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V. & XSS In “f A. --- & *- ***: º :* *. $$. § St. -by- R * <-ex- - ses - - - * * * * • * . º, is Sha tan 'e t-Rºoneurtone Jºſ/ ripton. ºf * eydon. Aglish Miles { … sº T. j. 2. 5–- t; 8 O }, \ºn tº ,, ºfteservoir Kºº Tºº lº I+. cornwall. I6 Edºystone £ight-House : | I | gº, Fullarton & Cº Glas Søw. . . Longitude to West from so Greenwich 40° sken : -------- every. 50° * * * e e e s a º e = - e 8 tº 2. sº ? jº ... .. 3.- ... **-*** *** BER BER 161 vo-o-o-3 tº º º . . . . 5 Sunday schools in this parish. The charitable benefactions connected with it are very numerous, and produce £246 16s. 2d., per annum. there was a cotton-mill, employing 27 hands, within In 1838 this parish. The vale of Berkeley is celebrated for - the excellence of its dairy-farms, and for the produc- tion of Gloucester cheese. Pop., in 1821, 3,835; in 1831, 3,899. Houses 707. Acres 14,680. A. P. 4:28,278. Poor rates, in 1837, £2,021. The market-town of Berkeley, in the above parish, It consists, principally of four streets. gable for vessels of 600 tons burden. is 114 miles north by west of London, and 15 south- south-west of Gloucester, in the vicinity of the Gloucester and Bristol railway. It stands in the vale of Berkeley, on an eminence about a mile from the Severn, and on a small tributary of that river. The Inde- pendents have a place of worship here. There is some trade in timber, coal, malt, and cheese, which is facilitated by the vicinity of the Severn, and the Berkeley and Gloucester canal, which last is navi- It extends in a course nearly parallel with the Severn, from a point on the eastern bank of the Severn, within 2: miles of Berkeley to Gloucester, a distance of 1 miles, and is connected with the town of Berkeley ley are held at the White Hart inn here. i by a cut. The market-day is Wednesday, and a fair for cattle and pigs is held on May 14th. This town was a borough in the reign of Edward I. ; but the charter of incorporation has been lost. It is governed by a mayor and 12 aldermen. Petty-ses- sions for the upper division of the hundred of Berke- The qualified electors in Berkeley vote for the county- .* members for West Gloucestershire, under the new system of representation. Here is a free school for 39 boys, founded and endowed, in 1696, with lands, now producing £38 per annum, by Mr Samuel } Thurner, in addition to which, lands producing £17 per annum were bequeathed by Mr John Smith. There are, besides, seven daily, and three Sunday schools, in this township. Berkeley was the birth- place of the celebrated Dr Edward Jenner, who in- troduced the practice of vaccination. Having ob- tained a European reputation, and some wealth, he died here of apoplexy in 1823. This place is of great antiquity. Under the Saxons it was a place of importance, and is recorded in Domesday-book as a royal demesne and a free borough. The manor is one of the largest in the kingdom, having nearly 30 parishes dependent on it. It was granted by William the Conqueror to Roger de Berkeley, who built a castle here, about three-fourths of a mile from the town, on the south-east side. The grandson of the founder was deprived of his title and estates by Henry II., for his adherence to King Stephen; they were conferred on Robert Fitz-Harding, who assumed the title of Baron de Berkeley. In this castle— which Sir James Mackintosh pronounces to be “the finest specimen of the smaller castellated architec- ture’—the unfortunate Edward II, was murdered in September, 1327, having been detained here in con- finement under the nominal custody of the earl. A small apartment called the dungeon-room, with its original furniture, over the flight of steps leading into the keep, is shown as the place where the cruel murder was perpetrated. [Sée Walsingham, page 127. Holinshed, ii. 883.]. This castle sustained a siege, in the reign of Charles I, against the army of the parliament, but was obliged to surrender, after a siege of nine days. The remains consist of the keep, flanked by three semicircular towers, and a square tower of more recent date. The entrance is under a massive arch, adorned with rich carvings; the area is circular, and enclosed with a moat. A portion of the structure has been modernized, and is the resi- I. - *~...~~~ *** *.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*::... •.' * **, *.x dence of Colonel Berkeley, who enjoys the estate, but not the title. In the different apartments of the castle, a series of family portraits is preserved,—in- cluding one of George Lord Berkeley, the friend of Burton, who dedicated his “Anatomy of Melancholy’ to his lordship.—“Here was an old religious house long before the Conquest, which might be the family at Berkeley, mentioned in the acts of a synod at Clovesho, in 1824. It is very doubtful whether it consisted of monks or of nuns, who were suppressed by the villany of Earl Godwin, in the time of Ed- ward the Confessor, as related by Camden and others out of Walter Mapes.—The hospital of St James and St John here is mentioned, Cart. 129 Hen. III. m. 4., wherein is a confirmation of several parcels of land where with it was endowed.”—Tanner's Not. Mon. Pop., in 1801, 658; in 1831, 760. Houses 177. Acreage with the parish. A. P. 381,600. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.277. BERKELEY, a parish in the hund. and union of Frome, Shepton-Mallet division, county of Somerset; 2 miles east-north-east of Frome, intersected by the Bath and Weymouth railway. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Wells and dio. of Bath and Wells; valued at £79s. 7d. ; gross income £350; nett in- come £200. Patron, in 1835, the Rev. J. M. Rogers. There are three daily and two Sunday schools here. Pop., in 1801, 598; in 1831, 531. Houses 111. Acres 1,880. A. P. 362,831. Poor rates, in 1837, 36421. BERKESWELL, a parish in the Solihull division of the hund. of Hemlingford, union of Meriden, county of Warwick; 6 miles west of Coventry, on the line of the London and Birmingham railway, and in the neighbourhood of the Birmingham and War- wick canal. Living, a rectory united with the curacy of Barston, formerly in the archd. of Coventry and dio. of Lichfield and Coventry, now in the dio. of Worcester; valued at £14 12s. 6}d.; gross income £800. Patron, in 1835, Colonel Desbrowe. A daily school and several other charitable establishments are supported by the produce of a portion of land, which now yields about £70 per annum. The par- ish possesses four additional daily schools, an infant school, containing 26 females, supported by Lady Wilmot, and two Sunday schools, maintained by Sir T. E. Eardley Wilmot, Bart. Various minor chari- ties connected with the parish produce about £40 annually. Pop., in 1801, 1,192; in 1831, 1,450. Houses 277. Acres 6,360. A. P. 267,489. Poor rates, in 1837, 36562. - BERKHAMPSTEAD (GREAT), or ST PETER's, sometimes written BERKHAMSTED, a market-town and parish in the hund. of Dacorum, union of Berk- hampstead, county of Hertford; 28 miles by rail- way Inorth-west of London, on the line of the Lon- don and Birmingham railroad, and intersected by the Grand Junction canal. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Huntingdom and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Rochester; valued at £20; gross in- come £407. Patron, the Crown. The church is a spacious cruciform structure, with a square embattled tower rising from the intersection; within the church are two small chapels, and some interesting monu- ments. The Baptists, Independents, and Society of Friends, have places of worship here. The Inde- pendent church was formed in 1780; the Baptist in 1676. In the reign of Henry VIII., John Incent, dean of St Paul's, founded a free grammar-school here, to which the lands of the dissolved guild of St John the Baptist were granted as an endowment. It was formally incorporated and made a royal foun- dation by Edward VI., subject to the visitation of the warden of All Souls' college, Oxford. From this foundation the master has 3250, and an assist- ant, #125 per annum; the annual income being be- X BER BER 162 tween £600 and £700. In 1727, Thomas Bourne, Esq., founded the Blue-coat school here for 20 boys and 10 girls, and endowed it with £8,000, with which the sum of 369,300 in the New South sea annuities was purchased. At present 20 boys and 10 girls receive clothing and instruction in this school. There are 17 additional daily schools in this parish, in which 232 children are taught, besides 7 Sunday and 3 infant schools. In 1681, John Sayer, chief cook to Charles I., founded alms-houses here for six poor widows, and endowed them with 261,000, to which his widow added £300, and Mrs Martha Dacre 2626 5s., per annum. The other local chari- ties of this parish are numerous, to one of which, for the supply of fuel to the and Charles I. 26.200. The town of Berkhampstead stands in a deep valley on a branch of the river Gade. It consists of two streets, one nearly a mile in length, crossed by another at right angles. The houses are for the most part built of brick, and disposed without any regularity; but some are handsome. At the north end of Castle-street are the remains of the castle, which consist of detached portions of massive walls, surrounded on the north-west by a double, and on the other sides by a triple moat, and indicate, in no unequivocal manner, the ancient strength and import- ance of the fortress. Saturday is the market-day; and fairs for cattle and cheese are held on Shrove-Mon- day, Whit-Monday, and August 5th; statute fairs are also held on September 29th and October 11th. The female part of the population is now chiefly employed in the plaiting of straw, the manufacture of lace having declined. The trade of the place is much facilitated by the immediate neighbourhood of the London and Birmingham railroad, and the Grand Junction canal. Petty-sessions for the hundred of Dacorum is held here and at Hemel-Hempstead. The gaol here is used as a house of correction, and for the temporary confinement of malefactors, pre- vious to their committal to the county-gaol. The Berkhampstead poor-law union comprehends 10 par- ishes, embracing an area of 39 square miles; with a population returned, in 1831, at 9,871. The aver- age annual expenditure on the poor of this district, during the three years preceding the formation of the union, was £7,753. Expenditure, in 1838, 263,354. “Here were,” says Tanner, “in the time of King John, two hospitals of poor and infirm per- sons, one dedicated to St John the Baptist, and the other, which was both for brothers and sisters, lep- ers, to St John the Evangelist: the custody of both which was granted by Jeffrey Fitz-Pearce, earl of Essex, to the house of St Thomas of Acon in Lon- don. There was also in this town, in the time of Edward II., an hospital of St Thomas the Martyr. Upon the dissolution, the hospitals of St John the Evangelist, and St Leonard, which was at the south- east end of the High-street, with all the lands be- longing to them, were granted, 36° Henry VIII., to Robert Hordun. Sir Henry Chauncey also men- tions an old hospital called St James, from St James’ well, at the further end of the High Street.” . This was the birth-place of Cowper the poet in 1731. The parsonage-house in which he was born, how- £ver, was pulled down by the Rev. John Croft, rec- tor of Berkhampstead, who also cut down the poet's favourite walnut-tree. Pop., in 1801, 1,690; in 1831, 2,369. Houses 477. Acres 4,250. A. P. 385,679. Poor rates, in 1837, 36507. “The Saxons, in old time,” Norden remarks, “called this town Berghamstedt, because it was seated among the hills; for berg signified a hill; ham, a town; and stedt, a seat; all of which was very proper for the situation hereof.” Spelman mentions poor, James I. gave 36100, that Wilthred, king of Kent, assisted at a gleat council held here in 697. At this place, William the Conqueror swore to preserve and keep inviolate the good and approved ancient laws of the kingdom. The manor of Berkhampstead was granted by the Conqueror to his half-brother, Robert, “who forti- fied the castle here with a double trench and ram- pire, as appears from domesday-book, under the title of the lands of the earl of Morton; in these words: “In Trung hundred, the earl of Moreton held Berche- hamstede for 13 hides, and in it there was a priest, with 14 villains, 15 borderers, and 6 servants.” In the borough are 52 burgesses, &c. This earl being of an arrogant spirit, and envying the glory of King Henry I., raised a rebellion against him in Normandy, whereupon that king seized his estate in England, and this manor, with others. While it remained in the crown, this town obtained many privileges; for King Henry II, granted to the manor of Barkham- sted St Peter, all the laws, liberties, and customs, that they had enjoyed in the reign of King Edward the Confessor, and that they should be quit of all tollage, postage, passage, and customs, for their mer- chandise through England, Normandy, Aquitain, and Anjou; and that no summons, distress, or execution, should be made by any of the king's offibers within the liberties of Barkhamsted, but by the high-stew- ard, coroner, and bailiffs of the same: that no mar- ket shall be kept within seven miles of it, nor shall the men, or merchants, be obliged to attend at any assize or sessions, &c., King Henry II. kept his court here, and it continued in the crown till the reign of King John, anno 1206, when he granted to Jeffrey Fitz-Piers, earl of Essex, this castle and honour of Barkhamsted, with the knight's fee there- unto belonging, in fee-farm, for £100 per annum to hold to him and his heirs; but this earl dying in 1215, King John seized this castle and town into his hands, and so it was in the crown again. King Henry III. gave it his younger brother Richard, whom he had made earl of Cornwall; and as the market had been a little before changed from Sun- day to Monday, so the earl procured a fair of eight days, beginning upon the invention of the Holy Cross, May 3d. He was a great man and valiant hero; went into the Holy Land, forced the sultan of Ba- bylon to make a truce upon several articles very ad- vantageous to the Christians; as that Jerusalem should not be molested, the French prisoners re- leased, &c.; and returning home, sickened and died at this place, anno 1272, being then in possession of this manor; and leaving it to his son Edmund, who dying without heirs, it reverted to the crown, anno 1308, where it has remained ever since, and is now annexed to the dukedom of Cornwall, and appropri- ated to the princes of Wales successively. His royal highness, George, prince of Wales, being now the lord of it; but Edward Carey, Esq., holds this castle and manor of the princes of Wales by lease, which was obtained by his ancestors of Queen Eliza- beth, and has a noble seat here built out of the ruins of the castle. This manor and honour of Barkham- sted, is very large and extensive, and 53 towns ad- joining pay their homage, and choose their constables there, viz. in Hertfordshire 11, in Buckinghamshire 15, and in Northamptonshire 27, besides Lee, which is reckoned with Norcot, and Grove with Dunsley, in this county.” [Mag. Brit. vol. ii. page 1000.] Berkhampstead sent members to parliament in the 14° of Edward III. A charter of incorporation, was given or renewed by James I. to the bailiff and bur- gesses of Berkhampstead St Peter, the , burgesses having power to choose a recorder, town-clerk, and other officers, and to hold a weekly market on | Thursday, besides their ancient market on Monday; BERKSHIRE, 163 but the town was so much impoverished during the civil wars, that the burgesses were unable to main- tain their privileges, and the charter became for- feited. - BERKHAMPSTEAD (LITTLE), a parish in the hund, union, and county of Hertford; 4% miles south- west of Hertford. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Huntingdon and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Rochester; valued at £7 8s. 64d.; gross income £266. Patron, in 1835, the Marquis of Salisbury. There are a daily school, and a day and Sunday National school, here. In 1780, Maurice Hunt bequeathed £600 to the poor of this parish, the interest of which is annually distributed among those not receiving parochial relief. Pop., in 1801, 314; in 1831, 202. Houses 91. Acres 1,670. A. P. #1,467. Poor rates, in 1837, 3696. BERKHAMPSTEAD, ST MARY. CHURCH. BERKING. See BARKING, Essex. See North B E R K S HIRE, An inland county of England, of irregular form, extending from 51° 19 to 51° 48' N. lat., and from 34' 30" to 1943' W. long. Its extreme length is 48 miles; greatest breadth 29; and circumference 208. It comprehends an area of 752 square miles, and, consequently, 481,280 acres; or, according to the population returns for 1831, 472,270 acres. On the north it is bounded for a distance of nearly 100 miles by the Thames, which separates it from the counties of Gloucester, Oxford, and Buckingham; on the east by Surrey; on the south by Southamptonshire; and on the west by Wilts. Fuller compares the general outline of its figure to that of a lute; others, to a slipper or sandal. Physical Features, Rivers, &c.]—The surface of this county presents few abrupt or bold elevations. The most elevated tract is a series of downs, a con- tinuation of those in the northern part of Wiltshire. The White Horse hill, a part of this range, rises on the western boundary of the county to an altitude of 893 feet. The vale of the White Horse is the most fertile part of the county. The forest-lands are chiefly on the eastern and southern sides. Windsor forest is above 50 miles in circumference; but a great part of it was enclosed under an act passed in 1813. The principal river of Berkshire is the Thames, which becomes navigable soon after touch- ing upon it. It enters the county at St John's bridge, about a mile to the south of Lechlade in Gloucestershire, and skirts it during a course of more than 100 miles, in which it passes the towns of Abingdom, Wallingford, Reading, Henley, Maiden- head, and Windsor. The river Kennet, which is also navigable from Newbury downwards, flows into the county from Wiltshire, near Hungerford, and falls into the Thames at Reading, after a course of 25 miles in Berkshire.—The Lambourn rises in the chalk hills near the town of the same name, and falls into the Kennet near Newbury, after a course of about 12 miles.—The Loddon rises near Alder- shot in the county of Southampton, enters Berkshire in the parish of Swallowfield, and falls into the Thames near Wargrave, after a course of near 30 miles, of which about 12 are in Berkshire.—The Qck is a stream of about 20 miles in length, flowing through the vale of the White Horse, and falling into the Thames near Abingdon.—There are two lines of canal in this county. The Wilts and Berks canal extends from the Thames, a little below Abingdon, through the vale of the White Horse to the western border of the county; entering Wilt- shire a little beyond Shrivenham, and joining the Berkshire breed of pigs is highly esteemed. Kennet and Avon canal at Semmington, near Melk- sham. It is 52 miles in length, and 273 feet wide at the surface. The Kennet and Avon canal crosses the lower part of the county, from the Kennet above Newbury, and enters Wiltshire a little beyond Hungerford. It is 45 feet wide at the surface, and 57, miles in length. It was completed in 1810.—At Maidenhead the Great Western railway enters this county. After passing through that town and Read- ing, and crossing the Thames at Bassildon and Moulsford, it pursues its course about 3 miles south- west of Wallingford, 4 south of Abingdon, and 2 north of Wantage, when, having crossed the Berks and Wilts canal twice, it leaves the county on the western border, near Shrivenham.—The most im- portant roads are the great London and Bath road, which enters the county at Maidenhead-bridge, and, after passing through Reading, and Thatcham, and a little to the north of Newbury, leaves it near the 64th mile-stone at Mongleford; and the Cirencester road, which leaves the London and Bath road at Stubbing's heath; enters Oxfordshire at Henley- upon-Thames; re-enters Berks at Abingdon, and runs through Farringdon and Lechlade. Agriculture, &c.]—Berkshire is chiefly an agricultu- ral county; and possesses some of the finest corn-land tracts in the kingdom; no minerals of any importance occur. The western and central parts are considered the most fertile; the east and south being chiefly occupied by Windsor forest, with a considerable portion of waste and unenclosed lands. The gen- eral substratum of the cultivated districts consists of chalk or gravel, with clay in different places at various depths. Sarsden-stones, of a fine silicious grit, are found in great abundance on the downs of Berkshire, and frequently on strata with which they have no apparent connection. The most fertile dis- trict is the vale of the White Horse, which receives its name from the figure of a gigantic horse cut on the side of a hill so as to expose the white chalk below. The vale of the Kennet is next in natural fertility, and perhaps superior in cultivation. Wheat, oats, barley, beans, pease, buck-wheat, vetches, rape- seed, turnips, and potatoes, are extensively culti- vated; of less extensive cultivation are onions, car- rots, hops, woad, flax, asparagus, and lavender. The average rent of land is about 25s. per acre. The predominant wood of the county is hazel; but ash and alder are not uncommon. The cattle are gen- erally of the long horned or common country breed; there is a strongly marked breed of sheep, called Not sheep, said to be native; but pure specimens are not common. The cart-horses are good and strong, but not tall. Pigs and poultry are numerous in the dairy districts, and, from the proximity of London,’ very profitable to the farmer. The true Much malt, is . made in the county, of which considerable quantities are sent to the metropolis. The climate of Berkshire is mild, the air salubrious and pure. There are, comparatively speaking, few manufactures in the county, its prosperity mainly depending upon the export and import of commodities through the medium of the Thames. The proportion of the population engaged in agriculture, in 1831, was 45.2 in 100; in trade and manufactures, 31.8. Ecclesiastical affairs.]—The county of Berks is in the province of Canterbury, and, with the excep- tion of two parishes, was formerly in the diocese of Salisbury. . It has been recently transferred, in ac- cordance with the recommendation of the church- commissioners, to the diocese of Oxford. Berkshire forms an archdeaconry, which contains the deaneries of Abingdon, Newbury, Reading, and Wallingford; it is divided into 147 parishes, of which 71 are rec- BER BER 164 tories, 64 vicarages, and 12 perpetual curacies. In 1829 there were 81 Dissenting congregations in this county; in 1838, six of these were Roman Catholic. It possessed, in 1835, 511 daily schools, attended by 15,881 scholars, and 23 infant-schools, containing 693 children, forming a total of 16,574 young per- sons under daily instruction. There were, besides, 225 Sunday schools, attended by 14,113 individuals. Hundreds, Rates, &c.]—Berkshire is divided into 20 hundreds: viz. BEYNHURST, BRAY, CHARLTON, CoMPTON, FAIRCRoss, FARRINGDON, GANFIELD, HoRMER, KINTBURY-EAGLE, LAMBourn, MoRE- Ton, Ock, READING, RIPPLESMERE, SHRIVENHAM, SoNNING, TREALE, WANTAGE, and WARGRAVE: which see. It contains the boroughs of Reading, Wallingford, Windsor, and Abingdon; the three first of which return each two members to parliament, the last, one, and the incorporated market-towns of Maidenhead, Newbury, and Wokingham; and the market-towns of Farringdon, Hungerford, East Ilsley, Lambourn, and Wantage. Besides these members for the boroughs, the county returns two knights of the shire to parliament. The county-members are nominated at Abingdon, and polled for at Abingdon, Reading, Newbury, Wantage, Bracknell, Maiden- head, Great Farringdon, and East-Ilsley. The county is included in the Oxford circuit. The Lent assizes and Epiphany quarter-sessions are held at Reading; the Easter sessions at Newbury; the Summer-as- sizes and Hilary sessions- at Abingdon; and the Michaelmas sessions alternately at Abingdon and Reading. The county-bridewell or house of correc- tion is at Abingdom, and the county-gaol and house of correction at Reading. The amount raised by the parish-rates in this county in the year ending March 25th, 1837, was 3667,713, and the expendi- ture was £68,709; of which £56,618 was applied to the relief of the poor. Antiquities.]—The churches in this county pre- sent some curious remains of Saxon and Norman architecture. There were anciently twelve religious houses in Berkshire, one of which was an alien pri- ory, and two were preceptories of the Knights- Hospitallers. There were also three colleges, one of which is still extant in the royal chapel of St George at Windsor; and ten hospitals, two of which still exist at Abingdon, and others at Donnington, Lambourn, and Newbury. There was a magnifi- cent abbey at Reading, built by Henry I., of which scarcely any traces remain. See ABINGOON, AVING- TON, READING, WALLINGFort D, &c. Roman re- mains occur in various places; but the only well- ascertained Roman station is that of Spinae, the modern Speen. This county gives the title of Earl to a branch of the family of Howard, the representa- tive of which is the earl of Suffolk and Berkshire.— Pop., in 1801, 109,215; in 1811, 118,277; in 1821, 131,977; in 1831, 145,200. Houses 28,032. A. P. 36643,781. Mame and History.]-—The name of the county has been changed into its present form from Bar- rocshire, or Berrocshire, which is by some sup- posed to have been derived from a wood abounding in box, and called Barroc, or Berroc. Some, as Higden, and Brompton, though perhaps fancifully, deduce its etymology from berroc, a ‘bare oak,’ beneath which the Britons were wont to hold their provincial meetings. “It is more probable, how- ever,” to use the language of an etymologist, “that it may have been derived from the quantity of birch wood produced in the county in former ages, the soil in general being more adapted to the growth of that wood than any other.” At the time of the Roman invasion this county was inhabited by two tribes, to whom the invaders gave the names of Bibroci and Attrebatii. Under the Saxon heptarchy it formed part of the kingdom of Wessex, and was the scene of frequent conflicts with the Danes. The castle of Wallingford was garrisoned by Brian Fitzcourt for the Empress Matilda, during the struggle between her and Stephen, and afforded her a retreat when driven from Oxford. The castles of Wallingford and Windsor were seized by John, while his brother, Richard I., was absent on an expedition to the Holy Land; and during the quarrels between John and his nobles, meetings were held for the redress of grievances alternately in Wallingford and Reading, the former of which was fortified by the king, the latter was in the hands of the barons. During the parliamentary war, Wallingford and Windsor were garrisoned, the former for the king, and the latter for the parliament; and each retained possession of these places till the conclusion of the war. Further historical details will be found under the names of the more important towns, as ABINGDon, MAIDEN- HEAD, WALLINGFord, WANTAGE, and WINDsort: which see. BERLINGTON, or BIRLINGTON, a township in the parish of Warkworth, eastern division of Coquet- dale-ward, county of Northumberland; 6 miles south- east of Alnwick, on the northern bank of the river Coquet. Pop., in 1801, 87; in 1831, 85. Houses 15. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1837, 3610. BERMERSLEY, a township in the parish of Norton-in-the-Moors, northern division of the hund. of Pirehill, county of Stafford; 6 miles north-north- east of Newcastle-under-Lyne, in the vicinity of the Manchester and Birmingham railway, and the Grand Trunk canal. Pop., in 1821, 190; in 1831, 244. Houses 42. Other returns with the parish. BERMONDSEY, a parish in the eastern division of the hund. of Brixton, union of Bermondsey, county of Surrey, adjoining on the east to the bo- rough of Southwark, included in the bills of mortal- ity, and within the jurisdiction of the Central crim- inal court; 1% mile south-east of London. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Surrey and dio. of Win- chester; valued at £15 8s. 11%d.; gross income £519; and, in 1829, in the patronage of Mrs Ham- bly, since deceased. The present church was erected in 1680, and is a plain building, without any preten- sions to architectural distinction. Among the com- munion plate of this parish is preserved an ancient silver salver, which presents a beautiful specimen of chased engraving. This curious relic has been as- signed to the age of Edward II. It is supposed to have belonged to the abbey of Bermondsey, and transferred to the parish at the period of the disso- lution. A new church was erected here in 1828, at an expense of £21,412. The building is handsome, in the Grecian style, with a tower, and a portico of the Ionic order, with 2,000 sittings; the living is a curacy, subordinate to the original rectory. The Independents and Wesleyan Methodists have places of worship here. An Independent church was formed in 1644, and another in 1703. There are also two Catholic chapels here, to which two schools are attached. The Catholic population connected with the chapel is upwards of 9,000, belonging en- tirely to the labouring classes. A monastic institu- tion is now erecting in this place for the order of the Sisters of Mercy. Here is a free school, founded and endowed, in 1718, by Josiah Bacon, Esq., in which 80 boys are instructed in reading, writing, and arithmetic, who left £700 for the erection of the premises, 3680 per annum to the master, 3650 per annum to the usher, and £20 per annum for keeping the premises in repair. Besides the united charity schools, which contain 219 children, 80 of whom are clothed by the institution, there are seventy- BER, BER 1.65 two daily schools, one of which has been established by the Rev. W. Day as a collegiate school for the better instruction of females, particularly those in- tended for governesses, in all the branches of educa- tion, except sewing. There are also five Sunday schools, containing, collectively, 1,414 children. Cha- rities connected with this parish, in addition to those already mentioned, produce about £250 per annum. “Aylwin Child, citizen of London,” says, Tanner, “about the year 1082, began a new and fair church in Southwark, to the honour of our Holy Saviour, with design to place therein a convent of monks of the Cluniac order, who were procured from the pri- ory de Caritate in France, by means of Archbishop Lanfranc, A. D. 1089, about which time King William Rufus augmented the small estate which Aylwin had procured for these religious, with the grant of the manor of Bermondsey and other revenues. This priory was made denizen, 4° Richard IL, erected into an abbey, A. D. 1399, and was endowed before the dissolution with a yearly income worth £548 2s. 5d. The site was granted, 33° Henry VIII., to Sir Richard or Sir Robert Southwell. Here were also an hospital dedicated to St Saviour, and another dedicated to St Thomas.” Of the buildings of this convent few traces now remain. The town consists of two principal streets intersected by several smaller ones, and lighted with gas. The inhabitants are much employed in various branches of trade con- nected with shipping and ship-building, tanning, and fellmongering. In 1838 there was a woollen-mill, employing 23 hands, within this parish. The work- house, erected here for the union of Bermondsey, has been altered and enlarged by the poor-law com- missioners, at an expense of £100. The Bermond- sey poor-law union comprehends l parish, embracing an area of 1 square mile; with a population returned, in 1831, at 29,741. The average annual expendi- ture on the poor of this district, during the three years preceding the formation of the union, was £16,861. Expenditure, in 1838, #10,281. Pop., in 1801, 17,169; in 1831, 29,741. Houses 4,918. Acres 620. A. P. 3665,131. Poor rates, in 1837, 2.É15,951. BERMONDSPIT HUNDRED, in the Basing- stoke division of the county of Southampton. Area 19,390 acres. Houses 452. Pop., in 1831, 2,585. BERNOLDSWICK. See BARNOLDWICK. BERRICK-SALOME, a chapelry to the parish of Chalgrove, hund, of Ewelme, county of Oxford; 4 miles north-north-east of Wallingford. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 163; in 1831, 134. Houses 34. Acres 1,090. A. P. f. 1,125. Poor rates, in 1837, 3692. Charities to the poor of this chapelry produce £86s, lld, annually. BERRIER AND MURRAH, a township in the parish of Greystock, Leath ward, county of Cum- berland; 8 miles west of Penrith. Here is a school for six girls, endowed with the interest of £238 8s. 3d., 3 per cent. consols. The scholars are taught to read, sew, and knit. Pop., in 1801, 136; in 1831, 113. Houses 21. