XLVI. LONDON TO GLOUCESTER THROUGH MAIDENHEAD, FARINGDON, About 3 miles distant is From Hyde Pa. Corner 794 Junction of the road. 26 28 To Reading, 11 miles. 35 To Reading, 8 miles. Henerton House, C. F. Johnson, Esq. Park Place, E. F. Maitland, Esq. Grey's Court, Sir F. J. Chalgrove Field, where 61 Bensington or Benson. 46 Stapleton, Bart. Near Wallingford, Mongewell House, Bishop of Durham. Shippon. Kingston Inn. 56 62 Pusey House, P. Pusey, Esq., M. P. 70 Buscot Park, P. Pryse, FARINGDON. The church contains several curious monuments. Near this town are the remains of a camp, supposed to be of Danish origin. cr. the Isis, and enter Gloucestershire. LECHLADE. FAIRFORD. The church, erected towards the close of the fifteenth century, by Jonn Tame, a merchant, for the reception of some painted glass which he had captured at sea, is a very interesting building, and contains a number of interesting monuments, amongst which is that of the founder and his son, Sir E. Tame. cr. river Coln. CIRCENCESTER, p. 128. in Trewsbury Mead, about 2 miles distant, is a spring called Thames Head, the primary source of that ri ver. 75 80 89 74 Along the Roman road 100 to Birdlip. Esq., M. P. Oakley Park, (Earl Bathurst,) erected by Lord Bathurst, the patron of Pope. To Cricklade, 63 miles. Ledbury, 10 miles. Whitcombe Park. Prinknash Park, T. B. Howell, Esq. This place formerly belonged to the Abbots of Gloucester. March Baldon, and Baldon by, Bart. House, Sir. H. P. Willough- 5 Nuneham Courtenay. 52 Rudley. Wallingford, formerly of great importance, is situated on the Thames, over which there is a bridge of 19 arches. It returns 1 M.P. Pop. 2780. Little Wittenham. ing, containing a choice col- Toot Baldon. South Hinksey. Horsepath Oxford, the capital of the county to which it gives its name, and the seat of one of the most celebrated universities of Europe, is pleasantly situate upon a gentle eminence in a valley at the confluence of two small rivers, the Isis and Cherwell. It is a place of very remote antiquity, but the period of its origin is involved in obscurity. The first fact connected with it that is known with certainty is, that in the reign of Alfred, who at one time resided at Oxford with his three sons, the place was noted for a monastery which was founded in the year 727. Oxford was twice set on fire, and otherwise suffered severely from the DanesEdmund Ironside was murdered there. Canute frequently resided at Oxford, and held the great council of the nation there several times. Harold Harefoot, his son and successor, was crowned and died there. In the year 1067, the town was stormed by William the Conqueror, and, in order to bridle any attempt at revolt, a castle was built on the site, now partly occupied by the county gaol and the house of correction. During her contest with Stephen, the Empress Maude was closely besieged in Oxford Castle by her rival, but escaped in the night with only three attendants; and the castle surrendered next morning. In the reign of Richard II. the lectures of Dr John Wicliffe, the warden of Canterbury College, occasioned a great excitement, and afterwards produced very important results. Henry II. resided at Oxford during the greater part of his reign, and here his valiant son Richard Cœur de Lion was born. In the reign of Edward III. the university and town suffered much from a pestilence which carried off a fourth part of the students. In the martyrdoms of Mary's reign, Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer were burnt at Oxford in front of Baliol College. During the civil wars, Oxford, after once or twice changing masters, became the head-quarters of the King. After the battle of Naseby, it surrendered to the parliamentary army under Fairfax. During the reign of James II. the university firmly resisted an illegal command of that prince to elect a Roman Catholic to the presidency of Magdalen College. James proceeded thither in person and expelled the contuma |