HERTFORD, a borough, and the county town of Herts. It is feated on the river Lea, and is faid to have been of fome note in the time of the ancient Britons; and it was accounted one of the principal cities of the Eaft Saxons, where their Kings often kept their court, and a parliamentary council was held in 673. To this town the Lea was once navigable for fhips. In 879 the Danes erected two forts here for the fecurity of their fhips; but Alfred turned the courfe of the ftream, fo that their veffels were left on dry ground; which fo terrified them, that they abandoned their forts, and fled. Edward, the eldest fon of Alfred, built a caftle, which has been often a royal refidence, and is now the property of Sir G. W. Prefcot, Bart. The town is built in the form of a Y, with the castle in the middle of the two horns. Here were five churches, which are reduced to two. In that of St. Andrew, there is not only a feat for the Mayor and Aldermen, but another for the Governors of Chrift Hofpital in London, and a gallery, in which 200 of the children of that hofpital may be accommodated; for the Governors have erected a houfe in the town for fuch children as want health, or are too young for that hofpital.

In the parish of Little St. John, is the New River Head; and near the town are many handfome villas; particularly Bayfordbury, the feat of William Baker, Efq.; Ball's Park; Golden's, the feat of Richard Emmet, Efq.; Hertingfordbury, the feat of Samuel Baker, Efq. and Brickdenbury Park, Mr. Blackmore's. At Hertingfordbury, are the portraits of the members of the Kit Kat Club. See Barn Elms and Cole Green.

HESTON, a village of Middlefex, 10 miles from London, and a mile and a half to the north of the great western road. The foil (in general a itrong loam) is noted for producing wheat of a very fine quality. Camden fpeaks of it as having, before his time, furnished the royal table with bread; and Norden, who bears the fame teftimony to its fuperior quality, fays, it was reported that Queen Elizabeth had the mamlets for her highnefs' own diet" from Hefton. See Hounslow and Offerley Park.

HIGHGATE, a populous hamlet in the parishes of Hornsey and Pancras, four miles from London.. The chapel and two thirds of the village belong to Hornfey. It has its name from its high fituation on the top of a hill, and a gate erected there about 400 years ago, to receive toll for the Bishop of London, upon an oid road from Gray's Inn-Lane to Barnet being turned through that Bishop's park. On its fite was once an hermitage; near which Sir Roger Cholmeley, Lord Chief Juice of the Queen's Bench, built a freefchool, in 1562. Some of the public houfes in Highgate have a large pair of horns placed over the fign; and when any of the country people ftop for refreshment, a pair of large horns, fixed to the end of a staff, is brought to them, and they are prefied to be fworn. If they confent a kind of burlesque oath. is adminiftered, that they never will eat brown bread when they

ĉan get white; and abundance of other things of the fame kind, which they repeat after the perfon who brings the horns; being allowed, however, to add to each article, the words " except I like the other better."

On the left hand of the entrance into Highgate from Kentish Town, is a house built by Sir William Afhhurft, Lord Mayor of London, 1694. It is now the feat of Thomas Walker, Efq. Accomptant General.

HIGHWOOD HILL, in the parish of Hendon, in Middlesex. Here is a mineral fpring of a cathartic quality, which was formerly inclosed at the expence, it is faid, of Lady Rachael Ruffel, who had a villa in the neighbouring parifh of Totteridge.

HILL HALL, the feat and park of Sir Williain Smyth, Bart. fituate in the parish of Theydon Mount, 16 miles from London, on the road to Chipping Ongar. For elegance, and the fineness of its profpects, it is esteemed inferior to few in the county. It was built by Sir Thomas Smyth, Secretary of State, in 1548; but great alterations have fince been made in it. The approach to it is by a fine avenue of ftately elms.

HILLINGDON, Great and Little, two villages in Middlesex, near Uxbridge, which is a hamlet to the former. In the churchyard is a remarkable high yew-tree, above 200 years old. On the left hand of Hillingdon Heath, from London, a very elegant houfe is erecting, for the Count di Salis, an Italian nobleman; and, at Little Hillingdon, is Hillingdon Houfe, the feat of the Marchionefs of Rockingham. The grounds are picturesque, and enriched by a fine piece of water.

HODDESDON, a hamlet on the river Lea, in the parishes of Amwell and Broxburn, 17 miles from London, has a market on Thursday, `and a fine fountain in the middle of the town, which is thus mentioned by Prior:

A nymph with an urn, that divides the highway,
And into a puddle throws mother of tea.

