EPSOM IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

Prize Essay written for Epsom Literary and Scientific Society

(The following article is from an 1899 edition of The Surrey Magazine)

UPWARDS of two centuries have elapsed since the Stuart kings ruled on the throne of England, and during that time greater changes have, perhaps, taken place in the social life of the country than in any other period in history: . Every town in the kingdom has increased in size, in population, and in importance, and names then unknown are famous throughout the world as centres of wealth and civilization. London of to-day has a population ‘as great as that of the whole of England in the seventeenth century’. In point of size the so-called towns were no larger than villages, and it was considered a remarkable fact if the buildings in a town were so numerous as to obliterate from the view of an observer the scenery of the woodland which surrounded it. No well-made roads or imposing buildings of any kind were to be seen. In bad weather the roads were mere tracks banked up on either side with quantities of mud. The houses were built of wood and the roofs were thatched. The means of intercourse between the most important towns and the metropolis was very limited, for railways were unheard of, and the picturesque old stage coach was the chief means of conveyance. To travel from Exeter to London in six days was considered’ a wonderful feat. There was nothing at all to equal our modern newspaper, only a two-paged sheet of very meagre news, issued twice a week, in which no State trials or matters of importance were mentioned. Where there are- now to be seen green meadows and yellow cornfields, orchards white with spring blossoms or golden with ‘autumn fruit, and magnificent trees spreading out their broad branches which shade the pretty farmhouses amongst them, there was then for the most part nothing but forest, heath, and fenland.

 Such country as the former now surrounds and forms part of the quaint old town of Epsom;- such country as’ the latter separated it from the metropolis in the time of the Stuarts. The distance between’ Epsom and London is comparatively small, and consisted of a stretch of country which, considering the uncultivated state of the land, was more valuable and habitable than other parts of England. The journey by coach could be easily accomplished in one day —  a matter of no . light weight, when all the risks of travelling at that period were considered.

About the year 1618 a mineral spring was accidentally .discovered by a farmer on the heath. This spring, upon investigation, was found to be of a medicinal character, and the waters in consequence became generally known. The discovery of this mineral spring was the primary cause .of Epsom becoming a place of fashionable resort.

Although Epsom Wells were famous, yet they were far surpassed by the waters of Buxton and Bath,· but owing to their proximity to London they shared the popularity of Tunbridge as a fashionable watering place. Just as to-day Epsom is famed for its races, which’ every year attract such enormous crowds to the. Downs, so, in former times, tired-out citizens and pleasure seekers wended their way to the Wells ‘as the bright summer weather came round. Then might be seen many of. the fashionable beauties and gallants of. the Court, wearied of the. dissipation of town life, enjoying the simple and healthy pastimes of the country. Epsom then was “at its best, nature-seemed in her brightest and most genial mood, as if in honour of the gay throng of visitors. The town was almost hidden midst its wealth of trees, including an avenue of elm trees which extended from the Wells, down New Inn Lane — now South Street — through the town, and half way along the high road to Ewell, as well as numerous lime, birch, and oak trees, under. the shade of which the business and pleasure of .the day was carried on. In the spring-time the town was bustling with life, but at all times a sequestered and lovely retreat.’ Among the branches of the trees chirped the myriads of birds which we are still privileged to hear. Rising up behind the town the gentle green slopes of the Downs were to be seen, from whose. summits the grandest of views. could be obtained., and from which the refreshing breezes swept over the picturesque little town at the foot. All these gifts of nature, forming the background as of a picture rare unchanged, though more than two hundred years have passed away. Men and Women were there too — in the foreground of the picture — only their interests and ours differ. The majority were pleasure or health seekers, staying in Epsom for, a more or less short period; while most of the present inhabitants are in the’ town for a very. clearly-defined purpose — to earn their living.

