SOUTHGATE, a chapelry in the parish of EDMONTON, and hundred
of EDMONTON, county of MIDDLESEX, 8 miles (N.
by W.) from London. The population is returned with
the parish. The name of this place is derived from
its situation at the south gate, or entrance, of Enfield
Chase, and it is still called South-street division. The
village contains many handsome houses; the New River
runs at its extremity. The neighbourhood is well wooded
the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos having a
residence here, in the grounds of which is a very fine
old oak tree, that covers with its shade nearly an acre
of ground. The chapelry is within the jurisdiction of
a court of requests held at Enfield, for the recovery of
debts Under 40s. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the
patronage of the Vicar of Edmonton. The chapel, built
in 1615, at the sole expense of Sir John Weld, has
been recently pulled down and rebuilt: it is endowed
with an estate in Essex, called Orsett. There is a place
of worship for Independents. A Lancasterian school was
built by John Walker, Esq., and is supported solely by
his widow. Mrs. Cowley left a sum of money to clothe
nine boys and nine girls in this school. In an adjacent
field, called  Camp Field,' have been found several pieces
of cannon, and a gorget belonging to Oliver Cromwell,
having his initials handsomely inlaid with jewels, now
in the British Museum; and in 1829, several ancient
coins were dug up in the neighbourhood.