THOBY PRIORY, in the parish of MOUNTNEY'S-ING, or, as it is corruptly pronounced, Munnasing, was founded for Augustine Canons, by Michael de Capua, his wife, and son, between the years 1141 and 1151. On the suppression of the smaller monasteries in 1525, its revenues were valued at 751. 6s. 10žd. annually; and were then appropriated to the Colleges began by Cardinal Wolsey. After his fall, the manor of Thoby was granted, by Henry the Eighth, to Sir Richard Page, Knt, since which it has passed through various families to the Blencoes, who obtained it by marriage about the year 1750.

FITZ-WALTERS, vulgarly called the Round-House, in the parish of Shenfield, is the mansion and seat of Thomas Wright, Esq. but was anciently the property of the Fitz-Walter family; who appear to have held it by the service of providing a pair of gilt spurs at the Coronation. This house has a very singular appearance; its form being nearly octangular, with the chimnies rising in the centre.

BRENTWOOD, or BURNTWOOD, as it is generally pronounced, fomerly a market-town, is a chapelry in the parish of South-Weald, situated on a commanding eminence on each side the high road to Harwich. Being a considerable thoroughfare, it contains many inns, and public houses; but the buildings are mostly irregular, and mean. The Crown Inn is of very ancient foundation; and, even in Salmon's time, was reputed to have had that sign for 300 years. The assizes were once held here; and in the High Street are the remains of a Town-Hall and Prison, now inhabited by a farrier, and other persons, on condition of putting them in repair, when the assizes are again removed thither. Here also is a good Grammar School, the endowments of which were given by Sir Anthony Brown, in 1537. The Chapel was founded about the year 1221, at the intercession of David, Prior of St. Osyth, for the use of the tenants of a manor belonging to that Monastery: it is a small ancient structure, consisting only of a body and chancel. The number of inhabitants in this township, as returned under the late act, was 1007; that of houses, 182.

Camden supposed the Casaromagus of the Itinerary to have been somewhere in the neighbourhood of Brentwood; but his opi

nion (offered, indeed, with great diffidence) has not been supported by other antiquaries. Some pateras, and other earthen vessels, are, however, mentioned by Salmon,* to have been found on a Military Way, leading from Billericay towards Ongar; as well as two Roman lares, dug up near Shenfield. At South-Weald, also on the south-western verge of Weald Hall Park, are traces of a circular camp, single ditched, including about seven acres, supposed to have been a Castra Exploratorum.†

WEALD HALL, the seat of Christopher Towers, Esq. is a handsome building, situated in a large Park, in which is a Prospect House, formed like an embattled tower, commanding an extensive and interesting view. The grounds contain some fine wood, and are diversified with pleasant gardens.

At BROOK-STREET, a hamlet to South-Weald, was an HOSPITAL for lepers, founded before the year 1300, by the Bruyns, of South Okendon, whose family retained the presentation of the Master or Warden. This was granted under the name of a Free Chapel to Sir Anthony Brown, but has since been par celled out, and is now held by different persons.

DAGENHAM PARK is the property of Sir Richard Neave, Bart. who obtained the manor by purchase in the year 1772, and has since pulled down the ancient manor-house, and erected an handsome mansion on a new site.

The district called the Liberty of HAVERING ATTE BOWER, was part of the ancient demesnes of the Saxon Kings,

* History, &c. of Essex, p. 264.

+ Ibid. 263.

and

The origin of the name of Havering is thus related by Morant, from the traditions preserved by various authors. "At the time that the Church of Clavering, in this county, was about to be consecrated, Edward the Confessor riding that way, alighted, out of devotion, to be present at the consecration. During the procession, a fair old man came to the King, and begged alms of him, in the name of God, and St. John the Evangelist. The King having nothing else to give, as his Almoner was not at hand, took the Ring from his finger, and gave it to the poor man. Some years afterwards, two English pilgrims having lost their way as they were travelling in the Holy Land, they

saw

and includes the parishes of Hornchurch, Romford, and Havering. It still possesses peculiar privileges, both from prescriptive right, and a charter granted by Henry the Fourth, since confirmed by various Sovereigns. At HAVERING BOWER are some remains of the walls of an ancient Palace, reported to have been built or improved by Edward the Confessor, and afterwards occasionally inhabited by several Kings. Its situation was uncommonly fine; the site commanding several extensive prospects over parts of Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Middlesex, and Surry, as well as of the river Thames. Havering Park contains about 1000 acres, and is now let on lease from the Crown. Near the site of the Bower House is an elegant villa, which belonged to the late SIR JOHN

saw a company clothed in white, with two lights carried before them, and behind them a fair ancient man. The pilgrims joining them, the old man enquired who they were, and whence they came. After hearing their story, he brought them into a fine city, where was a room furnished with all manner of dainties when they had well refreshed themselves, and rested there all night, the old man set them again in the right way, and at parting, told them he was John the Evangelist; adding, as the Legend proceeds, Say ye unto Edwarde your Kying, that I grete hym well by the token that he gaaf to me this Ryng wyth his own handes at the halowýng of my Chirche, whyche Rynge ye shall deliver hym agayn; and say ye to hym, that he dyspose his goodes, for wythin sixe monethes he shall be in the joye of Heven wyth me, where he shall have his rewarde for his chastitie and his good lyvinge.' At their return home, the two pilgrims waited upon the King, who was then at this Bower, and delivered to him the message and the Ring; from which circumstance this place is said to have received the name of Have-Ring.