HOLLAND HOUSE, the ancient manfion-house of the manor of Abbot's Kensington, in the parish of Kensington, two miles from London. It takes its name from Henry Rich, Earl of Holland, was built by his father-in-law, Sir Walter Cope, in 1607, and affords a very good fpecimen of the architecture of that period.

The celebrated Addison became poffeffed of this venerable manfion, in 1716, by his inter-marriage with Charlotte Counteis Dowager of Warwick and Holland. Here was the fcene of his last moments, and of his affecting interview with his fon-in-law, the Earl of Warwick, to whom he had been tutor, and whofe licentioufnefs of manners he had anxioufly, but in vain, endeavoured to reprefs. As a laft effort, he fent for him into the room where he lay at the point of death, hoping that the folemnity of the fcene might make fome impreffion upon him. When that young nobleman came, he requested to know his commands, and received the memo

rable.

rable answer, "See in what peace a chriftian can die," to which . Tickell thus alludes:

He taught us how to live; and, oh! too high

A price for knowledge, taught us how to die.

On the death of this young nobleman, in 1721, unmarried, his eftates devolved on the father of the prefent Lord Kenlington (maternally defcended from Robert Rich, Earl of Warwick) who fold it, in 1762, to the Right Hon. Henry Fox. It is now the property of his grandfon, Lord Holland.

A gallery, which occupies the whole length of the weft wing, about 118 feet, is ornamented with portraits of the Lenox, Fox, and Digby families; among which are principally noticed, Charles II. and the Duchefs of Portsmouth; Sir Stephen Fox, by Lely; Henry, Lord Holland; and the Right Hon. Charles James Fox, when a boy, in a group, with Lady Sufan Strangeway, and Lady Sarah Lenox, by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

HOLMESDALE, a rough and woody tract, in Surry, lying im mediately beneath the hills to the S. and E. of that county, and extending into Kent. Red deer are ftill found here; and it is faid to take its name from the holm-oak with which it abounds.

HOLWOOD HOUSE, the feat of the Right Hon. William Pitt, on Holwood Hill, in the parish of Keston, five miles from Bromley. Great part of the Roman camp at Keston is inclosed in Mr. Pitt's grounds: and hence is one of the most delightful profpects in the county. See Kefton.

HORNCHURCH, a village in Effex, the only parish in the li berty of Havering, 24 miles from Rumford, of which it is the mother church. A large pair of horns is affixed to the east end of the church, for which tradition affigns fome reason too idle to be repeated. Here is Langtons, the hand fome feat of Richard Wyatt, Efq and Marthals, the pleafant villa of Jack fon Barwis, Efq.

HORNDON-ON-THE-HILL, a market-town in Eflex, 19 miles from London, in the road from Chelmsford to Tilbury Fort. From this place is a very beautiful prospect.

HORNSEY, a village in Middlefex, five miles from London. In the footway from this village to Highbury Barn, at Iflington, is a coppice of young trees, called Hornfey Wood, at the entrance of which is a public house, to which great numbers of perfons refort from the city. This houfe being fituated on the top of an eminence, affords a delightful profpect of the neighbouring country. The New River winds beautifully through Hornsey. On the fide of the road from Iflington to Southgate, is a capital mansion, with handsome porters' lodges, built by Edward Gray, Efq. See Highgate and Mufwell Hill.

HORSELEY, East and West, two villages, four miles beyond Leatherhead. In the former is a fine feat; the property of William Currie, Efq. In the latter is the handsome houfe of Henry Wefton, Efq.

HORTON,

HORTON, a village in Buckinghamshire, near Colnbrook, where Milton, after he had left the univerfity, refided five years with his father. The house, called the manor-house, is now in the occu pation of Mrs. Hugford. Here his mother died, in 1637, and is buried in the chancel of the church. Here alfo is the feat of Mifs Lawfon.

HOUNSLOW, a market-town of Middlesex, 9 miles from London. It is a hamlet to two parishes; the fouth fide lying in Hleworth, and the north fide, with the chapel, in Hefton. Here was formerly a priory, which belonged to the brethren of the Holy Trinity, whofe peculiar office it was to folicit alms for the redemption of captives. The fite of the priory, with the manor-house adjoining the chapel, is the property of Mrs. Sophia Bulstrode.

