iiiuiiii.'siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiii >!> '"iHuniH I S TORI C A NOTICES 1^ F I E L D Ex Libris C. K. OGDEN ^^- 1 c> . / "^ • Copud by Pumjsim /rem (h, Jiepcrts o^Suft^ifitf/tJfuff imftf^tcr^ of the GalinU Bi'ard u^Htaltii ENFIELD -PoTish Bountiojy - JIf M o was reported to contain 7,900 acres, and its value £4,742 8s. per annum. At this time there was an abundant quantity of deer, which were valued at £150. The oak timber (exclusive of 2,500 marked for the use of the navy) was valued at £2,100. The horn-beam and . other wood at £12,100. In November, 1652, it was resolved "that Enfield Chase should be sold for ready money ;" pursuant to which resolution it was divided into parcels, which were sold to various purchasers, and a considerable part was inclosed, and several houses built : it having been considered to contain 7,900 acres, the proposed division, according to the plan made in 1650, called *' Oliver Cromweirs Didision^'' was as follows : To persons entitled to common a. r. p. rights in the Parish of Enfield, and Enfield Old Park To ditto of Edmonton To ditto of Hadley To ditto of South Mimms and Old Ford Farm . . . . 913 1329 2 917 240 Total allotment to the commoners , 3399 2 Roads over His Majesty's allotment 140 The remainder to the Kino- . . 4360 The whole contents of the Chase . 7899 2 74 In the Bodleian Library, Oxford, there may be found an original survey of the Chase, intituled, " A Description of Enfield Chase, situate in the Parish of Enfield, and County of Middlesex, as the same is now divided between the Commonwealth and the Commons, by Edmund Rolfe and Nicholas Gunter, in the year 1658." It was on a thick parchment with rollers. There are some seats mentioned in this survey, with the names of their possessors at that time, viz. — Captain Nelthorpe's, (called the West Lodge), Captain Dauge's (called the East Lodge), and Captain Kempe's (called the Soutli Lodge). Adjoining the Chase, on the south, were the seats of Captains Colvill, Malyn, Spinage, Blake, and Gladman. On the east. Forty House, one mile from Enfield, the seat of Wolstenhohne and Breton families ; it was also the residence of William Ferdinand Lord Hunsdon, he having married Grace, relict of Sir Nicholas Wolstenholme, Bart. ; and adjoining the Edmonton allotment, the seats of William Allton, Esq., ^Ir. IMcgg, and Edmund Peeke, Ei;q. (called Belmont), Sir William Ashurst's, near South Mimms allotment, the scat of Colonel AVeb. There was a survey of the manor of Enfield 75 in 168G, (deposited in the office of the Duchy of Lancaster), which states that on a former perambulation, the Chase had been found to contain 7600 acres, of which 500 had been since inclosed in Theobald's-park. This inclosure was made by King James I.* while he resided at Theobald's. t At this time the Chase was abun- dantly stocked with deer, (the King being extremely fond of hunting) ; but the army of the Parliament, during the civil war, destroyed the game, cut down the trees, and let the ground out into small farms. In this state it continued until * The King gave the Parish , for these 500 acres, the estate called King James's Charity, at North Minims, which was sold by the Parish under the authority of a private Act of Parlia- ment. — See the Account of the Charities. t In the year 1 606 Sir Robert Cecil (who was the second son of, and who succeeded his father, Lord Burleigh, in the possession of the manor of TheobaldsJ entertained King James I., and Frederick y!I. King of Denmark, there. "The King having become enamoured of this place from its proximity to an extensive tract of open country favourable to the diversion of hunting, (liis favourite amusement,) he prevailed upon his minister to exchange it with him for his Palace of Hatfield, in the County of Herts. The King having obtained possession of this manor, enlarged the park by taking in part of the adjoining Chase, and surrounded it with a wall of brick ten miles in circumference." — Clutlerhuck's Hertfordshire. 76 the restoration, "vvhen young trees were planted, and the Chase was again stocked Avith deer. Upon one of the surveys it was presented that the fines for the manor of Enfield were certain, and not arbitrary. Every heir paid, on his admittance, one year's quit rent as his fine for his copyhold, and every one admitted upon surrender paid two years' quit-rent for his fine. There are no heriots belonging to this manor, either to freehold or copyhold lands ; but every heir, upon descent, paid to His Majesty, for a relief, one year's quit-rent for his freehold land. There are no other rents and services except fealty and suit of court, and the following curious fine : — " Item, of Henry Hunsdon, for two parcells of meadow in South marsh, whereof the one containeth three roods, and the other half an acre, both of them abutting south upon the demeasnes of the mannour of Worccstcrs, called the nine acres, sometime Sohn Banks, — per annum. A red rose at Midsummer." There were formerly large ponds on the Chase within this manor, well stocked with fish, of which the fishings of Rammey-reach, Old-jjond, and New-pond, Averc the most considerable. There was another survey of the Chase in 77 1698, when the Earl of Stamford was Chancellor of the Duchy, by Hugh Westlake, Esq., Surveyor of the Woods, in the south part of the Duchy, in order to a fall of timber, by which several new ridings were to be formed, and a square lawn of 300 acres for the deer to feed in. The money arising from the sale of this timber was for the King's use, who granted it to the Earl. In consequence of this, 261 acres of wood were to be cleared, for which one John Shelley contracted at £1,044, with bond and penalty £2,000. The ridings marked out when the Chase was to be divided into farms at the time of the Commonwealth, still distinguished by hedges and ditches, were Cock-fosters, the Ridge-way from the gravel pits by East Lodge to Ganna- corner. In the year 1766 the largest oak on the Chase was felled, which measiired thirty feet long, and contained three tons, or about two loads, reckoning a ton and a half to a load ; the diameter of the butt end was three feet. It was sold for £10. In the year 1777 an Act of Parliament passed for dividing the Chase, intituled, " An Act for dividing the Chase of Enfield in the County of Middlesex, and other purposes therein mentioned," Y8 and assigning allotments to such parishes and individuals as claimed right of common, which rights were in the survey of 1650 thus defined: — herbage, mastacjc for swine, green houghs to garnish horses, thorns for fences, and crabs and acor?is gathered under trees. Upon this occasion an accurate survey was made by order of Thomas Earl of Clarendon, Chancellor of His Majesty's Duchy of Lancaster, intituled, " A survey and admeasurement of Enfield Chase, shewing the boundaries thereof, and the lines and quantities of the allotments assigned and set out to the several parishes and estates in lieu of their respective rights ; with the roads directed to be made on the division of the said Chase, made and taken in obedience to an order of the Right Honourable Thomas Earl of Clarendon, Chancellor of His Majesty's Duchy of Lancaster, in the months of August and September, 1776, by F. Eusscll, His Majesty's Surveyor-general of the south parts of the said Duchy, and Richard Richardson, Land-surveyor, his deputy, and since corrected according to the Act of Parliament of the seven- teenth year of King George HI. for the division of the said Chase ;" when, upon this occasion, the Chase was found to contain, includiner the 79 roads, lodges, and iiicroachments, 8,349 acres, 1 rood, and 30 perches, or thereabouts, which were divided and allotted in the following manner : — To the King, 3,218 acres, 2 roods, 20 perches ; to the Lodges, 313 acres, 3 perches; to be enfranchised, 6 acres, 2 roods, 1 perch ; to the Tithe-owners, 519 acres 32 perches ; to the Manor of Old-ford, 36 acres, 3 roods, 24 perches ; to the Proprietors of the Old-park, 30 acres 15 perches; to the Parish of South Mirams, 1,026 acres 3 perches ; to the Parish of Hadley, 240 acres ; to the Parish of Edmonton, 1,231 acres, 2 roods, 6 perches ; to the Parish of Enfield, 1,732 acres, 2 roods, 6 perches. The greater part of this allotment, viz. 1,530 acres, remained as waste land until 1801, when the inclosure took place, over which the inhabitants had right of common. 200 acres of the 1,732 acres, 2 roods, 6 perches, were cultivated, and on an average, in 1795, was worth 30s. an acre, but lot out on lease for ninety-nine years, at 35s. an acre, in 1778, producing £333 14s. 8d. per ann. One half of the produce was appropriated in aid of the quota to the Land-tax, the other to the reduction of the Poor-rates, and these 200 acres Avere tithe-fix'c. 80 Th(? calculations for Tithes were as follow : — ^ A. R. p. The Chase contained The Lodges Total, including- roads Titheable part of Enfield allotment . Edmonton ditto Hadley ditto Roads on the residue To be clear of tithes One-tenth of which for tithe is . 519 32 The allotments to Hadley, South Mimms (to which the Manor of Old-ford belongs), and Edmonton, were annexed by the Act to those Parishes, which left 5,824 acres in the Parish of Enfield, and made the whole extent of this Parish to be about 12,254 acres ; and at the time this survey was made, the greater part of the Chase Avas covered with wood. The officers belonging to the Chase were, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster ; a Master of the Game, Forester, Ranger, Keepers, Woodward, Steward, Bailiff, Verderers, (who were annually chosen in the King's Court of the . . 8036 1 27 • . 313 3 3ads . . 8349 1 30 I A. R. p. 1532 o 6 1231 2 6 240 153 1 8 —3157 1 20 . 5192 10 81 Manor of Enfield, a sort of Supervisor of the Wood), Receiver-General of the Duchy of Lancaster, Auditor of ditto, Attorney-General of ditto. Clerk of the Revenue of ditto. The joint offices of ranger, forester, keeper of the lodges, master of the game, and chief steward of the manor, having been vested successively in the persons of John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, Sir Thomas Wroth, John Ashley, Esq., Robert Lord Cecil, William Earl of Salisbury, Charles Viscount Cranbourne, Charles Lord Gerard of Brandon, George Villiers (tha younger) Duke of Backingham, the Right Hon. Henry Coventry, and Adam Loftus, Viscount Lisburne, were, in the year 169-i, granted to Sir Robert Howard for fifty-six years, who, the same year, assigned all his right in the grant to Sir William Scawen, of Carshalton, for £1,245. When the Chase was ordered to be sold by the Parliament, during the interregnum, the sum of £1,051 Is. 8d. was ordered to be paid to the Earl of Salisbury, who then held the above offices, for his interest therein, and in the custody of the parks,* wliich claims were allowed on the 25th of December, 1651, by the House of Commons. * Sec Journals of the House of Commons. 8^ In the 3'ear 1714 James Bridges (afterwards Duke of Chaudos) purchased the above offices for the unexpired term, and they were afterwards vested in the JMarqnis of Buckingham, in right of his wife, who was the daughter and sole heir of the late Duke of Chandos. The whole district, called Enfield Chase, was dis-chased from the 1st of January, 1779. The form of the Chase was very irregular ; — its north and longest side was nearly straight, as was also its west side ; its south and east sides were full of angles ; its greatest length was about four miles and a half from east to west, that is, from Parsonage-lane to Ganna-corner ; from north to south, from Cattle-gate to South- gate, about four miles. Its shortest length, from east to west, that is, from Potter's-bar to Hadlcy- town, two miles and three-quarters. On the north side it abuts on XorthaAv-common, with which it communicates by Cattle-gate, Stock -gate, Cooper's-lane, and Potter's-bar. On the east it adjoins Enfield parish, its outlets to which are White-webbs, Clay-hill, Cocker or Crook-lane. New-lane, Parsonage-lane, and Enfield-green, or the Town ; on this side also it extends into Edmonton parish, communicating with it by Winchmorc-hill and Southj?atc. 83 On the west side it runs up to the north road, on the edge of which stands Hadley,* and part of the Chase hereabouts, nnder the name of Gladmore-heath, or Monken-mead-plane, was, in 14T1, the scene of a decisive battle, commonly called " the Battle of Barnet," f between the houses of York and Lancaster. Althousch this battle has been generally considered to have been fought on the road to Barnet, yet it seems pretty certain it was fought on that part of Enfield-chase formerly called " Monken or Monkey-mead," which was near Hadley and South Mimms-common, and probably the armies extended across the Barnet-road, from Avhich circumstance, and the rebel army having marched directly from Barnet to the scene of action, and that town being the nearest to it, it derived the name of the " Battle of Barnet," though it was actually fought on Enfield-chase. * On the side of Monken-mead, the Parishes of Hadley, North Mimms, and others, claimed right of common on the Chase; which claim was douhted in 1685, when a commission was issued for a Survey of the Chase; but the subsequent allotments to Hadley, under the Enfield Inclosure Act, confirmed their right. t Vide Kai)in"s History of England. 84 On the south and south-west the Chase abuts upon Southgate and Barnet ; the outlets to which are by Southgate and Bohun, Bohon, or Bourn- gate. It is reported to have had four Lodges, though properly there were but three, that is to say, the East Bailey-lodge, which was afterwards made into two distinct tenements, one of which was called the Bed-lodge ; the South Bailey lodge, the West Bailey-lodge, and North -lodge. These Lodges had their respective ridings and privileges, and were intended originally for the verderers and keepers. The Chase was formerly considered to have been a sheep-walk, belonging to the family of Coningsby, of Wales, one of whom having been complained against, for having too many sheep in, brought up a parcel of goats, which did great damage. This circumstance, it seems gave rise to the right of sheep walk on the Chase, annexed to certain farms in its neighbourhood, for a certain time of the year. Norden says '•' there ariseth a profit unto the poore inhabitants there, by the use of the Chase, where they have common of pasture for all kinde of cattle, pannage, and wood ;" but the Parish, it seems, thought otherwise, which was found to be ovcrburthencd by numerous and disorderly poor. 85 who availed themselves of the privilege of the Chase to support dissolute lives of idleness and beggary. The deer were stolen and exposed for sale with the greatest audacity : vension could be purchased cheaper than mutton : the poachers* were sometimes transported, but at the expiration of their time returned to their old habits. The Parish was entitled, under the Inclosing Act of 1777, to a certain portion of the Chase, amounting to 1,732 acres, 2 roods, 6 perches, together with the encroachments, timber trees, and other trees, tellers and sappling thereon, and which were vested in the Churchwardens, for the time being, and their successors, in trust, for the sole benefit of the owners and proprietors of freehold and copyhold messuages, lands, and tenements, within the Parish; their heirs and assigns, and their lessees, tenants, and undertenants, for the time being, entitled to right of common or other rights within the Chase, according to their several estates and interests therein. In 1801 they obtained " an Act for dividing and inclosing the open and * A Print was published, in 1796, by Laui'le and Whittle, in Fleet-street, entitled, "A Sit/ Old Poacher,— an Original Character on Enfield CJiase." 86 common fields, common marshes, and lammas grounds, Chase allotment, and other commonable and waste lands withm the Parish" (41 Geo. III. 1801) ; and the same have been divided and allotted accordingly, among the tithe owners, lords of manor, and proprietors of freehold and copyhold lands, and others entitled thereto, At the present time it is nearly all inclosed, and very little of its original appearance remains to arrest the attention. The deer from the Chase, which were very numerous, were taken to the estate of the Earl of Bute, at Luton-park, Bedfordshire. The " Ancient Chase " has been converted into tillage, so that almost all traces of its ancient site have disappeared under the axe and plough. The first attempts to improve it after the division, were, in general, unsuccessful, and it Avas not until a great amount of caj^ital and labour were expended that any great progress began to be made in its cultivation ; the great obstacles at first were, the cxpence of clearing away the wood, which, at the time of the inclosure, bore (oak excepted) a very low price, and the poverty of the soil, which was mostly a thin gravel intermixed with clay. The methods adopted were draining, paring, burning, and manuring with maiie, which has been found upon the Chase, in great abundance and of a fine quality, and the use of which has produced surprising effects. The present enterprising proprietors of the various farms on the Chase have found them, of late years, profitable investments. Some account of the Manor of Enfield, Commencing from the year 1065 to 1484, when it was anxexed to, and has since remained parcel of the Duchy of Lancaster . In the time of Edward the Confessor, the Manor of Enfield belonged to Asgar, who was Master of the Horse to William the Conqueror, and Constable of the Army. At the time of the survey of Domesday it was the property of Geofirey de Magnaville or Mandeville, a power- ful Norman, who came over with the Conqueror. This Geofirey fought courageously against King Harold, for which great service he was rewarded by the Conqueror's gift, as appears by the survey of Domesday. At this time he possessed divers Lordships in several Counties, having seven in Middlesex, whereof Enfield was one. To him 88 succeeded William, vulgarly called Mandeville, his son and heir. He was followed by Geoffrey, who was created Earl of Essex by King Stephen. Ernulph succeeded him, and was banished ; upon which Geoffrey succeeded, who was created Earl of Essex, by Henry II. (his f\ither having forfeited that title by rebellion) ; and in the charter of his creation was restored to all the lands possessed by his ancestors. The Manor subsequently became the property of King Edward I., also of various Earls, Nobles, and Knights, down to the time of Edward III. who granted a license to Humphrey de Bohun to fortify and embattle his manor houses, of Avhich Enfield is mentioned as one ; and dying unmarried, his lands and honours descended to Humphrey de Bohun, his nephew, son of William de Bohun, Earl of Northampton, his brother, who married Joan, daughter of Bichard Earl of Arundel, by whom he had two daughters, his heirs, viz. — Eleanor, who was married to Thomas of Woodstock, sixth son of King Henry III.; and Mary to Henry Earl of Derby, son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster,* (afterwards * Henry Duke of Laucastei' succeeded his father, John of Gaunt, in this title. 89 King of England, by the name of Henry IV.) to whom, on partition of the lands of the said Humphrey de Bohun, (in right of his wife Mary) the Lordship and Manor of Enfield descended. The Manor, being thus vested in the Crown, was annexed to, and has ever since remained, parcel of the Duchy of Lancaster. Richard III., in the year 1483, granted it to Henry Duke of Buckingham, but it reverted to the Crown the next year by the Duke's attainder. In the survey of Domesday this Manor is thus mentioned : — " The Manor, in the time of William the Conqueror, was taxed at thirty hides. The land was twenty-four carucates ; there were fourteen hides in demesne, and the lord had four ploughs. The villanes employed sixteen ploughs. One villane held a hide, three others half a hide each ; the parish priest a virgate, seventeen villanes a virgate each, thirty ^ six others half a virgate ; twenty borders held jointly a hide and a virgate ; seven cottars held twenty-three acres, and five cottars seven acres. There were eighteen other cottars, and six slaves. A mill which produced ten shillings per annum rent, the fishpond eight shillings. There was a meadow sufficient for twenty-four plough lands, and twenty-five shillings rent ; pasture for the 9 90 cattle of the town, and jDannage for two thousand hogs. The profits of the woods and pasture forty-three shillings ; and there was a park also." In the time of Edward the Confessor it was valued at £50, and bore the same value when the Survey of Domesday was taken. Within the Manor " there were five sokemen who held six hides, which they had the power of alienating without the license of the lord paramount." In the year 1303 it was valued at £34 3s. Id. In the record of the year 1337 its extent and value is thus described : — " A capital messuage, valued at 13s. 4d., a garden of herbs 5s., the fruit 20d., a dove house 5s., four hundred and twenty acres of arable in demesne worth 6d. an acre, sixty-three of meadow worth 3s., and thirty-nine other acres of meadow Is. only, twenty-four acres of pasture at 3s. ; a park, called the Frith, whence twenty acres of underwood, worth 3s. an acre, might be sold annually ; another, called the great park, in which was common of pasture, and no under- wood, the pannage worth 50s. per annum. There were fish-ponds also, whence fish might be sold every seventh year, to the amount of fifteen marks." In a subsequent record, in the year 1364, only 91 tliirty acres of arable, are mentioned among the demesne lands. A survey of the bounds was taken 8tli July, 14th Elizabeth, " The names of the freeholders and copieholders, and their rents, are inserted in this survey booke, and in the bailiffes rentals, for for them to have them at the nexte court." " Every copyholder ought to pay a yeare's quitt rent for relief upon alienation as well as u^Jon death." " Every copyholder ought to pay two yeares quitt rent for a fine upon descent or purchase all alike." At this survey it appeared that "Dr. Huicke detaineth a rent 7s. Td. due to the Queen for lands called Goldbeaters, more he detaineth 6d. parcell of rent at 10s. 6d. due for land called Colleges, late in the tenure of Thomas Butt." To this Manor belongs a view of frank-pledge ; Courts-leet and baron are held on Wednesday in Whitsun week, and on November the 5th. These courts were formerly held in a barn, then at the King's-head, afterwards at the Rose and Crown, at Enfield-highway, and of late years at the King's-head, Enfield-town. A constable and two headboroughs for the Town quarter, with a brander, aleconner, constable, headborough, and 92 brander, for BuU's-cross quarter ; and two head- boroughs, a brander, and a hayward for Green- street quarter, are chosen at the Court-leet. The annual fines do not exceed £16. The Court-rolls were, by some accident, burnt, many years ago, and those in the present book begin in 1705. The quit rents of this Manor, in 1802, amounted to £10 4s. 6d. The Duchy of Lancaster. There being a large portion of land and other property in this Parish belonging to the Duchy of Lancaster, it may not be uninteresting to insert here the following particulars relative to its origin ; also a List of its Chancellors, from the creation of the Duchy, in 1351, to the present time : — "This Court owes its origin to Henry IV. who, deposing Richard II., usurped the Crown, and, possessing the Duchy of Lancaster in right of his mother, was seized thereof as Duke, as well as King. But imagining his right to the Duchy hetter than that to the Crown, he resolved to secure the same by separating it from the Crown ; which being eftectcd, he erected this Court for its use, wherein all matters of law and equity belonging to the Duchy, or County Palatine of Lancaster, are heard and decided by the Chancellor thereof." — PulleyrCs Ety- mological Compendium. 