Chapter 19

Market, Wednesday.—Fair, May 14, for cattle and pigs.

[A] BERKHAMPSTEAD. "The Saxons, in old time," observes Norden, "called this town Berghamstedt, because it was seated among the hills; for Berg signified a hill; ham, a town; and stedt, a seat; all of which was very proper for the situation hereof." The buildings are chiefly of brick, and irregular, but intersected with various handsome houses. BerkhampsteadDescription.consists of one principal street, about half a mile in length, extending along the side of the high road; and another smaller one branching out from the church towards the site of the castle. The Grand Junction Canal runs the whole length of the town, and very close to it, which makes it a place of considerable trade. Many respectable and genteel families reside here, and hold their monthly balls at the King's Arms Inn, during the winter. The King of Mercia had a palace or castle here; and the town had attained sufficient importance at the time of the Conquest, to be appointed as the place of meeting between the Norman sovereign, and the chiefs of the confederacy formed against his power, and headed by Abbot Fretheric, of St. Alban's. "In the brough," says the Domesday Book, "are two and fifty burgesses, who pay four pounds a year for toll; and they have half a hide, and two shillings rent, common of pasture for the cattle, wood to feed a thousand hogs, and five shillings rent by the year. Its whole value is sixteen pounds. The castle erected by the Saxons was enlarged, strengthened, and fortified with additionalIts ancient castle.outworks, by the Earl of Mortaigne; but in the time of his son and successor, William, who had rebelled against Henry I., it was seized, and ordered to be razed to the ground." It is probable, however, that the demolition was only partial, as it was again fitted up as a royal residence, either in the time of Stephen, or early in the reign of Henry II. The castle and honour of Berkhampstead continued in the possession of the crown till the seventh of King John, who granted them to the Earl of Essex, for £100. per annum. In the year 1216 the castle, which had been reverted to the crown, was besieged by Lewis, Dauphin of France, in conjunction with certain English barons. The garrison, taking advantage of the negligence of the besiegers, made two successful sallies on the same day, capturing divers chariots, arms, and provisions; but, after a siege of some continuance, they surrendered. Henry III. granted the Earldom ofThe seat of Kings and Nobles.Cornwall, with the honour and castle of Berkhampstead, to Richard, his brother, for his services at the siege of the castle of Riole, in France; but, disagreeing with him, he revoked the grant. The interposition of the Earls of Pembroke and Chester occasioned its restoration to the Earl of Cornwall. In 1245, the King granted him an annual fair, of eight days' continuance, for his manor of Berkhampstead; and here, after a long illness, he died on the 4th of April, 1272. Edmund, his only surviving son, succeeded to his estates and titles; and in his time there were twelve burgesses within the borough, with fifty-two free tenants, and twenty-two tenants by serjeancy. This Earl founded the college of Bon-Hommes, at Ashridge, in Buckinghamshire. In the fourth of Edward III., John of Eltham, brother to the King, had a grant of Berkhampstead, with other manors, to the value of 2,000 marks per annum: but, dying without issue, in 1336, his estates were granted by the King, to Edward the Black Prince, with the Dukedom of Cornwall, to be held by him and his heirs, and the eldest sons of the heirs of the King's of England. Richard II. occasionally resided at Berkhampstead castle. Since that period, the castle and honour of Berkhampstead have descended from the crown, to the successive Princes of Wales, as heirs apparent to the throne, and possessors of the Dukedom of Cornwall, under the grant of Edward III. The castle was situated on the east side of the town; and, though the buildings areNow in ruins.now reduced to a few massive fragments of wall, the remains are still sufficient to evince the ancient strength and importance of this fortress. The ramparts are very bold, and the ditches still wide and deep, particularly on the north and east sides, though partly filled up by the lapse of centuries. The keep was a circular tower, occupying the summit of a high and steep artificial mount, moated round. Large trees are now growing on the sides of the mount, as well as on many parts of the outward rampart, and declivities of the ditches: other parts are covered with underwood, in many places so thick as to be impassable. The inner court is now an orchard; the outer court is cultivated as a farm; and a small cottage, with a few out-buildings, now occupies a portion of the ground once occupied by Princes and Sovereigns. Near the rampart, on the west side, flows the little river Bulbourne. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, is built in the form of a cross, with a tower rising from the intersection towards the west end, and having a projecting staircase at the south-east angle, terminated by a turret at the summit. The tower is supported on strong pointed arches, and was originally open, but is now closed from the church by the belfry floor. On the outside of the tower, next the street, is a sculpture of an angel supporting a shield, impaled with the arms of England and France quarterly. The same arms are painted on glass in the window of a small chapel within the church. Various chapelsThe church.and chantries were founded here in the Catholic times, and are still partially divided from the body of the church. The sepulchral memorials are numerous. Between two columns of the nave, surrounded by pews, is an ancient tomb of rich workmanship, having on the top, full-length effigies of a Knight and his Lady, both recumbent. The Knight is represented in armour, with his hands raised in the attitude of prayer across his breast: his head rests on a helmet, having a human head, with a long beard, at the upper end; his feet are supported on a lion: he has on a hood and gorget of mail; and, on the sash, which crosses his body and shoulder, is a rose: opposite to this, on his breast-plate, is a dove. The figure of the lady is greatly mutilated; her hands and head are broken off; the latter rests on a cushion, and is covered with net-work; she is arrayed in a close dress, and has a rose on each shoulder. No inscription is remaining on this tomb to designate the persons to whose memory it was erected. Torynton is supposed to have been the founder of the church; a man in special favour with Edmond Plantagenet, Duke of Cornwall. In Sayer's chancel is an altar-tomb of alabaster and black marble, in the memory of John Sayer, Esq., who was chief cook to Charles II. when in exile, and founder of the alms-house for poor widows in this town. A large and strong building of brick, erected as a free-school in the reign of HenryFree school.VIII., and endowed with the lands of the guild or brotherhood of St. John the Baptiste, (an ancient foundation in this town,) stands at the bottom of the churchyard. In the next reign the school was made a royal foundation, and incorporated. The master is appointed by the crown, and has apartments at one end of the free school; the school-room occupies the centre; and the other end is inhabited by the chaplain and usher. Here is also a charity-school, supported by voluntary contributions, &c. Numerous donations for charitable purposes have been made to this parish, the principal of which was a bequest of £1,000., made by John Sayer, Esq., in July, 1681, for the building and endowment of an alms house: this was erected after his decease by his relict, who placed in it six poor widows, and increased the original endowment by the gift of £300. Each widow has a small allowance weekly, and a cloth gown worth 20s. once in two years. In the 14th of Edward III., two representatives were sent from this borough; but this was the only return ever made, except to the great council held at Westminster, in the 11th of the same King. Berkhampstead had a charter of incorporation granted by James I., but it scarcely survived the reign of his son. An attempt was made to revive the charter, a year or two after the restoration, but it did not succeed. The honour of Berkhampstead formerly included upwards of fifty-five lordships and manors, in the three counties of Herts, Northampton, and Buckingham. Berkhampstead-place is situated on a pleasantContained fifty-five lordships.eminence adjoining the town. Great part of the structure was erected by the Careys, having been burnt down in the time of the Lord Treasurer Weston, who then resided in it: the remainder was afterwards repaired, and with some additions, forms the present dwelling. King James's children were mostly nursed in this house. The life of Cowper, the poet, who was born here, will be given at Olney, on account of the length of the present article.

Market, Saturday.—Fairs, Shrove-Monday, Whit-Monday, for cattle; Aug. 5, cheese; September 29, Oct. 11, statute.—Mailarrives 11.30 night; departs 3.30 morning.—Inn, Kings Arms.

