Identifier: oldnewlondonnarr05thor (find matches)
Title: Old and new London : a narrative of its history, its people, and its places
Year: 1873 (1870s)
Authors: Thornbury, Walter, 1828-1876
Subjects:
Publisher: London : Cassell, Petter, & Galpin
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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l is situated betweenEuston Square and the station of the GreatNorthern Railway, and is a place of great attractionto thousands who inhabit Somers, Camden, andKentish Towns. Though bearing the name of a well- most fastidious appetite of the most fastidiouscustomer by placing before him a superior dish.Very likely some local antiquarian could tell us allabout it and much else. He could tell us, nodoubt, when, and under what circumstances, thisnorth-west suburb of London itself was so namedfrom the noble family of Somers; that this very* Brill was known in days gone by as CaesarsCamp, and for this latter statement might quote asan authority the distinguished and well-known Dr.Stukeley himself. The oldest inhabitant could alsotalk with great volubility respecting the site onwhich Somers Town now stands—how, some sixtyor seventy or more years ago, it was a piece ofwild common or barren brick-field, whither resortedon Sundays the bird-fanciers and many of the Somers Town.) THE BRILL. 343
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344 OLD AND NEW LONDON. (Somers Town. roughs ■ from London to witness dog-fights, bull-baiting, and other rude sports, now happily un-known in the locality. This oldest inhabitantwould most probal)ly contrast the dark ages ofSomers Town with its present enlightened andcivilised days, and conclude an animated haranguewith the words— Nobody would believe that here,where I can now purchase tea, coffee, beef, every-thing I want, on a Sunday morning, that suchbarbarous practices were followed while bishopsand divines were preaching in St. Pauls, St.Pancras, and in all the churches and chapelsaround on the Divine obligation of the Sabbath;nobody would believe such a thing now. As the philanthropic or curious visitor entersSkinner Street, about eleven oclock some brightSunday morning, his ears will be greeted, not bythe barking of dogs and the roaring of infuriatedbulls, as of old, but by the unnaturally loud criesof men, women, boys, and girls, anxious to selledibles and drinkables—in

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