>0% c }<:::>05<0<:^>0X0< Digitized by the Internet Archive- in 2014 https://archive.org/details/tunbridgewellsguOOspra eal 1 fu^s ridge Wells — Guide; — O/' An Account of the ancient andprefent State of that Place , Towns and Villages, 'Remains of Antiquity, Gentlemens Seats , IFounderies , Sec. Sec . a r/rr/t Mount Pie af ant. < ftrjv % BRiz>GE Wells* Printed and Sold by J.Sprange , at his Circulating Library^ SoM aifb in LOKTDON, by T.Beecro/t Boo?c/h?Zer Faterlfo/hrRotv . MDCCLXXX. - EAlLofDAMY, B aron Ofb orue of Kiw ton 8c B arone tt ; &JC&Td&Tof/£e ?/ios£m>fi?e Order of Jke aAJUTJSJt Sc. G ( /////// /s/s * fe'/ /'rr/?/> ^88888888888888888888888888388888888888888888868^ PREFACE. JsjO pains have been /pared, nor expences re- garded, to make the following work in- JlruQive and entertaining to the public, parti- cularly thofe who vifit Tunbridge Wells in the Summer Sea/on. The Hi/lorical Account of Tunbridge Wells* publifned Jbme years jince, was a work of merit* and j iidicioufly arranged, according to the Jlatt of the place at that time, and the bad condition of the roads round it, whereby a defcription of the neighbouring Towns, Seats, and Monuments of Antiquity, ( a fezo only excepted J where ren- dered unneceffary to be defcribed ; but, the Amufements and Regulations of the place, having undergone a thorough change fince that ti?ne, and the roads leading every way jrom it, become exceedingly good, from being made turnpike^ this little work therefore comprehends a fliort Defcription of every Place, Building, or An- tiquity, within the circumference of Sixteen Miles. For the perftclion of which, the mojl valuable materials have beertKolletled from authentic Re- A cords, f v ) cords, the bejl efteemed Authors, and the venerable Repo/itories of Ancient Manufcripts f arched, to prefent the public with a copious detail of hifto* . rical facls*- As the generality of perfons are apt to be Jlruck with reverential awe and pleajing melan- choly, at the gloomy profpecl of mouldering ruins*, or ftanding monuments of antiquity \ and as this country r but particularly the neighbour- hood of Tunbridge-Wells, affords, in a very am* pie manner that folemn pleafure to reflecling -minds ; it has been judged proper to infert a ■concifc account of whatever merits the attention of the Antiquary, the Curious, and the Penfive. This Guide is likewife meant to accompany Families in their Airings. A Mb? of the Roads comprehending the fame diftance round the Wells which was pubufhed merely for the accommoda- tion of the Company fince the alteration of the roads?, and which may be pur chafed feparate^ will be found a- very uftful Appendage. The hurry in putting this to the pre/}, may have fuhjecled it to fome few errors, and incor- reclnefs of exprefjion, which it is hoped the candid public will overlook ; as the Publiflxer f atter s himfelf that the Plan of it will be found Jo calculaUd r as to anfwer every purpofe intended m THE f f iii ) THE € O N T E N T S. PART the frtf T, ita'ag* ^ hijlorical Account of the Place. SSEMBLY Rooms and other places of Amufement firft at Rufthall Common and Southborougli — 26 Ditto removed to Mount Ephraim 30 Adam's Well, account of, - . — 34 Air of T.unbridge- Wells r — 45 Buildings and improvements, the pFOgrefs of the«n to the prefent time — 20 High Rocks defcribed - — 312 Royal Family, fevcral of them vifit Tunbridge- Welk, — 15, 5259, 32, S9> 43 A 2 State [ » ] State of the place defcribed during the firft thirty years alter the difcovery, 12 Gold Baths, account of, - — 41 Chapel built, - — 35 Waters, the medicinal ones, firft difcovered, — Quantity drank formerly - 24 — Treated on 49 — Time and manner of drinking them, with obfervations on the diet proper for patients - - - — 61 Walk, the public one, length of it men- tioned - - - - - 38 ■ — with the {hops and buildings thereon de- firoyed by fire 7 - - 37 PART SECOND. State of the place, particularly the public walks, defcribed at the prefent time 1 Amufements of the company in the time of the feafon - - - - 14 Mount-Sion Hill defcribed -V 6 Mount-Pleafant ditto — > — 7 Mount- Ephraim ditto • — — 8 Bilhop's Down ditto. — — 10 Rules and Regulations published by the Mafter of the Ceremonies — — 20 Places Places in the Neighbourhood dejcribed, in Part Second. Afhhurft — 38 Bounds — 39 Bradbourn . — 88 Bayhall - — 110 Brenchley - 112 Bokinfold - — II3 Broad ford - ™ 117 Bay ham Abbey - I46 Bedgcbury - — I56 Burwaih - 163 Buckhurft — *73 Lhariord * 30 and 177 ^» i Cowden 1 1 — 39 Chiddingftone 1 " ■ ~ 55 Chevening * — 87 Combwell ■ — 1*7 Cranbrook — »39 Court Lodge — ~ »5* Crowborough Hill - 167 Clatford - 176 Edenbridge - 58 Eaft-Peckham — 102 Eaft Grinftead — 174 Frant ~ M5 Pinch- ( v * ) Finchcocks — Groombridge -*~ 35 Goudhurft — mS Olaftqnbury — 128 Ditto, Lift of the Paintings there, m JHever-Place — Hever-Caille — — <57 Hadlow — too J-Jorfmonden — — • MS Hempfted - — ■ — H*iwkhurft — — Hall-Place — — H Kfpington — ■ — % Knowle — Ditto, Lift of the Paintings, 9 S JYIQDIOOK — »74 Lamberhurft — 150 Lamberhurft Furnace M9 Montreal — {J Mereworth — lOg Ditto, Lift of the Paintings, %06 Matfield — 112 Mayfield - — 16,5 Otford . — 9 e Oxon Heath — - 10© Penfhurft - — 40 Penfhurft, Lift of the Paintings there, ® Powder Mills — m 107 Pens Perms in the Rocks 177 Riverhead ~— 84 Roydon Hall — — — 103 Rothersbridge — • 16ft Role Hill — »»4 Rotherfield — *6 5 South Park — 54 Speldhurft 3° Sevenoaks - ~ O CO 5*Ik Mills mm* O 04 Somerhill — mm 10S Siffingherft *43 Scotney *54 Stonecrouch 158 Stoneland 171 Tunbridge Ticehurit 101 T 7 1 C 1 J Uckficld — 109 Wilderneft § 9a Wateringbury 107 Woodfgate 10& Wadhurft 160 Withyham 170 Yokes Place 101 APPEN- f viii ) APPENDIX. Lodging-Houfes at Tunbridge- Wells, Lift of. Stage Coaches, Waggons, and Poll, eftablifhed at Tunbridge Wells, to London. Roads, diftant ones, from Tunbridge- Wells, defcribed. TUNBRIDGE- THE TUNB RIDGE*- WELLS DIRECTORY. INTRODUCTION, $888&$ HERE arc many traditional ac- ^ ^ ^ counts of the firit difcovery of thofe 3§8$$8& celebrated fprings of chalybeate water, nowfo univerfally known by the name ofTun- bridge-wells. And that there fhouid be fome miraculous ftories amonglt others, cannot be an objeel of wonder to thofe who know, that the origin of places, as well as moll of the dif- coveries that have been ufeful to mankind^ were, in the dark ages of fuperilition and prieitcraft, generally afcribed to the extraordi- aary interpofition of fome avaritious faint, whofc credit the monks of the tirrie found iJiemfelves interefted to advance, B And f 1 And-this not only gave rife to the mul- titude of fabulous incidents that have attend- ed almoft every popular difcovery, but had aifo left fo ftrong an impreffion in the breafts of our anceftors, that even the banifhment ^f popery could not totally eradicate their fondnefs for miracles, and their violent pro- penfity to fwallow the abfurd tales of defigning 1 knaves. This might be illuftrated by many inftarices from hiflory and obfervation ; but, as it is a faft fo obvious, that few will take upon them to deny it, I rather chufe to begin immediately the relation of the Jiory I have undertaken, than needlefsly employ my time irr disproving abfurdities : it is, however ; requifite to pre- rnife, for the fatisfaftion of my readers, that the ftory I have been fpeaking of, and am now haflening'to relate, is not only better attefted than any other on the fame fubjeft, but is alfo hy much the' moll admiffible, becaufe it is the only one unattended with miraculous, or, at: leaft, very improbable incidents* If is true, there are no corroborating cir- cumftances to be produced from hifiory, or antique < 3 ) antique monuments, to afcertain the truth of -the following narrative, which is chiefly ga- thered from verbal information; and therefore -I dare not take upon me to prove the whole to the fatisfaftionx^f a nice critical enquirer ; but as the perfons from whom I have it are, or were, people of integrity in the common con- cerns of life, no ways biaiTed by interefted views to relate falfehoods, and above all im- . mediately defcended from thofe who were Jiving at the time, and principally concerned in thefe tran factions, I cannot entertain the leaft doubt of the truth of it myfelf. The firft clifcovery of the medicinal water at Tunb ridge- TV dls. J^UDLEY Lord North was a diftinguifheil nobleman in king James's court, or rather in the court of Prince Henry, his fon, where he entered into all the gallantries of the times with a vivacity and fpirit, which however en- tertaining to others, was attended with very difagreeable confequences to himfelf, fince it was not only deftructive to his fortune, but ru- inous to his conllkuuon aifo. This ( 4 ) This yoitng nobleman had reached his twenty fourth year, when he fell into a lingering, con-* fumptivc diforder, that baffled the utmoft ef- forts of medicine, and abfolutely deprived him of all capacity for enjoyingthofe pleafures which hitherto he had too frequently indulged. In this melancholy fituation it became neceffary for him to live more regularly than he yet had done ; and, in order the better to enable him to fall into a new plan with facility, it was judg- ed expedient to feparate him from the fcenes of pleafure, in which he muff unavoidably con- tinue to be engaged, while he remained in the vicinity of the court : upon this principle, his friends and his phyficians advifed him to retire into the country, and try the efficacy of that lad remedy, change of air, for the re-eftablifli- ment of his conffitution. In confequence of this judicious advice, his lordfhip, in the fpring of the year i6o6 5 made Kridge-houfe * the place of his retreat. * Eriagc-houfe is about two miles from Tunbridge* Wei le- aflet is mentioned in the following manner by the late Mr. Aa- ron Kill in a letter to Mr. David Mallet: <4 'Twas an obliging wiffe you fent me — " all the real plca- " Aires of retirement." — " That a&ual happineis once, abou t •* thirty years ago, I was on the very verge of, in the neigh- Eritdgc ( v5 ) Eri'clge was then a hunting-feat belonging to- Lord Abergavenny* and has everfince continu- ed in the pofleflion of his noble defcendants, though it is now reduced to a plain farm houfe. The building is an ancient gothic ftruchire, that appears, notwith (landing its prefent ruinous condition, to have been an agreeable retire- ment from the attendance of a court. The fi- tuation is in the higheft degree romantic, the gardens were elegantly difpofed in the tafte of that age, the foil dry, the air pure and healthful and no country can afford finer riding; fo that on the whole, one can hardly conceive an idea of a place more properly adapted to reftore health to a confumptive habit : but then, to counterbalance theie advantages, it was fituated in one of the mod favage parts of the county of Suflex, and, by its diftance from all neigh- bourhood, fccluded its inhabitants from all in- tercourfe with the relt of mankind. " bourhood of the rocks and trees youcorrefpond w ith. There «' is a place called Eridge-park, belonging to lord Abergavenny* «* and an open, old, appropriated forreft of the name of Watc ?- down, that butted on the park inclolurc. There was aif'o r; near it then a houfe called Eridge-houfe. The park was an <4 afTcmblage of all nature's beauties — hills, vales, foifjofci, M lawns, groves, thickets, rocks, water-falls, all wil&Iy 8©l>Se ■ 4 * and irregularly amiable." Kill's Wd;s, inh I I. Lord ( 6 ) Lord North was advifed to continue In this manfion daring the whole fummer, but the wild afpefi: of the country, and the unfocial fi- tuation of the place, wer$ fo incompatible with the lively difpofitions of this gay young cour- tier, that he foon grew we,ary of his retreat. And, in this difpofiuon pf mind, he formed a refolmion of returning to town long before thq expiration of the appointed time, unlefs he fhould experience thofe falutary benefits from the air, which his phyfjeians had flattered him with the hc/pe of receiving. However, his lordfhip. at the repeated in- fiances of his Iriends, and in order to give the country a fair trial, was prevailed upon to con- tinue yet another fix weeks at EHdgtj; when, finding his diforder rather increafed than di- miniihed, and particularly that his fpirits were greatly lowered, he was fatisfaflorily convinced that the air alone was a very infurlicient coun- terpoife againftthe effects of the dreary folitude in which he was immerfed, and confequently would go but a little way towards relioring his health to its prilline ftate : his lordfhip there- fore, rejecting all follicitation to remain any onger here, abruptly quitted this retired man- fun, and began his journey to London. Thus Thus was this young nobleman travelling t© the great metropolis, in a more defperate and melancholy condition than ever, being deprived of the flattering hopes that his fanguine friends and his phyficians had infpired, and with no other pro (peel in view but that diirnal one of a grave in the fir ft bloom of manhood, with- out in the leaft fufpeciing that, in leaving this country, he was flying from the remedy ap- pointed by providence for the cure of his di-? forder. But, fortunately for him, his road lay di» reftly through the wood in which thefe ufeful fprings were concealed from the knowledge of mankind ; fo that, when his lordlhip came up- on the fpot, at Ue beginning of his journey, and while he had the day before him, he could not well pafs by without taking notice of a water, which feemed to claim his attention, on account of the lfoining mineral fcum that every where fwam on its furface, as well as on account of the ochreous fubftance which fub- fided at the bottom, and marked its courfe to a neigbouring brook. His lordlhip accordingly obferved thefe uncommon appearances, the meaning of which he could not inftantly com- prehend ; f 8 .) prehend ; howerer, they induced him to alight from his carriage, in order to examine it more attentively ; 2nd at the fame time he ordered one of his attendants to borrow a little vefTcl from the neighbouring hovel, that he might talle it : and the peculiar ferruginous tafte of the water not only convinced Lord North, that it held its courfe through fome undifcovered njne, contained in the dark cavities of the earth, but alfo gave him room to. fancy, that it was endued with fome medicinal properties, which might be beneficial to the human race. As a drowning man is faid to catch at a ftraw, fo his lordthip, as foon as he had in imagination made this important difcoverv, began to hope it would be ufeful to hiinl * f ; and therefore commanded his fervants to bottle off fome of the water, in order to coniult his phyficians upon this fubjeci, as foon as he could get to London. From whence the bottles were procured up- on this occafion, it is not now very eafy to de- termine ; but that Lord North fent fome part or his retinue back to Bridge for as many as were nec-;Tar\% is very probable : at ieafl; it is { 9 1 $ot likely they were to be had nearer, as that time the whole of the furrounding country was rough woods, and uncultivated forefts, -^without .either houfe or inhabitant, except that which his Lordfliip had juft quitted, and one little cottage very near the fpring, in which lived the woman from whom his fervants bor- rowed the wooden bowl, that his lordfliip drank, out of when he tailed the water. Be this as it will, fome of the water was car- ried to London, the phyficians were confulted upon its virtues, and their judgment fo perfectly coincided with Lord North's opinion, that they Immediately left town to examine it on the fpot. We have no particular account of the procefc they ufed on this occafion ; but, as their fole bufijiefs was to difcover the nature and properties of the water, they undoubt- edly exerted all their {kill, and tried all the experiments, the then infant ftate of ehemi- ftry would admit of, to anfwer this important end : however, though we are unacquainted with the method they purfued,, we are aifured the refult. of their inquiries proved fo favourable to this hitherto ne f L r iefted fpring, that they hail- ed back again to publifh its valuable qualities^ and to give their noble patient fufficient en- C courage- f 10 ) couragement to try its efficacy, on die returW of the vernal feafon. Accordingly, as foon as warm weather came on,- and the roads were dry enough to render a journey practicable, lord North returned to -Eridge to add the power of the water to the pu- rity of the air, and try how far their united force would contribute to reltore ftrenmh and vigour to hisfhattered conftitution. And, not- withstanding the low condition to which he was by this time reduced, the fuccefs he met with more than anfwered his molt fanguine expec- tations, infomuch that, after about three months continuance in this * now delightful country, lie returned to town fo perfectly freed from all his complaints, that we cannot find he ever af- terwards experienced the lealt return of his di- sorder, though we are a fibred he again gave himfelf up to all the gallantries of the age, and lived in the full indulgence of every pleafure, till after the death of the accomplished prince Henry, when he + retired from the pedantic court of James to his country feat at Catlidge in Cambridgefhire, where he lived more hon- ourably upon the remains of his fortune, than ever * Health makes the gloomy face of nature gay, Gives beauty to the fun, and luftre to the day. + Vide Noitn s Lives— and Collins's Peerage, ( 1* ) /ever lie had done before, and died on the i6tb of January, 1666, at the advanced age of eighty five. It is from this recovery of an eminent noble- man from the verge of the grave, that we muft date all the honours to which Tunbridge-wells has riien. And, if we trace Its frory to the head, it will appear, that only fo trifling an incident, as the colour of the ground about the water of a wild unufeful wood, has filled the defert with inhabitants, and made plenty faille over the barren heath ! The Tfie flute of the place during the fir fl thirty years; after the difcovery of the water. ORB North, immediately ori this almoft miraculous re-eftablifhrnent of his health, ?)y repairing io the court of his royal mafter, as was before obfervedy idmtrfdifd the rumour of his having difcovcrecf f hefe valuable fprings of inedicinal water ; of the excellency of which, lie was himfelf ati iwconteftable evidence to all tli aft had known Irim in his part languifliing and deplorable condition, when his whole fyftem bore the appearance of an univerfal decay, and tiature itfelf feemed haitening to its period. And, as this water had its rife on the bor- ders of Lord Abergavenny's eltate, this very fufHcient proof of its merit induced that noble- man to intereft himfelf in its prefervation, and with this view, to make the place as covenient as the nature of the country would admit of, to the many invalids that, it was reafonabfy conjeftured, would fly to it for a refuge from their various diforders. * v Lord Abergavenny wes fo much in earned in this important undertaking, that he came to Eridge ( J 3' ) firidge *on purpofe to profecute It with vigour « and, having obtained leave of Mr. Weller of Tunbridge, who was at that time lord of tMd manor, his lordlhip ordered the ground about the fprings' to be cleared ffom the furrounding* rubbHh, and fe'ntfof an eminent rraturaH ft front London, with whofe afliltaiice he diftinguifhecf the two principal of feven feveral fprings, for fo manv were at firft discovered; and over thefe his lordlhip ordered wells to be funk, a {tone pavement to be laid round, and the whole to* be inclofed with wooden rails in a triangular form. From henceforth this excellent water became a fubjefl of public difcourfe, and ftS vail effi-- cacy, in removing many diforders to which the human body is incident,- was fufFrciently evidenced by the recovery of many who Ven- tured on the trial ; but the pFace i'tfeff comrnu-* 'ed feveral years in the fame defolate condition with only a very few inconsiderable improve- ments, fuch as cutting down fome of the wood, clearing ofTthofe bufhes that were troublefome to the water-drinkers, and making the road from Tunbridge-town more convenient than when it was lefs frequented* C *4 ) Tins flow progrefs in embelliming the coun- try was probably occafioned by the uncertainty of its proving beneficial to the owners, as well as to the manners of the age, and the carelefs- nefs of thofe who attended merely for the rer lief that the watery afforded. The owners, indeed, at that time, could haVe but little room to imagine that Tunbridge- Wells would ever become fo eminent among t he votaries of pleafure as it now is. London had abfolutely engroffcd all the fafhionable a T mufements to herfelf; gaming, intrigue, and /ever}' other diverfion invented to kijl time, and gratify the reiilefs paffions of man, were con- fined to her precin&s alone, and only exifted during the winter months. The fummer was a feafon of languor and difcontent. The people of iafhion had no agreeable retreats in which they could be together, and purfue thofe a- mufements which had employed them in the winter. The healthy flew to their country- ieats, and pafied their time in a wearifome lolitude, amidft a company whofe Ration and planners were incompatible with their own. The fick, that reforted to the mineral waters of Tunbridge, had only the recovery of health in view, and propofed to themfelves no other pieafures pleafurcs but fbih as were intirely rural. Trig company, thus afiembled, formed no general fociety. The amufements of the gentry were few, confined, and felfifh. The great brought with them all the haughtinefs of nobility, and knew not how to let themfclves down with grace. In fhort, delicacy,- pohtenefs, and ele- gant pleafiTes, were then but j lift bud drug forth irom amidft the rubbifh of Gothic barbarifm, and, till thefe were grown to fucb a height as to be difcernible amongft us, Tunbridge- Wells w r as not elteemed a place of pleafure, in which the people of faihion might depend upon being agreeably amufed. During this period* Tunbridge-town was- the neareft place where any lodgings could be procured, and therefore was generally pretty much crouded in the water-drinking feafon, which ufually began in May and continued to Oclober. But nothing very remarkable happened in this country from the firJt difcoycry of its fprings, till the arrival of queen Henrietta Ma- ria, wife of Charles the fiifr, who was fent here by her phyficians, for the re-eflabliftimenfe of her health, after the birth of prince Charles, .which happened on the 29th of May, 1630. { i6 ) It is faid of this young queen, who was the firft of the royal family that ever honoured Tunbridge -Wells with their prefence, that, at this time, Ihe had perfonal charms which every day grew more lovely in the eyes of her huC- Jband ; and fhe fo well underftopd their proper ( iife, as, alter tli€ death of P##^gliaro, in- tirely t.p fepi ptiy ate his "heart >; -but, jbeing a fo- reigner, and, upon her fir ft arrival inJEng.land, •flighted as fhe imagined, by the king, and really ill-treated by the favourite, .ihe did not enter- tain any very advantageous prepoffeffions for the court ; and, afterwards, the difputes be- tween Chades and his parliament gave her flili lefs room to love the people. This unhappy prejudice againft.the whole nation was fufficient to awaken the fpirit of a Medieis, and perhaps led her into fome errors ; it certainly was the foundation of much uneafmefs to her during .the future part x)f her life, and the probable caufe pi her difyeliih for this kingdom, even after the reiteration, However, notwithstanding this, £he ever behaved with proper civility to all, and to fome Ihe was mod obligingly kind. In the days of her profperity (he was fond of mafks and dancing, and in this place, which, on ac- count of its rural afpeft, and truly romantic appearance, was well calculated for the purpofe, fome ( w ) fame were performed before her, that were v extremely ingenious, as well as magnificent* The queen continued about fix weeks at the Wells, and dwelt in tents the whole time. Her camp was pitched upon Bifhop ; s-down com- mon, and certainly diffufed a fplendor and mag- nificence over this wild country, to which it had hitherto been an abfolute flranger; but, except the honour of her prefunce, and the clearing of the common to make room for her tents, the place received no benefit from her majefty's fuccefsful refidence in it. The curiofity of this g$y young queen in- duced her one day to walk from the Well a little way into the county of Suffex, where fhe wandered about till, at length growing weary, fhe fat down oil a bank beneath the made of a fpreading birch for refreshment ; and, when fh@ had fufficiently relied herfelf, fhe arofe, and ordered a flone to be placed there, as a memo- rial of her travels in that county, not then in the leaft prefaging how many counties fho was in a few years afterwards deflined to travel through. A complimentary latin in- fcription was ingrav^d on this Rone by one of ( M ) hef majefty's attendants; but Oliver's rude partizans prevented its reaching poilerity. — » Such generally are the effefts of licentious re- bellion, which is at all times deftruftive of the arts, and attended with ruin and confufion. The OueenVftone, an ale'houfe in the road to Frant, is built where this monument was 4 placed, and the fign * , which hung there till within thefe few years, was drawn from a view of the iione itfeff ; but the infcription is no where preferred. * <• It is in remembrance of this queen, that Dr. Rowzee, in his little valuable trcatife on this water, calls the place " Queen-Mary 's-Wells ; r ' hut this name was never very generally ac- cepted, and probably becaufe it was the lafl given to it. At this cfiftance of time it is a dif- ficult matter to ascertain what name the place was at firfl: diltinguimed by ; but, as K* Kil- tkirne,*' in his " Survey of Kent,'"' calls it " Frant- Wells," we may with fome fort of affurance conjecture that this was the name originally given to the place by lord Aberga- venny ; * U is bow the.fign of the BJack Do£* t >9 ) venny ; and this conjefture muft receive great .additional flrength from confidering, that his lordihip's eftate, in that neighbourhood, is fi- tuated in the parim of Frant. J3ut thefe names are now mtirely loft; and " Tunbridge-Wells" is univerfaily adopted in their ftead. It will be difficult to account for this more judicioufly than Dr. Rowzee has al- ready done, in his before-mentioned neglefled treatife — " They have their name, fays he, V from this town, as being the nearefi town in V. Kent to them" — and, it may be added, as being the place where the company ufually re- fided, when they mil began to drink the wa- ter medicinally. It feems reafonable to imagine, as the jprings rife in " Speldhurft-parilh,'' no name would have more readily occurred, or beei> more juftly applied, than that of 41 Speld- hurft- Wells but, as every thing of this kind depends upon capricious circumllances, and is in itfelf of very little real importance, an^ at- tempt to change the name, which the place has fo long been known by, and which is now fo univerfaily and fo firmly eftahlifbed by tim; D 2 and ( ^ 5 snd cuflom, cannot be more ineffectual than- it would be ridicuious. THE PROGRESS GF THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS AT TUN B RlI>GE-WELLS TO THE PRESENT TIME. ^pHIRTY years after the difcovery of the medicinal fprings at Tnnbridge-Wells, not- with (landing the acknowledged ufefulnefs of the wvter, the vail refort of company that every fea- fon attended to partake of its benefits, and the great inconvenience of lodc[ira> a€ the diliance of five miles from the fpot, the country con- tinued in the fame rough, wild, uncultivated fWfte that it was left in by Lord Abergavenny ; but, as a journey to Tunbridge became at length a fcheme of pleafure, and faihion drew ther young and the gav, as well as the difeafed and the old, the happy period arrived in which it could not longer remain in fo defolate a con- dition. The firft buildings creeled in the vicinity of the fprings were two little houfes,. or rather cottages, one for the accommodation of the ladies { ** ) faclies *, and the other for the gentlemen f< Thefe buildings were fo eflentially neceffary to- the convenience of the company, that it i$ amazing they were fo long delayed ; nothing: ftirety can paint in ftronger colours the care- Jelfnefs of the water-drinkers, and the want of forcfight in the country people, than this neg- left. The latter of thefe two houfes,. which in the prefent age might perhaps be called a coffee* houfe, was then named the Pipe-office, be- caufe there the gentlemen ufualiy met to con- verfe over a pipe, and a difh of coffee, wherf they had drank their proper quantity of water. It was cuftomary for them to pay half-a- crown fubfeription to this houfe, for the ufe of pipes, the privilege of reading the news- papers, and other little conveniences of the fame kind, inflead of which, the prefent cofFce- houfe fubfeription is five (hillings ; but, thro' the prevalence of ever-varying fafhion, pens, ink, and paper, are now fubftituted inilead of the difcarded pipe. In * Where Mr. Thomas Letter's garden now i j, f Mr. Kipping's furgoon and apothecary* In two years more, a green bank, now paved and called the " Upper walk," was raifed and leveled, and a double row of trees was planted on its borders to defend the company from the ylolence of the meridian fun. Under thefe trees the tradefmen ufuaily ftco/i to dlfpofe of their goods in the hours of water-drinking, which was the only time they had to fell their different forts of merchandize in, becaufe the company lodged at too great a diltance to ap- pear ampngfjt them above once a day. The next year they began to build a few houfes for the accommodation of the company #t Southborough * and at Rulthall t. Theie * Southborough is about two" mile? and a half from the Wells, and there are ftilj remaining two or three tolerable houfes at that place ; though in general they are gone to decay, and have been bought oft and rebuilt at Tun bridge-town and Tunbridge- Wells. At the tune when parties raged very high, previous to the grand rebellion, and many years afterward«s, the royaiiils lodged at this place, and the round-heads at Ru:!