to this circumstance, numberless are the poor women and families now in a state of the utmost distress, who have heretofore derived subsistence and comfort from industry in these particular branches of manufacture. It gives me, however, sincere satis-, faction to have authority to inform you, that this subject has already roused the sympathies of several distinguished ladies of the highest rank and influence in the country, who have most patriotically and benevolently resolved to give encouragement to a design for removing this great evil, and to hold forth the hand of encouragement to their less affluent fellow-country women. Amongst these Ladies, I am proud to notice the names of their Royal Highnesses the Duchesses of York and Gloucester. The Duchesses of Rutland, Wellington, and Leeds. The Marchionesses of Salisbury, Stafford, and Worcester. The Countesses of Harcourt, Jersey, and Grosvenor. The Honourable Mrs. Villiers, the Honourable Mrs. Wellesley Pole, &c. &c. &c. and I mention this circumstance merely, that by giving circulation to the gratifying fact, others may be induced to "go and do likewise." Yours, &c.

WILLIAM CORSTON.

TOTTENHAM HIGH CROSS.

The following particulars are chiefly extracted from Mr. Robinson's interesting History of Tottenham;" reviewed in our last Vol. Part ii. 432. EDIT.

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R. BEDWELL, in the second

of the town of Tottenham High Cross in Middlesex," which was published in the year 1631 (at which time he was vicar of the parish), mentions sundry memorable things worth the observing here found and remaining," and which he has divided into ternaries or threes. The second ternary are "the Crosse, the Hermitage, and the Altar of St. Loy," which were all on the side of the road, and within half a mile of each other. "The Crosse standeth as it were in the middest betweene the forementioned Cell and the Hermitage. That there

*This word signifies number, and in antiquity was esteemed a symbol of perfection, and held in great antiquity among the ancients.

GENT, MAG. April, 1820.

hath bene a Crosse here of long continuance, even so long as since that decree was made by the Church, that every parish should in places most frequented set up a Crosse, I make no doubt; but whether it were such as the first, as afterward it is manifest it was, I much doubt of; for that it hath bene of an extraordinary height, and that from hence the towne gained the addition of allæ crucis, the towne, I meane, to be called Tottenham High Crosse, all men must needs confesse." "Edward the First, sirnained Longshanks, determined a journey into Scotland in the yeare of our Lord 1290, to decide, as our historiographers repeat, the controversie between the competitors of the Crowne, tooke the Queene his wife Eleonoru along with him; the Queene by the way fell sicke, yea so sicke, that the physitians despaired of ber recovery; whereupon the King would go no farther, but returned with a purpose to bring her backe to London againe; in this return she departed this life at Herdbey, a towne neere Lincolne, on the 28 of November: she being dead, as soon as preparation could be made, the corps was carried back in state toward London, and in every toune and place where the body of the Queene stayed, the King in token of his marvelous love toward her, caused a stately Crosse to be erected. That this is one of them, I dare not say, but that it was against the corps should come through the toune re-edified and adorned, and peradventure raysed higher, there is no reason to thinke to the contrary."

It is pretty certain the corpse of Queen Eleanor did not pass through Tottenham, but took the following route, viz. from Herdbury to Lincoln, Grantham, Stamford, Geddington, Northampton, Stoney Stratford, Dunstable, St. Alban's, Waltham, and Westminster, at each of which places King Edward caused a Cross to be erected, and these Crosses were adorned with the Arms of Castile Leon: so that it clearly appears the corpse of that Princess did not rest after its departure from Waltham.

Mr. Bedwell further states," about fifty years agone (1580) I remember riding through the towne, observed it to be a columne of wood covered

with

with a square sheet of leade to shoote the water off every way, underset with foure spurres: this being decayed and rotten, was taken downe, and a new one built of brickes, as now we see it, about some 30 years since (1600) by Deane Wood, who dwelt in the house next unto it on the East part."

The Dean resided at this time in a house (long since divided into two dwellings, and lately occupied by Mr. Copeland and Mr. Tyler) on the East of the Cross he caused the old decayed wooden Cross to be taken down, and on its site erected an octangular brick column, which is still standing, but concealed by the late additions. Ou the South and West sides were stone dials, one of which remained till the year 1809, and under the neckings in the brick work were crosses formed like the Greek letter tau (T). This Cross being found in a very dilapidated state, was repaired in 1809, and covered with cement by Mr. Bernasconia, under the direction of Mr. Shaw, architect, and at the same time various architectural embellishments, usually termed Gothic, were introduced, in the style of those that prevailed in the Tudor æra. On the face of the octagon is a shield containing one of the letters composing the word Tottenham in the old character, and it will long be regretted, that the date at which the alterations were made is not to be found in any part of this structure.

The Plate annexed (see Plate II.) was sketched in 1805, and is a faithful representation of this Cross as it then was, an emblem of antiquity.

"The third remarkable thing," says Mr. Bedwell, "of this second ternary is the Hermitag, distant Southward from the Crosse about X score, or short of a stone bridge in the bottome VII or VIII score: it was within the memory of some yet living (1681) a little square building, for the most part of bricke; it is now a pretty dwelling for a small family; it was built questionless upon the common; but since it seemeth by licence obtained of the Lord, it hath bene inclosed, and to it bath bene annexed a little plotte of ground, which lately hath bene converted to an hort yard: as also a long slip two poale broad, running along by the Highway Southward, from the house were twenty score." This was a cell de

pendant on the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in London; and in the year 1638 it was the property of Ferdinando Pulford and Anne his mother. At the present time the Bull Public House stands on the site of the Hermitage, and the long slip of ground before mentioned, running thence Southward to Page Green and the Seven Sisters, was a few years ago purchased by Mr. Chas. Tuck of the late Thos. Smith, Esq. late Lord of the Manor, who has erected a row of neat houses thereon, which is called Grove Place.

*

Mr. Bedwell states, "The offertory of St. Loy is a poore house situate on the West side of the sayd roade, a little off the bridge, where the middle ward was determined." This well, called St. Loy's Well, was, in Bedwell's time, a deep pit in the Highway, always full of watert, bat never ranning over; it was cleaned out in the memory of some persons living in Bedwell's time, and at the boltom was found a great stone, which had certain letters or characters on it; but being, through the carelessness of the workmen, broken and defaced, and no person near who regarded it, it was not known what the characters meant.

This well is still to be seen in a field on the West side of the high road, belonging to Mr. Sperling, but in the occupation of the representative of the late Mr. Chas. Saunders. It is surrounded by willows, and close to the hedge row which divides the above field from Mr. Forster's brick-field; it is bricked up on all sides, square, and about four feet deep.

In a drawing by the late Mr. Town. send, this well is represented with a hermit standing by it, who receives an offering from a lady. The draw

* St. Eloy, or Eligius, was born at Cadaillac near Limoges in France, about the year 588, and apprenticed to a goldsmith; till, on his having executed a beautiful piece of work for Clothaire II. the King called him to court, and consulted

him about affairs of state. He was ordained Bishop of Noyon in the year 640, at the age of 52 years, and held that see near 20 years, still working at his original trade, and making some of the finest shrines in that king's dominions. He died at the age of 70, Dec. 1, in the year 659.

The properties of this water are said to be similar to the Cheltenham springs.