EWELL, a parish partly in the first division of the
hundred of REIGATE, but chiefly in the first division of:
the hundred of COPTHORNE, county of SURREY, 65
miles (N.W. by N.) from Kingston, on the road to Worth--
ing, containing, with the liberty of Kingswood, which is in
the hundred of Reigate, 173 7 inhabitants. The village was
anciently of more importance than it is at present, and in
the parish was the splendid palace of Nonsuch, erected by
Henry VIII., and taken down in the reign of Charles II.
There are still some remains of that celebrated edifice,,
which, for costly magnificence and splendid decoration,
was, as its name implied, unequalled by any building of
the kind. They consist chiefly of the walls of the inner
court, including a quadrangular area of half an acre, in
the centre of which was the banqueting-house, twentyfive
feet square, and three stories in height; and of
some of the bastions by which the palace was defended:
the ascent into the court was by three double flights of
stone steps, still in tolerable preservation; and in an
adjoining field, called Diana's Dyke, was a cold bath,
decorated with statues of Diana and Actaeon, which was
used by Queen Elizabeth, who occupied the palace during
the latter part of her life, but which is at present only
a small pond. The remains of this once stately pile are
carefully preserved by Mr. Calverley, who has erected
a mansion in the ancient style of English architecture,
near the site: in the grounds, several Roman
coins have been discovered, among which were one of
Antoninus, and one of Constantine. The village is well
paved, and partially lighted with oil, and the inhabitants
are amply supplied with water. There are several gunpowder
and flour-mills set in motion by the river Kingsmill,
a stream which has its source in the parish, and
falls into the Thames at Kingston. The market, formerly
held on Thursday, has long been discontinued;
the fairs are, May 12th for cattle, and October 29th, a
very large mart for sheep, at which from thirty to forty
thousand are frequently sold. The parish is within the
jurisdiction of a court held at Kingston, for the recovery
of debts to any amount: courts leet and baron
are held at Michaelmas. The living is a vicarage, in the
archdeaconry of Surrey, and diocese of Winchester,
rated in the king's books at £ 8, and in the patronage of
Sir Lewen Powell Glyn, Bart. The church, dedicated
to St. Mary, is an ancient structure, and has. received
an addition of one hundred and eighty-one free sittings,
towards defraying the expense of which, the Incorporated
Society for the enlargement of churches and chapels
granted £ 50. The rectory-house is an ancient edifice;
in the grounds several fossils and coins have been found
within the last few years; among the latter was one of
Trajan. There is a place of worship for Independents.
A National school, to which some bequests for the education
of children have been assigned, was established
in 1816: about one hundred and seventy children are
taught in this school, which is chiefly supported by
subscription.