattice, f fring'd with virgin's bow'r.
So have we seen, upon a linnet's cage,
(The shy and flutt'ring warbler to assuage)
The chick-xeed a.nd the orro?indsel th\ck\y spread,
To form a shady cov'ring o'er its head. A.
VAUXHALL GARDENS, the most celebrated public gar-
dens in Europe, situate near the Thames, in the parish of Lam-
beth. The time when tliis enchanting place was first opened
for the entertainment of the public is not easy to be ascertained.
In the reign of Queen Anne it appears to have been a place of
great public resort; for in the Spectator, No. 383, dated May 20,
171'2, Mr. Addison has introduced his favourite character, Sir
Roger de Coverley, as accompanying him in a voyatre from the
Temple Stairs to Vauxhall. Long after, we find in the Connois-
seur, No. 68, a very humorous description of the behaviour of
an old citizen, who, notwithstanding his penurious disposition,
had treated his fami'y here vvith a handsome supper. The gar-
dens appear to have been oiiginally planted witli tr*»es, and laid
out into walks for the pleasure of a private gentleman *. Mr. Jo-
nathan Tyers having taken a lease of the premises in 1730, opened
Vauxhall (then called Spring Gardens) with an advertisement
*• Clematis,
f Veranda, we know, is the Jashiorrahle term.
X Sir Samuel Morland, Knt., who displayed in his hous* and gar-
dens many whimsical proofs of his skill in mechanics.
VAUXHALL GARDENS. 263
ot a Ridotto al Fresco. The novelty of this term attracted great
numbers ; and Mr. Tyers was so successful in occasional repeti-
tions of the same entertainments as to be induced to open the
gardens every evening during the summer. To this end, he was
at a great expense in decorating the gardens Vr ith paintings, in
which he was assisted by the humorous pencil of Hogarth. He
likewise erected an orchestra, engaged a band of music, and
placed a fine statue of Handel, by Roubiliac, in a conspicuous
part of the gardens.
The season commences on the 4th of June (the King's birth-
day) and continues to the end of August. But the gardens are
open only three nights in a week, Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays. — The admission is three shillings and sixpence. ,
On entering the great gate, to which you are conducted by a
short avenue from the road, the first scene that salutes the eye is
a noble gravel-walk, nine hundred feet long, planted on each side
with a row of stately elms, which form a fine vista, terminated
by the representation of a temple, in which is a transparency, em-
blematic of gratitude to the public.
Advancing a few steps, we behold, to the right, a quadrangle,
called The Grcve. In the centre is a magnificent Gothic or-
ciiestra, ornamented with carvings, niches, ice. The ornaments
are plastic, a composition something like plaster of Paris, but
known only to the ingenious architect who designed this beautiful
object. In fine weather the musical entertainments are per-
lonned here by a band of vocal and instrumental performers. At
the upper extremity of this orchestra is a fine organ ; and, at the
foot of it, are the seats and desks for the musicians, placed in a
semicircular form, leaving a vacancy at the front for the vocal
performers. The concert is opened with instrumental music at
eight o'clock, after which the company are entertained with a
song; and in this manner other songs are performed, with con-
certos between each, till the close of the entertainment, which is
at eleven.
In the front of a large timber building, which you approach
from tiie middle of the great room, is a painted landscape, called
The Day Scene. At the end of the first act this is drawn up, to
exhibit an artificial cascade, with a very natural representation
of a water-mill, and a bridge, with a mail coach, a Greenwich
long stage, &c. In ten minutes it is down again, and the com-
pany return to hear the remaining part of the concert. A glee
and catch, in three or four parts, are performed in the middle
and at the end of the musical bill of fare, which always consists
of sixteen pieces.
In the glove, fronting the orchestra, tables and benches are
placed for the company, and still further from the orchestra, is a
pavilion of the Compo:iite order, built for the late Prince of
M^ales. The as,ccnt is by a double flight of steps. Behind it is
t64 VAUXHALL GARDENS.
a drawing-room ; to which is an eutiance, from the outside of
the gardens, for the admittance of any of the royal family. It
has lately been much improved, and ornamented with histres of
uncommon briUiancy. Several thousand variegated lamps have
also beien added to the colonnade?, pavilions, &:c. in other parts
of the garden, all disposed w ith the utmost taste and elegance.
In cold or rainy weather the musical performance is in tlie
rotunda, now fitted up as a Persian pavilion. This is seventy feet
in diameter, and nearly opposite the grand orchestra. Along the
front, next the grove, is a colonnade, formed by a range of pil-
lars, under which is the entrance from the grove. Within this
room is the little orchestra. In the centre of the rotunda hangs
a glass chandelier. The roof is a dome, slated on the outside.
It is so contrived, that sounds never vibrate under it ; and thus
the music is heard to the greatest advantage. It is now made
to represent a magnificent tent, the roof of which is of blue and
yellow silk in alternate stripes ; it seems to be supported by
twenty pillars, representiug Roman fasces gilt, and bound toge-
ther by deep rose coloured ribbons, with military trophies in tlie
intervals. The sides of the tent being drawn up, and hanging in
the form of festoons, the rotunda has the beautiful appearance of
a flower-garden ; the upper part being painted all round like a
sky, and the low^er part, above the seats, with shrubs, flowers,
and other rural decorations. At the extremity of this rotunda,
opposite the orchestra, is a saloon, the entrance of w!)ich is formed
by columns of the Ionic order, painted in imitation of scagliola.
In the roof, which is arched and elliptic, are two little cupolas in
a peculiar state ; and from the centre of each descends a large
glass chandelier. Adjoinmg to the walls are ten three-quarter
columns for the support of the roof: they are of the Ionic order,
painted in imitation of scagliola. Between these columns are
four pictures, in magnificent gilt frames, by the masterly pencil
of Mr. Hay man.
The first represents the surrender of Montreal, in Canada, to
General Amherst. On a stone, at one corner of the picture, is
this inscription :
" Pozver exerted, Corjguest ohtaincd, Mercy shozvn !" 17^0.
The second represents Britannia, holding a medallion of his pre-
sent Majesty, and sitting on tlie right-hand of Neptune, in his
chftriot drawn by sea horses. In the back-ground is the defeat
of the Frencli fleet by Sir Edward Hawke, in 1759. Round the
chariot of Neptune are attendant sra nymphs, holding medallions
of the most distinguished admirals in that glorious war. For tlrat
of Lord Hawke iiis Lordship sat to the painter. The third le-
presents Lord Clive receiving the homage of the Nabob of Ben-
gal. The fourth represents Britannia distributing laiuels to the
principal officers who served in that warj as the Marquis of
VAUXHALL GARDENS. 265
Granhj', the Earl of Albemarle,- General Townsliend, Colonels
Monckton, Coote, &c.
Tlie entrance into this saloon, from the gardens, is through a
Gothic portal, on each 5^ide of which, on tlie inside, are the pic-
tures of their Majesties, in their coronation robes.
A few years ago, a new room, one hundred feet by forty, was
added to the rotunda. It is now opened as a supper-room. In
a recess, at the end of it, is the beautiful marble statue of Han-
del, formerly iii the open gardens. He is represented, like Or-
pheus, playing on the lyre. This was the tirst display of the
wonderful abilities of Roubiiiac. Although not so larji^e as the
life, it is very like the original, and the excellence of the sculp-
ture exhibits a model of perfection, both in the design and exe-
cution.
The grov? is bounded by gravel-walks, and a number of pavi-
lions, ornamented with paintings designed by Haynian and Ho-
garth ; and each pavilion has a table that will hold six or eight
persons. To give a list of the paintings in these pavilions, we
must begin with our entrance into the garden. The first is on
the left iiand, under a Gothic piazza and colonnade, formed by a
range of pillars, which stretch along the front of the great room.
It represents two Mahometans gazing in astonishment at the
beauties of the place ; 2. A shepherd playing on his pipe, and de-
coying a shepherdess into a wood; 3. New River Head, at Is-
linu'ton ; 4. Quadrille, and the tea-equipage ; 5. Music and sing-
ing ; 6. Building houses with cards ; 7. A scene in the Mock
Doctor ; 8. An Archer; 9. Dances round the Maypole ; 10. Thread
my needle; 11. Flying the kite; 1'2. Pamela revealing to Mr.
B.'s l.cusekeeper her wishes to return home; 13. A scene in the
Devil to Pay ; 14. Shuttlecock ; 15. Hunting the whistle ; 16. Pa-
mela flying Vrom Lady Davers ; 17. A scene in the Merry Wives
of Windsor ; 18. A sea engagement between the Spaniards and
Moors.
Tlie pavilions continue in a sweep which leads to a beautiful
piazza and a colonnade five himdred feet in length, in the form of
a semicircle, of Gothic architecture, embellislied Avlth rays. In
this semicircle of pavilions are three large ones, called temples ;
one in tlie middle, and the other at each end, adorned with a
dome; but the two latter are now converted into portals, (one
as an entrance into the great room, and the other as a passage to
view the cascade) which are directly opposite to each other ;
the middle temple, however, is still a place for the reception of
company, and is painted, in the Chinese taste, by Risquet, with
the story of Vulcan catching Mars and Venus in a net. On each
side of this temple the attjoining pavilion is decorated with a
painting; that on the riglit represents the entrance into Vaux-
liall ; and that on the left. Friendship on the grass drinking. The
paintings in the other pavilion? of this iwecp are landscapes.
j\ A
1.66 VAUXHALL GARDENS.
Having traversed this semicircle, we come to a sweep of pa-
vilions that lead into the great waik : the last of these is a paint-
ing of Black-eyed Susan returning to shore.
Coming back to the grove, wliere we shall find the remainder
of the boxes and paintings better than those heretofore seen, and
beginning at the east end, which is behind the orchestra, and
opposite the semicircle above mentioned, the pavihons are de-
corated with the following pieces: 1. Difficult to please; 2.
Sliding on the ice; 3. Bagpipes and hautboys; 4. A bonfire at
Charing Cross, the Salisbury stage overturned, 6ic.; 5. Blind-
man's buff; 6. Leap frog; 7. The Wapping landlady, and the
Tars just come ashore; 8. Skittles.
Proceeding forward we see another range of pavilions, in a
different style, adorned with paintings, and formhig another side
of the quadrangle. These are, 1. The taking of Porto Bello; 2.
Mademoiselle Catherine, the dwarf; 3. Ladies angling ; 4.
Bird-nesting; 5. The play at bob-cherry; 6. Falstaff's cow-
ardice detected ; 7. The bad family ; 8. The good family ; 9.
The taking of a Spanish register-ship, in 1742.
Near is a semicircle of pavilions, with a temple and dome at
each end.
The remainder of the paintings in this range are, 1. Bird-
catching ; 2. See-saw ; 3. Fairies dancing by moonlight ; 4. The
milk maid's garland ; 5. The kiss stolen.
Here ends the boundary of tiie grove on this side; but, turn-
ing on the left, we come to a walk that runs along the bottom of
the gardens ; on each side of this walk are pavilions, and those
on the left hand are decorated with the following paintings :
1. A prince and princess in a traineau; 2. Hot cockles; 3. A
gipsy telling fortunes by coffee-cups ; 4. A Christmas gambol ;
3. Cricket.
On tile opposite side is a row of pavilions ; and at the ex-
tremity of this walk is another entrance into the gardens imme-
diately from the great road. At the other end of the walk, ad-
joining to the Prince's pavilion, is a semicircle of pavilions orna-
mented with three Gothic temples.
From tlie npper end of this walk, where we concluded the list
of the paintings, is a narrow vista that runs to the top of the
gardens: this is called tlie Druid's or Lover's Walk: on both
sides of it are rows of lofty trees, which, meeting at the top,
and interchanging their boughs, form a fine verdant canopy.
The anti loom runs across one part of this walk.
Retui ni:ig to the spot where once stood the statue of Handel,
we may, by looking up the garden, behold a noble vista, which
is called the grand south walk, of the same size as tbat seen at
our first entrance, and parallel with it. It is terminated by a
Gothic temple, which is opened on gala nigiits, and exhibits four
illuminated vertical columns, m motion, and, in the centre, an
^ VAUXHALL GARDENS. 1^6/
artificial fountain ; all which is effected by very ingenious ma-
chinery.
In the centre of the cross gravel walk is a tempiP, the largest
of the kind in Ensiland, built in 1786, by Mr. Smith of Knights-
bridge, and brought here in three pieces only, though the dia-
metar is 44 feet, and the dome is supported by eight lofty pillars.
On the right this walk is terminated by a fine statue of Apollo;
and, at the extremity on the left, is a painting of a stone quarry
in the vicinity of Bristol.
From our situation to view this painting is another gravel walk
that leads up the gardens, formed on --the right side by a wilder-
ness, and on the left by rural downs, as they are termed, in the
form of a long square, fenced by a net, with little eminences in
it after the manner of a Roman camp. There are likewise
several bushes, from under which, a few years ago, subterra-
neous musical sounds were heard, called by some tlie fairy
music ; which put many people in mind of the vocal forest, or
that imaginary being called the genius of the wood ; but the
damp of the earth being found prejudicial to the instrp.ujents,
this romantic entertainment ceased. The downs are covered
with turf, and interspersed with cypress, fir, yew, cedar, and
tulip troes. On one of the eminences is a statue of Miltoi), cast
in lead by Koubiliac, but painted of a stone colour. He iii
seated on a rock, listening to the subterraneous harmony —
Sweet rnusic breathe
Above, around, or underneath,
Sent by some spirits to mortals good
Or th' unseen genius of the wood ! // Penseroso,
Most of the walks form the boundaries of wildernesses com-
posed of trees which shoot to a great height, and are all inclosed
by a rude, but suitable fence, somewhat in the Chinese taste
A few years ago, a colonnade, which forms a square, was
erected in the walks round the orchestra. It cost 2000Z. the
expence of which was defrayed by a Ridotto al Fresco. The
roof, <!vrc. are richly illuminated. It has lately been much
widened.
In a dark night the illuminations are very beautiful, and cannot
fail to please every susceptible spectator j but in a moonlight
night there is something which so strongly affects the imagina-
tion, that any one who has read the Arabian Nights' Entertain-
ment can hardly fail to recollect the magic representations in
that book.
When the concert is finished in the orchestra, a grand display
of fireworks is exhibited. The company afterwards retire to sup-
per in the pavilions, and to induce them to sit the longer, a
party of pandeans and the Duke of York's band, contribute al-
A A 2
?68 VET
teniately by their musical perlorrnances, to enliven and liar*
monize the scene.
More than ll,00(^ persons have been assembled in these gar-
dens at onca: and of these, not lets than 7000 were accommo-
dated with proxisions and rei'reshments.
Beside the covered walks, ail paved with composition, almost
all the pavihons have colonnades in front, seven feet broad, which
effectually shelter tliem from rain; and there is a handsome
waiting room, 30 feet by 20, near the coach entrance into the
gardens.
Description is inadequate to give a just idea of the improved
splendour of these gardens. They are under the direction and
management of Mr. Barrett, son of the late respected Bryant
Barrett, Esq. who married the grand-daughter of the original
proprietor, Mr. Jonathan Tyers. There is but one indecorum
to complain of in the management of this delightful region of
elegant amusement ! and that is, permitting ladies of a certain
description to become dancers ! This otfensive custom has
some time since been complained of by one of the authors of the
anti jacobin poetry. The lines are addiessed to tiie Genius of
the Gardens, whom he calls Nonsexsia! We insert them from
recollection only, and therefore may not be quite correct, or do
.strict justice to the versification.
Stay your rude steps ! — superb Novsensia comes !
Clang your loud cymbals, beat your double drums ;
Pandka.vs writhe your ever-twisting necks,
And pipe like boatswains, on the well-mann'd decks;
Gay Sylphs, from Berwick and from Wardour-street,
Join the late dance, and point your tinsel feet;
Your sportive limbs with pliant ease expand.
Unveil your charms, and tempt the ready hand;
Eefore Nonsensia, wanton gambois play.
And heep her company, till break of day !
To' HLR — the waxen bghis and lamps belong —
The Garden's Qceev ! the Pairuness of Song ! A.
VERULAM, a once celebrated town, situate close by St.
Albans. In the time of Nero it was a mioikipium, or town, the
inhabitants of which enjoyed the privileges of Roman citizens.
After the departure of the Romans, it was entirely ruined by
the wars between the Britons and the Saxons ; and nothing re-
mains of ancient Verulam but the ruins of walls, tessellated pave-
ments, and Roman coins, which are sometimes dug up. The
site of it has been long converted into corn-fields. Seges est ubi
Trojafuit. Com now grows where Troy once stood !
VETERINARY COLLEGE, an excellent institution, esta-
blished in 1791, under tlie auspices of persons of the first rank
U F M 269
and fortune, at Camden Town, in the parish of Paucras. The
design is principally to promote a reformation in that particular
branch of veterinary science, called Farriery; and to rescue the
management and cure of disorders incident to horses, and fre-
quently the lives of those truly valuable animals, from the hands
of the unskilful and illiterate. It is calculated also to render
that a respectable profession, which had hitlierto been con-
sidered as beneath the study and attention of men of liberal
education.
The Duke of Northumberland was the first President of the
College. There are 11 Vice Presidents, 24 Directors, a Trea-
surer, Professor, Secretary, and Collector. The President,
Vice Presidents, and ten of the Directors, the Treasurer, and
Collector, are chosen annually, by ballot. The entire manage-
ment of the College is in the Council, which consists of the Pre-
sident, Vice Presidents, and Directors : subject to the controul
of four quarterly general meetings of the subscribers. A house
in the road to Highgate serves, at present, for a temporary
college.
A school for the instruction of Pupils in the Veterinary Sci-
ence is under the direction of the Professor j and diseased horses
of any description are admitted, upou certain terms, into the
infirmary. Two guineas is a qualification for an annual member,
and a subscription of '20 guineas constitutes a perpetual member.
The theatre and stabling are already erected; and such is
thousrht to be the importance of this institution, that the assist-
ance of Parliament has been annually applied for and obtained.
UNDERCOMBE, near Dorupy, Bucks, three miles S. E,
from Maidenhead, the pleasant s"at of Tliomas Eyre, Esq. is
now the residence of Sir William Young. Adjoining to it is the
ancient abbej' of Burnham.
UPMINSTER, a village in Essex, 15 miles E. S. E. from
London, in the road to Tilbury Fort ; was called Upminster,
from its lofty situation. Dr. Derhair;, author of two excellent
works, Astro-Theology, and Physico-Theology, was Rector
here from 1689 to 1735. In this parish is a spring, which he
mentions in tlie latter work, as a proof that springs have their
origin from the sea, and not from rains and vapours. This
spring, in the greatest droughts, was little, if at all diminished,
after an observation of above 20 years, although the ponds all
over the country, and an adjoining brook, had been dry for
many months.
