Governor, Deputy Governor, and court of Assistants, consisting of
twenty-four of the members, annually chosen on the first Wednesday
after Michaelmas day, and they have their meetings monthly; or as
occasion requires, at Founders Hall in Lothbury. _Stow’s Survey._
EAST _lane_, Rotherhith Wall.§
EAST _lane stairs_, Rotherhith.§
EAST _rents_, Barnaby street, Southwark.§
EAST SHENE, a village about a mile and a half in the coach road from
Richmond, where the Lord Viscount Palmerston, a descendant of Sir
William Temple, has a fine seat and gardens. These gardens were laid
out and finished by the great genius of Sir William, and were his
principal delight at the close of his life.
EAST SMITHFIELD, a small square near Little Tower Hill, surrounded
with but indifferent buildings.
EAST SMITHFIELD COURTS. In this liberty two courts are held, viz. a
court leet and court baron; in the first officers are chosen, and
nuisances presented; and in the second pleas are held to the amount
of forty shillings.
EAST SMITHFIELD _double passage_, Tower hill.
EAST SMITHFIELD _School_, was founded in the year 1673, by Sir Samuel
Sterling, Knight and Alderman of this city, who endowed it with
certain lands and tenements in East Smithfield, of the yearly value
of 20_l._ for educating sixteen poor boys of the parish of St.
Botolph Aldgate, viz. eight in the city liberty, and eight in that
of East Smithfield.
EAST _street_, 1. Red Lion street, Holborn. 2. Spitalfields market.
EBBGATE _lane_, Thames street.†
ECCLE’S _yard_, In the Minories.†
EDEN _court_, New street, Shoe lane.
EDGEWARE, a town twelve miles from London, in the road to St. Alban’s,
Watford, and Harrow on the Hill, is situated on the very edge of the
county of Middlesex. The old Roman way called Watling Street passes
by here from London.
The late Duke of Chandos built near this town one of the most noble
seats in England, which he adorned and furnished at such vast
expence, that it had scarce its equal in the kingdom. The great
saloon or hall was painted by Paolucci, and the plaistering and
gilding of the house was done by the famous Italian Pergotti. The
columns supporting the building were all of marble: the grand
stair-case was extremely fine; the steps were marble, and every step
was one whole piece twenty-two feet in length.
The avenue was spacious and majestic, and as it afforded the view of
two fronts, joined as it were in one, the distance not permitting
you to see the angle that was in the center, so you were agreeably
deceived into the opinion, that the front of the house was twice as
large as it really was. And yet on approaching nearer, you were
again surprized, by perceiving a winding passage opening, as it
were, a new front to the eye of near an hundred and twenty feet
wide, which you imagined not to have seen before.
The gardens were well designed, and the canals large and noble. The
chapel was a singularity both in its building and the beauty of the
workmanship, and the late Duke maintained there at one time a full
choir, and had divine worship performed with the best music, after
the manner of the chapel royal. But all this grandeur was soon at an
end. The furniture and curiosities were brought to public auction;
and this superb edifice quite demolished. _Tour through Great
Britain._
The land whereon this structure was erected was lately purchased by
Mr. Hallet, an eminent cabinet-maker, who acquired a large fortune
in that business, and he has built an elegant small house upon the
ruins of the Duke of Chandos’s large and magnificent seat.
EDLIN’S _gate_, Tooley’s street.
EDMONTON, a village in Middlesex, in the road to Ware, seven miles and
a half from London.
EDMUND’S _court_, Prince’s street, Soho.
_St._ EDMUND THE KING, a church situated on the north side of Lombard
street, in Langborne ward, and thus denominated from its dedication
to St. Edmund King of the East Angles, who was barbarously murdered
by the Pagan Danes in the year 870, for his steadfast adherence to
the Christian religion. The name Grasschurch was once added to this;
but it is now disused: this last name took its rise from an herb
market near the church.
The first sacred edifice in this place, and of this name, was built
under the Saxon heptarchy: but the last old church was destroyed in
the fire of 1666, and the present structure was finished in 1690.
The length of this structure from north to south is 69 feet, and the
breadth from east to west 39. The altar is placed at the north end.
It has a square tower, upon which a short spire rises, with its base
fixed on a broad lanthorn.
