in Cambridgeshire; seven in Surrey; four in Northamp tonshire; seven in Warwickshire; twenty in Buckinghamshire; twenty-five in Staffordshire; and fourteen in Worcestershire, of which Dudley was one, where he had a castle*. In some places he is called Ausculph de Pinchengi. But he is supposed to have left no issue, as the castle of Dudley, and the rest of his lands, soon after became the property of Gervase Paganell. We do not find how long this manor remained in the family of Paganell; but at an early period it became the property of a lord, who, according to the custom of the time, assumed his name from it, viz. John de Cranford, who gave this lordship, and rectory appendant, to the Knights Templars; which order being dissolved in the beginning of the fourth century, this manor and church were settled upon the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem, in England; who held them till the suppression, after which king Henry VIII. granted them to William lord Windsor; but it seems to have been either for life, or a set time, for they were both in the crown in the second year of king James the First's reign, who granted the advowson to Roger Aston, knt.; and in the sixteenth of his reign, granted both the manor and advowson to Elizabeth lady Berkeley, and her heirs, to be held in capite; and it still continues in the family, the right honourable the earl of Berkeley being the present possessor. CRANFORD ST. JOHN; or, as it is otherwise called, CRANFORD PARK, on the north of Hounslow Heath, the seat of the earl, is only the remain of an antient structure, situate at an angle of the park, near Cranford church. The park is well watered by a branch of the river Coln; and, though it commands no variety of prospects, yet from the distribution of the woods and other accompaniments, it may be deemed a pleasant retirement. Notwithstanding its vicinity to the metropolis, it is celebrated for game, particularly pheasants, which are to be seen in great numbers; considerable pains having been taken for their pre Ninety-one manors in all. servation. servation. Within the house are the portraits of James, earl of Berkeley, vice-admiral of the White, in the reign of queen Anne; Charles, earl of Berkeley; Sir Maurice Berkeley; John, first lord Berkeley of Stratton, with his lady and his son; lord Fitzharding; Jocelyn, earl of Northumberland; Henry lord Hunsdon, 1591; Dr. Harvey; Dean Swift; Sir William Temple; Sir John Temple, &c. Cranford Church is dedicated to St. Dunstan, and is a small structure, consisting of a nave and chancel. It contains, however, some handsome monuments, particularly to the memory of Sir Roger Aston, his two wives, and family; Dr. Fuller, the historian and divine; Sir Charles Scarburgh, knt. M. D. of whom see Vol. 111. under Barber Surgeons Hall, and St. Paul's School; the noble family of Berkeley. Among the rectors were Dr. FULLER, Dr. (afterwards bishop) Wilkins. HESTON, is ten miles and a half from London, and a mile and a half to the north of the great western road. The soil (in general a strong loam) is noted for producing wheat of a very fine quality. Camden speaks of it as having, before his time, furnished the royal table with bread; and Norden, who bears the same testimony to its superior quality, says, it was reported that queen Elizabeth had "the manchets for her highness' own diet" from Heston. The hamlet was part of the manor of Isleworth, in 1300, and possessed by Edmund, earl of Cornwall. In 1316, this place assumed to be a manor, belonging to the crown, and became afterwards, vested in the master and wardens of St. Giles's Hospital; it ultimately was mortgaged to Sir Francis Child and the earl of Devonshire, in 1683. In 1713, the fee-simple came, by purchase, to his son Francis Child, Esq. afterwards Sir Francis, and lord mayor in 1732, from whom it descended to the late Robert Child, Esq. whose widow married lord Ducie, and died in 1793. Heston is the property, in trustees, of lady Sarah Child. OSTERLEY OSTERLEY PARK, in this parish, belonged to the convent of Sion, on the suppression of which it was granted to Henry, marquis of Exeter; and, reverting to the crown on his attainder, Edward VI. granted it to the duke of Somerset. Being again forfeited by his attainder, it was granted, in 1557, to Augustine Thaier. Retween this period and 1570, it came into the possession of Sir Thomas Gresham, by whom a noble edifice was erected. Here this great merchant magnificently entertained queen Elizabeth *. This mansion afterward passed into several hands, and was the seat of Sir William Waller, the celebrated parliamentary general. In the beginning of the eighteenth century it was purchased by Sir Francis Child, lord mayor of London, in 1699, and one of its representatives in parliament. The park is finely wooded, six miles in circumference. The house (the shell of which was completely rebuilt by Francis Child, Esq. in 1760) is a magnificent structure, extending one hundred and forty feet from east to west, and one hundred and seventeen from north to south. At each angle is a turret; and to the east front is a fine portico of the Ionic order, which is ascended by a grand flight of steps, and profusely adorned by antiques, &c. The apartments are spacious, and are magnificently fitted up with the richest hangings of silk, velvet, and Gobelins tapestry, elegantly sculptured marbles, highly enriched entablatures of Mosaic work, &c. The decorations of the apartments * Of this visit the following anecdote is recorded, in Mr. Nichols's Progresses of that queen: "Her majesty found fault with the court of this house, affirming it would appear more handsome, if divided with a court in the middle. What does Sir Thomas, but in the night time sends for workmen to London, who so speedily and silently apply their business, that next morning discovered the court double, which the night had left single before. It is questionable whether the queen, next day, was more contented with the conformity to her fancy, or more pleased with the surprise and sudden performance thereof. Her courtiers disported themselves with their several expressions; some avowing it was no ́ ́wonder he could so soon change a building, who could build a Change: others, reflecting on some known differences in the knight's family, affirmed, that a house is casier divided than united." display display the great talents of the late Mr. Robert Adam, the architect, and of Zucchi, the painter; and they were all fitted up by the late Robert Child, Esq. who succeeded his brother Francis, in 1763. The staircase is ornamented with a fine painting, by RUBENS, brought from Holland by Sir Francis Child, and representing the Apotheosis of WilJiam I. prince of Orange. From the lodges at the entrance of the park, a spacious road passes between two fine sheets of water, which being on different levels, may be termed the upper and lower. The first is opposite the east front, and in view of the house. Though not large, it gives beauty and variety to this part of the park. The lower water is of much greater extent, and partly inclosed by woods, through which it makes a noble sweep. On the north shore of this lake, is a menagerie, which contained a fine collection of exotic birds, but were dispersed since the decease of lady Ducie. Here the lake bends to the north-west, and, at some distance, has a bridge of stone: beyond this it begins to contract, and is soon lost to the eye of the observer. Mr. Child's only daughter having married the earl of Westmoreland, he left this estate to the second son of that nobleman, or, in default of a second son, to any daughter who should first attain the age of twenty-one; and, in either case, the said son or daughter to assume the name of Child. In consequence of this, the estate is vested in the hands of Robert Dent, Esq. and others, in trust for lady Sarah Child, the only daughter of the late countess. The parish Church of Heston, is dedicated to St. Leonard, and contains the monuments of the right honourable Walter Cary, secretary to Lionel, duke of Dorset, lord lieutenant of Ireland; Mr. Cary died in 1757. Robert Child, Esq. 1782 Lord George Bentinck. HOUNSLOW. is a market town, nine miles three quarters from London. It is, however, a hamlet to two parishes; the south side lying in Isleworth, and the north side, with the chapel, in Heston. |