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Robert E.- Gross
Collection
A Memorial to the Founder
of the
Business Administration Library
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DESCRIPTION
O F
ENGLAND and WALES.
CONTAINING
A particular Account of each County,
WITH ITS
Soils,
Fossils,
Antiquities,
Curiosities,
Situation,
Figure,
Extent,
Climate,
Rivers,
Lakes,
Mineral
TERS,
Wa-
Caverns,
Plants and Mi-
nerals,
Agriculture,
Civil and Eccle-
siastical Di-
visions,
1 Cities,
AND THE
Towns,
Palaces,
Seats,
Corporations,
Markets,
Fairs,
Manufactures,
Trade,
Sieges,
Battles,
Lives of the illullrious Men each County has
produced.
Embellifhed with two Inindred and forty Copper Plates,
O F
PALACES, CASTLES, C ATHEDRALSi ■"
THE
Ruins of Roman and Saxon Buildings ;
AND OF
Abbeys, Monasteries, aud other Religious Houses.
Befides a Variety of Cuts of
URNS, INSCRIPTIONS, and other ANTIQUITIES. >
VOL. V.
LONDON:
Panted for Newbery and Carnan, No. 65, the North
Side of St. Paul's Cliurch-yard.
M DCC LXIX.
C 3 J
A
DESCRIPTION
O F
ENGLAND and WALES.
HUNTINGDONSHIRE.
^^ UNTINGDONSHIRE, or Huk^
^ ^ TINGTON'SHIRE, 13 an inland coun-
^ H 'I -ty, which takes its name from Hun-
\j| p tingdon, or Huntington, the coun*
^^ ty town, and is one of the leaft
counties in England. It is bounded on the eaft
hy Cambridgeihire, on the fouth by Bedford/hire,
-on the weft by Northamptonfhire, and on tho
tiorth by a part of Northamptonfhire and Lincoln-
ihire ; it extending twenty-four miles from north
to fouth; eighteen in breadth from eaft to weft j
;and about fixty-feven in circumference.
In the time of the Romans this county was part
of the diftricl inhabited by the Iceni, who alfo
extended their dominion over the counties of Suf-
folk, Norfolk and Cambridgefhire. However^
^under the Saxons, Huntingdonfhire was feparated
^OQi that tracl of country formerly polTcired by
A 2 the
4 A Description of
the Iceni, and became part of the kingdom of
Mercia. Mr. Camden informs us, that he found
in an ancient furvey, that this county was a fo-
red: till the reign of Henry the Second. But, be
that as it will, it is certain that it was greatly ra-
vaged by the Danes, which obliged many families
to leave it, fo that it became very thin of people;
but the Danes being at length conquered by king
Alfred, that prince obliged them either to depart,
or to embrace Chrifttanity.
The principal rivers of Huntingdonfliire, are
the Oufe and the Nen. The Oufe rifes near
Brackley in Northamptonftiire, enters this county
at St. Neots, then runs north-eart by Huntingdon,
and fome other towns, and, at length, having tra-
verfed Huntingdonfhire, Cambridgefhire and Nor-
folk, in which courfe it is joined by feveral other
rivers, it falls into the German ocean near Lynn-*
Regis, in the laft mentioned county.
The Nen has its fource near Daventry in Nor*
thamptonfhire, and running north-eaft almoft pa-
rallel to the river Oufe, winds round the north-
weft and north boundaries of this county, where
it forms feveral large bodies of water, which the
inhabitants call Meers. The firft of thefe meers,
or lakes, is called Wittlefey-Meer, and is no lefis
than fix miles long, and three broad. The other
confiderable meers formed by the river Nen, are
Ug-meer, Brick-meer, Ramfey-meer, and Ben-
wick-meer ; from whence this river, continuing its
courfe through Cambridgefhire and Lincolnfhire,
falls into the German ocean near Wiibich in
Cambridgefhire.
It is remarkabable that the above meers, particu-
larly Wittlefey-meer, are frequently thrown into
the moft violent agitations, without the lead
breath of wind being perceived, to the great ter-
ror and danger of the fifhermen and others, who
pafs
HUNTINGDONSHIRE. 5
pafs thefe lakes, whofe agitations are generally
iuppofed to arife from eruptions or fubterranean
winds.
W^th refpCsSl to mineral fprings, there are two
at Hailvvefton, near St. Neots, one of which is
of a brackifh talle, and is recommended in all cu-
taneous diforders ; the other is frefh, and is faid
to be good againft dimnefs of fight. St, Ives was
alfo once remarkable for its medicinal waters.
The air of this county is in general very good;
except in the northern part, where it is rendered
lefs wholefome than many other counties, by the
damps and fogs which arife from the ftagnating
waters of the fens and meers with v/hich it abounds.
The foil is in general very fertile. In the hilly
parts and dry lands it yields great crops of corn,
and affords excellent pafture for fheep ; and the
meadows in the low lands are exceeding rich,
feeding abundance of fine cattle, not only for
daughter, but for the dairy ; and the cheefe made
at Stilton, a village near Yaxley, known by the
name of Stilton cheefe, is ufually ftiled the Par-
mefan of England. The inhabitants are well fup-
plied with great plenty of water-fov/1, as well as
fi(h, and turf for firing, which laft is a very ufe-
ful commodity, as both wood and coals are fcarce.
Moft of the plants that grow wild in Cambridge-
fhire are to be found in this county.
Huntingdon lies in the province of Canterbury,
and diocefe of Lincoln. It is divided into four
hundreds, in which are fix market towns, but no
city, and feventy-nine parifhes, in which are faid
to be contained only about eight thoufand two
hundred and twenty houfes, and forty-nine thou-
fand three hundred and twenty inhabitants. It
fends but four members to parliament, two knights
of the fhire for the county, and two for the towa
of Huntingdon. It is remarkable, that this coun-
A 3 ty
6 y^ De SCRIPT I onj/"
ty and Camb-ridgefliire are joined together vnder
one civil adminiftration, there being but one high
fheriiT for both, who is chofen one year oat of
Cambridgeihire in general, the fecond out of the^
iile of Ely, and.the third out of this county.
We fliall enter this county by the road which
leads thro' St. Neots to Huntingdon.
St. Neots, generally called St. Needs, is
in the Saxon annals denominated St. Neod, fronx
a rncnaftery of the fame name burnt by the Danes.
It is fituated on the fouth fide of the county, up-
on the river Oufe, over which is a handfome ftone
bridge, feventeen miles weft of Cambridge, thirty-
three eaft by fouth of Northampton, and iifty-
feven north north- v/efi: of London. It is a large,
well built, and populous town, with a handfome
church that has a remarkable fine fteeple. Coals
are brought up to the tov/n by the river Oufe, and.
from thence conveyed to the neighbouring parts.
Here is a charity-fchool for twenty-five poor chil-
dren, opened in 171 1. The market, which is oa
Saturdays, is well fupplied with all forts of pro-
vifions ; and it has five fairs, which are kept on
Afcenfion-Thurfday, Corpus Chrifi:i, the 13th of
June, and the j 7th of December, for all forts of
provifions ; and the ifl: of Auguft, for hiring fer-
vants.
It is faid, that St. Neot firft placed monks in
this town, but they were afterwards difperfed by
the Danes ; they were, however, reftored, and the
monaftery again endowed by the bounty of Leo-
fric, and his wife Leofleda, upon the encourage-
ment of Ethelwald, bifhop of Winchefier, and
Brithnod, abbot of Ely. It was a priory of Black
monks, fubordinate to Ely till after the conqueft,
when thofe religious were expelled by Gilbert,
earl of Clare; but about the year 1113, Rohefia,
the wife of Richard, fon to the above earl Gil-
bert^
HUNTINGDONSHIRE. 7
bert, gave this manor to the abbey of Bee in Nor-
mandy, to whom it became a cell. It was feized^
among other alien priories, during the wars with
France, but was made prioratus indigent, by
king Henry the Fourth, it being then in the pa-
tronage of the earl of Stafford. Its revenues were
valued at the fupprellion at 256 1. i s. 3d. a year,
Hailweston, a village about two miles weft
of St. Neots, is only remarkable for the two mi-
neral fprings we have already mentioned, on^
good for difeafes of the fkin, and the other for
ibre eyes.
Sevem miles to the northward of St. Neots Is
GoDMANCHESTER, or G ODM ANCESTER, which
is fuppofed to have been a Roman town, and
the city which Antoninus, in his Itinerary,
calls Duroliponte, inftead of Durofiponte, which
in the Britilh tongue fignifies a bridge over the
Oufe, which Godmanchefter has at this day.
During the time of the Saxons, this town loft its
Britiih or Roman nam.e, and obtained that of
Gormoncefter, from a caflle erected here by Gor-
mon the Dane, to whom this part of the country
was ceded by the peace with king Alfred ; and
from this appellation its prefent name is derived.
As a proof of the great antiquity of this place^
many Roman coins have been dug up here, anxi
alio fome fkeletons, faid to have been of a si^an-
tic lize.
^Ihis town, which is only parted by a bridge
from Huntingdon, is no contemptible place, and
has been long noted for its hufbandry, in v/hicK
it has made greater improvements, than moft of
the other places in England. The inhabitants
are faid to hold their lands by a tenure, which
obliges them, when any king of England pafTe-s
that way, to attend him with their ploughs and
horfes, adorned with ruftic trophies ; and they
A 4 boait.
8 A Description of
boaft that, upon fome fuch occafions, they have
appeared with no lefs than nine fcore ploughs.
When king James the FirftpalTed thro' this town^
on his journey from Scotland, they met him with
a cavalcade of feventy new ploughs, each drawn
by a team of horfes, at which the king was fa
pleafed, that he incorporated them by the name
of two bailiffs, twelve affiftants, and the com-
monalty of the borough of Godmanchefter. A
fair is held here on Eafter-Tuefday, for all forta
of cattle.
Near this place, in the road from London to-
Huntingdon, is a tree well known to travellersj,
by the name of the Beggar's Bufli. How it obtain-
ed that name 3oes not appear ; but we are told^
that king James the Firft, being on a progrefs
this way with the lord chancellor Bacon, and
hearing that his lordfhip had lavifhly rewarded a
man, who had made him a mean prefent, told
him he would foon come to Beggar's Bufli, as he
himfelf fhould, if they both continued fo very
bountiful 5 and it is ftill a proverb in the county,
that when a perfon fquanders his fortune, he is ia
the way to Beggar's Bufh,
Huntingdon, or Huntington, is feated on
a fmall hill on the north fide of the river Oufe,
fixteen miles weft by north of Cambridge, twenty-
three fouth-weft of Ely, and fifty-feven north by
iveft of London. It received its name from the
Saxon Huntandune, or Hunters Down, a name
it acquired from the conveniency of this diftri6t
for hunting, it having been one entire foreft, till
it was disforefted by king Henry the Second, king
Henry the Third, and king Edward the Firft, who
left no more of the foreft than his own land. King
John granted to this town by charter a coroner,
a recorder, a town-clerk, and two bailiffs ; but it
is at prefent governed by a mayor, twelve alder-
meu
HUNTINGDONSHIRE, 9
men and burgefTes, The aflizes are always held
here, and in this town is the county jail. It had
once fifteen churches, which, in Camden's time,
were reduced to four, and it has now only two,-
with feveral meeting-houfes. It is a thorough-
fare in the great north road, and is ftill a popu-
lous trading town. It chiefly confifts of one long
ftreet, pretty well built, and has a handfome.
market-place, with a market on Saturdays, and a
fair on the 25th of Alarch, for pedlars goods.
The town is faid to have fuffered by the vil-
lainy of one Grey, who, according to Speed, ma-
licioufly obftruded the navigation of the river
Oufe to this place, which is now navigable by
fmall vefTels no farther than to Bedford. Here is
a good grammar fchool, and Richard Fifhbourn,
a citizen of London, and a native of this place,
gave the town 2000 1. to be laid out in charitable
ufes. The meadows on the banks of the river
near Huntingdon are remarkable for their beau-
ty, and in fummer are covered with innumerable
herds of cattle, and flocks of fheep. In the month
of June 1754-5 a fturgeon was caught in the river
Oufe near this town, which weighed a hundred
and thirty pounds, and the fpawn between twen-
ty and thirty pounds.
Near the bridge at Huntingdon is a mount, and
the ground plot of a caftle, erected by king Ed-
ward the Elder, in the year 917, and enlarged
by the addition of feveral new works, by David,
king of Scotland, to whom king Stephen gave the
borough of Huntingdon ; but this caftle was de-
molifhed by king Henry the Second, in order to
put an end to the frequent quarrels that arofe
from a competition for the, earldom of Huntincr-
don, between the kings of Scotland, and the fa-
mily of St. Liz.
A 5 . There
10 jf DescR IPTICJK tf/
There was a p^^iory of black canons at HutH"
tingdon before the year 973, dedicated to St. Ma-
ry, and founded in or near the parifh church of
that faint; but was removed without the town by
Euftace de Luvetot in the reign of king Stephen,
where it continued till the difTolution, when it con-
fined of a prior, eleven canons, and thirty-four
fervants; and its revenues were valued at 187 L
13 s. 8d. a year. At the north end of the town
%vas a houfe of Auguflin friars, founded before
the nineteenth year of Edward the Firfl. An hof-
pital of St. John in this town is faid to have been^
founded by David, earl of Huntingdon, in the"
reign of Henry the Second, and was valued at the
fuppreffion atgl. 4 s. a year. Here was alfo an-
ancient hofpital dedicated to St. Margaret, for a
mafter and brethren, and feveral leprous and in-
fiim perfons, to which Malcolm,- king of Scot-
lantl, who died in 1165, was a great benefador,.
if not its foimder. This, king Henry the Sixtir
annexed to Trinity-hall in Cambridge, which-
■was confirmed by king Edward the Fourth, in the-
£rll: year of his reign.-
Oliver Cromwell, one of the moft extraordina-
ry perfonages, that ever appeared in this, or hr
any other nation, was born at Huntingdon, April;
the 25th, 159Q, of a very good family ; thougli-
he himfelf, being the fon of a fecond brother, in-
herited but a fmall fortune from his father. In-
the courfe of his education, he was fent to the
univerfity of Cambridge; but his genius was found'
little fuited to the calm and elegant occupations of
learning ; and he made fmail proficiency in his
fludies. He even threw himfelf into a very diflb-
lute and diforderly courfe of life ; and confumed, in
gaming, drinking, and debauchery, the more early
years of his youth, and by this means diiTipatcd
part of his patrimouy. Suddenly the fpirit of re-
formation
H U NT INGDONSHIRE. n
formation felzed him : he married, aflumed a grave
and compofed behaviour, entered into all the zeal
and rigour of the diffenters, and ofiered to reftore
to every one whatever fums he had formerly gained
by gaming. The fame vehemence of temper,,
which had tranfported him into the extremes of
pleafure, now diftinguifned his religious habits.
His houfe was the refort of all the zealous clergy
of the party ; and his hofpitaiity, as well as his
liberalities to the filenced and deprived miniflers,
expofed him to very confiderable charges, fho'
he had acquired a tolerable fortune by a maternal
uncle, he found his affairs *fo injured by his ex-
pences, that he was obliged to take a farm at St,
Ives, and apply himfelf, for fome years, to agri-
culture as a profeiTion. But this expedient ferved
rather to involve him in farther debts and difficul-
ties. In a word, his circumftances were become
fo very low, that he had formed a fcheme for go-
ing over to New England j and it was only in
compliance with an order of council, that he was
at length perfuaded to lay afide his defiga. In th^
long parliament, he was chofen one of the repre-'
ientatives for the town of Cambridge; and, upon
the breaking out of the civil war, he raifed a
troop of horfe for the parliament's fervice. This
troop he foon after augmented to a regiment ; and
foon inftituted that difcipline, and infpired that
fpirit, which rendered the parliamentary armies,
in the end, vi6lorious. He is faid, indeed, to
have run away at the battle of Edge-hill ; the
firft a6lion in which he was engaged ; but this,
if true, may, with equal juftice, be affirmed of
fome of the greateft generals that ever lived. He
was certainly a man of diftingui filed courage and
conduct, and had a capital fhare in the battle of
Newbury, of Marilon-moor, of Nafeby, and ia
almort ail the great a<ftions that happened during
tiie
12 A De-scription dj
the courfe of thofe civil commotions. Nor wer^
his dexterity and addrefs inferior to his other emi-
nent qualities. He got himfelf excepted in the
Self-denying Ordinance ; by which the members of
both houfes were deprived of their military com-
miffions : and thus became, in reality, the firfly
though in appearance only the fecond, in the ar-
my. Invefted with fo formidable a power, he
fufFered it not to remain long unemployed. He
eflablifhed a council of officers, by the name of
Agitators, as a kind of counterpoife to the parlia-
ment, who wanted to difband part of the forces.
He caufed the king to be felzed at Holmby ; and
treated him, at firft, with a good deal of refpedt :
but upon his refufmg to agree to the propofitions
made him in the Ifle of Wight, he procured the
vote of Non-addreJJes, by which his majefty was
HI titt€t dethroned. He v.'as one of the high court
of juftice, who tried the king ; voted for his
condemnation, and afterwards figned the warrant
for his execution. In 1649 he went over to Ireland,
and in lefs then a twelvemonth, fubdued almoft
that whole kingdom. Upon his return to Eng-
land, he was appointed commander in chief of the
army in the room of lord Fairfax 5 and marching
into Scotland, with a body of 1600c men, he ob-
tained, on the 3d of September, 1650, a com-
plete victory over the Scots at Dunbar. On the
very fame day of the enfuing year, he defeated
king Charles the Second at Worcefter, and return-
ing to London, which he entered in triumph, he
diflblved the parliament, and foon after affembled
another, v/hich being chiefly compofed of fifth
monarchy men, and other enthufialts who were
unqualified for the work of iegiflation. They,
therefore, refigned their power into the hands of
Cromwell, who, in 1653, allumed the prote6lor-
Ihip i and his title was acknowledged not only by
the
HUNTINGDONSHIRE. 15
the army, and a great part of the nation, but
likewife by moft of the fovereign flates of Eu-
rope. Being thus placed at the head of the go-
vernment, he exercifed his authority with great
fpirit and vigour. He caufed the brother of the
Portuguefe ambaflador, who had killed a man, to
be feized, tried, and executed. He triumphantly
finilhed the war with the Dutch, which had been
begun by the commonwealth. He made war up-
on Spain, and took from her Jamaica and Dun-
kirk; and being excellently ferved by Blake,
Dean, Monk, Montague, and other gallani: offi-
cers, he carried the fame of the Englilh valour to
as high a pitch, as ever it had attained in any '
former period. But however fuccefsful in his fo-
reign expeditions, he was extremely unhappy in
his domeftic adminiftration. His perfon, he
knew, was hated, and his government detefted by
almoft every party in the kingdom. The Royal-
jfts, the Republicans, the Prefbyterians, theMil-
linarians, all concurred in wifhingthe downfall of
his power. A fenfe of this dangerous and difa-
greeable fituation, joined to the prefilire of fome
more private calamities, at length produced fuch
an effect upon his fpirits, that he was feized with
a fever, which, notwithftanding the enthufiaftic
predictions of himfelf and of his chaplains, who
foretold his recovery, put a period to his life on the
3d of September, 1658. His body was interred
with regal pomp in Weftminfter- abbey ; but, af-
ter the reftoration, it was taken, and buried un-
der the gallows at Tyburn. With regard to his
character, cardinal Mazarine was wont to call
him a fortunate madman : father Orleans fliles
him a judicious villain ; lord Clarendon, a brave
ivicked man: Gregorio Leli fays, he was a ty-
rant without vices, and a prince without virtues:
and bifnop Burnet obferves, thathis life and his arts
were
14 yf Description of
were exhaufted together, and that if he had Vivc^
longer, he would fcarce have been able topreferve
his power. His mother was of the name of Stuart,
and remotely allied, as Tome fuppofe, to the royai
family.
HiNCHiNGBRooK, a village about a mile weft
of Huntingdon, is remarkable for a priory found-
ed and endowed by William the Conqueror, aft«-
he had fupprelTed the monaftery of Eltefley in
Cambridgefhire ; and removed the nuns to this
place. It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and
v/as valued at the fuppreiTion at about i81. a
year. Part of the old ftru£lure is ftill remaining,
and part is turned into a fine houfe belonging to the
earl of Sandwich. Not many years ago, ic was
thought that one of the rooms here was the moft
magniticent in England ; and hither cornet Joyce,
when he had feized king Charles the Second at
Holmby, brought his majefty ; where Mrs. Mon-
tague, wife of colonel Montague, afterwards
earl of Sandwich, treated the king, and the par-
1 lament commiluoners, with great honour and'
refpecft. ^ Of this ftrudlure we have given an en-
graved view.
BuGDEN, or EucKDE^J, which is fituated about
five miles to the fouth-weft of Huntingdon, is fa-
mous for being the feat of the bifhop of Lincoln.-
This beautiful brick palace, and its manor, be-
longed formerly to the abbey of Ely, which was
then m the diocefe of Lincoln ; till Richard the
iail abbot obtained leave of king, Henry the Firft
to turn his abbey of Ely into a cathedral, and to
make himfelf, by this means, firilbifhop thereof;
but this not being to be done v/ithout the confent
or his dioccfan, he was obliged to purchafe that,
at the price of three manors, of which this was
one i which in procefs of time became the palace
and refidence of the bifhops of Lincoln, as it no^r
continLLcs^
VoU:pa.24.
Toiy.pcuid
HUNTINGDONSHIRE. 15
continues. Ruflel, the forty-feventh bifhop crea-
ted in 1480, built great part of it, as appears
by his arms on the wall j and Dr. Sanderfon, who
was ci^ated bifliop in 1660, beftowed much coft
in repairing and beautifying it. For the fatisfac-
tion of the reader we have given a view of this
palace.
Seven miles eaft of Huntingdon is St. Ives,
which, according to Camden, was formerly called
Slepe, but obtained its prefent name from one
Ivo, a Perfian bifhop, who, about the year 6co,
came to England, where he preached the gofpel,
and w^as interred in this place. It is a large, hand-
fome tov/n, feated on the Oufe, feventeen miles
fouth-weft of Ely, and fifty-feven north of Lon-
don. It has a fine ftone bridoe over the river,
and in the ninth century had a mint, as appears
by a Saxon coin found her^. It was a flourifnincr
town not many years ago, when it JufFered greatly
by fire, but it has been nnce rebuilt, and has flill
a good market on Mondays, for fatted cattle,,
brought from the north ; v;ith two fairs, one on
Whit-iV^onday, and the other on the icth of Oc-
tober, for all forts of cattle and cheefe.
About the year 1001, the relicks of St. Ivo be-
ing difcovered in this town, which then belon&ej
to the abbey of Ramfey, Ednoth, the abbot^
built a church here dedicated to that faint, in
which he placed a prior and feme Benedi(^ine
monks, fubordinate to Pvamfey.
About five miks north-eafl of St. Ives is
Earith, a large village on the road from Hun-
tingdon to Ely, Vv'hich has feveral good inns, and
three fairsy which are held on the 4 ch of May,
the 25th of July, and the j ft of November, for
all forts of cattle.
Ramsey, called by the Saxons Ramefige, 13
^tuatcd ten miles north oi Huntingdon, and fix-
ty.
l6 A Description of
ty-feven from London. It is every where en--
compafTed with fens, except on the weft fide,
where it joins the main land by a caufey two
miles long, inclofed with alders, bull-rufhes, and
reeds, which, in the fpring, make a beautiful ap-
pearance, to which the gardens, corn-fields, and
rich paftures adjoining are no fmall addition. Be-
fore it was inhabited, it was covered with trees,
and particularly afh ; but fmce their being cut
down, the foil has been found to be extremely
fruitful. It was moft remarkable for its Benedic-
tine abbey, founded in the-year 969, by Ailwin,
earl of the Eaft-Angles, which was confecrated
by St. Dunftan, archbifhop of Canterbury, and
by Ofwald, archbifliop of York, This ftrudure
was feated among the fens and marflies, on a place
abounding with alder-trees, and others that delight
in wet grounds. It had a great many benefactors,,
infomuch that fome tell us, it vv^as by far the richeft
abbey in England. It was dignified with a mitred^
abbot, who fat in the Houfe of Lords, and was
valued at the difTolution at 1716L 12 s. 4 d. by
Dugdale, and at 1983 1. 15 s, 3 d. by Speed,
Some of the walls of this ftrudure, with a part
of the gate-houfe, are ftill {landing, and are fuf-
iicient to ihew, that it has been a magnificent;
ftru6tui:e ; and of thefe we have given an accurate-
view. The tomb of Ailwin, adorned with his
ftatue, is flill to be feen, and is thought to be the
mofl ancient piece of Englifh fculpture now ex-
tanti He is reprefented holding two keys and a.
ragged ftaif in his. band, as the enfign-s of his of-
fice. The infcription is as follows, Hic requi-
ESCIT AILWINVS INCLITI REGJS EADG-ARI COG-
NATVS, TOTIUS ANGLIAE ALDERM ANNVS, ET
HVIVS SACRI COENOBII MIRACULOSVS FVNDA-
TOR. After the difTolution, the town went ta
decay, infomuch that the market was entirely
for^
Vo/.Tpa.iS.
HUNTINGDONSHIRE. 17
forfaken; but ithas fince been revived, the town
lying very convenient for the Tale of fat and lean
cattle, which are brought thither fince the drain-
ing of the fens J and as for water-fowl, they are
no where in greater plenty. It has a charity-
fchool for girls. The market is on Wednefday,
and there is one fair, on July 22, for fmall
pedlars ware.
Between Ramfey and Wittlefey-meer is a ditch,
fometimes called Sw^erdes Delf, and fometimes
Knouts delf, but at prefent it goes by the name
of Steeds Dike. It parts this county from
Cambridgefhire, and is faid to have been occafion-
cd by the following circumftance : as king Ca-
nute's family were pafling over Wittlefey-meer, in
their way from Peterborough to Ramfey, their
veflel was caft av/ay in one of the commotions
that frequently happen in thefe meers, and feveral
lives were loft; upon v/hich the king, to prevent
the like difafters for the future, ordered his army
to mark out a ditch with their fwords and fkeins,
and afterwards employed labourers to dig, clean,
and perfect this undertaking. This circumftance
cccafioned its being called Swerdes Delf, or
Swords Ditch.
Saltry, or Sawtry, is the name of feveral
villages that lie to the north-v/eftward of Hun-
tingdon. One of thefe is called Saltry Ab-
bey, from an abbey of Ciftercian monks, found-
ed in the year 1148 by Simon de St. Liz, fecond
earl of Huntingdon. It had feveral benefaftors,
amon^ which were fomeof the kino;s of Scotland,
At the diflblution it had an abbot, twelve monks,
and twenty-two fervants ; and its revenue was
valued at 141 1. a year by Dugdale ; but by Speed,
at 199 1.
About fixteen miles north -weft of Huntingdon
is Yaxley, which is feated near the fens, in the
road
i8 A Description af
road from Stilton to Peterborough. The hou{e#
are pretty well built, and the church has a neat
and lofty fpire. Here is a fmall market on Tuef-
days, and a fair on Afcenfion-Thurfday, for horfes
•and ^z^^.
DoRNFORD, a village three miles weft by foutli
of Peterborough, is taken by feveral authors to be
a Roman ftation, and Dr. Stukeley would have it
to be Durobrives, to which Horfley afTents, there
being a place called Carter, dire<5^iy oppofite to it,
on the north fide the river. Nen in Northampton-
fhire. Dr. Stukeley fays, Dornford retains
fomewhat of the old name, where the road crolTed
the river over abridge; and at Chefterton near
it, there is a held called Caftle-field. The Roman
road ftill retains its high ridge ; and it is obferva-
ble, that at all places, where the country was-
fenny, great precaution and ftrength were employ-
ed. The Ermine-ftreet, beyond the river, runs
for fome fpace along the fide of it, upon the mea-
dow, and then turns up with an angle, and pro-
ceeds full north. Cafter was above half a mile
from it upon the hill ; and there is a piece of the
foundation of the wall, of the Roman Gaftrum,
in the ftreet to the north-weft corner of the
church. It is eafily know by the vaft ftrength of
the mortar ; this Caftrum then went round the
church-yard, and took in the whole top of the
hill, facing the fouth. Underneath it lay the
city, for below the church-yard, the ground is
full of foundations and mofaic pavements. There
have been a great number of coins found here,
which are called Dormen pence, and there are
other antiquities dug up every day. Part of the
church is an ancient fabrick, but new modelled,
and the fteeple ftands in the middle of the church ;
the tower is a fine piece of ancient architesSlure,
with femicircular arches j but the fpire feenr*^ to
HUNTINGDONSHIRE. 19.
be of later date» The fquare well by the churcb
porch is taken to be Roman ; and though it
ftands on a hill the water is very high. Some
think, that the Roman city took in both banks of
the river Nen, which feems very probable, be-
caufehiftory takes notice of a place called Dur-
man-cefter, by the river Nen, where Kinneburga.
founded a fmall nunnery,
At CONNINGTON, or CuNNINGTON, a Village
foiuh of Yaxley, are the remains of an ancient
caiVie, which was gfven by king Canute to Tur-
kill, a Danifh lord, v.'ho called in Sueno, king
of Denmark, to plunder the nation. In digging
a pool here fome years ago, there was found the
f^eleton of a nlTi near twenty feet long, lying fix
feet below the furface of the ground, and as much
above the level of the fens.
Eight miles weft of Huntingdon isLEiGHTON",
which gives name to the hundred in which it
flands, and was once a confiderable town, but
is now only a village, and has two fairs j one of
them held on the 12th of May, and the other on
the 5th of Oclober, for all forts of cattle.
Stonely, is a fmall village five miles fouth-wed
of Huntingdon, and has been famous for its priory
of canons of the order of St. Auftin, dedicated to
the Virgin Mary, founded by William Mande-
ville, earl of Effex^ about the year 1180. It
contained at the diflblution feven canons, who
had a revenue of 46 1. 5 s. a year.
Eight miles fouth-weft of Huntingdon is
KiMBOLTON, the Kinnibantum of the Romans,
from which its modern name is fuppofed to be de-
rived. This town is remarkable for its caftle,
which is efteemed a great ornament to the weft
part of the county. We are no where informed
when it was built; but it was anciently very
ftrong, and had a double ditch. Sir Richard
Wingfield^
20 A Description, &c.
Wingfield erciSted new lodgings and galleries on
the old foundations ; it was afterwards beautified
at a great expence by Henry Montague^ earl of
Alanchefter, and was in a manner rebuilt by his
great grandfon, Charles duke of Manchefter.
'i^he town has a market on Fridays, and a fiiir
on the nth of December, for a few cattle and
hogs.
About four miles north by eaft of Kimbolton
is Spaldwick, or Spaldick, a village that
was given to the church of Lincoln by Henry
the Firft, as a reparation for taking the bifhopric
of Ely out of the diocefe of Lincoln ; but it is
now the manor of the duke of Manchefter. It
has two fairs, held on the Wednefday before
VVhi.t-Sunday, and on the 28th of November,
for all forts of cattle.
Among the eminent men which Huntingdon-
{hire has produced, was,
Sir Robert Cotton, a moft eminent antiquarian,
who was born at Denton in this county, on the
22d of January 1570. He had his education ia
Trinity college in Cambridge, where he took
the degree of bachelor of arts. From thence he
removed to his father's feat in the countrv ; and
afterwards to London, where he became a mem-
ber of a fociety of Antiquarians. Upon the ac-
cefTion of king James the Firft to the crown of
Ena;land, he was created a knig-ht. It was he
that fuggefted to that monarch the expedient of
raifmg money, by inftituting a new order of
knights, called Knights Baronets. He compofed
a great number of trades, chiefly relating to the
hittory and conftitution of England ; and made a^
moft excellent collection of antiquities, known by
the name of the Cottonian Library, now incorpo-
rated into the Britijh Mufewn. He died May 6,
163I3 in the fixty-firft year of his age.
KEN T»
[ 21 ]
KENT.
jr^^^, HIS Is a maritime county, and has
^ ry. ^ made very little change in its ancient
t^ ^^ name, it being called Gentium, or
)(L^%jd '^ccvTiov.y by Caefar, Strabo, Diodorus,
Siculus, Ptolemy, and other Roman and Greek
authors ; by the Saxons it was called Gant-Guar-
Lantd, or the country of the inhabitants of Kent;
but whence the name was originally derived, has
been a fubje6t of much fpeculation : Mr. Lambard
is of opinion, that the name of Kent is derived
from the Britifh word Cainc, which fignifies a
green leaf, and was applied to this county from
its being anciently fhaded with woods : but Mr.
Camden fuppofes, that it received its name from its
figure and fituation, it being a large point or an-
gle, projeellng into the fea. To confirm this opi-
nion it has been obferved, that fuch a point in
Scotland is called Cantir ; the inhabitants of
another point in North Britain, are by Ptolemy
called Cantae ; and the Cangani were pofTefTed of
fuch another angle in Wales.
Kent, lying in the fouth-eafl part of England,
is bounded on the north by the river Thames, and
the German fea ; by the fame fea on the eaft and
fouth-eaft ; and by SuiTex and Surry on the fouth-
weft and weft ; extending in length fifty-fix miles
from eaft to weft, thirty-fix from north to fouth,
and a hundred and fixty-fix in circumference.
This county, in the time of the Britons, was go-
verned, according to Caefar, by four petty kings ;
who,
S2 A Description *f
v/ho, ionxz Imagine, were only four of the prhlci*
pal inhabitants appointed to defend them againil
their enemies. Caefar being in Gaul, obtained
fome knowledge of this ifland, and twice invaded
it with difFei-ent fuccefs ; but at length the Ro-
mans, not only became mafters of Kent, but of
all England, when this county was put under the
jurifdi6tion of the governor of Britannia Prima.
At length, the Romans being obliged to leave the
ifland, the Britons elected feveral princes, and at
3 aft chofe Vortigern their chief, in order to put a
{top to the ravages of the-Pi6ts and Scots, and he,
by the confent of the people, called in the Saxons
to their affiftance. They landed under the con-
duct of their two leaders Hengift and Horfa, and
with them were the Angles and Jutes. Thefe
joining with king Vortigern, had no fooner con-
quered his enemies, than Hengift obtained the
government of Kent. Some time after South-
Britain was divided into {^v^n kingdoms, called
the Heptarchy, the firft of which was this of
ICent, which had fuccellively feventeen kings, the
)aft of whom was Baldred, who being conquered
by Egbert, Kent, after having been a feparatc
kingdom three hundred and feventy-two years,
became fubjed to the Saxon and Danifli kings of
England, till the Norman conqueft.
William the Conqueror having fought the dc-
cifive battle at Haftings in SufTex, was marching
towards London, when he was met by a large bo-
dy of the men of Kent, each with a bough or limb
of a tree in his hand. This army, which had the
appearance of a moving wood, boJdly marched up
to him, and demanded the prefervation of their
-liberties, and let the conqueror know, that they
were refolved rather to die, than to part with their
3aws, or to live in bondage ; but if he would grant
their ecuitable demands, they were ready to fub-
K E N T, ij
iwh to his government. William, flruck with the
reafonablencrs of this addreis, as well as with the
boldnefs and intrepidity of the people, wifely
granted their demands, and fufFered them to re-
tain their ancient cufloms. Thefe privileges they
now enjoy under the name of Gavelkind, by vir-
tue of which, every man poflelled of lands in this
county, is in a manner a freeholder, not being
bound by copyhold, cuftomary tenure, or tenant
right, as in other parts of England. The male
heirs, and in default of fuch, the female, fhare
all the lands alike ; and the lands of a brother, if
he have no legal iflue, are fhared by the furviving
brethren. An heir may enter upon his eftate at
fifteen years of age, and difpofe of it as he
pleafes ; and laftly, the heirs enjoy their inheri-
tance, though the anceftor has been convi6led of
theft or murder, which has given occafion to the
Kentifh proverb, " The father to the bough, and
the fon to the plough -/' but this privilege does not
extend to treafon, piracy, outlawry, and abjuring
the realm.
The conqueror having thus obtained pof-
feilion of Kent, provided for its fecurity, by ap-
pointing a conftable of Dover caflle, and confti-
tuting him governor of five ports, with the ftile
and title of warden of the cinque-ports, which
are Haftings, Dover, Hithe, Rumney and Sand-
wich, to which Winchelfey and Rye are annexed
as principals, and fome other fmall towns as mem-
bers, all of which enjoy many confiderable im-
inunities.
The principal rivers of this county, befides the
Thames, are the Medway, the Stour, and the
Darent. The river Medway rifes in the Weald
of SufTex, and entering this county, flows north-
caft by Tunbridge to Maidllone j thence running
»orth-weft to Ibc city of Kocheitgr, direds its
courlJs
24 ^Description of
courfe north-eaft, dividing into two flreams, one
ot* which runs north into the mouth of the
Thames, and is called the Weft Swale ; and the
other runs eaft, and difcharging itfelf alfo inta
the mouth of the Thames, is called the Eaft
Swale ; the country included between thefe two
arms of the river is rendered an ifland, and call-
ed the Ifle of Sheppey.
The Stour confifts of two ftreams, diftingulfti-
ed by the names of the Greater and Smaller Stour :
both rife in the fouthern and woody parts of this
county, called the Weald of Kent, and diredl
their courfe north-eaft ; the Greater Stour thro'
the city of Canterbury, and the Smaller Stour
through Elham ; and falling into one channel, call-
ed the Wantfume, are again divided into two other
ftreams ; one of which flows north-weft, and the
other fouth-eaft, cutting off" the north-eaft angle
of the county, and thus forming the Ifle of Tha-
net, falls into the German fea.
The Darent, or Darwent, rifes near Weftram,
and running north, difcharges itfelf into the river
Thames near Dartford.
With refpedt to the air and foil of this county,
a great part of it lying upon the fea, the air is
thick, warm and foggy, tho' it is often purified
by the fouth and fouth-weft winds ; and thefliore
being, in general, cleaner than that of Eftex,
the marftiy parts of this county are more healthy,
and do not produce agues in the fame degree as
the hundreds of Eftex. As to the higher parts of
Kent, they enjoy a very healthy air.
This county affords fome mines of iron, and
that part of it which borders upon the Thames
abounds with chalk hills, from whence, not only
the city of London and the adjacent parts, but
even Holland and Flanders, are fupplied with
chalk for making lime j. and from'theic hills the
refuf^x
KENT. as
teFufe of this chalk is carried in ligkters and
hoys to the coafts of Eflex, SufFolk, and Nor-
folk, where it is fold to the farmers as manure
for their lands. The foil is generally rich and fit
for the plough, pafture, or meadow ; and the
land abounds with plantation of hops, corn fields,
orchards of cherries, apples, and other fruit. The
fouth and weft parts of Kent, efpeciaily that call-
ed the Weald, are covered with woods of oak,
beach, and chefnut- trees, which aiFord timber for
ftiipping and other ufes : here are likewife many
woods of birch, from whence the broom-makers of
Southwark are abundantly fupplied. Several parts
afford a romantic variety of landfcapes, particu-
larly about Thong and Shorn, v/here, fays an in-
genious author, the hills are wild, fteep, and al-
moft covered with wood^ and rife into bold vari-
ations, between the breaks of which vaft prof-
pe6ts of the valley beneath, and the Thames
winding through it, are every now and then feen 5
and from the tops of fome of them moft prodigi-
ous profpec-is of the whole country at large. Be-
tween Dartford and Shooter's-hill the hufbandry
is very good^ They proceed thus, i. peafe ;
a. turnips j 3. barley, or oats, generally the
former; 4. wheat; but fometimes clover is fowa
with the barley, and then the wheat fucceeds
that. They reckon fix or feven quarters of wheat
and fpring-corn, which is very confiderable, a
good common crop. This plainly proves the land
to be very good, otherwife fuch a quantity of
wheat could never be got after barley ; but the in-
trodu6tion of clover muft be a better courfe ; for
that grafs mowed twice would abate any ranknefs
in the ground, which threatened a laid crop of
wheat. There is much fainfoin fown, many fields
of which produce three tons of hay per acre.
This county alfo produces woad and madder for
Vol. Vp B dyerso
26 ^/Description^
dyers. On the cliffs, between Dover and Folk-
ftone, is found plenty of famphire, and here in
particular fainfoin grows in great abundance.
Cattle of all forts are reckoned larger here than in
the neighbouring counties ; and the Weald of
Kent is remarkable for the extraordinary fize of
its bullocks : here are warrens of grey rabbits,
and feveral parks of fallow deer. In fhort this
county abounding in rivers, and a great part be-
ing waflied by the fea, is fupplied with a variety
of excellent fifli, and is particularly famous for
large oyfters.
It will be proper here to take notice of the Ifle
of Thanet, where the manner of agriculture, be-
ing different from that in other parts of the king-
dom, deferves particular notice. The common red
wheat is fown almoft all over the ifland, for they
cultivate little of the bearded Kentifh wheat. The
farmers begin to plow about the beginning of No-
vember ; and if the wheat be rank, and the feafon
dry in March, fome turn in their fheep, who eat
it off, by which means the wheat comes again
thicker, the ground is fettled, and the root faf-
tened by the treading of the fheep. The produce
in harveft is feldom lefs than three quarters on an
acre, and frequently four or five. On the light
lands they fow about three bufhels and a half, and
on the richer lands, four buftiels on an acre.
Of the common fort of barley they fow on the
lighter lands four bufhels on an acre, and on the
richer fomething more. For this purpofe the land
is laid as fine as poflible, and the farmers have
frequently five or fix quarters of grain, and fome-
times feven, on an acre.
The planting of beans is a modern improve-
ment. They plow the land as foon as the wheat
feafon
KENT, S7
feafon is ended, that is, about the beginning of De-
cember. The land thus plowed lies till about the
beginning of March, when they furrow their land
with a plough, and into the furrows, women hired
for that purpofe, drop the beans ; but as they
cannot always get a fufHcient number of women,
they frequently make ufe of a box, out of which
they are dropped by the feedfman. The lands be-
ing thus furrowed, give the farmer an opportu-
nity of keeping them clear of weeds, by people
going between the rows of beans to pull up the
weeds which grow among them, while the fpaces
between the furrows are houghed with a large
bough, or cleared of weeds by what they call a
Shim or brake-plough. This a piece of iron at the
bottom of two cheeks, with holes in them, which
are put through a frame of timber drawn with ona
horfe, and let up or down as there is occafion,
with iron pins. By this management the fields,
where thefe beans are planted, lie very neat, and
clear of weeds. In the choice of their feed, the
farmers have not only regard to its being free from
damage, by being mixed with wild oats, cockle,
&c. but to the foil on which it has grown, which
they defire may be as different as poffible from
that on which it is to be fown. Thus they choofe
to have the feed, which they fow on the lio-ht
!and, that which grev/ either on a gravel or deep
clay land. They likewife wet their feed with fait
water, which they fetch from the fea, and mix
lime amongft it to prev^ent the fmut, 5cc.
In plowing their land, the farmers here, in
common with others in Eaft Kent, ufe a plouo;h
with wheels, on the fide of which is a piece ^of
timber, which they call a Wreeft, made to take
off and on, as it muft always be on the fide next
the plowed land. Accordin2;Iy, at every end of
B 2 ^ the
2s8 jf Description-^/*
the furrow, the horfes ftand ftill for the plough-
man to change the place of this piece of timber.
In harvcft they bind all their corn whatfoever.
The wheat they reap very high, to leave as much
ftraw as poiTible in the fields, in order to fave
barn room. The fame perfon who reaps makes
the bands, which he cuts lower than the reft of
the corn, and binds the (heaves. The barley and
oats which they intend for bands, they pull up
by the roots, almoft as foon as they begin to
change, and let them lie upon the ground, till the
barley, &c. is ready to bind, when they bind them
into {heaves, and carry them into the barn,
where they are made into bands ; which being
tied up into bundles, are carried back again into
the fields, and are by a perfon employed on pur-
pofe diftributed to thofe who bind the barley and
oats. After the whole field is cleared of the
fheaves, what is fcattered in the binding, &c. is
collected together by a large rake, with wooden
or iron teeth, drawn by a horfe, and likewife
bound into fheaves ; thefe rakings are, by cuftorn,
not tithable, unlefs it can be proved that they are
fraudulently left.
The wheat ftubble that is left, is either mown
for the ufe of the maltmen, to dry their malt, or
elfe raked off the field by a horfe rake, carried
off the ground, and laid on heaps to rot, to rnak^
manure.
The beans they commonly pull up by the roots,
and letting them lie in rows till they are dry, bind
them with bands made of wheat ftrav/, the ears of
which are threfiied firft. But when they cut or
reap them, they do it in the following manner :
in their left hand they have an iron hook, with
which they hold the beans, and in their right
hand an inftrument c^iljsd a Twibillj with which
they cut them.
The
KENT. 29
The land in the marfties newly broken up, be-
ing reckoned too rich to bear wheat, &c. theyfow
it with canary feed, for eight or ten years after its
being firft plowed. This land is thus prepared :
firft\, it is fown a year or two with peas to kill
the greenfword, and prepare the mould. After
the crop of peas is ofF, it is plowed, and the ca-
nary feed fown on it, if it be a dry feafon, in the
beginning of March. It ufed to be ftrewed like
other feeds all over the ground, but experience
has taught the farmers, that the belt way is to
fow it in furrows made for that purpofe. This
fome have done by pouring the feed through the
fpout of a tea pot, or the like ; but others, who
think this way too tedious, choofe rather to fow
it by hand ; for which purpofe they make the
ridges between the furrows as fharp as they can,
that all the feed may fall into the furrows. By
thefe means the land is eafily kept clear of weeds^
and the crop of canary is faid to be greater by a
quarter and a half on an acre, more than when
fown the other way. Ths common quantity of
feed fown on an acre is fix gallons : this as it
grows up is often weeded, and the furrows cleanf-
ed ; and when the wheat is reaped and carried
into the barn, the harveftof the canary feed ufual-
ly comes on.
It is remarkable, that the common people here
are equally fkilled in holding the helm and the
plough : and according to the feafon of the year,
catch cod, herrings, mackrel, &c. go voyages,
and export merchandize ; dung the land, plow,
fow, harrow, reap and carry in the corn. Whea
they are boys they go to catch whitings and her-
rings, and to the north feas, whither they make
two voyages a year, and come home from the
latter foon enough for the men to reap the corn,
«nd have a winter's threfhing, which laft they
B 3 • have
20 J "Description df
have done time enough to go to fea in the fpring,
Befides this, there are two feafons for the home
fifhery, called by the inhabitants Shot-fare, and
Herring-fare. The firfl of thefe is the mackrel
feafon, which is commonly about the beginning
of May, when the fowing of barley is ended ; the
other is the feafon for catching herrings, which
begins about the end of harveli:, and ends foon
enough for their fowing the wheat.
The more uncommon plants found In this coun-
ty are,
Clufius's fea- fir, Jbies marina Belgica.
B afta rd g romel , Jnchufa degener facie 7iiiln foils ^
Red alkanet, Anchufa alclbiadlon.
Yellow alkanet, Anchufa lutea.
Small alkanet, Anchufa minor*
Sea- pimpernel, AnthylHs lentifoUa^ftvs aklnecfU-^
{lata marina*
Sea-orach, Artlplex marina.
White beets. Beta alba*
Englifli fea-colworts, Brafica marina Angllca,
Englifh coralline, Coralllna Angina*
Smalleft coralline, Corallina minima*
Thorny fampier, or fea-parfnip, Crithmum
fplnofum*
Round falt-marfh cyperus, or round-rooted
baftard cyperus, Cyperus rotundus littoreus Inodorus
A}igllct4s, C. B. In the ifles of Shepey and Thanet.
Sea- rocket, Eruca marina.
Sea-fennel, Fucus feruiaceus*
Fennel coralline, or fennel-mofs, Fucm rnari-
71US temiifolius .
Sea-girdle and hatigers, Fucus phafganoides i^
folyfchldes*
Sea ragged ftafF, Fucus fponglofus nodofus*
Black fit-wort, Glaux €xigua marltlma*
Common
KENT. 31
Common fea-purilaine, Halimus vulgaris^ five
portula marina.
Sea rag- weed, 'Jacohaea marina.
Garden- rpurge, Lathyris^ feu Cataputia minor.
Rock lavender, Limonium parvum, on the cliffs
near Margate and Ramfgate,
Purple-flowered gromel, Lithofper?7ium anchufai
facie.
Englifti fea-campion, Lychnis marina Anglica.
White coralline or fea-mofs, Mufcus marinusy
five corallina alba. .
White fea-mofs, Mufcus marinus albidus*
Coral, or mountain mofs, Mufcus corallinus^fwi
corallina montana.
Branched fea-mofs, Mufcus marinus Clufius*
Broad-leafed fea-mofs, Mufcus marinus.
Yellow-horned pappy, Papaver cornutum fiore.
luteo.
Petty-fpurge, Pcplus, five efula rotunda.
Dwarf water-plantane, Flantago aquatica hu-
milis.
Plantane with fpoky tufts, or befom plantan?.
Plant ago paniculisfparfis.
Sea-bindweed, Scldanella marina.
Englilh matweed, or helm, Spartum J?iglicantan»
Sea orach with the longeft leaf, Ariiplex marina
folio longijfuno^ found by R.amfgate pier.
The lead hares ear, Bupleurum minimu2n an-
gufiijftmo foUot five auricula leporis minima -, found
near Sandwich ferry.
Broad-leafed indented fea-wreck, Fucus^ five,
alga latifolia ?najor deniata.
Sea holly, or eringo, Eryngium marinu7n.
In the ifle of Thanet fennel grows naturally in
the hedges, and under the chalk walls, and the
foil agrees particularly with rofemary, of which
the rev. Mr. Lewis informs us, he had two hedges
B 4 ia
3^ -^Description^
in the year 1723, that were feventeen yards long^'
and five feet high.
This county is divided into five lathes, which
are fubdivided into fourteen bailiwicks, and thefe
again into fixty-eight hundreds. A lathe is a di-
vifion peculiar to this county and SufTex, it con-
filling of two or more bailiwicks, as a bailiwick
does of two or more hundreds. It contains two
cities, twenty-nine market towns, and four hundred
and eight parifhes. It lies in the province of Can-
terbury, and partly in that diocefe, and partly in
the diocefe of Rochefter. It fends eighteen mem-
bers to parliament, two knights of the (hire for
the county, two members each for the cities of.
Canterbury and Rochefter, two for the borough
of Maidftone, two for that of Queenborough,
and two for each of the four cinque ports in this
county, Dover, Sandwich, Hithe and Rumney.
The name of Cinque Ports is derived from
quinque portus, five havens oppofite to France,
thus called by way of eminence, on account of
their fuperior importance. Our kings have
thought them worthy a peculiar regard j and ia.
cr-der to fecure them againft invafions, have grant-
ed them a particular form of government. They
are under a keeper, who has the title of lord war-
den of the cinque ports (an officer firft appointed
by William the Conqueror) who has the authori-
ty of an admiral among them, and iflues out
writs in his own name. The privileges anciently
annexed to the cinque ports, and their depen-
dants, were firft an exemption from all taxes and.
tolls. Secondly, a power to oblige all that liv-
ed in their jurifdidion to plead in their courts,
and to punifh offenders in their own bounds, and
alfo murderers and fugitives from juftice. Third-
ly, a power to punifh foreigners as well as natives?
for theft 5 to have a pillpry and tumbrel or cuck*
KENT. 33
ing-ftool. Fourthly, a power to raife mounds or
banks in any man's land againft breaches of the
fea. Fifthly, to appropriate to their own ufe all
loft goods, and wandering cattle, if not claimed
withtn-a^year and a day. Sixthly, to have com-
mons, and to be at liberty to cut down the trees
growing upon them. Seventhly, to convert to
their own ufe fuch goods as they found floating
on the fea ; thofe thrown out of Ihips in a ftorm,
and thofe driven afhore when no wreck or fhip
was to be feen. Eighthly, to be a guild or fra-
ternity, and to be allowed the franchlfes of court-
leet and court-baron. Ninthly, a power to af-
fcmble, and keep a portmote or parliament for the
cinque-ports ; to punifh all infringers of their
privileges, make by-lav/s, and hear all appeals
from the inferior courts. Tenthly, their barons
to have the privilege of fupporting the canopy
over the king's head at his coronation;.
In return for thefe privileges, the cinque-ports
were required to fit out fifty-feven (hips, each
manned with twenty- one men and a boy, with
v/hich they were to attend the king's fervice for
fifteen days at their own expence ; and if the ftate
of affairs required their afliftance any longer, they
were to be paid by the crown. The number ot
fhips required from each of the four ports in this'
county, was as follow, Dover, and its members,
twenty-one i Sandwich, with its members, five j
Hithe five,, and Runiney, with its members^ five
more.
We (hall begin this county with the road which
leads from London to Sandwich,
At the diftance of five miles fouth by eafl: of the
city of London is Deptford, which was ancient*
}y called Weft Greenwich, and is faid to have
received its prefent name from its having a deep
ford over the little river Ravenfborn, neat its in-
B 5 Eux
54 ^ D E s c R I p r 1 0 f? 0/
flux into the Thames, where it has now a bricJge^
It is a large and populous town, divided into Up-
per and Lower Deptford, which together contain
two churches, feveral meeting-houfes, and about
one thoufand nine hundred dwelling houfes, but
3S moft remarkable for its noble dock, where the
royal navy was formerly built and repaired, till it
was found more convenient to build the larger
ihips at Woolwich and other places, where the
depth of water is much greater : yet, notwith-
jftanding this, the yard is enlarged to above dou-
ble its former dimenlions,"and a prodigious num-
ber of hands are conftantly employed in repairing
and encreafmg the royal navy. It has a wet dock
of two acres for fhips, befides another of an acre
and a half, with vaft quantities of timber and
other ftores ; and extenfive buildings, as ftore-
houfes of every kind, for the ufe of the place.
Among thefe ftore-houfes was a vi6lualling-office,.
built in 1745, which was accidentally burnt down-
.in January 1749, with a great quantity of provi-
fions and other ftores. There are alfo dwelling-
houfes for thofe officers who are obliged to live
•upon the fpot, in order to fuperintend the works*
Here Peter the Great, Czar of Mufcovy, work-
ed for fome time, in order to complete his Ikili ia^
the pra£iical part of naval architecSture.
In this town is a fociety incorporated by the°
name of the Trinity-houfe, in the reign of king
JFlenry the Eighth, for the regulation of feamen,
and the convenience of (hips and mariners on our
coaft. The poffeflions and privileges of this fo^
ciety were confirmed by grants from queen Eliza-
beth, king Charles the Second, and James the
Second. It is governed by a mafter, four wardens^,
eight affiftants, and eighteen elder brethren ; but the
inferior members of the fraternity, termed younger
brethren, are of an Uoilimited number, as every
mailer
K E N T. ^ 35
mafter or mate, expert in navigation, may be ad-
mitted among them. The mafter, warden, af-
fiftants, and elder brethren, are by charter inveft-
ed with the following powers ; that of examining
the mathematical children of Chrift's hofpital,
London. The examination of the mafters of his
majefty's fhips. The appointing pilots to con-
du6l ihips in and out of the river Thames ; the
fettling the feveral rates of pilotage, and ereding
light-houfes, and other fea-marks, upon the coafts
of the kingdom. The granting licenfes to poor
feamen, not free of the city, to row on the river
Thames. The punifhing feamen in the mer-
chants fervice for mutiny and defertion. The
hearing and determining the complaints of of-
ficers and feamen in the merchants fervice j but
fubjecl to an appeal to the lords of the Admiralty,
or the judge of the admiralty court. To this
company belongs the ballaft office for deepening
the river, and fupplying the fhips that fail out of
it; and all fhips that take in ballaft, pay them
one {hilling a ton, for which it is brought to the
fhips fides. By this company there are annually
relieved about three thoufand poor feamen, their
widows and orphans. They have at Deptford a
college, commonly called Trinity-houfe of Dept-
ford Strond, which contains twenty-one houfes ;
the other called Trinity-hofpltal, which has thir-
ty-eight houfes, and is a handfome edifice, with
large gardens belonging to it.
To the north-weft of Deptford is the Red houfe,
•which was a collection of warehoufes and ftore-
houfes built of red bricks, whence it had its
name. It was filled with hemp, flax, pitch, tar,
and other commodities, which in July 1 739 were
all confumed by fire.
Greenwich was anciently called Greenwic,
which fignifies a green creek, wic in the Saxon
tongue
35 vfDESCRIPTlONg/
tongue fignlfying the creek of a river. It is fitv^atW
ed on the Thames, a little to the eaft of Dept-
ford, at the diflance of fix miles from London,
It is a large, populous town, efteemed one of the
pleafanteft in England, and many of its inhabi-
tants are perfons of rank and fortune. Its parifh
church, which is dedicated to St. Alphage, was
fome years ago rebuilt as one of the fifty new-
churches erected by queen Anne's bounty. Here
was formerly a royal palace, which was firft ereded
by Humphrey, duke of Glocefter, who, from the
pleafantnefs of its fituation, called it Placentia^
It was greatly enlarged by Henry the Seventh,
who added a fmall houfe to it of Mendicant friars,
and finifhed a tower, which duke Humphry had^
begun on the top of the hill, from whence is a
delightful profpecS: of the adjacent country; and
was completed by his fon Henry the Eighth, who
was greatly delighted with its fituation; and in that
palace queen Mary, and queen Elizabeth, were
born. The tower, on the top of the hill, was
afterwards demolifhed, and a royal obfervatory
eredled in its room by Charles the Second, who
furnifhed it with mathematical inftruments, for
aftronomical obfervations. Charles the Second
alfo enlarged the park, walled it in, and planted
it with trees. The palace at length became fo
ruinous, that Charles the Second pulled it down,,
and began to ere(ft another ; one wnng of which:
he lived to fee magnificently finifhed at the ex-
pence of 36,0001. This wing, with nine acres
of land adjoining, king William appropriated for a
royal hofpital, for aged and difabled feamen. The.
other wing was begun in the reign of king Wil-
liam, carried on in the reigns of queen Anne, and'
king George the Firft, and finifhed in the reign
ai king George the Second. Such are the noble
fy,mmetry^
KENT. f7^
fymmetry, architecture and decorations, and fucb
the fine fituation and ample endowment of this
fpaclous and magnificent edifice, that there is
fcarce fuch a foundation and fabric in the world.
But if it be confidered as merely appropriated to
the ufe of humanity, and the encouragement of
navigation, the humane and generous mind will
at all times be ready to wifh, that a great part of
what has been beftowed on coflly decorations, and
expenfive ornaments, had been applied to enlarg-
ing the foundation, and admitting a greater num-
ber of thofe brave feamen, who have been maim-
ed or grown old in the fervice of the nation. Its
hall, which is very fuperb, was finely painted by
the late Sir James Thornhiil. At the upper end
of it are reprefented, under an alcove, the late
princefs Sophia, king George the Firil, king
George the Second, the late queen Caroline, the
late queen of Prufiia, the late prince of Wales,
his majefty's father, the duke of Cumberland,
and his five royal fillers* On the cieling near the
alcove are queen Anne,, and prince George of
Denmark; and nearer the door king William
and queen Mary, with feveral emblematical fi-
gures, finely executed. On a pedeftaj, in the
middle of the area, fronting a noble terrace by
the Thames, is a fine ftatue of king George the
Second. The chapel belonging to this hofpital is
extremely elegant ; the proportion is exceeding
beautiful, and forms one of the finefl: rooms in
England. It is a hundred feet by fifty, and fifty
feet high : the ornaments are all white and gold ;
the cornice very elegant,, and the cieling of the
altar truly beautiful.
Greenwich park has as much variety, in pro.-
portion to its extent, as any in the kingdom ; but
tshe views from the obfervatory, and the one-tree
h-ill^. " are, fays the ingenious Mr. Ycung, beau-
« tifiil
jS ^Description of
•' tiful beyond imagination, particulary tliC
*' former. The projection of thefe hills is {a
*' bold, that you do not look down upon a gradu-
*' ally falling flope or Hat inclofures, but at once
" upon the tops of branching trees, which grow in
" knots and clumps out of deep hollows and em-
" browning dells : the cattle which feed on the
*' lawns, and appear in breaks among them, feem
** moving in a region of fairy-land. A thoufand
*' natural openings among the branches of the
" trees, break upon little picturefque views of
" the fwelling turf, which, when illumined by
*' the fun, have an effc6l beyond the power of
«' fancy to exhibit. This is the fore-ground of
*' the iandfcape \ a little farther the eye falls on
*« that noble flrudure the hofpital, in the midft
*« of an amphitheatre of wood. Then the two
*' reaches of the river make that beautiful ferpen-
*' tine, which forms the Ifle of Dvogs, and pre-
»< fents the floating millions of the Thames. To
" the left appears a fine tra6l of country leading
*« to the capital, which there finilhes the prof-
« pea."