This church is a rectory in the patronage of the Archbishop of
Canterbury; but in ecclesiastical affairs it is subject to the
Archdeacon of London; and the parish of St. Nicholas Acons being
united to it, the profits of the Rector are almost doubled; he
receives in lieu of tithes 180_l._ a year.
EDWARDS’S _Almshouse_, in the parish of Christ Church, Surry, was
built and endowed by the trustees of Mr. Edward Edwards, a citizen
and mason of London, for such poor persons of that parish as receive
no alms from that or any other parish. Each person has one room, an
allowance of 40_s._ a year; and once in two years a purple gown of
twenty shillings value.
EDWARD’S _court_, 1. Oxendon street.† 2. Panton street.†
EDWARD’S _rents_, Islington.†
EDWARD’S _street_, 1. Berwick street.† 2. Hare street, Spitalfields.†
EDWARD’S _wharf_, Durham yard in the Strand.†
EEL’S _yard_, in the Minories.†
EGGLIN’S _gateway_, Tooley street.†
EGHAM, a town in Surry, situated on the bank of the Thames almost
opposite to Stanes, and three miles on this side of Windsor. It has
several good inns, a noble charity school, and an almshouse built
and endowed by Baron Denham, Surveyor of the works to King Charles
II. for five poor old women, each of whom have an orchard. The
parsonage house was formerly the seat of Sir John Denham, who
rebuilt it. This Sir John was the father of the poet of that name,
who took great delight in this place.
ELBOW _lane_, 1. Dowgate hill; this lane running west, and suddenly
turning short into Thames street, was from this bending called Elbow
lane. 2. New Gravel lane. For _Great_ and _Little_ ELBOW _lane_, see
GREAT and LITTLE.
ELDER _lane_, Upper Millbank.‡
ELDER _street_, White Lion street, Norton Falgate.‡
ELEPHANT _court_, Whitechapel.*
ELEPHANT _lane_, Rotherhith wall.*
ELEPHANT _stairs_, Rotherhith.*
ELING, GREAT and LITTLE, are situated in Middlesex, between Brentford
and the Oxford road. Great Eling lies to the east of the other, and
has a work house and a charity school, with a pretty church that has
eight musical bells, and is the mother church of that of Old
Brentford.
ELIZABETH _court_, Whitecross street.
ELLIOT’S _court_, Little Old Bailey.†
ELLIOT’S _rents_, Stepney Causeway.†
ELLMAN _street_, Long Acre.†
ELM _court_, 1. Elm street.‡ 2. Middle Temple.‡
ELM _row_, Sun Tavern fields.‡
ELM _street_, Gray’s Inn lane.‡
ELSTREE, a village in Hertfordshire, situated on an eminence, within a
mile of Stanmore, and in the road from Watford to High Barnet. It is
also called Eaglestree, Illstree, and Idlestree.
ELTHAM, a town in Kent, seven miles from London in the road to
Maidstone. Here a palace was built by Anthony Beck, Bishop of
Durham, who bestowed it upon Queen Eleanor, the wife of Edward I.
King Edward II. constantly resided in this place, and his son being
born here, was on that account called John of Eltham. The palace
here was afterwards much enlarged by the succeeding Kings, who when
the court was kept at Greenwich often retired hither; and here were
made the statutes of Eltham by which the King’s house is still
governed. There are however no traces of the palace left. The town
has the honour of giving the title of Earl to the Prince of Wales;
and there are here the houses of several rich citizens, and two
charity schools.
ELY _court_, Holborn; so called from the Bishop of Ely’s house, which
is not far from it.
ELY HOUSE, the city mansion of the Bishop of Ely, was formerly called
Ely’s Inn. It is situated in Holborn, and stands on a large piece of
ground. Before it is a spacious court, and behind it a garden of
considerable extent; but it is so ill kept that it scarcely deserves
the name. The buildings are very old; and consist of a large hall,
several spacious rooms, and a good chapel.
EMANUEL _Hospital_, at Tothill side in Westminster, was founded by the
Lady Dacres, in the year 1601, for twenty old bachelors and maids,
sixteen of whom to be of St. Margaret’s parish Westminster, two of
Hayes, and two of Chelsea parishes; each of whom have an allowance
of 10_l._ _per annum_, with the liberty of bringing up a poor child.
According to certain constitutions formed by the foundress’s
executors, no person of ill fame, or that cannot say the creed and
ten commandments in English; or are under fifty years of age; or
have not lived three years in the said parishes, are to be admitted
upon this foundation.