> hall : each party thus chufing to be as far divided from each other in their dwellings, as they were in the difpofrtion of their minds. ► + Rufthall is about one mile from the Wei's, and is fo called rom its ancicut proprietors, whole names were Rutl, one of whcift ( 23 ) Thefc buildings were fmall and few at firft, rather fuited to the circumftances and appre- henfions of the builders, than to the companv they were intended for ; but the water was now in fuch high reputation, that people gladly- put up with any inconveniences on its account • and therefore, when thefe new houfes were full, would pay an extravagant price for cot- tages, huts, or any place to fcreen them from the weather, rather than return home without partaking of the benefits thereof. The elegant poet Waller has immortalized thefe fprings, and fufficiently evidenced their celebrity about this time, by alluding to their falutary properties in a charming little poem addreffed to his Sacharifla. Complaining of the cruel indifference of this haughty beauty, the poet exclaims, in b 2 imita- whom was mayor of Fevcrmam in the time of King Henry fixth. The Prefbyterians wanted to build them a conventicle at this place, when it was in the mod flourifliing Hate; but, though it was chiefly fupported by that feci:, the landlord 1 efufed to fell them a foot of land for that purpofc, even at the mo ft extravagant price ; fo inveterate was the hatred that Churchmen then bore to Prefbyterians. ( 2 4 ) imitation of Patroclus * in the fixteemh Iliad, that " ihe could not be a Sidney, nor fpring from her mother and then paflionately goes on ; " . - - - - - to no human flock " We owe this fierce unkindnefs , but the rock, 61 That cloven rock produe'd thee, by whole fide '* Nature, to recompence the fatal pride u Of fuch item beauty, plac'd thofe healing fprings; " Which not more help, than that deftru&ion brings. 1 * The quantity of water, ufuaily drank in this age, certainly defer ves our notice ; it is indeed fo truly amazing and incredible, that I could not venture - to mention it on any traditional reports ; but, as Dr. Rowzee, who lived at the time, and was himfelf an eye-witnefs of the fa6t, has given the detail in a book * which he wrote and publifhed on the fpot, it cannot very well be difputed— take it then in his own words — " Now * O man unpitying* if of man thy race ; But fare thou fpring 'ft not from a foft embrace, Nor ever anrrous hero gave thee birth y Nor ever tender goddefs brought thee forth. Some rugged rocks hard entrails caus'd thy form, And raging leas produe'd thee in a florm, A foul well fuiting that tempeftuous kind, So rough thy manners, fo untam'd thy mind. + Entitled " The Quecn's-wells, &c, by Lodowick Row- -ce< M. D,' ; Licenfed in 1-63.7, but not publifhed till 167 u I'm ) " Now for the whole quantity of water 4o €i be taken in a morning, you fhali fee fome <*' that rife very high, even to three hundred* V ounc es, according to Neftor's years ; yea, and H fome a greater quantity. And it is a thing that & will make the very women there filling their u glaffes to laugh, to fee fome patients fent u thither by ignorant phyficians, and appoint- ¥ to take teA or twelve ounces of water, mid " arife perhaps to twenty or thjrty t ounces. " But this may be a rule for a body of com- $ f petent years and ftrength, to begin at thirty " forty, pr fifty ounces., and to arife by de- " grees, increafing their quantity every day, c ' to an hundred jj, an hundred and fifty, or " two hundred ounces, more or lefs, as they " lhall be able ; and fo again to decline and decreafe by degrees, ending where they be* f gan." The trouble and confufiqri hi which the >vhole kingdom was involved, during the ten E follow- * Eighteen pints three gill. •f About one pint three quarters. t From almoft two pints .to Something more than throe J) From fix pint* and a half to twelve pints and a qufrjtty following years, fdfficiently accounts for the total negleft of any improvements in this place, throughout the whole of that bloody period; but when the nation became a little fettled, and began to tafte the fweets of re- turning peace, we find Tunbridge- Wells z& much in vogue as before. In a fhort time after this, they had an aiTembly-room, a bowling-green, and other places appropriated to public diverfions it liuflhall ; and at Southhorough, too, they had n bowling-green, a coffee-houfe, and a great number of good houfes' for lodgings. But, jfotwithflanding thefe improvements, the place ftill continued in an infant Hate. Its advan- tages were certainly much increafed ; but ma- ny tilings were wanting to make it convenient either to the company, or the inhabitants, and many more to compleat it for a place of public entertainment. The houfes were too far dif- tant from the fprings, and in bad weather the water was ufelefs, becaufe there was no place of iheher to fcreen the drinkers from ks vio- lence, while pra&ifing their neceffary cxercife e In this (im-ation of things, if a fadden ihower happened to fall in the hours of attendance upcK ( 27 ) upon the well, it is eafy to imagine the huny and confufion it mull occafion among ft the company expofed to it. The poor tradefmen too had their full {hare of thefe diilreffes, and frequently mult have had their goods greatly damaged, when acci- dents of this kind were not timely foreleen, and effeclually guarded againft. — But now we turn to better times. — In the year 1664, the old rails, placed round the Wells by Lard Abergavenny, were dif- placed, and a ftrong (tone wall built round them, inftead of this wooden one. This work ->vas executed at the expence of lord Muikerry, fon to the fecond Earl of Clancarty, a brave young nobleman, who loll his life, the year flfter, fighting againft the Dutch in Southwold- bay *. He was then lord of the manor, arid his E 3 arms * This naval engagement, fo glorious to the English nation, was fought on the 3d of June, 1-665. The Engiiih fleet, con- fiding ot ,an hundred and fourteen mips, and twenty-two thoufand men, was commanded by the Duke of Yorlt, Prince Rupert, and the Earl of Sandwich; and the Dutch, of nearly .^equal^ force, by the brave and experienced Admiral Obdam. .At iirlt things went very equally on both fides ; but 3 about ( ** ) &rms * were placed in the arch of the gat eway leading to the fprings. This young noblemari renewed the ftone pavement within the watt; placed a handfome bafon over the main fpringy for Koon. Lord Sandwich, by an excellent: manoeuvre, fell' into the eenter of the adverfe fleet, and, dividing them, began that tonfufion which foon ended in their total defeat. The Dutch loft on this ocvafion at leait thirty mips, and tix thousand men'; whereas the Englifn, according to the bell accounts, loft only one fhip and about live hundred men. The Duke of York behaved with remarkable bravery dur- ing the whole a6tion. He continued fome hours in the thickeft of the fire, and had leveral perfons of diftin&ion killed ch board his own fr>ip, particularly Lord Falmouth, the king's tmworthy favourite ; the hononrable Mr. Boyle, yqungeii fon to the fori of Burlington ; and Lord Mufkerry, " a youug <; nobleman (fays Clarendon *] of exti aordinary courage and * f expectation ; who had been colonel of a regiment of foot 44 in Flanders, where he had done the king fome eminent fer- <; vice, and had the general cftimation of an excellent officer." Thefe three were all killed with one (hot, fo near to his royal highnefs. that his hand was wounded with one of their fkulls, and he was covered over with their blood and brains. * Vide Clarendon's Life, pag. 266, and for further particular of this eminent young nobleman, who appears to have been equally beloved by his foircreign, his foldiers, and his tenants, ice Clarendon's Hiitory, vol. 3d, pages 168, and 475—to 477. * Thefe arms were pulled down in the great law-fuit be. ■ vceri the lord and tenants of the manor, which commenced abtilit the year 1726 : and the arch itielf was taken down when ; be Wells were repaired in the year 1743, ©r 1744. The arms ipe ttiil to be feen behind Pinehbetk's anembly-room on the 'VV.>; 'TOO ffUVt) b"H>SS Oi y!lltlt25V th IMQSl I The ( 35 ) The annual increafe of company reforting to the Wells, encouraged the lord of the manor about this time to think of improving his eftate, by erecling mops and houfes ofc and near the walks ; he therefore entered into an agreement with his tenants, and hired the herbage of the manor on a fifty years leafe, at ten millings per annum each tenant, and then began to build upon the green bank, and in every convenient fituation near the fprings. And as Tunbridge-W ells was now become si populous and flourifhing village, both with refpecl: to its fettled inhabitants, and the com- pany that annually reforted to it for health or pleafure, the piety of our anceflors made them think it neceffary to build an houfe to the honour of God, left the diftance from every church, together with the various amufements, and continual diflipations of a public place, ihould entirely fufpend the attention due to religious duties. For this purpofe a fubfeription was opened, in the year 1676, to raife a fund for building a chapel ; which fubfeription was continued, lyidiout intermiflion, till 1684, ^ v ^ en lt & L F 2 mounted ( 36 ) mounted to the fum of 1385I. This was judg- ed iufficient to defray the expences of the work, and a chapel * was accordingly built on ground given for that purpofe by lady Purbeck of Somerhill. This chapel was foon found by ■experience to be too Imall for the company, and therefore it was afterwards enlarged, and beautified, by a fecond fubfcription, begun in the year 1688, and clofed in 1696, the fum of which amounted to 900 k • In this chapel divine fervice is performed every day during the fummer feafon, and three times a week in the winter ; and the clergy- man is maintained by the voluntary fubfcrip- tion of the company that frequent the place. This fubfcription, at a medium, amounts to about 200 1. per annum. Adjoining to the chapel is a chanty fchool, for fifty or more poor boys and girls, who are there * This- chapel is dedicated to King Charles the martyr ! Vide Willis's Survey, vol. 3. App. p. 18. * There are two tables of the names of thefc fubferibers m the veftry-room of the chapel, a copy of which the author was advi fed oy ibme gentlemen to infert; but finding upoR enquiry that the number of names amounted to &6oo 3 h* WU fearfol of fwcllmg the bock too much* f 37 ) there inftrufted in the ufeful, not to fay ne- cellary, articles of reading, writing, and com- mon arithmetic, by the clerk for the time be- ing. This fchool is ftrpported by a contribu- tion collected at the chape! doors, at two dif- ferent times, in the feafon, when a charity fermon is preached each time, on the occafion. From this fchool, every other year, one boy is clothed, and apprenticed to fome fea- faring trade, by the benefattion of William Strong, Efq; who by his laft will, dated Au- guft, 1713, gave the annual rents of two little farms to this fchool, and the great fchool at Tunbridge, thus every year, alternately, to clothe and apprentice one feholar. It is alio farther ordered by the will, that the furplus, if at any time any remains, (hall be lent, upon- goon fecurity, to either of the boys for five years without intereih — -Mrs. Mary Coulter by will, dated May, 1775, hit 100I. in cha- rity to the faid fchool. In 1687 a fire broke out in the houfe, now called the Flat-houfe, at the bottom of the walk, by which the life of one poor child was loft, and ail the mops, and other buildings, fo lately ( 38 ) lately erefied on the green bank, were intirely confumed. But this accident, however terrible in iiTelf, was upon the whole not unferviceable to the place, becaufe, like ancient Rome if fmal! things may be compared with the greatefl, it rofe more glorious from its afhes, the buildings being afterwards more regularly planned, and better contrived, both for the convenience ol the inhabitants, and the orna r ment of the walks ; upon which, fmce this ac- cident, an affembiy-room, coffee-houfe, fhops^ and dwelling-houfes have been erected in one continued line, and aconvenient portico placed in front, and carried on from the upper end of the parade quite to the bottom, a few iicps from which is the ipring. The length of the Walk, from the upper-end to the fteps going off at the bottom, leading to the ipring, is an hundred feventy-five yards. In the ever memorable year 1688, Princels Anne of Denmark was at Tunbridge-Wells, and * {; Rome, properly (peaking, was at firft but a ferry vil- lagCj whereof even the principal inhabitants followed their <; own ploughs { and until it was rebuilt after the burrting of |t by the Can's, did not deicrve the name of a city. Sucli M were the beginnings of the capital of the world 1 . 5 ' Hookt's Rom. Hid. vol. 1. p. 22. I 39 ) in& fent her Gentleman Waiter, Colorid Sands, from thence to enquire after the health of the new-born fuppofed Prince of Wales ; at which vifit of the Colonel's fome remarkable circumftances * are faid to have happened, which, if the flory may be depended upon, mult greatly ftrengthen the opinion that thW pretended prince was an impofhion on the Britifh nation. This Princefs feveral feafons fucceilively honoured the place with her prefence, and wa$ a great benefaclrefs to it. She gave the b afore to the fpring called the " Queen Vwell" which is fituated on the left hand as you enter the area, and diftinguiihed from the other by its iron bars. In 1698. her Roval Highncfs brought her fon the young Duke of Gloiter, with her to the Wells, and was made fenfible of the utility of paving the walks by a fall which he got, in, his ,play with other children, juft after fome rain had increased the natural flipperinefs of the foil furrounding the fprings : and at her going away fbe left money for this purpofe in the hands of one of the principal inhabitants, wilk * Tiadal's Rapiia. vol, 11. p. 767^ ( 4<> ) with an inju&ion to get the work completed againft the enfuing fummer ; but he, vainly flattering himfelf the princefs would vifit the piace no more, knavifhly delayed the work lb long that her Royal Highnefs returned to the Wells before any progress was made in it. This negljeii very much difguflcd the Princefs, who thereupon initantly quitted the place^ and never deigned to enter it again ; but, be- fore (he went, fhe took effe&ual methods to have the pavement carried on with proper di- ligence, by deputing a fuperintendent, who never fuffered the work to be intermitted till it was imirely fmifhed. On the acceffion of this 'Princefs to the throne of Great-Britain, the inhabitants of Tunhridge- Wells, defirous of tranfmitting to pofierity feme teftimony of the fenfe they re- tained of the many favours conferred upon them by her Majelty, planted the H Queen's- grove" on the common, for a growing monu- ment of gratitude to their royal and generous benefa&refs. In 1708, the Cold-bath at Rufthall wag built by Mr, James Long at a very confiderable ex- ( 4* ) e^pence. This bath is efteemed equal to any in the kingdom* being mo ft plentifully fup- plied with the fined rock water from the neigh- bouring hills. The bath was at firft adorned with amufing water-works, and had a hand- feme and convenient houfe over it, in every room of which was fomethirig curious, calcu- lated to divert and furprife the company* The ground and gardens belonging to the bath were elegantly laid out, and embellifhed with fountains, and other ornaments fuitable to the place ; in fhort, the whole was moft com- pletely difpofed for a fcerie of amufement* But all this is now gone to decay through the want of management, and the negleft of the proprietors, who have fufTered the houfe to fall, and the gardens to lie wafte and wild; but the bath itfelf is well preferved, and lately a plain unornamented building has been raifed over it, which, though it retains none of the beauties of the former elegant ftrufture, is per* haps full as ufeful as the old one. Within thefe very few years, another Cold- bath has been erefted, about a furlong from the walks, which, on account of its nearnefs to the Wells, and its being neatly fitted up in G a ( 4* } a pretty retired fituation, will probably doff* tinue in ufe, though it certainly cannot in any refpeci be compared to the ancient bath. About the year 1726, the Lord of the Manor's building leafe expired, and as the tenants juftly imagined they had a right to " fome compenfation for the lofs of the herbage that was covered by his houfes, they claimed a' fhare in the, buildings. This occafioned a tedious law-fuit between the lard and the ten- ants, which, after a prodigious expence, was finally determined in favour of the latter, who Were adjudged to have a juft claim to a third part of the buildings, then erecled on the ef- tate, for their rights of herbage : whereupon' all the mops and houfes on this cftate were divided into three equal lots, of which the tenants were to draw one, and the other two were to remain with the lord ; and, luckily for the tenants, they happened to draw the middle lot, which included the affembly-room on the walk, and has turned out the bell: of the three. After this the landlord and tenants en- tered into a long agreement, to reilrain and prevent the increafe of buildings on the manor, which was confirmed and eliabhfhext by an *tct of ( 43 ) of parliament, that paffed the royal affent on the 29th of April, 1740. His Royal Highnefs Frederick, the late Prince of Wales, and her Royal Highnefs his confort, were at Tunbridge- Wells in 1739. Her Royal Highnefs the Princefs Amelia has frequently honoured the place with her prefence, and, particularly, was therein 1762, when his Royal Highnefs William Duke of Cumberland was alfo there. Their Royal Highnefles, the Dukes of York and Gloceller, were at Tunbridge- Wells about the middle of September, 1765. On their arrival they were welcomed by a triple difcharge of eighteen pieces of canncn, and in the evening the walks were mod fplen- didly illuminated, upon which occafions they always make a magnificent appearance. Their Royal HighneiTes continued there two nights, viewed the High-rocks and other beau- tiful environs of the Wells, entered, with that noble affability fo peculiar to their illuftrious family, into all the amufements of the place, G % and ( 44 ) and, notwithftanding the feafon's being fo fa declined, feemed at their departure to be much pleafed with their expedition, and the loyal reception they met with* The plate itfelf is now in a very flourifhing Itate, with a great number of good houfes for lodgings, and all neceflary accommodations for company ; its cuftoms are fettled, its pleafure* regulated, its markets and all other conveni* encies fixed, and the whole very properly adapted to the nature of a place, which is at once defigned to giy^ health and pleafure ty ill its vilitants. ( 45 ) Of the Air ^ Tu^bridge-Wells, g O M E account of the air of Tunbrldge^ Wells will certainly be efteemed necefiary to render this work tolerably compleat, becaufe as a public place reforted to by invalids for the recovery and re-eflablifhment of health, no- thing can be of greater importance than a knowledge thereof. Air is undoubtedly fuch a neceffary inftru- ment of life, that without it we cannot fubfiil for more than a few moments ; and it is very obvious to every reflecting mind, that, where it is impregnated with undue mixtures, it muft of courfe produce, or aggravate difeafes : from whence if follows that it is a duty highly in- cumbent on all who ftudy the prefervation of that health they now enjoy, and flill more fo upon thofe who would recover that which i s loft, to make choice of fuch a fituation as af- fords the freeft and moll equable air, where it is lealt impregnated with the noxious effluvia of fubterraneous exhalations, or loaded with the vapours continually arifing from a humid sfoil : and where, on the other hand, it is not r 10 ( 46 ) fo dry and attractive as too fad to imbibe the attenuating, lymph exhaled from the blood \ but rather, where the nature of the foil, the happy fituation of the place, and the hirer teft of ex- perience, all unitedly evidence its wholefome- nefs. ' And in all thefe refpecls, impartially fpeak- ing, the air of Tunbridge- Wells moft certainly excels. The country is not fo low and moift as to be fubjecl to thick fogs, or any marks of a vapourous air ; neither is it raifed to fuch an exalted height as to have its atmofphere too much rarified, or be too much expofed to the bleak northern or eaftern winds; from the laUer efpecially it is well defended by a long range of high hills. The foil of the country in general is tolerably fruitful, and even the moft barren parts of it are eafily cultivated, which evidences that the air, though naturally dry, is not too fharp and rigid for the human conftitution ; and the multitude of fweet herbs, as wild thyme, &c. with which the whole country is overfpread, affords a folic! proof of its fweetnefs and purity. On ( 47 } On the little hills of Mount Ephraim a*id Mount-Sion, it is remarkable that <* gentle fra- grant breeze unceaftngly prevails, through all the fummer months ; which, in the hotteft Weather, generally keeps them mild and tem- perate. And it is acknowledged by every au- thor who has occafionally mentioned the place,, as well as by thofe who have profelfedly wrote on the fubjefl:, that this air is extremely benign* pure and wholefome. And in all probability the air of Tunbridge- Wells has the additional advantage of being* in fome degree, impregnated with the effluvia of thofe healthful ingredients with which the water fo eminently abounds ; and, if this is the cafe, it muft of courfe not only render the fruit, the herbs, and the other aliments of the country, more wholefome, but alfo by this means, as well as by the fu&ion of the lungs,, and regular drinking, convey the falutary pro- perties of the water into the minuteft veffelg of the body. But, be this as it will, it is a certain facl, attefted by continually repeated experience, that aged people and all perfons of a idaxed and ( 4§ ) and Enfeebled conftitutiori do, almoft imme- diately upon coming into this country, per- ceive the happy eflfe&s of its air, by an in* vigoration of their bodily powers, and an ad- ditional fprightlinefs of mind, enabling them to communicate, and to receive every fociai plcafure with an unufual fatisfa&ion, never Known in the denfe fuliginous air of London* or in the loaded atmofphere of damp and va« pourous fituations. And this is fuch a con- vincing teftimony of the beneficial nature of the air of Tunbridge-Wells, as cannot fail of very ftrongly recommending it to thofe un* happy valetudinarians* whofe relaxed fibres loudly call for its a {lifting influence to renew their original elafticity, and to brace them up for future a&ion, V ( 45 ) A COPY of the firft DEED of GIFT, in truft, of the Chapel and the grounds whereon it was eretled, at Tun bridge- Wells, with a List of the Trustees appointed to it, and of the different Re- newals of them to the prefent time. O all to whom thefe prefents fhall come. The Right Hon. John Earl of Buck- ingham, and Vifcount Purbeck, only fon and heir of the Right Hon. Margaret Vifcountefs of Purbeck* deceafed, who was only daughter and heir of the Right Hon. Ulick, Earl of St. Albans and Marquis of Clanricard, deceafed ; Thomas Lake of the Middle-Temple, London, Efq; Thomas Weller of Tonbridge, in the county of Kent, Gent, and George Weller of Tonbridge, aforefaid, Gent, fend greeting. Whereas by the pious and charitable con- tributions of divers welUdifpofed perfons, a ftru&ure, or fabrick, for a chapel, for the ufe and exercife of Religious Worthip, and cele- bration of Divine Service, and hearing of Ser- mons, hath been erefted and built, divers years fince, upon a piece, or parcel of ground, ly- ing near Tonbridge- Wells, in the parifh of Tonbridge, in the county of Kent ; which faid piece of ground was formerly part of cer- tain lands, called Inhams, and part of the late * G park r £ 4& ) park, or foreft, of Southfrith. And whereas the laid lands, together with divers other lands where long fince granted in fee-fimpie, unto feveral perfons in mortgage, for fecurity of divers con- fiderable fums of money, the equitv of redemp- tion of the fame belonging to the faid Earl of Buckingham. And whereas the faid Earl of Buckingham, Thomas Lake, Thomas Weller, and George Weller, or fome, or one of them, have fmee paid and difcharged all the money due upon the faid mortgage ; and the eftate of the faid premifes is now by good conveyances and infurances in the law, and by the direction of the faid Earl of Buckingham, conveyed unto the faid Thomas Lake, Thomas Weller, and George Weller ; and they ftand feized thereof in fee-fimple. And whereas the faid Margaret, Vifcountefs of Purbeck, out of a fpe- cial and virtuous inclination to forward arid ad- vance the fervice and glory of God, as alfo to oblige the feveral Nobility, Gentry and Com- mons, that refort to the faid Chapel to hear Divine wService therein, and certain other con- fiderations, hath given, granted and conveyed, or hath mentioned to be given, granted and conveyed, unto the Right Rev. Father in Go.d, Thomas, Lord Billiop of Rochefter, and cer- tain other perfons, the faid ftrufture, fabrick, or chapel, and the ground thereunto belonging, and herein after particularly defcribed, in truft for the ufes aforefaid. And whereas fome cjuefiions [ 47 3 queftions have arifen concerning the fa id grant, in regard the faid Vifcountefs was not feized in fee-fimple of the faid prernifes at the time of making the faid grant. Now know ye, that the faid John Earl of Buckingham, of the like virtuous inclination, and to prevent all quef- tions and difputes, about the title of the faid mentioned to be granted prernifes ; and to the intent that the faid Earl may be deemed;, owned, and acknowledged to be the donor of the land, whereon the faid chapel is built, and benefafior thereunto ; and aifo by his di- rection and appointment the faid Tho. l ake, Thomas Weller, and George Weller, have given, granted, and conveyed, and by thefe prefents do give, grant, and convey, unto the Right Rev. Father in God, Thomas Lord Bifhop of Rochefter, Sir Humphry Miller of Weft-Peckham, in the county of Kent, Bart. W llliam Sherlock, Dean of St. Paul's, Lon- don, Charles Amherft, of Bayhail, in the county of Kent, Efq; who together with the faid Thomas Weller, are the furvivors of the Truftees formerly mentioned. And alfo unto The Right Hon. George, Baron of Aberga- venny, Sir George Rivers, of Chaffbrd, in the county of Kent, Bart. Sir Edward Northv, her Majefty's Attorney-General, Dr. Win. Cave, Canon of Windfor, Dr. Nathaniel Refbury, Rector of St. Paul's, Shadwell, in the county of Middlefex ; William Strong, of Tonhridge, t 48 J Efq; Jeffery Amherft, of River-Head, Efq; and John Dyke, of Frant, in the County of Suffex, Efq; newly named Truftees, in the room of thofe deceafed, and to their heirs and afligns, all the faid ftru&ure, fabricK, or cha- pel, and alfo all the ground thereunto belong- ing, now lying, being and containing as follow- eth ; viz. All the ground on the Weft, South- weft head of the chapel, from the chapel-wall to the utmoft bounds of the faid lands, late called Inhams a againft Waterdown-foreft, and the highway leading to Frant, containing in breadth fourteen feet, or thereabout. And all the ground from the north-weft fide of the faid chapel, and from the afore granted parcel un- to the utmoft bounds of the faid lands, called Inhams, againft Bifhop's-down and the parifh of Speldhurft, containing in breadth, from the iirft built chapel, forty feet ; and from the wall of the chapel, as it now ftandeth, ten feet, or thereabout ; and the ground lying at the north* caft head, or end, of the faid chapel, contain- ing in breadth feven feet, or thereabout, unto the palifadoes there now Handing ; and alfo the gallery and veftry-room, or houfe, lately e- refled over feveral rooms, heretofore in the pofTeflion of John Wyburne, and now of John Brett, tenant to the faid Earl, containing ia breadth, from the faid chapel-wall towards the fouth-eaft, ten feet, as the fame is now built and ftanding, and adjoining to ground former* ly ( 49 1 ly the garden of the faid John Wyburne, the faid gallery lying open to the faid chapel. And alfo leave, licence, and liberty, to come into the faid garden with workmen, inftruments and materials, at all times needful, to repair and a- mend the faid chapel, gallery and veftry, not doing any wilful damage or fpoil ; except and always referved unto the faid Earl, Thomas Lake, Thomas Weller, and Geo. Weiler, their heirs and affiges for ever, all the faid rooms and lodgings under the faid gallery and veftry, all which faid chapel, gallery, and veftry, and ground thereunto belonging, do ftand and lye in the pariih of Tonbridge aforefaid, in the faid county of Kent, and bound unro the faid forreft of Waterdown, and unto the common called Bilhops-down, towards the weft and north, and to the faid other part of the faid lands called Inhams, towards the eaft and fouth, to have and to hold the faid ftru&ure, fabric k, or chapel, veftrv and gallery, land and premifes above granted, with their appurtenances, unto the faid Right Rev. Father in God, Thomas, Ld. Bi(h. of Rochefter; Sir Humphry Miller, Bart. Dr. William Sherlock, Charles Amherft, the Right Honourable Baron Abergavenny, Sir George Rivers, Bart. Sir Edward Northey, Dr. William Cave, Dr. Nathaniel Refbury, William Strong, Jeffery Amherft and John Dyke, and their heirs, to and for the ufe and behoof of them, the faid Thomas, Lord Bifhop of [ 5° ) of Rochefter, Sir Humphry Miller, Dr. Wil- liam Sherlock, Charles Amherft, George, Ba- ron of Abergavenny, Sir George Rivers, Sir Edward Northcy, Dr. William Cave, Dr. Na- tl aniel Refbury, William Strong, Jeffery Am- herft, John Dyke, and the faid Thomas Wel- ler and George Weller, and of their heirs and afligns for ever IN TRUST never thelefs, and to the intent and purpofe that they the faid Thomas, Lord Bifhop of Rochefter, Sir Humphry Mil- ter, Dr. William Sherlock, Charles Amherft, George, Baron of Abergavenny, Sir George Rivers, Sir Edw. Northey, Dr. William Cave, Dr. Nathaniel Refbury, William Strong, Jef- fery Amherft, John Dyke, Thomas Weller and George Weller, and their heirs and affigns, do and Jhall permit and fuffer the faid Jlruclure, fabrick, or chapel, to be uftd and employed for ever, to and for the hearing, reading, iifing, and exercifng of Divine Service and Sermons, and other Religions Rites and Ceremonies for the zvor~ Jhip of God in the fame, according to the ufage of the Church of England, and to and for no feeidar or other ufe or purpqfe zvhatfoever. And aifo in further Trufl, that when, and as often, as any of the Truflees, to the number of Seven,. fliall happen to die, the other fur viving Truflees, or the major part of them, Jhall within One Year t next after the death of fuch Seven Truftees ?iame and appoint other fit perfons for parts, loy- alty, honefty and integrity, to faceted fuch de x eeafifs ( m I ctaftd Truftees in the faid truft. And the faid John, Earl of Buckingham, and alfo the faid Thomas Lake, Thomas Weller and George Weller, have conftituted, ordained and made, and in their place put Edward Weller, of Ton- btidge, aforefaid, Gent, to be their certain At- torney for them, and in their name, to enter into the ^above granted ltruclure, fabrick, or chapel and premifes, and poffeffion thereof for them to take, and after poffeffion fo had and taken, to deliver unto the faid Thomas, Lord Bifhop of Rochefter, Sir Humphry Mil- ler, Dr. William Sherlock, Charles Amherft, the Right Hon. George, Baron of Abergaven- ny, Sir George Rivers, Sir Edward Northey, Dr. William Cave, Dr. Nathaniel Refbury, William Strong, Jeffery Amherft, and John Dyke, or to fome, or one of them, to the ufe aforefaid, full and peaceable fiezure or pof- feffion, af all and lingular the above mentioned granted ftru&ure, fabiick, or chapel, land and premifes, according to the tenure, form and effefi of thefe prefents ; ratifying, confirming and allowing, all whatever their faid Attorney fhall lawfully do, or caufe to be done, in the premifes, as fully and effectually, to all intents and purpofes, as if the faid Earl, Thomas Lake, Thomas Weller and George Weller had done the fame in their own perfons. In £ 5* ] ttf Witness whereof the faid John, Earl of Buckingham, Thomas Lake, Thomas Wel- rer and George Weller, have hereunto fet their hands and feals, the 15th day of Februarys in the fecond year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Ann, by the Grace of God, Queen of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, De- fender of the Faith, &c. Anno Dom. 1703* BUCKINGHAM. THOMAS LAKE* THOMAS WELLER. GEORGE WELLER. Sealed and delivered, (the ftamps being firfl affixed^) in the prefence of THOMAS TOMLYN. THOMAS WEEKLY. Memorandum — That full and peaceable fiezen and poffeflion of the ftrufture, and pre- mifes within granted, was had and taken by the within named Edward Weller, and by him delivered to the within named grantees, accord- ing to the form, tenure, and effeft of the deed within written. In the prefence of THOMAS WELLER. WILLIAM HUNT. PHILIP SEALE. And WILLIAM ASHDOWN. I WILLIAM STRONG, one of the Gran- tees, did receive poffeflion accordingly, WILLIAM STRONG. ( 53 ) The i6th day of February, 1727, Sir George Rivers, of Chafford, in the county of Kent, Bart, the then only furviving Truftee, being feized in fee by right of furvivorfhip, did nominate and appoint thirteen new Truftees; viz. the then Bifhop of Rochefter, Lord Abergavenny, Sir Edward Fil- mer, Mr. Hart, Mr. Toke, Mr. Lambard, Mr. Manlove, Mr. Amherft, Mr. Goodall, Mr. Hea- ton, Mr. Batt, Mr. Elton, and Mr. Weftley ; to, for and upon the fame trufts, intents and pur- pofes, as are before mentioned in the firft deed. The 7th day May, 1748, Sir Edward Filmer, of Eaft Sutton, in the county of Kent, Bart, be- ing then the only furviving Truftee, being feized in fee by right of furvivorfhip, did nominate and appoint thirteen new Truftees ; viz. Lord Weft- moreland, the Biftiop of Rochefter, Lord Aber- gavenny, Loid Romney, Mr. Honywood, Mr. Filmer, Mr. Smythe, Mr. Lambard, Mr. Brown, Mr. Godfrey, Mr. PanuwelJ, Mr. Caoke, and Mr. Toke ; to, for and upon the fame trufts, in- tents and purpofcs, as before mentioned. The 30th day of December, 1775, Lord Aber- gavenny, Lord Romney, Sir Sidney Stafford Smythe, Sir John Honywood, Bart.' Sir John Filmer, Bart, and John Cook, Efq; in purfuance of the truft repofed in them by right of furvivor- fhip, did nominate and appoint eight new Truftees, viz. John Lord Bilhop of Rochefter, the Hon. * g viz. ( .54 ) Henry Neville, Efq; the Hon Charles Marfham, Elq; Sir Charles Farnaby, Bart. John Honywood s Efq; Beverfiiam Filmer, Efq; John Auften, Ef An ACCOUNT of the Original Foundation of the GROV E, called Mount-Sion Grove, at Tunbridge-Wells, for the benefit of the Inhabitants and Company reforting there. 