"The whole story is wrought in basso-relievo, in the Chapel at Westminster, where Edward the Confessor lies buried, on the back of the screen that divides it from the altar. The statues of the King and the pilgrims are also over the Courts of the King's Bench, and Common Pleas, in Westminster Hall, and over the gate going into the Dean's Yard. His picture was also on the glass of the east window of the south aisle of Romford Chapel, with two pilgrims, and under it, Johannes per peregrinos misit Regi Edwardo. The Ring, pretended to have been given by him, as above, to St. John, was deposited, among other reliques, in his Abbey at Westminster; and an indulgence for six years and 360 days, was granted to this supposed Ring of St. Edward." The authori ties quoted for this relation, are as follows: Ailred Rievallensis, Col. 397, 398. Legenda Aurea, printed by William Caxton, fol. 308. Dart's Hist. of Westminster Abbey, Vol. I. p. 51. Weever, p. 647; and Camden's Remains. p. 483.

JOHN SMITH BURGES, Bart. who lies buried in the parish Church, where a neat tablet has been erected to his memory, from a design by Mr. Wyatt.

GIDEA-HALL, or GEDDY-HALL, about one mile east from Romford, was anciently the seat of the Cooke family. The present mansion, a large square brick building, was erected by Sir John Eyles about the year 1720; but is now uninhabited. The ancient manor-house was began by Sir Thomas Cooke, about the year 1467, who obtained a licence for fortifying and embattling it, but falling under the displeasure of the Court, he only completed the front: the remainder was erected by his grandson, the famous Sir Anthony Cooke, who entertained Queen Elizabeth here in 1568. Mary de Medicis, mother of Queen Henrietta Maria, was also entertained in this mansion, by Lady Cooke, his widow, the night before her arrival at London in 1638; and in the account of her progress through England, published the year following, is a view of the building. It was taken down when the new house was erected. The grounds were much improved by Richard Benyon, Esq. M. P. whose father purchased the manor in the year 1745; but, together with the house, are now suffering from neglect.

HARE-HALL, the seat of John Arnold Wallenger, Esq. was begun under the direction of Mr. Payne, in the year 1769, on the site of an old mansion. It is built with Portland stone, and consists of a centre, with two wings, connected by colonnades. The interior is fitted up in a handsome manner; and in the small Drawing-room are a few pictures by Angelica Kauffman, and other artists. The large Drawing-room, thirty-six feet by twenty, extends the whole length of the house, and commands some diversified and pleasant views. Mr. Payne has been justly celebrated for his staircases, and in the present mansion, as at Wardour Castle, and some other buildings, has displayed much taste and elegance in that part of the structure. The pleasure-grounds were laid out by Mr. Wood, of this county. In a sequestered spot, part of a petrified Tree is preserved, which was brought from the Isle of Portland.

AT HARE-STREET is the small cottage and residence of Humphry Repton, Esq. who has obtained considerable celebrity as

a landscape

a landscape gardener, and been much employed in laying out parks and pleasure-grounds. This gentleman has published two works on the principles of his own profession.

ROMFORD

Is a populous market-town, though, with respect to ecclesiastical affairs, only a Chapelry to Hornchurch: its civil jurisdiction is, however, distinct, and it is considered as one of four wards forming a separate parish, and was recognised as such, by an act passed for the regulation of the poor in the year 1786. An ancient Ford, over a rivulet, which flows through the west side of the town, is generally referred to as the origin of its name; Mr. Lysons deriving it from the Saxon words signifying Broad Ford; and Mr. Lethieullier supposing it a contraction from RomanFord. Dr. Stukeley also expresses himself in favor of its Roman origin, and, on the authority of Richard of Cirencester, calls it the Durolitum of Antoninus.

The manor of Romford is first mentioned in a record of the year 1299, when it was held of Adam de Cretinge, by Henry de Winchester, a Jew convert. It afterwards passed by marriage to the Mowbrays, Dukes of Norfolk; but, on the decease of John, the fourth Duke of this family, without male issue, in 1477, it became vested in James, Lord Berkeley. It has since been held by various families; and was purchased, about the year 1759, by Richard Newman, Esq. grandfather to the present proprietor.†

Romford consists principally of one long and wide street, ranging along the high road: near the middle is the Market-House, and Town-Hall, which were repaired, in 1768, at the expence of the Crown. Here are three markets weekly. The general market, for corn, cattle, &c. is held on Wednesdays, under a grant of as early a date as the year 1247. On Tuesdays is a market for the sale of hogs; and on Mondays chiefly for that of calves. The quarter sessions for the liberty of Havering atte Bower are held in this town.

The