LETTER III.

Containing a DESCRIPTION of the County of KENT, &c.

I

SIR,

SHALL begin my Account of the famous Coun ty of Kent at Deptford. It was antiently called Weft-Greenwich, and is a large Town, and fo much improved, that an hand fome new Church has been built there, dedicated to St. Paul.

Here a Storehouse was built by King Henry VIII. who also incorporated certain Officers by the Name of Mafter and Wardens of the Holy Trinity: thefe were to take care of the Building, Keeping, and Conducting, of the Royal Navy. Their Hal or Houfe was adjoining to the Church: and the Treasurer of the Navy had allo a convenient House at the Dock for his Refidence.

Here is a Foundation belonging to the faid Corporation of Trinity boufe, by whom it was built at different Times, and in two Places, not quite contiguous. The old Part contains 21 Houses, the new 38, for decayed Pilots, or Masters of Ships, or the Widows of fuch; the Men are allowed 20 s. the Women 16s. per Month.

But what Deptford is most noted for, is its noble Dock where the Royal Navy was used to be built and repaired, till it was found more convenient to build the larger Ships at Woolwich, as I thail mention in its Place; notwithstanding which, the whole Area of the Yard is now enlarged to more than double what it formerly was: It has a wet Dock of two Acres, for Ships, and another of an Acre and Half, for Mafts; befides an Inlagement of its Storehouses, Dwelling-houses, Launches, &c. fuitable to it.

From Deptford I proceeded to Greenwich, one of the most delightful Spots in Britain. The Park, in which is the fine Obfervatory called Flamflead-boufe, from the Jate famous Mathematician of that Name, the Royal House, but more especially the noble Hofpital, deferve particular Notice.

The Ground on which Part of this Hospital now ftands, is the fame on which was formerly fituated the Royal Palace of our Kings. Here Henry VIII. held his Feafts with Joufts and Tournaments: The Ground, which was called the Tilt-yara', is the Spot on which the Eaft Wing of the Hofpital is built.

The Park was inlarged, walled about, and planted, by King Charles II. foon after the Restoration; and the Defign or Plan of a Royal Palace was then laid out, one Wing of which was finished in a magnificent Manner, and makes now the firft Wing of the Hofpital towards London.

The Royal Palace now remaining, was originally built by Humphry Duke of Gloucefler, furnamed the Good, Brother of Henry VI. and called by the faid Duke Placentia. King Henry VII. much enlarged it, added to it a fmall Houfe of Friers-Mendicant, and finished a Tower begun by Duke Humphry on the Top of the Hill, where now ftands the Royal Obfervatory; from which is a moft pleasant Profpect down to the winding River, and the green Meadows. It was completed by King Henry VIII. and afterwards much inlarged and beautified by Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton, who dwelt in it. Here Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth were born, and here died King Edward VI.

The Hofpital was founded by King William and Queen Mary, in the Year 1694. for the Relief of Seamen, their Widows and Children, and Encouragement of Navigation. Three Tables are hung up at the Entrance into the Hall, which record the Names of feveral generous Benefactors to this noble Charity, amounting in the Whole to the Sum of 58,2097. And in the Year 1732. the forfeited Estate of the late

Earl

Earl of Derwentwater (being by means of the Right Honourable the Lord Vifcount Gage, a Peer of Ireland, recovered out of the Hands of certain private Perfons who had purchafed the fame, at a Rate vaftly difproportionate to the Value), amounting to near 6000l. per Annum, was given by Parliament to carry on and complete this Work; which has enabled them to profecute it with fuch Vigour and Succefs, that a great Progrefs has been made fince that Time, towards com. pleting this fumptuous Edifice.

The Hall is very noble, and finely painted by the late Sir James Thornhill. At the upper End of it, in an Alcove, are reprefented the late Princess Sophia, King George I. King George II. Queen Caroline, the late Queen Dowager of Pruffia, Daughter of King George L. Frederic Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cumberland, and the five Princefles, Daughters of King George II. On the Cieling over the Alcove, are her late Majesty Queen Anne, and Prince George of Denmark. And on the Cieling of the Hall, are King William and Queen Mary, with feveral fine emblematical Figures.

On a Pedestal in the middle of the Area of the Hofpital, fronting the Thames, is a Statue of his Majesty King George II.

