EAST SMITHFIELD, a small square near Little Tower Hill, surrounded with but indifferent buildings.
EAST SMITHFIELD COURTS. In this liberty two courts are held, viz. a court leet and court baron; in the first officers are chosen, and nuisances presented; and in the second pleas are held to the amount of forty shillings.
EAST SMITHFIELD _double passage_, Tower hill.
EAST SMITHFIELD _School_, was founded in the year 1673, by Sir Samuel Sterling, Knight and Alderman of this city, who endowed it with certain lands and tenements in East Smithfield, of the yearly value of 20_l._ for educating sixteen poor boys of the parish of St. Botolph Aldgate, viz. eight in the city liberty, and eight in that of East Smithfield.
EAST _street_, 1. Red Lion street, Holborn. 2. Spitalfields market.
EDGEWARE, a town twelve miles from London, in the road to St. Alban’s, Watford, and Harrow on the Hill, is situated on the very edge of the county of Middlesex. The old Roman way called Watling Street passes by here from London.
The late Duke of Chandos built near this town one of the most noble seats in England, which he adorned and furnished at such vast expence, that it had scarce its equal in the kingdom. The great saloon or hall was painted by Paolucci, and the plaistering and gilding of the house was done by the famous Italian Pergotti. The columns supporting the building were all of marble: the grand stair-case was extremely fine; the steps were marble, and every step was one whole piece twenty-two feet in length.
The avenue was spacious and majestic, and as it afforded the view of two fronts, joined as it were in one, the distance not permitting you to see the angle that was in the center, so you were agreeably deceived into the opinion, that the front of the house was twice as large as it really was. And yet on approaching nearer, you were again surprized, by perceiving a winding passage opening, as it were, a new front to the eye of near an hundred and twenty feet wide, which you imagined not to have seen before.
The gardens were well designed, and the canals large and noble. The chapel was a singularity both in its building and the beauty of the workmanship, and the late Duke maintained there at one time a full choir, and had divine worship performed with the best music, after the manner of the chapel royal. But all this grandeur was soon at an end. The furniture and curiosities were brought to public auction; and this superb edifice quite demolished. _Tour through Great Britain._