93 The following is a List of the Chancellors of the Duchy ; which may he relied upon as being accurate : — NAME. REIGN. Date of Appointment, &c. Sir Henrj' de Haydok 34 Edw. III. Chancellor of Henry first Duke of Lan- caster Ralph de Ergham, Clerk ... 46 Edw. in. Bishop of Sarum Thomas de Thelwall, Clerk 51 Edw. III. Created Chancellor of the County Palatine in the month of April SirJohn deYerborough, Clerk 1 Richard II. Sir Thomas Stanley 6 Richard II. November 1 0, pro.tem . November 29th. Sir Thomas Scarle 6 Richard II. 7 Richard II. 1 Heniy IV. Sir William Okey October. John de Wakeriug William Burgoyne, Esq. ... 1 Henry IV. Sir Thomas Stanley 6 Henry IV. 11 Henry IV. May iSth. March 30th. John Spi-ingthorpe, Clerk ... John Woodhouse 1 Henry V. April 4th. John Woodhouse, continued 1 Henry VI. January 20th. William Troutbecke, Esq.... 2 Heniy VI. June 10th. Walter Sherington, Clerk ... 9 Henry VI. February i6th. 17 Henry VI. May 7th — Chancellor for life William Tresham 20 Henry VI. July 3rd — Chancellor in reversion William Ti-esham 26 Henry VI. November 1st. John Say, Esq 27 Henry VI 1 Edw. IV. June 10th. */ ■ 1 • John Say, Esq. continued... June 16th. Sir Richard Fowler, Knt. ... 11 Edw. IV. June 10. — AlsoChan- cellor of theExcheq. Sir John Say, Knt 1 7 Edw. IV. November 3rd. 94 Thomas Thwaites Thomas Metcalfe Sir Keginald Bray, Knt. ... Sir John Mordant, Knt. . . . Sir Kichard Empson, Knt.... Sir Henry Marney, Knt. ... Sir Richard Wingfield, Knt, Sir Thomas Moore, Knt. ... Sir William Fitz Williams, Knt. afterwards Earl of Southamjiton Sir John Gage, Knt Sir AVilliam Pagett, Knt, . Sir John Gate, Knt Sir Robert Rochester, Knt Sir Edward Walgrave, Knt. Sir Ambrose Cave, Knt. .., Sir Ralph Sadler, Knt Sir Francis Walsingham, Knt Sir Thomas Henage, Knt.... Sir Robert Cecil, Knt. .. Sir John Fortescne, Knt. Sir Thomas Parry, Knt. and John Daccomb, Esq, Sir John Daccombe, Knt... Sir Humphrey May, Knt. .., Edward Lord Newburgh . . , William Lord Grey of Wake and William Lenthall, Esq 18 Edw. IV. 1 Richd. III. 1 Henry VII. 19 Henry VII. 21 Henry VII. 1 HenryVIII. UHeuryVIII. 17HenryVIII, 21 HenryVIII, 35HenryVIIL 1 Edw. VI. 6 Edw. VL I Queen Mary 4 & 5 Philip and Mary. 1 Elizabeth. 10 Elizabeth. 19 Elizabeth. 32 Elizabeth 37 Elizabeth, 43 Elizabeth. 13 James I. 14 James I. June ,5th. Date of Appointmont, &c. April 2. — Also Chan- cellor oftheExcheq. July 17th. September 13th. June 24th. October 3rd. May 14th. ^\.pril 14th. December 31 . — Made Chancli-. of England November 3rd. May lOtli. July 1st. July 7tli. June 22ud. May IGth. June 15th. October 7th. September 16th. May 27th. 15 James I. 5 Charles I. March 23rd April 16th. February 10th, 1644. 95 NAME. REIGN. Date of Appointment, S:c. John Bradshawe August 1st, 1649. 1655. Thomas Fell Sir Gilbert Gerard, Bart. ... May 14th, 1639. Francis Lord Seymour 12 Charles II. July 9th. Sir Thomas Ingram, Kut. ... 16 Charles IL July 21st. Sir Robert Carr, Bart 23 Charles II. February 22nd. Sir Thomas Chickelej-, Kut. 34 Charles II. November 21st. Eobert Lord Willoughby, of iWm.&Mary March 21st. Ersby Thomas Earl of Stamford... 9 William III. May 4th. SirJohnLevesonGower,Bart. 1 Queen Anne May 12 th. James Earl of Derby 5 Queen Anne June 10th. William Lord Berkley, of 9 Queen Anne September 21bt. Stratton Henage Earl of Aylesford... 1 George I. November 6th. Richard Earl of Scarborough 2 George I. March 12th. Nicholas Lechemere, Esq.... 3 George I. June 19th. John Duke of Rutland 1 George IL July 17 th. George Earl of Cholmondeley ^ George II. May Richard Lord Edgecumbe ... IG George II. December 22ud. Thomas Earl of Kinnoull ... 34 George II. February 27th. James Lord Strange 3 George III. 1 1 George III. December 13th. Thomas Lord Hyde, after- June 14th. wards Earl of Clarendon John Lord Ashburton 22 George III. April 17 th. Edward Earl of Derby 23 George III. August 29th. Thomas Earl of Clarendon . 24 George III. December 31st. Charles Lord Hawkesbury... 27 George III. September 6th. Thomas Lord Pelham 44 George III- November 9th. Lord Mulgrave 44 George III. 45 George III. June 6th. Earl of Buckinghamshire ... January 14th. 96 NAME. EEIGN. Date of Appointment, &c. Dudley Lord Harrowby Edward Earl of Derby 45 George III. 46 George IH. July 10th. February 12th. The Right Hon. Spencer Perceval 47 George HI. March 30th. Earl of Buckinghamshire . . . 52 George III. May 23rd. The Right Hon. Charies 52 George III. June 23rd. Bathurst The Right Hon. Nicholas Vansittart, afterwards Lord Bexley Eari of Aberdeen, K.T The Right Hon, Charies 4 George IV. 9 George IV. 9 George IV. February 13th. January 26th. June 2nd. Arbuthnot Lord Holland 1 William IV. 5 William IV. November 25th. The Right Hon. Charies December 26th Watkin Williams Wynn . Lord Holland 5 William IV. 4 Victoria ... 5 Victoria ... April 23rd. Earl of Clarendon October 31st. The Right Hon. Sir George June 23rd. Grey, Bart. Lord Granville Charles 5 Victoria ... September 3rd. Henry Somerset Lord Campbell 10 Victoria... 13 Victoria... 15 Victoria... 16 Victoria... 18 Victoria... 18 Victoria... 19 Victoria... July 6th. March 6th. Earl of Carlisle The Right Hon. Robert Adam Christopher TheRightHon.Edward Strutt now Lord Belper Earl Granville March 1st. December 30th. June 2lst. Earl of Harrowby March 31st. The Right Hon. Matthew December 7th. Talbot Baincs ^1 Public Highways. The Public Highways, staked out by the Commissioners, under the Act of Parliament, 41 George III. chap. 143, called the " Enfield Inclosure Act." of the width of forty feet, are Ponder's-end-road, over Southbury-field, the East Barnet-road, the Eidgeway-road, the Hadley-road, Parsonage-road, New-lane-road, Theobald's-park-road, and East Lodge-road, &c. Occupation Roads. The Private Roads set out under the said Act, of the width of twenty feet : — Next the Old Stray-field — beginning at Clay- hill-gate, and leading westward along the north side of the Old Stray-field to the boundary of the Great Tithe Allotment. The Flash-road — beginning at White Webbs, and leading over the allotment of Henry Wilkinson, Esq. to and over the New River to a lane leading to Clay-hill. To Theobald's Park — beginning at White Webbs-gate, and leading northward to Theobald's Park. White Webbs-road — beginning at White 98 Webbs-gate, and leading southward to the ancient inclosures and allotments near the said White Webb's-gate. Over Churchbury-field — beginning in Silver- street, and leading into and over Churchbury- field to the allotment of Robert Griffiths, with a branch leading along Brewhouse-lane into Baker-street. Bunger's-lane-road — beginning at Lincoln- house, in Ponder's-end, and leading into South- bur y-field. Scotland-green-road — beginning at the north end of Scotland-green, and leading to Duck's-leys. South-street-road — over the marshes, and Welch's-lane — beginning at the lower end of South-street, and leading over the Mill-river into South-marsh ; and, from thence, leading northward along the side of the river Lea to Enfield-lock, and over the said river along the western side thereof, to and along Welch's-lane into the London and Ware-road, at Enfield-wash. South-marsh — beginning at the said road last described, and leading to the old ford over Mar-dyke. Over Mill-marsh — beginning at Mill-marsh- bridge, and leading over Mill-marsh to Patti- pool-ford. 99 Green-street-road — beginning at the lower end of Green-street, and leading to Mill-mar sh-bridge, Painter's-lane-road — beginning at the turnpike- road, at Enfield-wash, and leading to the ford, into itammey-marsh. Hoe-lane — beginning at the said turnpike- road, and leading to the " Goat," at Forty-hill. The above public and private roads, with the several tunnels and bridges across them, were awarded by the Commissioners for ever, to be repaired, upheld, cleansed, maintained, and kept in repair, by the inhabitants and occupiers of land, tenements, and hereditaments in the Parish of Enfield, in the same manner as the public highways are directed to be kept in repair. An indictment was preferred in Hiliary Term., 1819, by the Honourable the Board of Ordnance against the Parish, for not repairing Welches- lane, and a road over the marshes leading from the turnpike road at Enfield-wash to the Govern- ment Foundry for small arms at Waltham. In support of the Indictment the Counsel for the Crown contended, that this lane was an ancient Public Highway, and had been repaired by the Parish time out of mind — that the Com- missioners, under the " Enfield Inclosure Act," could not abolish it as a public road without the 100 order of two Justices, which they never obtained — that the Commissioners had set it out, and improperly called it a private road, but had directed the Parish to repair it — that this was not like the Cottingham case, where the Parish was not liable to the repair of the road previous to the inclosure, nor had any allotment under the Act; for, that here, the Parish of Enfield had always repaired this lane, which led from the turnpike road to the river Lea, and had also an allotment under the Act, as well as a share of the timber growing on the Chase, and that the Commissioners were therefore justified, when they set out this road, in directing the Parish to repair it. Upon the cross examination of witnesses for the prosecution, it ajDpeared that, at the lower end of Welch's-lane, a gate across a j^art of the road leading over an ancient inclosure into the marshes, had been occasionally locked ; and that the farmers holding lands in the marshes formerly paid three-pence or four-pence an acre for carrying their hay through this inclosure. Chief Justice Abbott stopped the Counsel for the Crown, and said — that, unless the prosecutors were prepared to contradict their own witnesses, the case must end : — that a public highway must 101 lead from one town or vill to another, and be free for the passage of all His Majesty's subjects; "whereas, it was proved in evidence, that Welch's- lane led only to a farm-house, and that the occupiers of the Marshes had paid toll for the liberty of bringing their hay along that part of the road over the ancient inclosure ; and as to the repairs heretofore done to AVelch's-lane, it appeared that the tenant of the farm got into the office of surveyor, and put his hand into the Parish purse to repair his own road ; this, there- fore, never was a public highway. The General Inclosure Act, which passed on the same day as the Enfield Inclosure Act, directs — that all roads over lands to be inclosed, not set out by the Commissioners, shall be deemed part of the lands to be inclosed — the Commissioners did set out this road ; but expressly set it out as a private road, the Parish therefore was not bound to repair it. The Jury, without hesitation, found — -for the Parish. Foot Paths. The Foot-paths set out under the said Act, which, together Math sufficient stiles, gates, or 102 steps, and bridges, in all the fences which cross the said Foot-paths, are to be kept in repair, clear and open for the use of foot passengers, by the owners or occupiers of the several allotments which are subject to the Foot-paths.* To Clay -hill — beginning at the west end of the Stray-field-road, and leading to Crew's-hill. To the Public Well — beginning at Theobald's- park-road, near the " Fallow Buck," and leading to the Public Well at Clay -hill, and into May's-lane. Over Little Bird's-field — beginning in Baker- street, and leading to Chase-side, near to the Workhouse. Over Great Bird's-field — beginning in Baker- street, and leading to Clay-hill. To Turkey-street — beginning near Maiden's- bridge, and leading to Turkey-street. Over Long-field — beginning near the " Bell," at Enfield-wash, and leading north^vard over the east end of Long-field into the public foot-path. To Forty-hill — beginning near the Cherry- orchard, in Churchbury-field, and leading by the back of the old inclosures to Forty-hill. Meeting House Path — beginning at the Meeting-house, in Baker-street, and leading into * It is the duty of the Surveyors of the Highways to enforce tlie repair of these Foot-paths whenever there is occasion. 103 the private carriage road in Churchbury-field. From Enfield to the Highway — beginning at the said Churchbury-field-road^ and leading to the Highway. Over Broad-field — branching from the last- mentioned Foot-path, and leading across Carter- hatch-lane into Broad-field to the Red Lion, at Enfield-highway. From Enfield to Edmonton — beginning at London-lane, and leading across the fields towards Bury-street, Edmonton, Over Puttock's-croft — beginning at Green- street, and leading to Durant's-farm. Over Stonard's-field — beginning at Ponder's- end (opposite the lane leading to Enfield-town), and leading by the south boundary of Durant's- farm to Scotland-green. From South-street to Cuckoo-hall-farm — beginning at the Falcon, in South-street, and leading towards Edmonton. Over East-field — beginning 'at East-field-gate opposite the Bell, at Enfield-wash, and leading to and along the drain in East-field, and across Wild-marsh to Enfield-lock. Over Grimsdown — beginning at the lower end of Green-street, and leading to Tat's-bridge. A more particular account of the roads and 104 foot-paths may be seen in the award of the Commissioners, with the plan of the Parish annexed, deposited in the Vestry-room, where it may be inspected at all times by any person interested in the inclosure. A copy of the award and plan is also deposited in the Registrar's office for Middlesex, Bell-yard, Temple-bar, where they may be inspected on payment of one shilling. The Abbot of Thorney's Lands. In the reign of Henry VI. the Abbot of Thorney (Cambridgeshire) had lands in this Parish, which were then valued at seven marks per annum. These lands were known as Cranes, or Crane's-farm, and were the property of the Wroths. In 1686 they were part of the posses- sions of Sir Thomas Stringer, but now belong to, and are held with, the Manor of Durants, by the Connop family. The Rectory. The Rectory of Enfield was given by William the Conqueror to Geoffrey de Magnaville, or Mandeville, Constable of the Tower of London. 105 After the dissolution of monasteries, in 1539, tliis Rectory was granted by Henry VIII. to Thomas Audley, created afterwards, by the same King, Lord Audley of Walden, who, thereupon, became the Patron. In 1548 it passed into the hands of the Master, Fellows, and Scholars of Trinity College, Cambridge, who are the present Patrons. The Risrht Hon. the Earl of Lisburne became possessed of the lease of the Rectory in 1754, in right of his first wife, who was the daughter, and (on the death of her only brother) sole heiress of Joseph Gascoigne Nightingale, Esq., by Lady Elizabeth Shirley, eldest daughter and co-heiress of Washington, second Earl of Ferrers, to whose memory the celebrated and beautiful monument, by Roubiliac, was erected in Westminster Abbey, under the direction of Wilmot, first Earl of Lisburne. The Pectory of Enfield is a Manor, holds a Court-leet, and is entitled to all royalties, within its precincts. It was formerly called the Manor of Surlowes, but is now called the Manor of the Parsonage. The lease is still held by the family, and the late occupants were the Right Hon. Lady Dorothy Elizabeth Palk and the Lady Mallet Vaughan. The Rectory, or Parsonage Manor H 106 House is situate at the corner of Parsonage- lane and Baker-street. The Vicarage and Vicarage House. In the reign of Edward I. Godfrey de Beston granted a house adjoining the Church-yard, which he had purchased of Richard de Plissitis, to Bartholomew, Vicar of Enfiekl, and his successors, to which Eichard added a piece of ground for a garden, between the Church-yard and the highway, called " Ernygstrate." The present Vicarage-house had, before the alteration in 1801, an appearance of antiquity ; some of the chimneys seemed to have been built at the end of the fourteenth or beginning of the fifteenth century. It has, within the last few years, also undergone many alterations, and been considerably enlarged. In 1327 the A'icarage was rated at nine marks. In the King's books it is valued at £26 per ann. When the division of Enfield- chase took place in 1777, ninety acres were appropriated to the Vicar of Enfield, in lieu of tithes, for his share. The Vicarage being annexed to a Fellowship of Trinity College, Cambridge, power was given to augment it by a further endowment of 160 lOV acres of the tithe allotment, over and above the said ninety acres, making together 250 acres. In 1801 an Act was passed for inclosing common marshes, Chase allotments, and common fields, by which the Vicar had awarded to him 382 acres more, in lieu of all great and small tithes, and also as a compensation for all Vicarial tithes and other payments, in lieu of tithes payable to the Vicar, (except Easter offerings. Mortuaries, and Surplice fees), amounting altogether to 632 acres, making the Vicarage of Enfield worth about £1,000 per annum. Trinity College has presented one of its Fellows in a regular succession of twenty-four Vicars, from the year 1550 to 1844, the date of the appointment of the present Vicar, The Hev. John Moore Heath, M.A. The Lectureship. In 1631 Henry Loft, of Enfield, founded a Lectureship in this Parish, and endowed it with £4 per ann. to, and for the benefit of, a Preacher or Lecturer, who should preach in the afternoon of the Lord's day, in the Parish Church of Enfield, not omitting preaching above one month of the year. The sura left by the founder being 108 so trivial, it has hitherto been the custom to make a collection for the Lecturer every year. The present Lecturer (1858) is The Rev. Alfred Bowen Evans. The Churches. ST. Andrew's. The Church was founded in 1 136, and dedi- cated to St. Andrew ; it is a large and handsome structure, built in the same style as the neigh- bouring Churches of Edmonton, Tottenham, and Hadley ; it is chiefly built with flints and rubble; the whole was covered with plaster some years ago, and made to resemble stone. It contains a noble organ, given to the Parish by Mrs. Mary NichoUs, widow, who left £900 for the purchase of it; there was a surplus of £319 8s. 10|d., which was placed in the £3 per Cents., the interest on which (£11 8s. 4d.) is paid towards the salary of the organist, agreeably to the direction of Mrs. Nicholls. The present organist is Miss Leach. The Church contains many beautiful monu- ments and tablets to the nobility, gentry, and others, who have been great benefactors to the Parish. Amongst the most conspicuous and elaborate of these arc the monuments belonging 109 to the Tiptofts, Earls of Worcester ; and to the families of the Stringers'^ Palmers', Evingtous', Middelmores', Deycrowes', Keirs', Dixons', Abernethys', Porters', and Lisburnes' ; that of Sir Nicholas Paynton, (once Lord Mayor of London), is superbly ornamented ; there are also a few ancient monumental brasses. In 177T, when the Chancel was undergoing alterations, a very curious allegorical picture was discovered, representing the resurrection, in six compart- ments, painted on wood; this singular piece of Church antiquity was given by Mr. Hill, the contractor, to the late Mr. Gough, the celebrated Antiquarian, then residing at Enfield. The Church was repaired in 1771, and again in 1789, when all the hatchments which had been fixed against the walls for many years, and were very much decayed, were removed. The expense of this repair was £1,531 2s. 4d., towards which Lord Lisburne paid £160 as his proportion. The Church was repaired and beautified in 1810. Li 1819 a new gallery was built over the north aisle, by Messrs. York and Gibbs, which, with some alterations in other parts of the Church, cost £689. This sum was raised by private subscription amongst individuals in the no Parish, under the conditions of the Act passed in favour of building new Churches, so far as relates to the disposal of seats. This gallery- contains twenty-seven pews, which, with the 104 other pews in the Church, made 131 pews, capable of affording accommodation to about 1,000 persons. The pulpit was removed when this gallery was finished ; the expense of the removal was £70, which was included in the above sum of £689. The south gallery was built in 1824, by Draper, of Enfield, at the expense of the parish. The roof of the south aisle was raised at this time, and new windows inserted. In 1846 the church-yard was enlarged. The ground was purchased by the accumulation of the church -yard fund. In 1847 the east window of the chancel was filled with stained glass, executed by Mr. Charles Hudson, at the cost of about £100, which was raised by a subscription among the parishioners. In 1852 the sedilia, discovered in the south wall of the chancel, were restored. This wall and the western tower are probably the remains of a church of an older date, which was pulled down when the present one was built. In 1853 the ground plan of the church was repewed, under the supcrintcndancc of Mr. P. Ill St. Aubyn^ and the western galleiy was removed as far as the organ loft. The cost, which was defrayed by a subscription among the inhabitants, was about £1,200. ST. JAMES S CHAPEL, ENFIELD HIGHWAY. This Church was built in the year 1834, to provide accommodation for the inhabitants of Ponder's-end, the Highway, and the Lock. It is a District Chapehy. The present Incumbent is the Rev. John Harman, M.A. JESUS CHAPEL, FORTY HILL. This parish is indebted to the late Christian Paul Meyer, Esq., through whose munificence this noble structure was erected on his estate opposite Forty-hall, in the year 1835. It was originally intended to be a Chapel of Ease, but a District has since been assigned to it. The Incumbent is the Rev. C. W. Bollaerts, M.A. CHRIST S CHURCH, COCK FOSTERS. This Proprietary Chapel is situate in a little hamlet at the western extremity of the parish ; it was built at the sole expense of Robert Cooper L. Bevan, Esq. of Trent-parh, who 'us the patron. 