again quartered in the neighbourhood of Uxbridge.

In the years 1688 and 1689 the accounts of the chapel-wardens and overseers of the poor, contain several items of expenses for repairing the guard-house. After the restoration there was no longer any necessity to maintain a garrison or a guard-house, and since that period, therefore, both have been unknown.

SECTION 6.

ROMAN ROAD;-HIGH-BRIDGE.

Roman Road.

It appears from the best authorities, that a Roman road passed from High Wycombe in a direct line towards Uxbridge. This road has been traced, according to Camden and others, to some distance out of Wycombe, towards Beaconsfield; and from its direction, may be inferred to have proceeded towards the Coln. Whether it crossed that river has not been ascertained. And as far as we know, no traces have ever been discovered of this road at Uxbridge but at Breakspear, about four miles north of Uxbridge, the seat of J. A. Partridge, Esq. the remains of Roman sepulchres

have been recently discovered*; and from the well known fact of the Romans burying by the sides of their roads, it may be fairly conjectured, that the road from Wycombe passed by Breakspear, either across to ancient Verulam, near St. Albans, or onward direct to London, and so fell into that branch of Roman road, which came from Staines towards our present road at Shepherd's Bush, from whence it turned direct to London. But the more probable conjecture appears to us to be, that the road from Wycombe by Uxbridge, led to Verulam; this at least may be conjectured from the northerly direction which it appears to have taken towards Breakspear.

High-bridge.

A bridge has existed for many centuries either at or very near the spot where the present High-bridge stands. We have not been able to ascertain any particulars of its origin, but it is most likely as ancient as the town itself. The earliest fact we have discovered relative to the bridge is, that in the year 1377, the first year of Richard II. one Gomme was indicted as the holder of land adjoining the bridge, upon

* Communicated by J. A. Partridge, Esq.

the ground that he ought to repair it. The record states the bridge to be at that time in a very ruinous condition; the words are, ruinosus et defractus est. It must therefore have existed long before. But at this early period it was only adapted for foot and horse passengers, being what was then called, " a packe & prime bridge." It consisted of two parts or moieties; an island being here situated in the middle of the river, and the bridge passing to the island, and from the island to the opposite bank. In the reign of king Henry the Eighth, but in what year we have not been able to ascertain, the first bridge for carriages was built by Lord Loughborowe and Sir Edward Peckham, the one dwelling in Buckinghamshire, the other in Middlesex. This bridge, which was of wood, they are said to have built " of charitie;" and it does not appear that either of them had any personal interest in the town. In the year 1600 Lady Derby, the then lady of the manor of Colham and borough of Uxbridge, was indicted for allowing the bridge to fall into decay. She appears to have repaired it, or at least to have allowed timber to be taken from

her park for the purpose. In the year 1611

the inhabitants first contributed towards some repairs; and in the year 1649 Lord Chandos, the grandson and heir of Lady Derby, was indicted on account of the bridge which then

stood in need of repair*. We have obtained no information how this suit terminated. By a verdict obtained in the 15th year of the reign of king Charles I. (1639) it was determined that the inhabitants of Buckinghamshire should repair one half of this bridge. The old bridge was taken down about fifty years since, and the present one of brick erected at the joint expense of the counties of Bucks and Middlesex, for the repairs of which they are now answerable.

Leland mentions two bridges which crossed the two arms of the Coln. That which he describes as the more western is the one now denominated High-bridge, and it crosses the principal arm of the Coln. He says "There be two wooden bridges at the west ende of the towne, and under the more weste goeth the great arme of Colne river. The lesser arme goeth under the other bridge, and each of them serve there a great mille." The The "lesser arm" of the Coln is crossed by a short bridge at Mr. Mercer's mill, and is repaired by the trustees under the Act of 1785, mentioned chap. ii. sect. 3.

* Manuscripts in the possession of the Lords.

CHAPTER II.

MODERN DESCRIPTION.

SECTION I.

SITUATION, DESCRIPTION, &c.-THE COMMON,-THE RIVER COLN,-RIGHT OF FISHERY,-THE WATERWORKS.

Situation, Description, &c.

THE ancient town of Uxbridge is situated in the parish of Hillingdon, in the hundred of Elthorne, or, as it is written in the record called Domesday, Helethorne or Heletorne, at the north-western extremity of the county of Middlesex, fifteen miles from London, in a direction nearly north-west; nine miles northeast of Windsor.

The town stands on a gentle declivity towards the south-west and west, and is thereby greatly sheltered from the north and north-east.