13 Y a Deed made the 20th of April, 1703, (which is inrolled in the Court of Chancery) the grove called Mount-Sion Grove, at Tun- bridge-Wells in the county of Kent, containing by eftimation four acres, more or lefs, being here- tofore part of certain lands called Inhams, and Waghornes-Forefi, and part of the park or foreft called Southfrith, was conveyed by the Right Hon. John Earl of Buckingham and others, to four Trufiees; viz. John Dyke, of Frant in the county of Suflex, Efq; Robert Baker of Rotherfield in faid county, Efq; Nicholas Fowle, the younger, of Wadhurft in the faid county, Gent, and Hen. Weller, of Frant aforefaid, Gent, and to their heirs for ever ; upon this truft and confidence al- xvays, and to the intent and purpofe that the faid grove and the trees there growing, or to grow, mall not be cut down, nor the faid grove or trees converted to any private ufe, but (hall be con- tinually C 55 ] tinually preferved for a grove and fhade, and walks, for the ufe of all the inhabitants of the fe- vera; houfes built, or to be built, or which (hall be built, on the feveral purchafes therein men- tioned ; or any other land, late parcel of the find lands, called Inhams, or of the park or foreft of Southfrith ; and for their lodgers, fervants and families to come, go and walk in and upon the faid grove at their will and pleafure : And upon this further truft and confidence that the faid Truftees, and their heirs and affigns, fhall at the re que ft, coft and charges of the faid inhabitants, or of fuch of them as mall require the fame, ufe fuch lawful ways and means for the prefervation of the faid grove, and to prevent and remedy all trefpafTes, encroachments and nufances, which (hall or may be committed therein, as fhall be thought fit and advifab!e ; the faid Truftees being always faved harmlefs and indemnified by the faid inhabitants, or fuch perfons of them as {hall re- quire fuch ways or means to be ufed, from all charges and damages, which may happen to them thereby : And upon further truft, that when fo many of the Truftees fhall be dead, that only two of them fhall be left living, then the furviving Truftees, being thereby required by the then in- habitants of the houfes aforefaid, or the major part of them, and at their coft and charges, do convey over their eftate, in the premifes above faid, to new Truftees, for the purpofes above mentioned : And upon further truft, that there fhall be one coach- ( 56 ) coachway into the faid grove, out of the highway near the dwelling-houfe of Nicholas Wood, where a gate now is, or late was ; and one other coach- way where a way is laid out on the north-fide of faid grove, between the lands let to Mr. Youngs and the lands of Mr. Brooke ; and that gates be there kept up to prevent the fame from being ufed as common highways ; and that one com- mon foot-way be thereunto, through the ground of John Mercer, as is now ufed ; and that one other private foot-way with a gate thereto, be per- mitted for the ufe of Mr. Young, and the occu- piers and the inhabitants, and lodgers, of the houfes then built, or to be built, and that no other way, or ways, be permitted thereunto ; and that the faid Truftees and their heirs and afligns, fhall at the requelt and coll and charge of fuch of the faid inhabitants as fhall require the fame, take and ufe fuch legal ways to preferve the premifes above mentioned, according to the trull above faid. In witnefs whereof the parties above faid, their hands and feals interchangably have fet, the day and year firft above written. By an account taken Dec. 10, 1781, the grove then contained about two hundred oaks, fome of them very large, containing about four or five loads of timber in a tree, ten large beech-trees, about fixty fmall trees of lime and fycamore, two fir and two yew trees. Of ( 33 ) Upon the ftricleft enquiry it does appear, that four Truftees in the deed above-mentioned, have been long fince dead, and it does not appear that they did appoint any new Truflees ; upon fearch- ing the Parifh Regifter it does appear that Robert Baker one of the Truftees aforefaid, did furvive the other three. It appears by a certificate from the parifh regifter of Mayfield, figned by Mr. John Kerby, Vicar of that parifh, the above named Robert Baker was brought from London and was buried there, the 29th day of September, 1721. It was neceffary to find out who are his heirs at law, and this grove being in the. county t>l Kent, where the cuftorn of gavel-kind prevails, it was the more difficult to difcover, but after the mofl diligent enquiry it appears that the fa id Robert Baker, and his two brothers, dying without iffue, Robert's two filters, Dorothea and Elizabeth, be- came his co-heirs. Dorothea married Andrew Kenrick of Chefter, Efq; and her grandfon Ri- chard Kenrick at Nantclvwd, near Ruthin in Denbyfhire, Efq; now living is her heir at law. Elizabeth married Mr. Robert BicknelL of Clif- ford's Inn, and her five great grand-fons now ]W X \ ing are heirs at law; fo that thefe mull all be made parties to a deed for appointing four new Truftees, for executing the trull above mentioned. If the heirs above mentioned fhould refufe to fill up the truft, by a proper application to the Court of Chancery, that court will oblige them to do it. ROBERT g£j~ The foregoing account of the grove and the chapel, was tranfmitted to the editor by Beverfham Filmer, E(q; to whom the inhabitants of Tunbridge- Wells, are much obliged for the pains he has taken for the faid difcoveries. The account was accompanied with the following po- lite note. " The King's-Road, near Bedford-Row, March 5, 1782." " Mr. Sprange, " After having received benefit by drinking " the waters, and likewife many civilities from " the inhabitants there, it will give me pleafure «' if I can be of any fervice to the place, and " therefore acccording to my promife, I here " fend you an authentic account of the original " foundation of the chapel and grove there," C 49 ) Of the Medicinal Waters Tun bridge Wells. f jp H E next thing that naturally prefents it- felf to our obfervation is the water, to which the country we are treating of owes all its diftin&ion. The whole neighbourhood of Tunbridge- Wells abounds with fprings of mineral water ; but, as the properties of all are nearly the fame, only thofe two which, at their firft difcovery, were adjudged the beft, are held in any particular eltimation. Thefe two wells are inclofed with a hand- fome triangular Hone wall ; and, within thi$ wall, are furrounded by a well paved area, into which you defcend, by a few fleps, thro* a noble gateway. Over the fprings are placed two convenient bafons * of Portland ftone, with perforations at the bottom through which they receive the water, and with an opening H on • * One of thefe bafons was given by Queen Anne, and the sther by the Lord of the Maaor. ( 3° } on the edge to difcharge the overflowing^ which are carried to the neighbouring brook by a little drain cut in the pavement. The water itfelf at the fpring is extremely clear and" bright, without any fort of colour | its tauV is pleaffngFy fteely, it has hardly any perceptible finell, though fometimes, in a denfe air, its ferruginous exhalations are very diflinguifliable : and, in point of heat, it is, invariably temperate, let the atmofphere be in whatever ftate it will ; for this is one of thofe fprings which lie fo deep in the bowels of the earth, that it can neither be affected by the fcorching fun-bcams of the fummer, nor the fevereft fro Its of the winter. When it is firft taken up in a large glafs, its particles continue at reft, til! it is warmed ta nearly the heat of the atmofphere, then a few airy giqbuks begin to feparate themfelves and adhere to the fides of the veffel ; and, in a few hours more, a light copper-coloured fcum begins to fwim on the furface ; after which an ochreous fedivnent fettles at the bottom. The fcum of this water is really an object of curiofity when detached from the water itfelf, ( 5i ) which is eafily done by introducing a piece of .writing paper under it : the paper, when dry, appears to be gilt; and when examined- thro* a microfcope, refembles a piece of rich em- broidery ornamented with finds of gold. Long continued rains fometimes give the •water a milky appearance, but do not other* wife fenfibly affect it. From the experiments of different phyfician s it appears that the component parts of this water are — fteely particles, marine falts, an oily matter, an ochreous fubflance, fimple water, and a volatile vitriolic fpirit, too fub- tile for any chemical analyfis. — In weight it is, in feven ounces and a quarter, four grains lighter than the German Spa, and ten grains lighter than common water: and it requires five drops of Oleum Sulphuris or Elixir Vi- trioli to a quart of water to prefervc its virtues at a diftance from the fpring ; but to drink it in perfeclion recourfe mull always be had to the fountain-head * The water is faid to be an impregnation of rain in fome of the neighbouring eminence^ H 2 which, ( 5* ) which, in common with mo ft other elevated fituations in thefe northern parts of the globe, providentially abound in iron mineral, and where, by a nice natural chemiftry infinitely fuperior to the utmoft efforts of art, the water is further enriched with the marine falts, and all thofe valuable ingredients whereby it is conftituted a light pure chalybeate, which in- itantly pervades the mod remote receffes of the human frame, warms and invigorates the re- laxed conftitution, reftores the weakened fibres to their due tone and elaflicity, removes every obftruftion to which the minuter veftels of the body are liable, and becomes thereby adapted to mo ft cold chronical difordcrs, lownefs of fpirits, weak digeftioris, and nervous com* plaints. But that I may the leaft miftake, in a mat- ter I am not qualified to difcufs without bor- rowed light, I mult now fummon to my aid the moil diftinguifhed of thofe phyficians who have wrote upon this fubjecL And here I cannot but lament it as a pub- lic • misfortune, that no regular phyfician has conitantly refidedin the place to regifter cafes ; and ( 53 ) and that no gentleman of the faculty who has of late years occafionally attended it in the feafon, has thought himfelf fufficiently inter- efted in the fuccefs of the water, to take the trouble of communicating the full refult of his particular experience *. But, no twith Handing this neglect, we are not without many authentic teftimonies of the efficacious efFe£ts of this water, in the cure of numerous difeafes incident to human nature, in the writings of learned phyficians, as well as in the experience of multitudes who are annually benefited thereby, Doftor Lodowick Rowzee, who many years attended the place, has profeffedly wrote " a treatife upon the nature and virtues of Tun* bridge water and, from the experience which he acquired in his clofe attendance at the Wells, has judicioufly pointed out a great number * If any phyfician fnould hereafter refide on the fpot, or for many years fucceffwely attend the place, it is to be hoped he will in a great meafure remove the caufe of this complaint, by keeping an hiflory of his own practice ; which probably may in time be of effenital fervice, towards forming an experimental hiflory of the nature and properties of Tunbridge-Wells Water. ( si 5 jiumber of difeafes in which it is extremely ferviceable. This gentleman moft ftrongly recommends Tunbridge- Wells Water as an effectual deob- ftruent, whicli very fuccefsfully opens all man- ner of obftru&ions, however ftubborn and ob- ftinate they may be ; and confequently is of effential fervice in all difeafes proceeding from this fruitful fource, fuch as tedious agues, the black and yellow jaundice, fchirrus of the fpleen, fcurvy, green-ficknefs, fluor albus, and in the menfes deficient or redundant ; in the firft by opening obftru&ions, in the fecond by cooling the blood when too hot and fluxile, and by corroborating the organs of that ex- cretion when too much weakened. He alfo fays that Tunbridge-Wells-Water fcowers and cleanfes all the urinary paffages, and therefore is good againft the gravel and Itone in the kidnies, the ureters, or the blad- der, particularly in the beginning attacks of this diforder, before the earthy parts of the urine are fettled and concreted in the flimy humours which are the firft foundation of this ^ifeafe : and he farther maintains, that from its ( 55 ) ifs aftringent and healing properties, it is an effectual remedy for all inward ulcers, efpe- cially for thofe of the liver, the kidnies, and the bladder ; and in this opinion of mineral fteely waters Dr. Rowzee is fupported by " Scribonius Largus" and by " Archigenes" in " iEtius", who have ftrongly recommended their ufe in the like cafes. This do£k>r alfo fays they are good in bloody urine, and in diffolving and warning away a kind of clammy phlegmatic excrement, fometimes bred in the bladder, and which fo exactly mimics all the fymptoms of the Hone as to deceive the moft experienced. He alfo afferts it is good aguinlt inveterate dy ferneries and all other fluxes of the belly, that it extinguifhes all inward inflammations* and hot diftempers, without the . leaft- .hurting the ftomach by its ,coldnefs ; but on the con- trary fo greatly corroborates and ftrengthens it, that in fume it provokes too great an ap- petite. It is- alfo good he fays in the cholic proceeding from tough tartareous phlegm, in vomitting, the hiccup, and in worms ; like- wife in the gonorrhoea limplex et venerea, in caruncles of the urethra, as being of a remark- ( 56 ) able drying faculty ; and in paralytic diforders a tendency to apoplexy, and lethargic com- plaints, as ftrengthening the brain and origin of the nerves ; and from the fame caufe of re- markable efficacy in hypochondriacal diforders. And to this he adds, that, in external ufe, it helps fore eyes, red pimples, and other cuta- neous infirmities, " and I muft not forget, fays " the doftor, in behalf of the women, that " there is nothing better againft barrennefs, " and to make them fruitful, if other good " and fitting means, fuch as their feveral cafes " may require, be duly joined with the water." That eminent able phyfician, Dr. Allen, is another who has given public teftimony in fa- vour of the water of Tunbridge-Wells, and particularly enumerated many of the cafes in which, in the courfe of his praftice, he found it an efficacious remedy. I tranfcribe his ac- count of the medicinal ufes of this water from " Rutty ? s Synopfis," with only a trifling vari- ation of expreffion in the firft article, where his perplexed manner has rendered an altera- tion neceffary : Dr. ( 57 ) " Dr. Allen obferves — " l f It is an effectual remedy in obftruc* " tions of the glands of the mefentery, where* " in befides the figns of chylous excrement «' and rejection of food an hour or two after ff. eating, the patient has no complaint neither «*• of want of appetite, difcernible fever, nor *' any other diforder, until the difeafe is con- " tinued fo long as to induce a cough, a " fever, a want of reft, and a loft of flefli. " In this cafe, of which there are not a few " inftances, Tunbridge- Wells- Water hath not " failed thofe who have tried it. " II. This water hath proved alfo ah effec-, " tual remedy in recent dropfies, in thofe w whofe conftitution is broken by trouble, " and in the phlegmatic, whofe blood wants f invigorating. And its effects are no lefs con- " fiderable in diforders of the ftomach, and 5 particularly exquifite pains, efpecially con- " vulfive ones, in the hypochondriacal and " flatulent cholic. " III. A painful tumour, at the pit of the " ftomach, of many years ftanding, and re- * puted fchirrus, was removed by this water* I A C 5» ) 66 A fiilula, of many years ftanding, was cf. " fe£hial!y cured in fix weeks by the fole 44 drmkinp- of it. More than one ulceration «* of the kidnies hlfth been cured thereby. ** Ami a gentlewoman, who for many years !! had never efcaped an aflault of a periodical u fever and cough in O&ober, was freed there- £< from by drinking this water," " Dr. Slare, continues Rutty, aflkre-S us this 46 \(vater is an effectual remedy in ©feftinare &s and inveterate diarrheas. •* Dr. Linden efieems it of the moil fingu- H lar efficacy i-a curing the remains of the s< venereal dilorder : in which cafe, he fays^ ^ he has known it of ftich eminent fervice, " that he holds it almoli neceffaty for all who " have gone through a falivation* to clofe with drinking the chaJybeate water ; which *' is fovereignly good to recover and ftrengthen ft the tone of the weakened and injured vef- " fels, and to extirpate the remains of mer- " cury lurking in the body after the cure of « thk difprder." And: ( 59 ) And here it would be an unpardonable neg- lect not to mention one virtue in this water, which, though more univerfally acknowledged than all the others, and mo ft incontcftably eftablifhed on the firm foundation of frequently repeated experience, has too generally been omitted by the writers upon this fubje£L I snean its prolific qualities, of which every fea- fon furnifhes renewed and often furprizing proofs. It has indeed an amazing efficacy in lengthening, and cleanfing the generative organs, and removing the complaint of un~ fruitfulnefs, efpecially when it proceeds from a cold, moift, and relaxed habit of body, too weak for the purpofes of conception, whether it is occafioned by the irregular manner of Jiving, or derived from the original conftitu- tion of the patient. This water has been fo wonderfully fuccefsful, in almoft innumer- able cafes of this kind, that, if it had no other virtue, this alone would be fufficient to render it famous, and to make it invaluable : but that, befides this, it is in the higheft degree fervice- able in all other female complaints, and all the difeafes pointed out by the forecited phyficians^ when it is properly taken and judicioufly af~ Med 9 is a matter of fa& fo well attefted and I & con- ( 6o ) confirmed by fuch a long feries of experience, that it will not now admit of the leaft fhadow of difpute amongft men of candour and judg- ment. Some i 6x ) $ome General Observations on the Diet proper for Patients, and on the Time and Manner of drinking the Medicin al Waters of Tu-nbridge- Wells. "^^r HEN all tbofe virtues mentioned in the preceding chapter are afcribed to Tunbridge-Wells-Water, we muft not by any means be underftood to fuppofe that the water alone, without regular management and fuit- «*ble afMance, is capable of curing thefe nu- merous diforders. No, — as well may you ex- pe£t to have an houfe built by throwing the materials into an heap, as to have a difeafe removed by an irregular and injudicious ufe of any mineral water whatsoever. It is there- fore neceffary, in order to infure all the fuccefs that may be reafonably expected from an ap- plication to this noble remedy, that patients ftiould be regular in their living and exercifes, and well advifed as to the manner of preparing themfelves, the time of drinking, and the quantity which they may be able to bear with- out injury to their constitutions, M (6* ) As to living, temperance in eating, drink- ing, fleep, and exercife, is fo obvioufly ne- reffary to every valetudinarian, that none can have any room to think of recovering health without it. In order therefore to give the Water fair play, it is proper to ufe moderate exercife, and efpecially gentle riding, during the whole time of drinking it ; to be tempe- rate in fleep, and leave the bed tolerably early in the morning ; to baniih care and melan- choly from the mind, and encourage mirth and good humour ; to live with regularity on wholefome food ; to ufe good well-baked bread* made of pure wheat ; and fuch lands of meat as yield good nourifhment and are eafy of digeftion ; avoiding rich fauces and a variety of dilbes, and eating with fome referve, e. nough to fatisfy nature, but not to encourage gluttony. As to the time of drinking the water, it is generally fuppofed, that all chalybeate waters are in the higheft perfection from May to Oftober, and that they are molt ferviceable in warm and dry weather ; but it rauft not be. tmderftood, that their virtues are fo absolutely confined to one feafon, as to be ufelefs in all others f ft ) other! ; cm the contrary* it is an allowed faft # that in hard froft the Tunbridge-Water i£ ftronger than at any other time, becaufe theft the evaporation of the volatile fp kit is retarded,, and the water confequently rendered more penetrating and aftive by its detention, from whence arifes an increafe of efficady in many cafes, i And here it may be proper to obferve, that it is a great miftake of thofe writers, who af- fert — " that the water is at fueh times* iattok " lerably cold to the throat, mouth, and fto- I s mach, fo that it mutt chill the drinker be- *! fore its fpiritous parts can come into " acliojiV In: contradi£lion to this unfair reprefentation, I refer to what has been a I* ready faid, viz, " that the water is invaribiy * 6 temperate, let the atmofphere be in what- «• ever Hate it will and, as this is fo far from being peculiar to Tunbridge-Water, that it is the well-known property of almoft all peren- nial fprings, it \% the more furprizing that any gentleman acquainted with the fubjeft (hould fall into luch an error. The water in the ba* Ton may indeed vbe affe£led with very fevers * Vide Lusat on Water* ( 64 } frofts, and fometimes, in extremely hard wea-» ther, it has been frozen ; but, on emptying this away/ the frefh water that arifes will be much warmer than the external atmofphere, and rnay he drank with pleafure at any time ; or, if it Ihould be efteemed too cold for fome ftomachs, the evil is eafily remedied, by keep- ing a little hot water always at hand to pour into the glafs juftas it is put to the lips, which, if managed with tolerable quicknefs, maybe done without danger of evaporating the mine- ral fpirit. It is therefore on good ground, that the doftors Rouzee and Linden have conje&ur- ed, that this water would be as good and efficacious in frofty weather, as in the heat of fummer ; and that, if the nobility and gentry, who attend the public bufinefs in town during the winter feafon, would in their vacations vifit Tunbridge- Wells, fituated as it is at an eafy diftance, and drink the water in clear weather, it is reafonable to conclude it would be the means of prolonging many a valuable life, and of preferving an uninterrupted ftate of health, by removing thofe obltru&ions o^ the ( to ) the minuter veffels, which a full diet, feden- tary life, and much application of mind, in the lefs pure air of a great and populous city too readily occafion. But, as the fummer is the only feafon at prefent employed in drinking this water, we will return to that happy period; and then it is faid, that the bed: time of day for this pur- pofe is loon in the morning, before the fun has reached any great height, or at leafi before it has attained force enough to raife the mine- ral fpirit, and fo that the quantity prefcribed may be drank, and tolerably well digefied be- fore breakfaft. And, befides the advantages refulting from a light ftomach, rifing in a morning, and the early exercife prefcribed by this method, tend greatly to exhilarate the fpiriis, and thus every way add to the natural efficacy of the water. But, ufeful, and indeed neceffary, as this method is in mod cafes, it is not without its difadvantages to fome people, and efpenially on their firft coming to the place ; foiohp Tunbridge-Wells water, of it- felf, caufes afiifficafual fleepinefs in many per- fons, which canrior^but be increafed by early hours, in thofe who have uiually indulged a K con- ( 66 ) contrary habit; however, a fparing ufe of the waters at firft, a little moderate exercife, and agreeable diverting company, will foon remove this complaint, without any medicinal affift- ance ; and this is a complaint which ffliift be obviated as (ban as can be, and ftrenuoufly refilled by any body who expefts to receive benefit from the water, becaufe fleeping, be- fore the water is properly difcharged from the blood, occafions head-achs, and other dil orders, which may furnilh caufe to new maladies. As to the quantity of water to be drank each day, there can be no general rules given, but what mirft be expo fed to innumerable ob- jections, becaufe it moil be fuited to every one's particular cafe, and probably will require to be inereafed and diminilhed, according to ffie different ftages and variations of the com- plaint. It is therefore neceifary that this mould be regulated by fome underftandirrg phyfician, who is well acquainted with the nature of the water, and the canftitution and diihwler of the patient. y a v' ;iterr- There certainly is a very wide difference, with refpeft to quantity, between the tifage of prefeat f 67 ) prefcnt age, and of the time when the fprings were firlt difcovered ; but, whether this alter- ation in pra&ice be for the advantage of the difeafed, or not, it would be great preemp- tion in me to pretend to determine ; however, from fome recent and remarkable inflances that have happened to fall under my own ob- fervation, I mull confefs I am prejudiced in favour of a more copious quantity than now is generally drank. But, if in the prefent praftice too little is generally allowed, it is very highly probable that our anceftors ran as much into the contrary extreme, when they prescribed fix, and even nine quarts in a morn- ing, for a cuftomary dofe. It was indeed necef- fary to rife early, and to work hard, to digeft fo large a quantity of water before breakfaft. The fame that is above faid of the quantity, may alfo be applied to the time of continuing to drink this water, fince it is equally neceffary that this mould be determined in conformity to the different cafes of patients by the judg- ment of phyficians: in fome perhaps a few weeks may fuffice, in others months are not enough, and with fome it may be neceffary to attend it year after year to perfecl: a cure. & 2 Um ( 68 ) Here I cannot refrain from infer ting an ob- fervation, originally made by doftor Rowzee, and adopted by fome later writers, viz. that it is neceffary, in order to prevent the bad effe&s that may arife from prematurely taking or forfaking fo powerful and aftive a medicine as thefe fpirituous ferruginous waters are, to begin cautioufly with a fmall quantity, to rife by degrees to the proper pitch, and, having continued there as long as is judged expedient, then to decline and decreafe by the fame flow degrees and leave off at the quantity begun with. By thus drinking the Tunbridge-Wells- Water, by living temperately, and by enter- ing chearfully into all the amufing pleafures of the place, many, in time part, have re- covered their healths, and re-eftablifhed their conftitutions, who were in all appearance haftening to their graves ; and it is not to be reafonably doubted, but that the fame methods will, through the bleffing of providence, be attended with equally happy cffefts, to the Jateft poflerity. 9 DESCRIPTION O F TUNBRIDGE- WELLS, IN ITS PRESENT STATE ; AND THE AMUSEMENTS of the COMPANY, IN THE TIME OF THE SEASON; AND OF THE ANCIENT and PRESENT STATE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE PLACES, IN THE ENVIRONS! Comprehending a Circuit of about Sixteen Miles round the Place. TUNBRIDGE-WELLS: f MINTED AND SOLD BY J, SPRANG?