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1837, 3624. BERRIEW, or ABER-RHIw, a parish and town- ship in the hund, of Newton, county of Montgom- ery, North Wales; 5 miles south by west of Welsh- pool, at the confluence of the Rhiw with the Severn. Living, a vicarage in the archd. and dio. of St Asaph and Bangor; valued at £13 6s. 8d.: gross income 48450; in the patronage of the Bishop of St Asaph and Bangor. This parish possesses three daily schools, one of which, including 54 boys, is sup- ported by an endowment in land, and three Sunday schools. The petty-sessions for the hundred are held here. In 1838 there was a woollen-mill, em. ploying three hands, within this parish. Pop., in 1801, 2,059; in 1831, 2,429. Houses 453. A. P. £10,020. Poor rates, in 1837, 361,202. BERRINGTON, a hamlet in the parish of Kyloe, in Islandshire, of the county of Durham. This was anciently the manor of Maners, within which several proprietors held lands by rendering a rose at the feast of Pentecost. BERRINGTON, anciently BURINGToN, a hamlet in the parish of Chipping-Campden, upper division of the hund. of Kiftsgate, county of Gloucester. Pop., in 1801, 138; in 1831, 129. Houses 37. Other re- turns with the parish. BERRINGTON, a parish in the hund. of Con- dover, union of Atcham, county of Salop; 5 miles south-east by south of Shrewsbury, intersected by the Severn, which is here navigable. Living, a rec- tory, formerly in the archd. of Salop and dio. of Lich- field and Coventry, now in the dio. of Chester; valued at £10 12s. 1d.; gross income £400. Patron, in 1835, Lord Berwick. There are three daily schools here. Pop., in 1801, 603; in 1831, 684. Houses 77. Acres 2,920. A. P. 364,226. Poor rates, in 1837, 36339. BERRINGTON, a hamlet in the parish of Ten- bury, upper division of the hund. of Doddingtree, county of Worcester; 2 miles west by south of Tenbury, in the vicinity of the Leominster canal. Pop., in 1801, 189; in 1831, 165. Houses 35. Other returns with the parish. BERROW, a parish in the hund. of Brenton-with- Wrington, Wrington division, union of Axbridge, county of Somerset; 93 miles west by south of Axbridge; bounded on the west by Berrow bay, and intersected by the Bristol and Exeter railway. Liv- ing, a discharged vicarage in the archd. of Wells and dio. of Bath and Wells; valued at £13 Ils. 10}d.; gross income £191; in the patronage of the Arch- deacon of Wells. There are four daily schools in this parish. Pop., in 1801, 371; in 1831, 496. Houses 73. Acres 2,310. A. P. 386,060. Poor rates, in 1837, 36298. BERROW, a parish in a detached portion of the lower division of the hund. of Oswaldslow, union of Upton-upon-Severn, county of Worcester, situated in the hund. of Pershore; 5% miles south-west of Upton-upon-Severn, and about 8 west of the Bir- mingham and Gloucester railway. Living, a per- petual curacy in the archd. and dio. of Worcester; valued at £7 18s. 4d., and in the parliamentary re- turns at £45; gross income £84; in the patronage of the dean and chapter of Worcester. Charities connected with the parish produce £ll 13s. per annum. Pop., in 1801, 397; in 1831, 507. Houses 90. Acres 1,940. A. P. 362,279. Poor lates, in 1837, 36.177. BERRYN-ARBOR, a parish in the hund. and division of Braunton, union of Barnstaple, county of Devon; 3 miles east-south-east of Ilfracombe. Liv- ing, a rectory in the archd. of Barnstaple and dio. of Exeter; valued at £34 15s. 10d. ; gross income £720. Patrons, in 1835, -— Fursdon, Esq., the Bishop of Exeter, the Rev. E. W. Richards, and J. D. Bassett, Esq., alternately. All tithes, moduses, &c., the property of the clerical rector, were com- muted in 1809. There are two daily and two Sun- day Schools here. This parish, in 1522, was the birth-place of the celebrated Bishop Jewell. Pop., in 1801, 532; in 1831, 794. Houses 153. Acres 5,050. A. P. 363,959. Poor rates, in 1837, £232. BERRY-POMEROY, a parish in the division of Teignbridge, hund. of Haytor, union of Totness, county of Devon; 2 miles east-north-east of Totness. Living, a vicarage in the archd. of Totness and dio. of Exeter; valued at £18 19s 7d., gross in- } f - BER come 36360. Patrons, in 1835, R. W. Newman, and W. J. Denne; impropriator, the Duke of So- merset. The church contains some ancient monu- ments of the Seymour family, as well as a finely carved screen, and rood-loft. There are five daily and two Sunday schools here. From lands left in 1700 by Mrs Bound, small sums are distributed at different periods amongst the poor of this parish. In a beautiful dell in this vicinity, surrounded with wooded hills, are the remains of Berry castle, erected by Ralph de Pomeroy, whose family held this lordship from the Conquest to the reign of Edward VI. The protector Somerset purchased the castle from Sir Thomas Pomeroy, since which pe- riod it has been possessed by the Seymour family. It was dismantled in the civil wars, and a consider- able portion has fallen to ruin. The great gates, with the walls of the south front, the north wing of the quadrangle, and a few turrets, are yet standing; and these are so finely overhung with the branches of trees and shrubs that grow close to the walls, so beautifully mantled with ivy, and so richly incrusted with moss, that they constitute a most picturesque object. When the surrounding scenery is taken into account, the noble mass of wood fronting the gate, the bold ridges rising on the margin on the south, and the fertile valley opening to the east, the ruins of Berry-Pomeroy castle—as it is frequently called—are nearly unrivalled in their effect. Pop., in 1801, 1,124; in 1831, 1,186. Houses 122. Acres 4,610. A. P. 267,419. Poor rates, in 1837, 36653. BERSHAM, a township in the parish of Wrex- ham, hund. of Bromfield, county of Denbigh, North Wales; 1 mile west of Wrexham; to the vicarage of which there is a chapel here. Living, a curacy not in charge. The Calvinistic Methodists have a chapel here; the church was founded in 1717. There are six daily schools here, one of which, con- taining 36 girls, is supported by Mrs Fitz-Hugh of Plás Power. There are some iron-works in the vicinity, in which many of the inhabitants are em- ployed. Pop., in 1821, 1,139; in 1831, 1,240. Houses 282. Poor rates, in 1837, #315. BERSTED, a parish in the hund. of Aldwick, rape of Chichester, county of Sussex; 5% miles south- east of Chichester, in the vicinity of the Arundel and Portsmouth canal. Living, a vicarage in the archd., and dio. of Canterbury; valued at £7, 18s. 9d.; gross income £222; in the peculiar jurisdiction and patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury. This parish possesses 13 daily schools, including 186 pu- pils, and three day and Sunday schools, one of which was instituted by her late Royal Highness, the Princess Charlotte of Wales, and is supported by voluntary donations; and another, in which 20 females are instructed and clothed, is maintained at the sole charge of Mrs Smith of Bersted Lodge. This parish contains the hamlets of North and South Bersted, and the bathing-place of Bognor. Pop., in 1801, 737; in 1831, 2,190. Houses 410. Acres 2,750. A. P. 367,834. Poor rates, in 1837, 361,183. BERWICK, a parish in the hund. of Longbridge, rape of Pevensey, union of West Firle, county of Sussex; 7 miles south-east of Lewes, on the Cuck- mere river. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Lewes and dio. of Chichester; valued at £13 6s. 8d.: gross income 38362. Patron, in 1835, – Delves, Esq. There is a day and Sunday school here. This par- ish is within the liberty of the duchy of Lancaster. Pop., in 1801, 170; in 1831, 203. Houses 33. Acres 1,250. A. P. 361,477. Poor rates, in 1837, £101. BERWICK. See SKIPTON, west riding of York- shire. º BERWICK-HILL, a township in the parish of Ponteland, western division of Castle-ward, county 166 BER of Northumberland; 6% miles south by west of Mor. peth. Pop., in 1801, 108; in 1831, 105. Houses 21. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1837, 3869. * . . - BERWICK, ST JAMEs, a parish in the division of Salisbury and Amesbury, hund. of Branch and Dole, union of Wilton, county of Wilts; 5% miles west-south-west of Amesbury. Living, a discharged vicarage, exempt from visitation, a peculiar of the bishop of Salisbury; valued at £8, 10s. ; gross in- come £54. Patron, in 1835, Lord Ashburton. There is a day and Sunday school in this parish. Pop., in 1801, 226; in 1831, 232. Houses 44, Acres 2,370. A. P. 262,024. Poor rates, in 1837, fºll3. BERWICK, St John, a parish in the division of Hindon, hund. of Chalk, union of Tisbury, county of Wilts; 5% miles east by south of Shaftesbury. Liv- ing, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Salisbury; valued at £26 13s. 4d. ; gross income £664; in the patronage of the Warden and Fellows of New col- lege, Oxford. Here is a place of worship for Bap- tists; the church was formed in 1825. This parish possesses a daily school, containing 53 pupils, and two Sunday schools. Pop., in 1801, 357; in 1831, 425. v. Houses 90. . Acres 4,230. A. P. 262,881. Poor rates, in 1837, £280. . f BERWICK, ST LEONARD, a parish in the divi- sion of Hindon, hund. of Dunworth, union of Tis- bury, county of Wilts; 1 mile east of Hindon. Liv- ing, a rectory, to which is annexed the chapelry of Sedghill, in the archd, and dio. of Salisbury; valued at £8 6s. 8d.: gross income £389. Patronage in dispute. The great and small tithes, the property of the clerical rector, were commuted in 1818. Pop., in 1801, 36; in 1831, 51. Houses 8. Acres 970. A. P. f. 1,025. Poor rates, in 1837, 3619. BERWICK-ON-TWEED, a seaport town and parish, situated on the northern bank of the Tweed, at its confluence with the sea, the centre of the poor- law union of Berwick-on-Tweed, county of North- umberland; 337 miles north by west of London, 54 east-south-east of Edinburgh, and 64 north by west of Newcastle-on-Tyne. Geographical position of the townhouse, 55° 46' 21" N. lat., and 1959'41" W. long. - The living is a vicarage in the archd. of Nor- thumberland, deanery of Bambrough, custom of York, and dio. of Durham, of the annual value of £289. Patrons, the dean and chapter of Dur- ham. The parish-church is a handsome edifice. The Presbyterians, Baptists, United Secession church, Scottish Relief, the Wesleyan and Pri- mitive Methodists, and Roman Catholics, have places of worship here. The United Secession church was formed in 1771; the Wesleyan Meth- odist in 1796; and the Primitive Methodist in 1829. . . There is also a week-day lectureship, founded in 1625, now in the gift of the London Mercers' company.—A free grammar-school was founded here by Queen Elizabeth; the management is vested in the corporation. The master has a free house and garden, a salary of £80 per annum, and is entitled to charge a fee of 10s. per quarter for every scholar who is not the son of a freeman. The number of his pupils varies from 20 to 30. In the corporation school the sons of burgesses are instructed in Eng- lish, Latin, and Mathematics, by separate teachers, who receive considerable salaries, and have each a free house and garden.—Forty boys are clothed and educated in the Blue-coat school, which was founded in 1725. The National system is followed in this school: the salary of the master is 3850 per annum. In 1819 the ladies of Berwick established a school of industry, in which above 120 girls are taught.—The corporation of Berwick support six daily schools, BERWICK. 167 containing 330 children; another, with 98 pupils, is supported out of the poor's rate. Besides these, the parish possesses 17 daily and 17 Sunday schools; the former including 565, the latter 912 scholars. The charitable bequests of John Brown, Esq. and others, produce annually about £104.—A dispensary was established here in 1814. A lunatic asylum for paupers was erected in 1813. David I. of Scotland is said to have founded in, or near South Berwick, a Benedictine nunnery. . - The town of Berwick is equally celebrated in the History of Scotland and in the annals of this country. Stretching itself up a gentle acclivity, which forms the northern bank of the river, Berwick enjoys a favourable southern aspect. It includes within its walls an area of little more than 2 miles in circum- ference; and consists of streets which for the most part are narrow, straggling, and irregular. . Its prin- cipal buildings are: the town-hall, a very handsome modern free-stone structure, with a beautiful portico of the Tuscan order, its pediment surmounted by a graceful spire, begun in 1754, and finished in 1761; the governor's house, an edifice of stone;—the bar- racks, built of the same materials, strong and commo- dious;–and the bridge, consisting of 15 noble arches, and measuring 1,164 feet in length, though only 17 feet wide : it was begun in the reign of James I., but such was the poverty of the period, or the indolence of the workmen, that upwards of 24 years elapsed before it was completed. The disbursements were then found to have amounted to £15,000. The houses are in general ancient. The town is forti- fied, but the works are chiefly modern; of the more ancient fortifications few traces remain. The mo- dern works consist of an earthen rampart, substan- tially reveted, with bastions, flanks, and a ditch, on the north and east; and on the south and west, of high walls flanked with cannon, under which the river flows, serving the purpose of a moat. The Tamparts form a very agreeable promenade. The suburb, called Castlegate, is situated without the walls, near the north-west part of the town; and a long range of houses, called the Greens, stretches from Castlegate eastward. There are good assem- bly-rooms, in which subscription-concerts are held. A public subscription library was established in 1812, and now possesses upwards of 5,000 volumes. Some manufactures, but not to any great extent, are carried on here; among which are those of linen, sack, and sail-cloth, ropes, hosiery, carpets, &c. There is an extensive iron-foundry. Berwick has an extensive coasting commerce. There are regular traders and steamers between Berwick, London, Kingston-upon-Hull, Newcastle, and Leith. Tim- her, iron, hemp, flax, bones, tallow, and blubber, form the principal of the imported articles; corn, coals, wool, salmon, pork, and eggs, are exported in consid- erable quantity. Salmon are caught in great num- bets in the Tweed; and are for the most part sent to London, either alive in wells, in the holds of vessels, or packed in ice, which preserve their fresh- mess for a considerable time. There is a consider- able fishery of white fish and lobsters off the coast. About 800 of the inhabitants are connected with these fisheries. The fisheries produced a rental of £20,000 20 years ago; they do not now reach £4,000. The port of Berwick is frequented only by small vessels, a bar, at the entrance of the harbour rendering it unfit for large ones. . According to returns made in 1828, the number of vessels belonging to the port was 54, and the average burden 90 tons. In 1834, the tonnage inwards, coasting and foreign, amounted to 28,768 tons; outwards, 40,715. For the improve- iment and protection of this harbour, a stone-pier, half-a-mile in length, has been constructed, and a been proposed between Berwick and Kelso. lighthouse erected at its extremity. There are no docks. The Tweed is navigable as high as the bridge, and the tide flows about 7 miles farther up; the ordinary spring-tides rise 15 feet. º: € market, which is held on Saturday, is well-supplied with grain and provisions; a smaller market is held on Wednesday. A fair for black cattle, sheep, and horses, is held on the Friday in Trinity week. There is here a branch of the North of England joint-stock banking company. The charter, under which Berwick is now incorpo. rated, was granted by James VI., though it had pre- viously held under various charters granted at differ- ent periods. The corporation formerly consisted of a mayor, recorder, four bailiffs, and an indefinite num- ber of burgesses. By the municipal act of 1835, the borough has been divided into three wards, to each of which six councillors are apportioned. Petty-sessions for the borough are held in the town-hall. A commis- sion of the peace and court of quarter-sessions have been recently granted. In all the courts, civil and criminal, the proceedings are regulated by English law: although it is difficult to determine, either his- torically or topographically, whether Berwick belongs to England or Scotland. The annual value of the corporation property, in 1837, was £12,754, of which 283,849 arose out of rents; the expenditure in that year was £12,369; the debt is about £60,000. Berwick has returned two members to parliament since the reign of Philip and Mary; and has always been what is called an open borough, though much influenced by the number of residents in the pay of government. The right of election was vested to all the burgesses, whether resident or not, in num- ber about 1,000. Under the reform act, the parish of Berwick, and the townships of Tweedmouth and Spittal, unite in returning two members to parlia- ment. The liberties of Berwick extend from the entrance of the harbour northwards to the grounds of Lamberton, whence they are bounded by a line crossing the river Whitadder, and ending at the Tweed; the other boundary line runs down close by the river to its termination at the bar, there forming an equilateral angle, two sides of which are 2 miles each, and the other side somewhat more. Within these liberties—which form one parish—are a num- ber of private estates; a part is let out upon leases; and the rest, measuring about 4,500 acres, is par- celled out into separate allotments called ‘Burgess’ meadows,' or stints, which are occupied by the old- est burgesses or their widows, and are worth from £5 to £15 per annum. The sixth pillar upon Ber- wick bridge separates Berwick from the co-palatine of Durham. The poor-laws are very judiciously administered in this place by a select body of trus. tees, who are elected by the rate-payers. In 1820, the poor-rates of the houses, lands, and fisheries, within the parish, amounted to £5,388; in the year ending March, 1837, they had been reduced to 363,087. The workhouse, erected here for the union of Berwick-on-Tweed, has been altered and enlarged by the poor-law commissioners, at an ex- pense of £1,000. The Berwick-on-Tweed poor- law, union comprehends 17 parishes, embracing an area of 77 square miles; with a population returned, in 1831, at 28,782. The average annual expenditure on the poor of this district, during the three years preceding the formation of the union, was 368,442. Expenditure, in 1838, 366,837. r The name of Berwick is supposed by Leland to have been originally Aberwick, from the British words aber, the mouth of a river, and wic, a town. Camden and some other antiquaries derive it from the ancient word berewic, which is used in old records to BER BES 168 designate a hamlet attached to a place of greater im- portance.* The supposition of Leland seems to be the better of the two; but Chalmers suggests that the name may have originated in the Anglo-Saxon bar, i. e. bare, and wic, i.e. vicus, castellum, sinus, the curving-reach of a river. “It hath bene,” says Lam- bard, “of very long tyme under the realme of Ingland; for Hector sayeth, that in Fergus tyme, the first kinge of Scottes, (what tyme he devided that realme into countries) the towne of Berwyk was very po- pulous, and was, as he calleth it, a Shyredome, which the Scottes and Pictes recovered from the Romaynes cominge in aid of the Britons. The tymes and causes of the chaunge of possession of this towne from Ingland to Scotland, and from Scotland to Ingland, are so variably discoursed amongest hysto- riens, as they are not in myne opinion to be recon- siled. I will, therefore, follow those that in myne owne opinion seme to use most probabilitie. Edgar, a kinge of Scottes, gave it to the bishop of Durham about the yeare 1120, which byshoprick was then within Scotland, as Hector affirmeth. Henry the Second gate it by composition, or rather compul- sion, from William, then kinge of Scottes, anno 1175. Richard I. toward his expedition to Jerusalem, de- livered it and Rokesbourgh to the same William for 10,000 poundes. Kinge Jhon wan it againe from Alexander of Scotland, and many other holdes that weare then in common opinion thought impreignable, whom also he called Red Fox, (bycause he was red headed,) and said that he would beate him out of al his holdes after the same maner. But Alexander of Scotland recovered it agayne from Henry III. within age, and exchanged it with hym for Carleil. After his death, Edward I., who, in his epitaph at Westminster, is named Scotorum Malleus, wan it from Baliol about the yeare 1296, and caused al the nobles of Scotland to do him homage; the maner whereof is at large set forthe by him that continued the hystorie of Prosper. Aquit. Edward II. his son, whiche incurred the displeasure of his nobles, and dislikinge of the comons for his careles government, lost it againe by the treason of one Spaldinge an Inglishman, whose posteritie enjoy the comodytie of his reward, for that service to this day, as Hector Boetius confesseth. Lastly, Edward III. wan it, as it appeareth manyfestly by consent of al writers. Yet Hector Boetius sayth, that the Scottes recovered it duringe the tyme of the imprisonment of David their kinge; but fearinge that they should be con- streyned to rendre it, thei set it on fyre, and left it to Kinge Edward III., who walled it about. Sence which tyme it hathe not retourned to Scotland.” Honest Lambard is incorrect in his concluding state- ment; for Berwick after this was frequently be- sieged, and frequently changed masters, in the wars between the two kingdoms, till 1482, when it finally fell into the hands of Edward IV. By a treaty of Edward VI., and Mary, queen of Scots, it was erected into an independent town; Elizabeth, how- ever, resumed possession of it, and strengthened the fortifications. On the accession of James VI. to the throne of England, its importance as a frontier- town was extinguished; and as a fortified town it has only once appeared in history since that period, * At the epoch of domesday-book, Öerwica signified a village which appertained to some manor or town. Thus, Tothill was called the berewicke of Westminster; and it has been supposed by some that Berwick may have been the berewicke of Cold- ingham. But there is no evidence, and very little appearance of probability for this. Sommer and Lye, the Saxon glossarists, inform us that berewic is the same with beretvan, i.e. villa fru. mentaria, a grange, or village. But the same objections lie to this derivation of the name. In some ancient deeds this place receives the name of “South Berwick,” probably to distinguish º North Berwick, a sinull seaport and borough in East thian. having been garrisoned by the parliament in the civil war in the reign of Charles I. Pop. of Berwick, in 1801, 7,187; in 1831, 8,920. Pop. of the parlia- mentary borough, that is, including Tweedmouth and Spittal, 12,190, in 1831. Houses 1,190. , Acres 5,120. The amount of assessed property in the par- ish of Berwick, in 1831, was 3630,811. BESFORD, a township in the parish of Shaw- bury, hund. of Pimhill, county of Salop. Pop., in 1821, 169; in 1831, 158. Houses 23. Acres 1,310. BESFORD, a parochial chapelry in the upper division of the hund. and union of Pershore, county of Worcester; 23 miles west by south of Pershore, near the Avon, and on the line of the Birmingham and Gloucester railway. Living, a curacy subordi- mate to the vicarage of St Andrew's, Pershore. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 126; in 1831, 146. Houses 31. Acres 1,300. A. P. 381,991. Poor rates, in 1837, 3676. BESSEL'S GREEN, a hamlet in the parish of Orprington, county of Kent. Here is a Baptist church, formed in 1715. BESSELSLEIGH, a parish in the hund. of Hor- mer, union of Abingdon, county of Berks; 4 miles north-west of Abingdom, and about 6 north of the Great Western railway. Living, a discharged rec- tory, formerly in the archd. of Berks and dio. of Salisbury, now in the dio. of Oxford; valued at £4.17s. 33d. ; gross income £200. Patron, in 1835, W. J. Lenthall, Esq. The inhabitants of this parish are entitled to send their children to the school at Appleton, erected and endowed by Sir R. Fettiplace. W. Lenthall, Esq., speaker of the Long parliament, resided at the ancient manor-house of Besselsleigh, having purchased it of the Fettiplace family. Pop., in 1801, 99; in 1831, 124. Houses 21. Acres 980. A. P. 38 1,153. Poor rates, in 1837, 3652. BESSINGBY, a parish in the wapentake of Dick- ering, east riding of Yorkshire; 14 mile south-west of Bridlington. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. of the east riding and dio. of York; valued at £5 6s. 8d., and rated in the parliamentary returns at £33; gross income £59. Patron, in 1835, Henry Hudson, Esq. Certain great and small tithes, the property of the lay-impropriator, were commuted in 1766. Pop., in 1801, 87; in 1831, 83. Houses 13. Acres 1,230. A. P. 362,045. Poor rates, in 1837, 2643. BESSINGHAM, or BAssINGHAM, a parish in the northern division of the hund. and union of Erping- ham, county of Norfolk; 5 miles south-west of Cromer. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. of Norfolk and dio. of Norwich; valued at £4 6s. 8d., and in the parliamentary returns at £110; gross income £135. Patron, in 1835, the Rev. F. E. Arden. There is a day and Sunday National school here. Pop., in 1831, 137. Houses 30. Acres 410. A. P. 36586. Poor rates, in 1837, 3662. BESTHORPE, a parish in the hund. of Shrop- ham, union of Wayland, county of Norfolk; 1 mile east of Attleborough, on the post-road to Norwich. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. of Nor- folk and dio. of Norwich; valued at £5 6s. 10}d., and in the parliamentary returns at £140; gross in- come £250, Patron, in 1835, the Earl of Winter- ton. Pop., in 1801, 391; in 1831, 542. Houses 99. Acres 2,440. A. P. £3,745. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.462. BESTHORPE, a chapelry in the parish of South Scarle, hund. of Newark, county of Nottingham; 7 miles north-north-east of Newark-upon-Trent. There are three daily schools here, one of which is endowed with 368 12s. per annum. Pop., in 1801,216; in 1831, 322. Houses 59. Acres 510, A. P. 361,518. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.133. BES BET 169 BESWICK, a township in the parish of Man- chester, hund. of Salford, co-palatine of Lancaster; 1 mile north-east of the Manchester and Sheffield rail- way depot. There are a daily and a Sunday school here. Pop., in 1821, 35; in 1831, 248. Houses 39. Acres 60. Other returns with the parish. BESWICK, a chapelry in the parish of Kilnwick, Bainton-Beacon division of the wapentake of Hart- hill, east riding of Yorkshire; 6 miles north by west of Beverley. Living, a perpetual curacy not in charge, annexed to the curacy of Kilnwick. The Baptists have a place of worship here, and there is an infant school. Pop., in 1801, 136; in 1831, 205. Houses 39. Acres 1,430. A. P. 262,104. Poor rates, in 1837, 3669. BETCHWORTH, or BEACHworth, a parish in the first division of the hund. and union of Reigate, county of Surrey; 3% miles west of Reigate, through which borough the Croydon railway passes. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. of Surrey and dio. of Winchester; valued at £7 8s. 11%d.; gross income £184 ; in the patronage of the dean and canons of Windsor. There are a Baptist church, formed in 1785, and a school, supported partly by an endowment of £20 per annum, and 3 daily schools in this parish. Charities to the poor produce an- mually £60 5s. 8d. This manor formerly belonged to Abraham Tucker, author of the well-known phi- losophical work entitled “The Light of Nature Pursued.” Pop., in 1801, 930; in 1831, 1,000. Houses 192. Acres 3,660. A. P. £5,402. Poor rates, in 1837, 36719. BETHELKING. See BAULKING. BETHGELERT. See BEDDGELART. BETHERSDEN, a parish in the upper half-hund. of Chart and Longbridge, lathe of Scray, union of West Ashford, Kent; 5% miles west-south-west of Ashford, intersected by the South Eastern railway. Living, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Canter- bury; valued at £12; gross income £166; in the patronage of the archbishop of Canterbury. Tithes commuted in 1839; rent-charge £480 19s. 6d. The baptists have a church here which was formed in 1809. The parish possesses 3 daily schools. A fair is held on the 3d Monday of April for pedlers' ware. —Pop., in 1801, 740; in 1831, 973. Houses 146. Acres 6,410; of which about 140 are in hops. A. P. 264,906. Poor rates, in 1837, 36779. BETHNAL-GREEN, a parish in the Tower division of the hund. of Ossulstone, union of Beth- mal-Green, Middlesex; 23 miles north-east by east of St. Paul's; and containing the depot of the Eastern Counties railroad. It is within the bills of mortality, and was formerly only a hamlet in the large parish of Stepney, from which it was separated by act of parliament in 1740. In the petition for the act it was stated that the hamlet then contained 1800 houses, and a population of 15,000. The houses in the streets immediately contiguous to Christ-church, Spitalfields, were probably erected in the reigns of Queen Anne and George I., and are larger and more lofty than in that part of the parish erected within the present century. It consists of the Church, Green, Hackney-road, and Tower divisions.—Living, a rectory in the dio. of London, not in charge; gross income £614; annual stipends paid to two curates, 46225; in the patronage of the principal and fellows of Brazenose college, Oxford. The church, on the east side of Church row, was erected in 1746, under the authority of the commissioners for building new churches. In 1828, a new church was erected, from designs by Mr. Soane, at an expense of £17,638 18s, by the parliamentary commissioners. It is a hand- some edifice in the Grecian style, with a tower; and is capable of accommodating 2,000 persons. There is also an Episcopal Jews chapel erected in 1814, to which are attached 2 schools. The Independents have 12 chapels here, the oldest of which was built about 1700. The Baptists have 4 chapels; the Wesleyan Methodists 3; and several other classes of dissenters have places of worship here.—Here are a free school and alms-house, for the foundation of which, in 1722, Mr. Thomas Parmiter left an estate in Suffolk. Mrs. Elizabeth Carter gave the ground on which the school was erected, rent free, for 600 years; and the endowment has been increased by £10 per annum given by Mrs. Carter, if 10 per an- num by Mr. William Lee, and £5 by Mr. Edward Mayhew. The income has been well-managed and has increased considerably; the salary of the master is 3650, and each of the people ill the alms-house receives £5, and a supply of coals annually. The companies of drapers and dyers have alms-houses in this parish, in which are also those founded in 1711 by Captain Fisher. At Mile-end is Trinity hospital, erected in 1695, on land given by Captain Henry Mudd, an elder brother of the Trinity house, and endowed in 1701 by Captain Robert Sandes. Cer- tain funds arising from lighthouses, ballast-offices, buoys, beacons, &c. are appropriated to it by govern- ment. The inmates are 28 in number, and must be decayed masters of vessels, or their widows. In 1771, the inhabitants founded St. Matthew's school, for the education and clothing of 45 boys and 45 girls. Besides these, there are in this populous dis- trict 11 daily schools, containing 473 scholars, 5 day and Sunday schools attended by 1,337 children, and 7 Sunday schools. But notwithstanding all this pro- vision, the Bethnal-Green Educational committee state, “that after making allowance for such as must at all times be prevented from attending school, there were, in 1838, from 8,000 to 10,000 children in Bethnal-Green alone, not only without daily instruc- tion, but for whom no means of daily instruction are provided.”—The inhabitants of Bethnal-Green are chiefly journeymen silk-weavers, who work in their own houses for the master-weavers in Spitalfields. The manufacture of silks was introduced here, shortly after the revocation of the edict of Nantz, by French refugees, many of whose descendants still exist here. There was a French church in St. John street, till about the year 1815. In July, 1838, there were 7,847 looms employed in this parish as follows: viz. 2,144 on velvets; 23 on jacquard velvets; 445 on jacquard or figured goods; and 5,235 on plain goods. To these might be added 776 unemployed looms, and 189 which had been parted with. The value of a new loom is from 30s. to 40s. ; they are sometimes hired at 1s. 4d. a month; and ls. per week is charged for a loom-steading. The gross earnings of a skilful weaver cannot at present exceed 15s. a-week, from which 4s. may be deducted for expenses. . [See Articles CHRIST-CHURCH and SPITALFIELDs.]" The houses are in general built of brick, and often inhabited by several families. Part of the parish is occupied by market-gardens. In the greater part of it the streets are not close; but in one part the population is as densely crowded as in the closest and most thickly- peopled parts of the city; and a large portion of Bethnal-Green is a swamp, hardly any part of which is drained. “In the less open parts of Beth- mal-Green, and in a considerable part of White- chapel,” say the poor-law commissioners, “the closeness of the streets, lanes, alleys, and courts, is most oppressive. A fresh current of air can hardly ever reach them ; and the evil is greatly aggravated by the very general custom of the people permanently to close the windows of their houses, partly for the sake of warmth, and partly to pre- vent the real or imaginary effects of the air on the I. Y BET 17 0 BET silk used in their work.” A fair was formerly held here, but has been suppressed in consequence of the riots which occurred at it. The workhouse, erected here for the union of Bethnal-Green, has been en- larged by the commissioners, at an expense of £1,000. . The average annual expenditure on the poor of this district, during the three years preceding the forma- , tion of the Bethnal-Green union, was £14,218. Expenditure, in 1838, 36 12,451.