[A] BERKSHIRE. This county was originally inhabited by three tribes or nations, termed by the Romans Attrebates, Bibroces, and Segontiaci.Its ancient division into three nations.The first occupied part of the west, the south-west and north-west parts. The second the south-east parts; and the third a portion of the north parts. Under the Romans, this county formed part of the first division called Britannia Prima. During the Heptarchy it belonged to the West Saxons. It was once called Berrocshire, from the name of a hill covered with box, which at one time occupied a large portion of it. It is an inland county, bounded on the north by the Thames, which divides it from Oxfordshire on the west, and Bucks on the east; and by part of Surrey; on the north by Surrey and Hampshire; and on the west by Wilts and a small part of Gloucestershire. It is so very irregular in its shape as not to admit of any adequate description. Its greatest length is about forty-eight miles, and its utmost breadth from north to south about twenty-five. In one of the narrowest parts, by Reading, it is about six or seven miles, and less still at the eastern extremity. It contains about 464,500 acres, and is about 140 miles in circumference; it is in the province of Canterbury, and the diocese of Salisbury; (the parish of Chilton, which is in the diocese of Oxford, and Langford, which is in that of Lincoln, excepted;) subject to an archdeacon, and is divided into six deaneries. It is included in the Oxford circuit. There are 20 hundreds, 12 market towns, 148 parishes (of which 67 are vicarages,) and 671 villages. The natural divisions of the county are four, 1. The Vale, beginning at Budcot, and ending at Streatley. 2. The Chalky Hills, running nearly through the centre of the lower part of the county. 3. The Vale of the Kennet, extending diagonally from Hungerford to near Wargrave. 4. The Forest Division, commencing on the east to Loddon, and occupying nearly the entire breadth of this part of the county to Old Windsor, and from Sandhurst south to Maidenhead north. The air is deemed peculiarly salubrious, particularlyAir, soil, and rivers.on the chalky and gravelly soils, which are the most common throughout the county; but the uneven face of the country causes some slight degree of variation in this particular, though every part is considered healthful and good. The soil is as various (though perhaps more mixed) as in the last described county. The Vale of White Horse consists generally of a rich strong loam and gravel, with some sand and stone brasp, producing corn, wheat, beans, &c. In the Chalk Hill district, light black earth on chalk prevails, with flint, chalk, gravel, and loam. Here numerous sheep are fed; it produces, towards the south and east, turnips, barley; and, when properly manured, Lammas wheat and artificial grasses. The Vale of Kennet, is generally peat land, with gravel, loam and clay, though in the south east parts a poor stony and heathy soil. The Forest District, gravel, clay, and loam, except on the south, which is poor and heathy. The principal rivers and streams are the Thames, the Kennet, the Loddon, the Lambourn, the Ock, the Aubourn, the Emme, and the Broadwater. All these, with perhaps the exception of the Aubourn, the Emme, and the Broadwater, abound with almost every kind of fresh water fish. Besides these rivers and streams, there are the Ginge Brook, the Moreton Brook, and other rivulets, &c.; also some other natural and artificial lakes and ponds. Water, however, is generally scarce on the Berkshire downs, and along the whole of the chalky stratum. The navigable rivers are the Thames and the Kennet. The navigable canals are the Kennet and Avon canal, which joins the river Kennet a little above Newbury; the entire length from Newbury to Bath is sixty miles—it has been navigable since the year 1798; and the Wilts and Berks canal, opened on September 21, 1810, into the Thames at Abingdon; from near Bath to Abingdon, about fifty-one and three-quarter miles. Mineral waters are by no means common in this county. The natural productions of this county, except those which may be considered partly agricultural, are neither plentiful or important. There are no minerals nor fossils of any great consequence.Natural productions.The strata of sand with oyster-shells, and particularly a thick stratum of chalk, is found near Reading. The surface of the soil, however, amply compensates for the apparent barrenness of the internal parts; and the produce of fat cattle, sheep, swine, and grain, is immense; as is also that of fine timber, especially oak and beech. Abingdon gives the title of Earl to the Bertie family—Coleshill, that of Baron to the Pleydell-Bouverie family—Foxley, that of Baron to the Townshend family—Hungerford, that of Baron to the Rawdon-Hastings family—Mortimer, the title of Earl to the Harley family—Newbury, that of Baron to the Cholmondely family—Uffingham, that of Viscount to the Craven family—and Windsor, the title of Baron to the Windsor-Hickman family; and Earl, to the Stuarts. It has been calculated, that, including houses, mills, and other productive revenue arising from or attached to the soil, the landed property cannot amount to less than £500,000 per annum, and that the largest possessor may have about £8000. The largest possessor, being a peer, is the Earl of Craven. The Craven, Englefield, Eyston, Read,Ancient and noble families.Southby, Seymour, and Clarke families are among the few ancient families who still inherit the same estates, and occupy the same seats, or are immediately connected with the county, as their ancestors. Among the representatives of some very old families, or in the female line, may be ranked the Berties, the Nevilles, the Pleydells, the Puseys, the Throckmortons, the Lovedens, the Nelsons, and the Blagraves. The King is purposely omitted in this brief list:—his possessions as a landed proprietor being well known. Agriculture so much engrosses the attention of the people of Berkshire, that very little trade, unconnected with these pursuits is carried on. There are, however, some manufactories of sail-cloth, kerseys, canvass, and malt; and there are also several pretty large breweries in various parts of the county: the Windsor ale having acquired considerable celebrity; and at the Temple mills, near Bisham, there is a copper manufacture, and a manufacture of potash at Milton.