The firft admiflion of difabled feamen was in
1705, and there are now between two and three
thoufand men, and a hundred boys, maintained in
the hofpital, with fix nurfes to every hundred
penfioners, who are to be feamens widows, and
have a falary of 10 1. a year each ; but thofe that
attend the infirmary, have two (hillings a week
more. The penfioners are cloathed in blue, and
are allowed {lockings, fhoes and linen ; and be-
fides their commons, have one (hilling a week to
fpend, and the common v/arrant officers have one
{hilling and fix- pence. The feveral benefaftionsy
which appear in tables hung up at the entrance
of the hall, amount to 58,209 1. and in 1732, the
earl of Derwentwater's forfeited eftate, amounting
KENT. 39
to near 6,000 1. a year, was given to it by parlia-
ment. In 1737, a market was appointed at
Greenwich, the diredion of which is in the
governors of this royal hofpital, to vi^hich the
profits that arife from it are appropriated. For
its better fupport, every feaman, both in the royal
navy, and in the merchants fervice, pays fix-pence
a month, and money is granted by parliament for
the fupport of the hofpital as occafion requires.
At the end of the town, fronting the Thames^
there is a handfome college for the maintenance of
twenty old decayed houfekeepers, twelve of whom
are to be out of Greenwich, and eight are to be
prefented alternately from Snottirnam and Caftle-
rifing in Norfolk j or elfefrom Bungey in Suffolk,
This is called the duke of Norfolk's college, tho''
it was founded and endowed in 1613, by James
Howard, the duke of Norfolk's brother, who was
earl of Northampton ; and on him James the Firft
beflowed the old palace. It was called at firft
the Trinity hofpital, and v/as committed to the
care of the mercers company in London. The
penfioners, befides vi6luals and drink, are allow-
ed eighteen pence a week, with a gown every
year, linen once in two years, and hats once in-
four years. Mr. Lambard, author of the peram-
bulation of Kent, likewife built an hofpital here
in the year 1560, calling it queen Elizabeth's
college. It is for twenty poor people, and is faid
to be the firft of this kind built by an Englifh pro-
teftant. This town contains about one thoufand
three hundred and fifty houfes, and there are
two markets on Wednefdavs and Saturdays, which
were firft appointed in the year 1737. In the
reign of queen Anne, the late duke of Argyie
was created duke of Greenwich.
There arealfo in this town twocharity-fchools;
one built by Sir William Bcreman, Knt. for
twenty
40 !//Descriptioj7 nf
twenty boys, and endowed with 400 1. a. year,
left in truft to the drapers company of London ;
the other built by Mr. John Roan, who left an
eftate of 95 1. a year, in truft with the vicar,
churchwardens, and overfeers of this parifh, for
teaching twenty-eight boys, and allowing 40 s. a
year for their cloaths.
That which is now properly called the palace,
is but a fmall ftrudture, and is converted into
apartments for the governor of the royal hofpitaly
and the ranger of Greenwich park, which is well
flocked with deer.
Jonathan Goddard, a learned writer, an excel-
lent chemift, and a celebrated phyfician, in the'
feventeenth century, was born in this town, about
the year 16 17. After taking the degree of bache-
lor of arts in Magdalen-hall, Oxford, he travel-
led into foreign countries ; and, upon his return,
he graduated as bachelor of phyfic in Chrift's col-
lege, Cambridge. In 1642, he proceeded do6lor
of phyfic in the fame univerfity, and was chofen
fellow of the college of phyficians in London,
He afterwards a6ted as phyfician to Oliver Crom-
well, by whofe intereft he was elected warden of
Merton college in Oxford. Being removed, upon
the reftoration, from this honourable office, he
fpent the remainder of his days at his lodgings
In Grefham college, where he had lately been
chdfen profefTor of phyfic. He died of an apo-
plexy on the 24th of March, 1674. His works
are numerous, moft of them were printed in the
tranfadtions of the Royal Society. The princi-
pal is, A Difcoiirfe concerning Phyfic^ and the many
Ahufes thereof by the Apothecaries ; and ^ Propofa! ,
"for making JVine from the Juice of Sugar-canes.
Near Greenwich is Blackheath, where Watt
Tyler, the Kentifh rebel, muttered a hundred
thoufand men, Here are held two fairs, one on
tlni
KENT. 4i
llie 12th of May, and the other on the iith of
Oaober.
On Blackheath is the feat of Sir Gregory Page,
which is finely fittuated, and is a noble building,
with two handfome fronts, and that to the fouth
adorned with an Ionic portico. The wings con-
tain the offices and ftables, which are joined to
the body of the houfe by a colonade. The hail is
a very elegant room, fupported by handfome co-
lumns, and other ornaments in a juft tafte. On
the left hand you proceed from it into the dining-
room, which is well proportioned : it is fitted up
with rich carving and gilding, on a white ground ;
the chimney-piece is of white marble, very beau-
tiful, and finely polifhed. This room opens into
the gallery, which is fixty feet long, twenty broad
and twenty high : the cieling, cornice, and door-
cafes, are exceeding elegant, and adorned with
gilt carving on a white ground. In this room
there are a number of fine paintings by the great
mafters. This leads into the drawing-room, which
is twenty-five feet by twenty, ornamented in a
very rich and elegant tafte, and adorned with
twelve very fine pidures, containing the hiftory;
of Cupid and Pfyche, by Luca Giardino. From
thence you pafs into the faloon, which is thirty-
five feet by twenty-five, the chimney-piece of
which is exquifitely elegant. The door-cafes and
all the ornaments are very beautiful. The dreffing-
room Is likewife finely ornamented, and contains
a capital colle£lion of pi6tures, particularly twelve
pieces by the chevalier V'anderwerfF. Thefe are
ihepherds and fhepherdefles dancing, a beautiful
piece ; the Roman charity, which is very elegant j
Venus and Cupid, a moft beautiful piece ; Jofeph
and Potiphar's wife, which is extremely fine, as is
alfo king Zeleucus giving his kingdom to his fon ;
Bathfheba bathing, which is exquifitely done ; the,
choice
42 ^Description of
choice of Hercules, in which Vice is reprefenfed
as a mod tempting lady ; Mary Magdalen reading
in a grotto, which is aftonifhingly executed ; our
Saviour and" Mary Magdalen; the angels and the
fhepherds, in which the light proceeds entirely
from the angels ; the chevalier VanderwerfF, his
wife and daughter, which are very fine. In the
fame room are alfo a fine landfcape, and four
beautiful pieces of fruit and flowers, the latter by
VanHuyfum. You are next {hewn into the crimfon
bed-chamber, which opens into the library. The
rooms are hung with crimfon and green fillcs and
damafks, and the door-cafes, flabs, fophas, and
chair-frames, carved and gilt in a good tafte.
On Blackheath are alfo feveral handfome houfes,
the feats of wealthy citizens and others ; and on
the eafi: fide of it is Morden college, ere<5ted for
the fupport of decayed merchants, by Sir John
Morden, Bart, a Turky merchant, fome years
before his death, which happened in 1708.
This is a large brick bjilding with two fmall
wings, ftrengthened at the corners with ftone
juftic. The principal entrance in the centre is
adorned with Doric columns, feftoons, and a pe-
diment on the top, over which rifes a turret with'
a dial. The chapel is neatly wainfcoted, and has
a coftly altar-piece. There are here maintained
thirty-five poor gentlemen, and the number not
being limited, it is to be encreafed as the eftate
will afford ; for the building will conveniently
hold fifty. The treafurer is allowed 40 1. a year,
and the chaplain has 60 1. per annum, he reads
prayers twice a day, and preaches twice every
Sunday ; thefe officers, as well as the penfioners,
are obliged to fefide in the college. The pen-
fioners, who wear goWns, have each 20 1. a year,-
and have a common table in the hall to eat and
drink at meals, and each has a convenient apart-
mentj
KENT. 43
tnenif-, with a cellar ; but no perfon can be ad-
mitted as a penfioner, who cannot bring a certi-
ficate to prove his being upwards of fixty years of
age. This hofpital is under the dire6lion of fevea
Turky merchants, to whom the treafurer is ac-
countable, and when any of thefe die, the fur-
viving truftees chufe others in their room.
CHARLETON,or Charlton, is a pleafant wcll
built village, on the edge of Blackheath, famous
for a very diforderly fair held in its neighbourhood
on October i8, St. Luke's day, when the mob,
who have horns on their heads, take all kinds of
liberties, and the lewd and vulgar among the wo-
men, give a loofe to all manner of indecency.
This is termed horn-fair, and there are fold at it
rams horns, and horn ware of all forts. A
vulgar tradition gives the following origin of this
fair ; king John, who had a palace at Eltham in
this neighbourhood, being hunting near Charle-
ton, was feparated from his attendants, when en-
tering a cottage, he admired the beauty of the
miftrefs, whom he found alone, and debauched
her ; her hufband, however, fuddenly returning,
caught them in the facSt, and threatening to
kill them both, the king then found himfelf un-
der the neceHity of difcovering himfelf, and of
purchafing his fafety with gold ; befides which,
he gave him all the lands from thence as far as
the place now called Cuckold's point, and like-
wife beftowed on him the whole hamlet, eftablifh-
ing a fair as a condition of his holding his new
demefne, in which horns were both to be fold and
worn. A fermon is preached on the fair-day in
the church, which is one of the handfomeft in the
county, and was repaired by Sir Edward Newton,
Bart, to whom king James the Firft granted this
manor. This gentleman built his houfe at the
entrance of the village j it is along Gothic ftruc^
44 -^ Description of
ture, with four turrets on the top. It has a fpa-
clous court-yard in the front, behind it are large
gardens, and beyond thefc a fmall park, which
joins to Woolwich common. This houfe at pre-
fent belongs to the earl of Egmont.
At a fmall diftance from the church, on the.
edge of the hill, are two fine houfes, one of which,
was in the pofleflion of the late governor Hunter,
and the other was ere<5led by the late lord Rum-
ney. The gardens, being on the fide of a hill,
flope down towards the Thames, and in fummer
render the profpe<3: very delightful.
WooLV\^iCH is feated on the river Thames,
three miles eaft of Greenwich, and nine eaft by
fouth of London. It is rendered confiderable by
its ihip-yard, where is the oldeft dock belonging
to the royal navy, and is faid to have furniflied as
many men of war, as any two others in the king-
dom. Here are feveral fine docks, rope-yards,
and fpacious magazines ; befides the ftores of
planks, mails, pitch and tar. In the warren, or
park, where they make trial of great guns and
mortars, there are feveral thoufand pieces of
ordnance for fliips and batteries, befides a vaft.
number of bombs, mortars and granadoes. The
largeft fhips may fafely ride here even at low water.
A company of matrofies are employed here to make
up cartridges, and to charge bombs, carcalTes and
granadoes, for the public fervice. The church
was lately rebuilt in a handfome manner, as one
of the fifty new churches. It is remarkable, that
part of the parifh is on the other fide of the
Thames, on the Eflex fhore, where there was-
once a chapel, and is included in this county. Here
is an alms-houfe for poor widows, and the town^
has a market on Fridays, but no fairs.
In 1236 the marfhes near Woolwich were
overflowed by the river Thames, and many of th©
inhabi-
KENT. 45
inhabitants were drowned, as were alfo a great
number of cattle ; and in the reign of James the
Firft, another inundation laid many acres of
meadow ground under water, which have never
been recovered. In 1627, a grampus was taken
at Woolwich that meafured thirty feet long, and
was five feet in thicknefs.
Cr AYFORD, a town in this road, fourteen miles
from London, and two miles fouth by eaft of
Dartford, obtained its name from its having an-
ciently a ford over the river Cray or Crouch, a
little above its influx into the Thames. In the
adjacent heath and fields are feveral caves, fup-
pofed to have been formed by the Saxons, as
places of fhelter and fecurity for their wives,
children and eifedls, while they were at war with
the Britons.
Dartford is a large handfome town, origi-
nally called Darentford, from its fituation upon
the Darent, which runs through the town, and
had a ford here. It is fixteen miles diftant from
London, and watered with two or three very good
fprings. This town is full of inns and other
public houfes, on account of its lying on the
great road from London to Canterbury and Do-
ver. Here is a church dedicated to the Holy
Trinity,, with two church-yards, one round the
church, and the other on the top of the hill, with-
out the town, which is fo high, that it overlooks
the tower of the church. The town has a har-
bour for barges, and a good market on Saturdays
for corn, with a fair on the 2d of Auguft, for
horfes and bullocks.
The rebellion of Wat Tyler and Jack Straw
began in this town, in the reign of Richard the
Second, for which it was long in difgrace ; but
it has fince given the title of vifcount to the earl of
J.erfey, The iirft paper-mill in England was
ere<^ted
46 -/^Description of
ere(5led on the Darent by Sir John Spilman, ta
whom Charles the Firft granted a patent, and
20ol. a year to encourage the manufadure. On this
river was alfoere^led the lirft mill for flitting iron
bars, to make wire. In January 1738, a powder
mill was blown up here, as it had been three times
before in the fpace of eight years, but the laft time
no perfon was hurt, though all the fervants be-
longing to the mill were bufy in their feveral em-
ployments. A nunnery was founded here by Ed-
ward the Third, in the year 1355 for a priorefs, and
thirty-nine fifters of the Auguftine order. The
priorefs and nuns, on account of its being a royal
foundation, were generally elecSled out of noble
families, and the abbefs had the title of lady. It
was valued at the diflblution at 380 1. 9 s. a year.
Here feems alfo to have been a priory of Bene-
didiine monks fubordinate to Rochefler.
Gravesend is feated on the fouth bank of the
river Thames, oppofite Tilbury Fort In EfTex,
about fix miles eaft of Dartford ; about the
fame diftance north-weft of Rochefter, and twen-
ty-two from London. In the reign of Richard
the Second, the French and Spaniards failing up
the river, burnt and plundered the town, and car-
ried off moft of the inhabitants. To enable the
town to recover this lofs, the abbot of St. Mary
le Grace on Tower-hill, to whom king Richard
the Second had granted a manor belonging to
Gravefend, obtained that the inhabitants of
Gravefend and Milton, a fmall place in its neigh-
bourhood, fhould have the fole privilege of carry-
ing paflengers to and from London by water, at
two pence a head, or four fliilling'^ the whole fare ;
but it is now raifed tc nine pence a head in the
tlk-boat, and one (hilling in the wherry. Coaches
ply here at the landing of people from London,
to carry them to Rochefter. King Henry the
Eighth
KENT. 47
Eighth ralfed a platform here and at Milton ; and
thefe towns were incorporated by queen Elizabeth,
by the name of the portrieve, (which has been
changed to that of mayor) the jurats and inha-
bitants of Gravefend and Milton. The whole
town of Gravefend was burnt down in 1727, on
which the parliament in the year 1731, granted
5C00 1. for rebuilding the church.
Gravefend nearly refembles Wapping in Lon-
don, it confifting of dirty narrow ftreets of mean
houfes. Here is a handfome charitable foundation,
Mr. Henry Pinnock having, in 1624, given
twenty-one dwelling houfes, and a houfe for a
mafter weaver, to employ the poor j and a good
eftate is alio fettled for the repairs. Round the
town are feveral kitchen gardens that yield excel-
lent afparagus, which not only fupplies the neigh-
bouring places, but great quantities are fent to
the London markets, where it is preferred to that
of Batterfea. All outward-bound fhips are obli-
ged to anchor in this road till they have been vi-
fited by the cuftom-houfe officers ; and for this
purpofe a centinel at the block-houfe gives notice
by firing a mu(ket ; and as thefe vefTels generally
Itay to take in provifions here, the town is full of
feamen, and is in a conftant hurry. It has two
markets, which are held on Wednefdays and Sa-
turdays ; and two fairs, one kept on the 23d
of April, and the other on the 24th of October,
for horfes, cloaths, toys, and other articles.
CoBHAM, formerly the feat and manor of the
Cobhams, from whom it took its name, is a vil-
lage four miles fouth by eaft of Gravefend, and
about two miles to the north of the road to Ro-
jchefter. The church of this town is collegiate,
^nd in it are very ancient monuments of the fami-
lies of Cobham and Brook. It hiid the grant of
a market
4^ ^Description;?/'
a maket and fair ; but they are now both dircon-
tinned.
Cliff is a village fix miles eaft of Gravefend,
and five fo.uth of Rochefter. In the Conqueror's
time it was called Bifhops ClifF; for fome ages be-
fore they had their yearly meetings here, on the
firft of Auguft, to enadt and fettle rules for the
regulation of the clergy. The village is pretty
large, as is alfo the parifh church, and it had
once a fair, which is now difcontinued.
Cowling Caftle is a. little to the eaft of ClifF,
and was built by John, lord Cobham, in the reign
of Richard the Second, in the year 1381, and
with the barony by heirs general, defcended to the
noble family of Brook, and at length came to
Thomas Beft of Chatham, Efq-, There are large
remains of it, which are moated round, and there
are ftill two embattled round towers on each fide
the entrance, that feem to be entire, befides feve-
ral others that are half ruined, but fliow that it
was once a very large, magnificent, and ftrong
place.
From Gravefend the road extends about fix
miles fouth-eaft to Stroud, which joins to Ro-
chefter, from which it is parted by the river Med-
way, but joined to it by a bridge. Here was a man-
fion of the knights templars, and though the order
h^s been long lince diflblved, the manor in which
it ftood is ftill called the Temple. In 1194 Gil-
bert Glanville, biftiop of Rochefter, built an
hofpital, called the New Work, dedicated to the
Virgin Mary, for the reception and relief of poor,
weak, infirm people, and indigent ftrangers and
travellers, who were to be allowed a bed, with
meat and drink, till they either recovered or died.
Here was a mafter, warden, and feveral priefts,
but the revenue at the fuppreftion was only valued
at 52 1* 9 s. 10 d. a year. The church of this
town
ro/.i:/\i.}o.
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^^^I^^H
KENT. 49
town was anciently only a chapel of eafe, ere6led
by the above mentioned bifhop. There is a fair
at Stroud on the 26th of Auguft, for toys.
Rochester is a very ancient city, and the
Duro Brives of Antoninus. It is feated in a val-
ley, on the eaft fide of the river Medv^ay, which
is here very broad and rapid, at the diftance of
twenty-nine miles from London, and is joined to
Stroud by a {lately bridge, built in the reign of
Henry the Fourth, by Sir John Cobham and Sir
Robert Knowles, out of the fpoils they had taken
from the French. It confifts of twenty-one
arches, and is pne of thebeft and ftrongefl bridges
in England, next to thofe of London, VVeflmin-
fler, and Newcaftle upon Tine. This bridge is
kept in conftant repair out of the produce of cer-
tain lands, appropriated to that purpofe by a6l of
parliament in the reign of king Richard the Third,
and by two other a6ls in the reign of queen Eli-
zabeth. In 1744 it was repaired and adorned
with iron pallifades. The Roman city, which
was one of their principal ftations, was very
ftrong, it being furrounded with a wall and ditch.
Near the angle below the bridge is a large piece
of the Roman wall made of rubble-ftone, here
and there intermixed with Roman bricks, and
many Roman coins, urns, and other antiquities
have been found here. The ancient city feems to
have been of a fquare form, with the Roman road,
called Watling-ftreet, running diredly through
the midft of it. Some part of an old caftle, faid
to have been built by William the Conqueror, is
flill {landing and kept in repair. It is ufed as a
magazine, and a party of foldiers con{lantly do
duty in it Of this ftrudlure we have given a north-
Weft view. Many lands in this county are {lill
held by the ancient tenure of Cadle-guard ; that
is, upon condition, that the tenant, in his turn,
Vol. V. C ftiould
50 -^ Description c/*
ihould mount guard at the caftle ; but a compo*
fition is taken for this fervice, which the tenants
are obliged to pay ; for upon a day appointed, a
flag is hung out from that part of the caftle,
which is ftill kept in repair, and fuch of the te-
nants as do not then appear and pay their quit-
rents, are liable to have them doubled at every
tide of the Medv^^ay. Under the caftle wall, next
the river, is a chalky cliff, part of which being
waflied away, by the extraordinary rapidity of
the ftream, the wall which it fupported is fallen to
ruin, and forms a romantic appearance ; the
ground on that fide is low, marfhy, and over-
flowed by every high tide.
Rochefter is a fmall city, that chiefly confifts
of one broad, ill built ftreet, and has only the
cathedral and one parifti church. The body of
the cathedral was originally ere£ted by Ethelbert
king of Kent, who dedicated it to St. Andrew,
and made Rochefter an epifcopal fee. It was re-
paired upon the original plan in the reign of Wil-
liam the Conqueror, by Gundulph, bifhop of this
diocefe, who is faid to have been an architedl, and
to have fuperintended the building of the caftle
by the king's orders. On the north fide of the
north-weft tower of the cathedral, is the efligy
of this biftiop, and here are walls four yards
thick, which are the remains of a ftructure cal-
led Gundulph's tower. Rochefter has fent mem-
bers to parliament ever fince the firft fummons for
fuch an aflfembly, and is governed by a mayor, a
recorder, and twelve aldermen, of whom the
mayor is one ; twelve common-councilmen, a
town-clerk, three ferjeants at mace, and a water-
bailiff. Here is a town-houfe and charity-fchool,
which are the beft buildings in the place, except
the churches. A free-fchool intended for inftrud-
ing the freemens fons chiefly in the mathema-
tics.
KENT. 51
tics, was founded here by Sir Jofeph Wllllamfon,
one of the members for the city, and formerly one
of the plenipotentiaries at the treaty of Ryfwick,
Here is an alms-houfe, built by Richard Watts^
for fix poor travellers to lodge in at nights, who
are allowed four pence in the morning when they
go away, but thofe affli6led with any contagious
difeafe, and all rogues and prG(9:ors, are to be re-
fufed admiflion. The latter he excepted, becaufe
one of that profeiTion whom he had employed,
when fick, to make his will, villainoully devifed
the whole eftate to himfelf ; but Mr. Watts hap-
pily recovering, he was dete6ted. This founda-
tion is now fo improved, as not only to anfwer the
firft intention, but to fet poor people to work ;
and in fummer here are always fix or eight lodgers,
who are admitted by tickets from the lord mayor.
Here was an hofpital for the habitation and relief
of thirteen poor perfons, which was begun by
Haimo, bifliop of Rochefter, about the year 1336,
and dedicated to St. Bartholemewj the revenues
of which, in the year 1562, were valued at only
€ 1. a year.
In feveral of the creeks and branches of the
Medway, within the jurifdidtion of the city, is
nn oyfter ilfhery ; and every perfon who has ferved
{even years apprenticeftiip to any fifherman or
dredger, who is free of it, hath the privilege of
taking them. Once a year, oroftner upon occa-
fion, the mayor and citizens of Rochefter hold
what is called an Admiralty-court, to appoint the
times when oyfters fhall be taken, and fettle the
quantity each dredger-man Ihall take in a day.
Thofe who dredge for oyfters, without being free
of the fifliery, are termed cable-hangers, and are
profecuted and puniflied by this court. This
fiftiery is now in a flourifhing ftate, and every li-
cenfed dredger annually pays 6 s. 8»d to the fup-»
C 2 port
^t A Description of
port of the court. The town has a market oa
Fridays, with two fairs, the firft held on the 30th
of May, and the other on the nth of Decem-
ber, for horfes, bullocks, and various commodi-
ties.
This city has undergone many misfortunes;
for in the year 676, it was deftroyed by Etheldred,
king of Mercia ; and in 839 it was pillaged by the
Danes ; they alfo befieged it again in 885, when
they caft up works round it ; but it was relieved
by king Alfred. In the reign of William Rufus,
Rochelier v/as feized by the Normans and Eng-
liOi, who kept it for Robert, the king's brother,
whom they intended to place on the throne. Wil-
liam Rufus was fix v/eeks before it, without ma-
king any progrefs, and the befieged defended
themfelves with fuch bravery, that he began to
lofe all hopes of fuccefs ; but at length a contagi-
ous diftemperfo weakened thofe who held the city
for Robert, that they were compelled to defire a
capitulation, and his adherents were permitted to
march out with their horfes.
Chatham, which joins to Rochefter on the
eaft, is famous for being a ftation of the royal na-
vy, and has a dock, which was begun by queen
Elizabeth, and has been fo greatly improved by
her fucceffors, who built fuch a number of ftore-
houfes, that there is not at prefent a more complete
raval arfenal in the world. They have formed
new docks, launches, maft-houfes, boat-houfes,
and {lore-houfes, one of which is fix hundred and
fixty feet in length : befides thefe, are boat- yards,
anchor-yards, forges, foundaries, canals and
.ditches, for preferving the marts and yards in v»^a-
ter. In the ftore-houfcs are depofited all the fails,
rig2;ing, ammunition, guns, great and fmall {hot,
fmall arms, fwords, cutlaffcs, half pikes, and the
Other furniture of the fliips moored in the Med-?
way,
KENT. 53
way, powder excepted, which, to prevent acci'
dents, are generally kept in paticular magazines.
Thefe ftores are laid up in feparate buildings, and
maybe taken out on the mod emergent occafions
without confufion. Befides thefe, are warehoufes
for ftores, Sic. for fhips in general, and for thofe
that are to be built, or repaired. For this pur-
pofe there are feparate magazines of hemp, flax,
tow, pitch, tar, rofin, and oil ; alfo fail-cloth,
(landing and running rigging, ready fitted, and
cordage not fitted ; with blocks, tackles, run-
ners, &c. cooks, boatfwains, and gunners ftores ;
anchors of all fizes, grapples, chains, bolts^
fpikes, wrought and unwrought iron, caft iron,
pots, cauldrons, furnaces, &c. alfo fpare mafts
and yards, with great quantities of lead, nails,
and all other neceflaries. Here bufinefs is done
without the leaft confufion, fo that even a firft or
fecond rate is often completely equipped for an ex-
pedition in a very few tides.
The church ftands on a precipice near the yard,
and commands an extenfive profpe6l up and down
the Medway. Under the church yard, adjoining
to the river, is the gun yard, in which are feveral
hundreds of the largeft and fineft cannon in the
kingdom, fit for immediate ufe; and in the town
is a handfome victualling-office, for the more fpee-
dily furnifhing the men of war with provifions on
any emergency. Here are two commiilioners,
with other officers of the navy, whofe houfes are
well built, and the public buildings are extremely
large and beautiful. This important ftation is
defended by Upnor and Gillingham Caftles. The
former ftands on the weft fide the river, almoft
oppofite to the dock, and was erected by queen
Elizabeth : an its platform are thirty feven guns
that command two reaches of the river, and de-
fend all the ftiips that ride between that place and
C 3 Rochefter
54- ^ Description c/
Kochefler bridge. Gillingham caftle is well fur-
nifhed with guns, that likewife command the river,
there being no lefs than one hundred and feventy
embrazures for cannon, which would ftopthe pro-
grefs of any enemy that fliould pafs by Sheer-
nefs Fort, before they could reach Chatham. In
the late war, lines were drawn for the defence of
Chatham yard, and it was defended by a ftrong
garrifon : the workmen in the yard were alfo em-
bodied and difciplincd, that in cafe of any emer-
gency they might be able to affift the garrifon.
That called theCheft at Chatham was inftitu-
ted in the year 1558, when the feamen in the fer-
vice of queen Elizabeth agreed to allow a portion
of each man's pay, for the relief of their fellows,
who had been wounded in the defeat of the Spanifh
Armado ; this cuftom has continued ever fmce.
An hofpital was alfo erected here at the private ex-
pence of Sir John Hawkins, for the relief of ten
cr more aged or maimed mariners or fhipwrights.
Chatham has a market on Saturdays, and two fairs,
held on May 1 5 and September 19, for horfcs,
bullocks, and all forts of commodities.
Gundulph, bifhop of Rochefter, founded at
Chatham an hofpital for leprous perfons, in the
reign of William Rufus, dedicated to St. Bar-
tholemew. Jt was afterwards confirmed by Hen-
ry the> Third, and other kings, and increafed by
feveral benefadors. The governor was ftiled cuf-
tos or warden, and fometimes prior, and the bre-
thren, canons.
In the year 1667, while a peace was negocia-
ting between England and Holland, the Dutch
fent a fleet commanded by admiral Ruyter, who,
on the 8th of June, came to the mouth of the
Thames, from whence he detached vice admiral
Van Ghent, with feventeen of his lighteft fhips,
and fome fire Ihips. That officer two days after
failed
KENT. 55
failed up the Medway, took the fort of Sheernefs,
burnt a magazine of ftores to the value of 40,000 1.
and blew up the fortifications. This adtion alarm-
ed the city of London, and to prevent greater
mifchiefs, feveral {hips were funk, and a large
chain laid acrofs the narrowed part of the river
Medway. But by means of an eafterly wind and
a ftrong tide, the Dutch fhips broke the chain,
failed between the funk veflels, and immediately
burnt three large fliips and feveral others. Then
failing up a far as Chatham, burnt the Royal
Oak, the Loyal London, and the Great James.
The citizens of London were now flruck with
confternation, and apprehended that they fhould
fee the Dutch fleet at London bridge; and to
prevent this, thirteeen fhips were funk at Wool-
wich, and four at Blackwall, while platforms fur-
nifhed with artillery were raifed in feveral places.
But the Dutch, after this bold ftroke, thought fit
to retire.
{ Milton, or Middleton, is fald to have been
fo called from its fituation in the middle of the
coaft of the county, reckoning from Deptford to
the Downs. It is fiiuated about eight miles to
the eailward of Rochefter, near two miles to the
north of the road to Canterbury, and forty-four
weft by fouth of London. The kings of Kent
had a palace here, for which reafon it is ftiled, in
ancient records, the Royal villa of Middleton ;
^nd the court being often kept here, rendered it
in a flourifhing condition, till earl Godwin, and
his confederates, burnt down the palace in the
reign of king Edward the ConfefTor. The church
ftands near a mile from the town, is dedicated to
the Holy Trinity, and has feveral ancient mo-
numents. The town is large, and governed by a
j)ortrieve, annually chofen on St. James's day,
who fupervifes the weights and meafures all over
C 4 the
56 ^ Description tf/
the hundred. It has a port for barges, and a great
iifhery for oyflers, vaft quantities of which are
fent to London, where they are ufually called
Melton oyfters. The town, though large, is fo
hid among the creeks of the Eaft Swale, that it is
icarcely to be feen at any diftance either by land
or water. It has a confiderable market on Satur-
days, for corn, fruit and other provifions ; and a
fair on the 24th of July, for toys. The reader
fhould not confound this town with Milton,
which we have already- mentioned as united to
Gravefend, that being only a fmall inconfiderablc
place, when compared to this.
To the north of Milton, out of the road to
Canterbury, is the Ifle of Sheppey, which we
have already obferved in treating of the rivers of
this county, is feparated from it by the Eaft
Swale. This ifland is fo called on account of the
great number of fheep ufually fed here. It is
thought by Camden to be the Toliatis of Ptole-
my. In all themarfhy parts are Tumuli, termed
by the inhabitants Coterels i and are fuppofed to
have been caft up, in memory of the Danilh of-
ficers buried there. It is twenty-one miles round,
and yields plenty of corn j but the inhabitants are
obliged to buy their wood, at a dear rate, from
the continent. The pafTage hither from the main
land of Kent, is by King's ferry, where the boat
is towed over by a cable, about one hundred and
forty fathoms long, faftened at each endacrofs the
water. Moft of the fprings in this ifland are
brackifh ; but a well being lately funk, it fupplies
Sheernefs with frefh water. On the north fide of
this ifland arc clifts of different ftrata or clay, to
about eighty feet high, which decreafe gradually
to the weftward. As thefe clifts moulder down by
frofts and ftormy weather, a great variety of ex-
traneous bodies, faturated with pyritical matter,
are
KENT. 57
are fcattered along thefhore ; among thefe are found
teeth, vertebrae, and other parts of fifh, and ma-
ny entire crabs, and other filh of the cru^aceous
kind, petrified wood, and variety of feed vefTels ;
there are nodules alfo, v^^hich being broken, con-
tain within them fair fpecimens of the nautilus
crafTus Indicus. In this ifland are the following
places worthy of notice.
Sheerness is a point on Sheppey ifland, where
that branch of the Medway, called the Weft ,
Swale, falls into the Thames : it has a royal fort
raifed by king Charles the Second, and a line of
cannon facing the mouth of the river, with good
apartments for the officers of the ordnance, navy,
and garrifon ; and here is a yard and dock as an
appendage to Chatham. The above fortifications
were erected here to fecure the entrance of the river
Medway, after the Dutch had pafled up it to
Chatham.
Minster is a village in thelfleof Sheppey, two
miles fouth-eaft of Sheernefs, and is fo called,
from a convent built there by Sexburga, widow
to Ercombert, king of Kent, and the mother of
king Egbert, in the year 660, who endowed it
for feventy nuns of the order of St. Benedict.
This houfe was burnt down by the Danes about
a hundred and twenty years after it was eredled,
but it was afterwards rebuilt, and filled with Be-
nedictine nuns, by William, archbifhop of Can-
terbury, in the year 1130, and dedicated to St.
Mary, and St. Sexburga. At the time of th«
diflblution, here was a priorefs and ten nuns, whofe
annual revenues amounted to 122 I ^3 s. 6d.
QuEENBORouGH, in the Ifle of Sheppey, is a
town of great antiquity 3 it had a caftle, not only
for oefence, but to be a place of refuge to the
inhabitants, in cafe of an invafion ; it was erecled
by Edward the Third, and fome fay he built both
C 5 the
5S -//Description ^
the caftle and town, in honour of his queers.
The caftle becoming ruinous, it was repaired by
Henry the Eighth, who alfo at the fame time
erecSied block-houfes along the fea-coaft. It has a
corporation, governed by a mayor, four jurats, a
conftable, a town-ferjeant, and a water- bail iff,
granting it the cognizance of pleas ; with a mar-
ket on Mondays and Thursdays ; and a fair,
namely, on the 5th of Auguft; but the markets
have been long difufed ; and tho' it has a mayor,
&c. and fends two reprefentatives to parliament,
it is a dirty poor place, the chief townfmen being
oyfter-dredgers and alehoufe- keepers.
We fhall now return into the road from Ro-
chefter to Canterbury, at Sittingborn, which
is near two miles fouth of Milton, and eight
miles north-eaft of Rochefter. It had once a
market, and was governed by a mayor, but now
has neither market nor corporation, though it is
a confiderable thoroughfare, and has feveral com-
modious inns, particularly one ftill known by the
fign of the Red lion, where John Norwood, a
neighbouring gentleman, gave an entertainment
to king Henry the Fifth and his retinue, on their
return from France, the whole expence of which
was no more than nine (hillings and nine pence,
wine being then fold at two pence a pint, and
every thing elfe proportionably cheap. Near this
place are fome fmall remains of the ftone work
and ditches of a fortification, raifed by king Al-
fred, for its defence. This town has two fairs,
one held on Whit Monday, for linen and toys j
the other on the icth of Odober, for linen, wool-
len-drapery, and hard-ware.
About two miles from hence is Tong, or
ToNGE, where there was a famous caftle, which^
after the heptarchy, came into the hands of the
kings of Engl and J by whom it was polTefled, till
it
KENT. 59
It was given to the family of Bedelefmere, who
had a fair granted to be held here for three days,
which is now negledled.
About fix miles to the eaft of Sittingborn is
Feversham, which is feated a little to the north
of the road to Canterbury, not far from the eaft
end of the Ifle of Sheppey, forty-eight miles from
London. It is a populous, flourifhing town, fi-
tuated in the pleafanteft part of the county, and
has a creek coming up to it from the Eaft Swale,
on which account it is well frequented by hoys,
and other fmall vefTels, which carry on a good
trade, it being the principal port-town in this part
of Kent. In the charter of king Kenulf, granted
in the year 8i2, it is called the King's Little
Town, on account of its imall dimenfions, tho*
it is now a very confiderable place. This town
chiefly confifts of one long broad ftreet, with a
market-houfe, and charity- fchool, for ten boys
and ten girls, at the expence of the inhabitants.
This is a member of the cinque-port of Dover,
and a corporation governed by a mayor, jurats,
and commonalty. From hence the London mar-
kets are fupplied with abundance of cherries, ap-
ples, and the beft oyfters for ftewing, of which
fuch great quantities are purchafed by the Dutch,
that in the winter a confiderable number of men
and boys are employed in dredging for them. The
value of thofe annually taken from this town by
the Dutch, amounc to 2000, or 2500 1. at the
iirft purchafe. The tifliermen will allow none
but married men to take up their freedom. Here
are two markets, kept on Wednefdays and Satur-
days ; and two fairs, held on the 25th of February,
and the 12th of Auguft, for linen, woollen-dra-
pery, and toys.
Anciently the Saxon kings had amanfion-houfe
here, and here alfo, in 903, king Athelftan held a
great
6o !// Description fl/
great council, by which were ena6led fe vera! laws;
There was alfo an abbey of Benediiftine monka,
tranilated from the abbey of Bermondfey in Sur-
ry, by king Stephen, the founder thereof. They
at firft came from Clugni in Normandy, but after-
wards were difcharged from obedience and fub-
jedion, to thofe foreign monks, and were made
of the order of St. Benedid. Selden tells us,
that the abbots of Feverfham were called to
twelve feveral parliaments, though they were af-
terwards excluded. Befides the abbot, there were
but twelve monks, in imitation of Jefus Chrift
and his apoftles, and they had feveral rules pecu-
liar to themfelves. They never dined alone, but en-
tertained guefts, living in or near the town, {gran-
gers living in the country, pilgrims travelling for
devotion, and beggars. The abbey was alfo a fanc-
tuary, and offenders, if they could reach the altar
of the church before they were feized, were freed
from the rigour of the law. At the time of the
dilTolution, it was valued at about 286 1. a year.
Near this place, as well as in other parts of the
county, there are pits, narrow at the top and
wide at the bottom, with diftind: rooms, fupport-
ed by pillars of chalk. Some think they were
defigned for chalk pits, others for granaries, and
Others for places of retreat, in times of war.
Danuton, or Davington, is a fmall village
feated on a hill, not far from Feverfham, which
had a convent of black nuns, whofe founder is
not certainly known, but it was valued at the
fupprellion at 400 1. a year.
At OsPRiNG, near Feverfham, was an hofpital
founded about the year 1235, by king Henry the
Third, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It
confifted of a mafter, and three regular brethren,
of the order of the Holy-Crofs, and two fecular
clerks i but fell to decay about the end of the
reign-
KENT. 6i
re'ign of king Henry the Fourth. After which,
by the procurement of bifhop Fifher, king Henry
the Eighth prefented it to St. John's college in
Cambridge.
Badlesmere is a village three miles fouth of
Feverfham, the church of which is dedicated to
St. Leonard, and it has a fair on September 9, for
linen and toys. Bartholemew, lord of Badlef-
mere, in the thirteenth year of Edward the Se-
cond, obtained a licence for founding here a
houfe of regular canons.
Thomas Randolfe, an eminent llatefman in
the fixteenth century, was born in the year 1523,
at this village, and educated, jfirft under the fa-
mous George Buchanan, and afterwards at Chrift's
church college in Oxford. Being a zealous pro-
teftant, he retired into France in the reign of
queen Mary ; but returning to England at the
acceffion of queen Elizabeth, he was taken into
favour, and employed in no lefs than eighteen era-
baffies, all ofwhichheexecuted with equal prudence
and fuccefs. Nor was his courage inferior to his
other great qualities ; for during one of his em-
baflies in Scotland, he fent a challenge to Virac,
the French ambaflador there, on account of fome
infult, which that gentleman had offered him.
Queen Elizabeth, fenfible of his diftinguifhed me-
rit, beftowed upon him the honour of knight-
hood, appointed him chamberlain of the Exche-
quer, and mafter of the pofts ; and gave him, at the
fame time, fome confiderable eftates. He feems to
have been a man of a religious turn of mind, and to
have had no great opinion of the integrity of pub-
lic minifters ; for, in one of his letters to Sir
Francis Walfingham, his brother-in law, he fays,
'Tis now full time for us to bid farewel to the
tricks ; youy of a fecretary^ and /, of an amhajfa-
dor : and for both of us to endeavour to make our
•peace
62 A Description of
peace with heaven. He died June the 8th, 1590^
and was interred in the church of St. Peter, Paul's
Wharf, London.
At ThrowleV, about four miles fouth of Fe-
verfham, there was an alien priory of monks,
which was a cell to the abbey of St. Bertin, at
St. Omers in Artois, which, in the reign of Hen-
ry the Sixth, was given in exchange to Siorj ab-
bey in Middlefex.
Canterbury, was called by the Saxons Cant-
Wara-Byrig, or the City of the People of Kent;
and from thence its prefent name is derived. This
ancient city, the chief of this county, and the
metropolitan fee of all England, is fituated twen-
ty-feven miles eaft fouth-eail of Rochefter, fix-
teen north- weft of Dover, and fifty-fix fouth -eaft
of London. It is a county of itfelf, and is go-
verned by a mayor, a recorder, twelve aldermen,
a iberifF, twenty^ four common-councilmen, a
fword-bearer, and four ferjeants at mace. A court
is held every Monday in the Guildhall for civil
and criminal caufes, and every other Thurfday
for the government of the city. It is divided in-
to fix wards, which receive their names from its
fix gates,North-gate,Weft-gate,Worth-gate, Rid-
ing-gate, Newin-gate and Bur-gate. It confifts of
four ftreets, all of which lead to St, Andrew's
church in the center of the city, and, including
the cathedral and gardens, is about three miles in
circumference. 1 he buildings are generally old,
and neither grand nor elegant ; but there is a good
market-houfe, over which are rooms, in which
the mayor and aldermen tranfad the affairs of the
corporation. Befides the cath'xiral, here are fix-
tecn parifa churches, and icveral meeting-houfes.
The churches are St. Mary North-gate's, St»
Paul's, All Saints, St. Mildred's, St. Mary Caf-
tles, St. Andrew's, St. Mar) Magdalen's, St. Pe-
ter'sji
KENT. 63
ter's, St. George's, St. Alphage's, St. Martin's,
St. Dunftan's, Holy Crofs of Weft-gate's, St.
Margaret's, St. Mary Bredin's, and St. Mary
Breadman's.
The cathedral was In part originally built in
the time, of the Romans, by Lucius, the firfi:
Chriftian king of the Britons ; and here the con-
verted Britons worfhipped till they were driven
beyond the Severn by the Pagan Saxons ; but
Ethelbert, king of Kent, being converted by St,
Auguftine the monk, about the year 6co, he gave
him this church, together with his palace, and
the royalty of the city and its territories. This
cathedral being thus become the metropolitan
church, Auguftine repaired and confecrated it by
the name of Chrift church ; but in ion it was
rifled and burnt, together with the reft of the
city, by the Danes. King Canute, however, re-
paired it, and prefented to it, his crown of gold j
but in 1043, it was again much defaced by fire.
Afterwards Lanfrac, the archbiftiop, rebuilt it en-
tirely, and dedicated it to the honour of the Ho-
ly Trinity ; but in the reign of Henry the Firft,
it was again dedicated in the prefence of the king
and queen, David, king of Scotland, and many
of the biTnops and nobility of both kingdoms, by
the name of Chrift church. It was again con-
fumed by fire in 1174, but was begun to be re-
built in the reign of king Stephen, and compleat-
ed in that of Henry the Fifth.
Before the reformation, it had no lefs than
thirty-feven altars, and in it lie interred the bodies
of Henry the Fourth, and his queen, befides thofe
of fix other kings, thofe of Edward the Black
Prince, and of other princes, cardinals, archbi^
fhops, .&c. Among the reft St. Auguftine, with
the feven archbifliops that immediately fucceeded
him, lie interred in one vault. Thefe were Lau-
rentiusj
6 4 -^Description of
rentlus, Mellltus, Juftus, Honorius, Deus-Dedit,
and Theodofius. To whofe honour the following
verfes were engraved on a piece of marble in this
vault.
Septem funt Angli primates & protopatres
Septem restores, feptem coeloque triones ;
Septem cifternae vitae, feptemque lucernae;
Et feptem palmae regni, feptemque coronae,
Septem funt ftellae, quas haec tenet area celiac
The (brine of St. Thomas Becket, archblfhop
of Canterbury, who was -here murdered, was fo
rich, by the conftant offerings for feveral ages
made to it, that v/e are told by Erafmus, that his
chapel glittered all over with jewels of ineftimable
value, and that there appeared through the whole
church a profufion of more than royal fplendor.
Gold was one of the meaneft treasures of this
fhrlne j and at the general diflolution of religious
houfes, we are told by Dugdale, that the plate
and jewels belonging to this tomb filled two
large chefts, each of which required eight men
to remove it.
This cathedral is at prefent a noble Gothic
pile in the form of a crofs, five hundred and
fourteen feet long, feventy-four broad, and
eighty high, and in the middle is the tower, two
hundred and thirty-five feet high. It is entire-
ly vaulted with (lone, but like all other Gothic
buildings, is much too high for its breadth. The
place where the (hrine of Thomas Becket ftood,
is ftill known by the marks of the knees of the
devotees round about if, they having left deep im-
preflions in the hard coarfe marble. The font is
a mod curious and beautiful piece of workn.an-
fhip. One had been formed by Dr. Warner,
biiliop of Rochefler, but was deftroyed in the
civil wars ; but he, afterwards caufed this to be
made
KENT. 6^
made in its room. Under the cathedral is the
church of a Walloon congregation, which to fome
appears fomewhat ftrange, as they do not conform
to the liturgy of the church of England. To
thi-s cathedral belong a dean, an archdeacon, twelve
prebendaries, (ix preachers, fix minor canons, fix
fubftitutes, twelve lay clerks, ten chorifters, two
mafters, fifty fcholars, and twelve alms-men.
In the city is a fumptuous conduit erecSled by
archbifhop Abbot, who died in 1633, and is of
great benefit to the city. Near the cathedral is a
free-fchool, termed the king's fchool, and here
are three charity-fchools, in which are contained
fifty-eight boys, and fixty-fix girls. Here are no
lefs than feven hofpitals, one of which is called
Bridewell, and is both a houfe of corredion, and
a place for the reception of the fons of poor tradef-
men. Canterbury has a market on Wednefdays
and Saturdays; that on Wednefdays is toll-free
for hops ; it has alfo a fair on the 29th of Sep-
tember, for toys.
The Walloons who came hither in the reign
of queen Elizabeth, brought the art of weaving
broad filks with them, and that manufadure is
now carried to fuch perfedion, that the filks are
reckoned as good, if not better, than any foreign
filks ; and great quantities of them are fent to
London. Canterbury alfo derives great advan-
tages from the hop grounds that lie round it, which
confifi; of feveral thoufand acres, and were fome
years ago efi:eemed the greateft plantation of hops
in this kingdom. This city is alfo famous for its
collars of brawn.
Canterbury is of very great antiquity, and fome
would have it to have been built upwards of 900
years before the birth of Chrift ; but this is alto-
ther improbable, for the inhabitants of Britain
had in thofe early ages fcarce any buildings, they
lived
66 ^fDESCRIPTlON^
lived In huts, much in the fame manner as the na-
tives of North-America now do, and had no
more cloaths to cover them than they. That it
was a place of fome importance in the time of
the Romans, when it was called Durovernum,
and Darvernum, appears from the Itinerary of
Antoninus, from the Roman coins frequently dug
up here, the remains ftill vifible of Roman build-
ings, of a military way, and Roman caufeways
leading from hence to Dover, and the town of
Limme, near Hithe. Vortigern, king of the Bri-
tons, refided here after the Romans, and yielded
this city to the Saxons, in whofe time the chief
magiftrate was called a Praefe6l, afterwards a
Portrieve, and in loii, the king's provoft of
Canterbury. During the Saxon heptarchy it was
the capital city of the kingdom of Kent, and the
feat of their kings, though not built by them ;
for Hengiil long before kept his court here, as
alfo did his fucceflbrs, till Ethelbert, becoming a
Chrillian by the preaching of Auguftine the monk,
gave him not only his palace, but the royalty,
with the city and its territories ; and when that
monk was created archbifhop, he made it the
place of his refidence, as his fucceffors the arch-
bifhops did for a long time after. This city fuf-
fered greatly during the Saxon and Danifh wars,
and yet rofe again with greater beauty. It ap-
pears that at the time of the conqueft, the jurif-
didions of the king and the archbifhop were in-
termixed J and that though the archbifhop had a
mint, and fome other confiderable privileges, yet
the king had the fupreme royalty, till William
Rufus gave the city, without any refervation, to
biihop Anfelm.
Canterbury has been long famous both for its
Roman and religious antiquities. It was flrong-
ly v/alled round, and had many towers at due
intervals^
IWJj^o'
KENT, (>j
Intervals, with a deep ditch under the walls, and
a great rampart of earth within. The materials
of the walls, which are now very ruinous, are
chiefly flint. Here alfo was a caftle, fuppofed to
have been built by the Saxons, the decayed bul-
warks of which ftill appear on the fouth fide of
the city. This ftru6lure, of the ruins of which
we have given a view, appears to have been of
the fame form with that at Rochefter, and the
walls are of the fame thicknefs. The original
ground plot of the ancient city is, however,
fpoiled by churches being built in the middle of
the ftreets. North-gate, which ftands under the
caftle, and is now partly walled up, is entirely a
Roman work, and has a femicircular arch of Ro-
man brick beautifully turned, with piers of ftone^
of the thicknefs of three Roman feet. At a fmali
diftance from the caftle is a very high mount, call-
ed Dungeon hill, with a'ditch and high bank that
enclofed the area before it. The top of Dungeon
hill is as high as that of the caftle, and has a fine
profpeft over the city and country. Oppofite to
it, without the walls, is a hill, probably raifed
by the Danes, when they befieged the city. Ridin-
jgate, which is at a fmall diftance, is of a mo-
dern date, but has part o\ a Roman arch. Here
are the remains of the famous moilaftery of St.
Auguftine, built by the firft metropolitan, near
the palace of St. Ethelbert, two gates of which
remain next the city, both of which are very
ftately. Perhaps one belonged to the palace, and
the other to the monaftery, which was doubtlefs
very magnificent and extenfive, as appears from
the great compafs of ground it took up, furround-
ed with a very high wall. At the weft end of
the church, as is fuppofed, were two great towers;
half of one of them is ftill remaining, and called
£thelbert's tgvver, as is alfo a part of the other.
This
68 ^Description^''
This is about thirty feet high, and was under-
mined by digging away acourle at the bottom, in
order to throw it down ; but this was not done
effedually, for it lodged itfelf in the ground, irt
an inclining ftate. The fight is fomewhat dread-
ful, and forbids too near an approach on any fide.
The adjacent clofe is full of religious ruins and
foundations, but a great part of it is turned into a
itable. In one corner are the walls of a chapel,
the lower part of which is of Roman brick.
Eaftward of this, and farther out of the city, is
the church of St. Martin, faid to be a Chriftian
place of devotion, where king Ethelbert's queen
ufed to attend divine fervice. It is built for the
moft part of Roman brick.
The monaftery of St. Auguftine belonged to the
cathedral, and was for the moll part under the
care of a dean, and fecular canons, till archbi-
fhop Aelfric, in the year 1003, expelled them,
and put monks in their place ; but the feculars
foon after feem to have repofTefied themfelves, and
continued till bifhop Lanfrac rebuilding the ca-
thedra], and the adjacent buildings, filled them
with a hundred and fifty monks of the Benedi6line
order; from which time the monaftery was often
ftiled the church or priory of the Holy Trinity, as
well as Chrift church ; and befides the rich of-
ferings at the fhrine of Thomas Becket, it was
at the general diflblution endowed with a yearly
revenue of 2387 1. 13 s. clear.
King Ethelbert alfo founded another monafte-
ry here in the year 605, which he dedicated to St.
Peter and St. Paul ; but it was afterwards called
St. Auguftine's abbey. The monks, who were
of the Benedi6line order, had a revenue, which
at the diflfolution amounted to 1413I. 4 s. 11 d.
a year.
Without
KENT. 6^
Without the North-gate, Lanfrac, archbifhop of
Canterbury, founded an hofpital for poor, infirm,
lame, or blind, men and women, which he de-
dicated to St. John Baptift, and endowed with
70 1. a year. It was almofl deftroyed by fire ia
the reign of Edward the Third, and charitable con-
tributions were gathered for rebuilding it. This
is ftill in being, and it is faid to contain a prior, a
reader, eighteen in-brothers, twenty in-fifters,
and the like number of out-brothers and out-fif-
ters. It has a handfome chapel decently kept,
■where divine fervice is performed, and its revenues
amount to 195 1. a year. .,
St. Gregory's was a priory, which flood near
the North-gate of the city, and was built by Lan-
frac, for fecular priefts in the year J084; but
archbifl,iop William, in the reign of Henry the
Firft, made it a priory of black canons. About
the time of the difiblution, here were thirteen re-
ligious, who had an annual revenue of 121 1. 15s.
St. Sepulchres was a nunnery of the Benedic-
tine order, built by archbifhop Anfelm, about the
year iioo. Elizabeth Barton, commonly called
the Holy Maid of Kent, was a nun here ; and
pretended a revelation from heaven, againft Hen-
ry the Eighth's divorce from queen Catharine, and
againft the dodrine of Luther. This nunnery
confifted of a lady priorefs, and fix nuns. It
was valued at the fuppreflion at 39 1 a year.
The hofpital of Kingfbridge or Eaftbridge, ftill
in being In this city, is thought to have been
founded by archbifhop Lanfrac, but archbifliop
Stratford did fo much for it, as to be ftiled the fe-
cond founder. It was originally for the enter-
tainment of pilgrims, but its revenues at thedifTo-
lution amounted only to 23 1. 18 s. gd. a year.
It was preferved at the reformation, but being like
to be fvyallowed up in queen Elizabeth's time, it;
was
^O >f Description <?/
was recovered by archbifhop Whitgift, who made
ftatutes, which were confirmed by ad of parlia-
ment j by which there are here eftabliflied a maf-
ter, a fchool-mafter, five in-brothers, five in-fif-
ters, and as many out-brothers and out-fifters.
In the fouth-eaft fuburb, Hugh, the fecond of
that name, abbot of St. Auguftine, built an hof-
pital, dedicated to St. Laurence, in the year
1 137, for the relief of leprous monks, and the poor
parents and relations of any of the monks of that
abbey. It confifted of a warden, or keeper, a
prieft, one clerk, and fixteen brethren and fifters,
the chief of whom was fometimes called the
priorefs The revenues of this houfe were valued
at the diiTolution at 39 1. 18 s. 6 d. in the whole,
and 31 1. 7 s. lod. clear.
In St. Peter's parifh, almoft oppofite to the gate
of the black friars, was an ancient hofpital, called
St. Nicholas and St. Catharines, founded by one
William Cockyn, a citizen here, which was,
about the year 1203, united to the neighbouring
hofpital of St. Thomas at Eaftbridge.
The Minor, Francifcan, or Grey friars, came
into England in the year 1224, and were nine in
number, five of whom, by the direction of king
Henry the Third, fixed the firft houfe of their or-
der on a piece of ground near the poor priefts hof-
pital. John Diggs, an alderman, and feveral
times (herifF of Canterbury, tranflated them to an
ifland called Bynnewith, on the weft fide of the
city. K.ing Henry the Seventh was a benefa6^or
to them, as was alfo Richard Martin, who by his
will gave liberally both to the church and con-
vent. Hugh Rich, warden of this convent, was
one of thofe who joined the holy maid of Kent in
her impofture, and fufFered with her. This was
fupprelFed with the other religious houfes, but the
value of its revenue is not known.
In
KENT. 71
In the parifh of St. Margaret, Simon de Lang-
ton, archdeacon of Canterbury, founded an hof-
pital for poor, infirm, aged priefts, which was
valued at the diirolution at 28 1. i6s. in the
whole, and 10 1. 13 s. 8 d. clear. It continued
undiflolved till the feventeenth of Elizabeth, when
being furrendered up, the queen granted it, with
all its lands, to the mayor and commonalty of the
city; and it is now, as hath been already men-
tioned, called Bridewell hofpital, from its being
a houfe of corre6tion
Mainyard's Spittle, was an hofpital founded by
the mayor and commonalty, who endowed it with
as much land and old leafes, as amounted to five
marks a year. In 1362, feven poor people were
maintained in it.
St. James, or St. Jaques hofpital for leprous
women, was dedicated to St. James, and was de-
figned to maintain one clerk, three priefts, and
twenty-five leprous women. At the time of the
fuppreffion it was found to be worth 46 1. a year,
tho' it was not difTolved till a little while after.
In the reign of king Edward the Firft or Se-
cond, the friars heremites, of the order of St,
Auguftine, obtained a fettlement and a houfe in
the parifh of St. George, by the gift of Richard
French, baker: to this houfe king Edward the
Third, and others, were benefa6lors.
The knights templars had alfo a houfe, and
wore crofTes on their upper garments, to diftinguifh
them from all other orders. They alfo built
themfelves houfes in moft great towns, and that
at London Is ftill called the Temple; but this or-
der was aboliflied in 1318. There was alfo ano-
ther houfe built by Edward the Black Prince, for
certain chantry priefts, and their fucceflbrs. It is
fliil ftanding, and the prlPiCe's arms are to be feen
over
72 ^Description of
over the porch, though the ufe of it is quite
changed.
Thomas Linacre, one of the mofl learned phy-
ficians of the fixteenth century,, was born in this
city about the year 1460, and educated at the
fchool of his native place, and at All Souls col-
lege in Oxford. After going through the ufual
courfe of an academical education, he went over to
Italy, and fitudied Greek under Demetrius Chal-
condylas, and Latin under Angejlo Politian : of
both thefe tongues heacqurredfo thorough a know-
ledge, that he was confidered as one of the moft
accompliflied linguifts of the age. r Having thus
perfedled himfelf in claflical learning, he repaired
to Rome, and applied to the ftudy of natural phi-
lofophy and phyfic, particularly the latter ; and,
upon his return to- Englaind, became phyfician,
firft to prince Arthur, then: to king Henry the Se-
venth, afterwards to king Henry the Eighth, and,
laft of all, to the princefs Mary. In order to en-
courage the ftudy of phyfic, he founded two lec-
tures in that fcience at Oxford, and one at Cam-
bridge. Itwashe,likewife,thatproje(Sledthefounda-
tion of the College of Phyficians^ which was eftablilh-
ed in 15 18, and of which he was chofenthe firft
prefidenr. Towards the" latter end of his life he
ftudied divinity, entered into orders, and obtain-
ed fome livino;s in the church. He died of the
none, aged fixty^four ; and was buried in St.
PauPs cathedral, London. A monument was af-
terwards eredled to his memory by his friend Dr.
Caius. He tranflated into Latin Proclus de. Sphae-
ra^ and fome treatifes of Galen \ and wrote a
learned book, entitled, De EmeridataLatini Scrmo-
nis St7-u^ura. Erafpius commends the elegance
too elaborate. There goes a common report, that
he was much addicted to fwearingj and that ha-
ving
KENT. 73'
ving never read the fcriptures till his old age, he
happened, at his firfl: glance into them, to light
upon thofe words of Our Saviour, where he for-
bids fwearing ; upon which Linacre cried out
with a great oath, that either this book zuas not the
Gofpel^ or there were no ChrijVians in the world,
Richard Boyle, one of the ablefl ftatefmen of
the feventeenth century, and commonly known
by the name of the Great Earl of Cork ^ was def-
cended of an ancient and honourable family, and
born in this city October the 3d, 1566. He was
educated at Canterbury fchool, and in Bennet
college, Cambridge. In 1588, he went over to
Ireland, where he foon raifed himfelf to eminence
and'diftin6lion. The firfl: foundation of the great
fortune, which he afterwards acquired, was the
marriage portion of his firft lady, amounting to
500 1. per annum. In 1616, he was advanced to
the peerage, by the ftile of baron of Youghall ;
and, about four years after, was created vifcount
Dungarvan, and earl of Cork. His credit under
the fucceeding fovereign Charles the Firfl was ra-
ther increafed than diminifhed j for he procured
from that monarch titles of honour for moft of
his younger fons, even in their infancy. In 1631,
Jie obtained the poft of lord treafurer of Ireland ;
and, by a felicity peculiar to himfelf, this hio-h
office was made hereditary in his family, as it has
ever fmce continued. Upon the breaking out of
the grand Irifh rebellion, he made a noble Hand
againft the infurgents \ for having armed all his
tenants, and committed the command of them to
his four fons, he kept the enemy in fuch awe^
that the province of Munfter, where his lord-
fhip's intereft chiefly lay, was the laft part of the
kingdom, which the rebels dared to attack. He
died September the 15th, i6|?, and was intpricd
in his parifh church of Youghall.
VcL. V. D
74- -^ Description of
William Somner, an excellent antiquary of
the feventeenth century, was born March the 30th,
1606, in the city of Canterbury, and bred iii\
the free-fchool of that place. Though this was
all the education he received, hefoon diftinguifhed
himfelf by his literary produ(5lions. His firft trea-
tife was that of the Antiquities of Canterbury^
which was publifhed in the thirty-third year of
his age. He then applied himfelf to the ftudy of
the Saxon language, of which he became a mod
accomplifhed mafter. He was alfo a confiderable
proficient in the old Gallic, Irifh, Scotch, Go-
thic, Sclavonian, German, and in moft of the
ancient and modern tongues of Europe. He
wrote obfervations upon Sir Roger Twifden's edi-
tion of the laws of king Henry the Firft, and ac-
companied them, at the fame time, v/ith a very
ufeful gloflary. His treatife of Gravelkind was
finilhed about the year 1648, tho' not publifhed
till 1660. He adhered fteadily to king Charles
the Firft, and upon the deceafe of that prince,
wrote two poems on his fufferings and deaths
He affifted Mr. Dugdale and Mr. Dodfworth in
compiling the Monaflicon Anglicanum ; and about
the year 1659 finifhed his Saxon dictionary. He
died March the 30th, 1669, and was buried In St.
