Editing Epsom (section)

===Epsom spa===
[[File:Epsom Well (geograph 5921667).jpg|thumb|upright|The wellhead marking the site of the original Epsom Well was constructed in 1989.<ref>{{harvnb|Abdy|2001|p=55}}</ref>]]
By tradition, the discovery of spa water is attributed to Henry Wicker, a farmer who, in 1618, noticed that his cows refused to drink from a slow spring on Epsom Common.<ref name=Home_1901_pp43-45>{{harvnb|Home|1901|pp=43–45}}</ref> However, the distinct [[chemical property|chemical properties]] of the local water had already been recognised in the preceding decades: In 1603, local physicians had noted that the local water contained "bitter purging salt"<ref name=Osbourne_Weaver_1996_pp27-28>{{harvnb|Osbourne|Weaver|1996|pp=27–28}}</ref> and, in late-[[Elizabethan era|Elizabethan times]], it was thought that bathing in a pond to the west of the town centre could cure [[skin ulcer|ulcers]] and other disorders.<ref name=Home_1901_pp43-45/>

The first facilities for visitors were provided in 1621, when a wall was built around the spring and a shed erected for invalids.<ref name=Osbourne_Weaver_1996_pp27-28/> The first authentic account of the spa dates from 1629, when Abram Booth, of the [[Dutch East India Company]], visited Epsom and described how "[p]eople coming there took a few glasses of the mentioned water – which has a taste different from ordinary water – after which walking up and down, these had in our opinion very good effect".<ref name=Osbourne_Weaver_1996_pp27-28/><ref name=Abdy_2001_pp11-12>{{harvnb|Abdy|2001|pp=11–12}}</ref> During the mid-17th century, several prominent individuals travelled to the spring, including [[John Aubrey]], who after his visit in 1654, boiled some of the water and noted that a "flakey" [[sediment]], "the colour of bay-salt", was left behind.<ref name=Osbourne_Weaver_1996_pp27-28/><ref>{{harvnb|Aubrey|1718|p=191}}</ref> [[Samuel Pepys]] visited in both 1663 and 1667<ref name=Home_1901_p48>{{harvnb|Home|1901|p=48}}</ref>{{refn|Pepys records a first visit to Epsom on [[s:Diary of Samuel Pepys/1663/July#26th (Lord's-day)|Sunday 26 July 1663]] in his [[Samuel Pepys#Diary|Diary]]: "Up and to the Wells, where great store of citizens, which was the greatest part of the company, though there were some others of better quality. I met many that I knew, and we drank each of us two pots and so walked away, it being very pleasant to see how everybody turns up his tail, here one and there another, in a bush, and the women in their quarters the like. Thence I walked with Creed to Mr. Minnes's house, which has now a very good way made to it, and thence to Durdans and walked round it and within the Court Yard and to the Bowling-green, where I have seen so much mirth in my time; but now no family in it (my Lord Barkeley, whose it is, being with his family at London), and so up and down by Minnes's wood, with great pleasure viewing my old walks, and where Mrs. Hely and I did use to walk and talk..."<ref>{{harvnb|Latham|Matthews|1971a|pp=246–247}}</ref>|group=note}}{{refn|Pepys records a second visit to Epsom on [[s:Diary of Samuel Pepys/1667/July#14th (Lord's day)|Sunday 14 July 1667]] in his [[Samuel Pepys#Diary|Diary]]: "We got to Epsum by eight o'clock, to the well; where much company, and there we 'light, and I drank the water: they did not, but do go about and walk a little among the women, but I did drink four pints, and had some very good stools by it. Here I met with divers of our town, among others with several of the tradesmen of our office, but did talk but little with them, it growing hot in the sun, and so we took coach again and to the towne, to the King's Head, where our coachman carried us, and there had an ill room for us to go into, but the best in the house that was not taken up. Here we called for drink, and bespoke dinner; and hear that my Lord Buckhurst and Nelly are lodged at the next house, and Sir Charles Sidly with them and keep a merry house. Poor girl! I pity her; but more the loss of her at the King's house... By and by... we took coach and to take the ayre, there being a fine breeze abroad; and I went... to the well, and there filled some bottles of water to carry home with me; and there talked with the two women that farm the well, at 12l. per annum, of the lord of the manor, Mr. Evelyn... [So] the women and W. Hewer and I walked upon the Downes, where a flock of sheep was... So to our coach, and through Mr. Minnes's wood, and looked upon Mr. Evelyn's house; and so over the common, and through Epsum towne to our inne... [So] paid our reckoning, and took coach, it being about seven at night, and passed and saw the people walking with their wives and children to take the ayre, and we set out for home, the sun by and by going down, and we in the cool of the evening all the way with much pleasure home... Anon it grew dark, and as it grew dark we had the pleasure to see several glow-wormes, which was mighty pretty..."<ref>{{harvnb|Latham|Matthews|1971b|pp=336–343}}</ref>|group=note}} and the theologian, [[John Owen (theologian)|John Owen]], took the waters in 1668.<ref name=Home_1901_pp43-45/>

