Part 23 (1/2)
+--+----------------------+------------------------+-----+-----+ 7
Bebbington, Low. t & p
Chester 13
201
440
29
Bebside to
Horton 1
287
100
36
Beccles[A] m.t.
Bungay 6
112
3862
22
Beconsall chap
Preston 8
216
476
7
Bechton to
Lawton 4
160
818
33
Beckbury pa
Madeley 5
140
307
21
Beckenham[B] pa
Bromley 2
9
1288
24
Beckering
Lincoln 12
145
+--+----------------------+-------------------------+-----+-----+
[A] BECCLES is a large and well-built town, situated on the river Waveny, which is navigable from this place to Yarmouth, and divides in its course the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk. It is governed by a portreeve and thirty-six burgesses, the office of the former being held in rotation by twelve of the latter. The church is gothic, with a steeple, containing twelve bells, and a porch, which is considered a fine specimen of the florid gothic. The ruins of Endgate church may be seen out of the town, but the inhabitants of the village appear to have been long esteemed paris.h.i.+oners of Beccles. Here is a theatre, a town hall, a jail, and a free school, endowed with 100 acres of land, in the reign of James I.; and a good grammar-school founded by Dr. Falconberge, and endowed with an estate, then worth forty pounds per annum, although now considerably increased in value. Near the town is a large common, on which the inhabitants of the town have the privilege of feeding their cattle on easy terms. In 1586 a fire consumed eighty houses in this place, and property to the amount of 20,000.
_Market_, Sat.u.r.day.--_Fairs_, Whit Monday, June 29, and October 2, for horses and pedlary.--_Bankers_, Gurney and Co., draw on Barclay and Co.--_Mail_ arrives 10.15 morning; departs 3.45 afternoon.--_Inns_, King's Head, and White Lion.
[Sidenote: Fine gothic church.]
[B] BECKENHAM. The church of this village is a neat edifice, containing many monuments of the Style, Raymond, Burrell, and other families. On a slab in the chancel, is a remarkable bra.s.s, to the memory of dame Margaret, wife of Sir William Dalsell, Knt., and daughter of John Barnes. Esq., of Redhall, in Norfolk, who died 1563: she is represented in a flowered petticoat, and close-bodied gown; the sleeves slashed at the shoulders, and hanging down to the feet. Here is also the monument of Mrs. Jane Clarke, wife of Dr. Clarke, physician at Epsom, with an elegant inscription, by Gray. The parish register, under the date of Oct. 24, 1740, also records the burial of Margaret Finch, who lived to the age of 109 years. She was one of the people called gipsies, and had the t.i.tle of their queen. After travelling over various parts of the kingdom, during the greater part of a century, she settled at Norwood, whither her great age, and the fame of her fortune-telling, attracted numerous visitors. From a habit of sitting on the ground, with her chin resting on her knees, the sinews at length became so contracted, that she could not rise from that posture: after her death, they were obliged to inclose her body in a deep square box. Her funeral was attended by two mourning coaches: a sermon was preached upon the occasion, and a great concourse of people attended the ceremony. Her picture adorns the sign-post of a house of public entertainment in Norwood, called the Gipsy House. Beckenham-place, the seat of John Cator, Esq., is partly in the parish of Bromley; but the mansion itself is in that of Beckenham.
Rear-Admiral Sir Piercy Brett, who died in 1781, (and with his lady, lies buried in the church,) resided here. The estate, which had long been owned by the St. Johns, was alienated to the Cators, in 1773. The house is a handsome building, commanding a beautiful prospect. Kent House, the ancient seat of the Lethieullers, in Beckenham parish, is now occupied as a farm: the estate belongs to J.J. Angerstein, Esq. Clay Hill, or the Oakery, also in this parish, was the property of the late learned Edward King, Esq., F.R., and A.S. This gentleman, who was a native of Norfolk, was elected president of the Society of Antiquaries on the decease of Dr. Milles, in 1784; but, on the succeeding election in the year following, he was obliged to relinquish the chair to the Earl of Leicester, after an unprecedented contest. He was the author of various works; the princ.i.p.al of which are, his ”Observations on Ancient Castles;” ”Morsels of Criticism,” tending to ill.u.s.trate the Scriptures; and the ”Monumenta Antiqua.” He died in 1806, at the age of 72.
[Sidenote: Queen of the gipsies died here, at the age of 109.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+-----------------------+----------+---------------+-------------+ 9
Beckermet, St.
