SWEET HAMPSTEAD.

‘A village revelling in varieties.’

Leigh Hunt.

A Bit of Old Hampstead, New End.

SWEET HAMPSTEAD
AND ITS ASSOCIATIONS.

BY
MRS. CAROLINE A. WHITE.

‘When shall we see you at sweet Hampstead again?’

Constable.

LONDON:
ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.
1900.

I DEDICATE THIS BOOK
TO THE
CONSERVATORS OF THE HEATH,
AND TO
ALL WHO LOVE ‘SWEET HAMPSTEAD’
FOR ITS OWN SAKE.
THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE.

As illustrating the very common axiom that extremes meet, a preface at the beginning of a book is, as a matter of course, the last thing that is written. In the present instance, having stated my reasons for writing ‘Sweet Hampstead’ in the introductory chapter, a preface seems almost redundant. Moreover, I have an idea that prefaces as a rule are not popular reading, but literary custom being stronger than private opinion, I must revoke my heresy.

It is very many years since the thought of writing the story of Hampstead occurred to me. I found that previous writers had left the most important period of its local history, and the most interesting personages who had vitalized it, with little more than a passing reference; and thence it was that the desire to occupy unbroken ground took possession of me.

But the years alluded to were amongst the busiest of a busy life, when I was ‘coining my brains for drachmas,’ or their equivalent in British currency, and had no time for the dreamland of topographical speculation. The engagements, however, that hindered my design opened up many sources of material for future use; and as topography is always a literary mosaic, their diversity tended to enrichment.

Thus it came to pass that the first draft of my book was laid aside, but never forgotten, for more than thirty years, and has only recently been reverted to—a task that has been a delight, bringing back—though sometimes through a mist of tears—images of the past, with pleasant memories of sunny days that, looked at from the perspective of eighty-nine years, seem brighter even than sunshine is itself.

From such a pile of years I almost lose the author’s dread of the critic. Praise or blame are to me now much the same; but, being a woman, I still prefer the praise.

I cannot close these preliminary words without expressing my obligations to Mr. P. Forbes for the eight sketches he has permitted to be copied for the beautifying of the book; to Messrs. Oetzmann for some illustrations so kindly lent; to Mr. Baines, not only for a similar favour, but for help from his valuable ‘Records of Hampstead’; and to the proprietors of the Municipal Journal for the charming picture of the viaduct.

My thanks are also due to Mrs. Rosa Perrins, to Miss Kemp, Miss Quaritch, and Mr. M. H. Wilkin, who have all kindly assisted me. I also desire to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. Lloyd, of Highgate, for information gathered from his clever lecture on ‘Caen Wood and its Associations.’ To the courtesy and kindness of Mr. G. W. Potter I owe much original material, and many interesting notes; and I also desire to thank Mr. C. A. Ward for the personal interest he has taken in my work, and the great help he has ungrudgingly given me in preparing and correcting it for the press. I can only add that should my book be found so readable as to convey to others some share of the pleasure I have felt in writing it, or lead in more capable hands to future research and a fuller development of a delightfully interesting topic, ‘Sweet Hampstead’ will have fulfilled its intention, and I can sing with an unknown poet of the sixteenth century:

‘Now cease, my lute: this is the laste

Labour that thou and I shall waste,

And ended is that we begun;

Now is this song both sung and past:

My lute, be still, for I am done.’

CONTENTS.