Upminster Hall, the ancient seat of Mr. Branfil, was granted
by King Harold to the Abbey of V/althani Holy Cross, and was
the hunting-seat of the Abbots. Tlje house is supposed to have
been erected in the reign of Henry VI., and to be tlie same
AA3
270 W A L
house that was kihabitetl by some of the Abbots. The situation
is beautiful, the grounds beiug well wooded, and falling in a fine
slope from the house, the back front of which commands a de-
lightful view of Laitidon Hills, and of the high hills of Kent.
Here Mr. Esdaile has a beautiful seat, called New Place, near
which are Cranham Hall, the scat of Lord Callan, and the
neat and hospitable cottage of Harry Hale, Esq.
UXBRIDGE, a market- town in Middlesex, 15 miles W*
from London, in the road to Oxford, is situated on the river
Coin and Grand Junction Canal, over each of which it has a
bridge. The houses, which are in general well built, are chiefly
disposed in one long street, near the centre of which is a large
newly-erected market-house. The greater part of the town is
only a hamlet of Hillingdon, which continues unpaved, whilst
the remainder of it is both paved and lighted. The chapel is a
good building, erected in the reign of Henry VI. and lately thc-
ronghly repaired. This town, which is governed by two bailiffs,
two constables, and four head boroughs, is principally noted for its
very great corn market, and for its opulent mealmen, who are
chiefly qiiakers, and are supposed to influence the prices of corn
in the London market : on the river are many powerful flour-
mills, and a vast deal of malt is made in the neighbourhood.
During the summer season, a passage-boat constantly plies to
and from London, which is highly advantageous to the inha-
bitants. Near the Grand Junction Canal is an ancient building
called [the treaiy-house, from having been the place where the
commissioners of Charles I. and the Parliament met in 1664;
and in the vicinity are the remains of a camp, attributed to the
Britons. Market, Thursday. Near Uxbridge is Delaford Parky
the residence of Charles Clowes, Esq. It was formerly the
much-admired seat of the late Sir William Young, Bart, and its
grounds aie ornamented with water and wood, a branch of the
river Coin running through the whole estate. The house is
situated in the centre of the estate, to which large additions
have been made by the present owner, particularly an elevation
designed by Mr. Lewis, of Powis Place, which is eminently
entitled to attention.
W.
WALHAM GREEN, a village of Middlesex, in the parish
of Fulham ; three miles S. W. from London. Here is a
curious garden planted since the year 1756, by John Orde, Esq.
and within that space, has produced trees, which are now the
tinest of their respective kinds in the kingdom; particularly,
the Sophwa Japonica, planted in 1756, now eight feet in girth,
WAL 271
and 40 high ; a standard Gingko-tree, planted id 1767, two feet
three inches in girth ; and an IHinois walnut, sown in 1760, two
feet two inches in girth. Among other trees also remarkable
for their growth, though not the largest of their kind, are a black
walnut-tree, sown in 1757, about 40 feet high, and live feet
four inches in girth ; a cedar of Libanus, planted in 1756, eij;lit
feet eight inches in girth; a willow-leaved oak, sown in 1757,
four feet in girth ; the Rims VerniXy or varnish sumach, four
feet in girth : and a stone pine, of very singular growth. The
girth of this last, at one foot from the ground, is six feet tour
inches; at that height it immediately begins to branch out, and
spreads at least 21 feet on each side.
WALLINGTON, a hamlet to Beddington, in Surry, situate
on the banks of the Wandle. It is more populous than the vil-
lage to which it is a hamlet. Heie is a considerable callico-
printing manufactory. In a field, near the road, is an ancient
chapel, built of flint and stone, now used as a cart-house and
stable. Its origin cannot be traced The present proprietor
would have pulled it down, but was dissuaded from his intention
by the neighbouring parishioners.
WALTHAM ABBEY, or WALTHAM HOLY CROSS, is
a large irregular town, situated on low ground near the river
Lea, which here forms a number of small islands, and is skirted
by fruitful meadows, which have been long famed for the succu-
lent and nourishing qualities of the grass. This spot was origi-
nally a part of the forest of Essex, and derired the appellation
of Walthara from the Saxon words Hmrij a place, or hamlet ;
and Weald, w^oody ; the whole site being anciently overgrown
with trees. The addition of Holy Cross arose from a certain mira-
culous cross to which the abbey, founded here by Earl Harold, af-
terwards King, was dedicated.
The principal street of the town runs east and west, being
formed by the road from Epping to Hertford ; but it assumes an
irregularity of appearance, tinough several of the houses being
constructed with timber and plaster, and intermixed with mo-
dern brick buildings ; witiiin a few years, it has, however, been
very much improved with regard to cleanliness and convenience,
and is extremely full of inhabitants, owing to the various manu-
factures carried on here ; most of which receive peculiar ad-
vantages from the copious streams of pure water with which it is
so abundantly supplied. The church, which is formed by the west
end of the ancient abbey, is a venerable relic, and although
much disfigured and mutilated, contains several interesting and
curious specimens of the ornamented columns, semicircular
arches, and other characteristics of the Norman style of archi-
tecture. The inhabitants derive employment from the manii-
ir-i WALTHAM ABBEY.
factuve of flour *, printed linens, pins f , and gunpowder. Thft
mills for the latter purpose, are situated on one of the branches
of the Lea near the town, and aie now in the occupation of go-
vernment: these have been rebuilt since 1801, when consider-
able daniaae was done by the blowing up of the corning-house.
By the navigation of the Lea, (whose various streams in this
neighhonrhood are supposed to flow in the same channels made
by Alfred the Great, to divert the current when he drew off the
water, and left the Danish fleet on shore,) the inhabitants enjoy an
easy communication with the Metropolis. The only charity is a
school, holden in that part of the abbey dedicated as a chapel to
Our Lady, and having under it a beautiful arched ciiarnel-house or
crypt. In ancient times this place was particularly celebrated for its
opulent abbey, which was founded by Earl Harold as a monas-
tery, *' in tlie place v.'here was a little cenvent erected by Tovy or
Tovius, standard-bearer to Canute tiie Great," but changed by
Henry II. into an abbot and regulars, in 1177. Henry III, not
only augmented the privileges of Waltham Abbey, but also be-
stowed on it many rich gifts; and from his time it became so
distinguished by a series of royal and noble benefactors, as to
rank with the most opulent in the kingdom This monarch, to
avoid the expenses of a court, frequently made the abbey his
place of residence ; and to provide, in some measure, for the
increased consumption his presence and retinue occasioned, he
granted to the inhabitants of Waltham, the privilege, of holding
a market weekly, and a seven days' fair annually. The Abbey
Church, which was built in tlie usual form of a cross, and con-
sisted of a nave, transept, choir, ante chapel, &:c. was a very
considerable structure, and covered an extensive plot of ground.
Here were interred, Harold ; his two brothers, Girth and
Leofwin; Hugh N evil, Protho-forester of England; John Nevil,
his son; Robert Passelew, a creature of Henry III.; Sir Ed-
ward Denny, and a great number of other persons of rank and
fortune. Harold's tomb was situated at the east end of the
church, at the distance of about forty yards from tlie termina-
tion of what forms the present structure : it was plain, but of
rich grey marble; and had on it a sort of cross fleury, "■ much
descanted on by art," and was supported by pillaret?, one pe-
destal, of which Fuller mentions to have been in his possession
at the time of writing his history. The epitaph is said to have
* The corn-mill, behind the Cock Inn, probably occupies the
same site as the one bestowed on the abbey by Queen Maud, nt
the commencement of the 12th century.
f Sixteen thousand of these diminutiye articles, are pointed by
ft single boy in the space of one hour ! EUis^s Campagna.
WALTHAM ABBEY. 273
been only these two expressive words, Harold infeUx^; but
Weaver gives half a dozen lines of barbarous Latiu, whjrh are
probably jrenuine, as they are preserved in a very ancient manu-
script once belonging totheabbeyt. In the reign of Queen
Elizabeth, a gardener belonging to Sir Edward Denny, disco-
vered in digging a large stone coffin, wliicli, from the spot where
it lay, was supposed to contain the royal corpse : the remains,
on being touched, mouldered into dust. A second coffin within
these few years has been found near the same place, containing
an entire skeleton enclosed in lead, which conjecture has iden-
tified as one of his brothers.
This abbey having existed during the government of 27 abbots,
was dissolved in 1539: its annual revenues then amounted, ac-
cording to Speed, to 1079^ 125. Id. The last abbot, Robert
Fuller, may be reckoned among the literati belonging to this
monastery. The site was granted for 31 years, to Sir Anthony
Denny, who dying about the second year of Edward VI. his
widow bought the reversion in fee from that monarch, for some-
what more than 3000Z. Sir Edward Denny, grandchild to Sir
Anthony, created Earl of Norwich by Charles I. was the next
possessor; from him it passed by the marriage of his daughter,
to the celebrated James Hay, Earl of Carlisle: it has since
come into the family of Sir William Wake, Bart. The abbey
house is said to have been a very extensive building, but has
been wholly demolished for many years. Another large man-
sion erected in its place, was, in the year 1770, sold to James
Barwick, Esq, who soon afterwards had it pulled down, and
let the site and surrounding grounds to a gardener : within them
is a tulip tree, much celebrated, and reported to be the largest
* The unfortunate Harold offered up his vows and prayers for
victory in Waltham Church, previous to his engagement with tlie
Norman invader; in wliich, by the shot of an arrow througli the
left eye into his brain, be was slain, on Saturday the l4thof Oct.
1066, having reignexl nine months and a few days. His body, by
the mediation of his mother Gilha, and two religions men of this
abbey, called Oregod and Wi/ric, being obtained of the Conqueror,
(.vho for some time denied it burial, affirming that it was not (it
for him whose ambition had caused so many funerals,) was, with
the bodies of his two brothers. Girth and Leofzvhi, slain at the same
time, brought hither, attended by a small dejected remainder of
the English nobility, and with great lamentation solemnly in-
terred.
Harold's two brothers lost their lives fighting manfully under his
banner, *' whiche wasbrondet (saith Robert of Gloucester) wythe
fygur of a man fyghting, besit al aboute wythe gold and precrose
stones; whiclie baner aftur the bataile Due William sent to the
Pope in token of the victorie." JViever, p. 643.
t Har. MSS. 3776.
$74 WALTHAM CROSS.
in Eniijland. A gateway into the abbey-yard, a bridge wiiich
leads to it, some ruinous walls, an arched vault, and the cliurch,
are the only vestiges of the ancient niagniticence of Waltham
Abbey ! The former of these remains are of a much later style
of architecture than the church. Adjoining to the gateway is
the porter'slodge, and a piece of ground called Romeland, from
having been in former times appropriated to the use of the Holy
See. On this spot Henry VIII. is reported to have had a small
house, to wliirh, in his visits to Waltham, he frequently retired
for his private pleasures*; as maybe inferred from Fuller, who
says, '* Walthaurbells told no tales when the King came there."
WALTHAM CROSS, or WEST WALTHAM, a village in
Hertfordshire, is situated one mile and a half W. from Waltham
Abbey, on tiie high north road; consisting of a single well built
street, disposed on each side of the road. It derives its name
from one of those elegant stone crosses, which the pious affec-
tion of Edward 1. occasioned bim to erect in memory of his be-
loved and faitiiful consort, Queen Eleanor, who died at Harde-
ley, near Grantham, in Lincolnshire, in 1291. Her body was
brought to London and deposited in Westminster Abbey ; and
at each of the places where it had been rested during this re-
moval, viz. Lincoln, Grantham, Stamford, Geddington, North-
ampton, Stony Stratford, Dunstable, Sf. Alban's, West Walt-
ham, and Charing, (then a village near London), Edward after-
* The King, who had taken this place in his way, when he
commenced a journey to dissipate the chagrin arising from the ob-
structions to his divorce from Queen Catharine ; was accompanied
by Stephen rjardiuer, his secretary of state, and Kichard Fox, his
almoner. These prelates spent the evening at the house of a
Mr. Cressy, to whose son Dr. Cranmer was preceptor 5 and as the
divorce became the subject of conversation, Cranmer observed,
that the readiest way, either to quiet the King's conscience, or to
extort the Pope's consent, would be to consult the universities of
Europe on this controverted pojut. If they approved of the mar-
riage of Catharine, his remorses would naturally cease; if they
condemned it, the Pope would find it difficult to resist the solici-
tations of so great a monarch, seconded by the opinion of all the
learned men in Christendom. When the King was informed of
this proposal, he was delighted aith it; and with more alacrity
than delicaey, swore ** that Cranmer had got the r ght sow by the
«ar " He sent for the divine, adopted his opinion, and enter-
tained so high an opinion of him, as afterwards to raise him to the
archiepiscopal see of Canterbury. Thus, from this accidental
meeting, resulted a train of consequences highly interesting to
that age, as well as to succeeding times; as from it, proceeded
one of the principal circumstances which led to the Reforma-
tion.
W A L 275
wards ordered a cross to be erected ; of which only those at
GeUdiiii>ton, Northampton, and Walthani now remain. This
cross was a beautiful structure, surrounded by several effigies,
with the arms of England, Castile, Leon, Poitou, &c. which
are now greatly defaced. It is situated near the entrance into
the parish of cheshuut. In 1795 preparations were made for
taking down this cross, in order to remove it into the grounds of
Sir William George Prescott, Bart. Lord of the Manor, for its
better preservation ; but, after removing the upper tier of stone,
finding it too hazardous an undertakintr, on account of the de-
cayed state of the ornamental parts, the scaffold was removed;
and proper measures were taken to repair this ancient memorial
of conjugal affection.
WALTHAMSTOW, a village in Essex, five miles N.N.E.
from London, is a large and populous village, including the
hamlets of Chapel-end, Clay street, Hale end, Hoo-street,
Marsh street, and Wood-strpet, and abounds with the villas of
opulent merchauts and tradesmen. The diurch is a spacious
structure, and has recently be* n thoroughly repaired. The cha-
rities consist of a fiee-school, thirteen almshouses for poor
men and women, and eiglit almshouses for widows, erected
within these few years, and superintended by Lady Wigram and
the Rev. William Sparrow. Amongst the villas more particu-
larly deserving notice, are those of Sir Charles Pole, Bart,
built by the late John Eyres, Esq. <',!erk to Christ's Hospital
during the long period of 35 years ; Highham Hall, late the pro-
perty of Governor Hornby, but now of Mr. Harman, who has
employed Mr. Kepton in laying out the grounds, which are most
tastefully disposed, and do great credit to the abiUties of that
elegant landscape gardener ; the seat of Sir Robert Wigram,
Ba«t. a large but inelegant structure*; and Belle-Vue, anew
house, lately erected on an estate called Heathcroft-Grove. It
i.s tlie property of, and was bisilt by, Charles Cooke, Esq. from
designs by Mr. Edward Gitford, architect, who has displayed
mudi taste and judgment in tlje elevation of the two fronts, and
in the simplicity and compactness of the interior arrangement.
It stands on the western side of a hill, whicb commands a ftiiely
* This gentleman, the father of a numerous familj'' now living
(twenty-one in number;, may, with his amiable lady, be also con-
sidered as the father and mother of the poor of this parish and
its envii-ons; and, in the language of a celebrated poet, may be
said
To raise up modest merit from the ground,
To send th' unhappy smiling from their door,
To spread content and cheerfulness around,
And banquet on the blessings of the poor.
2/6 WAN
diversified and extensive prospect over the vale of the Lea, and
over the Metropolis. The west or principal front has a semi-
circular portico, supported by four Ionic columns, 22 feet in
height; and to the centre of the house, which is nearly square,
are attaclied two small wings. The grounds, though not exten-
sive, have been laid out and planted with much taste by Mr.
Sandys ; and tlie proprietor has contended with great difficulty
of situation, in forming a piece of water of three acres on the
side of the hill.
WALTON, a village in Surry, six miles S. W. from Kingston,
is pleasantly situated on the river Thames, over which it has a
bridi^e, erected in 1787, in the place of a very curious one, con-
structed by Mr. Decker in 1750, Here are the remains of an
ancient camp, supposed to have been Roman ; and from this
village runs a rampart of earth, with a trench, as far as St.
Geoige's Hill, in the same parish. In this parish is Apps Court,
the seat of Jeremiah Hodges, Esq. ; Ashley Park, the seat of
Sir Henry Fletcher, Bart. ; Paine's Hill, the seat of Lord Car-
hampton; Burwood, the scat of Mrs. Currie; Bui-wood Hill,
the residence of Mr. Tynte : Burwood Park, the seat of Sir
John Frederick, Bart, and Mount Felix, the mansion of the
Earl of Tankerville. See Oatlands and Paine's Hill.
WALWORTH, formerly a village in the parish of Newington
Butts, in Sui ry, is by the present race for building, connected
by houses to the Metropohs, on the N. W. and to Camberwell
on the S. It was probably the birth-place of the celei)rated Sir
William Walworth, the story of whose exploit in Smithfield, in
killing the rebel Wat Tyler, is handsomely painted on the sign of
one of the public-houses here. Of late years it is much in-
creased, and can boast of many good house?, inhabited by ci-
tizens, whose happiness arises from alternate bustle and retire-
ment.
WANDLE, or VANDAL, a river which rises near Croydon,
Siirry, and passing by Beddington, Carshalton, Mitcham, and
Merton, falls into the Thames at Wandsworth. It is a line trout
stream ; but althougli celebrated for the consequence which Pepc
has given it in his " Windsor Forest:"
" Tiie blue transparent Vandalis appears !"
its waters are of much greater importance in a commercial point
of view ; for on its banks are several callico printing vvirhs corn-
mills, snutf-mills, paper-mills, skinning-mills, and logwood-
mills.
WANDSWORTH, a village in Surry, five miles W. S. W,
from London, situate in the road to Kingston, near the confla-
WANDSWORTH. 277
eiice of the Wandle with the Thames, and between two hills
called East Hill and West Hill. At tlie close of the last century
many French refujjjees settled here, and established a French
church, which is now used as a meeting by the methodists. The
art of dying cloth has been practised at this place for more than
a century, and there are two dyers here, Mr. Barchard and Mr.
Williamson ; the former a scarlet dyer. There are hkewise se-
veral considerable manufactories here : namely, one for bolting
cloth; Mr. Henchell's iron mills; the calico-printing manufac-
tories of Mr. Gardiner and of Messrs. Lawrence and Harris ; Mr.
Rigby's manufactory for printing kerseymeres; Mr. Dibble's for
whiteninii and pressing stuffs ; Mr. Were's linseed oil and white
lead mills; Mr. Shipley's oil mills; Messrs. Gattey's vinegar
works ; and the distilleries of Messrs. Bush and Co. The Surry
iron-rail way extending to Croydon is completed to this place,
where there is a commodious basin for loading and unloading
goods, Sec. communicathig with the Thames.
