Melodies
Solemnly sat, agrah!"
Mr. Thomas James Bell, the next tenant of 'Rosamond's Bower,' altered the
name to 'Audley Cottage,' which it now bears, and the agreeable
associations connected with the former title are in the recollection of
many who may be unaware of the change, and may regret the substitution of
a name, for which there appears to have been very little reason.
Parson's Green Lane continues from Rosamond's Bower to Parson's Green.
It is for the most part composed of small cottages. On the left-hand
corner of the Green is the 'White Horse' public-house, the sign of which
was, some few years ago supported by the quaint piece of iron-work shown
in the annexed cut. It is now altered.
[Picture: Iron-work sign and White Horse Public-House]
East End House, on the east side of the Green, next the pond, was
originally built by Sir Francis Child, who was Lord Mayor of London, in
1699. It was afterwards the residence of Admiral Sir Charles Wager; and
Dr. Ekins, Dean of Carlisle, died here 20th November, 1791. The house
was subsequently modernized by the late John Powell, and became the
residence of Mrs. Fitzherbert, who erected the porch in front of the
house as a shelter for carriages. Here the Prince of Wales (afterwards
George IV.) was a frequent visitor. Piccolomini lived here for a short
time lately.
The celebrated Sir Thomas Bodley lived at Parson's Green from 1605 to
1609. The old mansion at the west side of the Green was formerly the
Rectory House, and is traditionally reported to have been the residence
of Adoniram Byfield, the noted Presbyterian Chaplain to Colonel
Cholmondeley's regiment in the Earl of Essex's army, who took so
prominent a part in Cromwellian politics, that he became immortalized in
Hudibras. [Picture: The Rectory House] An old stone building is noticed
by Bowack in 1705, as adjoining this house, and presumed by him to be of
three or four hundred years' standing, and in all probability a chapel
for the rectors and their domestics. This building was pulled down,
according to Lysons, about the year 1742, and the house is now divided
into two, that at the corner being occupied by Dr. Lauman's Academy. At
the south-west side of the Green is the old entrance to Peterborough
House, a residence with the recollections of which the names of Locke,
Swift, Pope, Gay, Prior, and a crowd of others are associated.
The present Peterborough House, which is a little
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