The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-05 00:00:00

THE BRITISH GAZETTEER.

The Fourteenth Part of this valuable national
work has appeared with the Ist of the present month,
illustrated with the maps of two counties, Westmore-
lend and Hereford. We subjoin an extract descrip-
tive of a well-known and admired locality on the
shores of the Thames, one of the most enviable resi-
dences in the vicinity of the great metropolis :
" Greenhythe, Kent, a hamlet in the parish of Swans-
combe, on the southern bank of the Thames: 18 miles
from London, 3 from Dartford, 5 from Gravesend.—
This place stands on the southern bank of the Thames,
across which there is a ferry of great antiquity into Es-
sex. Together with Gravesend, it is much frequented
during the summer by the citizens cf London, and it has
in consequence been much improved and enlarged of late
years. There are extensive chalk-pits here and at
Northfleet, the chalk being connected with the hills
forming the southern boundary of the Thames marshes.
Several of the excavations are 150 feet deep, and in
some parts much below the level of the river. The chalk
is burnt for lime, and sent to London, &c., forming an
important article of commerce, and there are wharfs
along the shore for the convenience of shipping. I'he
flints intermingled with the chalk form a principalin-
gredient in the manufacture of Staffordshire ware, and
considerable quantities of them have been exported to
China. On the banks of the river Thames, there is a
beautiful park, once belonging to the Dartford nuns, and
was then called Ince-Grice, but is now named Ingress.
This property was for several years in the possession of
the Calcraft, family. John Calcraft, Esq., about a cen-
tury ago, extended a large amount in ornamenting the
grounds, and beautifying the mansion; and in 1763, the
Marquis of Granby, on returning through Kent, after his
continental victories, visited Mr. Cale:aft, and passed the
night at Ingress. The Government, under the Melville
Administration, purchased this and several other pro-
perties in the vicinity, in contemplation of forming a
grand naval arsenal, by excavating the marsh just below
Ingress; but the project was abandoned on account of
the difficulty that might occur in getting the ships down
the river to the Nore on an emergency, the towing of
vessels by steam tugs not being then invented, and Sheer-
ness nag the spot selected for the arsenal. The Earl of
Besborough held Ingress after the Calcrafts, and in 1795
it was the property of Roebuck, Esq., who enlarged
the house, and erected a noble portico, designed by the
unfortunate Novosielski. It is said, that during the un-
happy differences between George IV. and his queen,
Caroline, she expressed to the Government a wish to
have a grant of Ingress for her residence in this country,
but to avoid complying with her request the house
was sold in lots, and levelled with the ground.
About 20 years ago, Government put up to auction all
the property they had purchased for the projected arsenal,
and Ingress was purchased by James Harmer, Esq.,
formerly an alderman of London, who has erected, with
the stone of the old London-bridge, near the site of the
former building, an elegant mansion, designed by
Charles Moreing, a promising young architect. Mr.
Harmer has taken great pains in tastefully laying out
the grounds, and ornamenting them with plantations
and shrubberies, and it is now considered by many as one
of the most romantic spots in England."