1698 Tour: London to Bury St Edmunds

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MY GREAT JOURNEY TO NEWCASTLE AND TO CORNWALL,

the account of many journeys into most parts of England, what observation and distance of one place to another in my travels.

Ffrom London to Albins in Essex 17 mile S^r Robert abdys, Whose house stands very pleasantly in a parke full of deer. The house on an advanced ground appeares to view at y^e Entrance, but its old building: Large Roomes- some Rows of trees Lead up to it. Thence I returned home 17 mile more, from London to Bednal-green twice, and back againe 16 mile, from London to Highgate 4 miles to M^r Thomas's house, where is a most exact garden w^th all sorts of greens and flowers and fish ponds. There my Nephew Ffiennes Harrison w^th M^r Showers went to fish w^th me. Thence we went to Hampstead, so made it 5 mile home againe. I went from London twice and back againe from Kensington 2 and London 2 miles.

, in all 8 mile-this I put in only to know the number of miles y^t I went in one yeare.

Ffrom London to Amwell bery w^ch is in Hartfordshire 19 mile, where I staid a day or two: thence to Bishopstafford in Essex 13 mile, thence to Dunmew 8 long miles thro' severall Little villages; its very deep way Especially after raine. This is a Little Market town: they are altogether taken up about the spinning and prepareing for the Bayes. All along between that and Colchester you pass but halfe a mile Ere one Comes to two or 3 houses all along the road; its from Dunmow to Colchester 22 miles and mostly Clay deep way. Colchester is a Large town in the Compass of Ground. Fformerly there was 16 Churches tho' now much of it is ruinated. A mile before you Come to the new town one Enters a little village which still is in the Limits of y^e Citty and Majors jurisdiction; there is a pretty good house of y^e Lord Lucas.

You Enter the town by a gate; there are 4 in all; there is a Large Streete w^ch runs a great Length down to the bridge, near a mile long: about the middle of it runs another broad streete and near its Length like stalls on purpose to Lay their Bayes when exposed to saile. Great quantetyes are made here and sent in Bales to London that is 44 miles distant. Y^e whole town is Employ'd in spinning weaveing, washing drying and dressing their Bayes in w^ch they seeme very Industrious. There I saw y^e Card they use to Comb and dress the Bayes, w^ch they Call y^m testles, w^ch are a kind of Rush tops or something Like them w^ch they put in frames or Laths of wood. The town Looks Like a thriveing place by the substantiall houses and well pitched streetes w^ch are broad Enough for two Coaches to go a breast, besides a pitch'd walke on Either side by y^e houses secured by stumps of wood, and is Convenient for 3 to walke together. Their buildings are of timber of Loame and Lathes and much tileing: the fashion of the Country runs much in Long Roofes and great Cantilivers and peakes. Out of these great streetes runs many Little streetes, but not very narrow-mostly old buildings Except a few houses builded by some Quakers, y^t are brick and of the London mode. The town did Extend itself to the sea but now its ruines sets it 3 mile off. Y^e low Grounds all about y^e town are used for y^e whitening their Bayes for w^ch this town is remarkable, and also for Exceeding good oysters, but its a dear place and to Grattifye my Curiosity to Eate them on y^e place I paid dear. Its a town full of Dessenters, 2 meeteings very full besides anabaptists and quakers. Formerly the famous M^r Stockton was minister there till he Dyed. From Colchester to jpswitch is 10 mile, and thence to Dedom 9 miles, the way pretty good Except 4 or 5 miles they Call y^e severalls, a sort of deep moore Ground and woody. At this place I passed over a wooden bridge, pretty Large, w^th timber railes of w^ch make they build their bridges in these parts; and now I go into Suffolk w^ch is not so rich Land as y^e part of Essex I passed through, w^ch was meadows and grounds w^th great burdens of grass and Corn. So I went to jpswitch 9 mile more; this is a very Clean town and much bigger than Colchester is now. Ipswitch has 12 Churches, their streetes of a good size well pitch'd w^th small stones; a good market Cross railed in. was there on Satturday w^ch is their market day and saw they sold their Butter by y^e pinte 20 ounces for 6 pence and often for 5^d or 4^d ; they make it up in a Mold just in the shape of a pinte pot and so sell it. Their Market Cross has good Carving, y^e ffigure of justice Carv'd and Gilt. There is but 3 or 4 good houses in y^e town-y^e rest is much Like y^e Colchester buildings, but it seems more shatter'd, and Indeed the town Looks a Little disregarded, and by Enquiry found it to be thro' pride and sloth, for tho' the sea would bear a ship of 300 tun up quite to y^e Key, and y^e ships of y^e first Rate Can Ride w^th in two mile of the town, yet they make no advantage thereof by any sort of manufacture, w^ch they might do as well as Colchester and Norwitch, so that y^e shipps that brings their Coales goes Light away, neither do they address themselves to victual or provide for shipps. They have a Little dock where formerly they built ships of 2 or 3 tun, but now Little or Nothing is minded save a Little ffishing for y^e supply of y^e town. There is one pretty good house of y^e Earle of Herrifords that marry'd one of M^r Norborns Daughters, that was Killed by S^r Tho: Montgomery. You Enter thro' two Courts walled and divided by a breast wall on w^ch are Iron spikes pallasadoes: the Middle is a broad gravell walk fenced in w^th stone walls; on Each side 3 or 4 steps up into the other Court, and so many steps more thro' an arch into a third Court. This arch joyns a Low building w^ch are the offices Leaded on the top, and rail'd round, and Each End Enters into Chambers joyning to y^e house, that is built round this Last Court from whence you Enter y^e porch. The house is handsome all brick worke and brick pillars; a good hall, parlour, and drawing roome, and Large Closet, 2 or 3 other Roomes less, answereing it and a Billyard Roome above w^th as many roomes of state all ffurnish'd w^th good old things: a pretty staircase, but its all Little. There are 3 gardens on the one side w^th grass and gravell walkes all kept neate, and good fruite; on the other side is one Large garden w^th asunder house in w^th stands a Large statue, black, of a Gigantick form and proportion; this answeres the fine green house on y^e other side. This town has many dessenters in it. Thence I went to Woodbridge 7 miles mostly Lanes, Enclosed Countrys. This is a Little Market town but has a great meeting for y^e dessenters. Thence to Wickham 5 mile more but these are all very Long miles.