[A] BERMONDSEY stretches along the banks of the Thames, from Southwark to Deptford, and Rotherhithe eastward, and is much inhabited by woolstaplers, fellmongers, curriers, parchment-makers, and other manufacturers, with such craftsmen as are connected with the construction and management of shipping. A priory for monks was founded here in 1082, by Aylwin Child, a citizen of London, and endowed by the second William with his manor of Bermondsey. In 1399, it was made an abbey, and at the dissolution, it was granted to Sir Thomas Pope, who built on its site a large house, which afterwards became the property and residence of the Earls of Sussex. Another part of the site is called the Abbey House.Royal residence.Catherine, the Queen of Henry V., and Elizabeth, Queen of Edward IV. retired to this place, where they died, the former in 1436; the latter soon after the forfeiture of her lands, by an order of the Council, in 1486. The church was erected in 1680, of brick, with a low square tower and turret, and consists of a chancel, nave, two aisles, and a transept. A free school was founded here by Mr. Josiah Bacon, and endowed with a revenue of £150. for the instruction of not more than sixty, or fewer than forty boys. A charity-school was also established, by contributions, in 1755, for the education of fifty boys and thirty girls, and was afterwards endowedChurch and schools.by Mr. Nathaniel Smith, with a revenue of £40. per annum. The Bermondsey Spa was discovered in 1770, and, by means of the attractive entertainments contrived by the proprietor, became a place of general resort; but soon after his death the gardens were closed, and the area is now built upon. This suburban parish long retained a very antique air from the age of several of its streets and houses, many of which were built of wood. But the spirit of improvement has gradually amended its appearance: an act of parliament was passed in the year 1823, for watching, paving, cleansing, and lighting the parish. A new church has been erected here for the convenience of the parishioners, at a moderate distance from the mother church; it is, however, subordinate to the original rectory.

[A] BERRY POMEROY. This place, situated in the hundred of Hayter, derives its name from the Pomeroys, a very considerable family in these parts. Ralph de Pomeroy, who came to England with William the Norman, and for his services was rewarded with fifty-eight lordships in this county, built a castle here, the magnificent ruins of which, seated onCastle in ruins.a rocky eminence, rising over a pellucid brook, now form, in combination with the other features of the scenery, one of the most delightful views in Devonshire. The approach to the castle, observes Dr. Matton, in his Observations on the Western Counties, "is through a thick wood, extending along the slope of a range of hills that entirely intercept any prospect to the south: on the opposite side is a steep rocky ridge, covered with oak, so that the ruins are shut into a beautiful valley. The great gate, with the walls of the south front, the north wing of the court, or quadrangle, some apartments on the west side, and a turret or two, are the principal remains of the building; and these are so finely overhung with the branches of trees and shrubs which grow close to the walls, so beautifully mantled with ivy, and so richly incrusted with moss, that they constitute the most picturesque objects that can be imagined; and when the surrounding scenery is taken into the account, the noble mass of wood fronting the gate, the bold ridges rising in the horizon, and the fertile valley opening to the east, the ruins of Berry Pomeroy Castle must be considered as almost unparalleled in their effect." The posterity of Ralph de Pomeroy resided here till the reign of Edward VI., when Sir Thomas Pomeroy sold the manor to Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, from whom it has descended to the present Duke of Somerset. Berry Pomeroy Castle, whose venerable ruins we have just mentioned, appears to have been originally quadrangular, and to have had but one entrance, which was on the south side, between two hexagonal towers, through a double gateway; the first of which was machiolated, and strengthened by angular bastions, and having over it the Pomeroy arms, still visible. A small room over the gateway was probably the chapel: it is divided by a wall, supported by pillars and arches. From the eastern tower is a fine view of the surrounding country. The ruins in the interior part, or quadrangle, are considerably more modern than the rest of the building. These appear to have belonged to a "magnificent structure," commenced, says Prince, in his Worthies of Devonshire, by the Seymours, at an expense ofFormer state of the castle.