The city of London is intrusted with the management of this charity, and is to receive annually 200_l._ for its support, out of an estate in Yorkshire, till the expiration of a lease of 199 years, when the produce of the whole manor, which is said to amount to above 600_l._ _per annum_, is to be appropriated to the augmentation of this foundation.
Some time ago the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen caused to be erected at the upper end of this hospital, a handsome school house and dormitory, for the reception of twenty poor boys and girls, who were first admitted in the year 1735. They are supplied with the necessaries of life; the boys are taught reading, writing, and accounts; and the girls reading, writing, and plain work.
EMBROIDERERS, incorporated by the name of Broderers. See an account of this company under the article BRODERERS.
ENFIELD, a town in Middlesex near eleven miles from London. Almost in the center of Enfield Chace, are the ruins of an old house, said to have belonged to the Earls of Essex. Here is a fine lodge for the ranger, and the skirts of the chace abound with handsome country houses belonging to the citizens of London. When King James I. resided at Theobalds, this chace was well stocked with deer, and all sorts of game; but in the civil wars it was stripped both of the game and timber, and even let out in farms: however, after the restoration it was again laid open, woods were planted, and the whole chace afresh stocked with deer.
ENGLEFIELD GREEN, a village in Berkshire, in the parish of Egham, where are several pleasant seats.
EPPING, a town in Essex, seventeen miles from London. The markets, which are on Thursday for cattle, and on Friday for provisions, are kept in Epping street, a hamlet about a mile and a half from the church. There are several fine seats in Epping Forest, which is a royal chace, and extends from the town almost to London.
EPSOM, a well-built and handsome town in Surry, sixteen miles from London, abounds with very genteel houses, which are principally the retreats of the merchants and citizens of London, and is a delightful place open to Bansted Downs. Its mineral waters, which issue from a rising ground nearer Ashted than Epsom, were discovered in 1618, and soon became extremely famous; but though they are not impaired in virtue, they are far from being in the same repute as formerly; however, the salt made of them is valued all over Europe. The hall, galleries, and other public apartments, are now run to decay, and there remains only one house on the spot, which is inhabited by a countryman and his wife, who carry the waters in bottles to the adjacent places. Horse races are annually held on the neighbouring downs. The town extends about a mile and a half in a semicircle from the church to Lord Guilford’s fine seat at Durdans; and, as Mr. Whatley observes, there are here so many fields, meadows, orchards and gardens, that a stranger would be at a loss to know whether this was a town in a wood, or a wood in a town. There are many fine seats in this neighbourhood, besides Durdans, already mentioned, as Lord Baltimore’s, the Lady Fielding’s, Earl of Berkshire’s, &c.