Edmonton (All Saints)
The living is a vicarage, valued in the king's books at £18; net income, £1550; patrons and appropriators, the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's, London: the tithes were commuted for land and corn-rents in 1799. The church is a spacious ancient structure in the later English style, once of flint stone; in 1772 it was cased with brick, but it has a square embattled tower in its original state. At Southgate and Winchmore-Hill are separate incumbencies. There are places of worship for Baptists, the Society of Friends, Independents, and Wesleyans. A charity school for boys was founded in 1624, by Edward Latymer; a charity school for girls was established by subscription in 1778, and a national school in 1822. The poor law union of Edmonton comprises seven parishes or places, of which five are in Middlesex, and one in each of the counties of Essex and Hertford; and contains a population of 52,569. On Bush Hill, in the parish, are remains of a large circular encampment, supposed to have been the site of a British town, and near which Sir Hugh Myddelton had a residence. Bury Hall, the seat of President Bradshaw, retains many of its original features. Peter Fabell, a learned man of eccentric character, who flourished in the reign of Henry VII., and obtained the reputation of being a conjuror, is said to have been born in the parish, which became noted by the production of a drama, founded upon some of his alleged exploits, and called the "Merry Devil of Edmonton," first printed in 1608. The place also gave rise to a tragedy founded on the history of an unfortunate woman who was condemned and executed on a charge of witchcraft, in 1621; and it has been lastly celebrated as the scene of Cowper's popular ballad of John Gilpin, in allusion to which there is a painting in front of the Bell inn. Dr. Brook Taylor, secretary to the Royal Society, and author of an ingenious treatise on Perspective, was born here in 1685; and Archbishop Tillotson resided here constantly while Dean of St. Paul's, and occasionally after his translation to the primacy.
Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858.