Lysons tells us “Lord Craven has an estate in this parish called Craven-hill, on which is a small hamlet very pleasantly situated;” and that this nobleman “whose humane exertions during the dreadful calamities, the great fire and plague of London, are so well known, observing the difficulties which attended the burying of infected corpses in 1665,” gave a piece of ground in the parish of St. Martin’s-in-the-fields, east of Regent street, as a burial-place during any future sickness. {52a} Carnaby market and other buildings, were erected on this Craven estate, and Lysons adds, “when this ground was covered with building, it was exchanged for a field upon the Paddington estate, which, if London should ever be again visited by the plague, is still subject to the said use.” This land was not used, however, during the plague of 1848–49; and at the present time a grand London-square, called Craven Gardens, alone indicates the site of the Paddington pest-house field. This property consisting of two messuages and nine acres of land was purchased by the trustees of this charity-estate of one Jane Upton, widow, and her son, with consent of the minor’s trustees, for fifteen hundred and seventy pounds. {52b} The poor inhabitants of the parishes of St. Clement’s Danes, St. Martin’s-in-the-fields, St. James’s, Westminster, and St. Paul’s, Covent Garden, were to be specially benefitted by these houses and this land. But I must refer those who wish to know more of this charity to the private acts concerning it. Mr Orme, formerly a print-seller in Bond-street, purchased property west of Craven-hill. Mr. Neild is the lessee of all the land claimed by the Dean and Chapter of Westminster in this parish; and is said to have purchased land in and near Paddington, of the descendants of Dr. Busby. A Mr. White now owns land at Westbourn; the Grand Junction Canal Company; the Grand Junction Water Works Company; and the Great Western Railway Company, are large proprietors. Many pieces of land have been given, and purchased for charitable uses; and in 1852 no less than fifty persons claimed to be registered as county voters for freehold land held by them in Paddington. It is not, however, the object of this work to exhibit the title deeds of private owners of land in this parish; or to record all the names of the owners of the soil; neither would I have it thought that I wish to constitute myself a judge of the value of those claims which have been set up by corporations, aggregate, or sole. But the rights of a whole people cannot be set aside by the single fact of possession; neither can individuals be permitted much longer to enrich themselves, and their immediate relatives, by applying to their own uses the proceeds of lands consecrated to the people. COMMONS AND WASTE.