HOXTON

HOXTON, a district parish in the parish of St. Leonard's, Shoreditch, Tower division of the hundred of Ossulstone, county Middlesex, half a mile N.E. of London, of which it forms a populous suburb. It is mentioned in Domesday Survey as Hocheston, and occupies the space extending from the old Roman road, now called Old Street-road, to the Regent's canal, on the banks of which are numerous lime and coal wharfs. This place, formerly a hamlet in the parish of St. Leonard's, has within the last half century become an extensive and populous district, and was constituted a parish by Act of Parliament in 1830.

It is divided into the Old and New towns, the former containing some old houses, as Balmes's or Whitmore, once surrounded by a moat, and subsequently converted into a private lunatic asylum; the latter entirely modern. It is well paved, lighted with gas and supplied with water. The district is within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court, and the 'N' division of the Metropolitan police have their station here. The livings are all perpetual curacies in the diocese of London, varying in value from £500 to £250. The church dedicated to St. John the Baptist is an edifice of light brick, with a steeple consisting of successive stages of campanile turrets crowned with a dome. It was erected in 1826 by grant from the parliamentary commissioners, at an expense of £13,000. Christ Church was erected in 1839, and stands in the New North-road. Holy Trinity church is modern. There are places of worship for Independents, Wesleyan and New Connexion Methodists, and a synagogue attached to the ancient cemetery of the Jews. There are National and Infant schools in the several districts, and numerous almshouses. Aske's almshouses and school, under the Haberdashers' Company have an income of £3,550. The buildings were erected in 1825, and form a quadrangle, with a chapel and bronze of the founder in the centre. Fuller's almshouses for 28 aged women were founded and endowed in 1795; Westby's almshouses for 10 aged women in 1749; the Viscountess Lumley's almshouses for 6 aged persons were rebuilt in 1822; there are also Badger's and Baremere's almshouses.

[Description(s) from "The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland" (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]
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