112 (sT. John's) chapel, clay hill. This Chapel, intended for a Chapel of Ease, was erected in 1857, after the designs of Mr. P. St. Aubyn, architect, to provide for the inhabitants of Clay-hill and the Chase division of the parish. The cost of it, which was about £1,860, was defrayed by a subscription among the inhabitants, to which the Vicar contributed £1,000. The Chapels. BAKEK STREET CHAPEL. The congregation originally assembling on the spot where the present building stands, had its rise in the worst days of Nonconformist persecu- tion. During the rei^ith massive oak fittings. In 1848 it was again repaired, soon after the settlement of the present pastor, the Rev. S. J. Smith, B.A. THE OLD INDEPE^'DENT CHAPEL. This Chapel (formerly known as the Countess of Huntingdon's) is situate at Chase-side ; it was founded by a Mr. Mathias Dupont, and opened in 1780. Although the pulpit has been generally supplied from the Countess of Huntingdon's College, at Cheshunt, it is strictly congregational in its constitution and principles. The Rev. John Stribling is the present minister. THE CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL, CHASE SIDE. On the site of the present chapel (which was formerly called the Independent Chapel) there stood a building of a very mean and inconvenient character, erected in 1793. In 1794 the Rev. William Thomas was chosen pastor, the duties of which he continued to perform until his decease in 1827, a period of thirty-three years. The present large and commodious structure was 114 erected in 1832; the first appointed minister was the Rev. Samuel Ambrose Davies, who wa* succeeded by the Rev. George Wilkinson. The chapel was presided over by the Rev Dr. Tid- man. Secretary to the London Missionary Society^ up to the close of the year 1857. PONDERS END CHAPEL. This chapel was opened in 1768 ; the first minister was the Rev. Mr. Alliston, of London ; he Avas succeeded by the Rev. John Knight, who continued for twenty years. In 18'^5 the Rev. G. Clarke, of London, was chosen, and remained till his death, a jjcriod of seven years ; he was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Wilks, of Newport Pagnell, who continued four years; next followed the Rev. W. Wilsdon, of Preston, who continued seven years ; his successor, Avho is the present minister, the Rev. John Lockycr, of the Lidepcndent Church, Ware, Herts., was appointed in November, 1846. MR. FIELDING S CILIPEL. The new chapel, at the Highway, was built by the late Rev. Thomas Fielding, Congregational 115 Minister, at a cost of nearly £700. It was opened by the Rev. Isaac Vaughan, of the New Tabernacle, on the 12th of September, 1854. The services of Mr. Fielding, who was the presiding minister of the chapel, were entirely gratuitous; his benevolence extended to relieving the sick, administering to the wants of the poor, and instructing the ignorant ; he died the 15th of June, 1856. The chapel and school rooms were conveyed over to trustees, appointed by him, for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of Enfield- highway, for all future time. "WESLEYAN CHAPELS. There are two chapels in this parish used by persons of this religious denomination ; the one situate in Baker-street, was built in 1845 ; there being no stated minister, the pulpit is supplied by local preachers. The chapel situate at the Holly-bush belongs to the Primitive Methodists ; it was opened in 1852; its pretensions are of a very humble character, being conducted and visited by but a few persons of the labouring classes. Almshouses. Wright's chakity.. On the west side of the roacl, at Enfield- hlghway, there is a row of very neat almshouses, bearing the following inscrij)tion on a stone tablet in the centre : — THESK ALMSHOUSES WERE ERECTED AND ENDOWED BY MR. CHARLES WRIGHT, OF ENFIELD HIGHWAY, FOR THE SUPPORT OF SIX POOR WOMEN. A.D. 1847. Mr. Charles Wright was for many years a respectable inhabitant of Enfield-highway ; he departed this life at his residence, near the Church, on the 19th of August, 1851, at the advanced age of eighty-three. These Alms- houses were erected entirely at his own cost, and endowed by him with the sum of eighty pounds per annum for ever, which sum is secured by a rent-charge on some property belonging to Mr. Wright, in Old-street, St. Lukes, and is to be disposed of as follows : — Ten pounds per annum each to six poor widows; ten pounds to be distributed among them in coals during the winter ; and the remaining ten pounds to be at the disposal of trustees, after paying the insurance 117 therefrom. The deed, vesting the above charity in the hands of five trustees, was completed and signed October 27th, 1848 ; it was prepared by Mr. James Allsop, Solicitor, of Waltham-abbey. The trustees, appointed by the deed, are Mr. Charles King, (nephew to Mr. Wright), Mv. William Walker, Mr. John Allen, Mr. Ellis Hall, and Mr. Joseph Farmer. The trustees are all to be inhabitants of the district in which the Almshouses are situate, and have the entire disposal of the gift as often as a vacancy shall occur. The charity is left entirely free from all sectarian and parochial influence. The appoint- ment is confined to poor widows, of not less than sixty years of age, who must reside in the Highway, Ponder's-end, South-street, or Green- street, and not to embrace any one residing on the west side of the Highway, nor any one residing at Enfield-lock. Since the appointment of the first trustees, two vacancies have occurred, by the death of Mr. Joseph Farmer, and the removal from the parish of Mr. Charles King, which vacancies have been supplied by the appointment of Mr. William Mitchell and J. P. Jones, Esq. The appointment and filling up the trust as often as a vacancy may occur, is vested in the surviving trustees absolutely. 118 Crowe's almshouses. Mrs. Ann Crowe, of Enfield, by will, dated February 26, 1763, gave to her brother, Matthew Kenrick, £500, three per cent, reduced stock, in trust, to apply the dividends thereof towards repairing her Almshouses, in Turkey-street, Enfield, and to buy the four inhabitants thereof three chaldrons of coals yearly, to be equally divided between them ; and the remainder of the money, if any, to be also equally divided between them. The heirs and assigns of the said Matthew Kenrick to have full power to place poor people in the said Almshouses. The Tiianagement of this trust is at present vested in the hands of Colonel Connop and the Kev. J. M. Heath. From the earliest times Enfield has been the chosen residence of many of the nobility, gentry, and wealthy merchants — hence the numerous and noble gifts, the result of their benevolence, which will ever redound to their memories. This parish stands pre-eminent for its Charities, as the following account, which is taken from the latest statements published by the trustees, will amply testify. 119 An account of the several Charities and Estates belonging to the Parish. PROUNS OR FROUNCES. This Estate apj)ears to have come into the possession of the Parish of Enfield by purchase, in 1516; it consists of — The house called the " King's Head Inn," with Saint Andrew's Croft, (wherein was formerly held Saint Andrew's Fair, but now made into a garden and bowling green), is let on a repairing lease. Also of the house in the Church-yard, called " The Old Coffee House," which was the residence of John Prouns, in the year 1399, from whom the estate takes its name. The rent of this house is appropriated to the use of the master of the Free School for the time being, the house having formerly been the residence of the several schoulmasters. The house, also in the Church-yard, used as a Free School, by the Benileet trustees, and built about the year 1590; towards which building, William Garrett, Citizen of London, by his will, in 1586, gave fifty pounds. In consequence of the inclosurc of the Common, in 1801, an allotment of land, situate lf>0 on tlic E,idgeway-road, containing la. 2r, 17p., l)eing part of No. 1684^ was awarded to the trustees of Frounces ; tlie rent for which is to be disposed of to the same use as the rent of the King's Head Inn. The herbage of the gravel pit adjoining this allotment, belongs to the trustees of Prounccsj and is let with the allotment. WROTH S GIFT. Sir Henry Wroth, in consideration of his inclosing part of Stonard's-field (which was then common,) agreed, in the year 1547, that the owner of Stonard's-field, for the time being, should pay to the parish of Enfield at ]Michael- mas every year, the sum of £1 7s. 6d., being at the rate of sixpence per acre, for 55 acres so inclosed, to be distributed amongst the poor of the parish. The family of Wroth held Durants's Estate, upwards of 300 years. It is now the property of Woodham Connop, Esq. by whom the above sum of £1 7s. 6d. is paid, which is disposed of in bread, given to the j)t)or, at the Church every Sunday. 121 RAMSTON S GIFT. Jvobcrt Ramstoiij of Chingford, iu tlie County of Essex, gentleman, by his will, dated August 1st, 1585, gave to the poor people of Enfield, the sum of forty shillings, to be paid to the church- wardens in the month of November, yearly, out of the freehold and copyhold lands in the county of Essex, which he gave to his wife ; but if she, her heirs or assigns, should neglect to pay the same, the said Estates are to go to Thomas Goodge, of Stratford-le-Bow, gentleman, and his heirs; if he or they neglect, then to Nicholas Brooke, of Waltham Holy-cross, gentleman, and his heirs ; and if he or they neglect, then to the right heirs of him, the said Robert Ramston. The land subject to this rent-charge is called " Strood Hall Farm," in the parishes of Little Canfield, Little Eastoii, and Great Dunmow, all in the county of Essex ; the property of Lord Maynard. It is paid by Lord Maynard, and by order of vestry, June 4th, 1829, is disposed of by the vicar and churchwardens in clothing for the poor. WILSON S GIFT. Thomas Wilson, of London, brewer, by will dated October 30th, 1590, gave all the rents, I 122 issues, and profits of three houses, with the appurtenances, situate near the Bars, on the south side of Whitechapel, in the County of Middlesex, to be yearly bestowed on six poor men of the parish of Enfield, to be paid to them quarterly, within one month of every quarter- day ; the said poor men to be from time to time, chosen and appointed by the churchwardens and six parishioners, of the parish of Enfield, always at a vestry. And if any of the said poor men, go and dwell out of the parish, or die, or become wealthy, and able to live without the same, then from time to time, another to be chosen in his room, in form aforesaid. And if this part of his will is at any time not performed, then this estate to go to the testator's heirs for ever. One of these houses (the corner house of Somerset-street, Whitechapel) has b6en sold under an Act of Parliament (42 Geo. 3, c. 101) to the trustees of the Commercial-road, and the purchase money, amounting to £2,091 5s. 8d. three per cent, consols, stands in the bank books in the name of " The Accountant General of the Court of Chancery, exparte the Commercial-road Trust," and may be applied to the purchase of any real estate, whenever a fit opportunity oflcrs. The yearly dividend is £62 14s. lOd. 123 The other houses are let on repairmg leases respectively to Mr. Richard Lankester and Mr. George James, at £80 each house per annum, for twenty-one years, from the 25th of March, 1849 ; the tenants to insure them from fire in a London office, in the names of the trustees. Each poor man now receives £34, as one year 's gift. SMITH S GIFT. William Smith, of the parish of Enfield, yeoman, by will dated September 26th, 1592, gave £4 per annum, for ever, to the vicar and churchwardens of Enfield, for the time being, by four even portions, at the four usual quarters; which money the testator directed the said vicar and churchwardens, calling unto them some four other men of the same parish, to distribute among the poor inhabitants where most need is. And if the said sum or any part thereof should be unpaid for two months after any of the said quarters, the said vicar and churchwardens, and four other men, might enter into the house and lands men- tioned in his will, and let out the same at such rent as they might think proper. The property liable to the above rent-charge, 124 is a house and premises charged with the pay- ment of £2 16s. 8d. per annum j and an acre of land in Cocker-lane, charged with the payment of 10s. per annum ; and the premises now used as a Workhouse for the pauper children of the Edmonton Union, in which Enfield is included, charged with the payment of 13s. 4d. per annum. The Union pays to the parish of Enfield £150 rent per annum, which goes in aid of the poor rate. GRAVE S GIFT. Roger Grave, of Enfield, yeoman, (buried at Enfield September 14th, 1599,) gave, by will, 40s. yearly, for ever, to the Master of the Eree School, of the Parish of Enfield, for the time being, for and towards his recompence for teaching and instructing the poor children of the inhabitants of the Parish ; to be paid out of the issues and profits of a certain tenen^cnt with the appurtenances, situate between the New-river and the road at Pattens-Avare, near Forty-hill, Enfield, half-yearly, at Michaelmas and Lady-day. The house has been pulled down, and the ground added to the garden of the late Richard Gough, Esq., which is now the property of Miss Child. 125 imggot's gift. Thomas Piggot, by will, dated February 25th, 1681, gave to the parish of Enfield yearly, for ever, ten shillings, to be laid out and distributed in bread on St. Thomas's-day, to the poor of Ponder's-end, quarter ; and in default of payment, he gave power of distress and sale, to the churchwarden and overseer of Ponder's-end quarter, on any of his lands given to his kinsman, Thomas Piggot, and his heirs, on which the same is charged. The only piece of land now certainly known, liable to this rent-charge, is called " Gargins," situate in South-street, Ponders'-end. JASPER NICHOLS' GIFT. Jasper Nichols of Saint Sepulchre's, London, yeoman, by will, in 1614, gave to the poor of the parish of Enfield, the sum of fifty pounds, the interest thereof to be distributed in bread, at the church on Sundays, at the rate of 52s. a year. With this sum, and a further gratuity given by the executors, the ]iarishioners, in the year 1615, purchased an estate called the Bull and 126 Bell, at Horsepool-stones, Enficld-w ash ; subject to a lease to Edward Knott, for 5,000 years, at at the rent of £3 per annum. In the year 1620, the parish purchased this lease, of the said Edward Knott, and thus came into full possession of the estate, consisting of a dwelling house, yard, garden, and orchard, and two acres, two roods, and twenty-five poles of land, with two cottages thereon. The tenant of the dwelling house is Mr. Thomas Crossingham, at a yearly rent of £20, The cottages and land were held by the late Mrs. Ann Palmer, at £20 per annum, — the tenants are bound to insure. The sum of £S6, which is part of the rent, is equally divided between three widows. DAVID S GIFT. John David, of Enfield, yeoman, by wnll, dated November 20th, 1620, gave all his messuages or tenements, with the appurtenances, situate on the east side of the Market-place at Enfield, to certain persons in trust, that they and their successors, for ever, should yearly bestow and employ the rents, issues, and profits thereof, towards the relief of four poor aged and well disposed widows of the said parish of Enfield, 127 to be paid to tlicm in equal portions, at the four usual feasts, or within twenty-one days there- after ; the said widows to be chosen by the churchwardens and six parishioners of the said parish, always at a vestry. And if any of the said widows go and dwell out of the said parish, marry, or die, then, from time to time, another to be chosen in manner and form aforesaid. The estate consists of the Greyhound Inn, and eight houses adjoining thereto, on the east side of the Market-place, let on a repairing lease, at £40 per annum, for 99 years, from Midsummer, 1788 ; but in consequence of the inclosure of the common, the tenant is allowed £2 lis. per annum, and the trustees have an allotment of land in lieu thereof, situate on the Ridgeway- road, containing oa. 2v. 21p., let at £7 17s. per annum. THE BENFLEET ESTATE. This estate consists of the following property : A farm called " Poynetts," containing 270 acres of land, in the parishes of South Benfleet and Hadleigh, in the county of Essex, and is let on lease to Mr. William E. Benton, at the rent of £150 per annum ; the tenant to keep the 128 premises in repair, to pay all outgoings, and to insure the buildings from fire for £500. A field, containing three acres and one rood, in the parish of Thundersley, in the same county, let at £3 per annum to Mr. Kuightsbridge. Part of an estate called " Edward's Hall," containing 89a. 2r. 29p,, situate in the parish of Eastwood, in the same county, let at £80 per annum, except the two lodges, which are let to tenants at will, at £5 per annum each. Also the house and school-room, in Enfield- church-yard, used as a free school, built upon Frounces' ground, but no rent is paid for the same. The appropriation of the rents of this estate will be found in the account of the foundation of the Free-school. The timber on the estate is reser- ved to the parish. The whole of Edward's Hall was purchased in the year 1816, by the trustees of the Benfleet estate, and the trustees of King James's Gift. The estate being divided into two parts, by a road leading from llalcigh to Southend, that part lying north of the said road, was purchased by the Benfleet trustees, at the sum of £2,300, and that part lying south of the same road, by the Trustees of King James's Gift, at the price of £1,700. 129 AN ACCOUNT OF THE FOUNDATION OF THE FREE SCHOOL. In the year 1418, when wheat was eight shillings a quarter, Robert Blossom, of South Benfleet, in the county of Essex, Esq., by his will, charged his estate called Poynetts, at South Benfleet, Hadleigh, and Thundcrsley, in the said county, with the maintenance of a chantry, in the church of South Benfleet, for three years. In 1440, Agnes, the widow of the said Robert Blossom, resided at Enfield, in the county of Middlesex, and in 1448, married John Hulfield, of Enfield, Esq., and Poynetts was then put into the hands of Lord Tiptoft, as trustee. In 1455, Lord Tiptoft conveyed it to William Daubeney, who married Hulfield's wndow. In the year 1457, Poynetts came into the possession of Robert Ingleton, wdio, in 1471, obtained a license from Edward the Fourth, to found a chantry in Enfield Church, to be called "Blossom's Chantry," and to endow it with lands "as far as to the value of ten marks (£6 los. 4d.) per annum, above outgoings." Accordingly, he conveyed Poynetts to Edmund Causton^ (then vicar of Enfield) and others, for the maintenance of a " Capellan Cantarist," to pray daily, in the 130 cliurch of Enfield, for the welfai'e of the King and Queen, and for then* souls, when they shall have departed this life ; for the souls of Robert and Agnes Blossom ; and of all those who had died in the faith. Thus, in right of the church, the parish of Enfield became possessed of Poynett's estate, subject to the payment of ten marks per annum, for the maintenance of a chantry. In the reign of King Henry the Eighth, the monasteries were suppressed, and their lands seized by the Crown ; and in the first year of King Edward the Sixth, (1547) a statute was passed, abolishing the chantries, and giving to the King all manors, rents, pensions, and other hereditaments belonging to the chantries, (except copyhold land) which had not fallen into the hands of his predecessor. Thus fell " Blossom's chantry." Under the aforesaid statute. King Edward, in the second year of his reign, sold Poynctts to Walter Farr and Ralph Standish, for the sum of £200, the annual rent being at that time, £10 : but we find, by a decree in the Court of Augmen- tations, in 1550, that the purchase-money was returned, " it being doubtful whether the King had a lawful title to the estate, yea or no." 181 But whatever were the claims of the Crown, whether to the whole estate, or only to some part thereof, or only to the ten marks per annum, it is certain that Queen Mary relinquished her claims on, and possession of, all the church and abbey lands which had fallen into the hands of her predecessors. The parish of Enfield, in 1558, seem to have taken this opportunity of founding a Grammar-school at Enfield, to which design they were probably induced by what is said in the aforesaid statute relating to Grammar- schools.* The first deed intended for the endowment of a Grammar-school, is dated January 2Tth, 1557-8 ; this deed, which would have endoAved the School with the whole estate, clearly appears not to * The account given by Mr. Lysons in liis "Environs of London " of the endowment of the present School by John Carewe, in 1507, is evidently erroneous, as John Carewe had no other interest in Poynett's Estate, but as son and heir of Eoger Carewe, the last of the Trustees, named in the deed of 1 500 ; and it is a matter of surprise that it did not occur to Mr. Lysons, that John Carewe, could not have endowed the School with any part of this Estate in 1507, inasmuch as the Chantry was endowed with it in 1471, and so continued until the suppression of Chantry in 1 547 ; and also that he did not discover that the present School is not the same as the one endowed in May, 1558. IS2 have been perfected, inasmuch as only two of the three surviving trustees, put their seals to it, and no livery of seizen is endorsed thereon. It appears by the register of burials in Enfield, that Robert Alford, one of the said three trustees, died in April, 1558, it is therefore probable that he never executed the deed, for on May 25th, 1558, the two surviving trustees conveyed the estate to nearly all the same persons named in the said infe?ided deed of January 27th, 1557-8. By this deed of May 25th, 1558, a Grammar- school, instead of being endowed with the whole estate, was endowed with only £6 13s. 4d. per annum out of the rents of Poynetts " to teach the children of the poor inhabitants of the parish of Enfield to know and read their alphabet letters, and to read Latin and English, and to understand grammar, and to write their latins according to the trade and use of grammar- schools," which sum was the amount of the stipend formerly allowed to the chantry priest ; the remainder of the rent, after paying for requisite repairs, was reserved to the poor ; and as a further proof that the January deed was, in those times, considered a nullity, the deed dated Aug. 2Gth, 1598, speaks of the trustees who gave the £6 13s. 4d. per annum, as " the first givers." 