The tower of the church is ancient ; but the church itself is a
modern edifice. Besides the small cemetery contiguous to this,
there is a more spacious one on East Hill. On East Hill, on the
right, are the houses of Thomas Tatlock and Richard Bush,
Esquires. Farther on, to the left, fronted by fine tall elms, is
the mansion, formerly of the family of Porter, and afterwards
the residence of the Hon. Edward Digby, whose sons, Henry,
now Earl Digby, and Admiral Robert Digby, were born here.
It was afterwards in the possession of the late Sir James Sander-
son, Bart. Next is the handsome house of Mr. Barchard; and
opposite this the elegant villa of John Webster, Esq. All these
houses have a delightful view of the Thames, between the
bridges of Putney and Battersea. The two churches of Fulham
and Putney to the left, embosomed, as it were, in woods, form,
with the bridge, a picturesque appearance , and the prospect is
improved by a view of Harrow-on-the-Hill in the front, and of
Hampstead and Highgate to the right.
On West Hill, to the left, is Down Lodge, the excellent new
house of Henry Gardener, Esq. To the right, is A¥est Hill
House, the residence of Henry Goodwin, Esq. Farther on, is
the capital mansion of Henry Rucker, Esq. whose pleasure-
grounds are contiguous to Lord Spencer's Park at Wimbledon,
and seem to be part of it, and whose fine situation commands a
view of the Thames toward London, as well as of the delightful
country toward Merton, Tooting, Dulwich, Sydenham, and
Shooter's Hill. A little farther to the right, facing Putney
Heath, is the villa of Philip De Visme, Esq. In Love Lane,
near the gate leading to Putney, is the house of the late John
Wilmot, Esq. now in the occupation of Frederic Hahn, Esq.
In Wandsworth, are a Quakers' meeting-house, and two schools
for children of that persuasion ; at one of which, that excellent
B B
278 WANSTED.
citizen, senator, and magistrate, Sir John Barnard, received his
education.
In Garrat Lane, between this village and Tooting, was for-
merly a mock election, after every general election, of a Mayor
of Garrat, to which Mr. Foote's dramatic piece of that name
gave no small celebrity*.
WANSTED, a village, six miles from London, on the skirts
of Epping Forest, is adorned with several villas ; among which,
that of George Bowles, Esq. is distinguished for extensive plea-
sure-grounds. But these are all eclipsed by the magnificence of
Wansted House.
The church, a new and beautiful structure, was finished in
1790. Si.niphcity and neatness were aimed at in this rural
temple, by the ai chitect, Mr. Thomas Hardwick. The portico
is of the Doric order, and the cupola supported by eight Ionic
columns. The whole of ihe external part is faced with Portland
stone. The internal order is Corinthian. The pavement of the
church, remarkable for its beauty and neatness, was brought
from Pains wick : that of the chancel is of the same kind of stone,
intermixed with black marble dots. The Avindow of the chancel
is of stained glass; the subject. Our Saviour bearing-the Cross;
this, and the circular window, at the east end of each galleiy
(which are also of stained glass) were executed by Mr. Eging-
ton of Binningham. In the chancel is a monument of white
marble (removed from the old church) to the memory of Sir
Josiah Child. The site of the church was given to the parish, by
Sir J. T. Long, out of his own park, that the remains of the
* About fifty years ago, several persons who lived near that
part of Wandsworth which adjoins to Garrat Lane, had formed a
kind of club, not merely to eat and drink, but to concert mea-
sures for removing the encroachments made on that part of the
common, and to prevent any others being made for the future.
As the members were most of them persons in low circumstances,
they agreed at every meeting to contribute a trifle, in order to
make up a purse for the defence of their collective rights. When
a sufficient sum of money was subscribed, they applied to a
woithy attorney in that neighbourhood, who brought an action
against the incroachers in the name of the president (or, as they
called him, the Mayorj of the club. They gained their suit with
costs ; the incroachments were destroyed ; and ever after, the
president, who lived many years, was called " The Mayor of
Garrat." This event happening at the time of a general election,
the ceremony, upon every new parliament, of choosing out-door
membeis for tlie borough of Garrat, was constantly kept up, t©
the great emolument of all the publicans at Wandsworth, who
annually subscribed to all the incidental expences attending this
mock election ! •
^
WANSTED HOUSE. 279
persons interred in the old church and churchyard raight not be
disturbed, and that divine service might continue, without in-
terruption, while the new structure was erectinj^. Dr. Glasse^
the present venerable and worthy rector, is known in the reli-
gious world by a variety of publications.
WANSTED HOUSE, the magnificent seat and extensive
park and gardens ot Miss Long, daughter and heiress of the late
Sir James Tilney Long. The ancient mauor, granted by Ed-
ward VL to Robert Lord Rich, was sold by him to the Earl of
Leicester, who, in 1578, entertained Queen Elizabeth here.
Reverting to the crown, King James gave it to Sir Henry Mild-
may, who having been one of the Judges of Cliarles I. it was for-
feited. Charles IL gave it to the Duke of York, who sold it to
Sir Robert Brooke. Of the representatives of this geotleman it
was purchased by Sir Josiah Child, Bart, grandfather to the late
Earl Tihiey, from Avhom it desrended to his nephew, the late
proprietor
Sir Josiah ChikI planted a great number oftrees in avenues ieading
to the site of the old niausion. His 8on laid cut some extensive
grounds in gardens; and, after these were finished, he employed
the celebrated Colin Campbell to build the present structure,
which is cased with Portland stone, and is upwards of SCO feet
in length, and 70 in depth. It is one of the noblest houses in
Europe ; and its grand front is thought to be as fine a piece of
architecture as any that may be seen in Italy. It coui^ists of
two stories, the basem: nt and the state story, and is adorned by
a noble portico of six Corinthian columns. In the tympanum of
this portico (which we ascend by a double flight of steps) are
the family arms ; and, over the door which leads into the Great
Hall, is a medallion of the architect.
The Great Hall is 53 feet by 45. On the ceiling are Morning,
Noon, Evening, and Night, by Kent. The pictures are, Mr,
Kent, the painter ; and three by Casali, the subjcct5 Coriolanus^
Porsenna, and Pompey taking leave of his Family. In this hall,
are antique statues of Agrippina and Domitian ; four statues of
Poetry, Painting, Music, and Architecture: and four vases.
We then enter
A Dining Room, 27 feet square ; the pictures, St. Francis ; a
Madonna; a Ruin; and six Family Portraits.
A Drawing Rooniy 27 feet square ; the pictures, a Magdalen
Herodias ; and a Madonna.
A Bed Chamber^ 24 feet by 20 : it has five views, and a beau-
tiful chest inlaid with mother of pearl.
In a light Closet adjoining are three Madonnas ; and in another
light closet two pictures.
These rooms form the front line to the left of the Hallj re*
B B g
230 WANSTED HOUSE.
turning to wMeii we ester the saite of ajpaitments to tie rij;bf.
First,"'
A OimiMg Rmm, f!5 fset sqr^-^ d
the S^soBS ; and the pictures i-^. L. j i
1::> Fami'v, L^'v ; a Ho'v Fr^;: - Lirci-'. ai..t.- . ^lu f'
J Draicinz ";•;.'"" _ ' . ' :.e
«• jn-- of Jap:: : ■ : - • i,
t!-' it of it: thi< 15 the
Fi
f ' '
h
^ £.
A^
: ^ :: : :^
n.;
AnZ'.
ar
1- '
R-in?.
rr.arble chimney-
\'- - •• -• r r-5-nt
chiis, d :-»o.
A Dinir^r Room, 40 feet by 27 ; the picture ^, A' ';. 'U-
rftct:rig Apt-iies to paist C^amparfKf, Ca&aii- ct
S'^:p5o, Casali; Sophonisba taking Poison, J nJ-
8cape> ; and thre^ Ruinj.
A Dratdn^ RooMy 27 feet square ; it is adorijed with thf; pic-
tire of ApiTfr'ica and 3iedora,by Casali.
J ££a C'rtu»jZ»£r, 27 feet by 21 : it i^ hang with rich t^inired
v'^ket: the bed the same, and lined ^ith a white Indian satin,
trailed with coloured Sowers and Cliincfce figur:. In ti;:; ii urn
is a picture of R lins.
A Dremno^ Room^ 26 feet by 18; it ha* by Nol-
likeiis.
Under the Great Hal! is a noble arcade, frt..< ..^.^:. ..e enter
a con^mon Dining Parlour, 40 feet by 55, and lience into a
WAR esi
breakfast Room, j* feet by 25, oroamented wiili prints by the
mo^^t eminent masters., pasted on a straw colom-ed paper, with
engraved borders.
In the avenue leading from the jgrrand front of the boose to
Lav icnstone, i? a circular piece of water, which »^eems equal to
the length of the r'ront. There are no winffs. to the house al-
though they were included in the onginal design. On each tide
as we approach the house, is a marble ttatue ; that on the left, Her-
cules, and the other Omphale ; and hence, to compensate, as it
were, for the detect of Mfinss, obelisks and <-ases extend alternate! v
to the house. The sardpn front has no portico, but a pfdimeni
enriched with a bas-rehef, and supported by six tLree-qaarter
coIumn<;. From this trout is an easy descent, th'ou^b a fine
vista, to the river Rodinsr, which is formed into canals; and
beyond it, tlie walks and wildecnesses rise up the hill, as they
sloped downward brfore. Highland House, the eleirant seat of
Isaac Currie, Esq. built of stone, formt a beautiful termination
to the vista- Among other decorations of the gardens is a cnri-
on? grotto, well worth mspection.
The house his for several years till very lately, been occupied
by emigrants of the royal House of Bourbon ; it is, howerer, re-
ported to be now under repair, and intended for the residence
of 3Iis.s Long, who will shortly come of age.
Mr. Young, in his " Six Weeks Tour," observes, that
'' "V^'ansted, upon the whole, is one of the noblest houses in
England. The maeniticeuce of having four state bedchambers,
with complete apartments to them, and tht- bail-room, are su-
perior to any tb*iig of the kind in Houghton. Holkham, BleD-
heim, and \^ ilton. But each of these houses is >uperior to this
in other particulars ; and. to form a complete palace, something
must be taken from all. In respect to elegance of architecture,
Waa«ted is second to Holkham. What a buisding would it be,
were the wings added, according to the first design I"
WARE, a market town in Herts, on the great north road,
and on the river Lea, "21 miles N. from London. In 1+08 the
town was d *troyed by a great inundation; and s'uices and
weal's being made in the river to preserve it from fiitur- floods,
Camden s-ppose* that it hence acquired the name of Ware.
Tlie chnrc'j is a large stnicture in the form of a crosis. and has a
ffal'ery erected by the Gove!nors of Christ Hospital in Loudon ;-
but the sdiool, vVhich was for the younger children of that Hos-
pitxil, ks removed to Hertford. Here is a coiv*iderable market
for corn ; and 60iX) quarters of 3Ialt and otlier corn are fre-
qnently seni in a week to London, by tlie barges, which return
wath coa'.s. Near "Ware the Netc Rirer commences, a circutn*
stance which has been already mentioned.
* B P ,"
1'85 W E L
About the I8th year of the reign of Henry III. Margaret,
Countess of Leicester, founded a priory for friars in tlie north
part of Ware, and dedicated it to St. Francis.
In the vicinity of Ware are several good seats ; of which the
principal are Fanliam Hall, tlje seat of John Currie, Esq. ; Ara-
well Bury, the villa of Major Brown, lately Mr. Franco's ; Cold
Harbour, the seat and park of T. Caswell, Esq. ; Blakesware
and Gils ton Park, the seats of William Plumer, Esq. who re-
sides in the latter ; and New Hall, the seat of William Leake,
Esq. See Amwell, Stansted Abbots, Thunbridgebury, Ware Parkj
Watton Wood Hall, and Youngsbury.
WARE PARK, the seat of Thomas Hope Byde, Esq. beau-
tifully situate on a hill, rising above the rich vale, terminated by
Ware and Hertford. The park has all the advantages which re-
sult from inequality of ground, abundance of water, fine planta-
tions, and a rich circumjacent country. In the beginning of the
last century, it was the seat of Sir Henry Fanshaw, whose gar-
den Sir Henry Wootton calls " a delicate and diligent curiosity,
without parallel among foreign nations.''
WARLEYS, Essex, the beautiful seat and park of
Reade, Esq. two miles N. E. of Waltham Abbey.
WATFORD, a market- town in Herts, consisting of one long
street, 14| miles N. W. from London, situated upon the Colne
and the Grand Junction Canal. It principally consists of one
well-built street ranged on the sides of the high road, and nearly
a mile in length. The church is a very spacious structure, con-
taining, among others of inferior execution, two vei-y fine mo-
numents by Nicholas Stone. On the Golne, a large and very
cuiious mill has been lately established, for throwing silk.
WATTON WOOD HALL, Herts, an elegant seat, five
miles from Hertford, built by the late Sir Thomas Rumbold,
Bart, is now the property of Samuel Smith, Esq. The park is
planted with great taste ; ajid a beautiful rivulet, called the
Rib, which runs through it, is formed into a spacious canal, with
islands for the haunts of swans. The gardens and pleasure
grounds are laid out with great taste.
WELWYN, a village in Herts, 5^ miles N. from Hatfield.
Of this place, the celebrated Dr. Young was rector; and here
was the scene of his melancholy, but pleasing effusions, " The
Night Thoughts." Nothing particular is now to be seen, though
at the time when this eminent poet resided here, there were
WES 283
some ingenious devices raentioneJ in his life, and worthy of at-
tention.
WESTBOURN PLACE, formerly the seat of Mrs. CouIsod,
situated at Westbourn Green, in the parish of Paddington, Ji
mile W. N. W. from London. This green is one of those beau-
tifully rural spots for which that parish, though contiguous to
the Metropolis, is distinguished. The estate was the property
of Mr. Isaac Ware, who, having quitted the ignoble profession of
a chimney-sweeper, studied architecture, commenced the man
of taste and science, and became the Editor of the works of
Palladio, and of other professional publications. With mate-
rials brought from the Earl of Chesterfield's house in May- Fair
(which he was employed to rebuild), he erected the present
mansion. It was sold by his executors to Sir William York,
Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas in Ireland, who re-
sided in it for some time, and afterwards let it to a Venetian
Ambassador. In 1768, he sold it to the late Jewkes Coulson,
Esq. who expended a considerable sum in enlarging the house,
and laying out the grounds. The library, which he added to the
house, is said to have cost 1500/. The house is situated on a
rising ground, which commands a pleasing view of Hampstead
and Highgate : the village of Paddington, with its elegant new-
church, built by Mr. Plaw, produces a pretty effect, when
viewed from hence ; and as no part of London can be seen, a
person disposed to enjoy the pleasures of rural retirement, may
herc forget his proximity to " the busy hum of men." — Nearly
adjoining is a farm-house, occupied by the Marquis of Bucking-
ham, which is occasionally visited as a country residence. Here
also are the villas of Mrs. Hutchinson, and Mr. Cockeril, the
latter surrounded by picturesque and park like grounds, com-
manding a view of the Paddington Canal ; and opposite is the
secluded cottage of the unrivalled Siddons, who here dedicates
her mornings to study.
WESTCOMB PARK, Kent, one mUe E. from Greenwich,
was the manor of Mr. Lambard, author of the " Perambulation
through Kent.'' It came, after a succession of ditTerent propri-
etors, into the possession of the late Earl of Pembroke. This
nobleman, whose fine taste and skill in architecture have been
justly celebrated, pulled down the old house, which stood on
the spot now occupied by the stables, and rebuilt it in iis pre-
sent situation about the year 1732. Of Lord Pembroke it was
purchased by Charles, third Duke of Bolton, who resided here
upwards of twenty years, with Miss Lavinia Fcnton, (the cele-
brated Polly Peachum) whom he married in 1751 ; and who
continued here, as Duchess Dowager of Bolton, from 1754 till
her death in 1760, when the seat became th« property of l;sr
234 WES
son, the Rev. Mr. Powlett. After her death, it was successively
occupied by Lord Clive, the Marquis of Lothian, the Duchess
ofAthol, and Mr. Halliday, and is now the residence of Wil-
liam Foreman, Esq. The house is highly finished with carving
and rich ceiHns;s, but the wainscot and chimney-pieces appear to
be of an older date, and were probably brought from the ancient
mansion. The principal beauty of Westcomb Park is the ter-
race, near the house. The prospect it commands of Shooter's
Hill, from the summit to the base, and of a long extent of the
river, which terminates in several windings under Charlton Wood,
is beautiful and magnificent.
WESTERHAM, a market- town in Kent, 21| miles S. E.by S.
from London. Near this place is the noble seat of John Ward,
Esq. called Squerries. It stands on a small eminence with re-
spect to the front ; but, on the back of the edifice, the grouud
rises verj' high, and is divided into several steep slopes. Near
the house are some woods, through which are cut several ridings.
On the otlier side of the hill, behind the house, arise nine
springs, which, uniting their streams, form the river Darent.
Near this place also is Hill Park, the seat of Barrow, Esq.
famed for its fine cascades, fornied by the Darent.
Westerham is celebrated as the birth place of that eminent de-
fender of civil and relieious liberty. Dr. Hoadley, Bishop of Win-
chester. Here also General Wolfe was born, at a plain mansion,
the corner house on entering the village*: he is buried in the
church ; and on a tablet to his memory are the following
lines : —
While George in sorrow bows his laurel'd head,
And bids the artist srrace the soldier dead :
* This lamented and gallant officer was very early introduced
to the military life ; and being aided by much experience in Ger-
many, during the war which terminated by the peace of Aix-la-
Chapelle, his skill and talents became eminently conspicuous.
When Lieutenant Colonel of Kingsley s regiment, he brought it
to such exact discipline, that as long as the six battalions on the
Plain of Minden are recorded in history, the stand of that regiment
will be remembered to his honour. The great abilities he had
displayed at the taking of Louisburg, were followed by his ap-
pointment to the chief command of the expedition against Quebec;
in whirli service he displayed the most heroic intrepidity, united
fo consummate professional judgment. He was mortally wounded
at the moment when the bravery of jiis troops had atrhieved the
\ictory ; and his lastvvords, when informed that the ' French run,'
were, " I thank God; I die contented." A fine monument, the
offering of a grateful country, has been erected to his memory in
Westminster Abbey.
W H I 281
We raise no sculptur'd trophy to thy name,
Brave youth, the fairest in the lists of fame :
Proud of thy birth, we boast th' au<picious year;
Struck wilh thy fall, we shed the generous tear;
With humble grief inscribe one artless stone,
And with thy matchless honours date our own !
