fields, and partly of land taken from Hounslow Heath, in confequence of a grant which the Duke had obtained from the crown. To this nobleman, as Mr. Walpole obferves, we are principally indebted for the introduction of foreign trees and plants, that contribute effentially to the richness of colouring fo peculiar to our modern landscape; and, in forming his plantations at Whitton, his Grace difplayed great elegance of taste, although the modern art of gardening was, at that time, in a state of infancy. He planted a great number of cedars, firs, and other ever-greens, which now make a very majestic and venerable appearance, and are fome of the finest to be found in this country. He likewife built a noble confervatory, in which he formed one of the best collections of exotics in England. These are no longer to be feen; but of their number and value, fome idea may be conceived, when it is confidered, that this very confervatory was fufficiently large to be converted into an elegant villa, now in the poffeffion of George Goftling, Efq. After the death of the Duke, this place underwent great revolutions, and had many proprietors. At last, after having been long neglected, it came into the poffeflion of Mr. Goftling's father, who converted the confervatory into a villa for himfelf; and, having divided the pleafure grounds into two parts, fold the principal house, with the grounds allotted to it, to Sir William Chambers. In his improvements of this delightful spot, Sir William Chambers appears to have had in contemplation the decorations of an Italian villa. Temples, ftatues, ruins, and antiques, are interfperfed throughout. In one part appears the imitation of some ancient Roman baths; and, in another, a modern temple of Aculapius, erected in compli ment to the Rev. Dr. Willis, to whofe fkill, under the Divine bleffing, we are indebted for the happy reftoration of our beloved fovereign to health, in the ever-memorable year 1789. In gold letters, over the door, is the following infcription: ESCULAPIO SALV. AVG. RESTITVIT SACR. This houfe is fitted up with valuable pictures, ancient marbles, original drawings, &c. There is alfo an excel Jept lent library, in which, in particular, are included the most valuable books in ancient and modern architecture. WICKHAM, WEST, a large parish in Kent, between Croydon and Bromley. In this parish are two villages; the one, at a fmall distance after having paffed Wickham Green from Beckenham; and the other, about a mile farther to the fouth. In the former is the feat of Richard Jones, Efq In the latter are the church, and the ancient manor-houfe, called West Wickham Court, the property of John Farnaby, Efq. in right of his lady, who is of the Lennard Family. At Wickham Court lived the celebrated Gilbert West, author of "Obfervations on the Refurrection of Christ." Here he devoted himself to learning and piety; and "here," fays Dr. Johnson, "he was very often vifited by Lyttleton and Pitt, who, when they were weary of faction and debates, used, at Wickham, to find books and quiet, a decent table, and literary converfation. There is at Wickham a walk made by Pitt; and, what is of more importance, at Wickham Lyttleton received that conviction, that produced his "Differtation on the Converfion and Apofflethip of St. Paul," In a fummer-house, Mr. Weft placed the following infcription, in imitation of Aufonius" Ad Villam :" Not wrapt in fmoky London's fulphurous clouds, Neither obnoxious to intruding crowds; Nor for the good and friendly too remote. And when too much repofe brings on the spleen, WICKHAM, EAST, a village in Kent, ten M. F. L. to the left of the road to Dover. Near the church is an ancient houfe, once the refidence of the Leighs, but for many years uninhabited. Here alfo is the handfome mo dern feat of J. Jones, Efq. WIDBURY HILL, near Ware, is celebrated by Mr. N 3 Scott, Scott, for the profpects it commands, which, on a fine evening, he obferves, is beautiful beyond defcription. My roving fight Purfues its pleafing courfe o'er Widbury's mount, AMWELL. WIDFORD, a village in Herts, near Hoddesdon. In this parish, on a hill to the weft of the river Lea, are two burrows, fuppofed to have been thrown up by the Danes, in memory of fome battle. WILDERNESS, near Sevenoaks, the fmall feat and park of Vifcount Bay ham. WILLINGALE, DOE and SPAIN, two parishes in Effex, between Chelmsford and Fifield; of which it is remarkable, that they have each a church, almost close together in one churchyard. WILTON PARK, the elegant feat of Mrs. Dupré, near Beaconsfield in Bucks. It is built of Portland ftone, in a very beautiful fituation. ..WIMBLEDON, a village, in Surry, on a fine heath, feven M. F. L. between Tooting and Putney, was diftinguished for the noble feat built here by Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, who left it to her grandfon John Spencer, Efq. whofe fon, the late Earl Spencer, formed here one of the fineft parks in England. It is ten miles round, and is