133 This deed of 1598, is the last by which the above School was endowed; the crown soon afterwards seized the estate, consequently the schools ceased to exist. Although, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, all the acts of Edward the Sixth, respecting religion, were renewed and confirmed, and all religious houses founded by Queen Mary, annexed to the crown, yet the claims of the crown upon Poynett's estate, appear to have lain dormant until the year 1615, when it was sold to Edmund Duffield and John Babington ; and after passing through several hands, it was purchased by the parish of Enfield in 1619, of Thomas Kenethorpe, of London, Esq. for the sum of £100 Is. Od, who accordingly conveyed it to Sir Nicholas Salter, Nicholas Raynton, and Benjamin Deycrowe, in trust, for the parish; and on September 1st, 1621, a new deed of trust was made, whereby the livesent School was endowed with £20 per annum " for a learned, meet, and competent Master, to teach the children of all the inhabitants, the cross row, or alphabetical letters, reading, writing, arithmetic, and s;rammar." * * This Book, in manuscript, was the source from whence the Commissioners, appointed to enquire into the Charities of Great Britain, obtained the information relating to this Charity, contained in their Report. 134 The parish had for several years previous to 1819, increased the Schoolmaster's salary to £100 per annum, and had allowed him an Usher at £60 per annum, although the Benfleet estate did not, during that time, produce more than about £70 a year ; but the estate, together with the new purchase of " Edwards' Hall," having been let in 1817 at an increased rent, the Schoolmaster, in 1819, filed a Bill in Chancery for an increase of salary, &c. which cause was finally heard August 2nd, 1825, when a scheme for the future government of the School, and the disposal of the rents of the estate, was proposed by the trustees, and made an Order of Court, whereof the following is an abstract, viz. — That the trustees shall from henceforth for ever, apply and dispose of the yearly rents, issues, and profits of the said charity estates, in manner following, (that is to say) in the first place, in payment of all outgoings payable there- out, and all expenses incurred in the management thereof, and of all taxes, rates, and assessments now or hereafter to be levied, assessed, or imposed by Parliament or otherwise, upon, or in respect to the said estates, or the school-house belonging thereto, and also in the repairs of the bviildings on the said estates, and the said school-house ; 135 and for such fuel for tlie use of the school-room as be necessary ; provided that no greater sum than £20 be laid out in the repairs of such school-house in any one year, without the consent of a Vestry, consisting of at least ten inhabitants who are not trustees, called by public notice in the Parish Church of Enfield on the preceding Sunday; nor any sum exceeding £100 in any one year, without an order of the Court of Chancery; nor shall any thing be done relating to the said estates, or the revenues thereof, or the said School, or the Master, or Usher thereof, (except where otherwise directed) but in a Vestry consisting of ten such inhabitants, and called in manner aforesaid : That out of the residue of the said rents, there shall be paid to the Schoolmaster for the time being, the annual sum of £120 by half-yearly payments, on the 25th day of May, and the 25th day of November, to teach and instruct the children of all the inhabitants, in the said school- house, in the arts of reading, writing, grammar, and arithmetic, on every day in the week (except Sunday) from the hour of nine in the forenoon to twelve at noon, and from two to five in the afternoon, (except the afternoons of Wednesday and Saturday ; and except during one month in 136 the summer, commencing on the 21st day of Jnno, and one month in the winter, commencing on the 21st day of December, in every year.) And the said Master, (or the Usher in his place, if there be an usher, and the Master shall so direct,) shall attend the scholars to, and during divine service at the Parish Church of Enfield, on Sundays and prayer days : But should the number of scholars, on an average of the five months between each half- yearly holidays, be below sixty, the said salary of the Master for the time being, shall be reduced one-third, so long as the scholars remain under that number : That whenever the number of scholars amount to sixty, the Master may appoint a fit and proper Usher (subject to the approbation of the trustees,) and that the trustees shall pay such Usher a salary of £50 a year, by half-yearly payments, at Midsummer and Christmas; and when the average number of any five months, shall be below sixty, then the said trustees, or the major part in number of them, shall be at liberty to discharge or suspend such Usher until such time as the said scholars shall amount to sixty : That in order to ascertain the number of scholars, the Master for the time being shall keep 137 a true and exact register of all the scholars from time to time attending the said School, containing their names, ages, and their days of attendance, and shall produce the same whenever thereto required by the trustees ; a true copy of which register, signed by the Master, shall, on the first Monday in every month, be transmitted by him to the Vestry-clerk of Enfield, or such other person as the trustees shall appoint, and the number shall be ascertained every half-year by the average amount of the five preceding returns, and in case the Master fail to transmit such list regularly, so signed as aforesaid, the number shall be deemed to be below sixty : That the trustees for the time being, and the inhabitants of the parish of Enfield entitled to vote in vestry, (or the major part of those assembled in such vestry as aforesaid,) may remove any Master, or Usher, for any misconduct misbehaviour, or infirmity, rendering either of them incapable of performing the duties of his office, the trustees giving the Master or Usher, as the case may be, ten days' notice in writing of their intention of calling such vestry, and of the cause or causes of such proposed or intended removal of the said Master or Usher ; and in case of the death or resignation of the INIastcr K 138 for the time being, or of his removal as aforesaid, the trustees shall, within three months thereafter, call a vestry in manner aforesaid, to appoint a Master in his room ; and that the trustees and such vestry may, from time to time, form such rules and regulations for the good management of the said School, as they may think proper, so that they be not repugnant to the rules hereby established : That the Master, for the time being, shall occupy the School-house as his dwelling, free from all rates and taxes, as the same is now occupied : That the trustees shall henceforth for ever, apply such parts of the said yearly rents, issues, and profits, as may remain, after the several payments herein before mentioned, for and towards the relief of the poor orphans and other poor and impotent inhabitants of the parish of Enfield for the time being, as may be from time to time, chosen by the trustees, and such vestry as aforesaid : That no part of the said estates be let to a trustee; nor to any person for more than 21 years in possession ; that the greatest rent be reserved that may resonably be obtained without any fine, premium, or forcgift ; and that the tenant be made punishable for waste ; that no tenant be chosen trustee, and no triistce be alloAved to act, 139 wlio resides out of the parish ; that when any of the trustees shall decline, or become incapable to act in the said trust, or shall cease to reside in the said parish, he shall, within three months after his so declining, or becoming incapable to act, or ceasing to reside in the said parish, relin- cjuish his trust ; and in case of his refusal so to do, he shall be no longer allowed to act as such trustee in any manner whatsoever ; and when the number of trustees shall be reduced, by incapa- city, declining to act, or removal from the parish, to five, four, or three at the least, the trust shall be renewed, and fourteen other inhabitants at the least, added to the survivors, by such vestry as aforesaid, upon the same trusts as arc declared in this scheme, and in the indenture of Feoifment, dated September Ist, 1621, and the schedule thereto annexed. The following is a list of the masters of the Free-school : — — Bradshawe was master in 1600, at a salary of £20 per annum. Thomas Taylor was appointed master in the same year, on the death of Bradshawe. Bichard Ward, in 1606-7, and was put into the Deed of 19 James I. 1621, and continued master until 1647. 140 AVilliain Holmes was the next master. He died in 1664, William Nelson, clerk, was appointed in 16T6, Dr. Robert Uvedale was master in 1686. — Harper was master in 1700. John Allen, in 1732. Daniel Shipton, in 1761. Samuel Hardy, M.A. was appointed in 1762 ; lie resigned in 1793, in wMch year he died. John Milne (Member of the University of Aberdeen) was appointed in the same year. James Emery succeeded in 1831, and was called upon to resign in 1846.* Charles Chambers was elected 14th Dec. 1846, but as Emery would not vacate the school-house till a consideration was paid him, Chambers did not enter upon his duties till the following year.f At a meeting of the Trustees, held on the 19th of Sept. 1825, Ordered, — " That notice be given to tlie master of the Free School, that the Trustees require the scheme lately established by the Court of Chanceiy for the government of the School, to be strictly complied uji^, particularly in respect to the hours of attendance, and the holidays and half holidays." * This led to a trial in the Court of Common Pleas. [See A])pendix.] t An account of the election, and other matters concerning this latter master -nill also be found in the Appendix. 141 KING JAMES' GIFT. King James I. in the twentieth year of his reign, gave to the Parish of Enfield, two hundred pounds, in consideration of his taking some part of Enfield-chase, to enlarge Theobald's-park, which then belonged to His Majesty; with which money, the parishioners purchased an Estate called " Marches and Devises," in the parish of North-mimms, in the county of Hertford, which they let at eighteen guineas per annum. This Estate was sold to Samuel E-obert Gaussen, Esq. under an Act of Parliament^ (48 Geo. III. c. 156.) passed for the purpose, and the purchase-money, amounting to £1,740 4s. 2d. three per cent. Consols, placed in Chancery, until an opportunity should offer of investing it in land, as the said Act directed. In the year 1816, the trustees, under the sanction of the Court of Chancery, purchased that part of Edwards'-hall, lying South of the road which passes through the Estate, containing 94a. 2r. o4p. for the sum of £1,700. which sum was raised by the sale of the said stock, added to the sum of £341 13s. 7d. at that time owing to this gift, from the Benfleet-estate : this part of the Estate is let at £50 per annum, with one of 143 the lodges on that part belongmg to Benfleet, at £5 per annum. Edwards'-wood is not mcluded, but remains in the hands of the trustees. The rent of this Estate is at the disposal of vestry, to any general use that doth concern the town and parish of Enfield, or the poor thereof; the direction in the trust deed that the trustees shall the next Sunday after the receipt, give notice in Church of a vestry to be held that same Sunday afternoon to dispose thereof, has not been acted upon for a great number of years, nor indeed can it be ; but nothing is ever done without the sanction of a vestry. DEYCROWE S GIFT. John Deycrowe, of Enfield, by will, dated May 25th, 1627, gave a moiety of his messuage or farm, situate at or near Green-street, in the parish of Enfield, and of all barns, stables, houses, out-houses, gardens, orchards, lands, tenements, and hereditaments thereto belonging and apper- taining, as the same are mentioned in a certain presentment or survey, made by a jury, at a Court-lcet holden for the Manor of Worcesters, to Thomas Sone, his heirs and assigns for ever, to pay thereout annually, the sum of four pounds. 143 by even quarterly payments, to the churchwardens and overseers of the poor of the said parish of Enfield ; who, calling unto them two others of the inhabitants, such as they think well of, shall distribute the said four pounds amongst the poor people of Enfield, for the time being, for ever. LOFT S GIFT. Henry Loft, of Enfield, yeoman, by will, dated March 3rd, 1631, gave all his freehold lands and tenements, in the parish of Enfield, and in Chigwell, in the county of Essex, unto Anthony Curtis, citizen and vintner, of London, his heirs and assigns, upon condition that he and they should yearly, for ever, pay to the minister and churchwardens of Enfield, for the time being, the the sum of twelve pounds, for the only use and benefit of six poor widows, to be chosen by the said minister and churchwardens, and six others of the vestrymen of the said parish of Enfield, at a vestry, to be equally divided amongst the said poor widows, at the four usual feasts, or within fourteen days after ; and when any one of the said poor widows die, marry, or go and dwell out of the parish, then one other poor widow to be chosen, in form and manner aforesaid. 144 He also gave, out of the said estate, to the said minister and churchwardens, the sum of four pounds, yearly, for ever, to and for the use and benefit of a preacher or lecturer, who shall preach in the afternoon of the Sabbath days, in the Parish Church of Enfield, (the said lecturer not omitting preaching above one month in the year) to be paid to him on the four usual feasts, in equal portions. He also gave, out of the same estate, to the said minister and churchwardens, yearly, for ever, at Midsummer, or within fourteen days thereafter, the sum of four pounds, to be by them bestowed for and towards clothing the poor of the said parish of Enfield, or providing them with such apparel as they shall think proper ; and when the said churchwardens bring in their accounts, they shall yearly give an account, in writing, how this last sum of four pounds has been bestowed and laid out. THE MARKET PLACE. King James I. having granted a charter to the parish of Enfield, for holding a weekly market, the parish purchased of Francis Sanders, in 1632, a messuage with the appurtenances, then called " The Vine," which they converted into a market place. The market having fallen into decay, the market buildings were pulled down, and an elegant little stone cross was erected by sub- scription, in 1826. The rent of this estate is at the disposal of vestry, to any general use that doth concern the town and parish of Enfield, or the poor thereof; the direction in the Trust Deed that the trustees shall, the next Sunday after the receipt, give notice in church, of a vestry to be held that same afternoon, to dispose thereof, has not been acted upon for a great number of years, nor indeed can it be ; but nothing is ever done, relating to the estate, without the sanction of a vestry. Some small payments are made during the statute fair, for standings for booths, &c. COCK S GIFT. George Cock, of the parish of Saint James, Clerkenwell, brewer, by will, dated September 16th, 1635, gave to the parish of Enfield £30, to form a stock, the interest thereof to be yearly given to the poor of Enfield, in bread ; with this sum, and about £20 more, out of the parish 146 estates, the parishioners purchased a tenement, with a close of pasture adjoining, situate at Bull- beggars-hole, near Clay -hill. In the year 1829 Mr. Edward Harnian agreed with the parish to exchange this property for some premises in Enfield-town, adjoining the east end of the Greyhound-inn, which exchange was accordingly made by deed, dated April 17th and 18th, 1829, conveying the last mentioned premises to the Rev. Dr. Cresswell, Messrs. Thomas Browning, Henry Carington Bowles, Peter Pharoah, Benja- min Nicholas Williams, Richard Sneider, Charles Dear, and William AValker, their heirs and assigns, in trust for the vicar, churchwardens, and overseers of the poor for the time being for ever ; the rents and profits to be by them applied to and for the intents and purposes mentioned and contained in the said will of the said George Cock. The parish built, upon this ground, a house, which is now occupied as the residence of the police serjeant, with a cage appended on each side thereof ; it is now taken possession of by the Metropolitan Police Commissioners, and is used as the Enfield Police Station, for which an annual rent of £15 is paid ; the remainder of the ground was let on lease to Messrs. Hoare and Co. of London, brewers, for fifty-eight years, 147 from Midsummer, 1829, at £12 10s. per annum. There is, belonging to this gift, an allotment of land in lieu of common right, on the Ridgeway- road, containing 1 a. Or. 27p., let to Mr. John Cracknell, at £2 7s. per annum ; which rents are disposed of towards payment for twenty sixpenny loaves, distributed at the church every Sunday in the year. EAYNTO]S S GIFT. Sir Nicholas Rayntun, Knight and Alderman of London, by will, dated May 2nd, 1646, gave his then dAvelling-house, in Lombard-street, and also another house adjoining thereto, and also a large shop and warehouse adjoining the other side of his said dwelling-house, situate in the parish of Saint Edmund the King, in the City of London, unto the Master and "Wardens of the Company of Haberdashers, for ever, in trust, to pay out of the rents thereof (amongst other payments) the sum of £10 per annum, for ever, to the churchwardens and overseers of the poor of the parish of Enfield, at Michaelmas, to put yearly three poor children apprentices, born in the town of Enfield, in such houses only as have been built above forty years since ; the said 148 children to be nominated and appointed by the vicar and churchwardens of Enfield for the time being, and six others of the most substantial men of the said parish, whom the said vicar and churchwardens shall choose to call unto them. For a great many years the Company made a deduction of £2 a year from this payment, under the head of land tax, in consequence of the dreadful fire of London; but in July, 1813, the attention of the vestry was called to the subject, when an application was made to the Company for the full payment, and also for the arrears for the last thirty-five years, to both which the Company assented, and accordingly paid over the sum of £70, and purchased £100 stock in the three per cent. Reduced, in the names of the trustees, vicar, and churchwardens. BILLINGS AND OSBOURN's GIFT. William Billings, of Enfield, yeoman, by will, dated June 11th, 1659, gave to his grandson William, and his heirs for ever, several acres of land in the common fields ; also a messuage (since pulled down) with the appurtenances, situate near Cole's-bridge, at Clay -hill, Enfield; charging the said premises with a yearly payment of twenty 149 shillings^ to the minister and churchwardens of Enfield, at Bartholomewtide for ever, to be by them bestowed yearly in clothing for poor children of the parish of Enfield ; and in case of non-payment, power is given to the said minister and churchwardens to distrain. In February, 1666, Ann Osborne, of the parish of Saint Saviour, Southwark, widow, by her will, gave to the parish of Enfield the sum of £100, to purchase land, which should remain for ever ; the interest thereof to be bestowed yearly, for ever, for the relief of poor widows that are of good report, and for putting to school one or more poor child or children, being fatherless or motherless, in the said parish of Enfield, and to be converted to no other use. The parish added, out of other rents, £20, and purchased, of the said William Billings, (the grandson) the above described premises, subject to the said rent-charge of twenty shillings ; consequently the trustees of Osbourn's Gift are to pay the said rent-charge. In consequence of the Inclosure Act (41 Geo. III. c. 143) the said common-field-land was exchanged, by the Commissioners, for 3a. Ir. lOp. of land, situate at the back of Enfield Workhouse, let to the churchwardens and overseers at £12 150 per annum, now underlet for gardens. There is a right of vraj to this allotment, sixteen feet wide, from Baker-street, over the tithe allotment. The premises at Cole's-bridge are let in two portions, one at £4 and the other at £2 2s. per annum ; there is also a small piece of land in Mr. Meyer's park, which is taken notice of under the head of " Eaton and Meyer's Gift." DIXON S GIFT. Henry Dixon, citizen and draper, of London, and an inhabitant of Enfield, by will, dated November 9th, 1693, gave all his messuages, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, in the parishes of Bennington and Munden, in the county of Hertford, and in Enfield, in Middle- sex, and also in the parish of Saint Mildred, in the Poultry, in the City of London, to the Company of Drapers and their successors for ever, upon trust, for and towards placing out apprentices to handicraft trades ; in the first place, such poor boys, wheresoever born, as bear his christian and surname, and arc of the age of fifteen years, or more, the sum of £5 for each boy, and £5 more within one month after he shall be made free of the City of London, to 151 enable liim tlic better to set up and follow his trade ; and in the next place, such poor boys, wheresoever boriij as bear his surname only, and are of the same age, the sum of £4, and £4 more when he shall be made free, as beforesaid ; and in default of such, then such poor boys, born and resident in the several parishes of Bennington and Enfield, and other parishes aforesaid, the sum of £4, and £4 more when he shall be made free, as aforesaid ; and for want of such, then the sons of the tenants of the said lands and tenements, or any part thereof, the sum of £3, and £3 more when he shall produce a certificate of his having served seven years, under the hands of the churchwardens for the time being, of the parish wherein he served, and also a certificate under the hands of the church- wardens where he was born, of his having been fifteen years of age when he was bound ; and lastly, if no such boys apply, then such poor boys as the Company of Drapers may think proper. It is necessary that the boy should be presented at Drapers' Hall, on a Court-day, by a church- warden, with the following certificate, viz. — " To the Worshipful the Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the Company of Drapers ; 152 " We, wliose names are hereunder snhsci^ibccl, the Mifiister and Chur chic ar dens of the parish of Enfield, in the countij of Middlesex, do hereby certify the Company above named, that A. B.. the S071 of C. D., by E. his toife, is a poor boy of this parish, and was baptised the day of , as by the register appeareth; and having first made due enquiry, we like and approve of F. G. of the parish of , in the City of Liondon, Citizen and , to be a fit master for the said A. B., and we do therefore desire your Worships^ consent for 3fr. Henry Dixoii's Gift for him to be put out apprentice to the said F. G. for the term of seven years, according to the last will and testament of the said Henry Dixon, deceased; " Witness our hands this day of 18 D. C. Vicar. T. N. -| ±1. U. ±). > CIntrc/nvardens. J. F. J DARBY S GIFT. Richard Darby, of Gray's-inn, London, Esq. by will, dated January 12th, 1735, gave to the poor, of Ponder's-end quarter, in the parish of 153 Enfield, £100, to be disn-ibuted to such persons, and in such proportions as his Avife Sarah should think proper. The said Sarah Darby never distributed the above legacy, but by order of the Court of Chancery, on September 2nd, 1776, the money, together with interest, amounting to £278 6s. od. was laid out in £333 6s. 8d. three per cent. Consols, the interest thereof to be paid half- yearly, at Midsummer and Christmas every year, to four poor persons of Ponder's-end quarter, to be from time to time nominated and appointed by the inhabitants of the said parish, in vestry assembled, giving notice of such vestry in the church, on the two Sundays next preceding the same. The stock stands in the names of the trustees, Edward Harman, Richard Brailsford, Thomas Browning, and William Naylor, ENFIELD WORKHOUSE. The premises, formerly situate at Chase-side and used as the Workhouse, were purchased by the parish in the year 1740 ; these were subse- quently pulled down, and the present convenient and comfortable building was finished in 1827, at L 154 the cost of £o,624. These premises are charged Avith the payment of los. 4cl. a year, as part of Smith's Gift. In consequence of the inclosure of the com- mons in 1801, sixteen poles of ground were added to the garden at the back of the Work- house, and an allotment of land awarded to the overseers in lieu of common right, containing thirty-hve poles, adjoining " David's allotment," let to T. Cracknell at 10s. per annum, which rent is annually paid to the overseers for the use of the parish. Part of the 200 acres is used bv the parish as an appendage to the AVorkhouse. The Workhouse is now occupied by the Edmonton Union, for the pauper children, for which they pay a rent of £150 per annum.