Walnut-tree alley, 1. Bishopsgate street.‡ 2. Tooley street, Southwark.‡
Walnut-tree court, Tooley street.‡ 2. Whitechapel.‡
Walnut-tree yard, Bishopsgate street without.‡
Walter’s Almshouses, of these there are the three following founded by Mr. John Walter, citizen and draper: one of which was in Blackman street, Southwark, built and endowed in the year 1651, for four poor men and eight poor women, each of whom receives 5s. a month, 10s. every new year’s day, and a chaldron of coals yearly. This almhouse is now removed to the south-east side of the New Road, leading from Westminster bridge to Blackman street.
Another founded by the same person in the year 1651, at Newington Butts, for sixteen poor men and women, who have each an allowance of 5s. per month, half a chaldron of coals every year, and 10s. every new year’s day.
Another in Old street, founded by the above Mr. Walters, in the year 1658, for eight poor widows, each of whom have likewise an allowance of 5s. per month, and half a chaldron of coals every Christmas. Maitland.
Walton, a village in Surry, situated on the Thames, opposite to Shepperton in Middlesex. It is said that the last mentioned county once joined to this town, till about 300 years ago, the old current of the Thames was changed by an inundation, and a church destroyed by the waves.
At this place is a very curious bridge over the Thames, erected by the public spirited Samuel Decker, Esq; who lives in this town, and who applying to parliament for that purpose, obtained in the year 1747, an act to impower him to erect a bridge there, and this admirable structure was completed in August 1750.
It consists of only four stone piers, between which are three large truss arches of beams and joists of wood, strongly bound together with mortises, iron pins, and cramps; under these three arches the water constantly runs; besides which are five other arches of brick-work on each side, to render the ascent and descent the more easy; but there is seldom water under any of them, except in great floods, and four of them on the Middlesex side are stopped up, they being on high ground above the reach of the floods.
The middle arch, when viewed by the river side, affords an agreeable prospect of the country, beautifully diversified with wood and water, which is seen through it to a considerable distance. The prodigious compass of this great arch to a person below, occasions a very uncommon sensation of awe and surprize; and his astonishment and attention are increased, when he proceeds to take notice, that all the timbers are in a falling position; for there is not one upright piece to be discovered; and at the same time considers the very small dimensions of the piers by which the whole is supported. The manner of its construction is better shewn in the print than can be described in words.