* MDCCLXXX, ( 3 ) A DESCRIPTION O P TUN BRIDGE -WELLS IN ITS PRESENT STATE. rpUNBRIDGE-WELLS is fituated on the fouthern fide of the county of Kent, juft on the borders of SufFex, and about thirty-fix miles from London. It is partly built in Tun- bridge parifh, partly in Frant parifh, and part- ly in Speldhurft parifh ; and confifts of four little villages, named Mount- Epkraim, Mount- Pleafant, Mount-Sion, and the Wells ; which, all united together, form a confiderable town . whofe bounderies are Tunbridge on the north,, Lamberhurjl on the eaft, a large and partly uncultivated Foreji * on the fouth, and Eajl- Grinjlead on the weft. A 2 On * An extenfive tracl of land belonging to the Right Hon, Lord Abergavenny, part of which is wood-land, which fup, plici the county every few year*, with fine oak timber* and ( 4 ) The Wells, properly fo called, is the center of bufinefs and pleafure, becaufe there the Markets, the Medicinal Water, the Chapel, the Affembly-Rooms, and the public parades are fituated. Thefe parades are ufually called the Upper and the Lower Walk ; the firft being neatly paved with fquare brick, raifed about four fteps above the other, and particularly ap- propriated to the company ; the fecond re- mains unpaved, and is chiefly ufed by country people and fcrvants. On the right hand of the paved walk in the way from the well is the Public Parade, whereon is one of the AfTembly-Rooms, the Library, the Coffee-Houfe, the Poft-Office, Tunbridge-Ware, Milliners and different kind, of Toy-Shops, &c. A portico is extended the whole the other part, which extends to the back of the Lodging Houfes near the Walks, is foreft land, fome hundred acres of which, have within thefe few years, been brought into cultivation, and every year more of it is fenced in for that purpofe, from the great encouragement given by the noble Lord before-mentioned, who, grants long leafes, of any quantity, at one Chilling per acre, to thofe who are inclined to fuch an undertaking ; which moft ©f tkc inhabitants arc glad %>f the opportunity of embracing. ( 5 ) whole length of the parade, fupported* by Tufcan pillars, for the company to walk un- der occasionally ; on the left hand is a row of large flourilhing trees ; in the midft of which is a gallery for the mufic, and the whole is feparated from the lower walk by a range of neat pallifades* In this place are three principal Taverns, viz. the Suffex, the Angel, and the Glou- cefter ; the two former are improved on every occafion, with a becoming fpirit, by the pro- prietors, infomuch that they are remarked for their great conveniencies and good ac- commodations. The Suffex Tavern, together with the A{- fembly Rooms, (called the. lower ones) are contiguous, and held by the fame proprietor, and are fituate oppofite the Parade and Li- brary : a whole fuite of new and handfome apartments, both for dining, and bed rooms, have been built this fpring, in addition to the tavern, and are pleafantly fituated. The Af- fernbly Rooms have likewife been beautified and ornamented in a elegant .neatnefs, agree- able to the prefent tafte. B The ( $ ) The Angel Tavern and km, is . fituated extremely convenient by the road fide, on en- tering the place, and near the mineral fpring, which houfe has like wife undergone great improvements for many years parr, and is now conveniently adapted and properly fitted up, both as a Tavern and an Inn. MOUNT- S I O N HI LL * Is compofed chiefly of Lodging-Houfes, fo beautifully intermixed with trees and grove?, that they cannot fail of having a moft p leafing effefl: ; conveying to the imagination the idea of a rural romantic retirement, while it af- fords all the conveniences of a city. This hill being open to Waterdown-foreft on the fouth, and fhielded from the eaftem winds by Calverley's-plain, always enjoys' a pure wholefome air ; and, - on account of its vicinity to the Wells, the houfes thereon are often preferred. * One of the firft houfe* built upon this hill was an ale- house, to which the whimfical landlord, whofe name was Jordan, affixed the %n of Mount-Sion, from whence the same of the hill is derived. ( 7 ) At the top of this hill fiancs the old Affem- bly Rooms, and a bowling-green adjoining, enclofcd on three fides with rows of fine trees, the houfe forming the other fide. A very good Prefhyterian Meeting-Houfe is fituated about the middle ; and at the top of it a ' ar g e grove of fine elms; which is frequently ufed by invalids and others, both for walking or riding, when either the rays of the fun are two powerful, or the weather too precarious, to venture out to a greater diftance. MOUNT PLEASANT. Mount-Pleafant gives fite to a noble modern brick houfe, built in a genteel tafte, upon the brow of this delightful hill, which commands extenfive profpeft of the place. The fituation of this houfe is extremely happy, the grounds and gardens belonging to it are well-difpofed, and jultly deferves the same it has acquired. His Grace the Duke of Leeds, has honoured it with his refidence for feveral feafons paft, and during that time, regularly frequented the Walks, and mixed with the company with fuch affability and condefcenfion, as not only to en- gage the refpecl due to his high rank, but that univerfal efteem which greataefs alone cannot command. This was a compliment no lefs B 3 juftiy ( 8 ] uftly than elegantly paid to him in a Latin f apphic Ode, by the late very ingenious Mr. George Lewis, Vicar of Wefterham in this County, and addrefled to his Grace, on his Annual Ball, on the Prince of Wales's Birth Day, in the year, 1770. Quifque te lastus bone Dux fequetur, Quo vocas, (Nymphae, Juvenes, Senefque.) Et lubens fummos nihil arroganti Solvet Honores. Tranflated by Sir William Browne, M. D. Moft gracious Duke, glad at your Call, Wait Nymphs and Swains, young, old, and all ; And greateft Honours (hall be fhewn, Becaufe your Grace lays claim to none. There are two other houfes on this hill, one inhabited by the owner, the Rev. Mr. Brett; the other, called Little Mount-Pleafant, was purchafed by Lady Peachy, who has made great additions to it, and laid out a neat gar- den, partares, walks, &c. MOUNT EPHRAIM. Is about half a mile from the water, and on account of which diftance hath loft much of its former regaid; but, though it is no longer the principal part of the place : though its ( 9 ) its affembliy-room is loft, its bowling-green become a common field, and its taverns are turned into private houfes, yet it will ever remain a refpeftable and ufeful quarter of Tunbridge- Wei f s. The houfes on this hill are all very good buildings, have the advantage of being fur- rounded with capacious gardens, groves, and pleafant fields ; and of commanding diyerfified extenfive profpe&s on every fide ; and the hill itfelf is fituated in fo exceeding fine an air as may well compenfate for all its di fad vantages. Its diftance from the walks can fcarcely in- deed be called a difadvantage, fince it make it perhaps one of the moft delightful places in the world, for thofe v/ho would mingle the folid charms of retirement with the more fiiewy amufemcnts of a public place. It is therefore not unreafonable to conclude, that Mount-Ephraim will never be neglefled by thofe, w r ho chufe to keep an equipage in the place, and go to Tunbridge-Wells more for the recovery of health, than the enjoyment of pleafure. Two f *o ) Two haufes on this hill, called the Caftie- Houfes, are lately purchafed by Mrs. Johnfon, fifter of the late Bifhop of Worcefter, the iipper one of which Ihe has greatly improved by adding to the building, fencing it in with handfome palifades, &c. and which fhe now snakes her eonftant place of refidence. Mrs. Boone has alfo purchafed the next houfe to it, which ihe has likewife greatly improved. Lady Huntingdon has built an exceeding good cha- pel on this hilK At the termination of Mount-Ephraim, and which leads to Rufthall- Common, is BISHOP a s DOWN, Were are feveral good houfes, one in paj~ ticular which formerly belonged to Sir George Kelly, then the lord of the manor, was lately purchafed by Martin Yorke, Efq; who has made great improvements, and it is now be- come the entire refidence of himfelf and family ; from whofe munificence, as well as from thofe families before-mentioned, (who from purchafing houfes have made this their place of refidence) the neighbouring poor are greatly relieved and kept in full employ : and the trades perfons likewife reap a benefit ex- traordinary during the winter feafon. f 11 ) The trade of Tunbridge- Wells U fimilar to that of the Spa in Germany, and chiefly con- Ms in a variety of toys in wood, fuch as tea-chefls, dreffing-hoxes, muff-boxes, punch- ladles, and numerous other little articles of the fame kind. Of thefe great quantities are fold to the company in the furnmer, and efpecially at their leaving the place, when it is cufto- mary for them to take Tunhridge fairings to iheir friends at home. This Ware takes its name from the pkce, off account of its employing a great number of hands, and being made there in a much neater manner than any where elfe in England. The wood principally ufed for this purpofe is holly,, which grows in great abundance in the fur- rounding country, and furnifhes a prodigious variety of the prettieit ornamental inlays that can be imagined, fome of which are fo' excel- lent in their kind, that it is hard to believe they are not affifted by the pencil. But befides holly, they ufe no fmall quantity of cherry- tree, plum-tree, yew, and fyeamore : the yew efpecially is of late become very famio'n'able, and the goods fineered with it are certainly txceffivelv prettv. To ( p ) To fum up in few words what remains on this head, it may be ohferved in general, that the foil of this village is dry and healthful, the water for family ufe is excellent, the air is pure and enlivening, all kinds of provifions are plentiful and reafonable the lodging- houfes are neatly fitted up in the view with which they were originally built ; the in- habitants are all civil and obliging in their behaviour, nor generally undeserving the cha- racter they have obtained f of being honeft and reafonable in their dealings. The fur- rounding * And, amongil the reft, that delicious bird, the Wheat- ear, is brought in great plenty from the South-Downs. This little bird, commonly called the Englifh Ortolan, is not bigger than a Lark, but is infinitely preferable in the fatnefs and delicacy of its flefh. The manner of catching them is fomething peculiar : — the mepherds make" little holes in the Downs, covered with a turf about a foot long, and half a foot broad, in which they place fnarcs of horfe-hair, and the birds, being very fearful of rain, run into thefe holes, for meker at the approach of every cloud, and thus are caught in prodigious numbers. They are brought to the Wells in their utmoft perfection; but, as they are in feafon only in the midft of fummer, the heat of the weather, and their own fat- nefs, make them fo apt to corrupt, that the London poulterers dare not meddle with them ; for which reafon it is neceffary for the epicure to go into the country, if he would indulge his appetite with one of the greateft dainties in its kind, + Lisden on chalybeat water p. 100. f IS ) rounding country, and efpecially on the foreft fide, abounds with as fine airings, as any in England ; and, the diftance from London be- ing only thirty-fix miles, a daily pod is efla- bliflied, a ftage coach regularly arrives every afternoon, the public papers come in there twice a day, and men of bufinefs, on any emergency, mav get to town in four or five hours without difficulty, and, with the fame eafe, return again to their families, and par- take of all the pleafures of the country in their utmoft perfection, in a place where town and country are fo happily blended, as to afford all the advantages of retirement, without any of the inconveniencies of folitude. 0 THE AMUSEMENTS of the COMPANY In the Time of the Seafon. r pUNSRIDGE-WELL3, in common with Bath, owes the prefent agreeable and ju. dicious regularity of its amufements, to the fkilful atfiduity of the celebrated Mr.. Nam ; who firfl taught the people of f aflrion how to buy their pleafures, and to procure that eafe and felicity they fought for, without diminifh* ing the happinefs of others. Before that famous arbitrator of pleafure arofe to plan and improve the amufements of the great, public places, but little efleemed in themfelves, were only reforted to by inva- lids, to whom their medicinal waters were necelfary; and, as the manners of that age were far removed from that eafy politenefs and refinement of behaviour which diftinguifhes the prefent, the company was generally difu- nited and unfocial, confequently the pleafures ( K> ) *o be found amongft them were neither ele- gant nor diverting. This was the fituatioa of things when Naih made his firft appearance at Bath, fincc* which, public places have arofe lo a great degree of eminence in the fafhionable world, and Tunbridge-Wells, among the reft, lias, from that period, become the genera] rendezvous of gaiety and polite nefs during the fummer. The following is an imperfeft draught of the pleafures that are there to be found. You firft go down in a fuitable undrefs to the public walk, which, on your approach, you will find refounding with a corifufion of voices, that cannot fail of giving you a pleafing idea of the place in general, and an agreeable foretafte of the fcenes in which you are foon to engage. Here your firft bufinefs is to go to the well, tafte the water, and pay the cuftomary fee, called a welcome penny to the dippers, and at leaving the place you make them a further prefent, according to the time you have drank ihe waters ; you then proceed to the other C 2 public ( « ) public places, and there fubfcribe according to your rank — at the affembly-rooms, a crown or more each perfon ; at the coffee-houfe the fame for each gentleman, which entitles him to the ufe of pens, ink, paper, &c. again at the bookfeller's the fubfcription is the fame, for which you have the ufe of whatever book you pleafe to read at your lodgings ; and here alio, a book is open for the ladies. The Li- library confifts of upwards of fix thoufand volumes, of the moll entertaining kind ; and every new publication is added immediately as published, for the ufe of the fubferibers : the newfpapers are alfo taken in daily. The band of mufic likewife, which plays three times a day in the orcheftra on the public walks, and at the balls, is fupported by fubfcription, for which a book is open in the great rooms. Thus fubferiptions are ended till the clergy^ man's book is opened, and you may then freely engage in all the amufements of the place. As each of thefe places depend, for the chief part, on the fubfcription, it is cuftomary ( *7 0 for every one in a family to give their ref- peftive names to each. The company ufually appear on the parade between feven and eight o'clock in the morn- ing, to drink the water, and pra&ife the ne- ceffary exercife of walking, which is fuf- ficient amufement for an hour or two; they then return to their lodgings to breakfaft, or elfe affemble in parties ; and it is cuftomary frequently for the company in general to breakfaft together in the public rooms, or at the coffee-rooms ; and fometimes in fine weather, under the trees upon the open walk, attended with mufic the whole time. After breakfaft, it is fafhionable to attend morning fervice in the chapel, to take an air- ing in coaches, or on horfeback, to affemble at the billiard-table, to pafs the time in ruia! walks, to alfociate in the bookfeller's Ihop, there to colle£t the harmlefs fatire, or *he panegyric of the day, or elfe to faunter upon the parade; every one according to his dif- pofition or the humoufr which then happen* to be predominant. When I 18 ) When prayers are ended, the mufic, which had only ceafed during the time of divine fer* vice, ftrikes up afrefh, and the company thick- ening upon the walks, divert themfelves With cpnverfations as various as their different ranks and circumftances ; fo that an attentive lif- tener to the feveral parties would this moment fancy himfelf at the Royal-Exchange, and the next at the palace ; now at an India fa&ory, or an American plantation. While a great part of the company are thus amufing the time on the parade, others are no lefs agreeably employed at the miileners, the jewellers, toy-fhops, &c. where little rafflings are carried on till the important call of dinner obliges the different parties to difperfe. Dinner finifhed, the band of mufic again afcends the orcheftra, and you once more be- hold the company return in crouds to the walk ; but now the morning drefs is laid afide, and all appear in full and fplendid attire, the higheff finifhings of art and expence being ad- ded to the prevailing power of beauty, the in. finuation of polite addrefs- and dignity of rank and talents. In ( m ) In thefe advantageous circumftances, the general defirc of all is to fee and be feen, till the hour of tea-drinking, when they aflemble together, as in the morning, commonly at the public rooms, or at the coffee-houfe rooms. This over, cards fucceed in the great rooms, which are fupplied with a proper number of tables, and all neceffary accommodations, and whe*e the great eft order and regularity are obferved that can confift with the liberty of a public place. Twice in a week there are public balls in the great afifembly-rooms — -on Tuejdays at the room on the walk, and Fridays at the lower- rooms ; every other night in the week, (Sun* days excepted, when the company generally meet to drink tea at the coffee-houfe) are card* aflemblies at each of the public rooms alter- nately. ^ ii .u iobnaO %zs oj iv\h The Maftjer of the Ceremonies to explain more fully the nature of the balls, &c. ha» publifhed the following Ruies : THE ( 2° J R U L E S oih is vinomrnco t gannor; odi id as ,v? A -.. N D |c $ . REGULATIONS Humbly recommended by the MASTER of the CEREMONIES TO THE COMPANY RESORTING TO TUNB RIDGE - WELLS. I. ^HAT there be Two public Balls every week, on Tuefdays and Fridays. La- dies to pay 2s. Gentlemen gs. 6d. II, To begin with Minuets, and then Coun- try Dances — All reftri&ions in point of drefs to be abolilhed, except in regard to thofe La- dies who intend to dance Minuets, who are fequefted to be properly dreft for that purpofe, III. f % ) III. One Cotillion only, immediately after tea will be danced, and to prevent the time loft in the choice of the particular Cotillion, and in praciifing it, the Mafter of the Cere- monies will undertake himfelf to name it, and its figure mall be previoufly put up in the Great Rooms, that they may be acquainted with it. IV. As the cuftom of dancing, two follow- ing dances only, with the fame Lady, at pre- fent prevails pretty generally, the Mafter of the Ceremonies thinks it proper to eftablifh it as a rule here. V. The Mafter of the Ceremonies thinks it almoft needlefs to obferve, that it is deemed a point of good breeding, for thofe Ladies who have gone down with the dance to continue in their places, till the reft have done the fame. VI. The Mafter of the Ceremonies defires the company to come early, that the Balls may begin at the ufual hour of feven. VII. The Mafter of the Ceremonies defires to have the honour of presenting himfelf to the D company f 0 ) company oh their arrival, that he may not be wanting in the neceifary attentions to them. VIII. The Chapel, feeding originally buik by fubfcription, is not endowed with any pro* vifion for an eftablifhed minifter. — As he de- pends therefore for his fupport oft the voluntary Contributions of the Company that frequent the place : It is hoped he may rely with con* fidence for the reward of his labours, on the benevolence of thofe who reap the benefit of them. IX. It is humbly requefted of all perfons who frequent the Rooms to fubfcribe, to en- able the renters of them to defray the many neceffary and heavy expences attending them, X. Befides the Two Rooms, the other ge- neral places of fubfcription are the Circulating Library, the Ladies Coffee-Room, the Gen- tleman's Coffee-Room, and the Poft-Office, XL The Water Dippers at the fpring, wh» arc appointed by the Lord of the Manor, have no allowance, but depend on what is given them by thofe who drink the waters. XII. The ( *3 ) XII. The Matter of the Ceremonis hopes it will not be thought improper for him to recommend to families on leaving the place (having been any time here), to confider the Waiters of each of the Rooms. — He will not prefume to dictate to public generofity : Thofe only iherefoi-e who wifh to be dire&ed in this will receive the ncceffary information, on ap- plication to him. XIII, It has been an old ejtablifhed cuftom for every Lady and Gentleman to drop a (hil- ling into the Sweeper's Box, and as the poor man and his wife, conftantly attend the Walks, and the Rooms morning and evening, and hav€ no other means of fubfifting; it is hoped that none will re.fufe to comply with fo fmall and equitable a bounty. The following are the Prices of Cards. COMMERCE with one Pack, 086 Morning, 7s, LOO, one Paek, 6s. two -086 WHIST, two Packs, - - ~ o & o Morning 7s* PIQUET, or ) ALL-FOURS? \ Fil ^ Pack - 0 5 0 Each ?ack a & H QUADRILLE, ----086 Morning 7s. QUINZE, ad Libitum from 086 LOTTERY one Pack 1 os, two 012 o RICHARD TYSON, Mafar of the Ceremonies* f H ) The Mafter of the Ceremonies has Two Balls in the'feafon, which are generally very brilliant and full. Private balls too are frequently given by people of fafhion in the height of the feafon ; [ and on thefe occafions elegant fuppers are ge- nerally provided. Here alfo are frequent concerts, attended by the molt eminent performers in London, where all thofe who are happy in a tafte for mufic, may be entertained with the moft fkil- ful performance, at the expence of a crown. Sometimes thefe concerts form a part of the morning amufement under the name of Con- cert-breakfafts, and then the price of tickets feldom exceeds three fhillings and fixpence. In thefe concerts, perfons of rank and fortune who have a talent this way, are fometimes ad- mitted amongft the performers, and find a a pleafnre in joining with the matters in this delightful fcience. Another fpecies of Tunbridge amufement confifts in parties to the High-Rocks, and other romantic fcenes, with which the whole neigh- bourhood ( *5 ) bourhood abounds. At thefe places there fre- quently are public breakfafts, dinners and tea-drinkings, attended with mufic, and every incitement to chearfulnefs. Excurfions to the noblemcns and gentle- mens feats, the founderies, and many remark- able places in the adjacent country, furnifh another pleafurable employment of time at Tunbridge-Wells. There are indeed feveral capital houfes in the neighbourhood of this place, which, through the polite hofpitality of the worthy proprietors, are always open to the infpeftion of the curious ; and there are many pleafant villages, and agreeable profpe&s in the ways leading to them, that will not fail to attra£t the diftinguifhing obferver. To the article of amufements may I add thofe of a higher nature, equally calculated for the diverfion and improvement of the fe- rious and refle&ing part of the company. The Circulating-Library, and the Coffee- Houfe, as mentioned before in their proper places, although fome particular amufements predominant there among others, were then omitted^ ( 0 ) omitted) let me juft obferve, -are places where tjhe focial virtues reign triumphant over pre- judice and prepoffeffion. The eafy freedom, and chearful gaiety, arifing from the nature of a public place, extends its influence over them, and every fpecies of party fpirit is intirely ftripped of thofe malignant qualities which ren« der it fo deitruftive -of the .pe^qe of mankinds Here divines and philofophers, deiits and chriltians, whigs and tories, Scotch and Eng- lifh, debate without anger, difpute with po- jitenefs, and judge with candour : while every one has an opportunity to difplay the excel- lency of his tafte, the depth of his erudition* and the greatnefs pf his capacity, in all kinds of polite literature, and in every branch of human knowledge, The book feller's {hop has indeed an ad- vantage over the coffee-houfe, becaufe there the ladies are admitted ; and, like fo many living flats, fhine in the greateft fplendor, while they evidence, that Britifh beauties arc no lefs fuperior to their fex throughout the world, in the ornaments of the underftanding than they are univerfally allowed to be in the external graces of the body— —fafliion'd t *7 y *~—fafliion; "d all to harmony alone t They know to feize the captivated foul, In rapture warbled from love-breathing lips ; To teach the lute to languijh ; with fmooth Jlep r JDi/clq/ing motion in its every charm, To fzvim long r and /well the mazy dance ; To train the foliage o'er the fnowy lawn : To guide the pencil, turn the tuneful page J To lend new flavour to the fruitful year, To heighten natures dainties ; in their rac* To rear their graces int& fecond life ; To give fociety its highefl tdfle ; Well-order d home mans befl delight to make% And by fubmiffive wifdom, modefi fkill, With every gentle care-eluding art To faife the virtues, animate the blifs* And fiveeten all the toils of human life. i Thomson's Autumn As ( ^8 ) As the Seafons are now of much longer duration than formerly — fome families coming as early as March or April, and many con- tinuing here till the latter end of November, particularly thofe who come merely for the benefit of health, the water being reckoned equally in perfe&ion in cold weather, pro^ vided dry, and the air, though lharp, as pure and healthy. It may be neceffary to obferve, that there are two regular apothecaries, high in repute, who conftantly refide in the place, having analyfed the waters, and ftudied the efficacy of them in every degree. A regular phyfician from London alfo conftantly attends during the feafon, whofe abilities are known to be fuch that invalids may repair hither without the delay, which has often happened, of waiting an opportunity to procure a pre- fcription from their own phyfician. THE THE ANCIENT and PRESENT STATE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE PLACES IN THE ENVIRONS OF TUNBRIDGE -WELLS; Comprehending a Circuit of about Sixteen Miles round the Place. T ^ ne g' e ^ to g* ve f° me account of the antiquities of thofe remarkable places in the neighbourhood of Tunbridge- Wells, which attract the notice of the company refiding there, would be to leave this work extremely incomplete ; I have therefore endeavoured to obtain all the information, that can be pro- cured on this head, and chearfully fubmit the refult of thofe enquiries to the public. E I* ( 30 ) In ranging the places, it will be very diffi- cult to fall into any regular method, I there- lore muft not pretend to connect one place with the other ; but, in perambulating the country round the Wells, furvey the houfes, the villages, and towns, without order as they lie. Let then our firft view be of the parifh in which the fprings arife, which is SPELDHURST. The parifh of Speldhurft, or the Learned Wood (for fuch is the original meaning of this word, which was anciently wrote Spelherft) is a large parilh in the diocefe of Rochefter, which was in former time of confiderable note, on account of the many eminent families that dwelt therein. The country is very hilly, with deep valleys, and a great number of bare craggy rocks jut- ting out in different places. It is watered by a principal branch of the river Medway, which has here acquired ftrength enough to fupply a con- ( 3» ) cenfiderable foundery *, and to work feveral mills in its courfe. The church is a very ancient ftru6ture about three miles from the Wells, dedicated to St. Mary, and the living is valued in the king's books at 15I. 5s. In the chancel of this church there is a very ancient monu- ment to the memory of Sir Edmund Waller and his Lady, with long poetical epitaphs, but no date to inform the reader when they died; and on the floor, near the entrance of the chancel, is a grave (tone with a brafs effigy; and an infeription in old text characters, to the memory of William Waller, Efq; who died in 1555. The pariihioners are exempted from petty tythes, and they alfo plead the pri- vilege of having no foldiers quartered upon them except on a march ; but, as the charter is loft, they are not very ftrenuous in alien- ing this antiquated claim. E 2 Among * There are fcveral founderies within a few miles of the Wells, where cannon of the largeft dimenfions have been made ; and very great quantities of iron ore have been dug up at abundance of places in this part of the country. — Tina has tended greatly to enhance the price of wood, on account of the vaft quantities annually converted into charcoal; but, as pit coal is now brought up Tunbridge river in great plenty, this is not fo much felt by the inhabitants as it otherwife Would be. ( 3* ) Among the places of note in ancient time in this parifh were Ewhurst, Ferbies, and Rusthall, which now are all funk into oblivion; as is alfo Hollands, a manfion that was fo called from an ancient and noble family of that name, who were great bene- factors to the parifh church, and came to this eflate, and the Earldom of the county, by a marriage with Joanna the "Fair, the daughte r of Edmund of Woodftock, Earl of Kent, and uncle to Edward the third. This Joanna of Kent appears to have been a woman of great beauty, and diftinguifhed gallantry ; and was that famous lady to whom s it is faid, we owe the firft inftitution of the noble order of the garter. In the moft early part of her life, fhe was contraftea to Sir Thomas Holland % but while he was engaged abroad in the wars of France, where he per- formed the mod fignal fervices to his king and country, fhe was prevailed upon to wed the young Earl of Salifhury. Soon after this, being at Werk-caftle in Northumberland, fhe or„ dered her garrifon to interrupt the rear of the King * Dugdale's Baronage, vol. II, p. 74. ( 33 ) King of Scotland's army in his retreat from an irruption which he had made into England, which fo incenfed him, that he inftantly turn- ed badl again and befieged her at the head of fiXty thoufand men. The young lady, but little frightened at the number of his forces, feveral times bravely repulfed the king when he at- tempted to ftorm the caftle, and kept his whole army at bay, till he, hearing that Ed- ward the third was haftening to her relief, thought proper to purfue his firft intention, and return as faft as poflible into his own country. This feafonabie retreat probably faved him and his army from deftruclion, as the magnanimous Edward came to the caftle, in a few hours after the Scot had quitted it, where finding no enemy to encounter with, he paid a vifit to the countefs, and behaved with a gallantry which has given occafion to fome hiftoi ians to afTert, that he fell paffionately in love with Joanna ; but it does not appear that this ftory, or the many defamatory tales arifing from it, have any foundation in faft. When Sir Thomas Holland returned to England he demanded his wife of the Earl of Salifbury, and, upon the Earl's refilling to re- figa ( 34 > Ggn her, prefented a petition to the Pope, reprefenting his pre-contraft