The city of London is intrusted with the management of this charity,
and is to receive annually 200_l._ for its support, out of an estate
in Yorkshire, till the expiration of a lease of 199 years, when the
produce of the whole manor, which is said to amount to above 600_l._
_per annum_, is to be appropriated to the augmentation of this
foundation.
Some time ago the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen caused to be
erected at the upper end of this hospital, a handsome school house
and dormitory, for the reception of twenty poor boys and girls, who
were first admitted in the year 1735. They are supplied with the
necessaries of life; the boys are taught reading, writing, and
accounts; and the girls reading, writing, and plain work.
EMBROIDERERS, incorporated by the name of Broderers. See an account of
this company under the article BRODERERS.
EMM’S _yard_, Broad street, Ratcliff.†
EMPEROR’S HEAD _lane_, Thames street.*
ENFIELD, a town in Middlesex near eleven miles from London. Almost in
the center of Enfield Chace, are the ruins of an old house, said to
have belonged to the Earls of Essex. Here is a fine lodge for the
ranger, and the skirts of the chace abound with handsome country
houses belonging to the citizens of London. When King James I.
resided at Theobalds, this chace was well stocked with deer, and all
sorts of game; but in the civil wars it was stripped both of the
game and timber, and even let out in farms: however, after the
restoration it was again laid open, woods were planted, and the
whole chace afresh stocked with deer.
ENGINE _street_, Hyde Park road.
ENGLEFIELD GREEN, a village in Berkshire, in the parish of Egham,
where are several pleasant seats.
EPPING, a town in Essex, seventeen miles from London. The markets,
which are on Thursday for cattle, and on Friday for provisions, are
kept in Epping street, a hamlet about a mile and a half from the
church. There are several fine seats in Epping Forest, which is a
royal chace, and extends from the town almost to London.
EPSOM, a well-built and handsome town in Surry, sixteen miles from
London, abounds with very genteel houses, which are principally the
retreats of the merchants and citizens of London, and is a
delightful place open to Bansted Downs. Its mineral waters, which
issue from a rising ground nearer Ashted than Epsom, were discovered
in 1618, and soon became extremely famous; but though they are not
impaired in virtue, they are far from being in the same repute as
formerly; however, the salt made of them is valued all over Europe.
The hall, galleries, and other public apartments, are now run to
decay, and there remains only one house on the spot, which is
inhabited by a countryman and his wife, who carry the waters in
bottles to the adjacent places. Horse races are annually held on the
neighbouring downs. The town extends about a mile and a half in a
semicircle from the church to Lord Guilford’s fine seat at Durdans;
and, as Mr. Whatley observes, there are here so many fields,
meadows, orchards and gardens, that a stranger would be at a loss to
know whether this was a town in a wood, or a wood in a town. There
are many fine seats in this neighbourhood, besides Durdans, already
mentioned, as Lord Baltimore’s, the Lady Fielding’s, Earl of
Berkshire’s, &c.
ERITH, a village in Kent, situated on the banks of the Thames below
Woolwich, and about fourteen miles from London. For Mr. Gideon’s
house here, see BELVEDERE.
[Illustration:
_Esher Place._
_S. Wale delin._ _B. Green sc. Oxon._
]
ESHER, a village in Surry, situated near Walton upon Thames and
Hampton Court, of which last it affords a fine prospect, as well as
of the other parts of Middlesex.
ESHER PLACE, was the seat of the late Henry Pelham, Esq; The house is
a Gothic structure built of a brownish red brick, with stone facings
to the doors, windows, &c. It stands upon almost the lowest ground
belonging to it, and has the river Mole gliding close by it and
through the grounds. This house was originally one of those built by
Cardinal Wolsey; but the late Mr. Pelham rebuilt the whole, except
the two towers in the body of the house, which are the same that
belonged to the old building, and the whole is rebuilt in the same
style of architecture it was before, which uniformity is certainly
better than an unnatural mixture of Gothic and modern too often
practised. There is a fine summer house built upon a hill on the
left hand as you enter, which commands the view of the house, park,
and country round on both sides the Thames for many miles. The park
or ground in which the house is situated appears quite plain and
unadorned; yet perhaps not a little art has been used to give it
this natural and simple appearance, which is certainly very
pleasing. But in one part of it there is a pretty wilderness laid
out in walks, and planted with a variety of ever-green trees and
plants, with a grotto in it, and seats in different places. The wood
in the park is well disposed, and consists of fine oak, elm, and
other trees, and the whole country round appears finely shaded with
wood.