The village is pleasant, and has many agreeable seats in its
vicinity.
WEXHAM GREEN, Bucks, one mile and a half N. E.
from Slough, on which is the pleasant seat of Randal Ford, Esq.
WEY, the principal river in Surry, rises in Hampshire, and,
after passing Guildford, flows to the Thames, which it joins neai"
Chei tsey. Pope has characterized this river as
" The chalky Wey, that rolls a milky wave !"
WEYBRIDGE, a village in Surry, three miles S. E. from
Chertsey, took its name from a bridge formerly erected here
over the Wey. . In this parish are Say's Place, and Brocklancs,
the seat of George Payne, Esq. The latter is a charming place ;
and if it were not in the vicinity of Paine's Hill and Outland?,
might be held in the highest estimation ; for, with respect to na-
tural beauties, it has the superiority in the opinion of good judges.
See Oat lands, Ham Farm, and Woburn Farm.
WHITCHURCH, or LITTLE STANMORE, Middlesex,
near Edgware, is celebrated for the magnific<!nt seat built here
by James first Duke of Chandos. The cSunch, which is an ele-
gant little structure, contains all that now remains of the mag-
nificence of Canons. The body of it was built by the Duke
who would have erected a new tower also ; but the parishioners
having sold iheir bells, in expectation that this magnihcent no-
bleman would provide a new set, bis Grace took such offence at
this circumstance, that he would proceed no farther in his de-
sign than decorating tiie inside. The organ is placed at the east
end of the church, in a recess behind the altar, and not much
elevated above it: it is viewed through an arch, supported by
Corinthian columns, and forming an opening over the communion
table, which produces a fine etiect. The ceiling and walls are
painted by Laguerre, with various subjects from the Old and
New Testament ; the Nativity, and a Dead Christ, on each side
of the altar, are by Belluchi ; and, at the west end of the
chapel, is a gallery, which was erected for the use of the Duke
and his family. There is likewise an elegant chamber, contain-
ing monuments of the Brydges family. Passing through an anti-
chamber, which communicates immediately with the church,
it is approached by a flight of steps, and immediately in view^ at
285 W H r
the entrance, appears the costly monument of " The Grand
Diike" and his first two wives. See Canons.
WHITE PLACE, near Cookhani, in Berks, the s^eat of the
Rev. Mr. Leycester, is situated on the side of the Thames, com-
manding the most picturesque views of woodland scenery, along
the opposite side of Die river ; enriched with the noble seats of
Taplow and Hedsor. This house is singularly built of chalk, dug
near the spot ; not a sinjrle brick havinjj been used in the whole
structure, exnept in the cliimnies. It has been built more than
twenty years, during which time the various changes of weaiher
do not appear to have affected it in any material degree.
WHITTON, Middlesex, a hamlet of the parish of Twicken-
ham, one mile and a half S. from Hounslow. Here Sir Godfrey
Koeller, the celebrated painter, built a handsome house, adorned
with extensive plantations, which have been enlarged and im-
proved by the piesent proprietor, Samuel Prime, Esq. In this
house Sir Godfrey acted as a Justice of the Peace; and here he
died in 1717. The staircase was painted by Sir Godfrey him-
self, assisted by Lai^nerre. In this hamlet are the villa* of Col.
William Canipbell, Mr. De:)nis, and George Gostling, Esq. re-
spectively called, Whitton Dean, Whitton Farm, and Whitton
House. See Twickenham.
WHITTON PLACE, Middlesex, the seat of the late Sir
William Clian)bers, Knisiht of the Swedish Order of the Polar
Star, was built hy Archibald third Duke of Argyle. The spot
now occupied by the pleasure grounds ronsisted partly of corn-
fields, and partly of land taken from Hounslow Heath. To this
nobleman, we are principally indebted for the introduction of
foreiiin trees ani plants, that contribute so essentially to the
richness of colouring so peculiar to our modern landscape ; and,
in forming his plantations at Whitton, he displayed elegance of
taste, although the modern practice of gardening was, at that
time, in a state of infancy. He planted a number of cedars,
firs, and other evergreens, which now make a venerable appear-
ance, and are some of the finest to be found in this country.
Many of the cedars are in Mr. Gostling's grounds, as well as the
tower built by the Duke, which commands a prospect of great
extent. The cedars were planted in 1724. The girth of the
largest is 10 feet 6 inches. He likewise built a noble conserva-
tory, in which he formed one of the best collections of exotics
in England. These are no longer to be seen; but of their num-
ber and value some idea may be conceived, wlien it is considered
that this conservatory was sufficiently large to be converted into
an elegant villa, now the property of Mr. Gostling. After the
death of the Duke, this place had many proprietors. At last it
w I D tsr
€ame into the possession of Mr. Gostlin^'s fatlier, who converted
the conservatory into a villa for himself; and liaving divided the
pleasure-grounds into two parts, sold the principal house, with
the grounds allotted to it, to ^ir VVilliani Cbamhers.
In his improvements of this deliglitful spot, Sir WilHam ap-
pears to have had in view the decorations of an Italian villa.
Temples, statues, ruins, and antiques, are interspersed. In one*
part appears the imitation of an ancient Roman bath; and, in
another, a modern temple of jEscubpius, erected in compli-
ment to the Rev. Dr. Willis, to whose skill, unde.'- the Divme
Blessing, we are indebted for the happy restoiation of our be-
loved Sovereign, in 1789. Over the door is the ibilowing in-
scription ;
** ^scvlapio sal. avg. restitvit sacr. mdcclxxxix !"
WICKHAM, EAST, a village in Kent, ten miles S. from
London, to the left of the road to Dover. Here is the handsome
seat of J. Jones, Esq.
WICKHAM, WEST, a parish in Kent, three miles and a
half W. N. W. from Crayford. Here are the church, and the
ancient manor-house, called West Wickham Court, the property
of John Farnaby, Esq. In this house lived the celebrated Gil-
bert West, author of " Observations on the Resurrection of
Christ." Here he devoted himself to learning and piety ; and
** here," says Dr. Johnson, " he was very often visited by Lyt-
tleton and Pitt, who, when they were weary of faction and de-
bates, used, at Wickham, to find books and quiet, a decent
table, and literary conversation." There is at Wickham a walk
made by Pitt : and what is of more importance, at Wickham,
Lyttleton received that conviction, that produced his '' Disser-
tation on the Conversion and Apostleship of St. Paul." In a
summer-house, Mr. West placed the following inscription, in
imitation of Ausonius, "Ad Villam:
" Not wrapt in smoky London's sulphurous clouds,
And not far distant, stands my rural cot.
Neither obnoxious to intruding crowds.
Nor for the good and friendly too remote.
And when too much repose brings on the spleen.
Or the gay city's idle pleasures cloy ;
Swift as my changing wish, I change the scene.
And now the country, now the town enjoy !"
WIDBURY HILL, near Ware, Herts, celebrated by Mr.
Scott, for the prospect it commands. See AmtvelL
WIDFOKD, a village in Herts, three miles and three quar-
?8« WIL
ters E.from Ware. In this parish, on a hill to the west of the
river Lea, are two barrows, supposed to have been thrown up
by the Danes, in memory of some battle.
WILDERNESS, Kent, one mile N. E. from Sevenoaks, the
small seat and park of Earl Camden.
WILLINGALE DOE and WILLING ALE SPAIN, are
two parishes in Essex, four miles and a halfN. E. from Chip-
ping Ongar; of which it is remarkable, that they have each a
church, almost close together, in ihe same churchyard.
WILLOWS, THE, in the hamlet of Dedworth, in the parish
of Windsor, was the seat of the late Henry Townley Ward, Esq.
situate on the side of the Thames, two miles from Windsor, in
the road to Maidenhead. It was built by Mr. Kimberley, by
whom it was let to Mr. Ward, who had the option to purchase
it, at a given price, at any lim.e within his term. The house is
small, and has but little ground attached to it ; but it has been
much improved by Mr. Ward. What was formerly a moorish
swamp, or osier beds, now forms a beautiful lawn. At a small
distance from this, is Bullock's Hatch, another seat, the pro-
perty of IMr. Ward, with a small farm which is connected with
the pleasure-srrounds belonging to the Willows, by a subterrane-
ous passage under the high road. Both these seats are now the
property of P. C. Bruce, Esq.
WILSDON, Middlesex, five miles W. N. W. from Oxford
Street. One of the finest rides within so short a distance from
London, is to this retired village, turning from Kilhurn Wells to
the left, through Mawes Lane, passing by the seat of the late
Lady Salusbury (now occupied by Mr. Coutts Trotter) a very
attractive object ; but the leading beauty is on Mr. V/eedon's
farm, where
There is a hill, whose gently rising head
-Looks sweetly on the calm sequester'd vale,
On Wilsdon's rural, farrn-encircl'd green.
" How pleasant 'tis to cast one's eyes around !'*
The veering flag, on Windsor's regal pile.
Flutters faint to the soft-subsiding breeze,
The embattled turrets, clearly seen beneath !
More distant, in the horizon's wide expanse.
Sepulchral Leith*- rears his dull monument;
There, long-deceased, Hull, eccentric man.
Found his last requiem! In the nearer view
Livelier prospects rise. Frequented Richmond,
Smiles on Kew's tall pillar, pagoda call'd j
* See Leith Hill, page 203,
WILSDON, 'iS9
Fvovmal, Chinese ornament, and foreign
To the lovely scene ! 'Tis Nature's beauties
That delight the exploring eye ; that fix
The sliding telescoj;e's extended tube.
In the bright field, adjusted accurate,
(Deceptively within the touch, so nice,
So exquisite the * Optician's skill
Who made this finely-finish'd glass,) yon see.
On Headly's far-off down, the writhed beech f"
Half-uprooted, by the driving, wintry blast !
Or, more distinct, but not so pictivresque,
The slopiris; clump on Knockholt's steepy brow.
Which fancy forms into the " loaded wain %!'''
Bosom'd in oak, and sheltered from the north ^
See Bentley's proud and sumptuous Priory,
O'erlooking Stanmore's villa-crowded vale,
And Bushey's wide, uncultivated heath !
Peering to the west, Harrow's spire-top'd hill,
The seat of early science and of lore !
• The playful, hungry school-boy, here annoys
The gorged citizen I His " -cilld'^ rohs
Of poultry, pippins, and pearmains ! So erst,
The feather'd arrow twanging from his bov/.
He hit, witii silent §, well-drawn aim, the butt.
The silver shaft the skilful archer claini'd,
The meed of learning's classic, deep research.
In the home landscape, Hainpstead lifts her head,
The gay resort of Sunday citizens !
Here she unveils her least-frequented paths j
Concealing on her eastern brow, pent-up
In rooms of glaz'd extent, hev sn^eaiy,
OrdinanjW visitants ! — They climb fur air ; —
But waste the sun-shine SabhaXh of their God,
In guttling, and in irtJoAe/— A.
So hungry hogs,
When szvilUng-time is come, snck the full trough,
Nor cast one vpivard, grateful look, lo Heaven !
The pedestrian may find a very pleasant path to this beantifnl
hill, by turning from tiie Paddington Canal, at Kensel Green ;
it is however rather intricate, and lie isad better take " Mine
Host of the Mitre," who lives within a mile of it, as a sure and
* Schmalcalder, in the Strand,*^ who equals if not rivals, the
celebrated DolJond.
f A distance of 27 miles; Leith Hill is about 30.
+ Near Sevenoaks, in Kent, commonly called the ivaggon and
horses.
§ This custom has been abolished some year;:,
11 At two shillings per head.
c c
S90 W 1 IM
intelliijent griide. All the objects in tliis extensive view aie to
be seen from his window, except Windsor and Knockholt.
WILTON PARK, the elegant seat of Isaac Dupr^, Esq. near
Beaconsrteld in Bucks. It is built of Portland stone, in a beau-
tiful situation.
WIMBLEDON, a villace in Surry, on a tine heath, seven
miles S. W. o^' London. The manor here, whioli includes that
of Mortlake, bpion^ed formerly to the see of Canterbury, and
vas exchanged by Arc!.bisl;op Cranmer, for other lands, with
Henry VIII, We find it afterwards sncces<sively, by jjrant, set-
tlement, purchase, or inheritance, ti.e i)roperty or residence of
Thoma* Cromwell Earl of Essex, Queen Catharine Parr, Sir
Christopher H\tton, Sir Thomas Cecil, a't<=rwards Earl of Exe-
ter; of his fvttlier, the erreat Lord Bnrleigli, when Sir William
Ceeil; Eiwa'.d Cecil, Viscount Wimbledon, Queen Henrietta
Maria ; General Lambert, tlie famous Parliamentary General ;
Qceen Henrietta Maria, after the Restoration ; Georcfe Di^by,
Earl of Bristol; the Duke of Leeds, Sir Theodore Janssen,
Bai t. and Sirah Duchess of Marlboroiigi!. Her Grace pulled
down tl;e old mansion iiouse (a magnificent aiicient edifice, built
in 1388. by Sir Thomas Cecil), and rebuilt it on the old site,
after a desi;:vn of the E .rl of Pembroke's. She left it to her
grandson Jolin Spencer, Esq. whose son, the late Earl Spencer,
formed here one of the finest paiks in En<:Iand. It contains
1200 acres, and is adorned with fine plantations, beautiful de-
clivities, and a sheet of water, containing 50 acres. The emi-
nences in this park present many varied and delightful points of
view— Harrow-on-the-Hill, Highgate, tiie Bletropolis (in which
may be distinguished liis Lordship's house in the Green Park),
Norwood, and Epsom Downs. No less than nineteen churches
may be counted in this prospect, exclusive of those ot London
and Westmhister. The house was burnt down in 1705; but
some of the offices, that w ere at a distaece from the house, serve
for the occasional residence of his Lordship.
On the east side of Wimbledon Common is a seat, lately the
property of M. de Calonne, Comptroller General of the Finanees
of France, before the Revolution in 1789- The plantations,
which contain upward of 70 acres, join Lord Spencer's ; and
M. de Calonne, when he purchased this place of the late Benja-
Biiu Bond Hopkins, Esq, laid the found ition of a ball-room and
two tea-rooms; but he sold the estate, in September, 1792, for
15,000/. to Earl Gower Sutherland. It is now in the occupa-
tion of the Prince De Conde.
Near the church is the elegant villa of Sir ^Vijliam Beaumaris
Rush, which has likewise fine pleasure-grcunds, commanding
some extensive views. On the south side of the Common is a
iKdt villa, the residence of thg Countess Dowager of Bristol j
>V I N 291
and, next to this, is Wimbledon Lodge, a new and elegaiit
house, built by Gerard de Visme, Esq.^ On the west side, are
two good houses, both in the occupation of the Right Hon.
Lord Viscount Melville, and the pretty villa of Abraham Agiie-
lar, Esq. In the )ane leading to Kingston is Prospect Plui e, the
seat of James Meyrick, Esq. adjoining to which is thi: liaiid^ome
villa of Samuel Castell, Esq. Both tiiese have heauti'ul plt'a-
sure grounds, commanding deligiitful views of Epsom Downs
and all the country adjacent. There are several other Lood
houses on the Common ; particularly, those ol John Home
Tooke, Esq. Counsellor Bray, and Sir Francis BurHett, Bart.
Tlie church was rebuilt (the cliancel excepted) in 1788, and
fitted up in the Grecian style. The contribiTtions of the inha-
bitants, on this occasion, were so liberal, that the wL>ole was
completed, without the necessity of rec'irring to Parliament, or
to a brief; and it ought to be recorded to his lionour, that Mr.
Levi, tlie Jew, then of Prospect Place, was one of the most
considerable subscribers. At one corner of the churchyard is a
sepulchre of brick and stone, for the family of the late Benjamin
Bond Hopkins, Esq. The entrance, which is on the outside of
the churcli-yaid, is by a flight of steps into a sunk area, fenced
in by iron rails. We then enter an apartment, ill'mhiated by
the door, and a small window on each side, wiiich are all
grated; and opposite the door are four rows of hor zonfal niches,
above each other, being 16 niches in the whole. Five of these
are tilled with each a relation of Mr. Hopkins'; and tlie entiance,
of coarse, is closed up with marble, on which is ijiscribed the
name, c*v:c. In the churchyard is the tomb of John Hopkins,
Esq. celebrated by Pope as Vulture Hopkins : he died in
1732.
At the south-west angle of Wimbledon Common, is a circulaf
encampment with a single ditch, inchuiinc an area of seven
acres ; the trench very deep and perfect. Camden is of opinion,
that this was the site of the battle, in 568, between Ccauhn,
King of the West Saxons, and Ethclbeit, King of Kent, in
which the latter was defeated. On the same common, near
the village, is a well, the water of which is never known to
freeze.
At Wimbledon are the copper-mines of Messrs. Henckell, Mr.
Coleman's calico printing manufactory, and Messrs. Wall's ma-
nufactory of japan ware.
WINDSOR NEW, a borough and market tov^n, in Berks,
22 miles W. by S. from London, is situated on the river Thames,
over which it iias abridge connecting it with Eton; and consists
of six principal streets, and several inferior ones. The fonner
are chiefly bnilt of brick, and well paved and lighted. The
Guildhall is a brick structure, with arcades of Portland stone,
c c 2
tj2 WINDSOR CASTLE.
fleeted in 1606. In a niclK", is the statue of Queen Aniie, with
an a.iulatory Latin inscription, in v.hich the sculptor is tckf,
that '• a resemblance of Ann;t is not to be given by his art; and
that if lie ^vould exhibit her likeness, he nnist attempt a goddess."
in another niche, is a( statue of her consort, Prince George of
Denmark, with a Latin inscription, iu which he is styled " a
hero, whom future ages mui^t revere." The parish church is a
iaige ancient structure, containing several handsome monuments,
and a good organ, removed from St. George's Chapel, and pre-
sented by his Majesty. The corporation consists of a 'i.ayor,
high steward, deputy steward, town clerk, two bailifi?, and
twenty eight burgesses: the burgesses are chosen out of the
principal inhabitants, thirteen of whom are called fellows or
bencheis of the Guildhall ; and of these, ten are called aldernien,
out of whom the mayor and biuliffs are elected. The inhabitants
carry on a very extensive retail business of every description, and
enjoy great advantages fi om the constant influx of company oc-
casioned by the presence of the court and chief nobility : a small
but elegant theatre, and extensive barracks have been lately
erected here.
In the grant of this town to tlie monks of Westminster, by
Edward the Confessor, it is called Windicshora, wlijch signifies a
Winding shore ; and hence the derivation of its present name.