Margaret's church in Canterbury.
Aphara Behn, an excellent poetefs of the laft
age, was defcended of a good family in the city
of Canterbury, and born fome time In the reign
of king Charles the Firft, but in what year is un-
certain. Her maiden name was Johnfon. When'
very young, fhe was carried by her father to Su-
rinam, where {he contracted an acquaintance with
the American prince, named Oroonoko, whofe
adventures (be has fo feelingly defcribed In the ce-
lebrated Novel of that name. After her return to
England, fhe married Mr. Behn, a merchant of
London,
KEN T. 75
London, and foon became (o eminent for her wit
and ingenuity, that fhe was employed by king
Charles the Second in feveral negociations in
Flanders ; in all which fhe acquitted herfelf to the
entire fatisfaclion of his majefty. Returning once
more to her native country, fhe devoted the re-
mainder of her life to poetry and pleafure ; and
dying on the i6th of April, 1689, was interred in
the cloyfter of Weftminfter abbey. Befides the
novel above-mentioned, fhe v/rote feveral mifcel-
laneous poems, feventeen plays, fome hiitories and
romances 5 and tranflated Fontenelle's Plurality of
Worlds.
At LiDDEN, near Canterbury, two men in Ju-
ly 1760, grubbed up a very large afh-tree, whofe
circumference at the root was upwards of fifty
feet. In the center were two human fkeletons al-
moft entire, which, by the bones and teeth, feem-
ed to have been of a large ftature, and by them
Jay a fcymeter or dagger ; their heads lay very
near together, but their bodies, one to the eaft,
and the other fouth-eaft, and each had a head-
flone. It is not certain whether this tree grew on
them cafually, or was fet over them as a memo-
rial.
At Sturry, a village near Canterbury, fome
men being digging in May 1755, they difcovered
a large broad ftone, five feet deep in the earth,, and
under it a flone coffin, with a leaden one inclo-
fed, containing the remains of a human body, al-
moft decayed, though the teeth in the jaws feemcd
perfect. Some of the lead was much waited, as
well as fome of the flone coffin. The lead feem-
cd to be put together in fix pieces, without fol-
der, and each foot thought to weigh thirty pounds.
There was no infcription nor letter vifible, and
it was fuppofed to be of great antiquity, asnoburial-
place was near. An earthen quart jug was found
D 2 near
76 J DEStklPTiON of
near It, which upon handh'ng crumbled to pieces,"
The length of the ftone coffin was fix feet four
inches, and the lead coffin five feet eight; the per-
fon interred "was fuppofed of fmall flature.
Chartham, is a village upon the Stour,
about three miles fouth-weft of Canterbury. Here
fome perfons who were finking a well, in the year
1668, liaving reached the depth of feventy feet,
found a number of petrified bones of an uncom-
mon fize and figure ; among thefe were four per-
fe(5t teeth nearly as large as a man's hand. Some
imagine them to be the bones of a fea anima!,
which had perifhed there. This opinion was
founded upon a fuppofition, that the long Vale,
which extends upwards of twenty miles, and
through which the Stour runs, was formerly aa
arm of the fea. Others were of opinion, that
they were the bones of an elephant ; for many
elephants are faid to have been brought over into
Britain by the emperor Claudius, who landed near
Sandwich, and probably came this way in his
march to the Thames. The fhape and fize of
thefe teeth have been thought to agree with thofe
of an elephant ; and the depth at which they were
found is accounted for by the continual wafhing
down of earth from the hills.
Six miles to the fouth-weft of Canterbury, and
fcventeen to the weft of Deal, is Ckilham,
which is faid to be the place where Julius Caefar
encamped after his fecond expedition into Bri^
tain. He tells us himfelf, that he marched twelve
miles from the fhore by night, and firft encoun-
tered the Britons here ; v/hen they retreating into
ii wood, he encamped. The Britons cut down vi
great nuiBbcfcof trees, and pofled themfelves in a
pUce, extreraely well fortified both by art and na-
ture. Now this place being exa6Uy twelve miles
from the fea coali, at; fome would have it, without
KENT. 77
any river between, they think there is great pro-
bability that this was the place, where he conti-
nued encamped for ten days, and that the v/ord
Chilham, is only a corruption of Julham, focal-
led from this emperor. But the author of the ad-
ditions to Camden does not agree to this opinion,
becaufe Julius Caefar affirms, that the place where
he encamped, was twelve Roman miles, from that
where he firll: landed, whereas Chilham is feverr.l
more, efpecially if he landed at Deal, as fome
maintain. Below this town there is a green bar-
row, faid to be the burial-place of Jul-Labar,
faid to be a giant ; but Mr. Camden thinks it was
Laberus-Durus, the tribune, who was flain by
the Britons, in the march of the Romans from
the cam.p above-mentioned. King Lucius is faid
to have built a palace here, which, when
the Danes ravaged England, was turned into a
caftle, which William the Conqueror gave to one
Pulbert, who rebuilt it. It afterwards cam.-
to the crown, and was given to lord Badelefmar,
who forfeiting it for high treafon, it came to the
crown again, and pafled through feveral other
hands, till it came to Sir Dudley Diggs, mafter
of the Rolls in 1636. It is very probable, that
here were Roman buildings, becaufe when Sir
Dudley Diggs removed the ruins of the old caf-
tle, and was digging the foundation of his feat in
the place where it ftood, there was difcovered the
bafis of a more ancient ftrud^ure, and many Ro-
man veiTels. This village has one fair on Novem«
ber 8, for cattle.
About fix miles north-eaft of Canterbury Is
FoRDWicH, a place feated on the river Stour, over
which it has a bridge. This town is a member
of the port of Sandwich, and was anciently in-
corporated by the name of the barons of the town
©f Eordwich, but more lately by the name of the
D 3 mayor,
78 y/ Description of
mayor, jurats, and commonalty, who enjoy the
fame privileges as the inhabitants of the cinque
ports, but it has at prefent neither market nor
♦fair.
WiNGHAM is a village fix miles eaft of Can-
terbury in the road to Sandwich. Here was a col-
lege founded and endowed by John de Peckham,
archbifhop of Canterbury, in the year 1286, for
ten fecular canons, two deacons, and two fub-
deacons, which was valued at the fuppreffion at
84 1. a year. Here are two fairs, held on the
lirft of May, and the firft of November, for cattle.
Sandwich received its name from the Saxon
"Word Sondwic, which fignifies a fandy creek, it
being fituated at the bottom of a bay near the
mouth of the river Stour, at the diftance of thir-
teen miles to the weft of Canterbury, and feventy
eaft-fouth-eaft of London. It is feparated only
by a fmall channel from the Ifle of Thanet, and is
thought to have been built out of the ruins of the
ancient Rutupiae, which was feated at a fmall dif-
tance, and was anciently a large and populous
place, that carried on a great trade ; for in the
reig!\ of Edward the Fourth, the merchants of
this town had ninety-five {hips, and employed one
thoufiind five hundred failors, and the crown re-
ceived from its cuftoms 17,00©!. a year, an im-
menfe fum in thofe days. King Edward the Con-
felTor refided here a confiderable time. Here many
great armaments were fitted out ; and feveral bat-
tles were fought in its neighbourhood. Sandwich
haven was then one of the beft in England, and it
is faid lay near two miles eaft-fouth-eaft of the
prefent ; but it isnov/ filled up with a prodigious
quantity of fmall pebbles, thrown into the bay by
the rolling of the fea, and a hundred acres of the
flat ground are covered fix or feven feet deep ; fo
that it is with fome difficulty the communication
KENT. 79
is kept up with the Tea, and it can only receive fmall
vefTels. Indeed the navigation was long ago ob-
frru£led by a {hip of great burthen of pops Paul
the Fourth, which was funk in the channel.
Sandwich is a cinque port, and has a corporation,
governed by a mayor, jurats, and commonalty ;
and alfo fends two members to parliament. The
members belonging to this town are Fordwich,
which we have already defcribed ; Deal, which
lies to the fouth of Sandwich ; Walmar, which
lies to the fouth of. Deal; Ramfgate and Serre,
two towns in the Ifle of Thanet ; Stonar, on the
other fide of the Stour oppofite to Sandwich, and
Brightlingfey in Effex. Sandv/ich was once wal-
led round, and fome of the wall on the north and
weft fides is ftill ftanding, while on the fouth and
eaft, it is only fecured by a ditch. It fuffered
much in the wars with the Danes, &;c. for here
king Canute, in the year 1015, inhumanly flit the
nofes, and cut oft the hands of fuch of the Eng-
lifli as were given to Swain, his father, for hof-
tages. In 12 17 it was burnt by the French ; and
in 1457, the French again plundered and burnt
the town, and alfo killed the mayor and other offi-
cers. In the reign of Richard the Second, the
woolftaple was removed hither fromQueenborough ;
and in that of queen Elizabeth, fome Walloons
and Dutch flying from perfecution, came hither,
and fettled here a manufactory of woollen cloth.
This town gives the title of earl to the noble fa-
mily of Montague. Here were anciently four
churches, dedicated to St. James, St. Clement,
St. Peter, and St. Mary, but the firft is entirely
demolifhed. Here are alfo three hofpitals, a cuf-
tom-houfe, a quay, and a free-fchool, built out
of the ruins of a Carmelite monaftery by Sir Ro-
ger Manwood, with an exhib tionfor fending two
fcholars annuallv to Lincoln college in Oxford.
D 4 Here
8o >f Description^
Here are likewife two charity-fchools, one for
twenty-five boys, and the other for the fame num-
ber of girls. The chief trade of this town is in
fhipping and malting. It fupplies London mar-
ket with carrots, thofe of this town being in great
requeft ; and it likewife fupplies the feedfmen with
the greateft part of their flock for the kitchen
garden. It has two markets, which are held on
Wednefdays and Saturdays ; and one fair, on the
4th of December, for drapery, haberdafhery
goods, fhoes, and hardware.
Sandwich was anciently a manor of the church
of the Holy Trinity at Canterbury, given for
clothing the monks, and was alfo a lathe and
hundred within itfelf ; but in the year 1290, the
monks furrendered all their right to it, except to
a few houfes, and the quays. Here was a monaf-
tery dedicated to the Virgin Mary, founded by the
lady Domneva, who was affifted by king Egbert.
This ftru^lure being deftroyed by the Danes, was
rebuilt by queen Emma j but it was afterwards
demoliflied by the French, when the materials
v/ere made ufe of in building St. Mary's church.
Here was another monaflery founded in 1272, by
one Henry Cowfield, for Carmelite friars. In
this town was likewife an hofpital, dedicated to
St. Bartholomew, founded by Thomas Cromp-
thorn, Efqj and Maud his wife, about the year
1 190, for a mafter, brethren and fifters, and three
priefts, one of whom was to be prior. The re-
venues were fo encreafed by Sir Henry Sandwich,
lord *\^arden of the cinque ports, that here were
maintained twelve brethren and four lifters. It
was valued in 1562 at 40 1. a year, and is yet in
being ; for there are fix poor men, and as many
women, who have each a houfe and garden,
with ahandfome allowance. It is under the care
and government of the mayor and jurats. Here
was
{v/.K/xi.c^'i.
KENT. 8i
was alfo an hofpital for twelve poor perfons, de-
dicated to St. Thomas, but it has been long ilnce
demolifhed.
About a mile to the north of Sandwich is Rich-
UOROUGH, which is generally allov/ed to be the
Roman town, called Rutupiae by Ptolemy, Rhi-
tupis Portus by Antoninus, and Portus Rhutu-
pcnfis by Tacitus, which in the time of the Ro-
mans was a great city, and had a celebrated har-
bour, before it was choaked up v/ith fand ; for
here the Roman forces ufually landed, and from
hence they failed to the continent. At this town
they erected a caftle, which was begun by Vef-
pafian, and finiihed by Severus. This was the
flation of the garrifon appointed to watch and de-
fend the coall: ^ but it was deftroyed, together with
the city, by the Danes : however, the walls of the
caRle on three fides are pretty entire, and in fome
places twenty-five and thirty feet high, but with-
out any ditch. Of thefe ruins we have given an
engraved view. The fide of the wall next the
fea being upon a kind of cliff", its top is only level
with the ground. At the eaft angle the wall deC-
cends to another (lope, juft upon the river, which
feems to have been in the nature of an out-work.
In the middle of the north-eaft fide, is a fquarcr
work projecting from the wall, which appears ti3
have been an oblique gate, for the ufe of thofe
who came from the water fide; and it is not un-
likely, that the gap on the north-eaft fide was ano-
ther ftrong gate. It evidently appears from th^
ruins of the walls in various places, that both they
and the cafilewere deliberately demolifned. At u
fmall diftance are the remains of an amphitlicLitre
made of turf, probably far the diverfion of the
garr.fon. Many Roman antiquities have bj^a
found here, and particularly gold and filver coins.
IIuA'ever, ths fite of the city is now a corn fijid,
D s bu.
82 ^Description of
but where the corn is grown up, the courfe of the
itreets may be eafily difcerned, by the corn grow-
ing confiderably thinner than in other places.
WooDNESBOROUGH is at a fmall diftance to
the eaftward of Sandwich, and isfuppofed by fome
authors to have received its name from the God
Woden, worfhipped by the Pagan Saxons, who
had probably a temple dedicated to him in this
place. It has a fair on Holy-Thurfday, for toys.
To the north of Sandwich is the Ifle of Tha-
ne t, which derived its name from the Saxon word
Thaenet, which fignifies moift or watry, it being
in many parts low and damp, and is befides fur-
rounded with water. Others derive its name from
the Britifli word Tan, or Fire, which they fuppofe
was given to it, either on account of the many
beacons formerly eretSled there to alarm the coun-
try in cafe of an invafion, or from the nightly
fire kindled on the North Foreland, as a dire61:ion
to mariners to fhun the rocks and fands, with which
this part of the coaft abounds.
This illand extends about nine miles from eaft
to well, and eight from north to fouth. The
fouth and fouth-weft fides lie low and marfhy, and
the inhabitants are fubje61: to agues : but on the
upper part to the eaft and north, it is feparated from
the octan by a high perpendicular cliff of chalk.
The foil is here quite dry, and the air remark-
abl'/ pure j but it is rather too keen in winter for
perfons who are of a tender conftitution. The
whole furface of the country is extremely level,
and in this part is great plenty of all kinds of
corn, and but few paftures. This was the firfl
place given to the Saxons by the Britifti king Vor-
tigern, v/hen he fent for their alliftance againft the
Scots and Pids ; and here the Danes began their
ravages in England. The places moft worthy of
notice in this illand are Margate and Ramfgate.
Margate
KENT. S3
• Margate, or St. John's, is feated on the
north fide of the ifland, feventy-two miles fouth-
eaft of London, and is a member of the town
.and port of Dover, to which it is fubjecl in all
matters of civil JLirifdiclion. The principal ftrcet
is near a mile in length, and being built on an
eafy defcent, the upper part is clean and dry, but
the lower part much otherwife, though there are
plenty of pebbles lying ufelefs in the beach. This
harbour is pleafant, but not much frequented, for
want of depth of water fufficient for {hips of
heavy burden.
The church {lands on a little hill, about half
a mile from the lower part of the town, next the
fea, and is dedicated to St. John Baptift. It is
a large building of flints rough-caft, with the
quoins, windows and door-cafes of hewn ftone.
It has three ifles, three chancels, and in the times
of popery, there were three altars dedicated to St.
Anne, St. John, and St. George, and over them
in niches ftood the images of thofe faints. At the
weft end of the north ifle ftands the tower, which
is fquare and low, with only a (hort fpire on the top
of it ; and within this tower is a ring of five bells,
the largeft in the ifland. Adjoining to the fouth
fide of the church yard, anciently flood two houfes
called the Wax-houfes, where were made the wax
lights ufed in the church, and at proceflions.
By that part of the town which lies next the
fea is a pier of timber, built eaft and weft in the
form of an half moon, to defend the bay from the
main fea, and make a fmall harbour for ihips of little
burthen, the corn hoys and fifliing boats. The
trade of Margate with London is at prefent not very
great, and it would be much lefs, was it not for its
being the market of the v/hole ifland, where the in-
habitants bring their corn, in order to fend it to
London, Margate has however received great ad-
vantage
84 -r^ Deschi ptloN <if
vantage from its being lately much frequented for
bathing in the fait water, there being coveretl
carriages conftrudted for carrying the patients in-
to deep water, where, by a peculiar contrivance,
the back, part of the carriage finks dov/n into the
water, and forms a bath. Two phyllcians u-
fually refide here during the bathing feafon. Here
is alfo an aflembly-room, elegantly furnifiied, which
flands on the parade, and commands a fine view
of the harbour ; and a theatre, in which a com-
pany of comedians from Canterbury perform three
times a week. Hoys fet out from London to Mar-
gate, and from Margate to London, every week,
and fometimes perform the paflage in eight hours,
though at others, they are two or three days ;
and in thefe hoys the paflengers pay only two fhil-
lings and fix- pence for the voyage.
We ought not to leave Margate without obferr-
ing, that on the 2d of December, 1 763, was a dread-
ful florm, in which the fea made a free pafTage
over the new pier head, beat down the light that
guided veflels into the port, threw down the gun
battery, and forced the cannon into the fea.
About two miles to the eaftward of Margate,
mre thofe venerable monuments of antiquity, th«
banks of Hacken-Downe, or the Field of Battle-
axes. There are here two tumuli or barrows, in
which v/ere interred the chief officers killed in a
bloody battle fought on this fpot, between the
Anglo-Saxons and the Danes, in the year 853.
One of thefe banks was opened by Mr. Reed, oc-
cupier of the land, on the 23d of May, 1743, in
the prefence of many hundred people, and in it
were found feveral graves cut out of the folid chalk,
and covered vvithftones; thefe contained bones
perfe6lly found, with fome urns, in which were
afh^s and charcoal, which crumbled to dull as
foon
K E N T. Si
foon as they were expofed to the air. The beil:
hiftorians of thefc times inform us, that the battle
was fought fo near the fea, that vaft number?
were pufhed down the cliffs during the adion ;
and it is highly probable, that the above tombs
were only thofe of the chief officers, and that
moft of the {lain on both fides were afterwards
thrown into the fea, as no other remains of bodies
have been ever found near the place.
Ramsgate is a neat fea-port tow^n, and a
member of the port and town of Sandwich. It
has many good houfes, but its trade is inconfider-
able. The new pier now building is efteemed
one of the fineft in the world, and attrads the
admiration of all ftrangers. It is chiefly built of
white Purbeck ftone, and extends near eight hun-
dred feet into the fea before it forms an angle.
Its breadth at the top is twenty-fix feet, including
a ftrong parapet which runs all along the out-fide,
and its depth admits of a gradual encreafe from
eighteen to thirty-fix feet. The front, which faces
the fouth, will, when linifhed, be of a poligonal
figure. There will be five angles on a fide, of
about a hundred and fixty-feet each, with octa-
gons at the end of fixty feet, joined to the works
already carried on in flrait lines ; and thefe Vv'ill
complete the whole defign, leaving an entrance
of two hundred feet into a noble and capacious har-
bour. This is intended as a place of refuge for
fhips in hard gales of wind, from the fouth-eaft to
the eaft- north eafl, when they are expofed to the
utmofl danger in the Downs.
Upon a ledge of rocks called the White Dyke,
at a fmall diftance from hence, the San Genaro,
a fine new Spanifh man of war of fixty-four guns,
built entirely of cedar and mahogany, was wreck-
«d on the 2d of March, J 763. She was richly
laden.
f 6 J D E s c ^ 1 p r 1 0 n of
laden, her cargo being valued at upward's of
70,000!. Had the harbour of Ramfgate been
then complete, this valuable prize might poffibljr
have been preferved^ But parting frora all her
anchors in a ftorm in the Downs, and having no
place of fafety-y to which {he could have re-
courfe, her lofs became inevitable.
In the begmning of the year 1764, during the
heavy rains and floods, a^entleman walking from
Ramfgate to Pigwell, along a clifF feventy feet
high, perceived the clifFgive way for more than
twenty yards in length, and five or fix in breadth^
and fall into the fea. At low water he, and fe-
veral others, went to the bottom of the clifF, to
fee what had happened, when they difcovered
/even graves twelve feet deep in the chalk $
•with fome bones, and a great number of bricks,
but no traces either of coffins or buildings Seve-
ral of thofe who were prefent imagined, they
were the remains of fome of our Saxon anceftors 5,
though others thought they were only the graves
of perfons drowned, and interred there after a
jQiipwreck.
Minster is a village in this ifland, feated about
three miles and a half from Sandwich, in a very
low marfhy bottom, and has a fair on Palm-Mon-
day, for toys. King Egbert, in the year 670,
beftowing on his niece Domneva feveral lands in
the Ille of Thanet, ihe built a religious houfe at
this village, dedicated it to the Virgin Mary, and
placed in it her daughter St. Mildred, whom fhe
made abbefs over feventy nuns. This abbey v/as
plundered and burnt, and the nuns and clerks fe-
veral times murdered by the Danes, particularly
in the years 980, and 1011, after the laft of
which times, here were no more nuns, but only
a few fecuiar priefls, and their church and lands
were
KENT. 87
were in 1027 granted by king Canute to the
monks of St. Auftin's, Canterbury, who tranflated
the body of St. Mildred to their own church. St.
Eadburga, the fecond abbefs, about the year 740,
built a convent at fome diftance to the eaftward of
the above abbey, and dedicated it to St. Peter
and St. Paul.
About a hundred and thirty years ago, a farmer
of Minfter, ordering his fervants to go to plow
on a holiday, they, out of revenge, refolved to en-
deavour to break the plough, and for that purpofe
run it deeper into the ground than ordinary ; but
had not gone far before they ftruck againft a pot
filled with Roman filver coin, which the fhare
brought up. Thefe were called by the country
people Baldpates, and fome others of them v/ere
many years afterwards found after ailiower of rain.
Mr. Lewis, the learned author of the Hiftory and
Antiquities of Thanet, was in poffeHion of one of
thefe coins : it had the face of Lucius Aurelius
Verus, with fhort curled hair, and a curled beard ;
with the legend, imp. l. avrel. vervs. avc.
And on the reverfe, a woman drefl'ed in a ftole,
or long robe, with a globe in her right hand, and
a cornucopia in her left j with the legend, pro v.
DEOR. T. p. II. COS. II.
It is worthy of remark, that in the Downs, in
the north part of the parifh of Minfter, is one of
the moft extenfive profpecls in the kingdom ; for
you fee not only all this little ifland, and the fe-
veral churches in it, except one, but have a dif-
tant view of the two fpires of Reculver, the Ifle
of Sheppey, the Nore, or mouth of the Thames,
the coalt of EfTex, the Swale, the Britifh channel,
the clifFs of Calais, the Downs and town of Deal,
the bay and town of Sandwich, the fine ehampain
country of Eafl: Kent, the fpires of Wodnefburg
and Afh, the ruins of the ancient caftle of Rich-
borough,
*^ A bESCRlPTION of
borough, the fine plains of Minfter, Afh, &c
with the river Stour running between them, the
iine and ftately tower of Canterbury cathedral.
and a compafs of hills of a prodigious extent
that terminate the view.
^ Sarre is eight miles eaft of Canterbury, but
IS thinly mhabited on account of the unhealthi-
rll r M^ 'i!'- I' ^'''' ^^wever, a fair on the
14th of Oaober, for toys.
St. Peter's is alfo in this ifland, in the mid-
way between Ramfgate and Margate ^ it is a
member of the port of Dover, and has two fairs,
on the 5th of April, and loth of July, for toys.
1 his village contains nothing worthy of notice
but Its church, which is a neat ftrudure, and the
fummit of Its tower, which has fix bells, com-
mands as delightful and extenfive a profpe^ bv
lea and land, as the imagination can form 3 hence
this tower ferves as a fea-mark.
To the eaftward of the church, adjoining to the
fea, IS a little vill called Bradstow, from the
broadnefs of the place. In the way leading to the
pier, IS eredled a ftone arch or portal, com-
pofed of hewn ftone and flints, to which former-
Jy were fixed ftrong gates, and a portcullis, to pre-
vent any incurfions being made here by privateers
and others, to plunder the inhabitants^ but thefe
gates have long been deftroyed. The above-men-
tioned pier is to the north-eaft of the gatewav,
and is built with timber, fo as to form a harbour,
in order to lay up the fifhing boats, and other fmall
craft, which fail from hence to the North-Sea.
For the fupport of this pier, the inhabitants of
this parifh have decrees, authorized by the lord- ,
warden of the cinque-ports, by which they arc
annually empowered to chufe two pier- wardens,
whofe bufinefs is to look after the repairs of the
pier, and colled the duties payable to it, A lit-
tle
KENT. S9
tie above the gate juft mentioned was anciently
a chapel, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, in which
was her image, called our Lady of Broadftairs,
which was held in fuch veneration, that the fhips,
as they failed by, ufed to falute it, by lowering
their top-fails.
Kilburne, in his furvey of Kent, fays, that near
this place, " on the 9th of July, 1574, a mon-
<' ftrous fifh Ihot himfelf on Ihore on a little fand
*« called Fifhnefs, where, for want of water, he
«' died the next day, before which time his roar-
<« ing was heard above a mile. His length was
" twenty-two yards, the nether jaw opening
*' twelve feet J one of his eyes was more than a
<' cart and fix horfes could draw ', a man flood
<' upright in the place from whence his eye was
<« taken ; the thicknefs from his back to the top
*< of his belly (which lay upward) was fourteen
«^ foot ; his tail of the fame breadth ; the diflance
" between his eyes was twelve foot ; three men
«' flood upright in his mouth ; fome of his ribs
*' were fixteen foot long \ his tongue was fifteen
*' foot long; his liver was two cart-loads j and a
<' man might creep into his noflrils." Whatever
abfurdities there are in this account, the reverend
Mr. Lewis has tranfcribed it into his hiflory of
the Ille of Thanet ; we therefore give it our read-
ers, but without daring to vouch for the truth of
any of the extraordinary circumflances related of
this monfler.
A little farther to the northward is the North
Foreland, fo called to diflinguifh it from South
Foreland, fcated between Deal and Dover. It is a
promontory at the utmofl extremity of the Ken-
tifh fhore, that extends into the fea, and is fome-
what higher than the neighbouring lands. X^pon
it was formerly a houfe built of timber, lath, and
plafler-workj with a large glafs-lantern on its
topa
90 y/ Description of
top, in which a light was kept to dire8: fhlps in
the night to keep clear of Goodwin fands, which
lie off this point, on which fliips are apt to ftrike,
on account of their endeavouring to keep clear of
this promontory. This houfe being, by fome ac-
cident, burnt down, they for fome time made ufe
of a kind of beacon, but about eighty years ago a
flrong light-houfe, of an odagon form, was built
of flint, on the top of which was an iron grate
open to the air, in which they made a blazing fire
of coals. About forty years ago, the top of this
light-houfe was covered with a lantern, which had
large fafh-lights ; but the failors complaining that
thefe obftru6ted their feeing the light, particular-
ly in hazy weather, the lantern was taken down.
To the repair and maintenance of this light-houfe,
every Britifh fhip which fails by this Foreland is
obliged to pay two-pence a ton, and every fo-
reigner four-pence.
At a little diftance from this light-houfe is a
fmall point of land, called Watch-house Point,
from a watch-houfe which formerly flood here for
men to watch in time of war. Juft by are twa
large banks of earth, called by the country peo-
ple Hackendon, or Hackingdown-banks, which are
fuppofed to be the graves of the Englifh and Danes
killed in a battle fought here. The largeft of
thefe banks is fuppofed to be that where the Danes
were buried, and who are faid to have been de-
feated. This battle was probably that fought by
earl Alchere, and duke Wada, with the Danes,
in the year 853, wherein the Danes were entirely
routed, and great numbers of them flain. Tho*
other hiftorians fay, that at firft the Englifh had
the vi6iory, but at laft were defeated, and both
their commanders were flain, and that this battle
was fought fo near the fea, that many on both
fides were pufhed into it and drowned.
In
KENT. '91
In a fmall valley juft by is a gate or way to the
fea, made for the convenience of the fifhery, for-
merly called by the name of Bartholomew, or
BARTLEM-GATE,and frequently King's-gate;
for king Charles the Second once landing here in
his way by water from London to Dover, com-
manded that it fhould be thus called. Here is a
pleafant little village, chiefly confifting of the
houfes of Hfhermen, who get their living here by
fifhing, going ofF to (hips in diftrefs, or carrying
them frefh provifions, beer, &c. when they pafs
this way in their return from a voyage, which is
called by the name of Foying. But of late it is
pretty much deferted. The land here ancient-
ly reached much farther into the fea than it does
at prefent, above thirty acres in one place having
been loft in the memory of man, and the fea ftill
continuing to encreach upon it.
It ought not to be omitted, that North Fore-
land is declared by ad: of parliament to be the
moft fouthern part of the port of London, which
extends north in a right line to a point, called the
Nafe, on the eaft of Eflex, and all the towns or
harbours between thefe places and London, both
on the Kentifh and Eflex fhore, are called mem-
bers of the port of London. As foon as any vef-
fels have pafled from any of thefe ports beyond
the North Foreland, they are faid to be in the
open fea ; for if they proceed to the north, they
enter the German ocean, and if to the fouth, the
Britifli channel.
It is proper to obferve, that the North and
South Forelands being the moft eafterly points in
Kent, they fhelter the fea between them on the
north and fouth, forming a tolerable good road
for fhips, called the Downs ; for the Goodwin
Sands, in other refpedls fo dangerous, at low wa-
ter, break the force of the fea on the eaft and
fouth*
^2 A Description of
fouth-eaft ; yet when the fea blows wfth great
violence at fouth-eaft, eaft by north, and eaft-
no4"th-eaft, fliips are frequently driven from their
anchors, and obliged to take fhelter, either in
Sandwich bay, or Ramfgate harbour.
Goodwin fands extend from north to fouth, at
the diftance of above two leagues from the (hore.
Their length from the North Foreland, to the
South Sand-head, over agalnft Walmar caftle,
is near ten miles, and their breadth almoft two.
" They confift, fays Mr. Lewis, of a more foft,
*' fluid, porous, fpongious, and yet withal, te-
^' nacious matter, than the neighbouring fands,
'< and confequently are of a more voracious and
*' ingurgitating property; fo that fhould a firft
*' rate man of war ftrike here, in a few days it
*' would be fo wholly fwallowed up by thefe
*« quick fands, as that no part of it would be
.*« feen. And this is that which makes the run-
*' ning on thefe fands fo much more perilous and
*' dreadful, than ftriking on any of the other,
*' which are harder and more folid, rugged and
" rocky." Misfortunes of this kind frequently
happen ; and the fifhermen on the coaft frequent-
ly preferve the lives of the fhip-wrecked, at the
extreme hazard of their own.
Ten miles to the northward of Sandwich, near
the ifland of Thanet, is Reculver, which is
feated by the fea nine miles north-eafl: of Can-
terbury, but is now a very mean place, though it
is remarkable for its antiquities. Its Roman name
is Regulbium, and it was here that Severus, em-
peror of Rome, built a caftle about the year 205,
which he fortified againft the Britons. Here
likewife Ethelbert, the firft Chriftian king of
Kent, after having given his palace at Canterbu-
ry to Auguftine, retired and built a palace for
himfelf, and his fucceflbrs, the compafs of which
may
KENT. 93
way be ftill traced out, by the ruins of its walls.
Several Roman vefTels, cillerns and cellars, befides
Villi: numbers of coins, rings, bracelets, and other
curious antiquities, have been difcovered here,
which ferve to fhew, that it was anciently a very
confiderable place ; but the fea has carried away
the greateft part of the ground upon which the
town flood. In the year 669, Egbert, king of
Kent, gave one Bafle fome lands in this parifh, in
which he built a monaftery, dedicated to the Vir-
gin Mary. In the year 944, it was annexed to
Chrift church in Canterbury, by the grant of
king Eadred, when the abbot and monks were
probably removed, yet it feems to have been a
church of confiderable note, under the government
of a dean about the year 1030.
Deal is fituated X&ven miles fouth by eaft
of Sandwich, feven north by eaft of Dover,
and feventy-five eaft by fouth of London. It
is called Dola by Julius Caefar, who is fup-
pofed to have landed here in his fecond defcent
upon Britain. The fea fhore is in this place
thrown up into long ridges like ramparts, which
fome fuppofed to have been formed by the wind,
but which Camden imagines was the work of
Julius Caefar, and intended to ferve as a kind of
naval camp ; for he tells us, that he was ten days
and nights in forming fuch a camp for the recep-
tion of his fliattered fleet, to fecure it both againft
florms and the Britons, who made feveral unfuc-
cefsful attempts upon his navy. To fupport this
*conje6lure, Camden obferves, that the neighbour-
ing inhabit^ijits call thefe ramparts Rome's work,
which is as much as to fay, tlie work of the Ro-
mans. Dr. Stukeley, however, fays, that it is in
vain to expect a fight of thefe fea-camps, which,
he obferves, have been many years abforbed by
the oceari, that has long been exercifing its power,
and
54 ^Description of
and wafting away the land. Deal confifts as k
were of two towns, the upper and more ancient^
which is feated about a mile from the fea : in
this ftands the old church, called St, Leonard's.
The lower town, which is much the largeft, lies
on the edge of the fea, and has a new church
erected in it. In fhort, both together form a large,
handfome, fea-port town, which is a member of
the port of Sandwich. Here fhips bound to and
from London to foreign parts, by the way of the
channel, generally flop*, if homeward bound, to
difpatch letters, notifying their arrival, and to fet
paffengers afhore ; but if outward bound, they
take in frefli provifions, and receive letters from
their owners and friends. It has about a thoufand
brick houfes, which form three long, but narrow
llreets. The inhabitants amount to about four
thoufand five hundred, but as no manufacture is
carried on here, the trad«s-people chiefly depend
on the fea-faring people who refort hither. This
town is governed by a mayor and jurats, and de-
fended by a caftle built by Henry the Eighth, of
which we have given an engraved view ; and near
it are two others. It has two fairs, held on the
5th of April, and the loth of October, for cat-
tle and pedlars-ware.
Sandown Caftle ftands upon the fea-fhore, about
a mile to the north of Deal, and was built by
Henry the Eighth. It confifts of four lunettes,
of a very thick ftone arch-work, with many port-
holes for great guns, and in the middle is a no-
ble round tower, with a ciftern at the top, and
underneath it an arched cavern, bomb proof. The
whole ftruClure is furrounded by a fofs, or trench,
over which is a draw-bridge. This fortrefs, with
Deal and Walmer caftles, are under the govern-
ment of the lord-warden of the cinque-ports.
Walmer Caftle is about two miles fouth of
the
Tb/.V^a.^.1 .
KENT. 95
the former, and like that ftands on the fea-fliore,
notfr.r from Deal. It was alfo built in the time
of Henry the Eighth, and was much fuch a build-
ing as the former j only in the middle, there are
more elegant apartments ereded in the moderli
tafte. This was the (eat of the noble family of
Crioll, from king Henry the Third's time, till
king Henry the Fifth's reign, when Sir Thomas
Kerioll, or Crioll, dying without iilue male, one
of his daughters and co-heireffes marying Sir John
Fogge, knight, it came to him, and by Anne,
one of the daughters and co-heirefies of Sir Tho-
mas Fogge, ferjeant-porter of Calais, it pafTed to
William Scot, Efq; and next to Henry If-
ham, Efqj whofe fon, Edward, deceafing in
the reign of queen Elizabeth, by Mary his
fole daughter andheirefs, it came to Sir John
Perkins, knight, whofe daughter Mary, by mar-
riage, conveyed it to Richard lord Minfhall, who
in 1627 fold it to James Hugefon of Linfted,
Efq; in whofe family it now remains. There are
lines drawn between the two laft- mentioned caf-
tles, and that of Deal, and at proper intervals are
round baftions, with a ditch and parapet of earth,
where cannon may be planted. Dr. Stukeley fup-
pofes, that Caefar landed between Walmer Caf-
tle and Deal, on his firft expedition, it being the
firft place where thefhore can beafcended north of
Dover, and exactly anfwers his affigned diftance
of eight miles. It is probable, that in his fecond
expedition, when he came with many more fhips,
and had a more perfe61: knowledge of the country,
he went a little farther in the Downs, to the place
where Deal now flands. Since the reign of
Henry the Eighth, the fea has carried off the ef-
planades of the three caftles, and one half of
two of the three circular forts. But of late years
the providential heaping together of pebbles, has
in
96 y^ Description */
in fome meafure put a flop to the encroachments
of the feaj and it is furprizing, to fee how they
have gradually filled up thefe foiTes and trenches.
Ten miles to the weft of Deal, in the road to
Canterbury, is Nonnington, where, at the feat
of Plumptree, Efq; there was ftanding in Au-
guft, 1764, a large oak, nick-named the fretful
oak, fuppofed to be the largeft that ever grew in
England, as it meafured four rods, or twenty-two
yards in girth.
Dover is fituated ten miles to the fouth-eaft of
Deal, fifteen miles fouth-weft of Canterbury, and
feventy-one fouth-eaft by eaft of London. It is
fuppofed to derive its name from Difyrrha, which
in the Britifli tongue, fignifies a fteep place, whence
it was called by the Saxons Dofra, and by Antoni-
nus, in his Itenerary, Dubris. It ftands in a
moft romantic fituation, in a great valley, under
a femicircular range of chalky cliffs, which form
a kind of bay or harbour, and is the only place
about this coaft where the water is admitted with-
in the cliffs. Thefe rife to an amazing height,
and nothing can be more exa6t, and at the fame
time more beautiful, than the defcription of them
which Shakefpear, in his king Lear, has put in-
to the mouth of Edgar,
. . How fearful
And dizzy 'tis to call one's eye fo low !
The crows and choughs, that wing the midway air.
Shew fcarcefo big as beetles. Halfway down
Hangs one that gathers famphire, dreadful trade I
The fifiiermen that walk upon the beach
Appe'ir like mice j and yon tall anchoring bark
Diminifh'd to her cock, her cock a buoy
Almoft too fmall for fight. The murmuring furge
Cannot be heard fo high. I'll look no more.
Left my brain turn, and the diforder make me
Topple dov/n headlong. The
KENT. 97
The famphire gathered on thefe rocks is pic-
kled, and fent to Canterbury, and from thence to
London, and different parts of England. As
Dover is fituated in the narroweft part of the chan-
nel that divides England from France, the clifts
of Calais on the French coaft, which are onlv
thirty miles ^iftant, may be feen from thofe of
Dover. By the town a brook difcharges itfelf in-
to the fea, which formerly came a good way higher
up, forming a large harbour, fo that anchors have
been found above the town.
The Roman city was to the fouth of the river,
and Watling-ftreet enters it at Bigging-gate,
extending direclly from Canterbury, where it is
very pcrfecl. 7^ his city W3.S an oblong fquare»
furrounded by a wall, through which were ten
gates ; and fome remains of the walls are fiili vi-
fibie. It had fornierly feven churches beilt in a
very antique tafte. But there are only two remain-
ing, St. James's, where the courts of the cinque
ports are held, and St. Mary's. Among the
others, that of St. Martin was collegiate, and
founded by Wightred, king of Kent. Its ruins
have a venerable appearance, and the eafl end
feems to be terminated in three femicircular works i
hut the main body is built in the form of a crols.
There is fome part of a priory remaining, which
is now a farm-houfe : this priory had twenty-tv/o
canons, but it was fuppreffed in the time of Hen-
ry the Firft, and the lands given to the archbifliop
of Canterbury. William Corbeil, then archbi-
jfhop, began to build .a new minder, which was
finifhed by Theobald, his fucceflbr, in the reion
of Henry the Second, who filled it with a prior
and twelve Bcnedicline monks, who were fubor-
dinate to the monaftery of Chrift church in Can-
terbury. At the diiTolutioa, their revenues were
Vol. V. E valued
^3 A Description of
valued at 17c 1. a year, byDugdale; but at 232 1,'
^Thrhofpital of St. Mary, alfo called Maifon
(]- Dieu, or the Houfe of God, ftood at the end
of Dover, and was founded by Hubert de Burgo,
earl of Kent, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary,
for the fupport of poor people and travellers that
came there. It was valued at the diflolution at
160 1 a year. This ftruaure Is now turned to a
ftore-houfe, and Dr. Stukeley informs us, that
here the knights templars lodged, when they came
into or went out of the kingdom.
Here was alfo an hofpital for leprous perlons,
dedicated to St. Bartholomew, which was begun
about the year 1141, "PO" the folicitation of Ul-
bern and Godwin, two monks of St. Martms,
who fubieaed it to the difpofal of their prior.
The 'town is 2;overned by a mayor, alliltants,
and commonaltyl and being one of the cinque
ports, is, in other refpeas, fubjea to the fame
iurirdiaion as the reft. In its profpenty it had
twenty-one wards, each of which furniflied a fhip
for the fervice of the crown, and maintained it
forty days at the cxpence of the inhabitants j m
confideration of which fervice they had a li-
cenfed packet boat ; and, according to the town
records, the fare to France was thus fett ed in the
rdrn of Richard the Second ; for a fingle paflen--
aci" in the fummer time, fix pence, and a. ftii^
fine, in winter; for a horfe in fummer, one (hil-
rin? and fix pence, and in winter two fliiHings.
Th^'e towns which are at prefent auxiliaries to Do-
ver, as a cinque port, and liable to contribute to
the expence of fuch fervice as may be required
upon any emergency, are Birchington, ot. John s,
and St. Peter's, three fmall towns in the ifle ot
Thanet, Ringwold, near Dover, Feyerfliam, and
Foikilonc. ^j^^
KENT. 99
The pier that forms the harbour of Dover is a
great and coftly work, on which king Henry the
Eighth expended 80,000 1. It was begun in the
year 1533, and was compofed of two rows of
main pofts, and gr^at piles of twenty-five ortvi^enty-
fix feet in Ieno;th, which were let into holes hewn
in the rocks, and fome were pointed with iron,
and driven down into the chalky ground. 'The
pofts and piles were fattened together with iro!i
bands, bolts, &c. and the interftices filled with
great chalk firones, &c. over which were
placed great blocks of ftone of tvv'enty tons each,
brought thither by w^ter from Folkftone, on tim-
ber frames fupported by empty cafl-is. The har-
bour has fince been repaired and altered, till it
v/as brought to its prefent ftate, and for its fupport
there are certain cuftomary duties on all goods^
^c. exported or imported : yet it is at prefent on-
ly fit to receive fmali veflels, and tbofe only at
high water. Above the piers, is a fort with four
baftions of a modern date. The broad beach,
M'hich lies at the mouth of the great valley, and
was the harbour in Julius Caefar's time, is a very-
delightful fpot. On the fhore there are fea plants,
and many curious fofiils and (hells, and alfo a long
itrect, called Snare-gate, from the tremendous
j-ocks of chalk hanging diredlly over the houfes.
On the famm.it of the clifi' are the remains of a
caflle, faid to have been, begun by Julius Caefar,
and finiflied by Claudius. It takes up thirty acres
of ground, and Is an amazing collection of walls,
-ditches., battleinents, mounts, and all imaginable.
-contrivances to render it impregnable after the old
manner. The walls are ftill {landing, tho' m.oil
of the works are defiroyed. There are alio the re-
mains of a royal palace and chapel, with ftables
and other offices, the ruins of which ihsw the
building to liave been very magnificent. Of all
E 2 thefe
100 A Description of
thefe ruins we have given an engraved view. One
part of the fortification that ftill remains, is a cir-
cular work, in which is an old church, faid to
have been built by Lucius, the firft Chriftian king
in Britain, with fome fragments of the Roman
buildings that had fallen into ruins. It is in the
form of a crofs, with a fquare tower in the mid-
dle ; but the windows feem to be of a much later
date than the reft of the ftruclure. This caftle is
fupplied with water by a well of a cylindrical figure,
three hundred and fixty feet deep, lined to the
bottom with free-ftone, and faid to have been the
work of Julius Caefar. The v/iUer of this well
is raifed by a wheel, which receives a man, who
turns it by his own weight. This caftle was ta-
ken by William the Conqueror in 1067 ; and oa
its being befieged by king Stephen's queen, the go-
vernor furrendered it to her. In 1228, it was deli-
vered up to Philip, earl of Flanders, but after his
departure king Henry the Third granted this place
to Hubert de Burgh, earl of Kent. The barons
of the cinque ports in 1266, having by ftratagein
gotten poifeiHon of the tower within the caftle,
they defended it till king Henry the Third ajid
his fon prince Edward appearing before it, they
fubmitted. It was by the l^nglifh, as well as fo-
reigners, called the Lock and Key of England,
and was of fuch importance, that when the dauphin
of P^-ance was aflifting king John againft the ba-
rons, the French king enquiring where his fon
was, it was anfwercd, at Stamford ; he replied,
what 1 has he not got Dover caftle, being an-
swered, No. *' Then, faid he, by the arm of St.
*' James; my fon has not one foot In England."
This noble and memorable fortrefs, which has
feveral times faved the kingdom from conqueft or
(lavcrv, is now become the prey of the people to
whorri it belongs. In queeu Anne's time, there
were
Vol. V-pa.joo.
KENT. lot
were kept here one thoufand five hundred pri-
foners ; but about fifty years ago, the timbers
and floors were carried away, fo that it is now
hardly lit for that ufe. In this caftle are two ve-
ry old keys, and abrafs trumpet, faid to have been
kept here ever fince the time of Julius Caefar.
There is here alfo a brafs gun, which is faid to be
the longed in the world. It is of the moft curi-
ous workmanfliip, and was prefented by the ftates
of Utrecht to queen Elizabeth, and is humorouf-
ly called her Pocket Piftol. It is twenty-two feet
long, requires fiftegi pounds of powder, and is
faid to carry a ball feven miles ; but the greatcit
curiofity of this place is the pharos or Roman
watch tower, {landing at the weft end of the
church, for notwithftanding it is fo much disfi-
gured bv daubino; it with mortar, cafmg; and
mending, the original intention for which it was
formed may be eafily difcerned. Its defjgn is
fimple, and yet is extremely well contrived. The
bafe is octagonal without, within a fquare, but
the fides of the fquare and o(Slagon being equal,
that is, fifteen feet, this reduces the thicknefs of
the wall to ten feet. It was much higher than it
is at prefent, and grows narrower by degrees to the
top. Upon four of the fides there are narrow
windows, handfomely turned with a femicircular
arch of Roman bricks, fix feet high. 7'he door
is on the eaft fide, about fix feet wide, and very-
well turned over head, with an arch made of
coarfe P.oman bricks and ftone alternate! y-j and
the height is fourteen feet. Upon a rock over
againft the caftle, oppodte to this tower, are the re-
mains of another pharos, called Bredenftone, and
by the vulgar, the Devil's Drop, from the ftrength
of the mortar; and here the conftable of the caf-
tle, who is always lord warden of the cinque
ports, is fworn into his office.
E 3 In
J ©2- ^^Description of
In time of peace, the packet- boats, that pafs'
between this tawn and Calais in Fiance, are ila-
tioned here. The town fends two members ta
parliament, and has two markets, which are held
on Wednefdays and Saturdays, with one fair^
Isept on the 22d of November, for wearing appa.^^
lel and habeidafliery.
White Kennet, a learned writer and an emi-
nent prelate in the eighteenth century, was born
Auguft ic, 1660, at -Dover, and educated at
Weftminfter-fchool and Edmund hall in Oxford,
Having finifhed his ftudies atibe univerfity, where
he d i it ingui filed hirafclf equally by his genius and
his application, he was prefented, in 1685, to the
\icarage of Amerfden inOxfordihire ; after which
lie became fuccefTively principal of Edmund hall,.
letSlor of Shottefbrook in Berkfhire, archdeacon
of Huntingdon, chaplain in ordmary to queea
Anne, dean of i^eterborough, and, in 17 18, was
confecratcd bifhop of that fee. Being fond of
ibooting in his younger years, he had the misfor-
tune to be v^xui^id-;;d in the forehead by the burft-
ing of his gun ; and though the wound was per-
fectly cured, yet he v/ore ever after a piece of
black velvet to cover the fear. This mark was
employed to diftinguifh his perfon on a very par-
ticular occafion. He had, it feems, by his lenity
and moderation, incurred the refentment of the
high church party; and Dr. Welton, re<Slor oi
Whitechapel, took the following method to ex-
pofe him, while he was dean of Peterborough.
In the altar piece of Whitechapel church, which,
was intended for a reprefentation of Chrift and-
his twelve apoflles eating the pafTover and laft
fuppcr, Judas, the traytor, was drawn fitting in
an elbow chair, dreffed in a black garment, be-
tween a gown and a cloak, with a black fcarf and
a white band, a ihox£ wig> and a mark on his fore-^
head
KENT. IC3
Iiea<3 between a lock and a patch, and with a great
deal of the air of Dr. Kennet's face. The ori-
ginal fketch, it is laid, was defigned for bimop
Burnet ; but the painter being apprehenfive of an
action of Scandalu?n magnatum^ leave was given
him to drop the biiliop, and make the dean. Mul-
titudes of people flocked daily to the church to be-
hold this curious picture, the meaning of v/hich
could hardly be miftaken \ but it v.-as efleemed fo
infolent a contempt of all that is facred, that, up-
on :be complaint of others (for the dean himfelf
never faw it, nor feemed to regard it) the bifliop
of London obliged thofe, who had fet it up, to
take it down. Biiliop Kennet died at his houfe
in Weftminfter on the 19th of December, 17 28.
He was a keen advocate for the revolution, and
for revolution principles ; and was wont to fay,
that when he could no longer preach or write, he
would chearfully fight in defence of that caufe*
fiis works are numerous, and greatly admired.
The principal are, his Parochial Antiquities \ his
Cafe of Impropriations ; the iliird volume of the
Comphie Hijhry of England -^ A true Jnfiver ta
Dr. oachevereWs Sermon^ &c. He founded an
antiquarian, and hiflorical library at Peterborough ;
and projected a fcheme for laying the foundatioa
of an American library.
Philip Yorke, lord high chancellor of Eng-
land, one of the moft learned lawyers, and nioll:
eminent ftatefmen, that ever appeared in this
kingdom, was the fon of a reputable attorney c f
this town, and was born here December the ill,
1690. Being intended, from the beginning:, for
the profefTion of the law, he v^^as put under the
tuition of the famous ferjeant Salkeld ; and en-
tering a member of the Middle Temple, Lon-
don, was called to the bar in 17 14. Here he fooa
rendered himfelf fo remarkable for his abilities,
E 4 as
J04. A Description of
rs to attra£l the attention of his grace, the ^wVt
cf Newcaflle, at whofe recommendation, in 1718,
he v/as chofen member of parliament for the bo-
rough of Lewes in SufTex. Before he had arrived
at the thirtieth year of his age, he was promoted
to the office of foUicitor-general, and gratified
\\'ith the honour of knighthood. About four years
after, he fucceeded to the office of attorney-gene-
ral ; and 1733, was appointed lord chief juftice of
the King's Bench, and created a peer, by the title
of lord Hardwicke, baron of Hardwicke, in the
iiounty of GJoucefter. Upon the death of lord Tal-
bot in 1737 he was declared lord high chancellor of
England ; and with what integrity and ability he
diicharged that importantoffice,appears remarkably
from this circumftance, that during the fpace of al-
moft twenty years, that he prefided in the court of
Chancery, which was longer than any of his pre-
deceffors, except Egerton, had done, only three
cf his decrees were appealed from, and even
thefe were afterwards confirmed by the Houfe of
Lords. In 1749 he was ele6ted high fteward of
the univerfity of Cambridge; and, in 17545 his
majefty advanced him, as a reward of his merit,
to the rank of an earl, with the title of vifcount
RoyRon, and earl of Hardwicke. At length,
after having held the great feal, with univerfal
applaufe, till the month of November, 1756, he
thought proper to refign it, on account of fome
difagreement which he had with the other mini-
fters. But though he thus retired from public bu-
fmefs, he ftill continued to affift the government
with his council and influence ; and having lived
to fee all hij children happily fettled, he breathed
his lafl on the 6th of March, 1764, and was in-
terred near his wife at Wimple in Cambridge-
ihire.
Six
KENT. iP5
Six miles to the eaftward of" Dover is Folk*
STONE, a town feated on the fca-coaft, four miles
north-eaft of Hive, and fixty-nine from London.
It is a member of the cinque-port of Dover, ar^,d
is governed by a mayor, jurats and commonalty.
From Dover to this place the clifF is exceeding-
high, but is here a kind of rock, and not chalk.
A plentiful fpring runs thro' the town, and near a
church upon the fea-fide is a fquare plain. It
has a harbour for fmall fhips, and feveral hundred
fifhing boats belong to it, which are employed at
the feafon in catching mackrel for London. A-
bout Michaelmas the Foikflone barks, with others
from the fhore of Suflex, fail to the coafl of Suf-
folk and Norfolk, in order to catch herrings for
the merchants of Yarmouth and Leoftcff. The
market is on Thurfdays, and there is a fair on
the 28th of June, for pedlars ware.
Folkllone appears to have been a confiderable
town in the time of the Romans, from the many
Roman coins and bricks frequently found there.
It alfo Fiourilhed under the Saxons, when it had
five churches, but four of them were dcilroyed by
earl Godwin and his fons, in the reign of Ed-
vv?r-d the Confeflbr. At the fouth part of the
town was a caille, built by Ladbald, king of
Kent, above a thoufand years ago, which falling
to decay about the year 1068, a fort was eredted
upon the fame foundation, out of the materials of
the old cafllej and the ruins of it are lliil vifible.
Upon a hill called Caftle-h;ll, was a watch tower,
now in ruins, and two pieces of an old wall hang
over a terrible cliit. T. his is fuppofed to be the
remains of fome Roman work, i^mony; the an-
tiquitics feen here are fome old guns, one of v/hich
is of iron, and of a very odd cali. It feems to
have been made in the reign of Plenry the H.ighth,
E 5 Eanfwithaj
2 00- yf Desci^iption j/"
Eanfv/ifha, the daughter of Eadbald, king of
Kent, being fond of a religious life, her father
"built here, about the year 630, a nunnery for her
life, and that of ber companions. It was dedi-
cated to St. Peter, and was bu-ilt on the fhore 5
%ut, according to fome authors, it was at length
fwallowed up by the fea ; others, however, fay it
was deftroyed by the Danes, and afterwards grant-
ed by king Ethelftan, in 927, to Chrift church in
Canterbury. After the conqueft, Nigell de Mune-
well, lord of Folkftone,- laid the foundation of a
jiew one in another part of the town, which wa^-
fini{hed by William Abrenaris, who married his-
<3aughter and heirefs, and it was given to the ab-
bot and convent of Lonely in Normandy, toge-
ther with the church of St. Mary, and St. Ean-
fwidc in this place ; upon which fome Benedi£lin^
monks were fcnt from thence and placed herev
This alien priory had the fate of the other houfes
of the fame kind, it being fuppreffed by Henr^
the Fifth, during his war with France, and fell
into the king's hands, but was afterwards made
denifon, and continued till the diflblution, when
it was valued at 41 L 15 s. 10 d. a year,
William Harvey, a celebrated phyfician, who
firft difcovered the circulation of the blood, was-
born at Folkftone, on the 2d of April, 1578'.
After purfuing the ftudy of phyfic about live years
at Cambridge, he travelled to Padua in Italyy
where he profecuted the fame (tudy, and took
the degree of do<5tor in that faculty, as he did
likewife at Cambridge, upon his return to his na-
tive country. In 1607, he was elected fellow of
the college of phyficians ; and, about eight years
after, was chofen reader of the anatomy and fur-
gery leclure, founded by Dr. Richard CaldwalL
In the courfe of thefe ledtures, he firft opened his
grand difcovery Of the firculaticn of ih bloody which
he
KENT. 107
he afterwards digefted into a regular treatiTe. He
was made phyfician to king James the Firft, and
king Charles the Firft; and in 1651, publifhed
his treatife on the Generation of Animals. He
died in June, 1657 ; and having no children, left
his eftate to the college of phyficians, where a
commemoratory fpeech in Latin in honour to his
memory, and that of their other benefa£lors, is
annually delivered on the i8th of October.
Near Folkftone is Sangate Caftle, which was
built by Henry the Eighth, much in the fame
tafte, as thofe of Deal, Sandown, and VV^almar,
and is exceeding ftrong. In this caftle queen Eli-
zabeth lodged in 1588, on herprogrefs into Kent,
to take care of the defence of the coaft.
Elham is a fmall town, about five miles to the
north- weft of Folkftone. The earl of Ew, a
Norman, had once a magnificent feat here, of
which there are no remains. Here is a market on
Mondays, and four fairs, held on Palm-Monday,
Eafter-Monday, Whitfun-Monday, and Odi-ober
10, for horfes, other cattle and pedlars goods.
HiTHE, Hythe, or HiTH, is fituated fix
miles to the fouth-weft of Elham, and fixty-nine
fouth-eaft by eaft of London. It is one of the
Cinque-ports, and is governed by a mayor, jurats,
and commonalty, who with the freemen ele6t two
members to ferve in parliament. It had once five
churches ; but having feveral times fuffered great
lofTes they are now reduced to one. It owed its
rife and profperity to the decay of the neighbour-
ing towns of Lime and Weft Hithe, v.'hofe har-
bours were choaked up with fand, and that of this
town has undergone the fame fate, fo that it is
now almoft ufelefs, and fcarcely deferves the name
of a port. Here are two hofpitals, thofe of St.
John and St. Bartholomew, both under the go-
vernment
io8 A Description of
vernment of the mayor and jurats : here is alfo a
charity-fchool for thirty boys. In a vault under
the church is a remarkable pile of bones placed in
a regular manner, with an infcription, which fays,,
they are the remains of the Danifh foldiers killed
in a battle near this place before the Norman con-
queft. Hithe has a market on Saturdays, and two
fairs, held on the loth of July, and the ift of
December, for horfes, and other cattle, fhoes^
clothiers and pedlars goods.
The misfortunes this town has fufFered were
very dreadful ; in the reign of Henry the Fourth,,
moft of the inhabitants were carried olF by a pef-
tilence, which was fucceeded by a fire that con-
fumed two hundred houfes. Soon after five of
the fhips which this town, as a Cinque-port, was
obliged to fit out for the fervice of the crown,
were funk at fea, and a hundred men drowned,.
The furviving inhabitants, difpirited by thefe ca-
lamities, refolved to leave the place 5 but the king
encouraged them to ftay, by giving them a tem-
porary releafe from the fervice due from the town
as a Cinque-port. On the 6th of April, 1580,
an earthquake rung the bells, and damaged many
houfes; and in April, 1739, while ten perfons
were waiting in the church porch for the keys, in
order to afcend the fteeple, for the fake of the
view it afForded, it fell down with fix bells in it j.
but providentially nobody was hurt.
About a mile north-weft of Hithe is Salt-
wood, a village that has a caftle, which the
learned Dr. Gale fuppofes was originally built by
the Romans, and that feveral Roman antiquities
have been found in its neighbourhood. Jn the
year 1036 Halden, a noble Saxon, gave it to
Egelnoth, archbifliop of Canterbury, and it was
fnjoycd by his fucceffors. Archbifhop Courtney
enlarged
1^/J^pa.Jo^
KENT. 1C9
enlarged and beautified it ; but Cranmer exchang-
ing it with Henry the Eighth for other lands, it
was given by Edward the Sixth to John Dudley,
earl of Warwick ; but it foon after reverting again
to the crown, that king in 1550 granted it to Ed-
ward lord Clinton, from whom it came through
feveral hands to Sir Brooke Bridges, Bart. Of
this ancient ftrudure we have given an engraved
view.
About three miles to the weftward of Hithe 13
Lime, or Limne, where, upon the fide of a
hill, are the remains of an ancient caftle, v/hich
included ten acres of land, and the ruins of a
Roman wall may be feen almoft to the bottom of
the hill. This is a noble piece of antiquity, and
there feems no doubt of its being the Portus Le-
manis of the Romans, though its port is at pre-
fent, as well as thofe of its two neighbouring
towns, Eaft and Weft Hithe, choaked up with
fand ; yet it has ftill the horn and mace, with
other tokens of its ancient grandeur. The re-
mains of this Roman work hang, as it were, up-
on the fide of the hill, for its defcent is pretty fteep,
forming a kind of irregular fquare, v/ithout a
ditch. A brook, rifing from a rock to the
weft of the church, runs on the eaft fide of
the wall, then paftes through it, and flows along
its lowermoft edge by a farm houfe at the bottom.