The grand floor of the house is elegantly finished, and consists of
six rooms. The great parlour is carved and gilt in a taste suitable
to the style of the house, with curious marble chimney pieces and
slab. In this room are the portraits of Mr. Pelham, Sir Robert
Walpole, afterwards Earl of Orford, Lord Townshend, Duke of Rutland,
the late Duke of Devonshire, and the late Duke of Grafton; a picture
of Lady Catharine Pelham and her son is over the chimney. In the
drawing room over the chimney there is a picture of King Charles II.
when only eleven years old, by Vandyke. The library is curiously
finished, and there is a good collection of books in it. Some say it
was at this house Cardinal Wolsey was first seized by order of Henry
VIII. on his refusing to annul his marriage with Queen Catharine,
that he might marry Ann Boleyn, and which refusal brought on his
fall.
ESSEX _court_, 1. Middle Temple. 2. Whitechapel. 3. White Friars.
ESSEX _stairs_, Essex street, in the Strand.☐
ESSEX _street_, 1. In Ratcliff Highway. 2. In the Strand; so called
from the Lord Essex’s house formerly there. 3. White Friars.
_Clerk of the_ ESSOINS, or excuses for lawful cause of absence; an
officer belonging to the court of Common Pleas, whose office is in
Searle street, Lincoln’s Inn.
_St._ ETHELBURGA’S Church, on the east side of Bishopsgate street, is
so denominated from the first Christian Princess in Britain, the
daughter of Ethelbert King of Kent. It escaped the fire in 1666. The
body is irregular and in the Gothic style, with very large windows;
and the steeple is a tall spire supported on a square tower.
This church is a rectory, the advowson of which was in the Prioress
and Nuns of St. Helen’s in Bishopsgate street, till the suppression
of their convent in 1536, when falling to the Crown, it was
afterwards granted to the Bishop of London, who has ever since
collated and inducted to it. The Rector receives about 60_l._ a year
in lieu of tithes.
[Illustration:
_Eton College._
_S. Wale delin._ _J. Green sc. Oxon._
]
ETON COLLEGE, justly celebrated for the many learned men it has
produced, is situated in Buckinghamshire on the banks of the Thames
opposite to Windsor, and was founded by Henry VI. for the support of
a Provost and seven Fellows, one of whom is Vice-Provost, and for
the education of seventy King’s scholars, as those are called, who
are on the foundation. These when properly qualified, are elected,
on the first Tuesday in August, to King’s College, Cambridge, but
they are not removed, till there are vacancies in the college, and
then they are called according to seniority; and after they have
been three years at Cambridge, they claim a fellowship. Besides
those on the foundation, there are seldom less than three hundred
scholars, at this time there are many more, who board at the masters
houses, or within the bounds of the college. The school is divided
into upper and lower, and each of these into three classes. To each
school there is a master and four assistants or ushers. The revenue
of the college is about 5000_l._ a year. Here is a noble library
enriched by a fine collection of books left by Dr. Waddington,
Bishop of Chester, valued at 2000_l._ and Lord Chief Justice Reeves
presented to this library the collection left him by Richard Topham,
Esq; keeper of the records in the Tower. In the great court is a
fine statue of the founder, erected at the expence of the late
Provost Dr. Godolphin, Dean of St. Paul’s. The chapel is in a good
style of Gothic architecture. The schools and other parts, which are
in the other style of building, are equally well, and seem like the
design of Inigo Jones.
EVANGELISTS _court_, Stonecutters alley, Black Friars.
EVAN’S _court_, Basinghall street.†
EVAN’S _rents_, Grub street.†
EVAN’S _row_, Old Bond street.†
EVANS _yard_, Church street, Rotherhith.†
EVENY FARM, in Middlesex, is situated between the streams of the Coln,
on the north side of Stanes, and belongs to the Dean and Chapter of
Westminster.
EUNUCH _court_, Near Goodman’s yard.‡
EWEL, a town near Epsom in Surry, fourteen miles from London. Here a
plentiful spring breaks out in several different spots, and becomes
the head of a fine stream as clear as crystal, that runs over Epsom
meadows, and falls into the Thames at Kingston.