with the lady, and vouching that he had enjoyed her ; where- upon the Pope gave fentence in his favour, and file was accordingly divorced from the Earl of Salifbury, and married to Sir Thomas Holland; who afterwards built the manfion of which wc are now writing,- and became Earl of Kent : buthe lived not long to enjoy this new honour. At his death he left one fon *, and his coun- tefs a rich young widow, in which ftate how- ever fhe continued but one year, when, not- withstanding her former mifconduS, this cele- brated lady was married to Edward the Black Prince ! This manfion, as was before faid, has lhared the fate of many other noble buildings, ^and is now fo intirely loft, that few can point out the ground on which it flood. GROOM. • This young nobleman attended his father-in-law, prince Edward, into Spain, and very greatly diftinguifhed himfelf at the battle of Nejara ; where the Black Prince overthrew Henry the ufurper of Caftile, and replaced the tyrant Peter on the throne. Dug. Bar, vol. II. p. 75. ( 35 ) GROOMBRIDGE, Groombridge the place of firft note in this parifh, has fared better, and, though de- prived of much of its ancient fplendor, fliil remains in being. This place was anciently called Gromenbridge, from a noble Saxon, named Gromen, its original proprietor, from whom it paffed through feveral noble families to Henry de Cobham *, who, in the twelfth year of Edward the firft, performed knight's fervice againft the Welch, and in reward for his valiant condufl had, two years afterwards, a grant for eftabliihing a weekly market and fair of two days in the year, beginning on the vigil of St. John-port-latin, at Groombridge. The market is now entirely loft, and the fair is kept on that faint's day, which is the 6th of May, and on the 26th of November. From the Cobham's this eftate went to the Clinton's, and it continued in that family till it * Henry de Cobham, nephew to this Henry, was ap- pointed governor of Tunbridge-caftle in 1332, ky Edward the feeond, ( 36 ) it was purchafed by Sir Richard Waller, a brave warrior under King Henry the fifth. Sir Richard followed the king into France* and very highly diftinguilhed himfelf at the ever-famous battle of Azincourt, from whence he brought the duke of Orleans prifoner, and was allowed by Henry to keep him ' in hon- ourable confinement at Groombridge. This prince continued twenty-five years in capti- vity *, paid at laft 400,000 crowns for his ranfom, and, from a principal of gratitude for the hofpitality of his generous keeper, rebuilt the manfion-houfe, and repaired and beautified the parifh church, which to this day bears his arms over the portal ; he alfo affigned to Sir Richard, and his heirs for ever, as a per- petual memorial of his merits, this honour- able addition to his family arms, namely the efcutcheon of France fufpended upon an oak 5 with this motto affixed to it, "HI FRUCTUS VIRTUTI S." Groombridge, having continued feveral ge- nerations in the family of Sir Richard Waller^ was Baronetage Edit. 1720. Vol, II. p. 289. f 37 ) was at length paffed away to Thomas Sack- ville Earl of Dorfet, and from him to John Packer Efq; Clerk of the Privy Seal to that unfortunate monarch Charles the firft. This gentleman built a chapel of eafe to the pariih church in his own Park, which he dedicated to St. John ; and, fometime after his deceafe, the eftate became involved in a chancery fuit> in which it continued a great many years, till at length it was purchafed out of that court by Mr. William Camfield, its prefent pro- prietor, who has, with indefatigable applica- tion, and great expence, retrieved the man- fion-houfe, the chapel, and the whole village, from the mod ruinous condition that can well be conceived, and made it an agreeable, and a thriving place, in which his generous public fpirit rnuft ever be remembered with gratitude and refpeft *• F ASHURST. * Tkere was a Chauntry founded at Groombridge in the fehirty-eighth year of Henry the third, by William RufTel and Hawis his wife, as appears by the « Reg, RofTenfi." Philipot, p. 32Q< ( 33 } A S H U R S T. Aihurft, or the Wood of Allies, is a little obfcure village about four miles from the W ells, which anciently was celebrated on account of an extraordinary rood, or crucifix, which the fuperftitious people, in the days of popery, were made to believe continued growing in the hair and nails, and even in its bodily fix- ture, as if it had been alive. This wonderful image was alfo fuppofed to work innumerable miracles, and the poor deluded multitude came in fuch throngs to make their offerings to it, that the wily incumbent, who could hardly fubfift before, foon grew fat upon his benefice. C H A F F O R D. Chafford is an ancient manor in the neigh- bourhood of this village, which formerly be- longed to the Roe's and the Rivers's. This place is fuppofed to take its name from being a remarkable ford over the Medway, which is here become a tolerable ftream. There is a very good paper-mill here, which probably may be efteemed an objeft of curiofity to thofe wha ( 39 ) who have never feen the manner of making that ufeful commodity. C O W D E N. Cowden is an obfcure village about three miles farther weftward, which anciently was appropriated to the college of Lingfield in Surrey, till by the general diffolution it fell into the hands of King Henry the eighth, who granted it to the Earl of Arundel, from whom it palled by fale into private hands. There formerly was one or two good manfions in this parilh ; but at prefent the place is not remarkable for any thing, the church being fmall and mean, and only worth mentioning on account of its handfome fpire * t GREAT BOUNDS. Great Bounds, fituated in the parifh of Bid- borough, about three miles north of Tunbridge-r Wells, was fo called, becaufe is w T as the ex- treme boundary of the lowy or liberty of Tun- bridge. This is a very neat gothic building which anciently had the fame proprietors as F 2 Tun- Harris's Hiftory of Kent* ( 4° ) Tunbridge-caftle, till Thom&s Lord Berkeley conveyed it away to Sir Thomas Smythe, in the beginning of the reign of King James the firft, from which time it has continued in that family, and is now pofleffed by Lady Smythe, relitl of Sir- Sidney Stafford Smythe knight, one of the barons of the Exchequer, and great grandfon to the famous Lady Dorothy Sidney 8 This houfe enjoys one of the richeft and rrioft comprehenfive profpefls, a view of the fea only excepted, that is perhaps to be met with in the kingdom. PENSHURST*. Penfhurlt, or the Head of the Wood, is a pleafant little town, about five miles north- weft * This name denotes that the place was raifed in a woody country, and gave occafion to Waller gallantly to afcribe to bis Sacharifta the power of inftantaneoufly reducing the wild luxuriance of nature to regularity and order . She " gave f; The peace and glory which thefe alleys have; n Embroider'd fo with flowers where fhe flood, ■ * That it became a garden of a wood " Her prefcnce has fuch more than human grace, 64 That it can civilize the rudeft place : u And beauty too, and order can impart, 44 Where nature ne'er intended it ? nor an. ( 4* ) weft of Tunbridge-Wells. This town has the advantage of being watered by the Medway, which is here grown a confiderable ftrearn, that might eafily be made navigable from Tun- bride town, if the proprietors of that naviga- tion were difpofed to put the a£l * in force, by which they are empowered* to carry on and complete the navigation of this ufeful river as far as Foreft-row in Suffex. A work which, if it was well executed, would moft certainly be of the greateft advantage to the public in general, and to Penfhurlt, and all this part of the country in particular. Adjoining to the town is Penfhurft-Place, a noble and very ancient manfion, which, in the time of William the Conqueror, was pof- fefled by a family named Penchefter. In this family it continued till about the reign of Ed- ward the fecond when Sir Stephen de Penchef. ter t, who was one of the barons of the Cinque Ports, and conftabie of Dover-Caltle, died without male ifTue, upon which it paffer] by Alice, his daughter and co-heirefs, to the Lord Columbers ; and her fon Thomas de Coium- bers * Anno 13. Georgii. II. + Philipot, p. 270 ( 4* ) Irers paffed it by deed into the Pulfeney family ; from whence it came to Sir John Deverux, Knight of the Garter, Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports, Conftable of Dover-caftle, and Steward of the Houfhold to Richard the fe- cond. This gentleman obtained licenfe from the king to fortify and embattle this manfion- houfe, which at his death went with his daugh- ter to Walter Lord Fitzwater, and thus paffed through feveral of the mod noble and eminent families in the kingdom, till at length it was forfeited to the crown by the attainder of Sir Ralph Vane, who with the "Duke of Somerfet and others, was facrificed to the vain ambi- tion of the Duke of Northumberland, in the fourth year of Edward the fixth. This eflate was then given by that amiable young monarch to Sir William Sidney * ; in whofe diftinguifh- ed family it has everfince continued. Sir William died on the loth of February, 1553, and left this eflate, of which he had been about ten months in poffeffion, to his fon and heir Sir Henry Sidney f, who from his infancy 4 * Collin's Mem. of the Sidney's, p. 81. + lb, p. 82. ( 43 ) infancy had been brought up with Edward the fixth, and on that king's acceffion to the crown was efteemed, for his virtues, comelinefs, gal- lantry, and fpirit, one of the greatelt ornaments of the court. Sir Heaiy + had the firft place in the friend- fhip of this virtuous monarch, who made him one of the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber, and took fuch delight in his company, that he but feldam granted him leave of abfence, and at laft died in his arms at Greenwich. Upon this melancholy occafion he retired to Penf- hurlt to indulge his grief, and thus efcaped all the calamities which befel his father-in-law, the Duke of Northumberland, on the acceffion of Queen Mary. After King Edward's death, Sir Henry Sid- ney was honourably diftinguihed by Queen Mary ; and by Queen Elizabeth he was ap- pointed Lord Prefident of the Marches of Wales. He was alfo four times Lord Chief Juftice of Ireland, and three times Deputy Governor of that kingdom, at each of which time r .tt£3 pdi ui boiaslq fl&v/ uoib voi Ren Johnfon alfo has alluded to this tree a in his Forest . tfitfi oi G jaifc Thou t From a paflage in this poem it appears tfiat King James zk? firft, and his' ion, probably Prince Henry^ift one of their hust- I 4& ) Thou* halt thy 'walks for health as well as fport i Why mount to which the Driads do refart, Where Pan and Bacchus their high fea its .have made, . " - ; 1 1?> ; « i • §ih Beneath the broad beech and the chefnut fhade: That tall itree too which of .a nut was :fet jki his great birth where all the Miifes met, l The clwmnig thought at the conclufton of ihe la ft line, is fo beautifully and poetically detailed in a little poem called Pen skurst^ kritteu' by Mr. t &jx££m Mai hunting matches paid an unexp^&ed vifit to the Earl of Lei- cefter at Penfhurft ; from which event Ben Johnfon takes oc eafion to comp^ment Laxiy Leiceiter. npon her qeconoipy an4 »ianagcme«tyiinva niaimev that doj^Jign^ur: ty - hcrj^eieer^ ( 47 ) That happy time, that glorious day, The Mufes came in concert gay; With harps in tune, and ready fong, The jolly chorus tript along ; in honour of th' aufpicious mcrn, To hail the infant genius born s Next came the Fauns in order meet. The Satyrs next with cloven feet, The Dryads fwift that roam the woods, The Naiads green that fwim the floods Sylvanus left his. filent cave, Medway came dropping from the wave Vertumnus led- his blufhing .fp.oufe, And Geres fhook her wheaten brows, And Mars with milder look was there, And laughing Venus gfac'd the rear. They join'd their hands in fefrive dance And bade the fmiling babe advance ; Each gave a gift ; Sylvanus lafl Ordain'd when all the pomp was pail, Memorial meet, a tree to grow Which might to future ages fliow, That, on feleft occafion rare, A troop of Gods affembled there : The Naiads water'd all the ground, And Flora twinVl a wood-bine round : G>3 1 ( 48 ) The tree fprung faft in hallow'd earth Co-cevai with the illuftHous birth. Collins* informs his readers that this tree was remaining in the park in his time, and called Bear's-Oak ; but it does not appear that there is now any well afcertained tradition in the family relating to it, fo perilhing are temporary memorials, while his own immor- tal deeds fhall tranfmit his name with applaufe down to the lateft pofterity- Sir Phillip's noble and generous difpofition* Lis love of the arts, the encouragement that he gave to men of learning and genius +, and the elteem in which he was univerfally held throughout all the courts of Europe, are fo generally known that it mull be wholly un- neceffary to mention them here ; but the laft action of his life fo ftrongly paints the native and unconquerable goodnefs of his heart, that it would be doing myfelf the utmoft violence to forbear relating it. He was engaged at the battle of Zutphen § which was very ftoutly fought * Collins, p. 98. f Gutfy-ie, vol. III. p. 380. ^ Collins, p. j 05-108. ( 49 ) fought, the Englifh feveral times forcing the entrenchments ®f the enemy, though at laft their general, the Earl of Leicefter, thought proper to leave the' Spaniards in poffeflion of the field ; and on this occafion Sir Philip per- formed fuch feats of valour, as gives credibility to the moft (htning a6tions of th#*feraveit hero in his Arcadia *. He was from fB'e firft dif- tinguifhed in the thickeft of the battle, and continued to fight with unremitting ardour, till being mortally wounded in the thigh, he was obliged to be carried from the field. The lofs of blood, and excefs of pain, made hiril thirfty, and drink was presently brought him, but, as he was lifting up the bottle to his head, he faw a wounded foldier call his wilhful eyes towards it, upon which, pulling it untafted from his mouth, he gave it to the poor fellow wi f h thefe words — Thy necejjity is yet greater than mine ! In * It is fuppofed that Sir Philip amufed himfelf in writing this celebrated romance during hisrecefs from public bufinef* in the twenty-fixth year of his age, when he retired iVom court on account of Queen Elizabeth's partiality in favour of *he Earl of Oxford, with whom he had a difpute in which the Queen interfered. ( 5* jf In this happy difpofition of mind, this un- shaken fortitude of foul, he continued the fol- lowing fixleen days, and then, ia the 35th year orf hk age, ^fterjt|?gjg thedife of a foldier, he died the de&tb, of ^HnriRian ;; thus was Loft to the v/ a hero w .om his cotempoiaries could ae^§t^u:: ntion without admiration* and whole rae«I&ry sail ever be revered while the jfove of arts and anus fhall remain among ft men* By Sir Philip's death this efcate defcende'd nis brother, Sir Robert Sidney, who was ed Lord Sidney of Penfhurft in the firft y : r of James the firft, and foon after obtain- ed the title of Vifcount L'ifie, which title had; been in his mother's family from the time of King John. In the fourteenth of James's reign Lord L'ifie was inverted with the Order of the Garter, and in the fixteenth dignifkiek with the title of Earl of Leicefter *. In 1649 + two of King Charles's children, the Duke of Gioce'ler, and the Princefs Eliza- beth,, were fent by the Parliament to Penfhurft- houfe to be placed under the care of the Coun- ted * Coilins, f ibid. p. 132* tefs of Leicefter, and they continued here about one year. There are yet remaining in the houfe two pictures of the Duke of Gtecefler* one of them with a black behind him in the yoyal livery. Penihurft is alfo remarkable fear' t being .the habitation : of the celebrated Lady Dorothy Sidney, whom Waller has immortalized under lhe najne of Sacharilfa. It;ts not certain that this bmutiful lady was horn in tliis m&vdkm> as. her .name is not inferred in tfcparifli regit fcer : but it is unque-ftionahle lii i ihe'here, Si the fuil bloom and luflre uA her charms, re- ceived the incenfe of her adorers^ airi(amoiig& the reft inflamed the heart of this fweet and elegant poet, who-is juftiy diftiRguifl^d a>s the father of EnglMfr verification ; but who, tho* fuccefsful in poetry, was fo unfortunate in lov^ as to be obliged to yield up the ^bjefe ofuhis adorations- to I?ienry Lord Spencer +, after- wards Earl of Sunderiajid, and great-grand^ father to the late Duke of Marlborough. Lady Dorothy continued fometirne a widow after Lord Sunderland's :deceafe, and then was mar- f Collins 147 ( $* ) ried to Robert Smythe, Efq; of Bounds in Kent, from whom the late Sir Sidney Stafford Smythe was lineally defcended. Penfhurft was alfo the birth-place of that great patriot Algernoon Sidney, whofe name will ever.be dear to his country, and whofe memory will be cheriflied by all the true Jo_ vers of liberty. An account of his life, his charafter, and his tragical end, has been fo lately prefented to the public,' together with his works, that it is intirely needlefs for it to be mentioned here, though when fuch noble fubje&s come before us it is with relu&ance that we pafs them by. Thus has Penlhurft for a great number of years fucceflively been the manfion of heroes, patriots, arts, arms, and beauty— few houfes in this kingdom fhine with fuch diitinguifhed luftre, and none can have title to a fuperior place in the annals of fame. This fine old manfion has, within thefe few years, been repaired and beautified, by the late William Perry, Efq; who came to this eftate by marrying the honourable Elizabeth Sidney ( 53 ) Sidney *, niece to the laft Earl of Leicefter, and at prefent fole furvivor of that ancient and mofl illuftrious family, which is lineally de- fcended from Sir William Sidney, who came out of Anjou with Henry the fecond. This houfe contains a noble collection of pictures, and many other curious works of art ? feveral of which were collected by Mr. Perry in his travels through Europe ; and the ftate rooms here are mofl fuperbly furnifhed. The gardens reach from the houfe to the banks of the Medway, and are large and beau- tiful. The park is faid to be one of the fineft in the kingdom. It certainly is of great extent, and charmingly diverfified: hills, dales, marines, rivers, woods, lawns, and all that can delight a contemplative mind, all that can fire a ro- mantic imagination, is here to be found — H Here * This lady has a fon and feveral daughters by the late Mr. Perry, who all bear the name of Sidney. She is aco-heirefs of Colonel Thomas Sidney, and her filler, the honourable Mary Sidney, was married to Sir Biownlow Sherrard ; but died a few years fmce without iflue. ( 54 ) Here mighty Dudley * once would rove, To plan his triumphs in the grove : There loofer Waller, ever gay, With Sacharifs in dalliance lay ; And Philip, fidelong yonder fpring, His lavifh carols wont to fing. Penshurst a Poem. The parifh church of Penfhurlt is a good lubftantial ftrufture, and in it there are feveral antique, elegant, and noble monuments, of the proprietors of Penlhurft-place, and particularly of the Sidneys ; moft of whom, for above thefe two hundred years paft, have been buried there> f Dudley Earl of Leicefter. Queen Elizabeth's favourite- and uncle by the mother's fide to Sir Philip Sidney. ( i ) A LIST of. the PORTRAITS, AND OTHER CAPITAL PAINTINGS, PENS HURST - PLACE. In the Closet. A NGU ET A. D. 1564, iEtat. fuae 51. Barbara Gamage Countefs of Leiceiter. In /^ Hanging Room. Robert Earl of Leiccfter, Stadholder of Holland, 158,5, H Countefs I 2 } Countefs of Pembroke, filter to Sir Phrlip Sidney, Ambrofe Dudley, Earl of Warwick. Robert, Philip and Algernon Sidney, by Vandyke- Algernon Percy, Earl of Northumberland,, Lady Elizabeth Howard, Countefs of Nor- thumberland, by Vandyke. Lady Catherine Cecil VrfcOuntefs Lifle, daughter of the Earl of Salisbury, by ditto. Henry Earl of Holland, by ditto*. Robert Spencer Earl of Sunderland by dit. Robert Earl of Leicefter, 1632. Queen Mary. Sir William Sidney, obit. 1612. William Earl of Portland, obit. 1630, by C Johnfon. Barbara Gamage, Countefs of Lericefler* 1596, and fix of her children, by M. Garrard* Earl of North, by Vandyke, 1640. A fine reprefentation of a decay 'd body in wax, faid to be found in the ruins of Her- culaneum. A Venus. A whole length of the Queen of France, Irt f » ) In the Picture Closet* Fifher, Bifliop of Rochefler, by Holbeins. Sir Thomas More, by ditto Edward the Sixth, by ditto. Lady Jane Gray. Sir John Dudley, Vifcount Lifle, after- wards Duke of Northumberland. Edward Dudley, Efq; by Holbeins. ' Peter delivered out of prifon. A very valuable piece of a Madona ^nd child, by Raphael de Urbino, A fine perfpective view of the infide of St. Peter's Church at Rome. A Candlelight Piece of fome Gamblers, by Teniers. Trial of a Criminal, by Hemfkirk. Several Pieces of Fruit. Ditto of Landfcapes* Adam and Eve* hi ( m ) In the Gallery. Old Parr. Venus, by Titian. Venus, Mercury, and Cupid, by Corregio. The Di*ke of Richmond and his dog. Philip E \rl of Leicefter, by Sir G. Kneller* Martin Luther, by Lucas Cranack. Henry the Eighth, by Holbeins. The Earl of Surrey. Abraham offering up Ifaac, by Guercins. John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland "*545- Philip Ld Lifle 1650, E. of Leicefter, 1678 Robt. Ld. Sidney, 1603, E. Leicefter, 1618 Robert Earl of Leicefter, 1658. seta. 37. Algernon Piercy Earl of Northumberland, by Vandyke. Lady Dorothy Sidney, by Lely. Archbifliop Abbot. Sir William Sidney, the firft poffeiTor of Penfhurft. Algernon Sidney, aeta. fuas 41, A. D. 1663 A Madona and Child furrounded by An- gels, by Andrea del Sorts. The ( v ) The Family Piece, Mr. and Mrs. Perr and five children, by David Suders, 1752. Two Pieces of Fruit by William Sartorius. A fine Moon I^ight Piece of Peter delivered out of prifon. Lucretia, by Gorregio. A Groom and Horfe, 1725. A Winter Piece. Lady Perry's Room. Two fine Sea Pieces, by C. Bovmeefter. Philip and Algernoon Sidney. Mrs. Perry. Colonel Sidney. Countefs of Pembroke. A Landfcape. Two fmall ditto. A Piece of Flowers. An exceeding fine Piece of Still Life. A Family Piece, of two Children of the Sidney Family. In the Saloon. A Front View of Leiceiler Houfe. A Back View of ditto, *H T U O £ In In a Closet, : The church * is a very fair large ftrufturc, and the tower of it is faid to be as good a piece of work as almoft any of the kind in Kent. Within this church there are feveral memorials of ancient families that may perhaps be ufeful to our genealogifts, but are of little importance to others. The prefent re£ior is Sackville Spencer Bale. H E V E R. Hever is fituated a mile farther wellward. This village has nothing remarkable in it. The driver Eden direfts its courfe through the midft of it eaftward, in its way towards Chidingftone and Penfhurft. The church, which ftands on the ealt end of the village, is a fmall but neat building, having a handfome fpire at the wed end of it. Hever eftates in Chiddingftone, Hever, Cowden, Brafted, &c.on the firft and other Ions of that marriage fuceeflively, and died in 1762 inteftate; on which Henry, his eldeft fon, fucceeded to all the feveral eftatcs cornprifed in that Settlement ; but Mr. Henry Streatfield the father, having purchafed feveral eftates after his marriage, thofe at his death inteftate, defcended to his two foris Henry and Richard, as his co-heirs in gavelkind, who now poffefs them in undivided moieties. * This church was appropriated by Walter, the grandfon of Richard de Clare, to the monks of Daventry in North- aLT'ptonfhire. Dugdale's Baron, Vol. I. p, 218. ( 57 ) Hever was anciently part of the exterifiv& patrimony of Sir Stephen de Penchefter ; but The CASTLE whofe ruins are ftill remaining, a great part of which is very entire, and well worth the notice of the curious, was built and embattled, in the time of Edw. III. by Thomas de Hever; whofe defcendent, William de Hever, dying without male iffue, it parted to his two daughters and co~ heireffes, one of whom being married to Cob- ham and the other to Brocas, this eftate feems to have continued between them, till it was purchafed by Geoffrey Bullen. This gentle- man's grandfon the famous Sir T. Bulien, knt. of the garter, and father of the celebrated and unfortunate Oueen Anna Bullen, conftantly refided here, and lies buried in Hever church, under a large altar tomb, with his effigy in brafs^ dreffed in his robes and garter, and with a fair infcription. Oueen Anne herielf refided here fome time after King Henry began his court- fhip to her, and there are faid to be fome letters ftill extant which this paffionate monarch wrote to her while {he lived in this place. On the execution of her brother the unfortunate Lord Rochford, who, with his filter, fell a* Sacrifice to the cruel jealoufv and wavering paffionS paflions of the tyrannical Harry, this caftle was forfeited to the king, arid by him given to Anne of Cleves, who refided here fome time after her repudiation. Upon her death it re- verted again to the crown, and was g'rven, by Mary the firft, to Sir Edward W aldegrave in which family it remained till the year 1715, when it was conveyed by James Lord Walde- grave to Sir William Humphreys, Knt. and and Bart, who that year was Lord Mayor of London. In this family it continued till the year 1745, when Hever-caltle, and the ma- nors of Hever-cobham and Hever-brocas was conveyed by fale, to Timothy Waldo* of Clap- ham, in the county of Surry, Efq; now Sir Timothy Waldo, Knt. and he is the prefent poffeffor of them. EDEN BRIDGE, Edenbridge is a fmall town about two miles from Hever, and fo called from being fituated on the river Eden which lofes itfelf in the Medway at Penmurft. The church is a large handfome building, once famous for a crucifix of excellent workmanfhip which flood there* Tho f Pfartlib's Hiftory of Kent, p, 397. ( 59 } The roodloft, or gallery, in which the image was placed, are itill remaining ; there is alfo fome remains of good painted glafs in the win~ dows ; and a few fair monuments of the Sel- yard family. T U N B R I D G E. Tunbridge, or the Town of Bridges, is fup„ pofed to derive its name from five flone bridges, which are here built over fo many fmall ftreams of the Medway, for the conve- nience of trade. This town is a fmall territory by itfelf. called " The Lowy of the diftricT: of Tunbridge/' which, according to the beft accounts of the Britifh antiquarians, was anciently part of the extenfive patrimony of the fee of Canterbury, but became difmembered therefrom through the avarice of Odo Bifhop of Bayeux, and uterine brother to the conqueror, who in the life-time of Archbilhop Stigand, and efpecially in the long vacancy that happened after his depofition, rapacioufly feized a great part of the eftates and lordfhips belonging to this fee, which he thought to have engrolfed for hirn- I ' felf ( 60 J {elf and his family for ever; but when Lan- franc, who was a man of fpirit and refolution y was advanced ta the Arcbbifhoprfck, he fent over a complaint agairrfl the encroachments of Odo to the king in Normandy : and William f; well knowing the impetuous and. avaricious difpofition of his brother, favourably heard the complaint, and immediately ordered it to be tried in the moft folemn manner. Accord- ingly commiflioners were appointed, and ^ jury of the molt reputable perfons in the feve- ral counties *% where the archbifiiop had any pofleffions was fummoned to meet near Ayles- ford in Kent, to hear and decide this impor- tant caufe between two of the greatefi; fubjefts %i the kingdom. When the trial came on, Lanfranc, being an eloquent man for the age in which he lived, pleaded his own caufe, and obtained a com- pleat viftory over his antagonitt who was obliged to reftore twenty-three manors to the archiepifcopal fee,, among which, this of Tun- bridge * About two thirds were Kentifh eftates, the reft were in Stirry, London, Middlcfex, Effcx, Suffolk, OxfordflurCj an* Ba€kinghamfhirc. Guthrie. ( 6i ) bridge was one ; but as Odo had given this eftate to his kinfman Richard de Clare, this young nobleman liked the country fo well, that he was unwilling to refign it to the archbifhop, and therefore, through the king's mediation, entered into an agreement with Lanfranc to exchange his caflle and country of Brionne * in Normandy for this territory. At this exchange of eftates in order to afcer- tain the exafi extent of territory beyond all poliibility of a difpute, the caflle of Brionne was meafured about with a firing, agreeable to ihe fimplicity of that age, and an equal quantity of land, including the town of Timbridge, was meafured with the fame line, and given up to the Earl of Clare ; whofe fucceffors hdd this eftate of the fee of Canterbury by knight* s fervice, till, at the inftigation -of Henry the Jfecond, this tenure was difputed with that haughty prelate Thomas a Backet, and thus it -continued many years in fuit, till at length, in the reign of Henry the third, a c'ompofition was agreed between the archiepifcopal fee and I 2 the * Brionne is a town of Normandy in France, which give 5 title to a count, and is fituated on the river Rille. lat, gp. 3j, Lond, 18. 26. Bufching's Ge®graphy. ( 6 2 ) the Earls Clare (now become Earls of GIo- cefter) who ever after held this eftate of the lee of Canterbury, upon condition that they mould be chief butlers and high ftewards at the .inftallment of the archbifhops, and grant them the wardlhip of their children. The before-mentioned Richard de Clare built the caftle, and fenced it with the river, a deep ditch, and ftrong walls, which, though they are now by time and neglect reduced to a moft ruinous condition, and become the ha- bitation of bats and owls, yet plainly enough ihew what they have been. He alfo built the church, which he dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, and appropriated to the knights Hof- pitallers of St. John of Jerufalem, agreeable to the reigning fuperflition * of that age, in which the bloody croifades began. * This * It was in this age fo much the fafhion to appropriate churches and tythes to the Hofpitallers and Tempters of Je- i uialcm that it was thought necefTary by the Lateran Council fo put the laity under fome reftraint : and for this purpofe a decree was ifiued forth in 1 180 to prohibit thefe and all other fAligious focieties from receiving the churches and tenths from *be laity without the confent of the bifhop.—Seldon on Tythes ?