The Abbot of Westminster exchanged it with Vv'illiam I. for
other lauds. Edward I. in ll'Td, made it a free borough, and
resided here. Windsor soon became a place of great resort.
WINDSOR CASTLE, the most delightful palace of our
5«overeignS) was built by William the Conqueror, on account of
its pleasant situation, and as a place of securiiy. It was en-
larged by Henry I. Our succeeding monarclis resided in tiie
same castle, till Edward III. who was born in it, caused the
ancient building to be taken down (except the three towers at
the west end of the lower ward), erected tlie present stately
castle, and St. George's chapel; enclosed the whole with a ram-
part of stone; and instituted the Order of the Garter. There-
building of the Castle was principally under the direction of Wil-
liam of Wykeham, afterwards Bishop of Whichester. Great ad-
ditions were made to it by Edward IV. Henry YII. Henry VII L
Elizabeth, and Charles 11. The last entirely changed the face
ofihe upper com t; enlarged the windows, and made them re-
gular; riclily furnished the royal apartments; decorated them
with paintings; and erected a magazine of arms. He likewise
enlarged the terrace walk, made by Queen Elizabeth on the
north side of the castle, and carried another teirace round the
east and south sides of the uf>per courts. His present Majesty
also has made many improvemonts, and now makes it his con-
stant residence.
^
WINDSOR CASTLE. 293
This Castle is divided into two courts or wards, with a large
round tower between them, railed the middle ward ; tbe whole
containing about twelve acres of land; and it has many towers
and batteries. It is situated upon a high hill, wliicli rises by a
gentle ascent. On the declivity of this iiill is tlie fine terrace,
faced with a rampart of free-stone, and is allowed to be the
noblest walk in Europe, with respect to strength, grandeur, and
beautiful prospects. The palaces in France and Italy have no-
thing to be compared with it ; the terrace next the sea in the
outer court of -the seraglio at Constantinople comes nearest to
it. Indeed no description of the terrace at Windsor can do it
justice, tbe scene is so variegated for miles around, and the
windings of the Thames greatly add to its beauty.
From the terrace we enter the Little Park fSee Windsor Little
Park), adjoining which, and opposite the south east side of the
Cattle, are two neat modern-built mansions ; the one named " The
Queen's Lodgo," which is the royal residence ; the other called
*' The Lower Lodge," for the accommodation of the younger
branches of tiie royal family. Both these buildings are of brick
fuced witli stucco, with an embattled coping. The garden is
< legant.
But to return to the Castle. The upper court is a spacion*
quadrangle, containiiig, on the north side, the royal apartments,
and St. George's chapel and hall: on the south and east sides, are
the royal apartments, those of the Prince of Wales, and the
great otficers of state: and, in the centre of the area, is the
statue of Charles II. witli an inscription, celebrating as the best
of Kinj^s, the infamous tyrant in whose reign a Ruirsel and a Sid-
ney suifered !
The Round Toiver, which forme the west side of this upper
cotirt, contains the Governor's apartments. It is built on the
highest part of the nioynt, and there is an ascent to it by a flight
of stone steps. This mount is laid out in sloping walks round the
hill, covered with verdure, and planted with shrubs. The apart-
ments command an extensive view to London, and into the
coimties of Middlesex, Essex, Herts, Bucks, Berks, Oxford-
shire, Wilts, Hants, Surry, Sussex, Kent, and Bedfordshire !
In tiie guardchamber are shown the coats of mail of King John of
France and David King of Scotland, both prisoners here at the
same time ; and here is the room in which Marshal de Belleisle
resided, when a prisoner, 1744.
The lowei' court is larger than the other, and fs, in a manner,
divided into two parts, by St. George's Chapel, which stands in
the centre. On the north or inner side, are the houses aiid apart^
laents of the Dean and Canons of St. George's Chapel, with those
of the Minor Canons, Clerks, and other oflftcers; and on the
south and west sides of the outer part are houses of the Poor
Knights of Windsor. lathis court are also several towers be-
cc3
294 WINDSOR CASTLE.
loni,'ing to the officers of tlifi Crown, wiien the Court is at "Wiud
sor, and to the officers of the Order of the Garter.
The royal aparliucnts are ou the nortli side of the upper court,
and are termed tlie Star building, from a star and garter in the
middle of the structure, on the outside next the terrace.
The entrance into the apartments is throuyh a vestibule, sup-
ported by Ionic columns, with some antique biistos in niches, to
the great stiiircase, finely painted by Thornhill wiUi subjects from
Ovid. In the dome> Phaeton is represented desiring Apollo to
grant him leave to drive the chariot of the sun. In larse com-
partment«, on the staircase, are the transformation of Phaeton's
eisters into poplars, and of Cycuus into a swan. In several parts
of the ceiling are tlie signs of the zodiac supported by the winds,
with baskets of flowers beautiudly disposed : at the corners are
the four elements, each expressed by a variety of figures. Au-
rora is represented with her nymphs in waiting, giving water to
her horses. In several parts of the staircase are the figures of
Music, Painting, and other sciences. The whoU^ is beautifully
disposed, and heightened with gold ; and from this staircase is a
Tiew of the back-stairs, painted with the story of Meleager and
Atalanta. We proceed through the apartments in the foliowiDg
order :
The Queen's Guard Chamber, furnished with guns, pistols,
.Sec. beautifully disposed in various forms. On the ceiling is
Britannia in the person of Catharine, consort to Charles II.
seated on a globe, bearing the arms of Euijland and Portugal,
with Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, attended by deities,
making their respective oflxMiugs. On the outer part of this
group are the signs of the zodiac; and in ditFerent parts of the
ceiling are Minerva, Mars, Venus, &c. Over the chimney is a
portrait of Prince George of Denmark, on horseback, by Dahl j
with a view of shipping, by Vandervelde.
The Qiieen's Presence Chamber. Here Queen Catharine is re-
presented attended by Religion, Prudence, Fortitude, and other
virtues: she is under a curtain spread by Time, and supported
by Zephyrs, while Fame sounds the happiness of Britain : below,
Justice is driving away Envy, Sedition, &;c. The room is hung
with tapestry, representing the beheading of St. Paul, and the
persecution of the primitive Christians; and it is adorned with
the pictures of Edward III. and the Black Prince, both by Bel-
camp ; and of James I. by Vandyck. In the room also are thre«
of the cai'toons of Raphael.
*' Give me, fair Fancy, to pervade
Chambers in jiictur'd pomp array'd!
Peopling whose stately walls I view
The godlike forms that P.atTaele drew ;
1 seem to see his magic hand
Wield the wond'rous peucil-wand.
WINDSOR CASTLE, *'9,
Whose touches animation give,
And bid th' insensate canvass live;
Glowing with many a deed divine
Achiev'd in holy Palestine.
The Passiuns feel its potent charm,
And rouiid the mighty master swarm !"
The tirst of these cehibrated cartoons is the Sacrifice to Paul
and Barnabas, at Lystra; the second, the Miraculous draught of
fishes ; the third, the Healing of the Cripple at the beautiful
Gate of the Temple. Here it is proper to mention, that the
Cartoons have been lately removed to Hampton Court, where
the celebrafed Mr. Holloway is takincj exact copies of them,
which he publishes by suhjicription, and ins laboius are well en-
titled to the public paironaae and attention.
• T/ie Queeii's Audience Chamber. The ceiling is painted witli
Britannia in the person of Queen Catharine, in a car drawn by
swans to the temple of Virtue, attended by Flora, Ceres, &c.
The canopy i,s of fine linslish velvet, set up by Queen Anne ;
and the tapestry was made at Coblentz, and presented to Henry
VIII, The pictures are, AVilliam and Frederic Henry, Princes
of Orange, Honthorst ; and the Queen of James I. Vansomer.
The Ball Room, On the ceilinj^ Charles It. is represented
givinsr Freedom to Europe, by the figures of Perseus and Andro-
meda: on the shield of Perseus is inscribed Perseus Britannicus^
and over the head of Andromeda Is written Europa Liberafa !
Mars, attended by the celestial deities, offers the olive branch.
The tapestry, which was made at Brussels, and set up by
Charles II. represents the twelve months of the year; and the
room is adorned with the foUowinj:? pictures : William Earl of
Pembroke, Vansomer; St. John, after Corre^io, Countess of
Dorset, after Vandyck^ a Madonna; and the Duchess of Ha-
milton, Hanneman.
The Queen's Drawing Room. On the ceiling is painted the
Assembly of the Gods and Goddesses. The room is hung with
tapestry, representing the seasons of the year: and adorned
with the pictures of Judith and Holofernc'^, Guido ; a Magdalen,
Lelv ; Henrietta, Duchess of Orleans, in the cha'racter of Bli-
nerva; LadyDigbv, wife of Sir Keneim Digby, Vandyck; De
Bray, and his family, by himself; Kiilegrew and Carew, Van-
dvck. In this room is a beautiful clock by Vulliamy : the case,
and figures of Time clipping Cupid's wings, are in an elegant
taste. • . ,.
The Queen's Bedchamber. The bed of state m this room was
put up by the Queen: the inside, counterpane, and curtains,
are of white satin, embroidered with flowers, in the most exqui-
site taste, by Mrs. Wright and her assistants. It is said to have
cost 14 OOuZ, The ceiling' is painted with the story of Diana
S96 WINDSOR CASTLE.
and Endymion; and the room is adorned witli the picture oflier
Majesty at full lenpth. witli all lier children in miniiitiire, West;
six 'ai!dscaj)fs. Zutcarelli; and two Flower Pieces.
The Room of Beauties, so named from the oriiijinal portraits of
fourucn of the most celebrated beauties in the reign of Charles II.
viz. -irs. Knot and '-Irs. Lawson, Wissing; Lady Sunderland,
Lady Rochester. La ly Denham and iier sister, and Mrs. Mid-
dlf^ton, Lely ; L^dy Byron, Honseman ; Duchess of Ricliniond,
Countess of Noithumherlanii, Lady Gramont, Duchess of Cleve-
land, and Du' hess of Somerset, Lely ; and Lady Ossory, Wis-
sin;;; vith thirreen portraits of ladies, after Van dyck, by Russel.
The Queen^s Dressing Room. Here is Anne, Queen to James I.
and, in a closet, is the banner of France, annually delivered on
the serond of August by the Duke of Marlborough; the tenure
by which he holds Blenheim House.
Queen Elizabeth's or the Picture ^Gallery, is adorned with the
folio ^v nig paintings; James I. Vansomer ; the Holy Family, after
Raphael ; Charles V. after Titian; the Offering of the AYise
Men, Paul Veronese; the Misers, Quintin Matsys ; Perseus and
Andromeda, Schiavone; Titian and a Senator of Venice, by
Titian; Henry Vltl. Holbein ; the Battle of Spurs; two Itahaw
Markets, BombncciO; a Conversation, Teniers; Sir John Law-
son, Sir Christopher Minnes, Earl of Sandwich, Sir Thomas
Allen, Sir William Penn, Sir George Ayscongh, Sir Thomas
Tiddyman, Anno Duchess of York, Prince Rupert. Sir Jere-
miah Smith, Sir Jos»^ph Jordan, Sir William Beikeley, Duke of
Albemarle, and Sir John Harman, Lely; a Boy with Puppies,
Murillo; our Saviour and St, John, Vandyck ; Expedition of
Henry VIII. to Boulogne; St. Joseph, Fetti; a Mans Head;
Carlo Cignani; a Boy paring Fruit, Michael Angelo ; Men play-
ing at Bowls, Teniers ; Ascension of the Virgin, Bassan ; Boors
drinking, Teniers; St. Charles de Borromeo, Fetti; Au2el and
Shepherds, N. Poussin ; Interview between Henry Vill. and
Francis I. ; our Saviour in the Garden, N. Poussin ; Emmanuel
Phillibert, Duke of Savoy, More; Angel and St. Peter, Steeu-
wyck; Indian Market, Po>Jt; Marquis <lel Guasto and Family,
afterTitian; and Rinaldo and Armida, Romanelli,
Queen Caroline's China Closet, tilled with a great variety of
curious ciiina; elegantly disposed; and the whole room finely
gilt and ornamented: the pictures are. Prince Arthur, and his
tw^o Sisters, Children of Henry VII. Mabuse; a W'oman with a
Kitten : and a ^^ oman squeezing Blood out of a Sponge. In
this closet is also a fine amber cabinet, presented to Queeu
Anne bv Or. Robinson, Bishop of London.
The King's Closet. The ceiling is painted with the story of
Jupiter and Lena. The pictures are, Anne Du«hess of York,
the Princess Mary, and Mary Duchess of York, Lely ; a
Man's Head, Raphael; St. Catharine, Guido ; a Woman's Head,
WINDSOR CASTLE. fD7
Parmcijiano; two Landscapes, Brueglile ; a Landscape, Te-
niersj Thomas Tliird Duke of Norfolk, Holbein ; Holy Family,
Vanudeii; LutluT, Holbein; Erasmus, Pens ; Queen Henrietta,
Vandyck; the Creation, Brueghle.
The Kinii's Dressins^ lioom. On the ceiling is the story of Ju-
pitt r and Danae. The pictures are, Prince Georae of Denmark,
Knt'ller; a Matjdaien, Dolci; two Views of Windsor Castle,
Wosterman; a Man's Head, Pa Vinci; a Landscape, Wouver-
mans; Nero depositing the ashes of Britannicus, Le feiier;
Countess of Desmond, who lived 150 years, wantinsj; a few days,
Rembrandt ; a Farriers Shop, Wouvermans; a Youth's Head,
Holbein; Charles II. Russel; Herodias' Daughter, Dolci; an
old Man's Head, Holbein; James Duke of York, Russel;
Queen of Charles II. Lely.
The King's Bed Chamber is hung with tapestry, representintj
the story of Hero and Leander : the state-bed is of rich flowered
velvet, made in Spitalflelds, by order of Queen Anne ; and, on
the ceiling, Cliarles II. is represented in the robes of the Garter,
under a canopy supported by Time, Jupiter, and Neptune, with
a wreath of laurel over his head; and attended by Europe, Asia,
Africa, and America. The paintings are, Charles II. when a
boy, in armour, Vandyck ; and Henry Duke of Gloucester.
The Kino's Draa-ing Room. Tiie ceiling is painted wiih
Charles II. riding in a triumphal car, diavvn by the horses of the
Sun, attended by Fame, Peace, and the polite arts ; Hercules
<lriving away Rebellion, Sedition, and I^'norance; Britannia and
Neptune paying obedience to the Monarch as he passes. In the
other p'.rts of the ceiling arc painted the Labours of Hercules.
The pictures are, a converted Chinese, Kneller; a Mai^dalen,
Young iPalma; tiie Roman Charity; St. John; St. Stephen
stoned; St. Peter, St. J-iines, and St. John, Michael Angelo
Caravage ; Cupid and Psyche, Dalil ; Endymion and Diana,
Genario; Harvest, Bassan ; our Saviour before Pilate, Schia-.
vone; Martha and Mary, from Bassan; a Shepherd and Shep-
herdess, Genario ; 13auae, Ditto ; and Venus turned Painter, a
copy.
The Kin^r's Public Dialing Room. The ceiling represents the
Banquet of the Gods. The pictures are, Hercules and Omphalc,
CephaUis and Procris, the Birth of Venus, and Venus and
Adonis, Genario ; a Naval Triumph of Chailes II. Verrio ; the
Marriage of St. Catharine, Danckers; Nymphs and Satyrs, by
Rnhens and Suyders; Hunting the Wild Boar, Snyders ; Still
Life, Kalf; the Taking of Bears, Bassan; a Bohemian Family,
by Purdioni; Divine Love, Baglioni; Lacy, a Comedian, iu
three Characters, Wright ; a SeaPiece ; Diana ; a Family Sing-
ing by candle-light ; Honthorst ; a Japan Peacock ; the Cocoa
Tree ; Architecture and Figures. The beautiful carving of this
chariiber is 1>y Gibbons.
298 WINDSOR CASTLE.
The King\^ Audience Chamber. On thf ceiling is represented
the re-estal)lishment of the Church of Eni^land at the Restora-
tion, in the characters of England, Scotland, and Ireland, at-
tended by Faith, Hope, Charity, and the Cardinal virtues ; Re-
ligion triumphing over Superstition and Hypocrisy, who are
driven by Cupids from before the church. This room is deco-
rated by the masterly hand of West. The picture, over the
door, is the Surrender of Calais. The companion to this is the
Entertainment given by Edward to his Prisoners, in which the
brave Eustace de Ribaumont, who engaged tlie King, unknown,
in single combat, during the siege of Calais, is introduced. The
King makes hiuiself known, and is in the act of nobly rewarding
the valour of his enemy with the cjown of pearls, and, at the
same instant, granting him his libevtv.
Under this picture is the thiid, representing the passage of the
Somme, near Abbeville, in which Edward is opposed by Godemar
de Faye, General of King Philip.
The fourth is the Interview between the King and his victori-
ous Son, the Black Prince, after the battle of Cressy. Tlie mo-
narch is tendf^rly embracing his son, who looks with attention on
the slain Kin^ of Bohemia, I3 ing at his feet. The conduct of this
monarch (who was almost blind with age) and of his noble at-
tendants, v\as truly heroic. Thry agreed, to prevent being se-
parated, to tie their horses' bridles together, and to conquer or
die ; and, in this situation, the attendants were found, the next
morniuir, near the body of their brave old King.
The tifth is the victory of Poitiers, in wliich the Black Prince
is represented r^ ceiving as captives the French King John, and
his youngest son Plii'ip.
Thesixtii is the lirst Installation of the Garter, in St. George's
Chapel. The Bishops of Winchester and Salisbury are perform-
ing the service, and the King, Oueen, and Knights, kneeling
round the altar. In the ealleiy appear the King's children, the
captive King of Scotland, the Bishop of St Andrew's, French
prisoners, and spectators. In the fore ground are two of the
Poor Knights of Windsor, kneeling; behind them two Foreign
Ambassadors ; and, behind these, is the portrait of iMr. West
Uims-lf, &:c.
The seventh, over the other door, is the battle of Nevil's
Cross, near Durham, where Queen Philippa, in the absence ef
the King, takes the command of the army, and defeats, and
makrs prisoner, David Kins of Scotland.
OvHi the chimney is the history of St. George.
The Kw^'s Presence Chamber is hunsj with tapestry, containing
the history of Queen Athaliah. Oa the ceiling. Mercury is re-
presented with an orig'nai portrait of Climles II. which he shews
to the four quarters of the world, introductd by Neptune : Fame
declaring the glory of that Prince, and Time driving away Re-
WINDSOR CASTLE. $99
lip.llion, Sedition, &c. Over the canopy is Justice, sliowing the
arms of Britain to Thames and the river nymphs. At the lower
etid is Venus in a marine car, drawn by tritons and sea-nymphs,
The paintings are. Duns Scotus, Spa<Tn'oIet ; Peler I. of Russia,
Knelier ; Prometheus, Young Palma ; and the otlier four Car-
toons of Raphael. Tlie first is the death of Ananias ; the second,
St. Paul preaching to the Athenians; the third, Christ deliver-
ing the Keys to St. Peter ; the fourth, Elymas tlie Sorcerer
stinck with Blindness.
