Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/688

Rh LONDON. 680 LONDON. and the improved intellectual and commercial status of its inhabitants. It will, perhaps, be the most convenient method to describe it as it is laid down in the Post-office Directory, according to districts, and for this purpose we shall begin with that division which is known as the North- Western, and proceed eastward. The extreme boundaries, then, of this district include Stanmore, Mill Hill, Hampstead, Kentish Town, and St. Paneras to King's-cross to the N. and E. Southward, they extend by the New-road to its junction with the Edgware- road ; and westward to Kilburn, Willesdon, Harlesden, and Harrow. In this division are situated the Regent's Park, St. John's Wood, and Oaniden Town, while the suburban districts are Edgware, Hendon, Stanmore, Sudbury, Harrow, and Hampstead. Of these the two last are the best known and most frequented, the former from the celebrated public school there, and the latter on account of its elevated position and the extent and beauty of its heath, from whence a commanding view of London may be obtained, and where the lower and middle classes of the citizens flock by thousands, espe- cially on Sundays and public holidays, for the purposes of healthful recreation -and enjoyment. The next postal district, proceeding eastward, is the Northern. The boundaries of this division extend from Barnet to Wal- tham Cross on the northern side; from Waltham Cross to Stoke Newington, excluding Kingsland on the E. ; from Shoreditch to King's-cross on the S. ; and by the York-road to Holloway, Highgate, Finchley, Totteridge, and Hornsey, on the W. In this division are Highbury, Barnsbury, Islington, Pentonville, Hox- ton, Canonbury, and De Beauvoir Town, and the sub- urban districts of Barnet, Colney Hatch, Edmonton, Enfield, Finchley, Highgate, Holloway, Hornsey, Pon- der's End, Southgate, Tottenham, Waltham Cross, and Whetstone. The North-Eastern district extends to High Beech and Chigwell Row, on the N. and E. ; to Wanstead, Victoria Park, and Bethnol Green, on the S., and includes Shoreditch, Kingsland, Walthamstow, Chingford, and Sewardstone, on the W. Its suburban- districts are Chigwell, Clapton, Hackney, Leyton, Ley- tonstone, Loughton, and Woodford ; and it includes the populous parishes of Bethnal Green, Spitalfields, and Shoreditch. The Western district is bounded on the N. by the Grand Junction Canal and the Maryle- bone-road, including the Edgware-road ; on the E. by Tottenham-Court-road and Soho ; on the S. by Pic- cadilly ; and on the W. it includes Kensington, Netting Hill, Hammersmith, Isleworth, and Hounslow. This division contains the large parish of Paddington and the fashionable districts of Bayswater and Tyburnia, the latter being so called from its proximity to Tyburn Gate, the place of execution in olden times, which stood close by where the " Marble Arch" now affords an en- trance into Hyde Park. This is the most fashionable quarter of London, and contains some of the noblest man- sions and most magnificent shops in the metropolis. Its suburban districts, besides those already mentioned, are Acton, Brentford, Ealing, and Hanwell, Shepherd's Bush, Southall, and Turnham Green. The West Central district lies within the Euston and Pentonville roads to Clare- mont-square on the N. ; Amwell-street, Coldbath Fields, Gray's-Inn-lane, Chancery-lane, and Essex-street, on the E. ; the river to Northumberland-street, Strand, on the S. ; and Trafalgar-square, Whitcomb-street, and Crown-street, to Tottenham-Court-road, on the W. There are no suburban districts in this division, which comprehends the great thoroughfares of Holborn and the Strand, and the parishes of St. Paneras and Blooinsbury, and parts of St. Martin's and Clerkenwell. The Eastern Central district includes the City-road and the Old- street-road on the N. ; Bishopsgate-street, excluding Houndsditch, the Minories, and Tower-hill, on the E. ; the river-side to the Temple, and Fleet-street, on the S. ; and excludes Chancery -lane, Gray's-Inn-lane, Coldbath- fields, and Claremont-square, on the W. In it lies the remaining