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pf Tunbridge, and lord-mayor of London in the fifth year 

 pi Edward VI. He died in 1558 ; and by his will direfted 

 that certain lands, of the annual value of 56/. ot. 4*/., and 

 fituated in various parilhes in London, (hould be veiled in 

 the company of Ikinners of London, for the perpetual 

 f' maintenance of this fchool, for the free education of the 

 boys inhabiting this town and the parts adjacent. Sir 

 Thomas Smith, who married fir Andrew's daughter, con- 

 siderably increafed the endowments, and founded fix ex- 

 hibitions to the univerfitv ; and feveral others were endowed 

 by different perfons. The flcinners' company, who are the 

 governors, vifit this fchool every year in May, attended, as 

 the ftatutes direft, by fome eminent clergyman, who is re- 

 quired to examine into the progrefs made by the different 

 claffes. The examination is condufted with much cere- 

 mony ; and honorary rewards are diftributed to the beft 

 fcholars. The mafters have, in general, been men of eminent 

 abilities. The learned Dr. Vicefiraus Knox, well known 

 for his literary productions, fucceeded his father in this 

 office in 1778. Though the annual income arifing from 

 the refpeftive endowments of this fchool is very great, the 

 number of boys educated on the foundation is very few : 

 which, among other inftances, points out the neceffity of a 

 parliamentary revifion of our ancient charitable eflablifh- 

 ments. Immediately oppofite the fchool is the feat of 

 George Children, efq. to whofe refpeftable family a very 

 large and valuable tracEi: of land belongs in this vicinity. 

 The population of Tunbridge, as afcertained by the aft of 

 the year 181 1, amounted to 5932, the number of houfes to 

 958. Four fairs are held annually, and a market weekly 

 on Friday. The adjacent roads have of late years been 

 much improved, and that leading from the town to the 

 Wells particularly fo, by a laborious excavation on Quarry- 

 Hill, by which tlie former fteep afcent over it has been re- 

 duced to a very eafy draught. It appears, from the 

 " Notitia Parliamentaria," that two members were returned 

 in the 23d year of Edward I. for the borough of Tonebrigg. 



About a mile and a half to the fouth-eaft of Tunbridge 

 is Summerhill, an ancient and celebrated feat, now the pro- 

 perty of William Woodgate, efq. The venerable manfion 

 jvas eredled by Richard de Burgh, earl of St. Albans, at a 

 vaft expence, in the reign of James I. ; of the ftyle of 

 building in whofe days it forms a complete fpecimen ; though 

 its external appearance has, in fome refpedts, been injured 

 by injudicious alterations. It is a very extenfive and in- 

 terefting flru£lure, and ftands on a commanding eminence 

 amidft romantic fcenery. 



On Quarry-Hill, about a mile and a half from Tunbridge, 

 on the road to the Wells, is the feat of James Burton, efq. 

 recently erefted with the appropriate materials of tlie 

 country, as the fragment of a cattle, but replete with modern 

 conveniences. 



Within a mile, on the fame road, is Bounds Park and 

 Houfe, now the property of the earl of D.-jrnley. The 

 demefne furrounds the park, and confifts of about a thou- 

 fand acres of well-wooded land — Hafted's Hiftory of 

 Kent, vol. ii. Beauties of England and Wales, vol. viii. 

 Kent ; by E. W. Brayley. 



TuNBRiDGE-^^//j', a hamlet in the weft half hundred of 

 Wafhlingtone, lathe of Aylesford, and county of Kent, 

 England; confifts of feveral villages within five or fix miles 

 from the town of Tunbridge, and fituated in the three parifties 

 of Tunbridge, Frant, and Speldhurft, at the diftance of 18 

 miles S.W. from Maidftone, and 35 miles S.E. by S. from 

 London. The principal villages are, Mount-Ephraim, 

 Mount-Pleafant, Mount-Sion, and the Wells, properly fo 

 called. The /prints, to which this neighbotirhood is wholly 



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indebted for its origin, rife in the parifh of Speldhurft, and were 