TJiese inestimable cartoons had remained in Flanders, from
the time that Pope Leo X. sent them thither to be copied in
tapestry ; the momy for the tapestry having never been paid.
They were purchased by Charles I. at the recommendation of
Rubens. At the sale of the Royal pictures, in 1653, they were
purchased for 300/. by Cromwell, against whom no one wouhl
bid. He pawned them to tiie Dutch Court for upwards of
50,000/. ; and, aftpr the Revolution, King WilUam brought them
again to England, and built a gallery for their reception in
Hauipton Court.
Tke Kws!:'s Guard Chamber^ a noble room, in Avhich are thou-
sands of pikes, pistols, guns, bayonets, &c. disposed in colon-
nades, pillars, and other devices, by Mr. Harris, then master-
gunner of this castle; the person who invonted this beautiful ar-
rangement of arms, and placed those in the armory in the Tower
of London. The ceihng is finely painted in water col^^urs : in
one circle is Mars and Minerva, and in the other Peace and
Plenty. In the dome is also a representation of Mars. The
pictures are, Charles XL of Sweden, on horseback, AVyck ; and
eight paintings of battles and sieges, Rugeiidas. At an installa-
tion, the Knights of the Garter dine here in great state, in the ab-
v^ence of the Sovereign.
St. George's Hall is set apart to the honour of the Order of the
Garter, and is one of the noblest rooms in Europe. In the ceil-
ing, Charles II. is represented in the habit of the Order, attended
by England, Scotland, and Ireland ; Religion and Plenty hold
the crown over his head; Mars and Mercury, with the e nt>lems
of war and peace, stand on each side. Regal Government is up-
held by Religion and Eternity, with Justice attendi'd by Forti-
tude, Temperance, and Pindence, beating down Rebellion and
Faction. Toward the tiirone is represented, in an octagon, St.
George's Cross, encircled with the Garter, within a glory sup-
ported by Cupids, with the motto, Honismt quimalypense ; the
Muses attending in full concert.
On the back of the throne is a large drapery, on which is
painted St. George and the dragon, as large as the life ; and on
the lower border of the drapery is inscribed Veniendo restituit rem,
in allusion to William HI. who is painted in the habit of the
Order, sitting under a royal canopy, Knelier. To the throne
300 WINDSOR CASTLE.
is an ascent of five marble steps, to \v}ii<'h tlic painter has
added five more, done with such periiectness as to deceive the
sight. ■
This noble room is 108 feet long; and the whole nortli side is
taken up with the triumph of Edward tlie Black Prince, after
the manner of the Romans. At the upper part of the hall is Ed-
ward III. the founder of the Order, seated on the throne, re-
ceiving the Kings of Fiance and Scotland prisoners ; the Black
Prince is seated in 'he middle of the procession, crowned with
lauiel, and carried by slaves, preceded by captives, and attended
by the emblems of Victory, Liberty, and other i/js/g7?ia of the
Romans, with the banners of France and Scotland displayed.
The painter has indulged his fancy, by closing the procession
with tlie fiction of the Countess of Salisbury, in the jjerson of a
fine lady making garlands for the Prince, and the re^>resentation
of the Merry Wives of Windsor. — In this last, he has humoronsiy
inlrouuced himself in a black hood and scarlet cloak.
At the lower end of the hall is a noble music- frallcry, supported
by slaves larger than the life, in proper attitudes, said to repre-
sent a father and his three sons, taken prisoners by the Black
Prince. Over this gallery, on the lower compartment of the
ceiling, is the Collar of the Order of the Garter fully displayed.
Tiie painting of this room was by Verrio.
St. George's, or the King's Chapel. On the ceiling is repre-
sented the Ascension; and the altar-piece is adorned with a
painting of the Last Supper. On the north side of the chapel is
the representation of the Resurrection ot Lazarus, and other mi-
racles, by Verrio ; and in a group of spectators, the painter has
introduced his ov.n effigy, with those of Sir Godfrey Kneller, and
IMr. Cooper, w ho assisted in these paintings. The east end of the
dtapel is taken up with the closets belonging to his Majesty and
the Royal Family. The carved work is done by Gibbons, in
lime-tree.
From this chapel we are conducted to the Queoi's Guard
Chamber, the first room we entered : for tliis is the last of the
state apartments at present shown to the public, the otliers being
only opened when the court resides at Windsor. Tliey consist
of many beautiful chambers adorned with paintings by the
greatest masters.
In passing hence, we look into the inner or horn court, so
called from a pair of states horns of a very extraordinaiy siz^^,
taken in the foiest, and set up in that court, which is painted ui
bronze and stone colo\ir. On one side is repiesf-nted a Rom;-
battle, and on the opposite side a sea-fight, witli the imagps .
Jupiter, Neptune, Mercury, and Pallas; and in the gallery is a
reprpsentation of David playing before the ark.
Fr!)m this court a flight of steps leads to the King's Guard
Chamber; and, in the cavity under tl^ese steps, and fronting tiiis
WINDSOR CASTLE. 301
court, is a 6<?nre of Hcrcnies .Ivoin a stone colour. On a domr-.
over the steps is painted the Battle of tlie Gods; and, on tho
sides of the sfair case, is a representation of the Four Aj^^es of
tiie World, and two Battles of the Greeks and Romans in
fresco.
St. George's Chapel, or the Collegiate Church, already men-
tioned as situate in the middle of the lower court (^f the Castle,
mnstnotbe con(onnded wiih .SY. George's, or the King^s Chapel.,
in the Castle. It is a beautiful structure, in the purest style of
Gothic architecture, and was fust erected by Edward III. in
1377, for the honour of the Order of the Garter. But ijowever
noble the tirst design, Edward IV. not tinding it entirely com-
pleted, disifrned and undertook tlip present structure. The
work was canied on by Henry VII. who tiui.«hed the body of
the ciiapel; and Sir Reginald Bray, K. G. assisted in ornament-
ing the chapel and completing the roof. The architecture of the
inside has ever been esteemed for its great beauty; and, in par-
ticular, the stone roof is reckoned an excellent piece of work-
manship. It is an ellipsis supported by Gothic pillars, whose
ribs and groins sustain the whole roof, every part of which has
some different device well finished, as the arms of several of our
kings, great families, ^c. On each side of the choir, are the stall*
of thf> Sovereign and Knights of the Garter, with the helmet,
mantling, crest, and sword of each Knight, set up over his stall,
on a canopy of ancient carving curiously wrought. Over the
canopy is affixed the banner of each Knight blazoned on silk,
and on the back of the stalls are the titles of the Knights, with
their arms neatly engraved and blazoned on copper. The Sove-
reign's stall, on the right hand of the entrance into the choir, is •
distinguished by rich ornaments. The Prince's stall is on the
left, and has no distinction from those of the rest of the Knights;
the whole society, according to the statutes of the institution,
being companions, equal in honour and power.
In a vault under this choir are interred Henry VIII. his
Queen Jane Seymour, Charles I. and a daughter of Queen Anne,
In the south aisle, near the door of tho choir, is buried Henry VI. ;
and Edward IV. is interred in the north aisle.
Let softer strains ill-fated Henry mourn,
And palms eternal tlcmrish round his urii.
Here o'er the martyr-king the marble weeps.
And, fast before him, once-fear'd Edward sleeps.
Wliom not extended Albion could contain.
From old Belerium to the northern main,
The grave unites; where ev'n the Great find rest,
And blended lie th' oppressor and th' opprest. pop£.
In 1789 the workmen employed in repairing the church, dis-
covered the vault of King Edward. The body, enclobed in ^
D D
302 WINDSOR CASTLE.
leaden and wooden coffin, medsuring six feet tbree inches in
length, appeared reduced to a skeleton. The bottom of the
coffin was covered \vitlj a muddy liquor, about three inches
deep, of a strong saline taste. Near thi< was a wooden coffin,
supposed to have contained the body of his Queen, who died
three years after the Kinc, in confinement, in Bermondsey Abbey,
and is supposed to have been secretly interred. On the sides of
this vault were inscribed, in characters resembling tho^e of the
times, *' Edward IV." with some names, probably those of the
workmen employed at the funeral. The tomb of this King is
fronted with touchstone ; over it is a beautiful monument of
steel, said to have been tlie work of Quintin Matsys.
There are several chapels in this church, in which are the mo-
numents of many illustrious pf^rsons ; particularly, of Edward
Earl of Lincoln, a renowned naval warrior ; Georso Manners,
Lord Roos, and Anne, his consort, niece of Edward IV. ; Anne,
Duchess of Exeter, mother of tiiat lady, and sister to the King;
Sir Reginald Bray, before mentioned ; and Charles Brandon,
Duke of SutFolk, who married the sister of King Henry Vllf.
Tiie church was repaired and beautified in 1790. Thn altar
now consists of curious and delicate workmanship, in various
carved devices, surrounding West's picture of the Last Supper.
Over this altar is a noble paintpd window; the subject is the Re-
surrection ; and it is divided into three compartments. In the
centre is our Saviour ascending from the sepulchre, preceded by
the Angel, above whom, in the clouds, are Cherubims and Sera-
phim?, and among these is a portrait of their Majesties' s(>n, Oc-
tavius. In the front ground are the Roman soldiers, thrown into
various postures with terror and astonishment In the right-
hand compartment are represented Marj- Magdalen, IMary the
mother of James, and Salome, approaching the sepulchre, with
unguents and spices, in order to anoint the body of their Lord.
In the left hand division are Peter and John, who are supposed
to have been informed by Mary Magdalen, that the body of
Christ was missing, and are rimning with the greatest anxiety,
astonishment, and speed, toward tlie sepulchr . This masterly
perf'rmance was designed by Mr. W< st in 1785, and executed
by Mr. Jarvis, assisted by Mr. Forest, between that period and
1788.
The organ, of Gothic exterior construction, built by Green, is
a noble production of | gen us. It is suppcf^ed to be superior to
any in the kiiigJom, . articularly in tliv swell. The organ case
was budt by Mr. Emlyn. The c^^rved work to this erection is
very cmious and costly. The ascent to the choir, from the west
door, is by a flight of steps, nnder an arcade of artificial stone,
extending the whole width of the choir.
The improvements in the choir are general, and particularly
the stalls of the knights of the garter, which have received great
WINDSOR CASTLE. S0$
enibellishrnents ; the most conspicnous of which m the King's
stall. It was erected in 1788, under tlie direction of Mr. Endyn,
and is carved in a neat Gothic style. In the centre are tiie arms
of the Sovereign, encircled witli laurel, and crowned witli the
royal diadem; the whole surrounded witlj flower-de-luces and
the stai" of the order, w ith G. R. III. properly disposed. The
curtains and cushions are of blue velvet frins;ed witii cjold. The
old banners of the ktiights that have been installed are taken
down, and beautiful new silk ones substituted, with helmets,
crests, and swords. Vacancies are left for the new-elected
knights. No part of the church appears to have been neglected.
Taste, as well as convenience, have been consulted ; a great de-
gree of airiness pervades the whole, and the effect of the stone-
work, with the neatness of the finishing, strikes the spectator
with wonder. The tout ensemble is one of the most magnificent
ever seen in a place of divine worship.
At the east end of St. George's Chapel, is a freestone edifice,
built by Henry VII. as a burial-place for himself and his suc-
cessors ; but afterwai ds altering his purpose, he began the more
noble structure at Westminster- and this remained neglected
until Cardinal Wolsey obtained a grant of it Irom Henry VIII.,
and, with a profusion of expense, began here a sumptuous monu-
ment for himself, whence this building obtained the name of
Wolsey's Tomb House. This monument was so magnificently
built, that it ftr exceeded that of Henry VII. in Westminster
Abbey ; and, at the time of the Cardinal's disgrace, the tomb
was so far executed, that Benedetto, a statuary of Florence, re-
ceived 4230 ducats for what he had already done ; and 380/. 18 j.
had been paid for gildinjt: only half of this monument. The Car-
dinal dying soon after his disgrace, was buried in the cathedral at
York, and the monument remained unfinished. In 1646, the
statues and figures of gilt copper, of exquisite workmanship,
were sold. James II. converted this building into a popish chapel,
and mass was pubhcly performed here. The ceiling was painted
by Verrio, and the walls were finely ornamented and painted ;
but the whole having been neglected since the reign of James II.
is now in a state of decay, and, being no appendage to the col-
lege, waits the royal favour, to retrieve it from the disgrace of
its present appearance.
The royal foundations in this castle are, the most noble Order
of the Garter, wiiich consists of the Sovereign and twenty-five
Knights Companion : the Royal College of St. George, con-
sisting of a dean, twelve canons, seven minor canons, eleven
clerks, an organist, a verger, and tvio sacrists; and the Alms
Knights, who are eighteen in number ; viz. thirteen of the royal
foundation, and fivf^ of the foundation of Sir Peter le Maire, in
the reign of James I. The Order of the Garter was instituted
by Edward III. in 1349. It is also called the Order of St.
B D2
304 WINDSOR PARKS.
George, the patron of Eiiijland, under wliose banner the KncHsh
always went to war, and St. Geor^^'e's cross was made the tosiun
of the order. The garter was, at the same time, appointed to he
worn by the knights on the left leg, as a principal mark of dis-
tinction; not *rom any regard to a lady's gart»r, *• but as a T3€
or band of association in honour and military virtue, to bind the
Knights Companion strictly to himself, and to each otiicr, in
friendship and true agreement, and as an ensign or badire of unity
or combination, to promote the honour of God and the glory and
interest of their sovereign." At that time, King Edward, being
engaged in prosecuting by arms his right to tlie crown of France,
caused the French motto, Hoyd.'ioit qui mal y pense, to be wrought
in gold letters round the garter; meaning to declare thereby tiie
equity of his irtention, and, at the same time, retorting sliame
and defiance upon him who should dare to tliiuk ill of the just
enterprise in which he iiad engaged.
Such is Windsor Castle, and those who have visited it deem it
one of tlie most delighttid spots m the world.
WINDSOR LITTLE PARK, a fine enclosure, which em-
braces the north and east side of WinJsor Castle, and is about
four mi!es in ciicinnference, declining gently from the terrace to
the Thames. It is a charming spot, pleasantly wooded ; and
there is a row of ancient trees, near the Queen's Lodge, which is
said to have been planted by order of Queeu Elizabeth, and still
retains her name.
Here also an old oak is said to exist still, by the name of
Heme's Oak. The admirer of natural antiquity, who would
wish to investigate the sjihject, w ill find an ample account of it
in Mr. Gdpin's " Remarks on Forest Scenery." It is thus G6-
lebi-ated by Shakspeare :
There is an old tale goes, that Heme, the hunter.
Sometime a keeper here in Windsor Forest,
Doth all the winter-time, at still midnight,
Walk round about an oak, with great ragged horns ;
And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle,
And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes a chain.
In a most hideous and dreadftil manner I
Merry Wives of Windsor, Act iv. Scene 4.
Formerly, numerous herds of deer were kept in this park ; but,
since the year 1783, it has been stocked with she^-p and cattle of
various denominations ; yet there are still some deer remaining,
and plenty of hares, which frequently afford his Majesty the di-
version of coursing. Of this park Sir Francis Moliueaux, Ba-
ronet, is ranger.
WINDSOR GREAT PARK, an extensive park, adjoining to
the south side of the town of Windsor. A noble road, near three
WINDSOR FOREST. 305
miles in length, called The Long Walk, and adorned on each
side with a double plantation of stately trees, leads to the sum-
mit of a delightful hill, near the ran<jer's lodge, whence there is a
very luxuriant prospect of the Custle, Eton College, and the
country beyond. This park possesses a circuit of fourteen miles;
and, since the death of the late Henry Frederic, Duke of Cum-
berland, his Majesty has taken it under his own immi^diate care,
and amuses himself in giving it every advantage which the united
efforts of good husbandry and landscape improvement can be-
stow. It consists of neav four thousand acres, beautifully diver-
sified in hill and dale ; many parts of it nobly planted with ve-
nerable bodies of wood, varied with wild and romantic scenery.
While this extent of domain remivined in the hands of a ranger,
he employed it as a temporary advantage, and never thought of
bestowing upon it any permanent improvement : but his Majesty
having taken that office upon himself, every rational experiment
which can add beauty, or produce advantage, is brought for-
ward ; and persons of the first eminence and skill are employed in
the execution of a magnificent plan of embellishment in the park j
as well as to hold forth an example of improved husbandly to the
imitation of the surrounding country. The principal outlines of
this plan embrace a vast compass of draining, which is completed,
without deformity, after the mode adopted in Essex ; an exten-
sive scene of planting upon the high grounds and eminences,
where a grandeur of effect can be produced ; a delicate opening
of the bottom parts, in order to throw the vales into beautiful
savannas ; a selection of the fine sylvan parts into harbours for
game; with sheepwalks for large flocks; and the formation of
two contrasted farms at the opposite ends of the park. The one,
from the lightness of the soil, is established on the Norfolk
system of husbandry, under a rotation of six course cropping,
with all the advantages of turnip cultivation ; and the other,
which consists of a loamy soil, is carried on in due conformity to
the agricultural practice of Flanders, where the course of hus-
bandry almost invariably consists of an alternate crop for man
and beast ; one of the most productive dispositions to which land
©an be applied.
WINDSOR FOREST, a forest, which, according to Roque,
forms a circuit of fifty-six miles, abounding with deer and game,
and is a magnificent appendage to Windsor Castle. It was ori-
ginally formed and preserved for the exercises of the chase, by
our ancient sovereigns, and is still employed in those recreations
by his present Majesty. This extensive tract of land contains
one market-town and many pleasant villages. The town named
Okingham, or Wokingham, is nine miles from Windsor. Among
the villages are East Hamsted, the birth-place of Fenton the
poet, celebrated as a valuable coadjutor of Pope's in his trans-
DUO
506 W O B
lation of Homer. Near this is a Roman camp, called Caesar's
Camp. East of this is Snnninu Hill, noted for its mineral wa-
ters. But the glory of Windsor Forest is Bintield, near Oking-
ham, where Pope spent his youthful days, ahd where he com-
posed his Windsor Forest. 6u one of the trees, in a wood in
this parish, is cut this inscription :
HERE POPE SUNG !
