TO THE

ORIGINAL DELINEATIONS,

TOPOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL, AND DESCRIPTIVE,

INTITULED

THE BEAUTIES OF

England and Wales.

COMPRISING

OBSERVATIONS ON THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF THE BRITONS; THE
ROMANS IN BRITAIN; THE ANGLO-SAXONS; THE ANGLO-DANES;

AND THE ANGLO-NORMANS:

TOGETHER WITH

Remarks on the Progress of Ecclesiastical, Military, and

Domestic Architecture in Succeeding Ages.

PRINTED FOR J. HARRIS; LONGMAN AND CO.; J. WALKER; R. BALDWIN;
SHERWOOD AND CO.; JOHN CUNDEE; B. AND R. CROSBY AND CO.,
J. CUTHELL; J. AND J. RICHARDSON; CADELL AND DAVIES; C. AND
J. RIVINGTON; AND G. COWIE AND CO.

FAMILY Blands LIBRARY.

HUGH,

Second Duke of Northumberland,

&c. &c. &c.

THIS INTRODUCTORY VOLUME

TO THE

BEAUTIES OF ENGLAND AND WALES,

FORMING THE COMPLETION OF THAT WORK, IS INSCRIBED

WITH PROFOUND VENERATION.

THIS Volume was patronised by His Grace; and, by permission long since awarded, was to have been honoured with the sanction of his ILLUSTRIOUS NAME as its Patron. The whole of its contents display the transitory nature of earthly glory. Alas! the page of Inscription is woefully emphatic. Between the intention and the act, the noblest work of Goda GOOD MAN-passed from the earth!

Praise cannot now be deemed adulation! The writer, therefore, indulges in freedom of expression; and INSCRIBES THIS WORK TO THE MEMORY OF A NOBLEMAN who sustained the true dignity of his Rank by the Courtesy of

the

the complete Gentleman; whose VIRTUES were superior to the trials of every age; who presented in Youth a model for the affluent and ennobled, by the disdain of enervating pleasures, and the dedication of his talents to the most arduous field in which his Country required exertion; whose PRIME OF MANHOOD was equally useful in the Senate, and admirable in the exemplary practice of social duties; and who, in the retirement of ADVANCED AND DECLINING LIFE, inspirited patriotic effort by PRECEPT, as before by ExAMPLE, solacing the pains of decrepit seclusion by the exercise of benevolence, and the encouragement of the Literature and the Arts of that Country which his whole personal Career was calculated to adorn.

To the Memory of such a Nobleman, HUGH, DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, this Work, a humble Tribute to his lamented FuneralMonument, is inscribed by

J. NORRIS BREWER.

PREFACE

TO THE

Beauties of England and Wales.

IN concluding this extensive work, the Publisher and Proprietors repeat the sentiments expressed on the completion of the first volume. They await the decision of the Public, with confidence, intermingled with fear. The former is the offspring of the unceasing solicitude bestowed on every part of the undertaking; the latter of the occasional inaccuracies, and deterioration of embellishment, which, even with the most sedulous attention, seem hardly possible to be avoided in a performance of this description.

The time for professions is now passed. The work, in a complete state, is in the hands of the Subscribers; and must, from its own character, evince the sincerity of every avowal formerly made. But, in adverting to this circumstance, and whilst consigning the volumes to a reliance on their intrinsic merits, the Proprietors would beg leave respectfully to observe that their duty

consisted