* MAKY J^ICHOLS GIFT. Mrs, Mary Xichols, of Enfield, by Mill, dated May 2nd, 1751, gave to the parish of Enfield £900, part thereof to be laid out in the purchase of an Organ ; the other part thereof to be deposited in Government securities, the interest to be applied towards paying an organist. * For an account ©f the New Infirmary, see Appendix. 155 There stands in the name of the Accountant General of the Court of Chancery, V. Pattishall, the sum of £380 10s. in the three per cent. 1751, the interest thereof is £11 8s. 4d. per annum. The said INIary Nichols also gave £50 ; the interest to be yearly distributed in bread amongst the poor of Enfield, for ever, on the anniversary of her burial, namely the 12th day of June. The sum of £46 10s. formerly invested in the Old South Sea Annuities, now stands in the names of Edward Harman, Richard Brailsford, and William Naylor, in the 3 per cent. Consols. MAURER S GIFT. Frederick Maurer, of Enfield, Esq., bv will, dated March 22nd, 17T2, gave £50 to the poor of the parish of Enfield, to be distributed amongst them at the discretion of the minister and churchwardens of the parish. With this sum the parish purchased £57 10s. three per cent. Consols ; and in the year 1813 they added several small balances of different Charities, which arose on account of returned property tax, and therewith purchased as much more of the same stock as made together £100 stock, now standing in the names of the trustees. 15() The interest is to be disposed of by the vicar and churchwardens in clothing for the poor, by- order of vestry, June 4th, 1829. TURPI n's gift. Mary Turpin, of Enfield, spinster, by will, dated June 30th, 1775, directed her executors to lay out £200 in the purchase of three per cent. Consols, in the names of the vicar of Enfield, and the churchwarden and overseer of the town quarter, for the time being, in trust, to apply the interest thereof towards teaching and instructing three poor girls of the said parish and quarter (whose parents do not receive alms of the said parish) in reading, writing, and needlework. Accordingly, the said sum was laid out in £240 three per cent. Consols, now standing in the names of the trustees, the E.ev. J. j\I. Pleath and Thomas Reynolds, senr. This gift is now paid to three separate teachers. ELLSOM S GIFT. Joseph Ellsom, of Enfield, butcher, by will, dated INIarch 6th, 1797, gave to his executors, in trust, after the death of his niece, Elizabeth 157 Kelly, the sum of £200, live per cent, stock, (now £210 new three and a half per cent, stock) the interest thereof to be given in equal portions every half year, within one month after it be- comes due, to two poor widows, or single women, of the age of sixty years and up^vards, and born in the parish of Enfield ; such poor women to be elected by the trustees and the churchwardens, or the majority of them. He also gave the residue of his five per cent, stock, and the residue of his effects, to be laid out in the same stock ; which being done, produced together £312 12s. stock, (now £328 4s. 7d. new three and a quarter per cent, stock) the interest thereof to be given, every half year, within one month after it becomes due, to two other poor widows, or single women, of the age of sixty years and upwards, and born in the said parish of Enfield ; the said last named poor women to be elected in the same manner as the first named two women ; and in case either of the said four poor women depart this life, then another poor widow, or single woman, of the age of sixty years and upwards, and born in the said parish, to be elected in manner aforesaid in her room ; and in the event of the death of either of the three trustees, another trustee to be appointed 158 by the survivors, witliin three months ; if they neglect to do so, then the churchwardens are to make the appointment. EATON' AND MEYER's* GIFT. Mrs. Elizabeth Anne Eaton, of London, by will, dated August 24th, 1806, gave all her estate at Enfield, for the benefit of six poor widows ; but as the will was not legally executed, so as to pass real estates, and as no heir at law could be found, an inquisition was held at Enfield, on * "James Meyer, Esq. was a gentleman generally known and respected. On first leaving school he went abroad, and spent four years in a merchant's counting-house in Trieste. On his return to England, the habits of industry, and knowledge of the German and other foreign languages which he had acquired, combined with the strong recommendations of an excellent character, were the means of securing to him that respectability and affluence which he so long enjoyed. He was distinguished through life by a delicate sense of honour and propriety, by an inflexible integrity, and by such a strict and conscientious adherence to justice and uprightness in conduct, that he might well be considered as exhibiting to the world a fair and honourable portrait of the British Merchant. Content, though in the prime of life, with the property already acquired in business, he began to form plans for a gradual retirement from his various mercantile engagements. "With this view he removed, in 1800, to Forty Hall, Enfield, which, Avith the park 159 July old, 1815, when it appeared that fourteen acres of land, in Broadfield, were within the Manor of Enfield, and therefore escheated to the Crown, in right of the Duchy of Lancaster; three houses, and ten acres of land, being within the Manor of Worcesters, fell to James Meyer, Esq., and contiguous farm, was considered as a most eligible purchase. Here he soon introduced into his different occupations, the activity and regularity of a man of business. It should be recorded to his honour, that when some property of considerable amount fell to him as Lord of the Manor, he settled it immedi- ately in trust, that the rents arising from the same, might be annually distributed among poor and deserving objects. Without pretending to a classical taste and refinement, he possessed a sound understanding and knowledge of the world. His feelings were strong, and his judgment generally coiTcct, on -.vhich account great deference was paid to his opinions and advice. As chairman of the Select Vestry of the parish of Enfield, he was active and useful in parochial business. He contributed liberally towards the support of public, and private charities, and there is reason to believe that much was given which was concealed. He distributed large sums among tlie poor, par- ticularly towards the education of their children, whose progress he regularly examined at his own house. Attached to the English Constitution, he was loyal to his King, and equally hostile to aristocratic usurpation, and lawless democracy. He was fond of social intercourse, was warm in his attachments, and has proved himself, on trying occasions, a sincere and judicious friend. Raised above the narrow boundaries of sects and parties, by a truly Christian benevolence, his anxiety was to rln 7ood iiiitn '/'/. as he might have opportunity. IfiO as Lord of that Manor who, having sold part thereof for as much money as produced £1700, three per cent. Consols, added thereto £300 of the same stock, being the value of that part of the estate, which he himself retained; and acting upon the original intention of the said Mrs. Eaton, he made over the Avhole £2000 stock to What he bestowed in charity was given with so much kindness, as gi-eatly increased the vahie of the gift. Providence had not only blessed him with affluence, but with a heart to enjoy a benevolent deed. He died February 11th, 1826, at Forty Hall, Enfield, of a stroke of apoplexy, in his 71st year. He has left by will £300. to be distributed among the poor inhabitants of the parish of Enfield, requesting that a preference should be given to those who had been regular in their attendance on public worshij): one third being to the ]poor attendants of Baker-street Meeting. Distinguished through life by a con- scientious discharge of religious duties, his daily conduct proved to the world, that the fear of God was before his eyes, and that Christian charity reigned in his heart. Such a character, must of necessity be valued in life, and lamented in death. As the funeral passed through Enfield, the windows and shops were generally closed, out of respect to his memoiy. He was buried in a family vault in the Dutch Church in Austin Friars. Though Mr. Meyer was never married yet the name and respectability of the family will be supported by a brother and nephew, to whom he bequeathed his property. A funeral sermon on Mr. Meyer was preached by the Rev. William Brown, at Baker-street Meeting, Enfield, February 2Cth ; and has been since published, entitled, 'The actively Benevolent Man a Tublic Blessing.' " — 7V/r dentlfmans Magazine. 161 trustees, by a deed dated November 16th, 1816, enrolled in Chancery ; the interest to be disposed of according to the intentions of the said Mrs. Eaton. The trustees are the Lord of the Manor of Worcesters for the time being, the Vicar of Enfield for the time being, and others. Any vacancy in the trust to be filled up by the survivors, but if the survivors be less than three, then the vacancy to be filled up by a vestry, whereof notice shall have been given in the church on two Sundays preceding. Two widows are chosen by the Lord of the Manor of Worces- ter for the time being, one by the Vicar of Enfield for the time being, and three by the majority of the trustees, including the said Vicar and the Lord of the Manor of Worcestors ; the said Lord of the IManor to have the casting vote ; and in case either of the said widows die, or remove out of the parish, or marry, or cease to be poor, then another to be elected in her stead. There is a proviso in this deed, that if the said James Meyer, his heirs, or assigns, shall at any time, be evicted, or turned out of possession, or interrupted in the quiet enjoyment of a certain piece of land belonging to Osbourn's Gift, lying- in his park, containing 1 rood and 28 poles, then the said £2000 ^luck shall be transferred to the W.I said James Meyer, his executors, administrators, or assigns, for his and their own proper use and benefit. The Duchy Court of Lancaster, in 1828, at the intercession of Dr. Cresswell, agreed to pay the annual rent of the 14 acres above mentioned, amounting to £32 los. 8d. per annum, to the vicar and churchwardens of Enfiekl, every year, Mr. Sawyer having given up a claim Avhich he had to a beneficial lease thereof; and the vicar and churchwardens have agreed to divide the same eqtially between three poor widows, being parish- ioners of Enfiekl, of unimpeachable characters. DICKASON S GIFT. Thomas Dickason, of Enfield, Esq., by Avill, dated December olst, 1813, bequeaths as follows, viz. — " I give and bequeath unto the vicar and churchwardens of the parish of Enfield for the time being, the sum of £200, which I will, order, and direct, shall be laid out in the joint names of the vicar and churchwardens of Enfield aforesaid, for the time being, in the purchase of permanent Government stocks or funds, at interest; and I will and direct, that such vicar and church- wardens for the time ])eing, shall and do, on the 25th dav of December, in every year Ibr ever, 16;J pa)% divide, and distribute the interest, dividends, and annual proceeds of such stocks or funds, so to be jnirchased, unto, amongst, and between such poor persons residing within the parish of Enfield, as they, in their discretion, shall think proper objects of charity, and the most deserving ; the widows of housekeepers (not having usually received alms of the parish) to be always preferred." The sum of £285 3s. reduced three per cents., stands in the names of the trustees CLAXTO^ S GIFT. Mrs. Frances Claxton, of Enfield, by will, dated May 19th, 1817, gave to the vicar of Enfield for the time being, £S3o 6s. 8d. three per cent, consols ; the interest of which is to be applied in keeping h'er tomb, in Enfield church- yard, in repair, and if anything remain, the same to be given to some poor widow above 60 years of age. The lagacy duty reduced this to £305 stock. !kIESTURA,S GIFT. James Francis Mesturas, of Enfield, Escj., by will, dated August 2Tth, 1817, gave £50 to the KA churchwardens of Enfield, for the use of the poor ; with which was purchased £50 three per cent, reduced stock, in the names of the trustees, and the interest given yearly to one widow. THE TWO HUNDRED ACRES. Enficld-chase, previous to its division in 1777, in the ahove year it contained 8349a, Ir. 30p. was divided as follows, viz To the King „ Tithe „ Enfield Parish „ Edmonton . ,, South INIimms ,, Hadley , „ Old Park . „ Old Ford . A. oOoo R. P. 24 519 32 1732 2 1231 2 1026 240 6 30 15 S6 3 24 8349 1 30 As the whole Chase, previous to the division, was within the parish of Enfield, and as the Act dismembered that parish, by annexing the allot- ments of Edmonton, South Mimms, and Hadley, to their respective parishes, two hundred acres were awardc-d to Enfield, in satisfaction of the 165 said dismemberment; the rent of which said two hundred acres was directed by the act to be applied, one half thereof in aid of the land tax of the parish, and the other half in aid of the poor rate. In 1800, Enfield sold a niuiety of the above two hundred acres, and with the produce redeemed the land tax ; the remaining half, applicable to the poor rate, is let on leases for 99 years, from Michaelmas, 1778, (excepting lot o6, containing three roods, and eighteen perches, which is in the occupation of the Workhouse.) THE TIMBKK, MONEY. The Act of Parliament, passed in the year 1801, for dividing and inclosing the Common- fields and Chase-allotment in this parish, directed that a certain part of the timber then growing on the said Chase-allotment, should be sold, and the produce placed in the Government funds, and the interest thereof applied in aid of the poor rate, of Enfield parish. Accordingly the Com- missioners placed £15,131 10s. 4d. three per cent. Consols, in the ilame of the Accountant General of the Court of Chancery, exparte the churchwardens of the parish of Enfield, the annual interest whereof, being £453 18s. lOd., IGO is yearly applied in aid of the poor rate of Enfield. CONDUTTS. In the Enfield Inclosure Act of 1777, it is directed — That Sir Thomas Halifax, and his assigns, should continue at his and their costs and charges, a pipe and cock from the main of the conduit on the top of the hill, opposite his house, at Chase-side, " for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of Enfield, in the manner the same is now, (in 1777) or hath been used and enjoyed." In the award of the Commissioners of the Inclosure Act of 1801, it is directed, " That the well at the north-east corner of the allotment of David Miles (1810) shall for ever after be con- tinued, and kept open as a public watering place ; and that all persons shall and may, at all times hereafter, have free access, on foot, to the said well, along the footpaths herein before awarded over the allotments of Mary May, and David Miles, to the said well; and tliat the stiles which cross the said footpaths shall at all times hereafter be made commodious and conve- nient for the persons using the said well, by and 167 at the expense of the owners of the allotments through which the said footpaths arc directed to pass." MRS. ANXE GOLGH S GIFT. Mrs. Anne Gough, widow of the late Richard Gough, of Forty-hill, Esq., by a codicil dated June 26th, 1830, left the sum of £200, to be distributed amongst poor persons, of the parish of Enfield, at the discretion of *her executors, Humphrey Hall, and John Farran, Esquires ; who, in order to j)erpetuate her memory, and to make her benefaction a source of permanent good to the poor, invested, on the 11th day of April, 1834, the above mentioned sum in the three per cent. Consolidated Annuities, purchasing thereby £220 Is. 8d. stock, in the names of the then vicar and churchwardens of the said parish, and directed that they, and their successors, should lay out the dividends thence accruing, in the purchase of articles of clothing, and distribute them, yearly, on the day after Christmas day, amongst the deserving poor of the said parish, for ever. The stock stands in the names of the trustees. 16S kelham's gift. Mrs. Avice Kelham, of Enfield, by her v,-ill, dated the 12th day of December, 1829,* gave the sum of £1260, three per cent. Consols, the interest of which is to be applied for the benefit of the Girls' Sunday School in London-lane, near the Town; and also the suin of £1000 in * Extract from the Will of Mrs. Avice Kelham. "I give and bequeath to the said Robert Kelham Kelham and William Belt, of Bedford-row, in the County of Middlesex, their executors, administrators, and assigns, the sum of one thousand pounds, 3^ per cent. Reduced Bank Annuities, upon trust from time to time for ever hereafter, to lay out and expend the annual interest, dividends, and proceeds thereof in the purchase of coals, and to distribute the same in the months of December, January, and February in each and every yeai-, to such poor persons residing within the said Parish of Enfield, as they the said Robert Kelham Kelham and William Belt, or the survivor of them, or the executors, administrators, or assigns of such suiwivor shall think fit. And it is my will, and I do hereby direct that in the distril)ution of the said coals, aged widows shall always have the preference. I give and bequeath to the said Robert K. Kelham and William Belt, their executors, administrators, and assigns, the further sum of £1400, 3| per cent, reduced Bank Annuities, upon trust from time to time for ever, hereafter to receive the annual interest, dividends, and proceeds thereof, and to pay the same, as the same shall become due and be received, into the hands of the treasurer, for the time being, of the Girls' Sunday School, now held at the Free School, at Enfield, 169 the same Stock, the interest of which is to be applied in purchasing coals for the poor (chiefly aged widows) of Enfield. The dividend annually arising therefrom is thus distributed, viz. — £29 12s. Od. for coals, and £37 6s. Od. for the benefit of the school, which aforesaid, to be applied by the committee of management of the said school, in mannei* hereinafter mentioned, that is to say, as to the annual sum of eight pounds, part thereof in paying a salary of eight pounds per annum to the school mistress for the time being of the said school, and as to the remainder thereof in clothing the scholars of the said school, and for tind towards the iastriiction of the said scholars, or any other purpose for promoting the interest of the said school that the said committee of management thereof for the time being shall think fit. But in case the said Sunday School shall at any time here- after be 'discontinue. s§ ?2 « ^M o a f>-.-S o o -< es TJ" CS ^ fis ,1 Tf in O ■M c» o ^ "^ '^ H (-! >> (-5 ■~ , ^ o S c5 O o s <1> fi '<- 'o h p o o ss C3 'm 'o o ^ P5 !3 CO ;::, 'a P 1 ^ a. CO S S "S c3 2 1 o a 6^ «2 O 02 3 3 1 o 'a -a -^ O 'o "3 1-5 fcS H •-S t-» »-s . ,-_- ^ o t^ Ph o c^ : ■5^ 2 i ^.s "o cd 4) - « J2 ■- '-C5 §^ (^ fl -^O a r :: 0_a o u-j •a .2 J3 S S.J3 1-i H rt y3 ^ • 2 «;2 "It •Si 3 d ""a a )-( c s o C) iJ p 5 h^ P-. (/2"^~ "2 -^ n ."^ o j^ o ^ 6 c 3 O O o ^ tft' i -t- -S 02 ^ c r 5 Q Jo Q fi Q S5 •> »— ( tj »si K^ ^ o <1. ^-^ c c CD bo • I— I bo o <1 -^° o o o s .