[Illustration: A map of The Skirts of the Great City] [Frontispiece: HAMPTON COURT PALACE] THE SKIRTS OF THE GREAT CITY BY MRS. ARTHUR G. BELL WITH SIXTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR BY ARTHUR G. BELL AND SEVENTEEN OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS METHUEN & CO. 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. LONDON _First Published in 1907_ {v} CONTENTS CHAP. I. HAMPSTEAD AND ITS ASSOCIATIONS II. HIGHGATE, HORNSEY, HENDON, AND HARROW III. SOME INTERESTING VILLAGES NORTH OF LONDON, WITH WALTHAM ABBEY AND EPPING FOREST IV. HAINAULT FOREST, WOOLWICH, AND OTHER EASTERN SUBURBS OF LONDON V. GREENWICH AND OTHER SOUTH-EASTERN SUBURBS OF LONDON VI. OUTLYING LONDON IN NORTH-EAST SURREY VII. CROYDON, CARSHALTON, EPSOM, AND OTHER SUBURBS IN NORTH-WEST SURREY VIII. WANDSWORTH, PUTNEY, BARNES, AND OTHER SOUTHERN SUBURBS IX. WIMBLEDON, MERTON, MITCHAM, AND THEIR MEMORIES {vi} X. RIVERSIDE SURVEY FROM MORTLAKE TO RICHMOND XI. RICHMOND TOWN AND PARK, WITH PETERSHAM, HAM HOUSE, AND KINGSTON XII. RIVERSIDE MIDDLESEX FROM FULHAM TO HAMPTON COURT INDEX {vii} LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR HAMPTON COURT PALACE . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ CHURCH ROW, HAMPSTEAD A BIT OF OLD HIGHGATE EPPING FOREST, NEAR LOUGHTON GREENWICH HOSPITAL, WITH ST. ALPHEGE'S CHURCH CHISLEHURST CHURCH AND COMMON PUTNEY REACH WIMBLEDON COMMON THE SHIP INN, MORTLAKE THE OLD PALACE, RICHMOND RICHMOND FROM TWICKENHAM FERRY RICHMOND PARK, WITH THE WHITE LODGE STRAND ON THE GREEN, WITH KEW BRIDGE THE CANAL, BRENTFORD PERIVALE CHURCH ISLEWORTH IN MONOTONE MAP. FROM A DRAWING BY B. C. BOULTER . . . . . . _Front Cover_ THE SPANIARDS, HAMPSTEAD HEATH _from a photograph by Messrs. Valentine, Dundee._ {viii} CONSTABLE'S FIRS _From a photograph by Messrs. Frith, Reigate._ HARROW-ON-THE-HILL _From a photograph by Messrs. Gale and Polden._ BYRON'S TOMB, HARROW _From a photograph by Messrs. Valentine, Dundee._ WALTHAM CROSS _From a photograph by Messrs. Frith, Reigate._ THE THAMES AT WOOLWICH _From a photograph by Messrs. Valentine, Dundee._ THE PAINTED HALL, GREENWICH HOSPITAL _From a photograph by the London Stereoscopic Company._ RUINS OF ELTHAM PALACE _From a photograph by Messrs. Frith, Reigate._ DULWICH COLLEGE _From a photograph by Mr. Bartlett, Dulwich._ THE CRYSTAL PALACE _From a photograph by the London Stereoscopic Company._ THE OLD PALACE, CROYDON _From a photograph by Messrs. Roffey and Clark, Croydon._ THE WANDLE, NEAR CARSHALTON _From a photograph by Messrs. Valentine, Dundee._ CARSHALTON POND _From a photograph by Messrs. Valentine, Dundee._ THE COCK INN, SUTTON _From a photograph by Messrs. Frith, Reigate._ THAMES DITTON _From a photograph by Messrs. Valentine, Dundee._ BUSHEY PARK _From a photograph by Messrs. Frith, Reigate._ {1} THE SKIRTS OF THE GREAT CITY CHAPTER I HAMPSTEAD AND ITS ASSOCIATIONS