The late Sir Edward Bowyer Smyth

As the extensive sale of property belonging to the late Sir Edward Bowyer Smijth, will, no doubt, attract vast numbers to Hill Hall, perhaps to gaze its picturesque grounds, and its splendid collection of old family paintings, the following account of the mansion and its last possessor, which we copy from the Gentleman's Magazine, will be interesting:
He was the sixth in descent from Sir Thomas Smith, the first baronet of his family, and the eighth descent from George, younger brother of Sir Thomas Smith, Knight, who was highly distinguished both a scholar and statesman under King Edward VI. and Queen Elisabeth, and served both those sovereigns as secretary of state. The baronet now deceased was the fourth son of Sir William Smijth, the seventh Bart. Colonel of the West Essex Militia, by Anne, daughter and eventually heiress of John Windham Bowyer, Esq. of Woodmanstone and Camberwell, Surrey, and of Waghen, Yorkshire. Lady Smijth also inherited the Windham estates at Attleborough and elsewhere, in Norfolk. Her son Edward was born March 1, 1785. Being a younger brother, he was educated for the church, and entered of Trinity College, Cambridge. He took the degree of B.A. in 1807, second Junior Optime, and proceeded M.A. in 1811. In 1809 he was instituted to the vicarage of Camberwell, in Surrey, on the presentation of his maternal grandfather. He held that living until the year 1823, when he exchanged with the Rev. J. O. Storie. for the rectory of Stowmaries, Essex. This rectory he resigned in 1836. In the beginning of 1837 was he was instituted to the united rectories of Stapleford Tawney and Theydon Mount, which he resigned at the close of 1838, on succeeding to the family title and very considerable estates in Essex, Norfolk, and Surrey.
His oldest brother, William, died unmarried at the age of 23. The two following brothers, named respectively Thomas and John, both succeeded to the baronetcy, with the family properties Hill Hall and Horham Hall, Essex; Camberwell. Surrey; and Attleborough and Norton, Norfolk. Neither of these gentlemen married.
On the 15th of June, 1839, Sir Edward Smijth, in consideration of his maternal descent, obtained the royal license for himself and his issue to bear the surname of Bowyer in addition to and before that of Smijth.
The estate of Theydon Mount, in Essex, was the jointure of Philippa, widow of Sir John Hampden, knight, whom Sir Thomas Smith, the eminent statesman, married for his second wife. He bought the reversion of this property, and settled it upon his own family. The Manor house was close to the church, and some remains of it used as a farm-house and known as Mount Hall, existed no great distance of time. Sir Thomas Smith began new mansion on more elevated ground, and most of it was finished at his death in 1577. It is called Hill Hall, and is fine quadrangular pile of building, but its eastern side has been rebuilt in the Doric style. This new work was completed in 1716 by the second Sir Edward Smiith, whose arms impaling Hedges, the name of his first wife, are on the tympanum of the pediment. The family vault is under Theydon Mount church, which stands in the park. In the chancel are four noble monuments, with recumbent and other effigies; one to the memory of Sir Thomas Smith, Edward and Elizabeth's minister; another the memory of his nephew, Sir William Smyth, knight; third to the memory of that gentleman's son, also Sir Wm. Smith, knight: and fourth to the memory of another son, named Thomas, eventually heir of the family, and the first baronet. Mural tablets in the church and chancel commemorate all others of this family who have enjoyed its honours except the gentleman just deceased. By these monuments the family appears to have been ordinarily spelt Smith or Smyth until the letter part of the seventeenth century, but Smijth for the last 160 years or more.
The baronet. Sir Edward Bowyer Smijth came to reside at Hill Hall more than 20 year ago, and found irreligious habits very prevalent among his poorer neighbours. His influence and example soon wrought a salutary change. Sunday was duly observed, and schools were established for gratuitous instruction. These excellent institutions, with other measures for relieving poverty, continued upon scale befitting his abundant means after he had succeeded to the inheritance of his fathers. Nor did forget the good example, judicious control, generous hospitality, and high-minded liberality which are naturally expected from hereditary wealth and long established station.