< H 2 < I 63 ) This nobleman was one of the principal per- fons who came into England with the conque- ror, and, in confequence of the brave affiftance .which he gave to William at the memorable battle of Haltings, as well as in refpeft of his near alliance in blood, (he being grandfon to Geoffrey, who was a natural fon to Richard the firft Duke of Normandy) had great ad- vancements in honour, and very large pof- feflions both in England and Normandy be^- ftowed upon him ; thofe in England only a- mounting to one hundred and feventy-fix lord- fliips, befides thirteen burgages in Ipfwich, of which Clare, from whence his title was de- rived, was one. In 1073, ne was joined with William de Warren in the important poft of Jufticiary of England during the king's abfence, and was at that time a principal inftrument in fuppreffing the dangerous rebellion of the Earls of Here- ford and Norfolk, two Norman Lords, who entered into a confpiracy to deprive William of his royalty and obtain the government for themfelves. Thefe potent noblemen had fuch refources at their command, that had they be-en allowed time to put their fchemes into execution, ( M ) execution, and to join their forces, they would in all probability have torn the crown from the conqueror's brow; it was therefore happy for William that he left his government in the hands of fubje&s who were equally faithful, vigilant, and intrepid. On the death of the conqueror, this Earl Richard favoured the pretentions of Robert and held out fome time againft William Rufus ; but, on William's appearing with his army be- fore the caftle of Tunbridge, he prefendy made his fubmiffions, and fwore fealty to the reigning monarch, to whom he ever after ad- hered with the ftri&eft fidelity. Rufus im- mediately after Earl Richard's fummiffion pur- fued the arch-rebel Odo to Pevenfey, and., having taken him prifoner, confined him for a fhort fpace at Tunbridge-caftle ; till finding him neceffary to the rcduftion of Rochefter he feat for him to his army, from whence Odo made his efcape into the town, which being foon after reduced, he was agajin taken, and then fuffered to go quietly over into France according to the articles of capitulation. Ear? ( «5 ) Earl Richard followed Rufus into Norman- dy in the year 1093, and, being there taker* prifoner by Robert's forces, was kept in con- finement till that dukedom was affigfied over to William, on Robert's going into the Ho- ly-land ; but on this event he obtained his liberty, and,, returning to England again, lived fome years a peaceable life, till at length turn- ing his arms agai-nft the Welch, in the begin- riing of Stephens reign, he was ftate in hi* old age at the battle of Abergavenny* The caftle of Tunbridge was p^ffeffed by- Gilbert, the fori of the aforefaid Earl Richard* in his father's life-time *, it probably being configned over to him on account of Richard's? captivity in Normandy. This Gilbert in the eighth of William Rufus was i confederate with Mowbray Earl of Northumberland^ but re- lented + when he- faw the king upon the point of falling into an ambufcade of tire enemy r and * Dug. Bar. Vol. t, p. £07. f lt Rufus. marching to the nq with his aYttiy t6 fop.. . k hamlet fituated about ^ mile from the towrt of Sevenoak, in which there was an ancient manfion called Brooks-place, fuppofed to havt been built by one of the family of Colepeper, out ( *5 ) out of the materials taken from the neigh- bouring hofpital of St. John. It afterwards came into the poffeffion of the family of Am- herft, and the prefent Lord Amherft, formerly refided here, till he built his feat at. Montreal, when this was pulled down- M O N T R E A L. An elegant manfion, built of fine ftone, pleafingly fituated about a mile from River- head, near the road leading from thence to Wefterham, and into part of Surry, belonging to Lord Amherft, who erefted this houfe foon after his return from America, for his entire refidence, naming it Montreal, in remem- brance of his great fuccefs in taking that city In Canada. The victorious achievements of the Britifh forces in North-America, during Sir Jeffery Amherft's continuance there, cannot be better fummed up than by giving two of the in- fcriptions on an obelifk in the grounds of his feat at Montreal ; The ( 86 } LOUISBOURGH Surrendered and fix French Battalions prifo- 'ners of War, 26th July, 1758. FORT DUQUESNE Taken poffeffion of 24th of Nov. 1758* NIAGARA Surrendered 25th July, 1759. TICONDEROGA Taken poffeffion of 26th July, 1759- CROWN POINT Taken poffeffion of 4th of Auguft, 1759. QUEBEC K. e Capitulated 18th September, 1759. On the other, FORT LEVI Surrendered 25th Auguft, 1760. ISLE AU NOIX Abandoned 28th of Auguft, 1760. MONTREAL Surrendered, and with it all Canada, and ten French Battalions laid down their Ams, 8th of September, 1760. St. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND Retaken 18th Sept. 1762. CHEVEN- ( 8/ ) C H E V E N I N G. Chevening, fituate about four miles from Sevenoak, belonging to the Right Hon. the Earl of Stanhope, is an elegant feat, a full view of which may be fcen on the right as you defcend Madams-Court-Hill, in coming from London, which likewife commands a fine view of Montreal, and feveral other neighbouring feats. This feat was feveral times in the hands of the crown. About the 14th of James I. it was rebuilt by Richard Lennard, Lord Dacre, on a plan of Inigo Jones, whofe defcendants fold it in 17 17, to Major General James Stanhope, grandfon to Philip firft Earl of Chefterfield, who following a military life, rofe by degrees to the higneft honours in it. In 1708, being declared commander in chief of the Britifh forces in Spain, he reduced the cattle of St # Philip, and the celebrated Port of Mahon, in the ifland of Minorca; in 1710, the fignal viftory of Almenara was owing to his pru- dence and valour. On the acceffion of Geo. the firft, he was fworn of the Privy Coun- cil, &c. in April, 1717, conftituted Firft Com- ( 88 ) Commiffioner of the Treafury, and Chancel, lor of the Exchequer, and on July follow- ing, was promoted to the dignity of Lord Vifcount Stanhope, of Mahoh, in the ifiand of Minorca. He died on Feb. 5, 1721, and Philip the eldeft fon, is the prefent Earl Stan- hope, who refides at Chevening, and has lately made very great improvements to the houfe 9 gardens, &c. BRADBOURN. An ancient feat, fituated about a mile north weft of the town of Sevenoak, belonging to Sir Richard Bettenfon, Bart. This eftate had originally the fame owners as Knowle, till it was pailed away in the reign of King Edward the third, to Walter de Pevenley, who very probably firft erefted this manfion. In the reign of Henry the fixth it fucceeded to the pofTeffion of a family of the Afhes, who re- built a great part of the ancient fabric, as ap- pears by their arms in feveral of the windows* After this eftate had remained fome genera- tions in this family, it became part of the pofleffions of the family of Ifley, in which it remained till Sir Henry Ifley exchanged it with ( % ) with King Henry the eighth. It is fuppofed to have remained with the crown till the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when it became the property of Sir Ralph Bofville, Knt. one of which family afterwards rebuilt the man- fion houfe of Bradbourn about the year 1750 as it now remains, and dying in 176* unmarried, bequeathed this eftate to his kinf- man Richard, only fon and heir of Sir Ed- ward Bettenfon, Bart, who fucceded his father in the title of Baronet in 1762, and in 1765 ferved the office of High Sheriff of this county* He is the prefent pofleffor of this manor and feat, which as well as the park, has been greatly improved by him within thefe few vears. KEPINGTON. A feat belonging to Sir Charles Farnaby; Bart, fituate about a mik from Sevenoak, on a pleafing eminence, commanding feveral fine profpe&s, and having a full view of Sevenoak town. This eftate formerly belonged to a younger Iranch of the family of Cobham, it next went in ( 9° ) in marriage in the reign of King Henry the eighth, to Sir Edward Borough, Knt. It paffed through feveral other hands tiil the reign of King Charles the flrft, when it was convey- ed to Mr. Thomas Farnaby, one of the mo ft eminent Schoolmalters of that time. He was an excellent fcholar, fo famous in his teaching that more eminent men, in church and ftate, iiTued thence than from any other fchool taught by one man in England. He removed from London, where he had upwards of three hundred noblemen and others under his care, to Sevenoak in 1636, taught with great efteem, grew rich, and purchafed ellates here, and at other places. He died in 1747, when his eldeft fon Francis Farnaby, Efq; fucceeded to this eftate ; at whofe death his eldeft fon Charles Farnaby fucceeded his fa- ther at Kepington ; who, in the fecond year of George the firft was knighted, in the fixth of that reign, was Sheriff of this county, and in the twelfth year, July 21, 1726, advanced to the dignity of a Baronet. He left one fon, Thomas his fucceffor in title and eftate, and two daughters, Sarah, who married Sir Sidney Stafford Smythe, Knt. late Lord Chief Baron [ 9-i 1 Chief Baron of his Majefty's Court of Ex- chequer ; and Elizabeth. Sir Thomas Farnaby, Bart, his only fon, died in March, 1760, leaving iffue three fons and one daughter ; Sir Charles Farnaby, the eldefl; fon, is the prefent Baronet, who in the lait parliament but one was chofen member for this county, and afterwards a member for Hythe. He has within thefe few years rebuilt this feat, and now re fides at it. WILDERNESS. A feat belonging to John Pratt, Efq; for- merly called Stidulfes Place, about three miles from Sevenoak, in the road leading to Wro- tham and Maidftone, fituate in Seal parifhj which Robert de Stidulie is mentioned in an- cient deeds, without date, to have held with much other land in Seal. From this family it was conveyed about the 11th year of King Henry the fixth, to William Quintin ; it next palfed to Richard Theobald, Secondary of Queen Elizabeth's Remembrancer in the Ex- chequer ; it was afterwards fold in the reign of King Charles the fecond, to Sir Charles Bicker- ftaffe, who changed the name of it to Wilder- nefs. At his death it was fold to John Pratt, N E% [ 93 ] Efq; Serjeant at Law, who on November 14, 1714, was appointed one of the Juftices of the Court of King's- Bench, and knighted ; after that one of the Lords CommiiTioners for the Cuftody of the Great Seal, and in 1718, Lord Chief Juftice of the Court of King's-Bench. His grandfon, John Pratt, Efq; is the prefent pofieflor, who refides here, and at Bayharn Abbey, alternately, and has lately cnclofed into a park the grounds belonging to it. GROVE. The beautiful and pifturefque feat of Mrs. Hardinge, relict of Nicholas Hardinge. Efq; fecietary to the Treafury, and filler to Lord Camden, is clofe to Wildernefs Park. O T F O R D. A village near Sevenoak, which tho' wide of our intended description, being of great antiquity, we fhall give a Ihort account of it. The Arehbifhops of Canterbury had from the earlielt account, a houfe or palace here, in which they rcfidcd from time to time, as appears by their irequent mandates, dated from their manor houfe at Oiford. Archbifhop Win- i 93 5 "WmcheRer died here in the fixth year of JCing Edward the fecond, 1313. Archbifhop Dean^ in the reign of King Henry the eighth, rebuilt great part of this houfe ; and Archbifhop Wareham his imme- diate fucceflbr thinking the houfe too mean for his refidence, rebuilt the whole of it, ex- cepting the hall and the chapel, at the expence of 33000 1. a large ftun at that time. There are b&t fmali remains left of this lately palace, for fuch it mult have been. It was fuuated at a fmall diftance from, and facing the fouth part of Otford village. There is a wall and two towers, part of the outer court remaining entire. Of the palace itfelf nothing is left but yaft heaps of rubbifh and foundations, which cover an acre of ground. The fpring of water which fupplied the palace is called St. Thomas's Well, from the tradition that Archbifhop Becket finding the houfe wanting a fit fpring to water it, ftruck his ftaff into the dry ground, and ttiat water immediacely appeared where this well 4s, Ancient I 94 ) Antient hiflory makes mention of two fa- mous battles fought at Otford, one of which happened among the Saxons themfelves, con- tending for glory and fupreme fovereignty, the other between the Danes and Saxons, for their lands, lives and liberties. The firft of which was fought in 773, be- tween Qffa, King of Mercia, and Adrie King of Kent, when Offa gained the viftory, yet not without great Daughter on both Tides. The other battle was fought in 1316, between King Edmund, firnamed Ironfide, and Canute, the Danifh King. The fields here are full of the remains of thofe flain in battles ; bones are continually discovered in them, particularly when the new turnpike road which leads from Eynsford through Otford to Sevenoak, was widened in 1767, many fkeletons were found in the chalk-cliffs on each fide of it. Mr. Polhill has a field in this parifh, called Dane-Field, which moll probably was the fpot on which the laft mentioned battle with the Danes was fought. KNOWLE, ( 95 ) K N O W L E. Knowle flands at a fmall diftance from Se« venoak, a pleafant road leads to it through the park, from Sevenoak Common, a mile from that town, and on the road leading to Tun- bridge, and has been a remarkable feat almoft from the days of William the conqueror. After paffing through many illuflrious families it defcended by marriage to Sir William Fiennes, by whofe fon it was fold to Bouchier, Archbifhop of Canterbury. This prelate an- nexed it to the archiepifcopal fee, and rebuilt the houfe in a magnificent manner ; and his fucceffors afterwards much improved and aug- mented this noble manfion, which continued with them till in the twenty-ninth year of Henry the eighth, when Cranmer, observing that its grandeur excited the jealoufy and envy of the nobility, exchanged it with the crown, as he did alfo the fumptuous palace at Otford, which was built by Archbifhop Wareham his immediate predeceffor, at the expence of thirty-three thoufand pounds, as has been before defcribed. Knowle ( # ) Knowle continued with the crown till Ed- ward the fixtb, in the fecond year of his sreign, granted it to his uncle the Duke of Somerfet, on whofe attainder it again reverted to the king, and by him was given to Somer- set's enemy the ambitious Duke of Northum- berland, on whofe execution it returned once more to the crown, and was by Queen Mary granted to Cardinal Poole for his life, and one year afterwards. When this grant was expired, Queen Elizabeth gave it to her fa- vourite, Dudley, Earl of Leicefter, who in the fame year refigned it back again into her majefty's hands ; whereupon fhe firfh leafed it to John Leonard of Chevemng, Efq; and then, in the feventh year of her reign, gave it to Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurft, af- terwards Earl of Dorfet, and then Lord Trea- furer to the queen, to whom the reverfion and fee-fimple of thefe premifes had been granted by Queen Elizabeth in the 8th year of her reign, foon after the Earl of Leicefter's Ibrrender of his grant to her, as before men- tioned. This nobleman beautified the old building, made fome expenfive additions to it and left it in good order to his fuccefTors. His f 97 i His grandfon Richard Earl of Dorfet, about the year 1612, purchafed the manor o£ Sevenoak with its appurtenances of Henry Cary, Lord Hunfdon. After which this Earl became fo exceffive in his bounties, that he was necefliated to fell the manor of Sevenoak, the manor feat and park of Knowle, &c. to Mr. Henry Smith, Citizen and Alderman of London ; referving, however, to himfelf and his heirs, a Jeafe of them, at an annual referved rent, which Henry Smith, Efq; being polfefled of confiderable eftates, in 1620 conveyed feve- ral of them, among which were thofe in Sevenoak, &c. to Robert, Earl of ElTex, Ri- chard, Earl of Dorfet, and others, in whom he likewife veiled his large perfonal property Intruft, to pay him 500 1. towards his lively- and the refidue to fuch charitable ufes, as he fliould appoint by will. After his death, in the year 1641, the Earl of Elfex, and other the then furviving truflees,. by deed inrolled in Chancery, allotted the rent of Knowle manor, houfe and park, then let to the Earl of Dofet at 100 1. per annum to fee ( 9» ) be yearly diftributed to five feveral parishes in Surry ; and the rents of other manors and lands then let to that Earl, diftributed in dif- ferent other parifhes. Since which thefe premifes have con- tinued in the defcendants of the Earl of Dorfet, to his Grace John Sackville Duke of Dorfet, the prefent poffefTor of them* The prefent Duke of Dorfet has much improved, and made a noble feat of this ve- nerable manfion, which his Grace has chofen for the principal place of his refidence in the country. This fine old manfion Hands in the midfl; of an extenfive park, beautified with a great num- ber of very large beech-trees, and covered with as fine a turf as any in the world. The park is well flocked with deer, and all forts of game, and there is a little gothic hermitage in it, at a fmall diftance from the houfe, which is a great curiofity in itfelf, as well as on account of the vaft variety of uncommon "birds, &c. that are kept there. A LIST ( i ) L I S T of the PICTURES A T K N O W L E. Brown Gallery* ^ -Miter by Quintin Matfys George Villars, Duke of Buckingham^ by Conrelins His father, Sir George Villars, by Janffen Archbifhop Bancroft. General Davies, by William Dobfon* Two lady's heads. Two children of the Cranfield family. Sir Henry Neville and Lady Mary. Silenus, by Peter Paul Rubens. Two daughters of Richard Sackville Earl of Dorfet. a Lord ( » ) Lord ef Baron Lant. Carey iiarl of Hunfdon, the father and fon Sir Kelimn Digby, a copy, by Goudt. Elizabeth Vace Amen. A head of- Edward Earl of Dorfet. A woman's head. Lionel Cranfield, Earl of Middlefex, and his daughter. Old Earl of Worcefter. A Spanifh piece. Horn Gallery. Martin Luther and Melenthon Erafmus. * Pomeranus Rodolphs, by Holbein. Illullrious heads in Henry the 8th time ? Queen Mary* Queen Elizabeth. King Henry the 8th. * Queen Ann Bullen. King James the lft. Edward the 6th. Spangled Bed Room. Sir Walter Raleigh and lady. Dressing ( iij ) Dressing Room to ditto. * The ftory of the Maccabees, by Vand, Medea and Jafon, by Titian. Mrs. Sackville, by Sir Peter Lely. Countefs of Shrewjbury. Dulchels of York. Dressing Room to the Spangled Boom. ^ A fleeping Venus with Cupid, Corregio * Mrs. Stewart, afterwards Dutchefs of Richmond, by Lely. * Mr. Warnoton, a Chinefe, by Sir Jof. Reynolds. * A Dutch converfation piece, Hemfkirk. * A madona, with a bambinno, C. Dolce. * Emperor Charles the 5th by Covio. The angel releafmg St. Peter, Trevifani. * Francis Hols the painter, by himfelf. * Abr. entertaining the angels, Guercino. * Francis the lfl and his queen. Two landscapes. One ditto, by Salvator Rofa. Vandyckc and the Earl of Gowron his fa- ther-in-law, by Vandycke. a 2 Billiard ( iv ) Billiard Room. A head of Oliver Cromwell, by R. Walker Democritus and Heracljtus, by Mignard. Aclaeon and Califto, by Titian. James Cranfield, Earl of Middlefex, and his filler. * A head of Edw, Earl of Dorfet, by Vandycke. f A falutation, by Rembrandt. Prince Palatine of the Rhine, his wife and two daughters, by Lucas de Heem. King and Queen of Spain, by Sir A, More Duke d'Epernon. Venetian ambaffador, by C. Janffen. A head of Mr. Bret, by ditto. A head of Ann, daughter of Geo. Clifford, Ear l of Cumberland, and the wife of Richard Earl of Dorfet. Countefs of Middlefex. Earl of Middlefex. Lady Monmouth. Sir Ralph Bofyile. * Lord Chancellor Soraers, S. G. Kneller. Sir John Suckling. Prince Henry, Iting ( v ) King James the lft, by Daniel My tens. James, Marquis of Hamilton, Vandycke. Lionel Lord Buckhurft and the Lady Mary Sackville his fifter, by Sir Godfrey Kneller. The Arts and Sciences, by Georgio Vafari. Robert Sackville, Earl of Dorfet. Venetian Room. The God of Silence, by Cartewright, a copy from Chiavone. Lady Hume, Holy family. Dressing Room to ditto.. Lionel Duke of Dorfet, by Wooton. Lord Middlefex. Infide of a church at Antwerp. Titian's wife going to poifon his miftrefs, by Titian. * A painter's gallery, by J. Baptifta France A farm yard, by Hondekoeter Balfan. * A landfcape, by Salvator Rofa. * A banditti, by ditto A fcene in the coal mines. * A woman at cards. * A ( vi ) * A battle, by Bourguignon. ^ Sir Thomas More, by Holbeins. * Lord Shaftefbury, by Riley. * A landfcape, by Berchen. A mafquerade, by Paolo Vcronefe. * Madam Dalwick, filler to the Dutchefs of Dorfet. * A candlelight piece on the, right hand, by Schalcken. A woman with a fcule, by Elfheimer. Ball Room. John Frederick S ic kville, Duke of Dorfet, by Sir Jofhua Reynolds Lionel Duke of Dorfet, by Sir G. Kneller. Dutchefs of Dorfet, by Hudfon. Charles Earl of Dorfet, by Sir G. Kneller. Ahead of Richard Earl of ditto. * Another Richard and his wife, Mytens, * Countefs of Middlefex. Earl of ditto. Thomas Earl of Dorfet. Edward Earl of Dorfet, by Vandyckc.- * His Countefs, by Mytem. Robert Dudley Lad of Leicester. f. A profpeci of Dover .C,aftle with the proccffion ( vii ) proceffion of Lionel Duke of Dorfet, Lord Warden, in his return to the caftle. The Chapel. Ecce Homo. The fcourging. Our 31efTed Saviour walking on the fea. Lower Chapel. The apoftles compofing the creed, done in Raphael's fchool. Two madona's. Drawing Room. * St. Paul's head, by Rembrandt. * Periian Sybil, by Dominichino. * Count Ugolino and his four fons, by Sir Jofhua Reynolds * Sir Kelimn Digby, by Vandycke. Orthelus, by Holbein. Two Dutch figures, by Teniers. The Four Seafons, by Filippo Lauras. * Countefs of Dorfet, by Vandycke. * Dutchefs of Cleveland, by Lely. Marriage f viii ) Marriage of St. Catharine Judith, with Holofernes, by Benvenuto Garofalo. Sir Theodore Mern. Rape of the wife of Hercules by the Cen- taur NefTe, by Annib. Caracci. Cupids, by N. Pouffin. * A Flemifh piece, by Segers. A fancy piece, by Wouvermans* * A head of Raphael. * St. John and a lamb, by Corregio. * A madona, by Andrea del Sarto. * A landfcape, by Berchen. * A piata, by Annib. Caracci. * A holy family, by Pietro Perugino, Cartoon Gallery. * Six cartoons, copies, by Mytens. Charles Earl of Dorfet. His Countefs, by Sir Godfrey Kneller. * Lucretia, by Guido Reni. * Thomas Howard, Earl of Surry. James Lord Northampton. * Thomas Earl of Dorfet, by C. Janffen. King's Bedchamber. Countefs of Dorfet, a copy, by Gouge. Mr. Crew. Dining ( " ) Dining Parlour. * The taking of Mofes out of the- bull- rufhes, by Luca Jordano. * Mr. Garrick, by Sir Jolhua Reynolds. * A collection of poets, name on each. A fmall picture of King Richard the fecond. Ditto of Thomas Earl of Dorfet. * Dr. Johnfton, by Sir Jofhua Reynolds. * Dr. Goldfmith, by ditto. * Mr. Gay, by ditto. Sir Ifaac Newton. * Correlli. f ^jhfcO \q hjM t vi;H ■ - • Over the Chimney. King James and Prince Henry* COLLONADE. * Two Lava Tables and a collection of fine Bufts, with name on them. Guard Room* Louis. * Oyfters. The Nativity, by Old Palma, b * The ( x ) * The ruins of the amphitheatre at Rome, in mofaic. Mr. Betterton. A Magdalen, by Albani. Major Maon. A view of the eaft-fide of Knowle. Ditto of Sevenoaks town. Two landscapes; A fmall pi6lure of Betterton. A boy of the Sackviile family. The nativity, by BafTan. Plundering a carrier's waggon, by Vander- velde. Hay, Earl of Carlifle. Two candlelight pieces oppofue each other. * A view of Knowle, by P. Sanby. Lady Elizabeth Germain. Mrs. Margaret Worfinton. Two fan mounts, one is the rape of the Sa- bine women, the other the aurora, by Guido. Blue Room, * A guardian angel leading a child to hea- ven, by P, Cartona. * A fine mare and groom, by Stubbs. * Beggar ( xii ) * Beggar boys, by Sir J. Reynolds. * Cofmo Duke of Tufcany, by Tintoretto. Two landfcapes, by Claude Lorrain. * Three cupids, by Parmigiaiio. Rocks, by Salvator Rofa. * A picture of Raphael. The BlefTed Virgin teaching our Blefled Saviour to read, by Barraccio. - * A head, by Guido. * A little boy carrying a lamb, by Corregio * A head of a poetefs, by Dommichine. * A fine madona, by Raphael. * The angel delivering St. Peter out of prifon, by Teniers. * A Dutch wedding, by Teniers. * A fea view, by W, Vanciei velde. * A Magdaien with a crofs, by Guercino. * A fine head, by Carlo Maratti. * A queen, by Rembrandt. * The flight into Egypt, the landfcape part by Paul Bril, the figures by Rothenamor. Book- ( xii ) Book Room. A Perfian fybil, by Guercino. The goddefs ^Egiri, to whom Numa Pam* philia offered facrifice. 7%0/£ marked thus *, ^ Capital Pieces. t 99 ) There are many other feats in this neigh- bourhood, which do not come within the li- mited extent of this little performance, to be defcribed, particularly the Moat at Ighrham* an antient feat of the Selby family. Ightham. Court, the feat of the James's family. St. Clare, the feat of William Evelyn, Efq; &c. We muft now again lead our traveller oil to Tunbridge-Town, where on his entry, at that end, he will perceive fcveral good houfes, one of which, a modern built handfome brick houfe, belonging to John Children, Efq; is on the left hand, oppofite the Free-School, a little farther down on the right hand is another good building belonging to, and the refidence of Thomas Hooker, Efq; proprietor of the Caltle, and who is one of the principal proprietors of the Powder Mills, lately erefted in this neighbourhood ; alfo the fole proprie- tor of fome Crock-Kilns lately built there by him, which prove very effential to the neigh- bourhood, towards fupplying them with that article. O At ( m ) At about the middle of Tunbridge- fovrn branches the turnpike-road leading to Maid- Hone, Canterbury and Dover ; and at about: four miles diflant is a fmall village, called H A D L O W. affording nothing worthy of defcription ; to the left of which, and at about a mile diftance, liands an ancient feat called OXEN-HEATH. Belonging to William Geary, Efq; fecond- Ion of Admiral Geary (now the only furviving fon) to whom the Kentilh eftate was left, in his Infancy, by his mother's half brother Leonard Bartholmew, E-fq; This gentleman, by clearing the grounds about the houfe, has laid it open to a fine profpeft, which added to the improvements he has made to the houfe ? and in the pleafure grounds, &c. renders it altogether a pleafmg fituatiori. About two miles from Hadlow, keeping the fame turnpike-road, on the left-hand, ar ftranger is agreeably furprized with a view of YOKES- ( to 1 ) YOKES.PLACE, Belonging to, and the refidence of Wm, Daniel Mailer, Efq. This feat in the 35th year of Henry the eighth was fold to Sir Ed- «iund Wallingham of Scadberry, whofr great grandfon Sir Thomas Walfingham married the widow of Nathaniel Mailer, (fecond bro- ther of Sir Edward Matter, of Ealt Langdon, in Eaft Kent,) and fold Yokes-place to James Mailer the fon of the Lady W alfmgham by her former hufband. In 1658 the old houfe was taken down, and the prefent manfion .creeled about a furlong diftant from the for- mer, in a better fituation. James Jvtafter left two fons, who fucceeded him in his eftate at Yokes-Place ; his eldeft died in 1728, and Richard in 1767, leaving William Daniel, fon of his eldeft filter his heir, ufing with his own, the name and arms of Mailer. The grounds have lately been much improved and the gardens laid out in the prefent Tafte. About a mile beyond Yokes-place, on the road towards Mereworth, to the right, is the little village of O 2 EAST- ( 102 ) E A S T - P E C K H A M. Here was a preceptory belonging to the Knights of St. John of Jerufalem valued at 63U. 6s. 8d. It is not certain by whom this was founded ; Philipot fays it was by John Colepepper in the time of Edward the fecond, who appropriated it to the Templars, at whofe fuppreffion in 1327, it fell with their other eftat.es to the Hofpitallers ; but Speed and Weaver affert that it was given by that John Colepepper, who was one of the Juftices of the Common Pleas, in the reign of Henry the fourth, which feems the more probable, be- caufe it is not mentioned in the account of the Templars and Hofpitallers lands in the Mo- nafticon tome II. Robert de Thorneham gave his eftate in this parifh to the Premonftratenfian Canons of Brokely, to found an abbey at Beaulieu which was foon after incorporated with Beg- ham. ROYDON [ 10 3 ) ROYDON - HALL. An ancient feat, fituate in Eaft-Peckham, (as laftly defcribed,) now belonging to Sir William Twyfden, a family of great note and property in that neighbourhood, who derived their name from the Saxons. MERE WORTH. Mereworth is a moft delightful and noble feat, lately defcended, with the title of Lord le Defpenfer, from the Earl of Weftmoreland to Sir Francis Dalhwood. This place is about twelve miles from the Wells and two from Eaft-Peckham. It ancient- ly gave name to an eminent family, who held the manor near two hundred years, when it defcended to the Molrnains, Bohuns, and Bambres, who built here a large and ftrong houfe, refembling a caftle, which paiTcd thro 9 the Earls of Arundel to the Lords Aberga- venny, and from them to the le Defpenfers, whofe heir was the Lady Mary Fane, created Baronefs le Defpenfer by James the firft, and her fon was created Earl of Weftmoreland by the fame monarch. This ( «M ) This grand and magnificent houfe was* within thefe few years, ere£ted by the laft Earl of Weftrnoreland where the old caftle fl>od ; and is built in an elegant llyJe of ar- chitecture, after a defign of Colin Campbell's, in imitation of an admired edifice of the fa- mous Palladio's in Italy. The fite of this noble houfe, as Palladia fays of the original, is as delightful and pleafant as can be imagined; It is upon a fmall hill of very eafy afcent, watered on one fide by a ftream running into the Medway, and on the other encompafTed with the mod agreeable rifings, which have the appearance of a grand rural theatre, cultivated and improved to the utmoft perfection, fo as at once to difplay the correct tafle and the becoming magnificence of the late Earl of WelimoreUnd ; a nobIe_ man, whofe every action manifefled a heart well-fuited to his rank. This fine ftrufture is an exact fquare oi 88 feet. In the middle there arifes above the roof a cupola which confilts of two {hells ; the one forms the flucco cieling of the hall 9 and the other is carpentry covered with lead. Between ( i0 S ) Between thefe two fhells is a ftrong brick arch that brings twenty-four funnels to the lan- thorn, which contrivance prevents the ap^ pearance of any chimney on the outfide of the houfe. And as this delightful manficn en- joys inoft beautiful views from every part, fome of which are limited, fome more ex- tenfive, and fome that terminate with the horizon alone, there are porticos made in all the four fronts; under the floor of which, and that of the hall,- are rooms for the conveniency and ufe of the family. The grand faloon,; which is round, is in the center, and receives its light from above : the (late rooms divided off from it open one into the other all round the houfe, and are fuperbly furnimed. The kitchen and ftables form two noble wings^ which add much to the grandeur of the build- ing. In fliort the houfe, the gardens, the temples, and grottos, the water, the woods the lawns, feverally demand our admiration^ and, as here united, beggar al! defcription. The town of Mereworth itfelf is of little eminence; it was held in chivalry by an entire knight's fee, and hath the grant of a free warren. It had once a weekly market T 0 T T k and ( io6 ) and an annual fair, obtained by Roger de Mereworth in the twenty-eighth year of Ed- ward the firft ; but thefe have long been dif- ufed, and indeed never were very confider- able. The old church was fituated near the caftle s and is faid to have been built by the Earls of Clare, who at its foundation appropriated it to the knights of St. John of Jerufalem. The Right Hon. John Earl of Weltmoreland ob- tained the faculty or licence of the Biiliop of Rochefter to pull it down, and build a new one ; the foundation of which was laid in the year 1744, and it was confecrated by the Bifliop of Rochefter on the 26th day of Au- gufl, 1746. This church is a very pretty piece of modern architecture, that will bear, and indeed richly deferves, the attentive in- fpe£Uon of the curious traveller. There are in it feveral antique monuments of the noble familes that formerly inhabited Mereworth- caftle, which were carefully transferred from the old church to a place particularly appro- priated to this purpofe in the modern one. A LIST ( j ) A L I S T OF THE PRINCIPAL PAINTINGS, A T MEREWORTH HOUSE. Picture Gallery. East End. Dutch Lady in a chair, by Rembrandt. Two Landscapes. Two pieces of Battles, by Bourgignon,— • under each of them a re, Two Landfcapes, by Claude Lorain. A Sea Piece A Country Farm, An Affumption. A Boulognois Doctor. Wist ( a ) West End. A reprefcntation of the Deftiny of Life. A Subject in Taffo's works. Three Sketches of Berdenuchi, intended for a compartment in the chapel of Chandois Houfe. A fine piece of fome Ruins in Italy. Another ditto. A fine Landfcape Piece. The Triumphal Arch of Conftantinc the Great. A Vapourifh Lady. A fine buft of Apollo, in marble. A ditto of Bacchus. Next the Chimney. A Landfcape, by Claude Lorrain. Romulus and Remus, by ditto. Flight into Egypt. Over the Chimney. Roman Antiquities, collected by Paneni. Other t i 3 Other Jide of the Chimney. David Myten's Family. A Sea Piece. A Tempeft. Chrift reftoring the blind man to fight, by Tintoretti A group of Lions. A Country View. A Dutch Piece, of children, &c. Over the other Chimney. A View of the Amphitheatre, with other Roman Antiquities. Next the Chimney Piece. Two Landfcapcs. Chrift with the Difciples at Emmaus. The cieling finely decorated with emble- matical figures in five compartments, by Francis Selter. Yellow [ iv ] Yellow Dressing Room. A Sea Piece. Cieling decorated with emblematical figures by Sclater. Two curious inlaid Marble Slabs, reprefent- ing cards &c. laying thereon. Dining Room. Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Spencer. Richard, youngeft fon of Robert Lord Spencer. Francis Finch, fecond fon of Francis Earl of Weftmorland and Mary daughter and heirefs of Sir Anthony Mildmay, wife of Sir Francis Fane. — both in one piece. Mary, daughter and heirefs of Henry Ne- ville, Lord Abergavenny, created baronefs L'Difpencer by King James the firft, and wife of Sir Thomas Fane, knt. Mary, daughter of Horace Lord Vere, of Tilbury, wife of Mildmay, fecond Earl of Weftmoralnd. Robert Spencer, created Baron Spencer L v ] by King James the firft, whofe daughter Elizabeth was married to Sir George Fane, fccond fon to Sir Thomas Fane. William, fon of Robert Lord Spencer, who married Penelope, daughter of Henry Earl of Southampton. Penelope, daughter of Henry Earl of South- amp ton. Two Landfcapes. Drawing Room. Chrift entering Jerufalem. A Landfcape over it. The Samaritan Woman, a large piece over the chimney. A Landfcape over the door, by Paneni. A Sea Piece. St. Francis, by Guiderani. A Landfcape by Claude Lorrain. Sigifmunda. Jofeph's Flight into Egypt, by Paflano. A Holy Famliy, by Perigino. Noah after the Flood, by Baffano. Venus and Cupid, by Rubens. Duke of Buckingham. 3ir Thomas Moore. Jour four Do&ors of the church. A Head. Lord Abergavenny, 1524. The Marriage in Canaan. Sir Walter Raleigh. Huffars attacking a or convoy. The Holy Family. View of a Fifhery at Sea. *Vwo fine Marble Urns. Best Bed Room. A fine State Bed, richly ornamented. The walls hung with very fine Tapeftry. The cieling ornamented with Emblematical Figures in painting, by Sleter. Dressing Room adjoining. The walls richly hung with tapeftry, re- presenting the Four Quarters of the World. The cieling decorated with paintings, by Sleter. Tbe chimney piece curioufly ornamented with marble pillars &c. The floor of the room very elegantly inlaid, t 1@ 7 ) WATERINGBURY Is a neat village about two miles from Me- reworth on the "Maidftone road, adjacent to which, are feveral good houfes, the refidence of families of note and property. The road from thence to Maidftone, about fix miles, is diverfified with rich profpefts and abounds with feats and pleafure grounds, through the midft of which glides the river Medway, The POWDER-MILLS Are fituated about two miles from Somer- hill, or, another road leads to them, from the Wells turning to the right, (off the London road) about two miles. The fpot of ground were thefe mills ftand was purchafed, and the mills erected, by an ingenious carpenter at Tunbridge-Wells a few years fince, who formerly had worked at the famous powder mills at Battle in Suffex : he was immediately joined in the undertaking by fome gentlemen in the neighbourhood, to whom, foon after he had finifhed them, he fold P his f m ) his (hare. .Adjoining to them is a fine flreet of water, which is kept filled, and the mills thereby fupplied, by a branch of the river Medway. The powder made there is of the fineft forts, and fnppofed to be a good imita- tion of the battle powder. Thomas Hooker. Eiq; is one of the principal proprietor W OODSG.ATE Is a good inn, fituate about two miles from the Wells, on the great road leading from London to Rye, Haftings, &c. Mrs. Jarrett y the Landlady of this houfe has been at the expence of fitting up feveral rooms in it, on purpofe for the reception of company, who in their airings on that road, frequently ftop to drink tea, coffee, &c. From thence palling through the turnpike, leading to Tunbridge- town, and at about four miles diftance ttands SOMERHILL. Sonrerhill is a large old houfe of a noble appearance at a diftance, and makes one of the principal airings. This feat was antiently the refidence of the Earl of Clare's BailifS of ( *°9 ) ©f the Chace of South-Frith, or Fore ft of Tunbridge, and of courfe always w-ent with the caftle till it was forfeited to the crown by Edward Duke of Buckingham. Queen Eliza- beth gave it to the great Sir Francis Walfing- h am, and his- daughter, Frances, carried it fucceffively to her three hulbands, the in- comparable Sir Philip Sidney, the unfortu- nate. Earl of Effex, and Richard de Burgh, Earl of Clanriekard in Ireland, and St. Albans in England, from whofe heirs it pafied to Lady Purbeck, a woman of a magnificent fpirit, whofe pomp and fplendor is ftill a fub- jeft of difcourfe in the country, and who gave the- ground on which the chapel at Tunbridge- Wells is raifed. After various other changes - this eltate came to the Woodgates, its prefent worthy poffelfors. The ftructure itfelf, notwithstanding the ruinous ft.ate it now is, in, cannot fail of a£f fording that gratification we always feel on, furveying the venerable remains of gothic an- tiquity* The country around it is fo wildly beautiful as to mak^ it one of the moft pleat- ing romantic retirements- in nature; and the ride from the Wells to_this houfe is on that P 2 ac- ( no ) account, extremely entertaining to an admirer of fuch fcenes. B A Y H A L L, Situated in the parifli of Pembury, three miles eaft of Tunbridge-Wells, and about a mile from Woodfgate, leading from Pembury- Green, a little diftance off the great road. An ancient manor that once belonged to the Colepeppers, a family that was formerly of diftinguifhed eminence in this kingdom, one of them was governor of Leeds-Caftle in Kent when Queen Ifabella, wife of Edward the fecond, being on her pilgrimage to Canter- bury benighted in that neighbourhood, fent her marfhal forward to beg a lodging there ; but the governor, more faithful to his lord than dutiful to his fovereign, rudely refufed admittance for the queen or any of her re- tinue, unlefs flie could produce an exprefs order from Lord Badelefmere, who was then abroad. The diftreffed queen, unwilling to believe (he could receive fo barbarous an anfwer, went herfelf to the caftle-gates, and there had the mortification to hear it confirm- I 111 ) ed by the governor in perfon. Upon this fliii was obliged to take up with fuch lodging as fhe could procure, but did not fail on her re- turn to make proper complaints to the king, who fo warmly refented this indignity, that inftantly gathering an armv together, he laid fiege to the caftle, carried, it, hanged the go- vernor, and fent Lady Badelefmere and her children to the tower. By this imprudence Bayhall was forfeited to the crown, where it continued till Henry the fixth granted it to the Duke of Bucking- ham, whofe grandfon, Edward, forfeited it to Henry the eighth. After this it was feveral times granted and again forfeited, till at length it came to Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurft whofe fuccefTors in a few years conveyed their right to the Amherft family, in which it has everfince continued, being now pofleffed by the widow of Charles Brown, Efq; who was defcended by the a female fide from the Amherlt's. The prefent neat and convenient ftru&ure was raifed by Richard Amherft, Efq; who died in 1664, and is very pleafingly fiiyai&d in (r MA ) in the midft of fine meadows, gardens, and filh-ponds. Returning again from Bayhall, into the Ikainberhurft road, keeping which, about a« mile, you turn to the left, and at thediftance then of about another mile, you come to M AT F IE L D, b A fma}l~pl£afant green, furrounding which are f feyeral- neat houiesj particularly one, with offices adjoining, and a piece of water in front, the property and refid&nce of Mr. Marpbajtf. About a. .mile further on brings you to the tfw.n of> BiR E N C HL E Y. Brenchley is fituated about f©ur miles from Lamberhurft, and fix miles eaft ofTunbridge* Wells. This is a fmall town which was once part of the prodigious eftate of the Earls of Glare; but at prefent it is not remarkable for any thing unlefs it be the manor of — BOKIN- ( "8 ) BOKINFOLD, The fite of which is partly in this parilh and partly in Goudhiirft. According to Phiri- pot this manor was given by Hamon de Cre- vequer to chauntries eftablifhed by him in each of thefe parifhes, which grant w r as con- firmed by Edward the third, in the forty -firft year of his reign ; but the general difTolution lodged it in the hands of thfe crown, after which being granted by King Henry the eighth to Paul Sidnore, Efq; it defcended into pri- vate hands, and became inftrurfteritai to better purpofes than the maintenance of a few lazy- monks. The manfion houfe of Bokinfold was once furrounded with a park, and of fome eonfi, derable eminence in the country, as appears from Edward the fecond's repofing here in the eighteenth year of his reign, when being de- termined to go over into France to do ho- mage for his dutchy of Guienne, he had got fo far on his journey before thofe fubtle * pro- pofofs, vol I, p. 339. ( 1*4 ) fcofals came over from Charles, which he unu fufpeftingly agreed to, and thereby enabled his treacherous and luftful queen to compleat his ruin. Before King Edward left this houfe, he caufed feveral perfons to be indi&ed for unlawfully hunting in the park, and punifhed them according to their demerits* This park has now been fo many years inclofed and cul- tivated, that it is not eafy to trace any marks of it ; aud the houfe has few remains of its ancient grandeur left. Leaving the pleafant village of Brenchley, you proceed to Goudhurft, the next market- town, about five miles diftant ; the road truly pi&urefque, being diverfified with conftant hills and dales, and in every valley moft agree- able fmall rills of water, and abounding with woods and timber. Many think this part too much inclofed, but the noble oaks that catch your eyes, (the great fupport of the Englifh navy) amply pays you for thefe near but pleaf- ing profpefts. Continuing your journey for two miles on the right hand, you have the view of the plantations of that great and good man, Alexander Courthop, Efq; a gentleman univerfally efteemed in the county. His houfe, called ( *H ) called Sprives, you do not get a fight of from the road ; it is a fmall modern building, the grounds in the front very neat, but the garden puts you in remembrance of the tafte in King William's time; the eftate, we be- lieve, was purchafed of the family of the Brown's, but has been in the poffefTion of the Courthopes for many years ; it is a fmall ma* nor within itfelf, in the pariih of HORSMONDEN. On paffing this place you immediately come to the village, which is built round a neat green, called the Hoarth, from the name of the manor ; the cottages are of wood and loam, the fame as are built in moll parts of the cnclofed counties ; there is no kind of trade, but the poor are fupported folely by work- ing for the farmers* The property of this village belongs to Mr, Auftin, whofe houfe you will fee as you go on to Goudhurft. The church is neat and well built, but is fituated quite at the ex- tremity of the pariih ; the reafon of which is, that it is fuppoied to be built by the family Q of ( "6 ) of the Brown's, their manfion being very near s and Hill in being, called Spelmonden, and now belongs to Dr. Marriotte, who has a good eftate in the neighbourhood, and like- wife the advowfon of the church, being a reftory (of 400I. per annum,) and indeed the only one in thefe parts, the occafion of which was as follows : At the diminution of the monaftries in Henry the eighth's time, John de Grovehurft then the Abbot of Bayharn, and who was buried in this church had influence fufficient with Cardinal Woolfey to grant him this living, and to confirm it as a re6iory ; it has fo continued to this time. It is dedicated to St* i and in the diocefe of Rochelter. A particular circumftance is reported and generally believed, relating to the longevity of the re&ors of this parilh, the four laft of which, k is faid, have enjoyed the living 20a years ; but it is certain that the lait two, Mr, Bates, and the prefent incumbent Mr. Haffell, have held it one hundred and fix years. BROAD- f "7 ) ^BROADFO RD - HOUSE. It ftands near the road and belongs to Mr. Auftin, whofe family was formerly in the cloathing trade. It was a large pile of building, having many offices for workihops, &c. which many of the prefent inhabitants remember, but they are now taken down. There is no tradition to whom it belonged before the Au- ftin's, but fuppofe it part of the Colepepper eftate ; the ground about it has been lately much improved. This and the adjoining pa- rifhes were iri the heart of the cloathing trade, particularly for the courfe grey cloth, but the bufinefs is now quite loll, as the north and weft part of the kingdom work it much cheaper. The militia of the county have taken die facings of their regimentals from the re- membrance of their trade. About two miles farther on, and at about eleven miles from Tu abridge- Wei Is, {lands . the town of Q 2 GGUD- ( 11« ) GOUDHURST. The town of Goudhurft is fituated on an exceeding high hill, commanding everv way the moil enchanting profpe&s that the wild imagination can paint. The air is falubrious, which often invites invalids to repair thither for the recovery of health. The church is a large handfome ftru&ure, fituate at the upper part of the town ; from the top of it you have an extent of profpeft which terminates with the horizon only : the fpire was once very lofty, but being deftroyed by a dreadful llorm of thunder and lightning, the 23d of Augutt, 1637, (together with five large bells which were entirely melted, and the metal run into the town,) it has never fince been wholly rebuilt. A col- leftion was made by brief, in this and other counties, and a parifh rate fixed to repair the whole damage, but the inhabitants and the colleftors having difagreed, it has fince that remained without a fpire, but the fteeple, ex- cepting it, is now every way compleat, an$ contains a fine fet of eight beljs. This I J1 9 ) This church was originally dedicated to St. Mary and appropriated to the priory of Leeds. In it are fome remarkable good monuments, particularly of John de Bedgebury, of the Colepeppers, who became Lords of this ma- nor by marriage with the heirefs of Mr. Cam- pion of Combwell ; and one in the eaft-walj of the north chancel, for one Mr. Roberts ; they are ail very ancient, fome being above three hundred years old. The wainfcot be- hind the communion table is uncommonly handfome, and there are fome good remains of painted glafs in the windows. This town was the ancient patrimony of the Bedgeburies, men of high extraction, and great renown, from whom a manor in this pariili took its name. John de Bedgebury paid an aid for thefe lands, 20 Edward Hid. when the Black Prince was knighted. His grand-daughter and heir marrying with Tho- mas Colepepper, of Bayhall, in Pembury, who was Sheriff of Kent 18 of Richard lid. brought this manor into his family. Joan, widow of Roger de Bedgebnry, pro- cured, 3 of Richard lid. a weekly market to be ( * 2 ® j be kept in this town on Wednefdays, on the low part of it, but it was removed towards the end of the laft century, to the top of it, almoft adjoining the church yard : and a fair to be kept yearly. The Woollen-Manufactory was cftabliihed here in the rcjjgg of Edward the third, by the I icntmin;s, who taught his fub- fuhjefts r!:e art of weaving broad cloth, dve molt durable, with a variety and mixture of colours. This manufactory continued in a ffouriifling ftate till within fifty years paft, and many of the pincipal inhabitants were large- ly concerned in it, one of whom a Mr. Ro- bert Tate, as late as the year ijzfa had ten broad looms in conftant work, which required two men to each loom, and one quil winder, which produced employ for fourteen fcriblers, two foriers, two fcourers and dyers and four clothworkers ; 90 lb. weight of wool per week was ufed in each loom, which required eighteen women to do the fpinning. At this time there were thirty looms in conftant work in this parifh, and within memory upwards of forty, which brought in great fums of money weekly, and caufed a great deal to be fpent t «1 ) {pent in trade. Each weaver's wages wa#. then eight-fhillings per week. In the year 1757, a Mr. Henry Tricker made worded and (locking yarn, and kept four narrow loornt wherein was wove Calamanco's, Camblets, Cloth-Serges, Stuffs for Gowns, &c. &c. at which he employed four wool-combers, one forter, one fcribler, four weavers, and thirty fpinners. Since which time, thefe manu- factures have gradually decayed ; a Mr. Tan- ner whofe predeceiTors were eminent in the broad-cloath manufactory, is the only perfoa who now continues it on in this neighbour- hood. The Smuglers, a defperate gang of whom had tang infelied this town and neighbour- hood, and in the year 1747 were arrived at that pitch of wantonnefs and cruelty, that they would frequently ride into the town in a large body, plunder the houfes of thofe where- in they thought was mod to be acquired, and whoever oppofed, or even (hewed a difiike to it f their portion was either inftant death, or th« moll violent tortures ; which proved to be the fatal cafe of many innocent perfons, who by endeavouring to fecure their property, or pro- ( 122 ) protefit their wives or their children, from fall- ing viftims to their brutal luft, were either fa- vagely dragg'd and mangled fo as to die under the torture of their wounds, or if they furvived, it was but to greater woe, in feeing their fami- lies ruined, and their effecls totally carried off* In fhort all trade was at a ftand and many houfes entirely fhut up ; fcarce any perfon would venture abroad even in the day-time, although in the evening, perhaps they were dragged out. — A perfon from Tunbridge-Wells, Mr. Bal- lard, happened to have occafion to go that way, and palling through the town at mid- day, was robbed of 39 1. his watch and ring and then cruelly beaten ; he was afterwards carritd home, where he furvived but four hours. Whilft matters were at this pitch, it hap- pened very luckily that a young man, Wm# Sturt, a native, but who had ferved fome years in Lieutenant General Harrifon's regi- ment of foot, and was high in efteem by his of- ficers from his great perfeftnefs in the differ- ent manuals and evolutions, and every art of war, which he had ftriftly applied himfelf to ; having procured his difcharge, was juft re- turned ( 12 3 ) turned home, where hearing of the wicked proceedings of the frnugglers againft his friends and neighbours, he fummonfed a part y of them together, and communicated his abhorrence of fuch proceeding, and his earneft wilh to join a body, which he promifed to head, and bind themfclves to ftand up in defence of their town, by endeavouring to repidfe the frnugglers^: they , returned him thanks for his refolution, unanimoufly concurred in. his pro- pofals, and immediately had articles drawn up, (being on April 17. 1727) to which they refpeftivelv fign'd their names,, agreeing to meet the enemy and fight them* £s long as life remained. From that moment they ihied themfelves T/ie Goudhurfi Band of \,Miiiti$i acknowledging him for their genciaj, and as fuch they bound themfelves to obey hifti,,This was to have been kept a Secret from the ene- my, but by fome treacherous ax, other, means, they were apprized of it, and Toon took an opportunity of wav-laying one oi the uuliua, whom they kept- under confinement and tor- ture till he would make adifcovery of the reft of their band, and "what- plan was -.intended againft thefn ! -unwearied with long-fuffering he at length- was compelled to reveal it ; they R then ( f £4 } then (after making him fwear not to take-up arms again ft them) releafed him, and defired him tc> -acquaint his general, that they would (for his audacious attempt to repulfe them,) go immediately and get together one hundred or more fmugglers, and hefege the town, on a certain day which they fixed ; then plunder every houfe, murder every foul therein, and laftly fet the whole town on fire. The gene- nerai, on hearing fuch intelligence, multered all his meta r addreffed them with a fuitable fpeechv andufed every means to create ani- tt&ation> in- them*, againfl: the - appointed dread- ful- day. then, fet fomc men to caft balls 7 whilft others w#ie fent out to colkft all the fire-arms, good and bad together, that were m the neighbourhood ; and procured two hundred weight ©f powder,, with which and the balls, be fet to work and- prtfently made up a fuffieient quantity of cartridges, ther* fixed on a fpot at the upper end of the town for the field of battle, (knowing the enemy intended coming in that way,) barrocading themfelves as w«ll as the fhort time- allowed would admit of. On the morning of the day of battle, the militia affembled in their en- trenchments, with their general at their head, Wfao» [ ms 3 who liimfelf placed every man to his flation and took care that each were properly fup- plied with a mufket, cartridges, &c. and then, begging the alii fiance of God, to give them power to vanquifli their enemies j they anxi- oufly waited the appointed time, which the fmugglers kept almoft to a minute : when they were perceived to come galloping along., every one dripped to his fhirt, with a hand- kerchief bound about his head, and furnifhed Avith a carbine, a brace of piflols, hangers, &c. As foon as they arrived at the upper end of the town, they then halted, when their leader, Kingfmell by name, proclaimed aloud, " That he had been at the killing of forty of his f* majeftVs officers and foliiers, and fwore *< that he would be d — d if Ire did not broil " four of their hearts, meaning the town's peo- pie, and eat them for his fupper," General Sturt, had ordered his men to receive the firft fire, (as they afted defenfively) which was foon alter given from the fmugglers without effect; it was immediately returned by the militia, which killed one of the enemy : the firing on both fides continued for fome time very brifk- ly, till two more of the fmugglers w T ere killed, and feveral wounded, which threw them into H 2 confufioji ; ( 126 ) confufion ; they-then precipitately left the field ; were purfued, and fome of them taken, who were afterwards brought to condign pun- ifhment. By this noble attack the town was prefervcd, and the fmugglers entirely routed, fo as not to be able to collecl again. Mr # Sturr, the militia general, gained thereby the efteem of all his townfmen, with whom he has dwelt everfince, and by them is juftly revered. He was fome years fince appointed mafter of the workhoufe, which place he holds at this time, and than which, perhaps no workhoufe in the kingdom is better regulated ; every department of it being kept in fuch regular and nice order, with a difplay of in- duftry through@ut ; fuch as conftitutes the manager fit for an undertaking of that kindc CQMBWELL, C O M B W E L L, Situated about two miles wide of Goud- hurft, was a religious feminary of the order of St. Auguftine, and founded by that muni- ficent benefactor to the monks Sir Robert de Thorneham in the time of king Henry the fecond. This was firft an abbey, but, its en- dowments being too fmall to fupport the ftate and dignity of an abbot, it was foon reduced to a priory, and is perhaps the only inflance of fuch a reduction to be met with in the mo- naftic hiftory of this kingdom. The revenues of this houfe lay Scattered about in fevetal neighbouring parifhes, and in Goudhurft there was a fmail convent of nuns which was prin- cipally fupported by the charity of thefe monks, who probably found it very con- venient to have a cell of females fo near them. This houfe was dedicated to St. Mary Mag- dalen, and confifted of a prior and fix canons. It was diflblved at the general fuppreflion, and its valuation then eltimated at 8ol. 17s. ,3d* per annum. In the twenty-ninth year of Hen. the eighth it was granted to Thomas Colepep- per, and is now converted into a good farrri- houfe. ( 12« ) Proceeding from Goudhurft, about two mites on the turnpike-road to Cranbrook, {lands GLASTE NBURY, A feat belonging to his Grace the Duke €>i St. Albans, which place ought not to be forgotten, fince it is of fo great a name elfe- where, and is called as the other, from Glaft- fiey the Saxon idiom of Ims Witrin, the wa- try or glaiTy place. The houfe which flands in a park k moated about, and environed with fine woods, gardens and pleafure grounds, with feveral ponds, exceedingly well flocked with fiih ; at the upper end of the bowling- green is an elegant imitation of a Chinefc temple, with a fpacious room underneath it for drinking tea ; and at the termination of a fine fhady walk leading through a double row of tall trees, kept cut in imitation of thofe at Vauxhall, is a fpring of chalybeate water, re- fembling that at Tuiibridge-Welk. Leading from this fpring are feveral pleafing, fhady, meandring walks, cut through the extent of feveral fine woods adjoining. — The whole to- gether forms one of the moft pleafing rural theatres in nature. This eftate is reckoned [ **9 ] let contain as fine a growth of timber as any in the county. A genealogical account of the family of the Robert's, whofe feat and refidence this place has been for many centuries pall, is judged will prove entertaining to our readers, William Rookhurft, alias Di&us Roberts, a gentleman of Scotland, was the firft Englifh anceftor of the noble family of the Roberts of Glaftenbury in Cranbrook, Kent, who leav- ing his native country came unto Goudhurft, a parifh adjacent to Cranbrook, in the year 1 103 being the third year of the reign of King Henry the firft, and there built and purchafed certain lands on a hill in Goudhurft, called Winchett-Hill, and afterwards named the Lands and Den — Rookhurft after his own name, which Den Itill retained! that name. The name and family of Rookhurft, alias Roberts^ continued in the parilh of Goudhurft till the reign of King Richard the fecond, be- ing 274 years. Then one Stephen Roberts, Efq; 3d Stephen of that family, married the daughter and heirefi of William Tiilye, E% ( *# ) to whom the manor and lands of Glaftenbury in right belonged, built a fair fumptuous houfe on the hill of Glaftenbury, which came by lineal defcent to one Walter Roberts, the 9th fquire by fucceiTion, who in the year of our Lord 1472, rebuilt that houfe, and A.D. 1473, built the now {landing moated houfe in the valley of Glaftenbury, which came to his fon Walter Roberts, the 10th fquire* &c. who was diiTeized of his eftate* and forced to fly into fancluary for endeavouring to conceal his friend and neighbour, John Guii Deforde, from that cruel prince King Richard the third, but was reftored on the acceffion of King Henry the feventh, became Sheriff of Kent in the 5th year of that reign, 1488. This gen- tleman- had three wives, namely, Margaret^ daughter of John Pen, Efq; Ifabel, daughter of Sir John Golepeper, and Alice, daughter of Richard Nailor, Efq; had'iffue by him fe- veral children, of whom the eldeft fon was Thomas, the 11th fquire, &c. to whom Glaf- tenbury eftate came ; he was made Sheriff of Kent in the 25th year of King Henry the eighth, A. D. 1534. He married the daughter of Sir James Fremming, in the county of Suffolk; had iffue one fon, WaltenRoberts the ( *31 ) the 12th fquire, &c. to whom Glaftenbury eftate came : He man ied two wives, Cathe- rine, daughter of George Fane, Efq; of Bad- fell in the county of Kent, and Frances, daughter and co-heirefs of John Maynard, Efq; Sheriff of London, had by him feveral children, of whom the eldeft fon was Thomas the 13th fquire, by lineal descent, to whom Glaftenbury eftate came. He was knigh;ed A. D* 1603, made baronet in 1620, and Sheriff of Kent in 1623 : He had two wives, Frances, daughter of Marten James, of Smar„ den, Kent, who had by him fome children, of whom the eldeft fori was Sir Walter Ro- berts, the 2d baronet; the fecond wife was Elizabeth, the daughter and heirefs of Mathew Rowland, of St. Giles in the Fields, Middle- sex, had by him feveral children, of whom the eldeft fon was Sir Rowland, the 3d baronet, who married the daughter and heir efs of Sir Robert Joceline, Baronet, of Hide-Hall in the county of Hertford, had by him feveral children, of whom the eldeft fon was Sir Tho- mas, the 4th baronet, who married the daugh- ter and heirefs of Sir John Beale, baronet, of Jarmingham in Kent, who had by him feve- ral children, of whom the third fon was Sir S Walter ( 13* ) Walter Roberts, the 6th baronet, who married Elizabeth the daughter of William Slaughter^ Efq; July 7th, 1744, of Rochefter in Kent, who had by him two daughters, Elizabeth, and Jane, the late Dutchefs, of Hunton Parifh, deceafed, by whofe marriage with the Duke of St. Albans, this eftate is now become his property. The SuccESStON by Lineal Descent. I Wm. Rookhurft, &c. Step. Roberts Efq; 9 Walter, Efq; Roberts. 