CHAPTERPAGE
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER[1]
I.HAMPSTEAD AND THE HEATH[20]
II.THE WAYS TO HAMPSTEAD[41]
III.THE DESCENT OF THE MANOR[60]
IV.CHURCH ROW AND ST. JOHN’S CHURCH[65]
V.FROGNAL AND WEST END[85]
VI.WEST END TO CHILD’S HILL AND THE WEST HEATH[107]
VII.HEATH STREET TO THE UPPER FLASK AND SPANIARDS[119]
VIII.HOLLY-BUSH AND WINDMILL HILLS[143]
IX.NORTH END[160]
X.FINCHLEY ROAD, CHILD’S HILL, AND NEW END[183]
XI.THE VALE OF HEALTH[194]
XII.CAEN WOOD[215]
XIII.THE GEOLOGY OF THE HEATH[236]
XIV.THE PONDS AND WATER-WORKS[241]
XV.THE WELL WALK—THE EARLY PERIOD[249]
XVI.THE WELL WALK—THE SECOND PERIOD[268]
XVII.THE MODERN WELL WALK[292]
XVIII.HAMPSTEAD LATER ON[304]
XIX.A RETROSPECT[319]
XX.THE SUB-MANOR OF BELSIZE[329]
XXI.THE HAMLET OF KILBURN[344]
APPENDIX:
HEATH HOUSE[354]
WENTWORTH PLACE, JOHN STREET[357]
VANE HOUSE[359]
POND STREET[361]
A FRAGMENT OF THE FLORA OF HAMPSTEAD[362]
BENEFACTORS OF HAMPSTEAD AND THE CHARITIES[368]
THE FATE OF A REFORMER[374]
THE STRUGGLE FOR THE HEATH[377]
INDEX[384]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE
A BIT OF OLD HAMPSTEAD, NEW END[Frontispiece]
SOUTH END ROAD, 1840[3]
TUMULUS[5]
VIEW OF HIGHGATE AND PONDS[7]
VIADUCT[9]
JOHN EVELYN[24]
HAMPSTEAD FROM PRIMROSE HILL[44]
SIR RICHARD STEELE[46]
ROSSLYN HOUSE[51]
FIELDS NEAR POND STREET, 1840[54]
SHEPHERD’S WELL[55]
VANE HOUSE, 1800[57]
CHURCH ROW, HAMPSTEAD[66]
BACK VIEW OF HOUSES, CHURCH ROW[68]
MRS. BARBAULD[73]
AUSTIN DOBSON[77]
PARISH CHURCH, HAMPSTEAD[82]
FENTON HOUSE[92]
PRIORY LODGE[96]
VALE OF HEALTH, LOWER HEATH, 1840[110]
LEG OF MUTTON POND[114]
WEST END HOUSE[117]
SWIFT[121]
JACK STRAW’S CASTLE[126]
FLAGSTAFF[127]
THE SPANIARDS’ GARDEN[128]
ERSKINE HOUSE[130]
LORD ERSKINE[133]
NORTH HEATH[135]
FANNY BURNEY[138]
BOLTON HOUSE[144]
HOLLY-BUSH HILL, 1840[149]
SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS[151]
JOANNA BAILLIE[157]
GOLDSMITH[161]
NORTH END FROM THE HEATH[163]
FENTON HOUSE, 1780[165]
FIRS[169]
OLD COTTAGES, NORTH END[173]
BULL AND BUSH, HAMPSTEAD[174]
COTTAGES, NORTH END[179]
MADAME PIOZZI[185]
HARROW AND WELSH HARP, FROM HAMPSTEAD HEATH[189]
SQUIRE’S MOUNT, ABOUT 1840[192]
SHELLEY[201]
W. HAZLITT[202]
HIGHGATE PONDS AND SHEEP[204]
COLERIDGE[205]
CHARLES LAMB[209]
LEIGH HUNT[211]
THE VALE OF HEALTH[213]
LORD W. MANSFIELD[224]
THE SPANIARDS[226]
CAEN WOOD HOUSE[229]
HOGARTH[230]
CHARLES MATHEWS’ HOUSE, HIGHGATE[246]
OLD COTTAGES, NORTH END[276]
WELL WALK[294]
ASSEMBLY AND PUMP ROOMS, WELL WALK[301]
DR. JOHNSON[305]
JAMES BOSWELL[308]
KEATS[317]
OLD CHALK FARM[322]
JUDGE’S WALK[325]
PEPYS[330]
BELSIZE LANE, 1850[342]
THE GEORGE INN BEFORE 1870[346]