RICHMOND, SURREY. Printed and Published for the Author, AND SOLD BY HISCOKE & SONS, CASTLE TERRACE, AND J. T. COOK, HILL STREET. 1866. 1 PREFACE. IN N Richmond and the events connected with it, whether as to its ancient Palace, the Priory remains and "Groves of Sheen," its Friary of Observant Fathers, and "Monks of Old," or in succeeding but not less interesting periods of its history, I have ever taken an earnest and untiring interest, and have eagerly seized every opportunity of acquiring, by diligent research among the works of our old chroniclers, and others, each scrap of information relative to the place, and from my boyhood have always loved to converse with old inhabitants, who, from their long residence here, their recollection of events which have occurred, and of persons long passed away, have furnished me with much information on which I can confidently rely, and as thus acquired is herein detailed to the reader. I have searched for information relative to Richmond and its neighbourhood among works scarce in their kind, and difficult of access except in the library of the British Museum, where I have patiently examined volumes of ancient newspapers to obtain a correct account of some of the events which are herein described, and have been most careful to relate nothing but that on which the reader may place the most implicit reliance. To me it has been truly a "labour of love" to compile, from the sources to which I have referred, a connected record, partaking both of an historical and local character, and I sincerely hope that to my readers this little work may prove both instructive and entertaining. The engravings are faithful copies of the originals, and will, I trust, be acceptable to all who may take any interest in the volume now before them; and, in the words of Aubrey's preface to the "Antiquities of Surrey," dated St. Thomas's Day, 1691, "I have (herein) mixed Antiquities and natural things together; they will be of some use to those who love Antiquities, and on that account I expose them to the Candid Reader, wishing him as much pleasure in the reading of them as I have had in the writing of them." 1, OLD PALACE PLACE, RICHMOND GREEN, June, 1866. R. C. |