For the Description of HUNTINGDONSHIRE, independent of my own researches, I have been principally indebted to the Cotton Manuscript, (of which some account will be found in the List of Books,) and to the Latin Histories of Ramsey and Ely, published by Gale; these, with the general accounts given in Camden and Gough, and the scattered notices in Noble's Cromwell, constitute nearly the whole of my authorities. Many of the Parishes described, I have myself visited in three different excur sions; and I should again have traversed the County, but from the miscarriage of some materials, which lost me much time; from the necessity of completing the Volume during the present month; and from a continued indisposition of several weeks. This explanation will, I hope, be sufficiently satisfactory to those Gentlemen whom I had engaged to call on in Huntingdonshire, as well as to some others who have favoured me with introductory Letters, which I have not been enabled to use; and particularly J. Brydges, Esq. the Rev. F. Wrangham, and the Right Hon. Lord Carysfort. I stand equally indebted to their friendly intentions, though thus prevented from deriving that advantage from their favours which I had fondly promised to myself. For many personal civilities, and various information in respect to this County, I have to return my acknowledgments to the REV. MR. BAYLEY, the REV. MR. PANCHEN, and Desborough, Esq. of Huntingdon; the REV. MR. SHERARD, Godmanchester; the REV. F. G. PANTING, St. Ives; CAPTAIN WILLIAMS, Norman Cross Barracks; OLINTHUS GREGORY, ESQ. Woolwich; the REV. J. ALLANSON, Uppingham; the REV. R. TILLARD, Bluntisham; WILLIAM OWEN, ESQ. COLONEL WHITE, J. A. THOMPSON, ESQ. and MR. WALMSLEY. The Engravings of Colney House, Herts. and the Interior of Rochester Cathedral, are contributed to this Work; the former by George Anderson, Esq. the latter by Mr. Thomas Fisher.

As I purpose inmediately to proceed with the description of MIDDLESEX for the Tenth Volume, I shall be much obliged by the Communication of any materials, either in correction or addition, to what has been published relating to that County. The permission to look over any. Illustrated Copies of Pennant, Lysons, or Malcolm, will be eşidered as a favor.

August 29, 130s.

E. W. BRAYLEY, Newman Street, Oxford Street.

BEAUTIES

OF

England and Wales.

HERTFORDSHIRE.

HERTFORDSHIRE, with the adjoining counties of Bedford

and BUCKINGHAM, was, previous to the Roman Invasion, chiefly possessed by the CASSII, or CATIEUCHLANI: both these appellations are nearly of the same import, and signify men in hostility, or, of battle; but the latter has an addition, denoting, that they lived in coverts, or woods. In the British language, the term Cassii would be written Casi, Casiaid, Casion, &c. The other would be Cati-y-Gwyllon, Catau-y-Gwyllon, Catwylloni Cadwylloniaid, Catwylloni, and Catwyllonwys; implying the Battlers, or Warriors of the Coverts.*

Cassivelaunus, the Sovereign of the Cassii, who was chosen to lead the associated Britons against the Romans under Cæsar, is thought to have had a principal residence, or city, at Verulam; at that period a strong situation, contiguous to the modern St. Albans, and afterwards advanced to the rank of a Municipium. On his defeat, and the consequent fall of his capital, he submitted to the Roman arms; though Cæsar, even according to the evidence of his own Commentaries, was obliged to depart from the Island without securing the full advantages of his recent success. After Nov, 1805.

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the

* Owen's Cambrian Register. It should be observed, that Mr. Whitaker gives a different explanation of the term Catieuchluni, which, according to him, is, “only Catieu-chlan-i; the Clan of the Catti, of Cassii." Hist, of Manchester, Vol. I, p. 66.

the complete subjugation of the southern parts of Britain, by the more decisive victories of succeeding Emperors, Hertfordshire was included in the district named FLAVIA CESARIENSIS; but on the conquest and division of the Island by the Saxons, subsequent to the Roman departure, it became divided between the East Saxon and Mercian kingdoms; though by far the greatest part was included in the latter.*

The principal Roman Stations either in or connected with this county, were DUROCOBRIVIS; VERULAMIUM, or Verulam; and SULLONICE, or Brockley Hills; but that the Romans had other, though probably less important stations within its limits, is evinced by remains that are yet discoverable, or by antiquities that have formerly been found. The principal ancient roads, which intersected Hertfordshire, were the Watling Street, the Icknield Way, and the Irming or Ermin Street. The Watling Street enters the county from Middlesex at Elstree, or Idelstree, near the Station Sullonicæ, and proceeding by Colney Street, and Park Street, skirts the western side of Verulamium; thence continuing in a north north-westerly direction, and passing through Redburn, and Market Street, it runs into Bedfordshire, near Magiovinium, or Dunstable. The Icknield Way enters the county on the west side from Buckinghamshire, and crossing about one mile northward from

*Salmon imagines, that the East Saxon and Mercian kingdoms were, in the upper part of this county, separated from each other by the Ermin Street; (History of Hertfordshire, p. 4.) and in the lower part, in the parish of Cheshunt, by a bank, "which anciently reached from Middlesex through Theobald's Park, across Goffe's Lane, to Thunderfield. Grove, over Beaumont Green, to Nine Acres Wood," &c. There is a custom in this manor, (Cheshunt,) he continues, "by which the elder brother inherits above the bank, and the youngest below it, in the same fields; which could not have been introduced, but from the different laws of a different government." Hist. of Hertfordshire, p. 8.

