down upon Old Durham House, its terraces and hanging gardens, with a fine bend of cultivated country stretching away through another opening of the hills towards the east, bounded by the high woods of Quarrington, and the cliffs of Coxhoe lime-kilns; more rustic than the other views, and being in simple nature, affords a pleasing variety to the eye of the man of taste, who stands (if we may be allowed the extravagant expression) on this enchanted ground."

The Church of St. Margaret, situated in Crossgate, and of Little St. Mary, in the South Bailey, display nothing remarkable. The Meeting Houses are six: these are occupied by the respective denominations of Independants, Presbyterians, Quakers, Methodists, and Roman Catholics.

The Market Place is a small square, having a Guildhall, or Tolbooth, on the west side; a Pant, to supply the inhabitants with water, near the centre; and a Piazza, where the corn markets, &c. are held, on the south. The Guildhall was originally built by Bishop Tunstall, about the year 1555, but has since been repaired, and much improved: in the dining-room are portraits of CHARLES THE SECOND, and BISHOP CREWE. The Pant, or Conduit, is a stone building, of an octagonal form, with a statue of Neptune on the summit. The water is brought from an inclosed spring, about half a mile distant, originally given for the use of the city, in March, 1451, by Thomas Billingham, of Chokehagh, Esq. to John Laund, Alderman of the Guild of Corpus Christi, in the Church of St. Nicholas, and his successors, with leave "to convey the water to the pant, or reservoir, in the market-place, for the use and benefit of the inhabitants, paying for the use thereof to the said Thomas, and his successors, thirteen pence annually, on the feast of St. Martin; provided that no water should be drawn from thence to any other part of the city, except to the Grantor's house, in the market-place." On the twenty-first of July, in the same year, Bishop Neville confirmed the above grant, by letters patent, and gave permission "to the grantees to dig in his manor, for the purpose of laying and repairing the pipes, &c." When the inhabitants had enjoyed the bene

fit of the spring nearly 186 years, Cuthbert Billingham, a descendant of the donor, broke up the pipes which conveyed the water to the pant, and directed its course to his own mills, at Crook-hall, alledging, that "the citizens had injured his corn and grass in coming to the spring, and also had withheld the annual payment of the thirteen-pence." On this, a bill of chancery was filed against him by the citizens, and the cause finally argued before Sir Richard liutton, Knt. Chancellor of the Diocese, who confirmed the right of the citizens by a decree, dated March 30, 1637. The Piazza, or Corn Market, was constructed with the materials of an old cross, which stood near the conduit, and was removed in the year 1781.

A Dispensary was established, by subscription, at Durham, in 1785; and the contributions becoming extremely liberal, the trustees determined to extend the charity, by converting it into an Infirmary, where the sick poor should be admitted without expence, and a large, and more convenient building for that purpose, was completed about ten years ago, on a piece of ground in Allergate, given by Thomas Wilkinson, Esq. of Coxhoe. In 1790, an act was obtained for lighting, paving, and otherwise improving the city; and various judicious alterations have been effected under its clauses. In 1791, a small Theatre was built by subscription, in Sadler-gate; and during the course of the past year, a Subscription Library has been founded, which, to the honor of the literary character of the city, bids fair to become prosperous. The recreation of the inhabitants is further provided for by a Race-Course; which, from a curious entry* in the Parochial Register of St. Nicholas, appears to have been established as early as the reign of Charles the Second.

The original denomination of Durham, after its civil establishment, was that of Borough; and its local polity was exercised by a Bailiff, whose appointment remained with the Bishops. In the first

"April, 1683. It is ordered, that Simon Lackenby is to keep, in liea of his Entercommon Ground, one sufficient Bull for the use of the City and Borough Kyne, for three years next ensuing; and to give ten shillings towards a silver Plate for a Course."

first charter of incorporation, which was granted by Bishop Pudsey, besides other considerable privileges, the inhabitants were discharged from the custom of Marchet, or right of the lord of the manor, to pass the first night with every new-made bride. Under Bishop Neville, the chief officer was styled, Bailiff of the City of Durham; and in the year 1565, by a new charter, granted by Bishop Pilkington, the civil jurisdiction was vested in an Alderman, and twelve assistant Burgesses. In 1602, Bishop Matthews, by another charter, vested the government in a Mayor, twelve Aldermen, and twenty-four Common-Councilmen; the latter to be chosen yearly by the Aldermen, from the twelve incorporated companies, in equal proportions. This charter was confirmed by James the First, and continued in force till 1684, when it was surrendered to Bishop Crewe, who immediately granted a new charter, but some informality having been discovered in the forms of surrendering the former one, that was again restored; and continued to direct the actions of the body corporate till the year 1761, when some election stratagems occasioned such divisions among the corporate officers, that the parties refused to act with each other, by which means the prescribed number of members could not be kept up, and the charter became vacated. From that time the city was governed by a Bailiff till the year 1780, when Bishop Egerton granted a new charter, dated October the second, in which its former government by a Mayor, Alderman, and Common-Councilmen, with some inferior officers, was re-established, and the rights of the citizens explained and confirmed.

