12. The Foundling Hofpital, in Lamb's Conduit Fields, merits particular Attention.

Having thus given a fhort Account of what is most remarkable in the Cities of London and Westminster, we fhall proceed to the other Places in this County.

St. Mary la Bon, but properly St. Mary Borne, is a large Village, whofe Houses join to the N. W. Suburbs of London. A new Church was erected in the 15th Century, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which was alfo called Borne, from a Brook or Bourn in its Neighbourhood.

Highgate, 4 M. from London, had its Name from a high Gate on the Hill, erected for the Convenience of paying Toll to the Bishop of Lond. Its Church is a Chapel of Eafe to Pancas and Hornfey, in which laft Parish is Mufwell Hill, where was formerly a Chapel called our Lady of Mufwel, from a Well in the Neigh bourhood, near which was her Image, that was frequently reforted to by Way of Pilgrimage, on account of fome pretended miraculous Cures performed by its Water.

Hamftead, 4 M. from London, is a large pleasant Village, crowded with fine Buildings, but an irregular romantic Situation. It ftands chiefly on the Side of a Hill, on which there's a Heath, with the most extenfive Profpect of any within 20 M. of London.

Kenfington, 2 M. from Lond. was a Place of no Note, till K. William III. purchased the Earl of Nottingham's Seat, and converted it into a royal Palace. The Palace is an irregular Structure; but the Apartments are very fine and well difpofed. The Gallery and Clofet of K. William, contain a choice Collection of original Paintings.

Acton East and Weft, the former 4, the latter 5 M. from Lond. The firft is noted for Wells of medicinal Waters. Between these Villages is Friers Place, supposed from many Tokens to have been a Monastery.

Chelfea, 2 M. from Lond. remarkable for its agreeable Situation, and the Number of Gentlemens Houses; but much more for its Hospital, for the Maintenance of wounded

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wounded and fuperannuated Soldiers. It is a noble Structure, begun by K. Charles II. carried on by King James II. and finifhed by King William III. It is indeed a Structure becoming the Munificence of its royal Founders, being nobly accommodated with proper Offices, and adorned with fpacious Walks and Gardens. Near this Place are the Phyfic Gardens, belonging to the Company of Apothecaries, where all Kinds of medicinal Herbs are propagated: Here is alfo a curious Porcelain Manufacture, in which they have made very great Improvements.

Ranelagh Gardens, formerly belonging to the Earl of Ranelagh; but now elegantly repaired, and converted into a Mufic Houfe, and Walks, for the Entertainment of the Public; a fpacious Structure being erected for that Purpofe, which is a perfect Rotund, refembling the Pantheon at Rome. It has a Row of Windows round the Attic Story, and 2 Ranges of Seats within that, which will hold 1000 People. At the firft Entrance, when all illuminated, it's appearance is like a Kind of enchanted Place. In the middle of this vaft Amphitheatre, is a magnificent Orcheftre. There are 4 grand Portals in the Manner of triumphal Arches, and 48 Boxes in a double Row, with fuitable Pilafters between them. The Gardens are adorned with a Canal and a Bason, finely illuminated with Lamps, as are alfo the Avenues from St. James's Park.

Fulham, 4 M. from Land. is a large Parish, with a great Number of Gentlemens Seats, and has a handfome wooden Bridge over the River to Putney.

Chifwick, 6 Miles from Lond, is a very neat Village. Great and little Ealing, 6 M. W. from Lond, are two Parts of as pleasant a Village, as any in the County, and has an elegant Church lately rebuilt.

Brentford, 7 M. from Lond. fo called from its Situation on the River Brent, where it falls into the Thames. 'Tis divided into old and new.

Uxbridge, 16 M. from Lond. has many commodious Inns, and lies in the Oxford Road. The Town is watered by the River Colne, over which there is a Stone Bridge

that

that leads into Buckinghamshire: There are feveral Corn Mills on the River.

