102 
LAMBETH. 
compelled to difmifs the monks, and level it with the 
ground. The deftrufHon of this convent took place in 
1199. There was, however, a fubfequent compromife 
between the monks of Canterbury and the archbifhop, by 
which it was agreed, that he might build a church at Lam¬ 
beth, any where except upon the foundation of that which 
had been deftroyed by the pope's command ; and that he 
might place a certain number of regular canons in it, and 
endow it with rents out of fome of the church.es belong¬ 
ing to the fee of Canterbury; but it was ftipulated that 
he fhould not perform any of the archiepifcopal functions 
therein. In confequence of this agreement, the founda¬ 
tion of his new church was laid by the fide of his palace. 
This church itood till the year 1374, about which time 
it was rebuilt, there being commiffions Hill preferred, 
dated in that year, and in 1377, for compelling the inha¬ 
bitants of Lambeth to contribute to the rebuilding of their 
new church and tovrer. The tower, which is of free- 
ltone, Hill remains ; the other parts of the ftru&ure ap¬ 
pear to have been built at different times. In its prefent 
form it confifts of a nave, two aides, and a chancel ; the 
nave being feparated from the aides by odiagonal pillars 
and pointed arches. The walls are built of dint, mixed 
with ftone and brick ; and both the tower and the body 
of the church are crowned with battlements. It is dedi¬ 
cated to the Virgin Mary, and is a redtory in the gift of 
the archbifhop of Canterbury. In the fouth-eafl window 
of the middle aide is a painting of a man followed by a 
dog, which is faid to have been put up in compliance 
with the will of a pedlar, who left a fmall piece of ground 
to the paridi, on condition that a pifture of him and his 
dog dtould be put up and preferved in its prefent fitu- 
ation. Whether this tradition be true or not, there is a 
piece of ground on the Surrey dde of Weltminfter-bridge, 
called Pedlar’s Acre, which contains about an acre and 
nine poles, and belongs to Lambeth paridi. Mr. Lyfons 
is of opinion, that this tradition originates in a rebus upon 
the name of the donor, and gives a fimilar inltance from 
the church of Swaffham, in Norfolk, in which there is a 
portrait of John Chapman , a great benefadlor to the paridi, 
and in different parts of the church the device of a ped¬ 
lar and his pack. By whatever means Pedlar’s Acre be¬ 
came the property of the paridi, it muft have happened 
prior to 1504, when it was let for two fliillings and eight- 
pence per annum. It -is now eftimated at two hundred 
and fifty pounds a-year. 
In this church were interred the mild and amiable pre¬ 
lates, Tunftal of Durham, and Thirleby of Ely, who, be¬ 
ing deprived of their fees for their confcientious attach¬ 
ment to the catholic religion, lived the remainder of their 
days under the protection, rather than in the cuftody, of 
archbifhop Parker, who revered their virtues, and felt for 
their misfortunes. The body of Thirleby was found in 
digging a grave for archbifhop Cornwallis. His long and 
venerable beard was in every part entire, and of a beau¬ 
tiful whitenefs; a douched hat was under his left arm, 
and his drefs was that of a pilgrim, as he efteemed himfelf 
to be upon earth. In the church-yard is the tornb of the 
Tradefcants, founders of the Afhmolean Mufeum at Ox¬ 
ford. It was ornamented on the fides with emblematical 
devices, denoting the extent of their travels, and their at¬ 
tention to natural hiftory; thefe are nearly defaced; but, 
in 1773, a new flab was placed upon the tomb, and the 
epitaph engraved upon it, which no naturalift fhould ne¬ 
glect to read. It is as follows: 
Know ltranger, ere thou pafs, beneath this ftone 
Lye John Tradefcant, grandfire, father,Ton: 
The laft dy’din his fpring; the other two 
Liv’d till they’d travell’d Art and Nature through, 
As by their choice collections may appear, 
Of what is rare, in land, in fea, in air ; 
Whilft they (as Homer’s Iliad in a nut) 
A world of wonders in one clofet (hut. 