The compofition of the walls appears to be the
fame as thofe at Richborough. lliey are twelve
feet thick, and in fome places upwards of ten feet
high. The real harbour is thought by fome to
have been fomewhat to the eaftward, as was pro-
bably the ancient town belonging to it, old foun-
dations being frequently difcovered under the fide
of the hill, and feveral Roman coins, and other
antiquities, have beenfound in its neighbourhood ;
befides.
no ^Description <?/
befides, a field adjoining to the church yard of
Lime, is called the Northern Town, nor do
the inhabitants know that it ever had any other
name. Dr. Stukeley informs us, that between
Canterbury and this place, the way is laid out in
a ftrait line, on afolid rock of flone, from which
the town feems to derive its name, Lha in the
Britifh tongue fignifying a way, and Maen 3. ftone.
This town was formerly the place where the lord-
warden of the Cinque-ports was fworn, upon his
entering on his office.
As we have here taken notice of fo many caf-
tles feated near each other, we fhall now defcribe
one at fome diftance to the weft : this is Hever
Caftle, which is faid to have been built in the
reio^n of Edward the Third, by Thomas de He-
ver. Joan, one of the daughters and co-heirefTes
of William, that gentleman's fon, carried this
caftle by marriage to Reginald Cobham, of whofe
family it was afterwards purchafed by Geofrey
Boleyn, whofe fon George, vifcount Rochford,
being attainted of treafon, it was forfeited to the
crown, in the reign of king Henry the Eighth.
Here Anna Boleyn lived, when king Henry court-
ed her, and here queen Anne of Cleves refided
for fome time after her divorce. At length king
James the Firft granted it to Sir Edward Wald-
grave, and James lord Waldgrave, his defcen-
dant, conveyed it to Sir William Humfreys,
Bart, lord mayor of London, whofe fon lately
enjoyed it. Of this ftru6ture, which is ve*
ry extenfive, we have caufed a view to be en-
graved.
A little to the fouth of Lime is Rumney-
Marsh, a tra6t of land in the fouth-eaft part of
the country, about twenty miles long, and eight
broaij including the adjacent marfhes of Wal-
ham
Tb/T.pajio.
KENT. iir
ham zn6 Culford, and is faid to contain betv/een
forty and fifty thoufand acres of land. This trail
is remarkable for the devaftations made in it by^
the Tea in^ the reign of king Edward the Firfl:,
when whole villages, with their inkabitants, were
deltroyed, a confiderable river called the Rother,.
removed from its ufualcourfe, and a pafTage open-
ed for it nearer to Rye in Suflex, through, which
it flows at this day. Thefe marfhes, however, at
preiervt afford the richefl: paftures in England,
which feed vaft numbers of fheep and herds of
black cattle, fent hither from other parts. The
fheep are faid to be larger than thofe of Leicef-
terfhire and Lincolnfliire, and the oxen, the largeil
in England. This marfh is the place from whence
the Owlers have for many ages exported our wool
to France. Some think it was once covered with
the fea, and it is certain, that the air is very un-
wholefome, for which reafon it is but thinly peo-
pled. It has two towns, and nineteen parifhes,
which were incoporated by Edward the Fourth,
. by the name of a bailiff, twenty-four jurats, and
the commonalty of Rumney marfh. They have
a court every three weeks, for all caufes and ac-
tions ; and a power to choofe four juft ices yearly^
from among themfelves, befrdes the bailiff. They
have feveral other privileges, as well as exemp-
tions, which no other place in England enjoys. In
this marfh great trees are often found, lying at
their length under ground, they are as black as
ebony ; but fit for feveral ufes when dried.
Old Rumney, which is fituated about twelve
miles to the fouth-weft of Hithe, was anciently
a confiderable place, particalarly in the reign of
Edward the Confeffor; for earl Godwin came
into the harbour, and carried away feveral
fhips then riding there. The fea has fmce with-
diawn itfelf, and coufequently the harbour was
deferted^
Ill A Description of
deferted, and a new one made about a mile and a
half diftant, fince called New Rumney. This is
thought to have happened before the Conqueror's
time, becaufe we find in Dome's-day book, that
New Rumney was then a confiderable town and
port. From this time Old Rumney began to be
negle<5led, and the New was made one of the^^
cinque-ports.
New Rumney was at firft incorporated by
the name of the jurats and commonalty of that
town, but it is at prefent governed by j^ mayor,
jurats and commonalty, and the mayor is chofeii
on Lady-day. This town was in a flourifhing
condition in the reign of William the Conqueror ^
for it had then twelve wards, five parifhes, an hof-
pital for the ficic, and a priory. It had alfo a
good harbour on the weft fide, but the terrible
inundation from the fea we have juft mentioned,
fpoiled the haven. The two great meetings for
all the cinque-ports, are flill held here, and the
members belonging to this port, are Old Rumney,
Bromehlll, Orlafton and Dangynefs, New Rum-
ney has a market on Saturdays, and a fair on the
2iftof Auguft, for pedlars goods. An hofpital
for leprous perfons was anciently founded in this
town by Adam de Chering, in the time of Bald"
win, archbifhop of Canterbury, and dedicated to
St. Stephen, and St. Thomas of Bccket, but it
being decayed and forfaken in the year 1363, John
Fraimcys, then patron, re-eflablifned a mafter and
one prieft, fomewhat in the manner of a chantry,
which in 148 r, was annexed to St. Ivlary Mag-
dalen's college in Oxford. The church of St.
Nicholas .m thii* town, with the chapel annexed
to it, and fome other churches in Kent, being
given to a foreign abbey named Pountney ; here
was placed a cell of monks, which belonged to
that abbey ^ but upon the fuppreffion of thefe
alien
KENT. J13
alien priories, king Henry the Sixth gave it t©
All Souls college in Oxford.
Lydd, or LiDD, was thus called by the Saxons
from the Latin words Littus, the fhore, alluding
to its fituation near the fouth-coaft of Rumney
Marfli. It is fituated three miles to the fouth-
ward of Rumney, and is a populous town, incor-
porated by the name of a bailiff, jurats, and com*
monalty •, and, as hath been already mentioned,
is a member of the cinque-port of Rumney. On
the beach near Stone-end, at the eaft fide of this
pariih, is what the inhabitants call the tomb of
St. Crifpin and Crifpianus, who are fait! to have
been buried here. This town has a market on
Thurfdays, and a fair on the 24th of July, fou
pedlars goods.
Erookland is a village in Rumney Marfh,.
about three miles weft of Rumney, and has a fair
en the firft of i^uguft, for pedlars goods.
Five miles to the weft of Old Rumney is Ap-
PLEDORE, a town feated on the river Rother,
about five miles from its influx into Rye ha-
ven. In the reign of king Alfred, the Danes,
after plundering the coafts of France, landed in
England, and furprized a fmall caftle here ; but
thinking it not fufficient for their defence, pulled
it down, and erected a new one ; but king Alfred
marching againft them, foon obliged them to ac-
cept conditions of peace, and depart the country.
The town has a market on Tuefdays, and a fair
on the 22d of July, for cattle and pedlars ware.
Warehorn, a village about tv/o miles north-
eaft of Appledore, was anciently part of the jurif-
di6lion of that church, and was given to the monks
ofChrift church, Canterbury, for their clothing.
It fo continued till the reign of Henry the Eighth,
who made it part of bis revenue, but now it be-
longs to the earl of Thanet, as well as the other
part
114 A Description of
part that was In lay hands. There is one fair kepi^
Lere, on 06icber 2 for horfes, cattle and pedlars
goods.
The Ifleof OxNEY, which lies to the fouth-
wei!: of Appledore, contains two or three villages,
namely Whiterfham, which anciently belonged
to the abbey of Chrift church Canterbury ; but at
length the revenues pafTed into the family of Al-
fbrd. There is one fair kept here on May i, for
pedlars ware. Stone -is another village in this
ifland, which anciently belonged to the monks of
Chrift church in Canterbury, but now to the
dean and chapter. Near the fide of the marfli, at
a place called Apdale, are the ruins of a great
flone building, fuppofed by fome to have been a
caftle, and by others aftore-houfe for merchants.
Tenterden is about fix miles north-eaft of
Appledore, nine miles north by weft of Rye, and
fixty foutb-eaft of London. It is a member of
the cinque port of Rye, to which it was annexed
i/i the reign of king Henry the Sixth, and is an
ancient borough governed by a mayor and jurats,
the mayor being annually chofen in the town-hall,
It has a church and feveral meeting-houfes. The
fteeple of the church is remarkably lofty, and is
here faid to have occafioned Goodwin fands, which
lying low were defended, from the fea by a great
wall that required conftant care to uphold itj but
being afterwards given to St. Auftin's monaftery at
Canterbury, the abbot neglecting the wall while
he was taken up in building this fteeple, the fea
broke in, and overflowed the land. There ~is here
a free-fchool founded by Mr. H.ayman and WiU
liam Marftiall about the year 1521; whorgavciol*
a year for the fupport of a fchqol-mafter. The
town has a market on Fridays, and a fair on the
^Ux of May, for cattle and pedlars- goods*
Cran*
KEN T. 115
Cranbrookl is fituated in the woody parts of
this county, about fix miles to the eaftward of
Tcnterden, and fifty-four fouth-eaft of London.
In this place was the firft woollen manufadure in
this kingdom, erected by fome Flemings, who
were encouraged to fettle here by king Edward th^
Third, in order to teach this manufacture to his
fubjects : this trade has however long ago deferted
this place. It has a market on Saturdays, and two
fair?, held on the 30th of May, and the 29th of
September, for horned cattle and horfes.
Newenden", a village about four miles fouth-
eaft of Cranbrook, is, in Camden's opinion^
built in the place, called by the Noticia of Anto-
ninus, Enderida, and by the ancient Britons
Caer Andred, but Horfley places that town at
Eaftbourn. It has a fair on the firft of July, for
pedlars goods.
Benenden, a village about a mile and a half-
fouth-eaft of Cranbrook^ was formerly in the
poffeilion of Godric, a Saxon, as appears from
Dooomfday-book, but now the manor is in the
hands of the family of the Wattfes. The fteeple
ftands at fome diftance from the church, and is
remarkable for its curious workmanftiip on the in-
ftde. It is very high and has a fine fpire. Here
is a fair on May 15, for horfes and cattle.
Sandhurst is a village three miles fouth of
Cranbrook. The manor was granted by king
Offa, to Chrift-church in Canterbury, in the
year 791. Since that time it has pafled through
diverfe hands, and was lately in the pofTeflionof
Mr Downton, a juftice of peace in Middlefex.
It has one fair on May 25? for cattle and pedlary.
Hawkhurst, a village three miles fouth-«
weft of Cranbrook, was a dependant of the ma-
nor of Wye, and is annexed to it, to hold of
Sattci-abbey in SulTex, The inhabitants here
had
Ii6 A Descrip-tion of
had formerly a three weeks court, for all caufe*
under forty {hillings ; but it was fupprelTed in the
laft century. The parifh is very populous, and
one of the largeft in the county. Here was an-
ciently a market every Tuefday, which has been
Jong difcontinued ; but there is ftill a place upon
the green, called the Market-place, with fome old
ihops about it. It has a fair on Auguft lO, for
cattle and pedlary.
GouDHURsT is fituattd about four miles north-
eall: of Cranbrook, in the road to Tunbridge, and
has a market on Wednefdays, which was procu-
red by Joan, widow of Roger de Bedgefbury, in
the reign of Richard the Second, that family then
being in pofleiTion of the manor. The market
was formerly held in the flat part of the town ;
but about a hundred years fmce, it was removed
to the top of the hill, near the church-yard, as
alfo was the fair, kept on Auguft 26, for pedlars
goods. T^he church dedicated to St. Mary ftood
upon a hill, and had a very large and tall fpire,,
which was fet on fire by lightening in 1637, and
five large bells were melted, on which it became
neceifary to take down the fteeple, which was lof-
ty and of ftone. A brief was granted for re-
building it, but the fmall wooden fteeple haftily
fixed on the top of the ftone work, with one bell
in it, ftill continues.
At CuMBWELL, near Goudhurft, Robert de
Thornham or Turneham founded a priory of the
order of St. Auguftihe, in the reign of Henry
the Second. It was dedicated to St. Mary Mag-
dalen, confifted of a prior and fix canons, and at
the general fuppreflion, was endowed with 80 K
17 s. 5 d. a year.
Tunbridge, or the town of Bridges, received
its name from its having five bridges, one over the
river Medway, aad the reft over different branches
VcLV.pa.n-j
KEN T. 117
of that river. It is fituated thirty-five miles north-
caft by north of Rye, and twenty-nine fouth-eaft
by fouth of London, Mod of thehoufes are ill built,
and the ftreets are very indifferently paved. The
church is however a modern ftrudure, and there
.is a free-fchool ere6led by Sir Andrew Judd, lord
mayor of London, a native of this town, who
appointed the Ikinners company truftees of the
charity, on which an eftate was fettled upon it
by parliament in the reign of queen Elizabeth,
It has a market on Fridays, and three fairs, held
on Afh-Wednefday, July 5, and October 29,
for bullock, horfes and toys. Here was a large
handfome caftle, encompaffed with ftrong walls,
and defended by the river and a deep ditch. Some
ruins of the walls are ftill remaining, asisalfothc
keep, which is covered with ivy, and of thefe
ruins we have given an engraved view. Richard
de Clare., earl of Brionie in Normandy (in con-
fideration of his loyalty and the lofs of Brionie
Caftle demoliihed by Robert, duke of Norman-
.ciy) obtained of William Rufus as much land
here as confiftcd of a league in length and
breadth, upon which he built this caftle, in whofe
family it continued, till by Ifabeli, fifter and co-
heirefs of Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucefter
and Hertford, it came to the Audleys, and from
them, by an heirefs to Ralph Stafford, whofe def-
cendant Edward Stafford, duke of Bucks, loll
his life, and forfeited his eftate by an attainder in
1521, in the twelfth year of the reign of Henry
the Eighth.
There was alfo at Tunbridge a priory of black
canons, founded by Richard de Clare, earl of
Briony and Hertford, about the end of the reign
of king Henry the Firft, and dedicated to St Ma-
ry Magdalen. He alfo endowed it with certain
lents, and th^ privilege of feeding ong hundred
and
1ri8> A Description of
and twenty hogs yearly in the forefl of Tonc-
brigge, and with one buck at the feaft of St. A'lary
Magdalen. It was one of thofe fmall monafteries
which cardinal Wolfey procured to be diflblved in
the feventeenth of Henry the Eighth. Its revenues
were of the annual value of 169 1. los. 3d.
Its remains fliew that it was a great clumfey
flru6ture.
TuNBRiDGF Wells are about five miles fouth
of the town of Tunbridge, but are fituated for
the moft part in the fame parifh, at the bottom of
three hills, called Mount Sinai, Mount Ephraim,
and Mount Pleafant, on each of which are good
houfes and fine fruit gardens ; but the Wells are
fupplied from a fpring in the neighbouring parifh
of Spelhurfl. The principal well is walled in,
and paved like a ciftern ; and there are two paved
walks running from it, in one of which is a long
covered gallery for a band of mufic, and for the
company to v/alk under in bad weather ; and there
is alfo a row of fhops of different kinds, for
books, toys, and millenary goods, as alfo for
wooden boxes, cups, bowls and the like, com-
monly called Tunbridge Ware, befides cofTee-
rooms, and a hall for dancing. On the other fide
is a good market, in which all kinds of provifions
are generally very reafonable. They have plenty of
the befl wild fowl, particularly of Wheatears, and
of al moft all forts of fifh, about three hours after
they are taken. Behind the Wells is a chapel of
eafe to the parifli church, where divine fervice is
performed twice a day during the months of June,
July, and Auguft, which is the feafon for drink-
ing the water. Seventy poor children are whoUy
maintained here by the contributions of the com-
pany at the Wells, from whom the chaplain has
alfo his chief fupport. The waters have a purg-
ing quality, and if the ftomach is foul will vo-
mit;
KEN T. 119
tTiit; for which reafon^ fome Inftead ofphyfictake
a fpoonful of common fait with good elFed:. The
water is accounted an efFe(9:ual remedy in Jiecent
dropfies, and is of great fervice in pains of the
ftomach. It is good in .ulcers of the kidnies and
bladder ; and ftrengthens the brain and origin of
the nerves ; it is alfo good in convulfions, the
head-ach and vertigo. It rs excellent in long and
tedious agues, in the black and yellow jaundice,
hard fweliings of the fpleen, the fcurvy and green-
iicknefs.
At the diftance of five miles fouth-weft of
Tunbridge is Penshurst, a village that has a
fair on the firft of July, for pedlars goods.
Sir Philip Sidney, the darling of his time, and
one of the moft accomplillied gentlemen that ever
appeared in this, or in any other nation, was the
eldeft fon of Sir Henry Sydney, lord deputy of
Ireland, and was: born in this village on the 26th
of November, 154*4. He had his education at
Shrewfbury fchool, and at Chrift's church college
in Oxford ; in both which places he made fo rapid
a progrefs in his ftudies, that, by the time he had
attained to his fevcnteenth year, he was univer-
fally confidered as a moft excellent fcholar. Be-
fore he was turned of eighteen, he fet out on his
travels ; and after making the tour of France,
Germany, and Italy, he returned, in 1575, ^^
England. So great was his reputation, not only
in his native country., but in moft parts of Eu-
rope, that the king of France appointed him one
of the gentlemen of his chamber; the Poles put
him in nomination for their crown, which was
then vacant ; queen Elizabeth fent him amballa-
dor to the emperor Maximilian the Second, and
the prince palatine of the Rhine, being made a
knight of the garter, gave him his procuration to
receive his ftall^ and take pofieHion of it in his
» name.
iid ^Description af
name, and it was upon that occafion that Mr^
Sydney was knighted. In 1586, he was appointed
governor, of Flufhing, and accompanied his uncle,
the earl of Leicefter, to Flanders ; where, du-
ring the Ihort time that he ferved, he gave many
fignal proofs of his courage and condu6):. He had
a confiderable (hare in the taking of Axel and
Dorpt ; but falling into an ambufcade of the Spa-
niards, near Zulphen, he received in his thigh a
dangerous wound, whjch, producing a mortifica-
tion, put a period to his life in the thirty-fecond
year of his age. The ftates of Zealand would
itove honoured his remains with a public funeral •
but queen Elizabeth caufed them to be brouglit
over to England, and to be interred with mi-
litary honours, in St. Paul's cathedral in London.
Never was man more univerfally beloved while
living, or more fmcerely regretted when dead : the
mourning for him was almoft as general as if he
had been of the blood royal. Learned himfelf,
and the patron of the'learned, he was juftly con-
fidered as the Mecaenas of his time. He wrote
the romance, called Arcadia \ an anfwer to a book,
entitled, " Leicefter's Commonwealth ;" Aftro-
phel and Stella ; Ourania ; and feveral other
pieces. He honoured with his friendfhip, and af-
iiiled by his bounty, the famous poet Spencer ;
and to him were dedicated, as to an exquiflte
judge, moft of the literary produ6lions of the age.
So apt was he to be tranfported with any thing
excellent, efpecially in poetry, that, upon read-
ing a few ftanzas of Spencer's Fairy ^leen^ (which
had been put into his hands by the author, before
he was acquainted with him) he ordered his ftew-
ard to give him fifty pounds : upon reading ano-
ther ftanza, he doubled the fum ; and he at laft
raifed his gratuity to two hundred pounds, and
commanded his iteward to deliver it immediately^
KENT. 121
iefl-, upon proceeding farther, he fliould be tempt-
ed to give away his whole eftate. Nor was he lefs
remarkable for the humanity of his temper, than
for his other amiable qualities. After the battle
of Zulphen, while he was lying in the field,
mangled with wounds, a bottle of water was
brought him to relieve histhirft; but obferving
a poor foidier near him in a like miferable condi-
tion, hefaid, this mans necejjityisjiill greater than
mine ; and refigned to him the bottle of water :
an inftance of fuch heroic and god-like generofity,
as can hardly be paralleled in ancient or modern
ftory.
About feven miles north-weft by north of Tun-
bridge is Sevenoke, commonly called Senwock,
which is faid to have taken its name from i^^zvL
oaks of an extraordinary fize, that once grew near
it. It is fituated twenty-three miles fouth-eaft by
fouth of London, and is governed by a warden and
four afliftants. Here is an hofpital for maintain-
ing aged people, and a fchool for the education of
poor children, built and endowed by Sir Wil-
liam Sevenoke, who was lord mayor of London
in 1418, and is faid to have been a foundling,
brought up at the expence of fome charitable per-
fon of this town, whence he took his name.
John Potkyn was, in the reign of king Henry
the Eighth, a great benefador to this fchool; and
the revenues being afterwards augmented by queen
Elizabeth, it was thence called Queen Elizabeth's
free-fchool. It was rebuilt in 1727, and it is re-
markable, the ftile of the corporation is the war-
dens and affiftants of the town and parifh of Se-
venoke, and of Queen Elizabeth's free-fchool
there. This town has alfo a charity-fchool for
fifteen boys. It has a market on Saturdays, and
two fairs, one on the tenth of July, and the other
on the twelfth of October.
Vol, V F Here
122 A Description of
Here was formerly a magnificent palace belong-^
ing to the archbifhops of Canterbury, built by
Thomas Bourchier, archbifbop of that fee, and
much improved by John Moreton and William.
Warham, his fuccefibrs. It was afterwards ex-
changed with the king, but it was negle6ted for
fome time, till Thomas Sackville, earl of Dorfet,
obtained it of James the Firft. His grandfon
Richard, fold It to Richard Smith, commonly
called Dog Smith, wh.o fettled it for ever upoa
St. Thomas's hofpital in Southwark.
About five miles to the weft of Sevenoke Is
Westerham, or Westram, a neat well built
market town', on the weftern borders of Kent.
Its market is on Fridays, and it has a fair on Sep-
tember 19, for bullocks, horfes and toys. Near-
it is a noble feat begun by a private gentleman,
but finiflied by the late earl of Jerfey, and called
Squirres, The houfe is feated on a fmall eminence
with refpe6l to the front ; but on the back of the
edifice the ground rifes very high, and is divided
into feveral Iteep flones ; near the houfe are fome
woods, through which are cut feveral ridings.
On the other fide of the hill, behind^he houfe,
rife nine fprings, which uniting their ftreams,
form the river Darent.
Benjamin Hoadley, a learned divine, a worthy
prelate, and a zealous defender of the natural
rights of mankind, was the fon of a clergyman,
and born at Weftram on the 14th of November,
1676. He had his education at Catharine-hall,
Cambridge, where he applied to his ftudies with
unwearied diligence, and where he took his de-
grees of bachelor and mafter of arts. His firft
preferment in the church was that of being lectu-
rer of St. Mildred in the Poultry, London; and
\\\ 1704, he was prefented to the rectory of St.
Peter's i'oor in Broad-ftreet. Before he attained
to
KENT. 153
to the thirty-fourth year of his age, he had dif-
t.inguifhed himlelf fo much by his excellent wri-
tings, that the Houfe of Commons pafled a vote,
recommending him to the favour of her majefty,
queen Anne, for fome dignity in the church j but
with this requeft, though fhe received it very gra-
ciouily, the queen could never be perfuaded to
comply. In 17 10 he v^^as indu6fed to the recl:o-
ry of Streatham in Surry; and upon the accef-
iion of king George the Firft to the throne, h*:
was fworn one of that prince's chaplains in ordi-
nary. In 17 1 5 he was advanced to the biihopric
of Bangor ; and it was remarked as a very fingu-
lar circumftance, and not at all to his diflionour,
that fo great a ftranger was he as yet to the court,
that, when he came there to kifs hands on his
promotion, he did not know the way up flairs ;
and when he arrived, he fat in an outer room,
till he was fhewn into the prefence. His prefer-
vative againft the principles and pradices of the
Nonjurers was publifhed in 1756 ; his fermon on
the nature of the kingdom of Chrifl the yeir fol-
lowing. This lad gave occafion to the celebra-
ted difpute, known by the name of the BangQ-
rian Controverfy. In 172 1 he was tranllated to
the fee of Hereford, to that of Salifbury in 1723,
and to that of Winchefter about eleven years af-
ter. This laft dignity he held till his death,
which happened April 17, 176 1, at his palace at
Chelfca. He had three fons, Samuel, Benjamin,
and John. The firft died an infant ; the fecond
was bred a phyfician, and was author of the Suf-
picious Hiijband \ and the third, who is ftill living,
is a clergyman, and enjoys fome confiderable pre-
ferments in the church. The bifhop's works,
v/hich are partly theological and partly political,
are highly efteemed; but are fo numerous, that to
¥ 2 crive
124 ^ Description c/*
give a bare catalogue of them would greatly ex-
ceed our limits.
Bromley is a fmall town, fituated on the river
Ravenfbourn, nine miles north of Weftram, and
fix fouth of Greenwich. Of this parifli the bi-
fliop of Rochefter, for the time being, is always
re6lor, and has a palace at a little diftance from
the town, where is a mineral fpring, the water of
which has been found, by a chemical analyfis, to
contain the fame qualities as that of Tunbridge
Wells does in a greater degree. Here is a college,
ere<Sled in the reign of king Charles the Second,
by Dr. John Warner, bilhop of Rochefter, for
twenty widows of poor clergymen, who have an
allowance of twenty pounds a year each, and fifty
pounds a year to a chaplain. This town has a
fmaJl market on Thurfdays ; and two fairs, held
on February 3, and Auguft 5, for horfes, bul-
locks, Iheep and hogs.
At the village of Keston, which is fituated
about three miles fouth of Bromley, is a fortifi-
cation, the area of which is inclofed with very
high treple ramparts and deep ditches, near two
miles in compafs. • This is fuppofed to be a work
of the Romans.
Lewisham, is a village feated about four miles
north of Bromley, arid five miles fouth-eaft of
London, and had a priory of BenedicStine monks,
founded and endowed by king Alured, and his fon
Edward the Eldtr, with feveral manors. This
religious houfe was one of the firft that felt the
feverity of the fccular power ; for as it belonged
to the abbey of St. Peter's at Ghent, and was con-
fequently an alien priory, it was fuppreffed by
Henry the Fifth, and the revenues beftowed on
the magnificent rnonaftery at Shene in Surry,
founded by that king.
We
Voiy.f'ti. /?,;
m.
ill
s
^ ""lliillli]
. K E N T. i25
We have now followed the roads which lead
round the borders of this county, and fhall next
proceed through the centre of it, in the road from
Loadon to Afhford.
Eltham is a village feven miles fouth of Lon-
don, in the road toMaidftone. It had formerly a
palace, ere6led by Anthony Beck, bifhop of Dur-
ham, who beftowed it upon queen Eleanor, wife
of king Edward the Firft. King Edward the Se-
cond conftantly refided here, where Ifabella his
queen was delivered of John, who hence was cal-
led John of Eltham. King Edward the Third
here entertained the kings of France, Scotland
and Armenia at the fame timej and this was king
Henry the Sixth's ufual place of refidence. King
Edward the Fourth, who laid out large fums in
the repair of this ftrudure, entertained two
thoufand perfons in the great hall, and king Hen-
ry the Seventh built a fine front. His fuccellors
fpent moft of their hours of pleafure here, till
Greenwich grew up, ' v/hen this palace was
negledled ; and here were made the ftatutes of
Eltiiam, by which the king's houfe is ftill gover-
ned. Of this palace we have given a view. The
town has the honour of giving the title of earl to
the prince of Wales, and here are the houfes of
feveral rich citizens, and alfo two charlty-fchools.
St. Mary Cray, or Cray St. Mary's, is
fituated about two miles wefl of the road to
Maidflone, near the fource of the river Cray,
at the diflance of twelve miles from London. It
has a fair on the loth of September, for toys.
Shoreham is feated about three miles to the
weftward of the road to Maidftone, and four
miles north-eaft of Sevenoke. It has a church
and charity-fchool, with an old houfe, called
Shoreham Caftle, from its being built with bat-
F 3 tlements.
226 J Description of
tlements, and has a fair on the firft of May, for
toys.
Wrotham, or WoRTHAM, is faid to have
taken its name from the plenty of Worts, an herb
that grows in its neighbourhood, and is twenty-
five miles fouth-eaft of London, and eleven north-
weft of Maidftone. It has a large church, in
which are fixteen ftalls, fupppofed to have been
made for the clergy attending the archbifliops of
Canterbury, who had formerly a palace here, la
the laft century, a confiderable quantity of old
Britifh filver coins was dug up in this manor ;
and not many years ago feveral fmall folid pieces of
brafs were found, in a place called the Camps,
fuppofed to have been the weapons or armour of
fome military officer buried there. It has a mar-
Icet on Tuefdays, and one fair, on May 4, for
iiorfes, bullocks, &c.
West Malling, or Town Mailing, is
fituated twenty-nine miles eaft-fouth-eaft of Lon-
don, and fix weft by north of Maidftone, and
was raifed from a fmall village to a confiderable
place by Gundulph, bifhop of Rochefter, who in
1080 founded an abbey here for nuns of the Be-
nedictine order, which was dedicated to the Vir-
gin Mary, and was valued at the diflblution at
218 i. a year by Dugdale, but at 245 1. by Speed.
The walls, a great part of which are ftili ftand-
ing, fhew that it was very large and fpacious.
The town has a market on Saturdays, and three
fairs, which are held on Auguft 12, 0<5lober 2,
and November 17, for bullocks, horfes and toys.
West Peckham, or Little Peckham, is
a village thi;ee miles fouth-weft of Weft Malling,
where was a preceptory belonging to the knights
of St. John of Jerufalem, founded by John Cole-
pepper^ which was valued at the diilblution at
63 U
KENT. 127
63 1. 6s. 8 d. a year, after which it came with
the reft of their lands to the hofpitallers.
Maidstone received its name from its fitua-
tion on the bank of the river Medvvay, and is
feated thirty-fix miles fouth-eaft by eaft of Lon-
don, and thirty-three north-weft by weft of Hithe.
It was a Roman ftation, and was anciently
reckoned the third among the principal cities of
Britain . It v/as then called Caer Medwag, or Caer
Megwad, which is thought to fignify the meadows
upon the river Vaga, which are here very beau-
tiful. Its Roman name was Madviacis, or Vag-
^niacis, which was probably derived from the Bri-
tifli. It has always been a confiderable town, and
is now a corporation, governed by a mayor, re-
corder, twelve jurats, and twenty-four commoners.
It is pleafant, large, and populous. Being near-
]y in the middle of the county, one of the pub-
lic goals for the county is kept in it, and it has
the cuftody of weights and meafures, renewed by
the ftandard of king Henry the Seventh. The
courts of juftice are likewife always held here,
and generally the county afiizes, and the eledions
for knights of the fhire. It has however but one
parifh, of which the archbifhop of Canterbury 13
redor, it being one of his peculiars, and ferved
by his curate ; but there are two parifti churches,
and fome Dutch inhabitants have divine fervice:
performed in one of them, which is dedicated to
St. Faith. Here is a fine ftone bridge over the
Medway, erecled by an archbifhop of Canter-
bury, and a fine new court-houfe has been lately
erected. At this place the Len falls into that ri-
ver, and the tide, which flows quite up to the
town, carries barges of fixty tons burden. Here
is a free-fchool, and alfo four charity-fchools, in
which are above a hundred boys and girls ; one of
Ihem for thirty boys, another for thirty girls,
F 4 both
128 -/^Description of
both clothed ; a third for thirty boys, who are
diftinguifhed, by wearing cloaks and bands ; and
a fourth for twenty boys and girls. The chief
trade of Maidftone is in thread, which is made
here in great perfection ; and in hops, of which
there are very extenfive plantations about the
town, befides orchards of fine cherries. From
this town, and the adjacent country, London is
fupplied with more commodities than from any
other market town in- England, particularly with
timber, large bullocks, hops, cherries, apples,
wheat, a fine white fand for glafs-houfes and fia-
tioners, and a kind of paving ftone about eight or
ten inches fquare, that is exceeding durable. The
market, which is on Thurfdays, is the befl in
the county, and is toll-free for hops ; there are
alfo four fairs, which are held on February 13,
May 12, June 20, and October 17, for horlts,
bullocks, and all forts of commodities.
The archbifhop of Canterbury had a palace here,
founded by John OfFord j there was alfo a college or
hofpital, erected by archbifhop Boniface, and a
chantry by 1 homas Arundel, which is now the free-
Ichool. This hofpital was at firft called the New
"Work, and was dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul ;
but William Courtney, one of the archbifliops of
Canterbury,converted it into a college for one maf-
Ter and as many fellows, chaplains and other mi-
nifters, as he fhould think expedient. It was de-
dicated to all the Saints, and the parifh church
was made collegiate. They were valued at the
diiTolution at 159 1. a year byDugdale^ but at
261 1. by Speed.
In the year 1720 were dug up feveral canoes
made of trees, which were hollowed. Thefe were
found in the marfhes of the river Medway above
Maidftone, and one of them was fome time after
ufed for a boat.
Near
KENT. 129
Near Maidflone was feated Allington Caf-
tle, which was built by Sir Stephen de Penchef-
ter about the year 1282, on whofe death, with-
out iflue male, it defcended by Joan his daughter
and co-heirefs to Stephen de Cobham, from which
family it came to that of Brent, whofe defcen-
dant John Brent, in 1493, pafled it away to Sir
Henry Wyat, knight, one of king Henry the Se-
venth's privy council. His grandfon Sir Thomas
Wyat, knight, after he had repaired it, forfeited
it to the crown in 1555. Queen Elizabeth grant-
ed it to John Aftley, £fq; mafter of the jewels,
whofe fon. Sir John Aftley, dying without iflue,
it defcended to Jacob, created lord Aftley in the
reign of Charles the Firft, of which family the
right honourable lord Marfham purchafed it. A
part of the walls are ftill ftanding, which fhew"
that it has been a very ftrong ftrudure.
At the village of Hunton near Maidftone was
difcovered in the year 1683, at the depth of about
fix yards, a ftratum of fea fhells feveral yards
fquare, which however ftrange, is not very un-
common in places much more remote from the fea.
At the village of Leeds, near Maidftone, Ro-
bert de Crepito Corde, or Crevecoeur, or Crou-
cheart, knight, ereiled in the year 11 19, a priory
of black canons, dedicated to St. Mary and St.
Nicholas, which, at the fuppreilion, was endow-
ed with an annual revenue, amounting to 362 1.
7 s. 7 d. A caftle was alfo ereded here by the
noble family of Crevecoeur ; but it vva:s forfeit-
ed, with the manor, by Robert, the fon of
Haman de Crevecoeur, for his adhering to the
barons. Henry the Third gave it to Roger de
Leyburn, a baron. Edward the Second in 1309
granted this place to Bartholomew lord Badlef-
mere, whofe fervants re fufing queen Ifabell lodg-
ing here without their lord's knowledge, raifed the
F 5 king
130 >f Description^/
king to that height of paffion that he befieging it^
it loon fiirrendered. Afterwards it was in the '
pofTeffion of Thomas Arundell, who was confe-
crated ar^chbifhop of Canterbury in 1396; on
whofe death it fell to the crown, and was reputed
one of the king's houfes. King Edward the Sixth ,
in 1550, granted it to Sir Anthony St. Leger,
knight, and from him through .different owners I
it came to Sir John C.olepeper, knight, created
lord Colepeper in 1643, from whom, by marriage,
it fell to the *ight honourable Thomas lord Fair-
fax.
At BoxLEY, a village three miles north of
Maidftone^ William de Ipre, earl of Kent, in
the year 1146, founded an abbey of Ciftercian-
monks, from Claravalle in Burgundy, dedicated
to the Virgin Mary, which was endowed at the
fuppreffion with 204 1. 4 s. 11 d. a year. Here wa* .
the image of St. Rumbald, which was fo contriv- I
ed, that it was made to move the hands, eyes, 1
feet, and to nod, frown and fmile. It was confi- '
dcred as the touchftone of chaftity, and brought
incredible gain to the monks, till the fraud was
detected by Cromwell and Cranmer, after which
it was brought to London, fhewn publickly at St.
Paul's crofs, and then broke to pieces.
Aylesford is feated orv the river Medway,,
over which it has a bridge, three miles north-
weft of Maidftone, and thirty-four eaft fouth-eall:
of London. It is now a fmall place, in compa-
lifon of what it was formerly. The parifti is di-
vided by the river Medway, and the north part is-
an ancient demefne, and has a conftable ; and in
this part the church {lands •, it has no market nor
fair,, though it formerly had both. There was a
houfe of Carmelites, or white friars, founded by the
lord Grey of Codnor, and dedicated to the Virgin
Mary, in the year 1240. After the fuppreflion it
Vo/.Y.pa.7^'^o.
KENT. 131
was given to Sir Thomas Wyat, whofe fon
forfeited it to the crown, by rebelling againft
queen Mary. Queen Elizabeth gave it to Mr.
Sidney, whofe brother, Sir William Sidney, ered-
ed an hofpital, in it 07, for fix poor people, with
an allowance to each of ic 1. a year.
Sir Charles Sedley, an eminent wit and poet
of the feventeenth century, was born at
Aylesford, about the year 1639. He fludied for
fome time in Wadham college, Oxford ; but left
the univerfity without taking any degree. Upon
the refloration he appeared at court, v/here he fooii
recommended himfelf to the notice of that gay and
difTolute monarch, king Charles the Second, with
whom he became, from a fympathy of temper,
a moft diftinguiflied favourite. Sir Charles, how-
ever, though extremely devoted to his pleafures,
made no contemptible figure in parliament, of
which he was a member. He oppofed, with great
vigour, all. the arbitrary meafures of king James,
and concurred heartily in the revolution ; though
in this he is faid to have been adluated by perfonal
refentment againft that prince, who had de-
bauched his daughter, whom he created countefs
of Dorchefter. Sir Charles died about the year
1722, when his works were publifhed in two vo-
lumes, odtavo. They chiefly confiit of poems
and plays.
Near Aylesford, under the fide of a high chalky
hill, is a heap of ftones of a prodigious fize, fome
{landing on their ends, and others lying acrofs,
called by the common people Ketts, or Keith-
Coty-FIoufe, and are fuppofed to be the tombs of
Kentigern and Horbus, two Daniih princes killed
here in battle.
Eight miles to the weft of Maidftone is Le>;-
HAM, which takes its name from its fituation at
the fource of a fmall river called the Len, and has
a m.ii-
132 v/ Description 0/
a market on Tuefdays, with two fairs, one on
the 6th of June, for horned cattle and horfes, and
the other on the 23d of 06lober, for horfes, &c.
There is a remarkable infcription upon a tomb
ftone in the church, fignifying that Mary Honey-
wood, the wife of Robert Honeywood, Efq; of
Charing near this town, had, at the time of her
deceafe, three hundred and fixty-feven defcen-
dants, fixteen of which were children of her own
body, a hundred and fourteen grand children,
two hundred and twenty-eight great grand chil-
dren, and nine in the fourth generation.
Two miles and a half fouth-weft of Lenham is
Ulcomb, where the parifli church was made col-
legiate for an archiprefbyter, and two canons, with
one deacon, and one clerk, by Stephen Langton,
archbifhop of Canterbury, about the year 1220.
This fubfifted in 1293, but feems to have dropped
afterwards, and the church became, as it is at
prefent, an undivided rectory.
At MuTTENDEN, feven or eight miles to the
fouth weft of Lenham, was a priory of Trinitari-
an friars, founded by Sir Robert de Rokefly, Knt.
about the year 1224, and dedicated to the Trini-
ty, v;hich at the fuppreffion was, according to
Dugdale, endowed with a revenue of 30 1. 13 s,
but, according to Speed, it amounted to 60I. 13 s.
About eight miles to the fouth of Lenham h
Smarsden, whofe manor anciently belonged to
the archbifhop of Canterbury. The church is-
dedicated to St. Michael, and in queen Mary^'s
leign there was a rood-loft, in which one Drainer,
a juftice of the peace, made nine holes, to obferve
thofe, who did not conform to the popifti ceremo-
nies, that he might puniih them, from whence he
was called Juftice nine holes. It has a market on
Fridays, and one fair on October 10, for pedlars
ware.
At
KENT. 133
At the diftance of ten miles fouth-eaft of Len-
ham is Ashford, which received its name from
its being feated by the ford of a fmall river called
the Efh, twelve miles weft-north-weft of Hithe,
and fifty-feven eaft-fouth-eaft of London. It is
governed by a mayor, and has a court of record
every three weeks, for all adiions, in which the
debts or damages do not exceed twenty marks.
Here is a large church, which was formerly col-
legiate. In the church was alfo a chantry, in a
chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, but the
lands which fupported it were given among feve-
ral perfons at the fuppreffion. This town has a
market on Saturdays, and two fairs, held on May
I 7, and September 9, for horfes, horned cattle,
and pedlars goods.
John Wallis, an eminent mathematician in the
laft century, was the fon of a clergyman, and born
November 23, 16 16, in this town. He had his
education firft under one Mr. MofFat, a Scotch-
man, afterwards at Felfted fchool in Eflex,
and laft of all at Emanuel college in Cambrido-e.
Having taken his degrees, and entered into orders,
he became chaplain to the lady Vere, w^idow of
lord Horatio Vere; and it was during his conti-
nuance in this lady's family, that he began to dif^
tinguifli himfelf in the art of decyphering, which
lie afterwards carried to the higheft perfection.
Upon the breaking out of the civil war, he fided
with the parliament, and was prefented by
that party to the living of St. Gabriel, Fen-
church-ftreet, London. In 1644, ^^ was ap-
pointed one of the fcribes or fecretaries to the af^
fembly of divines at Weftminfter ; and in 164?,
figned a remcnftrance againft putting the king to
death. The next year he was conftituted, by the
parliamentary vifitors, Savilian profefTor of Geo-
metry at Oxford ) and it was during his refidence
in
134 -^ Description of
in that feat of the Mufes, that he promoted and
encouraged thofe weekly meetings of the learned^
which afterwards gave birth to the Royal Society,
The duties of his office, however faithfully dif-^
charged, did not engrofs the whole of his atten-
tion. He publifhed a grammar of the Englifh
language in Latin, for the ufe of foreigners. He
engaged in a controverfy with the celebrated Mr.
Hobbes ; and managed the difpute with equal fpi-
rit and ability. In 1657 he digefted the fubftance
of his ledlures into a regular work, and publifhed
it under the title of Mathefts Unhsrfalis, five opus
Jrithmetlcum, Upon the death of Mr, Langbaine,
in the courfe of the enfuing year, he was chofea
Cufios Archivoru?n in the fame univerfity. After
the reftoration of king Charles the Second, his
majefty remembering, that, notwithftanding the
doctor's attachment to the popular party, he had
performed fome fignal fervices to himfelf and his
royal father, and had likewife reflected great ho-
nour on his country by his mathematical learning,
was pleafed not only to confirm him in the pof-
feilion of his places, but to appoint him one of
his chaplains in ordinary, and to name him one of
the commiflioners empov/ered to review the boo'c
of Common Prayer. He afterwards complied
with the acSt of conformity ; and continued a ftea-
dy conformift till his death. He was one of the
Jirft members of the Roval Society, and enriched
their tranfa6lions with many curious and valuable
paper?. He died OiSlober 28, 1703, and was in-
terred in the choir of St. Mary's church at Ox-
ford. Bcfides the works already mentioned, he
publiCied a variety of other trails.
Seven miles north- weft of Afliford is Charing,
a village which anciently belonged to Chriit
church in Canterbury, but was taken from it by
king OfFa, and remained in the hands of the Mer-
ci^
SENT. I3S
clan kings, till archbifhop Athelard, In the year
799, perfuaded king Kenulph, to reftore it to the
church, and it continued in the poiTeflion of the
archbifhops, till Cranmer exchanged this manor
with Henry the Eighth, by which means it came
to the crown. At the fuppreffion the manor was
given to Sir John Darell. This village has two
fairs, held on the ift of May, and the 29th of
October, for horfes, horned cattle, and pedlars
goods.
Pluckley is a village five miles north-weft of
Afliford, and has a parifti church built by Sir
Richard Pluckley ; "but after the deceafe of Wil-
liam, the laft male heir of the family, it came ta
John Serenden, Efq; who married Agnes his
daughter, after which it came into the pofTelTioii:
of the Deerings, who have built a very beautiful
church here. There is one fair held here on De-
cember 5, for pedlars goods.
Bethersden, a village about fix miles weft-
by fouth of Afhton ; it was probably fo called
from St. Beatrice, to whom the church was dedi-
cated ; in a peculiar chancel, on the north fide of
it, there was a perpetual chantry, founded in the
reign of Henry the Sixth, by Richard Lovelace,
mercer and merchant of London. There is one
fair, kept here on July 31, for pedlars goods.
Four miles north-eaft of Afhford is Wye,
which is fituated upon the bank of the river Stour,
over which it has a bridge, at the diftance of hfty-
feven miles from London. It has a harbour for
barges, and a charity-fchool founded by lady Jo-
anna Thornhill. It has a market on Thurfdays,
and two fairs, which are held on the 24th of
March, and the 2d of November, for horfes, horn-
ed cattle, and pedlars goods. The manor of this
town William the Conqueror gave to Battle ab-
bey, whijch he eredted in rememJDriince of the
viclory.
136 A Description of
vidlory, by which he gained the Englifh mo-
narchy. It was called the Royal manor of Wye,
and had at that time twenty-two towns and vil-
lages belonging to it, lying acrofs the country as
far as that abbey. Henry the Sixth built a collegiate
church here for one mafter or provoft, and fecu-
lar priefts, and endowed it with lands. This
fi:ru£lure has been rebuilt fince the year 1706,
the old one having been almoft reduced to ruins
by the fall of a tower.' Here alfo John Kemp,
bifhop of York, and afterwards archbifhop of
Canterbury, and a cardinal, began in 1431 a
college for a mafter or provoft:, and feveral ca-
nons, and finifhed it in 1447. This ftru6lurewas
dedicated to St. Gregory and St. Martin, and its
revenues at the fupprelHon were worth 93 1. 2 s,
a year.
This county has produced, befides the great
men already mentioned, thofe which follow.
William Caxton, famous for being the firft who
introduced the art of printing into England, was
born fomewhere in Kent about the year 1412. A-
bout the age of fifteen he was bound apprentice
to a mercer in London, with whom he lived feve-
ral years. He then went over to the Low Coun-
tries, where he learned the art of printing, which
had been lately invented at Harlem, or Mentz, by
one Toflan, alias John Guthenberg, or by Fauf-
tus, or SchaefFer ; for antiquaries are not agreed^
either as to the place where, or the perfons by
whom this noble art was firft difcovered. Cax-
ton having made himfelf mafter of it, introduced
it into England ; according to fome in 1464 ; ac-
cording to others in 1474; but, in the general
opinion, fome time between thefe two periods.
From this time he continued to exercife the art,
publifli*
K E N T. 137
publifhing one or more books every year till the
day of his death, which happened in 1491.
Sir Nicholas Bacon, lord keeper of the great
feal in the reign of queen Elizabeth, was defcend-
ed of an ancient and honourable family, and born
in 1 510, at Chiflehurft in this county. After fi-
nifhing his ftudies in Bennet college, Cambridge,
■he travelled into France, for his farther improve-
ment. On his return to his native country, he
fettled in Gray's Inn, and applied himfelf to the
ftudy of the law, with fuch alTiduity, that he foon
became one of the moft diitinguifhed in the profef-
fion. As a reward of his merit, Henry the Vlllth
made him a large grant of lands on the difTolution
of the monaileries, and promoted him to the office
cf attorney in the Court of Wards. He enjoyed
the fame office under Edward the V 1th; and, by his
prudence and moderation, kept himfelf fafe dur-
ing the dangerous reign of queen Mary. On the
acceifion of queen Elizabeth, he was created a
knight, and intrufted with the cuftody of the
great feal of England ; which he held, without
interruption, for the fpace of twenty years. He
expired on the 20th of February, 1579, and was
interred in St. Paul's cathedral. This eminent
flatefman was no lefs remarkable for his modefty
than his fenfe ; for when queen Elizabeth told
him, that his houfe was too little for him; Not
fo. Madam, replied he, but your majejly has mads
me too great for my houfe,
Giles Fletcher, author of the Ruffe Common-
wealth, and brother to Richard Fletcher, bifhop
of London, was born fomewhere in this county.
He received his education in Eton-fchool, and
in King's college, Cambridge, where he took the
degrees in arts, as alfo that of dodor of laws. He
aded as ambaffador to queen Elizabeth in Scot-
land, Germany, the Low Countries, and Ruflla.
Upon
139 A Description of
Upon his return from this laft country, he wail
appointed fecretary to the city of London, and
one of the maflers of the Court of Chancery. He
died in February 16 10. Befides his Ruffe Common-
wealth, he writ an account of the learned in Bri*
taln^ who have founded colleges at Cambridge .
John Lilly, a writer of fome fame in the fix-
teenth century, and by many accounted one of
the firft reformers of the Englifh tongue, was born
in the Wild of Kent, about the year 1553. He
fludied fome time both in Oxford and Cambridge;
but took no higher degree than that of bachelor
of arts. In 1579 he repaired to court, where he
became a great favourite with queen Elizabeth.
Befides nine plays, he publifhed a book, intitled,
Euphues and his E?ighnd^ in which he gives a re-
gular fyftem of moral duties, and lafhes feverely
the vices of the age.
Sir Francis Walfingham, one of the greateft
ftatefmen that ever this ifland produced, was born
of a good family at Chiflehurft in Kent, and edu-
cated at King's college in Cambridge. Having
finifhed his courfe of academical learning, he tra-
velled into foreign countries ; and returning ta
England in the reign of queen Elizabeth, was
fent by that princefs, as her ambaffador, to the
court of France. Here he refided for feveral years;
and difcharged the duties of his office with equal
ability and fuccefs. In 1573 h^ was appointed
one of the principal fecretaries of Hate ; was fvvorn
a privy-counfellor ; and gratified with the honour
of knighthood : and from this time forvi^ards he was
univerfally confidered as one of the wifeft minif-
ters of the wife queen Elizabeth. He dete6led
and defeated all the fecret plots that were formed
againll her perfon ; and particularly that famous
one, called Babijtgton's Confpiracy ; which coft
the <iu«en of Scots her life. After the death of
tha^
KENT. 13^^
that unhappy princefs, he was nominated chan-
cellor of the dutchy of Lancafter, created a knight
of the garter, and chofen recorder of the borough
of Colcheiler. He died April the 6th, 1590,
and was privately interred in St. Paul's cathedral.
So extenfive was his intelligence, and fo great
were the fums which he laid out for that purpofe,
that he maintained, it is faid, no lefs than fifty-
three agents in foreign courts, and eighteen fpies.
His dilintereflednefs, we are aflured, was equal
to his other virtues ; for, notwithftanding the ma-
ny lucrative places, which he had fo long enjoy-
ed, he died fo poor, that he fcarce left enough to
defray the expences of his funeral. A book, in-
titled, ^/r^;/^ AuUca^\s commonly afcribed to him;
but there is feme reafon to doubt if it was of h^s
own compofition.
Sir Richard Baker, a writer of the feventeenth
century; was born at Sifingherft in Kent, about
the year 1568. After going through the ufual
courfe of academical learning at Hart hall in Ox-
ford, he travelled into foreign parts; and, upon
his return home, was created mafter of arts, and
foon after received the honour of knighthood. In
1620 he was high-fherifF of Oxfordfhire; but
having by an imprudent marriage involved him-
felf in debt, he was forced to take fhelter in the
Fleet-prifon, where he ccmpofed feveral books,
the principal of which is his Chronicle of the Kings
of EnglancL He died in jail the i8th of February,
1645.
Sir Henry Wotton, an accomplifned ftatefman
in the feventeenth century, was defcended of an
ancient and honourable family, and born at Boc-
ton in this county, on the 3cth day of March,
1568. He had his education at the univerfity of
Cambridge, wJiere he applied to his ftudies with
unwearied diligence, and diflinguilhed himfelf
greatly
r4<5 A Description of
greatly by his academical exercifes. Upon the
dpath of his father he fet out on. his travels ; and,
after making the tour of France, Italy, Germa-
ny, and the Low Countries, returned, much im-
proved, to his native country. His tirft public em-
ployment was that of being fecretary to the fa-
mous earl of Eflex, whom he attended to Ireland,
and in his expeditions againft the Spaniards. Up-
on the trial and condemnation of that nobleman,
he withdrew himfelf to Florence, where he foon
attracted the notice of the grand duke of Tuf-
cany, who difpatched him with letters to king
James the Sixth of Scotland, to acquaint him
with a defign that v/as formed againft his life.
This embafiy happily laid the foundation of all
Mr. Wotton's future fortunes. King James had
'no fooner afcended the throne of England, than
he fent for that gentleman ; bellowed upon him
the honour of knighthood ; and employed him,
nine or ten different times, as his ambadador at
moft of the courts of Europe. Being difcharg-
ed, at laft, from all his public employments, he
was appointed provoft of Eton college \ and here
he fpent the remainder of his days in a quiet, a
ftudious, and honourable retirement. He died in
December 1639, and was interred, according to
his defire, in the chapel of his college. He wrote
The State of Chrljiendom ; The Elements of Arch'i-
teSiure ; Epiftol. cle Gafparo Scioppio ; EpijL ad AI,
Velferum j Reliquia Wottoniancs^ kc. His defini-
tion of an ambaffador was, that he is Fir bonus,
peregre m'ljfus ad tnentiendu?n Reipublic^ Caufa ;
i.e. An honeft man fent abroad to lie for the good
of his country.
Sir George Rooke, one of the braveft and moft
experienced naval officers that Great Britain ever
produced, was born of honourable parentage in
the county of Kent, in the year 1650. His firfl
KENT. 141
flatloii In the navy was that of a reformade, from
which he rofe gradually through the inferior
ranks of lieutenant, captain and commodore, to
that of admiral. He diftinguilhed himfelf great-
ly in the battles of La Hogue and Malaga, in the
firft of which he deftroyed thirteen of the enemy's
Ihips of war. For his gallantry in this adion, he
received the honour of knighthood, and had a
penfion of 1000 1. per annum, fettled upon him
for life. In 1702 he deftroyed a large fleet of
French men of war, and Spanifh galleons, in the
harbour of Vigo, where he obtained a rich booty.
The next year he took the ftrong fortrefs of Gibral-
tar, the reduction of which is faid to have been
owing to a fmgular circumftance ; the day, it
feems, on which it was taken, being a Sunday,
the women had all gone early in the morning to
pay their devotions in a little chapel at fome dif-
tance from the place ; the Englifh failors got be-
tween them and their huft)ands ; and the latter
choofmg rather to part with the town than their
wives, compelled the governor to furrender. Not-
withftanding the important fervices Sir George
had performed for his country, he was obliged, by
the violence of party fpirit, which then raged in
an extreme degree, to refign his command. He
died on the 24th of January, 1709, and v/as in-
terred in Canterbury cathedral.
John Evelyn, a great philofopher, a worthy
patriot, and an eminent writer of the feventeenth
century, was born Odober the 31ft, 1620, at
Wotton in this county, and educated at Baliol-
college in Oxford. Having compleatedhis courfe
of academical learning, he removed, about the
year 1640, to the Middle Temple, London ; and
there he continued till the breaking out of the
civil war, when he obtained permiflion from king
Charles the Firft to travel for his improvement.
He
142 !^ Description ^
He accordingly fpent above fix years and a half
in making the tour of Europe ; and returning to
England in 1651, took up his refidence at
Sayes-Court near Deptford. Here he employed
himfelf in beautifying his Villa, which he pof-
lefTed in right of his wife, the only daughter of
Sir Richard Browne ; and in the improvements
which he made he gave a noble fpecimen of the
pradicability of that plan, which he recommend-
ed in his writings. Devoted, as he was, to ftudy
and retirement, he was no lefs qualified for the ac-
tive fcenes of life : for, upon the firfl probable
profpe6t of the happy refforation, he appeared a
warm advocate for the royal caufe ; and this fer-
vice was fo acceptable to king Charles the Second,
that he enjoyed, ever after, the confidence of that
prince. When the Royal Society was eftablifhed
in 1^62, Mr. Evelyn was appointed one of its
members ; and at the breaking out of the Dutch
war in 1664, he was conftituted a commifTioner
of the fick and wounded feamen. His m.erit had,
by this tim-e, introduced him into the acquain-
tance of fome of the beft and greateft men of the
age; and it was by his perfuafion chiefly, that
the lord Henry Howard was prevailed on to pre-
fent to the univerfity of Oxford, the noble col-
Je£tion of Arundelian marbles : a favour fo grate-
ful to that learned body, that they complimented
him with the degree of do^or of the civil law.
Upon the firft eredion of the Board of Trade and
Plantations, he was appointed a member of that
honourable council ; and he Ihewed by his fenfible
hiflory of trade and navigation, how well he was
qualified to fill fuch a place. In the reign of king
James the Second, he was named one of the com-
mifiioners for executing the high office of lord
privy-feal ; and in a very little time after the revo-
lution, he was conftituted treafurer of Green-
wich
KENT. 143
t7ich Hofpital. But thefe great employments,
however laborious, did not divert him from the
profecution of his ftudies, which he ftill carried
on with unwearied application ; and indeed the
books he wrote v/ere fo numerous, and on fuch a
variety of fubjecls, that to give a bare catalogue of
them would greatly exceed the limits of this arti-
cle. The principal are Scuiptura, or the Hiftory
cf Chalcography and engraving in copper ; Syha^
or a Difcourfe of Forell: Trees ; Pomojia^ or a
Treatife on Fruit Trees j A Parallel of ancient
-and modern Architedure ; The Gardener's Al-
manack ; Nutmfmata^ or a Difcourfe of Medals,
together with upwards of twenty other Tra£ls.
Mr. Evelyn died February 2, 1706, in the eighty-
fixth year of his age.
John Evelyn, fon to the famous writer of that
name, and himfelf a man of great genius and
learning, was born in his father's houfe at Sayes-
Court near Deptford, January the 14th, 1654. He
ftudied fome time in Trinity- college, Oxford ; but
it does not appear that he took any degree. As
he was no lefs dilHnguifned for his political abili-
ties than his literary accomplifhments, he was ap-
pointed one of the commiflioners of the revenue
in Ireland, and would probably have been ad-
viinced to higher employments, had he not been
cut oft in the flower of his age, dying March the
24th, 1698, in the forty-fifth year of his age.
He tranflated a PocTn on Gardens^ from the Latin
of Renatus Rapin^ and the Life of Alexander the
Great^ from the Greek of Plutarch,
George Byng, lord Torrington, and rear-ad-
miral of Great Britain, was defcended from an
ancient family in the county of Kent, and born
in 1663. ^^ ^^ ^g^ of fifteen he entered as a
volunteer into the fea fervice, which, however,
lie foon after (quitted, and ferved as a cadet of
grenadiers
144 -^ Description of
grenadiers under general Kirke at Tangier. He
returned, neverthelefs, in 1684, to the fea fer-
vice, in which he continued during the remaining
part of his life, and had a capital fhare in moft
of the fea fights that happened from 1690 to 1720.
He rofe, merely by the force of merit, through all
the inferior pofts in the navy, till at laft, in 1705,
he was advanced to the rank of admiral. In 1708,
he defeated an invafion, which the pretender
threatened to make upon the kingdom of Scotr
land. He likewife difconcerted, by his refolute
condu£l:, thedefign formed byCharles theTwelfth
of Sweden againft this ifland. But the moft im-
portant aftion, in which he was ever engaged,
and indeed one of the moft glorious events, that
occurs in the Englifti hiftory, was the defeat he
gave the Spanifh fleet off Cape PafTaro, where he
took or deftroyed fifteen of their Ihips of war.
For this noble atchievement, he was raifed to the
peerage by the title of vifcount Torrington, and
baron Byng of Southill, in Bedfordfhire. He was
afterwards created a knight of the Bath, and ap-
pointed firft lord of the Admiralty, in v/hich high
ftation he died in the month of January, 1733.
Robert Plot, a learned philofopher and anti-
quarian of the feventeenth century, was born at
Sutton-barn, in the parifh of Bofden in Kent,
and educated at the free-fchool of Wye, and at
Magdalen-hall and univerfity-college in Oxford,
where he took the degrees in arts and in law.
In 1682 he was eledled fellow of the Royal So-
ciety, and fuperintended the publication of fome
of their Tranfadlions. He afterwards became
keeper of the Aftimolaean colledion of curiofities,
profeflbr of chemiftry in the univerfity of Ox-
ford, hiftoriographer to king James the Second,
and regifter of the court of Honour. He died of
the ftone on the 30th of April, 1696, and was
interred
KENT. 145
interred In the parifli church of his native place.
He compofed a natural hiflory of the counties of
Oxford and Stafford ; and feveral other fmaller
tra£ls inferted In the Philofophical Tranfaclion?.
Bafil Kennet, a learned writer, and brother of the
preceding, was born October 21, 1674, at Poflling
in Kent, and educated at Corpus-Chrilli-college,
in Oxford, of which he became a fellow. In i;c6,
he went over chaplain to the Englifh failory at
Leghorn, where, notwithflanding the oppofitiori
of the papids, he continued five years; and re-
turning to England for the benefit of the air, was
chofen prefident of his college. This honour,
however, he did not long enjoys for he died on
the 15th of May, 17 14. He wrote The Roman
Antiquities^ and the Lives and Characters of the an-
cient Greek Poets ; and tranflated into Englifh Puf-
fendorfF's Treatife of the Law of Nature and Na-
tions^ and fome other books.