-Pop., in 1740, 15,000; houses, 1800; the number of people to a house being about 8-3. Pop., in 1801, 22,310; in 1831, 62,018. Houses, in 1831, 10,877; in 1839, 12,048; of which 11,193 were rated under £20. Acres 760. A. P. 3669,722. Poor rates, in 1837, 3615,945. BETLEY, a parish in the northern division of the hund. of Pirehill, county of Stafford; 6% miles west by north of Newcastle-under-Lyne, on the line of the Grand Junction railroad. This was formerly a market-town, but the market has long ago fallen into disuse. Living, a perpetual curacy not in charge, in the archd. of Stafford and dio. of Lichfield and Coventry; valued at £101 9s. 6d. ; gross income #150. Patron, in 1835, George Tollett, Esq. This parish possesses four daily schools, and two day and Sunday National schools, one of which has an en- dowment for the instruction of ten boys, and both have lending libraries attached. Charities connected with the parish produce about £14 annually. The remains of Healy-castle, belonging to Lord Audley, stand on a rock about a mile to the south-east of Betley. Pop., in 1801, 670; in 1831, 870. Houses 163. Acres 1,480. A. P. 362,804. Poor rates, in 1837, #192, - * - BETTERTON, a tything in the parish of Lock- inge, Berks; 2% miles east-south-east of Wantage, in the vicinity of the Berks and Wilts canal. - BETTESHANGER, or BETSHANGER, a parish in the hund. and union of Eastry, lathe of St Au- gustine, county of Kent; 3% miles south-south-west of Sandwich. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. and dio. of Canterbury; valued at £6.4s. 4d., and in the parliamentary returns at £120; gross in- come £166. Patron, in 1835, F. E. Morrice, Esq. Pop., in 1801, 38; in 1831, 20. Houses 2. Acres 370. A. P. 361,331. Poor rates, in 1837, £25. BETTISCOMBE, a parish in the liberty of Frampton, locally situated in the hund. of Godder- thorne, union of Beaminster, Bridport division of the county of Dorset; 7 miles north by east of Lyme Regis. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Dorset and dio. of Bristol, now in the dio. of Salis- bury; valued at £8 2s. 3}d. ; gross income £180. Patron, in 1835, F. J. Browne, Esq. Pop., in 1801, 47; in 1831, 65. Houses 12. Acres 1,810. A. P. 26731. Poor rates, in 1837, £67. - BETTUS, a parish in the hund. of Clunn, county of Salop; 7 miles north-west of Knighton. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. of Salop and dio. of Hereford; valued at £20; gross income £57. Pa- tron, in 1835, the Earl of Powis. Pop., in 1801, 308; in 1831, 389. Houses 59. Acres 8,500. A. P. 262,159. Poor rates, in 1837, 36203. BETTWS, a parish in the hund. of Iskennen, union of Llanelly, county of Caermarthen, South Wales; 9 miles north-west of Caermarthen. Living, a per- petual curacy in the archd. of Caermarthen and dio. of St David's; valued at £6; gross income £98; in the patronage of the Bishop of St David's. The Calvinistic Methodists have a place of worship here; the church was formed in 1795. This parish is about 5 miles in length and l; in breadth, and is supposed to contain some valuable beds of coal. Pop., in 1821, 1,026; in 1831, 830. Houses 182. A. P. 361,593. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.178. BETTWS-YN-RHOS, or BETTws-ABERGELE v, 3. parish with a hamlet of the same name, in the hund. of Isdulas, union of St Asaph, county of Den- bigh, North Wales; 3% miles south-west of Aber- geley. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. of St Asaph and dio. of St Asaph and Bangor; val- ued at £12 15s. 5d. ; gross income £395; in the patronage of the Bishop of St Asaph and Bangor. The Calvinistic Methodists have a place of worship here, and there is a daily National school, contain- ing 61 pupils, partly supported by an endowment of £23 per annum, arising from the rents of premises bequeathed for that purpose, and partly by subscrip tion. There are also four Sunday schools. The petty-sessions for the hundred are sometimes held at the hamlet. The parish occupies an elevated situa- tion, and is in a great measure uncultivated. Pop., in 1821, 897; in 1831, 912. Houses 182. A. P. 382,745. Poor rates, in 1837, £702. . BETTWS, a parish in the hund. of Newcastle, union of Bridgend and Cowbridge, county of Gla- morgan, South Wales; 5 miles north of Bridgend. Living, a curacy not in charge, subordinate to the vicarage of Newcastle. There is a daily school here. The parish contains 1,000 acres of land, and is subject to rectorial tithes. Pop., in 1821, 344; in 1831, 362. Houses 64. A. P. 361,506. Poor rates, in 1837, 36116. * •. BETTWS, a township in the parish of Llan-fawr, hund... of Penllynn, county of Merioneth, North Wales; 2 miles north-east of Bala. This village stands in the picturesque vale of Eidermion. The Calvinistic Methodists have a place of worship here; the church was formed in 1822. Pop., in 1821,467. Other returns with the parish. : BETTWS, a parochial chapelry in the upper di- vision of the hund. of Wentlloog, union of Newport, county of Monmouth; 24 miles north-west of New- port, intersected by the Crumlin canal. Living, a curacy not in charge, subordinate to the vicarage of Newport. Pop., in 1801, 106; in 1831, 95. Houses 20. Acres 1,470. A. P. 36.932. 1837, 3697. . BETTWS, a parish in the gomery, North Wales; 3% miles north of Newtown, on the river Bechan, a little above its junction with the Severn. It includes the township of Garthgil- lin and Glanithan, and of Ucheldre and Dole vowin. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. and dio. of St Asaph and Bangor; valued at £10; gross in- come £254; in the patronage of the Bishop of St Asaph and Bangor. Sunday schools here. This parish is an upland dis- trict, and presents an undulating surface of nearly 7,000 acres in extent, part of which is pretty fertile. In the township of Dolevowin are the ruins of a castle of the same name, near which some curiously wrought brazen and earthen vessels have been found. The authentic history of this structure is involved in obscurity; it has been conjectured that it was erected by the British during the Roman occupancy. Leland and Milton are said to have taken from the name of this castle (forwyn, signifying a maiden,) the hint of the tale of “the Maiden Sabrina.” in 1821, 853; in 1831, 890. Houses 154. A. P. 263,033. Poor rates, in 1837, 36538. BETTWS-BLEDDRWS, a parish in the hund. of Moeddyn (Moythen), union of Lampeter, county of Cardigan, South Wales; 2% miles north of Lam- peter, on the river Tivy, and crossed by the high road from Tregaron to Lampeter. Living, a dis- charged rectory in the archd. of Cardigan and dio. of St David's; valued at £47s. 8%d. ; gross income 36152; in the patronage of the Bishop of St David's. This parish possesses a daily and a Sunday school, * Poor rates, in - hund. of Newtown, union of Newtown and Llanidloes, county of Mont- There are four daily and two. Pop., - BET BEV 171 Pop., in 1821, 216; in 1831, 285. Houses 46. A. P. 36820. Poor rates, in 1837, 3654. - - BETTWS-CLYRO, a small parish in the hund. of Pains-castle, union of Hay, county of Radnor, South Wales; 34 miles north of Hay, on the west- ern bank of the Wye. . Living, a curacy not in charge, subordinate to the vicarage of Clyro. There is a day and Sunday school here, to which the par- ish contributes £15 annually for the education of 10 poor children. Pop., in 1801, 167; in 1831, 683. Houses 45. A. P. 381,742. Poor rates, in 1837, ºf 122. BETTWS-DISERTH, a parish in the hund. of Colwyn, union of Builth, county of Radnor, South Wales; 7 miles west-south-west of New Radnor. Living, a curacy not in charge, subordinate to the rectory of Diserth. A school is generally kept here during the summer months. This parish lies near the source of the river Eddw, and embraces an area of 1,800 acres. Pop., in 1821, 128; in 1831, 141. Houses 22. A. P. 36468. Poor rates, in 1837, 3679. BETTWS-GARMON, a parish in the hund. of Is-Gorfai, or Gwyrfai, union of Caernarvon, county of Caernarvon, North Wales; 5 miles south-east of Caernarvon, on a rivulet flowing from Llyn-Llewel- lyn, and falling into the Menai strait. Living, a curacy, to which is annexed the vicarage of Llan- fair-is-Gaer, in the archd, and dio. of Bangor; val- ued in the parliamentary returns at £45; gross income £93; in the patronage of the bishop of Bangor. There are two Sunday schools here, con- taining 122 children. This parish lies at the base of Snowdon, and the high road from Caernarvon to Beddgelart and Tan-y-Bwich passes through it, on which is situated the hamlet of Bettws-Garmon, consisting of a few cottages, a public-house, and the little church dedicated to St Garmon. Pop., in 1821, 111; in 1831, 128. Houses 20. A. P. 36.580. Poor rates, in 1837, 3657. . BETTWS-GWERFYL-GOCH, a parish in the hund. of Eidernion, union of Corwen, county of Merioneth, North Wales; 4 miles north-west of Corwen, near, the post-road to Bangor. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. and dio. of St Asaph and Bangor; valued at £54s. 7d., and in the parliamentary returns at £121 16s. 10d. ; gross in- come £125; in the patronage of the bishop of St Asaph and Bangor. In this parish is a hamlet of the same name, situated near the river Alwen. Fairs for sheep, horned cattle, and horses, are held here on the 16th of March, 22d of June, 12th of August, 16th of September, and 12th of December. Pop., in 1821, 273; in 1831, 273. Houses 59. A. P. #960. Poor rates, in 1837, 4: 146. - BETTWS-JEWAN, or Evan, a parish in the hund. of Troedyraur, union of Newcastle-in-Emlyn, county of Cardigan, South Wales; 5 miles north by west of Newcastle-in-Emlyn, on elevated ground, between Cardigan bay and the river Tivy. Living, a curacy not in charge, subordinate to the vicarage of Pembryn. Pop., in 1821, 402; in 1831, 386. Houses 72. A. P. 361,175. Poor rates, in 1837, £193. BETTWS-LLEUCE, or LEIKI, a parish in the hund, of Moythen, union of Tregaron, county of Cardigan, South Wales; 7 miles north by east of Lampeter. Living, a perpetual curacy not in charge, in the archd. of Cardigan and dio. of St David's, united with the curacy of Llandewy-Brefi : valued at £124s., and rated in the parliamentary returns at sé60; gross income £50; in the patronage of the perpetual curate of Llandewy-Brefi... There is a Sunday school here. Pop., in 1821, 355; in 1831, 381. Houses 76. A. P. £2,240. Poor rates, in 1837, £77. - - BETTWS-NEWYDD, a parish in the hund, of here. to the vicarage of Lanarth.' . There is a Sunday Ragland, union of Abergavenny, county of Mon- mouth; 33 miles north by west of Usk, near the river Usk, over which there is a suspension bridge Living, a curacy not in charge, subordinate school in this parish, among the poor of which £5 is annually distributed from Davies' charity. Pop., in 1801, 66; in 1831, 108. Houses 19. Acres 1,200. A. P. 26.611. Poor rates, in 1837, 3638. BETTWS-Y-CEOD, a parish in the hund. of Nant-Conway, union of Llanrwst, county of Caer- marvon, North Wales; 3% miles south of Llanrwst, on the river Llygwy, near its junction with the Conway, and in the immediate vicinity of the post- road to Bangor. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. of Bangor and dio. of St Asaph and Bangor; valued at £3 13s. 4d., and rated in the parliament- ary returns at £28; gross income £101 ; in the pa- tronage of the bishop of St Asaph and Bangor. The church contains the tomb of Gryffyd, grand-nephew of Llewellyn, the last prince of Wales. The Cal- vinistic Methodists have a place of worship here; the church was formed in 1804. The parish pos- sesses a daily school, and a Sunday School. Here is the picturesque bridge of the cauldron, (Pont-y- Pain,) beneath which is a famous salmon-leap. The Holyhead road passes through this parish. Fairs are held on May 15th and December 3d. Pop., in 1821, 389; in 1831, 348. Houses 74. A. P. 26591. Poor rates, in 1837, 26.170. . - BEVERCOATES, a parish in the South Clay division of the wapentake of Bassetlaw, union of East Retford, county of Nottingham; 24 miles north- west of Tuxford. Living, a vicarage united with that of West Markham. There is no school here, but the male children of the parish have a right to attend the daily school at Haughton and Serlby, free of experise. The church is now in ruins. Pop., in 1801, 30; in 1831, 51. Houses 8. Acres 790. A. P. 26731. Poor rates, in 1837, #39. BEVERLEY, an important borough, market-town and township, within the liberty and union of Bev- erley, east riding of Yorkshire; 183 miles north of London, 29 east-south-east of York, and 9 north- east of Kingston-upon-Hull, at the foot of the wolds, in the Hunsley-Beacon division of the wapentake of Harthill, and about 1 mile west of the river Hull, with which it is connected by means of a canal. The borough consists of three parishes: St Mary, St Nicholas, and St Martin, with a small portion recently added from the parish of St John. The liberty of which Beverley is the head contains the additional townships of Molescroft, Stockhill with Sandholme, Thearne, Ticton with Hullbridge, Weal, Woodmansey with Beverley park, and part of the township of Aike, all of which are in the parish of St John. The parishes of St John, St Martin, St Mary, and St Nicholas, are within the deanery of Harthill, archdeaconry of the east riding and diocese of York. The living of St John's, to which is an- nexed that of St Martin's, is a perpetual curacy, valued at £31 6s. 8d.: gross income £183; in the pa- tronage of the corporation. The church of St Martin no longer exists. The church of St John—popularly called Beverley minster—is a collegiate church, of which the following history is given by Tanner:— “John, archbishop of York, afterwards called St John of Beverley, is said to have founded, about the year. 700, in the choir of the parish-church here, a con- vent of monks dedicated to St John the Baptist; in the nave of the church, a college of seven secu- lar canons with seven clerks, to the honour of St John the Evangelist; and in the chapel of St Mar- tin, adjoining this church, a society of religious Virgins or nuns; but, about 160 years after, the 172 BEVERLEY. religious here were murdered, and the church and buildings plundered and burnt to the ground by the Danes. . Not long after, some of the seculars who had fled from and escaped the Danish fury, began to settle here again, and to repair the church, which was completed and endowed with revenues for seven canons, and with large privileges, (to the honour of St John of Beverley,) by King Athelstan, and the favour and bounty of succeeding kings, and of the archbishops of York, who claimed the immediate patronage. This collegiate society flourished to that degree that it consisted at the dissolution of a provost, eight prebendaries, a chan- cellor, preceptor, seven rectors choral, nine vicars choral, with many chantry priests, clerks, choristers, officers and servants. The provostship was rated, 269 Henry VIII., at £109 8s. 8d. ; the prebend of St Michael at £31. 13s. 4d. ; of St Peter, at £46 6s. lld.; of St Martin, at £39 lls. 1d.; of St Cathe- rine, at £10 18s. 4d. ; of St Mary, at £35 17s. ; of St Stephen, at 2644; of St Andrews, at £48 16s. ld. ; of St James, at £47 1s. 4d. ; the chancellor- ship, at £13 16s. ; the precentorship, at £139s. 4d. ; the fabric lands, at £18 3s. 8d. ; the rectors choral had lands in common to the yearly value of £8 13s. 7d., besides a pension of £6 13s. 4d. to every one of them. The vicars choral had in common 2612 per annum, and a pension of £8 to every one of them.” The town owed the origin of its prosperity to this monastic establishment. St John of Bever- ley, to whom the church is dedicated, was born at Harpham on the wolds, about the year 640; he held the see of York for 33 years, with a reputation for great sanctity, and afterwards retired to finish his days in obscurity and devotion in the monastery which he had founded here. “He was educated,” says Fuller, “under Theodorus the Grecian, and archbishop of Canterbury. Yet was he not so famous for his teacher as for his scholar, Weilerable Bede, who wrote this John's life, which he hath so spiced with miracles that it is of the hottest for a discreet man to digest into his belief.” After his death—which took place in 721—he was canonized by the title of St John of Beverley; and his memory was held in such veneration, that when William the Conqueror advanced within 7 miles of the town, he issued strict orders that his army should respect the property of the monastery. The day of his death was appointed to be kept holy, and the festival of his translation, October 25th, was ordered in 1416, to be annually celebrated, in commemoration of the battle of Agin- court, the gaining of which was superstitiously at- tributed to his influence. The original building was almost entirely destroyed by fire in 1188. The present edifice is supposed to have been completed in the early part of the reign of Henry III. : it is a vener- able cruciform structure, with two noble towers at the west end. Notwithstanding the mixture of styles which this structure presents, it is considered equal in purity of composition, correctness of detail, and elegance of execution, to any of the great English cathedrals. Mr Rickman says: “The north porch of Beverley minster is, as a panelled front, perhaps unequalled. The door has a double canopy, the inner an ogee, and the outer a triangle, with beauti- ful crockets and tracery, and is flanked by fine but- tresses breaking into niches, and the space above the canopy to the cornice is panelled; the battlement is composed of rich niches, and the buttresses crowned by a group of four pinnacles.” Of perpendicular fronts, the same author says, “by far the finest is that of Beverley minster. What the west front of , York is to the decorated style, this is to the perpen- dicular, with this addition, that in this front nothing but one style is seen; all is harmonious Like York minster, it consists of a very large west win- dow to the nave, and two towers for the end of the aisles. This window is of nine lights, and the tower windows of three lights. The windows in the tower correspond in range nearly with those of the aisles and clerestory windows of the nave; the upper windows of the tower are belfry windows. Each tower has four large and eight small pinnacles, and a very beautiful battlement. The whole front is panelled, and the buttresses, which have a very bold projection, are ornamented with various tiers of niche-work, of excellent composition, and most deli- cate execution. The doors are uncommonly rich, and have the hanging feathered ornament; the ca- nopy of the great centre door runs up above the sill of the window, and stands free in the centre light with a very fine effect. The gable has a real tym- panum, which is filled with fine tracery. The east front is fine, but mixed with early English.” In the body of the choir is a beautiful monument to a female member of the Percy family, and in the north transept is an altar-tomb, both of which are in the decorated style. The right of sanctuary was conferred on this church by Athelstan, and extended for a mile round the town, the limits being marked by four stone crosses, set up at the principal ap- proaches. The collegiate church of Beverley, until the dissolution in 1544, exercised a jurisdiction over Beverley and several other parishes, namely, Brands- burton, Cherryburton, Leckonfield, Leven, Middle- ton on the wolds, Ottringham, Patrington, Siggles- thorne, Scorbrough, South Dalton, and Welwick, to which Bacon adds Halsham and Rise. The great and small tithes of St John in Beverley and Skidby, the property of Trinity college, Cambridge, and the lay- impropriator, were commuted in 1785. The estates of the minister now produce an annual revenue of about 383,000, a portion of which is appropriated to keep- ing the edifice in repair.—The living of St Mary's is a vicarage, valued at £14 2s. 83d., to which is united the rectory of St Nicholas, valued at £50s. 10d. ; gross income of both #340; in the patronage of the Crown. The church of St Nicholas has long ago fallen into ruin. That of St Mary is an elegant structure, consisting of a nave, transept, chancel, and aisles. At the west end there are two finely pierced and embattled octagonal turrets. The chan- cel, which is divided from the aisles by five pointed arches, has a lofty and beautifully groined roof, with well-proportioned arches and piers. This church also contains some interesting monuments, and an ancient baptismal font. It possesses a reparation fund, which now produces fºs00 per annum. The Baptists, Roman Catholics, Society of Friends, In- dependents, and Methodists, have places of worship here. The first Baptist church was formed about 1791; the second in 1833; the Independent in 1701; a Wesleyan Methodist in 1814.—There is a gram- mar-school here; the date of its origin appears to be very ancient, but the name of the founder is unknown. It is endowed with £10 per annum, bequeathed in 1652 by Dr Metcalf; which sum is increased by the corporation to £l00. The master is also entitled to receive 40s. per annum from each scholar, and has the privilege of taking boarders. The management of this school is vested in the corporation. Scholars from this school are entitled to three scholarships of £6 13s. 4d. per annum each, founded by Dr. Metcalf; to one of £6 per annum, founded by William Coates, Esq.; and to two of £8 per annum each, founded by Dr William Lacey, all in St John's college, Cambridge; and to one of £10 per annum, in St John's, or Corpus Christi college, founded by Dr. Green, bishop of Lincoln.—Here is a Blue-coat charity school for the maintenance, BEV BEV 173 clothing, and egucation of poor children. It was founded in 1709 by subscription, and has been en- dowed by various benefactors with property, which now produces an annual income of £126 8s. 8d. ; ten boys are educated here, each of whom is ap- prenticed on leaving school, with a fee of £3.-In 1804, Mr James Graves founded a school for 200 children of both sexes, and endowed it with £84 per annum, drawn from stock in the navy five per cents. ; the girls in this establishment are instructed on the system of Dr Bell, and the boys on that of Mr Lancaster. There are also, besides, a Central National school, 22 daily, and 6 Sunday schools, connected with the borough and liberties of Bever- ley.—In 1636, Mr Thwaite Fox founded alms-houses for four poor widows, with an endowment which yields to each of them 10s. per month. Alms- houses for 32 widows. with a matron and two nurses, were founded and endowed, in 1721, by Mrs Anne Routh. Each of the inmates receives a weekly allowance of 5s, in addition to which the matron receives 2s. 6d., and each of the nurses 2s.—Mr Charles Warton, in 1712, founded an hospital with 14 apartments, for a like number of widows; the endowment consists of property, which now yields a revenue of £404 2s., from which each widow re- ceives a weekly allowance of 4s.—There are, be- sides these, 26 unendowed alms-houses erected by the corporation, the inmates of which participate in the benefits of several minor charitable bequests. An estate, which now produces from £70 to £100 per annum, was bequeathed in 1711 by Mr Robert Stephenson, for the support of ‘Nonconformist preaching ministers;’ and, in 1724, Sir Michael Warton, knight, bequeathed 4,000, as a perpetual fund for keeping the minster in repair. Other cha- rities connected with the borough produce about ić205 per annum. The town of Beverley is handsome and well-built. It consists of several streets; the principal one is nearly 1 mile in length, and terminates in an ancient gateway. The streets are lighted and well-paved, and there is a good supply of water; the environs are agreeable, and the air is considered very salubri- ous. The poorer classes of inhabitants are partially employed in the manufacture of bone-lace. It has a considerable trade in coals, corn, oatmeal, malt, and leather, which is much facilitated by a canal called Beverley beck, communicating with the river Hull. This cut appears to have been navigable so early as 1344. The market-days are Wednesday and Saturday, the latter being the most important. Fairs for horses, horned cattle, and sheep, are held on the Thursday before February 25th, Holy Thurs- day, July 5th, and November 5th. The principal markets for cattle are held on April 5th, Wednesday before May 12th, September 14th, and Wednesday after December 25th. The market-place is a spa- cious area, with a cross supported on eight pillars. Races take place annually in May on Hurnmeadow, one of the four common pastures belonging to the town. A railway from Beverley to Hull has been proposed. * This borough is now divided into two wards: St. Mary's and Minster, to each of which 9 council- •ors are assigned. The burgesses have each a right of pasturage for 12 or 13 head of cattle on the common lands, of 1,174 acres in extent. They also claim exemption from toll and custom in every town and port in England,-a privilege said to have been conferred by King Athelstan, and commemor- ated by an ancient table which hangs in the south transept of the minster, exhibiting the portraits of i. º of Beverley and King Athelstan, with this istich :— * A is free make I thee, As hert may thyake, or egh Bee.” Beverley is considered as the capital of the east riding; the quarter-sessions for that division are held in the guild-hall here, and the petty-sessions for the division of Hunsley Beacon in the New ses- sions-house. The guild-hall—which is better known in Beverley by the name of the Hallgarth—is a handsome building, containing the apartments in which the business of the corporation is conducted, the sessions-hall, and an office for the registration of wills and other deeds. In 1832 the corporation new-fronted the town-hall, and built the adjoining prison at an expense of £4,000. It is detached from other buildings, and appropriated to the reception of debtors and prisoners under examination,-the bo- rough, since the passing of the municipal act, having received no grant of quarter-sessions. The gaol consists of three distinct ranges, with as many airing- yards, divided by lofty walls, and 13 sleeping cells. It is seldom used, except for debtors from the bo- rough-court and those from a jurisdiction over the town and liberties of Beverley for the recovery of small debts. The house of correction for the east riding stands at a short distance from the town, and cost £42,000 in erection. It is connected with the sessions-house, and surrounded by a boundary-wall. Since the passing of the gaol acts it has been en- larged by the addition of three wings, with airing- yards between each, and a central building contain- ing apartments for the turnkeys. It possesses 40 tread-wheel houses,—to which labour both males and females are subjected,—101 cells, 14 wards, and 14 airing-yards. The number of prisoners, in 1837, was 234. Of these 58 could neither read nor write, and 10 could read and write well. Beverley re- turned two members to parliament in the reign of Edward I., from which period till the 5° of Eliza- beth, the privilege was not exerted. Since the lat- ter time it has regularly returned two members. The parishes of St Martin and St Nicholas, and part of the parish of St John, unite with Beverley under the reform act, in returning two members. Bever- ley is also the place of nomination, and one of the polling-places in the election of members for the east riding of the county. Beverley is supposed to have been the birth-place of Alfred de Beverley, a monkish historian of the 12th century. Among the distinguished men who were natives of this place we may mention Dr John Alcock, bishop of Ely, and founder of Jesus' college, Cambridge; Dr Fisher, bishop of Rochester, the victim of the intolerance of Henry VIII. ; and Dr John Green, bishop of Lin- coln, an elegant scholar, and one of the authors of the ‘Athenian letters,’ published by the earl of Hardwicke. Pop., in 1801, 6,033; in 1831, 8,302. Houses 1,805. Acres 9,370. A. P. 36:33,569. Poor rates, in 1837, 362,664.—The Beverley poor-law union comprehends 36 parishes, embracing an area of 118 square miles; with a population returned, in 1831, at 16,614. The average annual expenditure on the poor of this district, during the three years preceding the formation of the union, was £7,069. Expenditure, in 1838, 365,013. BEVERLEY-PARK. See WooDMANSEA. BEVERSTONE, a parish in the upper division of the hund. of Berkeley, union of Tetbury, county of Gloucester; 2 miles west-north-west of Tetbury. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Gloucester and dio. of Gloucester and Bristol; valued at £30, united with the curacy of Kingscote; gross income £595; in the patronage of the Crown. The great and small tithes, the property of the clerical rector, were commuted in 1803. There are two daily schools in this parish. Here are some remains of a BEW BEW 174 moated castle erected in the reign of Edward III., by Thomas, Lord Berkeley. In the parliamentary wars it was repeatedly besieged, and finally taken and burnt. Pop., in 1801, 150; in 1831, 174. Houses. 30. Acres 2,360. A. P. 362,304. Poor rates, in 1837, 3642. -- BEWALDETH AND SNITTLEGARTH, a township in the parish of Torpenhow, ward of Allerdale below Darwent, county of Cumberland; 63 miles north-east of Cockermouth, in the neigh- bourhood of the Carlisle railroad. All tithes, mo- duses, &c. of the manor of Bewaldeth, the property of the vicar, were commuted in 1814. Pop., in 1801, 55; in 1831, 172. Houses 12. Acreage with the parish. A. P. 38838. Poor rates, in 1837, 3645. BEWCASTLE, a parish and township in the ward of Eskdale, union of Longtown, county of Cumberland; 10 miles north by east of Brampton, within 6 miles of the Carlisle and Newcastle rail- road. It comprises the townships of Bailie, Bel- bank, and Nixons. Living, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Carlisle; valued at £2, and in the par- liamentary returns at £182; gross income £92; in the patronage of the dean and chapter of Carlisle. The parish possesses three daily schools, one of which has a small endowment. In the churchyard is a curious obelisk composed of a single block of stone, bearing inscriptions which are supposed to be of Danish origin. The Scots Presbyterians and Independents have places of worship here. The rivers Levan and Irthing have their sources in this parish. Coal and lead-ore are found here. A mar- ket and fair was formerly held here, for which John Swinburn obtained license in the reign of Edward I., but has long ago fallen into disuse. This was anciently a Roman station, garrisoned by the Legio Secunda Augusta, and many relics of that people have been found in the neighbourhood. Some ves- tiges of Bewcastle, a fortress built by Bueth, lord of Gilsland, soon after the conquest, are yet to be seen here. It was occupied by a border-garrison in the reign of Elizabeth, and in 1641 was demolished by the army of the parliament. Pop., in 1801, 917; in 1831, 1,336. Houses 25l. Acres 26,640. A. P. 381,288. Poor rates, in 1837, 36876. BEWDLEY, a borough, market-town, and chapel- ry, having separate jurisdiction, in the parish of Ribbesford, lower division of the hund. of Dodding- tree, union of Kidderminster, county of Worcester; 129 miles north-west of London, and 14 north-north- west of Worcester, on the western bank of the Severn, and in the neighbourhood of the Worcester and Stafford canal. Living, a perpetual curacy to the rectory of Ribbesford, in the archd. of Salop and dio. of Hereford; it is valued in the parliament- ary returns, at £34; gross income 36100; in the patronage of the rector of Ribbesford. The chapel, erected in 1748, is a meat stone edifice at the upper end of the street leading from the bridge. The Wesleyan Methodists, Baptists, Society of Friends, and Unitarians, have places of worship here. The Baptist church was formed in 1649; the Unitarian in 1696.--Here is a free grammar-school, of which the corporation are trustees, founded and endowed in 1591 by William Monnox, and further, endowed in 1599 by Humphrey Hill. It was made a royal foundation by charter of James I., and the master now receives a salary of £26 per annum, and has a house rent-free. In the school is kept a library, for the general use of the inhabitants, given by the Rev. Thomas Wigan, and under.the charge of the master and the rector of Ribbesford.—There are also seven daily and six infant schools, in which 438 children are instructed, besides three Sunday schools, for one of which the Rev. J. Cawood has lately built, at a VIII. cost of more than two hundred guineas, a large house in the forest of Wyre.