BARNES, a parish in the western division of the
hundred of BRIXTON, county of SURREY, 5 miles (W.
S.W.) from London, containing 1240 inhabitants. The
village is pleasantly situated on the southern bank of
the river Thames, and contains several well-built
houses, particularly on the terrace, facing the river,
which commands an extensive view of the opposite
bank, and forms a peculiarly interesting promenade,
from the constant traffic on the Thames, and the continued
succession of pleasure boats passing between
London and Richmond, and in other aquatic excursions.
At Barn-Elms, in the vicinity, so called from a row of
stately elm trees, there is an ancient mansion, called
Queen Elizabeth's Dairy, which was afterwards the residence
of Jacob Tonson, an eminent bookseller, who
built a room for the meetings of the members of the
" Kit-Kat-Club," portraits of some of whom adorned
the walls j these have been since engraved and published,
and among them are several of the most eminent
English literati of the early part of the last century.
Queen Elizabeth granted the manor-house to Sir Francis
Walsingham, who, in 1589, entertained that sovereign
and her court here: it was afterwards the residence
of the Earl of Essex, who had espoused the daughter of
Sir Francis, the widow of Sir Philip Sidney. A court
leet is held by the lord of the manor, at which constables
and other officers are appointed. The living is a rectory,
in the peculiar jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury,
rated in the king's books at £9. 3. 4,, and in
the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul'Sj
London. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient
edifice in the early style of English architecture,
built of. flint and freestone, with a square tower of brick,
having an octagonal turret at one angle, which appears
to have been added in 1500. There is an endowment,
arising from the sum of £114, for the instruction of
poor children j and a National school is supported by
subscription. In 1653, Edward Rose, of London, left
£20 to the poor of this parish, on condition that a
tablet, erected to his memory, within a small enclosure
planted with rose trees, in the churchyard, should be
kept in repair. Robert Beale, who was employed by
Elizabeth to communicate to Mary Queen of Scots the
sentence which had been passed upon her, and afterr
wards sent to Fotheringay Castle, to see it carried into
effect, died here in 1601. Cowley the poet resided here
for some time.