WEST HAM, is one mile south of Stratford. Near the Abbey Mills, are the site and remains of a monastery, called the Abbey of Stratford Langthorn, founded by William Montfichet in 1135, the demesne of which in this parish, included one thousand five hundred acres; besides several manors in various counties. A gateway of the abbey is still standing; and, adjoining to the Adam and Eve public house and tea gardens, is one of the stone arches of the abbey, where the ground has been much raised. In the kitchen is a carved grave-stone, on which were once some inscriptions cut in brass. In the garden is a stone coffin, dug up in 1770; and, in 1792, several urns, with three leaden coffins, an antique seal, and some old coins, were dug up in a field adjoining to the Adam and Eve. Mr. Holbrook, the proprietor of the field, after having built walls with some of the stones, sold large quantities of them to great advantage. In the same field is one of the chapels nearly entire, and now a stable.

The parish church of this village, dedicated to All Saints, is a spacious building, with a tower at the west end, containing ten bells. Within the church are yeral fine mo numents; among the principal are those erected to the memory of Sir Thomas Foot, bart. lord mayor of London, 1650; Sir John Smyth, lord mayer in 1706; Dr. Hugh Smith, an alderman of Tower ward, London, and an eminent physician, who died in 1790; Mrs. Tollet, a famous literary character; and Jeremiah Dummer, Esq. governor of New England, who died in 1739. In the churchyard are deposited the remains of George Edwards, Esq. F. R. S. the great naturalist, who died in 1773.

That unfortunate divine, Dr. Dodd, resided for some years at West Ham. Here he preached and wrote some of his best publications. Much, therefore, is to be regretted that he ever quitted this his favourite place of retirement. The valuable living of this parish was given by lord Sidmouth to the late Dr. George Gregory, well known by his various publications in the literary world.

The

The famous Sir Richard Jebb, physician to his majesty,' George III. was a native of Stratford; and Plaistow, another hamlet in this parish, was the retirement of the celebrated poet and dramatist Aaron Hill, Esq.; here he finished his Merope, and several of his poems.

There is a charity school at West Ham for forty boys and twenty girls. Mrs. Bonnell's school maintains and educates forty girls. In the parish are meeting houses for the so veral denominations of Dissenters; and at Stratford a Roman Catholic chapel. Ten almshouses are on the east side of the churchyard.

The West Ham waterworks were established in 1745, to supply the inhabitants of Stratford, Bromley, Bow, Stepney, and the adjoining districts. They are worked by a steam engine, and a water engine.

At Plaistow is an estate given by Henry Strode, Esq. for the support of his hospital and school, at Egham, Surrey; and at Ox-Leas are twelve acres of marsh land, appropriated to bind out four apprentices for ever; three of West Ham, and one of East Ham parish.

Dr. Fothergill had his famous botanic garden, at Upton. EAST HAM is between West Ham and Barking. In this parish, is a spring called Miller's Well, the water of which is esteemed to be exceedingly good, and has never been known to be frozen, or to vary in its height. A part of Kent, in the parish of Woolwich, lies on this side of the Thames, and divides this parish and Barking from Woolwich.

GREEN STREET HOUSE, in this parish, stands about a mile north-west of the church, and is an excellent mansion, partly antient, and partly modernized, with an old tower in the garden, fifty feet high. This house is said, but without sufficient authority, to have been built by Henry VIII. for Anne Boleyn. The estate has been in the family of the Nevils, earls of Westmorland and lord Latimer, some of whom are interred in the church, which is dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen; and from its structure is of very remote antiquity. In the churchyard was buried the rev. WILLIAM

WILLIAM STUKELEY, M. D. rector of St. George, Queen Square, and a celebrated äntiquary, who died in 1765, whilst on a visit to the reverend Mr. Sims, vicar of East Ham. By the doctor's particular desire he was laid in the churchyard, without any memorial, and the turf laid smooth over his grave.

We now cross the high road to the north, and arrive at WANSTED, a village, six miles from London, on the skirts of Epping Forest; it is adorned with several villas; among which, that of George Bowles, Esq. is distinguished for extensive pleasure grounds.

The church, a new and beautiful structure, was finished in 1790. Simplicity and neatness were aimed at in this rural temple, by the architect, Mr. Thomas Hardwick. The portico is of the Doric order, and the cupola supported by eight Ionic columns. The whole of the external part is faced with Portland stone. The internal order is Corinthian. The pavement of the church, remarkable for its beauty and neatness, was brought from Painswick, in Gloucestershire: that of the chancel is of the same kind of stone, intermixed with black marble dots. The window of the chancel is of stained glass; the subject, Our Saviour bearing the Cross: this, and the circular window, at the east end of each gallery (which are also of stained glass) were executed by Mr. Egington of Birmingham. In the chancel is a monument of white marble (removed from the old church) to the memory of Sir Josiah Child. The site of the church was given to the parish, by Sir J. T. Long, out of his own park, that the remains of the persons interred in the old church and churchyard might not be disturbed, and that divine service might continue, without interruption, while the new structure was erecting*. Dr. Glasse, the present venerable and worthy rector, is known in the religious world by a variety of publications.

Wansted manor originally belonged to Westminster Abbey, by a grant of Alfric, which was confirmed by Edward the Confessor; but before the conclusion of his reign it be

* Lysons.

came,