WISBE CH.

The most northern town in Cambridgeshire, and the fecond in confequence, derived its name from the river Oufe, or Wis, which flows through it, and falls into the fea about eight miles off. In 1071, King William built a Castle here, which was probably dismantled in the reign of Henry II. as it appears that a new Castle was erected on its fite, by Morton, Bishop of Ely, which became the Bishop's Palace. On the abolition of Hierarchy, it was purchased by John Thurloe, Efq. afterwards Secretary of State to the Protector. This gentleman rebuilt it in its prefent form from a defign of Inigo Jones. It belongs at prefent to Jofeph Medworth, Efq. who has removed the detached buildings, and erected several rows of elegant houfes on the premises.

The church, dedicated tc St. Peter and St. Paul, is a fpacious and handfome fabric, though of fingular conftruction, it being furnished with two naves and two aisles. The naves are lofty, and feparated from each other by a row of light flender pillars, with pointed arches; the aifles are the most ancient, being divided from their respective naves by low, massy pillars, and Saxon arches. The tower is extremely beautiful. On the weft fide of the north entrance is a small chapel, or chantry, dedicated to St. Martin. In this church are a number of handsome monuments; and likewise a very fine. Organ, built by fubfcription in 1789.

The Corporation of Wisbech confifts of ten Burgeffes; their executive officer is the Town Bailiff, who has the entire management of the eftates and affairs of the Corporation. The charter of incorporation was renewed in the year 1669. Thefe Burgeffes have no connection with the jurifprudence of the town, nor have they any degree of civil authority: their prin

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cipal business is to regulate the management of the eftates bequeathed for public or charitable uses. The government of the town is included in the Magistracy of the Isle of Ely; the affizes and quarter feffions are held by turns at Ely and Wisbech.

The trade of Wifbech, which has much increafed of late years, is now very confiderable. The principal articles of traffic are coals, corn, timber, and wine: the average of the exports and imports amounts to 40,000 tons annually. The market is abundantly supplied with poultry, fish, and butcher's meat; and the trade of the town is further promoted by fix annual fairs, for horfes, cattle, flax and hemp,

Many improvements in the buildings have been made within the last forty years; the chief of which are, an elegant flone bridge, over the great river, erected about the year 1767, at the expence of nearly £2300. It confifts of one el liptical arch, accurately proportioned. A new Custom-house is also now erecting, at the charge of the Corporation. The ftreets are tolerably well paved, lighted, and watched; the buildings are in general neat and modern, and some few are very elegant; and when the Corporation have completed the Cuftom-house, and erected new ftructures in the room of the ancient Shire hall, and Butchers' Shambles, but very few towns will be more handsome,

The Theatre, in nearly a centrical fituation, is a small but very neat and convenient building: and the performances are fuperior to those of the generality of ftrolling actors. Wisbech alfo poffefies an excellent Literary Society, inftituted in 1781; their Library, which is well felected, contains upwards of 1900 volumes. The education of youth is provided for by a Free-fchool, and two Charity-fchools, fupported by voluntary contributions.

The fectaries from the established church are numerous; confifting chiefly of Quakers, Anabaptifts, Methodists, and Culymites: each of which fect are provided with a MeetingHoufe. The population of Wisbech, as afcertained by the late act, amounts to 4710.

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COACHES.

ROYAL MAIL COACH fets out every Night at 9 o'clock from the Eagle and Child, Cambridge, to the Golden Cross, Charing Cross, London; and returns from thence every Evening at 6 o'clock.

THE TELEGRAPH, every Morning (Sunday excepted), at eight o'clock from the Sun, Camb. by Barkway, to the White Horse, Fetter Lane, London, at 3 in the afternoon; calls at the Four Swans, Bishopsgate. Another Coach from Town on fame days and hours.

THE UNION (late Old Coach) Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from the Red Lion; and Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, from the Blue Boar, Camb. at half past 7 o'clock, by Royston, to the White Horse, Fetter Lane; calls in Bishopsgate Street every morning at half past seven o'clock.

THE FLY, every morning (Sunday excepted) at 8 o'clock from the Rose, Camb. by Chesterford, Hockeril, and Epping, to the George and Blue Boar, Holborn. Another Coach on the same days and hours re

turns to Cambridge.

THE NELSON from London every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; passes through Camb. to Lynn, at 1 o'clock, where it arrives at 9 in the evening, and returns the next day through Barkway, Ware, &c. to London.

BIRMINGHAM COACH, by way of Huntingdon, Stamford, and Leicester, fets out from the Blue Boar, Camb. every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning, at half past 5 o'clock, and returns from Stamford the fame evening.

OLD BIRMINGHAM COACH through Huntingdon, Thrapston, Wellingborough, Northampton, Daventry, Dunchurch, Coventry, &c. every Thursday morning from the Blue Boar, Camb. at 6 o'clock.

IPSWICH COACH through Bury, sets out from the Blue Boar, Camb. every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning, at 8 o'clock. BURY COACH from the Hoop, Camb. every day [Sunday excepted) at half past one at noon, and returns the next morning.

ELY COACH, which carries the Mail-bag, fets out from the Red Lion, Bridge street, Camb. every morning, (Sunday excepted) and returns the fame evening.

WISBECH MAIL COACH sets out from the Eagle and Child, Camb. every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning at 4 o'clock. COLCHESTER COACH through Linton, Haverill, Hedingham, Halstead, &c. fets out from the King's Head, Bridge street, Cambridge, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings, at 7 o'clock.

WAGGON'S.

MARSH & SONS' STAGE WAGGONS fet out from Cambridge every day (Friday excepted) to the Bull, Bishopsgate Street, London, return every day at 1 o'clock.

Their Swaffham and Fakenham Waggons pass through Cambridge, every Thursday.

Their Downham, Ely, and Lynn Waggons leave Cambridge every Wednesday and Thursday at noon.

Their Norwich and Yarmouth Waggons leave Cambridge every Monday and Friday.

Their Boats to Lynn leave Cambridge every Wednesday and Saturday at noon, and return from thence every Saturday and Wednefday morning.

WILSON'S WAGGONS fet out from Cambridge every Thursday, arrive at the Catherine Wheel, Bishopsgate, on Saturday morning, and return to Cambridge on Monday morning.

HALLS' AND HENSON'S LONDON WAGGONS set out from Cambridge every Thurfday evening at 8 o'clock; also their northern waggons through Stamford, every Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock.

Their Birmingham Waggons set out every Wednesday morning; and their Suffolk and Effex Waggons every Tuesday morning, at nine o'clock..

CARRIERS.

HUNTINGDON.

A Carrier fets out from Huntingdon every Tuesday and Friday, and inns at the Black Bear, Shoemaker-Row; returns the fame day at 3 o'clock; by whom all goods are fafely conveyed toStilton, and forwarded to the North.

ROYSTON, HITCHIN, BALDOCK, &c.

A Carrier sets out for the above, and other places adjacent, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, from the Half-Moon, opposite Pembroke-Hall.

NEWMARKET.

A carrier inns at the Angel, on the Market-hill, every Tuesday and Friday, and conveys goods the same day to Bury, &c.

HAVERILL.

A Carrier comes every Friday to the Castle, in St. Andrew's street, and returns on Saturday morning.

LINTON.

A Carrier arrives every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at the Wrestlers, Petty Cury, and returns the same day.

ST. NEOTS AND POTTON.

A Carrier to those places sets out every Wednesday and Saturday at 2 o'clock, from the King's Head, Trinity parish.