£20,000, but "never brought to perfection: for the west side of the mansion was never begun: what was finished may be thus described. Before the door of the Great Hall was a noble walk whose length was the breadth of the court, arched over with curiously carved free-stone, supported in the fore part by several stately pillars of the same stone, of great dimensions, after the Corinthian order, standing on pedestals, having cornices and freezes finely wrought. The apartments within were very splendid, especially the dining-room; and many other of the rooms were well adorned with mouldings and fret-work; some of whose marble clavils were so delicately fine, that they would reflect an object true and lively from a great distance. Notwithstanding which it is now demolished, and all this glory lyeth in the dust, buried in its own ruins; there being nothing standing but a few broken walls, which seem to mourn their own approaching funerals." The walls are formed of slate, and appear to be rapidly decaying. The grounds round the castle consist of steep eminences, covered with oak and other trees. Even in the court, and remains of the fortress itself, trees of nearly a century's growth are flourishing in luxuriance, and compose, with the shrubs thickly scattered within the area, a scene highly beautiful. In the wars between Charles I. and the Parliament this castle was dismantled. Berry Pomeroy Church, which was built by one of the Pomeroy family, contains a splendid alabaster monument to the memory of Lord Edward Seymour, Knt. son to the Duke of Somerset; Edward Seymour, Bart. and his Lady, the daughter of Sir Arthur Champernoune. The two first are represented in armour; the knight having a truncheon in his hand, and lying cross-legged. The lady is in a black dress, with the figure of a child, in a cradle, at her head, and at her feet another in a chair: below are nine figures kneeling, with books open before them. This monument was repaired by the late Duke of Somerset, the eighth lineal descendant of the Duke of Somerset the Protector.

[A] BERWICK. The town is situated N. by W. from Newcastle. King Edgar gave it, with Coldingham, to the church of Durham; but it was afterwards forfeited by Bishop Flambard. It had a church in the reign of Alexander, and, in David's time constituted one of the four boroughs where courts of trade were wont to be held. In 1173, it was reduced to ashes; and in the following year, Earl Duncan marched to the place, and butchered its defenceless inhabitants. Henry II. having obtained the castle as a pledge for King William, strengthened its fortifications. It was restored, however,The disputed town.in the following reign. King John made dreadful ravages in the town and neighbourhood. A convention was held here by Edward I., in 1291, to arbitrate the claims to the crown of Scotland, which were at length determined in favour of his creature, Baliol. This prince having shortly afterwards thrown off his allegiance, Berwick became exposed to the fury of Edward's resentment. In 1296, the English king fortified it with a wall and a fosse, and in the same year received the homage of the Scotch nobility here In 1297, the town was taken by Sir William Wallace; but the castle held out, and after a long assault, was relieved. Wallace about eight years after this was betrayed, and half of his body exposed upon Berwick-bridge. The Countess of Buchan, for crowning Robert Bruce, at Scone,Countess of Buchan shut up in a cage six years.was shut up here in a wooden cage, six years, and then released. Edward II. and his queen wintered at Berwick in 1310. He assembled his army here before the battle of Bannockburn. Peter Spalding betrayed this place into the hands of Robert Bruce in 1318: many attempts were made to recover it, which was not effected till the day after the battle of Hallidon-hill, in 1333. Edward III. was here in 1335, with a great army in 1340, and the year after, at Easter, held a tournament; but during his absence in France, in November 1353, the Scots surprized and took the town. The castle, under the renowned Sir John Copeland, held out till Edward, in February following, arrived with a great army, and forced the Scotch to capitulate. Seven Scotchmen, in 1377, surprised the castle, and held it eight days against 7,000 archers, and 3,000 cavalry. The deputy-governor, under the Earl of Northumberland, betrayed it into the enemy's hands in 1384; but the earl soon after recovered it. Through the solicitation of his uncle the Earl of Worcester, engaging in the rebellion against Henry IV., in 1406, he employed this fortress against the king; but a cannon-shot, the first that was ever fired in England, so alarmed the garrison, that it, immediately surrendered. According to Walsingham and Speed, this shot was of a large size, and demolished great part of a tower. In 1811, aThe first cannon-ball used in England.all of cast iron, weighing ninety-six pounds, answering to this account, was found in a part of the ruins of the castle. It had