Anno 1705. 100 difabled Seamen were the first that were received into this Hospital; but the present Number was made up in December 1737. a complete 1000. To each 100 Penfioners fix Nurfes are allowed, who are to be Seamens Widows, at 10l. per Annum, and 2 s. per Week more to those who attend in the Infir mary. Their common Cloathing is Blue, with Brass Buttons.

The Chapel is decorated with curious carved Work, and is as gay, with Gilding, as if the true Proteftant Simplicity were forgotten in its Ornaments, &'c.

The Church of Greenwich is a handsome new-built Edifice, dedicated to St. Alphage, Archbishop of Canterbury, who is faid to have been killed by the Danes on the Spot where the Church ftands, Anno 1012.

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There are two Free-fchools in this Parifh, one founded by Sir William Boreman, Knight; the other fet up by Mr. John Roan, who left his Eftate for teaching Boys in Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic; allowing 40s. a Year for each Boy's Cloaths: their Number is

20.

There is also an handfome College in this Town, which fronts the River, for the Maintenance of 20 poor Men and a Master, founded and well endowed by Henry Earl of Northampton, and committed by him to the Care of the Mercers Company of London. A Chapel belongs to this College, where the Earl's Body is laid, which, as well as his Monument, was removed hither a few Years ago, from the Chapel of Dover Caftle, whereof he was Conftable.

This Town may be faid to be one of the genteeleft, as well as pleafanteft, in England: the Inhabitants are many of them Perfons of Note and Fashion, who have ferved abroad in the Fleets or Armies, and here país the Remainder of their Days in Eafe and Delight; having the Pleasure to reflect upon the Dangers they have gone through, and the faithful and honourable Parts they have acted on the public Stage of Life in their Country's Caufe.

A Market was erected in the Year 1737. at this Town, the Direction of which is in the Governors of the Hofpital; and the Profits which fhall arife from it are to be carried to the Ufe of that fine Foundation.

The River Thame is here very broad, and the Channel deep; and the Water, at fome very high Springtides, is falt; but, in ordinary Tides, sweet and fresh. The King's Yachts always lie here.

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Near the Town of Greenwich, has for many Years food a Magazine for Gunpowder, in which frequently ofited from 6 to 8000 Barrels. The apparent Danger it was expofed to, of being blown up by Treachy, Lightening, or other Accidents, arifing from its deincelefs Situation and ruinous Condition,

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and the extenfive and scarce reparable Damage, which the Explofion of fuch a Quantity of Gunpowder might have been attended with, not only to that Part of the Town nearest to it, but to the Royal Palace and the magnificent Hofpital there, and which might even by the Shock affect the Dock-yards and Store-houses both at Deptford and Woolwich, and even the Cities of London and Westminster, as well as the Banks of the River on both Shores, and the Navigation upon it, occafioned, fo long ago as in the Year 1718. an Application to Parliament for the Removal of the Magazine to fome fafer and more convenient Place; and his Majefty King George I. was pleafed then to give Orders to the Officers of the Ordnance to remove it. But no Provifion being made for purchafing Land to build another, and to defray neceffary Expences, nothing was done in it; and the old Magazine grew more and more dangerous, and out of Repair.

In the Year 1750. the Application to Parliament was renewed, when his late Majefty gave Orders for an Estimate of the Expence to be laid before the Houfe; which was done in the Year 1754. together with a Survey recommending a proper Place, &c.

The good Work in the Year 1760. was follicited with fuch proper Effect, that an Act paffed in the Beginning of that Year, intitled, An Act for taking down and removing the Magazine for Gunpowder, and all Buildings thereunto belonging, fituate near Greenwich in Kent, and erecting instead thereof a new Magazine for Gunpowder at Purfleet, near the River Thames, in the County of Effex, and applying a Sum of Money towards thofe Purposes; and for obviating Difficulties arifing upon an Act, made in the laft Seffion of Parliament, for a weekly Compofition for Lands and Hereditaments, purchafed for his Majesty's Service at Portfmouth, Chatham, and Plymouth; to which I refer the Reader.

The Country behind Greenwich adds to the Pleafure of the Place: Black-heath, both for Beauty of Situation, G 4 and