-trees. The place has, however, recently been disfigured by
high mansions.

The parish of Hampstead was originally included in that of Hendon. The
churchwardens of Hampstead first appeared at the Bishop's visitation in
1598, which therefore marks the beginning of an actual parochial
settlement, though the register commences in 1560, nearly forty years
earlier. Until 1561 it was considered as a donative or free chapel, and
after that date it became a perpetual curacy, subject to the
jurisdiction of the Bishop and the Archdeacon.

The first church or chapel, which stood on the same site as the present
one, must have been a curious little structure, if one may judge from
the illustrations still extant--a low-pitched Gothic building with
wooden belfry. This was dedicated to St. Mary, and the date of its
origin is unknown. In 1745 it was taken down, and services were held in
the chapel in Well Walk for two years, while the new church was being
built. The building itself is of a kind of dingy earth-brick, which, in
spite of the conspicuous date, 1745, at the east end, looks as fresh and
sharp-edged as if it were of yesterday. The body of the church is
mercifully clothed in ivy, but the square tower, with its abnormal
battlements and stone courses and facings, rises up nakedly. The
peculiarity of the church is that the tower is at the east end. The
conical copper spire was added in 1784. An old clock-dial of stone faces
eastward.

To raise funds for the building of the church a plan was formed by which
those who gave L50 were to have first choice of seats, and to have the
additional privilege of handing on such seats to their heirs. This
arrangement continued until 1827. Besides many minor alterations and
improvements, a thorough rearrangement of the interior took place in
1878. Then a chancel was added at the west end, and thus we have beneath
it the open-arched vaults which form its support. The old pews were done
away with, and the interior redecorated. The reredos is of mosaic work.
The font is of Siena marble "with moulded bases and carved Ionic
capitals of white statuary." The general scheme of decoration is of a
free Renaissance colour. The restoration cost L14,000. The ceiling is
very elaborately decorated, and in a side chapel is a large fresco
painting. The choir is ornamented by beautiful inlaid wood, in the same
style as the font cover. There is an excellent bust of Keats, presented
by American admirers in 1894.