Bridgetts pa
c.u.mberland
Egremont 3
Ravengla.s.s 10
9
Beckermet, St. Johns pa
c.u.mberland
4
9
4
Becket ti
Berks
Farringdon 6
Highworth 4
15
Beckford pa
Gloucester
Tewkesbury 5
Sedgeberrow 4
27
Beckham, East pa
Norfolk
Cromer 5
Holt 5
27
Beckham, West pa
Norfolk
... 5
... 5
41
Beckhampton[A] ti
Wilts
Marlbro' 7
Devizes 8
24
Beckingham pa
Lincoln
Newark 5
Leadenham 5
30
Beckingham pa
Nottingham
Gainsbro' 3
E. Retford 7
34
Beckington[B] pa
Somerset
Frome 3
Trowbridge 6
31
Beckley pa
Oxford
Oxford 5
Islip 3
38
Beckley pa
Suss.e.x
Rye 7
Newenden 3
45
Beckwith Shaw
York
West End 4
Otley 7
44
Bedale[C] m.t. & pa
N.R. York
Northallerton 8
Leeming 3
+--+-----------------------+----------+---------------+-------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+-----------------------+----------+---------------+-----+-------+ 9
Beckermet, St.
Bridgetts pa
Whitehaven 9
291
545
9
Beckermet, St. Johns pa
10
290
549
4
Becket ti
Lambourne 10
73
15
Beckford pa
Evesham 7
106
433
27
Beckham, East pa
Aylesham 9
124
50
27
Beckham, West pa
... 9
124
156
41
Beckhampton[A] ti
Calne 6
81
24
Beckingham pa
Sleaford 14
126
43
30
Beckingham pa
Bawtry 10
152
481
34
Beckington[B] pa
Bath 10
105
1340
31
Beckley pa
Forest-hill 3
53
776
38
Beckley pa
Lamberhurst 16
56
1477
45
Beckwith Shaw
Ripley 5
64
44
Bedale[C] m.t. & pa
Richmond 10
223
2707
+--+-----------------------+--------------------------+-----+-------+
[A] BECKHAMPTON. Near this place is an enormous tumulus, perhaps the largest in England; it is called Silbury Hill, and common belief declares it the place of sepulchre of some British king. The two antiquaries, Greethead and Stukeley differ, as antiquaries frequently do, with regard to which of the British monarchs the honor of being supposed to lie beneath this stupendous monument should belong. The former learned writer a.s.serting it to be that of Prydain, and the latter calling it that of Cynneda. Scattered over the neighbouring downs are numerous large stones called the Grey Wethers; they bear this name from their resemblance to a flock of sheep. Beckhampton Inn, stands at the junction of the two great Mail roads, leading from London to Bath; the southern road pa.s.sing through Devizes and Melksham; and the northern through Calne and Chippenham. The inn is a large brick building, but has a most desolate appearance, according well with the character of the gloomy downs on the margin of which it stands; yet the traveller would do well to refresh here, as there is but little accommodation for many miles beyond.
The Falmouth Mail which pa.s.ses through Devizes, arrives 5.5 morning; departs 9.20 night. The Bristol Mail which pa.s.ses through Calne, arrives 5.5 morning; departs 9.35 night.
[Sidenote: Silbury Hill.]
[B] BECKINGTON was formerly a place of much importance in the clothing business, but the decline of that trade in the west of England has much reduced the town. It was the birth-place of Thomas Beckington, an English prelate, who was one of the three appointed to draw up a code of laws in conformity with which the Wickliffites were to be proceeded against. His book against the salique law is still in the possession of the Lambeth library.
[C] BEDALE is a tolerably well built town, situated in a rich valley, which with the surrounding country is exceedingly fertile, and both corn and gra.s.s yield abundant crops. The town lies to the west of the Great; Glasgow road, about two miles from Leeming Lane. Hornby Castle, the seat of the Duke of Leeds, deserves the admiration of the tourist. Bedale church is a large and handsome edifice, and the tower is said to have been constructed with so much strength, as to enable the inhabitants to defend themselves therein, during the inroads of the Scots.
_Market_, Tuesday.--_Fairs_, Easter Tuesday, Whit-Tuesday; June 6 and 7; July 5 and 6, for horses, cattle, sheep, leather, &c.; Oct. 11 and 12, horned cattle, sheep, hogs and leather; and Monday-week before Christmas, for horned cattle and sheep. The Glasgow Mail arrives at Leeming Lane, two miles distant 7.54 evening; departs 4.58 morning.--_Inns_, Black Swan, and the Swan.
[Sidenote: Seat of the Duke of Leeds.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From