RICH 
Yhond and its vicinity have been the theme of general ad¬ 
miration, and have attracted a number of families of distinc¬ 
tion, whose seats render the village and neighbourhood' re¬ 
markably gay and splendid. The village extends about a 
mile, or more, up the hill, from the Thames, skirted and 
intermingled with agreeable gardens. The view from Rich¬ 
mond hill is particularly celebrated. It includes the windings 
of the Thames from Kingston to London, with a rich and 
varied scene of towns, villages, bridges, woods, gardens, vil¬ 
las, and fields in the highest cultivation. The summit called 
Richmond Green, is levelled and inclosed in a handsome 
manner, being surrounded with lofty elms. Richmond 
church, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen, consists of a nave, 
two aisles, and a chancel, built of bricks, with a square em¬ 
battled tower at the west gnd, composed of stone and flints 
in chequers. Among the monuments in the church is one to 
Thomson the poet. In the village there are several alms-, 
houses, and a charity school. An elegant stone bridge was 
erected over the river here, of five semicircular arches, from a 
design by Payne. Population 5219: houses 875; 9 miles 
west-south-west of London. 
RICHMOND, a market aud borough town of England, in 
the North Riding of Yorkshire. It stands on a lofty emin¬ 
ence, which rises boldly from the northern bank of the river 
Swale. The situation is delightful, the river winding in a 
semicircular sweep round the town, and the neighbouring 
county abounding, in a remarkable degree, in picturesque 
and grand scenery ; while the buildings of the town, which 
are mostly of stone, with the striking appearance of the 
castle, contribute to give the place a dignified and interest¬ 
ing appearance. The town is built on the northern declivity 
of the .hdl, and thfi castle crowns the summit, and, from a 
great height, over-looks the Swale, running in the valley be¬ 
neath. Un all sides, excepting the north, the ascent is steep 
and difficult. Though now in a very ruinous condition, the 
castle still bears marks of its former grandeur and importance. 
The keep tower, of which the walls are nearly entire, is about 
100 feet high; the walls are II feet thick; the lower story 
is supported by a vast column of stone in the middle, from 
which spriug circular arches, closing the top. The staircase 
onljr reaches to the first chamber, the rest of it being dilapi¬ 
dated, as the floors of the two upper rooms are fallen in. In 
this keep is a well of excellent water. The ruins of several 
other parts of the castle still remain. In the south-eastern 
corner of the area is a ruinous tower, in which is a dismal 
dungeon, 13 or 14 feet deep. The ground covered by the 
castle comprises nearly six acres: it belongs to the Duke of 
Richmond and Lennox. The castle of Richmond was foun¬ 
ded by Alan, the first Earl of Richmond, who, in reward for 
his services, received from William the Conqueror, the for¬ 
feited estates of Edwin, Earl of Mercia, married Hawise, the 
daughter of William, and built the castle and part of the 
town of Richmond, to protect his family and estates. Dur¬ 
ing the Norman monarchs, the title and property were pos- • 
sessed by several different families, allied to the blood royal, 
both of England and France. In the wars of York and 
Lancaster, they also several times changed possessors, and at 
length were vested in the crown, by the accession of Henry, 
earl of Richmond, to the throne, under the title of Henry VII. 
Henry VIII. constituted Richmond a duchy, in the person 
of his natural son, Henry, who died without issue in 1535. 
Richmond contains two churches, one of which is both 
parochial and collegiate. The market-place is a spacious 
and handsome building, surrounded with good shops and 
houses. Richmond was incorporated in the 19th of the reign 
of Elizabeth. It sends two members to parliament. The 
right of election is vested in the owners of ancient burgages 
in the borough, having a right of pasture in Whitecliffe com¬ 
mon. The number of voters is about 270. The corporation 
consists of a mayor, recorder, 12 aldermen, and 24 common 
council men. The chief trade of Richmond is in corn and 
lead. This is one of the greatest corn markets in the county ; 
the town being situated in the boundary of the grain district. 
