Within a few years past, great improvements have been made in the lands near this town, by turning them into kitchen gardens, with the produce of which Gravesend not only supplies the neighbouring places for several miles round, but also sends great quantities to the London markets, particularly of asparagus, that of Gravesend being preferred to that of Battersea. As all outward bound ships are obliged to anchor in this road till they have been visited by the custom house officers, and as they generally stay here to take in provisions, the town is full of seamen, and in a constant hurry. GRAY FRIARS. See GREY FRIARS. GRAY’S _court_, Duke street, Piccadilly.† [Illustration: _Gray’s Inn._ _S. Wale delin. B. Green sculp._ ] GRAY’S INN, on the north side of Holborn, near the Bars, is so called from its being formerly the residence of the ancient and noble family of Gray of Wilton, who in the reign of Edward III. demised it to several students of the law. It is one of the four Inns of Court, and is inhabited by Barristers and Students of the law, and also by such gentlemen of independent fortune, as chuse this place, for the sake of an agreeable retirement, or the pleasure of the walks. The members of the house are to be in commons a fortnight every term, for which they pay 16_s._ The officers and servants belonging to the Inn, are, a Treasurer, a Steward, a chief and three under butlers, an upper and under cook, a pannier man, a gardener, the steward, the chief butler’s men, and two porters. This Inn has its chief entrance out of Holborn through a large gate, though it is seated far backwards, and though with its gardens it takes up almost all the west side of Gray’s Inn lane. It consists of several well-built courts, particularly Holborn court, Coney court, and another at the entrance into the garden. The hall where the gentlemen of the society dine and sup is large and commodious; but the chapel is too small; it is a Gothic structure, and has marks of much greater antiquity than any other part of the building.