—Here are six alms- houses for aged men, founded and endowed with 3630 per annum by Mr Sayer, of Nettlestead, in the county of Suffolk; the buildings were re-erected in 1763, by Sir Edward Winnington, Bart., member for the borough.—Burlton's alms-houses, for four- teen aged women, were founded and endowed in 1645.-Mr Thomas Cook, in 1693, founded eight other alms-houses with a small endowment. The property called the Mill and Meadow, is vested in the corporation of Bewdley, and produces 3626 15s. per annum. This sum is distributed amongst the poor, according to the size of their families. The chapelry of Bewdley includes the hamlet of Wribbenhall, which, though separated from the borough by the Severn, is connected with it by a handsome bridge, erected in 1797, and, for all the purposes of intercourse and interest, forms a portion of the town. The scenery in the neighbourhood is remarkably fine and the situation pleasant, from which circumstances it received the name of Beau lieu, from which its present name has been derived by corruption. Bewdley was originally, an extra- parochial liberty, but was united to the parish of Rib- besford, by letters patent of Henry IV. Among its numerous privileges we may notice that of sanctuary for persons who had committed homicide or murder. It was originally included within the marches of Wales, but was united to the county of Worcester by an act of parliament passed in the reign of Henry It has been a royal domain since the reign of Henry VII., who erected here a palace for his son Arthur, in which that prince was married by proxy to Catharine of Arragon. The palace suffered much in the parliamentary war, and was subsequently taken down and the site built upon, so that no traces what- ever of the original edifice remain. After the retreat of Charles I. from Oxford, he took refuge for a time in this town. The town stands on a rising ground . on the western bank of the river Severn, over which a very handsome stone-bridge was erected in 1797. The houses are in general well-built and of a re- spectable aspect, and the streets are neat, clean, and well-paved, but neither lighted nor watched at any period of the year. The inhabitants have a plenti- ful supply of water, and the air is salubrious. The environs are delightful and present richly diversified scenery, and the general aspect of the town itself, situated on an eminence, with the houses built at different altitudes and alternating with trees and gardens, is remarkably picturesque. The commerce of Bewdley, which is considerable, is chiefly con- nected with the carrying trade on the river Severn. It was formerly the mart from which the neighbour- ing towns were supplied with many imported articles of consumption, but this trade has fallen off very much, in consequence of the recent construction of a canal from Stourport to Stourbridge. The tan- ning of leather is carried on to a considerable extent, and much malt is made for exportation. The prin- cipal manufacture is that of comb-making; and in Wribbenhall a manufactory for carpets has been recently established. Markets were formerly held here twice a-week, but only one is now held, on Saturday. Fairs for cattle, horses, cheese, and linen - and woollen cloth, are held on the 23d of April, Monday before the 26th of July, and the llth of December. On December 10th a “fair is held for hogs only. - This borough was first made a corporate-town by Edward IV., in the 12th year of his reign. The charter under which it is now governed was granted by James I., surrendered to Charles II. and James II., and restored by Anne. The government was BEW BIB 175 and 12 councillors. , vested in a bailiff, high steward, recorder, deputy recorder, and 12 capital burgesses, with a town- clerk and other officers; under the municipal re- form act, it is governed by 2 bailiffs, 4 aldermen, The town-hall, erected in 1818, is a handsome building of stone, with three arches in front, under which is the entrance to the market-place, which has arcades on each side for stalls, and an open area in the centre. Bewdley, with the parish of Ribbesford, and the hamlets of Wribbenhall, Hoarstone, Blackstone, Netherton, and Lower Mitton with Lickhill, under the reform act, returns one member to parliament. The elective franchise was originally conferred by James I. on the bailiff and twelve burgesses alone. Number of electors, in 1837, 400. Pop., in 1801, 3,671; in 1831, 3,908. Houses 867. Acres 4,330. A. P. 264,372. Poor rates, in 1837, £1,074. BEWERLEY, a township in the parish of Ripon, lower division of the wapentake of Claro, west rid- ing of Yorkshire; 8 miles north-west of Ripley. This township, with that of Dacre, possesses one daily school, four day and Sunday schools, one of which is supported by an endowment of £20 per annum, and another by Mr Yorke, and two Sunday schools. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in the lead mines in the neighbourhood. Pop., in 1821, 1,408; in 1831, 1,310. Houses 207. Acres 5,320. Assessed property included with the town- ship of Dacre. Poor rates, in 1837, 36540. BEWICK (NEw), a township in the parish of Eglingham, northern division of Coquetdale ward, county of Northumberland; 7% miles south-east by south of Wooler. Pop., in 1801, 63; in 1831, 106. Houses 16. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1837, £19. ... " BEWICK (OLD), a township in Eglingham, morthern division of Coquetdale ward, county of Northumberland; 6% miles south-east of Wooler. There is a daily school here, containing 40 pupils. Pop., in 1801, 187; in 1831, 227. Houses 42. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1837, £156. BEWSBOROUGH HUNDRED, lathe of St Augustine, county of Kent. Area 17,510 acres. Houses 2,416. Pop., in 1831, 13,208. * . BEXHILL, a parish and hund. in the rape of Hastings, union of Battle, county of Sussex; 6 miles west of Hastings, near the coast. Living, a vicarage in the archd. of Lewes and dio. of Chichester; val- ued at £24 10s. 24d. ; gross income £1,494; nett income £977; in the patronage of the bishop of Chichester. There are four daily schools here, in which 127 children receive instruction, besides a day and Sunday school. The hundred possessed privileges as a franchise similar to those possessed by that of Battle. This parish contains several chaly- beate Springs, and is considered remarkably healthy. *op., in 1801, 1,091; in 1831, 1,931. Houses 367. *::...” A. P. 386,439. Poor rates, in 1837, BEXINGTON, a hamlet, formerly a parish, in the liberty of Bindon, parish of Abbotsbury, hund. of Uggescombe, Dorchester division of the county of Dorset; 13 mile west by south of Abbotsbury. º This will, anciently a distinct parish and a manor, in the liberty of Bindon, is now reduced to a farm- house and two or three cottages. The church of Bexington, dedicated to St Giles in 1541, stands near the sea-shore, and only some small part of the wall remains, . The patron of the rectory was an- ciently the abbot of Abbotsbury, since the dissolu- tion, the lords of Puncknoll, to which it was an- nexed, 9th September, 1451. In 1291 it was valued at £5.”—Hutchins’ Dorset, vol. i. Returns with the parish. - - . . . . | Houses 601. the parish of 'acres. BEXLEY, a parish partly in the hund. of Less- ness, and partly in that of Ruxley, lathe of Sutton- at-Hone, union of Dartford, county of Kent; 3 miles west by south of Dartford, on the post-road to Deptford, and intersected by the Central Kent rail- way. This parish contains the hamlets of Blendon, Bridgen, Halfway-street, Hurst, Upton, and the south of Welling. Living, a vicarage in the dean- ery of Shoreham, and under the peculiar jurisdiction of the archbishop of Canterbury; valued at £134s. 7d.; gross income £720; nett income £592. Pa- tron, in 1835, Wiscount Sydney. The church con- tains several ancient monuments, among which are some to members of the Austin family. The parish possesses 15 daily schools, containing, collectively, 492 scholars, and 5 Sunday schools. Here is a Bap. tist church, formed in 1810. Here are alms-houses for 12 persons. From before the Conquest, this ma- nor belonged to the see of Canterbury, and was alienated, with all the other lands belonging to his see, by Archbishop Cranmer, to Henry VIII, , Sir John Spilman, who obtained a grant of it from James I., sold it in the reign of Elizabeth to the celebrated antiquary, Camden, who bequeathed it in trust to the master and fellows of the university college, Oxford, for the foundation and endowment of a professorship of history. The inclosure of Bexley heath has tended to increase the population of the parish. Pop., in 1801, 1,441; in 1831, 2,306. Acres 5,370. A. P. 38.12,115. Poor rates, in 1837, 36 l,326. 3 • BEXTON, a township in the parish of Knutsford, hund. of Bucklow, co-palatine of Chester; 1 mile south-south-east of Nether-Knutsford. Pop., in 1801, 49; in 1831, 76. Houses 11. Acres 540. A. P. £1,224. Poor rates, in 1837, 3666. BEXWELL, a parish in the hund. of Clackclose, union of Downham, county of Norfolk; 1 mile east of Downham-Market. Living, a discharged rectory, formerly in the archd. of Norfolk and dio. of Nor- wich, now in the dio. of Ely; valued at £7 'lls. 8d.; gross income £380; in the patronage of the bishop of Ely. Pop., in 1801, 65; in 1831, 53. Houses ll. Acres 1,280. A. P. £1,385. Poor rates, in 1837, 3.17. . . . . * , -- * BEYNHURST HUNDRED, in the county of Berks; bounded on the north and north-west by the Thames; on the east by the hund. of Bray; on the south-east by Ripplesmere hund. ; and on the south and south-west by that of Wargrave. Area 13,020 Houses 638. Pop., in 1831, 3,424. BEYTON. See BEIGHToN, Suffolk. BIBURY, a parish, partly in the hund. of Bradley, and partly in that of Brightwell's Barrow, union of Northleach, county of Gloucester; 4 miles north- west of Fairford, intersected by the proposed Ire- land, Cheltenham, and London Junction railway. It contains the chapelry of Winson, the township of Bibury, and the tythings of Ablington and Arling- ton. Living, a discharged vicarage, united with the curacy of Winson; valued at £13 1s., 5}d. ; gross income 361,045; a peculiar, within which the vicar exercises concurrent jurisdiction with the consistory court of Gloucester. Patron, in 1835, Lord Sher- borne. The north and south doors of the church, supposed to have been rebuilt by the works of Osenay, are of Norman architecture. All tithes, the property of the lay-impropriator and vicar, were commuted in 1767. There are two daily schools here, one of which, on the Lancasterian system, is partly supported by an allowance of £5 per annum from Lord Sherborne, who has also provided the necessary accommodation, and a day and boarding school. There is an alms-house here, endowed by Hugh Westwood, for four noor men. It is a stone BIC 176 building, consisting of four apartments. Other cha- rities connected with the parish produce £11 per annum. Petty-sessions for the division of Bibury are held at the Swan inn here. Races take place in July. Pop., in 1801, 852; in 1831, 950. Houses 201. Acres 6,300. A. P. 362,022. Poor rates, in 1837, 36329. BICESTER, a market-town and parish in the hund. of Ploughley, union of Bicester, county of Oxford; 12 miles north-north-east of Oxford, on the post-road to Banbury. The town, which occu- pies a low position on the eastern border of the county, is meat, and possessed of some handsome edifices. Living, a vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Oxford; valued at £16; gross income £252. Patron, in 1835, Sir George O. P. Turner, Bart. The church is a spacious edifice, erected in 1400, on the site of a still more ancient edifice, and contains many interesting monuments with some antique sculptures. The Wesleyan Methodists have a place of worship here, and there are two Inde- pendent churches; one of them formed in 1730. The Methodist church was formed in 1816. Lands producing 28200 per annum, and a few minor chari- table foundations, are here appropriated to the relief of the poor. Here is a school for the instruction and clothing of 30 boys, supported partly by sub- scription, and partly by endowment. In 1811, Mr Walker gave £1,000 stock, of the interest of which #14 is annually divided between two Sunday schools, the one of which is connected with the established church, and the other with the Dissenters, and the remainder is given to the school above-mentioned. There are, besides these, two daily and five infant schools in this parish.-Under the Saxons, the name of this place was Burenceaster, or Bernaceaster, implying a fortified place, and has been variously derived from its vicinity to Bernwood, a forest in the county of Buckingham, and from the name of its supposed founder, Birinus, a canonized Saxon pre- late. Tanner, in his “ Notitia,’ says, “Gilbert Bas- set, baron of Hedingdom, built a monastery here, A. D. 1182, for a prior and eleven black canons, to the honour of St Mary and St Edburgh. It was valued, 269 Henry VIII., at £1672s. 10d., and granted, 30° Henry VIII., to Charles, duke of Suffolk.” In 1819, some workmen, in making excavations, dis- covered the foundations of the conventual build- ings, in which many relics of various kinds were found. “A royal license,” says Tanner, “ was granted, A. D. 1355, to Nicholas Jurdan, hermite, warden of the chapel of St John the Baptist here, to found a new hospital in this town for poor and infirm people, to the honour of the blessed Virgin and St John the Baptist, and to purchase lands for the endowment of it, to the value of £5 per annum.” This design does not appear ever to have been put into execution. The parish is divided into the two town- ships of King's End and Market End, each maintain- ing its own poor; part of the latter is in the parish of Caversfield, within the counties of both Oxford and Buckingham. The chief business of the inhabi- tants arises from the well-attended markets and cattle-fairs; the town is also celebrated for ale. Friday is market-day. Fairs are held on the Friday in Easter week, on Whit-Monday, on the first Friday in June, August 5th, and December 17th, for horses, cows, sheep, pigs, wool, &c.; and on the Friday after old Michaelmas, and October 10th, for hiring servants. The town is within the juris- diction of the county-magistrates, who hold the petty-sessions for the hundred of Ploughley here. Races take place here in September. This town suffered from both parties during the civil war in the reign of Charles I., and, in 1643, the royal- 1801, 1,946; in 1831, 2,868. 2,580. A. P. 368,263. Poor rates, in 1837, £1,908. . . . ists were defeated in a skirmish here... Pop., in . Houses 565. Acres —A workhouse has been erected here for the union of Bicester, by the poor-law commissioners, at an expense of £4,640, capable of accommodating 350 persons. The Bicester poor-law union comprehends 38 parishes, embracing an area of 103 square miles, with a population returned, in 1831, at 14,850. The average annual expenditure on the poor of this dis- trict, during the three years preceding the formation of the union, was £15,327. Expenditure, in 1838, 266,090. , - - BICKENHALL, a parochial chapelry in the divi- sion of Ilminster, hund. of Abdick and Bulstone county of Somerset; 5 miles south-east of Taunton, in the neighbourhood of the Bristol and Exeter rail- way, and the Bridgewater and Taunton canal. Liv- ing, a perpetual curacy subordinate to the rectory of Staple-Fitzpaine. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 155; in 1831, 270. Houses 40. Acres 1,090. A. P. 381,067. Poor rates, in 1837, 3689. BICKENHILL (CHURCH), a parish in the Soli- hull division of the hund. of Hemlingford, union of Meriden, county of Warwick, including the quarters of Lyndon and Marston; 4% miles southisouth-west of Coles Hill, on the line of the Birmingham and London railway, and in the vicinity of the Birming- ham and Warwick canal. Living, a discharged vic- arage, formerly in the archd. of Coventry and dio. of Lichfield and Coventry, now in the dio. of Wor- cester; valued at £7 17s. 3d. ; gross income £222. Patron, in 1835, the Earl of Aylesford. The great and small tithes of Bickenhill and Diddington, the property of the lay-impropriator and vicar, were commuted in 1818. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 664; in 1831, 725. Houses 143. Acres 3,810. 36428. BICKER, a parish in the wapentake of Kirton, parts of Holland, union of Boston, county of Lin- coln; 9% miles north-east by east of Folkingham. A. P. £3,844. Poor rates, in 1837, Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Lincoln; valued at £15; gross income £560; in the patronage of the dean and chapter of Lincoln. The great and vicarial tithes, the property of the dean and chapter of Lincoln, and the vicar, were commuted in 1766. There are three daily schools here, one of which is endowed with the rent of an acre of land bequeathed by Thomas Cowley, Esq., late of Donnington. Pop., in 1801, 485; in 1831, with the extra-parochial liberties of Coppin-syke and Ferry-corner, 712. Houses 156. Acres 3,720. A. P. 366,550. Poor rates, in 1837, 36397. BICKERSTAFFE, a township in the parish of Ormskirk, hund. of West Derby, co-palatine of Lancaster; 4 miles south-east of Ormskirk. There are three daily schools here, containing 82 pupils. Pop., in 1801, 811; in 1831, 1,309. Houses 214. Acres 5,860. A. P. 386,776. Poor rates, in 1837, 26457. BICKERTON, a township in the parish of Mal- pas, hund. of Broxton, co-palatine of Chester; 4 miles north of Malpas. The Chester Junction rail- way passes 43 miles north of the township. There is a daily school here, including 63 scholars. Pop., in 1801, 270; in 1831, 373. Houses 73. Acres 1,780. A. P. # 1,702. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.140. BICKERTON, a township in the parish of Roth- bury, western division of Coquetdale-ward, county of Northumberland; 15% miles south-west of Aln- wick, in the immediate neighbourhood of the river Coquet. Here is a school endowed with about £20 per annum. Pop., in 1821, 31; in 1831, 26. Houses 4. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1887, É13. BIC BEC 177 BICKERTON, a township in the parish of Bil- ton, ainstey of the city of York; 3% miles north- east by east of Wetherby. Pop., in 1801, 127; in 1831, 150. Hóuses 29. Acres 1,080. A. P. 36915. Poor rates, in 1837, £82. BICKINGTON, a parish in the hund. and divi- sion of Teignbridge, union of Bickington, county of Devon; º miles north-east of Ashburton. Living, a perpetual curacy annexed to the vicarage of Ash- burton. There are three daily schools here, attended by 54 children. Here are two schools with small endowments. Pop., in 1801, 231; in 1831, 351. Houses 57. Acres 1,220. A. P. 361,516. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.190. BICKINGTON-ABBOTS. See ABBOTs-BICK. INGTON. BICKINGTON (HIGH), a parish in the South Molton division, hund. of North Tawton with Wink- ley, county of Devon; 7 miles east by north of Great Torrington, intersected by the river Taw. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Barnstaple and dio. of Exeter; valued at £29 7s.6d. ; gross income £532. Patron, in 1835, W. M. Stowell, Esq. A Baptist church was formed here in 1834 There are six daily schools in the parish, two of which have small en- dowments. Pop., in 1801, 693; in 1831, 853. Houses 142. Acres 390. A. P. 362,854, Poor rates, in 1837, £285. BICKLEIGH, a parish in the Collumpton divi- sion, hund. of Hayridge, union of Tiverton, county of Devon; 3 miles south-west of Tiverton, inter- sected by the river Exe, which is here joined by the Dart, and crossed by a bridge near its confluence. Living, a rectory in the archd, and dio. of Exeter; valued at £184s. 93d. ; gross income £434. Pa- tron, in 1835, Sir W. P. Carew, Bart. The church has been recently repaired and improved. There are a daily and a Sunday school here. The cele- brated Bamfylde Moore Carew, was the son of the rector of this parish, and was born here in 1693. He received part of his education at Tiverton; but having formed acquaintance with a gipsey-gang in the neighbourhood of that place, and being capti- vated by their roving mode of life, he deserted the school, and was subsequently made king of the fra- termity. After his extraordinary wanderings, he returned to the place of his nativity, and died here in 1758. Charities connected with the parish pro- duce £25 10s. per annum. Pop., in 1801, 297; in 1831, 282. Houses 64. Acres 1,690. A. P. £2,487. Poor rates, in 1837, 36123. BICKLEIGH, a parish in the division and hund. of Roborough, union of Plymton-St-Mary, county of Devon; 6 miles north-north-east of Plymouth, crossed by the Dartmoor railway. Living, a vic- arage in the archd. of Totness and dio. of Exeter, with the chapelry of Sheepstor annexed; valued at £ll 7s. 4d. ; gross income £300. Patron, in 1835, Sir R. Lopez, Bart. There are two daily schools here, containing 28 scholars, and a day and Sunday school. Pop., in 1801, 264; in 1831, 466. Houses 69. Acres 2,980. A. P. f.2,281. Poor rates, in 1837, 3075. BICKLEY, a township in the parish of Malpas, higher division of the hund, of Broxton, co-palatine of Chester; 5 miles north by west of Whitchurch. There are three daily schools here, including 173 childr en, supported by the marquis of Cholmondley; to one of which, a lending library is attached. Ón the 18th of June, 1657, about a quarter of an acre of elevated ground, covered with full-grown trees, sank suddenly here with a thundering noise to such a depth below the surface of the surrounding ground, that even the summits of the trees were not visible, from their total immersion in water; the water has long been dried up, and the chasm, called the Barrel Fall, from being situated on the Barrel farm, is now quite dry. Pop., in 1821, 435; in 1831, 451. Houses 82. Acres 2,200. A. P. £2,064. Poor rates, in 1837, 26 J71. BICKMERSH AND LITTLE DORSINGTON, a hamlet in the parish of Welford, Stratford divi- sion of the hund. of Barlichway, county of War- wick; 8 miles south-west of Stratford-on-Avon, in- tersected by the Iknield-street. Pop., in 1811, 21 ; in 1831, 65. Houses 12. Acres 1,340. Other re- turns with the parish. BICKNOLLER, a parish in the hund. of Williton and Freemanors, Bishops Lydeard division, union of Williton, county of Somerset; 13 miles west by north of Bridgewater. Living, a perpetual curacy, subordinate to the vicarage of Stogumber. There is a daily school here, in which 28 children receive in- struction. Near the church are the remains of some ancient fortifications, known by the names of Tren- dle's castle and Turk's castle. In the neighbour- hood many Roman coins have been found from time to time. Pop., in 1801, 246; in 1831, 285. Houses 44. Acres 1,370. A. P. 362,081. Poor rates, in 1837, 3694. BICKNOR (CHURCH), anciently written BYKE- NoRE, a parish in the upper half-hund. of Eyhorne, lathe of Aylesford, union of Hollingbourn, county of Kent; 44 miles south-west of Milton. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. and dio. of Canter- bury; valued at £5 10s., and in the parliamentary returns at £120; gross income £122; in the patron- age of the Crown. The church is an ancient and curious building. This place was formerly part of the possessions of a family of the same name. Pop., in 1801, 52; in 1831, 44. Houses 7. Acres 500. A. P. 36.341. Poor rates, in 1837, 3620. BICKNOR (ENGLISH), a parish in the hund. of St Briavells, union of Monmouth, county of Glou- cester; 3 miles north of Colford, on the eastern bank of the Wye. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Gloucester and dio. of Gloucester and Bristol; valued at £13 6s. 8d.; gross income £300; in the patronage of the provost and fellows of Queen's college, Oxford. The church stands within the fosse of an ancient fortification, and beyond it is a jutting promontory round which the river winds romantically. There is a daily school here. Chari- ties connected with the parish produce £10 17s. per annum. This vicinity is remarkable for fine orchards and meadow lands, and a considerable quantity of cider is made. Pop., in 1801, 464; in 1831, 598. Houses 117. Acres 2,440. A. P. £2,081. Poor rates, in 1837, 36179. BICKNOR (WELCH), a parish in the lower division of the hund. of Skenfreth, union and county of Monmouth; 7 miles west by south of Ross, almost encircled by the river Wye. Living, a dis- charged rectory, formerly in the archd. and dio. of Hereford, now in the dio. of Llandaff; valued at £4 6s. 8d.: gross income £172; in the patronage of the Crown. A recumbent stone-figure in the church, is said to represent the countess of Salisbury, who, as tradition relates, nursed Henry W. at Courtfield, a mansion about half a mile off. Pop., in 1801, 80; in 1831, 91. Houses 16. Acres 960. A. P. 26.284. Poor rates, in 1837, 3659. BICKTON, a chapelry in the parish of St Chad, within the liberty of the borough of Shrewsbury, county of Salop; 3% miles north-west by west of Shrewsbury, on the post-road to Oswestry, and in- tersected by the river Severn, which is here navi- gable. Living, a perpetual curacy, formerly in the archd. of Salop and dio. of Lichfield and Coventry, now in the dio, of Chester; valued at £20 4s., and I Z BIC BID 178 rated in the parliamentary returns at £47 10s.; gross income £60; in the patronage of the vicar of St Chad. Pop, returned with the parish. BICTON, a parish in the division of Woodbury, hund. of east Budleigh, union of St Thomas, county of Devon, including a portion of the tything of Raw- leigh; 4 miles west-south-west of Sidmouth, on the coast. Living, a rectory in the archd, and dio. of Exeter; valued at £12 13s. 4d.; gross income £237. Patron, in 1835, Lord Rolle. Pop., in 1801, 173; in 1831, 213. Houses 32. Acres 1,180. A. P. 361,966. Poor rates, in 1837, 36126. BIDBOROUGH, a parish and small village in the hund. of Washlingstone, lathe of Alyesford, union of Tunbridge, county of Kent; 3 miles south- west of Tunbridge, in the neighbourhood of the South-Eastern railroad. Living, a discharged rectory, formerly in the archd, and dio. of Rochester, now in the dio. of Canterbury; valued at £54s. 4d. ; gross income £273. Patrons, in 1835, the trustees of W. Gay, Esq. ... The church is a very ancient stone- building. There is a daily school in this parish. Pop., in 1801, 157; in 1831, 237. Houses 30. Acres 1,360. A. P. £991. Poor rates, in 1837, £200. BIDDENDEN, a parish forming the hund. of Barclay, in the lathe of Scray, union of Tenterden, county of Kent; 5 miles east by north of Cranbrook, in the vicinity of the South-Eastern railroad. Liv- ing, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Canterbury; valued at £35, and in the parliamentary returns at at 108; gross income £669; nett income £436; in the patronage of the archbishop of Canterbury. There are three daily schools here, one of which is endowed with an annual rent charge of £20 3s. 4d. by John Mayme. For this sum the teacher instructs 15 children, and keeps a large and very old school- house in repair. There are also two Sunday schools. A fair is held here, on November 8th, for cattle and horses. Pop., in 1801, 1,151; in 1831, 1,658. Houses 223 Acres 7,110. A. P. 366,356. Poor rates, in 1837, at 1,073. BIDDENHAM, a parish in the hund. of Willey, union and county of Bedford; 2 miles west of Bed- ford. Living, a discharged vicarage, formerly in the archd. of Bedford and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Ely; valued at £8; gross income £100. Patron, in 1835, the honourable G. R. Trevor. There are three daily schools here, principally for lace-making, and two Sunday schools. Charities connected with the parish produce 4:15 per annum. Pop., in 1801, 252; in 1831, 369. Houses 59. Acres 1,760. A. P. 381,933. Poor rates, in 1837, 4:158. BIDDESCOTE, a township in the parish of Tamworth, southern division of the hund. of Offlow, county of Stafford; # mile south-west of Tamworth, in the immediate vicinity of the Birmingham and Derby railway, and the Coventry canal. Pop., in 1801, 84; in 1831, 11. Houses 2. Acres 350. Other returns with the parish. BIDDESHAM, a parish in the hund. of Bemp. stone, union of Axbridge, county of Somerset; 3 miles west by South of Axbridge, intersected by the river Axe, and in the neighbourhood of the Bristol and Exeter railway. Living, a perpetual curacy subordinate to the vicarage of Compton-Dundon. Pop., in 1801, 88; in 1831, 158. Houses 25. Acres 510. A. P. 381,756. Poor rates, in 1837, 3688. BIDDESTONE (ST NICHOLAS AND ST PETER), a parish in the hund. and union of Chippenham, county, of Wilts; 4 miles west of Chippenham, in the vicinity of the Great Western railroad. Living, a discharged rectory, composed of the united rec- tories of St Nicholas and St Peter, with the per- petual curacy of Slaughterford, formerly in the archd. of Wilts and dio. of Salisbury, now in the dio. of Gloucester and Bristol; valued at £2 18s. 4d., and in the parliamentary returns at £140; gross income £1.12; in the patronage of the warden and fellows of Winchester college. In the church of St Nicholas is a monument to Edmund Smith, the translator of Longinus, and author of the tragedy of Phaedra and Hippolytus. There are three daily and two Sunday schools in this parish. Pop., in 1801, 331; in 1831, 454. Houses 93. Acres 2,530. A. P. 382,435. Poor rates, in 1837, 3692. BIDDICK (SouTH), a township in the parish of Houghton-le-Spring, Eastington ward, county of Durham; 6 miles west-south-west of Sunderland, on the line of the Durham Junction railway. There are two daily schools here. Pop., in 1801, 490; in 1831, 199. Houses 48. Acres 280. Poor rates, in 1837, 36241. BIDDLESDEN, or BITTLESDEN, a parish in the second division of the three hundreds of Bucking- ham, county of Buckingham; 3% miles north-east of Brackley. Living, a perpetual curacy, formerly in the archd. of Buckingham and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Oxford; valued at £6 8S., rated in the parliamentary returns at £55; gross income 4:72. Patron, in 1835, G. Morgan, Esq. “Ernald de Bosco, steward to Robert, earl of Leicester, gave this village to the Cistertian monks of Gerondon, to the intent that an abbey of the same order might be founded here, which was accordingly begun A.D. 1147. It was dedicated to St Mary and St Nicholas, and had, at the dissolution, annual revenues rated at # 143 ls. 3d. There belonged to this house eleven monks and fifty-one servants. The site passed from the crown, 32d Henry VIII., to Thomas Wriothes- ley.” Tanner's Not. Mon. “On the destruction of the abbey the parishioners resorted to a small chapel adjoining to a dwelling-house ; this was a little tyled fabric and had a bell in a turret. I pre- sume it was sometimes made use of in the time of the abbey by the parishioners, especially on common days. It was, as appears by old deeds, dedicated to St Margaret, on whose festival here was a fair granted to the convent, in 1315, 8th Edward II., and also a Monday market. This parish contains 1700 acres.” Willis's Hist. of Bucks. Adjoining Biddlesden house there is a modern chapel, appro- priated to the use of the parishioners. A Sunday school, in which 70 children are instructed, is sup- ported by George Morgan, Esq. Pop., in 1801, 147; in 1831, 184. Houses 33. Acres 1,630. A. P. 262,119. Poor rates, in 1837, 3649. BIDDLESTONE, or BIDDLESTON, a township in the parish of Allenton, western division of Coquet- dale ward, county of Northumberland; 15 miles west by south of Alnwick. There is a Roman Catholic chapel here. Biddlestone has long been the seat and manor of the ancient and honourable Catholic family of the Selbys. The first of this name obtained a grant of Biddlestone—which for- merly belonged to the Vissards—from Edward I, in 1272. Pop., in 1801, 186; in 1831, 156. Houses 27. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1837, 3627. BIDDULPH, a parish in the northern division of the hund. of Pirehill, union of Congleton, county of Stafford; 5% miles west-north-west of Leek, in the neighbourhood of the Macclesfield canal, and the Manchester and Birmingham 'railroad. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. of Stafford and dio. of Lichfield and Coventry; valued at £4 9s. 8d., and in the parliamentary returns at £86; gross income 36122. Patron, in 1835, J. Bateman, Esq. There are three (aily schools here, one of which is endowed with £14 per annum, and three Sunday schools. Several charities connected with this parish have been lost; those which remain produce, besides BID BID 179 the school-endowment, 365 6s. per annum. The in- habitants are employed in iron-works, collieries, pot- teries, and cotton manufactories, which are numerous in the neighbourhood. There are 112 men connected with coal mines alone in this parish. It possesses a curious relic of antiquity called the Bredstones, consisting of eight upright free-stones, six of which are placed in a circle, inclosing the other two, and also several artificial caves paved with stones. Pop., in 1801, 1,180; in 1831, 1,987. Houses 364. Acres 5,530. A. P. 364,390. Poor rates, in 1837, £387. BIDEFORD, a sea-port, incorporated market- town, and parish, in the division of Great Torrington, hund. of Shebbear, union of Bideford, county of Devon, but possessing separate jurisdiction; 201 miles west by south of London; 42 north-west by west of Exeter; and 9 south-west of Barnstaple; the town stands on both sides of the river Tor- ridge, above its confluence with the Taw, but the buildings on the eastern side are comparatively few. Geographical position, 51° 2' N. lat., and 4° 3' W. long. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Barn- staple and dio. of Exeter; valued at £27 7s. 6d. ; gross income £777; nett income £633. Patron, in 1835, Lewis W. Buck, Esq. The Baptists, Inde- pendents, and Wesleyan Methodists, have chapels here. The Independent church was formed in 1640; the Wesleyan Methodist in 1807; and the Baptist in 1829. Here is a free grammar-school of remote foun- dation. In 1689, it was endowed with an estate, now yielding £56 per annum, by Mrs Susannah Stuckley, after which a good house was purchased for the use of the master. The number of boys on the founda- tion was originally intended to be ten, at present there are only three, who are nominated by the cor- poration.—The British and Foreign school Society have a good school here, at which about 170 chil- dren are educated. There is also a National school, in which 150 boys and the same number of girls receive instruction.—The trustees of the bridge- estate also support a charity school for reading, writing, and arithmetic; the school-room adjoins the hall, erected in 1758, for the use of the trustees. Besides these, the parish possesses twenty-five daily schools, including 544 children and two Sunday schools.—An institution for the acquirement and diffusion of useful knowledge, was formed here in 1832. The library attached contains about 250 volumes.—In 1646, Mr John Strange, alderman of Bideford, erected alms-houses in Maiden street, for seven poor families.—In 1663, Mr Henry Amory bequeathed funds for the erection of an hospital for twelve poor families. There is a considerable fund for the relief of poor dissenters, bequeathed, in 1810, by Mrs Margaret Newcommen. Other charities connected with the parish produce £25 14s. 4d. per all Ill! II?. The name Bideford is a corruption of the original word ‘By-the-ford,” derived from its situation near an ancient ford over the Torridge. In the earliest records in which it appears it is called a borough, and returned members to parliament in the reigns of Ed- ward I. and II. It was granted, soon after the Con- quest, to Richard de Grandavilla, a Norman knight, whose posterity retained possession of it till the year 1750, when it was sold by one of the heirs of William Granville, third earl of Bath. In the 11th year of Queen Anne, it gave the title of baron to Lord Lans- down. In 1271, a grant of a market and fair was ob- tained by Richard de Granville, lord of the manor, a descendant of the original possessor. In 1573, it was made a free borough and an incorporated town by Queen Elizabeth, soon after which it began to rise into importance as a sea-port, and to participate in the advantages of the Newfoundland and American trade. During the civil war, forts were erected here on both sides of the Torridge, so as to command the river, on the part of the parliament, but they were taken for the king by Colonel Digby, after the battle of Torrington, which took place September 2d, 1643. In 1646 and 1680 the plague raged here. The weav- ing of silk was introduced in 1650, and was carried to great perfection by many French emigrants who settled here in 1685 after the revocation of the edict of Nantes. The importations of wool from Spain, and of tobacco from Virginia, were inferior only to those of London, in the early part of the last century. The greater part of the town is built on a steep acclivity on the western side of the Torridge, and the remainder is at the foot of a hill on the eastern side. These are connected by a noble stone bridge, forming the approach to the town on the north-east, consisting of 24 arches, and 677 feet in length. It was erected in the 14th century by subscriptions raised in the coun- ties of Devon and Cornwall, forwarded in an especial manner by the exertions of Grandison, bishop of Exeter, and Sir Theobald Granville. In Prince's account of the worthies of Devonshire, a somewhat curious tradition is given regarding the necessity and origin of this bridge;—“At first the town of Bythe- ford had no other passage over the river there but by boats; the breadth and roughness whereof upon times was such as did often put people in jeopardy of their lives; and some were drowned, to the great grief of the inhabitants. To prevent which great inconveniences, some did divers times, and in sundry places, begin to build a bridge; but no firm founda- tion after often proof being to be found, their attempt in that kind came to no effect. At this time Sir Richard Gernard, or Gurney, was parish-priest of the place, who, as the story of that town hath it, was admonished by a vision in his sleep to set about the foundation of a bridge near a rock which he should find rolled from the higher grounds upon the strand. This at first he esteemed as a dream ; yet, to second the same with some act, in the morning he went to sce the place, and found a huge rock there fixed, whose greatness argued its being in that place to be only the work of God, which not only bred admiration but incited him to set forward so charitable a work. Upon this encouragement, he, eftsoons with Sir Theobald Granville, Knt., lord of the land, an especial furtherer of, and a great benefactor to that design, began the foundation of the bridge where it stands now.” It was thoroughly repaired in 1683, and is endowed with lands for keeping it in repair; these are called the bridge- estate, and amount to about £400 per annum. The streets are in general paved and partially lighted, but the houses have often a mean appearance; in this respect, however, a considerable improvement has taken place of late years. Many opulent merchants in the West Indian and American trade live here; and a succession of villas connects the town with the village of Northam, which is 13 mile to the north, between Bideford and Appledore. The edi- tors of the Magna Britannia, writing in 1737, repre- sent Bideford as “now one of the best trading-towns in England, sending every year great fleets to New- foundland and the West Indies, and particularly to Virginia. It has almost drawn away the trade of Barnstaple to itself; and though the merchants here were great losers by the late wars, yet they still keep up a thriving trade, and the customs amount to con- siderable sums yearly, for the management of which his majesty keeps here a collector, comptroller, cus- tomer, searchers, waiters, and other inferior officers.” There is still a considerable trade carried on at this port, which includes within its jurisdiction the har- bours of Appledore, Clovelly, and Hartland Sails, BID BIG 180 eordage, oak-bark, fruit, earthenware, corn and flour, are among the exports; American and Baltic timber, and coal from Bristol and Wales, now form the chief imports. The quay is remarkably convenient, being near the centre of the town, and is capable of admit- ting vessels of 500 tons burden, except at ebb-tide. Wessels of 300 tons burden in full-tides can come up as far as the bridge, above which lesser vessels can pass to a considerable distance, and enter the Tor- rington canal through a sea-lock, at the distance of 2% miles. The number of vessels belonging to the port, in 1832, was l 17, and the tonnage 9,820, trad- ing chiefly to Ireland, Wales, and North America. The quay-duties are the property of the lord of the mailor. There are several dock-yards of consider- able extent here, chiefly for the erection of vessels of moderate size. The market-day is Tuesday, and fairs for cattle are held on February 14th, July 18th, and November 13th. The charter of incorporation granted to Bideford in the 16° of Elizabeth, was confirmed and extended in the 7° and 16° of James I. The borough and manor of Bideford is coexten- sive with the parish. The government was vested in a mayor, 7 aldermen, and 10 capital burgesses, with a recorder, a town-clerk, two sergeants-at-mace, and other officers. By the new Municipal act, the gov- ernment is vested in a mayor, 4 aldermen, and 12 councillors. A court of general session is held quarterly, the mayor presiding as a justice of the peace; a civil court, or court of record, having ju- risdiction in all plaints and actions, used to be held occasionally, but has fallen into desuetude. A court of petty-session is held weekly, by adjournment from Buckland-Brewer, for the division of Great Tor- rington. The property of the incorporation, consist- ing of lands and tenements in this borough, amounts to about £50 per annum. The town-hall is a sub- stantial structure, and was erected in 1698. The gaol forms part of the parish workhouse, and consists of 6 cells. This town was the birth-place of Dr Sheb- beare, a noted political writer, born in 1709. About 2 miles down the river is a place called Hubblestone, from a large stone supposed to cover the grave of Hubba, a Danish pirate, who was slain in a fight with the men of Devonshire here, in the reign of Alfred. Pop., in 1801, 2,987; in 1831, 4,846. Houses 916. Acres 4,510. A. P. £9,312. The whole rateable property is estimated at £20,000 a-year. Poor rates, in 1837, 362,202.—A workhouse has been erected here by the poor-law commissioners for the union of Bideford, at an expense of £3,645, ca- pable of accommodating 200 persons. The Bideford poor-law union comprehends 18 parishes, embracing an area of 122 square miles; with a population re- turned, in 1831, at 17,787. The average annual expenditure on the poor of this district, during the three years preceding the formation of the union, was £7,333. Expenditure, in 1838, 365,225.—See articles APPLEDORE aud NoFTHAM. BIDFORD, or BITFoRD, a parish in the Strat- ford division of the hund. of Barlichway, union of Alcester, county of Warwick; 4 miles south by east of Alcester, on the northern bank of the Avon, which is here navigable. The parish contains the hamlets of Barton-Broom, and Marcliff. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Wor- cester; valued at £7 10s. 73d., and in the parlia- mentary returns at £60; gross income £213. Pa- tron, in 1835, Sir G. Skipwith. The impropriate and vicarial tithes, the property of the lord of the manor and vicar, were commuted in 1766. There are eight small daily schools here, and one daily Na- tional school, containing 52 boys. There are also three Sunday schools. Fairs are held here on April 11th and September 10th. From the duchess of Dudley's charity the poor of this parish receive up- wards of £20 per annum. Pop., in 1801, 928; in 1831, 1,268. Houses 267. Acres 3,240. A. P. 364,161. Poor rates, in 1837, 36440. BIDSTONE, a parish in the hund. of Wirrall, union of Wirrall, co-palatine of Chester; 7 miles north-north-east of Great Neston, on the western bank of the river Mersey, and intersected by the Chester and Birkenhead railroad. It comprises the chapelry of Birkenhead and the townships of Bid- stone with Ford, Claughton with Grange, Moreton, and Saughall-Massey. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. and dio. of Chester; valued at £21, and rated in the parliamentary returns at £89; gross income 2698. Patron, in 1835, B. Keene, Esq. This parish possesses five daily schools, one of which is endowed with 38.15 per annum, three Sunday, and ten boarding schools. On an elevation in this par- ish is a lighthouse belonging to the corporation of Liverpool, having been purchased by them under an act obtained in 1762. Pop., in 1801, 684; in 1831, 3,434. Houses 523. Acres 5,160. A. P. 367,145. Poor rates, in 1837, 36675.–Pop. of the township of Bidstone with Ford, in 1801, 199; in 1831, 25l. Houses 34. Acres 1,620. A. P. 362,218. Poor rates, in 1837, 3841. BIERLEY (North), a township in the parish of Bradford, wapentake of Morley, west riding of Yorkshire; 2 miles south-east of Bradford. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. and dio. of York; of the yearly value of £130. Patroness, in 1835, Miss Currer. The chapel was lately enlarged. There are eleven daily schools here, including 604 scholars, and six Sunday schools. In this township upwards of 800 men are employed in quarries, mines, and coal- pits. Pop., in 1801, 3,820; in 1831, 7,254. Houses. 1,349. Acres 3,090. A. P. 366,428. Poor rates, in 1837, 361,557. BIERTON witH BROUGHTON, a parish in the hund. and union of Aylesbury, county of Buck- ingham; 14 mile north-east of Aylesbury, in the vicinity of the Aylesbury canal, and about 5 miles west of the Birmingham and London railroad. Liv- ing, a vicarage to which the curacies of Stoke-Man- deville, Buckland, and Quarendon, are annexed, formerly in the dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Oxford; a peculiar of the dean and chapter of Lin- coln; valued at £20 10s, ; gross income £292. The great and small tithes, the property of the dean and chapter of Lincoln, the prebend of Aylesbury, and the vicar, were commuted in 1779. This parish possesses two Sunday schools, one of which is en- dowed with £8 5s. per annum, and a daily school. In 1723, Mr Hill gave property for the foundation of a fund for clothing poor men and educating and apprenticing young persons. Other charities con- nected with the parish produce £40 9s. per annum. Pop., in 1801, 518; in 1831, 605. Houses 123, Acres 2,470. A. P. 3,469. Poor rates, in 1837, £456. BIGBURY, a parish in the hund. of Ermington, union of Kingsbridge, county of Devon ; 3% miles south of Modbury; bounded by the river Avon on the east, which here falls into the bay of Bigbury. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Totness and dio. of Exeter; valued at £28 7s. 11d. ; gross income £688. Patrons, in 1835, the legatees of the duke of Bolton. There are two daily schools here. Pop., in 1801, 430; in 1831, 578. Houses 109. Acres 4,160. A. P. 264,147. Poor rates, in 1837, 36402. BIGBY, a parish in the southern division of the wapentake of Yarborough, parts of Lindsey, union of Caistor, county of Lincoln; 4 miles east of Gland. ford bridge. Living, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Lincoln; valued at £13 10s. 10d. ; gross income £712. Patron, in 1835, Robert E. Elwes, Esq. BIG BIG 181 There are a daily and a Sunday school here. Pop., in 1801, 178; in 1831, 190. Houses 32. Acres 1,040. A. P. 364,810. Poor rates, in 1837, Æ89. BIGGES, or CARLISLE'S-QUARTER, a town- ship in the parish of Long-Horsley, division of Mor- peth ward, county of Northumberland; 6 miles horth-north-west of Morpeth. There is a day and Sunday school here containing 110 children. ... An endowment of £3 18s. 6d. per annum arising from the interest of money in the public funds, has been lost to this school since 1819, owing to the will of the late trustee, Walter Travely, Esq. of Nether- witton, never having been proved at Doctor's com- mons. Pop., in 1821, 262; in 1831, 238. Houses 50. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1837, 32155. - - BIGGIN, a township in the parish of Wirksworth, hund. of Appletree, county of Derby; 4 miles south- west by south of Wirksworth. There are two daily schools in this township. Pop., in 1801, 123; in 1831, 161. Houses 30. Acres 440. A. P. 38.745. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.97. BIGGIN. See NEwTon-BIGGIN. BIGGIN, a township partly in the parish of Kirk-Fenton, partly within the liberty of St. Peter of York, and partly in the wapentake of Barkstone- Ash, west riding of Yorkshire; 6 miles west-north- west of Selby, in the vicinity of the York and North Midland railway, and of the railroad between Leeds and Selby. The plant teasle (Dipsacus fal- Ionum) was first reared here in England for the use of the fullers. Pop., in 1821, 164; in 1831, 141. Houses 26. Other returns with the parish. A. P. BIGGLESWADE HUNDRED lies at the east- ern extremity of the county of Bedford, and is bounded on the west by the hund. of Wixamtree; on the south by that of Clifton; on the east by Cambridgeshire; and on the north by Huntingdon- shire. Area 28,265 acres. Houses 1,780. Pop., in 1831, 9,696 BIGGLESWADE, a market-town and parish in the hund. and union of Biggleswade, county of Bed- ford; 45 miles north-north-west of London, and loš east-south-east of Bedford, on the eastern bank of the river Ivel, which has been made navigable agree- ably to act of parliament, as far as its junction with the river Ouse. This parish includes the hamlets of Stratton and Holme. In the early records it is termed “the borough and foreign of Bykleswade,’— a name of obscure and uncertain derivation. Liv- ing, a vicarage exempt from visitation, being a pre- bend in the cathedral church of Lincoln; valued at $10, and in the parliamentary returns at £60; gross income £300; in the patronage of the bishop of Lincoln. The church is an ancient structure, in the early style of English architecture, erected about the year 1230. John Reeding, archdeacon of Bedford, whose arms are carved on some wooden stalls which still remain in the north aisle, is said to have rebuilt the chancel in 1467. This church was formerly col- legiate. A chantry belonging to the guild of the Holy Trinity was founded here, with an endowment of £7 per annum. The prebend of Biggleswade is valued at £427s.6d. A Baptist church was formed here in 1771. There is also a Wesleyan Methodist chapel. Here is a charity school, in which 30 boys, nominated by the lord of the manor, receive gratui- tous instruction. The endowment consists of two- ninths of the rental of lands situated at Flitwick, for the purchase of which £1,800 were bequeathed in 1752 by Sir John Cotton. There is an additional endowment of £13 per annum arising from other lands at liolme, given by Edward Peake, Esq. Two-thirds of the rental of the land purchased under the will of Sir John Cotton, are bestowed on the poor of the parish, and one-ninth is paid to the vicar. There are also a National school, and a Bri- tish and Foreign school here. Other charities con- nected with the parish produce 3627 17s. 3d. per annum. A water-communication has been opened with Lynn-Regis, and the trade of the place greatly improved. The town contains several modern edi- fices, owing to a great fire which took place in 1785, and burned to the ground not less than 150 houses. The houses are chiefly built of brick, and have in general a respectable aspect; and in the neighbour- hood there are many handsome villas. The air is salubrious, and the country in the environs, though flat, presents some points of picturesque scenery. A part of the female population derives employment in manufacturing thread-lace and straw-plait. The market is held on Wednesday, and, from the fertility of the vicinity, used to be one of the most extensive grain-markets in England; but for some years it has greatly declined, in consequence, probably, of selling by sample having become a more general practice amongst dealers, and the general improvement of the roads throughout the county having induced purchasers to attend market at Hitchin, Bedford, St. Neot's, and the larger towns in the neighbour- hood. Fairs for all kinds of cattle are held;— February 14th, the Saturday in Easter week, Whit- Monday, August 2d, and November 8th, at which much business is transacted. The town is under the jurisdiction of the county-magistrates, who hold the petty-sessions here for the division of Biggles- wade. By the reform bill it was constituted a poll- ing-place for the county-elections. Around Biggles- wade, and also at Potton, Sandy, and other places in the neighbourhood, a great quantity of ground is cul- tivated by market-gardeners, who raise onions, car- rots, and other vegetables for the London market. Pop., in 1801, 1,650; in 1831, 3,226. Houses 598. Acres 4,220. A. P. 367,504. Poor rates, in 1837, £1,281.- A workhouse has been erected here for the union of Biggleswade, by the poor-law commis- sioners, at an expense of £4,850, capable of contain- ing 300 persons. The Biggleswade poor-law union comprehends 26 parishes, embracing an area of 96 square miles; with a population returned, in 1831, at 18,296. The average annual expenditure on the poor of this district, during the three years preced- ing the formation of the union, was 36:12,372. Ex- penditure, in 1838, 367,927.--Roman remains have been occasionally discovered in this neighbourhood. BIGHTON, a parish in the hund. of Bishop's- Sutton, union of Alresford, Alton (northern) division of the county of Southampton; 2 miles north-east by north of Alresſord. Living, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Winchester; valued at £19 8s. lºd, ; gross income £330. Patron, in 1835, the Duke of Buckingham. There is a day and Sunday school here, supported by the duchess of Bucking- ham, with a lending library attached. Pop., in 1801, 198; in 1831, 290. Houses 33. Acres 1,580. A. P. 38 1,395. Poor rates, in 1837, 36182. BIGLANDS AND GAMELSBY, a township in the parish of Aikton, Cumberland ward, county of Cumberland; 3 miles north of Wigton, in the vicin- ity of the Carlisle railroad. Pop., in 1801, 151; in 1831, 192. Houses 37. Other returns with the parish. BIGNALL-END, a township in the parish of Audley, northern division of the hund. of Pirehill, county of Stafford; 4 miles north-west of Newcastle- under-Lyne, in the neighbourhood of the Grand Trunk canal, and of the Manchester and Birming- ham railroad. Pop., in 1811, 236; in 1831, 432. Houses 87. Other returns with the parish. - BIG |BIL 182 BIGNOR, a parish in the hund, of Bury, rape of Arundel, county of Sussex; 4% miles south by east of Petworth. Living, a rectory in the archd, and dio. of Chichester; valued at £8 3s. 64d. ; gross in- come £238; nett income £143. Patron, in 1835, the Earl of Egremont. The church is in the Eng- lish style of architecture, chiefly in that of the early period, but with some intermixture of the decorated. The electors resident in that part of Bignor sur- rounded by Easebourn vote for a member for Mid- hurst. In a field in this parish some finely executed tesselated pavements were found in 1811, which are supposed to mark the site of a Roman villa. Pop., in 1801, 95; in 1831, 130. Houses 22. Acres 1,180. A. P. 36792. Poor rates, in 1837, 3682, BIKINACRE, or BITACRE, a hamlet, partly in the parish of Danbury and partly in that of Woodham-Ferrers, hund. of Chelmsford, county of Essex. “In that part of this hamlet, which is in the parish of Woodham-Ferrers, was at first an her- mitage, and then a priory of Black canons, dedicated to St John the Baptist, built and endowed by Mau- rice Fitz-Jeffrey of Tiretai, sheriff of Essex, at the charge, for the most part, of King Henry II., who forgave him on this account several sums of money, which otherwise he must have paid into the ex- chequer out of the profits of his bailiwick. This house, being almost forsaken, was, about the latter end of the time of Henry VII., annexed to the hos- pital of St Mary without Bishopsgate, London: and as parcel of the possessions of that hospital, was granted, after the general dissolution, 31° Henry VIII., to Henry Polsted.”—Tanner's Not. Mon. BILAND-ABBEY, in the north riding of York. shire, near the valley of Rydale. It was formerly the lordship of Roger de Mowbray, who founded a monastery here, called, for its pleasantness, La belle land. BIL.BANK. See BELIEANK, BILBOROUGH, a parish in the southern divi- sion of the hund. of Broxtow, union of Basford, county of Nottingham; 4 miles west-north-west of Nottingham, intersected by the Nottingham canal. Living, a discharged rectory, formerly in the archd. of Nottingham and dio. of York, now in the dio. of Lincoln; valued at £3 12s. 6d. ; gross income 36273. Patron, in 1835, T. Webbe Edge, Esq. For com- mutation of tithes, see STRELLEY. There are a daily school here, containing 60 pupils, and a Sunday school. The hamlet of Broxtow in this parish was formerly of considerable importance and gave name to the hundred. There are some coal-works here. Pop., in 1801, 307; in 1831, 330. Houses 60. Acres 1,090. A. P. 381,475. Poor rates, in 1837, 36 126. BILBROUGH, a parish in the lower division of the ainstey of the city of York; 4 miles north-east of Tadcaster, on the line of the York and North Midland railroad. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. of the east riding and dio. of York; valued at #46 6s. 10d. ; gross income £189, Patron, in 1835, T. L. Fairfax, Esq. The church contains the re- mains of Thomas, Lord Fairfax, the celebrated parlia- mentary general. There is a day and Sunday school here, partly supported by Lady Hewley's charity of £4, and partly by two annual donations of £5 5s. from the Rev. B. Edmonson, and of £10 from T. L. Fairfax, Esq. Other charities connected with the parish produce 368 10s. per annum. Pop., in 1801, 185; in 1831, 228. Houses 49. Acres 1,410. A. P. 362,002. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.118. BILDESTONE, or BILSTon, a township and parish in the hund. of Cosford, county of Suffolk; 14 miles west-north-west of Ipswich, intersected by the line of the proposed Ipswich and St Edmunds Bury railway. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Sudbury and dio. of Norwich, now in the dio. of Ely; valued at £12 16s. 10}d.; gross income 4:372. Patron, in 1835, the Rev. Charles Johnson. The church is a handsome structure situated on a hill at the west-end of the town. The Baptists have a place of worship here; the church was formed in 1794. There are seven daily schools here, in which 165 children are instructed, and two Sunday schools. The manufacture of blankets and blue woollen-cloths formerly flourished here. The mar- ket day is Wednesday, and fairs for wearing-apparel and toys are held on Ash-Wednesday and Holy- Thursday. Pop., in 1801, 744; in 1831, 836. Houses 182. Acres 1,420. A. P. 261,840. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.271. BILEIGH, a hamlet in the parish of St Mary, town of Maldon, hund. of Dengie, county of Essex. “There was anciently at Perendune or Parndon, in this county, an house of Praemonstratensian canons, who removed to Bileigh, when, A.D. 1180, Robert Mantell built a monastery for them to the honour of St Nicholas. About the time of the dissolution, this abbey was rated at £1694s. 5d., and maintained nine canons; it was granted, 32d Henry VIII., to Sir John Gate.” Tanner's Not. Mon. BILHAM, a township in that part of the parish of Hooton-Pagnell, which is in the northern division of the wapentake of Strafforth and Tickhill, west riding of Yorkshire; 6% miles west-north-west of Doncaster, in the vicinity of the York and North Midland railway. Lime and coal are found here, as well as a peculiar kind of sand used in the irom-foun- deries at Rotherham and Sheffield. Pop., in 1801, 45; in 1831, 76. Houses 14. Acreage with the parish. A. P. 261,026. Poor rates, in 1837, 3636. BILLERICAY, or BILLERCA, a market-town and chapelry to the parish of Great Burstead, hund. of Barstable, county of Essex; 23 miles east-north. east of London, and 3 south-east of the railroad from London to Norwich. It stands on an eminence. overlooking an extensive and richly cultivated vale, and commands a distant view of the river Thames, the coast of Kent, and the Nore. Living, a per- petual curacy not in charge, formerly in the archd. of Essex and dio. of London, now in the dio. of Rochester; valued in the parliamentary returns at £130 12s. 6d. ; gross income £90. Patrons, in 1835, Trustees. The chapel is an ancient brick building in the centre of the town. The Baptists, Independ- ents, and Society of Friends, have places of worship here. The Baptist church was formed in 1815. Ten poor children are educated here, on a founda- tion endowed with an estate of £20 per annum, in 1654, by the Rev. Mr Bayley, rector of Benfleet. There are few manufactures here, these being chiefly of wire-ribbon and silkbraid-laces. A market on Tuesday was granted by Edward IV. ; it is still in existence, but the increasing prosperity of the neigh- bouring towns of Chelmsford and Romford has ren- dered it of less importance than formerly. Fairs for horses and cattle are held on the 2d of August and 7th of October. Billericay is one of the polling places for the members for South Essex. Petty sessions for the division of Barstable and Chafford are held here and at Brentwood. Here is a paro- chial alms-house for poor females. Pop, and other returns with the parish. BILLESDON, a market-town and parish in the hund. of Gartree, union of Billesdon, county of Leicester; 8% miles east of Leicester. The parish comprises the chapelries of GoADBY and Rolleston, (which see) with the township of Billesdon. Living, a vicarage, with the curacies of Rolleston and Goadby annexed, formerly in the archd. of Leicester and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Peterborough; valued BIL BIL 183 at £14 108.; gross income £298, Patron, in 1835, the Rev. H. Greene. All tithes of Billesdon-fields, the property of the lay-impropriators and the vicar, were commuted in 1764. The Baptists have a place of worship here; the church was formed in 1820. This parish possesses three daily schools, one of which is partly supported by various endowments, amounting to £23 per annum, and two Sunday schools. A school-house was erected in 1650 by William Sharp for the use of the parishioners. Here are alms-houses for four poor widows, founded and endowed by William Ward, Esq. Other chari- ties connected with this parish produce about £53 per annum. Fairs for pewter, brass, and toys, are held here on April 23d and July 25th. There are here some traces of a Roman camp. Pop., in 1801, 580; in 1831, 908. Houses 156. Acres 4,430. A. P. 383,529. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.381. The Billesdom poor-law union comprehends 36 parishes, embracing an area of 82 square miles, with a popu- lation returned in 1831, at 6,749. The average annual expenditure on the poor of this district, dur- ing the three years preceding the formation of the union, was £5,066. Expenditure, in 1838, #2,715. BILLESLEY, a parish in the Stratford division of the hund. of Barlichway, union of Stratford-on- Avon, county of Warwick; 3% miles west-north- west of Stratford-on-Avon, intersected by the Bir- mingham and Stratford-on-Avon canal. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. and dio. of Worces- ter; valued at £5 4s. 7d. ; gross income £100. Patrons, in 1835, M. and J. Miles, Esqrs. There is a Sunday school here. The extent of this parish is about 800 acres, which are in the hands of two tenants. Pop., in 1821, 27; in 1831, 24. Houses 3. Acres 750. Poor rates, in 1837, fºll. BILLING (GREAT), a parish in the hund. of Spelhoe, union and county of Northampton; 4 miles north-east of Northampton, near the river Nen. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Northampton and dio. of Peterborough; valued at £19; gross income 26521; in the patronage of the principal and fellows of Brazen-nose college, Oxford. The great and small tithes, the property of the clerical rector, were com- muted in 1778. There are four daily schools in this Varish. Here is an alms-house, founded by John Freeman, Esq., for five poor aged widows and one poor aged widower. They do not now reside in the alms-house, which has been given up to the parish, but receive each 366 per annum. Pop., in 1801, 267; in 1831, 372. Houses 67. Acres 1,290. A. P. £2,319. Poor rates, in 1837, £136. BILLING (LITTLE), a parish in the hund...of Spelhoe, union and county of Northampton; 3 miles east-north-east of Northamptom, on the river Nen. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Northampton and dio. of Peterborough; valued at £10 2s. 11d. ; gross income £336. Patron, in 1835, Earl Brownlow. There is a Sunday school here. Pop., in 1801, 64; in 1831, 88. Houses 15. Acres 890. A. P. 381,763. Poor rates, in 1837, 3649. BILLINGBOROUGH, a parish in the wapen- take of Aveland, parts of Kesteven, union of Bourn, county of Lincoln; 3 miles east by south of Folk- ingham. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Lincoln; valued at £6 1s. 8d.: gross income 36237. Patron, in 1835, Earl Fortescue. The church has a fine tower and spire. The great and small tithes of Billingborough and Bir- thorpe, the property of the lord of the manor and vicar, were commuted in 1768. Here is a free school, for the foundation and endowment of which, Mary Toller, in 1671, gave land producing about 2625 per annum. There are also three other daily schools, containing 53 pupils, and two Sunday schools in this parish. Pop., in 1801, 537; in 1831, 881. Houses 168. Acres 2,020. A. P. 385,800. Poor rates, in 1837, 36309. BILLINGE (CHAPEL END), a chapelry in the parish of Wigan, hund. of West Derby, co-palatine of Lancaster; 5 miles south-west of Wigan, in the neighbourhood of the Wigan and Newton railroad. Living, a perpetual curacy, formerly in the archd. and dio. of Chester, now in the dio. of Manchester; valued at £340s. 8d., and rated in the parliament- ary returns at £52 8s. 8d.: gross income £235; in the patronage of the rector of Wigan. At Birch- ley, within this chapelry, the Roman Catholics have a place of worship. There are four daily schools here, to one of which a yearly stipend of £10 is attached by the trustees of Eddlestones charity, for the tuition of 12 boys. There are also two Sun- day schools. Pop., in 1801, 765; in 1831, 1,279. Houses 222. Acres 1,340. A. P. 362,105. Poor rates, in 1837, #254. BILLINGE (HIGHER END), a township in the parish of Wigan, hund. of West Derby, co-palatine of Lancaster; 4% miles west-south-west of Wigan. There is a daily school here, containing 40 pupils; £10 was formerly allowed to teach 8 poor children to read, but this stipend has been withheld for several years. Pop., in 1811, 555; in 1831, 676. Houses 110. Acres 1,410. A. P. 362,317. Poor rates, in 1837, 36213. BILLING FORD, or PIRLEston, a parish in the hund. of Earsham, union of Depwade, county of Norfolk; 13 mile east of Scole, on the line of the railroad from London to Norwich. Living, a dis- charged rectory in the archd. of Norfolk and dio. of Norwich ; valued at £9; gross income 36314. Pa- tron, in 1842, George Wilson, Esq. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 180; in 1831, 313. Houses 26. Acres 1,100. A. P. 381,679. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.134. BILLING FORD, a parish in the hund. of Eynes- ford, union of Mitford and Launditch, county of Norfolk; 5 miles north-north-east of East Dereham. Living, a discharged rectory united with that of Thorpe Little, in the archd. of Norfolk and dio. of Norwich; valued at £7 10s. ; gross income £272. Patron, in 1842, the Earl of Leicester. A fair was formerly held here, under a grant obtained in the 33d of Edward I. At Beck hall, a seat of the Coke family, was formerly an hospital, founded in the reign of Henry III., by William Beck, for the ac- commodation of poor travellers. Pop., in 1801, 269; in 1831, 305. Houses 36. Acres 1,650. A. P. #1,680. Poor rates, in 1837, £126. BILLINGHAM, a parish in the north-eastern division and union of Stockton-ward, co-palatine of Durham; 3 miles north-north-east of Stockton, on the line of the Clarence railway, and intersected by the Clarence and Hartlepool union railway. It comprises the chapelry of Wolviston, and the town- ships of Billingham, Cowpen-Bewley, and Newton- Bewley. Living, a vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Durham; valued at £11 3s. lººd. ; gross income 36.274; in the patronage of the dean and chapter of Durham. There are a daily school, to which the dean and chapter of Durham allow £4 4s. per annum for teaching 6 poor children, and a Sunday school. Other charities connected with the parish produce 4217 15s. per annum. Pop. of the town, in 1801, 355; in 1831, 401. Houses 92. Acres 2,720. A. P. 264,350. Poor rates, in 1837, 36230. BILLINGHAY, a parish in the first division of the wapentake of Langoe, parts of Kesteven, union of Sleaford, county of Lincoln; 8% miles north-east of Sleaford. It comprises the township of Dogdyke, |and the hamlet of Waleott, Living, a vicarage in -> BIL BIL 184 the archd. and dio. of Lincoln; valued at £13 14s. ; gross income £283. Patron, in 1835, Earl Fitz- william. There are four daily schools here, contain- ing 134 pupils, and two Sunday schools. Pop., in 1801, 1,132; in 1831, 1,787. Houses 459. Acres 7,630. A. P. 38,898. Poor rates, in 1837, 36291. BILLINGLEY, a township in that part of the parish of Darfield which is in the northern division of the wapentake of Strafforth and Tickhill, west riding of Yorkshire; 6% miles east by south of Barnesley, on the line of the York and North Mid- land railroad, and in the vicinity of the Dearne and Dove canal. There are two Sunday schools here. Pop., in 1801, 172; in 1831, 217. Houses 39. Acres 830. A. P. 381,289. Poor rates, in 1837, 3682. BILLINGSHURST, a parish in the hund. of West Easwrith, rape of Arundel, union of Petworth, county of Sussex; 6% miles south-west of Horsham, intersected by the Arun and Wye canal. The parish includes the hamlets of East and West Billingshurst. Living, a vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Chiches- ter; valued at £9 6s. 0}d., and in the parliamentary returns at £140; gross income 36.140. Patron, in 1835, Sir C. F. Goring, Bart. The Baptists have a place of worship here. There is also an Indepen- dent church, formed in 1814. There are four daily schools in this parish. Fairs are held here on Whit- Monday, and November 8th, for horses, horned cattle, hogs, and pedlery. Pop., in 1801, 1,164; in 1831, l,540. Houses 265. Acres 6,830. A. P. f.3,199. Poor rates, in 1837, 36792. BILLINGSIDE, a township in the parish of Lanchester, west division of Chester-ward, co-pala- time of Durham; 13 miles north-west of Durham, intersected by a branch of the Stanhope and Tyne railway. Pop., in 1831, 18. Houses 2. Acres 340. A. P. 268,917. Poor rates, in 1837, 3615. BILLINGSLEY, a parish in the hund. of Stot- tesden, union of Bridgnorth, county of Salop; 5 miles south by west of Bridgnorth. Living, a dis- charged rectory in the archd. of Salop and dio. of Hereford; valued at £4 13s. 4d., and rated in the parliamentary returns at £102 10s. ; gross income £217. Patron, in 1835, the Duke of Cleveland. This parish possesses one daily school. There are considerable collieries here. Pop., in 1801, 320; in 1831, 161. Houses 32. Acres 1,560. A. P. 381,231. Poor rates, in 1837, #38. BILLINGTON, a chapelry in the parish and union of Leighton-Buzzard, hund. of Manshead, county of Bedford; 2 miles south-east of Leighton- Buzzard. Living, a perpetual curacy, formerly in the archd. of Bedford and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Ely; valued at £20; gross income £45; in the patronage of the inhabitants. This chapelry includes the hamlets of Great and Little Billington. Pop., in 1801, 200; in 1831, 271. Houses 55. Acreage with the parish. A. P. 361,366. Poor rates, in 1837, £121. BILLINGTON (LARGo), a chapelry in the parish and lower division of the hund. of Blackburn, co- palatine of Lancaster; 5% miles north-north-east of Blackburn. Living, a perpetual curacy, formerly in the archd. and dio. of Chester, now in the dio. of Manchester; of the yearly value of £125; in the patronage of the vicar of Blackburn. There is a dissenting chapel here. Here are a daily free school, endowed with about £14 per annum, and a Sunday school. The inhabitants are chiefly cottom-weavers. Pop., in 1801, 844; in 1831, 1,089. Houses 191. Acres 2,960. A. P. £3,407. Poor rates, in 1837, 2.É284. BILLOCKLY, or BILLOCKBY, a parish in the western division of the hund. of Flegg, county of Norfolk; 3 miles north-east of Acle. Living, a dis- charged rectory in the archd. and dio. of Norwich; valued at £2 8s. 9d., and in the parliamentary re- turns at £98; gross income £100; in the patronage of the Lucas family. There is a Sunday school here. Pop., in 1801, 42; in 1831, 67. Houses 7. Acres 260. A. P. 36497. Poor rates, in 1837, 3652. BILLSBOROUGH, or BILLISBonRow, a town- ship in the parish of Garstang, hund. of Amounder- ness, co-palatine of Lancaster; 44 miles south-east of Garstang, in the vicinity of the Lancaster and Preston railway. Here is a daily free school for children of the townships of Billsborough and Myer- cough, endowed with £46 per annum by John Cross, in 1718. Pop., in 1801, 163; in 1831, 199. Houses 36. Acres 750. A. P. 381,426. Poor rates, in 1837, 3650. * BILNEY (EAST), a parish in the hund. of Laun- ditch, union of Mitford and Launditch, county of Norfolk; 5 miles north-north-west of East Dere- ham. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. and dio. of Norwich; valued at £5 14s.2d.; gross income £142. Patron, in 1835, W. Collison, Esq. There is a daily school in this parish. Charities connected with it produce £9 per annum. Thomas Bilney, a learned divine, who was burned at Nor- wich in 1531, for his opposition to popery, is said to have been born here. Pop., in 1801, 165; in 1831, 166. Houses 29. Acres 670. A. P. 36553. Poor rates, in 1837, 3696. BILNEY (WEST), a parish in the Lynn division of the hund. of Freebridge, union of Freebridge- Lynn, county of Norfolk; 7 miles south-east of Kings-Lynn. Living, a perpetual curacy not in charge, in the archd. and dio. of Norwich; valued at 3620, and rated in the parliamentary returns at £24; gross income £60. Patron, in 1835, John Dalton, Esq. Pop., in 1801, 135; in 1831, 236. Houses 17. Acres 2,750. A. P. £1,680. Poor rates, in 1837, £188. BILSBY AND THURLBY, a parish in the Wold division of the hund. of Calceworth, parts of Lind- sey, union of Spilsby, county of Lincoln; 1 mile east of Alford. Living, a vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Lincoln; valued at £13 3s. 4d., and in the parliamentary returns at £136 5s. ; gross income 26.166. Patron, in 1835, J. Mason, Esq. There are two daily schools here, one of which has a small endowment, arising from certain lands in the parish. Pop., in 1801, 337; in 1831,453. Houses 77. Acres 2,960. A. P. 362,886. Poor rates, in 1837, £584. BILSDALE-MIDCABLE, a township in the parish of Helmsley, wapentake of Ryedale, north riding of Yorkshire; 12 miles north-north-west of Helmsley. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. of Cleveland and dio. of York; valued at £6, and rated in the parliamentary returns at £625s. ; gross income £91; in the patronage of the vicar of Helms- ley. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 644; in 1831, 759. Houses 132. Acres 8,380. A. P. 384,412. Poor rates, in 1837, #219. BILSDALE (WEST SIDE), a township in the parish of Hawnby, wapentake of Birdforth, north riding of Yorkshire; 8 miles north-west by north of Helmsley. There is a daily school in this township. Pop., in 1801, 115; in 1831, 149. Houses 27. #. 6,090. A. P. 262,610. Poor rates, in 1837, 134. BILSINGTON, a parish, partly within the liberty of Romney-marsh, and partly in the upper half-hun- dred of Newchurch, lathe of Shepway, union of East Ashford, county of Kent; 6 miles south-south-east of Ashford, intersected by the Royal Military canal, and 4 miles south of the South-Eastern railroad. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. and dio. of |Canterbury; valued at £30, and rated in the parlia- BIL BIL 185 º mentary returns at £49; gross income £52. Patron, in 1835, Sir W. R. Cosway. There is a daily Na- tional school in this parish. A fair is held here on the 5th of July, Here are some remains of a priory of black canons, founded by John Mansell, provost of Beverley, A.D. 1253. The manor of Belsington Inferior was held in grand serjeantry in the reign of Edward III. by the service of presenting three maple cups at the king's coronation, and, at the time of the coronation of Charles II., by the additional service of carrying the last dish of the second course to the king's table. Pop., in 1801, 213; in 1831, 322. Houses 46. Acres 2,800. A. P. £4,347. Poor rates, in 1837, 36321. BILSTHORPE, or BILDESTHoRPE, a parish in the South Clay division of the wapentake of Basset- law, union of Southwell, county of Nottingham; 5 miles south of Ollerton. Living, a discharged rec- tory, formerly in the archd. of Nottingham and dio. of York, now in the dio. of Lincoln; valued at £5 4s. 8d.: gross income 36360. Patron, in 1835, the Earl of Scarborough. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 201; in 1831, 217. Houses 43. Acres 1,600. A. P. 381,489. Poor rates, in 1837, 36:155. BILSTON, a market-town, and chapelry, in that part of the parish of Wolverhampton which is in the northern division of the hund. of Seisdon, Stafford- shire; 3 miles south-east of Wolverhampton, 19 south by east of Stafford, and 121 north-west of London. Living, a perpetual curacy, within the jurisdiction of the dean of Wolverhampton, dio. of Lichfield and Coventry; yearly income £635; in the patronage of the resident householders. The chapel was rebuilt in 1826. A new church was erected in 1829 in the later style of English archi- tecture, with a fine tower, at an expense of £7,223 6s. 1d., part of which was defrayed by a grant from the parliamentary commissioners. Sittings 1,494. There are two Baptist churches, and the Independ- ents, and Methodists of various denominations, have places of worship here. The second Baptist church was formed in 1835; the Independent church in 1764; the Methodist in 1795. There is also a Roman Catholic chapel, to which a large school is attached. . . There are schools on the British system, at which about 300 children are educated, and an orphan school, which was opened in 1833. It was built at the cost of £400, and endowed with the interest of £2,000, for the education of 450 orphans, who were bereaved of their parents in 1832 when the cholera visited the town. There are also ten Sunday schools.—Bilston owes its prosperity to the numerous and rich mines of coal and iron- stone in the neighbourhood. It is situated in the immediate vicinity of the Birmingham and Stafford canal, by the various branches of which a communi- cation is opened up to every part of the kingdom, through the Mersey, Dee, Ribble, Ouse, Trent, Der- Went, Severn, Humber, Avon, and Thames. By the opening of a new line—which is conducted through a noble tunnel at Cosely, near Bilston—the direct canal route between Birmingham and Wolver- hampton has been shortened 4 miles. The Liver- pool and Birmingham Grand Junction railway also passes within 13 mile; the nearest station on the line being the Willenhall station, which is 853 miles from Liverpool. The vicinity abounds with forges, furnaces, Steam-engines, and manufactories, the smoke of which darkens the air by day, while the flames illuminate the country by night. The principal manufactures consist in the heavier description of iron castings, machinery of all kinds, tin-plate, japanned and enamelled wares, mails, wire, and screws. Clay of a coarse kind, used for making I. * ... • pottery, and a kind of deep orange-coloured sand which is found very useful in casting, are procured in abundance. Coal mines are numerous and pro- ductive; at Bradley, in the immediate vicinity, à stratum of coal about four feet in thickness has been burning for about fifty years. The town is two miles in length, and irregularly built. The houses are sub- stantial and in many instances handsome. The ex- ports consist chiefly of coals and iron-work of all kinds. The markets are held on Monday and Satur- day. Fairs are held on Whit-Monday, and on the Monday preceding the Michaelmas fair at Birming- ham. The Bilston District banking company was established in September, 1836. Petty-sessions are held here, at Wolverhampton and at Kingswinford, for the division of Seisdon North. Bilston unites with the township of Wolverhampton in returning two members to parliament. Pop., in 1801, 6,914; in 1831, 14,492. Houses 2,744. Acres 2,580. A. P. #15,634. Poor rates, in 1837, 362,785. BILSTONE, or BILSTON, a township in the parish of Norton-juxta-Twycross, hund. of Sparken- hoe, county of Leicester; 3 miles north-west of Market-Bosworth, in the immediate vicinity of the Ashby-de-la-Zouch canal. This was formerly a chapelry to the rectory of Norton. There are a daily and a Sunday school here, supported by the Earl and Countess Howe. This township is in the honour of Tutbury. Pop., in 1801, 116; in 1831, 136. Houses 32. Acres 570. A. P. #1,095. Poor rates, in 1837, 3672. BILTON, a small parish and village in the divi- sion and union of Rugby, hund. of Knightlow, county of Warwick; 13 mile south-west of Rugby, and intersected by the railway from Birmingham to Lon- don. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Coventry and dio. of Lichfield and Coventry, now in the dio. of Worcester; valued at £16 10s. 7%d.; gross income £680. Patron, in 1835, the Rev. T. T. Parker. Here is a day and Sunday National school, with an endowment of £20 per annum, be- queathed in 1783 by Langton Freeman, Esq. In this village Addison resided, after his marriage with the countess of Warwick, who left £10 a-year out of her estate in Bilton for the use of the poor. Other charities connected with the parish produce £61 4s. per annum. Pop., in 1801, 347; in 1831, 463. Houses 101. Acres 1,820. A. P. 384,320. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.261. BILTON, a chapelry in the parish of Swine, middle division of the wapentake of Holderness, east riding of Yorkshire; 4 miles north-east of Kingston- upon-Hull. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. of the east riding and dio. of York; yearly income 3650. Patron, in 1835, Wiscount Downe. Pop., in 1801, 10.1; in 1831, 105. Houses 18. Acres 1,120. A. P. 361,390. Poor rates, in 1837, 3699. BILTON, a parish in the union of Skirlaugh, and within the ainstey of the city of York; 5 miles east- north-east of Wetherby. It comprises the town- ships of Bilton, Bickerton, and Tockwith. Living a discharged vicarage in the peculiar jurisdiction of the dean and chapter of York, and in the patronage of the prebendary of Bilton in the cathedral church of York; valued at £3 16s., and rated in the parlia- mentary returns at £124; gross income £131. This parish possesses six daily and four Sunday schools. Pop., in 1801, 737; in 1831, 894. Houses 178. Acres 4,150. A. P. £5,531. Poor rates, in 1837, £567. Pop. of the township of Bilton, in 1801, 120; in 1831, 197. Houses 36. Acres 1,460. A. P. 362,448. Poor rates, in 1837, 36249. BILTON AND HARROGATE, a chapelry in that part of the parish of Knaresborough which is in | the lower division of the wapentake of Claro, west 2 A BIN BIN 186 riding of Yorkshire; 2 miles west of Knaresborough. There are five daily schools here, one of which is endowed by Richard Taylor with £30 per annum for the instruction of 20 children; there are also two boarding, and three Sunday schools. Pop., in 1801, l, 195; in 1831, 2,812. Houses 466. Acres 4,800. A. P. 367,142. Poor rates, in 1837, 36820. BINACRE, or BENACRE, a parish in the hund. and union of Blything, county of Suffolk; 6 miles north-east of Southwold, near the post-road to Lowestoft. Living, a rectory, to which are united the rectory of Easton-Bavents and the vicarage of North Hales, in the archd. of Suffolk and dio. of Norwich ; valued at £18; gross income £467. Pa- tron, in 1835, Sir T. Gooch, Bart. There are a daily and a Sunday school here, supported by Sir T. S. Gooch, Bart. and the Rev. Wm. Gooch. In 1786, a labourer, in mending the roads of this parish, discovered a stone vessel, containing 900 Roman silver coins, the most ancient of which were those of the emperor Vespasian.-About half a mile from the sea is a sheet of fresh water, of about one hun- dred acres in extent, called Binacre Broad, and abounding in pike and other fish. Pop., in 1831, 208. Houses 19. Acres 1,660. A. P. 381,467. Poor rates, in 1837, £160. BINBROOKE, a village, formerly a market- town, comprising the parishes of St. Gabriel and St. Mary, in the southern division of the wapentake of Walshcroft, parts of Lindsey, union of Louth, county of Lincoln; 8 miles north-east of Market-Raisen. Living of St. Gabriel's, a discharged vicarage in the peculiar jurisdiction of the dean and chapter of Lin- coln; valued at £8; gross income £75; in the pa- tronage of the prebendary of Milton in the cathedral church of Lincoln. Living of St. Mary's, a discharged rectory in the archd. and dio. of Lincoln; valued at 26 104s. 2d.; gross income £312; in the patronage of the Crown. There are four daily and two Sun- day schools in this parish. It stands on the river Auklam, which is celebrated for fine eels, caught in the vicinity of the wolds. It was formerly a place of some note, but has decayed considerably. There are extensive rabbit-warrens here. Pop., in 1801, 484; in 1831, 1,030. Houses 183. Acres 6,070. A. P. 365,672. Poor rates, in 1837, 36597. BINCHESTER, a township in that part of the parish of St. Andrew-Auckland which is in the north-western division of Darlington ward, co-pa- latine of Durham; } mile north by east of Bishop- Auckland, in the vicinity of the Bishop-Auckland and Weardale railway, and on the western bank of the river Wear. This is supposed by antiquarians to have been the Roman station Winovium, or Binovium ; and many traces of the Romans have been discovered here. The Watling-street either passed through this station, or close on its western side. Binchester is the seat and manor of the Wren family, who have possessed it from the time of James I. The mansion-house is a venerable building with wings, and its environs present a variety of beautiful prospects. Pop., in 1801, 42; in 1831, 37. Houses 5. Acres 500. in 1837, 3644. +. BINCOMBE, a parish in the hund. of Goder- thorne, union of Weymouth, Bridport division of the county of Dorset; 4% miles south by west of Dor- chester, intersected by the river Wey. Living, a rectory united with that of Broadway, formerly in the archd. of Dorset and dio. of Bristol, now in the dio. of Salisbury, valued at £9 ls. 53d. ; gross in- come £505; in the patronage of the master and fellows of Caius college, Cambridge. There is a small daily school in this parish. Here are quarries of good stone, and a mineral spring. On the downs forest. A. P. 381,139. Poor rates, in the neighbourhood are numerous barrows. Pop., in 1801, 129; in 1831, 177. Houses 36. Acres 1220. A. P. £778. Poor rates, in 1837, 36108. BINDERTON, a township and chapelry in the hund, of West-Bourne and Singleton, rape of Chi- chester, county of Sussex; 3% miles north by west of Chichester. The chapel is not used. Pop., in 1801, 53; in 1831, 89. Houses 15. Acres 1790. A. P. 361,031. Poor rates, in 1837, 3629. BINDON (GREAT), a hamlet in the liberty of Bindon, chapelry of Wool, Cerme division, county of Dorset; on the south side of the river Frome, about $ a mile to the eastward of Wool. The liberty to which it gives name contains the following places: —Great Bindon, Bexington, East and West Chaldon, Creech Grange in the parish of Steeple, Chamber- lain's-mills in the parish of Bere-Regis, Fordington East-mills, West-mills, and Mill-street, the priory in Dorchester, Langcotes in the parish of Winfrith, East Pulham, Wool, and Eastworth in the parish of Edmondsham. “Robert de Novo Burgo, and Maud, his wife, built here an abbey of the Cistertian order to the honour of St. Mary, A. D. 1172, which was valued, 26° Henry VIII., at £229 2s. 1d. The site of this religious house, (wherein used to be an abbot and nine monks,) was granted 32° Henry VIII., to Sir Thomas Poynings.” Tanner's Not. Mon. BINEGAR, a parish in the hund. of Wells-Forum, union of Shepton-Mallet, county of Somerset; 4 miles north of Shepton-Mallet, on the post road to Bath. Living, a rectory within the peculiar juris- diction of the dean of Wells, valued at £13 12s. 8d.; rated in the parliamentary returns at £52; and in the patronage of the prebendary of Whitchurch in the cathedral church of Wells. There are two daily schools here. A large fair is held here during Whit- sun-week, chiefly for the sale of horses. This was formerly held at Wells, but in consequence of the plague, was removed hither in the 17th century. Pop., in 1831, 376. Houses 80. Acres 680. A. P. £1,703. Poor rates, in 1837, 366l. BINFIELD HUNDRED, in Oxfordshire, at the south-eastern extremity of the county. Area 23,040 acres. Houses 1,709. Pop., in 1831, 8,607. BINFIELD, a small village and parish in the hund. of Cookham, union of East-hamstead, county of Berks; 3 miles north-east of Wokingham, and 4 south- east of the Great Western railway. Living, a rectory formerly in the archd. of Berks and dio. of Salis- bury, now in the dio. of Oxford; valued at £18 17s. ld. ; gross income 36695; in the patronage of the Crown. Here is a day and Sunday National school with an endowment of £37 15s. 6d. per annum, containing 200 children. There are also four daily schools in the parish. This village stands in the midst of the park called the Royal hunt in Windsor Pope's father resided here; and near this a tree is shown as that under which the poet sat and composed many parts of his poem of “Windsor Forest.” Pop., in 1801, 808; in 1831, 1,045. Houses 222. Acres 3,530. A. P. 384,985. Poor rates, in 1837, £795. BINGFIELD, a chapelry in the parish of St. John-Lee, southerm division of Tindale ward, county of Northumberland; 6 miles north-north-east of Hexham. Living, a perpetual curacy, united with that of St. John-Lee, formerly within the jurisdic. tion of the peculiar court of Hexham, in the dio. of York, now in the archd. of Northumberland and dio. of Durham, valued at £8; gross income with St. John-Lee; in the patronage, in 1835, of Colonel and Mrs. Beaumont. Here is a daily school with an en- dowment of £10 per annum, payable out of the estate of W. H. Clarke, Esq. In the neighbourhood there is a mineral spring. Pop., in 1801, 91; in 1831, 98; BIN BIN 187 Houses 17. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1837,2646. BINGHAM HUNDRED, or WAPENTAKE, in the county of Nottingham, consists of two divisions, north and south ; and is bounded on the north-west by the hundred of Thurgarton; on the south-west by that of Rushcliff; on the south-east by Leices- tershire; and on the north-east by the hund. of Newark. Area 55,760 acres. Houses 2,394. Pop., in 1831, 12,442. BINGHAM, a small market-town and parish in the northern division of the wapentake and union of Bingham, county of Nottingham; 124 miles north- north-west of London, and 10 east of Nottingham, in the neighbourhood of the Grantham canal. It stands in the centre of the fertile vale of Belvoir, of which it may be considered the metropolis; and consists chiefly of two principal streets running parallel to each other. Bingham is one of the polling places for the members for the southern division of Not- tinghamshire. The market is held on Thursday; fairs for draught horses are held on February 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th ; on the first Thursday in May, for horses, cattle, sheep, and swine; on Whit—Thurs- day, May 31st, and November 8th and 9th for foals and hops. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Nottingham and dio. of York, now in the dio. of Lincoln, valued at £44 7s. 11d. ; gross income 381,600. Patron, in 1835, the Earl of Chesterfield. The church is a heavy building, but with an air of considerable magnificence. It has a square tower, highly sculptured, above which rises a lofty spire. Some parts of the interior present specimens of richly sculptured foliage. This church is said by Speed to have been collegiate, and to have been endowed with revenues amounting to £40 11s. ; but, according to Tanner, in the valuation of Monasticon, it is only called a guild, and rated at £4 lls. Here was a chantry in the chapel of St. Helen. The Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists have places of worship here. There are nine daily schools in this parish, one of which is endowed with 36.16 15s. per annum, and three Sunday schools. Charities connected with the parish, exclusive of the school endowment, pro- duce £19 8s. 6d. per annum. Petty sessions for the hundred of Brigham are held here. The living of Bingham was successively held by Abbot, arch. bishop of Canterbury, Wren, bishop of Ely, and Hanmer, bishop of Bangor. Pop., in 1801, 1,082; in 1831, 1,738. Houses 352. Acres 2,930. A. P. 267,493. Poor rates, in 1837, £379. The workhouse erected here for the union of Bingham has been enlarged by the poor law commissioners at an ex- pense of £600. The Bingham poor law union com- prehends 40 parishes, embracing an area of 107 square miles; with a population returned in 1831, at 14,773. The average annual expenditure on the poor of this (listrict, during the three years preceding the forma- tion of the union, was £4,386. Expenditure, in 1838, 362,822. BINGLEY, a parish in the union of Keighley, upper division of the wapentake of Skyrack, west riding of Yorkshire; 202 miles north-north-west of London, and 14 west by north of Leeds, intersected by the Leeds and Liverpool canal. It contains the market-town of Bingley, and the townships of Micklethwaite, East Morton, and West Morton. Living, a discharged vicarage, formerly in the archd. and dio, of York, now in the dio. of Ripon, valued at £7 6s. 8d., rated in the parliamentary returns at £138; gross income £233. Patron, the Crown. The Baptists, Independents, and Methodists, have places of worship here. The Independent church was formed in 1694; the Baptist in 1760; and the Wesleyan Methodist in 1763. Here is a free gram- mar-school, founded in the reign of Henry VIII., and endowed with lands and tenements, now yielding a yearly revenue of £480. It contains 20 pupils. The endowment is subject to certain payments to the poor; the master has a free house and garden. There are also eleven daily schools, one of which has an endowment of £10, and fifteen Sunday schools in this parish. Here are five alms-houses, each of the inmates of which receives £3 per annum, the gift of Mrs. Sarah Rhodes. Other charities connected with the parish produce about £73 per annum. The principal branch of manufacture is that of worsted yarn, which is carried on to a considerable extent. In 1838 there were 5 cotton mills, employing 466 hands, and 18 worsted mills, employing 1312 hands within this parish. There are also several factories for the manufacture of paper, and malt is made in consider- able quantity. Tuesday is the market-day; fairs are held on the 25th January for horned cattle; and on the 25th, 26th, and 27th August for horned cattle, sheep, and linen. There is a branch of the Yorkshire District bank here. The town stands on a hill, on the eastern bank of the river Aire, in a richly wooded country. It consists principally of one long street. Petty-sessions for Bingley and the vicinity are held here and at Keighley; also the petty-sessions for the upper division of Skyrack and the east division of Morley. Pop., in 1801, 4,100; in 1831, 9,256. Houses 1,791. Acres 13,180. A. P. 3812,596. Poor rates, in 1837, £1,350. BINHAM, a parish in the northern division of the hund. of Greenhoe, county of Norfolk; 4 miles north-east of New Walsingham. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Norwich; valued at £6 13s. 4d., and rated in the parliamentary re- turns at £110; gross income £103. Patron, in 1835, T. T. Clarke, Esq. The church formed part of an ancient monastery, and the western front presents a fine specimen of the early style of English architec- ture. “Peter de Valois, nephew to William the Conqueror, and Albreda his wife, in the beginning of the reign of Henry I., gave the church of St. Mary and the manor of Binham to the abbey of St. Albans, to the intent that here might be settled a priory of Benedictine monks, subordinate to them of St. Albans, in the same manner as Lewes in Sussex was to the abbey of Cluny. This cell had, about the time of the dissolution, six monks, and estates to the value of £160 ls. per annum, and was granted, 33° Henry VIII., to Thomas Paston, Esq.” —Tanner's Not. Mon. There are two daily and two infant schools here, one of the former is sup- ported by Thomas Clarke, Esq., lord of the manor. Charities connected with the parish produce 3655 10s. per annum. Pop., in 1801, 393; in 1831, 493. Houses 121. Acres 2,200. A. P. 362,525. Poor rates, in 1837, 36323. BINLEY, a parish in the Kirby division of the hund. of Knightlow, union of Poleshill, county of Warwick; 23 miles east of Coventry, on the line of the railway fiom Birmingham to London. Living, a perpetual curacy not in charge, formerly in the archd. of Coventry and dio. of Lichfield and Coven- try, now in the dio. of Worcester; valued in the parliamentary returns at £53; gross income £52. Patron, in 1835, the Earl of Craven. Pop., in 1801, 203; in 1831, 212. Houses 44. Acres 2,470. A. P. £2,894. Poor rates, in 1837, 36149. BINNINGTON, a township in the parish of Willerby, wapentake of Dickering, east riding of Yorkshire; 8 miles south-west by south of Scar- borough, on the southern bank of the river Hartford. Pop., in 1801, 38; in 1831, 58. Houses 8. Acres 910. BINSEY, a parish within the liberty of the city of Oxford, locally situated in the hund. of Wootton, BIN BIR 188 Oxfordshire; 13 mile north-west of Oxford, on the western bank of the Isis, and intersected by the Oxford canal. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. and dio. of Oxford, of the yearly value of £90; and in the patronage of the dean and chapter of Christ-church. There is a Sunday school here, endowed with the interest of £105, bequeathed by the Rev. William Corne, formerly curate of this parish. Pop., in 1801, 55; in 1831, 74. Houses 13. Acres 470. Poor rates, in 1837, 3698. BINSTEAD, a chapelry in the parish and upper half-hund. of Alton, Alton division of the county of Southampton; 4 miles north-east of Alton, near the post-road to London. Living, a curacy annexed to the vicarage of Alton. Pop., in 1801, 906; in 1831, 960. Houses 144. Acres 7,060. A. P. 385,518. Poor rates, in 1837, 46.579. ... BINSTEAD, a parish in the liberty of East Me- dina, isle of Wight division of the county of South- ampton; 5% miles east-north-east of Newport, on the coast. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. and dio. of Winchester; valued at £1 7s. 1d., and in the parliamentary returns at £37; gross income 3655; in the patronage of the bishop of Winchester. There is a Sunday school here; all the children in the parish have the benefit of daily instruction, at the expense of Mr. Fleming, at schools in adjoining parishes. In this parish are the remains of an abbey of Cistertian monks, founded, in 1132, by Baldwin de Redveriis, afterwards earl of Devonshire. Its revenue, at the dissolution, amounted to 38 l84 ls. 10d. Pop., in 1801, 180; in 1831, 258. Houses 46. Acres 1,140. A. P. 381,044. Poor rates, in 1837, 36149. BINSTED, a parish in the hund. of Avisford, rape of Arundel, union of West Hampnett, county of Sussex; 2 miles west by south of Arundel. Liv- ing, a discharged vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Chichester; valued at £5 17s. 83d. ; gross income 36150. Patron, in 1835, the Earl of Newburgh. Pop., in 1801, 100; in 1831, 114. Houses 15. Acres 1,010; of which about 180 are in hops. A. P. 2.