Stephen Hales, a worthy divine, and an emi-
nent mechanic genius, in the beginning of the
eighteenth century, was the fixth fon of Thomas
Hales, Efq; of Beckefbourn in Kent; and was
born at that place on the 7th of September 1677.
He received his education at Bennet- college Cam-
bridge, where he diftinguifhed himfelf greatly by
his application to his ftudies. Having taken his
degrees, and entered Into orders, he was appoint-
ed perpetual curate of Teddington in Middlefex.
In 1718, he was chofen a fellow of the Royal
Society ; and about the fame time was indufled in-
to the living of Porlock in the county of Somer-
fet. !n 1727, he publifhed his Treatife of /%^^^-
hle Statics ; and continuing to profecute the fame
fubjcct with unwearied diligence,, he printed, in
1733, a fecond part, called Statical Ejfays. In
174^, he favoured the public with an account of
his Ventilators \ and thele, though at firft they m.ct
VcL. V. G with
146 A Description of
with oppofition, were foon after brought intounn
verfal ufe. In 1751, he was made clerk of the
clofet to her royal highnefs, the princefs dowager
of Wales ; and about two years after, was elevSt-
ed a member of the Academy of Sciences at Pa-
ris. This laft compliment redounded the more to
his honour, as the number of foreign members ad-
mitted into that fociety is limited to eight. His
own merit, and the intereft of his friends, might
eafily have procured him fome higher preferment
in the church; but he ftudioufly declined all far-
ther promotion, and devoted his time to the pro-
fecution of his ftudies. He died at Teddington
January the 4th, 1761, and was interred under
the tower of the parifh church. A monument
was afterwards eredled to his memory in Weft-
ininfter-abbcy, by her royal highnefs the princefs
dowager of Wales. Befides the works already
mentioned, he wrote feveral other pieces, which
are to be found either in the Philofophicai Tranf-
actions, or in feparate pamphlets.
LAN^
[ 147 ]
LANCASHIPvE,
|ir^^l(^^ANCASHIRE was thus called from
^ T ^ its Saxon name Loncaflerfcyre, which
1e^ ^ was derived from Lancafter the county
h^^^M town. This is a maritime county, in
the north-well part of England, bounded on ths
north by Cumberland and Weftmoreland, on the
eaft by Yorkfhire, on the fouth by Cheftiire, and
-on the weft by the Irifli fea ; extending fifty-fevcn
miles in length from north to fouth, thirty-two
in breadth from eaft to weft, and a hundred and
feventy in circum.ference.
Jn the time of the ancient Britons and Ro-
mans this county was part of the large territory
inhabited by the Brigantes, and there are two Ro-
man military ways tnat enter it, one from Weft-
moreland, and the other from Yorkfhire, Under
the Saxon heptarchy it became fubjecl to the
krn2:s of Northumberland. Kins; Edward the
'i'hird made it a county palatine, in favour of his
fon John of Gaunt, and it has ftill a court, which
fits in the dutchy chamber at Weftminfter, and
-takes cognizance of all caufes, that any way con-
cern the revenue belonging to that dutchy, the
chief judge of which is the chancellor of the
<lutchy, who is afiifted and attended by the attor-
ney-general, the receiver-general, the auditor of
the north and fouth parts of the dutchy, the king's
ferjeant and council, the fecretary, deputy-clerk
.and regifter, an uftier, deputy-uiher^ and mefien-
ger; as alfo a court of chancery, appointed to
14? A Description of
hear and determine all caufes, according to feme
peculiar cuftoms ufed among themfelves, which is
held at Prefton. The chancellor is chief judge
of this court alfo, and has proper officers under
him, fuch as a vice-chancellor, an attorney-gene-
ral, chief clerk, regifter and examiner j five at-
tornies and clerks, a prothonotary and his deputy,
and clerks of the crown and peace. p>om the
time that Lancafhire was made a county palatine,
the town of Lancafter gave the title of duke to a
branch of the royal family, till the union of the
houfesof York and Lancafter, by the marriage
of king Henry the Seventh, of the Lancafter line,
with Elizabeth, heirefs of the houfe of York.
The air of Lancafliire is, in general, more fe-
rene than that of any other maritime county in
England, on which account the inhabitants are
ilrong and healthy, except near the fea-fhore, and
near the bogs and fens, where fulphureous and
faline effluvia, which rife on the approach of
ftorms, produce fevers, fcurvies, confumptions,
rheumatifmk and dropfics.
The principal rivers in this county are the
Merfey, the Ribble, the Wire, and the Lon.
The Merfey rifes in the mountains of Derby-
fhire, and running fouth-weft divides that county
from Lancafliire j and being joined by a confider-
^ble ftream called the Gout, which parts Derby-
IhiiC and Chefhire, continues its courfe along the
borders of Lancafhire and Chefhire, and receiving
the Taume, the Irwell, the Bollen, and feveral
other fmall rivers, palles to Warrington, and
from thence running weftvvard, falls into the Irifli
fea at Liverpool.
The Ribble rifes in Yorkfhire, and flowing
fouth-weft, enters this county at Clithero. In
its courfe it is augmented by the Great Calder,
the Hodder, the Darwen, and the Savock ; and
dividing
LANCASHIRE. 149
dividing Lancafhire nearly into two equal parts,
falls into the Irifh lea near Prefton. At its mouth
it receives a large river, formed by the conflux of
the Charnock, Dov/glefs, and the Taud.
The Wire is formed by the Broke, the Little
Calder, and other fmali flreams ; and directing
its courfe weftvvard, difcharges itfelf into the Irifh
fea, about twelve miles to the north of the mouth
of the Ribble.
The Lon rifes near Kirby Lonfdale, in Weft-
moreland ; and runnning fouth-wefl: is augment-
ed by feveral ftreams, till it paffes by the town of
Lancafter, near which it falls into the Irifh fea,
at a wide channel.
The rivers of this county abound with fifh,
particularly the Merfey, with fparlings and fmelts ;
the Ribble, with plaice and fioundsrs; the Lon,
with excellent falmon ; and the Wire, with a large
fort of mufcle, called Hambleton Bookings, be-
caufe they are dragged out with hooks ; and in
thefe mufcles, pearls of a confiderable fize are
frequently found. The Irk, a fmali river that
difcharges itfelf into the Merfey, is remarkable
for eels that are fo fat, that few people can eat
ihem ; their extraordinary fatnefs is imputed to
their feeding on the greafe and oil, prefled by a
number of water mills upon this flream, out of
the woollen cloth milled in them.
The principal meers, or lakes, in this county,
arc the Winander, the Keningflon, and the
Martin. Winander meer is the largeif, it bein^
eighteen miles in length, and two in breadth. It
abounds with all forts of fifh, but is moft remark-
able for the Char, which is efteemed a great de-
licacy. It was formerly faid, that this fifh was
found no where elfe in England ; but this is a
miftake, for it has been met with in Keningfton
meer, about five miles diftant from this 5 as alfo
G 3 in
150 A Description of
in feveral places in Wales. It is commonly called
the red char, the gilt char being a different fpe-
cies ; it isof a longer and flenderer make than a
trout ; for one of eighteen inches long is no more
than an inch and a half broad. The back is of a
greenifh olive colour, fpotted with white, and the
belly is painted with red in themelters ; but that
of the fpawners is quite white. Kenington meer
is neiiher fo large, nor fo full of fifh as the former j
but fome think the chars that are caught therein
are beft.
Upon the fea coalls are found turbuts, plaice^
flounders and cod; the fea-dog, flieth fifh, and
iricle-fifh, are taken upon the fands near Li-
verpool ; fturgcon is caught near Warrington,,
and all along the coafl are found green backs,,
mullets, foais, fand-eels, lobfters, oyfters, prawns^
ihrimps, the beft and largeft cockles in England,,
ihe.echim, torculars, wilks and perriwinkles, pap-
fifh, and rabbit-fifh; and fuch plenty of mufcles,
that the hufbandmen near the fea coafl manure-
llieir ground with them.
There are feveral excellent mineral fprings in
this county, of diiferent natures and qualities, one
of the rnoft remarkable of which is at Latham
near Ormfkirk ; this is called Maudlin's Well,
and has wrought many extraordinary cures.
It was v/alled in and covered at the expence of
Charles, late earl of Derby, who had a family
feat here. Though this fpring is not near the fea,.
and is at a diflance from any fait river, it ufed to
throw up great quantities of marine fhells, till
miil-llones being laid upon it, that inconvenience
was prevented. This fpring would be much more
frequented were there better accommodations in
its neighbourhood. It is faid to be impregnated
with fulphur^ vitriol and ochre, mixed v/ith iron,
lapis .
LANCASHIRE. 151
lapis fcifcilis, and a marine fait, united with a
bitter purging fait.
Carlton water, To called from Carlton, a vil-
lage ten miles fouth-weft of Prefton. Tills wa-
ter is fomewhat oF a chalybeate, and when juft
taken up, has a faint fmell of fulphiir. It will
curdle with foap and milk, turns white with oil
of tartar, has a pink fediment with galls, and
changes to a deep blue with logwood. A gallon
contains two hundred and thirty-fix grains of a-
white fediment, whereof one third part is earth.
The fediment is of a blackifh tafte, and bitterifli
in the throat, and will ferment with acids. The
fait is brackifti and \QTy bitter in the throat, and
it emits an acid fume with oil of vitriol j but v/ill
not ferment nor change with vinegar : it is a more
powerful abforbent than many other nitrous wa-
ters, and three or four pints will purge brifkly.
At Wrayfholm tower, two or three miles to
the fouthward of Cartmel, is a fpring, which rifes
from the bottom of a rocky mountain. It is of a
brackifh tafte, and turns white with oil of vi-
triol, green with fyrup of violets, and brown with
logwood ; but it continues clear with galls. A
gallon of this water yields three hundred grains
of fediment, of a faltifh tafte, and will ferment
with oil of vitriol, and emit an acid fume. It
purges brifkly by ftool and urine, and the com-
mon people drink it from three to eight quarts. It
is of great ufe in bad digeftions, lofs of appetite,
and the fcurvy. It has cured the jaundice and a
quartan ague j and is excellent in the green fick-
iiefs.
Crickle Spaw rifes in a village of that name, a
mile from Broughton. It has a ftrong fetid fmell,
and will turn filver black in a minute. The earth
it runs over is of a fhining black, and yet it will
G 4 turn
152 A Description of
turn rags, leaves and grafs, white. A gallon
contains three hundred and twenty grains of fedi-
inent, twelve of which are earth, and the reft are
fea-falt and nitre. It is a purging fulphureous
water.
At Heigh, a village not far from Wigan, is a
water, which will ferment ftrongly with any al-
cali ; it will turn inky with galls, and has likewife
a vitriolic talle ^ a galjon yields four ounces of
fcdiment, whiqh confifts of a variegation of
•white and green, with oker, fulphur, and a little
copper. It works plentifully by vomit and ftoo),
and v/ill flop internal bleedings.
Burnly waters will turn gsjls of a deep red in a
moment, and mixed with fyrup of violets turns to
a very deep green. It works powerfully by urine,
and is good in fcorbutic cafes.
Handbridge is feated between Burnly and Town-
ly, and has a fpring that will change galls to a
faint orange colour. The fait obtained therefrom
yields a fetid, penetrating fmell with fait of tar-
tar. Thefe two laft waters agree with the Pohun
at Spa, in containing iron and natron as their
principal ingredients. It purges by ftool and urine,
and is of great ufe in the gravel, fcurvy, and ob-
i^ru6lions.
There is a fpring two miles from Whaley, and
feven miles weft of Burnly, whofe ftream renders
gold brigl)ter ; but turns all white metals black.
The channel this water runs in, is lined with a
bituminous ftinking fubftance. It is ftrongly
impregnated with fulphur, combined with a little
calcarious nitre, a mixture of fea-falt, and of ab-
forbent earth 3 but we have no account of its vir-
tues.
Inglewhite is a village in Lancafliire, where
there iS a ftrong, fulphureous and chalybeate wa-
ter.
LANCASHIRE. 153
tcr. A gallon contains twenty-four grains of
fcdiment, of which nineteen are earth and oker,
and five of nitre j but it will not purge, uaicfs
drank with fait.
Befides thefe medicinal fprings, there is at Bar-
ton, near Ormfkirk, a fpring of fait water, a quart
of which will produce eight ounces of fait, tho'
a quart of fea-water will yield but an ounce and
a half. In many parts on the coaft near Kirk-
ham,.the inhabitants gather great heaps of land,
which after having lain fome time, they put into
troughs, full of holes at the bottom, pour water
on it, and boils that which runs into the receiver
into white fait.
At AnclifF, about three miles from Wigan, is
a remarkable phenomenon, called the Burning
Well, the water of which is cold, and has no
fmell; yet fo ftrong a vapour iffues from it, that,
upon applying a candle to it, it will take fire, and
the top of the water be covered with a flame like
that of fpirits, which will continue burning a
whole day, j:nd emits fo fierce a heat, th:;t eggs,
and even fiefh meat, may be boiled over it ; yet,
the water being taken out of the well, will not
emit vapour in a fufficient quantity to catch fire.
This well is but a few yards diilant from a rich
coal mine, and the inflammable vapour is un-
doubtedly a petrolium, quite difl:incl from that of
fulphur.
After mentioning the rivers and remarkable
fprings of this county, it will be proper to give an
account of an artificial river or canal, of a very
extraordinary nature, formed for an inland navi--
■gation. This is the duke of Bridgewater's mag-
nificent work near IManchef^er, which is perhaps
the greateft artificial curiohty of its kind in the
world. It is a fubterranean canal, conitructed to
G ^ convey
154 J D^ scRiprtoU of
convey coals from the bottom of the pits to IVlan-
chefter and other places. It begins at Woifley
mill, about feven miles from the laft mentioned
town, where, at the foot of a large mountain, i;^
a bafon that forms a great body of water, which
ferves as a refervoir or head to this navigation ;
and from it a fubterranean pafTage is formed under
the mountain, large enough for flat-bottomed
boats, fifty feet long, and four and a half broad,
to pafs to the mines, by the light of candles, la
proceeding through his pafTage, the boat is towed on
each hand by a rail, for the fpace of a thoufand
yards, or near three quarters of a mile, under the
iTiountain, before you come to the coal works.
The paffage then dividing, one branch continues
in a ftrait line, three hundred yards farther, a-
mong the coal works, while another turns offy
and extends three hundred yards to the hft.
Kcnce thofe who go both paffages, go by water
near three miles under ground, before they return,
The palfages in thofe parts, where there were
coals or loofe earth, are arched over with brick 5-
and in other the arches are cut out of the rock.
At certain diftances there are niches on the fide of
the arch, with funnels or openings through the
rock to the top of the hill, which is in fome places
near thirty-feven yards perpendicular, in order to-
preferve a free circulation of frefh air, and to pre-
vent thofe damps ar.d exhalations that are fome-
times fo deftru^tive in works of this kind, and al-
fo to letdown men tov/ork, in cafe any accident
ihould happen to the paflage. Befides, near the
entrance of the paflage, and again farther on,
there are gates to clofc up the arch, and prevent
the admiliion of too much air in windy and tern-
peftuous weather. The arch is at the entrance,
about fix feet wide, and five feet high, from the
furfiice
LANCASHIRE. 155
furface of the water -, but on entering farther in,
it grows wider ; To that in fome places boats thac
are going to and fro, can eafily pafs each other ;
and when you come among the pits, the arch is
ten feet wide.
Coals are brought from the pits to this canal in
little low waggons that hold near a ton each ;
and as the works are on the defcent, are eafily
puihed forward by a man on a railed way, to a
ftage over the canal, and then fhot into one of the
above-menticned boats, each of which holds about
eight tons. One of thefe boats, thus loaded, is
conveyed thro' the paiTage, by means of the rails,
by a fmgle man, to the hafon at its mouth, where
four, five, or fix of thefe boats, being linked to-
gether, are drawn by one horfe, or two mules, by
the fide of the canal, to all the places to which
the canal is conveyed. About fifty of thefe nar-
row boats are employed, befides a confiderable
number of large ones, that hold about fifty tons
each, and are likevvife drawn by one horfe.
The various ufes to which the canal is employ-
ed, is amazing. It ferves to drain the coal pits of
water, which would otherwife obftructthe works;
arid near the mouth of the fubterranean paiTage
is an overfhot mill, fo admirably contrived, as to
work by the force of the current three piir of
grind-ftones for corn, a dreffing or bolting mill,
aiid a machine for fifting fand, and compounding
mortar for the works carried on. The bolting
mill is made of wire, of different degrees of fine-
nefs, and atone and the fame time difcharges the
finelt: flour, the middling furt, the courfe flour,
the pollard, and the bran, without turning round,
the work being effected by bruflies of hogs briftles
v/ithin the wire. The mortar is made by a large
ftone laid horizontally, and turned by a cog-
wheel underneath it 3 this ftonc, on which the
mgxcAr
156 >/ Description o/
mortar is laid, turns in its courfe two other ftone?
that are placed upon it obliquely, and, by their
weight and fri6lion, work the mortar under-
neath, which is tempered, and taken ofFby a man
employed for that purpofe.
From the above bafon a canal extends to Man-
chefter, which is nine miles by water, though
but feven by land. It is broad enough for two
barges to pais each other, or go a-brealt ; and oa
one fide of it is a good road for the pafiage of the
horfes and mules that draw the boats and barges.
To perfe<5l this canal without impeding the public
roads, bridges are built over it j and where the
earth has been raifed to preferve the level, arches
are formed under it : all of which are built chieflv
of flone, and are both elegant and durable : but
what principally flrikes every obferver, is a work
raifed near Barton bridge, to convey the canal
over the river Merfey. This is done by means of
three flone arches, fo fpacious and lofty, as ta
admit a veflel failing through them ; and indeed
nothing can be more fmgular and pleafing, than to
obferve large vefTels in full fail under the aquedu6i:»
and at the fame time, the duke of Bridgewater's
vcfTels failing over all, near fifty feet above that
navigable river. At convenient diflances there
are, befides the canal, receptacles for the fuper-
fluous water; and at the bottom of the canal>
machines conflrudled on very Hmple principles,,
and placed at proper diflances, to flop and pre-
ferve tiic water, in cafe any p?.rt of the bank
fhould happen to break down. The aquedu6l is
perfected as far as Manchefter, where coals are
brought from the mine in great plenty, and ano-
ther Targe bafon is making there, for the reception
of the vefiels employed in this work.
There is likewife another canal, which takes
its rife from that we have defcribed near Barton
bridge.
LANCASHIRE. 157
brldo-e, and goes to Stratford. In the execution
of this wo'-k, fuch judgment and oeconomy have
been obfervcd, that the refufe of one part is made
to conibucl the material parts of another : thus,
the ftone, which was dug up to form a bafon for
the boats at the foot of the mountain, with that
taken out of the rock, to form the fubterraneous
pafTage, is hewn into different forms, and dimen-
fions for the building of bridges over the aque-
du6l, and arches to raife it ; v/hiJe the clay, and
other earth taken up to preferve the level in one
place, are carried down the canal, to raife the land
to a level in another. In fhort, grandeur, elegance,
and oeconomy, are here happily united, and the
whole executed at an expence by no means ade-
quate to the importance of the undertaking.
The foil on the weft fide of this county yields
great plenty of wheat and barley ; and though the
hilly tradls on the eaft fide are for the moft part
ftony and barren, yet the bottom of thofe hills
produce excellent oats. In fome places the land
bears very good hemp, and the pafture is fo rich,
that thecovvs and oxen are of a very extraordina-
ry fize ; and their horns wider and bigger than in
any other county in England. Lancaihire has alfo
mines of copper, lead, and iron, of antimony,
black-lead, and Lapis Calaminaris ; alfo quarries
of ftone for building. Here is likewife great
plenty of coal, and a particular fpecies, called
Cannel, or Candle-coal, which is chiefly found
rear Wigan, and is fuppofed to receive its name
from the clear and fteady light it gives in burning.
This coal will not only make a much brighter fire
than other kinds of coal, but is of fo firm a tex-
ture, as to bear turning, and be capable of re-
ceiving a good polifh, when it has the appearance
of black marble ; whence cups, candlefticks,
ftandifhes, f.Uis, and ether things are made of it.
And
158 A Description 0/
and thefe have not only a very agreeable appearance,
but will not foil the fingers. In fome of the coal-
pits are found green vitriol, brimftone, and alum.
The mofles, or bogs of this county, are, like
thofe of Cheftiire, diftinguifhed into three kinds,
the vi^hite, the black, and the grey ; all which be-
ina; properly drained, bear good corn. T'hey like-
wife yield turf for fuel, and marie proper for ma-
nuring the ground. In thefe moffes, trees are
fometinies found lying buried ; and the people
make ufe of poles and fpits to difcover where they
lie. Some are of opinion, that thefe trees have
lain there ever fince the univerfal deluge ; and
fome would have them to be mineral produdlions,
which is altogether improbable, fome of them be-
ing found with roots, and thofe that have none,
appear either to have been burnt, or have the
marks of the ax ftill vifibic. Thefe trees v/hen
dug up ferve for firing, for they burn like a torch,
which fome fuppofe to be owing to the bituminous
flratum in which they lie ; but others to the tur-
pentine which tkey contain, they being generally
of the fir kind.
About Latham is found a bituminous earth,
which yields a fcent much like the oil of amber >
and an oil may be extracted from it, which in
moft of its valuable qualities, is little inferior to
that of amber. The country people cut this kind
of bitumen into pieces, which they burn infteaJ
of candles.
Among the vegetables that grow v/ild in this
county are the following.
The leail: Tway blade, BlfoUum Tninimum^ ob-
i^rved upon Pendle-hill among the heath.
Wild-heiiTt-cherry tree, commonly called the
Merry tree, Cerafus fy'lvejlris fru^tu minima cordi-
formic P. B. About Bury and Manchefter.
Small fea fcurvy-grafs with a cornered leaf,
CochUaria
LANCASHIRE. 159
Cochlear la 7?iartna folio aiigulofo par-vOj D. Lawfon.
In the Ifle of Wainey.
Jagged fleabane-mullet, or marfh-flcabane,
Conyza helenitis foliis lacmlatis. In the ditches
about Pillinmofs, plentifully.
Prickly famphire, or fea-parfnep, Crlthmu?n
fpinofurn^ Ger. fnarttifnu?n fpinofum, C. B. At
Roofbeck in Low Fournei's.
Sea buglofs, Echium marlnum^ P. B. Buglof-
Jvjn duke ex infulis Lancajhiae^ Park. Over againft
Bigger in the Ifle of Wainey, plentifully.
Small jagged yellow rocket of the Ifle of Man,
Eruca Monenfis laclniata lutea^ Cat. Ang. Be-
tween Marfh-Grange and the Ifle of Wainey.
Bloody cranes-bill, with a variegated flower.
Geranium haematodes Lancajirenfe^ Jlore eleganter
jhlatQ. In the Ifle of Wainey, in a fandy foil
near the fea-fnore.
Hares-tail-ru(h, mofs-crops, yuneus Alpinus
cutn Cauda leporina^ J. B. Upon the mofles.
Purple-goats-beard, Rofmarinum purpuremn^
On the banks of the river Chalder.
On the coafls of this county are frequently ob-
ferved many extraordinary birds, as the fea crow,
which is dillinguilhed by its blue body, its black
head and wings, and by its feeding upon mufcles;
the afper, which is a fpecies of fea eagle ; the ra-
zor-bill ; the puffing ; the cormorant ; the cur-
lew-hiip; the Gopped-wren, which is faid to be
fond of a red colour ; the red-fhanks ; king's
fifxier J heighough ; and perrs ; befides fwans,
ducks, teil, and other common birds.
This county is divided into fix' hundreds, and
has no city, and only twenty-feven market tovv^ns.
It lies in the province of York and diocefe of
Cheflier, and contains fixty-three pariflies, which
are, in general, much larger than thofe of any
other
i6o A Description of
other county in England, and very populous ; for
which reafjn there are many chapels in the coun-
ty, feveral of which are as large as parifh churches.
It fends fourteen members to parliament, iwa
knights of the fhire, and two reprefentatives for
each of the following boroughs. Lancafter, Li-
verpool, Prefton, Newton, Wigan, and Cli-
thero.
We fhall now enter this county by the road
which leads from London'to Lancailer, and fliall:
begin with Warrington, which is fituated in
the midway between Liverpool and Manchefler,
about eighteen miles from each, fifty to the
fouthward of Lancafter, and a hundred and eigh-
ty-two north-weft of London. It is a pretty
large, neat, old built, but populous and rich
town, feated on the river Merfey, over v/hich it
has a ftone bridge, that was partly pulled down in.
the laft rebellion, to intercept the rebels. It is
not incorporated, but governed by the juftices of
peace and four conftables. It has one large church,
and a very large and elegant chapel of eafe, lately
built with ftone. Here is aconfiderable manufac-
tory of fail-cloth, a large houfe for fmelting of
coppsr-ore, a glafs-houle both for bottles and
flint glafs, which is here alfo neatly cut ; a fugar-
houfe, and a brev/ery for exportation, the beer of
which is excellent ; and in its neighbourhood is a
fme linen manufactory of huckabacks, of which
it is faid that ';oo 1. worth or more, are fold Vv'eek-
Jy at the market here. In this town is alfo a free-
fchool, and theie has been lately ereded a large
and elegant building, as an academy for the educa-
tion of youth in ail branches of literature, v/hich
is carried on by feveral mafters, under the diredlion,
and fupported by the fubfcription of many gentle-
men of fortune in the neighbourhood. Here is al-
fo a charity fcoool, ia which twenty-four boys are
taught
LANCASHIRE. i6i
taught and clothed, out of an cflate given by Pe^
ter Lee, Efq; The market days are here on Wed-
nefdays and Saturdays, but that onWednefdays is
the moft confidcrable. Here are alfo two fairs,
namely, on the 1 8th of July, and the 30th of
November, for horfes, horned cattle and cloth.
At the bridge end near Warrington was a priory
of Auguftine friars, founded before the year 1379.
From Warrington a road extends eallward to
Liverpool, Leverpool, or Lirpool, which
is. feated on the caft bank of the river Merfey,
eighteen miles vvefl: of Warrington, forty fouth of
Lancailcr, and two hundred north-weft of Lon-
don. 71iis is a large, populous, and neat town,
yet feems to have been very inconfiderable in for-
mer times, and is fcarce mentioned in hiftory, ex-
cept when prince Rupert took it by ftorm in the
great rebellion, as he was marching to the relief
of that illuftrious heroine the countefs of Derby,
then befieged in Latham-houfe by the parliament
forces. But within thefe fifty years, it hath en-
crcafcd fo prodigioufiy in trade, that it is now faid
to be the greateil: fea-portin England, except Lon-
don, it being thought to exceed even Briftol. 71ie.
merchants here trade to all parts, except Turkey
and the Eaft-Indies ; but their moft beneficial
trade is to Guinea and the Weft-Indies, by which
many have raifed great fortunes. The encreafe of
its trade (or a century paft cannot be better afcer-
tained, than by a view of the number of iliipping
belonging to the town, or which have been cleared
out at the port, for any two years at any confidc-
rable diftance of time. In 1565, the trade of the
place feems to have been carried on folely by their
own fhips and boats, of which they had twelve,
that in the whole amounted to no more than two
hundred and twenty-three tons, and they employ-
ed but fcventy-five feamen. There were then in
the
i62 ^ Description £/*
the town only one hundred and thirty-eight houf-
holders and cottagers, as appears by the town's
book, folio one hundred and forty-four : whereas
from the 24th of June, 1762, to the 24th of
June 1763, the following fhips were cleared.
Ships Tons
From Great Britain and Ireland 1496 42840
Danes, Swedes, Ruffians, Sic, 85 134 18
Africa and America * 171 25193
1752 81451
An amazing encreafe of commerce ! to which
let it be added, that this town feldom employs lefs
than one hundred and twenty fhips in the Guinea
trade only, and in the laft war Liverpool did mors
bufmefs in that trade than all the ports In Europe.
This encreafe of commerce has drawn fuch num-
bers of people to the town, that for many years
paft their buildings have encreafed after the rate of
two hundred houfes a year, fo that inflead of one
hundred and thirty-eight houfes and cottages, as
mentioned above, there are now more than fix
thoufand, and many of them capital buildings.
Here are alfo fome manufadlories of note, parti-
cularly one for fail- cloth, two for preparing filk,
one for china-ware, feveral pot-houfes, which
make very fine ware, fome falt-works that do a
great deal of bufinefs, feveral glafs-houfes, a num-
ber of public brewers, fome of whom brew large
quantities for exportation, and feveral wet and dry
docks for the building and refitting of fhips.
Liverpool was once in the parifh of Walton,
but is now feparated from it by adl of parliament,
yet pays to the redlor of Walton forty fhillings
per annum. There are four churches in the town,
viz. St. Peter's, St. Nicholas's, St. George's, and
St. Thomas's, St. George's and St. Thomas's
LANCASHIRE. 163
are In the gift of the corporation. There are
two chaplains at St. George's, v/ho have each
120 1. a year. St. Nicholas's chapel, or the old
church, ftands near the river, and confifts of a
nave or chancel, and fide iiles. In it is a fmall
organ, and at the eaft end, within the church,
are two monuments, for the two Mr. Cleveland's,
father and fon, formerly members for the town j
and befides feveral others, there is one in the
chancel for Mrs. Clayton. At the weft end is a
fleeple, which confiih of a low tower, on which
a fpire has been lately erefted. St. Peter's con-
fifts of a nave, a chancel, and two fide ifles ; and has
a tower at the weft end. Thefe two churches are
a joint rectory, in the gift of the corporation.
There are two re£lors, who have each 150 1. per
annum, and officiate at them alternately ; they
have likewife furplice fees of the whole town ;^
fees are alfo paid to the minifters who do the duty
of the other churches. St. George's chapel or
church ftands in the New market. It confifts of
a nave, a chancel, two fide ifles, and has a lofty
fpire at the weft end. This is a beautiful fabric,
the organ cafe, front of the galleries, pulpit and
defk are of mahogany, and round the church is a
noble pallifadeof iron work. The mayor and cor-
poration go to this church. St. Thomas's chapel
or church ftands near Prince's Square ; and con-
fifts of a nave, a chancel, and two fide ifies, with
a lofty fpire at the weft end. An act was pafled
a few years ago to enable the inhabitants to build
two churches more, one of which was, foon after
begun near the ladies walks, a verypleafant place,
which commands a fine view of the river and the
Cheftiire Ihore.
There are two Prefbyterian meeting-houfes, and
a divifion lately arifing among that fed, fome of
them erected a new meeting- houfe, called the
Odagon^
j54 ^ Description of
Octagon, from the form of the building, where
they Life a liturgy different from that of the church
of England, and have an organ. There are alfo
two meeting-houfes for the Baptifts, one for the
Quakers, and one for the Methodifts. There is
a large mafs-houfe in Lombard-ftreet, the Catho-
lics being very numerous, and there is likewife a
fynagogue for the Jews.
The Exchange, which coft 30,000!. and is
ere6led on the fpot where the town-houfe ftood, is
at the top of Water-flreet, and is a grand edifice
of white ftone, built in the form of a fquare, round
which are piazzas for the merchants to walk in.
Above ftairs are the mayor's offices, the felTions-
hall, the council-chamber, and two elegant ball
rooms ; but this edifice is entirely hid on tv/o fides
of the fquare by the adjoining houfes.
The charity-fchool fcands near St. Peter's
church, and is a very handfome flrufliure of brick
and ftone, with iron pallifades before it, the gift
of one Mr. Martindale of this town. The Infirma-
ry, and the failors hofpital, is a large edifice of
brick and flone, and ftands on a hill, in a very
pleafant, airy fituation, at a diftance from the
town. There is alfo a work-houfe for employing
the poor. The cuftom-houfe is a neat building
of brick and ftone, fituated at the head of one of
the docks. There are three large and commodi-
ous docks, fecured by iron gates, thro' which (hips
fail, on their coming to the town. In thefe docks
they lie clofe to the fhore, and land their goods
with the greateft facility ; and the gates being (hut,
they are fecured from winter ftorms. There is alfo a
new playhoufe in Drury-lane, where players per-
form in the fummer feafon.
Liverpool is governed by a mayor, annually
chofen on St. Luke's day, a recorder, and common
council of forty-one, including the mayor, re-
corder.
LANCASHIRE. 165
Gorder, and town clerk. The tov*^n lying lov/,
it is fomevvhat dirty in the winter. The beft
houfes are in Hanover-ftreet. There are two mar-
kets, held on Wednefdays and Saturdays ; and
two fairs, kept on July 25, and November 11,
for horfes and horned cattle. This town fends
two mem.bers to parliament.
We cannot quit this place without obferving,
that the ftreets are narrow and incommodious,
and the v/ater is fo bad, that they are obliged to
hire people to bring them frefti water in carts out
of the country, at fo great an expence, that fome
pf the inns pay from 20 to near 40 1. a year ^ and
fome of the brewers and fugar-bakers much more.
They alfo want a Trinity-houfe, like that of
London, for the better regulation of pilots, as ma-
ny of thofe employed in that important ferviceare
mere boys, and have little experience.
It will not be improper to add here, that in the
middle oi' March 1757, there was the greateit
florm of wind on the weftern coaft ever known, a
great number of fhips were flranded and loft in
this neighbourhood, and confiderable damage done
to the town, particularly about forty-two feet of
the lofty fpire of St. Thomas's church, which
was efteemed one of the moft beautiful in Eu-
rope, fell upon the body of the church, broke
through the roof, and tore down the weft galle-
ries.
We fhall now return back to V/arrington, be-
tween which and Liverpool is Prescot, a fmall
market town, eight miles eaft of Liverpool, and
a hundred and ninety-one north-north-weft of
London. The market is en Tuefdays, and it has
two fairs, on June 12, and November i, for
horned cattle, horfes and toys.
From Warringtor* a road extends north- weft-
jvard to Newton, which is feated five miles
north
1 66 yfDESCRIPTION of
north of Warrington, and a hundred and eighty-
feven north- weft of London, and is an ancient
borough by prefcription, governed by a fleward,
bailiff", and burgefl'es, and fends two members to
parliament, v/ho are returned by the fteward of
the lord of the manor. Here is a charity-fchool
founded in 1707, by Mr. Hornby, who endowed
it with 2000 1. Here children are taught to read,
write, and caft accounls ; and are allowed a din-
ner every fchool-day ; and there are ten boys and
as many girls lodged in a neighbouring hofpital,
where they are provided with all forts of neceilu-
ries, till they are fourteen years of age. The
town had once a market, which is now difufed ;
but it has two fairs, on May 17, and Auguft 12,
for horfes, horned cattle, and toys.
Leigh, a fmall town, fituated ten miles north
of Warrington, and a hundred and ninety- two
from London, is of fmall account j for the mar-
ket is very inco^fiderable, and it has no fair.
On proceeding from Newton, in the road to
Lancafter, we come to Wigan, which is plea-
fan tly feated near the fource of the river Dowglafs,
at the diftance of thirteen miles to the northward
of Warrington, thirty-nine miles fouth of Lan-
cafter, and a hundred and ninety-five north-norlh-
weft of London. It was erected into a corpora-
tion by charters granted by queen Elizabeth and
king Charles the Second, and is governed by a
mayor, a recorder, twelve aldermen, two bailiffs,
and a fword and mace bearer. It is a neat, well
built town, three quarters of a mile in length,
and has a ftately church, one of the beft endowed
in the county ; and the reclor of it is always lord
of the manor. It is famous for the manufactures
of coverlets, ruggs, blankets, and other forts of
bedding ; and alfo for its iron works, and pit-
coal, called Kennel'Coal, which we have already
men-
LANCASHIRE. 167
mentioned in fpeaking of the produce of this
county. There are here likewife many braziers,
pewterers, dyers, and weavers. It has two mar-
kets, which are held on Mondays and Fridays ; >
and three fairs, which are kept on the i8th of
Odober, and on Holy-Thurfday, for horfes,
horned cattle, and cloth ; and on the 27th of June,,
for horfes and horned cattle.
At Haigh, near this place, is a mineral fpring,
of which we have already taken notice. Here is
a handfome feat of the Bradfhaiglis, which is
thought to be one of the fined fituations in the
north of England ; and in the park is a mount,
from the top of which may be ken thirteen coun-
ties, and the Ifle of Man.
Before we proceed farther to the northward,
we fhall make an excurfion to the weft, where,
at the dillance of four miles fouth-wefl: of Wigan,
we find Holland, a village, where, in the cha-
pel of St. Thomas the martyr, v/as a college of
fecular canons, who Vv^ere changed in the year
1 319, by Walter, bifiiop of Litchfield, at the
petition of Sir Robert Holland, knight, then pa-
tron, into a priory of BenedicSline monks. It
confifted of one prior and twelve monks, who
Avere all to wear a black habit ; and upon the
death or vacation of a prior, were to elect three
from among themfelves, one of v/hom being ap-
proved by the patron, and prefented to the dioce-
fian bifhop, v/as by him appointed their prior. It
was valued at 53 1. a year by Dugdale ; but at
61 1. by Speed. Part of it is now a very hand-
fome parifh church, and the reft belongs to John
Owen, Efq;
At the diftance of four miles north-weft of Hol-
land is Latham, which is remarkable for a houfe,
which Charlotte, countefs of Derby, with the
greateft bravery and intrepidity defended, for two
years,
i63 A Description of
years, againft the forces of the parliatnent, who af-
t-erall could not take it. They however, at length,
became mafters of it, and laid it almoft level with
the ground.
Four miles north of Latham is Rufford, a
village that has a fair on the firil of May, for
horned cattle.
Three miles to the weft of Latham is Orm-
SKIRK, a handfome *town, feated near the river
Dowglafs, at the diftarice of forty miles fouth of
Lancafter, and two hundred and fix north- north-
weft of London. It has a good inland trade, and
a market on Thurfdays, with two fairs, which
are held on Whlt-Monday, and September 8, for
horned cattle and horfes.
At BuRscouGH, near Ormfkirk, Robert Fitz
Henry, lord of Latham, founded a priory of
black canons, in the reign of Richard the P'irft,
and dedicated it to St. Nicholas. This founda--
tion had at the fupprelTion of religious houfes, a
prior and five religious, with forty-eight fervants,
whofe annual revenue were valued at the fuppref-
lion at 122 1. 5 s. 7 d.
We {hall nov/ proceed back to Wigan, and
fliall again enter the road to Lancafter* About
eight miles to the eaft of this road is Charley,
or Chorley, which is feated on a rivulet that
runs into the Yarrow, eight miles north of Wi-
gan, and two hundred north-weft of London ;
but is a fmall place that has a market on Satur-
days, and three fairs, held on the 5th of May, and
t4ie 20th of Auguft for horned cattle ; and on
xX\Q 5th of September, for toys and fmall wares,
Preston, which is an abbreviation of Prieft-
Town, was fo called from its being inhabited by
a great number of religious, and is a large, hand'
fome borough, twenty-one miles fouth of Lancafter,
and
LANCASHIRE. i6^
and two hundred and twelve north-weft of Lon-
don, feated on a delightful eminence on the north
fide of the river Ribble, over which is a fine ftcne
bridge. It was incorporated by king Henry the
Second, and is governed by a mayor, recorder,
eight aldermen, four under aldermen, feventeen
common council-men, and a town clerk. It rofe
out of the ruins of Ribchefter, now a village,
but anciently a very confiderable city in the neigh-
bourhood, and is a handfome town as large as
fome cities. It is a place of refidence for the of-
ficers belonging to the chancery of the county pa-
latine, of whom an account has been already
given, and is reckoned one of the prettieft retire-
ments in England. It is a very gay place, there
being here aiTemblies, balls, and other diverfions ; it
being frequented by people of fortune in the win-
ter fcafon many miles round. The earl of Derby
has a houfe here, which makes a noble appear-
ance ; and the houfes, in general, are well built.
The duke of Hamilton was routed here, when he
brought an army from Scotland to affift king
Charles the Firft, as were likewife the Englifli
rebels in the year 17 15, who had taken arms
againft king George the Firft, when the forces
belonging to the king v/ere obliged to fet fire td
the houfes in order to diflodge the rebds, who fired
upon them from the roofs and windovv's, but the
town was afterwards amply recompenfed by the
government for the damage the inhabitants had
fuftained : after which the town roie more beauti-
ful than before. This happened on the 12th of-
November, 17 i,, on the very day when the
Scotch reb:Hs were routed in -cotland. Here is
a ch'irity-lchool for twenty-eio;hi bovs, and ano-
ther tor as many girls; and on the neighbouring
common are freqaen: horfe-races. The markets
- Vql. V. H arc
170 ^Description^
are held here on Wednefdays, Fridays, and Sa-
turdays, for corn, cattle, linen cloth, and all
forts of provifions, particularly fifti, with which
they arefupplied by the Ribble. It has three fairs,
which are held on the firft Saturday after the 6th
of January, chiefly for horfes ; on the 27th of
March, for horfes and horned cattle, and on the
7 th of September, for coarfe cloths and fmall
wares. Befides thefe fairs, every twentieth year
is held a guild or jubilee, v/hich begins the laft
week in Auguft, and continues a month ; at
which time perfons of the firfl rank refort hither
from all parts, and even from London. On the
north-weft fide of the town was a college of grey
friars, founded by Edmund, eail of Lancaller,
fon to king Henry the Third. Here was alfo an
ancient hofpital, dedicated to St. Mary Magda-
len, the mafterfhip of which was in the gift of
the king.
In LoiNSDALE alfo near Prefton, was an abbey
of Premonftratenfian canons, founded by Theo-
bald Walter, brother of Hubert Walter, archbi-
fhop of Canterbury. It was called Cockerfand
abbey, and was endowed byfeveral perfons. There
is nothing of it now ftanding but fome ruins of
walls, and in the middle entire window-cafes of a
confiderable height, which are fufficient to fhew^
that it was once a very magnificent ftru(Sl:ure. It
was valued at the. diflblution at 2 81. a year.
On the other fide of the mouth of the Ribble
was Marton Lake, a large and broad water,
about two miles in diameter, and eighteen in cir-
cumference ; but not many years ago it was drain-
ed by Thomas Fleetwood, Efq; which turned
out greatly to his advantage, the foil being fat and
muddy, mixed with marie. In it were found a
great quantity of fifli 5 but what is much more
extra-
LANCASHIRE. 171
extraordinary, there were found funk at the bot-
tom eight canoes, each made of afmgletree, fome-
what like thofe made ufe of by the Indians in
America, in which it is fuppofed the ancient Bri-
tons ufed to filh upon this lake.
At LoNRiDGE, north-eaft of Preflon, was an
hofpital, confiding of a mafter and brethren, de-
dicated to Jefus Chrift and the Virgin Mary.
RiBCHESTER, Or RiBBLECHESTER, WaS fltua-
ted fix miles to theeaft-north-eaft of Prefton, and
is generally fuppofed to have been the Coccium of
Antoninus, and the Rigodunum, or Bibodunum,
of others. However, its ruins, and the many re-
mains of antiquity that have been difcovered ia
and near it, prove that it was once a place of great
opulence and fplendor ; and fome pretend, that
it was once one of the moft fiourifhing towns ia
Europe, There are ftili vifibie traces of Roman
military ways leading to it, one of which is a
high caufevvay running hither from York ; ano-
ther pafTes from the north, and is plainly to be
feen for feveral miles together ; and a third pafTes
to it from the mouth of the Ribble through Pref-
ton. Relicks of military engines and weapons,
with variety of coins, iiatues, pillars, pedeftals,
funeral monuments, and altars, with infcriptions,
have been frequently difcovered here. In this
neighbourhood is a remarkable piece of antiquity,
which has been the objedl of much fpeculation.
This is an ancient fortification, near which has
been dug up anchors, rings, nails, and other parts
of vefiels ; whence the place is called Anchor
hill. As this hill is at aconliderable diflance from
the fea, it is fuppofed to have been a rampart of
the fortrefs of Coccium, and that the broad and
-deep to(s under it, which leads towards the river,
ferved as a canal for the boats, ihat paffed and re-
H 2 pafTed
172 ^Description of
pailed the river, for the fervice of the garrifon. Ill
this hill have been frequently dug up Roman pate-
rae or bowls, conlifting of a fubllance refembling
that of china bowls, adorned with flowers and the
figures of wolves, and fome of them marked at the
bottom with fab. pro. which doubtjefs implies,
that they were made when one of the Fabii was
proconful.
At Pen WORTH AM nearPrefton was a Benedic-
tine monaftery, dedicated to the Virgin Mary,
which at the diflblution was valued by Speed at
3 15 1. a year.
Chipping, a village thirteen miles eaft of Pref-
ton? has three fairs, held on Eafter-Tuefday,
St. Bartholomew's day, and the 28th of Augulf,
for cattle.
Seven miles to the wefl by north of Prefton is
KiRKH AM, which is about two miles to the north
of the mouth of the Ribble, and has a handfome
church, and from the church yard i§ a fine prof-
pecx of mountains at a great diftance, u^ well as
of the courfe of the river, which abounds with
falmon, trouts and other fifh, which, as well as
other provifions, are here very cheap. This town
has agrammar-fchool well endowed, by Mr. Col-
born, a citizen of London, in the year 1674,
and has three mafters, one of whom muft be in
holv orders, and preach a ledure once a month in
the mother church, or in fome chapel in the pa-
rifn. 1 he town has a market on Tuefdays, and
two fairs, which are held on June 24, for horfes
and horned cattle, and on Oclober i8, for toys and
fmail ware.
PcuL TON, or Potton, is a town near the fea
fliorc, hxteen miles weii: by north of Prcllon, ten
wcfi: by fourh of Ganlang, ^^nd two hundred and
tv/enty-iix north -north- weft of London, It ftands
very
ToH'^/i'a./-
L A !^ C A S H I R E. in
very conveniently for trade, on a rivulet that falls
into the Wire, at a fmall diftance from its mouth,
and is noted for a good pearl fifhery. It has a
market on Mondays, and three fairs, viz. on
f'ebruary 2, for horned cattle, and on IMay 3,
and July 25, for horned cattle, and fmall -vares.
.. Garstang is fituated on the load from Pref-
l!** ton to Lancafter, from which it is ten miles dif-
tant to the fouth, eleven north of Prefton, and
two hundred and twenty- three north- v^^eft of
London. It is about half a mile in length,' and
has a market on Thurfdays, for corn, cattle, and
provifions; with three fairs, which are held on Ho-
ly-Thurfday, for horned cattle, on July 21 j and
December 3, for horned cattle and woollen cloth.
Lancaster, the county town, derived its
name from the river Lon, or Lun, on v/hich it is
feated, it being called by the inhabitants Loncaf-
ter. It is fituated near eight miles to the north
ijpf Garftang, eighty-nine miles weO: of York, fix-
-eight fouth of Carlifle, and two hundred and
pthirty-two north-north-weft of London. it wai
Roman ftation, and is the ancient Longovicu;n
entioned in the Itenerary of Antoninus, where
the Roman lieutenant of Britain kept; in garrifon
a company called the Longovici. Several uten-
ftls ufed in facrifice, and a variety of Roman coins,
have been dug up here; and on the fleepsft fide
of the hill, near the church, hangs a piece of aa
old R.oman Vv'all, now called Weryvvall. The
ancient town indeed was not exadly upon the fiime
fpot on which Lancafter now ftands ; for the old
Longovicum being destroyed by the Scots in the
year 1322, the new town was built nearer the
river, and is in a fine fituation, having a profpect
over the harbour and country- The caftle, of
which v^e have caufed a view to be engrave;^ for
the fatisfadion of the reader, is thought to be
H 3 one
174 ^ Description of
one of the fineft monuments of antiquity, that
this kingdom can boaft of; for the ditch was
made by the command of the emperor Adrian,
in the year 124, and a garrifonwas placed here by
him ; who, for their better fecurity, ereded a
tower towards the weft. In the year 305, Con-
ilantine Chlorus, father of Conftantine the Great,
built another handfome tower facing the town,
both of which are now ftanding. After the Nor-
m'an conqueft, this caflie was confiderably enlar-
ged ; and John, earl of Moreton and Lancafter,
contributed the moft to its grandeur, by ereding
the beautiful tower, now called theGatehoufe. Af-
lerwards, when he was king, he gave audience in
it to the French ambaffadors, and alio here re-
ceived homage from Alexander king of the Scot?,
whom he had vanquiilied. It is at prefent the
county jail, and the aflizes have been held in it
ricar five hundred years. On the top of this caf-
ile there is afquaretower, called John of Gaunt's
chair, whence there is a beautiful and e.xtenfive
profpedt of the adjacent country, and of the fea.
Here is but one church, which is a handfome
ilrufture, with a fquare tower, and ftands on. the
very top of the caftle hill . Here are alfo a cuftom-
houfe, and a ftone bridge of five arches over the
river Lon ; but the port is fo choaked with fand,
that it will not admit of (hips of any confiderable
burden. It has however fome trade to America,
in which veiTels of feventy tons burden are em-
ployed, and the inhabitants export thither hard-
ware and woollen manufactures ; but they would
probably have more trade, if the country about it
was not fo thinly peopled, on account of its bar-
rennefs, v/hich occafions the demand for fugars
and other commodities brought back from Ame-
rica to be but fmall. Camden informs us, that,
in his time,, the town was not populous, and that
the
LANCASHIRE. 175
theinhabltants were all hufbandmen; butatprefent
the cafe is very much altered, it being well inha-
bited, and is a thriving place. The corporation
confifls of a mayor, a recorder, feven aldermen,
two bailiffs, twelve capital burgefles, twelve com-
mon burgefles, a town clerk, and two ferjeants at
mace ; and the members to ferve in parliament
are ele6ted by the majority of freemen. King
John confirmed to the burgelTcs all the liberties
he had granted to thofe of the city of Briflol ; and
king Edward the Third granted to the mayor and
bailiffs, the privilege of having the pleas and [e{-
fions held here, and no where elfe in the county.
This town has given the t;itle of duke to many
branches of the royal family. It has a market 011
Saturdays, and three fairs, which are held on the
firfl of May, for cattle, cheefe, and pedlars goods ;
on the 5th of July, for cattle, cheefe, pedlars
goods and wool ; and on the loth of Octo-
ber, for cattle, pedlars goods and cheefe.
It is worthy of remark, that earl Rogers of
Poidiers, in the year IC94, gave the church of
St. Mary at Lancafter, with fome lands here, to
the abbey of St. Martin de Sagio, or Sees, in
Normandy ; upon which a prior and five Bene-
didtine monks from thence vv^ere placed at Lancaf-
ter, who with three priefts, two clerks and fer-
vants, made up a fmall monaflery, fubordinate to
the foreign houfe, which was endowed with the
yearly revenue of about 80 1. After the difTolu-
tion of alien priories, this, with the lands belong-
ing to it, was annexed by king Henry the Fifth,
to Sion abbey in Middlefex. There was a Francif-
can convent near the bridge, but we are not in-
formed of any particulars concerning it.
Here was likewife a houfe of Dominican, or
black friars, founded by Sir Hugh Harrington,
knightj about the fourth year of king Henry the
^ H 4 Thirds
176 A Descripti©n cf
Third ; and alfo an hofpital dedicated to St. Leo-
nard, for a mafter, chaplain and nine poor per-
sons, three of whom were to be lepers. This was
founded by king John while he was earl of Mor-
ton ; but Henry duke of Lancafter, in about the
thirtieth year of the reign of Edward the Third,
annexed it to the nunnery of Seton in Cumberland.
At the diftance of about five miles from Lancaf-
ter is a remarkable cave, called Dunald Mill-
hole : a brook nearly as big as the New River,
after turning a corn mill at the entrance of the
cave, runs into its mouth by feveral beautiful caf-
caues, continuing its courfe two miles under a
large mountain, and_^at lafl: makes its appearance
again near Carnford, a village in the road to Ken-
da!. The entrance into this cavern has fome*
thing pleafmgly terrible : from the mill at the top
you defcend about ten yards perpendicular by
iTieans of chinks in the rock, and clumps of trees ;
the paffage is then alrnofi: parallel to the horizon,
leading to the right a little winding, till you have
feme hundreds of yards thick of rocks and mine-
rals above your head. " In this manner, fays
" our author, we proceeded, fometimes through
*' vaults, fo capacious, that we could neither lee
«^ the roof nor fides, and fometimes on all-four,
*' ftill following the brook, which entertained us
" v^'ith a fort of harmony well fuiting the place ,
" for the different heights of its falls were as fo
" many keys of mufic, which being all conveyed
" to us by an amazing echo, greatly added to the
" majedic horror which furrounded us. In our
'* return we were more particular in our obferva-
" tions. The falls from one rock to another
" broke the rays of our candles, fo as to form the
" moil romantic vibrations and appearances upon
'^ the variegated roof. The fides too are not \^{s
" remarkable for their fine colouring \ the damps,
the
LANCASHIRE. 177
«' the creeping vegetables, and the feams in the
*' marble and lime-ftone parts of the rocks, form
*' as many tints as are (een in the rainbow, ?.• d
*' are covered with a perpetual varnifli from the
*' jufi vi^eeping fprings that trickle from the roof.
*' When we arrived at ihe mouth, and once more
*' beheld the chearing day-light, I could not but
<' admire the uncouth manner in which nature
'' has thrown together the huge rocks which com-
*' pofe the arch over the entrance ; but, as if
" confcious of its rudenefs, (he has clothed it
'' with trees and fhrubs of the moll various and
'« beautiful verdure, v.'hich bend downv/ards, and
" with their leaves cover all the rugged parts of
«' the rock."
From Lancafter a road extends north -weft to
an arm of the fea, which is crofled to a diftincl
and feparate part of the county, called Fournefs,
almoft furrounded by Weftmoreland, Cumberland,
and the Irifh fea, where the firft town we meet
with is Cartmel, which lies among fome hills
called Cartmel Fells, at the diftance of fourteen
miles north-v/eft of Lancafter. The town, which
has a harbour for boats, lies between tv/o bays of
the fea, one formed by the mouth of the river
Ken, which flows from Weftmoreland, and the
other by the conflux of feveral fmall rivers, from
Weftmoreland and Cumberland, into the iriih
fea. There aix near it three fands, one term.cd
Ken Sand, from the river Ken ; another called
Leven Sand, from a river of the fame name ; and
the third, on the li.-.e account, called Dudden
Sand. Thefe fands, which travellers frequently
pafs at low water, on account of their being the
Ihorteft way to the places to which they are go-
ing, are very dangerous, both on account of the
uncertainty of the tides, which are quicker or
flower, as the winds blow more or leis from the
H 5 fea ;
J 78 J D EscvLiPfi 01^ of
iea;- and from the many quickfands ; upon which
account there is a guide on horfeback appointed
to each fand, for the dire6tion of fuch perfons as
have occafion to pafs over ; and each of thefe
three guides has a faiary paid him by the govern-
ment.
Cartmel is moft remarkable for its priory of
canons regular of the order of St. Auftin, dedi-
cated to the Virgin Mary, founded by William
Marefchall, earl of Pembroke, in the year 1188,
and endowed by him, on condition that they
fhould not be fubje(3: to any other houfe, and that
they fliould ele6t their prior from among them-
fclves ; and alfo that the priory fhould never be
made an abbey. About the time of the diflblu-
tion here were reckoned ten religious, and thirty-
eight fervants, whofe revenues v/ere valued at
124 1. 2 s. a year. The church of this priory is
jiow turned into a very large and beautiful parifli
church, which is kept in excellent repair. The
town has a market on Mondays, for corn, fheep
and fifli ', and two fairs, which are held on Whit-
fon-Monday, and the firft Tuefday after Odober
23, for pedlars goods.
About fix miles to the weft of Cartmel is Ul-
VERSTON, which is likewife fituated in Fournefsj
and ftands on the weft fide of a large bay, that
runs up thro' this part of the county, and is
chiefly memorable on account of a moiety of it
being given by Edward the Third to John Coup-
land, one of the moft warlike men of the age,
whom he alfo advanced to the honour of a knight
banoret, for taking David the Second, king of
Scots, prifoner, in a battle at Durham. Ulver-
fton has a market on Thurfdays, and two fairSj
on Holy-Thurfday, and the firft Thurfday after
Odober 23, for pedlars goodso
About
LANCASHIRE. 179
About three miles fouth-weft of Ulverflon is
Dalton, a town in Fournefs, eighteen miles to
the fouth-weft of Hawkfhcad, which has a market
on Saturdays, and two fairs, one on the 6th of
June, for horned cattle, and the other on the
23d of 06lober, for horned cattle, horfes, and
pedlars goods.
Near Dalton is Kirby Ireleth, whofe ma-
nor-houfe is called Kirby Crofs Houfe, from a
crofs which anciently flood before the gate, till
Sandys, archbifhop of York, ordered the top of it
to be broken off. This houfe is now a liately
feat of the Kirbies. There formerly happened here
fuch a violent eruption of water, as carried the
houfes before it, and fwept away fragments of
rocks of fuch a magnitude, that the united force
of many teams of oxen were unable to move them.
Upon the promontory of Fournefs, are to be
feen the ruins of Forenefs abbey, which was
founded in the year 1127, by Stephen, earl of
Morton and Boloign ; afterwards king of Eng-
land. The monks of this houfe were tranflated
from Tulket in Aldernefs hither. They obferv-
ed the rules of St. Bennet, and wore a griflet hair
coloured habit. William de Moubrey, the third
earl of Lancafter, and Agnes de Brufs his wife,
Michael Flemming, &c. were large benefadors
to this abbey. Pope Eugenius granted to John
Abbot, of St. Mary's in Fournefs, and his bre-
thren, a full confirmation of all their poffeflions,
with an immunity from all tithes, for either cat-
tle or lands held in their own hands. Its annual
value according to Dugdale was 805 1. 10 s. and
according to Speed, 966 1. 7 s.
At the fouth-weft extremity of the fame pro-
montory of Forenefs is a long and narrow ifland,
called the Ifle of Walney, divided from the
country by a fmall arm of the fsa. It is remark -
able.
jPo y/ Description <?/
able, that the land of this ifland is trebled in va-
lue, by manuring their clay with Tea fand. Upon
a rock, near the fouth end of this ifland, is Pile,
or Peele caftle, fometimes called the Pile of Fow-
drey. King Stephen granted this ifland to the
abbot of Fournefs, on condition that he fhould
build and maintain a caftle upon it for the de-
fence of the country ; but king Henry the Firft,
in the year 1403, caufed it to be feized, becaufe
the abbot fuffered it to go to decay ; but on his
promife to repair it, it was re-delivered to him.
It was furrounded by a wall, of v/hich there are
large remains, and a great part of the caftle itfelf
is ftill ftanding, which (hew, that it was once a
very beautiful ftru6lure : there being now to be
feen lofty pillars, fpacious windows, noble arches,
and fubterraneous vaults. Of thefe ruins we have
given a view, for the fatisfa6tion of the curious
reader.
Gleastok is a village in Fournefs, tv/o miles
fouth of Dalton, remarkable only for its caftle,
fuppofed to be built in the reign of Edward the
Third, about the year 1340, to prevent the fre-
quent inroads of the Scots into England. Upon
the beheading of the duke of Suffolk, the pro-
prietor, in the reign of queen Mary, it became
forfeited to the crov/n. It now belongs to the fa-
mily of the Lowthers. The ruins that yet re-
main, fhew it was a fpacious and handfome build-
ing.
Hawkshead is another town in Fournefs, on
the weft fide of Winander meer, on the northern
borders of the county, two hundred and fifty-flx
miles from London. Here is a free grammar- fchooT,
endowed by Edwin Sandys, archbiftiop of Can-
terbury. It has a market on Mondays, for provi-
fions and v/ooUen cloth, and two fairs, namely.
VoLKpa.jflo.
LANCASHIRE. i8i
on IIoly-Thurfday, for horned cattle and pedlars
goods 5 and on September 21, for pedlars ware.
The above Edwin Sandys, fucceflively bifliop of
Worcefter and London, and archbifhop of York,
the anceftor of the prefent lord Sandys, was born
in the year 1519. He had his education in St.
John's college, and Catharine hall in Cambridge,
where he took his degrees in arts and divinity. In
the reign of king Edward the Sixth he was vicar
of Haverfham, prebendary of Peterborough, and
of Carl-ifle, and vice-chancellor of the univerfity
of Cambridge ; but, joining with the party of the
lady Jane Grey, he was dripped, by queen Ma-
ry, of all his dignities and preferments, and
thrown into the Tov/er, where he remained (tvea
months. Upon his enlargement, he retired into
foreign countries ; but returning to England at
the acceflion of queen Elizabeth, he was promot-
ed, firfl to the bifhopric of Worcefter, then to
that of London, and laft of all, to the archiepifco-
pal fee of York. During his continuance in this
high ftation, he was unjuftly attacked by fome
gentlemen of the county, who wanted to rob him
of part of his temporalities ; and who, being at
length difappointed in their facrilegious defign,
formed a moft villainous fcheme for ruining his
reputation, by making an inn-keeper's wife at
Doncafter get into bed to him. The confpiracy,
hov/ever, was afterwards difcovered, and the de-
linquents brought to condign punifhment. This
learned prelate died on the loth of July, 1588, in
the 69th year of his age. His fermons were pub-
lifhed after his death.