The corn factors and millers repair hither from Swaledale, 
and other parts of the moors, where grazing is the principal 
M O N D. 87 
pursuit of the farmer. The lead is brought frotn the mines, 
about 14 miles westward of Richmond, and conveyed by 
land carriage to Boroughbridge and Yarm. The inhabitants 
of Richmond are also much engaged in the manufacture of 
knit yarn, stockings, and woollen caps for seamen. The 
want of water carriage and of coal is greatly felt here, and 
obstructs the progress of trade and business. The country 
round Richmond is celebrated for its picturesque beauties. 
The valley of Swaledale is in many places skirted with per¬ 
pendicular rocks, almost covered with trees and shrubs, and 
the hills on the north-west side of the town afford the most 
magnificent prospects. Market on Saturday, very good for 
cattle arid all sorts of provisions; and four annual fairs. 
Population 3056; 40 miles north-west of York, and 233" 
north-west of London. Lat. 54. 24. N. long. 1. 45. W. 
RICHMOND, a county of the United States, in the north 
part of Georgia. Population 6189, including 3536 slaves. 
Augusta is the chief town. 
RICHMOND, a county of the United States, in New York, 
occupying all Staten island. It is about 14 miles in length, 
and its greatest breadth is 8 miles. It is in many parts bro¬ 
ken and hilly, though there are some tracks of good arable 
lands, of considerable extent. Population 5347. The chief 
town is Southfield. 
RICHMOND, a county of the United States, in the south 
part of North Carolina. Population 6695, including 1394 
slaves. Rockingham is the chief town. 
RICHMOND, a county of the United States, in Virginia, 
bounded north by Westmoreland county, north-east by 
Westmoreland and Northumberland counties, south-east by 
Lancaster county, and south-west by the Rappahannock. 
Population 6214. Slaves 3178. 
RICHMOND, a city and port of entry of the United 
States, and metropolis of Virginia, in Henrico county, on the 
north side of James river, between 50 and 60 miles by the 
course of the river, above City Point, and 150 miles from its 
mouth, immediately below the falls, at the head of tide water, 
and opposite Manchester, with which it is connected by two 
bridges. Richmond is one of the most flourishing, wealthy, 
and commercial cities of the United States, in a situation 
highly picturesque, and favourable to health. It contains 
about 800 houses built of brick, many of them elegant; and 
about 600 built of wood; a glass-house, a sugar refinery, an 
iron foundry, a rolling and slittiug null, a cotton manufac¬ 
tory, 8 tobacco warehouses, 2 insurance offices, 3 banks, 
including a branch of the United States bank; a capitol or 
state-house, a house for the governor, an armory, a peniten¬ 
tiary, a court-house, a jail, an alms-house, 2 market-houses, 
a public library containing about 3000 volumes, a museum, 
a Lancasterian school, and 8 houses of public worship; 2 for 
Episcopalians, 1 for Presbyterians, 1 lor Baptists, 2 for Me¬ 
thodists, 1 for Friends, and a Jew’s synagogue. 
The falls extend nearly 6 miles, "in which distance the 
river descends 80 feet. A canal with three locks is cut on 
the north side of the river, terminating at the town, in a basin 
of about two acres. Few cities situated so far from the sea, 
possess better commercial advantages than Richmond, be¬ 
ing at the head of tidewater, on a river navigable for batteaux 
220 miles above the city, and having an extensive and fertile 
back country, abundant in the production of tobacco, wheat, 
corn, hemp, coal, &c. It has an extensive inland trade, and 
its foreign commerce is considerable. The shipping owned 
here in 1816, amounted to 9943 tons. James river is navig¬ 
able to Warwick for vessels drawing 15 or 16 feet water, and 
to Rockets, just below Richmond, for vessels drawing 10 
feet. The exports of the city consist of tobacco, flour, coal, 
and various articles of produce. 
In 1811, on the 26th of December, the theatre at Rich¬ 
mond took fire during an exhibition, and in the conflagra¬ 
tion, 72 persons lost their lives. An elegant Episcopal 
church of brick, styled the Monumental church, has since 
been erected on the spot, with a monument in front, com¬ 
memorative of the melancholy event. The city was formerly 
divided into two sections, the upper or western part, called 
Shockoe Hill, and the lower part, Richmond, separated by 
Shockoe 
