196 From FARNHAM to EPSOM, 
utility, as it communicates with the Thames. Com and timber 
are thus brought to the capital ; and the mills which are worked 
on it, fupply the neighboring country with meal, which is alfo 
conveyed in conflderable quantities to London. — This place is 
a great thoroughfare into Hampshire. It is well inhabited, 
and contains three churches, with an hofpital for twelve old 
men, and eight women, built by george abbot, archbifhop of 
Canterbury, in the reign of james I. His monument being 
broken down by the top of a church tumbling in, the parts of 
it are now depoiited in the hofpital : it is faid the occafion of 
building this houfe of charity, was to attone for his acciden- 
tally killing a man. This bifhop, tho’ defcended from an ob- 
fcure family in guilford, one of his brothers became a bifhop 
alfo, and the other lord-mayor of London. — But what Truck 
me mod;, was the ruins of an old caftle, part of which now 
belongs to dr. mitchel; and fome of the remains of a palace 
of great extent, which, as appears by the beft authorities, was 
the refidence of ethelred, one of the saxon kings, near 800 
years ago. It alfo appears from the foundations that have been 
dug up, at fome diftance from the place where the ruins now 
Hand, that the whole declivity of the hill on the eafl-iide of 
the river wey, was occupied by this monarch. In thofe days 
this place was called geldford ; geld in german fignifies 
money ; whence one would be led to conclude, that it had 
fome allufion to the great fertility of this country, and the de- 
lightful profpe&s with which it abounds on every fide. I be- 
lieve it was the queen of this potentate, called ebby, whofe 
favorite refidence was called ebby’s hem, or ebby’s home, now 
converted into epsom. 
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