AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE PARISH OF ST. MARY-LE-BONE. THE Parish of St. Mary-le-bone is situated in the County of Middlesex, and Hundred of Ossulston. This County derives its name from its position relatively to the three surrounding kingdoms of the Heptarchy; namely, the East, West, and South Saxons; of the first of which, or East Sex, it formed a part during the long period of about three centuries. Though of an irregular figure it resembles a parallelogram, 20 miles long, and 14 broad, with an area of 288 square miles, or 179,200 It is also divided into six Hundreds, exclusive of the Cities and Liberties of London and Westminster, and the Tower Hamlets. It contains 230 parishes, precincts, and extra parochial places: of which 98 are exclusive of London and Westminster; 122 are within the City of London; and 10 in the City and Liberty of Westminster. acres. The Hundred of Ossulston* comprehends the * Ossulstan.-The word Ossulstan is probably of Saxon origin; and a writer on the Antiquities of Middlesex conjectures that it was named after the original proprietor of this part of the Country, who was called Ossul, or that the word is a corruption of Ossul's Tuna, or oldest Town; alluding to London as being the most ancient town in the County at the period when Middlesex was divided into tythings and hundreds. But this supposition does B |