Thence to Saxmunday 8 miles more: this is a pretty bigg market town. The wayes are pretty deep, mostly Lanes very Little Commons. I pass'd by severall Gentlemens seates, one, M^r Dormers w^ch stands in a fine parke. Y^e Entrance from y^e Road thro' rows of trees Discover'd the front and building very finely to view, being built w^th stone and Brick and many sashes: Lookes like a new house w^th y^e open jron barr gates between pillars of stone the breadth of y^e house. So to Bathfort 8 miles where is the remaines of y^e walls of an abby and there is still a very fine Church all Carv'd in stone hollow work one tire above another to y^e tower that ascends not very high but finely Carv'd: also hence I descended with Low^r grounds banck'd on Each side w^th a brick wall, but Low and so a walk on it for foote people, and severall arches here and there to draine off the water, so that those bancks are to secure the Road from the Marshy ffenny water that of a great Extent on both sides is subject to. Thence I passed ? by some woods and Little villages of a few scattered houses, and Generally y^e people here are able to give so bad a Direction that passengers are at a loss what aime to take: they know scarce 3 mile from their home, and meete them where you will and Enquire how farre to such a place they mind not where they are then, but tell you so farre, w^ch is the distance from their own houses to y^t place. I saw at a distance as I descended some of their hills a Large place that Look'd nobly and stood very high Like a Large town. They told me it was called Either Stowle or Nole I cannot tell w^ch . I Rode in sight of S^t Georges Channell? In the way from Colchester and Ipswitch and so to Norwich. Sometymes it was in view then Lost againe. To Beckle is 8 mile more w^ch in all was 36 miles from Ipswitch, but Exceeding Long miles; they do own they are 41 measured miles. This is a Little market town but its the third biggest town in y^e County of Suffolke -Ipswitch, Berry and this. Here was a good big meeteing place at Least 400 hearers and they have a very good minister one M^r Killinghall; he is but a young man but seemed very serious. I was there y^e Lords day. S^r Robert Rich is a great supporter of them and Contributed to y^e building the meeteing place w^ch is very neate. He has a good house at y^e End of the town w^th fine gardens. There are no good buildings the town, being old timber and plaister work Except his and one or two more. There is a pretty bigg market Cross, and a great Market kept. There is a handsome stone built Church and a very good publick minister whose name is Armstrong: he preaches very well they say notwithstanding the town is a sad Jacobitish town. This Chooses no parliam^t men. At y^e towns End one passes over the river Waveny on a wooden bridg railed w^th timber and so you Enter into Norfolk: its a Low flatt ground all here about, so that the Least raines they are overflowed by y^e River and Lye under water as they did when I was there, so that the roade Lay under water w^ch is very unsafe for strangers to pass by reason of y^e holes and quicksands and Loose bottom. The ordinary people both in Suffolk and Norfolk knitt much and spin, some w^th y^e Rock and fusoe as the French does, others at their wheeles out in the streete and Lanes as one passes. Its from this town to Norwitch 12 miles, and its 10 to Yarmouth where they build some small shipps, and is a harbour for them and where they victual them. Also Harwitch about 12 or 14 miles also, but the miles are here as long again as about London and pretty deep way, Especially after raines: these miles are much Longer than most miles in Yorkshire.

