[111]The English Language, 3rd edition, page 286.
[113]Saxons in England, vol. i. page 36.
[114a]“William (son of Ansculfe) holds Abincebourne—Abinger. The same William holds Padindene. Huscarle held it of King Edward. At that time it was rated for four hides; now for three. Hugh, William’s man, holds three hides.â€Â In Abinger parish there were three manors—Abinger; Paddington-Pembroke; and Paddington, otherwise Paddindean, sometimes styled from a former owner, Paddington Bray. There was also another manor of “Padinden†in Lingfield parish in this county. VideManning and Bray’s History of Surrey, vol. ii. page 136 and 347.
[114b]Unfortunately this, the Ranelagh Sewer still remains open in some parts of its course. In a letter from Dr. Aldis to the editor of theTimes, September 7th, 1852, we find that it is open in Chelsea; and that “its present open state answers two purposes, one for the exhalation of noxious effluvia, the other for the drowning of little children happening to fall into it, an instance of which recently occurred.â€Â And though the greater part of this sewer has been covered inand built upon, on “the bishop’s estate,†yet there is a considerable portion which is not yet covered in in this parish. Building, however, is now progressing close to this open sewer so that I presume it will not be long before this portion of the ancient Tybourn is for ever hidden from mortal ken.
[115a]Speculum Britanniæ.
[115b]Lancet, vol. 2, 1848. Reports of public meetings in the daily papers. And Dr Tilt’s various researches on this subject, published in a separate pamphlet and in theLancet.
[115c]Mr. Kemble thinks every mark had its religious establishment, its “fanum†or “hearth;†“that the priest or priests attached to these heathen churches had lands, perhaps free-will offerings too, for their support;†and further, “that the Christian Missionaries, acted on a well grounded plan of turning the religio loci to account;†and that “whenever a substantial building was found in existence, it was taken possession of for the behoof of the new religion.â€â€”Saxons in England, vol. ii. p. 424.
[118]Commentaries, Book i. chap. 11.
[119a]SeeReport on Church Rates, page 461. H. C. 1851. 541.
[119b]Minster and Monastery, were names anciently applied to all parish-churches. Sed et universim ecclesiæ omnes monasteræ dictæ. Du Cagne’s Glossary.
[120]Anglo-Saxon History, vol. ii. pages 422, 501, 546.
[121]Dr. Cove’s Essay on the Revenues of the Church of England, p. 72; andWilkins’s Anglo-Saxon Laws, p. 71.
The extracts from Mr. Kemble’s work shew how this encouragement to church buildings was abused; and how little the parvenu aristocracy, thus made, knew of moral obligation.
[122a]Commentaries, book 1. cap. 11, p. 387, tenth edition.
[122b]The statute against this “new heresy,†which “had been surreptitiously obtained by the clergy;†the citation of Wickliffe before Courtney, bishop of London, and rousing the populace against the Duke of Lancaster and Lord Piercy who protected him, were all of no avail; the truth which Wickliffe advocated advanced, and when he was cited before the Lambeth Synod, even the people of London saw their previous error, and protected him.—VideHume. “Miscellaneous Transactions during Richard the Second’s reign.â€
[123]Sir H. Spelman says impropriations are so called “as beingimproperlyin the hands of laymen;†others say, impropriation is a corruption of in-appropriation.
[124a]Strype’s Life of Aylmer, original edition, 1701, p. 212. Oxford edition ofStrype’s Works, p. 140.
[124b]The present Bishop of London has returned the gross income of his see for the seven years, ending 31st December, 1850, at the comfortable sum of £123,985 0s.11d.the net income being £115,591 19s.11d.VideBlue Book,No.400, 1851, p. 385; and Sir B. Hall’s Speech in the House of Commons, July 1st, 1851.
[127a]Macaulay’s History of England, vol. i, p. 397.
[127b]At the time I am writing, this number must very nearly represent the inhabitants of this parish; but the actual number, whatever it may be, is daily increasing.
[129]“Returns—Ecclesiastical Commission; and Archbishoprics and Bishoprics. Ordered by the House of Commons, to be printed 16th June, 1851.â€Â No. 400.
[132]The Tybourn church was built by and belonged to, the De Veres; the excuse given for taking it down was, that “it stood in a lonely place near the highway, and that in consequence of its position it was subject to the depredations of robbers, who frequently stole the images, bells, and ornaments.â€Â Themostlonely place “near the highway†was besidethe ancientTybourn, where the gallows and gibbet were formed out of the adjacent elm, and near this spot, as I imagine, the ancient Tybourn church stood.
[133]Vestry Minutes, August, 1796.