Hounflow ftands on the edge of the heath of the fame name, on which are fome powder mills on a branch of the river Coln. On this heath James II. formed an encampment, after the fuppreffion of the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion, in order the more effectually to enslave the nation; and here he first perceived the little dependence that he could have upon his army, by their rejoicings on receiving the news of the acquittal of the feven Bifhops.

HUNSDON HOUSE, to the N. E. of Hoddesdon, in Herts, was a royal palace, erected by Henry VIII. and was granted to Lord Hunfdon, by his first coufin, Queen Elizabeth. It is the property of Mr. Calvert.

HYDE, THE, the feat of Thomas Brand Hollis, Efq. near Ingateston, in which is a fine collection of prints, ancient coins and medals, ftatues, vafes, and other antiques, fome of them from Herculaneum, and collected by Mr. Hollis himself in Italy. In the hall, in particular, are two fcarcophagi, fuperior to those at Wilton.

HYDE HALL, the feat of the Earl of Roden, near Sawbridgeworth, in Herts, 25 miles from London.

HYDE PARK, a celebrated park at the weft extremity of the metropolis, adjoining on the south fide to Knightsbridge, and lying between the two roads which lead to Hounflow and Uxbridge. It is the fite of a manor, which anciently belonged to the church of Weftminster, till it became the property of the crown in the reign of Henry VIII. by exchange for other lands. In 1652, this park contained 620 acres. During the ufurpation, it was fold in different lots, and produced 17,0681. 6s. 8d. including the timber and the deer. The crown-lands being refumed after the Reftoration, it was replenished with deer, and furrounded by a brick wall, having, before that time, been fenced with pales. It has been confiderably reduced fince the furvey in 1652, partly by buildings between Hyde-Park-Corner and Park Lane, but principally by the making of Kensington Gardens. By a furvey taken in 1790, its prefent extent appears to be 394 A. 2 R. 38 P. In the upper part, adjoining to Kenfington Gardens, are fome fine trees, and the fcenery is very pleafing. The large canal, called the Serpentine River

(which has fo often proved fatal to adventurous fkaiters and defponding fuicides) was made by Queen Caroline in 1730; the water being fupplied by a small ftream which rifes at Bayswater, and falls into the Thames near Ranelagh, dividing the parish of Chelfea from that of St. George, Hanover Square.

66

Hyde Park has been long a favourite place for taking the air, and exhibiting fine coaches, fine horfes, and expert horfemanship. Ludlow, in his Memoirs, has the following curious remark : May 1, 1654. This day was more obferved for people going a maying than for divers years paft. Great refort to Hyde Park: many hundreds of rich coaches, and gallants in attire, but most shameful powdered hair men, and painted spotted wonen."—In Hyde Park alfo, the troops in and about the metropolis, are exercised and frequently reviewed.

I

ICKENHAM, a village in Middlefex, two miles from Uxbridge. In this place is Swakeley Houfe, the feat of the Rev. Mr. Clarke.

JESSOP's WELL, a fulphureous fpring, of the fame kind as that of Harrowgate, four miles from Epfom.

ILFORD, Great and Little, two villages in Effx, in the parish of Barking, fituate on each fide of the river Roding; the former 64 miles from London, in the road to Chelmsford. Here is Highland Houfe, the elegant feat of Ifaac Currie, Efq. As it is built of fone, it forms a fine termination to a vifta from Wanftead House. See Valentine House.

INGATESTON, a market-town, 23 miles from London, on the road to Harwich. Here is the ancient feat of Lord Petre, whose ancestor, Sir William Petre, founded eight fellowships, at Oxford, called the Petrean fellowships, and erected here an almfhoufe for twenty poor perfons. Part of the houfe is pulled down: the rest is inhabited by the fteward and fome Roman Catholic families dependent upon his lordship. The town confifts of one freet, the north fide of which, and half of the fouth fide, are in the parish of Fryerning. In the church are some stately monuments of the Petre family.

INGRESS PARK, at Swanfcombe, in Kent, 19 miles from London, the elegant villa of Mr. Roebuck, which commands a fine view of the Thames.

ISLE OF DOGS, a part of Poplar Marfh, on the north fide of the Thames, in Middlefex. When our Sovereigns had a palace at Greenwich, they ufed it as a hunting feat, and, it is faid, kept the kennels of their, hounds in this marth. Thefe hounds frequently making a great noife, the feamen called the place the Ifle of Dogs, though it is neither an ifland, nor a peninfula.

ISLEWORTH, a village in Middlefex, on the Thames, 8 miles from London. The church is a modern structure; but it has