Norwitch opens to view a mile distance by the help of a hill whereon is a little village. As I observe most of y^e great towns and Cittys have about them Little villages as attendants or appendix's to them w^ch are a sort of Subburbs, there being stragling houses for y^e most part all the way between y^t and y^e gates. You pass over a high bridge y^t leads on over a high Causey of a pretty Length w^ch Lookes somewhat dangerous being fenced with trenches from its bancks (pretty deep) that's on both sides to secure it from the water, and these trenches runns in many places round the Low grounds to drain them, w^ch Employ'd to whiten and Bleach their woollen stuff the manufacture of the place. This Long Causey brings you to the Large stone bridge over the river into w^ch those trenches Empty themselves.

Then you proceed to the Citty w^ch is walled round full of towers Except on the river side w^ch serves for the wall. They seeme y^e best in repaire of any walled Citty I know tho' in some places there are little breaches, but the Carving and battlements and towers Lookes well. I enter'd the west gate. There are 12 gates in all and 36 Churches, which is to be seen in a Clear Day altogether on the Castle walls-I told 30 myself there. They are built all of flints well headed or Cut w^ch makes them Look blackish and shineing. The streetes are all well pitch'd w^th small stones and very Clean, and many very broad streetes: y^t I Entred in first was very broad for 2 Coaches or Carts to pass on Either side, and in the middle was a great well house w^th a wheele to wind up the water for the good of y^e publick. A Little further is a Large pond walled up w^th brick a mans height w^th an Entrance on one End. A Little farther was a building on which they were at work, design'd for a water house to supply y^e town by pipes into their houses w^th water. At a Little distance was another such a pond walled in as I described before. These things fill up the middle of this spacious streete w^ch is for use and also ornament, y^e spaces Each side being so broad. This brings you into a broad space Called the Hay market w^ch is on a hill, a very steep descent all well pitch'd as before: this Comes to another space for a market to sell hoggs in, and opens farther into divisions of buildings that begins severall streetes y^t runs off good Lengths and are of a tollerable size. One runs along behind w^ch is all for stalls for y^e Country butchers that bring their meate for y^e supply of y^e town, w^ch pay such a Rent for them to y^e town. On y^e other side are houses of y^e town butchers, y^e Inhabitants: by it is a Large market for fish, w^ch are all at a Little distance from y^e heart of y^e Citty, so is not annoy'd w^th them. There is a very Large market place and hall and Cross for fruite and little things Every day, and also a place under pillars for y^e Corn market.

The building round here is Esteemed y^e best and here is the town Hall, but all their buildings are of an old form, mostly in deep poynts and much tileing as has been observ'd before, and they playster on Laths w^ch they strike out into squares like broad free stone on y^e outside, w^ch makes their fronts Look pretty well; and some they build high and Contract y^e roofes resembling the London houses, but none of brick Except some few beyond the river w^ch are built of some of y^e Rich factors like y^e London buildings. There is in y^e middle of y^e town the Duke of Norfolks house of Brick and stone, w^th severall towers and turrets and balls y^t Looks well, w^th Large gardens, but y^e Inside is all demolished only y^e walls stand and a few Roomes for offices but nothing of state or tollerable for use.

