MEMORIALS OF TWICKENHAM. CHAPTER I. THE VILLAGE. THE SITUATION, EXTENT, CLIMATE, AND VEGETATION OF TWICKENHAM-ITS MARKET-GARDENS-DERIVATION OF THE NAMEPOPULATION-HISTORY OF THE MANOR-ACCOUNT OF THE MANOR HOUSE. THE village of Twickenham is picturesquely situated on the north or Middlesex bank of the River Thames, about mid-way between Teddington and Isleworth. To the natural beauties and advantages with which it is surrounded it owes a great proportion of the renown which it has possessed for the last three centuries. Within the same distance from London, no other place presents scenes of such variety and loveliness. It is no matter of surprise, therefore, to find that it has always had amongst its residents those who have occupied positions of eminence and influence, owing either to their exalted station in life. or to their literary, artistic, or political abilities. The entire parish is about three and a-half miles in length, one and a-half in breadth, and nine in circumference. It contains, according to the Ordnance Survey, 2,415 acres, 3 roods, 30 perches, in the following distribution : 2249 543 Land. 32 251 Water. The Isleworth Survey, taken in 1635, by order of Algernon, Duke of Northumberland, estimates the number of acres at about 1,850, of which about onethird was arable, a little more than two-ninths pasture, about two-fifths common, and the remainder wood; proportions, of course, now wholly incorrect.* The soil is a sandy loam. The climate has always been celebrated for its pure and healthy influences. The wind, blowing from the south or west, brings glorious air from the high heath-commons of Hampshire and Surrey, which contrasts strongly with the smoke and gloom that an easterly wind brings from London-an effect particularly noticeable by the river-side, and in the early mornings of summer. The atmosphere of the elevated district which stretches between Petersfield and Godalming has been found to contain an The exact figures given in the Survey, as preserved by Ironside, are unusually large proportion of ozone, and no intervening factory towns prevent this bracing and invigorating air from reaching Twickenham in unalloyed purity. The vegetation is the same as that of most parts of the course of the River Thames. The peculiar mildness of this portion of it is proved by the vigorous growth of myrtles in the open air when placed on the southern side of a building; the pomegranate also flourishes in a like position. The meadows, especially those by the river, before they were so thickly built over, presented in spring a most beautiful appearance from the rare abundance of wild flowers. Some of the choicest British plants grew here luxuriantly. The glyceria fluitans, from which are obtained the seeds called manna kroup, a well-known article in the dietary of invalids, still springs up at the edge of the river. The grasses were, and still are, various. In many of the gardens are cedars of Lebanon of magnificent growth; one in the grounds belonging to Poulett Lodge is of remarkably stately form, and perhaps is without its equal anywhere.* The group of aspens at the corner of that portion of the grounds of Orleans House which adjoins the river, now very much diminished, was formerly of much grace and beauty, and afforded a very favourite study for landscape painters. * It is said that the trees on Mount Lebanon itself are so shattered by winds and storms, that they are surpassed in perfection by the cedars in the neighbourhood of London. In the Account of Twickenham Park a cedar is mentioned 12 ft. 9 in. in girth. Lysons (vol. ii. part ii. p. 787) speaks of others then in the gardens of Mr. Hobhouse and Mr. Gostling (now in the united estate of Miss Gostling) measuring respectively 12 ft. 1 in., 11 ft. 11 in., 11 ft. 7 in., and 11 ft. 4 in.: the girth was taken in November, 1810, at a distance of one yard from the ground. |