We fhall now return back to the fouthern part
of this county, which we fhall enter farther to
the eaftvvard, by paffing the river Merfey at
Stockport, and proceeding to Manchester, the
firft town of any confequence on this road, and
indeed
ig2 ^ Description £/^
indeed the moft confiderable place, next to Liver-
pool, in the whole county, and the finefl; village,
or meer market town, in England ; for though
its chief magiftrate is only a conftable or headbo-
rough, yet it is more populous than either York
or Norwich, and indeed than moft other cities in
this kingdom. Manchefter is the ancient Man-
cunium or Manutium of Antoninus's itinerary, a
name which fome fuppofe to have been original-
ly derived from Main, which, in the Britifti
tono-ue, fignifies a rock or ftone, which might
have been applied to this town, from its fituation
on a rocky foil near a famous quarry, called Coly-
hurft. It ftands near the conflux of the rivers
Irk and Irwell, about three miles north of the
Merfey, eighteen miles eaft-north-eaft of War-
rington, thirty-feven north-eaft of Chefter, fixty-
eight weft-fouth-weft of York, and a hundred
and eighty-fix north-north-weft of London. This
town has many handfome and elegant houfes, and
fome new ftreets, fcarcely inferior in beauty to
the fineft in London. Among its public build-
ings is the Exchange, a very noble ftru6lure, adorn-
ed with columns and pilafters of the Ionic order,
and three parifli churclies, of which St. Mary's
is a collegiate church, built in 1422, and is a large,
beautiful and ftately edifice, with a choir, remark-
able for its curious carved work, and a clock that
fhews the age of the moon. With refpedt to the
college belonging to this church, it will be proper
to obferve, that Thomas Weft, brother to the
lord de la War, fome time redor of the parifh
church of Manchefter, obtaining the barony and
eftate of his family, by the death of his brother
without iffue, founded this college, dedicated it
to the Virgin Mary, St. Dennis of France, and
St. George, and endowed it with revenues to the
yearly value of 200 1. or, as they were afterwards
valued
LANCASHIRE. 183
valued at the fuppreflion, at 226 1. I2S, 5 d. in
the whole, and 213 1. los. 11 d. clear. It ori-
ginally confifted of a warden, and a certain num-
ber of priefts. At the time of its diflblution, Ed-
ward the Sixth granted the lands and revenues
to the earl of Derby, who purchafed the college-
houfe. Queen Mary refounded it, and reflored
moft of the lands and revenues. It was alfo found-
ed a new by queen Elizabeth, in the nineteenth
year of her reign, for a warden and four fellows,
two chaplains, four finging men, and four cho-
rifters ; and dedicated by the name of Chrift's
college. It was again re-eflablifhed by Charles
the Firfl, when the ftatutes were drawn up by
archbifliop Laud. In Oliver Cromwell's time, it
was fold by the parliament with the chapter lands,
but rcftored by king Charles the Second. By an
a6t of parliament pafTed in 1729, the king is im-
powered to be vifitor of this college, whenever
the warden of it happens to be bifhop of Chefter.
With refpecEl to St. Anne's church, it is a mo-
dern ftrufture, eredled in an elegant tafte, and
adorned with pilafters, two ranges of femicircu-
lar windows, and a handfome balluftrade round
the top, which fupports a number of vafes. Its
tower alfo makes a neat and agreeable appear-
ance, and the whole building is feen to great ad-
vantage, by its forming one fide of St. Anne's
fquare, which is encompafled on every other fide
with handfome houfes. This church was begun
by the contribution of the inhabitants, in the
reign of queen Ann, and fiiiifhed in the year
1723. There are here alfo feveral meeting-houfes
of diflenters.
The hofpital was founded by Humphrey Chet-
ham, Efqj and incorporated by Charles the Se-
cond, for the maintenance of forty poor boys;
but the governors have enlarged the number to
fixty.
184 A Description of
fixty, who are to be taken in between fix and itn
years of age, and maintained, lodged and cloath-
ed till they are fourteen, v/hen they are to be
bound out apprentices at the charge of the hofpital^
and for their fupport he left 420 1. a year, which
by prudent management is confiderably improved.
Here alfo, by the bounty of the fame benefa£i:or,
is ere(3:ed a large fchool for the hofpital, or blue
boys, where they are taught to read and write j
as alfo a large library furnifhed with feveral thou-
fand volumes, the number of which are always
cncreafing, there being left by him about 100 1.
a year, to be laid out in books, befides 20 1. a year
for a librarian.
The free- fchool was founded in the year 15 195
by Dr. Oldham, bifliop of Exeter, whofe endow-
ment, by the purchafe of an eflate of the lord de
la War, was confiderably encreafed by Hugh Bex-
wick and his filler, who having purchafed another
eftate of the fame lord de la War, with the mills
upon the river Irk, left them to the fame free-
fchool for ever. Here are three mafters with li-
beral falaries j and the boys on the foundation
have certain exhibitions for their maintenance at
the univerfity. Befides thefe public benefactions,
here are three charity- fchool?, two of which are
for forty boys each.
Among the other public buildings is a
ftonc bridge over the river Irwell, which is built
exceeding high, becaufe, the river flowing from
the mountainous part of the country, fometimes
rifes four or five yards in one night.
The inhabitants, including thofe of the fub-
urbs, are faid to amount to 50,00c. This town
is as remarkable for its manufadures as any in
the kingdom, and thefe have been greatly im-
proved of late years. Hence fome nianufa6lures
are particularly called Manchefter goods, as fuf-
tians.
LANCASHIRE. 185
tians, ticking, tape, filleting, and cotton cloth,
for which this town has been famous for more
than a century and a half. Manchefter velvet is
another important article, for which they have a
prodigious demand. All the neighbouring vil-
lages are employed in thefe manufa6tures5 and
there are, for three miles above the town, no lefs
than fixty mills upon this river : the weavers here
have looms that work twenty-four laces at a time.
'I'his town gives the title of duke to the noble fa-
mily of iViontagu ; but though it is in every re-
fpeiil fo confiderable a place, it does not fend one
member to parliament. It has three markets,
which are kept on Tuefdavs, Thurfdays, and Sa-
turdays j and three fairs, namely, on V/hitfon-
Monday, h.eptember 21, and November 6, for
horf.s, horned cattle, cloth and bedding.
iVJanchefter was an ancient Roman fortrefs,
and feveral monuments of antiquity are ftill to
be feen in and about the town. It is faid, in-
deed, that the Roman ftation was about a quar-
ter of a mile to the fouth-wefl:, and now goes by
the name of the Giant's caftle, or Tarquin's
caftle J and the field in which it fiands, is called
Calile field. The ramparts are flill very confpi-
cuous, and a river runs near it on the fouth-eaft
fide. Mr. Camden faw a flone here with the fol-
lowinginfcription, 3 candidi fides xx. iiii.
A draught of another ftone was fent him thus in-
fcribed,coHo.i. frisin. d masavonis p. — xxm.
Thefe flones, he thinks, v/ere ere6ted to the me-
mory of two centurions, who had given proofs of
their fidelity. And in the year 161 2, a {lone v.'as
dug up with this infcription, FOR^rvNAE conser-
VATRICI L. SENECIANIVS MARTIVS 3 LEG. VI.
VICT, which appears to have been an altar dedi-
cated to Fortune by L. Senecianius Martius, the
third governor or commander in the fixth legion,
which
i86 A Description of
which was ftatloned at York, when Severus was
there.
This town had formerly the privilege of a fanc-
tuary, which, by an aft of parliament in the reign
of Henry the Eighth, was transferred to Chefter.
John Byrom, an ingenious poet, and an elegant
writer, in the beginning of the eighteenth centu-
ry, was defcended from a genteel family ; and
was born in the year 1691, at Manchefler. He
had his education at Merchant Taylor's fchool in
London, and Trinity college in Cambridge, His
genius for poetry began to difcover itfelf very ear-
ly ; and when he had attained to the twenty-third
year of his age, he compofed that beautiful paf-
toral, beginning with. My Timey O ye Mufes^wai
happily /pent, which was printed in the eighth vo-
lume of the Spectator. He likewife wrote two
humorous letters upon dreams, which were in-
ferted in the fame volume. Being afpecled, it fs
faid, with an hereditary diforder, he went ta
Montpellier, for the recovery of his health ; and
upon his return to England, fell deeply in love
with his coufm, Mifs Elizabeth Byrom, whom
he foon after married againft the confent of her
parents ; who were fo enraged at the match, that
they refufed to give their daughter the fortune
they had intended her ; fo that do6tor Byrom (for
fo he was now called) was obliged to fupport his
family by teaching the art of writing fhort hand,
in which he excelled. Upon the death, however,
of his elder brother, Mr. Edward Byrom, he fuc-
ceeded to the family eftate at Kerfal ; and fpent
the remainder of his days in the full enjoyment of
that conjugal felicity, for which he had a peculiar
relifh. He died at Manchefter September the
26th, 1763, in the feventy-fecond year of his age.
Befides the pieces already mentioned, he wrote an
excellent poem upon Enthuftafm^ and another up-
^ pa
LANCASHIRE. 187
on the ImffiGrtality of the Soul, together with fome
epigrams.
Salford is a town which feems joined to Man-
chefter; they being only feparated by the river
Irwell, but being united by a bridge, feem to
form one town. Salford is, however, much worfe
built, the houfes being old mean buildings. The
church is a large Gothic ftructure, with a fquare
tower, from the center of which rifes a very fnort
fpire.
Ten miles to the north-weft of Manchefter is
Bolton, which ftands in the road from VVigan
to Leeds in Yorkfhire, eighteen miles north-
north-eaft of Warrington, and two hundred north-
north-weft of London. It is famous for its mine-
ral fpring, and its being the ftaple of feveral forts
of cotton cloths, efpecially the Milan and Augf-
burg fullians, which are brought to its market
and fairs from all parts of the country. Its mar-
ket is held on Mondays, and its fairs, on July
19, and 06iober 2, both for the above articles,
and for horfes, horned cattle and cheefe.
Tv/elve miles to the north of Manchcfler, and
a hundred and ninety-eight north-north-weft of
London, is Rochdale, which derived its name
from its fituation in a valley, by a fmall river
called the Roche, which falls into the Irwell. The
valley, in which the town fiands, is at the bot-
tom of a ridge of hills, called Black Stone Edge,
which are fo high, that their tops are fometimes
covered with fnow in the month of Auo-uft. The
town is pretty large and populous, and is of late
very much improved in its woollen manufadures.
It has a market on Mondays, and three fairs, held
on May 14, Whitfon-Tuefday, and November 7,
for horned cattle, horfes, and woollen cloth.
About four miles to the fouth-eaft of Rochdale
is Bury, a populous town, feated on the river Ir-
well,
i88 A Description of
well, that has a confiderable trade in the fufliail
manufa6lure, bays, and the coarfe goods called
kerfies, and half thicks. It has a market on
Thurfdays, and four fairs, which are held on the
5th of March, the 3d of May, the Thurfday but
one after Whit-Sunday, and September 18, for
horned cattle, horfes, and woollen cloth. Seve-
ral Roman coins have been^dug up here.
From Bury the road leads northward to Ha-
SLiNGTON, or Haslingden, which is featcd at
the bottom of fome mountains eighteen miles
north of Manchefter, about the fame diftance eaft
of Prefton, and two hundredand fournorth-north-
v;eil: of London. It has a market on Wednefdays,
and three fairs, which are held on May 8, July
I, and October 10, for horned cattle, horfes and
flieep.
Eio^ht miles to the eaft of Plaflinp-den is Bl ack-
BURN, or Blackbourn, which is fo called from
a brook or rivulet of black water, which runs
thro' it, and is feated near the river Dervven, at
the didance of two hundred and twelve miles from
London. It has a market on Mondays, and three
fairs, held on May 21, for horfes, horned cattle
and tovs ; on September 30, for toys and fmall
wares; and on Odober 21, for horfes, horned
cattle and toys.
On returning back to Haflingden, you proceed
fixteen miles north to Clithero, which is fitua-
ted on the river Ribble, not far from its fource,
at the foot of Pendle-hill, which rifes to a great
height, and at the diftance of two hundred and
tv^'enty-fevcn miles from London. It is an ancient
borough by prefcription, governed by two bailiffs,
and fends two members to parliament. It had
formerly a caftle feated at the bottom of Pendle-
hill, built about the year T178, by Robert de
Lacy, lord of the honour of Pontefra6t, and the
fourth
LANCASHIRE. 189
fourth defcendant from Ilbert, who came in with
XVilliam the Conqueror. The body of this caf-
tie is demoliflied, but there is ftill ftanding a great
part of the fquare tower. The town has a mar-
ket on Saturdays, and four fairs, whrch are held
on the 21ft; of July, for horned cattle and wool-
len cloth ; on March 24, the fourth Saturday af-
ter September 29, and December 7, for horned
cattle, woollen cloth and horfes.
Whaley, a village four miles fouth of Clithe-
ro, is famous for an abbey of Ciftercian monks,
founded by John Conftable of Chefter, firft at
Stanlow in Chefhire : and by him endowed with
divers lands and liberties in 1178; but was after-
wards tranflated hither. The church of Wha-
ley is faid to have been in being when Auguftine
the monk came into England, in the reign of king
Ethelbert, and was dedicated to all faints. The
rc<5lors of this church were married men, to whom
the lands v/ent by inheritance till the time of Wil-
liam the Conq.ueror, and then it was otiierwife de-
termined by the council of Lateran in the year
1 215. In the thirty-fourth of Edward the
Third, Henry duke of Lancafter, 6:c. gave divers
lands to the abbot and convent of Whaley, for
maintaining a reclufe anchorite and his fucceffors.
It had feveral other benefactors, and was valued
at the dilTolution at5'5il. a year. There are
magnificent ruins of this abbey yet to be feen of
prodigious extent, though now, there are build-
ings quite detached from each other, vvhofc walls
feem to be pretty entire, and feveral of them have
been turned into dwell ing-houfes, which belong
to the family of the Curzons. For the conve-
niency of travellers there is a bridge o\'er the ri\'er
Calder, on the banks of which the abbey itanus.
CoLN is a market town, fituated near Fendle-
hili, but on the oppofue fide to Clithtro, at the
diftance
IQO A Description of
diftance of about two hundred and twenty-five
miles from London, it being feated on a fmall
eminence near the eaftern confines of the county.
This town is remarkable for its antiquities, feve-
ral forts of Roman coins being found here, fome
of which were of copper ; others were turned up by
a plough, not many years fmce, thefe were of fil-
ver, inclofed in a great filver cup ; and fome of
them were of Gordianus. Hence feveral anti-
quaries have concluded, that this town was a Ro-
man ftation ; however, there are here no remains
of fofles, or any other fortifications. Coin has
a market on Wednefdays, and two fairs ; namely,
on May 12, and October lO, for horned cattle,
fhecp, and woollen cloth.
Burnley is a fmall town feated in a healthy
air, about ten miles fouth-eaft of Coin, in the road
to Leeds, twenty miles eaft of Prefton, and two
hundred and ten north- north- weft of London ;
it is fo called from Bourn, a river, and Lay, a
field, it being a fmall town, in a very healthy
air, feated on the Great Calder. Several confu-
lar coins have been dug up here, fuppofed to have
been ancient Roman Denarii, made before the
time of the emperors. This town has five fairs,
which are held on March 6, Eafter-Eve, May
13, July 10, and Oclober 11, for horfes, horned
cattle and fiieep.
About eighteen miles north-weft of Clithero
is Hornby, which is fituated on the river Lon,
at the extremity of the county next to Weftmore-
land, about eleven miles north-eaft of Lancafter,
and two hundred and thirty north-north-weft of
London. It has a market on Mondays, with a
fair on July 30, for horned cattle and horfes,
but is moft remarkable for its caftle, which is
beautifully fituated on a hill, round the foot of
which runs the river Wenning. It was founded
by
Vol.Vpaipi
LANCASHIRE. 191
^y Nicholas de Mont Begon, and afterwards be-
longed to the noble families of the Harringtons and
Stanleys, barons of Mont Eagle, defcended from
Thomas Stanley, earl of Derby. Much of the
antient caftle is in ruins, but part of it has been
repaired and eredcd into a very handfome {Iruc-
ture, which at a diftance makes a very fine ap-
pearance, on account of its high fituation. Of
this ftru6lure we have given a view. In this town
was an hofpital, or cell, of a prior and three
Premonftratenfian canons, belonging to the abbey
of Croxton, on the borders of Leicefterfhire and
Lincohifhire, founded by one of the anceilors of
Sir Thomas Stanley, lord Mont Eagle, to whom
this priory was granted by king Henry the Eighth.
It was dedicated to St. Wilfrid, and endowed at
the fuppreflion with lands to the value of 26 1. a
year.
Befides the perfons already mentioned as born
in this county, it has given birth to the following.
Barton Booth, one of the moft celebrated ac-
tors that ever trod the Englifh ffage, was defcend-
ed of a very ancient and honourable family in this
county, where he v/as born in the year 1681.
He had his education in Weflminfter fchool, un-
der the famous do6lor Bufby, who having with his
ufual fagacity difcovered the bentof Booth's genius,
was fo far from repreffing, that he feemed rather
to encourage it. He was originally intended for
the church ; but his paffion for the ftage being too
ftiong for the reftraints of parental authority, he
eloped from fchool at the age of feventeen, went
over to Ireland, and appeared on the theatre in
that kingdom. Returning to his native country in
i/or, he was recommended to Mr, Betterton,
at that time manager of Drury-Lane play-houfe.
That gjentleman readily took him into his compa-
«7.
t(^% A Description of
ny, and generoufly gave him all the affiftance in
his power, towards the perfeding his theatrical
talents. The firft part he performed was that of
Maximus in the tragedy of Valentinian, when he
was received with great applaufe ; and proceedino-
gradually thro' feveral inferior characters, he rofe
at length, in 1712, to the part of Cato, which,
next to that of Othello, was always confidered as
his mafter-piece. In 17 13, he was, by the inte-
reft of lord Bolingbroke, admitted one of the ma-
nagers of Drury-Lane theatre; and after having
continued, for the fpace of twenty years, at the
head of his profeffion, he died on the icth of
May 1733, univerfally regretted.
L E I C E S-
1 193]
LEICESTERSHIRE.
I^^^~^\ HIS county, which was called by the
^ rp ^ SaxonsLedcefterfcyre, received its name
^ ^-^ from Leicefter, the county town. It is
•^%1'M.J^ bounded on the north by Nottingham-
fhire^and Derbyfhrre ; on the weft by a fmall part
of Derbyfhire, StafFordihire and VVarwickfnire ;
on the fouth by Northamptonfhire ; and on the
call: by Rutlandfhire and Lincolnfhire. It ex-
tends from eaft to wed about thirty miles ; from
north to fouth about twenty-five j and is about a
hundred miles in circumference.
It v/as anciently inhabited by the Coritani, who
were likewife poflefled of Northamptonfhire and
Rutlandfhire, and feparated from Warwickfliire
by the old military way, called Watling-flreet. In
the time of the Saxons, it formed a part of the
kingdom of Mercia, but after the diffolution of
the heptarchy, it became a county of itfelf.
The principal river is the Soar, or Soure,
which rifes about the midway between Hinckley
and Lutterworih j and pafTnig by Leicefter and
Loughborough, falls into the Trent on the edge
of Derbyfhire.
The Avon rifes in Northaraptcnfnire, and on-
ly touches the fouth-weft edge of the county.
The Swift rifes in Leicefterfliire ; but pafKng
by Lutterworth foon leaves it, and flows into
Warwickihire.
The vV'elland rifmg near Harborough in this
county, pafles by that town, and continuing its
Vol. V, I courfc
194 ^ Description of
courfe from weft to eaft, divides Leicefterfhlre
from Northamptonftiire, enters Rutlandfhire, and
flowing through that county, runs acrofs the
fouth part of Lincolnfhire, into a bay of the Ger-
man ocean called the Waih.
The Wreke rifes in the eaftern part of the
county, and paffing by Melton Mowbray, falls in-
to the Soure above Mountforrel.
Befides thefe, there are a number of fmall ri-
vulets and brooks; but notwithftanding this coun-
ty is fo well watered, it has neither bogs nor
Hiarflies, which is of great advantage to the air ;
and though it is at a confiderablediltance from the
fea, falmon are frequently met with in the Soar,
which come into that river from the Trent.
Leicefterfhire has one remarkable mineral
fpring at Nevill Holt, a village to the fouth of
Market Harborough: the water is exceeding fine
and clear, and has a ftyptic, bitter, fweetifh and
fub-acid tafte, leaving the mouth fomev^hat dry.
It is comm-only brilk and fharp, when drank at
the fpring head j and then alfo it palies quicker
than elfe where ; it curdles with foap ; lets fall a
grofs, white fediment with oil of tartar; but with
the folution of alum and copperas it will con-
tinue clear. Hence, and from other experiments,
it appears to contain a calcarious nitre and allum,
with a fat clay^ a latent fulphur, and fometimes a
little oker. It will cure external frefh wounds,
and all forts of ulcers, and is excellent for the
eyes : ufed outwardly, and taken inwardly, it will
Cure he6lick ulcers. When taken inwardly, as
an alterative, an ounce or two may be taken five
or fix times a day, or four ounces night and morn-
ing ; but when defigned as a purge, it muft be
taken from one pint to three. If the conftitution
is cold and phlegmatic, it will be necefiary to add
four fpoonfuls of brandy, and an ounce of fugar
to
LEICES TER.SKIRE. 195
(^each bottle of water. It is excellent in bloat-
ed, dropfical conftitutions : it has no parallel in
all forts of haemorrhages, as well as in all great
and natural fecretions, of what kind fo ever. It
alfo cures an inflammation of the lungs, attended
with a cough and fpitting of blood. It is very fuc-
cefsful in the king's evil, hidden cancers, as Vv'ell
as fcrophulous inflammations of the eyes of many
years iianding. It alfo cures all difeafes of the
Jkin, and has had furprizing fuccefs againft rheu-
matifms ; but it mufl not be drank in the increafe
and height of any internal inflammation.
In the neighbourhood of Lutterworth is a pe-
trifying fpring, the water of which is exceeding
cold, and fo ftrongly impregnated with petrifying
qualities, that, in a very little time, it is faid
to convert wood and feveral other fubftances into
ftone.
The foil of this county is, in general, very
good, and yields plenty of grafs, corn, and par-
ticularly beans, which are efteemed excellent. In-
deed the north-eaft part, which borders upon
Lincolnfhire, being more hilly and gravelly, is not
remarkable for its fertility ; but the great quanti-
ties of pit-coal in that part of the county, and
the great number of cattle, particularly (beep,
that feed upon the hills, who fe wool is much efteem-
ed, make ; fufficient amends for other deficien-
cies. On the other hand, the fouth-weit part,
which borders on Warwickfhire, abounds with
corn and pailure, yet is but indifferently provided
with fuel. Leicelierfhire, in general, is well
provided with corn, cattle, fowl and li(h, parti-
cularly with horfes for the collar. The piir.apal
bufinefs of the county confifis in agriculture j for
it has no manufactory beiides that of weaving
ijvckings ) and that is very confiderable.
I 2 Leicef-
196 A Description of
Leicefterfhire lies in the province of Canter-
bury and the diocefe of Lincoln, and has a hun-
dred and ninety-two parifhes. It is divided into
fix hundreds, in which are eleven market towns ;
and fends four members to parliament, two for
Leicefter, and two for the county.
We {hall enter this county by the road which
leads from London to Leicefter, and fhall begin
with Market Harborough, formerly called
Haverburg, feated on the edge of the county
on the north fide of the Welland, which, as
we have already obferved, feparates this county
from Northamptonfliire, This is a fm all market
town, pleafantly fituated in a fine open country,
eighty-four miles weft by north of London, eigh-
teen north of Northampton, and fixteen fouth of
Leicefter ; and is a great thoroughfare in the road
to Nottingham and Derby. It is remarkable,
that this town has neither field nor meadow lands
belonging to it, which gave rife to a proverb
among the inhabitants, that a goofe will eat up all
the grafs in Harborough, and children are threat^
ened with being thrown into Harborough Field.
It has a large church, which is an old but elegant
ftrudure, an old market-houfe and town-hall,
and new fliambles. The market, which is on
Tuefday, is a very good one, and it has two fairs,
viz. on the 29th of April, for horfes, cows,
fheep and hogs ; and on the 19th of Odober,
which lafts ten days, for horfes, cows, (beep, hogs,
pewter, brafs, hats and cloaths ; leather is fold
the laft day, and eheefe is, a capital article all the
ten days. ' This fair was famous in the time of
Camden for the fine horfes and colts fold at it.
This town gives the title of earl to the noble fa-
mily of Sherrard.
Proceeding fixteen miles to the north-north-
wcft, you come to Leicester, which received
its
VolVpgjp
LEICESTERSHIRE. 197
its name from its being feated upon the Leir, the
ancient name of the river, now called Soar, the
word Cefter fignifying a town or caftle. It is
waflied on the weft and north fides by that river,
and is ftill the largell, beft built, and moil: popu-
lous town in the county. It is fituated at the dif-
tance of a hundred miles from i.ond-ui, tvv'cnty-
five from Notting.':iam, and ibout the fame dif-
tance from x^erby. This town is gen-^^'-ally aU
loweJ to have beea the Racae of Antoninus, and
the Ragae o Ptolemy. It flands upon a branch
of Watling-ftreet, called the Fofs W^y, and the
traces of a F oman wall quite round, may in Come
places be ftiil difcovered, efpecially ia the gardens
about Senvigate, and on the outfide of it was a
ditch. The Roman town was two thoufand five
hundred feet in length, and two thoufand feet in
breadth. It appears, that in the time of the Ro-
mans, it was a place of confiderable note, from
the multitude of bones of various beads, which
are fuppofed to have been offered in facrifice, and
dug up in a part of the town ftill called Holy-
Bones, where there are fome ruins of a Roman
building, commonly called the Temple of Jan-us;
of thefe ruins we have given a view, for the fatis-
faction of the curious reader. • Near All Saints
church in this town was difcovered, about hair a
century ago, a piece of Roman antiquity, fuppo-
fed to be the fable of Diana and Aclaeon, as re-
lated by Ovid, formed with little ftones, (omQ
white, and others of a chefnut colour. Medals and
coins both of filver and copper have been found in
the town in great abundance, particularly of the
emperors Vefpafian, Domitian, Trajan, and An-
toninus. Near St. Nicholas's church is an old
wall, named the Old Jewry wall, which is com-
pofed of Roman bricks and rag-ftones, and has
feveral niches of an oval figure, in which urns
I 3 were
-198 ^ Description of
were probably placed, though the inhabitants have
the ridiculous notion, that in thofe niches the an-
cient Britons offered up their children to idols.
AHo at a fmall diftance were difcovered the re-
mains of what is fuppofed to have been a Roman hot
bath. It is conftru£^ed of fmall ftones about an
inch in length, half an inch broad, and the fame
in thickiiefs : the roof is arched, and the whole
perforated by feveral fmall earthen pipes, through
which the water is fuppofed to have been conveyed.
The ftones are finely cemented with thin mortar,
and the whole work, which was confiderably be-
low the prefent furface of the ground, is faid to
have been about eighteen feet long and twelve
broad.
Under the Saxon heptarchy, Leicefter was the
chief city of the kingdom of Mercia, and was then
the fee of a bifhop ; but the fee being removed af-
ther the fucceflion of eight prelates, it fell to de-
cay ; however, in the year 9 14, it was repaired and
fortified with new v/alls, after which it became a
populous and wealthy town, and had thirty-two
parilh churches ; but rebelling againft king Henry
the Second, it was befieged and taken, when the
caftle was difmantled and the walls thrown down.
At prefent it has fix parifhes, though but five,
churches ; one of them is dedicated to St, Mar-
garet, and is a noble ftruvSlure, with a ring of fi/<
mufical bells. It is faid that king Richard the
Third, who was llain in the battle of Bofworth in
this county, was interred in it, and that his ftone
coffin was afterwards converted into a horfe trough
belonging to the White Horfe inn in this town,
where it remained till a few years ago, but is now
deftroyed by time. It is remarkable, that in the
church of St. Martin in this town, is an epitaph
on a tomb ftone, which aflerts, that Mr. John
Heyrick, who died on the 2d of April, 1589, in
LEICESTERSHIRE. 199
ihe feventy-fixth year of his age, lived In one
houfe with his wife full fifty-two years', and In all
that time buried neither man, woman, nor child,
though they were fometimes twenty in family,
and that his widow, who died in 161 1, aged 97,
faw before her death a hundred and forty-three of
her own ilTue, including the third generation. lu
the High-ftreet is a crofs in the form of that on
which Our Saviour fufTered, and efteemed an ex-
cellent piece of workmanfhip. This town, be-
fides its fine churches, has feveralmeeting-houfesof
diflenters, and is governed by a mayor, a recorder,
a fteward, a bailiff, twenty-four aldermen, forty-
eight common council-men, a town-clerk, and
other officers : it had its charter from king John,
and its freemen are toll-free at all the fairs and
markets in England. Leicefler has been lately
much improved in its buildings, and has a new
town -hall in the market-place, a new aiTembly-
room, and many new and elegant houfes. Aa
hofpital built in the town for a hundred poor fick
men and women by Henry the Firi^, duke of Lan-
cafter, who was interred in it, is ftill in a tolera-
ble condition, it being fupported by fome revenues
of the dutchy of Lancafter, and contains a great
number of old people of both fexes. It is a long
low ftruclure covered with lead ; and at feme dif-
tance from the door is a kind of altar, where
prayers are read every day by fome of the old
men; and from thence you have a view of thg
whole length ; but the infide has a moft gloomy
and melancholy appearance. The moft ftately
edifice of this kind is an hofpital, erected and en-
dowed in the reign oi king Hjnry the tighrh, by
Sir William Wigifton, a merchant of tiie ftapie
here, for twelve men and as many women. la
this hofpital is a chapel, and I'brary for the m ni-
fl^rs and fcholars of the tov/n. Here is likewife
J 4 aa
200 I^Descriptionc/"
an hofpltal for fix widows, and a charity-fchool,
and in an adjacent meadow-is a courfe for annual
horfe races.
This town has a large manufa£^ory of {lock-
ings, of which they weave fuch vaft quantities,
that in fome years Leicefter has returned 60,000 1.
in that article. It has a market on Wednefdays
and Saturdays, and the latter is one of the great-
eft in England for provifions. It has likewife
four fairs, which are held on the 12th of May,
snd the 5th of July, for horfes, cows and fheep j
on the loth of Odober for horfes, cows, fheep,
iind a large quantity of cheefe, and on the 8th of
December, which is inconfiderable, for a great
number of horfes and cows.
. At a fmall diftance from the town are the re-
mains of a caftle, which, though now difmantled,
was of great antiquity and extent. It was
built before the reign of William the Conqueror,
and John, duke of Lancafter, who held his court
here, enlarged it with twenty-fix acres of ground,
inclofed it with a wall, and named it Novum O-
pus, whence it is ftill called Newark, a corrup-
tion of New Work, and has on a part of the ground
where it flood fome of the befl houfes in or near
Leicefter ; thefe houfes are extraparochial, as be-
ing, by an old grant from the crown, under caf-
tle guard. The hall and kitchen of the caftle are
ftill entire, and in the former, the town and coun-
ty-courts are held ; for the hall is fo fpacious and
lofty, that at the aifizes, the courts are fo far
diftant, as not to difturb each other. One of the
gateways of this caftle has a fine arch, and the
tower over it is converted into a magazine for the
county militia.
Before the conqueft there was a collegiate
church within the caftle ; but during the wars of
William the Firft it was demoliflied, together
with
/;/./.>/
LEICESTERSHIRE. 201
with the city and caftle ; but rebuilt in the year
lio;, by Robert, earl of Mel lent and Leicefter,
for a dean and twelve prebendaries, and dedicat-
ed, as the old church was, to St. Mary. Mod
of the lands and tithes of this church were alie-
nated by Robert Boflu, earl of Leicefter, and an-
nexed to his new abbey in a meadow at the other
end. of the town, aad called St. Mary de Pratis,
or Prez, i. e. St. Mary of the Meadow. How-
ever, here <:ontinued a dean and feven prebenda-
ries, whofe houfe v^^as called the College of St*
Mary the Lefs, but their revenues at the general
diflblution were only valued at 24 1. 13s. 11 d. a
year.
The above abbey, named St. Mary de Prez, and
flill called Leicefter abbey, was founded in ii43»^
for black canons, in honour of the aftumption ot
the Virgin Mary; and at the fuppreftion of reli-
gious houfes was endowed, according to Dugdale,
with 951 1. 14s. 5 d. a year; and, according to
Speed, with 1062]. It is fince turned into a
dwelling-houfe and garden, where clofe to the
river is a pleaiant terrace fupported by an embat-
tled wall, with lunettes, and lliaded with trees.
We have given a viev/ of this ftructure, which
belon2;s to the duke of Devonfhire.
Bclides thefe religious houfes, Henry, earl of
Leicefter and Lancafter, erected near the caftle, in
the year 1330, the above hofpital, dedicated to liie
annunciation of the Virgin Marv, for a mafter
and feveral chaplains, and poor perfons ; but about
twenty-five years after, it was converted in;o a
noble college, called Collegium Novi Operis, and
St. iVlary the Greater. It confifted of a dean,
twelve fecular canons and prebendaries, twelve
vicars, three clerks, fix chorift-Ts, fifty poor men,
as many poor women, tea nurfes, with proper of-
I 5 iicers
202 A Description of
iicers and attendants. The revenues of this col-
lege were valued at thediiTolution at 800 1. a year.
On the north part of the town was an hofpital
for lepers dedicated to St. Leonard, founded in
the reign of king Richard the Firft, by William,
the youngeft fon of Robert Blanchmains, earl of
Leicefter, who was himfelf a leper : but William,
lord Haftings, begged this hofpital of king Ed-
ward the Fourth, and gave it to the dean and
chapter of our Lady's college in this town. Here
iikewife was an hofpital before the year 123^5 for
a mailer, brethren and fitters, dedicated to St.
John the Baptift, and St. John the Evangel ift.
A houfe of Francifcan grey friars is faid to-
have been founded in the north-w^eft part of the
town, by Simon de Montfort, earl of Leicefter^
who died in the year 1264. Here was alfo a houfe
of black friars in an ifland near the bridge, found-
ed by the earl of Leicefter, in the reign of king
Henry the Third, and dedicated to St. Clements
The friars of the order of St. Auguftine, had a
priory here called St. Catharine's. And the friars
of a Mendicant order, called De paenetentia Jefu
Chritti, had a houfe in the fuburbs of the town.
With refpedl to the civil hiftory of this town,
it will be fufHcient to add, that a parliament was
held there in the reign of king Henry the Fifths
In the civil war the army of king Charles the Firft:
took it by ftorm, and it was foon after retaken by
Sir Thomas Fairfax.
M0UNTSORREL5 more properly Mount Soar-
Hill, received its name from the river Soar,
which runs on the eaft fide of it, and a hill in
the middle of the town, and is fituated feven
miles to the northward of Leicefter, and a hun-
dred and feven north-weft of London. It was for-
merly famous for its caftle, which was feated on a
fteep and craggy hill that hangs over the river,
And
LEICESTERSHIRE. 203
and firft belonged to the earls of Leicefter ; but
has been long demoliflied. It is partly in the pa-
rifhes of Burrow and Rodeley, and had ancient-
ly two chapels, though it has nov/ but one, and
a meeting-houfe. It has a bridge over the Soar ;
but is very indifferently built, the houfes being
generally low mean ftru£tures, formed of a red-
difli kind of ftone. It has however a market on
Mondays, and a fair on the loth of July, for toys.
The manor and church of Rodeley above-men-
tioned, were given by king Henry the Third to
the Knights Templars, who fettled there a com-
mandery of their order, which, with their other
lands, came afterwards to the Knights Hofpital-
lers, who enjoyed them till the general difTolu-
tion, about which time they were valued at 87 1.
13 s. 4d. a year.
At CossiNGTON, which is feated at the con-
fluence of the rivers Wreke and Soar, about three
miles to the fouth-eaft of Mount Sorrel, there is a
vaft barrow, three hundred and fifty feet long, a
hundred and twenty broad, and forty high. It
flands exaitly north and fouth, and in rainy fea-
fons is almoft encompaffed with water. 7 he coun-
try people call it Shipley hill, and fay a great
captain, called Shipley, was buried there j but be
that as it will, it is certainly of great antiquity.
Loughborough is pleafantly feated among
fertile meadows, near the foreft of Charwood, on
the banks of the river Soar, over which it has a
bridge, and at the diftance of four miles from
Mount Sorrel. In the time of the Saxons it was
a royal village, and is at prefent pretty well built,
though it has fuffered greatly by fires. It has a
fpacious church, and a iree-rchool, a charity-
fchool for eighty boys, and another f6r twenty
girls. It has a good market on Thurfdays, with
live fairs, which are held on March 28, for horfes
and
204- ^ Description of
and cows ; on April 25, for horfes and fheep ; on
Holy-Thurfday, and the 12th of Auguft, for
horfes and cows, and on November 13, for horfes,
cows and foals.
At a village near Loughborough, Robert BofTu,
earl of Leicefter, in the year 1133, built an abbey
for Ciftercian monks, dedicated to the Virgin Ma-
ry, in which, at the fuppreflion of religious houfes,
were fourteen monks, who enjoyed a revenue of
186 1. 15 s. 2d. a year.
Seven miles weft by north of Loughborough is
Belton, which has a fair on Monday after Tri-
riity-week, for horfes, cows and fheep ; confidera-
ble for horfes.
Loughborough being near the borders of Not-
tlnghamfhire, one road leads from thence to Not-
tingham, and another to Derby.
About half way between Loughborough and
Afnby de la Zouch, was the nunnery of Grace-
Dieu, which was founded by Roefia, the wife of
Bertram de Verdun, about the twenty-fourth of
Henry the Third, for Ciftercian nuns, and dedi-*
cated to the honour of God, the Holy Trinity,
and St. Mary. Sir William Waftnefs was after-
wards a benefadtor to this houfe, which, at the
time of the diflblution, had fifteen nuns, with a
yearly revenue, according to Speed, of 101 1. 8 s.
2d. ifeing Henry the Eighth granted it to Sir Hugh
Fofter, by whom it was alienated to John Beau-
mont, Efq; but the prefent owner is Ambrofe
Philips, Efq; a confiderable part of the walls are
ftill ftanding, and fhew, that it was formerly a
very handfome ftrucSlure.
Sir John Beaumont, brother of the famous
dramatic poet, Mr. Francis Beaumont, and him-
felf no unfavoured fon of the Mufes, was born at
Grace-Dicu, in the year 1582. After ftudying
about three years in Broadgate's hall ia Oxford,
he
VcLl'.pu.io^
LEICESTERSHIRE. 205
he removed to one of the inns of court; but fooii
quitted that fituation, and retired to the place of
his nativity, where he feems to have relided till
the time of his death, which happened in the
winter of 1628. He wrote a poem, called Bof-
worth Field ; befides fever al other original pieces
and tranflations from the claflics.
AsHBY DE LA ZoucH was fo called from the
Zouches, its ancient lords, to diftinguifh it from
another Afhby, in this county named Aftiby Fol-
vile. It is pleafantly fituated on the borders of
Derbyfnire, about thirteen miles to the weft of
Loughborough, and has a handlbme large church,
and a meeting-houfe. It chiefly conhfts of one
good ftreet, in which there is a neat ftone crofs,
and has a free-fchool, the matter of which has a
handfome falary. Here are alfo the ruins of a
caftle, which formerly belonged to Alan de la
2^ouch ; from whom it came to the lord Haftings,
who was beheaded by king Richard the Third ;
and from the Haftings lineally defcended to the
carls of Huntingdon, in which noble family it now
remains. Here king James the Firft, with his
whole court, fpent feveral days, during which
dinner was ferved up by thirty poor knights, who
wore gold chains and velvet gowns. But this
place being a garrifon for king Charles the Firft,
it was demolifhed in 164S by the parliament
forces,. Its ruins, of which we have given a viev/,
fhew that it was a fine Gothic ftruclure. This
town has a plentiful market on Saturdays, and
four fairs, v/hich are held on Eafter-Tuefday, and
Whitfun-Tuefday, for horfes, cows, and fheep ;
and on Auguft 24, and October 28, for horfes and
cows.
John Bainbridge, an eminent phyftcian and
aftronomer of the feventeenth century, was born
in this town in the year 1582. He received his
education
2o'6 A Description of
education in the grammar-fchool of this plai^e^
and in Emanuel college in Cambridge, where he
took the degrees in arts, and applied himfelf ta
the ftudy of phyfic, and of mathematics. He
pra£lifed phyfic for fome time in his native coun-
try ; and removing afterwards to London, was
chofen a fellow of the college of phyficians. In
1619 he was appointed Savilian profeffor of aftro-
nomy at Oxford, and in 1635 fuperior reader of
Linacre's lecture. He died on the 3d of Novem-
ber, 1643, and was interred in the church of
Merton college. He publifhed, among other
things, A Dcfcription of the Comet in 1618, and
A Treat if e concerning the Dog -Star,
At Breedon on the Hill, a village five
miles north-eaft by north of Afhby de la Zouch,
on the borders of Derbyfhire, is a church, dedi-
cated to St. Mary and St. Hardulf, which, about
the year 1114, was given by Robert Ferrers, earl
of Nottingham, to the monaftery of St. Ofwald,
at Noftol hall near Wakefield in Yorkfhire ; upon
which there was here a cell of black canons fu-
bordinate to that monaftery, confifting of a prior,
and five religious, whofe revenues at the diflblu-
tion were valued at 24 I. 10 s. 4 d. a year.
At Langley, a village five miles north-eaft of
Afhby de la Zouch, was formerly a priory for
Benedictine nuns, built by V/illiam Pantulf, and
Burgia his v/ife, about the beginning of the reigu
©f king Henry the Second, and dedicated to the
Virgin Mary ; the annual revenues of which were
valued, by Dugdale, at the fupprelHon at 29 1. 7 s.
4d.
At Heather, a village feated to the fouth-eaft
of Afnby de la Zouch, was a houfe with lands
belonging to the Knights Horpitallers, given by
Ralph de G rifely, before the firft year of i<.ing
John : for fome time it hiid a diftinct preceptor,
and
LEICESTERSHIRE. 207
and at another time was accounted part of the
preceptory of Dalby. At its diflblution it was
valued at 39 1. is. 5 d. a year.
At Charley and Ulvescross, two folitary
places in Charnwood foreft, which lies to the
fouth-eaft of Afhby de la Zouch, were fettled by
Robert Blanchmaines, earl of Leicefter, three
friars hermits in each, in the reign of king Henry
the Second, but by the confent of the earl of
Winchefter, patron of both houfes, in the reign
of Edward the Second, they were united at Ul-
vefcrofs, where a priory of regular canons of the
order of St. Auftin, dedicated to the Virgin Ma-
ry, continued till the difTolution, when it con-
tained eight religious, whofe revenues, according
to Dugdale, amounted to 83 1. 10 s. 6 d. a year ;
and according to Speed, to loi L Part of the
walls are ftill {landing ; and there are fculptures
on thofe of the fecond flory reprefenting cherubims.
At one end there is a tower, which feems to be
pretty entire, except at the top, and probably be-
longed to the church of the priory.
Eight miles to the fouth of Afhby de la Zouch,
jind nine to the weftward of Leicefter, is Bos-
worth, or Market Bosworth, which 13
pleafantly fituated in a wholefome air, and fruit-
ful foil, both for corn and grafs, and has a free-
fchool founded by Sir Wolftan Dixey. It has a
market on Wednefdays, and two fairs, held on
the 8th of May, for horfes, cows and fheep j and
on the loth of July, for horfes and cows. At
the diftance of three miles from this town is a
plain, anciently called Redmore, but now Bof-
worth field j for here was fought the famous bat-
tle between Richard the Third, and Henry, earl
of Richmond, in which the former was vanquifti-
cd. In the moor, where the battle was fought,
there are fre(^uently found, by digging and plow-
ing,
2o8 A Description of
ing, pieces of armour, and other warlike acoutre*'
merits, and particularly arrow heads of an extra-
ordinary fizc. Here is alfo a fmall mounty from
which the earl of Richmond is faid to have made
a fpeech to his army before the engagement.
Hinckley is a (mail town feated near the Ro-
man road, called Watling-ftreet, on the borders of
the county towards Warwickfhire, five miles fouth
of Bofworth, and nine weft fouth weft of Lei-
cefter. It has a lar2;e handfome church, with a
lofty fpire fteeple, and the affizes were formerly
held here. At the eaft end of this church are
trenches, and very high ramparts, which the in-
habitants call Hugh's caftle, fuppofing them to be
veftiges of a caftle, built here by Hugh Bigot,
the firft earl of Norfolk. The market is on Mon-
days, and it has a fair on the 26th of Auguft, for
horfes, cows, fhcep and cheefe. At this town
was formerly an alien priory of two BenedicSline
monks, belonging to Lyra in Normandy, to
which it was given by Robert Blanchmaiiies, earl
of Leicefter, before the year 1 1 73.
HiGHAM, a village three miles north-weft of
Hinckley, is remarkable for the antiquities dif-
covered there in 1607. An inhabitant taking up
ia great fquare ftone, which lay in Wailing i^reet
road, upon the croiling of another road that leads
to Coventry, met with tv^o hundred and fifty
pieces of filver of the coin of Henry the Third,
each of which weighed about three pence,' There
was alfo a gold ring vv^ith a ruby, another with an
agate, and a third of filver, in which was a flat
ruddy ftone, engraved Vv'ith Arabic charadies ;
which have been thus trandated, *' By JMah< met
" magnify him ; turn from him each hand that
*' may hurt him '* Among this treafure were alfo
found feveral filver hooks, with links of a large
gold chain. Thefe were found by the fide of the
ftoncj
LEICESTERSHIRE. 20^
-ftone, and underneath It, two or three pieces of
filver coin of the emperor Trajan. The ftone it-
felf is thought to have been the bafis of an altar,
dedicated to Trajan, it being cuftomary among
the Romans to place, under the foundation of the
monuments, and other buildings, fome of the
coins of the reigning emperor. The Englifh mo-
ney, rings and other things, depofited by the fide
of the flone, are thought to have been the treaCure
of fome Jew.
Benonis, near High Crofs, ftands in the inter-
fedlion of the tvv'o great Roman roads, that tra-
verfe the kingdom obliquely, and Dr. Stukeley
thinks it is in the very centre of England, be-
caufe there are rivers that run from thence every
way. The fite of the ancient city is very rich ;
and many antiquities, as Roman (tones and bricks,
have been found here, befides Roman coins. There
is a crofs here, that is well defigned, but it is
conRruded with mouldring ftone. In the garden
before the inn there was a barrow, lately taken
away, and under it was the body of a man upon
a plain furface.
LuTTERv/ORTH is feated in a good foil on the
river Swift, which foon after runs into the Avon,
at the diftance of nine miles to the fouth-eaft of
Hinckley, and tv/elve fouth-v.'efl of Leicefler,
and near it to the v/eftwavd runs the ancient Ro-
man way, called Watling-ftreet. It is a pretty
good country town, and has a large handfome
church with a lofty fpire fteeple. In this church
is ilill to be feen the pulpit of the famous reformer
John WickliiF, who was redtor of the parifli.
'J'his town has a market on 7 hurfdays, and two
fairs, held on April 2, for horfes, cows and fheep;
and on September 16, for horfes, cows, fheep and
cheefe. Here Rofc de Verdon, and her fon Nicho-
las, in the reign of king John, built and endow-
ed
210 A Description of .
ed an hofpital for a prior, or mafter and brethrerfj
dedicated to St. John the Baptift, which was va-
lued at the diffolution at 26 1. 9 s. 5d. a year.
At SwiNSFORD, which lies to the fouth-eaftof
Lutterv/orth, is a church which was given to the
hofpitallers by Robert Rivell, before the reign of
king John, and here was fettled a fmall precepto-
xy of that order.
On entering this county by the road from Rut-
landiliire, you pafs byHALLATON, which lies a-
bout two miles to the v/eft of the road, and eight
miles north-weft of Harborough. It has a chari-
ty-fchool, and a market on Mondays, and three
fairs, held on Holy-Thurfday, May 23, and June
13, for horfes, horned cattle, pewter, brafs and
deaths.
At Bradley to the fouth-eaft of Hallerton,
Robert Bundy, or Burneby, founded a fmall priory
of the order of St. Auftin, in the reign of king
John ; but at the diffolution it had only two ca-
nons, with lands of the annual value of 20 1. 15 s.
7d.
In the chapel of the manor houfe at Noseley^
a village to the north-weft of Hallaton, Sir Anke-
tine de Martival founded, in the fecond year of Ed-
ward the Firft, a college or chantry, which was
farther endowed by his fon Roger de Martival,
archdeacon of Leicefter, and afterwards bilhop of
Salift>ury, about thirty-two years after. It was
dedicated to the Afcenfion of our Lord, and the
AlTumption of the Virgin Mary, and, according
to Mr. Burton, confifted of a warden and certain
brethren ; or, according to others, of three priefts,
who had diftind prebends, three clerks, and four
chorifters.
BiLLESDON is a town about fix miles north-
weft of Hallerton, and eight to the eaftward or
Leicefter. It ha§ a market on Fridays, and two
fairs I
LEICESTERSHIRE. 211
fairs ; namely, on April 23, and July 25, for
pewter, brafs and toys ; but contains nothing re-
markable. Not far from hence, are two places
called Burrow-hill, and Ardborough, where Mr.
Camden fuppofes the ancient Vernometum flood ;
but Horfley places it at Willoughby. However,
the ground is a fteep hill on all fides, except the
fouth-eaft ; and on the top, is the appearance of
a demolifiied town, a double trench, and a tract
where the walls went, which enclofes about eigh-
teen acres of land. Mr. Camden alfo thinks,
fome great Heathen temple formerly flood in this
place ; and this the annotator takes to be the
whole of the affair, there being here more marks
of a temple, than of a town.
To the eaft of Billefden, and on the borders of
"Rutlandfhire, is Loddington, where was a pri-
ory of canons regular, of the order of St. Au-
gufline, dedicated to St. John Baptid, founded
by Richard BaiTct of Weldon, and Matilda Ri-
dell his wife, in the latter part of the reign of
king Henry the Firft. The revenue of this priory,
according to Dugdale, amounted to 399I. a year 5
but, according to Speed, to 511 1.
About fix miles north-eaft of Billefdon, and
the fame diftance fouth of Melton Mowbray, is
the village of Olveston or Osulveston, where
v/as a priory of canons regular, of the order of
St. Augufline, founded by Robert Grimbold, in
the reign of king Henry the Second, and dedicated
to the honour of St. Mary, St. Andrew, and All
Saints : to which canons he gave the church and
town, &c. Robert, bifhop of Lincoln, confirmed
thefe donations ; and farther added a charter to
them, of being for ever free from the payment of
fynodals, and all other epifcopal cuflom.s, Peter-
pence excepted. It had alfo feveral other bene-
faclors, and at the fuppreiTion was valued by
Dugdale,
212 A Description of
Dugdale, at i6i 1. a year; but by Speed at 174!.'
The whole building was a few years ago, if it is
not ftiil, entire. It is leaded at the top, and
makes a very beautiful appearance. Indeed it
is a very agreeable feat, and lately belonged to
Jeffery Johnfon, Efq;
At the diftance of ten miles north-eaft of Bil-
lefden is Melton Mowbray, fo called from
the ancient family of the Mowbrays, its ancient
lords. It (lands in a fertile foil, on the banks of
the river Eye, which almoil furrounds it, eigh-
teen miles fouth-eaft of Nottingham. It has two
handfome ftone bridges over the river, and is a
large well built town, wich a fpacious handfome
church, and a frec-fchpol. Here are frequent
horfe races, and the market, which is on Tuef-
days, is the moft confiderable for cattle of any in
this part of England. It has alfo three fairs, which
are held on the fiift Tuefday after January 17,
for horfes and horned cattle ; on the Monday a
flievv of horfes'; on Whitfun-Tuefday for horfes,
horned cattle and flieep; and on Auguft 21, for
horfes, horned cattle, fheep and hogs.
At Dalby, near Melton Movv'bray, was a
preceptory of the knights hofpitallers, faid to have
been founded by Robert BofTu, earl of Leicefter,
in the beginning of the reign ot Henry the Se-
cond, and valued at the diliblution at 91 1. 2s.
8 d. a year.
In BuR-TON Lazars, fouth of Melton Mow-
bray, Roger de Mowbray, in the reign of king
Stephen, gave two carucates of land, a houfeand
a mill here to the lepers of St. Lazarus, Vv^ithout
the walls of Jerufalem, and thus laid the founda-
tion of a well-endowed hofpital in this place, con-
fifting of a mafter and feveral brethren. This
was the chief of all the fpittals or lazar-houfes ia
England 3 but v/as dependent on the great houfe
LEICESTERSHIRE. 213
at Jerufalem. It was dedicated to the Virgin Ma-
ry and St. Lazarus ; and at the fuppreflion, its
pofTefiions were valued at 265 1. los. 2d. a year.
Roger Beller, in the reign of Edward the Se-
cond, founded a fmall chantry in St. Peter's cha-
pel, near his manor-houfe at Kirkby Bellars,
on the north fide of Melton Mowbray, which a
few years after he converted into a kind of col-
lege, for a warden and twelve feculars priefts. It
was afterwards made conventual for a prior and
regular canons of the order of St. Auguftine, and
thus continued till the difTolution, when it con-
tained ten religious, and had a revenue of 142 L
10 s. 3 d. a year.
Waltham on the Would is feated five
miles north-eaft of Melton Mowbray, in a whole-
fome air ; but is a poor town, with a charity-
Ichool 3 a fmall market on Thurfdays, and a fair
on the 19th of September, for horfes, horned
cattle, hogs, and goods of all forts.
At Croxton-Kyriel, to the north-eaft of
Waltham in the V/ould, William Porcarius dc
Linus built an abbey of Premonftrat^nfian ca-
nons, in 1162, and dedicated it to St. John the
Evangelift. It continued till the dlflbluLlon, when
its revenue amounted to 3S5 1. a year.
Belvoir Caftle, commmonlycalled Bever Caf-
tle, is feated on the edge of the county, next
Lincolnfhire, ten miles north-eaft of Melton
Mowbray, and is the feat of the duke of Rut-
land. The hill on which it ftands is fuppofed to
be artificial, or at leaft a great part of it. Some
take it to have been a Roman ftation, named Ma-
rigdunum; but this is a mifta:ce, for that is atEaft
Bridgeford ; however, many Roman coins have
been found about it. The old caftle was built
foon after the conqueft by Robert de Tendeneio,
a Normaa nobleman, to bridle the Saxons, and
he
«^T4 . A Description of
he made It the feat of his barony. It paflTed thro*
feveral hands, and at laft came to the family of
the Manners, the prefent proprietor. Near it is
Wolftrop church, now in ruins, though great part
of the fteeple is ftill {landing. The caftle fufFe-
red much in the reign of Henry the Sixth, it be-
ing almoft deftroyed by William lord Haftings ;
and lay jTome years in a ruinous condition, till
ThomasJ-earl of Rutland, rebuilt it. In the ci-
vil wars, it was made a garrifon for king Charles
the Firft, and defended for fome time by Mr. Tho*
mas Maifon, rector of Afliwcll, in Rutlandfhire,
"who commanded a company here ; but was after-
wards befieged, and much defaced by the enemies
cannon ; it has fmce been rebuilt and beautified,
as alfo the hill on which it ftands; for it has been
turned into fine gardens, adorned with walks,
plantations, and llatues. Of this ftru(Sture we
have given the reader an engraved view. It has
the name of Belvoir, from the very extenfive
prbfpeft it affords j for from hence you may fee
Nottingham caftle, Lincoln minfter, and many
towns and lordfhips belonging to the noble pro-
prietor. In a fine gallery are many ancient and
modern family pidlures ; and among the reft, an
original of Charles the Firft, as he fat at his trial.
Upon the edge of the county, near Nottingham-
fliire, is Willoughby-Brook, near which is a
tumulus, or barrow, on an eminence, called Crop-
hill ; and upon the brow of the hill, overlooking
Willoughby brook, appears to have been a Ro-
man town, and the inhabitants are perfuaded that
here was a city, called Long Billington. How-
ever, in common difcourfe, it is generally called
Black-Field, the foil being perfedtly black, though
the adjacent land is red. Many brafs and filver
coins have been found here, and a few that were
gold. The people are however, it is faid, de-
terred
/I'/, r.pa . -1/4 .
if r^^^
LEICESTERSHIRE. 215
terred from digging by the ridiculous fear of fpi-
rits, which they imagine haunt the place. Many
Mofaic pavements have been dug up, as well as
pot-hooks, fire-fliovels, and the like ; alfo broad
flones and foundations are frequently found on
the fide of the Fofs-way.
Beiides the perfons already mentioned, this
county has produced, the Lady Jane Grey, the
eldeft daughter of Henry Grey, marquis of Dor-
fet, and of the lady Frances Brandon, eldeft
daughter of Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk,
by Mary, queen dowager of France, youngell
daughter of king Henry the Seventh, and fifter to
king Henry the Eighth. She was born in 1537, at
Broadgate in this county, and educated in her fa-
ther's houfe, under the doctors Aylmer and Hard-
ing, two of the mofl: learned men of the* age.
Under the care of thefe able inftrudlors, fhc made
fo rapid a progrefs in her ftudies, that before fhe
had arrived at the years of maturity, ilie had ac-
quired a thorough knowledge of the French, Ita-
lian, Latin, and Greek, and was tolerably verfed
in the Hebrew, Chaldee, and Arabic ; without,
hov/ever, negle(Sting thofe accompliftiments which
are more peculiar to her fex. Her near relation
to the blood royal infpired Dudley, Duke of Nor-
thumberland (to whofe fourth fon, the lord
Guilford Dudley, {he was married) with the am-
bitious thou:^hts of raifmo- her to the throne : a
fcheme which proved the ruin of her, and of all
who were concerned m it. In order toaccompliih
his daring profpect, Northumberland prevailed
upon king Edward the Sixth, whofe health was
now in a very declining ftate, to appoint the lady
Jane his heirefs and fuccefTor ; and accordingly up-
on the death of that prince, which happened on
the 6th of July, 1553, ^^^ ^^'^Y J^"^ ^^^ P^^"
claimed, though much againft her own inclinati-
on»
ai6 -^Description of
on, queen of England, France and Ireland, witH
the ufual folemnity. Her reign, however, was of
fhort continuance ; for the princefs Mary, eldeft
daughter to king Henry the Eighth, having raifed
an army in fupport of her own title, and that of
her fitter Elizabeth, obtained the crown, on
which Northumberland was feized, and commit-
ted to the Tower ; and was foon after tried, and
brought to the fcafFold. Sentence of death was,
at the fame time pafTed, as well upon queen Jane,
as upon her hufband and father, the lad of whom
had lately been created duke of Suftblk. The
duke, hov/ever, was pardoned and fet at liberty ;
and the execution of the fentence againft the
queen and her hufband was, for the prefent, fuf-
pended,and might perhaps, at laft, have been entirely
remitted, had it not been for the imprudence of
her father, v/ho unwarily engaged in Wiat's in-
furredion. For this frefh crime he was again
feized and tried ; and being found guilty, was
immediately beheaded, and his daughter and fon-
in-law fhared the fame fate. Queen Jane fuffered,
February the 12th, 1554, on a fcaffold within the
Tower j the court being afraid, that a public ex-
ecution might too much excite the compaflion of
the fpedators. She met her fate with great cou-
rage and compofurej and, as flie was a lady of
the moft amiable accomplifhments, both of body
and mind, her death was lamented, and her me-
mory celebrated, not only in this, but in feveral
other nations. Her reign lafled but nine days;
and this ciicumll-ance is fuppofed to have given
rife to the common proverb of, A nine days
ivohder,
Hugh Latimer, bifhop of Worcefter, and a mar-
tyr, in the fixteenth century, was thefon of Hugh
Latimer, a yeoman, at Thurcafton, in Leicefter-
ihire, and born at that place about the vear 14.80.
'He
LEICESTERSHIRE. 217
He received his education ici Ch rift's -college,
in Cambridge, where he took the degree of bat-
chelor of divinity ; but it does not appear, that
he ever took that of doctor. From this time, to
the thirtieth year of his age, he was a moik zealous
and violent Papift ; but being converted by Mr.
Thomas Bilney, he became as zealous and deter-
mined a Proteftant, and preached with great vehe-
mence againft the errors and fuperftitions of popery.
