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In the Eighteenth Century
Amelia and Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland, visited it in 1762, and three years afterwards, rather late in the season, came William Henry, Duke of Gloucester, who, on his arrival, says a contemporary chronicler, was " welcomed by a triple discharge of eighteen pieces of cannon, and in the evening the Walks were most splendidly illuminated." In 1793 the Princess Sophia, daughter of the King, being in ill-health, stayed a while on Mount Pleasant, and in the next year the Duchess of Cumberland rented a new house in Vale Royal for the entire season. Frederick Augustus, Duke of York, with his consort, resided for a while in 1795 on Mount Pleasant; and soon after came His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, of whose visit all that has been recorded is that he walked upon the Pantiles arm in arm with the " Cabinet-Maker," Lord Thurlow. To give a list of less-distinguished visitors is unnecessary, since nearly every one in society sooner or later came to " The Wells." It may, however, be mentioned that the elder Pitt was there in 1753, to take the waters as a cure for insomnia, and again in 1767, being sent thither by Dr. Addington, because Bath was too far from London, and the Tunbridge waters might
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