LONDON: CHAPMAN & HALL, LTD. 1910 PRINTED AND BOUND BY HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD., LONDON AND AYLESBURY. CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER I SONNING—HURST, “IN THE COUNTY OF WILTS”—SHOTTESBROOKE—WARGRAVE 1 CHAPTER II HENLEY—THE BRIDGE AND ITS KEYSTONE-MASKS—REMENHAM— HAMBLEDEN—MEDMENHAM ABBEY AND THE “HELL FIRE CLUB”—HURLEY—BISHAM 25 CHAPTER III GREAT MARLOW—COOKHAM—CLIVEDEN AND ITS OWNERS—MAIDENHEAD 51 CHAPTER IV BRAY AND ITS FAMOUS VICAR—JESUS HOSPITAL 69 CHAPTER V OCKWELLS MANOR-HOUSE—DORNEY COURT—BOVENEY—BURNHAM ABBEY 82 CHAPTER VI CLEWER—WINDSOR—ETON AND ITS COLLEGIANS—DATCHET—LANGLEY AND THE KEDERMINSTERS 109 CHAPTER VII DATCHET—RUNNYMEDE—WRAYSBURY—HORTON AND ITS MILTON ASSOCIATIONS—STAINES MOOR—STANWELL—LALEHAM AND MATTHEW ARNOLD—LITTLETON—CHERTSEY—WEYBRIDGE—SHEPPERTON 131 CHAPTER VIII COWAY STAKES—WALTON-ON-THAMES—THE RIVER AND THE WATER COMPANIES—SUNBURY—TEDDINGTON—TWICKENHAM 157 CHAPTER IX PETERSHAM 185 CHAPTER X ISLEWORTH—BRENTFORD AND CÆSAR’S CROSSING OF THE THAMES 211 CHAPTER XI STRAND-ON-THE-GREEN—KEW—CHISWICK—MORTLAKE—BARNES 236 CHAPTER XII PUTNEY—FULHAM BRIDGE—FULHAM 258 INDEX 293 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS SEPARATE PLATES BISHAM CHURCH _Frontispiece_ PAGE SONNING BRIDGE 5 SHOTTESBROOKE CHURCH 13 WARGRAVE CHURCH 19 UNDER THE WILLOWS: A BACKWATER NEAR WARGRAVE 23 ARCH CARRYING THE ROAD, PARK PLACE 27 REMENHAM CHURCH 27 HENLEY-ON-THAMES 31 REGATTA ISLAND 35 MEDMENHAM ABBEY 39