In 15^9, he was promoted, by the interefl of
Thomas Cromwell, afterwards earl of Eilex, to the
re6i:ory of Weikinton, in Wiltfhire ; and, in 1535,
was raifed to the biflioprick of Worcefter. Re-
fufmg, however, to fubfcribe the fix bloody arti-
cles, he reflgned his fee in 1539. Upon the accef-
fion of king Edward the Sixth, though he did
not refume the epifcopal dignity, he again entered
upon his minifterial function, which he continued
to exerclfe, during that ihort reign, with great
vigour and uncommon fuccefs. But, when in
1552, ^^^ bloody queen Mary came to the throne,
he was fingled out as one of the firfl vi(51:ims to
be facrificed to Popifh cruelty and revenge.
Accordingly he was feized, together with bifhop
Ridley ; and thefe two worthies, being condemned
as heretics, were committed to the flames at Ox-
ford, October the i6th, 1555.
Jofeph Hall, a learned prelate and ingenious
writer, was born July r, 1574, at Buftow park
in this county, and educated at the public fchool
of his native place, and at Emanuel-college, in
Cambridge. After a6ting for fome time as pro-
feflbr of rhetoric in that univerfity, he became
fucceffively re6tor of Halfted, dean of Worcefter,
bifhop of Exeter, and laftly of Norwich. In 1616,
he attended the embafly of lord V'ifcount Doncaf-
ter into France ; and the next year was chofcn by
his Majefty as one of the divines who fhould ac-
VcL. V, K company
2i8 A Description of
company him into Scotland. In 1618, he was
fent by king James to the Synod of Dort, and
pitched upon by that learned body to preach be-
fore them a Latin fermon. He was obliged, how-
ever, by the bad ftate of his health, to leave that
aflembly before it broke up ; but he received from
them, at the time of his departure, the moft fig-
nal marks of their efteem and regard. The ftates
too, in compliment to his merit,, beflowed upon
him a golden medal. He approved himfelf, du-
ring the civil wars, a true Ton of the church of
England ; a conduct which expofed him to the
refeivtment of the then ruling powers, and reduced
him, in his old age, to very great dIfHculties. He
died September the 8th, 1656, and was interred in
the church-yard of Higham, near Norv/ich. His
works are numerous, and eileemed. His me-
ditations and his fatires are the bcft known. Fie
is a very fententious writer j and from his ftyle,
has been frequently denominated the Chriftian
Seneca.
William Burton, a very fkllful topographer,
and author of The Defcript'ion of Leicejhrjhire^
was born at Lindley in that county, on the 24th
cf Auguft, 1575. He had his education in Bra-
zen-Nofe-Coilege, in Cambridge. He aftervi^ards
fettled in the Middle-Temple, in London, and
became a barrifter j but his favourite fludy was
that of antiquities, in which he made a confidera-
ble progrefs. He died on the 6th of April, 1645.
Georai;e Villiers. the firft duke of Buckin2;ham
cf that family, and the greateft favourite of two
fucceeding monarchs, that ever was known in
this, or any other kingdom, was the third fon of
Sir George Villiers, and born at Brookfby in Lei-
cefterfliire, on the 28th of Auguft, 1592. In
his youth he was carefully inftru(R:ed in dancing,
fencing, and other ornam-cntal accomplifliments ;
and.
LEICES TE RSHIR E. 219
and, having travelled into France fof his farther
improvement in thefe genteel exerciles, he return-
ed, at the age of twenty-one, to his native coun-
try, when, by the beauty of his perfon, and the
politenefs of his addrefs, he foon attra6led the
notice of his naajefty king James the Firft, who
was apt to be ftruck with fuch fuperficial endow-
ments. His firft ftation at court, was that of
cup-bearer to his majefty ; from whence he rofe,
by a quick and rapid progrefs, to be gentleman of
the bed-chamber, rnafter of the horfc, knight of
the garter, baron of Whaddon, vifcount Viliiers^
carl and marquis of Buckingham, lord high ad-
miral of England, chief-juftice in Eyre, mailer of
the king's bench oiHce, lleward of V/cftminftcr,
conftable of Windfor-caftle, earl of Coventry ;
and, laftofall, duke of Buckingham. In 1623,
he accompanied princq Charles (afterwards king
Charles the Firft) to Spain, in order to make up
the long depending match betvv^een him and the
infanta of that kingdom. Upon the death of
king James, and the acceilion of king Charles, he
continued to enjoy the fame degree of favour with
the fon, which he had fo long pofteiTed under the
father. His fpirit and his ambition were equal to
his high fortune. For, when he was fent to Pa-
ris, in order to condudt to England the princefs
Henrietta Maria, the king's intended con fort, he
had the prefumption to make his addreftcs to the
queen dowager of France ; and being thwarted
in his views, engaged his fovereign, by way of
revenge, in a war with that kingdom. He after-
wards commanded the forces fent againftRochelle ;
but, being now become univerfally odious, he
was ftabbed at Portfmouth by John Felton, a
difcontented lieutenant in the army, on the 23d
of Auguft, 1628.
K 2 William
220 a^ Description^/*
William Lilly, the famous aftrologer, was born
May the ifl, 1602, at Difeworth in Leicefter-
fliire, and educated in Grammar learning at Afh-
by de la Zouch, under the care of Mr. John
BrinHey. He was fervantfirft to a mantua-maker
in London, and afterwards to Mr. Gilbert Wright,
mafter of the Salters company in that city ; upon
whofe death he married the widow, and receiv-
ed with her a fortune of loool. Being thus plac-
ed in eafy circumftances, he applied himfelf to the
ftudy of judicial aftrology, in v>/hich he become at
len;2;th a very conllderable proficient, and was
confulted by many perfons on the moft important
occafions. And fuch was the ignorance or cre-
dulity of the age, that no party feems to have
been free from this chiidifh delufion. King
Charles the Firft, while a prifoner, confulted him
twice concerning his efcape. The parliament gave
him a penflon of one hundred pounds, and em-
ployed him in encouraging their foldiers by his
predidfions. He even read public lectures on
Chr'ijhan AjiroUgy^ as he phrafed it; and his ha-
rano-ues on that fubje6i: met with great applaufe.
Nor was his fame confined to the narrow limits of
En2;land. He received from the king of Sweden
a golden chain, and a medal, on account of the
honourable mention he had m^ide of that prince
in his almanack. His reputation, however, tho*
very firmly eftabliihed, fuftained now and then
fome fevere fhocks. He was at one time impri-
foncd for reflecting upon the parliament, and at
another brought to a trial for giving judgment
upon floien goods. Towards the latter end of his
life, he retired to Herfnam, where he pradifed
phyfic, having previouHy obtained a licenfe for
that purpofe ; and a little before his death, he
adopted for his fon, by the name of Merlin Ju-
n'lor^ one Henry Coley, a taylor, to whom he
made
LEICESTERSHIRE. 221
made a prefent of the imprefTion of his almanack,
after it had been printed for thirty- fix years fuc-
cellively. He died of the palfey June the 9th,
168 r, and was interred in the church of V/altoii
upon Thames.
William Beveridore, a learned divine and venc-
rable prelate in the feventc^nth and eighteenth
centuries, was born at Barrow in Leiceilerfliire,
in the year 1638. After finifhing his ftudies at
Cambridge, where he diftinguifhed himfelf by his
fkill in the oriental languages, he became fuccel-
fively vicar of Yealing in Middlefex, reclor of St,
Peter's, Cornhill, London, prebendary of St.
Paul's cathedral, archdeacon of Colchefter, pre-
bendary of Canterbury, chaplain in ordinary to
king William and queen Mary j and, in 1 704,
was advanced to the bifliopric of St. Afaph. This
dignity, however, he enjoyed but a fhort time ;
for he died at his lodgings in the cloyfters in
Weirminfter- Abbey, March the 5th, 1708; and
his body was interred in St. Paul's cathedral. He
wrote Private noughts upon Religion ; Private
Thoughts upon a Chrijlian Life ; ayi Expofition of
the Church Catcchifm ; Thefaurus Thcclogicus ; and
feveral other works.
William Whifton, a learned divine in the be-
ginning of the eighteenth century, was the fon of
a clergyman, and born December the 9th, 1667,
at Norton near TwycrolTe, in Leicefterihire. He
had his education at Clare-hall, Cambridge, where
he applied himfelf to mathematics, and to the
Cartefian philofophy ; but em.bracing foon after
the Newtonian doctrine, he wrote a New Theory
of the Earth, agreeable to thofe principles, in
1698 he was prefented by the bifliop of Norv/ich
to the living of Loweftoft cum Keflingland in
Suffolk ; and in 1701 he was named by Sir Ifaac
Newton as his deputy in the mathematical pro-
K 3 fcflbrfhip
5 2a A Description of
feflbrfhip at Cambridge. About two years after
he fucceeded that great man in the mathematical
chair ; and in the mean time publiflied his Chro-
nology of the Old Tejlament^ and his Racquet's Eu-
did. In 1707 he was chofen to preach the fer-
mons at Boyle's ledture ; but difclofing, foon af-
ter, his peculiar fentiments concerning the "rri-
nity, he involved himfelf, by that means, in in-
extricable difficulties. Continuing to perGfl im-
movably in his opinion, he was ftript of his pre-
ferments, and expelled the univerllty. In 1711
he was fummoned before the convocation, and his
opinions condemned as heretical ; but this {''<\\'
tence was not confirmed by her m.ajefly. He was
afterwards profecuted in the fpi ritual court ; but
no kind of punilhrnent was inflicted upon him.
In conjundion with Mr. Ditton, he publiflied a
new method for difcovering tlie longitude at fea,
and a large fum was raifed for the purpofe, l^he
fcheme, however, in the end proved abortive. He
Jived in great intimacy with her majefly que(!ri
Caroline, and with Pope, Addifon, Walpole, fe-
cretary Craggs and others ; and, what by their in-
tereft, and the fale of his works, he acquired a
very comfortable fubfiflance. Towards the latter
end of his life he abandoned. the communion of the
church of England, and embraced that of the Bap -
tills ; and dying Auguft 22, 1752, was interred
at London in Rutland, in the county of Lin-
coln. He feems to have been a man of con-
ifiderable parts, of extenfive learning, and of great
piety and integrity ; but too dogmatical with re-
gard to fome points, in which, perhaps it is
impoffible for any one to obtain an abfolute cer-
tainty. Befides the works above-mentioned, he
wrote, Prale^iones Phyfico Mathematics^ Alemoir^
of his own Life^ and variety of other tra61:s.
William
LEICESTERSHIRE. 223
William Cave, a very learned divine of the
feventecnth and eighteenth centuries, was born at
Pickwell, in Leicefterfhire, of which parifh his
father was re6lor. In 1653 ^^ ^'^^ admitted into
St. John's colleo;e in Cambridge, where he took
the degrees of bachelor, and mafter of arts, i -is
firft ftation in the church was that of vicar of
Iilington in Middlsfex ; from whence he v/ab pro-
moted fucceiTively to be chiiplain to king Charles
the Second, rector of Alhallows the Great iii
Thames-ftreet, London, canon of Windfor, and
vicar of Ifleworth in Middlefex. He died at
Windfor on the 4th of Auguft, 17/3. He was
the author of feveral excellent v/orks.
Roger Cotes, a great mathematician, and Pla-
mian profeffor of aftronomy, and experimen-
tal philofophy in the univerfity of Cambridge,
was the fon of the reverend Mr. Robert Cotes,
and born at Burbage in Leiceikrfhire, July the
lOth, 1682. Difcovcring in his youth a ftrong
inclination to the mathematics, he was encourag-
ed to purfue his ftudies by his uncle Mr. John
Smith, a clergyman in Lincolnfhire, who pre-
vailed upon his father to fend him to St. Paul's
fchool in London, and afterwards to Trinity
college in Cambridge. In 1706 he was appoint-
ed profeflbr of aftronomy upon the foundation laid
by Thomas Plume, D. D. archdeacon of ^lochcf-
ter ; and he had the double honour of being the
firft perfon who enjoyed that ofhce, and of being
raifed to it folely on account of his merit. In
1 7 13 he entered into orders, and in the courfe of
the fame year publifhed, at the requeft of Dr.
Richard Bentley, a fecond edition of Sir Ifaac
Newton's Primipia^ enriched with all the im-
provements of that great man, and ufhered in with
an e.xcellent preface by the editor. He likewife
K 4 wrote
2i24 ^ Description, l^e.
wrote a defcription of the great meteor that ap-
peared on the 6th of March, 1716; and was di-
ligently employed in preparing other works for
the prefs, when, to the regret of the univerfity in
genera], and of the lovers of mathematical fludies
in particular, he was carried off in the prime of
his life, on the 5th day of June of the fame year.
His Harmony of Meafures was publifhcd after his
death ; as were alfo his Hydrojfatical and Fncuivcif
^tical L enures.
LINCOLN-
[ 225 J
.^ r^
^ f^ ,^ ,J9^ ^^ r^ t^ r^. ^ r<S
'i*i' V'."* -f' 'i«i* Vi* *i''i' Vi' -'i *•-♦-•■
.?»'l .•'•■•. ..%\ /•*. .?♦'. .?'*. .•-*•. ••'•• .r>-.
L I N C O L N S H I Pv E.
Jt^^^lf^HIS is a large maritime county, which
^ ^ received its name from the city of Lin-
^ ^ coin, its capital. Jt was called by the
^^^jh( Saxons Lincollfcyre, and by the Nor-
mans, on their firft arrival, Nicolfhire. It is bound-
ed on the north by the eftuary of the Humber,
which feparates it from Yorkfliire ; on the eafl: by
tlie German ocean; on the fouth by the counties
of Cambridge, Northampton and Rutland, and
on the weft by Leicefterfhireand Nottinghamfhire.
It extends about feventy miles in length from north
to fouth ; forty-five in breadth from eaft to wed ;
and according to the befc m.aps is above two hun-
dred miles in circumference.
In the time of the ancient Britons and Romans,
this was part of the country inhabited by the Co-
ritani, and from the remains of antiquity found
here, it appears to have been no inconfiderable
place in the time of the Romans ; there being ftili
evident traces of a Roir.an highway extending
thro' the county from fouth to north. Under the
Saxons Lincolnfhire belonged to the kingdom of
Mercia.
The county of Lincoln is divided by nature in-
to three divifions, confifting of fo many tra;fl:s of
high elevated land; the South Heath, th^ North
Heath, and the Woulds, round and betv/een
which three hills, run feveral river?, the land on
the banks of which being low and level, ar^d the
K 5 ouw-
226 A Description of
out-falls of the rivers being obftruded, fornri
what is lifually called the Fens ; and thefe, to
people who know the country only by hearfay,
form the chara6leri(l:ic of the county.
The South Heath is a tract of elevated held
land, as the Saxons ufed to pronounce it, and
Vv'hich we call heath, trending almoft directly
north and fouth from Stamford to within about a
mile of Lincoln \ it being forty-fix miles in length,
and about four, at an average, in breadth. The
edge of this heath to the weft is, for the mod part,
a fteep cliff, and the towns upon this ridge are
called the Cliff-row : it flopes away gradually
eadward to the Fens, which lie upon the Wel-
land and Witham : and there is another row of
towns upon the edge of it, next the Fens.
The North Held, or Heath, extends in the fame
diredtion to Winteringham on the Trent. The
weftern edge of this heath is in like manner a cliff;
but it is remarkable, that while all the towns on
the South Heath, ftand upon the top of the cliff,
thofe on the North Heath, lie at the foot of it.
This flopes away eaft of the Fens, which lie about
the river Ankham.
The Woulds is a tracl of high land running
from Spiifby, about ten or twelve miles north of
Boilon, and trending north by weft, about forty
miles, to Barton upon the Humber, and is, upon
an average, about eight miles broad.
Between thefe hills lie the following Fens :
firft, thofe through which runs the river Witham,
north by eaft from Grantham to Lincoln, below
the cliff of the South Heath, at about three or
four miles dii]:ance. "Great part of this land is
of that fpecies, called moor.
The next is a moorifh tract, between Lincoln
and the Trent,
The
LINCOLNSHIRE. 227
The next are the Fens, or drowned lands on the
banks of the Ankham, lying between the North
Heath and the Woulds, which might eafily be drain-
ed, and rendered as fine dry land as any in the
world, did not the private intereft of individuals,
and the jobs which power and profit alwiays fug-
gell, conflantiy intervene to prevent it.
The fourth are the low lands, upon the banks
and environs of the river Witham, lying; between
the North Heath, the South Heath, and the
Woulds, forming a triangle, the three an,2;les of
which may be taken to be Lincoln, W'ainHeet,
and Crowland. This is a large tract of drowned
land, rendered fo by the out-fall of the river Wi-
tham being choaked up, but was not originally fo,
it having been, as appears not only from tradi-
tion, but by evident marks of the lands below the
fuper-induced mud, a dry, inhabited, and culti-
vated country. Thus, that p< rt of it now called
Holland, was formerly a tract of wood-land.
Belides thefe, there is a moft excellent tract of
land, extending eaft at the foot of the Woulds,
along the fea-fhore, from Wainfleet to Barton.
This is in general about ten miles broad, but at
length narrows, till it comes to a point at Barton,
upon the banks of the Hum.ber. This is a tract
of land gained from the fea, and is therefore cal-
led the Marfh, or Marifli, from the Latin iMarif-
cus, and the French Marais. The fea is, all a-
long the fhore, banked out by great banks of
earth, equal to the largeft ramparts of the ftrongelt
fortified towns in Europe. In thefe banks are fix-
ed iluices, called in the language of the country
Goats, which have folding doors pointing to the
fea. Thefe the cfHux of the frefh water open
v/hen tide is down, and the reflux of the lealliuts
when the tide rifes. This whole tracSt is drained
by artihcial canals, called in the language of the
country
228 yfDESCRIPTION of
country Eaus and Ufleets. The country thus
drained is firm, and wears a perpetual verdure,
maintaining a conftant vegitation. To defcribe
the origin and nature of this tradl, v/ould require
a treatife of itfelf, containing matters of the great-
eft peculiarity and curiofity, but this lies beyond
the bounds of the prefent work.
The Wafhes of this county have been much
talked of, and are terrible toftrangers, though no
danger is to be apprehended from them, if they
have the prudence to take a guide, a precaution
that is highly neceflary. Thefeare fituated at the
mouth of the river Welland, called Fofillyke-
"wafli, and at that of the river Oufe* called Crofs-
keys-wafh. Twice every twenty-four hours, fix
hours each time, during the recefs of the tide,
they are fordable, and eafy to be paiTed over ; but
during the intermediate fix hours, they are cover-
ed with the flux of the ocean, which forms a
kind of bay. Formerly people travelled over
what was called the Long-walh, betv^een Lynn
and Bofton, entirely upon the fands or Ikirts of
the ocean ; but this is now quite impradicable.
Here king John loft all his carriages among the
creeks and quick-fands, the memory of which is
preferved by the corner between Crofs-keys-wafli
and Lynn, being called King's Corner.
With refpeft to the nature of the rocks and-
foil, it is proper to obferve, that the North and
South Heath, which united, extend thro' the
whole county, from Stamford to Winteringhara,
is quite through a rock of white rag-ftone, that
rifcs in ftrata, which encreafes inthicknefs in pro-
portion to its depth. Hence Dr. Stukeley ob-
lerves, that the river Witham, which rifes to the
weft of this ridge, muft have run into the Hura-
ber, had not nature made a breach in this ledge ©f
hillsj by the great valley under Liocoln> and thus
foxrosd
LINCOLNSHIRE. 229
formed a paffage for It into the eftuary in the
fouth-eaft part of the county, called the Wafh.
The fame learned gentleman adds, that the ftone
upon this weftern clifF is full of fea-fhells, and
that when the univerfal deluge had carried thofe
inhabitants of the ocean into the inland parts of
the county, they being, by their weight, unapt
to retire again with the waters, were intercepted
by this cliff, and received into the nafcent Hone.
We have already obferved, that the fouth-eafl
part of the county, called Holland, was once a
wood, and there are there found infinite quantities
of fubterranean trees, lying three or four feet
deep. They are of a vaft bulk, and of different
fpecies, but chiefly fir and oak, exceeding hard,
heavy and black ; and their branches fometimes
lie fo near the furface, as to break the ploughs of
the hufbandmen. About the villages of Kyme
and Billingay, there have been dug up fome boats
or canoes made of the hollow trunks of trees ;
but what appears ftill more extraordinary, is the
fkeleton of a crocodile fixed in a flat ftone, which
was difcovered in this county, and is now to be
feen in the Mufeum of the Royal Society of Lon-
don. The above gentleman is of opinion, that
thefe phenomena can no otherwife be accounted
for but by the univerfal deluge.
With refpecSl to foflils, it is proper to obferve,
that at a village named Stratton, between Lin-
coln and Ganefborough, are found the ophites,
or ferpent ftones, a kind of variegated marble of
a dulky green, fprinkled with fpots of a lighter
green ; and aftroites, or ftar ftones, fo called from
their refemblance to a ftar, are found in this coun-
ty, near Belvoir Caftle.
The air of this county is different in different
parts ; for in the di-vifion called Holland, a great
part of the land h fre(]_aently overflowed, confe-
quent?y
230 A Description of
quently the air is aguifh, efpecially to ftrangers.
Likev/ife that part of the divifion called Kefteven,
which joins to Holland, cannot be very healthy.
However, in the middle and weflern parts, the
air is as falubrious as in any part of the kingdom.
The principal rivers that water Lincolnfnireare
the Trent, the Welland, the Dun, the Witham,
and the Ankam. The Trent rifes in Stafford-
Ihire, and runs north-eaft through the counties of
Derby and Nottingham, then running north, parts
the iaft mentioned county from Lincolnfhire, and
fails into the Humbcr.
The Welland has its fource In Northampton-
fhire, and running from thence into Lincolnfhire,
pafTes by Stamford, Market Deeping and Spal-
ding, and then difcharges itfelf into a bay of the
German ocean, called the Wafhes.
The Dun rifes in Yorkfhire, and inclofmg, to-
gether with the Trent, a confiderable piece of
land, in the north-weft part of the county, dif-
tinguifhed by the name of the Ifle of Axholm,
falls into the Trent, near its conflux with the
Humber.
The Witham rifes at a little tov/n called Poll
Witham, near Grantham, in this county, and
flowing north-eaft, paffes by Lincoln, whence di-
recting its courfe to the fouth-eaft, it falls into the
entrance of the inlet, called the Wafnes, near
Bofton.
The Ankam rifjs to the north of Lincoln, and
after taking a cu.ve to the fouth-eaft, turns to the
north, and continues that courfe till it falls into
the Humber, to the eaft of the Trent.
Thefe rivers, together v/ith the fea, afFord the
inhabitants plenty of all forts of fifh, and water-
fowl. Lhere is in particular a fort of pike found
in the Witham peculiar to that river, and fuperior
to all others.
Befides
LINCOLNSHIRE. 231
Eefides thefe rivers, there are, in the fens ot
Cambridgefhire, many very extenfive artificial ca-
nals, made to drain the lands, particularly, as we
have already obferved, in the fouth-eaft part of
the county, called Holland. Among thefe is a
canal, called Cardike, which Dr. Stukeley is firm-
ly perfuaded, was a work of the Romans ; and
thinks it highly probable, that Catus Decianus,
the procurator in Nero's time, Vv^as the proje6lor
of it.
Lincolnfhire has feveral mineral fprlngs, one of
which is at Cawthorp, a village about ten miles to
the northv/ard of Stamford, where the fpririg rifes
up in a large bafon in the middle of the ftreet.
This water will turn very white with oil of tar-
tar, and afterwards let fall a yellow fediment ; but
it turns green with fpirit of hartihorn. A pint
will yield a fcruple of a white fediment, of which
near one, half is fiilt, and the other earth. It Is a
purging chalybeate, and is probably a great cor-
redlor of acidities.
In the parifh of Stainfield, near Bourn, is a
water that is pleafant and fweet to the tafte ; bu£
will curdle v/ith foap, and turns of a pearl co-
lour with oil of tartar. A gallon of it contains
four fcruples of white fediment, whereof forty-
four grains are earth, thirty nitre, and eight fea
fait. It is an efFeilual remedy in the cure of
fluxes and the diabetes ; as alfo in all internal
haemorrhages, and profufe night fweats.
There are other mineral waters at Walcot,
Peckworth, Newton, and Aferby ; but their vir-
tues have not been v/ell afcertained by phyficians.
'I he foil of this county is in general extremely
fruitful ; the inland parts produce corn of all forts
in plenty, and the fens cole-feed, and the richefi
paftures ; for which reafon the oxen and fhecp are
of an extraordinary fize. It is alfo remarkable
for
232 A Description of
for excellent dogs, as v;ell greyhounds as maf-
tiffs. It likewife abounds in game of all kinds,
and fo great is the plenty and variety of wild-fowl,
that this county has been called the aviary of Eng-
land. Two fowls, called the knute and the dot-
terel, are delicious food, and faid to be found no
where elfe in England. The dotterel is remarka-
ble for imitating all the adions of the fov/Ier ;
for if he ftretches out his arm, the bird will ftretch
out his wing, and if he ftretches out his leg to-
wards the bird, the bird ftretches out one of his
legs towards him ; by this means the fowler ap-
proaches nearer and nearer to it, till he has an op-
portunity of throwing his net over it j and it is
cafily taken, efpecially by candle light. Between
Lincoln and Bofton is fometimes iztxx the fowl
called a buftard, which is found no where t\[^ in
England, except in Salift)ury plain. There are
likewife teal, quails, woodcocks, pheafants, par-
tridges, and other fowl common in England.
It will be proper here to take notice of the vad
number of water-fowl, particularly the ducic,
mallard, teal, and widgeon, which are taken here
in the fens, in decoys formed for that purpofe.
Thefe decoys are very lar2;e ponds, dug in the
fens, with four or five creeks fhooting from them.
to a great length, and each growing gradually nar-
rower, till it comes to a point. The banks are
well planted with willows, fallows, oziers, and
the like kinds of underwood. Into thefe ponds
the fowl are enticed by ducks, bred up tame for
that purpofe ; for the decoy-ducks being fed con-
ftrantly, at certain places, at length become fo fa-
miliar, as to feed out of the hand, and as they
are not confined, they fly abroad, and return at
pleafure. During the proper feafon of the year,
we arc told, they take frequent flights, and fome-
times, after being gone feveral weeks, return home
wit'h
LINCOLNSHIRE. 233
with numerous flocks of fowl, which they are
fuppofed to have invited from Holland, and other
parts of the continent, to partake of their enter-
tainment. The decoy-man no fooner perceives
that thefe numerous flocks are fettled in the pond,
than he goes down fecretly to the angles of the
pond, under the cover of hedges, made with
reeds, and then throws over them handfuls of
corn, into fuch fhallow places as the decoy-ducks
are acquainted with, and to which they immedi-
ately refort, followed by the Grangers. Thus, they
are for feveral days entertained without any diftur-
bance, the bait being fometimes thrown in one
place, and fometimes in another, till they are at
length infenfibly lead into the narrow canals of
the pond, where the trees on each fide hang over
head like an arbor, though at a good height from
the water. Here the boughs are conducted with
fuch art, that a large net is fpread near the tops of
the trees, and faflened to hoops, which reach from
fide to fide, though the pallage is fo wide and lof-
ty, that! the fowl do not perceive the net above
them. Mean while the decoy-man going for-
ward behind the reeds, throws corn into the wa-
ter, which the decoy-ducks greedily fall upon,
and encourage their vifitors, till by degrees they
are all got under thefweep of the net, which im-
perceptibly grows lower and narrower, till it ends
in a point, like a purfe, perhaps two or three hun-
dred yards from the firfl entrance. When the de-
coy-man perceives that they are all within the
net, a dog, that is perfeclly taught his bufinefs,
rufhes from behind the reeds into the water, fwim-
mingdire61:ly after the fowl, and barking at them.
Immediately they take wing, but being beat down,
naturally fwim forward, to avoid the dog, till they
are at laft hurried into the purfe, where they fall
a prey to ths decoy-man, who there waits to re-
ceive
234 ^ Description of
ceive them. All this is done with fo little diilur-
bance, that the wild-ducks left in the great pond
take no notice of it, fo that a fmgle decoy-man,
having feized all the fowl in one of thefe creeks or
canals, goes round to execute the fame game at
all the reft, alv/ays taking care to dillinguiih the
decoy-ducks, and reftore them to liberty. By this
means incredible numbers of v.'ild-fowl are taken
every week during the feafon, moft of which arc
fep.t up to London. In fliort, the produce of
thefe decoys is {o great, that fome of them are
iett for four or five hundred pounds a year.
The fruits of Lincolnfhire are the fame as in
the other counties ; only the Kentifh pippin thrives
here better than in many other parts of England ;
ajid there is a fort of pippen in a manner peculiar
to it, and which growing about Kirton, is from
thence called the Kirton pippin.
The plants and herbs morecomimon in Lincoln-
fhire than in other counties, are,
Arach, or fea-orach, Atriplcx mar'itima^ hall-
mus d'lcta^ &c. found plentifully near "Saiibeck,
about a mile diHant from Bofton.
Common carawavs. Car urn vulgar e^ plentifully
in the marfhes and fenny grounds.
Chickweed-knot-grafs, Alfme polygonoides ten?!:-
fol'ia^ he. with its narrov/ leaves and flowers fet
along the ftalks, as it were in fpikes.
Fair flowered nurfe hemp, Cannapis fburia Jiore
amplo^ growing plentifully in the fenny grounds
about Spalding.
Golden dock, Lapathum flore aureo, in Lower
Holland.
Marfii gentian, or calathian violet, Pneunio^
tianthe gentiana paluflris^ feu calath'ina palufirls^ in
a park at Tatterfhal, and the heathy grounds in
its neighbpurhood,
Propwort,
LINCOLNSHIRE. 235
Propwort, or wild vine, Oenanthe SiaphiUni
folio ^ &C. with leaves fomewbat refembling the
wild parfnip, found in the marflies and ditches in
the parifh of Whaplode near Spalding.
Swallow thorn, Oleajler Germanicus^ in great
plenty on the fea banks on Lindfey coafts.
This county is divided into three provinces ;
which, beginning at the north, are, firft Lind-
fey, called by Bede Lindifii, as is fuppofed from
the city of Lindum or Lincoln, and is fubdivided
into fcventeen wapentakes or hundreds. Second-
ly, Kcfleven, comprehending the fouth-weilern
part of the county, and by an ancient writer call-
ed Ceoftefne-wood, as is imagined from a large
foreft, formerly within this divifion, which con-
tains ten wapentakes or hundreds ; and thirdly,
Holland, comprehending the fouth-eaft part of
Lincolnfhire, and fubdivided into three v/apentakes
or hundreds. Thus the v,'hole county is fubdi-
vided into thirty hundreds or wapentakes, in Vv'hich
are contained the city of Lincoln, and the fol-
lowing thirty-one market tov/ns. Alford, Bar-
ton, Binbrcke, Boilcn, Bourn, Bullingbroke,
Burgh, Burton, Caftor, Corby, Crowland, Deep-
ing-m.arket, Dunnington,' Fokingham, Gainef-
borough, Glandford-bVidge, Grantham, Holbech,
Horncaftle, Kirkton, Louth, Rafen- market. Salt-
fleet, Sleaford, Spalding, Spilfby, Stamford, Stan-
ton, Tatterflial, and Wainfieet. It lies in the
province of Canterbury, and diocefe of Lincoln ;
contains fix hundred and thirty pariflies, and fends
twelve reprefentatives to parliament ; namely, two
knights of the fhire for the county, two citizens'
for Lincoln, and two members ff r each of the
following boroughs, Stamford, Bofton, Grant-
ham, and Grimfby.
We fhall defcribe all the principal towns of
this county, according to the topographical de-
fcriptiou
2 j6 A Description of
fcription we have given it, as they (land on the
feveral trails of South Heath, North Heath, and
the Woulds, or in the feveral fens and marfhes :
yet fhall, as nearly as pofTible, keep to cur ac-
cuftomed method of following the roads from one
extremity of the county to the other. As moft
of the principal towns are on the fens and marfhes,
near the fea-fhore and the rivers, on account of
the inhabitants enjoying the advantages arifing
from navigation and commerce, we fhall begin
with them j and entering the fouth-weft part of
the county from Northamptonfaire, firft defcribe
Stamford, and proceed through the fouth>eaft part
of the country called Holland.
Stamford, or Stanford, is thus called
from its ancient Saxon name Steanford. It is
f.-atcd on the river Welland, near the foot of the
North Heath, on the borders of Lincolnfhire,
North amptoiifl^ii re and Rutlandfnirc, at the dif-
tance of eighty-three miles north by vvelf of Lon-
don, and is a large, populous, and rich town,
with a handfome Hone bridge over the Welland
into Northamptonfhire. It is one of the largeil
and ncateft market towns in this county; it con-
fiding of feveral handfome ftreets, and has many
elegant buildings. It had once fourteen churches j
but in the reign of king Edward the Sixth, they
were reduced by aiSl of parliament to feven, and
befides thefe, there are feveral meeting-houfes of
diffenters. One of the churches, named St. Mar-
tin's, fjands on the eaft fide of the river, in a part
of the town called Stamford Baron ; which is in-
deed in Northamptonfhire, though rated within
the jurifdiiSlion of this corporation, and upon that
account is alfo called by the name of Stamford. In
this church lies interred the great Cecil, lord Bur-
leigh, the favourite of queen Elizabeth, under a
magnificent tomb. Near the bridge there is a
churchy
LINCOLNSHIRE. 237
church, in which is a fine monument of the eari
and countefs of Exeter in white marble, with
their figures, as big as the life, in a cumbent pof-
ture, done at Rome ; and oppofite the church is an
inn, known by the fign of the George, which is
thought to be the largeft in England ; but there
is a much nobler fir u6lu re of the fame kind in
this town, called the Bull inn; which forms a
handfome quadrangle of free-ftone, with fafhcd
windows, and has the appearance of a palace.
Here is a fine town-hall, and near the town is a
new courfe for horfe-races. Moft of the houfcs
are covered with flate, and taking the whole town
together, it may juftly be confidered as the moft
compact and beft built town in the county. It
is governed by a mayor, a recorder, and his de-
puty, twelve aldermen, a town clerk, twenty-four
capital burgeiTes, and two ferjeants at mace. Its
firft charter was before the reign of Edward the
Fourth, and it had others from Charles the Se-
cond and James the Second, but thefe laft being
only temporary, are expired. The inhabitants
have very extraordinary privileges, particularly a
freedom from the jurifdiction of the fheriff of the
county, and from being empannelled on juries
out of the town : they are exempted from the
government of all lord lieutenants ; are entitled to
have the returns of all writs, and claim the
privilege of having the militia of the town com-
manded by their ovvn officers; in fhort, the mayor
being the king's lord lieutenant, and immediately
und:;r his majefry's com.mand, he is eftcemed,
v.'ithin the liberties and jurifdiclion of the town,
the fecund man in the kingdom. The chief trade
in the town confift in free-ftone, obtained from a
neighbouring quarry, and in fea-coal and malt.
Some pretend, that there was an univerfity here
long before the birch of Jcfus Chrift 3 but this is
not
S38 A Description of
not at all probable ; for there was neither leani«
ing, nor learned men, in England at that time,
any more than there is now among the favagcs of
North America. However, it feems to be pretty
plain, that there was one here before the reign of
Edv/ard the Third ; there being ftill the remains
of two colleges, called Black hall, and Brazen
2iofe J and on the gate of this laft, is a brazen
nofe, with a ring run through it, like that at Ox-
ford. Some likewife feem confident, that this
was not a pattern of that at Oxford, but that at
Oxford of this. It is certain, that the Oxford ftu-
dents removed hither in the reign of Edward the
Third, on account of a quarrel \ but as they on-
ly ftaid a few months, it cannot be fuppofed they
could build two colleges in that fhort fpace of
time, which renders it highly probable, that they
were already built to their hands, and made ufc
of before. From fome remains of antiquity found
here, it appears to have been no inconfiderable
place in the time of the Romans ; and there are
llill the traces of a Roman highway running from
fouth to north, paffing through the tov/n.
Here was fought the firll battle between the
Britons and Saxons, in which the former were
entirely routed, and left their enemies in the pof-
fefiion of the lieJd. In the reign of king Stephen^
there ftood a caftle in the middle of the town, the
foundation plot of which is faid to be Oill vifible :
and here the cuftom of Borough Engliih ftill fub-
fifls, by which the youngeft fon is his father's
heir.
With refpecl to the charitable foundations at
this place, here is an hofpital, ereci:ed and en-
dowed in the reign of king Henry the Seventh,
by William Brown, who had been twice mayor,
for a warden, twelve men and a nurfe. An hof-
pital v/as likewife erected and endowed here by
the
LINCOLNSHIRE. 239
the lord Burleigh. Here is alfo a charity-fchool,
in which eighty children are taught and employ-
ed ; twenty of them wholly maintained and
cloathed, and the reft fuppiied with wheels, reels,
fire and candles j they are faid to earn 4C0I. a
year.
This town gives the title of earl to the noble
family of Grey, it has two markets, on Mon-
days and Fridays ; and the following fairs, Tuef-
day before February 13, Monday before A4idlent,
Monday before Auguft 12, for horfes, and llock
of all forts; Midlent-Monday, for all forts of ha-
berdafhery ; Monday before May 12, Monday
after Cropus Chrifti, June 13, Auguft 5, No-
vember 8, for horfes and ftock o^ all forts.
In the reign of king Richard the Firft, the in-
habitants of this town, influenced by fuperftition,
fell upon the many Jew^s who then lived there,
and barbaroufly murdered them.
The ancient religious foundations here were
pretty numerous. There was a priory of Bene-
dictine monks, which was a cell to the monaftery
of Durham, dedicated to St. Leonard, and was
valued at the fuppreffion at 25 1. is. 2d. a year.
This is now a farm-houfe, ftill called St. Cuth-
bert'b fee. On the eaft fide of the town, north
of St. Leonard's, without Paulgate, ftood a houfe
of Prancifcan or Grey friars, founded before the
forty-eighth of Edward the Third. On the fame
fide of the town, near the river, was a convent of
Dominican, or Black friars, founded before the
year 1240. Here was alfo a houfe of Carmelite,
or White friars, founded, according to Speed, by
king Edward the Third ; but Tanner, with
greater probability, imagines it to have been
founded by king Edward the Firft, in whofe time
it occurs,
Stamford
240 A Description of
Stamford is furrounded on all fides by noble-
mens and gentlemens feats, fome of which are,
perhaps, the fineft in England j witnefs that no-
ble and ancient palace of the Burleigh family,
within a mile of Stamford, which was defigned
by the moft celebrated architect that ever this
kingdom produced, and from which that fingular-
]y wife and honourable councellor Sir William
Cecil, lord high treafurer of England, received
the title of baron Burleigh, at the hands of queen
Elizabeth. The carvings, and efpecialiy the
paintings in this houfe, are fo curious, that feveral
Travellers have declared, they have met with no-
thing equal to them either in Italy or France.
Within a few miles of this place, ftands that
delightful feat of the duke of Ancafter, whofe
park is laid out with fuch elegance and variety,
that it juilly attracts the admiration of all who
vifit it.
Many other places in this neighbourhood de-
ferve particular mention, but I ihall only obferve
in general, that for feveral miles round, this
is as pleafant and as fine a fporting country, as is
to be found in the ifiand of Great-Britain.
At about eight miles diflance to the north-eafl
of Stamford is Deeping, or Market-Deep-
ing, an ill-built dirty town, on the road from
Peterborough to Lincoln, fituated among the
fens, on the north fide of the Welland, at the
diilance of eighty-feven miles fromLondon. Here
Richard de Roulo?, chamberlain to W'illiam the
Conqueror, by throwing up a high bank, kept
out that river, which ufed to overflow the town.
It has a market on Thurfdays, vrith three fairs,
which are held on the fecond Wcdnefday after
May 1 .' , on theWednefday before the ift of Au-
guff, and on October lo, for horfes, ftock, and
timber of all forts. Near this place is a vale,
many
L IN C O L N S H I R E. 241
many miles in compafs, and the deeped in all ths
niarihy country, from which the town is thought
to have received its name. Deeping fignifying a
deep meadow :
In this tov/n was anciently a cell of black monks,
dedicated to St. James, and belonging to Thor-
cey abbey in Cambridgefhire, to which it v/as
given by Baldwin, the fon of Giflebert, in the
year 1 130.
About fix miles to the call: of Deeping Is
Crowland, or Croyland, which is feated in
the midft of a vaft fenny level, rendered an ifland
by its being encompaffed by the Welland, the
Waihes, the Nyne, and the Shire drain, at the
diftance of eighty-eight miles north of London,
and is fo furrounded with bogs, that it is acceffi-
ble only on the north and eafi: fides, and even there
not for carriages j whence arofe the proverb, that
" All the carts that come to Crowland are fhod
*' with filver." The town is, however, pretty
well inhabited ; and confifls of three ftreets built
on piles, and feparated by water-courfes, planted
on each fide with willows; they having a com-
munication with each other by a bridge of a tri-
angular form, fifing from three fegments of a cir-
cle, and meeting in a point at the top. It feems
to have been built under the dlreillon of the ab-
bots of Crowland, rather to excite admiration,
and furnifli a pretence for coUedling money, than'
for any real ulc ; for, tho' it ilands in a moorifli
ground, and mull: have coft a vaft fum, yet it is
fo fteep in its afcent and defcent, that neither car-
riages nor horfemen can go over it, and therefore
they pafs under it. The river Nyne and Wel-
land, with a ftream called Catt-water, on the
fides of which the ftreets of the town are built,
all meet under the arch, and there forming one
Vol. V. L river.
2:42 A Description of
river, flo\\^ from thence thro' Spalding into the
Wafhes, and from thence into the fea. On the
foot, which faces the London road, is placed, in a
fitting poflure, a ftatue of king Ethelbald, who has a
crown fleury on his head, and a globe in his right
hand. As king Ethelbald was upon the throne, on"
iy from the year 856 to 860, the building of this
bridge may be fixed about the laft mentioned date ;
and it appears to be the oldeft Gothic {lru6ture we
have remaining entire in the kingdom. It is faid,
that each bafe of this biidge ftands in a different
county ; one in Lincolnfhire, another in Nor-
thamptonfhire, and the third in Cambridgefhire ;
but this does not appear to be ftridly true.
Notwithftanding- the inhabitants have the ad-
o
vantage of this bridge, their cattle are kept at
fuch a diftance, that they go in boats to milk
them. Their greateft gain arifes from fifh and
wild ducks, which laft are here fo extremely plen-
tiful, that they fometimes take in the net of
their decoys three thoufand at once. For the li-
berty of fifhing in the many pools in and near the
town, they now pay to the king, as they did for-
merly to the abbey there, 300 1. a year. The
market is held on Saturdays ; and there is one
fair, held on the 4th of September, for cattle,
hemp and flax.
Croyland abbey was firft built by Ethelbald,
king of Mercia, and dedicated to St. Mary,
St. Bartholomew, and St. Guthlake. It was af-
terwards burnt by the Danes in 870; but was
rebuilt by king Edred in the year 948, and
continued in great fplendour and wealth till the
general difTolution, when its revenues amounted,
according to Dugdale, to 1083 1. ^5 s« 10 d. a
year ; but, according to Speed, to upwards of
1277 1. The foundation of this abbey is laid on
woodea
Vo/.Vpa.-ii3
LINCOLNSHIRE. 243
wooden piles. The conventual church was co-
vered with vaft beams of oak and leaded, and un-
der that was an inward roof of oak, compofed of
ribbed arches joined with rofes, Sec. carved, paint-
ed and gilt. The windows in the great ifle were
all very large, and in them the hillory of the Old
and New Teftament were elegantly painted ia
the glafs, and between each window were images
of the faints, prophets and apoftles, as large as
the life, of oak, painted and gilt ; what is left
feems not to have been one half of this minder
when in its glory, exclufive of the cloyfters and
conventual buildings about it. The fteeple now
remaining is an arch pointing upwards. The win-
dows and doors of the great weftern ifle or nave
v/ere curioufly carved, and on each, from the bot-
tom to the top of the window at the weft end, are
images, the lower as large as the life, fupported
by corbel ftones, and covered with pinnacle work :
over this window are the images of the apoftles,
and St. Guthlake, who with St. Bartholomev/
were, as we have before obferved, the tutelar
iaints of this convent. Over the doors is the hif-
tory of the life and death of St. Guthlake, the
hermit, in alto relievo, diftinguifhed into five fe-
veral pieces, by compartments of bold foliage, all
which has been painted and gilt. Of this ftruc-
ture we have given a fouth-weft view, as it nov/
appears.
Upon a hillock not far from the abbey arc the
remains of a little ftone cottage, called Anchor
church-houfe, where St. Guthlake lived a her-
mit, and where he was buried.
Spalding is an ancient well built town, fitu-
ated ten miles north of Crowland, and ninety-
<cight from London, in the road from Peterborough
to Bofton. It is encompaiTed on every fide by
L 2 rivers
244 -^Description of
rivers and canals, and at a greater diftance are lakes
and other bodies of water : but it is a much neater
and more populous town than could be expeded
in fuch a fituation. It has a large and handfome
market place, a free grammar-fchool for the fons
of the inhabitants, and a charity-fchool. The
town has a fmall port, and a bridge over the Wel-
land, which is navigable up to the town for vef-
fels of fifty or fixty tons. To this port belong
feveral barges, which are chiefly employed in car-
rying coals and corn. It has a very good market
on l^uefdays, for corn, cattle and provifions, with
five fairs j namely, on April 27, for hemp and
ilax, June 29, for horfcs and cattle, on Auguft
30, for horfes, and on September 25, and De-
cember 17, for hemp and flax.
Several Roman antiquities have been found
here, particularly fome cifterns, of which an ac-
count is given in the Philofophical Tran factions.
No. 279; and Dr. Stukeley conjectures, there
was a caftle here on the north fide of the town,
on the right hand of the great road to Bofton,
the fquare form of the ditch ftill remaining.
Spalding was once famous for its priory, which
rofe from very fmall beginnings; for, in the year
1052, Thorold de Bukenhale, gave a houfe and
lands for the maintenance of a prior and five
monks from Crowland, who, after the conqueft,
were forced to abandon this cell, by the barbarous
treatment they received from Yvo Tailboys, earl
of Angiers in France, and lord both of Spalding
and great part of the adjacent country : but in
1074, that nobleman gave the church of St. Ma-
ry, and the manor of this place, to the abbey of
St. Nicholas at Angiers, from whence were fent
fome BenediCline monks. Thus it became aa
alien priory, dedicated to St. Mary and St. Ni-
cholas. In the twentieth year of Henry the Sixth
it
LINCOLNSHIRE. 24^
it was given to King's college in Cambridge : and
in the firft of Edward the Fourth, to Sion abbey
in Middlefex ; but being at length made a priora-
tiis indigena^ and at laft an abbey, it continued
till the general fuppreflion, when its annual reve-
nues v/ere valued at 767 1. 8 s. I id.
HoLEECH is feated in the fen co'jntry, about
nine miles north-eafl of Spalding, and is famous
for its church, which is large and \vt\\ built, v/ith
a flrong tower and lofty fteeple. It is dedicated
to all the Saints, and had formerly fine painted
■windows. In this town is a free-lchool founded
about the year i66v9, by George Farmer, Efqv
who endowed it with lands, which with other be-
iiefa<Stions produce about 50 1. a year. The mar-
ket is held on Thurfdays, and it has two fairs ;
iiamely, en May 17, and the fecond Tuefday in
September, for horfes.
In this town and its neighbourhood have been
found feveral antiquities, and particularly an urn,
many coins, the rubbifh of ancient buildings, and
an old brafs feal, on which was a man in long
robes, with two efcutcheons ; on one three cocks,
and on the other a portcullis: the legend sovra-
BLA DEVS OLER.
Fleet, a village near Holbech, is remarkable
for the fleeple {landing at a diftance from the
church. Here was found, not many years ago,
three pecks of Roman copper coins, piled down
edgeways, moftof them of the emperor Gallienus.
About two miles to the foutheaft of Holbech
is Gedney, a village remarkable for its beautiful
church, built, as Dr. Stukeley fuppofes, by the
abbots of Crowland, who had a houfe on the north
fide of the church, and large pofleffions in the pa-
rifh ; the upper part of the tower is of the fame
date with the church, but built upon older work.
L % We
ii46 A Description tif
We {hall now leave the ifland of Crowland,
in order to examine the weftern part of the dif-
trI6t, called Holland, and (hall proceed to Bourn,
which is fituated nine miles to the weft by fouth of
Spalding ; fix miles and a half to the north of
Market-Deeping, and thirty-five foiith of Lin-
coln, at the head of a fpring, called Bournwell-
head, which produces a river that runs thro' the
town. It is remarkable for being the place where,
according to the vulgar opinion, king Edmund
was crowned ; but better accounts inform us, that
his coronation was performed at Bucrs in Suffolk,
Bourn ftands in a plain adjoining to the fens ; but
enjoys a mild air. The principal bufmefs of the
inhabitants is tanning of leather. It has a fmall
market on Saturdays j and three fairs, on March
7, May 6, and 0(Slober 29, for horfes and horned
Ciittle.
Bourn had formerly an abbey of canons regular
of the order of St. Auguftine, founded by Bald-
win, the fon of Giflebert de Gaunt, about the
year 1138. It was dedicated to St. Peter and St.
Paul ; and at the diffolution had eleven canons,
when its revenues were valued at 197 1. jy s. 5 d.
per annum.
William Cecil lord Burleigh, and lord high-
treafurer of England in the reign of queen Eliza-
beth, was the fon of Richard Cecil, Efq; groom
of the robes to king Henry the Eighth, and was
born in this town in the year 152 1. He was edu-
cated at Cambridge, where he became reader of
the fophiftry ledure when but fixteen years of
age 5 he read the Greek -eclure when but nine-
teen ; and both thefe offices he difcharged with-
out any pay or falary, and merely as a gentleman
for his exercife and amufement. Having finifhed
his courfe of academical learning, he removed to
Gray's Inn, London, and applied himfelf to the
ftudy
LINCOLNSHIRE. 247
fludy of the common law ; but he had not conti-
nued long in this new ftation, when an accident
introduced him to the knowledge and favour of
his fovereign. Coming one day, to fee his father
at court, he entered into a difpute in Latin with
two Roman Catholic priefls, and managed the ar-
gument with fo much dexterity and addrefs, that
his antagonifts were foiled, and put into a down-
right paffion. King Henry the Eighth, who then
filled the throne, was no fooner informed of this
circumftance, than he fent for him, and granted him
the reverfion of the Cuftos Brevium. In the reign
of king Edward the Sixth, he was appointed maf-
ter of requefls and fecretary of ftate; and though,
upon the fall of his noble patron, the duke of So-
merfet, he was thrown into the Tower, he yet,
foon after, recovered his liberty. Upon the death
of king Edward, he fupported, with great firm-
nefs, the title of the princefs Mary, notwithftand-
ing the vigorous remonftrances of the duke of
Northumberland, who wanted to engage him ia
the lady Jane Grey's interefl. He figned, indeed,
the will of king Edward's difpofmg of the crown
to the lady Jane ; but this hp did only as a witnefs
of his majeily's fubfcription, and not in the quali-
ty of a privy-counfellor. Upon the acceflion of
queen Mary, he received a general pardon, toge-
ther with the offer of any poft under the govern-
ment, provided he would embrace the Catholic re-
ligion. This, however, was a condition, with
which he did not think proper to comply ; and
therefore enjoyed no poft during that whole reign.
Upon the acceflion of queen Elizabeth, he was
appointed fecretary of ftate, and was the firft per-
fon fworn of her privy-council. He had a confi-
derable fhare in the fettlement of religion ; in the
regulation of the coin ; in the trial of the queen
of Scots, and in all the capital tranfadtions of that
L 4 long
24-8 A Description of
iong and a£tive reign. In 1571 he was created
baron of Burleigh. The next year he was ad-
vanced to the important office of lord high trea-
furer of England ; and this he continued to enjoy
till his death, which happened on the 4th day of
Auguft, 1 598* Camden fays, " that he was one
*' of thofe few, who lived and died with equal
*' glory." " Such a man," adds he, " as while
*' others regard with admiration, I, after the an-
*f cient manner, am rather inclined to contem-
*' plate with the facred applaufe of filent venera-
" tion."
WooLSTROPE, a village about five miles to
the fouth of Bourn, had the honour to produce
that great philofopher Sir Ifaac Newton, the moft
extraordinary genius that ever arofe for the orna-
ment and inftru6lion of the human fpecies. He
was defcended from an ancient family, and was
born in this village on the 25th of December,
1642. He had his education at Grantham-fchool,
and at Trinity college in Cambridge ; where he
made fuch a furprizing progrefs in the ftudy of the
mathematics, as almoft exceeds the bounds of cre-
dibility. He comprehended Euclid's Elements at
the firft glance of his eye, and advanced immedi-
ately to the geometry of Des Carles and Kepler.
He is even faid to have made his great difcoveries
in geometry, and to have laid the foundation of
his two moft famous works, the Principia and the
Optics^ by the time he had attained to the twenty-
fourth year of his age. It is commonly reported,
that, as he fat alone in a garden, he fell into a
fpeculation on the power of gravity, and imagin-
ed, that, as their power is not fenfibly diminifh-
ed at the remoteft diftance from the center of the
earth, to which we can rife, it might probably
extend much farther than was ufually thought ;
and purfuing this notion, by comparing the pc**
rioda
LINCOLNSHIRE. 249
rods of the feveral planets with their diftances
from the fun, he found, that, if any power, like
gravity, held them in their courfes, its ftrength
muft decreafe in the duplicate proportion of the
encreafe of the diflance. This enquiry was dropt
for the prefent, but refumed again, and gave rife
to the celebrated treatife, which he wrote and
publifhcd under the title of Mathe?naUcal Princi-
ples of Natural Philofophy\ a work, v.'hich was
looked upon as the production of a celeftial intel-
ligence, rather than of a man. "Does Mr. New-
*' ton eat, or drink, or fleep, like other men,'*
faid the marquis de I'Hopital (one of the greateft
mathematicians of the age) " I reprefent him to
*' myfelf as a celeftial genius, entirely difengag-
*' ed from matter." In 1688 he was chofen mem-
ber of parliament for the univerfity of Cambridge,
and he again reprefented the fame univerfity in
1701. In 1703 he was elecled prefident of the
Royal Society, and continued in the chair twenty-
three years, till the day of his death. In 1704 he
publifhed his Optics^ which is a piece of philofo-
phy fo new, that this fcience may be confidered as
iblely his invention. In 1705 he was knighted
by queen Anne, and, about two years after, he
publifhed his Arithmetica Univcy falls. In 171 1 his
Fluxions were publifned by William Jones, Efq;
and next year feveral letters of his appeared in
the CammcrciiiTn ppiflolicwn. In the reign of king
George the Firft he became better known at court
than he had ever been before. The princefs of
Wales, afterwards queen confort of England, ufed
frequently to confult him, and was often heard
to declare, that fhe thought herfelf happy in
coming into the world at a juncture, which put it
in her power to enjoy the benefit of his converfa-
tion. Nor was he lefs qualified for the a(Stive
fcenes of life, than for the ftudy and cultivation*
L *; of
250 A Description of
of the fclences. For, when the privileges of the
univerfity of Cambridge were attacked by king
Janies the Second, he was one of the moft zea-
lous defenders of that learned body, and was ac-
cordingly named one of their delegates to the
High Court of CommiiHon. In 1696 he obtain-
ed, by the intereft of Mr. Montague, then chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, and afterwards earl of
Hallifax, the office of warden of the mint ; and
in this poft he did very confiderable fervice, at the
time of recoining the fpecie of the kingdom. A-
bout three years after he was appointed mailer of
the mint ; and this place he held till his death,
which happened March the 20th, 1726, in the
eighty-fifth year of his age. His body, after ly-
ing in ftate in the Jerufalem chamber, was con-
veyed into Weftminfter- abbey, and interred on
the left hand of the entrance into the choir, where
a noble monument, with a proper infcription, v^^as
ere£led to his memory. His Chronology ; his Oh-
fervations upon the Prophecies of Daniel^ and the
Jpocalypfe of St. John ; and fome other pieces,
were pofthumous works.
Nine miles north of Bourn is Folkingham,
or FoK INGHAM, a town feated on the fide of
a hill, near the South Heath, twenty-four miles
fouth of Lincoln, and a hundred and four north
of London ; but is much decayed, and greatly in-
ferior to what it was formerly. It however en-
joys a wholefome air, and has feveral fine fprings
r.ear it. It has a fmall market held on Thurfdays,
and feven fairs, viz. on Afh-Wednefday, and
Palm-Monday, for horfes and iheep j on May 12,
for horfes, fheep, and tradefmen's goods ; on June
36, for horfes and horned cattle ; on July 3, for
hemp, hardware, and befoms, or brooms ; and on
November 10 and 22, for horfes, horned cattle,
and tradefmen's goods.
At
LINCOLNSHIRE. 251
At Sempringham, near Folkingham, Sir Gil-
bert, the fon of Sir Joceline de Sempringham,
Knt. inftitated a new model of religious life, from
him and from this place, called the Gilbertine or
Sempringham order; and about the year ii39>
built here a priory for his canons and nuns, dedi-
cated to the Virgin Mary. This was the princi-
pal houfe of the order, where their general chap-
ters were held. At the diffolution it had a yearly
revenue of 317 1. 4s. id.
About (evQn miles north of Folkingham is
Sleaford, which is feated near the eaftern edge
of the South Heath, and is called New Sleaford,
to diftinguifh it from a neighbouring town called
Old Sleaford. It is fituated eighteen miles fouth
by eaft of Lincoln, and a hundred and ten north
of London ; near the fource of a fmall but plea-
fant river, which runs with fuch rapidity through
the town, that it is never frozen in the fevered
winter, and within the compafs of two miles, in-
cluding the town, turns five corn mills, two full-
ing mills, and one paper mill, and then falls into
the Witham. This town is very populous, and
of late much improved in its buildings. It has
one parifh church, which, in the time of the civil
wars, was robbed of its organ, and other orna-
ments : the ftructure itfelf is of excellent work-
manfhip, a hundred and feventy-two feet in length ;
the weft end, which fronts the market-place, is
feventy-two, and the eaft end thirty-two feet
broad ; there are fix tuneable bells in the fteeple,
with chimes, v/hich play at four, nine, and twelve
o'clock. Here is a free-fchool, founded and
handfomely endowed in 1603, by Robert Carr,
Efq; the mafter of which muft be a bachelor of arts,
at leaft, in Oxford or Cambridge: the fame gen-
tleman alfo erected an hofpital for the maintenance
of twelve poor men j for the management of
which
252 jf De S CRI PTION of
which he conftituted the vicar of the town, toge-
ther with the redors of five places in the neigh-
bourhood, for the time being, perpetual guardians.
The market is on Mondays, for cattle, and all
manner of provifions j it has five fairs, viz. on
Plough-Monday, Eafter-Monday and Whitfon-
Monday, for horfes, horned cattle and fheep ;
en Auguft 12., for provifions, and on October 10,,
for horned cattle and fhecp.
At RoxHAM, about three miles north of Slea-
ford, is a fenny land, out of which are dug oak-
trees, fome of which are thirty feet long, with
the fap rotted away, but the heart entire ; it is,
however, as black as jet, and yet is of ufe in
building. Here the people a-lfo fometimes find
acorns ^ and are fully perfuaded, that both they,.
and the trees, have lain here ever fince the gene-
ral deluge.. The fea is feventeen miles diftant,.
and yet there are abundance of fhells found here.
Haverholm, fix miles north-eaft of Sleaford,.
bad a monaftery of Gilbertine nuns, founded by
Alexander, bifhop of Lincoln. It was valued at
the fupprelTion at 71 1. a year, by Dugdale ; and
at 88 1. by Speed.
At Kyme, a village about feven miles north-
caft of Sleaford, was a priory of black canons,,
built by Philip de Kyme, in the reign of king
Henry the Second, and dedicated tp the Virgin
Mary. It confifted of about eight religious, and
at the uiilblution was polTeiTed of lands and rents,,
worth 1 10 1. per annum.
We fhall now proceed fouth-eaft to Dunning-
TON, which is fituated ten miles fouth-eaft of
Sleaford, and nine miles to the northward of
Spalding. It is a final I town-^ which has a mar-
ket on Saturdays, famous for the great quantity
©f hemp and hemp-feed fold in it. It has alfo a
port for barges,, by which goods are conveyed ta
LINCOLNSHIRE. 25^.
and from Bofton, and the Wafhcs. Here was born
Thomas Cowley, Efq; v/ho dying about the year
1718, left all his eftate, which was very confider-
able, to the poor of every parifh in which it was
fituated, by which means 400 1. a year came to
Dunnington, and was employed in- building and
endowing a free-fchool. This town has four
fairs, which are kept on May 26, for horfes, flax
and hemp; on Auguft 17, for horfes only; on
September 6, for cattle, flax and hemp ; and on
October 17, for horfes, cattle, flax and hemp.
