AN HISTORICAL AND TOPOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF CHELSEA, AND ITS ENVIRONS; INTERSPERSED WITH BIOGRAPHICAL ANECDOTES OF ILLUSTRIOUS AND EMINENT PERSONS WHO HAVE RESIDED IN CHELSEA DURING THE THREE PRECEDING CENTURIES. BY THOMAS FAULKNER, . Author of the Historical Description of Fulham, and of Kensington. The piercing eye explores New manners, and the pomp of elder days; Whence culls the pensive bard his pictur'd stores, T. WARTON. IN TWO VOLUMES. EMBELLISHED WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS OF PORTRAITS, VOL. II. CHELSEA: PRINTED FOR T. FAULKNER, PARADISE ROW; AND SIMPKIN AND MARSHALL, STATIONERS'-HALL COURT. 3.11 ARVARD COLLEGE NOV 27 1006 LIBRARY Gift of OUT OF MONUMENTS, NAMES, WORDES, PROVERBS, TRADITIONS, Lord Bacon, on the Advancement of Learning, Book II. TILLING, PRINTER, CHELSEA. HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF CHELSEA. CHAPTER I. WALK THE FOURTH. Queen's Elm-Brompton Hall-Jews Burial Ground-York Place South Parade-New Square, and Improvements—Mr. Haworth's Museum- Mrs. Hutchins's Farm-King's ParadeAncient Conduits~ Workhouse-Parochial Establishments, and Regulations-Petty Sessions-Old Burial Ground—Monuments and Inscriptions. HAVING, in the preceding Walks, described the several parts of the Parish lying on the banks of the Thames, I now return to the North-western part, and proceeding from Queen's Elm eastward, shall continue my course along the Fulham Road, and the adjacent streets. QUEEN'S ELM derives its name from having afforded accidental shelter to Queen Elizabeth, while on a visit to Lord Burleigh, at his neighbouring residence, now called Brompton Hall.' This house, now inhabited by Mrs. Griffiths, the widow of the Rev. Joseph Griffiths, still retains some marks of its ancient splendour. There was, till lately, a grand porch at the entrance. The hall, or saloon, is a step lower than the rooms upon the same floor. The dining-room has a richly carved ceiling of oak, displaying in the centre the rose and crown, 1 See vol. 1. p. 151. and in its other compartments the fleur de lys and portcullis; and on taking down some ancient tapestry a few years since, the arms of Queen Elizabeth, carved in oak, and curiously inlaid with gold, were discovered above the chimney-piece. There is also, in another room, the relics of a very curious old wainscot, in small compartments. The house, since it came into the possession of Mr. Griffiths, has been modernized and considerably improved. That it was originally the residence of Lord Burleigh, there is scarcely a doubt; and that his Lordship was occasionally honoured with the visits of his Sovereign, is extremely probable, from tradition still preserved, and well known in the neighbourhood. THE JEWS' BURIAL GROUND, situate at Queen's Elm, in the Fulham Road, was purchased in the year 1813 by a society of Jews, and opened in the same year. It is intended for the interment of those only who subscribed for the purchase money, and for their families. A small building of two stories has been erected at the entrance of the ground, the lower part of which is called the Hall; it has folding doors opening from the road, for the purpose of receiving the corpse previous to interment. Over the mantle piece is the sixteenth Psalm in Hebrew, which is repeated daily on all the holidays, throughout the year; and on each side are also Prayers in Hebrew, used during the funeral ceremony. east are lists of the free members who are entitled to the Burial Ground, and also of sundry Benefactions. The upper apartments are occupied by the keeper of the burial ground. On the The graves are arranged in rows, close to each other, without any distinction, either of sex or age, rich or poor. There are a few altar-tombs, but in general each grave has a stone at the head, with an inscription in Hebrew and English. Alexander, the son of David and Hannah Levy, who departed this life the 26th of September, A. M. 5578, in the 18th year of his age. Thy childlike innocence, with manly prudence join'd; Which shone a bright example unto heedless youth; In memory of Julia, wife of Edward Laurine, who was three years a wife, two years a mother, and then departed this life on the 1st of April, A. M. 5588, aged twenty-one years. Beneath this stone lies slumb'ring here, A tender wife and mother dear; Her days were short, her time was come; In memory of Levy Greiditz, a pious and uninterested man, one of the Founders of the School for instructing indigent Children in Westminster, who devoted his earnings to Charity; departed this life the 5th of Tamuz, 5587. Sacred to the memory of the Rev. Solomon Lyon, who departed this life on the 24th of August, A. M. 5580, aged 65 years. Two hands joined at the thumbs denote the tribe of Cohen; in this manner this peculiarly holy tribe used to pray, and this custom is still followed. None of this tribe may approach a dead body on account of their peculiar sanctity; and when a death takes place, they must leave the house immediately, and not enter it again till after the funeral. At burials they are not permitted to approach the grave, but stand at a distance, merely that they may join in the usual prayers. The following prayers are used at funerals. Whoever has not been in the Burying Ground for the space of thirty days, says the following: Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who formed you in judgment; fed and sustained you in judgment; and killed you in judgment; and knoweth the number of all ye in judgment; and will in future restore ye to life in judgment. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who reviveth the dead. A Prayer, acknowledging the justice of God's decree. He is the Rock, whose work is perfect, for all his ways are just; the God of truth, and in whom there is no iniquity; just and upright is he. He is the Rock, who is perfect in every work: |