WALTON-upon-THAMES, a parish in the first
division of the hundred of ELMBRIDGE, county of
SURREY, 2 miles (N. E. by E.) from Weybridge, and
IS .(S. W. by W.) from London, containing, with Common-
Side, Hersham, Burnwood, and Town divisions,
1891 inhabitants. The living is a discharged vicarage,
in the archdeaconry of Surrey, and diocese of Winchester,
rated in the king's books at £12. 13. 4., and
in the patronage of the Crown. The church, dedicated
to St. Mary, is a handsome structure of considerable
antiquity, containing many fine monuments,
of which the most conspicuous is one by Roubilliac,
to the memory of Richard Boyle, Viscount Shannon,
who distinguished himself at the memorable battle
of the Boyne. It contains the remains of several
members" of the Rodney family, and of many other eminent
persons. There is a place of worship for Inde-
pendents. Walton probably derived its name from the
formidable Roman works yet visible within its precincts,
the principal of which, on St. George's hill, is
called the Camp of Caesar, who here gave battle to
Cassivelaunus, at the head of the Britons: that chieftain
having first taken the precaution of driving
stakes into the bed of the Thames, successfully opposed
the vigorous attempts of the Romans to force
the passage of the river, at a place still called Coway
Stakes. Strata of iron-ore appear in different parts
of the parish. The village is small, but derives
some importance from the many noble mansions in,
its immediate neighbourhood, and the elegant villas
by which it is surrounded. A curious wooden bridge,
of three arches, over the Thames was built, about
1750, by Samuel Dicker, Esq.; and, more recently,
another of brick and stone, of fifteen arches, across
the low meadows, was added to it; but the former,
falling to decay, was replaced by the present structure,
built uniform with that which remained, and
both now appear as one bridge of considerable length
and beauty. A fair for cattle, granted by Henry VIII.,
is held on Wednesday and Thursday in Easter week.
A National school, established by the late Earl of
Garhampton, is supported by voluntary contributions;
there are also some endowed almshouses, and a remarkable
bequest by one Smith, originally a beggar,
who, in the course of his wanderings, having amassed
a considerable sum, left a portion of it to the poor
of every parish in the county of Surrey, with the'
exception of those wherein he had experienced pu-'
nishment as a vagabond. Apps Court, in this parish/
was once a residence of Cardinal Wolsey; but the
ancient building has given place to a more modern and'
elegant mansion, the proprietor of which is subject
to an old custom of distributing annually a quarter of
wheat made into bread, and a barrel of small beer,
amongst such travellers as may happen to presentthemselves
on the 13th of November; he enjoys the'
privilege of nominating four poor widows of Walton to'
a charity derived from the parish of Effingham. Ashley
House, one of the many edifices built by Wolsey/
was occasionally the residence of Oliver Cromwell. A
farm-house' is also mentioned as having been the seat'
of Bradshaw, who presided at the trial of Charles I.,'
and which was afterwards occupied by Judge Jeffreys:
some of the old carving is still preserved in several
of the apartments. Paine's hill, at the foot of which'
the river Mole is crossed by a neat brick bridge, is
partly occupied by the mansion and tasteful planta-'
tions of the Dowager Countess of Carhampton. Oatlands,
once the property of the late Duke of York, is
partly in this parish, the boundary line which separates
Walton and Weybridge passing through the house.
Block-making, for supplying the navy, was extensively
carried on here, till the erection of the celebrated
machinery in Portsmouth dock-yard entirely superseded'
the necessity for its continuance.