About feven miles to the eaftward of Dunning-
ton is SouTHERTON, a little village, about three
miles from the fea, where there are great banks
itill remaining, which fhow that the fea came u^
as far as this place ; but it mud have been many
ages ago, for Foss-Dyke, a village built on
the fea-lhore, is alfo three miles from Southerton,.
This laft village is fuppofed to be fo called, from
the fofs way caft up by the Romans, which runs
from Crowland, touches the borders of this pa=-
rifh, and extends to Lincoln.
Boston, acording to Bede, was anciently call-
ed Botolph's tov/n, from St. Botolph, a Saxon,,
who founded a monaftery here, from which the
town took its rife. It is fituated on the river-
Witham, which is navigable from hence to Lin-
coln, eleven miles north-eaft of Dunnington,.
thirty-feven fouth-eaft of Lincoln, and a hundred
and fourteen north of London. It is built on
both fides of the above river, over which there is
a wooden bridge, and has long been a flourifliing
town. It is faid to have been lirft incorporated by
king Henry the Eighth ; and queen Elizabeth
gave the corporation a court of Admiralty, whofe
jurifdiilion extended over all the neighbourino-
coaft. This town is governed by a mayor, who
is chief clerk of the market, and admiral of the
coaft^
254- ^ Description of
coaft, a recorder, a deputy recorder, twelvre af-
dermen, a town-clerk, eighteen common-coun-
cilmen, a judge, and marfhal of the admiralty, a
coroner, two ferjeants at mace, and other officers.
It has one church, and feveral meeting -houfes.
This church is thought to be the largeft parochial
church without crofs ifles in England, it being
three hundred feet long, and a hundred feet wide,,
within the walls. The cieling is of Englifh oak,
fupported by twenty-four tall flender pillars. The
tower, which was built in the year 1309, is two
hundred and eighty-two feet high, and from thence
rifes a beautiful o6tagon lantern, the top of which
is three hundred feet from the ground, and ferves
as a guide to mariners on their entering the dan-
gerous channels, called Lynn-deeps, and Bofton-
deeps, in the Wafhes, and is the admiration of
travellers, it being feen at the diftance of forty
miles round. In fhort, this church has three hun-
dred and fixty-live fteps, fifty-two windows, and
twelve pillars, anfwering to the days, weeks and
months in the year. Here are two charity-fchools,
and many handfome buildings. The town is fup-
plied with frefti water by pipes from a pond, in a
large common called the Weft-Fen, where a wa-
ter-houfe and engine were ereded by a6t of par-
liament, in the reign of queen Anne. Here is a
commodious harbour, and many confiderable mer*
chants, who carry on a brifk inland and foreign
trade ; and many of the inhabitants apply them-
felves to grazing of cattle, all the country, in the
neighbourhood of the town, confifting of rich
marfh lands, that feed vaft numbers of large fheep
and oxen. It has two markets, which are held on
Wednefdays and Saturdays ; and three fairs, viz.
on May 4, chiefly for flieep ; on Auguft 11, call-
ed the town fair, for cattle, and all forts of mer-
chandize^
{
LINCOLNSHIRE. 255
cbandize, which lafts nine days; and on Decem-
ber II, for horfes.
This town appears to have been inhabited by
the Romans ; for about the year 17 16, a Roman
foundation was dug up a little beyond the fchool,
and near it fome hewn ftones formed a cavity, in
which was an urn with afhes ; a little pot with an
ear, and an iron key of an odd figure. Some
time before was dug up in a garden, an urn lined
with lead, full of red earth and bones.
Before the tenth of king Edward the Firfl, here
was an hofpital for poor men ; and before the
year 1288, here was a houfe of Black friars. In
the part of the town feated to the weft of the
river, was a priory of Carmelite friars, founded
about the year 1300, by Sir Orreby, Knt.
Here was alfo a priory of Auftin friars, that ap-
pears to have been founded by king Edward the
Second, and likewife a houfe of Grey or Francif-
can friars, founded, according to Leland, by the
Efterling merchants 3 but, according to Stow, by
John le Pytehede.
About the end of the reign of Henry the Firft,
a fellow named Robert Chamberlain, at the head
of fome defperate villains, difguifed like monks
and priefts, while a tournament was proclaiming
at Bofton fair, fet the tov/n on fire in feveral
places, in order to plunder the inhabitants while
they were removing their effeds, many of them
being rich merchants. Chamberlain was however
taken, and confefling the fa6l, was executed for
it, but would not difcover his accomplices.
John Fox, the famous martyrologift, was born
in 1517, at Bofton, and educated at Brazen-Nofe-
coUege in Oxford. He difcovered in his younger
years a genius for poetry, and wrote feveral La-
tin comedies upon religious fubjeds ; but after-
wards applied himfelf to the ftudy of divinity, to
which
256 j^ Description cf
which the bent of his mind more powerfully m^
clined him. Being expelled the college for herefy,
he was obliged to fupport himfelf by becoming a
tutor; and, in the reign of queen Mary, he even
found it neceflary to withdraw out of the king-
dom. Returning, however, to his native coun-
try, upon the acceffion of queen Elizabeth, he
obtained, by the intereft of Mr. fecretary Cecil,,
the resSlory, or prebendfliip of Shipton, in the
church of Salifbury ; and this he was permitted to
hold, notwithftanding his non-conformity ; for he
could never be perfuaded to fubfcribe the canons.
He was, neverthelefs, according to the concur-
ring teftimony of his contemporaries, a very
quiet and peaceable man, and greatly difapproved
of the violence ufed againft the Puritans. He
died on the iSth of April, 1587, and was buried
in the church of St. Giles's, Cripplegate, in- Lon-
don. Befides his well-known work, entitled,
ASfs and Monuments of the Churchy or Fox's Book
of Martyr Sy he wrote Ad?nonitio Rejiituendis ; to-
gether with fome fermons and other trades.
We fhall now pafs through the Fenny country,,
to the north-eaft of the river Witham, and fhall
proceed twelve miles north-weft from Bofton to
Tattershall, which has a market on Tuef-
day, and two fairs; the one held on the 14th of
May, and the other on the 25th of September.
Moft of the houfes are of brick, and here are the
remains of a caftle, which formerly belonged to
the noble families of Tatterfiiall, Dribey, Bar-
nake, and Cromwell. Ralph, lord Cromwell ^
and lord high-treafurer of England, in the reign,
of king Henry the Sixth, converted the parifli
church into a collegiate, and endowed it with-
lands lying under this caftle ; and from him the
caftle came to the noble family of Clinton^ earls
©f Lincoln. The lower apartments and offices are-
entireljf
Vo/.K/>u.-^jj.
LINCOLNSHIRE. 257
entirely demolifhed ; but the tower, which is
cileemed one of the fineft (Iruclures of the kind in
England, is (landing. It is built of brick ; the
walls in the thinneft part meafure fifteen feet thick,
and it is about two hundred feet high. Of this
ftruclure we have given an engraved view as it
jiow appears.
• In this town was alfo a college for a mafler or
warden, fix priefts, fix clerks, and as many cho-
rifters ; and by the church yard was an alms-houfe
for thirteen poor perfons, built and endov/ed by
Sir Ralph Cromy>?ell, knight, in the reign of
Henry the Seventh. It was dedicated to the Trinity,
St. Mary, St. Peter, St. John the Evangelift,
and St. John the Baptift, and its revenues were
valued, in the 26th of king Henry the Eighth,
at 348I. 5 s. I id. a year.
At KiRKSTEAD, a village {landing in a marfhy
ground, near three miles to the north of Tatter-
fliall, Hugh Brito, the fon of Eudo, lord of Tat-
terfhall, founded in the year 1139 a cifi:ercian ab-
bey, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the revenues
of which were valued at the diflblution, at 286 1.
2S. yd a year.
At TuPHAM, or TuPHOLM, a village five
miles north-weft of Kirkftead, was a priory found-
ed by Robert de Nevil, who held feveral lands of
the king in capite, from the conqueft, which he
gave to the abbot of Tupham, at the firft foun-
dation of this houfe, which had feveral other be-
iiefa(5l:ors, and was valued at the fupprelTion at
lool. a year, byDugdale i and at 1 19I. by Speed.
There are large remains of it ftill (landing, from
which it appears to have been a handfome ftruc-
ture.
Near Tupham is Stakeswold, or Stick-
wold, a village which had a convent of Cifter-
cUn nuns, founded by the countds Lucy, relitl
S of
258 A Description of
of Yvo de Tailb'ois, Roger de Romara, and"Ra-
nulph, the flrft. earl of Chefter. It was built in
the time of king Stephen ; was dedicated to the
Virgin Mary, and was under the diredion of a
mafter. It had thirteen nuns, and was valued at
the fuppreiTion at 114 1. a year, by Dugdale ; and,
by Speed, at 163 1,
At Bardney, or Bradney, a village two
miles north-weft of Tupham, was an abbey be-
fore the year 697, to which Ethelred, king of
Mercia, v/as a great benefador, if not the origi-
nal founder ; but it was deftroyed by the Danes
in 870, and continued in ruins above two hun-
dred years, till it was rebuilt, and filled with Be-
lied idine monks, by Remegius, bifhop of Lin-
coln, or Giilebert de Gaunt, in the reign of Wil-
liam the Conqueror. It was dedicated to St-? Pe*
U^^ St. Paul, and St. Ofvvald, the king and mar-
tyr, whofe relidts were firft enfhrined here. The
revenues of this abbey were, at the diflblution, va-
luted at 366 1. 6 s. id. a year ^ and at about
429 1. by Speed.
At Berlings, fix miles eaft of Lincoln, and
five miles north-caft of Bardney, was an abbey of
Premonftratenfian canons, founded by the honour-
able Ralph de Haye, fecond fon of Robert, lord
Haye of Halnack, and Richard, lord Haye, his
brother, and dedicated to the BlefTed Virgin, in
the reign of king Henry the Second. It was much
enriched by the liberal grants of that noble lady,
Alice Lucey, countefs of Lincoln, and afterwards
by feveral other illuftrious families, and valued at
the fuppreillon at 242 1. 5 s. iid. per annum.
There is only a piece of an old wall, and a tower,
now ftanding, the upper part of which is pretty
entire, and very beautiful, and is fupported by
large high pillars and arches. Of thefe ruins we
have given an engraved view.
IWKpa.2o8.
LINCOLNSHIRE. 259
At BuLLiNGTON, 2L village eleven miles north-
eaftof Lincoln, and five north of Bardney, Simon
Fitz-William built a religious houfe, in the
reign of king Stephen, as a convent for both •
fexes, under the rule of St. Gilbert of Sempring-
ham. It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and
its revenues, at the difTolution, v/ere valued at
158 1. by Dugdale; and at 157 1. by Speed.
Five miles north of Bardney, and eleven eaft
by north of Lincoln, is Wragby, a village feated
on a rivulet that falls into the Witham, and has
an alms-houfe, built by Sir Edmund Turner, con-
fifting of twelve apartments, v^ith two rooms
each, deiigned for fix miniflers widows, and fix
poor people. He alfo built a chapel adjoining to
the hofpital, where divine fervice is performed
every day. This village has two fairs, viz. one
on the 23d of May, for iheep, and the other on
the nth of October, for horned cattle.
Horn Castle is feated feven miles eaft of
Tupham, and fixteen eaft of Lincoln, between
the river Bane and a fmall rivulet ; fo that the
town is almoft furrounded with water. It is
large and well-built; and Dr. Stukeley obferves,
that it was undoubtedly the Banovallum of Ra-
vennas, and that the Romans were induced to fix
a ftation here from the convenience of its fitua-
tion, in being eafily rendered defenfible by a val-
lum drawn acrofs, from one river to the other,
whence it derived its Roman name. They after-
wards built the ftrong ftone wall ftill vifible, and
in fome places three or four yards high, and four
yards thick, which at prefent enclofes the market-
place, the church, and a good part of the town.
It is a perfect parallelogram, compofed of two
fquares, and is faid to have had a fquare tower at
each of the angles. The gates were in the mid-
«lle of three of the fides 3 and Dr. Stukeley fup-
pofes»
i6o v/ Description of
pofes, that there was a poflern into the meadows
called the Holme. Many Roman coins have been
found near the walls, and upon digging cellars,
they frequently find human bones. The town
was incorporated by queen Elizabeth, and its feal
is a caftle and horn. Our author obferves, that
in this town, the boys annually keep up the fefli-
val of theFIoralia on May-Day, making a pro-
ceffion to the May- pole- hill, with gads, as they
call them, in their hands. Thefe are white wil-
low wands, without the bark, encircled with cow-
flips, a thyrfus of the Bacchanals : at night they
have a bone-fire, and other merriment. The
king had form.erly this whole town in his poffeffion.
Moor Tower, or Towner Moor, near
Horncaftle, js a curious brick tower, probably
very ancient, becaufe neither the tower itfclf, nor
the moor on which it ftands, are known by any
other names, than v/hat each gives the other.
When or for what purpofe it was built is very un-
certain ; but by the foundations yet vifible, it is^
evidently the remains of a large building, at the
fouth-weft corner of which this tower ftands, and
has a pair of winding fiiairs up to the top. Jt
feems probably to have been a houfe of pleafure,
with towers to overlook the moor in the time of
fport, or the like. We have given a viev/ of the
remains of this fi:ru6lure for the fatisfadion of the
reader.
At Scrivelby-Hall near Horn Caflle, com-
monly called Scrilby, is the feat of Lewis Dy-
mock, Efq; champion of England, as lord of Scri-
velby, an ancient barony, which he holds, as
hereditarily devolved upon his anceftors, from the-
noble family of Marmion ; by appearing on horfe-
back, armed cap-a-pee, in Weftminfter-hall, to
defend the rights of the fovereign, at the corona-
tion of every king or queen of England.
BULLIK--
LINCOLNSHIRE. 261
BuLLiNBROKE, or BuLLiNBRooK, is fcated 3t
the Tpring head of a fmall river that falls into the
Witham, feven miles north-eaft of Tatterfhall,
twelve nrlles north of Bofton, and a hundred north
of London. It has been famous for its calUe built
by William of Romara, earl of Lincoln, and for
its being the birth-place of king Henry the
Fourth, called Henry of Bullinbroke. It gives
the title of vifcount to the noble family of St.
John, and has a market on Thurfdays, but no
fairs.
At Hagneby, near Bullinbroke, Hubert de
Orreby, and Agnes his wife, erected and endowed
a Premoni^ratenfian abbey, in the year ii75,
Vv^hich wa2 dedicated to St. Thomas of Canterbu-
ry, and had, a little before the fuppreffion, nine
canons. Its revenues were then valued at 07 1.
IIS. 4 d. a year.
At Reasbv, or Revescy, a village, which "
{lands fouth-weft of Bullinbroke, William de Re-
mora, earl of Lincoln, founded an abbey of Cif-
tercian monks in the year 1142, and dedicated it
to the Virgin Mary and St Laurence. At its
fuppreflion it was endowed with 287 1. 2 s. 4 d.
per annum.
About ten miles to the fouth by eaft of BuUing-
broke is Waynfleet, which is feated on a ri-
ver, not far from the fea ; and on the borders of
the fenny country, called Holland. It is well
built ; and in the church William Patten, bifhop
of Winchefter, the founder of Magdalen college,
Oxford, erecled a marble monument for his fa-
ther, and in the town built a handfome chapel of
brick, with a pretty good revenue, to pray for
his and his anceftors fouls ; but this is now con-
verted into a free-fchool. Waynfleet has a mar-
ket on Saturdays, particularly for fifh \ and four
fairs, viz. on the third Saturday in May, for all
forts
%^t yf Description of
forts of cattle ; on July 5, and Auguft 24, chief-
ly for pleafure ; and on O(5lober 24, for rams and
other flieep.
Dr. Stukeley obferves, that the fea has added
much ground to this place fince the time of the
Romans, when this town was called Vainona ;
but that city ftood fomewhat higher up the river.
We now enter that valuable tract of land which
extends on the eaft of the Woulds along the fea
fhore, from the lad mentioned town to Barton.
About three miles to the northward of Wayn-
fleet is Burgh, which is at prefent an inconfide-
rable place, but it has a church dedicated t6 St.
Peter, which is a large ftru^Sture, and has a cha-
rity-fchool, and three fairs, viz, on May 12, for
horfes, fheep, and horned-cattle ; on Auguft 16,
which is a town-fair only, and on October 2,
for cattle and all forts of clothing.
Dr. Stukeley thinks, that this was a Roman
caftrum, to guard the fea-coads, probably againft
the Saxon-rovers. It is feated on a piece of very
high ground, partly natural, and partly, as the
do£tor imgincs, raifed by labour, overlooking the
wide extended marflies ; perhaps, in thofe times,
covered with fait v/ater, at leait in fpring tides.
There are tv/o artificial tumuli, one very high,
called Cock-hill. In the church-yard of St. Mary's,
now demolifhed, Roman coins, have been found :
among thefe, the dodfor faw a very fair and large
one of Antoninus Pius, and in the yards and gar-
dens about the town, they frequently dig up bo-
dies.
Alford is a fmall obfcure town, near the foot
of the Woulds, and about fix miles from the fea.
The town is compact and well built, feated on a
fmail brook that runs thro' a part of it, and has a
market on Tuefdays, well ferved with provifions ;
and two fairs, held on Whitfun-Tuefday, and
the-
LINCOLNSHIRE. 263
the 8th of November, for horned-cattle and
(heep.
At Maltby, three miles north of Alford, was
a preceptory of the Templars, and afterwards of
the Hofpitallers, originally founded by Randall,
earl of Chefter.
At Markby, a village two miles north-eafl of
Alford, was a priory of Black canons, built before
the fifth year of the reign of king John, by Ralph
Fitz Gilbert. It was dedicated to St. Peter, and
valued at the fuppreflion at 130 1. 13 s. a year.
Greenfield is a village about two miles and
a half north-weft of Alford, where was an abbey
of Ciftercian nuns, dedicated to St. Mary, which
was founded and endowed by Eudo de Greinfby,
and Ralph de Abi, his fon, before the year 1153,
and had about the time of the fuppreflion ten nuns,
when its revenue was valued at 63 1, a year by
Dugdale ; but at 80 1. by Speed.
Eleven miles to the fouth-weft of Alford is
Louth, which is feated at the foot of the Woulds,
and is faid to have received its name from a fmall
river called the Lud, on which it is fituated, about
twenty-four miles weft- north -weft of Lincoln,
and a hundred and thirty-five north of London,
It is a pretty large, well built, and populous
town, incorporated and governed by a warden and
feveral afliftants. It has a large church, with a
fine fteeple, which fome think as high as Gainf-
borough fpire. Here is alfo a free-fchool, founded
by king Edward the Sixth, and a charity-fchool
for forty children. It has tv/o markets, held on
Wednefdays and Saturdays ; but that on Wednef-
days is the principal, and is conliderable for cat-
tle, horfes, hogs, corn, and all forts of provi-
fions ; befides which it has three fairs, viz. on
May 24, and Auguit 16, for fheep> and on De-
cember 3, for horfes,
Louth-
«64 A Description of
Louth-Park abbey, was founded by Alexander^
bifliop of Lincoln, and lord chancellor of Eng-
land, about the year 1139, for the Benedidine
convent of Haverholm ; and thofe monks remov-
ed hither from their former cell, fubjedl to the
abbey of Haverholm. This abbey was in a fine
fituation, that commanded a view of the town of
Louth, and had an annual revenue'of about 150 1.
Alvingham, a village about two miles north-
eaft of Louth, had, in the reign of king Stephen, a
priory of Gilbertine canons and nuns, dedicated
to the Virgin Mary, and St. Adelwold, which
was valued at the fuppreflion at 128 1. 14s. 2d.
a year.
Legburn, a village to the fouth-eafi: of Louth,
had an abbey of Ciftercian nuns, founded by Ro-
bert Fitz-Gilbert of Legburn, before the firft
"vear of king John. It had feveral other donations,
which were confirmed by the above prince, and
was valued at 38 1. a year by Dugdale j and at
57 L by Speed.
Saltfleet is a little market town, feated on
the German ocean, about feven miles to the north-
eaft of Ivouth, and has a fmall harbour. At this
town the reverend Mr. John Watfon, who died
m 1693, aged a hundred and two, was minifter
feventy-four years, in which time he buried three
fucceliive generations in his parlfh, except three
or four perfons.
About thirteen miles north-weft of Saltfleet is
Grimsby, which is feated within half a mile of
the fea, thirty-fix miles to the north-eaft of Lin-
coln, and a hundred and fifty-eight north by eaft of
I^ondon. In point of antiquity, it is faid to be
the firft, or at leaft the fecond corporation-town
in England. It fends two members to parliament,
and is governed by a mayor, a high-fteward, a re-
corder, twelve aldermen, twelve common-counil-
men.
LINCOLNSHIRE. 265
men, two coroners, a town-clerk, and three fer-
jeants at mace. The mayor holds a court here
every Tuefday, and the bailiffs every Friday. Here
are feveral ftreets of good houfes. It wa^ former-
ly a very large town, and had two parifh churches,
only one of which remains; but for largenefs, it
is equal to moft of the cathedrals in England. It
had lilcewife a caftle, and a confiderable trade ;
the harbour being then very commodious ; but it
has been long choaked up, and yet the road be-
fore it is a good ftation for (hips, that wait for a
wind to get to fea. The inhabitants trade in
coals and fait by means of the river Humber. The
market is held on Wednefdays, and there are two
fairs, the firft on June 17, and the other on Sep-
tember 15, for horfes.
In this town was aBenedi6Line nunnery, found-
ed about the year 1185, and dedicated to St. Leo-
nard, in which, about the time of the fupprellion,
were a priorefs, and feven or eight nuns, and yet
its revenue, according to Dugdale, amounted on-
ly to 10 1. a year; and, according to Speed, ta
12 1. In this town was alfo a houfe of AuiHn fri-
ars, about the year 1304 ; and likewife a convent
of Francifcan, or grey friars, founded in the be-
ginning of the reign of king Edv/ard the Second,
if not before.
At Wellow, near Grimfby, Henry the Firfi:
built and endowed an, abbey of black canons, de-
dicated to St. Auguftine, which was valued at the
difToIution at 95 1. 6 s. a year.
At CoTHAM, feven miles north-weft of Grimf-
by, Alan iVluncels, or Monceaux, founded a Cif-
tercian monaftery, about the end of the reign of
king Henry the Firft, and dedicated it to the Vir-
gin Mary, in which, at the difToIution, were a
priorefs, and twelve nuns, whofe revenues were
valued at 40 1. a year.
Vol. V. M At
266 A Description of
At Newsham abbey, a little to the north-eaft
of Cotham, was the firft monaftery of the Pre-
monftratenfian order in England, which was
creeled by Peter de Goufla, or Goufel, about the
year 1 146, and dedicated to St. Mary and St. Mar-
tin. Here were maintained, juft before the diflb-
Jution, an abbot and eleven canons, whofe reve-
nues were valued at 99 1. 2 s. 10 d.
From Newfham aroad extends nine miles north
by v/eft to Barton, which is fituated by the
northern extremity of the Woulds, near the
mouth of the Humber, thirty-five north of Lin-
coln, and a hundred and fixty-three from London,
Here is a confiderable ferry for palling the Hum-
ber, which is fix miles broad, into Yorkfliire.
7'his ferry is of great advantage to the town,
which is pretty well built, and has a plentiful
market on Mondays, with a fair on Trinity-Thurf-
day, for cattle.
At Thornton, a village three miles fouth-eaft
of Barton, William le Crofs, earl of Albemarle,
and lord of Holdernefs, founded in 1139 a mo-
naftery of Black canons, dedicated to the Virgin
Mary, which, at the difiblution, was valued at
594 1. 17 s. 10 d. a year. It is now called Thorn-
ton college, a very beautiful part of which is ftili
left ftanding; it is adorned with figures in relievo,
and is now inhabited.
We (hall now proceed through the fens, on the
fides of the river Ankham, between the South-
Heath, and the Woulds.
Nine miles fouth-eaft of Barton is Glanford
Bridge, a pretty good town, feated on the eaft fide
of the river Ankham, over which it has a bridge,
from which it obtained its name, twenty-four
miUis north of Lincoln, and a hundred and fifty-
three n'jrth of London. It has a good market on
'i'huri'daysj but "cvo fairs. Here was an ancient
hofpital.
LINCOLNSHIRE. 267
bofpltal, founded in the reign of king John, by
Adam Paynell, fubordinate to Selby abbey in
Yorklhire, one of the monks of which abbey was
mafter.
At WiNGALL, feven miles fouth of Glanford
bridge, was an alien priory, dedicated to St. John.
It was a cell to the abbey of Sees in Normandy,
to which it belonged in the beginning of the reign
of Henry the Third.
RucKHOLM, an ifland in the river Ankham, to
the fouth of Glanford bridge, was before the year
1 173, given by king Henry the Second, and the
canons of Sempringhani, to found a priory of their
order, which was called Newftede. It was dedi-
cated to the Trinity, and endowed at the diffolu-
tionwith381. 13 s. 56. a year.
At Omby, which is fituated near the foot of
tnG North-Heath, eight miles to the northward of
Lincoln, are fome fields, adjoining to a great
road, that extends from Stamford to Hull in York-
fiiire ; filver and brafs coins have been plowed up,
which had a view of the city of Rome on one
fide, with the infcription vrbs roma, and on the
reverfe, pax et tranqjillitas.
Nine miles eaft byj north of Omby is Mar-
ket Rasen, which is feated at the foot of the
Woulds, fifteen miles to the north-eaft of Lin-
coln, and is thus called todiflinguifh it from Eaft,
Weft, and Middle Rafen, all feated at a fmali dif-
tance from each other ; and from its crowded mar-
ket on Tuefdays. It has a fair on the 6th o{ Oc-
tober, for horned cattle.
We fhall nov/ proceed to the north-v/eft, and
take a view of the towns from north to fouth, in
the moorifli tract on the weft fide of the county,
feated near the banks of the Trent.
On the northern verge of Lincolnfhire is Win-
TERiNGHAM, a village a little to the north of
M 2 Burtoa,
268 yf Description of
Burton, near which flood a Roman town, large
foundations of which have been plowed up. Dr.
Stukeley is of opinion, that the name of this old
Roman ftation was Abontrus. It is feated in a
peninfula, between the Humber and the Ankham,
and has a fine fpring on the eaft fide, with ftone-
work left round it. It has no market, but has a
fair on the 14th of July, for horned cattle, and
pedlars goods.
Burton, alfo called Burton Strather, is
fituated on the eaft fide ot the Trent, near its in-
flux into the Humber, at the foot of the North
Heath, twenty-eight miles to the north of Lin-
coln. The houfes are pleafantly intermixed with
trees, and the inhabitants have feveral mills on the
Trent. It has two churches, and it is remarka-
ble, that one of them is fituated at the bottom of
a rock, fo that a perfon might almoft leap down
from the precipice to the top of the fteeple. It
bus a market on Mondays.
The Ifle of Axholm, is feated in the north-
weft part of the county, with its northern extre-
mity, a little to the weft of Burton. It is made
an illand by the rivers Trent, Dun, Idle, and
others, and is about ten miles in length from north
to fouth, but fcarcely half fo much in breadth.
The flat and lower part towards the rivers is
moorifh ground, and yields a fweet ftirub, to
which the inhabitants give the name of gall. Like-
wife in the moorifti parts, very large fir-trees have
been frequently dug up. The middle part is a
rifing ground, in which alabafter is found.
Croul, or Crowle, a village in this ifland,
fix miles fouth-weft of Burton, has two fairs, one
held on the laft Monday in May, and the other
on the 22d of November.
At Epworth, a village in this ifland, was a
Carthufian monaftery, founded by Thomas, earl
of
LINCOLNSHIRE. 269
of Nottingham, marfhal of England, who alfo
endowed it. In the year 1398, pope Boniface
the Ninth crranted an induli^ence to all fuch as
Ihouid vifit it. It was valued at the fuppreffion at:
290 I. a year. This village has a fair on the 9th
of September, for cattle, hemp and flax.
At Hyrst, a village alfo in the Ifle of Axholm,
was a priory of canons regular, of the order of St.
Auguftine, founded by Nigcllus de Albani, who
gave his habitation to the monks ; but the reve-
nues were valued at the fupprefiion at only 61. a
year.
Gain^seorough, or Ganeseorough, is com-
modiouily feated on the river Trent, and on the
borders of Nottinghamfhire, eighteen miles to the
northward of Burton, fourteen to the north- weft
of Lincoln, and a hundred and forty-two north
by weft of London. It is a v/ell built, flourifning
tov/n, and had a church, which, being in a rui-
nous condition, was pulled down in the year
1735, ^"^ rebuilt by act of parliament. Here
are alfo feveral meeting-houfes of diflenters, and
a fine market-place. The town has a conudera-
ble trade, by means of the Trent, which, though
it is near forty miles by water from the Humber,
brings up {hips of confiderable burthen with the
tide. The North Marfh, in the neighbourhood
of the town, is ufed for horfe-races. Gainfborough
gives the title of earl to the noble family of Noel.
It has a plentiful market on Tuefdays, and two
fairs, one on Eafter-Tuefday, and the other oa
the 20th of Offtober, for all ibrts of cattle and
Ihop goods. This town is very ancient, it beino^
the harbour of the Danifh fhips, which came up
the Trent, far into the country j and here Swe-
no, the Danifh tyrant, after he had committed
great ravages, was ftabbed by an unknown hand.
M 3 la
270 A Description rf
In the fouth part of the town was an old chapel,
in which many Danes are faid to have been in-
terred.
Simon Patrick, a learned writer, and venerable
prelate of the feventeenth century, was born Sep-
tember the 8th, 1626, at Gainfborough, and edu-
cated firft at the fchool of his native place, and
afterwards at Queen's college in Cambridge. Af-
ter being fome time chaplain to Sir Walter St.
John, of Batterfea in Surry, and vicar of that pa-
rifh, he was prefented, in 1662, to the rcdory of
St. Paul's, Covent-Garden, in London, and in
1679, was advanced to the deanery of Peterbo-
rough. During the reign of king James the Se-
cond, he exerted himfeUllrenuoully in fupport of
the Proteftant religion ; and as a reward of his
fervices, he was immediately after the revolution
prom.oted to the biiliopric of Chichefter, and in
1691 tranflated to that of Ely, in the room of the
deprived bifhop Turner. He died at Ely, May
the 31ft, 1707, in the eighty-firfl year of his age.
His works are numerous and well known. His
Paraphrafes and Commentaries upon the Holy
Scriptures are greatly efteemed.
At Marton, near Gainfborough, are the re-
mains of a Roman highway, leading from Don-
cafter in Yorkfliire to Lincoln ; and about a quar-
ter of a mile from the town, are two or three
confiderable pieces of Roman pavement.
On fome hills between Gainfborough and Lea,
a neighbouring village, many Roman coins, and
pieces of Roman urns, have been dug up 5 and
one of thefe eminences, called Caftle-hill, is fur-
rounded with intrenchments faid to inclofe above"
a hundred acres.
At a place formerly called Heyningf.s, or He-
VENYNGE, at two niiles diftance from Gainfbo-
rough,
Vol. V.paiji.
LINCOLNSHIRE. 271
rough, was a Ciftercian nunnery, dedicated to the
Virgin Mary, founded about the year 1180, by
Robert Evermue. It had a priorefs and twelve
nuns, with a yearly revenue of 4.9 1. 5s. 2d.
Eight miles fouth-weft of Gainfborough is Ca-
MERiNGHAM, which is feated at the foot of the
North Heath, about (even miles to the northward
of Lincoln, where was an alien priory, a cell to
the Premonftratenfian abbey of Blanch-Land in
Normandy, the manor here being given by the
founders Richard de Haya, and Matilda his wife,
to that abbey, in the reign of Henry the Second ;
but in the reign of king Kichard the Second, Eli-
zabeth, the widow of Sir Nicholas Audler, pur-
chafed this priory, and fettled it on the abbey of
Hilton in Staffordfhire.
About iive miles to the fouth-weft of Camer-
ingham, and nine miles north-weft of London, is
'I'oRKSEY, a village which was formerly a con-
fiderable place, and enjoyed many privileges that
were granted on condition that the inhabitants
{hould, whenever the king's ambailadors came
that way, carry them down the Trent, in their
own barges, into the Humber, and afterwards
condu6l them as far as York. This place is,
hov/ever, at prefent very fmall, but has a fair oa
Whitfun-Monday, for merchandize.
On the eaft fide of this town was a convent of
nuns, called the Houfe at the Fosse extra Tor-
SEY, for canonefTes, founded by king John. Its
ruins, now called Torkley Hall, ftand on the
banks of the river Trent, where the ancient
FolTe Dyke was cut between the river Withain
and the Trent, for the fervice of the city of Lin-
coln. It feems to have been a very regular ftruc-
ture, and the walls, of which we have given a view,
are ftill lofty. It was valued at the fuppreffion at
19 I. a year, by Dugdale; and at 27 1, by Speed.
M 4 About
a;^ w^ Description of
About three miles north-eaft of Torkley is
Stow, where is fuppofed to have been the an-
cient city, called Sidnacefter, once the feat of the
bijQiops of this county ; it was famous even before
Lincoln was a bifhop's fee ; nay, fome maintain,
that this was the mother church to Lincoln. The
church is a very large building in the form of a
crofs, and the fleeple, though now large, has
been m.uch higher than it is at prefent. This vil-
lage has a fair on the icth of Odlober, for horfcs,
horned cattle and fheep.
We now proceed fouthward, through the low
lands on the weft fide of the South Heath, from
Lincoln to Grantham.
At Eagle, a village fix miles fouth-weft of
Lincoln, and on the borders of Nottinghamfliire,
was a commandery of the knights Templars, who
enjoyed the manor of this place by a grant from
king Stephen. It afterwards came to the knights
Hofpitailers, and at their difiblution, in the reign
of Henry the Eighth, was valued at 124I. 2s.
per annum.
Seven miles fouth-eaft of Eagle, and eight
miles fouth of Lincoln, is Somerton, which
is feated at the foot of the South Heath, and
had a caftle, built by Anthony Beck, bifhop of
Durham, and by him given to Edward the Firft,
who beftowed it on Henry de Bellomonte, from
whom it defcended to the family of the Beau-
monts. Some affirm, that this caftle was in be-
ing in the reign of Ethelbald, king of the Mer-
cians, about the year 734, and that it was only
rebuilt by the above bifliop in the year 1305. It
is now in ruins, but at one end there are high
walls ftill flanding, and part of a round tower,
of which we have given an engraved view.
Grantham is feated on the river Witham,
twenty-two miles to the fouth of Lincoln, in the
road
tZz 2>c/-i;.ii
LINCOLNSHIRE. 273
road from London to York, twenty-one miles
north by weft of Stamford, fourteen fouth of
Newark, and a hundred and four north by weft
■of London. It is a rich, neat and populous
town, and being much frequented, has feveral
good inns. The church is a lofty ftru<5lure, with
one of thehigheft ftone fpires in England, it be-
ing eighty-two yards high ; but is fo conftruded,
that on which fide foever it is viewed, it appears
to incline from the perpendicular. The church is •
a handfome edifice, and the organ, which is fine-
ly ornamented, has a double front. The char-
nel-houfe belonging to this church is a large hand-
fome building, in which may be feen near one
thoufand five hundred fkulls bleached white by the
air, piled up, with great order, in rows one above
another. Here are likewife feveral meeting-
houfes of diflenters, and a good free-fchool, built
and endowed by Dr. Richard Fox, biihop of Win-
chefter, who was a native of this place, befidcs
two charity-fchools ; and, about the year 1290,
here was built a houfe of Francifcan, or grey friars.
On a neighbouring courfe are horfe-races. The
town is governed by an ancient corporation, con-
fifting of an alderman, a recorder, twelve com-
mon burgefies, a coroner, an efcheator, twelve
fecond twelve men, who are of the common-
council, and tv/elve conftables to attend on the
court. The alderman and burgefies have all
power to act as juftices of the peace for the corpo-
ration, and foake of Grantham. The members
to ferve in parliament are elecSled by the freemen
of the corporation. There is a market on Satur-
days, and five fairs; on the fifth Monday in Lent,
for horned cattle, horfes and flieep ; on Holy-
I'hurfday, for fheep and horfes -, on July 10,
Odober 26, and December 17, for horned cattle
and horfes.
M 5 Henry
274 -^ Description of
Henry More, an eminent divine and platcnic
philolbpher of the feventeenth century, was borri
October the 12th, 1614, at Grantham^ and edu-
cated firft at Eton fchool, and afterwards at
Chrift's college in Cambridge, of which he be-
came a fellow. Being naturally of a grave and
contemplative turn of mind, he confined himfelf
entirely to a college life ; and fludioufly avoided
every preferment in the church, that might oblige
liim to quit his beloved retirement, Bifhopricks
were offered him both in England and Ireland ;
but he could not, by any means, be perfuatled to
accept them ; fo that, with great truth he might
fay, what is commonly faid by other clergymen
cnly for form's fake. Nolo -epifcopari : his friends,
indeed, without difcovering their purpofe, once
drew him to Whitehall, in order to kifs his ma-
jefty's hand for an Englifh bifhopric ; but he had
no fooner learned their defign, than he fuddenly
flopt fhort, and could not be prevailed on to
.proceed a ftep farther. He accepted, however, of
a prebendfhip in the church of Gloucefter ; but
this he did only with a view of conferring it upon
Dr. Edward Fowler, who accordingly, by his in*-
tereft, foon after obtained it. He was likewife a
member of the Royal Society, both before and
after its eftabliftiment by the royal charter ; and
contributed, by his writings, to raife the charac-
ter of that learned body. He feems, from his
works, to have been a man of a ftrong fancy, and
a pious difpofition, but fomewhat tindured with
enthufiafm. There Was a fublimity in his con*-
ceptions, which foared above the reach of ordina-
ry capacities. Bifhop Burnet fays, that he was a
fnicere Chriftian philofopher, who fludied to efta-
blilli men in the great principles of religion againll
Atheifm, which was then be-ginning to gain
ground ; and Mr. Hobbes was wont to declare,
*' that.
LINCOLNSHIRE. 275
*' that, if his own philofophy was not true, there
<' was none that he fhould fooner like than Dr.
*' More's of Cambridge." Though naturally of
a ferious, and even of a melancholy temper, he
could yet be merry in his hours of relaxation ; for
being feized with a fwoon, a little before his laft
illnefs, he faid, upon coming to himfelf, that his
diftemper was wind, but he hoped it would not
carry him away in a ftorm. He died September
1, 1687, in the feventy-third year of his age.
He wrote a treatife of the Immortality of the
Soul J ConjeSiura Cabalijiica ; Enchiridion Ethi-
cum-y the Myftery of Godlinefs ; the Myilery of
Iniquity j Philofophical Colledions, and other
pieces.
About the year 1164, king Henry the Second
gave the manor of Haugh, near Grantham, to
the abbey of St. Mary de Voto, at Cherburgh in
Normandy, founded by the emprefs Maud, his
mother, and himfelf; hence there was fettled here
an alien priory of Auflin canons, fubordinate to
that foreign abbey.
At Herlaxtok, a fmall village a little to the
weft of Grantham, was plowed up in the fixteenth
century a brazen veiTel, in which was found an
helmet of gold ftudded with jewels, which was
prefented to Catharine of Spain, queen dowager
to king Henry the Eighth. In the fame veiid
were alfo fome filver beads, and a parcel of wri-
tings, but thefe being rotten could not be read.
Paunton^ is a village about three miles fouth
by eaft of Grantham, at the foot of the South
Heath, and is famous for its Roman antiquities,
particularly for the chequered pavements dug up
there. Some affirm, that there was a bridge at
this place, over the river Witham ; on which ac-
count they would have it to be the Ad Pontem of
Antoninus; but HorOey would have that ftation
to
276 A Description 0}
to be at Southwell in Nottinghamfhire, near the
liver Trent, over which he imagines there may
have been a bridge.
Belvoir Caftle, commonly called Bever
Caftle, the feat of the duke of Rutland, three
miles to the weft of Herlaxton, has been already
taken notice of in Leiceflerfhire, where it certain-
ly ftands, but the Benedidline priory near it was
in this county ; and was begun by Robert dc Bel-
videir, or de Toreneio, lord of Belvoir Caftle, in
the reign of William the Conqueror, but not
finiftied. It was, however, afterwards compleat-
ed, and made a cell to the abbey of St. Albans.
It had benefa6tions from feveral perfons, and was
valued atthe fuppreflion at 105 1. a year by Dug-
dale, but at 130 1. by Speed.
•We ftiall now begin the South Heath, and,
proceeding from the end next Stamford, fhall take
a view of the principal places on this eminence
from fouth to north.
BiTHAM, a village feated on the South Heath,
eight miles from Stamford, had a convent of Cif-
tercian monks, who, in the year 1147, were
brought thither from Fountain abbey in York-
Ihire, by William earl of Albemarle 5 but thefe
monks foon removed to a more pleafant place^
called Vaudy abbey, a little to the north-eaft of
Witham. It was given them by Jeff"ry de Bra-
checourt, or his lord, Gilbert de Gaunt, earl of
Lincoln ; and about the time of the fuppreffioa
had an abbot and thirteen monks, whofe annual
revenues were valued at 124I. 5 s. 11 d.
At Grimsthorp, three miles north-eaft of
Bitham, is a pleafant feat of the duke of Ancaf-
ter's. The houfe is handfome and commodious,
the park large and beautiful ; and here is a fine
lav/n^ on which is an annual horfe-race. In the-
^ middle
LINCOLNSHIRE. 277
middle of this park flood Vaudy abbey, fome ru-
ins of which are flill to be feen.
Three miles to the north-weft of Grimfthorp Is
Corby, a fmall town, twenty-eight miles to the
fouth of Lincoln, and nineteen to the north of
London. There is here a fchool, eredled and en-
dowed for the fons of deceafed clergymen. The
town has an almoft negleded market on Thurf-
days ; and two fairs, held on the 26th of Auguft:,
and the Monday before October 10,, for horfes
and horned cattle.
Ancaster is feated eleven miles to the north
of Corby, and fixteen fouth of Lincoln, and is
a place of great antiquity. It is taken by fome
to be the Crococolane of Antoninus ; but Horf-
ley affirms, that this place was called Caufennae ;.
though Dr. Stukeley is pofitive, that Great Paun-
ton muft have been the Caufennae of the Romans,
But be this as it will, it is certain, that it has
been a very ftrong city, intrenched and walled
round, as ftill plainly appears to thofe who are
even but little verfed in thofe enquiries. Dr.
Stukeley obferves, that the bowling-green, behind
the Red Lion inn, is made in the ditch, and that
when they were levelling the bank, they came to
the old foundation. At that end of the town is
Caftle-clofe, which is full of foundations, every
where appearing above ground, and encompafled
by the ditch and rampart. Prodigious quantities
of Roman coins have been found here, and many
people have traded in them for feveral years.
They are alfo found in great plenty upon all the
hills round the town, efpecially to the fouthward ;
and after a fhower of rain, the fchool-boys and
(hepherds have been accuftomed to look for them
on the declivities of the hills, and frequently with
fuccefs. Dr. Stukeley obferves, that he faw an
Antoninus Pius of bafe filver, found the morning
he
278 A Description of
he was there, likewife many coins of Faufllna,
Verus, Commodus, Gallienus, Salonina, Julia
Maefa, Conftantius Chlorus, Helena, Maximi-
ana Theodora, Conftantine the Great, Mag-
jientius, Conftans, Vidorinus, &c.
The town confifts of one ftreet, running north
and fouth along the road, and there is a fpring at
both ends of it, which was probably the reafon
of the town's being built in this place, for no
more water is to be met with in the Roman road
from hence to Lincoln. There is a road on the
weft fide of the town, which was for the conve-
nience of thofe that travelled when the gates were
fiiut. There are quarries about the town, and
the rocks lie very near the furface of the ground,
Ancafter had a market, which is now difufed, as
well as its fairs : but it gives the title of duke to
the noble family of Bertie.
A mile and a half to the weft, in the village of
HuNNiNGTON, which is feated upon a hill that
affords a delightful profped, both towards the
fea coaft, and into Nottinghamfhire ; and is fa-
mous for its having been a caftrum exploratorum,
or fummer camp of the Romans. This work is
of a fquare form, and double trenched, but of
no great extent, and the entrance feems to have
been on the eaft fide. \w 169 1 as many Roman
coins were found In an earthen pot as would fill
a peck ; and fome years ago were plowed up in
this place bits of fpears, bridles, and fwords,
with two urns full of coins, among which was a
large brafs one of Agrippa, and Julia, daughter
of Auguftus, There is a charity fettled upon ten
poor people of Hunnington and Cathorp, of 20 !•
a year, and each of them has 40 s. paid quar-
terly.
Ail the way from this road, upon Lancafter
Heathj you have a viev/ of the fea, and the tow-
ering
lW.l''pa.2/p.
LINCOLNSHIRE. 279
ering height of Bofton fteeple. At Temple
Bruer is a crofs upon a ftone, cut through in
the Ihape of that borne by the knights Templars,
and is fuppofed to be a boundary of their demefne.
Bruer, in this place, fignifies a heath, it being
feated near the middle of the Great Heath, on
the fouth fide of Lincoln ; and here was a com-
mandery of the knights Templars, founded, or
early endowed by the lady Matilda de Cauz,
daughter of the heirefs of the lord Robert de
Cauz, and was afterwards greatly enriched by
many kings and noblemen. This church was
built about the reign of king Henry the Third,
in imitation of the temple near the holy fepulchre
in Jerufalem ; and of the remains of this ftruc-
ture, we have given a view for the fatisfa(Slion of
the curious reader.
Eleven miles north by eaft of Temple Bruer is
NocTON, a village feven miles fouth-eaft of Lin-
coln, where wais a priory of canons regular of the
order of St. Auguftine, founded by Robert de
Arecy, or Arcy, and dedicated to St. Mary Alagda-
len. It had five canons about the time of the dif-
folution, when its revenues were valued by Dug-
'dale at 44 1. a year ; and by Speed at 53 1.
The fouthefn end of this South Heath declines
into a valley, to admit the pafTage of the river
Witham to the fouth-eaft part of the county ; and
here is feated the city of Lincoln, which rifes on
the north, up the fide of a fteep hill, termed the
North Heath, and which extends almoft to the
Humber. The city of Lincoln was called by the
ancient Britons Lindcoit, by Ptolemy and Antoni-
nus Lindum, by the Saxons Lyndo-Collyne, and
Lyndo-Cyilanceafter, and by the Normans Ni-
chol : from thefe names, which are fuppofed to
have originally fignified a colonv, or town, feated
on a hill, the prefent name is certainly derived.
It
28o A Description of
It is fituated thlrty-feven miles weft- north -weft of
Bofton, in the fame county, thirty-two miles
north-eaft of Nottingham, fifty- two north by weft:
of Peterborough, and a hundred and twenty-eight
north of London. To the weftward of the city,
the river Witham forms a great body of water,
called Swan-Pool, from the multitude of fwans
upon it ; and all round, the ground is marftiy,
and called Carham, from Car, a {tn. Here fome
fuppofe the Britifii city ftood in the early ages.
The Roman city was orignally built in the forin
of a large fquare j the fouthern wall ftood upoa
the precipice or ridge of the heath, where it want-
ed no other fortification. Round the other three
fides was a deep trench which ftill remains, except
on the fouth-eaft angle. This city was then divi-
ded into four equal parts by two crofs ftreets, that
ran quite through upon the cardinal points. The
two fouthern quarters were taken up, one by the
caftle, and the other by the church afterwards
built by Remigius. But when Alexander the bi-
ftiop proje6led a ftru£lure of much larger dimen-
fions, the facred enclofure was carried beyond the
caftern bounds of the city, and a new wall built
farther that way, as it now is with towers and bat-
tlements. One of the Roman gates, now called
Newport gate, is ftill entire, and is the nobleft
piece of antiquity of the kind in Britain. Itcon-
fifts of a femicircular arch of ftone, fixteen fees
in diameter, not cemented, but only corme6lcd
by the wedge- like form of the ftones. On both
fides, towards the upper part, are laid horizontal
ftones of great dimenfions, fome ten or twelve feet
long, judicLoufty adapted to take oit the fide pref-
fure. This arch arofe from an impoft of large-
mouldings, fome parts of which are ftill difcovera^
ble \ efpecially on the left fide.
Clofe
Vo/.rpa.2d/.
LINCOLNSHIRE. aSi
Clofe to this gate is another curious piece of
Roman workmanfhip, called the Mint-wall,
which confifts of alternate layers of brick and
ftone, and is ftill fixteen feet high, and forty
long. Various fragments of the old Roman wall
are to be {cen round the city. Dr. Stukeley is of
opinion, that as Lindum was feated on a naviga-
ble river, and was the chief thoroughfare to the
north, it foon encreafed to that degree, that the
Romans were obliged to add another cit}', equal
in fize to the former ; and that afterwards, two
orher great additions were made to the length of
the city, one of which, now called Newport, or
the new city, is five hundred paces long, and fup-
pofed to have been built in the reign of the Saxon
kings. It lies on both fides the Ermin ftreet, and
was fenced with a wall and a ditch, hewn out of
the rock. At the two farther corners were round
towers and a gate, the foundations of which jftili
remain.
There was a caftle, with many forts built here
by the Romans, and repaired by the Saxons and
Normans, in fucceeding ages, as they flood in
need, from the various fieges they fuftained. The
callle was, in particular, repaired by king Wil-
liam the Firrt, after his conqueft over king Ha-
rold. Its ruins fliew that it was a magnificent
work, and of thefe we have given the reader a
view.
John of Gaunt*s palace, below the hill, was
built by John of Gaunt, duke of Lancafter, and
earl of Lincoln, Leicefter, and Derby, in the
reign of Richard the Third. The above caftle
was his, but being much expofed to cold winds,
and being appropriated to the public fervice, and
frequently garrifoned, that prince, probably, built
this place below the hill for warmth, and for thcj
ufc of his family and domcdics, while he refideJ
in
2S2 A Description of
in this ancient city, Vv'here, and at Bullingbroke,
a caftle of his highnefs's in this county, he fpent
great part of his latter days j he having married
the lady Catharine Swinford, the widow of a Lin-
colnfliire knight.
In the reign of Edward the Confeflbr, the city
is faid to have had one thoufand and feventy
houfes, and in the time of the Normans, was one
of the moft populous cities in England, and a
mart for goods of every kind, which gave occa-
fion to the following prophecy, as they call it,
Lincoln was, London is, and York fhall be
7^he faireft city of the three.
This they fuppofe to have been fulfilled after
the fire of London in 1666.
King Edward the Third made it a ftaple for
wool, leather, led, and other commodities. But
afterwards it fufFered many calamities. It was
once burnt 5 once befieged by king Stephen, who
was here defeated and taken prifoner, and once
taken by Henry the Third from his rebellious
barons. It is faid to have had fifty churches,
which in the reign of Edward the Sixth, were re-
duced, by act of paliament, to eighteen, only
thirteen of which are now remaining, and thofe
are extremely mean ; but they have a (lately Go-
thic cathedral, and feveral meeting-houfes ofdif-
fenters. This cathedral, or minfter, is the chief
ornament of the city j it is one of the largeft in
England, and the ground it (lands upon fo high,
that it may be feen over five or fix counties, fifty
miles to the north, and thirty to the fouth ; but
though it is inferior in beauty to feveral others in
England, it was fo admired by the monks, that
they imgined the Devil could never look at it with-
out frowns of malevolence j and hence arofe the
proverb, frequently applied to malicious and en-
vious
LINCOLNSHIRE. 2S3
vious perfons ; *' He looks like the Devil over
Lincoln." In this church are fome curious cir-
cular windows, a chapter-houfe, cloyfters, and a
library, that are much admired ; as is alfo its fa-
mous bell, on account of its enormous fize ; this
bell is called Tom of Lincoln , it is almoft twen-
ty-three feet in circumference ; it weighs near
five tons, and will hold four hundred and tw^enty-
four gallons ale meafure : it has a fteeple to itfelf ;
but it is never rung, and only toH'd upon extra-
ordinary occafions. In the years 1072, 1075, and
1078, when the provincial fynods decreed, that
they (hould be removed into cities and great towns,
Rcmigius, then bifhop of Dorchefter, fixed u^Dcn
I^incoln, and in the reign of William the Firfl:,
bought the ground for this cathedral, the bifhop's
palace, and the houfes for the dignitaries and of-
ficers, and began the buildings, which were not
finifhed till fome years after, by his fucceflbr Ro-
bert Bloet, who increafed the number of prebends,
v.'hich was twenty-one, to forty-two. Remigius
died in 1092, only four days before the confecra-
tion of the cathedral. It afterwards received ma-
ny benefa6lions, and in the twenty-eighth year of
the reign of Henry the Eighth, all the jewels,
and other riches, were removed to the jewel-houfe
in the Tower of London. Thefe treafures amount-
ed to two thoufand fix hundred and twenty-one
ounces of gold, and four thoufand tv;o hundred
and eighty-five ounces of filver, befides a great
number of pearls, diamonds, fapphires, rubies,
carbuncles, and other precious ftones. The re-
venues of this bifhopric were valued at the difib-
lution at 2095 1. 12 s. 5 d. a year, and the com-
mon revenues of the chapter at 578 1. 8s. 2d.
But many of the manors and eftates being granted
from the bifnopric, particularly in the reign of
Edward the Sixth, it is now rated at only 830 1.
1 8 s.
2^4 -^ Description of
18 s. a year, and the dividend money of the chap-
ter, at 546 L 2 s. 6d. Befides the bifnop, there
belong to this cathedral, a dean, a precentor, a
chancellor, a fub-dean, fix arch-deacons, fifty-
two prebendaries, four prieil vicars, eight lay vi-
cars, or finging-men, an organift, i'even poor
clerks, eight chorillers, and fcven burghurft
chanters.
Southward upon the very brow of the hill is the
bifliop's palace, whicli was built, as hath been
already obferved, by Remigius, the firft bifhop.
After being demolifhed in king Stephen's wars, it
was granted to Robert deChefney, the fourth bi-
fhop of this fee, who laid the foundation, and
built a great part of the new ftrufture ; but Sir
Hugh, the Burgundian, began the noble hall,
which was finifhed by Hugh Wallis, who al fo
eretSled the fpacious kitchen. The great tower
and gatehoufe were raifed by Thomas Rer, bi-
fhop of this fee, whofe arms remain on the wall^~.
It {fands juft fouth of the Roman wall, and was
a very expenfive work, for the foundations of it
reach below the hill. The ancient bilhops of
Lincoln being pofTeffed of thirty-two of the beft
manors in England, were immenfely rich, and
able both to build and fill fuch palaces, wherein
they were attended by knights, and young noble-
men of the beft families j werecloathed in pur-
ple, and ferved at table in gold plate. This palace
was ruined in the time of the civil wars; but a
great part of it might be repaired at no very great
expence.
The buildings of the city are for the moft part
very old, particularly thofe at the bottom of the
hill ; but towards the top are many good houfes
in the modern tafte. Here is the old ruinous caf-
tle, already mentioned, built by William the Con-
queror,
LINCOLNSHIRE. 285
queror, in the centre of which is a modern ftruc-
ture for holding the aiTizes. The city is governed by
a mayor, twelve aldermen, two fheriffs, a recorder,
four chamberlains, a fword bearer, a coroner, and
above forty common-councilmen. It is a county
of itfelf, and has a vifcountial jurifdidion twenty-
miles round, a privilege enjoyed by no other city
in England. It fends tv.'o members to parliament,
and gives the title of earl to the noble family of
Clinton. There are in this city four charity-
fchools, in which a hundred and twenty poor chil-
dren are taught by the widows of clergymen. It
has a communication with the river Trent by a
canal, called the Eofs-Dyke, cut by king Henry
the Firfl, between the Trent and the Witham,
for the convenience of carriage. It has a very-
great market on Fridays, and four fairs, viz. on
the fecond Tuefday after April 12, July 5, the
firft Wednefday after September 12, and on No-
vember 12, for horfes, horned cattle and fheep.
The religious houfes in this city were very nu-
merous. Before the minfter was built, there was a
nunnery upon, or near the place where that ca-
thedral ftands. In the fouth fuburb was a priory
of Gilbertine canons, dedicated to St. Catharine,
founded in the year 1148, by Robert, the fecond
bifhop of Lincoln, and valued at the general dif-
folution at 202 1. 5 s. a year. Here was alfo an
hofpital of the order of Sempringham, dedicated
to the Holy Sepulchre, and under the government
of the above priory. Here was likewife near the
city a houfe for leprous perfons, fuppofed to have
been erected by bilhop Remigius, who afTigned it
an annual revenue of thirteen marks. About the
year 1230, the Friars minors, or Grey friars, of
the order of St. Francis, came to this cny, and
had a houfe given them by William de Benning-
worth.
agG A Description of
worth, near which the citizens of Lincoln gav©
them a piece of ground belonging to their Guild-
hall, and upon it a houfe and church were built
for thefe Francifcans. A priory dedicated to St,
Bartholomew, is mentioned as belonging to the
city in the reign of Henry the Third. In the year
1269, ^ convent of White friars was founded
here by Gualterus, dean of Lincoln. On the eaft
fide of the city was a priory of Black, or Preach-
ing friars, {o early as the twelfth of Edward the
Firft. On the fouth fide of the fuburb, adjoin-
ing to Newport gate, was a houfe of Augufline
friars, fo early as the year 1291 ; and a little with-
out the city, on the north-eaft, was an hofpital
dedicated to St. Giles, the mafterfhip of which
was annexed by Oliver, dean of Lincoln, about
the year 1280, to the vicars who performed di-
vine offices in the cathedral. About the year
1355, Sir Nicholas de Cantilupe, Knt. founded
a college of priefts within the clofe, In. one of tiie
fuburbs of the city was a houfe of the friars de
Sacco, or de Paenetentia Jefu Chrifti ; and, in
the fifth of Edward the Third, leave was granted
to the vicars of the above cathedral, to take the
cjiurch of Reptowe, near this city, in mortmain,
upon condition, that they kept three chaplains
conftantly to officiate in the chapel, which fome
time belonged to thofe friars, for the foul of Ed-
ward the Firft. In the thirty-fecond of Edward
the Third, Joan, who had been the wife of Sir
Nicholas Cantilupe, had leave to found a col-.
lege, or large chantry, for five priefts, dedicated
to St. Peter, upon the ground where formerly Hood
the houfe of the friars de Sacco.
We Ihall now proceed along the North Heath,
from Lincoln to its northern extremity near the
H umber.
Spittle
LINCOLNSHIRE. 287
Spittle in the Street, is eleven miles
north of Lincoln, and certainly ftands in the Ro-
man road that runs directly from Lincoln to Win-
teringham. It will not be improper to take fome
notice of this road, which is called by the com-
mon people the High Street ; it is thrown up on
both fides, with incredible labour, to a great
height ; but is frequently difcontinued, and thea
beo-jns ao^ain. It is feven vards broad, and in ma-
ny places very firm and ftrong. There have been
Roman buildings upon it, as is evident from the
tiles and bricks found thereon. At Hebberftow, to
the fouth of Glandford bridge, fome think there
have been a city and caftlc ; and to confirm it, v/e
find two fprings, the one called Julian's well, and
the other Cartleton well ; likevvife there have
been great numbers of Roman coins dup up in
this village. About a mile farther to the north-
ward, and upon a large plain on the weft fide
of the ftrcet, the traces of another old town are
very vifible, though all the walls are deilroyed ;
fome have even been able to diftinguifli the ftreets
or lanes. From hence the ftreet runs through
Scawby wood, where it is all paved, and from
thence clofe by Brpughton tov^n end, near a
hill, which may be taken for a barrow ; for
Broughton is as much as to fay Barrow town.
But be this as it will, there have been Roman
tiles and bricks found there. At Santon there
was a Roman pottery, on the weit fide the ftreet;
it received its name from the flying fands, among
which feveral Roman coins have been found.
There are feveral fand hills near the ftreet, fome-
vvhat like barrows, and on the top of one was a
great flat ftone, now almoft funk into the earth.
In Appleby Lane, to the north of Winteringham,
there are two places called Julian's Bower, and
Troy Walls, where it is fuppofcd Roman games
have
28S A Description, l^c,
have been pradifed ; and they are ftill in part
kept up. From hence the road runs ftrait on to-
wards Roxby, which it leaves half a mile to the
weft, and here a Roman pavement was lately dif-
covered, together with Roman tiles, and the bone
of the hinder leg of an ox, with many pieces of
plafter, painted red and yellow, that feemed to
belong to an al:ar. About three or four miles far-
ther, the ftreet leaves Winteringham, about half
a mile to the weft, and extends to the Humber.
But to return from this digreffion : at Spittle in
the Street was a chapel and hofpital founded be-
fore the fixteenth of king Edward the Second,
and dedicated to St. Edmund ; it was augmented
by Thomas Afhton, canon of Lincoln, in the
reign of kin^ Richard the Second, and is yet in
being, under the care of the dean and chapter of
Lincoln. •
End of the Fifth Volu.\ie.
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