penetrated the wall about three yards, at a place where it was flanked with a tower. An unsuccessful attempt was made to reduce it in 1422; but after the battle of Towton, in 1461, it was again in the hands of the Scots, who strengthened its walls, and held it till 1482, when it finally came into possession of the English. "From that time," observes Camden, "the kings of England have continually added works to it, particularly Queen Elizabeth, who, lately to the terror of the enemy, and security of the towns-people, contracted the circuit of the walls, drawing within the old ones a very high wall, well built of strong stone, surrounded by a deep ditch, a regular rampart, redoubt, counterscarps, and covered ways, so that the form and strength of the fortifications are sufficient to discourage all hopes of carrying it by assault, not to mention the bravery of the garrison, and the stores in the place, which exceed belief." Between the years 1761 and 1770 the walls were almost entirely rebuilt in many parts, and finished in 1786. The governor of Berwick has a salary of £586. 7s. 1d. The barracks measure 217 by 121; and contain twenty-four rooms for officers, and seventy-two rooms adapted to hold 567 privates. The church of Berwick, a peculiar of the dean and chapter of Durham, stands on the north side of the parade. It was rebuilt between 1642 and 1652, at the cost of £1400. It has no steeple. It consists of three aisles, and several galleries, all handsomely pewed. The Worshipful Mercers' Company, in London, founded a lectureship here. David I., King of Scotland,The church and convents.founded here a convent for Cistertian Nuns; and Robert III, granted its revenues to Dryburgh Abbey. The convent of Carmelites originated with Sir John Grey, in 1270. The Scotch King, in 1239, brought hither a convent of Dominicans, which Edward III. removed. The Trinitarians had a house here, as had the Franciscans; and between the sea and the town, in Maudlin-field, stood the hospital and free chapel of St. Mary Magdalen, which had an hospital or hermitage belonging to it at Segeden.—Queen Elizabeth founded a free school here; and a charity-school was rebuilt in 1725, in which twenty boys and six girls are clothed and educated. Berwick bridge was swept away by a flood in 1199. ItThe bridge 24 years in building.was rebuilt of wood, of which it consisted, till the time of James I., who commenced the present elegant structure of stone. It has fifteen arches; its length being 1164 feet, and its breadth seventeen. It was twenty-four years, four months, and four days in building, and cost government £14,960 1s. 6d. The Town Hall was built in 1754. On its ground-floor, on the east-side, is a piazza, called the Exchange; and opposite it are cells for criminals, and shops. The second floor consists of two spacious halls. The outer hall, for holding courts and guilds, measures, sixty feet by thirty-one. The inner hall forty-seven feet long and twenty-three feet broad, is occasionally occupied for public entertainments. The upper story is the common gaol of the town. The turret, 150 feet high, contains eight musical bells. The first charter of the corporation was granted by Edward I. The corporation were first summoned to send members to parliament in the latter end of the reign of Edward IV. The last charter of this town was granted by James I. The corporation now consists of a mayor, recorder, town clerk, four bailiffs, a coroner, four serjeants at mace,Municipal officers.and a water-bailiff. The mayor is also escheator in the borough, clerk of the market, and a justice of the peace; the other justices of the town being the recorder and such resident burgesses as have sustained the office of mayor. They are lords of the manor of Tweedmouth, where they hold a court-leet and court-baron twice a year. Their annual revenues arising from duties taken at the quay and gates, are estimated at £7000. Besides the trade in salmon, great quantities of corn and eggs are exported here for London. One morning in the month of October, 1814, there were upwards of 10,000 salmon, in Berwick market, caught in the Tweed, some of which might have been bought at 2s. each. At the same time, the finest herringsSalmon and herring fisheries.(of which an immense shoal was on the coast) were sold for 2s. the hundred of six score. On the same day the best salmon was sold in Newcastle market at 6d. per pound, and some of the inferior kind as low as 4d. The port has about sixty or seventy vessels. The harbour abounds with low dangerous rocks. At its mouth a noble pier has recently been constructed on the site of an old one, built by Queen Elizabeth. Berwick Castle, once a place of high importance, is now almost levelled with the ground. About 400 yards north of it, is a pentagonal tower, called the Bell Tower, having its name from containing a bell, which was rung on any occasion of alarm.