Hampton-Court, 12 M. from Lond. is watered on 31 Sides by the River Thames. This Palace was founded by Cardinal Woolfey, with as great Magnificence as that Age would admit of; it having then 5 fpacious Courts, adorned with curious Workmanship. King Charles E.. took great Pleasure in this Place, making it his Summer Refidence. King William and Queen Mary made many noble Additions to this Place, and plainly difcovered how much Architecture had been advanced fince its Founda-tion. The Gardens were alfo greatly improved, not only in the Walks and great Variety of Bowers; but with Green-Houfes and Hot- Houfes, for preferving and maturing exotic Plants; with Fountains and Bafons to. water them in dry Weather. The Palace abounds both. in the Beauties of Nature and Art. It confifts of 2 large Courts, befides the Bafs Court for Officers and Servants.. On the left of the outer Court is a noble Chapel, built by Queen Ann; and on the Right, as noble a Portico, Supported by Doric Pillars, leading to the grand Stair Cafe, which is finely painted by Vario.. The inward: Court was built by King William, who furnished the magnificent Apartments in a grand Tafte.. The great. Gallery here, was long rendered famous by means of the Cartoons of Raphael Urbin, but they are now (1764). removed to the Queen's Palace in St. James's Park. In another there is a curious triumphal Entry of a Roman: Emperor, with the Pictures, at full Length, of the Ladies in Queen Mary's Retinue; together with fine Pieces of Porcelain, and other Curiofities, collected by that Queen, and fome of them worked by her own Hand. In that which was King William's Clofet, there: is an excellent Collection of Flowers, Birds and other curious Painting.. Most of the Chimney Pieces are ad-. orned with Originals of Vandyke; and there is a noble Picture of King William on Horfeback, by Sir Godfrey Kneller. Queen Ann began an Apartment here for Prince George of Denmark, which K. George I. fini hed and finely painted.. On the S. Si'e of this Palace, a F 5 Gardent

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Garden is funk 10 Feet, to give a View from the Apartments to the River, and inclofed with a Baluftrade of Iron, finely wrought with the Arms and Devizes of the three Kingdoms, and the Cyphers of K. William and Q. Mary. The Front to the E. which is very noble, is all of free Stone, and looks into the Park, over a stately Parterre half a M. long, embellifhed with Statues, Vafes, gravel and green Walks, and feparated from the Park by a Balustrade of Iron. In a little walled Garden, on the N. Side, is a moft curious Labyrinth or Wilderness; and a long Terras Walk runs along the Side of the River, from the Palace to the BowlingGreen, in each Corner whereof is a large Pavilion. The noble Parks adjoining are well planted, ftocked with Deer, adorned with Canals, Pleasure-Houfes, FishPonds and Water-Works.

Staines, 18 M. from Lond. a Market Town, fituate on the Banks of the Thames, and has a large wooden Bridge over it.

Harrow on the Hill, 10 M. from Lond. 6 from Acton, fo called from its Situation on a Hill, esteemed the higheft in Middlefex. The Church, which has a lofty Steeple, is feen at a greater Distance, than any in this or the neighbouring Counties.

Edgware, 10 M. from Lond. confifts chiefly of one Street; the E. Side, where the Church ftands, being properly called Edgware; and the W. Part, which belongs to Little Stanmore, Whitchurch. The military Roman Watling Way, which comes over Hamstead Heath, paffes by this Place.

Hounslow, 10 M. from Lond. is a Market Town, belonging to two Parifhes, the N. Side to Hefton, and the S. to Ifleworth. Its Heath hath been the Scene of numberlefs Robberies, and the Place where K. James II. encamped his Forces, to awe the City of London.

Enfield, 10 M. from Lond. formerly called Enfen, from its Situation in moorifh or fenny Ground; but it has been drained feveral Years, and is now excellent Meadow and Pafture Land. The Parifh is very large, and extends to the other Side of the royal Chace, which

was

was formerly very well stocked with Deer and other Game; but in the civil Wars the Timber was cut down, and the Deer, &c. deftroyed. Since the Reftoration many Woods and Groves were planted in it, and stocked again with Deer; but will never perhaps be equal to what it formerly was. There is, however, an elegant Lodge for the Ranger.

Tottenham, 5 M. from Lond. fituated on the River Lea, in the N. Road, in a very healthy Soil. Its Church ftands on a Hill, encompaffed on the E. N. and W. by a Rivulet called the Mofel. The Crofs is fuppofed to have been erected, pursuant to a Decree of the Church of Rome, that a Crofs fhould be erected in every frequented Place. Edward I. adorned and repaired it, because the Corps of Eleanor his Queen refted here, in its Way to London to be buried.

Seats of the Nobility and Gentry.

Marlborough-Houfe, on the N. Side of St. James's Park, and near the royal Palace, a beautiful Structure, erected by the great Duke of Marlborough. It is elegantly adorned with Paintings, of which that round the Vestibule is prodigiously admired, it being a Reprefentation of the famous Battle of Hochflet, where the Figures of Prince Eugene, the Duke of Marlborough, Lord Cadogan, and the French Marfhal Tallard their Prisoner, are finely done from the Life.

Buckingham-Houfe, a fine Seat, built by the late John Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham, at the W. End of St.. James's Park, lately purchased by his Majefty, and now called the Queen's Palace.

Carlton Houfe, on the N. Side of St. James's Park, belonging to the Princefs Dowager of Wales. Northumberland-Houfe, near Charing-Crofs.

Leicester-Houfe, a Palace, belonging to the Princess Dowager of Wales:

Burlington-Houfe, in Piccadilly.

Bedford-Houfe, in Bloomsbury-Square:

Devonshire-Houfe, in Piccadilly.

Holland

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