Although much of the soil in Windsor Forest is barren and
uncultivated, it is finely di'-ersdied with hills, vales, and woods,
interspersed with charming seats and elegant villas. It may be
truly said to possess those sylvan beauties which invited Pope to
make it the subject of his youthful muse, and which will hand
down its fame to posterity. Of this forest the Duke of York is
lord warden, or lieutenant; and Earl Harcourt is the deputy.
See St. Leonardos Hill, New Lodge, and Sophia Farm.
WINDSOR, OLD, a village on the Thames, between New
Windsor and Egham, adorned with several handsome villas ;
particularly Lord Walsinghara's, at the foot of Priest's Hill ; The
AVTiite House, the property of William Pitt, Esq., of Eton, and
residence of Rice James. Esq.; PeUing Place, the seat of James
Bonnel, Esq. ; the elegant house and grounds of Mrs. Ham-
mersley ; Crawley House, the seat of Henry Isherwood, Esq. ;
^and Clay Hall, the neat cottage of Mrs. Keppel, and residence'
of Sir Henry W. Dashwood, Bart. See Beaumont Lodge and
Grove House.
WOBURN FARM, the seat and beautifully ornamented farm
of Sir John St. Aubyn, Bart., near Weybridge, in Surry. It
contains one hundred and fifty acres, of which thirty-five are
adorned to the highest degree ; of the rest, two-thirds are in
pasture, and the remainder in tillage. The decorations are com-
municated, however, to every part ; for they are disposed along
the sides of a walk, which, with its appendages, forms a broad
belt round the grazing grounds, and is continued, though on a
more contracted scale, through the arable. This walk is pro-
perly a garden ; all within it is a farm. These enchanting scenes
were formed by the late Philip Southcote, Esq., and exhibit a
beautiful specimen of the ferme ornee, of which he was the intro-
ducer, or rather inventor ; and him, therefore, the poetical Pr&»
coptor of English Gardening thus apostrophizes :
• Oil thee too, Southcote, shall the Muse bestow.
No vulgar praise ; for thou to humblest things
Couldst give ennobling beauties, deck'd by thee.
The simple farm eclips'd the garden's pride.
E'en as the virgin blush of innocenc*
The haiiotrv of art. masox.
woo sor
WOODCOTE, Surry, three miles S. W. from Croydon, now
only a single farmhouse, in the parish of Beddington, is sup-
posed to liave bten a Roman station, from many remains of an-
tiquity found here. Camden, and other antiquaries, contend,
that this was the city of Noviomawus, mentioned by Ptolemy;
which others maintain to have been in Kent.
WOODFORD, a villatj^e, eight miles from London, in the
road to Eppin^, has some agreeable villas on each side of the
road, whicli command fine prospects over a beautiful country.
The most worthy ot notice are, Woodford Hall, close to the church.
the seat of Maiiland, Esq. ; and the houses of the late Job
Mathew, Esq. and Sir Robert Preston, Bart. Higham Hall, the
elegant seat, late of Governor Hornby, but now of John Har-
man, Esq. is situated bf^tween Woodford Hall and Prospect
House, but is in the parisii of Walthamstow. A mineral spring,
which rises in the forest, at a little distance from the Horse and
Groom, was formerly in great repute, and much company re-
sorted to drink the waters, at a house of public entertainment
c?d\^(\ Woodford Wells ; but the waters have long lost their re-
putation; and the house, converted into a private one, is now
thp property of Mrs. Eggers. Nearly opposite is a boarding-
•choo!, said to have been the residence of Oliver Cromwell ; and
Milton, whilst his secretary, lived in an old house nearly opposite
the church, lately inhabited by Mrs. Godfrey, a descendant of
Sit" Edmondsbury Godfrey.
In the churchyard is an elegant monument to the memory of
some of the family of Sir Edmondsbury Godfi^ey, whose minder
excited such agitation in the reign of Charles ll. {See Primrose
Hill, and any History of England,) and of whom it ought to be
recorded, that, in tlie great plague, in 1665, he endangered his
life for the good of h\s fellow-citizens, by remaining in London,
and faithfully discharging his duty as a magistrate. This monu-
ment was designed by Sir Robert Taylor. It is a Corinthian
column : the shaft, of coloured marble, was brought from Italy j
the base and capital are of white marble ; and the whole cost
1500 /. In the churcli-yavd is a yew-tree, supposed to be the
finest in England. See Hearts.
WOODFORD BRIDGE, a village in the same parish, nine
miles fr«ti!i London, in the road to Chipping Ongar, is situated
on an eminence, forming a pictiuesque appearance. Near the
bridge, ov^r the Roding, is a pump of excellent water, brought
Litj. r, in 1776, at a great expense, by the proprietor of the
estate, for the accommodation of the poor inhabitants. In this
village is Ray House, the seat of Joim Puryer, Esq.^ and a
pretty villa, built by Caesar Corsellis, Esq.
WOODLAND HOUSE, Kent, the villa of John Julius An-
§erstein, Esq., on the north side of Blackheatb, towaids Charl-
;J08 WOO
ton, is faced with a beautiful stucco. Tlie front, which has a
handsome portico, is enriched by a niche on each side, containing
elegant statues, representing the young Apollo and the Dancing
Fawn. Immediately over each niche is a circukr basso reUcvo,
with a semicircular window in the centre. The gardens commu-
nicate with a paddock, and command the same beaiitiful prospect
sis Westcoml) Park, of Shooter's Hill and the Thames.
WOODMANSTERN, a pleasant village near Bansiead, in
Surry, containing the villa of the Earl of Derby. See Oaks, and
the villas of Joseph Wiudham and Thomas Walpole, Esqrs.
WOOLWICH, a market-town in Kent, nine miles from Lon-
don, is situated on the Thames, and is famed for its fine docks
and yards, (where men of war are built, and the largest have, at
all times, a sufficient depth of water) as also for its vast maga-
zines of guns, mortars, bombs, cannon-balLs, and other mihtary
stores. In the lower part of the town is the Warren, now called
The Royal Arsenal, where upward of seven thousand pieces of
ordnance have been laid up at one time. Here also is the house
where bombs, carcases, and grenades are prepared. Adjoining
is a very fine common, on which are built most spacious bar-
racks for the royal artillery, and an academy for the instruction
of one hundred and twenty-eight cadets, who are taught the first
principles of mathematics, fortification, military plan-drawing,
French, fencing, and dancing. There is also a small academy in
the royal arsenal for the accommodation of about sixty cadets.
This institution is preparatory to that on the common, as no cadet
can be admitted into the latter till he has passed throuL'h the
former. The number of masters who are employed in the two
academies is about twenty, at the head of whom is John Bonny-
castle, Esq. professor of mathematics, and author of a very ele-
gant and classical work, entitled, " An Introduction to Astro-
nomy, in a Series of Familiar Letters from a Preceptor to his
Pupil;" as also of several other introductory works on arithme-
tic, algebra, geometry, and various other branches of mathe-
matics. Neither the regulation of the studies, however, nor the
general management oif the academies, rests with this gentle-
man, but with the governor, lieutenant-governor, inspector, and
assistant inspector. The governor is always the maater-general
of the ordnance for the time being, with whom rests the ap-
pointment of the other officers of the institution, as also the pa-
tronage of the cadetships. The more immediate business, how-
ever, of the Academy and the regulation of its studies, devolves '
upon the lieutenant-governor, now Lientenr.nt Colonel Mudge,
of the royal artillery, assisted by the inspector, Lieutenant Co-
lonel Phipps, and the assistant inspector, Captain Hall. Hi-
therto the examination for admission into this institution has been
very trivial, the candidates only being required to be acquaiated
AV R o 3oy
with vulgar fractions and a very sligiit knowledge of the Eng-
Iis!i atid Latin gtammars : but, iu consequonc? of tlie extreme
detifieucy of many of tlie cadets wbo have been educated at the
Academy for some few years lasr past, it is now proposed that
the quahtications for admission shall consist iu a thorough know-
ledge of theEuarhsh and Latin ton<;ues, and of the first principles
of mathematics, to sucii an extent at least as shall enable the
candidiite, on his examination, to resolve a quadratic equation
with correctness and facility, and to demonstrate the principal
propositions of the first four books of Euclid's Elements of Geo-
metry.
Nkw Military Academy. This noble edifice is a very in-
teresting object whpn viewed from Shooter's Hill. It is built
in the castellated form, from designs b* Wyatt ; the length is
more than two hundred yards: the expense of erecting it is
estimated at 150,000/.
The Artillery Barracks form a most extensive and com-
plete edifice, and, as seen from the front of the Nev/ Academy.,
impress on the mind of the beholder the strength and splendor of
this military branch of our defence. The church was rebuilt in
the reign of Queen Anne, as one of the fifty new churches.
For some years past two or three Imlks have been moored off
this town, for the reception of convicts, to the number, some-
times of fonr hundred. It is remarkable, that part of this parish
is on the Essex side of the Thames (where there was once a
chapel, and where now stands a house called The Devil's House.)
and is included in Kent.
WORMLEY BURY, Herts, one mile and a half S. from
Hoddesdon, the seat of Sir Abraham Hume, Bart.
WORMWOOD SCRUBBS. See Paddington.
WOTTON, a village in Surry to the S. W. of Dorking. Here
is the seat of the family of Evelyn, ever since the reign of Eliza-
beth. It was the favourite retreat of that great philosopher,
John Evelyn, Esq., till he went to Says Court, in Deptford. It
is now the seat of his great great grandson, Sir Frederic Evelyn,
Bart.
WRAYSBURY, a village of Buckinghamshire, situated on the
Thaiues, opposite Egham. In this parish is Charter Island, in
which, ac.ording to local tradition. Magna Charta was signed.
See Ankerwyke House and Runnymead.
WRO'IHAM, a market-town in Kent, twenty-four miles and
a half S. fioni London, has a large church, in ivhich are sixteen
stalls, supposed to have been made for the clergy, who attended
the Archbishops of Canterbury, to whom the manor formerly
belonged, and who had a palace here, till Arciibishop Islip, in
the fourteenth century, pulled it dewn, and built another at
510 YOU
Maidstone. Several pieces of antiquity have been dug i;p here,
particularly some military weapons. This is one of the weal-
thiest livings in the kinudom, and now in tlie possession of the
Rev. Mr. Moore, son of the late Archbishop of Canterbury.
Wrothatn Hill, just above the church, has a very extensive
prospect over Maidstone, down to the weald of Kent.
WROTHAM PARK, in the parish of Hadley, m IVIiddlesex,
the maunificent seat of G<'orge Byng, Esq. was built by his ^reat
uncle, Admir il John Byng*. The v'ww< trom the house and park
are very tine. The estate probably took its name from the town
of Wrothara, in Kent, where the family had been settled upward
of two iiundred years, before John Byng, Esq. father of George
fii-st Viscount Torrington, disposed of the family esate in that
place.
Y.
YOUNGSBERRY, Herts, two miles and three quarter*
N. N. E. from Ware, is the stat of Daniel Giles, Esq.
* " Who, to the perpetual disgrace of public justice, fell a mar-
tyr to political persecution, on March I4tb, 1757, when bravery
and loyalty were insufficient securities for the life and honour »f a
naval officer." BurJie.
AN
ALPHABETICAL LIST
OF THE
NOBILITY AND GENTRY,
THE PRESENT PROPRIETORS AND OCCUPIERS OF THE SEATS
MENTIONED IN THIS WORK.
ABBOT, William, esq. 254.
Abilv. Mr?. 34.
Abercorn, M<.rquis of, 47.
Ac';land. . t^q. 39-
Aiiair, .-X. t-^q. --1.
Adams,!. VV. esq. 5T.
Aggatt, . <iq.36.
Agufla.-, A. esq. 291.
Ainsley, , esq. i:5.
Anderson, . sq. 45.
AudersoD.Sr J W. 182.
Ancell, . e q. 145.
AngerL-leiiJ lolm JuUiis, esq. 30(
Ausp^icli. M.rsritviiic, 52.
Antrobus. Philip ^ sq. 66.
Apieecp, Si. T. H 82.
Arm-tioni;, F-dniund,esq 97.
Armstvona, Tames, esq. 250.
Arnold. G. esq. l'.^5
A.siibiook Viscount, 43.
Atkins A. esq. 24"?.
Aubin,Sir J.Sl. 306.
Auckland, Lord, 44.
Ausiinv. M )tley, esq. 160.
Avn?ccnib, Mi^s, ItiT-
Ayscough, G. M. esq. 191.
Bacon, John, esq. 41.
Bailue, Jame , esq. 93.
Baker. VVilikani, esq. 1.38.
Baker, Samutl, esq. 138.
Baiubiidee,T e:,q.8*.
Bi*l«lwvn,C. esq. 11.
Banbury, Lord, 93.
Banks. Sir Joseph, 233.
B;-iclsy, .ienrse, esq. 51.
Barehard, .esq. '.;17.
Bariug, . esq. f)5.
Barker, Lady, 212.
Barlow, , esq. 243.
Barnard, F esq. 93.
Barnes, R. esq. '216.
Baruet, J. fsq 244.
Baroneau, F. esq. 190.
Barret, Hurst, esq. 102. ^
Barrett, Biyaut, esq. Tm.
Barry, ]MlSi>e^. 256
Bartlet. • , f sq. 234.
Barw ell, Smith, «sq. 241.
Barwis, Jackson, e^q. 141.
Baynes.SirC. 133.
Baynes. W e^q. 144.
Bavtou,SirG 71-
Beauderk, J..adv Diana, 218.
Bedtord, Duke of, 72, 243.
Bennet, Rev. Mr. 25J.
Eennion, R. esq. 97.
Beayon, Ricliaid.esq. 105.
Berkeley E.rlof,82.
B«'rlie,La.ly Robert, 223..
Besborou&h, Eai 1 of. 223.
Biddulp'i, , esq. 226.
Biland, Count, 102.
Biicb, George, esq ^.32.
BlHckbunie Jolm, esq 59-
BlackPt. Sir Ed\var.^ 'J52.
Bitickman, Charles, esq. 92.
Blackmoie. Mrs. 138.
Bleneo\ve,Ii.P. esq. 251.
Biieke, Sir Charles, 171.
Blunt, Lady, 84.
Bod;,a.'i, R. H, tsq 97.
Bodlf, IV^bert, asq. 13.
Boeliin. Edmund, esq. 201.
Bonham, Henry, esq. 227.
Bonnel, James, esq. 306.
Bonner, Thomas, esq. 01.
Borradaile, W. esq. 242.
Bos.ic.qnel, Jacob, esq. 57.
Bosanquel. Samuel, e-q. 178.
Bo>ton Lord, 136.
Bouchiei , Cliarles, esq. 226.
Boulion, Richard, esq. 174.
Boultou, H' nry, esq. 174.
Bourdieii. James, esq. 27.
Bowles, Wiliiain, esq. lOO.
Bowles, Georce, esq. 278.
Bowyer. S.r Willian., 88.
Rovii, W,tlter, esq. 212.
Bracey, Major, 209.
Bradley, Joseph, esq. 125.
Bradney, , esq. 125.
BraniiiU, , esq. 269.
B,i..y. . esq. 291.
Bnckwood. 1. t sq. 84.
Bridijer, Sir John, 95.
Bridgewater. Earl of, 244.
Bnstol, Countess Downgcr,290.
Brown, Capt. 243.
Browne, Henry, esq. U)6.
INDEX OF NAMES.
Brownlnw, Lord, ISI.
Bruce, P. C. esq. 288.
Bruhl, Count, 133.
Brunswick, Ducliess of, 48.
Buccleu^h, Duke ot, 218. Ui.
BuckingTiamshire, Earl of, 125.
Eucknall, J. A. esq. 134.
Bucknnll, Hon. W. 261.
Bullock, Edward, esq. 243.
Bullock, Dr. 2-13.
Bulstrode, Mfs. 142.
Burdeit, Sir Francis, 291.
Burgess, Lady Smith, J3G.
Bur^oyne, Montague, e-.q. l?"*-
Burke, Mrs. 60.
BuiTitt, , esq. 2i% 244'
Bunougb, ,esq 125.
Bu%h, Richard, esq. '217.
Buttou, Zdchariah, esq. 46.
Butt?, James, esq 71.
Byde, Tnomas Hope, esq. 282.
Byng, George, esq. 310.
Callan. Lord, 82.
Calvert, N esq. 142.
Cambridge, Rev, G. O. 256.
Camden, Earl, 288.
Campbtl!, LordF. 80.
Campbell, Colonel, 286.
Canterbury, Archbishop of, 27.
Cardigan, Earl, 218.
Carew, R. Gee, esq. 44.
Carhampton, Earl, 202.
Carter, , esq, 245.
Caste!!, Samuel, esq. 291.
Castlereagh, Lord, 234.
Cator, John, esq. 44.
Cavendish, Lord F. 25T.
Chabe, Marquis de, 39.
Chambers, Dr. 65.
Chandos, Duchess, 232.,
Chauncv, Mrs. 104.
Cimrch, . esq. 212.
Clarence, Duke of, 60.
Claieudon, Earl of, IIQ.
Clarke, I'homas, esq 245.
Clarke, Rev. Mr. 144.
Clay, Mrs. 178.
Clayton, S. esq. 59.
Clayton, Samuel, esq. 97.
Cleves, , esq. 147.
Clivc, George, esq, 223.
Clive, Lady, 148.
Clowes, Charles, esq. 270.
Cockenl, , esq. 283.
Colbome, Mrs, 143.
Colingridge, , esq, 244.
Combe. H. C. esq. 77.
Conant, Nathaniel, esq. 234.
Conde, Prince de, 290.
Conolly, Lady Anne. 256.
Conyers, Johu, esq. 8v.
Cooke, Lady Mary, 74.
Cooke, Charles, esq. 275.
Cooke, Messrs. 68.
Copland, Alexander, esq, 121.
Cvrnwall, Mrs. 66.
Cornwall, John, esq. 137-
Cotton, T. esq. 125.
Cotton, , esq. 127.
Corsollis, Caesar, esq. 307.
Coulson, Mrs. 383.
Coventry, Earl of, 243.
Cowpcr, Earl, 7y.
Cowper, Henry, esq. 125.
Crawley, Mrs. ■254-
Crickitt. C. A esq 50.
Cromwell, Oliver, esq. 72.
Crosbie,G-.peral,2t4
Crosby, Colonel, 256.
Crucchley, J. efq. 245.
Currie, Mrs. 276.
Carrie, Isaac, esq. 144.
Currie, W. esq. 142.
Curhe, Mark, esq. 105.
Curtis, Sir W. 232.
Dacre, late Lady, 45.
Dallmg, Sir John, 77-
Darner, Hon. Mrs. 2-39.
Daniel, J. 223.
Daniel, James, esq. 45.
Darby, John, esq. 27.
