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Without the Affiftance therefore of fuch a Guide as is now offered, the Traveller is likely to be deprived of the greatest Part of that Pleasure or Inftruction which every one of an inquifitive Turn hopes to reap from an agreeable Tour.

But though the Intention of this Volume is chiefly to affift the Traveller; it will, at the fame Time, prove not unufeful to those who are defirous of forming at home Some Idea of the Magnificence which this land boafts of; by bringing to their Minds Objets, which they have no Opportunity of perfonally vifiting.

In order to anfwer both thefe Intentions, Care has been taken to give a fuccinct Account of the Cities, Market Towns, and most confiderable Villages, in England and Wales; their Trade; their Situation; their Distance from London, and often from each other to defcribe the principal Churches, and other remarkable Structures, the Seats of the No, bility and Gentry, Ruins of Caftles, Monasteries, and other Monuments of Antiquity curious Ma chines, Paintings, Statues, Cafcades, and other Pieces of Art: together with the most uncommon Productions of Nature, fuch as Mineral-Waters, reciprocating Springs, Mines, Caverns, fubterraneous Rivers, curious Stones, Metals, Minerals and Petrifacti

ons.

To render thefe Accounts as authentic as poffible, Regard has been paid to what Information could be procured from Gentlemen refiding in different Parts. But Affiftances of this Kind are never adequate to the Want of them, and the Editor is not fanguine enough

to imagine that the prefent Compendium, notwithStanding the Care that has been taken, will be found fufficiently accurate in every Inftance. The candid Reader therefore is requested to communicate an Account of any Errors or Omiffions he may difcover : which will be gratefully acknowledged; and due Care taken to profit by them in another Edition.

The Lift of Seats belonging to the Nobility and Gentry at the End of each County, is doubtless among the Number of thofe Articles which will admit of Improvement; particularly with regard to their respective Distances from the nearest Market Town; and the Names of their prefent Owners: the latter being a Circumstance which, in one Part of the Kingdom or other, is continually varying. Affiftance in thefe Particulars, will be of public Service, as by that Means a more copious and authentic Account of thefe noble Structures may be given than has appeared on any former Occafion.

With respect to the prefent Edition, those who will please to take the Trouble of comparing it with the former, will foon be convinced of the Improvements it bas received; particularly in regard to Gentlemen's Seats, and Monuments of Antiquity. In the last Article bave been introduced the many Defcriptions given by Meffrs. BUCKS, in their perspective Views of Ruins, &c. in England and Wales. A Work of much accurate Labour, and of great eftimation and Value.

THE

THE

BEAUTIES

OF

ENGLAND.

T

CORN WA L L.

HIS County is the fartheft extended towards. the W. of any Part of England. It is termin ated on the E. by the River Tamer, which divides it from Devonshire; on the N. by the Bristol Channel; on the W. by the St. George's Channel; and on the S. by the British Channel.

It is divided into 9 Hundreds, and contains 21 Parliament Boroughs, 27 Market Towns, 161 Parish Churches, befides Chapels of Eafe, and betwixt 12 and 1300. Villages. Its Circumference is computed at 150 M. and its Acres at about 960,000; but Mr. Carew tells us, that, by a Survey made in the Reign of E. I. it contained 1,500,000 Acres, whence it feerns probable that the Islands of Scilly were then reckoned Part of it, as having been once connected to it, though fince feparated by the Sea.

Its chief Rivers are the Tamer and Hamel; the former of which rifes near Hartland, in the N. W. Corner of Devonshire, runs to the S. and falls into the British Channel at Plymouth; the latter falls into the Briftel Channel at Padstow.

B

This

This County, though mountainous and rocky, hath all Kinds of Soil; in the Valleys Plenty of Pafture, and the Land near the Sea is manured with a Sea Weed, called Ore-wood, and a fat Kind of Sand.

Here are the best Slate-Tiles, which are not only used in England, but great Quantities exported into foreign Countries. As alfo,

Moor-Stone, which grows in moorish Ground, of great Ufe in facing Windows, Doors, and Chimneys, and when polished looks like Egyptian Granate.

It abounds with Mines of Tin and Lead, and with the Tin a yellow Ore is dug, called Mundic, which affords Copper, as good as the Swedish; the Ore emits a fuffocating Vapour, and the Water that runs from it, after it is burnt, is poisonous, though before a speedy Cure for Wounds.

Their Horfes are generally fmall, their Sheep for the moft Part have no Horns, but the Flesh is very good, and the Wool equal to any in Engl. They have great Plenty of Fish of various Kinds, but what they acquire most Profit from are the Pilchards, 8 or 900 Hogfheads of them being generally taken and cured in one Seafon.

The most antient and chief Town of the County is Launceston, 209 measured M. from Lond. a very populous trading Town. Launceston-caftle was formerly a very ftrong Place, and thence obtained the Name of CaftleTerrible; the round Hill on which it ftands being environed with a triple Wall. It was built by William de Morton, E. of Cornwall, foon after the Conqueft. At present it is so much decayed, that no Part of it is used, except that which ferves for the County Goal.

Lefkard, 230 M. from Lond. is one of the largest and beft built Towns in Cornwall, and has perhaps the greateft Market and Trade, especially in the Manufacture of Leather; here is a handfome Town Hall built on Stone Pillars, with a Turret on it, and a noble Clock with 4 Dials, that coft near 2007. It has a large Church, and an eminent Free School.

Leftwithiel, a well-built Town on the River Tay, 4 M. from Bodmin, 240 from Lend. The common Goal is

at

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