On y^e Castle hill you see y^e whole Citty at once, being built round it: its a vast place and takes up a Large tract of ground, its 6 miles in Compass.

Here is the County hall and Goale where y^e assizes are held and y^e Sessions. Nothing of y^e Castle remaines but a green space, and under it is also a Large space for y^e beast market, and 3 tymes in y^e year is there a very great faire kept to w^ch resort a vaste Concourse of people, and wares- a full trade. Y^e whole Citty Lookes Like what it is, a Rich thriveing Industrious place; Satturday is their great market day. They have beside y^e town hall a hall distinct w^ch is the scaleing hall where their stuffs are all measured, and if they hold their breadths and Lengths they are scaled, but if they are deffective there is a fine Layd on y^e owner and a private marke on y^e stuff w^ch shews its defficiency.

There was also y^e mint which they Coyn'd, but since the old money is all new Coyn'd into mill'd money, that Ceases. Here there is a ffine large Cathedrall and very Loftly, but nothing remarkable of monuments or else: by it is 3 hospitalls for boys girls and old people who spinn yarne, as does all y^e town besides for y^e Crapes, Callimancos and damaskes w^ch is y^e whole business of the place. Indeed they are arrived to a great perfection in worke, so fine and thinn and glossy; their pieces are 27 yards in Length and their price is from 30 shillings to 3 pound as they are in ffineness. A man Can weave 13 yards a day, I saw some weaveing; they are all Employ'd in spinning, knitting weaveing, dying, scouring or bleaching stuffs. Their hospitalls are well provided for; there are 3 2 women in one as many men in y^e other, there is also a good free schoole. There is a great many Cerimonyes in y^e Choice and Swearing their major: they Elect him the first day of May and yⁿ prepare for his being sworne on Holly Thursday. They new washe and plaister their houses w^th in and without w^ch they strike out in squares like free stone. All y^e streete in w^ch this mayor Elect's house, is very exact in beautifying themselves and hanging up flaggs y^e Coull^rs of their Companyes, and dress up pageants and there are playes and all sorts of show that day-in Little what is done at y^e Lord major of London show. Then they have a great feast w^th fine flaggs and scenes hung out, musick and danceing. I was in y^e hall they keep their feast in and saw some of their preparations: for that day being about a fortnight to it. The town is a mile and a halfe from y^e North to y^e South gate. Just by one of y^e Churches there is a wall made of flints that are headed very finely and Cut so exactly square and Even to shutt in one to another that y^e whole wall is made without Cement at all they say, but it appears to be very little if any morter; it Looks well, very smooth shineing and black.

A great many descenters are in this Citty, the Gentle-woman that was my acquaintance there dyed 10 dayes before I came thither so I made no great stay there but to see about y^e town.