Neither the county, nor the city of Durham, was represented in Parliament till the reign of Charles the Second, a circumstance which may undoubtedly be ascribed to the vast power and influence of the Bishop; as returning members to Parliament was anciently considered as more grievous and inconvenient, than either useful

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* "Before any charter was granted for the government of the Burgesses, the several crafts who exercised their trades within the city, were, under special restrictions and bye-laws, framed among themselves, and confirmed by the Prelates in whose times they were respectively instituted." Hutchinson.

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useful or honorable. The extension of learning induced ideas more favorable to liberty; and what was once avoided as a burthen, was afterwards demanded as a right. It was not, however, till the year 1673, that this privilege was awarded to Durham an act was then passed, by which the city and the county were each authorized to send two members, and from that period the returns have been regularly made. The right of election for the city is vested in the Mayor, Aldermen, and Freemen: the num ber of voters is about 1000. Some illegal proceedings in the admission of freemen during a contested election, in the year 1762, occasioned the passing of the famous Durham act, by which all persons were restricted from voting who had not been "possessed of their franchise twelve calendar months before the day of election;" excepting those entitled to their freedom by the custom of the borough.

The trade of Durham is not extensive; a few years ago it had a woollen manufactory, which furnished employment to several hundred persons, but has since been wholly abandoned. It also possessed a large cotton manufactory, established by the Messrs. Salvin in the year 1796; yet this also, after greatly suffering by the war, has been entirely destroyed by an accidental fire, that commenced on the morning of the seventh of January, 1804, and in a few hours consumed the very extensive factory that had been built for carrying it on near St. Oswald's Church. The 'woollen business originated in a bequest made to the city of Durham by Mr. Henry Smith, on the twentieth of July, 1598, of all his coal mines, then of the annual value of 1001. and a personal estate worth 6001. The cause of this bequest, to use the words of the Will, was, "that some good trade may be devised for setting of the youth, and other idle persons to work, as shall be thought most convenient, whereby some profit may arise to the benefit of the said city, and reliefe of those that are past work." Some years afterwards the trustees commenced a cloth manufactory, which was discontinued in 1619; and a scheme devised to increase the value of the donation, by applying it to the purchase of land. In 1759, the proceeds were again appropriated to establish a cloth manufactory,

manufactory, and various buildings were erected for the convenience of the workmen, and reception of the machinery; but the establishment, as already mentioned, has since entirely failed: the Collieries have also been many years abandoned. Among various other bequests for charitable uses in this city, are those of Bishop Crewe, and Bishop Wood, of Lichfield: the former left 1001. per annum, for apprenticing the children of the poor; the latter, 201. annually, for the relief of small debtors; and 1001. to be laid out upon a rent-charge, for the maintenance of the indigent inhabitants. The population of the "city and town of Durham," as returned under the late act, was 3319 males, and 4211 females.

With the eminent natives of this city, may be enumerated the present LORD AUCKLAND; and Dr. RICHARD GREY, author of several works, and particularly, the Memoria Technica, or New Method of Artificial Memory. He was born in the year 1693, and having received a learned education at Oxford, was promoted to several valuable benefices: his death occurred on the 28th of February, 1771, at the age of seventy-eight.

KEPIER HOSPITAL, on the banks of the Wear, about one mile north-east from Durham, was founded, in the year 1112, by Bishop Flambard, and endowed for the maintenance of a Master, and twelve Brethren. The endowments were afterwards confirmed by Bishop Pudsey, who also restored the buildings which had been consumed by fire in the reign of Stephen. At the Dissolution, its revenues were valued at 1861. 10s. Od. and it was then granted to Sir William Paget, by Henry the Eighth. It afterwards came, by purchase, into the family of Heath, by whom it was sold, in the year 1658, to Ralph Cole, Esq. His son, Sir Nicholas Cole, again disposed of it to the families of Tempest, Carr, and Musgrave, whose descendants are yet owners. The only remain of the monastic buildings now standing is the Gateway, a strong and not unhandsome piece of masonry, with pointed arches.

About three quarters of a mile eastward from Durham, is OLD DURHAM, a spot supposed, by Mr. Hutchinson, to have been occupied by the Saxons previously to the foundation of the present city: and by Mr. J. Cade, in a tract published in the seventh