WARE, (Hertfordshire) 2 m. E. of Hartford, on the E. side of the Lea, or Ware r. 20 cm. 22 mm. from London, from which it
is the second post-T. was founded, anno 914, by order of Edward I. and began to be of some note in the R. of K. John, when
the high road to the N. was laid through it, by the procurement of the Ld. of the manor; so that by degrees it increased,
to the eclipsing of the ancient T. of Hartford. It was drowned anno 1408, by floods from the neighbouring park, and other
up-lands; and sluices and wayres having been made in its r. to preserve it from the like inundations, Mr. Norden, and Mr.
Camden think it acquired its name from thence, and not, as some supposed, from wares, or merchandise. The Danes seem to be
the first that made use of wears in these parts; for when those invaders came up the Thames and the Lea to this place,
they erected a fort here, and, to secure it from K. Alfred's army, raised the water so high, by a great dam, or wear, that
they could not come at it, before the road to the N. was laid open, as above-mentioned, which was done by Sayer de Quincy
Earl of Winchester. Here was an iron chain that locked up the passage over the bridge into Ware, the key whereof was kept
by the bailiff of Hartford, who suffered none to pass with carts or horses in harness, without paying him toll. In the R.
of Henry III. there was a priory founded in the N. part of the T. which Henry VIII. conveyed to Tho. Byrch, who sold it to
James Stanley, of London, scrivener; but it was lately, if it be not still, in the possession of Mr. Hedgeley. The above-
mentioned Earl's son procured a Mt. and Fair for this T. from Hen. III. The manor came through many hands to Catherine,
the Css. of Huntingdon, (to whom Q. Elizabeth had granted the reversion) from whom it was purchased by Thomas Fanshaw, the
K's. remembrancer of the exchequer, who, by a quo warranto obtained its present Mt. which is on T. with a pye-powder
court, &c. and the neighbouring park, in which he had a seat, where the heir of the late Thomas Byde, Ld. of the manor,
has a pleasant house and vineyard, lately improved by a cut from the Rib, which turns that stream through the park on the
S. side, and abounds with trouts. The abundance of water about this T. gave rise to that useful project of cutting a
channel from hence, for conveying the New-River to London. The Mt. here is a very good one, especially for corn; and so
great is the malt trade here, and in the neighbourhood, that 5000 quarters of malt and corn are often sent in a week to
London, by the barges, which return with coals. At the Crown inn here, is the great bed so much visited by travellers,
which is 12 feet square, and it is said will hold 20 couple. In its Ch. there is a gallery for children sent hither by the
governors of Christ's hos. in London, to be nursed; and four vaults, 1. for Ware-Park, 2. Sir Robert Fanshaw's, 3. Sir
Tho. Byde's, and 4, Sir Tho. Clutterbuck's. Here are 6 or 7 almshs. well endowed, besides a ch. sc. and Fairs March 25,
July 27, and Sept. 7.