 accidentallydifcoyered in the reign of James I. ( SeeTutibrUge 

 Waters. ) Their falubrious quality being foon afcertained, 

 wells were funk, paved with ftone, and incfofed with rails in a 

 triangular form. Hither came the afflifted, and returned 

 healthy : but as no accommodations were nearer than the town 

 of Tunbridge, the number was few. Henrietta Maria, queen 

 of Charles I., being much indifpofed after the birth of 

 prince Charles, ftaid here fix weeks ; but as no houfe was 

 near, fhe and her fuite remained under tents pitched upon 

 Bifhop's-Down. The fplendid court formed a fine contraft 

 to the country, every where rude, and in the unadorned 

 attire of nature. In honour of her majefty, the Wells 

 changed their name from Frant to that of Queen Mary's 

 Wells, which afterwards gave place to Tunbridge- Wells. 

 During the civil war the Wells were neglefted, and almoft 

 forgotten ; but at the Reftoration, recovered their former 

 fame. Their celebrity was greatly increafed in 1664, by 

 queen Catherine being recommended to drink the waters 

 after a dangerous illnefs. She continued here about two 

 months, in great fplendour : hence may be dated an affenibly- 

 room, bowling-green, and other appropriate places, at 

 Rufthall ; and another bowhng-grecn and a coffee-houfe at 

 Southborough. The furrounding country was fpotted wi?h 

 neat rural habitations ; till whim, and fome altercation be- 

 tween the lord of the manor and the tenants, varied the 

 fcene. Rufthall was now deferted for Mount-Ephraim, 

 and that for Southborough, which was foon eclipfed by 

 Mount-Sion. At this changeful era, many of the houfes 

 were wheeled on fledges from one fcite to another, as the 

 caprice or intereft of the owners diftated. The town of 

 Tunbridge was now left to its original quiet ; for the Wells 

 became a complete village, with houfes futficient to accom- 

 modate all the vifitors. A chapel and a fchool were erc(^tcd 

 by fubfcription, and the former being found too fmall for 

 the increafing congregation, was enlarged a few years after- 

 wards. This chapel ftands in the three parifhes ; the pulpit 

 is in Speldhurft, the altar in Tunbridge, and the veftry in 

 Frant. A Prefbyterian and alfo a Methodift meeting-houfe 

 have been fince built. During the laft century, the buildings 

 have gradually increafed ; and many perfons of rank and 

 refpedt ability have houfes for conitant or occafional refidence. 

 Trade is carried on fimilar to that of the Spa in Germany, 

 and confifts chiefly in the manufafture of a variety of 

 articles in wood of various kinds : the goods are well known 

 by the name of Tunbridge-ware, as tea-chefts, drelTing- 

 boxes, fnuff-boxes, punch-ladles, children's toys, and many 

 other articles. The air of this diftrift is very pure and 

 falubrious, and probably aids the efficacy of the waters, 

 vvhich are of the chalybeate kind, and nearly of equal 

 ftrength to thofe of the German Spa. They are confidcrcd 

 to be of great ufe in removing complaints arifing from 

 fedentary occupations, weak digeftion, and nervous and 

 chronical diforders. During the laft and prefent reigns, 

 Tunbridge-Wells has been frequently vifited by different 

 branches of the royal family. Tlie //<•&, properiy fo called, 

 form the centre of the place ; near which are the markets, 

 the medicinal water, chapel, affembly-rooms, and public 

 parades, called the Upper and Lower Walks ; the Upper 

 Walk was formerly paved with brick, but in 1793 with 

 Purbeck ftone, at an expence of 710/.; the other is un- 

 paved, and ufed chiefly by country people and fervants. 

 On the right of the paved walk, in the way from the Wctls 

 are the alfembly-room, library, coffce-houlc, and poft-oflicc, 

 with ftiops for Tunbridge-ware, millinery, and different 

 kinds of toys. A portico extends the whole length of the 

 parade, fupportcd by Tufcan pillars, where the company 

 "^ cccalionally 



