History of Highgate, Middlesex, England

The hamlet of Highgate is situated principally in the parish of Hornsey (otherwise Harringay, also spelt Harringee, Harrenghee, Harnesey, and Harnsey), partly in Islington (otherwise Eyseklon, from Ishel = loiver, also spelt Iseldon, Isendone, Izendune, Isenclen, Isleton, and Yseldon), and partly in St. Pancras, and is bounded on the north by Hornsey, on the south by St. Pancras, on the east by Islington, on the west by Hampstead. The hill on which it stands is four hundred and twenty-six feet above the sea level; the highest point of Hampstead being four hundred and forty-one feet fifteen feet higher.

Highgate was an attractive place of residence. Included within this manuscript are of the parish Notes of some of the houses and their residents: Winchester Hall, Lauderdale House, Sir John Pennethorne, Andrew Marvell, Fairseat House, Cromwell House, Arundel House, Detchworth House, Channing House, Sir John Wollaston, Sir Thomas Abney, Dr. Watts, Charles Knight, Bisham House, Sir John Hawkins, General Harcourt, Dr. Coysch, Sir E. Gould, The Old Hall, The Mansion House, Dr. Sacheverell, Leigh Hunt, Holly Terrace, Holly Lodge, The Hermitage, Fern Lodge, Charles Mathews, West Hill, West Hill Place, Joseph Payne, Morton Lodge, Highgate Lodge, West Hill Lodge, H. T. Buckle, N. T. Wetherell, Professor Tomlinson, T. T. Tatham, Dr. Moxon, Dr. Henry Kingsley, Marshal Wade, Hillside, Southwood, Lawn Oak Lodge, The Priory (Highgate), Park House, The Bull Inn and George Norland, Green the Aeronaut, Thomas Challis, Joseph Clarke, Grimestone (eye snuff), Mr. Dowall, Toulmin Smith, Brettles Hill, Alderman Rowe, Bath House, The Grove, Grove Lodge, Mr. Clay, Kookfield alias Konkh, The Priory (Hornsey), Mr. Collingridge, Ilaringcy House, Feme Park, Manor House, Crouch Hall, Crouch Hill, Stroud Green, Stapleton Hall, Hornsey, Wood House, Finsbury Park, Hornsey Lane, Charles Wesley, Michael Faraday, Farquhar House, Dr. Grainger, Linden House.

Table of Contents

Ancient Records
The Parish, The Churches, And The Cholmeley School
The Hamlet Of Highgate
The Houses And Their Residents
The Grove, The Fitzroy And The Caenwood Estates
Gossip Customs, Etc.
Former Residents Whose Houses Are Unknown
Highgate Of To-Day
List Of Fossils Found In The Archway Cutting

List of Illustrations

SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE, from a portrait by Dawe, R.A. (1812), in possession of the Lord Chief Justice of England. Etched by Lowenstam Frontispiece.
A MAP OF HIGHGATE, showing the position of the old houses, the Hunting Lodge, Tumulus, etc., etc To face page 256
COIN OF BUDICCA (Boadicea) 8
THE TUMULUS in the Parliament Fields, looking from Hampstead ; St. Michael's and St. Anne's Churches in the distance. Drawn by Sulman 25
DEED OF FRANK PLEDGE, Manor of Haringey, bearing the names of Sir Thomas Rowe and Sir John Wollaston. From the Potter collection (process) 65
CREST ON GABLE of Southwood Court The flying spur 84
HORNSEY CHURCH, the second building. From the Potter collection 86
Two views of HIGHGATE CHAPEL, Chatelaine 1750 (process) 116,117
THE CHAPEL OF ST. MICHAEL, HIGHGATE, showing the old School-House. From the Potter collection 124
The Arms and Signature of SIR ROGER CHOLMELEY 135
Seal of THE ARCHWAY COMPANY (process) 166
Signature of WILLIAM RATHBAND, founder of the old Presbyterian Church. From the Potter collection 185
" A PRTY WALL " an old stone at Bisham House 205
A GROUP OF OLD HOUSES, viz., The Mansion House, Lauderdale House, Andrew Marvell's House, Dr. Coysch's House, Cromwell House, back of Dorchester House, Fitzroy House, The Gate House. Drawn by Sulman 207
A.D. 1614 a date on garden wall of Cromwell House 219
ARUNDEL HOUSE, from the prospectus of Dr. Duncan's Academy. The Potter collection (process) 225
HILLSIDE, garden front of an old house in Jackson's Lane. Drawn by Sulman . . . 278
THE PRIORY, HORNSEY, the scene of the Jubilee celebrations. From a photograph by Herbert Lloyd 292
OLD FARM HOUSE at Hornsey. From the Heal collection (process) 294
THE OLD V MILE STONE in front of Miss Bloxam's house 302
THE GROVE, HIGHGATE, showing the Church of St. Michael, and No. 3, the house in which COLERIDGE died. Drawn by Sulman 303
THE COLERIDGE VAULT under the Crawley Chapel. From a photo ..... 320
A GROUP OF HIGHGATE HOUSES, viz., Caen Wood Towers Merton Lodge West Hill Place Winchester Hall Parkfield Southampton Lodge Sacheverell's. Drawn by Sulman . 356
The signature of the First LORD MANSFIELD 366
THE HIGHGATE HORNS (Gate House) 373
THE HIGHGATE ASSEMBLY TICKET (Old White Lion). From the Potter collection (process) 380
THE PONDS on the top of the hill. From the Potter collection 412
JACK FOSTER'S COTTAGE AND WATER-CART with which he supplied water at. From a photograph by the late Mr. Oakeshott ......... 413
THE ENTRANCE GATE of Southwood Court. Drawn by Sulman 449
THE OLD FORGE, High Street. Drawn by Sulman 450

The history, topography, and antiquities of Highgate, in the county of Middlesex: with notes on the surrounding neighbourhood of Hornsey, Crouch End, Muswell Hill, etc. (1888)

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Tenmantale

As late as the tenth century in the city of London, where acres could not possibly matter into the calculation, its basis being necessarily one of population, we find the citizens distributing themselves into frithgylds or associations for the maintenance of the peace, each association consisting of ten men; whilst such gykls were again associated, to enable them to act together, in tens. This arrangement was called in York the Ten-man-tale (Tyn-manna-ta-l), simply the count often men.

The document which calls such associations into existence in London known as Judicia Civitatis Londinensis - is (partly) as follows:

"This is the ordinance which the bishops and the reeves belonging to London have ordained, and confirmed with pledges, among our frith-gylds, as well eorlish as ceorlish, in addition to the dooms which were fixed at Greatly, at Exeter, and at Thundersfield.

"Resolved: That we count every ten men together, and the chief one to direct the nine in each of those duties which we have all ordained, and afterwards the hyndens of them together, and one hynden-man who shall admonish the ten for our common benefit; and let these eleven hold the money of the hynden, and decide what they shall disburse, when aught is to pay, and what they shall receive, should money accrue to us at our common suit.... That we gather to us once in every month, if we can and have leisure, the hynden-men and those who direct the tythings, as well as with butt-filling, or as else may please us, and know what of our agreement has been executed. And let these twelve men have their refection together, and feed themselves as they themselves think right, and deal the remains of the meat for love of God."

Now this valuable record furnishes important confirmation for the conclusion that the gegyldan of Alfred, the members of the London tithings or frithgylds of ten, and the York tenmantale, are in truth identical. And it is further in favour of this view that the citizens called the members of such gildships "gegyldan."