Thence I went to Windham a Little market town 5 miles, mostly on a Causey y^e Country being Low and moorish, and y^e Road on y^e Causey was in many places full of holes tho' its secured by a barr at which passengers pay a penny a horse in order to the mending y^e way, for all about is not to be Rode on Unless its a very dry summer. Thence we went mostly through Lanes where you meete y^e ordinary people knitting 4 or 5 in a Company under the hedges. To Attlborough, 5 mile more to a Little village, still finding the Country full of spinners and Knitters: thence to Thetford 6 miles more, w^ch was formerly a large place but now much decay'd and the ruines only shews it dimentions. There is a very high hill quite round stands up on one side of it and Can scarcely be ascended so steep. Here I Lay, w^ch is still in Norfolk. Next day I went to Euston Hall w^ch was y^e Lord arlingtons and by his only daughters marriage w^th y^e Duke of Grafton is his sons by her. Its two mile from thetford, it stands in a Large parke 6 miles about. Y^e house is a Roman H of brick: 4 towers w^th balls on them; the windows are Low and not sashes Else y^e roomes are of a good size and height, a good stair case full of good pictures, a Long gallery hung w^th pictures at Length, on y^e one side the Royal family from K: Henry y^e 7^th by y^e Scottish race, his Eldest daughter down to y^e present King William and his queen Mary. The other side are forreign princes from y^e Emperour of Moroccoe, y^e Northern and Southern princes and Emperour of Germany. There is a square in y^e middle where stands a billiard table, hung w^th outlandish pictures of Heroes; there is Count Egmint and Horn & &, but y^e End of y^e Roome is y^e Duke and Dutchess of Grafton's picture at length. Thence I enter'd into dineing and drawing roome and bed Chambers of a very good size and good fret work on y^e Cieling: in one of the roomes was y^e Dutchess of Cleavelands picture in a sultaness dress, the Duke of Grafton being King Charles y^e seconds base son by her. There was also another picture of y^e Royal family. K Charles y^e firsts 5 Children altogether. I have often seen 3 w^ch was K: Charles y^e second, K: James and y^e Princess of Orange; but here was also y^e Lady Elizabeth and y^e Duke of Glocester a Little Infant on a pillow. In another place there is the queen mothers picture the Lady Henrietta drawn Large. There is a fine hall and parlour below pav'd w^th free stone. There are good gardens w^th fountaines and some stone statutes, a Cannall by y^e side, a Large Court at y^e Entrance w^th 3 Iron barr gates w^ch open to y^e ffront, divided w^th stone pillars and balls. Y^e Court w^th out is walled round and y^e wall is Carry'd a great Length round y^e back yards. Within this is another Court w^th Iron spike pallasadoes divided Every 2 or 3 yards by little stone pillars with balls. There are severall Rows of trees runs of a great length thro' the parke a visto to y^e front of y^e house, w^ch lookes nobly tho' not just of y^e new modell'd way of building. At y^e back gate I crossed over y^e river Waveney w^ch is y^e division of y^e two County's and enter'd Suffolk and pass'd over perfect downs, Champion Country just like Salisbery plaine; and y^e winds have a pretty power here and blows strongly in y^e winter not well to be Endured.

So to S^t Edmundsbery 8 mile, but as has been often observ'd before, the miles are very long. I pass'd by two or 3 Little villages, and about 2 mile off there is y^e town of S^t Edm^ds Bury w^ch appeares standing on a great hill, y^e towers and buildings Look so Compact and well together w^th the trees and gardens thick about it y^e prospect was wonderfully pleasant. A mile off by a little village I descended a hill which made y^e prospect of y^e town still in view and much to advantage, its but two parishes. Y^e market Cross has a dyal and Lanthorn on y^e top, and there being another house pretty Close to it high built w^th such a tower and lanthorn also, w^th y^e two Churches towers and some other buildings pretty good, made it appear nobly at a distance. This high house is an apothecarys-at least 60 stepps up from y^e ground and gives a pleaseing prospect of y^e whole town. Severall streetes but no good buildings Except this, the rest are great old houses of timber and mostly of y^e old forme of y^e Country w^ch are long peaked roofes of tileing. This house is the new mode of building; 4 roomes of a floore pretty sizeable and high, well furnish'd, a drawing roome and Chamber full of China and a damaske bed Embroyder'd: 2 other Roomes, Camlet and Mohaire beds; a pretty deale of plaite in his wives Chambers and parlours below, and a large shop. He is esteem'd a very Rich man. He shewed me a Curiosity of an Herball all written out w^th Every sort of tree and herb dryed and Cut out and pasted on the Leaves; it was a doctor of Physicks work that left it him a Legacy at his Death, it was a fine thing and would have delighted me severall dayes but I was passant. There was two streetes were broad and very Long, out of w^ch ran a Cross 5 or 6 streetes more w^ch are as good as in most Country towns-they are well pitch'd w^th small stones. There are many descenters in y^e town-4 meeteing places w^th y^e quakers and anabaptists. There is only the ruines of y^e abby walls and the fine gate at the Entrance that remaines-stone, well Carv'd. It seemes to be a thriveing Industrious town; 4 gates in it.

There are a great deale of Gentry w^ch Lives in y^e town, tho' there are no good houses but w^ch are old and rambling ones. They are in that they Call the green, a space by y^e Churches w^ch are pretty near together. They are pretty Large but nothing Curious in them-stone buildings-no monuments worth notice. They keep them very Clean and neate and have a moveable scaffold to Clean the roofe and windows and walls. Its a very dear place, so much Company Living in the town makes provision scarce and dear: however its a good Excuse to raise the Reckoning on strangers.

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