• o t- o O O •c^ •-rt^: r- (N « o tn rH 1 »N u O "^ s o S CO e >^ g ■ji " S 00 1 o 5 3 00 CO a H 1 Jl". EH c.|i 4^ S ? 2 3 -^ -^^ 'C S ^ '"*" ^coo M ff ^ E^ M ^ o s 'a ^ i Si, t— 1 C ^ C C c 1 ■i) ^ 1 3 ^ 1 ^ _ t< : ci (N iH ; 1 r- < CI ■5^ s P5 ; C ) '- -^ -^ : ^ CO O r^ ^ » CJ ^ , ^ d 3 :i-; c o H o > 5 H 1 c 5 CD 1 >l CD .3 s •2 •3- o J3 '3 ;H 6 o ^ H -£^ 3 O o o 5 3 ei o p yk 1 u q o K CO o 5 o 2 ■&> § fl •^ a § CC s fl O 1— H § o s 5 o o O « m > 2: < o 1-9 o ft ^ ^ i— ( >^ Cl O ^ Q fcD c o I— I o o as o "a c c s; l^ c -a p o«g 5 1 2 S*^ S rt C3 H """ CI ^ fl ■g QJ c p c J3 P, 1 s to W 5; c 1 « Vj ^2 Z s 9^ d s M H Cj £. ^ S i 5 rt f3 P-1 > 6 — C 1 < h- 5 H <1 6 t- p- I c ^ : (M '^1 s a ) CM B -S ~ ■< c I (M 3 S c ^ i .S2 ti-t ' s* ^ ( "S .2 ^ or; eS c^cs I c t }■ c C 1 1 .1^ t> 4 ( ! \ 1 3 2 c CO en c 2 !2 1= rt To c^ p H k. 4 W hJ H H ■£^ <5 "£ 2 »-^ Hi P4 CO 6 < D CC c/ 3 i: 1 "< r ^ ^ ) c I 5 !^ P- - ^° c o c CC ,.§ =; '-' CO o c o ft^ ^° CO Li C) C-I g^ -^ ^ s *C :h B -S .o s p 0-" ^ V g § CO 2 s CJ to w rt ci B c; C3 5 (U .^ " OS >-» ^ ss E^ ~ c "Z "3 -g C" w^ ^ - "Z ■q p o s^ C- F g c ~> o ^ t C 6 f^ s^ c c c 1 « « "c "o c ^ c I-: •-s t-^ CC < 00 : w^ (M K ct !N : e d < '^ ^ : *: c cT 13 c 2 i c CJ _o i i ice 1 o >7-l c ^ 15 p •i c c J- o o O O O c o H "o 5S 5 c S C s O CJ tn 0.5 I-; H "^ K w £ S^ _£ c c 6 c 05 t C o C ^ CC <3 c P 5 H s g CC l-H c M H fei c 1=5 < S C^ CC bo bo r£2 ^ o H ■^ ^° •* o o tn o s ,• <=> en o O t- _, ^ =0 ^ '^ '-' •-^° O o 00 o — 00 o UJ ^ »5 CJ oj cS s ^fi J e:^ s:;-^ S 1 c3 il )-3 05 o o S !^ ""* s ^!I g ;2 E^ 'a c ^ '3 H "3 1 Cm o a c c o o s^ c ;- a g cj ^ S h1 C 1-^ i o o 1 CC c Pi C ^ o fe U1 CO ^ "^ « O ■< o o 2 o o CO o 03 a o t4- c a a. CC o 'J c c O CO o .3 o Q • o c 43 o 4-J 2 i o J; CO K^ c ys c ' (/] c " Q r3 3 O i-i a 1^ C ^ a C3 c^ Ph c & p K >A ■2^ S r3 01 c o u o C o CC M5 E-i So !^ f> '?< v: 5 ^ 1^ 179 Boundaries of the Parish. The following particulars of the boundaries of the parish, are taken from a plan in the possession of John Sawyer, Esq. Vestry Clerk of Enfield, and extracted from Robinsoii's History, with the names of persons and places altered to the present time. The perambulation of the parish, which should take place every seven years, occupies two or three days : — No. 1. — Beginning at the bridge near the nine mile stone in ilie London road called the red bridge : 2. — From the red bridge over the pales in a bevil line to the cross in Mr. Moorat's garden wall over the same, from thence through the garden over the second wall, and continue along the second garden to 3. — An oak with a cross at the edge of the New-river ; cross the river, and in a bevil line along Gi'ove-field to 4. — The oak, with a cross adjoining to the stile leading from the grove to the river ; from thence along the hedge of Mr. Carr's field and little orchard, and in front of Mr. Ford's, through the long pond to 5. — An old horn-beam stump, with a cross along the hedge of the wood to the brook ; cross the same, and along the bank to 6. — A cross in the ground, where a beech tree with a cross formerly stood ; then westward to a small oak in hedge with a cross : continue along the hedge to a sallow. 7. — Then southward to a cross in a small oak in the brook ; along the brook to 8. — Greeu Dragon-lane ; along Mr. Ford's old park hedge to 180 9. — Filcap's-gate, a cross in gate post ; continue along tlic hedge of the old park to 10. — The corner of Mr. Clayton's allotment of thirty acres ; along south-west hedge to 11. — The Edmonton fence, dividing the Enfield and Edmon- ton commons ; along the fence to 12. — Cross the road to 13. — The gate and rails parting the two commons ; along the Enfield fence to 14. — The corner of the tythe allotment in a straight line to 1.5. — Part of South-lodge allotment, being the cow-house, yard, &c.; cross the road in a straight line to 16 — A cross in South-lodge fence ; along the north-east fence to 17. — The end of the old inclosure ; along the fence of the new inclosure to (a cross in post at the corner of the fence) at 18. — From thence to the corner ; at 19. — And from thence to the old inclosure (a cross in an oak and a cross in post the corner of fence) ; to 20. — Along the old fence to 21. — The beginning of the other new intake directly oi)positc the Sheep's-head, Temple, along the new fence, and across gravel-])it-pond to 22. — From thence along the fence until you come opposite to 23. — The corner of tythe allotment ; cross the road to No. 23. (by this means the whole of the South-lodge and inclosures are perambulated) ; along the tythe fence to 24. — About four feet on the outside of Mr. Bcvan's park pales ; continue in a straight line westward along Russel's riding to 25. — From thence southward along the fence joining to Ed- montou-connnon, in a south direcliun, to 26. — And IVdUi thence along the fence to 181 27. — The old Chase hedge; along same to a cross in gate post by the side of the road leading from Southgate to Potter's- bar ; cross the road into Lord Feversham's shrubbery; across same to a cross iu an oak over the garden pales, to a cross in post of the fence over the same wall in a straight line to the opposite fence ; over same, and over the brick walls into the kitchen garden to a post E P 28 ; then cross through the kitchen garden door to an elm, and over the centre of the grass plat in front of Lord Feversham's house ; along the fence of Lord Feversham's garden to a cross in the post at the end of the fence ; over the pales across the field in a bevil line to a cross in the post at the corner E P ; along the pale fence to 28. — A bend in Mr. Barne's pales over the same in a straight line to the north-east corner of his house, and over the lawn to a post E P. 29. — Cross over the pales, and the road, to 30. — From thence in a straight line across Mr. Alexander's field to post E. P. 31. — Over the pales and wall, and through 32. — His south-west corner window of his house, and out at the opposite one ; then in a straight line to 33. — A cross in a post No. 33, in the field ; along the field to the ditch ; along the same to 34. — A cross in post No. 34, from thence in a straight line over the hedge to No. 35 ; through the pond and yard, of Mr. Wragg's, to the garden fence and post 36 ; by a pale fence across the garden over the wall into the yard ; through the same, over the wall into the garden across the lawn, to a cross in the plate and through Mr. Frank's ofiiees, towards a cross in a stone in the garden wall ; along the back front of the house over the late Mr. Idle's fences to 37. — A cross on a post by the barn in the front of the house; OA'er the same, and across his yards to 182 38. — A cross on the shed helonginc: to the Cock ; over same, to a post No. 39 ; cross the yard, take iu part of the pond, then by the side of Nixon's cottage fence ; along Mr. Parker's field to No. 40, to an ash tree in the comer of the garden ; along the field fence to a post No. 41 ; continue round the field to a post No. 42 ; cross over the road in a line northward to a cross in the ground by the stile near to Mr. Caters park (liy which you take in a piece of ground which lays open to Hadley-common, which is also claimed by that parish); along the fence westward to the bend 43. — Then over Mr. Cater's park pales, in a bevil line, to the stake by the corner of the pond 44. — Across the great pond north-westward to the grip 45. — Then in the contrary direction to a post in a hedge to 46. — The park pales ; continuing along the same to the point' 47. — Then by the gate to 48. — Adjoining the north of Camlot way (part of Enfield is surrounded by Mimms and Hadley parishes) ; from 48 continue along the east part of the south fence of the allotment to the Minister of Hadley (which is in Hadley parish) to the south- east comer of Mount-pleasant inclosures at 49. — Here the parish of Enfield begins again. From thence to 50, 51, and 52, which are the different angles of the fences belonging to Mount-pleasant inclosures, the whole of whicli are in the parish of Enfield. You now go along the west part of the south fence of the allotment to the Minister of Hadley (which is in Hadley parish) till you come to 53. — The east corner of the south fence of the late Mr. Nutting's field ; along the garden, from thence to a post; then to 54. — The pond ; cross the same, and in a straight line to 55. — The drain along the hedge through the late Mr. Nutting's second garden, the late Kcv. Mr. Garrow's, ami Colonel Dury's fields, to 183 56. — The garden wall of the lale Colonel Dnrj ; over the same, and in a bevil line, to 57. — The north wall of the garden ; over the same to 58. — Cross the lane to a barn, (now nearly do'sv-n) ; cross the garden where the mill formerly stood, to the comer of the garden at 59. — Along the foot path in the front of the Windmill and Two Brewers, alehouses to 60. — The comer of the old fence now adjoining to the allot- ment for Old Ford manor ; along the fence to 61. — Bound the comer to the angle at 62. — Then along the fence adjoining to an allotment to 63. — The end of that allotment ; round the fence adjoining to the Minister of Hadley's allotment, to No, 58 (where you begun) ; this and Dr. Green's are all that are in the parish of Enfield, and are wholly surrotmded by the parishes of Hadley and South Mimms. From 53 you come to 52, along the south fence to Mount-pleasant, back to 48, the north comer of the gate of Camlet way, across the field northward to 64. — Along the fence to 65. — And from thence along the fence to the road leading to Gaunick corner, at 66. — Along the fence adjoining the road to the gate. 67. — Cross at the gate to a cross in an oak tree. 68. — Along the bevil fence to 69. — Then in a straight direction to 70. — In the road from Cattle-gate ; cross the road eastward to the angle at 71. — From thence along the north side of the road by 72. — Near Cooper's-lane to 73, to the late Mr. Hammond's^ Potter's-bar ; from 73. — The small garden, cross the yard and garden to a cross in his pales 74. — Thcu to the corner of the field at 184 75. — An old oak pollard tree in the county ditch along the ditch to Cooper's-lane gate ; cross the road and down the ditch to 71 ; from thence along tlic ditch to 76. — Cattle-gate. A cross in Cattle-gate, over the hedge and across tlie pond ; along the shire ditch to a post under the window of Mr. Millard's Btahle, through same, over a shed, through the second shed, along the fence to a post E P, into a field along the same. A cross in an oak, then across a little pond, a post E P, to the lane leading to Mr. Pulley's fields, to A cross in an oak along Shire-ditch to the straight lane to A cross in Mr. Pulley's wall hy the front door ; in at the door, and out at the opposite door, over the corner of the wall to A cross on an elm tree stump at the bottom of Mr. Pulley's field, a post No. 57, to A cross in an ash pollard, to a post E P, A cross in an hom-beam, over the hedge ; continue along same to a post, and A cross in an oak ; from thence in a bevil line across tlie field to a post in the hedge, and a cross in an oak pollard over the same hedge ; across the lane to a cross on an elm tree in fence, into Mr. Gray's first field in a straight line to a post at the bottom thereof, by a small ash over the hedge across the meadow to A cross on a small oak post over the fence ; along tiie fence to a cross in the oak pollard in the fence to A cross on a small oak in late Sloman's field, to a post. A cross in a small oak in the straight row to A cross in the same row to a mark on an oak pollard going into the lane ; cross the lane over the hedge to A cross in an oak to A cross in a post, and ulo7ig in a straight line to an oak in late Mr. Goring's first field, to 185 A cross in post, in second field, to A cross in post in tlie said field, at the corner, over the hedge in a bevil line to a post in the field, by the gate at the bottom of the lane leading from White-webbs to Mr. Goring's. A cross in the gate-post ; cross the lane to a jjost in the opposite field to A cross in an horn-beam in a nook, to A cross in the post at the end of the field over the hedge, to A cross in the Post ; cross the field in a bevil line, to A ci-oss in the post, and at a cross in an oak pollard; then turn to the right about ten yards, and then turn to the left continue along the south side of the fence of the field to A cross in a post; then along the fence to a post at the corner of the field over the hedge, along the fence to A cross in the ground to a post. Along the fence to a cross in an oak pollard in the fence; along the same to A cross in an oak pollard, and A cross in post at the corner of the field over the hedge, along the fence to A cross in an elm tree over the little pond to A cross in post in the next field, along the fence to A cross in an elm tree in the corner. A cross in the pales in Hullocks's lane near by the stile, up the ditch across the river to the sluice, along the county drain, the middle of the shire ditch field or Rushey meadow to A cross in the post by the waste gate near a bridge, dividing Mr. Prescott's and Mr. English's fields, to a post with A cross, then to A cross in a post, to A cross, in a post over the hedge, and along the fence to A cross in an oak pollard; continue along the fence to A cross in an ash, along the ditch to A cross in an elm near the corner of the house to 186 A cross on the wall of the fami buildings of the late Richard Dyson, south of, and near to the Waltham-cross turnpike gate. Across in a post in the road near the garden pales; cross the road through the late Mr. Plume's premsies to corner of the house and garden to a post E P. A cross in an elm tree in the fence, along the same to a cross on a tree in the second field ; along the fence to a cross in an oak pollard over the hedge; along county ditch to a dyke; cross over the same; along shire ditch to Cheshunt boundary post by the side of Cheshunt Mill-river ; over river into Rammey- marsh, then northward along the eastern bank of the said river to the north fence of the late Mi-. Johnson's allotment adjoining Cheshunt parish ; along the said fence eastward to the new cut ; cross over same into Little Rammey-Marsh, and round the same to the entrance of the new cut into the river Lea ; across the new cut, along the western bank of the river Lea in a southward direction to the union of the Cheshunt and Enfield Mill-rivers with the river Lea ; ci'oss same and continue along the Western bank of the river Lea to the Government foundery of small ai-ms; through the same, in the direction of the Old Barge- river, by the back part of Mr. Gunner's residence, and continue along the said river, taking in a small island, No. 1422, to a house formerly the King's Head, now belonging to Mr. Beckett, continuing southerly along the said river to the south boundary fence of the marsh, dividing Chingford-marsh from the allot- ment to Trinity College in South-marsh ; along the said fence westwardly and south- westwardly to Mar Dyke; along Mar Dyke (which is takcu into the parish) to the Mill-river over the same ; along the fence of land late belonging to Mrs. Nash to the lock of the new cut over the same ; along the fence of the allotments of the late Mrs. Nash and the late Matthew Robinson, and the old inclosure of Mr. William Allington, into the turn- pike-road from London to Ware (which fence from the Mill-river to the said turnpike-road is bounded on the suutb by Edmonton); 187 cross the turnpike road, along the fences of the allotments of the late William Mellish, Esq. in West field and Haydon's field to the old inclosure of the late Mr. Mellish called Bradley- moor ; along the fence of the same to the allotment of the laie Mr. Mellish in Joan Potter's field ; along the fence into the park of the late Mr. Mellish ; cross the gi-eat pond ; then to the red bridge in the London road.* Population Returns. The Census of 1841 gives the number of the population of Enfield as 9,o6T. In 1851 it was stated at 9,453, (of which 4,682 were males) shewing an increase of only eighty-six in ten years. Since 1851 the population has greatly increased, which may now be reckoned above 10,000. Polling Place. Since the passing of the Reform Bill, Enfiehl became one of the polling places for the County of Middlesex. At the time of an election the polling booth is erected in the centre of the Town, and the Committees sit at the various inns to transact their business. * The last peramhulation of the Parish took place in Januaiy, 1858, and lasted three days. 188 The Railway. An Act of Parliament for the short branch Ime from AVater-lane to Enfield, which is only three miles in length, was obtained in 1846, and passed through both Houses without difficulty; it Avas opened on the first of March, 1849. The station, which is situate in the Town, was formerly a very fine old red brick mansion, and, previous to being purchased by the Railway Company, was used as a first class boarding school. It subse- quently underwent a great change externally. The undertaking was, at first, projected by a few spirited gentlemen of Enfield, but after the bill was passed, arrangements were made with the Eastern Counties Railway Company, who became proprietors of the line, and by Avhom it was constructed. The cost of this branch Hire was rather great ; the chief item being the making a deviation of the turnpike road at Edmonton, to avoid the danger of crossing the railway, which is here on a level with the public road. Level crossings are not uncommon, as may be found at Ware, Canterbury, Southampton, Peter- borough, and elsewhere, but the IMetropolitan Road Commissioners insisted upon the deviation being made in this case which was consequently at an expense of from £10,000 to £12,000. 189 There are also two other stations in the parish, one at Ponder's-end, and the other at the Ord- nance-factory. Some few years ago it was in contemplation to continue the Enfield branch line to meet the Great Northern Railway. If this project had been carried out it would probably have afforded great facilities to the neighbourhood. Public Schools. THE NATIONAL SCHOOLS. These schools are situate in London-lane ; they were built by subscription in 1839, and are supported by the interest of money funded and assisted by subscriptions, donations, and the weekly money paid by the scholars. At the present time, (1858) the number of boys on the books is ninety ; of girls seventy-two. These schools are under the direction of a committee of ladies and gentlemen. There is an examination annually, conducted by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools. J. V. Asbury, Esq. is the Treasurer. There are also some four or five other schools, conducted on the principles of the National Society, attached to the churches in the parish. 190 THE BRITISH SCHOOLS. The Britisli Schools, situate at Chase-side, were built by subscription, the first stone of which was laid by Lord Brougham 1838; they are large and commodious, at which there are educated about 100 boys and 80 girls in a liberal course of instruction. They are supported by subscriptions, donations, and the weekly pence of the scholars. There is a public examination of the children at these schools, in the month of June every year. The master is Mr. Henry Wakely, who was appointed when the schools were first opened ; and the present mistress is Miss Nicholls. A Committee of Management directs and superintends the whole ; they have recently had erected two neat and convenient cottages for the private residence of the teachers. Since the schools were opened 770 boys and 503 girls have been educated. Edward Ford, Esq. of Old Park, is the Treasurer. CHURCH SCHOOL OF INDUSTRY. This school Avas founded in the year 1800, for the industrial training and educating of girls ; thq school-house is situate in the Church-yard. It is supported by dividends on stock and 191 interest, annual subscriptions and donations, and the money derived from needle-work done in the school. The girls are nominated by subscribers in rotation ; forty are admitted free, of whom thirty-five are clothed. They are instructed in the principles of the Church of England, and are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, plain work, and knitting ; washing and household work are included as preparations for service. Dinners are provided for the school during the winter. The committee of ladies meet once a month to regulate the business of the school. BAKER STREET SCHOOL OF INDUSTRY, A girls' school of industry was established in 1806, by the Dissenters in Baker-street, where forty girls were clothed and instructed in working and the ordinary course of education. This school also was supported by subscriptions and donations, aided by annual collections at the Baker-street, Chase-side, and Lady Huntingdon's chapels, amounting to about £50 ; the annual subscriptions were about £75 ; the work done by the children about £20 ; and the dividends from £200 in 3 per cent, consols, constituted the income of the school. Since, however, the British Schools were built, this school has been converted into an Infant, or Preparatory School. 