HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES, OF THE ANCIENT TOWN OF KINGSTON UPON THAMES. THE obscurity of the remote periods of local History, renders it impossible to give a very satisfactory account of the original formation and early growth, of Towns of considerable antiquity: this is particularly the case of the town of Kingston upon Thames. That this Town was a celebrated place in the early periods of our History, is erident from the record of a council held there in the year 838. as will be mentioned hereafter. "The Leland, describing this place, says, "olde monuments of the toune of Kingeston, be "founde yn the declyving doune from Come Park "towards the Galoys; and there yn ploughying "and diggid, have very often beene founde fun❝dations of waulles of houses, and diverse coynes. "of brasse, sylyer, and gold, with Romaine in"scriptions, and painted yerthen pottes; and yn the Cardinal Wolsey's tyme was found 66 one yn "Romayne money of sylver and plates of sylver to 66 coyne, and masses to bete into plates to coyne, "and chaynes of sylver. And yn the old tyme the "commune saying ys that the bridge where the 66 commun passage was over the Tamise was lower "on the ryver than it is now. And when men 66 began the new town in the Saxon tymes they "toke from the very clive of Comepark side to "build on the Tamise side; and sette a new bridge "hard by the same. In the new towne by "the Tamise side there is a house yet caulled "the Bishop's Haulle. But now it is turnid into 66 a commun dwelling house of a tounish man. "It was sumetyme the bishop of Winchester's "House, and as far as I can conject sum bishop 66 wery of it did neglect this house and becam to "build at Assher nere the Tamise side 2 or 3 "miles above Kingeston." This house has been long since pulled down; the site of it is still called Bishop's Hall. As the bishop's of Winchester before Waynfleets time, held frequent ordinations in the parish church at Kingston, it is not improbable that they might have a temporary residence here, to which they could resort upon such occasions, instead of an inn. Situation Situation and Boundaries. Kingston is a market and corporation town, pleasantly situated on the eastern banks of the Thames, and on the great road from London to Portsmouth; is distant eleven miles from Westminster bridge, and gives name to the hundred in which it lies. The parish is of large extent, and is bounded by Petersham, Richmond, Putney, Mortlake, Wimbleton, Merton, Malden, Chesington, and Long Ditton. The soil is various, consisting of clay, sand, and gravel, but no chalk; the land is for the most part arable. The parish, exclusive of Ilam and Hook, which are rated separately, is. assessed the sum of 14491. 13s. 8d. to the landtax. Kingston formerly a Borough. This town, was represented in five Parliaments. by the following Burgesses viz. 4 EDW II. Westminster, Adam le Templeur. ..... John de Cruïce. 5 EDW II. London, |