On the edge of the hill, and at a small
distance from the church, are two fine
houses, one of which was in the posses-
sion of the late Governor Hunter, and the
other was erected by the late Lord Rom-
ney.  The gardens being on the side of
the hill, slope down towards the river,
and render the prospect very delightful
in summer, from the extensive view
they afford of the country, and of the
great number of ships that are generally
sailing by every tide: but being fully
exposed to the north wind, the fruit trees
are generally blighted; and in winter time
the air is said to be made unwholsome
by the water which frequently overflows
the neighbouring plains.

The following year that public bene-
factor built a chapel upon the spot, ac-
cording to the religion of those times,
for prayers to be said for the souls of all
who had been interred there, and after-
wards founded a monastery of the Car-
thusians in the same place.  This mo-
nastery, by the corruption of the word
Cartreux, by which the French mean a
Carthusian house, obtained the name of
Charterhouse.

This monastery being dissolved at the
reformation, at length fell to the Earl
of Suffolk, who disposed of it to Thomas
Sutton, Esq; a citizen of London, for
13,000l.  The latter then applied to
King James I. for a patent for his in-
tended charitable foundation, which was
readily granted in the year 1611, and
confirmed by parliament in 1628.  The
expence of sitting up the house for the
reception of his pensioners and scholars
amounted to 7000l. which added to
the purchase money, made 20,000l.  But
this was not all, he endowed his hospital
and school with fifteen manors, and
other lands, to the value of above 4490l.