_St._ EWEN, or OWEN, a parish church which anciently stood near the
north east corner of Warwick lane in Newgate street, the remains of
which are still to be seen in the cellars of Mr. Hinton, a
bookseller, and the next house to the west. This was one of the
churches given by Henry VIII. towards the erecting of Christ Church.
EWER’S _street_, Gravel lane.†
EXCHANGE. See ROYAL EXCHANGE, OLD CHANGE, and EXETER EXCHANGE.
EXCHANGE, or CHANGE _alley_, 1. Cornhill; so called from its being
situated opposite to the Royal Exchange. 2. In the Mint.
EXCHANGE _court_, 1. In the Strand.☐ 2. By Exeter Exchange.☐
EXCHEQUER, one of the four great courts of the kingdom, is held in a
room contiguous to the north west corner of Westminster hall, and is
so named from a chequered cloth, which anciently covered the table
where the Judges, or chief officers sat. This court was first
erected by William the Conqueror, for the trial of all causes
relating to the revenues of the crown; and in the same court there
are now also tried matters of equity between subject and subject.
The Judges of this court are, the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer,
and three other Judges called Barons of the Exchequer; who are all
created by letters patent to hold their offices _quamdiu se bene
gesserint_. There is also the Cursitor Baron of the Exchequer, who
administers the oath to the Sheriffs, Under-Sheriffs, bailiffs,
searchers, surveyors, &c. of the Custom house; but is no Judge. When
at any time the Barons are of different opinions concerning the
decision of any cause, they call to their assistance the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, who decides in favour of one of the parties by his
casting vote. _Dugdale’s Orig. Jurid._
Long after the conquest there sat in the Exchequer both spiritual
and temporal Barons, whence in later times those who sat there, tho’
they were not Peers, were stiled Barons.
EXCHEQUER, or _the Office of the receipt of his Majesty’s_ EXCHEQUER,
a plain old building formed of wood and plaister, at the south end
of New Palace yard, where the King’s revenue is received and
disbursed. This important office is under the direction of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, who has the custody of the Exchequer
seal; he has also the comptrollment of the rolls of the Lords of the
Treasury, and sits in the court above the Barons of the Exchequer.
He has the gift of the office of Comptroller of the Pipe, and of
that of Clerk of the Nihils.
The Auditor of the receipts of the Exchequer, is another great
officer. He files the bills of the Tellers, and draws all orders to
be signed by the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, for issuing
forth all money, in virtue of privy seals, which are recorded by the
Clerk of the Pells, and entered and lodged in the Auditor’s office.
He also, by warrant from the Lords of the Treasury, makes debentures
to the several persons who have fees, annuities or pensions, by
letters patent from the King, out of the Exchequer, and directs them
for payment to the Tellers. He daily receives the state of each
Teller’s account, and weekly certifies the whole to the Lords
Commissioners, who immediately present the estimate, or balance to
the King. He makes half yearly, at Michaelmas and Lady-day, a book
called _A Declaration_, containing a methodical abstract of all the
accounts and payments made the preceding half year, and delivers one
of them to the Lords of the Treasury, and another to the Chancellor
of the Exchequer; and by him are kept the registers appointed for
paying all persons in course, upon several branches of the King’s
revenue. For the discharge of these offices, he has a chief clerk, a
clerk of the debentures, a clerk of the registers and issues, a
clerk of the cash book, and a clerk for making out Exchequer bills;
and in the offices for annuities under the Auditor are two chief
clerks, and nine clerks under them.
The other great officers are the four Tellers of the Exchequer, each
of whom has his deputy, his first clerk, and four other clerks.
Their office is to receive all moneys due to the King, and thereupon
to throw down a bill through a pipe into the tally court, where it
is received by the Auditor’s clerk, who there attends to write the
words of the bill upon a tally, and then delivers the same to be
entered by the Clerk of the Pells, or his under clerk, who attends
to enter it in his book; then the tally is cloven by the two Deputy
Chamberlains, and while the senior deputy reads one part, the junior
examines the other part with the two clerks.
Another great officer is the Clerk of the Pells, who enters the
Tellers bills on a parchment skin, in latin _Pellis_, and likewise
all receipts and payment for the King; this officer is in the nature
of a comptroller; he has a deputy, a clerk for the _introitus_, and
another for the _exitus_. There are also a clerk of the
declarations, and a clerk of the patents. In this office there are
likewise three vouchers of the Tellers.