[134]The great Sir James’s notions of marriage and his stupidity in not recognising in his son-in-law one of the greatest geniuses of his, or any other age—notwithstanding all Sir Joshua has said—perhaps gave the hint for the execution of those exquisite moral lessons which adorn our National Gallery.
[135]Vide Print of Paddington-Green, published by R. Sayer, and J. Bennett, in 1783.
[136]No less than 291 local and private Acts of Parliament, connected with building, enlarging or repairing churches; and procuring, enclosing, or enlarging parish, church-yards, were procured from 1750 to 1850. For their titles, see report of select committee on church rates.—Blue Book, 1850; No. 541. And one would think that by this time, enoughgeneralChurch Building Acts existed, seeing that their manufacture commenced on the 30th of May, 1818, and that up to the 7th of August, 1851, not less than nineteen have been turned out of hand.—See 14th and 15th Vic. cap. 97.
[137]From this gentleman the churchwardens could get no account of the burial-fees received by him for several years; so that they complain in vestry of not being able to pay the salaries of other persons engaged about the church, or the bills sent into them. And in 1798, the vestry resolved that he should no longer hold the situation of sexton and vestry-clerk. In 1801, there is an entry in the minutes to the effect, that the office of clerk is still held by this tenacious gentleman, “although he has left the parish.â€Â No wonder that with such rectors, or governors as we have described, and with such a deputy-governor as this, the vestry minutes were lost; the charity-lands were lost; and the parish funds were misapplied!
[139]Beside a very ancient yew tree, which was carefully protected by a raised mound of earth, there grew in the old church-yard, a double-leaved elder tree which enjoyed a far-famed reputation.
[140a]There is an edition of this map dated 1827, now hanging up in the Vestry-Clerk’s room, from which this fact has been effaced; and not content with this erasure, half the parish has been rubbed out by the despoilers.
[140b]For an excellent description of the dilapidated condition of the old manor house see Mr. Ollier’s Novel of Ferrers.
[142]Adjoining this field was the “Church Field,†names well remembered by many now living.
[145]However odious it may appear I cannot help contrasting here the generosity of a private gentleman, unconnected with the parish by ties of property, with the “meanness†of the lord and his lessee. Mr. Tillard, of Canterbury, gave, through Dr. Crane, £500 towards the erection of this chapel, while £300 sufficed for the lordly donation, and £200 for the lessees—to which, in justice to a lady connected by birth with the latter, I must mention a donation of £100 by Miss Thistlethwayte. The Grand Junction Canal Company gave £200; and Dr. Crane, Mr. Orme, Earls Ferrars, and Shannon, and the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, £100 each. The architect, Mr. Fowler, gave £50, and the remainder was collected in sums under a hundred from the parishioners, and some of the neighbours. Mr. Tillard’s gift of £20,000 and interest, (at first it was only a loan) towards the erection of the Marylebone churches, also deserves mention, in order that it may not be imagined he shewed his favours to Paddington only. His other generous deeds need no mention here.
[147]Finding the Commissioners did not come down so handsomely as on the previous occasion, only £1000 this time, it was necessary to appeal to the Metropolitan Committee. This Committee gave £3,000; and the bishop afterwards increased his donation to £500. Mr. Thistlethwayte gave £200. Upwards of a thousand pounds were subscribed by the builders. The Rev. Minister gave £200; (a whole year’s stipend; if the bishop and his lessees had but done this!) and the greater portion of the remainder was raised by voluntary subscription from those who did not know the history of the Paddington Estate.
[151a]Vide cash accounts.
[151b]While we admire the wonders being worked out by the electric telegraph, the simple rod of steel must not be discarded, or despised; for the want of this simple lightning conductor, the clumsy steeple of St. James’s Church was struck by what would a short time ago have been considered the vengeance of heaven.
[152a]For some most excellent remarks on the London Churches in general, see “London exhibited in 1851,†by John Weale.
[152b]For a full description of the splitting of the walls of this church, and the cause which produced it, seeThe Builder, for 1846, pages 589–615.
There is an error in a previous notice of this church in the Builder, Vol. IV., page 395, which may have led to the belief, that it did not much concern the rate-payers of Paddington, how it was built; the printer of this notice having made the church commissioners give ten thousand pounds, instead of one thousand—the actual amount given.
[153]Household Words, November 6, 1852.
[155]Mr. Cundy’s generous gift did not save the parish the payment of “£38 for a carved oak altar table and two chairs, supplied at Trinity;†the question of stone or wood having become of great importance; the wood having carried it in this instance.