adorned with fine plantations, beautiful declivities, and a sheet of water, containing fifty acres, on which was formerly a vessel that mounted twelve guns. The eminences in this park prefent many varied and delightful points of view-Harrow-on-the-Hill, Highgate, the Metropolis (in which may be diftinguished his Lordship's houfe in the Green Park), Norwood, and Epfom Downs. No Jefs than nineteen parish churches may be counted in this profpect, exclufive of those of London and Westminster. This park has been enlarged by a confiderable piece of ground, taken from that part of the heath which is in the parish of Wandsworth, for which his lordship pays 50l. a year to that parish. The house was burnt down in 1785, 1785, and the fite of it is now completely covered with verdure; but fome of the offices, that were at a diftance from the house, ferve at prefent for the occafional refidence of his Lordship. On the east fide of Wimbledon Common is the feat of M. de Calonne, Comptroller General of the Finances of France, before the late Revolution. The plantations, which contain upward of 70 acres, join Lord Spencer's; and M. de Calonne, when he purchased this place of Benjamin Bond Hopkins, Efq. laid the foundation of a ballroom and two tea-rooms; but having affociated his for tunes, for fome time paft, with thofe of the French emigrant Princes in Germany, thefe improvements were difcontinued, and the eftate, we understand, is fold. Near the church, is the elegant villa of William Beaumaris Rush, Efq. which has likewife fine pleasure-grounds, and commands fome extenfive views. On the fouth fide of the Common, is a neat villa, of which the Duke of Newcastle has a long leafe; and, next to this, an elegant houfe is building by Gerard De Visme, Efq. On the weft fide of the Common are two good houses, both in the occupation of the Rt. Hon. Henry Dundas, and the pretty vilia of Mr. Aguillar. In the lane leading to Kingston is Profpect Place, late Mr. Levi's, now the property of James Meyrick, Efq. adjoining to which is the handfome villa of Samuel Caftell, Efq. Both thefe have beautiful pleafure-grounds, and command delightful views of Epfom Downs and all the country adjacent.-There are feveral other good houses on the Common. The parish church, (the chancel excepted) was rebuilt of brick in 1787; and it is now ornamented with a finall tower and fpire of ftone, which have a light and pleafing effect. The contributions of the inhabitants, on this occafion, were fo liberal, that the whole was completed, without the neceffity of recurring to Parliament, or to a brief; and it ought to be recorded to his honour, that Mr. Levi, the Jew, then of Profpe&t Place, in this parish, was one of the moft confiderable fubfcribers. At one corner of the church-yard, is a fepulchre of brick and ftone, for the family of Benjamin Bond Hopkins, Efq. of Paine's Hill. The entrance, which is on the outside of the church-yard, is by a flight of steps into a funk area, fenced in by iron rails. We then enter an apartment, illuminated by the door, and a fmall window on each fide, which are all iron-grated; and oppofite the door are four rows of horizontal niches, above each other, being fixteen in the whole. Five of these are filled with each a relation of Mr. Hopkins', and the entrance, of course, closed up with marble, on which is infcribed the name, &c. Wimbledon is celebrated in hiftory, for a bloody battle fought here, in the fixth century, between Ceaulin, King of the Weft Saxons, and Ethelbert, King of Kent. See Mortlake and Profpect Place. WINDSOR, NEW, a borough and market-town, in Berks, 22 M. F. L. delightfully fituated on the banks of the Thames. In the grant of it to the monks of Westminfter, by Edward the Confeffor, it is called Windlefhora, which fignifies a winding fhore; and hence the derivation of its prefent name. The Abbot of Westminster exchanged it with William the Conqueror for other lands in Surry and Effex. Edward I, in 1276, made it a free borough, and granted many privileges to the place; and as he made it his refidence, Windfor foon became a place of great refort, and its environs the conftant refidence of many of the nobility. The corporation confifts of a Mayor and thirty brethren, thirteen of whom are styled Benchers; and ten of thefe benchers have the title of Aldermen, out of whom the Mayor is annually chofen. The town is well paved and lighted; an act of parliament, for that purpose, having been obtained in 1769; and the whole was effected by a fubfcription, to which his Majefty gave 1000l. and the two representatives of the borough 500l. each. The Guildhall, which is fituated in the High Street, is a handsome brick structure, with arcades of Portland ftone, erected in 1686. In a niche, at the north end, is the ftatue of Queen Anne, with an adula tory Latin infcription, in which the fculptor is told, that 66 a refemblance of Anna is not to be given by his art; and that if he would exhibit her likenefs, he must attempt |