É796. Poor rates, in 1837, 3693. BINTON, a parish in the Stratford division of the hund. of Barlich way, union of Stratford-on- Avon, county of Warwick; 4 miles west by south of Stratford-on-Avon, on the northern bank of the Avon. Living, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Worcester; valued at £8 10s., and in the parlia- mentary returns at £140; gross income £140. Pa- tron, in 1835, the Marquis of Hertford. The great and small tithes, the property of the clerical rector, were commuted in 1779. Pop., in 1801, 217; in 1831, 277. Houses 58. Acres 1,260. A. P. 26.1,330. Poor rates, in 1837, 38 172. BINTREE, or BINTRY, a parish in the hund. of Eynesford, union of Mitford and Launditch, county of Norfolk; 5% miles west by north of Reepham. Living, a rectory, with that of Themelthorpe an- nexed, in the archd. of Norfolk and dio. of Norwich; valued at £10; gross income 36475. Patron, in l835, Sir J. Astley, Bart. The sum of £45, arising from town-lands, is annually distributed in fuel among the poor of the parish. Pop., in 1801, 278; in 1831, 412. Houses 81. Acres 2,120. A. P. 26, 1,564. Poor rates, in 1837, 36 160. B1RBECK-FELLS, a district of Westmoreland, containing portions of the parishes of Crosby-Ravens- | worth, Orton, and Shap. BIRCH, a chapelry in the parish of Middleton, hund. of Salford, co-palatine of Lancaster; 2 miles west-north-west of Middleton, in the vicinity of the York and North Midland railway. There is a new church here, built by the parliamentary commission- ers in the Gothic style, at an expense of £4,000. Sittings 1,000. Pop., and other returns, are includ. ed in those of Hopwood. - BIRCH, a chapelry in the parish of Warrington, hund. of West Derby, co-palatine of Lancaster; 5; miles west of Warrington, in the vicinity of the Runcorn Gap and St. Helen's railway. Living, a donative curacy formerly in the archd, and dio. of Chester, now in the dio, of Manchester; valued at 363 10s., and rated in the parliamentary returns at 38140; gross income, 38.160. Patron, in 1835, J. Dickenson, Esq. Pop. returned with the parish. BIRCH (GREAT AND LITTLE), a parish in the Colchester division of the hund. of Lexden, county of Essex; 5 miles south-west of Colchester, in the neighbourhood of the railroad from London to Nor- wich. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Colchester and dio. of London, now in the dio. of Rochester; valued at £11 ; gross income, with the rectory of Little Birch, 4:484; in the patronage of the bishop of London, and Charles Round, Esq. There are five daily schools, containing 88 pupils, and two Sunday schools in this parish. Here was formerly a castle, the remains of which are yet visible. Pop., in 1801, 560; in 1831, 764. Houses 141. Acres 2,940. A. P. 383,921. Poor rates, in J837, 36464. B1RCH (Much), a parochial chapelry in the upper division of the hund. of Wormelow, union and county of Hereford; 6% miles south of Hereford. Living, a perpetual curacy not in charge, united with the vicarage of Much Dewchurch. The great and small tithes of Much and Little Birch, the property of the impropriator, vicar, and clerical rector, were commuted in 1812. Pop., in 1801, 329; in 1831, 489. Houses 94. Acres 1,330. A. P. 361,604. Poor rates, in 1837, £99. BIRCH (LITTLE), a parish in the Colchester division of the hund. of Lexden, county of Essex; 4 miles south-west by south of Colchester, in the neighbourhood of the railroad from London to Nor- wich. Living, a discharged rectory, formerly in the archd. of Colchester and dio. of London, now in the dio. of Rochester; valued at £5.6s. 8d. ; united with the rectory of Great Birch, to which—the church here being desecrated—the inhabitants repair. Re- turns included in those of Great Birch. BIRCH (LITTLE), a parish in the upper division of the hund. of Wormelow, union and county of Hereford; 5% miles south by east of Hereford. Liv- ing, a discharged rectory in the archd. and dio. of Hereford; valued at £6 12s. 11d., and in the par- liamentary returns at £96; gross income £149. Patrons, the governors of Guy's hospital, Lon- dom. Pop., in 1801, 247; in 1831, 351. Houses 72. Acres 930. A. P. 361,132. Poor rates, in 1837, £l02. - BIRCHAM (GREAT), a parish in the hund. of Smithdon, union of Docking, county of Norſolk; 7} miles south-west by south of Burnham-Westgate. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Norfolk and dio. of Norwich; valued at £22; gross income £527. Pa- tron, in 1835, A. Hamond, Esq. There are two : daily schools here, supported by the Marquis and Marchioness of Cholmondeley, and one day and Sun- day school supported by the rector. Pop., in 1801, 325; in 1831, 451. Houses 78. Acres 3,530. A. P. 362,216. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.365. BIRCHAM (NEwToN), a parish in the hund. of Smithdon, union of Docking, county of Norfolk; 7 miles south-west by south of Burnham-Westgate. Living, a discharged rectory united with that of Bircham-Tofts, in the archd. of Norfolk and dio. of Norwich ; valued at £7 13s. 4d. ; gross income 26435. Patron, in 1835, the Marquis of Cholmon- deley. Pop., in 1801, 70; in 1831, 95. Houses BIR BIR. 189 21. Acres 1,150. A. P. 38901. Poor rates, in 1837, 3643. BIRCHAM-TOFTS, a parish in the hund. of Smithdon, union of Docking, county of Norfolk; 74 miles south-south-west of Burnham-Westgate. Liv- ing, a discharged rectory united with that of Bircham- Newton. Pop., in 1801, 103; in 1831, 130. Houses 23. Acres 1,450. A. P. £941. Poor rates, in 1837, 36110. BIRCHANGER, a parish in the hund. of Uttles- ford, union of Bishop Stortford, county of Essex; 1% mile south-west by south of Stanstead-Mount- fitchet, intersected by the railroad from London to Cambridge. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Colchester and dio. of London, now in the dio. of Rochester; valued at £9 13s. 4d. ; gross income 36230; in the patronage of the warden and fellows of New college, Oxford. There is a daily school in this parish. “An hospital was founded here, in the time of King John, by Richard, son of Serlo de Newport, for a master and two chaplains. It was dedicated to St. Mary and St. Leonard, and under the peculiar jurisdiction of the dean of St. Martin's in London. The revenues of it were rated, 26° Henry VIII., at £31 13s. 11d.; and after the sup- pression, it was granted by King Henry VIII. to Sir Martin Bowes.” Tanner's Not. Mon. Pop., in 1801, 299; in 1831, 360. Houses 65. Acres 1,150. A. P. £1,780. Poor rates, in 1837, 36276. BIRCHER. See YARPole. BIRCHES, a township in the parish of Great Budworth, hund. of Northwich, co-palatine of Ches- ter; 3 miles east-south-east of Northwich. Here, in 1695, Mrs. Elizabeth Dobson bequeathed an estate for the education of two boys, one to be the son of a divine of the church of England, and the other the son of a counsellor. Pop., in 1801, 13; in 1831, 9. House l. Acres 100. A. P. 36.180. BIRCHES (THE), in the franchise of Wenlock, county of Salop, between the parish of Buildwas and Colebrook dale; 3 miles distant from Madeley- market. This place is remarkable as having been the scene of an extraordinary landslip on the 27th of May, 1773, of which a full account was published by Fletcher of Madeley, in connexion with a dis- course which that celebrated clergyman preached on the spot, the day after the catastrophe, to an immense concourse of people. BIRCHINGTON, a parish and seaport, a mem- ber of the town and within the liberty of the Cinque port of Dover, locally situated in the hund. of Kings- low, lathe of St. Augustine, union of the Isle of Thanet, county of Kent; 3% miles west by south of Margate, on the coast. It was anciently called Birchington-in-Gorend. Living, a perpetual curacy, not in charge, annexed to the vicarage of Monkton. The church contains many ancient monuments of the Quekes and Crisp families and others. Here is an Independent church, formed in 1819, and one of Wesleyan Methodists, in 1830. There are three daily schools, one of which, containing 65 pupils, is endowed with about £30 per annum, and two Sun- day schools, here. Pop., in 1801, 527; in 1831, 843. Houses 133. Acres 1,760. A. P. £3,750. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.366. - BIRCHOLT, a parish in the franchise and barony of Bircholt, lathe of Shepway, union of East Ash- ford, county of Kent; 4 miles east by south of Ash- ford. Living, a rectory in the archd, and dio. of Canterbury; valued at £2 10s. 10d., and in the parliamentary returns at £30; gross income £50. Patron, in 1835, Sir E. Knatchbull. The church has been in ruins since the 16th century. Pop., in 1801, 26; in 1831, 45. Houses 5. Acres 310. A. P. 4:420. Expended for the relief of the poor, in 1837, 4:3. BIRCHOVER, a chapelry in that part of the parish of Youlgreave which is in the hund. of High Peake, county of Derby; 5 miles west-north-west of Matlock, and 1 mile from Winster. This place is frequently visited from Matlock and Buxton, on account of a famous rocking-stone, about 32 feet in circumference, and weighing 20 tons. Several other stones of a similar kind once existed in this neigh- bourhood; and there is a curious range of rocks, called the Router rocks, from which grit-stone is obtained for filtering-cisterns. Pop., in 1801, 125; in 1831, 101. Houses 21. Acreage with the parish. A. P. 36719. Poor rates, in 1837, 3677. BIRCLE, or BIRTLE. See BAMFORD. BIRDBROOK, a parish in the hund. of Hinck- ford, county of Essex; 7 miles north-west of Castle- Hedingham. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Middlesex and dio. of London, now in the dio. of Rochester; valued at £19; gross income 36500. Patron, in 1835, Sir W. Rush, deceased. There are a daily and a Sunday school here, sup- ported by part of the proceeds of a charity farm. Pop., in 1801, 393; in 1831, 515. Houses 95. Acres 2,640. A. P. 362,582. Poor rates, in 1837, 38355. BIRDFORTH, a wapentake in the north riding of Yorkshire, bounded on the north by the western division of Langbaurgh wapentake; on the north- west by that of Allertonshire; on the south-west by the wapentake of Hallikeld; on the south and south- east by Bulmer wapentake; and on the east by that of Ryedale. Area 92,330 acres. Houses 2,523. Pop., in 1831, 12,316. BIRDFORTH, a chapelry in the parish of Cox- wold, wapentake of Birdforth, north riding of the county of York; 4% miles north-west of Easingwold, on the post-road to Thirsk, and in the vicinity of the Great North of England railroad. Living, a per- petual curacy in the archd. of Cleveland and dio. of York; valued at £6 6s. 2d., and rated in the par- liamentary returns at £84; gross income £94; in the patronage of the archbishop of York. Pop., in 1801, 32; in 1831, 35. Houses 8. Acres 540. BIRDHAM, a parish in the hund. of Manhood, rape of Chichester, union of West Hampnett, county of Sussex; 4 miles south-west by south of Chiches- ter, intersected by the Arundel and Portsmouth canal. Living, a rectory in the archd, and dio. of Chichester; valued at £10 0s. 10d. ; gross income 36398; in the patronage of the dean and chapter of Chichester. There is a daily National school here, containing lll children. Pop., in 1801, 361; in 1831, 486. Houses 71. Acres 1,930. A. P. 362,865. Poor rates, in 1837, 36309. BIRDINBURY, or BIRBURY, a parish in the Southam division of the hund. of Knightlow, union of Rugby, county of Warwick; 4% miles north by east of Southam, in the neighbourhood of the War- wick and Napton canal. Living, a discharged rec- tory, formerly in the archd. of Coventry and dio. of Lichfield and Coventry, now in the dio. of Worces- ter; valued at £7 10s. ; gross income 36 l?0. Pa- tron, in 1835, Sir T. Biddulph, Bart. The great and small tithes of Birbury and Martin, the property of the clerical rector, lay-impropriator, and vicar, were commuted in 1802. This parish possesses a day and boarding school, including 27 children, and a small daily school. Pop., in 1801, 121; in 1831, 212. Houses 44. Acres 1,180. A. P. 361,527. Poor rates, in 1837, 3687. BIRDS ALL, a parish in the wapentake of Buck- rose, union of Malton, east riding of Yorkshire; 5% miles south-south-east of New-Malton. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. of the east riding and dio. of York; valued at £15, and rated in the parlia- mentary returns at £49; gross income £40. Patton, BIR. BIR 190 in 1835, the Marquis of Hertford. There is a daily school here. This parish was the birth-place of Henry Burton, a celebrated puritan divine. Pop., in 1801, 234; in 1831, 244. Houses 38. Acres 3,650. A. P. £4,090. Poor rates, in 1838, 3681 lls. BIRKBY. See CRoss-CANNoNBY. B1RKBY. See MUNCASTER with BIRKBY. BIRKBY, or BRETBY, a parish in the wapentake of Allertonshire, union of Northallerton, north rid- ing of Yorkshire; 6 miles north-west of Northaller- ton, on the line of the Great North of England railroad. It comprises the townships of Birkby, Hutton-Bonville, and Little Smeaton. Living, a discharged rectory in the patronage of the bishop of Ripon; valued at £6 13s. 4d. ; gross income £198. There is no school within two miles of this parish. Pop., in 1801, 213; in 1831, 275. Houses 53. Acres 3,400. A. P. 364,069. Poor rates, in 1838, 26 168 15s. Pop. of the township, in 1801, 91; in 1831, 96. Houses 16. Acres 1,030. A. P. 381,414. Poor rates, in 1838, 3670 18s. BIRKDALE, a township in the parish of Orms- kirk, hund. of West Derby, co-palatine of Lancas- ter; 7 miles north-west of Ormskirk, on the coast. There is a daily school here, with about 40 children. Pop., in 1811, 391 ; in 1831, 518. Houses 87. Acres 2,130. Poor rates, in 1838, #88 10s. BIRKENHEAD, or BIRKET-WooD, a chapelry in the parish of Bidstone, lower division of the hund. of Wirrall, co-palatine of Chester; 8 miles north- north-east of Great Neston, on the western bank of the Mersey, opposite to Liverpool, to which there is a ferry here. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. and dio. of Chester, rated in the parliamentary re- turns at £40; gross income £153. Patron, in 1835, F. R. Price, Esq. The chapel, part of the remains of the ancient priory of Birkenhead, stands on a pen- insular rock projecting into the Mersey. In the latter part of the reign of King Henry II., or the beginning of that of Richard I., Hamon de Massey, third baron of Dunham-Massey, founded a priory here for 16 Benedictine monks. This monastery was, according to Leland, subordinate to the abbey of St. Werburgh, at Chester, but, in the opinion of Bishop Tanner, it was an independent establishment. The revenue, at the dissolution, was 3890 13s., clear; and the site was granted by Henry VIII. to Ralph Worseley. A Wesleyan Methodist chapel was founded here in 1830. Here is also a Roman Catholic chapel. There are two daily schools in the parish. Petty-sessions are held here and at Great Neston for the hundred of Wirrall. The Chester Junction railway is at this place carried through a tunnel 324 yards in length. This railway, now executing, was authorized by 7° Will. IV., and 19 Wict. c. 17. It is held in 5,000 shares of £50 each. Its length is 14% miles. Birkenhead is one of the polling-places for the members for South Chester. Pop., in 1801, 110; in 1831, 236. Houses 396. Acres 900. A. P. 361,732. Poor rates, in 1838, 36475. BIR KENSHAW. See BIRSTALL. BIRKER, or BERKER, a joint-township with Austhwaite, parish of Millom, Cumberland; 6% miles east by north of Ravenglass. Pop., in 1801, 98; in 1831, 102. Houses 19. A. P. 36603. Poor rates, in 1838, 265 19s. BIRK-FELL, a mountain on the southern side of Ullswater, Cumberland. BIRRIN, a parish in the lower division of the wapentake of Barkstone-Ash, west riding of York- shire; 3% miles north-east of Ferry-Bridge, in the vicinity of the York and North Midland railway, and .ntersected by the Selby canal and the river Aire. It comprises the townships of Birkin, Chapel-Had- dlesey, Courteny-Hurst, and temple-Hurst.—Living, d a rectory united with the curacy of Haddlesey, in the archd. and dio. of York; valued at £36; gross income £1,024. Patron, in 1835, the Rev. T. Hill. All tithes of Birkin manor and township, the pro- perty of the prebendary of Wistow, were commuted in 1809. There is a small daily school in this parish. —Pop., in 1801, 766; in 1831, 873. Houses 163. Acres 5,890. A. P. 386,935. Pop. of the town- ship, in 1801, 139; in 1831, 129. Houses 24. Acres 2,320. A. P. 382,528. Poor rates, in 1838, 26.114 ls. BIRKBRIGG, an elevated common in the neigh- bourhood of Dalton-in-Furness. It commands a prospect of the whole circuit of Morcambe bay, the coast of Lancashire as far as Liverpool, and that o Wales beyond, with the lofty Snowdon. BIRLEY, a parish in the hund. of Stretford, union of Weobley, county of Hereford; 4 miles east by north of Weobley. Living, a vicarage, subordi- nate to that of King's Pyon. Pop., in 1801, 126; in 1831, 147. Houses 31. Acres 1,260. A. P. #1,253. Poor rates, in 1838, 3660 14s. BIRLING, or BYRLING, a parish in the hund. of Larkfield, lathe of Aylesford, union of Malling, county of Kent; 6 miles north-west of Maidstone, intersected by the river Medway. It lies at the foot of a range of chalk hills called Birling hills.- Living, a vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Roches- ter; valued at £6 9s. 4d. ; gross income £164. Pa- tron, in 1835, the Earl of Abergavenny. There is a daily school here; and the inhabitants of this parish have the privilege of sending 30 children to two endowed schools in the neighbouring parishes of Leybourne and Snodland. Pop., in 1801, 371 ; in 1831, 502. Houses 95. Acres 2,240. A. P. 362,351. Poor rates, in 1838, 26241 14s.—Between the church and the foot of the Birling-hills is Birling-place, the ancient residence of the Nevills, now occupied as a farm-house. BIRLING, a township in the parish of Wark- worth, Northumberland; 6% miles south-east of Alm- wick, on the northern bank of the river Coquet. Pop., in 1801, 87; in 1831, 85. Houses 15. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1838, #23 16s. BIRLINGHAM, a parish in the upper division of the hund. and union of Pershore, county of Wor- cester; 2% miles south-south-west of Pershore, on the northern bank of the river Avon, and in the immediate vicinity of the Birmingham and Glouces- ter railway.—Living, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Worcester; valued at £9 17s. 4d. ; gross in- come £220. Patron, in 1835, the Rev. R. E. Lan- dor. There are two daily schools in this parish. Pop., in 1801, 353; in 1831, 360. Houses 72. Acres 1,450, of which about 112 are in hops. A. P. 362,802. Poor rates, in 1838, 3656 2s. BIRMINGHAM DIVISION, in the hund. of Hemlingford, county of Warwick, a district com- prising the town of Birmingham and 7 parishes. Area 44,830 acres. Houses 31,014. Pop., in 1831, 153,778. BIRMINGHAM, One of the greatest manufacturing towns in Eng- land, is situated in the above division of the hund. . of Hemlingford, on an eminence near the river Rea, in the north-western extremity of Warwickshire, and on the borders of the counties of Stafford and Worcester; 20 miles north-west of Warwick; 109 miles north-west of London through Coventry, by the coach-road, and 1.12% by railway; and 973 by railway, south-south-west of Liverpool. Pop, in 1801, 60,822; in 1831, 146,986;* in 1690, it was The superintendent-registrar has reported that for the two BIRMINGHAM. I91 only 4,000. Houses 29,656. Acres 18,780. The annual rental was assessed, in 1826, at £239,407.— The relief of the poor of Birmingham is administered under a local act. The sum expended for this pur- pose in the year ending March 25th, 1838, was £34,825.-There are cross mails to Bristol, 88 miles; to Sheffield, 76; to Stourport, 28}; to Leamington, 24; to Shrewsbury, 45; to Tamworth, 15; to Wor- cester, 26; and to Yarmouth, 200 miles:—and short posts to Curdworth, Erdington, King's Norton, Northfield, Castle Broomwich, Great Barr, Eladon, Tipton, Smethwick, Sutton-Coldfield, Oldbury, Handsworth, Edgbaston, Shirley-street, and Brierley Hill. Ecclesiastical affairs.] – Birmingham originally consisted of but one parish, that of St. Martin, a portion of which was separated, in 1715, for the erection of the parish of St. Philip. The parishes of St. George and St. Thomas were formed in 1829. These four parishes were formerly within the archd. of Coventry and dio. of Lichfield and Coventry, but have been transferred by the church-commissioners to the diocese of Worcester; for all civil purposes, however, Birmingham is still considered as one par- ish.—The living of St. Martin's is a rectory, valued at £19.3s.6%d. ; gross income £1,200. Patrons, in 1835, Richard Moseley and others, trustees of Mr. T. Walker. The church, originally built of stone in 1300, has been cased in brick. It is in the lower part of the town, and contains some ancient monu- ments.-The living of St. Philip's is a rectory not in charge, in the patronage of the bishop of Worces- ter, and annexed to the treasurership of Lichfield cathedral. The church is an elegant edifice in the later Roman, or rather Italian style, erected in 1725, on an eminence in the centre of an area of four acres, which is planted with trees, and surrounded by mo- dern houses.—The living of St. George is a rectory, not in charge ; of the yearly value of £408. Pa- trons, in 1835, the executors of W. Hawkes, Esq. The church was erected in 1822, at an expense of £12,491 6s. 6d. ; defrayed partly by a grant from the parliamentary commissioners, and partly by pri- vate subscriptions; it contains 1,378 free sittings.— The living of St. Thomas is a rectory, not in charge; of the yearly value of £600; in the patronage of the rector of St. Martin's. The church is a handsome structure in the Grecian style. It was erected, by the parliamentary commissioners, in 1829, at an ex- pense of £14,712, and contains 1,423 free sittings. —Besides these churches there are several chapels. St. Mary's chapel, in the parish of St. Martin, was erected in 1774 by subscription. Living, a perpetual curacy, of the yearly value of £350, and, in 1835, in the patronage of trustees.—St. Paul's chapel, in the same parish, was erected by subscription in 1779. Living, a perpetual curacy, of the yearly value of £200. Patron, in 1835, E. Latimer. The building is in the Grecian style.—Christ-church, a chapel for the especial accommodation of the poor, was erected in 1813, in St. Philip's parish. Living, a perpetual curacy, annexed to the prebend of Tachbrook in the cathedral of Lichfield, and in the patronage of the bishop of Worcester.—St. Bartholomew's is a chapel- of-ease to the rectory of St. Martin's; and St. Pe- ter's a chapel-of-ease to the rectory of St. Philip's. The latter was erected in 1827, by the parliamentary commissioners, in the Grecian Doric style, with a cupola, at an expense of £13,365 16s. 6d. ; sittings 1,971. Another church has lately been erected by subscription, bearing the title of “Bishop Ryder's }. ending June 30, 1839, there were 6,621 deaths, and 8,218 jirths registered, of which latter 347 were illegitimate. ()f 2,106 marriages solemnized within the same period, 1,854 were according to the rites of the church of England. church,” being a testimonial of the respect entertained for the memory of the late excellent prelate of that name. Its cost was about £4,000; it is of Gothic character, neatly constructed of brick, with stone mouldings.-Several churches have also been built in those populous parts of the adjoining parishes, which fall within the parliamentary boundary of the borough; but it is still contemplated to erect ten ad- ditional churches in this large town. The foundation stone of the first of these was laid in October, 1839, near Great Lister street. The building is to be or the decorated Gothic style, with a tower and spire ol. 125 feet in height, with lancet-windows in the side- walls.—The Baptists, Society of Friends, Indepen- dents, Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists, Sweden- borgians, Unitarians, Roman Catholics, and Jews, have places of worship here, some of which are very handsome and spacious buildings. The two Unita- rian churches were both formed out of an earlier con- gregation of Presbyterians about the year 1732. The Cannon-street, Bond-street, and Lombard-street, Baptist churches were formed in 1737, 1785, and 1786, and a fourth Baptist church in 1831 ; the Carrs- lane and Steel-house-lane Independent chapels, in 1747 and 1819, with two others more recently ; the Wesleyan Methodist chapels, in 1786, 1789, 1790, and 1825. A church of Primitive Methodists was organized in Bordesley-street in 1831; and a church of Calvinistic Methodists in 1785. To one of the Roman Catholic chapels, and to most of the other dissenting chapels, Sunday and day schools are attached. Schools, &c.]—The free-grammar-school of Bir- mingham is endowed with revenues arising from land feued for building, of which the rental, in 1839, was £5,000, and which is still increasing by the expira- tion of leases. It was founded in 1552 by Edward VI. The management of this school is vested in a bailiff and 18 governors, who appoint the masters and ushers. A new and suitable edifice was erected in 1834 by the governors of this wealthy establish- ment, on a convenient site in the centre of the town, at an expense of nearly £50,000. The design was furnished by Mr. C. Barry of London, and presents a mixed style of Gothic architecture, characterised by new but beautiful and appropriate combinations. The external form of the structure is quadrangular, and extends 174 feet in front, and 125 feet in flank; the internal arrangements embrace two courts simi- lar in form, around and between which the different sections of the buildings rise. The wings of the fronts and the flanking buildings form elegant man- sions for the head and second masters. Besides a fixed salary of £400 a-year, the head-master de- rives additional emoluments in proportion to the number of boys in the school, by a capitation fee on each boy, which, calculating the number of boys at 400, will make the salary 261,000. The gover- mors have recently obtained an act to enable them to appoint masters to teach mathematics, modern languages, and the arts and sciences, in the grammar- school; when these plans, which are now in pro- gress, are effected, it is expected that the number of boys will be 400. The head-master is also entitled to receive 18 boarders, and the second master, 12. An annual visitation of the school is held, at which three examiners, resident members of the universi- ties, attend and examine the boys, and report upon the state of the school to the governors. There are ten exhibitions of £50 a-year each, for four years, attached to this school; they are open to any college, and are given by the governors to the boys who are declared by the examiners to be highest in classical attainments. – The blue-coat charity school has an income of £2,700. It was originally 192 BIRMINGHAM. founded by subscription, in 1724, for 22 boys and 10 girls, but its plan was extended in 1794, and about 160 boys, and 80 girls, are now clothed, educated, and maintained in it.—On an elevated spot in the suburbs is a school—lately removed from Park street —at which about 50 girls receive an education suit- able for domestic servants. This school was estab- lished, chiefly by the Unitarian congregations, in 1762. Income £615.-St. Philip's school of indus- try contains 60 girls. The Statistical society of Birmingham reported, in 1840, that 27,659 children, or about 15.36 per cent. of the population were attending schools of some kind or other. The aver- age period of attendance being 3.3 years. Several branch schools have been erected in judiciously chosen situations, in which large numbers of the children of the working-classes receive a sound and useful English education.—Spring-hill college, an institution for the education of young men for the dissenting ministry amongst Independents and Bap- tists, is a well-endowed seminary of recent establish- ment. Its first year's receipts amounted to £2,401. —The general hospital was established in 1779, and is supported in great measure by the profits arising from the triennial musical festival. The number of patients admitted, in 1837, was 2,901; and of slight cases relieved, 10,919.—A dispensary was established in 1794, from which upwards of 5,000 patients annu- ally obtain medical relief. It is supported by sub- scription.—Here is also a self-supporting dispensary, maintained by small annual contributions from the poor.—An infirmary for the cure of bodily deformity was opened in 1817, and another for diseases of the eye and ear, in 1823, both of which receive liberal support. The general hospital and dispensary are open to students under the usual regulations; and clinical lectures, with pathological illustrations, are given.—Here are numerous alms-houses for the aged and infirm poor, which have been erected and are supported by the judicious application of part of the increasing revenues arising from lands bequeathed for this and other public purposes, by William Lench, in the reign of Henry VIII. The infant asylum, a house-of-industry, is an extensive establishment, in which upwards of 300 children are maintained, and employed in various occupations suited to their age and capacity.—Other charities connected with the town produce about £233 per annum. “At the end of this town, towards Wolverhampton,” says Tanner, “stood the hospital of St. Thomas the apostle, con- sisting of a warden or prior, and several brethren. It was in being before 13° Edward I, ; and was valued, 26° Henry VIII. at £8 5s. 3d. per annum. The ancestors of the Berminghams were accounted founders.” This establishment gives name to two streets called the Upper and Lower Priories. General description.]—The town of Birmingham is about 2 miles in length. The older part is in a low and damp situation, but the upper and more recent part is elevated, being approached by an ascent from every side except the north-west. The air is con- sidered salubrious, notwithstanding the large number of manufactories and furnaces; Dr. Price indeed considered Birmingham the most healthy town in England, the rate of mortality on an average of six years, being only as l to 59, while in Manchester it was as 1 to 37, and in London as l to 31. The streets are lighted with gas, and, upon the whole, well-paved. The houses are in general well-built, chiefly of brick; the more recently erected are in most instances faced with Roman cement and plaster. Some remarkably handsome private dwelling-houses have been erected within the last few years. The town is at present rapidly extending itself. The estate of Lord Calthorpe at Edgbaston is in itself a town of no inconsiderable magnitude, and its annual rental as building-land considerably exceeds the sum paid for its purchase in the last century. The total amount of taxes collected in 1816 was about £36,000; and those of 1838, if calculated at the same rate, would have produced considerably more than £50,000. Manufactures.]—The prosperity of Birmingham has arisen from the extensive manufactures carried on in it,-the abundance of coal and iron-ore in the neighbouring districts, and the extent of its con- nections by inland navigation and railroad communi- cation with every part of the kingdom. It has been celebrated for workers in iron since the time of Herry VIII., when Ileland described it as inhabited by “smiths that use to make knives and all manner of cutting tools, and loriners that make bittes, and a great many nailours.” It has participated in the fame of the Soho works, belonging to Messrs. Boul- ton and Watt, which, though in the county of Staf. ford, are within 13 mile of Birmingham. It began to flourish in the reign of Charles II., but the manu- facture of fire-arms was not introduced till that of William III., since which period it has risen to be the great mart for muskets, swords, army-accoutre- ments, and machinery. Before the close of the late war, no less than 14,500 stand of arms were delivered per week to the ordnance office from the manufac- tures in this town. Burke pronounced Birmingham the ‘toyshop of Europe;' but this designation is now by no means characteristic, for the articles of universal utility manufactured here far exceed those intended for ornament and show. Of the smaller articles of manufacture, buttons are the most important, being made here on a very extensive scale; pins, steel-pens, small iron-ware, plated goods, jewellery, and toys of all descriptions, are also extensively manufactured. At the pin-works, 12,000 pins can be cut and pointed, and 50,000 pin-heads made from the wire, in an hour. Of the quantity of steel-pens now manufactured here some idea may be gathered from the fact that upwards of 40 tons of fine sheet steel have been consumed in a year by the principal maker of these light and delicate articles. Factories for articles of a larger description are also numerous. Among these are iron and brass-foundries, manufactories of steam- engines, machinery of every description, and metallic hot-houses. There are also some extensive glass- works. The most interesting establishments are those of Messrs. Boulton and Watt, the Soho works; and the splendid suit of show-rooms now belonging to Mr. Collis, in Church-street, where the most costly and elaborate specimens of workmanship in gold, silver, plated ware, and bronze are exhibited.