Following the [[Stuart Restoration|Restoration of the monarchy]], [[Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland|Charles II]] was a regular visitor<ref name=Home_1901_p50>{{harvnb|Home|1901|p=50}}</ref> and it was at Epsom that he met the actress, [[Nell Gwyn]], who became his [[mistress (lover)|mistress]].<ref name=Abdy_2001_pp11-12/> Other royal patrons included [[Prince George of Denmark|Prince George]], the [[prince consort]] of [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain|Queen Anne]].<ref name=Home_1901_pp60-61>{{harvnb|Home|1901|pp=60–61}}</ref>

[[File:The Assembly Rooms, Epsom (geograph 3267278).jpg|thumb|right|The Assembly Rooms, High Street]]
Despite the popularity of the spring on the Common, several early visitors were critical of their experience at Epsom. The writer, [[Dorothy Osborne]], who visited in 1653, complained that the water had to stand overnight to allow the sediment to settle before drinking.<ref name=Osbourne_Weaver_1996_pp34-36>{{harvnb|Osbourne|Weaver|1996|pp=34–36}}</ref> Similarly, [[Celia Fiennes]] noted that Epsom was "not a quick spring", that it was often "drank drye" and to make up the deficiency, "the people do often carry water from the Common wells to fill this in a morning; this they have found out in which makes the water weake and of little operation - unless you can have it first from the well before they can have put in any other".<ref name=Osbourne_Weaver_1996_pp34-36/><ref name=Fiennes_1888_289>{{harvnb|Fiennes|1888|p=289}}</ref>

The popularity of Epsom continued to increase in the final decades of the 17th century and a regular coach service from London was established in 1684.<ref name=Abdy_2001_pp16-17>{{harvnb|Abdy|2001|pp=16–17}}</ref> In the 1690s, John Parkhurst, Lord of the Manor of Epsom, began to develop the town into a spa resort.<ref name=Home_1901_pp43-45/> The Assembly Rooms in the High Street were constructed in 1692 and a new well was sunk to the west of South Street. By 1707, a local businessman and [[apothecary]], John Livingstone, had opened a bowling green, [[gambling|gaming rooms]] and a [[ballroom]].<ref name=Abdy_2001_pp16-17/>

In the mid-1720s, the popularity of Epsom experienced a rapid decline, driven partly by the economic consequences of the [[South Sea Company|bursting of the South Sea Bubble]].<ref name=Home_1901_pp60-61/> There was also competition from other spa towns, including Bath and Tunbridge Wells,<ref name=Abdy_2001_p18>{{harvnb|Abdy|2001|p=18}}</ref> and, by the 1750s, synthetic Epsom salts were being manufactured commercially.<ref name=Osbourne_Weaver_1996_p48>{{harvnb|Osbourne|Weaver|1996|p=48}}</ref>{{refn|The English scientist, [[Nehemiah Grew]], published a method for making synthetic Epsom salts in 1695.<ref name=Osbourne_Weaver_1996_pp34-36/>|group=note}} Attempts were made in the 1760s to revive the spa, but these efforts were unsuccessful.<ref name=Home_1901_pp60-61/>