The town of Watford is large, populous, and handsome, the houses are mostly of brick, and ranged on the sides, of the high road upwards of a mile. The approach to the town from London is much improved, though still very inconvenient. Agreeably to the population act, the inhabitants are estimated at three thousand five hundred and thirty; the number of houses six hundred and ninety-one.

Antiquaries are divided respecting the etymology of Watford; some deriving it from WETFORD, on account of the marshy grounds about it; others WATLINGFORD, from its neighbourhood to the Watling Street.

BUSHY, is a village one mile east of Watford, adjoining to which is a spacious common, called Bush Heath, extending toward Stanmore. This heath rises to a considerable height, and affords a delightful prospect. On the one hand, is a view of St. Alban's, and of all the space between, appearing like a garden. To the south-east is seen Westminster Abbey; to the south, Hampton Court, and on the southwest, Windsor, with the Thames winding through the most beautiful parts of Middlesex and Surrey. Bushy seems to have been very unfortunate in its antient owners. Its first Norman possessor, Geoffrey de Mandeville, having incurred the pope's displeasure, was obliged to be suspended in lead, on a tree, in the precinct of the Temple, London, becausé Christian burial was not allowed to persons under such cir cumstances. Edmond of Woodstock, was beheaded through the vile machinations of queen Isabella, and her paramour Mortimer, on a suspicion of intending to restore his brother Edward II. to the throne; and so much was he beloved by the people, and his persecutors detested, that he stood from one to five in the afternoon before an executioner could be procured, and then an outlaw from the Marshalsea performed the detested duty. Thomas, duke of Surrey, was beheaded at Cirencester, in rebellion against Henry IV. Thomas de Montacute, carl of Salisbury, after obtaining the highest honour in the campaigns in France with Henry V. was killed by the splinter of a window frame driven into his face by a cannon ball, at the siege of Orleans. Richard,

the

the stout earl of Warwick, another possessor, was killed at Barnet. George, duke of Clarence, was drowned in a butt of Malmsey. Richard III. was the next possessor. Lady Margaret de la Pole, countess of Suffolk, was beheaded at the age of seventy-two, by the cruel policy of Henry VIII. in revenge for a supposed affront by her son the cardinal. In this parish also lived Titus Silas, who, in a pamphlet entitled, "Killing no Murder," to deliver England from its yoke, advised Cromwell to commit suicide; he gained promotion in the reign of Charles II. and, by his buffoonery, induced that monarch to disgrace the great lord chancellor

Clarendon.

Proceeding westward, we arrive at LANGLEY BURY, built about the reign of Charles II. It stands on elevated ground, rising from the west bank of the river Gade, and nearly opposite to Hunton Bridge.

KING'S LANGLEY, derives its name from a royal palace built by Henry III. the ruins of which are still to be seen. Richard II. was buried in this monastery, but afterward removed to Westminster by Henry V. Here was also born and buried Edmund of Langley, duke of York, son of Edward III. The palace, park, and manor, were given by James I. to Henry prince of Wales. The earl of Essex is now lord of the manor.

Among the antient monuments in the church is one to the memory of Sir JOHN VERNEY; prince EDMOND of Langley, and his wife ISABEL, daughter of Pedro, king of Castile. Here also Peirs Gaveston, favourite of Edward II. was buried. There are several remains of brasses in the

church.

ABBOT'S LANGLEY, near the preceding, is situated on a hill, on the east side of the river Bulborne. Domesday. Book informs us that the town was given by Egelwine the black, and Winifled his wife, to the monks of St. Alban's; hence its name. King John confirmed the grant to the abbey towards supplying the monks with clothing. At the Dissolution the whole manor reverted to the crown; James I. conveyed it to Francis Combe, Esq. who dying without issue,

endowed

endowed a school here, and devised the manor, &c. to Trinity College, Oxford, and Sidney College, Cambridge, for the education of his own and his wife's kindred for ever. Abbot's Langley is famous, as the birth-place of Nicholas Breakspeare, son of a servant to St. Alban's Abbey. For his great literary endowments he was elected abbot of St. Rufus, near Valentia; bishop of Alba, in the neighbourhood of Rome; and, at length, cardinal and pope, by the title of Adrian IV. the only Englishman who attained to that dignity. This pope is styled the Apostle of Norway, for the great pains he took in converting that barbarous nation to the Christian faith. The accounts of his arrogance, &c. must be received with caution.

HEMPSTED, OR HEMEL HEMPSTED,

is a small neat town, situated on the slope of a hill, descending into a rich valley.

