TUNBRIDGE, (Kent) or the T. of bridges, 5 m. S. E. from Sevenoke, 20 cm. 29 mm. from London, is so called from the r. Tun,
and four other little streams here of the Medway, over each of which there is a stone-bridge. It has the ruins of a
castle, which appears to have been very large. It was erected by Richard Earl of Clare, natural son to Rich. I. Duke of
Normandy, who exchanged lands there for the like quantity here. This castle was taken by K. Stephen, and afterwards by K.
John, and K. Henry III. who garrisoned it. His successors, Earls of Glocester, held the manor of the Abps. of Canterbury,
on condition that they should be stewards at the Abps. installments, and grant them the woodship of their children; but
this tenure, after long dispute, was compounded. The manor, which went by marriage to the Staffords Ds. of Buckingham,
came to the crown by an attainder in 1520. It was formerly accounted as an honour, and the T. once, in the R. of Edw. I.
sent burgesses to Pt. It gives title of Visc. to the Earl of Rochford. Here are 3 constables, one for the T. and 2 others
for Southborough and Helden, in which 2 parts of it are situate. The present Ch. is a modern structure. Its old one was
built by Richard de Clare Earl of Hartford and Glocester, and Ld. of Tunbridge, (in the R. of Henry III.) who also founded
a priory here. Sir Andrew Judd, Ld. mayor of London, a native of this place, erected a fr. sc. here, on which an estate
was settled in the R. of Q. Eliz. by Pt. He appointed the skinners company of London, of which he was a freeman, trustees
of it. The fair stone causey leading into the T. from London, was the gift of John Wilford, a citizen of London, in 1528.
The houses here are mostly ill built, and the streets sorrily paved. Its Mt. is F. Fairs Ash-W. June 24, Oct. 18. Near the
T. was anciently a place called the Forest of Tunbridge, which bel. also to the Earls of Glocester, but it is now called
the South-Frith. The WELLS, or chalybiat-springs, so much resorted to by the nobility and gentry, in June, July, and
August, are 4 or 5 m. S. of the T. but for most part in its p. at the bottom pf three hills, called Mount-Sinai, Mount
Ephraim, and Mount-Pleasant, on which are good houses, and fine fruit-gardens; but they are fed from a spring in the next
p. of Spelhurst. Here also is a good Mt. of butchers and poulterers, &c. besides shops for toys, milliners, woodenware,
&c. coffee-rooms, where is card-playing, &c, and a hall for dancing; and behind the wells, there is a large chapel of ease
to the p.-Ch. where is divine service twice a day, during the season for drinking the waters, and where 70 poor children
are taught, who are wholly maintained by the contributions of the company at the Wells, which are also the chief support
of the chaplain. The water operates by urine and perspiration, and is of great efficacy in cold chronical distempers, weak
nerves, and bad digestions. The air here is excellent, all provisions very reasonable, and here is plenty of the best
sorts of wild fowl, and particularly the delicious bird called the wheat-ear from the S. Downs, but this last comes very
dear. They have good fish of almost all kinds, from Rye, &c. and mackarel, when in season, from Hastings, within 3 hours
after they are taken. On Waterdown-Forest, near these Wells, there used to be horse-races.