portion of Clerkenwell, with Finsbury, St. Martin' s-le-Grand, the Bank, the Royal Exchange, and the most important parts of the City. The Eastern district is bounded by Aldgatc, Mile-end-road, Bov Stratford, Ilford, and Romford, on the N. ; Eainhan and Dagenham on the E. ; the river on the S. ; and Tower-hill and the Minories on the W. Its suburban divisions, in addition to those already enumerated, an Barking, Blackwall, Canning Town, Chadwoll, Shad- well, and Poplar ; and it includes the principal of Whitechapel, ' Wapping, Limehouse, Stepney, the Isle of Dogs, St. Catherine's, the London, West India, and other docks, and a great portion of that part of London which is inhabited by those whoso occupations are connected with the river. The South-V. district is bounded on the N. by Charing Cross; on the E. by the river to Battersea Bridge, and to Wimbl. -I'm, Kingston, Sunbury, Twickenham, Richmond, Mortlake, Brompton, Knightsbridge, and St. James's on the 8. and W. The suburban districts in this division are, in addition to those already enumerated, Battersea, l-'ul- hain, Hampton (including Hampton Court, New Hamp ton, and Sunbury) : Kingston (including East and Wu Moulsey, Hampton Wick, Long Dittou, Thames Ditton, Norbiton, and Surbiton) ; Mortlake (including !'. Sheen and Barnes) ; Petersham, Putney (including I Roehampton), Richmond, Teddington, Twickenham. Wandsworth, and Wimbledon. The London district | includes Milbank, Pimlico, Chelsea, Westminster, ami the fashionable quarter of " Belgravia" (so called IV Belgrave-square, one of the principal aristocratic sites of London) ; and in it are situated both the royal pal; of Buckingham and St. James's, with Wrstmii. Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. The Southern district extends from Battersea Bridge to Bluckfriars on I the N., and includes the Blackfriars'-road, Nelson-square, I Newington, Walworth, Camberwcll, Dulwich, Norwood, Croydon, Carshalton, Button, and Cheam, on the E. and I S. ; and Morton, Clapham, and South Lambeth, on the I W. The suburban districts, besides those already men- tioned, are Balham, Brixton, Mitcham, Stockwrll, Streatham, Thornton Heath, Tooting, and Walworth : and in London it includes Lambeth, Vauxhall, Kennington. The South-Eastern district is bom. on the N. by the river from Blackfriars Bridg. Erith. It extends to the E. and S. as far as Cray ford, | Bromley, Sydenham (including- the Crystal Palace), Peckham, and the Kent-road, and westward by Elephant and Castle to the river, excluding the Loir and Blaclcfriars roads and Nelson-square, li the suburban districts, in addition to those aln ady tioned, of Beckenham, Bexley, Charlton, Chisleln Deptford, Eltham, Erith, Foots Cray (including St. - and St. Paul's Cray), Forest Hill, Greenwich, Blackh. Lessnessheath, Lewisham, New Cross, Peekham, Pei Plumstead, Welling, and Woolwich. In London it. in- cludes the populous districts of Bermondsey and R<n hithe, the Commercial Doeks, and the lar^v m- borough of Southwark. The main thoroughfares arteries, so to speak, of London, are on the N. side rf the river, and run E. and W. The principal ' is that long line of street which stretches from jot- ting-hill continuously to Mile-end and Bow. At western end it is called the Uxbridge-road, and I Notting-hill to the Marble-arch at Hyde Park of private houses and mansions ; thence it proceed almost in a straight line under the name of Oxford- street and Holborn to the foot of Holborn-hill ; t it bends southwards to the end of Newgate-; along Cheapside to the Poultry; it then continu. a straight lino along Cornhill and LeadcnhaU-street, where it takes a northerly direction along Al Whitechapel, High-street, and the Mile-end : roads, measuring about 8| miles in dist: to end. The main line of road, which for BI tance runs nearly parallel to this, lies to the N. of it, and connects Marylebone with the City. Tii mences with the Grand Junction-road, which ii part of Bayswater northward to the Ed--w:. which it crosses at right angles, and then continues ^ the Harylebonc-road, the Euston-road, Pcntonvil road, and the City-road to Finsbury, where it tu