Brockley Hills are generally reputed to be in Middlesex; though part of the high ground which compose them, are in the parish of Elstree, in this county. The station itself is in Middlesex; but the buildings connected with it, are thought to have extended a considerable way into Hertfordshire.

from Tring, again intersects a portion of Berks; but afterwards re-enters Herts between the parishes of Hexton and Lilley, and only a short distance to the south of the ancient camp called Ravensbury, or Ravensborough. Thence continuing in a north-easterly direction, it passes through Ickleford, and runs along the high ground towards Baldock, which it passes on the north side; and proceeding to the confines of the county, near Odsey Grange, becomes the boundary line between Herts and Cambridgeshire for several miles; and going through Royston, finally quits the county on the downs about one mile beyond. The Ermin Street enters Hertfordshire at Northall Common from Enfield Chace, in Middlesex; thence proceeding by Newgate Street and Little Berkhampstead, it runs through Hertford; and crossing the river Lea to Port-hill, continues by Wades-Mill, Puckeridge, Braughing, Hare Street, or Here Street, Bark-way, and Barley, into Cambridgeshire.*

The limits of this county are principally artificial, excepting on the south-east, where it is separated from Essex by the rivers Lea and Stort. On the south it is bounded by Middlesex; on the west, and part of the north, by Buckinghamshire, with which it is intermixed in a singular manner; as it is also with Bedfordshire: the latter county bounds the remainder of the west and north sides, excepting for a few miles towards the north-east, where it unites with Cambridgeshire: on the east, along its whole line, it is bounded by Essex. The medium extent of Hertfordshire, in its' longest general direction, or to the south-east, is thirty-six miles; its general breadth is about twenty-six miles; and its circumference between 130 and 140 miles. According to Halley, its superficies includes

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This course of the Ermin Street is inserted on the authority of Dr. Salmon; and is, indeed, strongly corroborated by the names of places on its line; though some other antiquaries, with Stukeley at their head, have assigned it the same direction as the present high road into Huntingdonshire; namely, through Buntingford, Royston, and Caxton. The hundred of Edwin-stree (a corruption from Ermin Street) includes the three latter places named by Salmon, viz, Hare Street, Barkway, and Barley; while on the other plan, Buntingford only is found within its limits; Royston being in the hundred of Odsey.

includes 451,000 acres; yet this appears to be an exaggerated measurement, and if the statement was limited to 385,000, it would probably be more accurate. It is divided into eight hundreds, containing seventeen market towns, and about 134 parishes: the number of houses, according to the Population Act of 1801, amounted to 18,172; that of inhabitants to 97,577; of whom 48,063 were males, and 49,514 females. The parliamentary representatives for Hertfordshire are six; of which number two are returned for the shire, two for St. Albans, and two for Hertford.

The general aspect of this county is extremely pleasant; and though its eminences are not sufficiently elevated, nor its vales sufficiently depressed and broken, to afford a decisive character of picturesque or romantic beauty, yet its surface is enough diversified to constitute a very considerable display of fine scenery. The northern part is the most hilly; and a range of high ground stretches out from the neighbourhood of King's Langley towards Berkhampstead and Tring, which in many parts commands a great extent of country. Another elevated ridge commences at St Albans, and proceeds in a northerly direction towards Market Street, at a little distance to the east of the high road; while several other ranges of elevated ground run nearly parallel with the former from the vicinity of Sandridge, Whethampstead, Whitwell, &c. The southern line is also sufficiently high to include some extensive prospects. Most of the country is inclosed; and the inclosures, being principally live hedges, intermixed with flourishing timber, have a verdant and pleasing effect. Independent of the wood thus distributed in hedge-rows, large quantities of very fine timber are grown in the parks and grounds belonging to the numerous seats of the nobility and gentry, that are spread over almost every part of Hertfordshire, and give animation to almost every view. Several fine woods also enter into the composition of the different landscapes, and, in conjunction with the fertilizing streams which meander through the vales, give an interesting variety to the general features of the country.

The landed property in Hertfordshire is greatly divided: "the vicinity of the Capital, the goodness of the air and roads, and the

beauty