[156]It must not be imagined that this vestry represented the majority of rate-payers; for it did no such thing. At the annual public meeting of rate-payers, which was held after these great outlays for the church had been incurred, the names of the parish officers who sanctioned these proceedings were received with the most unmistakeable marks of disapprobation; and at an election, which virtually tried the management of the whole body, a great majority of the rate-payers voted against the vestry. Moreover, I am of opinion, after the most careful and impartial investigation of this subject, that thebona fidegovernment of this parish is, and has been for years, in the hands of the bishop and his lessees, (through their agents in the parish,) and a few builders.
[157]Vide Cash Account, 1847—p. 49.
[159]VideMorning Post,October, 5th, 1850.
[160]Report of the Lock Hospital Asylum, and Chapel, 1852.
[161]Macaulay’s History of England, Vol. I. page 88.
[169]For an excellent description of the method of teaching adopted at this school, see Household Words.—December 25, 1852.
[174a]In consequence of the management of this Establishment not having been satisfactory to the subscribers, another Institution of a similar character has been established in the same street; and it is to be hoped that this rivalry will ensure the future good management of both.
[174b]These figures have been kindly furnished to me by Mr. Brown, the Clerk of the Board of Guardians, with their permission.
[176]Kensington-gardens, and Hyde-park, are within an easy distance of Paddington, it is true; and the people see the necessity of maintaining those true lungs of London; so that these open spaces are not likely to be covered by the mason. But these Royal Parks are kept for the promenades of those who can afford to ride on horses or in carriages, or who, if walking, can afford to dress well; these therefore do not make up for the loss of the old village-green.
[182a]The account of this tradition is preserved in “Ferrers.â€
[182b]Mr. Macaulay tells us from the best authority, “that there were in the City at this time fifty-five persons to ten houses.â€Â But many causes would combine to make the families in a village less numerous than in a city; I have therefore taken five individuals, instead of five and a half, in the computations I have made for the population of Paddington.
[183a]This is not only the oldest person buried in the church-yard, so far as is known, but it is the oldest tomb now existing in it. Some time ago, an engraved copper-plate, in memory of Henry Kenwricke, citizen and mercer, was found several feet below the present surface: he died December 23rd, 1639, aged 63.
[183b]Madame Vestris and her husband, Mr. Charles Matthews, also occupied this house for some time.
[189]This story was told of several cowkeepers in the neighbourhood of London; and an old, and oft repeated tale, is told of one of this grazier’s workmen. The young man who married the heiress, turned out a terrible old miser, and his penurious habits, as a matter of course, made him no great favourite with those whom he employed; therefore his final exit from this world was not much regretted by them. “Pretty Johnny,†the Guardsman’s son, was not of the same turn of mind as his father, and his failings and faults were looked on with a more lenient eye by the people. What the father had saved with so much care, the son delighted to spend; and after the old gentleman’s death, the magic number of live stock soon vanished from the fields. A few cows were sold to supply any immediate want; and after a greater demand on one occasion, than ordinary, Pretty Johnny was not in the best of tempers. This lazy old fellow, who had by some chance found out for what purpose the cows were sold, happened to cross his path at this unlucky moment, and the grazier who saw the wicked twinkle in the fellow’s eye, swore, if he did’nt get out of the way and go on with his work, he would send him to the devil.—The countryman nothing daunted, quietly rejoined, “You’d better not, master; for if you do, I’ll tell daddy you’ve sold the cows.â€
[190]Byron has said “there would be nothing to make the canal of Venice, more poetical than that of Paddington, were it not for its artificial adjuncts.â€Â Vide Cunningham’s Hand-book. The artificial adjuncts of the Paddington Canal, from its first formation to the present time, have been any thing but poetical. It is true an imaginative Cockney might, in snowy weather, have imbibed his notion of the Alps from what he then saw on the banks of this canal; for immense heaps of dust and ashes towered high above the house-tops; and these artificial mountains are said to have been worth ten thousand pounds a-piece.
[196]In going through the Vestry Minute-Books, for the purposes of this Work, I found an opinion of Sir Frederick Pollock’s entered in November 1841 (at which time the builders and owners of houses were attempting to relieve themselves of the charge ofall Empty Rates) to the effect that these words, “it shall and may be lawful,†created a duty. But I was astonished to find the opinion mutilated by a bungling attempt which had been made to scratch out the words, “and may.â€
[198]How different this conduct of the Bishop of London and his lessees, from the liberality of John Lyon, who, after he had establishes his Free School at Harrow, purchased forty-one acres of land in Marylebone, for the purpose of keeping the road to London in repair for ever! Vide 10 Geo. IV. cap. 59.
[199]For an account of these trials, Maund v. Campbell, and Campbell, v. Maund, see Adolphus and Ellis’s Reports, Vol. v. p. 865, et seqq.