King Offa gave six mansions in this town, then called Haen Hampsted, or Old Hampsted, to the monastery of St. Alban's, which grant was confirmed by king Ethelred. After the Conquest the remainder of the villa, which had belonged to the Saxon kings, was given by William I. to William earl of Mortaigne, whose son forfeited it to the crown for raising a rebellion in Normandy against Henry I. It afterwards became the property of Richard earl of Cornwall, brother of Henry III.; his son Edmund, in the reign of Edward III. gave it, excepting the warren and church, to the monastery of BoN HOMMES, at Esserug, now Ashridge, with whom it remained till the Dissolution, when Henry VIII. granted it to John Waterhouse, Esq. his auditor; by whose interest with that monarch, a charter of incorporation and weekly market were granted to the town. It now belongs to Joseph Hasley, Esq. M. P. for St. Alban's,. whose seat at Great Gaddesden, is an elegant edifice, most advantageously situated.

The only ornament of this town is the church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, a beautiful structure, consisting of a nave, two aisles, and a transept, on the cross of which

is built a handsome tower, with Norman Saxon lights, and containing eight fine bells, with chimes, &c. the whole sure mounted by a beautiful spire of ornamented lead. The west end of the church is decorated with a fine door of Saxon architecture, curiously and richly ornamented, with several mouldings, highly adorned with fleurs-de-lis and vine leaves alternately, fretwork, &c. the capitals are enriched with grotesque figures. The nave is separated from the aisles by a range of five massive columns on each side, and two half columns with sculptured square capitals; these support arches with zig-zag mouldings. The tower is sups ported by semicircular clustered columns, ornamented. The arch opening into the chancel, is of the same kind as the former. The windows are at present of the pointed form, and the line on the south side has a disagreeablo interruption of uniformity.

Among the monuments is one nearly hidden by the pews, with a knight in plate armour, with a gorget of mail; he is represented as standing on a lion: the head of the lady on his side is represented resting on a cushion; at her feet a dog; her head dress is square, she is dressed in a long cloak, fastened across the shoulders with broaches, whence a knotted cord and tassels descend to the feet. The following is the inscription:

An old stone in this church had the following remains of an inscription on the verge; on the stone was a cross fleury, which indicated it to have belonged to an ecclesiastic:

.....Oxendon de...... vord...... Eccles. de Tren....

Some speculatist in antiquity has taken upon him to deduce, from the above inscription, a similitude to the name Offa, and concludes from the most vague premises, that king Offa was buried here; though William of Malmsbury, and other antient historians, have absolutely declared that he was inhumed at or near Bedford. This is a very reprehensible mode of misleading the public mind, and ought to be duly condemned. The assertion appeared in the Northampton Mercury, October 7, 1808. D

VOL: VI. No. 123.

The

The market house is of wood, adjoining the churchyard, and exhibits a curious mode of antique architecture; it appears indeed to be the original building, constructed in the reign of Henry VIII.; great quantities of corn and meal are annually disposed of in this place, which has been encreased by means of the Grand Junction Canal.

The principal benefaction to Hemel Hempsted was by Mr. Thomas Warren, in 1796, who, by will, gave 12007. stock, in trust, that the dividends should be applied to the support of fifty poor widows, at 77. 10s. each annually, on the 3d of January; the remainder for the foundation of two free schools, for thirteen boys and fifteen girls.

HEMSTED BURY, a neat modern building, is at present the property of Mr. Hilton; and though the grounds are not extensive, they are pleasantly laid out. Part of the antient mansion in which Mr. Waterhouse entertained Henry VIII. is still standing. The estate lately belonged to the earl of Marchmont, and has had many possessors during the two last centuries.

According to the population act, Hemel Hemsted contained two thousand seven hundred and twenty-two persons, inhabiting four hundred and ninety-seven houses.

Returning to Two WATERS, and crossing Box Moor, at twenty-six miles from the metropolis we arrive at

BERGHAMSTED, Berkhamsted, BECKHAMSTED ST. PETER's, or, as it is corruptly, though generally spelt,

BERKHAMPSTEAD.

This town has been from situation, hinted as a British oppidum, by Salmon, had not any foss or bank, their usual security, been seen near it, though the woodlands enclosing the vallies, seem to sanction the idea. Dr. Stukeley, from the Roman coins that have been found here, asserts, that it must have been a Roman station; and others have stated it to have been Durocobrivis.

Leaving all these conjectures with their due weight, we shall abide by the testimony of Norden, who says, that "the Saxons, in old time, called this town Berghamstedt,

because