10 Walter Roberts, Efq; I I Thomas Roberts, Efq; 12 Walter Roberts, Efq;. 13 Sir Thomas Roberts, Bart. 14 Sir Walter Roberts, Bart. 15 Sir Rowland Roberts, 3d Baronet. 16 Sir Thomas Roberts, 4th Baronet. 17 Sir Walter Roberts, 6th Baronet. Seventeen generations by male fucceffiorf 7 Eighteen, including Jane. Following is a Lift of the Paintings in the lioufe, the chief of which were lately corL veyed here, from the Duke's apartments in Windfor-Caftle, now belonging to the crown. A LIST f *33 ) A LIST of the PAINTINGS A T GLASTENBURY, The Seat of his Grace the Duke of St. ALBANS. Drawing Room. * A Defert Piece, ade, con ink fecit. * King Charles the Firft, and Charles Prince of Wales Henrietta Maria of France, wife to King Charle the Firft, and James Duke of York. Billiard Room. * James Stewart, Duke of York. * James Scott, Duke of Monmouth. * King William the Third. * Henry Frederick Prince of Wales, eldeft fon of King James the Firft. S 2 * Rupert ( *34 ) * Rupert Count Palatine of the Rhine. * Aubrey de Vere, the twentieth and laft Earl of Oxford of that name. * George Villers Duke of Buckingham * John Sheffeild Earl of Mulgrave, and after Duke of the county of Buckingham and Normandy. * Henry Germain Earl of St. Albans. * Thomas Butler, Earl of Offery. * Wm. Henry Nalfau, Prince of Orange. * Charles Stewart Duke of Richmond and Lenox. * Mrs. Eleanor Gwyn — Charles Beauclerk Duke of St. Albans — James Lord Beauclerk. $ A chimney piece. N. B. Theft pieces are all full length drazo- ings, in rich gilt frames , eight feet long. Stud y. * Three Flower Pieces. * A Landlcape. * A fmall Portrait in Crayons — Van Dick Fece il Campiglea Sedler del Redi, 1710- * A ditto, &c. f A ditto, &c. Break- I 3 3S ) Breakfast Room. * Painting, exhibiting a reprefentation of Noah's Ark after the flood, the unloading of it, and indnftry that takes place, * Eight fine paintings of flower pieces, in elegant gilt frames. A curious fmall cabinet work'd with filk on the outfide, with fcriptural representations D u k e ? s Bed Gha m ber, * Lady Mary Vere, mother to the prefent Duke of St. Albans, t * Charles Beauclerk, prefent Duke of St; Albans. + * Henrietta Maria of France, wife of King Charles the firft. * Fair Rofamond, with the cup of poifon in her hand. Gallery. * Fine Painting of the infide of the dome pf St. Peter's at Rome. f *3 6 ) * Five beautiful views of different parts of Rome, done in a very mallerly manner. ** Two fine pieces of Game, by J. Bogdani- -One of the- Rober ts family, and five of his is>m.-~~Stpe-rate pieces. Sir Walter and Lady Roberts, Father and Mother to the late Duchefs pf St. Albans* Duchefs of St. Albans. Yellow Damask Room. * Henry Fitzroy Duke of Grafton; f Over the Door is Sir Houlan Roberts and his Lady, Great Grandfather and Grandmother to the late Duchefs of St. Albans. Mifs Elizabeth Roberts and Mifs Jane Ro- berts, late Duchefs of St. Albans and her filler, when girls, t Mr. Slatter — Mrs. Slatter, late Duchefs of St. Alban's grandfather and grandmother. * Lord George Beauclerk and Lady Di- ana Beauclerk, the prefent Duke of St. Albans and his filler, when children. * Mrs. Loftis. + A curious piece of cabinet work. Lady's ( *37 ) Lady's Room. Sir Thomas Roberts — Lady Roberts, un- cle and aunt to the late Duehefs St. Albans* Mr. French — Mrs. French, uncle and aunt to Lady Roberts, t Mr. Pickering — Mrs. Pickering, Company Keepers to Sir Thomas and Lady Roberts, t Mai j's Room. Leariore Mainarde, tbe firft of the Ro- bert's family. John Wilmot Earl of Rochefter. Nursery. * Gregory Hafcard, Dean of Windfor. t Hortenci Mancini, Duehefs of Mazarin. t King Henry rhe eighth. King Henry's Chaplain. Steward's Room, * Three Scripture Pieces. * Two of the Duke's Favourite Dogs. Servants ( *38 ) Servants Hall. * The Wife of Quenfton the Blackfmith and Painter of Antwerp, t * Muflapha. t * Charles Wife. + N. B. Thoje with a * were brought from the Dukes apartments at Wind/or -Cajlle, lately Jbld to the Crown, and thofe marked with a t at the endjignijies whole length pieces. CRANBROOK. i *39 ) About two miles from Glanftenbury brings you to the town of CRANBROOK, Cranbrook is a plea fan t town* furrounded by fine woods and fhady groves. This is a very extenfive parifh, healthy, populous, and noted for cheapnefs of provifions of the belt kind. This was the fnft place in England where the Flemings, encouraged by the royal munificence of Edward the third, 10 reg, taught his fubjefts the art of weaving broad cloth, with a variety and mixture of colours^ unknown before them. This patriotic and warlike king, fenfible of the importance of this ftaple commodity, granted to thefe in- dubious manufacturers fuch rewards and im- munities, that Cranbrook became* under his aufpicious reign, the feat of ufeful Arts, and mercantile Opulence. Q. Elizabeth, whofe aSive genius and manly foul equally ihone in war, politics, commerce, and letteis, to give further encouragement to a branch of trace fo effential, eltabliihed here a Grammar School, which fhe honoured with a Charter. The lands affigned to this inftitution, though at T firft f H° ) firft of an inconfrJerable value, have of late years brought in a fufficient income to ftimu- late the talents and diligence of feveral learned and reverend men, in raifmg this rrurfery of polite literature, to a cam-petition with oux modern academies. The fchool-houfe is fpa- eious, rreat and convenient. The woollen manufaftury, which is now in a languid and declining ftate, may, with the propitious endeavour of government, be reftored to its former flourifhing condition-, as eheapnefs and plenty are the greatefi incen- tives to atHvity and induftry. Here is the greatefl market, ia thefe parted kept on Saturday. A beacon was fet up here in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Part of this town was formerly paved for the conveniency of the inhabitants, and of thofe who reforted to it. The pavement was begun in 1654, an d corn- pleated in 1657. At the fame time the market-place was enlarged, and made more convenient. The ( *4* ) The Church, which is a fine old llrufturc (and with that of Goudhurft, are the two handfomeft within fide of any in the county) is dedicated to St. Dunftan ; in it are feveral monuments of the Roberts's, Lords of Glaf- tenbury ; of the Baker*, of Sifingherli ; and the Cookes. The Chancel of this Church was built by Waiter Roberts, Efq; whole name remains in the eaft-window of it. Upon the fleeple are the Arms of three families, anciently of great note in this parifh ; the Berharns, own- ers of Sifingherli ; Betenhams, Lords of Be- -tenham ; and Wilfords, the proprietors ot Hartridge. Several ancient coins, particularly fome of Edward the third's reign, have been found in this place ; and lately was plowed up in a field, a curious gold coin, as broad as a crown piece, of very pure metal : It is a Britifh coin, very ancient, with the figure of a Ihip on one fide, and on the other, the Arms of England, with the word tranfivit only legible. The ( M 2 ) The towns of Cranbrook and Goudhurft with the neighbouring leats, are the more enlarged upon, on account of their being the moft frequent airings, taken by the polite circle, who honour Tunbridge- Wells with their refidence during the fummer feafon ; and likewife to dcfcribe the origin and pro- grefs of the Woollen Manufactory in Eng- land, how, and where it was firft introduced. HEMPSTED Is a fine old manfion, fituate about two miles from Cianbrook, in a woody country, that affords a great variety of pleafant walks. It belonged about the 20th year of Henry the third, to Robert de Hempfted, and about the beginning of Edward the third it palled away to Echingham of SufTex, and James de Echingham held it by the fourth part of a knight's fee, in the 20th of Edward the third, at making the Black Prince Knight ; it after- wards paffed into the hands of Sir. Robert Belknap the judge, about the beginning of Richard the fecond. It next went to the crown, and again into private hands. — Of late years it has been in the poffeflion of John Morris, ( *43 ) Norris, Efq; Deputy Governor and Captain of Deal-Caftle, who was a representative in parliament for the town and port of Rye, and who, a fomeume before his death, iriarried the celebrated Mifs Kitty Fifher, with whom he lived in conjugal felicity. Her deportment in the marriage ftate, was fuch, as gained her the eftccm of all around her ; the poor, in her found a comfortable friend ; and the affluent, a chearful and fenfible companion ; and in her dome/tic department (he was not lefs admired, by fupplying it with fuch a regularity and needful plenty, according to her then rank 9 in life which conftituted the good manager, without profufenefs. The next feat of note in this neighbour^, hood is SISINGHERST. Sifingherft is fituate about two miles be- yond Cranhrook, and feventeen from Tun- bridge -Wells. It is reaching beyond our in- tended boundary in this linle work, yet on ac- count of its antiquity, and the good road lead- ing ( Hi ) ing to it, it was deemed worthy ol a flioit defaiption. I* is a cafteUated man Son, anciently called Saxonherft, horn the ancient owners of this W?od t> bad A fmall town in Suflfex about eight miles fouth of Tunbridge-Weils, fituated on die turnpike-road, leading through Frant to Eail- ^Bourne, on the coait ofSuftex. Y 2 Tliis f 166 ) This town is fituated upon the top of a hill, and commands a fine profpeft of the South- Downs, betwixt Eaft-Bourne and Brighthelm- 11 one. The road from Frant thither is very hilly, and affords many pleafant and different profpefts. In fummer time it is rather fandy* but firm and good. The church is dedicated to St. Dunflan, and the vicarage, though fituated in the dio- cefe of Chicheiter, is a peculiar fubordinate to the jurifdiciion of the metropolitan fee of Canterbury. The Archbifhops of Canterbury had once a fumptuous palace in this town, of which there it ill are fome very confiderable remains, where are preferved the tongs and anvil of St. Dun Man, together with fome other relifts of popilh fuperitition. Here loo the famous Sir Thomas Grefh am, had a houfe, which fecms to have been his principal feat, as the furniture belonging to it was eltimated at above 7550 1. which was a prodigious' fum in that early age of commerce, stnd greatly fuperior to the value of all his other ( >6 7 ) other houfes put together. One room in this houfe was called the Queen's-chamber, but whether from being vifited by Queen Eliza- beth, or not does not appear. There are fome good houfes in Mayfield, and as it is inhabited by feveral opulent fa- milies, who have hitherto retained fo much of the fober fenfe of our anceftors, as to ex- pend the produce of their eftates at home, it ivears the pleafing appearance of plenty. CROWBOROUGH-HILL. Is about feven miles fouth-weft of Tun- bridge- Wells, over which, runs the turnpike- road from Tunbridge- Wells to Brighthelm- llon ; at the top of the hill on a clear day, is a fine opening towards Eaft-Bourne, where the ocean is very difcernable, and the failing of veffels eafily diftinguifhed, with the naked eye ; from whence there is alfo an extenfive view of the wild of Suffex, which has been, not unaptly, compared to a flat fea lying beneath the hill, with here and there an horde or a church, which, to carry on the fimilitude^ bear fome refemblancc to mips on the ocean, while { i63 ) while the hilly downs farm a told more, at twenty miles, distance on the other fide. •£3ul& is:: Di.fC^ vci folilfa >.ei ,* v.- : On this wild common, fome years ago, a neat chapel and fchool was eretled, by the judicious charity of Sir Henry Fermor of Se- yenoak ; who, by his, laft will, left the fum of 1500 1. for this purpofe, and alfoa fufficient fund to keep it in repair for ever, and to pro- i@ for the maintenance of a clergy man and a fchpolmafter, as well as for the clothing and educating of forty poor boys and girls belonging to Rothernvld and Buxted parifhes. The children are to continue four years at this fchool, and to be in Itr lifted in the important articles of reading, writing, and vulgar arith^ metick. ^ •) :;' nh'Vih til A L :,:i r j 2i\, h>U, .1 hv'ilii PENNS in the ROCKS, t&iMimiti niu :.•>? vmol ruiv/ /'K i So" Called from its fituation, it being fur-> rounded with rocks, by which , "it has a very: romantic appearance. There is a good carriage road to it from the Wells, leading through Groombridge, about three miles from theace ; there is alfo a plea- lant and nearer bridle road, over the foreft by Eridge- ( 17% ) Eridge-green and Hamfel Furnace. The road either way, -as you approach the foot is truly? romantic and pi&urefque ; and the fituation of the houjfe beggars .all defcription. riq{6&b2 .iM e no31itfvitoD doirfw : nnbxiod 10 It was priginaljy built by one of the noted family qf ( the Pe*nn$ >: who at> that time. tfefided there, fenced in fome grounds about it for a park, which w£s Vyell flocked with deer, and laid out pleafure grounds and neat ^gardens, &c. which on the whole rendered it awfully grand. y- bc« . io o'4h'.A- vu«. .f&i'jiii .s'n«iii^(T It now belongs to Mr. Ofborne of Withy- ham, fome of whofe family refides there, and although the park is chiefly converted into tilled land, and the grounds in the whole com- pofe a good farm ; yet the fituation: rjf the houfe, with fome remains of the former ftate of the gardens and ornamental trees 1 ftill left to view, makes it one of the defifabta and pleafant airings from Tunbriclge-Wells. }&$dti \ | 1 nl\ gMfbfl i i ■■■■ H b «.;;;,, $i ; KtfPffc mw! tatipn WJrfj C I ) ANECDOTES, T" N the year 1746, feveral gentlemen talk- ■ ing of the falubrity of the air at Tun- bridge-Wells, and its Environs, at Mrs. Evans's CofTee-houfe, the celebrated Beau Nafh, who was prefent, related the following anecdote. That in the younger part of life, having by various diffipations got into a very declining itate of health, and that after ftruggling with it for fome time, he applied to that well known, and ingenious phyfician, Dr. Pellett, then at Bath, who ufed to attend Tunbridge- Wells, who faid, u Nafh, you are really in a bad way, but as I know you have a good flamina, attentively follow the advice that I {hall give you, and I have not the lead doubt but you will recover ; you mull immediately go down to Tunbridge-Wells," — but before he could proceed any farther, Naih cried out, A " Damn et Damn it, I cannot drink the Tunbridge- Wells waters. — " Softly, Nafh," fays the doc- tor, " I do not intend to prefcribe them, but go down, and get into one of the little houfes upon Mount Ephraim, and follow the regi- men I fhall mark out for you for a few weeks, and my life for yours, you will certainly re- cover. Mount Ephraim may be called the Montpelier of E ngland."— — Naih faid, he pur- faed the doctor's advice, and foon found the good effefts of it, by the entire re- ellablil li- ra en t of his health : and as he did not tails the water, attributed his recovery folelv to the purity of the air. About the year 1725, and to the year 1734, a fine, but very large woman, whofe name was Bell Caufey, was extremely well known in thofe days, for attending with her nymphs at the Ring in Hyde Park, with oranges, nofegays, &c. as likewife for an expert con- veyance of billet doux, &c. and promoting friend (hip between perfons of the higheft rank. She presided as abfolute governefs at Tun- bridge-Wells for the above period, and di- rected the company in all their pleafures and amufements., raifed fubfcriptions for any per- fons ( 3 ) fons in diftrefs, was by a fet of geniufles and gamblers allowed two guineas a day to condutl: their rooms, then the only rooms for play, except the Groom Porters, at that time at the Wells, to which after chapel me conftantly ufed to bring the company for raffles, or other amufing purpofes. And the celebrated Mrs. Chenevoux, who about this time kept an elegant toy-mop for her father, the well known and original Mr. Deard, or Bubble Boy, has been often heard to relate the aftonifhing influence this fame Bell Cau- fey had on the nobility and gentry, from her ufeful, affable, and generous behaviour, ex- pending every (hilling of her allowance in treating the company with jellies, oranges^ bifcuits, &c. kept a plentiful table, and gave every day all that was left to the poor, by whom fhe was adored. The perfon who furn- ilh'd this anecdote of her, has himfelf heard Mrs. Chevenoux fay, that when any enter- tainment was wanted to amufe the company, or any fubfcription for a raffle, or a charity t o be collected, it was Bell's conftant cuftom to place herfelf at the top of the fteps leading to the walks, and as the company came from chapel, with her apron fpread in both hands, huffel [ 4 ] huffel them as they do chickens, to any place, and for any purpofe foe wanted them for, and if fhe efpy'd any new comer of rank, (he in- ftantly wiihed them much joy of arriving fo feafonably, when there was an opportunity of their entertaining the company with a pub- lic breakfaft, tea drinking, &c. and fo great was her influence at the Wells, that fhe would not fuffer the great Beau Nam to have any power there while (he lived, and abfolutely kept him from the place till flie died ; when lie the very next year attended, took the lead, and nobly and generoufly followed' her ex- ample in promoting union, and every poffibie public entertainment for the company, at the noted Cold Bath on Rufthall Common, the Filh Ponds, in the Great Rooms, the Coffee Houfes, &c. Scarce a dav, and never a week together pafs'd, during his whole reign, with- out fome of thofe amufements ; and he always expreiVd his difpleafure at the company's breakfafting at home, or any where but at the above places. — The civil- and polite Mr. Can* jet fuccqeded him, and followed his generous iieps, • , From [ 5 ] From or about the year 1735, to the death of Mr. Nafh, which was about 1756, the number of Angular characlers that frequented the Wells at the feafon, was remarkable : — The firlt of which was a little deformed mor- tal, called Lord Rawlins, the Wells Cryer, who gain'd his title by being taken to Lon- don by the famous Duke of Wharton, ridicu- loufly but richly drefs'd, and introduced by him into fome of the firft clubs in London. He was remarkable forfinging the touting Jong, and fpeaking fome fpeeches relating to the place, taught him by the Duke ; — but he remained fo proud after from this acquired title, that he went mad, and died fo in the parifh workhoufe. Another very low but fenfible character* was an odd fhaped figure, a natural fbn of the great Sir Robert Walpole, who cleaned (hoes and was called Sir Robert, faid a thoufand fmart things to the company, and was reck- oned more like Sir Robert than any of his children, as .may be feen from a print which was taken of him about that time. Several generous attempts were made by the family to drag him from this way of iife, but with- out [ 6 J out efifeft. When the prefent Sir Edward Walpole vifited the Wells, this fellow often ufed to fay to the company, that he wonder- ed his brother did not take more notice of him. There was likewife a tall meagre figure, a mad woman, called Lady Tunbridge, who was fantaftically drefTed, and was conftantly walking and talking to herielf when the com- pany were upon the walks, and not being any way mifchievous, picked up a comforta- ble fubfiflance. But the moll Angular characters were Mrs. Phips, called Dame Fortune, and Beggar Jack, called Berwick Jack, both well known and remembered, whofe very poignant and fenfible ftrokcs, at many difiinguifhed perfons, would, if they could be collected, afford no fmall amufement to the public ; in fhort by their familiarity with the fervants in families, and the fecrets they got into by that means, they kept many haughty characters in fuch awe, as to extort fufficient for their fupport. About C 7 ] About the year 1737, when every fpecies of play, as Hazard, Pharaoh, Ace of Hearts, &c. was encouraged, and which brought down moais of gamblers of every denomination and ftation, the following curious circumftance happened. A Jemmy Gilbert (as he was called) who married the daughter of Mr. Vandernan, who altered, extended and kept the Great Rooms, upon the Walks, and the well known Law- ranee Sidney, both of the black'd leg tribe, being at chapel one Sunday, and letting to- gether, Mr. Okill, a very lingular character, (who is (till alive in the 84th year of his age, and keeps fchool at Growborough Chapel,) who was then Clerk to the Chapel at the Wells, kept a fmall lodging houfe on Mount Sion, and always gave out that pfalm which fays, Mount Sion is a plea/ant place, till he had let his houfe ; and he as ufual giving out this pfalm, " Odds zounds," fays Sidney, " poor Okill has not yet let his houfe," of which Gilbert feemed to take no notice, but hearing in the courfe of the week that Okill had let his houfe, he w T erit very familiarly to him, winYd him joy of it, afk'd him to drink a glafs, f 8 } a glafs, and told him how glad he was, and at the fame time faid to him, " Mafter Okilf, I wifli you would oblige me by giving out the fame pfalm you did laft Sunday, as it is a favourite one of mine." To which Ok ill anfwered, " No Sir, I never do that after I have let my houfe," but Gilbert flipping half a crown into his hand, and hoping he would oblige a friend,, the other promifed that he would. On which Gilbert, took care to feat himfelf clofe to Sidney the next Sunday, and when Okill gave out the ufual pfalm, Sidney exclaim'd as before, but feemingly with more concern ; when Gilbert told him he heard that Okill had let his houfe, which Sidney faying he was fure he had not, and Gilbert declaring that he had heard it from a perfon he could poflitively depend on, and Sidney Hill obftinately infilling that he was very fure he had not, Gilbert afk'd him if he would bet any thing of it, ta, which the other faid that he would, and offered to lay him ten guineas, Gilbert agreed, and the bet was thus made, won, and poflitively paid. About the year 1735, Mr. Nafli being in- formed that one of the inhabitants had, to oblige f 9 ) oblige a family who had taken part of his houfe, procured a card table from London, went to the houfe under pretence of taking the other part, and defiring to fee that which was let, faw this card table, and immediately afk'd -he landlord which of the Rooms it be- longed to, and if the perfon it was for, was fo ill as not to be capable of attending the rooms. To which he anfwered, " That he had bought the table for the ufe of his lodgers, who were very well but did not chufe to go to the pub- lic rooms. " Why," fays Nafh, '« what a puppy you muft be not to know, that the principal fupport of the Wells, your houfes, and every beneficial circumftance attending the place, depends entirely on the company's frequenting the rooms, and when once that ceafes, be affured the Wells will drop." Or- dered him to put the table by, or he fhould command it to be broken ; and report fays, he abfolutely put his threats in execution. One very (insular and extraordinary cha- racter was an old gentleman named Dunmall, who was an inhabitant, lived in, and owned the houfe now Mr. King's on the Wells Common, a very handfome but profligate B man, ( *° ) mans, with a head of hair as white as [naw % and was called the Prophet, declaring that he had been in the world ever fince the creation, and that he fhould never clie, and positively afferted, that he was direfted in every affair of confequence by the angel Gabriel, from whom he conltantly received orders, fome of them the mo ft extravagant and whimfical that can poflihly be imagined. He abfolutely af- ferted to the famous Lord Chefterfield, who was afking him, " From the long time he had been in the world, if he remembered or knew any thing of Jonas being in the whale's belly." " Yes, my Lord, very well, for was with him, and a dark place it was, and between ourfelves for a prophet, Jonas was a great coward, &c. 55 This gentleman was a convincing proof of the great power and effecl of the mineral wa- ters of this place, and that they are not to be trifled with, wc may learn from the following anecdote. One morning about eleven Mr. Dunmall went down to the Sufiex Tavern on hoi feback^ then kept by the well known Jack Todd, (the perfon who firft built the Sufiex Great Rooms) and t " 3 and calling for him, " Jack," fays he, ?' I have received an order from the angel Gabriel, to drink eighteen gills of white wine before I get off my horfe," and positively, as Todd has often declared, did fo, rode very quietly away,, and appeared upon the Walks as ufual in a day or two perfectly well. But in a few days after he went on horfeback to the back of the Water-dippers Hall, and faid, " He had received an order from his angel Gabriel to drink eighteen gla fifes of the well water without getting of! his horfe," which he like- wife did, and went home as before, but it threw him into fo violent a fever, that he was not able to ftir out, or appear on the Walks for more than three weeks after. Another of his whimfical orders was, that one day meeting a pedlar on the road, and afking him his name, which the man telling him, Mr. Dunmall faid to him, " Are you fure that is your real name To which the other anfwering in the affirmative,- — v Why then," fays he, " I have an order from th« an- gel Gabriel to give you ten guineas " Have ye ?" fays the pedlar, " and the fame angel has blefs'd me with an order to receive it," — On B 2 which X « ) which Dunmall immediately gave him the money. Another odd diminutive figure, but a moil fenfible, honeft, and ingenious man, at this time, was the little Mr. Logan, the Fan Painter, who for fome years kept fhop at the extreme end of the Walks ; from whence he could fee the whole company, and conftantly delineated any particular chara&ers among them in his Fans, f<> as to be immediately known by their forms, which he introduced in his views of the Walks, the Cold Bath, the Filh Ponds, &c. and for which he had conftant employ ; but his character, good fenfe, jokes, and fmart repartees, are better remembered , at the Hot- Wells at Briftol, where he lived till within thefe few years, and died much refpefted. He was original dwarf to the Prince and Princefs of Wales. But among ail thefe characters it would be unpardonable to forget the memorable Mrs. Sarah Porter, fo well known to all the nobi- lity and gentry reforting to the Wells, till within the year 1762, and truly calFd the Qveen of the Touters, as no one ever carried * the f >3 ] the fpecies of begging, or foliciting your pe- cuniary affiftance fo high as fhe did. When Nafli came firft down from the Ball Room, which was at the Bowling Green, on Mount- Sion, till about the year 1739, ne brought this ftrange fingnilar character to his Rooms on the Walks, to folicit the fubfcriptions for him, and there was not a perfon of the leaft rank or credit that fhe let efcape ; ftie pre- tended to know the fathers, mothers, un- ties, aunts, and every relation of any perfons of diftin&ion ; had a fhrew'd memory, and could recollecl; or forget whatever was for her intereft ; ufed to Hand at the Ball Room door, and make fome thoufand curtfeys in a day ; had not the leaft faith, or inclination to truft ; and if any individual did not immediately fubfcribe to her, fhe would take her book, pen and ink in her hand, and follow them all round the room when it was full of company, which made many of them often very angry ; but rating, fwearing at her, or any other fevere method, was never known to put her out of humour, or make her uncivil to the company. The young folks would often teize her by calling to her, and letting her know, there was I m i was two or three gentlemen, who they be- lieved to be foreigners, had flipt by her up the Walks ; when (he would be in the utrnofi: anxiety, and when they faid to her, " What are you fo uneafy for, they will foon be back again." She would anfwer, M I dont know that, for I have known more than one drop down dead before returning, and many that have dipt quite away." She valued herfelf much on her intrepidity, and not giving up in any matter ; and an in- genious, droll, American parfon, who made himfeif very familiar with her, in afking her fome of the anecdotes of her life, got many laughable and lingular fecrets from her j one of which was, 14 The value ihe had for her- felf, from being defcended in a direct line from the Englifh women in the time of the Danes, who cut all their hufbands throats the firfh night of their marriage." A print of this ftrange perfon was made, after a fine Picture of VandermifTon's, and is to be feen on the Walks, and though very fcarce, what re- mains are to be had of Mr. Sprange, the publifher of this hiftory. 0 f *6 ) From Tunbr.-Wells to East-Bourne; May field — 8 Horfe Bridge 4 Crofs-m-hand 5 Eaft-Bourne — S* Horham — 3 Total 28 Another Road to East-Bourne. Uuckfield — 14 Horiebridge 6 Eaft-Hoadley 5 HaiHham — 2 Crofs the Dicker to Eait-Bourne 6 Total 33 Plea/ant Excursions from the Wells, Battle - — 22 EarbBourne — 5 Boreham-Street 6 Lewes - — 16 Pevenfey — 4 Brighthelmfton 8 Or to Hawkhurlt 14 Wittrifham 8 Rye - — 16 Tenderden — g So on to AJJiford, Canterbury, or back again. Or to Bourne Weft-Deane Seaford FINIS. — 28 Newhaven - 4 5 Rottingden - £ — 3 Brighthelmfton 3 Jujl pubhjlied by J. Sprange. From an a£lual Survey, A MAP of the ENVIRONS O F TUNBRIDGE- WELLS DELINEATED, Within the Circumference of Sixteen Miles ; Vy HEREIN the Turnpike, Bye, and New ^ V Roads, are thoroughly elucidated, the diftance from one place to another very axaftly pointed out, and the Gentlemen s Seats, Ancient Structures, and e- very other Building of Note within that diftrift, carefully diftinguifhed ; being fo adapt- ed as to form a compleat Guide in the airings taken by the Nobility and Gentry who refort to Tunbridge-Wells. Price 2s. 6d. in the Iheet ; or palled on canvas, to fold up in a fmall cafe for the convenience of the pocket, 3s, 6d. — It may alfo be had bound up with the Tun bridge-we lls Guide, to which, it will be found a necefTary appendage. By By whom alfo is jufi publijhed with the alter- ation of the Turnpike Roads. Price ys. 6d. — Coloured ios. 6d. bound In form of Atlas 12s. On canvas with rollers to draw up ll. is. On canvas alone, 15s. A new Impreffion of that moil correfl MAP of the County of SUSSEX, By the late RICHARD BUDGEN. T N which is e#a£lly delineated, the Situation A of the Towns, Villages, Churches, Catties, Abbies, Gentlemen's Seats, Founderies, and every thing elfc worthy of notice, whether of Art, Nature or Antiquity, and illuminated with the Coats of Arms and Seats of the No- bility and Gentry ; a Profpeft of the city of Chichefter and town of Lewes, engraved on a fine fcale of an inch to a mile. This Map is w r ork'd ofT from the original plates, which have been kept in excellent preservation ; having continued in the pof- feffion of Mr. Richard Budgen, fon of the late Richard Budgen, Land Surveyor at Frant, in Suflcx, a 5