Markets, Wednesday and Saturday.—Fairs, Friday in Trinity Week, for black cattle, sheep, and horses.—Mailarrives 9.49 morning; departs 2.1 afternoon.—Bankers, Commercial Banking Company; draw on Jones, Lloyd, and Co.; Batson and Co.: draw on Glynn and Co.—Inns, King's Arms, and Red Lion.

[A] BESSELSLEIGH, is a small village, in the hundred of Hormer. The manor formerly belonged to the family of Legh, from which it passed, by a female heir, to that of Besils, or Blesells, which flourished there for several centuries. "At this Legh," says Leland, "be very fayre pastures and woodes. The Blesells hathe bene lords of it syns the tyme of Edwarde the First, or afore, and ther they dyd enhabite. The place is all of stone, and stondithe at the west end of the paroche churche. The Blesells cam out of Provence in Fraunce, and were men of activitye inThe Blessell's family.feates of armes, as it appearith in monuments at Legh, how he faught in Listes with a strange knighte that chalengyd hym, at the whiche deade the Kynge and Quene at that tyme of England, were present. The Blesells were countyd to have pocessyons of 400 marks by the yere." In the year 1516, the estates of the Blesells were carried, by the marriage of an heiress, to the Fettiplaces, a respectable Berkshire family, one of whom Besil Fettiplace, Esq., was High Sheriff in the 26th of Queen Elizabeth. The manor of Besselsleigh was purchased of the Fettiplaces, by William Lenthall, Esq., Speaker of the Long Parliament, whose descendants now reside at Burford, in Oxfordshire.

[A] BETHNAL GREEN. There is a curious legend relating to this place, of which Henry de Mountfort, son of the ambitious Earl of Liecester, who was slain with his father at the memorable battle of Evesham, is the hero. He is supposed to have been discovered among the bodies of the dying and the dead (by a young lady) in an almost lifeless state, and deprived of his sight by a wound which he had received during the engagement. Under the fostering hand of this "faire damosel" he soon recovered, and afterwards marrying her, she became the mother of the celebrated "Besse," the heroine of the popular ballad of the beggar's daughter of Bethnal-green, written in the reign of Elizabeth. Fearing least his rankThe blind beggar of Bethnal-green.and title should be discovered by his enemies, he is said to have disguised himself as a beggar, and taken up his residence at Bethnal-green. The beauty of the daughter attracted many suitors, and she was at length married to a noble knight, who, regardless of her supposed meanness and poverty, had the courage to make her his wife: her other lovers having deserted her on account of her low origin. At Bethnal-green is an old mansion, which the inhabitants, with their usual love of traditionary lore, assign as the palace of the blind beggar. The tradition, though with very little grounds for its foundation, is still preserved on the sign posts of several public houses in the neighbourhood. On the 19th September, 1826, the parish officers of Bethnal-green waited on the Secretary of State forGang of 500 thieves, in 1826.the Home Department, and stated that a lawless gang, of 500 or more, thieves infested that neighbourhood and committed the most dreadful outrages nightly, upwards of fifty persons having been robbed and beaten in the course of a week; the secretary ordered forty men mounted, to patrole the parish, and aid the local authorities in bringing the offenders to justice. The hospital called the Trinity House, founded in the year 1695, for twenty-eight ancient seamen, who have been masters of ships, and their widows, is in this parish. The funds arising from the ballast-offices, lighthouses, buoys, beacons, &c. are appropriated by parliament to this corporation. Each of the inmates receives 16s. a month, 20s. a year for coals, and a new gown every second year. Many of the streets of this parish are almost wholly occupied by the operative silk-weavers.

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