Dartmouth, Earl of, 48.
Dashwood, Sir Henry, 78, 306.
Davis, L esq. 97-
David, Duncan, esq. 109.
Dennison, Joseph, esq. 87.
Dent, John, esq. 78.
Deny S.Peter, esq. 68.
Derby, Earl of, 197.
De Visme, P. esq. 277-
De Vi»me, Gerard, esq. 291.
Devonshire, Duke of, 74.
Dick, Sir John, 223.
Disney, John D. D. 142.
Dorstt, Duke of, I6I.
Dorville, , esq. 127.
Douglass, W. esq. 125.
Douelass,W. esq. 247.
Douglass, Lady, liio.
Down, Richard, esq. 41.
Downe, Viscount, 54.
Drake, William, esq. 223.
Drummond, George, esq. 46-
DrummoHd, A. B. esq. 212.
Duckenfield, Sir N. 145.
Dupre. Mrs. 29O.
Dupree, I. e$q. 65.
Dunrie, James, esq. 43.
Durand, I. H. esq. 307.
Dyke, Sir John Dixon, I78.
Dysart, Earl of, 126.
Earner, Sir John, 212.
Eardley, Lord, 46.
East India Company,Hon. 27-
Esgers, Mrs. 307.
Earemont, Earl of. 104.
Ellis. Charles Rose, esq. 78.
Elwes, , esq. 251.
Emmet, Richard, e»q. 138.
Essex, Earl of, 65.
Essex, Dowager Lady, 132.
Evelyn, Sir F. 308.
INDEX OF NAMES.
Eyre, Thomas, esq. 269.
Falmouth, Lord, 2'20.
Fane, Francis, esq. V)Q.
Faimrr, , cq. 191.
Farnaby, Johu, esq. L'a".
Fa'iseit, i'iiomas, • q. 160.
Ferguso.j, , fsq. 'z5l.
Fermannli, La-^j , ?,'i.
Field. Georf-. ( sq. 84-.
Field, P 11.1, e.q. cH.
Finch. La iy Auen ta, 133.
Fistirr, Cui'ibcC y3.
Fitzgerald, Loi d 1 itnry, 'J50.
Fitzherbeit, Mrs. no.
Fitaherbeit, ''homas, esq. 227.
Fitzpatrick, , esq. -'44.
Fitzwillidm, Viscount, 218.
Fletcher, Sir Heniy, 76.
Forbes, General, 125.
Forbes, James, esq. '234.
Ford, Rdu lall, aq. 285.
Foreman, W. esq. '2i--i.
Fourdrinif^r, Henry, esq. 259-
Fox, Mrs. 225.
Fraine, Captwi,, 136.
Franci-.Sn P!iilip,2'27.
Franks, , esq. i87.
Frederick, bir Jolin, 276.
Frisby, Robert, esq. oS.
Fuhr, Edward, esq. 160.
Fullarton, Colonel, 223.
Gamon, Sir Richard, 232.
Garrick, Mrs. 132.
Sascoyuf, Bambcr, esq. 38.
Gibbons, St W.23*.
Giles, Daniel, esq. 310.
Glennif. George, esq. 56.
Glyn, Sir Georire, 102.
Godfrey, DKVid, esq. 145.
Godfrey, Ambrose, esq. 202.
Godfrey, William, esq. 56.
Godsall, Philip, esq. IM.
Goldsmidj J. Louis, esq. 119.
eoldsmid. Mrs. 2v;3.
Goldsmid, Mrs A. 186.
Golightly. , e<.q. 125,
Goodwin, Henry, esq. Ill, 2T7.
Gordon, Colonel, Od-
Goslins, William, esq. 2Q3.
Gostling, George, esq. 2.%.
Gott, Sir Henry Thomas, 05.
Gower, EHrl,290.
Granthant, Lady, 212.
Grant, Jnmes.esq. fo.
Gray, Edward, esq, 141.
Green. Sir William, 134,
Grenville, Lord, 91.
Grey, John, esq. 134.
Griffitli, , esq. 125.
Griffiths, John, esq. i5!».
Griraston, Viscount, lOt).
Gudgeon, Peter, esq. 1Q0.
Gundry, , esq. 233.
Gwyder, Lord, 44.
Halui, Frederick, esq. 27* •
Haies, ii\T John, 207
Halihurtoo, D. esq. fXJ,
Hamond , W . P . e-q. 124,
H^mond, Sir A. S. 103.
Hauimeisies, Mrs. 306.
Hankey, Mr^. 102.
Harcoart, General, 177.
liarduitfe. G. or^e, esq. 213.
Haidwi !;<,Ea!lof,254.
Harenci, B ujamin,esq. 102.
H.irf-woc-d Dowagei Lady, 244.
Hrfimai , , (sq. 275, 307.
Haiririftoji, Earl or, 57.
Harii-joii, I. H. esq. 179.
Harrison, lU-ujannn, esq. 171.
Hdrvey, Sir (i. B. 172.
Harvey, Admira! Eliab, 73.
H-rvey, , esq. 234.
Hai wood,-Wilham, esq. 132,
Hrttsell, , esq. 179.
Hatch. Mrs. 39.
H.itton, Lady, 1^3.
Hav. lock, William, esq. 144.
Head, Sir Francis, 101.
Heath, Ml. Justice, 136.
lleaihcoie, William, esq. 173.
Heallicote, Jolm, esq. 254.
Heathcote, Lady, IQm.
Heathficid.Loid, 256.
H^aton, Jonn, esq. 136.
Heniinu, Geore* . esq. 234.
Henley, L^i o, 225.
Hennik! r. Lord, 239.
Herscl:pl,Dr. 231.
Hervey,Mrs.97.
Hibbert, rn.imas,esq. 65.
Hoari, Henrv,esq. 183.
Hoare, Henry Hugh, esq. 8U.
Iloare, Lady", 40.
Moaie, Joaalhdn, esq 190.
Hodijes, Jeremiah, esq. 276.
Hodpsmi, General, I90.
Hod^json, . esq. 41.
Holmes, W. esq. 2*3.
Holland, Lord, 140.
H..ll.n?s-.vorth,W.esq. 252.
Hook, Major, 125.
Hop. , Henry, esq. 227.
Hope, Tliomas, esq. 87.
Hotham, .Miss, 233.
Howard. R. Bagot, esq. 30.
Howe, Countess, .110.
Huddart, Joseph, esq. 182.
Huddlestone, Johu, esq. 9I .
Hu.lson, Robert, .'46.
Husjiord, Mrs. 142.
IIu}>h(s, . esq. 234.
Hu^iKS. Lady, 178.
Hulcomb esq. 188.
Hume, S-r Abraiiam, 30J.
ilunler, Joiin,«sq. I4((.
Hutchinson, , esq. 283.
Ingoldheart, G. esq. 45.
Irby, , esq. 172.
Ireby, Giorg«-, es . 55.
Isiierwood, Heiuy, esq. SOP.
INDEX OF NAMES.
James, Rice, esq. 306.
James, Thomas, esq. 73.
James, Lady, 207, 228.
James, Thomas, esq. 97-
Jersey, Earl of, 199
Jervoise, Rev. S. Clarke, 136.
Jcwdwine, , esq 99.
Johnson, Godschall, esq. 212.
Joimson, Jl. esq. 85.
Johnstone, Richard, esq. 160.
Jones, , esq '^16.
Jones, Rev. Mr. OS.
Jones, Sir Thomas, 223.
Jones, I. esq. 2a7.
Keene, Whitshed, esq. 217.
Kent. Duke of, 93, 131.
KeppeJ, Mrs. 78. 306.
Kerry, Lord, l':5.
Keymcr, , esq. 243.
King, the, 152.
King, Lord, 198.
Kingsborough, Lady, 35.
Kiuaston, Jos^eph, esq. 41.
Kiunersley, Clemenl, esq. 65.
Kirkpatrick, • , esq. lil.
Lade, Sir John, 64.
Lake, .Sir James Winter, 94.
Lambeth, esq. 23 1.
Lane, , esq. 178.
Laurel, , esq. 5i.
Law, Major, 5*.
Law, Mrs. 6l.
Law.ion, Miss, 142.
Lee. Mrs. 255.
Leeds, Duke of, 183.
Le?a, H. esq. 104.
LttiJi'ster, Eail oi, 218.
Lcttsom, Dr. 119.
Lewen, , esq. 256.
Ltiycester, Rsv. Mr. 286.
Liqouier, Ear!, 76-
Lincoln, Couuie.'-s Dowager of, 212.
Lintall, Tiiomas, I <0.
Lock, William, esq. 194.
I^oiidon, Bishop of, 103.
Long, Miss, 479-
Long, Beeston, esq. 2T.
Loviboud, , esq. 'JO.
Lucas, Lady, 212.
Ludby, Thomas, esq. 65.
Lusiiinijlon, William, esq. 73.
Lulher. M)S. 126.
Lynd, George, esq. 244.
Lyttleton, Lord, 48.
Mabbrrley, John, esq. 27.
MdCdonald, Lord Cliief Baron, 73.
MaillaucI, , p»q- ,307-
Manntrs, Su William, 208.
Manningnam, Johti, e.sq. '252.
MaustJeld, Couutrvi Dowager of, 221.
Mansfield, Ear) ot, 150.
Marlborough, Duke of, 228.
Martin, , esq. 234.
Masoo, Keuder, esq. ii.
Matthias, 'ITiomas, esq. 93,
Matthew, Job, esq. 307.
Mawbey, Sir Joseph, 51.
Maxfield, , esq. 43.
May, , esq. 256.
Melbourne, Vi.5count, 56.
Mellish, W. esq. 59-
Melville, Viscount, 2jl.
Mendip, Lord, 256.
Meux, Richard, esq 93.
Meyrick, James, esq. 211, 2gi.
Miller, Tiiomas, esq. 245.
Milles, , esq. 209-
JMillman, Dr. 104.
Miniei, Mrs. 84.
Mollineux^ Sir F. 304.
Molloy, Mis. 65.
Montagu. Lord, 89.
Morley, William, esq. 108.
Morgan, Sir Charles, 93.
Morrison, General, 127.
Morshead, Lady, 218.
Mostyn, Thomas, esq. 125.
Murray, Ladie^s 256.
Musgrave, Sir John, 118.
Keave, Sir Richard, 85.
Newbolt, , esq. 104.
Uewcomes. Messrs. 7S.
1-Jicholson, , ebq. 125.
Nichols, Mrs. 125.
Nortiiamj'ton. Couitess Dowager,
Northwirk, Lord, 134.
Korthumberland, Duke of, £29.
J^elson, late Lord, 181.
Oakley, , esq. 245.
O'Loclilin, Colonel, 65.
O'Kelly. Dennis, esq. 62.
Oliver) Tiiomas, esq. 178.
Onslow, Earl of, 77.
Onslow, Lady Dowager, 120.
Onslow, Rev. W. 222.
Orde, John, esq. 270.
Oide, Craven, esq. 208.
Otteley, , esq. 58.
Palmer, Sir C. H. 90.
Palmer, Mrs. 229.
Palmerstone, Viscount, 22'; .
Pans, Archibald, esq. 123.
Park, lames Heron, esq. 18t'.
Parker. Sir William, 125.
Parker, John Henry. 160.
Payne, , esq. 78.
Payne, Edward, esq. 9.*i.
Payne, G. »'sq. 60.
Payne, George, esq. 281.
Peun, John, esq. 238.
Pepys, Sir Lucas, 182.
Pepys, , esq. 54.
Peiceval. Rt. Hon. Spencer, lil.
Perry, John, euq. 5*.».
Peiry, Mrs. 97.
Peters, Henry, esq. 47.
Petre, Lord, 144,252.
Frirv, Hon. Geor2e,45.
INDEX OF NAMES.
Petty, , esq. 4T.
Phillimore, W. esq- 148.
Pigot, AdmiMi, ib.
Pilgram, James, esq. 128.
Pitt, Sleplien, esq. 61.
Pitt, late Rt. Hon. W. 141.
Pitt, W. esq. 300.
Pocofk, Georf'e, esq. 256.
Pole, Hou. WeHe3ley,48.
Pole, Sir Charles, 275.
Polhili.Georne, esq. 70.
Popham, Sir Home, 244.
Popple, Captain, 5(5.
Porcher, Jonas Du Pre, esq. 140.
Portland, Duke of, 58.
Portmore, Earl or, IZ6.
Porter, George, esq. 335.
Poits, A. esq. 102.
Potrs, John, esq. 133.
Pouiet, Countfss Dowager, 25<».
Prescott, Sir G. B^eston, 251.
Preston, Richard, esq. 50.
Preston, Sir Robert, .107.
Prime, Sumuel, esq. C8G.
Puryer, John, esq. 307.
Queen, the, 101.
Queensbury, Duke of, 217.
Raikes, Job Matthew, esq. 251.
Raikes, William, esq. 3^.
Raachffe, Lord, 207-
Reade, , esq. 282.
Readc, Tliomas, esq. 102.
Ridije, Geoi^e, esq. 186.
Robinson, William, esq. 217.
Roden, Earl of, 14 i.
Rogers, John, esq. 84.
Roper, Trevor, 174.
Rosslyn, Countess Dowager, 37.
Rowden, Philip, esq. 102.
Rowley, Lady, 125.
Rucker, Henry, <sq. 277-
Rutland, Duke of, iGO.
Rush, W. B. 290.
Ilusstl, John, (sq. 34.
sit. Quintin, W.T. esq, 244.
Salis, Count Dp, 140.
Salisbury, Marquis of, 134.
Sanderson Sir James, 277.
Sayer, FL csq. 104.
Sayer, Henry, esq. 58.
Sebriglit, Sir Jolai, 45.
Selby, K.T. esq. 26.
Sharply, W. esq. 104.
Sliaw,Sir.Iohn,96.
Sheridrti), Richard B. esq. 209-
Sherrar, John, esq. Kk).
.Shpuldhara, Loid, 3, 82.
Sidebotham, Joha, esq. 250.
Siddons, Mrs. '283.
Sidney, Viscount, 73.
Skiinier. Matthew, esq. 217.
Slack, Tliomas, <sq. 54.
Smith, , csq. 82.
Smith, WtlUana, esq. 160.
Smith, Samuel, esq. 28«.
Smith, ThouKis, esq. 254.
Smith, Captain, 246.
Smiiii, , esq. (82.
Smyth, Sir W. 139.
Snow, George, esq. 137.
Southampton, Lady. 102.
Sparrow, Rev. W. 275.
Spears, , esq. 250.
Spencer, W. esq. V)6.
Spencer, Earl. 29O.
Spiccr, John, e.sq. .3fi.
Spragge. Robtrt, esq. 172.
Stantield, , esq 188.
Stanhope, Earl of, 72.
Steele, Rignt Hon. T. 212.
Stephens, Alexander, 68.
Stephens, Sir P. 104.
Stevenson, Mr. 58.
Stone, , esq. 40.
Stralton, James, esq. 4*.
Stratton, Jam's, esq. 2C.
Stockweil, , esq. 243.
Sullivan, R. 1. 250.
Sullivan, .Tolin, esq. 2l6.
Sumner, G. H. esq. 13*.
Symmonds, , esq. 20?-
Taddy, Christian, esq. 84.
Talbot, Lady, 05, 182.
TankerviUe, E irl of, 27fi-
Tatlock, Thoni.js, esq. 277.
Taylor, , (sq. 265.
Taylor, . esq. 250.
Taylor, Colonel, 'J6.
Tempest, , esq. 41.
Temple, R. G. esq. C'2,3.
Tessier, Lewis, esq. 80.
Thellusson, Mis. 209.
Thomas, Rev. Mr, 245.
Thomoud, Maichiooess, 79, Z4(i-
Thomson, Beilby, esq. «12.
Tliomson, John, fsq. 223.
Thornton, Samuel, esq. 34.
Thornton, Robut, esq, 77.
Thornton, Henry, esq. 77.
Tibbald, James, esq. 244.
ToUemache, Major, 80.
ToUemache, Lady, 2.33.
Tooke, J. H. e»q. 291.
Torriugton, J^ord, 125.
Tower, Christopher, csq. 223.
Townshend, iVlarquis, 218.
Townslund, , esq. 47.
Townsend, Lady Mary, 73.
Trecotliick James, esq. 27.
Tritton, f. H.45.
Trotter.John, f.sq. S9.
Trottei, Coutts, esq. 288.
Turton, Mrs. 54.
Twycross, Mrs.73.
Tyntb, L K. esq. 77,276.
XJdney, Robert, esq. 247-
Vere, James, esq. 160.
Vkicent, Sir Francis, !233.
INDEX OF NAMES.
Villiers, Hou. George, 82.
"Wales. PrincMS of. 48.
Walclesrave, Eail. 188.
Walke;-. John, esq. 232.
Walker, Tliomas, esq. 139.
NValker.Tliomas, esq. 84.
Walker, William, esq. 124.
Wall.C. esq. 45.
Walsinqlmm, Lonl, 30fi.
Walter, John. esq. 246.
WalpoiC,Tiioims, esq. 30G.
Waoshott, Mr. 252.
Ward, John, esq. 284.
Ward, H. T. esq. 184.
Waruer, .Simeon, 212.
Warren, Sn G. 159.
Warwick. Earl of. 145.
Watson, Lady, 227.
Way, BeiijamiD, esq. 88.
Way, Mrs. 217.
Webber, W. esq. 111.
W'bber. Colonel, 256.
Webster, John, esq. 277.
Welsted, Charles, esq. 261.
Welles, John, esq. 5&.
Weilon, , esq. 70.
Weston, H. esq. 142.
Whiuker, Miss, 178.
White, , esq. 259.
Whitfield, W. esq. 260.
Whitfield, Folherby, esq. 222.
Whitlinghani, Charles, esq. 7
Wigram, Sir Robert, 50, 275.
Wigston, John, esq. 255.
Wilkinson, W. esq. 243.
Willeock, ,esq. 125.
Willis, Mrs. 41.
Willmot, J. esq. 57-
Wilson, OenerHl, Ci6.
Windham, Tliomas esq. 308.
Windham, P. esq. 244.
Wood, Thomas, e^q. 178.
Wood, W. e.sq. 93.
Wood, Mrs. 212.
Wood, , esq. 125.
Wood, Sir Mark. 105.
Woodman, James, esq. 102.
WooUams, Mrs. 65.
Worrall, ,esq. 182.
Wright, H. esq. 125.
Wright, John. esq. 199.
Wright, Thomas, esq. 102.
Wroughton, William, esq. 41
Wyatt, Richard, esq- I4l.
Wyalt, , esq. 252.
York, Duke of, 197-
YouBg, SirW. 147,269.
Young, Lady, 60.
ERRA TA,
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