When Epsom first came into prominence there was .really no town at all, merely a number of rustic cottages dotted here and there near the springs. The lodgings which visitors were able to procure were of the poorest and the food supplied to them was of the most-wretched description. But as the :waters of the Wells and: the beauty of the country-became better known, so the town increased in size and in all the other sighs of prosperity, especially in the number of comfortable hostelries of which it could boast. The Inns of England, so vividly described by Chaucer in the ” Canterbury Tales,” had been long famous all over the world for the comforts which they supplied. It was at the inns that the visitors hoped to be accommodated, for, except the small cottages on the heath, they were the only places of abode open to strangers. While the season lasted a fair was held daily. The women from the farmhouses by six o’clock in the morning had taken up their position under the shade of the elms which surrounded the pond in the middle of High Street, and had started their sale of fruit, cream, and  their farm produce. Such delicacies were eagerly purchased by the wealthy visitors. The gentlemen flocked there every morning apparently to make purchases, but really to amuse themselves by a flirtation with the fresh country girls, who formed such a marked contrast to the ladies of society with whom they usually came in contact. Dealers of all kinds from the metropolis naturally followed their patrons to their pleasurable rendezvous and busily sought the patronage of all, in their booths or under the shade of the trees. The few shopkeepers who lived in the town availed themselves of the opportunity thus offered to lay in their stores for the coming year, for they rarely left their native town more than once or twice in their lifetime to visit London.

The end of the seventeenth century marked the time when Epsom had reached the zenith of its fame, and naturally all the comforts and luxuries which money could procure were introduced for the benefit of the visitors. The houses were considerably improved, the inns were more numerous, and with even better accommodation for public entertainment of all kinds than had formerly been the case. The coaches between London and Epsom ran more frequently, and each morning the post – boy’s horn announced the arrival of the letters. Horse – racing on the Downs was an everyday occurrence, the town band performed at intervals throughout the day, and even a library was to be found. The day, during the season, began early, arid by seven o’clock everybody was abroad to take their morning walk upon the “Terrace” — this and the Church Parade were two of the most patronised promenades. These names are still familiar to all who dwell in Epsom, but the place of the heath and well-wooded country is now taken by all the signs of invention and improvement of the present century. Breakfast, when the weather permitted, was always taken out of doors, under the shade of the trees on the Terrace, and the gallants were ready to perform for the ladies of their acquaintance the duties of waiters. After breakfast the ladies usually attended the morning service at the Parish Church, and later, accompanied by the gentlemen, joined the merry company on the Terrace. Here friends and acquaintances greeted each other daily, and rarely visited one another in their homes-ss is the custom of to-day.

It must not be imagined that the constant inhabitants held aloof from the society which flocked to the town, presumably to partake of the medicinal waters, but really to “see and to be seen.” The country families looked forward to the arrival of the visitors as the beginning of their gay season. They took part in all the amusements which the town afforded. They came to the breakfasts on the Terrace in the morning, to the dances in the “Assembly Rooms” in the evening, and for those to whom dancing offered no fascination there was always card-playing, to say nothing of the advantage of conversing with people just fresh from London.

These old English squires, when no visitors invaded the town, spent their days in field sports, or in attending the markets, when they devoted much time and thought to the business of the day. Occasionally they held horse races on the Downs, when they matched their own horses against those of a neighbour. On the afternoons appointed for the racing nearly everybody wended their way to the Downs to witness the skill of the riders and the success of their favourite horses. These small races were the origin of the annual meetings now held, but were much more frequent and of a more private character. In the evenings they visited the inns and spent their time in drinking strong beer and in gambling — a very popular vice of the time. Once every week great curiosity prevailed in the town upon the arrival of the news-letter, which formed an important feature of the social life of the period. It was the chief link connecting the capital with the smaller towns, and gave all the news from Court, as well as the chat of the coffee houses. This news-letter, although meagre, was eagerly sought after and discussed, for it has been truly said that at the watering places “scandle was the staple of talk.”

With very little imaginative effort one can still picture Epsom of bygone days, for have we not in High Street itself, as well as at Woodcote, old houses which have stood the test of over two centuries? Although these old relics are fast falling into decay there yet remain a sufficient number of historic buildings for Epsom to rank as a quaint old town. Two palaces of great note were standing at this period, namely, the ,Palace of Nonsuch and the Palace of Durdans, the names of which are both preserved, but of which not a vestige of the original buildings is to be found. The former was built by Henry VIII. as a royal residence, in a very magnificent and costly style. Much later it was given by Charles II to the Duchess of Cleveland, who, immediately upon coming into the possession of this noble estate, had the whole building pulled down. The Durdans was built in the first place by the Earl of Berkley, from the materials of Nonsuch Palace, and was afterwards occupied by the Earl of Guilford, and from that time it has been destined to be the home of many famous Englishmen.

But all these “visions of the days departed” have gone past recall, and yet there are many who, while quite able to appreciate the advantages of the modern town of Epsom, can at the same time join with Goldsmith in saying: “I love everything that’s old; old friends, old times, old manners, old books.”

L BREWER.