192 It is supported by subscriptious and the dividends arising from the above stock. There is also an Infant School in Love's-row, at Chase-side, at Forty-hill, and at Ponder's-cnd. ADULT NIGKT SCHOOL AND READING KOOM. This useful undertaking is carried on, by the Clergy, in the National School-room in London- lane, The necessary expenses of management are defrayed by the weekly payments of the adults, assisted by voluntary subscriptions. Private Schools. The Palace School, (formerly the residence of Queen Elizabeth) situate in the Town, is con- ducted by Messrs. Barker and Son, assisted by competent masters. Gothic Hall Establishment, is in Bakcr-strcet ; it is under the superintendence of the Bev. John Eyre Ashby and a full staff of efficient masters. Mr. Bothwcll has a similar establishment at the Highway, and INIr. Dillon in Silver-street. The two principal establishments for young ladies, are Miss Charlton's, at Chase-side, and Mrs. Clark's, at Ponder's-end, both of which have been established many years. Factories. Factories are at all times subjects of interest, more especially when they are met with out of a manufacturing district. Her Majesty's Small Arms Factory, the new building illustrated above, which was constructed by Government as an experimental establishment, and commenced its operations three years ago, is situate about four miles from the Town ; it is not only a subject of interest in the parish, and considered by the Eastern Counties Railway Company to be of sufficient importance to have a station constructed for its special accommodation, but is looked upon throughout the whole of the United Kingdom 194 as an establlsliment of vast importance, whose operations have been carefully inspected by scientific gentlemen from America, and all the principal countries in Europe, who, there can be little doubt, will still continue to watch its progress. Several visits of inspection have been made by Her Majesty, the Prince Consort, Lord Panmure, and many of the leading men of the Government. To do justice to this interesting establishment a larger space is therefore allotted for the folloAving details : — The manufacture of small arms at Enfield-lock, by means never before used in this country, and in no other except the United States, and to a limited extent in Kussia, has assumed a character of considerable interest, regarded not so much in its bearing on the long pending quarrel between the Government and the gunmakers at Birming- ham, in reference to the supply of a military weapon of prime necessity, as affording the daily exhibition, on a large scale, of the application of machinery to processes of the most delicate kind, until now manipulated only by skilled artizans of a high class, and as foreshadowing the extent to which eventually it may be made subservient to other industrial purposes now 195 dependent on hand labour in every country in the world. It has already attracted the attention of several of the continental Governments. It was visited three times in the course of the summer of 185G by Baron Smola, holding a high position in the Austrian artillery service ; again, by General Barriero, by direction of the King of Portugal, who, it is said, contemplates its reproduction in his own dominions ; also by Prince Oscar of Sweden. In France it is regarded M'ith interest by distinguished military men ; and there are some who believe that the visit of an American citizen, conspicuously identified in the United States and in this country, with the manufacture of small arms to St. Petersburg, has some reference to the commencement of a similar enterprise in Hussia, where the practical application of machinery to the construction of some parts of military weapons is not wholly unknown. To some it may be necessary to premise that the manufactory at Enfield on its present footing — for there has been for upwards of forty years the nucleus of a Government establishment there for the fabrication of small arms — originated in the dissatisfaction for some time felt by the Board of Ordnance at being almost wholly 19() dependent on private manufacturers for so important a part of the materiel of war, and in the recommendation, based on that feeling, of the Committee of the House of Commons on small arms, which sat in the session of 1854. Before 1804, when the manufactory, in its original form, was established at Enfield, the Government depended on the private trade for their small arms, and when that failed to provide a sufficient supply, recourse was had to the foriegn market. At one time, indeed, the art of making muskets became extinct in this country. This occurred in 1802; and Lord Chatham, then IMaster General, stated the circumstance publicly. j\Ir. John Colgate, who held an appointment in the Ordnance Department, was sent to Liege in 1779 to superintend the setting up of 40,000 stand of arms for the service of the British Government. Major General Miller was despatched to Leige on a similar service in 1794, to Hamburg in 1795, and again to Plamburg in 1800, the store of arms in the tower being at that time entirely expended. Again, in 182^3, the names of not less than twenty English artificers had been ascertained, who were in full employment in the national armoury establishments of Eussia and the United States, and no doubt many more; 197 miglit have been discovered. This was attribu- table to the encouragement and inducements to emigrate, hekl out to our skilled artificers in that branch of trade, by foreign nations, backed by the want of employment in their vocation at home ; and it was apprehended at that time by men conversant with the subject that unless the fostering care of the Government was continued, in support of its armoury institutions, the art must again be lost, or so far reduced that the country would a second time be left to depend on the casual supplies furnished by individual manufacturers. It has always been contended by men who have advocated the formation of Government armouries, that the views of trades- men were confined to individual profit ; when they entered upon a contract their only object was to bring their workmanship to such a state as to pass the official examination ; they had no motive, it was said, to improve, or inducement to perpetuate the art ; when the call for arms by the Government ceased with a war, they turned their industry to other occupations, and their workmen were driven to seek employment in foreign countries, or left to neglect the art at home. It was also alleged that a national establishment offered the most perfect means of 198 making experiments for the improvement of the service, and caused the saving of money in time of war as well as of peace, by operating as a check upon the prices of private manufacturers. But its principal object was to keep up among us the art of making military guns. It was considerations such as these and others that induced the Government, upon the recom- mendation of the committee of 1854, to establish a manufactory of small arms to a limited extent, under the direction of the Board of Ordnance ; and the experiment is now on its trial at Enfield. This manufactory, the committee conceived, would serve as an experiment of the advantages to be derived from the more extensive application of machinery as a check upon the prices of con- tractors, and as a resource in times of emergency; they also recommended that it should be arranged with a view to its continual working. While the committee was sitting, a deputation of jorac- tical men, previously sent out by the Board of Ordnance to make inquiries in the L'nitcd States of America as to the mode of manufacturing small arms there, and having extensive powers to purchase machinery to be applied to their fabrication in this country, was pursuing its mis- sion ; and on the report of the committee, the 199 House of Commons voted a sum not exceeding £150,000 towards the experiment. Since that time extensive building operations have been constructed at Enfield-lock, and an immense quantity of valuable machinery has been imported from America, and is now in constant operation there in various processes connected wdth the military gun manufacture. The whole estab- lishment is under the immediate control and supervision of Colonel Dixon, of the Royal Artillery, assisted by Mr. Gunner, inspector of small arms ; and the first engineer is Mr. Burton, an intelligent American gentleman, formerly Master Armourer of the Government small arms factory of the United States at Harper's Ferry, whose services have been secured by the Govern- ment to superintend the setting up and working of the machinery. It appears from an official report that the gross total amount of money expended at the Enfield Small Arms Factory, from the 1st day of January 1854, to the 31st day of March 1857, (3i years) was £240,593, including £75,986 for buildings, £64,667 for machinery, £27,270 for stores^ £4,716 for salaries, and £67,952 for wages. There are above 1,250 men and boys employed on the different operations, of whom three-fourths 200 are comparatively unskilled labourers, it being one of the chief characteristics of the machinery in use at Enfield that it performs all the delicate operations which in the art of manufacturing military guns, as previously pursued in this country, have been executed by skilled artisans trained to their vocation. The whole of the plant can turn out in a perfect state, ready for use, some 52,000 rifles a-year, or about 1,000 a-week, (and it is now manufacturing at this rate.) The advantages of producing muskets by machinery are described by those thoroughly conversant with the system in the United States as being cheapness in the manufacture ; an exact similarity in the several parts, so that they may be readily interchanged and replaced; and, above all, the facility of rapidly producing this important military arm, and of increasing or re- ducing the supply according to the requirements of the time. The establishment is divided into depart- ments, of which the principal are the smithery, where there are daily forty-five forges at work with their attendant machinery, and that in which all the various minute processes connected with the manufacture of locks, bayonets, and stocks, replete with interest, are carried on. It ^^01 is in this latter building — an extremely large one and well lighted from the roof — that the greater part of the machinery in use is in operation ; and the whole of the mechanism, as well there as in the smithery, is driven simultaneously by a magnificent double engine of eighty -horse power. The operations for rolling and perfecting gun- barrels are performed in an adjacent building, which is fitted up with an engine of twenty-five horse power, for conducting that department on a scale commensurate with the other parts of the factory. The barrel-rolling machinery at present in use, which is not of American invention or manufacture, has been in operation since 1852. In the smithery the bayonets and all the several parts of the lock, including even the small screws used in its construction, are first forged from bars of iron and steel, with the greatest rapidity, and with all the aids of a perfect system of machinery. Thence they are transferred to the general building, where they are submitted to an almost endless succession of processes of the nicest description, performed again by machinery specially adapted to each operation, until they attain the requisite degree of accuracy, finish, and perfection. Into all the various details of the manufacture we cannot of course. 202 enter here, however wonderful and interesting they are as exemplifications of the amount of mind employed in devising and practically ap- plying machinery to operations so diversified and delicate ; but besides the rapidity with which they are performed, far exceeding the capacity of any amount of hand labour, tAvo other results have been attained of the greatest importance in a trade so peculiar as this, where a great national emergency might at any time create on a sudden an immense demand for the article manufactured. The one is that this machinery, guided by young men and boys taken from the plough tail, or any other of the humbler occupations of life, is capable of executing work until now performed by skilled gun operatives specially trained to it, and by necessity with far more marvellous accuracy than was ever achieved by hand labour, however superior. The complaint has almost invariably been that whatever crisis arose, necessitating the manufacture of a great quantity of small arms within a brief period of time, the process was delayed, to the detriment of the public service, by the want of a sufficient number of skilled mechanics in the private gun trade to execute certain parts of the work in time to meet the demand. But under this new state of things that 20S inconvenience can never accrue, unless there was a positive paucity of labour power in the country — for comparatively unskilled labourers, not bred to the work, and with little or no previous training, can always be made available for its performance, with the aid of machinery and a small proportion of skilled artisans. Little boys, not more than fourteen years of age, for example, are to be seen charged with the management of two, and some- times three, different machines performing simultaneously the same operation. Another result on which much stress is laid is, that every conceivable part of a musket, from all the small component portions of the lock upwards, is manufactured with such unerring precision that it will fit with surprising exacti- tude the place destined for it, not in a single musket alone, but in every other constructed on the establishment. For instance, from indiscrim- inate heaps of each of the several finished parts of a lock, consisting of the plate, the sear and its springs, the bridle, tumbler, mainspring, and screws, an artisan can put together a lock in a few minutes. It is the same with every other part of the weapon ; all the respective materials are exact counterparts of each other ; every barrel adapts itself to every stock, every bayonet to every barrel, and so on. By this complete system of interchange of parts, when any portion of the arm wears out in service before the rest, or gets into disorder, it can easily be replaced, and thus the whole weapon is not disabled by a casualty of that kind. Touching the quality of the materials and work, at every single stage of its progress it undergoes a rigid examination, by which any defect is at once detected, and every minute article is made exactly to correspond with an unchangeable gauge. The very tools used, are manufactured on the premises, and also by machinery in many instances, A very considerable portion of the fine tools, with their fixings, employed in the machines, were made in this Country by highly-skilled artisans. The machinery for making gunstocks is an exception, for it was specially and wholly fabricated in the manufactory of Mr. Ames, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, and is of the most ingenious and efficient description. This depart- ment of the factory, which is under the direction of Mr. Oramel Clark, an American, skilled in its management, is singularly interesting. It contains twenty-three machines, which performs sixteen distinct operations on the stock, and are similar in principle and construction to those in use in 305 the two Government armoury establishments in the United States, at Springfield, Massachusetts, and Harper's-ferry, Virginia. A piece of walnut ■wood, roughly sawn into the shape of a gun-stock is submitted to these manifold processes, which round it, scoop out the bed for the barrel, do all the intricate manipulations required for the reception of the mechanism of the lock and its appendages and indeed every other imaginable thing towards its completion, Avith the most consummate neatness and accuracy. Several of these machines embody a beautiful automatic action for reversing the motion of the tool when it has penetrated the wood deep enough, by which it disengages itself from the stock on which it is operating, and literally " backs out." Per- haps the most interesting and ingenious of the whole machines in this department is that by which the entire lock is let into the stock — a work involving much time and labour when performed by hand. This beautiful instrument is provided with five vertical spindles and appropriate cutters, mounted upon a kind of revolving reel, which are brought round in suc- cession, and trace the figure of a guide or copy which lies alongside the stock beneath the cutters and guide-pins. A small fan -blower is attached, o 206 by Avhich the chips from the tools are bloAvn away as fast as they are made. The machine is also furnished with a clever automatic action for throwing the driving belt on and off the pulleys of the spindles as they are brought round in succession to perform a new part of the process. By this machine a lock can be completely let into the stock in about three minutes. Indeed the whole process of making and perfecting the stock does not occupy more than half an hour, and the only hand labour employed upon it is that which causes the friction of a little sandpaper along its surface after its removal from the last machine. Colonel Dixon and Mr. Burton say that they are able to make in this way two-hundred stocks a-day, at a cost of little more than two-shillings a-piece, Avhereas, an expert workman, single handed, would not be able to make more than eight or nine in a week, at a cost of twelve and sixpence a-piece. In estimating the price of making a stock at Enfield at two- shillings, no allowance is made for the original cost of plant and tools, or their subsequent deterioration by wear and tear ; but, at the same time, there can be no doubt that the saving effected by machinery such as this will, in a short time, repay its whole cost, if indeed it has not already done so long ere this. 201 The interest inspired by this large accumulation of machinery and its results, is enhanced by the reflection that the whole of its complex operations are performed simultaneously, and derive their motion from a common source; that the machines which give shape and finish to the bayonet and the stock are propelled by the same engine that communicates motion to the mechanism which makes the lock, and so on through the whole series of results — the wheel of which machine is 21 -ft, 6-in. in height and weighing 21 tons. In the event of an accident or otherwise, the whole of this vast machinery is capable of being simultaneously stopped by the engineer, at a moment's notice, by sounding an alarm bell, which is in the engine room, and in communica- tion with all parts of this extensive establishment. As a protection against fire, the building is provided with an immense tank, holding 170 tons of water. Looking at the whole as an exhibition — interesting for its own sake and its effects — of mechanical power and invention applied to the fabrication of a part of the national manufactures, it seems questionable whether mechanism has ever achieved greater triumphs, and no thoughtful man who witnesses its operations and their results ^08. in this instance can fail to perceive that there are scarcely any limits to its application in the whole range of human labour. To all persons curious in the manufacture of small arms, or even ordinary admirers of the working of machinery on strictly scientific principles, and on an extensive scale, this very interesting establishment will be found well worth a visit; more especially as an order for admission can now be obtained without much difficulty. The visiting days are Mondays and Thursdays ; an intelligent guide conveys visitors through the various departments and explains the working of the machinery. THE CRAPE FACTORY, PONDER S END. This factory originated with Messrs. Grout and Baylis, in the year 1809. It commenced its operations on an exceedingly small scale ; the contract for the first building is said not to have exceeded ten pounds, and the goods then manu- factured were conveyed to London by a porter. The success of the undertaking was exceedingly great, so much so, that change after change took Many of the foi'egoing particulars respecting II.M.S.A. Factory have hccn extracted from the l^imcs of 3-9-56. 209 place in the building, and a vast increase in the number of hands employed, until it became an extensive factory, and of great advantage to the neighbourhood — forming, to a certain extent, its principal support; it employs nearly two hundred persons, including men, women, and girls in the dying, manufacturing and crimping of every description of crape. From this factory arose still larger establish- ments at Norwich and Great Yarmouth. The factory is still known as being under the firm of Grout and Company, although both the original proprietors have long since ceased to be con- nected with it. Mr. Grout died at Tring-park, Herts, about five years ago ; he was said to be possessed of great wealth. CHASE SIDE WORKS. The factory bearing this name carries on its operations in the building which was formerly Messrs. Green and Randall's brewery; it is under the management of Mr. Burch, from Sewardstone, in Essex, who removed here in 1856. The nature of the work done at these works is the dying and calendering thread for manufacturing into gloves, and dying and 210 dressing thread for forming the back of velvet; also for bleaching and printing silk in the warp or skein, which is seventy yards in length ; it is afterwards sent to London to be wove into ribbons and the covering of parasols ; also the dying of crochet cotton, into various colours. THE GAS W^ORKS. Although several attempts were made to form a company for supplying the parish with gas, it was not until the year 1849, when a firm from London undertook to erect works, supply the necessary apparatus, and fairly start the concern, that the influential inhabitants of the town really determined upon adopting some plan for carrying out the scheme so long entertained, and which there was but little doubt would prove of great advantage to the parish. In the following year the inhabitants formed an independent company among themselves, chose an engineer, and erected the works in Sydney-road, which have been in successful operation ever since ; and as the great advantages of gas light are becoming more generally estimated, it is probable will, before long, extend its benefits throughout the whole of the parish. 211 Land and Building Societies. THE NATIONAL FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY. These societies having multiplied themselves so amazingly of late years, and spread their operations over all parts of England, it is not surprising that Enfield should be visited by some of them for the purchase of land. The National Society was therefore the first to purchase an estate which is situate in the London-road, and was formerly known as Broom-field, and used as market gardens. Another society had been pre- viously in treaty for this same land, but its intentions were not carried out. The estate was purchased in 1852, and was quickly drained and the roads laid out, and made ready for the members to take their allotments and commence building operations. The society subsequently built a pair of first-class houses in the London-road, and afterwards another pair in Essex-road, which was followed by others, built by private individuals. In the course of a few years this estate will no doubt be fully studded with houses. The Railway Company offers a free ticket to occupiers of all first and second rate houses built upon this estate. 