Thefe famous antiquarians, that had been 
.Both gardeners to the Rofe-and-Lily queen, 
Tranfplanted now themfelves, ieep here; and when 
Angels (hall, with their trumpets, waken men, 
And fire (hall purge the world, thefe hence fhall rife* 
And change this garden for a paradife. 
Here are alfo interred Mr. Edward Moore, author of Fa¬ 
bles for the Female Sex, the Gamefter, feveral comedies 
and poems; and Thomas Cooke, the tranflator of Hefiod, 
Terence, See. Under the ancient walls of this church', 
Mary of Efte, queen of James II. flying with her infant 
fon from the ruin impending over her family, took flicker 
from the rain of the inclement night of December 6, 1688 ; 
here ftie waited for an hour, a melancholy fpeCIacle of 
fallen majefty, until a coach, procured from a neighbour¬ 
ing inn, arrived, and conveyed her to Gravefend, whence 
flie failed to France. 
After the demolition of the convent in 1199, the fite 
of it and the adjacent grounds were granted to the bilhop 
of Rochefter, for the purpofe of building a houfe there 
for himfelf and his fucceflors, who made it their occafio- 
nal refidence until the fixteenth century, when it came 
into the hands of Henry VIII. who granted it to the bi- 
fhop of Carlifle, and his fucceflors, by whom it was leafed 
out. This manfion, like Lambeth-palace, was fold by the 
regicides, and flnee that time its hiftory exhibits fome re¬ 
markable viciflitudes. It was firfta pottery, then a tavern 
and common brothel; and was afterwards inhabited by a 
dancing-mafter, who endeavoured, without fuccefs, to get 
it opened as a public place. At prefent it is an academy, 
and retains the name of Carlifle-houfe. The premifes are 
ftill furrounded with part of the 3ncient walls. 
At the angle where the road from Weftminfter-bridge 
over St. George’s-fields parts into two, one leading to 
Kennington, and the other to Newington, ftands the 
Afylum for Female Orphans. This charitable foundation 
was eftabliftied in order to preferve poor friendlefs and de- 
ferted girls, under twelve years of age, from the miferies 
and dangers to which they wrnuld be expofed, and from 
the guilt of proftitution. Thefe and other confiderations 
induced a number of noblemen and gentlemen, who had ap¬ 
proved of a propofal from John Fielding, efq. one of thejuf- 
tices for the liberty of Weftminfter, to hold a meeting on 
the tenth of May, 1758, for carrying into execution apian 
of this Afylum. Several other meetings were foon after 
held, in which the rules and orders for the reception and 
management of the children were eftabliftied, and the 
leafe of a houfe, formerly the Hercules-inn, agreed for. 
This houfe was foon fitted up and furniftied, and the firlt 
children were admitted on the fifth of July following. The 
objects received are orphans, the daughters of neceflitous 
parents, refiding in pariflies where they have no relief, and 
defected girls within the bills of mortality, from eight to 
twelve years of age. They are regularly and alternately 
employed in reading, knitting, fowing, and in the bufi- 
nefs of the kitchen, to which latter employment four are 
appointed weekly, to be with the cook, to aflift her, and 
to receive from her the neceffary inftruftions in plain 
cookery, and other employments of the kitchen. They 
likewife make the beds, clean the rooms, aflift in wafhing 
and ironing the linen, and in other lioufehold bufinefs, 
according to their refpeftive ages and abilities, at the dif- 
cretion of the matron. 
Nearer to Weftminfter-bridge, on the north fide of the 
road, is a neat brick building, called the Weftminfter Ly- 
ingrin Hofpital, eftabliftied in 1765, for the relief of fuch 
poor women as are unable to fupport the expence of pro¬ 
curing proper afliftance at home. This inftitution not 
only receives married women, but alfo thofe who have 
been feduced, and then deferted to poverty, guilt, and 
fliame, left, as the founders obferved, “they may be driven 
to defpair by fuch complicated mifery, and be tempted to 
deftroy themfelves, or murder their infants :” but, to ob¬ 
viate all objection to its being an encouragement to vice, 
no unmarried woman is admitted a fecond time. This 
hofpital was erected, and w fupported, by voluntary con¬ 
tributions. 
la 