212 THE COliSERVATlVE LAND SOCIETY. This society lias also an estate in this parish, which was purchased about four years ago ; it is situate on the right of Nag's-head-lane, leading to Ponder's-end ; the estate was formerly known as the Moat-field, and used for cattle grazing. The society has built a pair of substantial houses at the end of the estate, which example has not yet been followed by any of its members, although the same advantages of a free railway ticket are offered to this as well as the other societies. THE NORTH LONDON SOCIETY. The estate of this society is situate at Chase- side ; it is known by the name of the Gordon- house estate, which name is derived from a house that was formerly in the occupation of the Gordon family, and afterwards occupied by the late Earl of Cadogan; it was subseqently used as a boarding school, till this society purchased the estate and thought fit to pull the house down. The society has made but little progress here, except the laying out of the roads ; there is but one house at present on the estate, and a chapel just erected. Some portion may shortly change hands and be turned to profitable account. :213 THE ENFIELD GENEEAL BUILDING ASSOCIATION. This building Society was the first of the kind that had been introduced in Enfield ; it was established in 1846, on Macarthiir's jDlan, which was to extend over thirteen years, and to realize to every shareholder at the expiration of that period, £120 for every £60 invested. This society, by the assistance of a subsequent one, has now just completed its engagements and been brought to a successful and satisfactory termination. THE ENFIELD PERMANENT BENEFIT BUILDING SOCIETY. The introduction of the permanent principle into this society gave to it an entirely new feature, by which it enables persons to join at any time without making any back payments, which had hitherto been a great drawback upon the older societies ; the permanent principle has proved of great advantage to the working of this society. It commenced its operations in January, 1852; its objects are, by certain monthly payments from shareholders, to form a fund from which money may be advanced to enable them to erect or purchase dwelling houses, or other real or lease- 214 hold property, to be secured by way of mortgage to the society, until the amount or value of his or her shares shall have been fully repaid to the society. Shares are issued for five, ten, or fifteen years, and the termination dated from the time of commencement. The monthly payments are regulated so that each share shall be worth £120 at the expiration of either period. The Farmers' Club. This club was established in 1853, under the name of the North Middlesex and South Herts Farmers' Club ; its objects are the advancement of agriculture and the encouragement of agricul- tural labourers. Monthly meetings are held at the Kings-head-inn during the greater portion of the year, for the discussion of agricultural and horticultural subjects. The club have an annual ploughing match and show of roots, for each of which prizes are given ; the first and second class premiums for ploughing are from thirty shillings to ten shillings, and for the shoAv of roots from twenty shillings to five shillings. The president is George Ellis, Esq., Bury-street, Edmonton ; vice-president, William Boards, Esq., Edmonton; hon. secretary, Joseph Ashcombe, Esq., Enfield. 215 Society of Enfield Archers. This society was formed in May, 1857, and is conducted by a Committee of ladies and gentle- men ; its prize meetings are held during the months of May, June, July, and August, on which occasions a prize is given to the lady and gentleman having the highest score, but none is allowed to claim two prizes in the same season. A member's subscription is half-a-guinea, and a family subscription, one guinea per annum ; the treasurer is Mrs. James Bosanquet, of Claysmore, and the secretary, Edward Ford, Esq., of Enfield Old-park ; its ground is situate at Chase-side. Cricket Club. This club is managed by a committee of gentlemen, consisting of five members, with the president, treasurer, and secretary, who are elected annually ; the meetings for practice are held twice a week during the season, which begins in May and closes in September ; the member's subscription is one guinea a year. The club is governed by rules as laid down by the Marylebone Club. F. J. Crowder, Esq. is the treasurer. 216 Post Offices and Branches. The chief office is situate in the Town, and is managed by Miss L. Leech, the post-mistress, (in whose family the management has been for many years), at this office money orders are issued; there are four deliveries of letters daily. In connection with this office there is a branch at Forty -hill. There are also two other offices in the parish, one at the Highway and the other at Ponder's-end. Many important alterations in the postal arrangements are in contemplation. The Public Library. This Library was established by J, H. Meyers, in 1850, for the purpose of providing a superior class of literature for the principal families in Enfield, by whom the library is well supported. It is conducted on similar principles to those of the largest libraries at the West-end of London. The Savings' Bank. To encourage the saving and thrifty, and thereby induce habits of economy amongst the middle and poorer classes, a Savings' Bank was established in Enfield in the year 1839. It has been attended with great success, and the 211 number of depositors keep on the increase from year to year. The bank is conducted by a treasurer, (the Eev. J. M. Heath), eight trustees, ten managers, and a secretary. The office, which is situate in the town, is open for depositors every Monday evening, from 6 to 7 o'clock. The Local Board of Health. The Local Board of Health Act for the more effectual drainage and supply of water, was introduced into Enfield in 1850, the first chairman appointed was J. Millar, Esq. M.D. The Act is now in full operation throughout the principal part of the parish ; and although it has entailed additional rates upon the parishioners, there can be but little doubt that many beneficial improvements will be effected. The weekly meetings of the Board are held at their office, in the Town, every Friday; the present chairman is James Meyer, Esq., J.P. The Magistracy. The following gentlemen constitute the bench : J. Meyer, Esq. chairman, Daniel Harrison, Esq., Capt. C. J. Bosanquet, R.N., Edward Ford, Esq., 218 and A. P, F. C. Somerset, Esq. A petty session is held every Friday, at the Public Offices in the town. The Police Station. The present Police Station was formerly the residence of the beadle of the parish, and used as a lock-up ; it is situate in the Town, next the Public Offices ; the resident officer is Sergeant Williams. The Commissioners pay a rental to the parish for the use of the building. Institutions, Charitable Societies, &c. THE ENFIELD PHILANTHROPIC INSTITUTION. This Institution was established in 1836, by the joint exertions of a few individuals, chiefly tradesmen, to relieve the necessitous and de- serving poor, in cases of accident, illness, or distress. It relieves on an average two hundred cases a year, and as a proof of the estimation in which the Institution is held, the committee of management are entrusted with about £100, subscribed annually for disti'ibution, according to their discretion. The late Luke Addington, Esq., of Enfield, left a legacy of £100 to the 219 Institution, a most gratifying evidence of his conviction of its great usefulness. It is managed by a president, treasurer, committee, secretary, and collector, who are elected annually. The meetings are held weekly during the winter months, when cases for relief are more frequent, and as occasions may require during the other portions of the year. The committee have printed rules for its guidance, and a full detailed report of its proceedings, with respect to the cases relieved, is published every year, and sent to each of the subscribers. ENFIELD LYING-IN CHARITY. This charity, though not so extensive in its operations as the Philanthropic, is of much longer standing ; it was established in 1797, and is consequently one of the oldest charitable insti- tutions in Enfield, It provides poor married women with a skilful person to attend them, at their own habitations, and likewise to furnish them with linen during the month. As a proof of the beneficial operations of this charity, it will be seen by its last report, that no less than 7,059 women have been relieved. The treasurer is Mrs. Everett, of Chase-side House. ;2£0 ladies' district visiting society. This society commenced its useful operations in March, 1828 ; its objects are to suppress mendicity, and afford occasional relief to the sick and distressed poor ; the mode of conducting this society is to visit the poor at their own homes, and thus to obtain a knowledge of their condition and character ; to offer them advice in their difficulties, and in cases of distress, to supply such food, clothing, fuel, &c., as the circumstances of the case may require ; but as a rule money is never given. The society is liberally supported by subscriptions and donations. The treasurer is Mrs. Crowder of Brigadier-hill, and the secretary, Mrs. E. Ford, of Enfield Old-park. ENFIELD LOAN BLANKET SOCIETY. This society, like the preceding, is under the superintendence of a committee of ladies, who, by means of the annual subscriptions and donations, are enabled to supply nearly three hundred families annually with the loan of blankets for the season. The subscribers nomi- nate the recipients by rotation. The treasurer is Mrs. Challis, of Forty-hill. 221 THE PENMY AND ADULT CLUBS. This club has been established many years, solely for the benefit of the children of the poor of this parish. The members pay into the club one penny per week, and the subscriber who nominates a chikl contributes at the same rate, by which means the children nominated are provided with suitable clothes throughout the year. There is also, in connection with this club, an Adult Club for women, conduced by the same ladies on similar principles. Mrs. Ford, of Old-park, is the secretary. COAL AKD BREAD CLUBS. These clubs are conducted for the benefit of the poor during the winter months ; they are supported by subscriptions and donations and the contributions of the recipients. In the town division of the parish these clubs are under the management of the clergy. At Bull's-cross there are clubs under the superintendence of the E,ev. C. W. Bollaerts and H. C. B. Bowles, Esq., in addition to which, this latter gentleman, during the winter season, gives tickets to the poor, which are orders upon the tradesmen for meat, &c. p Benefit Societies. THE ODD FELLOWS LODGE. The Loyal Cedar Tree Lodge of Odd Fellows, Manchester Unity, was established in 1842, and enumerates at the present time nearly 200 members. As a benefit society it affords great advantages to its members, not only as a relief fund in time of sickness, and presenting a goodly sum to relatives on the death of a member, but it has* a fund for the relief of widows and orphans. The society is in a very flourishing condition ; its meetings are held at the King's- head-inn. FORESTERS FRIENDLY SOCIETY. This society, known by the name of Court Old Oak, No. 1620, of the Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society, was established in the year 1843; it has for its object the relief of members in sickness, for the interment of the dead, making provision for the widows and orphans of deceased members, and for affording pecuniary assistance to such of its members as may be in temporary distress. The last year's report of this society shows that it is in a very 223 healthy condition, that it possesses ample funds to meet its engagements, and a handsome balance to provide for a contingency. Its meetings are held at the George-inn, and it numbers about 133 members. There has recently been a new Court opened at Ponder's-end. THE BENEFIT SOCIETY OF UNITED FRIENDS. The principles of this society are similar to the preceding, being for the relief of its members in sickness, and granting a certain sum at death for funeral and other expenses. The society was formed in 1854 ; it holds its meetings at the Bell-inn, in Baker-street. Assembly Kooms. There being as yet no town hall in Enfield, all public meetings, large vestries, lectures, and entertainments, (except an occasional lecture at one of the school-rooms) are held at the assembly rooms, which are attached to the King's-head- inn, and situate in the Market-place. 2U APPENDIX. Interesting Historical Anecdote connected icith the Garden of Enfield Palace. At the deatli of King Henry VIII. his son Edward was resident in the Castle of Hertford, and his daughter Elizabeth in the Palace of Enfield. The Earl of Hertford, the young King's maternal uncle, accompanied by Sir Anthony Browne, the Master of the Horse, undertook the charge of conducting the new sovereign to the metropolis. They repaired to Hertford Castle, and, without apprising Edward of all that had occurred, removed him (probably on Saturday, the 29th of January, 154T) to Enfield Palace. Here, in the presence of his sister, Edward was informed of his father's death and of his own accession to the crown. On the following Monday he was conducted from Enfield to the Tower of London. ^^^ (1) In the State Pajjer Office is a letter from the Earl of Hertford to the Council — " From Envild this Sunday night att xj of the clok." He Avrites, " We intend the King's Matie. shal be a horsbak to-moiTOw by xj. of the clok, so that bi iij. we trust His Grace shal be att the Tower." 2£5 These leading incidents of the time have always been familiar to our history, but there is one very remarkable feature connected with Enfield Palace that has come to light but recently. It was in the garden at Enfield '■-'> that the Earl of Hertford took the opportunity of communicating to his companion, the master of the horse, his intention to assume the office of Protector, in contravention to the late King's will, which had designated eighteen executors with equal powers. We are told that, " after commoning in discourse of the state," Sir Anthony " gave his frank consent to the projiosal ;" upon which, as we learn from another letter,^^) Hertford had (2) " Myne old master, the master of th' orsses, albeit, as is commonly known, he did much dissent from the proceedings in matters of religion, yet was I long sins by himself right well assm'cd that he, commoning with my Lordes Grace in the garden at Endfielde, at the King's Majesties cooming from Hartforde, gave his franke consent, after communication in discourse of the state, that His Grace should be Protector, thinking it (as indede it was) both the surest kynde of govern- ment and most fyt for this commonwelth." — Letter of William Wightman to Cecill, Literary Remains of King Edward VI. (printed for the Roxhurghe Club, 1558)^^. ccxlvii. (3) " Kemember what you promised me in the gallery at Westminster, before the breath was out of the body of the King that dead is. Remember what you promised immediately 226 previously " devised " with Secretary Paget, who was now left at Court to arrange matters with the other counsellors. Edward was not again at Enfield Palace during his reign, but his sister Elizabeth continued to reside here ; and there is mention also of the Queen Dowager (Katherine Parr) paying Enfield a visit.f The Union Scliool and Infirmary. In the year 1837 the Enfield Workhouse was converted into a school for the maintenance and instruction of the chiklren of the seven parishes comprising the Edmonton Union, for which purpose it was considerably enlarged and vrork- shops added ; the adult inmates were removed to the Union Workhouse. The primary object of the school is to give the children such instruction and moral and industrial training as shall enable them in after life to support themselves. The after, devisinr/ with me concerning the place ivhich you now occupy, I trust in the end to good purpose, however things thwart now." — Ihid. p. Ixxxvi. Letter of Paget to the Protector Somerset. t Communicated by John Gough Nichols, Esq., F.S.A., by whose kind suggestion it is here given, as being more accurately put together than to Ijc found elsewhere. 221 school is under the supervision of the Council on Education, who send an Inspector of Schools yearly to examine and report thereon. There are about six acres of land attached to the school entirely cultivated by the boys. The clothing and shoes for the inmates are also made by them. The industrious training of the girls is carefully attended to, rendering them fit for service at an early age. The advantage of the separation of the children from the adult paupers has been most satisfactory. The average number of children sent into situatioiis, for many years past, has been thirty, numbers of whom are now respectable members of society. In the year 1855 an Infirmary, detached from the school, was, under the order of the Poor Law Board, erected by the Board of Guardians, which is capable of accommodating forty children. The Infirmary is a substantial brick building and constructed on the most approved plan for space and ventilation. The new Chapel for the Primitive Methodists. About seven years ago a number of persons assembled weekly on Chase-green, as itinerant preachers, they afterwards engaged a room in 22S the neighbourhood of Baker-street, and subse- quently succeeded in raising funds to take a barn at the Holly-bush, which they fitted up as a temporary chapel, where they continued their services till they received the promise of a handsome donation from a lady (Mrs. Tolputt) on condition that they would build a new chapel; on the strength of which the chapel was built and subscriptions raised to complete the required amount. The chapel is erected on the estate of the North London Society, at Chase-side ; it is a very neat, substantial, brick building, free from needless decorations, and well adapted for the poorer classes, for whom it is intended. The first of a series of opening services took place on the 28th of October, 1858. The Free School and its Masters. At page 140 the reader is referred to the Appendix for further information respecting the Free Grammar-school, and the two masters, Emery and Chambers. On the occasion of Emery refusing to vacate the office of master, which he was called ujjon to do, by order of the trustees, for alleged mis- conduct, an action for ejectment was brought 229 against him by the trustees, (Connop and others V. Emery) which was tried in the Court of Common Pleas, before Mr. Justice Erie, in June, 1846, when a verdict was returned for the defendant. The latter master. Chambers, was elected in December, 1846. He paid Emery £450, as compensation to induce him to surrender up possession of the school, and all the benefits pertaining thereto. After being master for upwards of ten years. Chambers himself has, for alleged misconduct, had notice served upon him to give up possession of the school to the trustees. In order to arrive at this conclusion, a Court of enquiry was convened, and held at the Public Offices, at Enfield, by order of the Charity Commissioners, presided over by Walter Skirrow the younger. Esquire. The investigation lasted several days, and resulted in the Commissioners, after due consideration of the evidence adduced, recommending the immediate dismissal of Cham- bers, Avhich has subsequently been confirmed by order of the trustees, and decision of the vestry. Notwithstanding these proceedings. Chambers still holds possession of the school. Thus matters stand at the present time, December, 1858. 230 A?i additional fund apjjlied to the purjwses of the Free School. The sum of £321 14s. 4d, is invested in 3 per cent, consols, and stands in the name of the Accountant General of the Court of Chancery. The money was received by the Benfleet Charity, of the London, Tilbury, and Southend Railway Company for the purchase of land. The interest amounting annually to £13 13s. lOd. is carried to the benefit of the Free Grammar-school. The Parish Register. The earliest date in the parish register com- mences in the year 1550; and this old book, which is in tolerable good preservation, closes with the year 1587, and is in the vestry-room. The book which contains the entries of the Baptisms begins in 1588 ; the Marriages, August 1588; and Burials in July 1592. The two first volumes are on parchment, from 1588 to 1639, and from 1639 to 1653. The two next are on paper, from 1653 to 1703, and from thence to 177.* 231 INDEX. Abbot of Thomey's Lands Almshouses Ancient Hostelries and Houses An additional Fund applied to the Eree School Antiquities, Coins, Tokens, &c Assembly Rooms Benetit Societies Biographical Notices of Eminent Individuals Boundaries of the Parish Chancellors of the Duchy of Lancaster ... Chapels Charities and Estates belonging to the Parish Chase Side Works Churches Conduits Crape Factory CricketCIub' Dispute between the Trustees and the Masters Free School Divisions of the Parish Duchy of Lancaster Enfield Chase Enfield Ordnance Factory Enfield Workhouse Etymology of the word Enfield Extent in Acres Fairs Farmers' Club Foot Paths Foundation of the Free School ... . Gas Works Gentry in Middlesex, temp. Henry VL Geogi-aphical Position and Boundary Green and Encroachments Historical Anecdote connected with the Palace Illustrious Names Institutions, Charitable Societies, &c. King and the Tinker Land and Building Societies Lectureship Local Board of Health Magistracy Manor of Enfield Manors, Courts-Leet, Barons, &c. of the Garden >AGE. 104 116 17 230 16 223 222 55 179 92 112 119 209 108 166 208 215 228 33 92 71 193 153 10 ibid. 29 214 101 129 210 70 9 170 224 54 218 21 211 107 217 217 87 32 9559. PAGE Markets 28 Medicinal Plants 13 New Chapel of the Primitive Methodists 227 Occupation Roads 97 Parish Register 230 Places of Note 34 Plague at Enfield 27 Police Station 218 Polling Place 187 Population Returns ibid. Post Offices and Branches 216 Private Schools 192 Privileges and Exemptions 31 Public Highways 97 Public Library 216 Public Schools 189 Queen Elizabeth at Enfield 49 Races 30 Railway 188 Rectory 104 Rivers, Brooks, and Streams 12 Roman Road ibid. Savings Bank ... ., 216 Society of Enfield Archers 215 Soil, Water, Air, &c 11 Story of Canning and the Gipsey 24 Terrier of Lands, &c. belonging to the Enfield Charities 173 Timber Money 165 Title of Baron of Enfield ... 53 Traditions 18 Union School and Infirmary 226 Vicarage and Vicarage House 106 Visit of Queen Margaret to Enfield 51 Page 13, line 2 from the bottom, for Dulcamara Caules, read Solanum Dulcamara. Page 34, line 9 from bottom, it has been incorrectly stated that Mr. Hill's paintings are at Claysmore, it does not appear that they ever were there. Page 62, line 2 from bottom, this is an error. Sir David Wilkie was a candidate for the office of President of the Royal Academy, but never received the appointment. Page 99, line 12 from the bottom, for Hillary, read Ililanj Term. UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY A 000 102 920 6