* In 1838-9 the amount of silver assayed was 114,500 ounces; of gold, 2,125 ounces. The average of men's wages, in 1839, was 24s. 3d. per week; of females Ss. ; of boys under 18, 8s. 1d. ; of girls 2s. 4d. * By a report made to the Birmingham Philosophical institu- tion, in October, 1836, it appears that 169 steam-engines had been erected in this town ſrom 1780 to that period, oi which 17 had been erected in 1834, and 22 in 1835. The total horse-power was equal to 2,700 horses. In 1839; it amounted to 3,436 horse- power ; consuming 240 tons of coals per day. In 1836, of the estimated horse-power, 275 were used for grinding flour; 1,770 for working metals; 279 for pumping water;.87 for glass-grind- ing; 97 for working wood ; 44 for paper-making and glazing , 37 for grinding clay ; 61 for grinding colours and chemicals; and 50 for sundry purposes. The estimated cousumption of coals, in 1836, was 216 tons per day ; estimated number of persons employed, 4,000 males, and 1,300 females; and the estimated amount of power, hired out, equal to 450 horses. These estimates were confined to engines within the borough. Of the 1,770 horse-power employed in working metals, it was computed that 162 is used by iron-founders, first ap- plied in 1788; 570 in rolling copper, brass, and other metals, first applied in 1790; 150 in drawing wire, first applied in 1808; 201 in iron-forges and wrought-iron mills, hrst applied in 1810; 7:4 in nail-cutting, first applied in 1813; 1U4 in BIRMINGHAM. I93 Canals and Railroads.]—The canals and railroads, by means of which Birmingham communicates with other parts of the island and with the sea, are numer- ous and important. The old canal opens a commu- nication through the Severn with Shrewsbury, Glou- cester, and Bristol, and through the Trent with Gainsborough, Hull, and London. This canal has also a junction with the grand line running through , the Potteries of Staffordshire, to Manchester and Liverpool; so that both the Irish sea and the German ocean are laid directly open to Birmingham traders. The new Birmingham and Fazely canal provides a similar water-conveyance by Tamworth, Atherston, Nuneaton, and Coventry, to Oxford; and hence by the Thames to London.—The London and Birming- ham railroad, first surveyed in 1830, and ultimately constructed at an expense little short of £5,500,000 —nearly double the original estimate—connects the metropolis with this great manufacturing town, and affords increased facilities to commerce. The bill for its formation was first introduced in the commons in February, 1832, but in June was lost in the lords. In the following session the application was renewed, and at last the act was obtained at a cost of £72,869. In June, 1834, the works were begun, and on the 20th July, 1837, about 25 miles of it from London to Boxmoor, were opened; on October 16, 1837, it was opened to Tring, 31% miles; on April 9, 1838, to Denbigh Hall, 48 miles; and from Birmingham to Rugby, 29 miles; and, finally, the remaining portion, between Denbigh Hall and Rugby, 35% miles, Sept. 17, 1838: making the total length 1124 miles. Ori- ginally it was to have had eleven, but it has now only eight tunnels; viz., the Primrose Hill, 1,1644 yards; Kensal Green, 3223 yards; Watford, 1,791} yards; North Church, 345+ yards; Linslade, 272 yards; Stowe Hill, 418 yards; Kilsby, 2,398 yards; and Beechwood, about 600 yards.” The London terminus is at Euston Grove, on the New road. This line is 1124 miles in length, and passes near the towns of Coventry, Rugby, Weedon, Wolverton, Leigh- ton, Tring, Berkhamstead, Boxmoor, Watford, and Harrow ; intersecting six of the most beautiful coun- ties of England, viz., Middlesex, Hertfordshire, Buckingham, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Warwickshire.—By means of the Grand Junction railway between Birmingham and Warrington, com- munication is maintained with Walsall, Bilston, Wolverhampton, Penkridge, Stafford, the Potteries, screw-making, first applied in 1819; and 34 in drawing metal- tubes, first applied in 1822. * The most formidable works on the line, from the great dif- ficulties encºuntered in quicksands, water, &c., were the Kilsby tunnel, 2,398 yards, or l one-third mile long, and the Blis. worth, cutting of about 1,200,000 cubic yards, and averaging 50 feet deep for about two miles. It is estimated that the former cost near £400,000, and the latter above £200,000. * The stone blocks, for the whole line” [See Lecount and Roscoe's History,’ &c.], “may be estimated at 152,460 tons, and their cost at #180,0ü0. The weight of iron rail used for the Whole line is nearly 35,000 tons, which cost about £460,000. The greatest inclination is 16 feet in a mile, excepting that part between Camden Town and Euston-square, about a mile in length. The labour expended on the great pyramid was equi- valent to lifting 15,733 million cubic fest of stone one foot high, and required 300,000 men according to Diodorus Siculus, and 100,000 according to Herodotus, twenty years to execute it; whereas the labour expended in the construction of the Bir'. mingham railway is equivalent to 25,000 million cubic feet of stone raised one font, and has been executed by about 20,000 men in 44 years!” The Birmingham station is at the eastern extremity of the town, adjoining the station of the Grand Junc- tion railway, and not far from the great London road. The roof covering the Birminghain terminus, and similar to the one at Euston-square, is 133 feet 6 inches in diameter, and carried on iron pillars. The engine-house, 120 feet in diameter, is fitted up with store-rooms, offices, &c., and is capable of holding, ex- clusive of tenders, 28 engines. The turmplates, for removing earriages from one line on to another, are 15 feet in diameter. At this station also there is very extensive accommodation for luggage, &c., and every facility afforded to carriers for the transmission of goods. - Whitmore, Creºve, Hartford, Northwich, Warring- ton, Manchester, and Liverpool; and about 800 mail-bags are taken up and set down every day on this line. Its whole course to its junction at War- rington, with the Liverpool and Manchester railway, is 82% miles; the expense of executing it was £18, 180 per mile. The Birmingham terminus is 371 feet 5 inches above low-water mark at Liverpool, The steepest part of the road is between Madeley and Crewe, where the inclination for nearly 3 miles, is l in 180.—A new and competing line of railway is now in progress, under the name of the Manchester and Birmingham Extension railway, which will open a communication between the towns of Stone, Ruge- ley, Lichfield, Tamworth, Atherstone, and Nun- eaton, and between all those places and Manchester to the north; and in conjunction with the Birming- ham and Derby railway afford a communication be- tween Derby and other parts to the eastward, and the Potteries, Manchester, Liverpool, and Chester. The length of the main line of this railway is 54 miles and 67 chains; and of the branch 7 miles and 56 chains; and the amount of the estimate of the costs and expenses to be incurred up to the time of the completion of the railway, is £1,158,683. — Gloucester and Derby are also connected with Bir- mingham, by separate lines of railroad. See DERBy and GLoucestER. Markets.]—Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, are the market-days. An excellently-arranged and spa. cious market-hall, with extensive storing-vaults be- neath, has recently been erected, in a simple, mas- sive, and appropriate style of architecture. Fairs are held on the Thursday and two following days in Whitsun-week; and on Thursday and the two fol- lowing days nearest to the 29th of September. Horses and horned cattle are sold on Thursdays, in a spacious area to the south-west of the town, called Smithfield. At these fairs considerable business is done in cattle, horses, and agricultural produce gene- rally. At the Michaelmas fair such immense quan- tities of onious are exposed for sale as to give a name to the fair; that of Whitsuntide is most cele- brated for its toys and shows. There are several joint-stock banks in Birmingham, viz. the Birming- ham banking company, established in September, 1829; the Birmingham Town and District banking company, in July, 1836; and the Birmingham and Midland bank, in August, 1836. The bank of England, the National Provincial bank of England, the Northern and Central bank of England, and the Commercial bank of England, have also branches here; and there are several private banks. Places of Amusement, Societies, &c.]—The public amusements of Birmingham are conducted on a very superior scale. The theatre—erected in 1821 on the site of one burned to the ground in the preceding year—is a handsome building, with a stone front in the Ionic order, adorned with busts in bas-relief or Shakspeare and Garrick. The expense of erecting this building was about £14,000; the season gene. rally commences in May and terminates in October. -The musical festival of Birmingham occurs every third year, and generally attracts crowds of strangers. The town-hall is a very splendid edifice of the Co- rinthian order, erected in 1833. The interior exhi- bits a saloon 140 feet in length, 65 feet wide, and 65 feet high, calculated to be capable of coutaining about 3,000 persons seated, and at public meetings, when the forms are removed, upwards of 8,000. Here the musical festivals are held, and are aided by a magnificent organ. Machinery in union with steam- power was employed in cutting and fluting the co- lumns and working the stones. The structure is of brick, faced with Anglesea marble; the estimated Is 2 B 194 BIRMINGHAM. cost was £18,000.—Numerous subscription concerts, which are well-supported, take place in the course of the winter. For the amusement and health of the in- habitants, there is an extensive establishment of hot, cold, and sulphureous vapour, and fumigating baths; with a swimming bath 110 feet in length, and 52 in breadth, supplied with a constant influx of water, at the rate of 1,000 hogsheads per hour.—A Society of Arts was instituted here in 1814, and revived and re- arranged in 1821. The object was to promote the study of the fine arts by the establishment of an academy for training from the antique; and to en- courage, and assist living artists by exhibiting and purchasing their works. A well-arranged edifice was erected in 1829, containing several well-lighted rooms for the exhibition of pictures and sculptures, with a commodious drawing-academy, and adorned in front by a superb portico of the Corinthian order. The exhibitions take place annually, and are gene- rally of a high order, as vigorous efforts are made to induce the purchase of pictures. These exhibi- tions of living artists are occasionally alternated with those of deceased and ancient painters, to which the neighbouring possessors of collections lib- erally contribute their stores.—A library was estab- lished in 1798, which now contains 30,000 volumes; it is a handsome pile of building, containing, besides the spacious apartment in which the principal por- tion of the books is deposited, a circular reading- room lighted by a dome-lantern resting on elegant Ionic pillars of porphyry. Right of access to this library is obtained by the purchase of a share of the value of £5, and the payment of an annual sub- scription of £l 5s. 0d. A new library on a similar principle, but on a smaller scale, has more recently been established.— A news-room was erected in 1825; it is a handsome structure, ornamented with lofty pillars of the Ionic order, and containing an appropriate suite of apartments.—The Philosophical institution, consisting of about 400 members, was established about 50 years ago; its plan was extended in 1810, and lectures on various branches of science are delivered in the theatre erected for the pur- pose ; connected with this establisment, is a museum, at present chiefly rich in geological specimens, scien- tifically arranged; an extensive collection of philo- Sophical apparatus; a library and reading-room. At this institution was fixed the first complete anemo- meter, or self-recording rain and wind-gauge, in- vented by Follett Osler, Esq., a resident in the town.—A school of medicine and surgery was estab- lished here in 1828, in which lectures are delivered on anatomy, physiology, pathological anatomy, chem- istry, materia medica, forensic medicine, midwifery, botany and surgery; and prizes liberally distributed by the munificence of the friends of the institution. Certificates of having attended the lectures are re- ceived by the court of examinators of the royal college of surgeons in London. Attached to this school is a valuable and well-selected library, and an extensive museum, comprising objects in various branches of natural history, and a splendid collec- tion of anatomical preparations and models. A second school of medicine has lately been formed, which, in its incipient state, promises to produce useful effects. Its lectures are well-attended, and its proceedings characterized by energy and spirit.— A mechanics’ institution has been in existence here since 1825; it numbers about 400 members. A se- cond institution of nearly similar nature, under the name of the ‘Athenaeum,’ was established in 1839, and is increasing. There are also several minor societies formed by persons of the industrious classes for intellectual improvement and rational recreation. —A public cemetery company was formed here in 1832.-A horticultural society was established a few years ago. The gardens, in the parish of Edg- baston, are extensive, and the conservatories lofty and well-filled with valuable specimens. A Savings bank was established in 1827. In 1838 the deposits in it amounted to £184,525; averaging £5 3s. 8d. each deposit. Municipal Government.]—Birmingham was not until recently incorporated; and to this probably it owes in part its rapid advancement, for there is no obstacle to the settlement of strangers here in any line of business. This town, without disposable public or corporate funds, has, within the last thirty years, by the spirited expenditure of individuals, and the judicious management of the street commis- sioners, changed its character of blackness, closeness, and defective taste, for that of a town of spacious, wide, and well-paved streets, abounding in public buildings, in the offices of large trading companies, and in private undertakings, exhibiting generally a highly-advanced state of architectural decorations, and a general air of substantial wealth and inde. pendence, which is seldom equalled.—Birmingham obtained a municipal charter on 31st October, 1888; and on the 26th December, 1838, the first election of mayor, town-councillors, and aldermen, 64 in number, took place, when William Scholefield, Esq., was elected mayor. A separate court of quar- ter-sessions for the borough has recently been granted by the Crown. A court of requests for the town, and the hamlet of Deritend, for the recovery of debts under 40s., was established by act of the 25th of George II., the powers of which were extended to the recovery of debts under £5, by an act of the 47th of George III. It is under the jurisdiction of 112 commissioners, 3 of whom are a quorum, assisted by two clerks, who must be lawyers. The number of cases decided in this court, in 1837, was 6,113. Under the new representation act, this most import- ant town, so long without a representative in the great councils of the nation, sends two members to parliament. The parishes of Birmingham and Edg- baston; and the townships of Bordesley, Duddeston, Nechels, and Deritend, are included within the elec- tive boundary of the new borough. . The constitu- ency is about 4,500. The police of Birmingham have been newly organized under the direction of the home-secretary. The prison has the police-office, in Moor-street, in front, with a court-yard attached, Behind it are the gaoler's apartments and the mair prison, which possesses two yards,-one for men, the other for women. There are 2 day-rooms and 16 cells, and also rooms in the gaoler's house which he lets out to those who can pay for the accommodation. The cells are dark and the ventilation defective. Prisoners, after being brought before the magistrates, are transferred to Warwick. No clothing is allowed. On payment of Is. a-night for the first three mights, and of 6d. a-night afterwards, a separate room and a better bed may be obtained. Five police officers are attached to this establishment, who also act as turn- keys, by alternate weeks. There is also a prison exclusively for debtors of the court of requests. It is in a dilapidated and neglected condition. It has 4 day-rooms, and 2 airing-yards, one for the higher and another for the lower class of debtors. The prisoners are allowed to labour at trades, but the profit must go to the creditor. One pound and a half of bread is allowed daily. During 1832, 424 male, and 24 female debtors were admitted; the average number appears to be 18 or 20. History.]—Birmingham is mentioned in Domesday book, under the name of Bermengeham. The name, as well as those of the neighbouring hamlets of Castle and West Bromwich, is supposed to have BIR BIR. I95 been derived from the Saxon brom, -‘broom,’ which grows in the vicinity, and wick, ‘a descent.’ Some antiquaries suppose it to be the Bremenium of the Romans; others, amongst whom is the local histo- rian Hutton, assert that it was a British town of some importance, and celebrated for the manufacture of arms, even previous to the Roman invasion. Dur- ing the last four centuries it has been written Brumwycheham, Bromwycham, Bermicham, Bre- mecham, and Burmyngham, also with various trans- positions of the vowels in the two first syllables." In the reign of Charles I., Birmingham distinguished itself in the parliamentary cause; in 1643 it suffered considerably, having been taken and partially burnt by Prince Rupert, who inflicted a heavy fine on the inhabitants. The editors of the “Magna Britannia' published in 1734, describing Birmingham, say: “The present state of this town is this: It is very popu- lous, and swarms with inhabitants, but most of them of the meaner sort, which serve for carrying on the trade of iron-works, for which they are such ingeni- ous artificers, that their performances in iron and steel are admired not only at home, but in foreign parts. We hear nothing here but the noise of ham- mers and anvils, which gain, makes the sweetest music to the people of it. The lower part of the town is very watery, but the upper is stored with many handsome buildings.” Birmingham was the scene of a disgraceful political riot in July 1791, which commenced on the 14th, and continued sev- eral days, during which property was destroyed to the amount of £60,000, for which a compensation was granted by parliament to the amount of about 3627,000, and some of the ringleaders were executed. A somewhat similar outrage was perpetrated in this town, in 1839, by some misguided chartists, who set fire to several private buildings in the neighbourhood of the Bullring, and committed various gross excesses until dispersed by the appearance of the military. BIRST ALL, or BURSTALL, a chapelry in the parish of Belgrave, county of Leicester; 34 miles north-by-east of Leicester, on the western bank of the river Soar, and in the vicinity of the Midland counties railway. There are two daily schools here. Pop., in 1801, 285; in 1831, 393. Houses 80. Acres 1,260. A. P. 362,888. Poor rates, in 1838, 36.171 5s. Tithes commuted. See BELGRAve. BIRST ALL, a parish and village in the wapen- take of Morley, west riding of Yorkshire; 7 miles south-west of Leeds, in the vicinity of the York and North-Midland railway. It comprises the chapelries of Clackheaton, Drighlington, Liversedge, and Tong, with the townships of Great and Little Gomersall, Heckmondwike, Hunsworth, and Wike, and the hamlet of Birkenshaw.—Living, a discharged vicar- age, formerly in the archd, and dio. of York, now in the dio. of Ripon; valued at £23, 19s. 2d.; gross income £275; in the patronage of the bishop of Ripon. The church, which was erected in the time of Henry VIII., has recently been enlarged. At Birkenshaw a new church has been erected by the parliamentary commissioners, in the Gothic style of architecture, with tower and spire, at an expense of £2,929 5s. 6d. Sittings 708. A Wesleyan Metho- dist church was formed here in 1782. This parish possesses 23 daily schools. Charities connected with Birstall produce about £57 per annum.—The in- habitants of this populous district are chiefly en- gaged in the manufacture of woollens. In 1838 there were 33 woollen mills employing 1,332 hands, 8 worsted mills employing 760 hands, l cotton mill in which 88 persons were engaged, and 2 silk mills em- , *, The late Mr. Hamper affirms that the name has been spelt in different buoks upwards of 140 ways, - ploying 33 individuals, within this parish. Coal and iron-stone abound here, the mines of which give em- ployment to about 500 men. Fieldhead, in this par- ish, was the birth-place of the celebrated Dr. Priest- ley, in 1733. Pop, in 1801, 14,657; in 1831, 24,103. Houses 5,311. Acres 13,180. A. P. 3633,990. Poor rates, in 1838, 384,435 10s.-Birstall is now within the jurisdiction of the second division of a court of requests for the recovery of debts under £15, erected by act of parliament in 1839 in the parishe of Halifax, Bradford, and others. It was also created a polling-district for the west riding in 1837. BIRSTWITH, a township in the parish of Hampsthwaite, west riding of Yorkshire; 73 miles west of Knaresborough, on the southern bank of the river Nidd. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 630; in 1831, 747. Houses 127. Acres 1,670. A. P. 361,656. Poor rates, in 1838, 4:202 7s. BIRTHORPE, a chapelry in the parish of Sem- peringham, county of Lincoln; 24 miles east of Folk- ingham. Living, a curacy, not in charge, annexed to the vicarage of Semperingham. Pop., in 1801, 58; in 1831, 54. Houses 12. Acres 390. A. P. 36694. Poor rates, in 1838, 3632 11s. Tithes commuted. See BILLINGBoRough. BIRTLE, a township, with Bamford, in the parish of Middleton, co-palatine of Lancaster; 24 miles north-east of Bury. There are two daily schools here. Pop., in 1801, 753; in 1831, 1,650. Houses 262. Acres 1,480. A. P. 362,025. Poor rates, in 1838, 36.232 5s. BIRTLES, a township in the parish of Prestbury, co-palatine of Chester; 23 miles west by north of Macclesfield. Pop., in 1801, 35; in 1831, 54. Houses 9. Acres 460. A. P. £1,043. Poor rates, in 1838, 2866 5s. BIRT LEY, a chapelry in the parish of Chester- le-Street, county of Durham ; 5 miles south by east of Gateshead, in the immediate vicinity of the Great North of England railway. There are 5 daily schools here. The inhabitants are chiefly colliers. Salt is made from a brine spring in the vicinity. There is a Roman Catholic chapel here, registered in 1791. Pop., in 1801, 1,026; in 1831, 1,520. Houses 269. Acres 1,480. A. P. 383,730. Poor rates, in 1838, £296 4s. BIRT LEY, or BIRKLEY, a parochial chapelry— separated in 1765 from the parish of Chollerton– union of Bellingham, county of Northumberland, 5 miles south-east of Bellingham. It includes the township of Broomhope with Buteland, and anciently formed part of the barony of Prudhoe. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. of Northumberland and dio. of Durham; rated in the parliamentary re- turns at £140; gross income £85. Patron, in 1835, the Duke of Northumberland. There are 2 daily schools here. Pop., in 1801, 35l ; in 1831, 447. Houses loo. Acres 2,290. A. P. 384,398. Poor rates, in 1838, 3828 4s. BIRTSMORTON, a parish in the lower divi- sion of the hund. of Pershore, union of Upton-upon- Severn, county of Worcester; 5% miles south-west of Upton-upon-Severn. Living, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Worcester; valued at £7 8s. 1%d. ; gross income 36200. Patron, in 1835, the Rev. S. Thackwell. Here is a charity school. endowed, in 1703, by the Rev. Samuel Juice ; and farther endowed, some years since, with the in- terest of £300, bequeathed by Lady Judith Coote. Birtsmorton was long the property of a very ancient family, of Cornish origin, the Nanfaus. The manor-house, moated round, is of great antiquity, the rooms are all wainscotted and carved with armorial bearings. In the church are many curious monuments. Pop., in 1801, 238; in 1831, BIS BIS 196 311 Houses 52. Acres 1,410. A. P. 361,537. Poor rates, in 1837, 361.18. BISBROOKE, a parish in the hund. of Wran- dike, union of Uppingham, county of Rutland; 14 mile east of Uppingham. Living, a discharged vic- arage in the archd. of Northampton and dio. of Peterborough; valued at £60s. 4d. ; gross income £258. Patron, in 1835, the Duke of Rutland. The great and small tithes of Bisbrooke manor, the pro- perty of the clerical rector, lord of the manor and vicar, were commuted in 1795. Pop., in 1801, 196; in 1831, 177. Houses 38. Acres 720. A. P. <&l,815. Poor rates, in 1837, 26.841. BISCATHORPE, or BESKERTHoRPE, a parish and small village on the banks of the river Bane, in the eastern division of the wapentake of Wrag- goe, parts of Lindsey, union of Louth, county of Lincoln; 8 miles north-east by east of Wragby. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. and dio. of Lincoln; valued at £5 18s. 4d., and in the parlia- mentary returns at £137; gross income £180. Pa- tron, the Crown. Pop., in 1801, 43; in 1831, 45. Houses 8. Acres 1,050. A. P. 36.964. Poor rates, in 1837, 3622. BISHAM, or BYSHAM–MonTAGUE, a parish in the hund. of Beynhurst, union of Cookham, county of Berks; 4% miles north-west of Maidenhead, on the eastern bank of the Thames. Living, a dis- charged rectory, formerly in the archd. of Berks and dio. of Salisbury, now in the dio. of Oxford; valued at £7 13s. 1d., and in the parliamentary returns at £57; gross income £156. Patron, in 1835, G. Wan- sittart, Esq. There is a day and Sunday National school here, attended by 67 children. There is an extensive manufactory of sheet-copper, copper-bolts, and other articles here. Here was anciently a pre- ceptory of the Knights Templars, a part of the buildings of which now forms part of the manor- house. It was often visited by Henry VIII. and by Queen Elizabeth, and a chamber is shown as that which she occupied. The following account of this religious house is given by Tanner in his Notitia Monastica:—“Robert de Ferrariis, in the time of Stephen, gave the manor of Bistlesham to the Tem- plars, who thereupon made here a preceptory for the knights of that order. Upon their dissolution, in the time of Edward II., this seems not to have passed with the greater part of their estates to the knights of St. John of Jerusalem, for they had before granted it away in fee to Hugh de Spencer, junr. Afterwards it came to William Montacute, earl of Salisbury, who, A. D. 1338, built a priory here for canons of the order of St. Augustine, which was endowed, 26° Henry VIII., with £327 4s. 6d., per annum. The prior and convent having surrendered this monastery 5th July, 1536, King Henry VIII., in the year following, re-founded and more amply endowed it with the lands of the late dissolved ab- bey of Chertsey, and the priories of Cardigan, Bethgelert, Ankerwike, Little Marlo, Medmenham, &c., to the yearly value of £661 14s. 9d., for the maintenance of an abbot, who was to have the privi- lege of wearing a mitre, and thirteen Benedictine monks. But this new abbey was of short continu- ance, being surrendered 19th June, 30° Hen. VIII., and the site was granted, 7° Edward VI. to Sir Edward Hoby.” Pop., in 1801, 596; in 1831, 771. Houses 142. Acres 2,520. A. P. 384,434. Poor rates, in 1837, 36333. BISHAMPTON, a parish in the middle division of the hund. of Oswaldslow, union of Pershore, county of Worcester; 4% miles north-east by north of Pershore. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Worcester; valued at £7 9s. 93d. ; gross income ºf 113; in the patronage of the bishop of Worcester. Tithes, moduses, &c., the property of the bishop of Worcester and the vicar, were com- muted in 1795. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 308; in 1831, 393. Houses 78. Acres 2,140. A. P. 362,478. Poor rates, in 1837, 36167. BISHOP-AUCKLAND. See AUCKLAND (BI- SHOP ). Bishopsbourne. a parish in the hund. of Kinghamford, lathe of St. Augustine, union of Bridge, county of Kent; 4 miles south-east by south of Canterbury, on the post-road to Dover. It is called in Domesday, Burmes, that is, borne, from the bourn or stream which runs into it, being the head of the river called the Lesser Sour. It had the name of Bishop's bourne from its belonging to the archbishop. There is but one village in the parish, namely, Bourne. Living, a rectory with the curacy of Barham, in the archd. and dio. of Canterbury; valued at £39 19s. 2d.; gross income 361,549; nett income 361,240; in the patronage of the archbishop of Canterbury. There is a day and Sunday school here. The pious and celebrated Richard Hooker died, rector of this parish, in 1600. His monument, which is in the chancel, exhibits his bust, in a square cap and gown. Pop., in 1801, 242; in 1831, 358. Houses 65. Acres 1,860. A. P. fl,913. Poor rates, in 1837, 36354. BISHOPS-CANNINGS. SHOP's). BISHOP'S CASTLE, a borough, parish, and market-town, with separate jurisdiction, in the hund. of Purslow, union of Clumn, county of Salop, comprising five several townships; 159 miles north- west by west of London, and 20 south-west by south of Shrewsbury. The town is built on a hill near the river Clunn. The bishops of Hereford, Camden remarks, “ had a castle at Bishop's Castle, the site of which is now the Castle-inn, and the keep a bowling-green, and part of the walls and vaults re- maining; a mile from hence towards the borders of See CANNINGs (BI- Montgomeryshire, on a high hill, is Bishop's Mote, an intrenchment of near an acre, with a keep at the west end; this is supposed a remain of the Roman wars, but more probably of much later date.” The local limits of the borough are extensive, embracing a circuit of about 15 miles, and being from 3 to 4 miles in width in all directions. Living, a vicarage in the archd. of Salop and dio. of Hereford; valued at 369 12s. 11d., and in the parliamentary returns at £129; gross income £385. Patron, in 1835, the Earl of Powis, who takes the great tithes as lay- impropriator. The church presents some fine speci- mens of Norman architecture. The Independents and Primitive Methodists have chapels here; the Independent church was formed in 1810. Here is a free school for 25 boys and as many girls, founded, in 1737, by Mrs. Mary Morris, and endowed with #1,000 in the 3 per cents. The bishop of Hereford appoints the master. . There are, besides, four daily and two Sunday schools here. Charities connected with the parish produce about £17 ls. per annum. The townhouse is an elegant structure, and the streets, though not regular, are remarkable for their cleanness. Water is obtained chiefly from wells, but a small supply is brought in pipes to the market- place from the neighbouring hills. Friday is the market-day, when the corn-dealers attend with sam- ples. Fairs are held on Friday before February 13th, Friday before March 15th, first Friday after May day, July 5th, September 9th, and November 13th, for sheep, horned cattle, and horses. The day preceding the last three fairs is for sheep and pigs. The town is governed by a bailiff, recorder, and 15 capital burgesses, assisted by a town-clerk, two sergeants-at-mace, and inferior officers, under BIS -BHS 197 charters of 15° Elizabeth and 15° James I. A court of quarter-sessions for the borough is held on the Wednesday after the county quarter-ses- sions. A court of record is held every second Sa turday for the recovery of debts under £20. The petty-sessions for the hundreds of Clunn and Purs- low, are held here. The town was erected into a borough in the 26° of Elizabeth, and returned two members to parliament. The right of election was finally vested in the resident burgesses, who were only about 160 in number. The bailiff was return- ing officer; and the earl of Powis, as proprietor of the town, had a predominating influence. It was disfranchished by the reform act, but is one of the polling places for the members for South Salop. The common called the Moat, or Burgesses' hill, consti- tutes the principal landed property of the corpora- tion, which presents the rare example of being free of debt. The fairs are much attended by the Welsh, and the great intercourse with Wales is a source of considerable advantage to the town. Pop., in 1801, 1,313; in 1831, 2,007. Houses 488. Acres 6,000. A. P. 368,248. Poor rates, in 1837, 36438. BISHOP'S-COURT, Isle of Man. See KIRK- MICHAEL. BISHOP-DALE, a township in the parish of Aysgarth, western division of the wapentake of Hang, north riding of Yorkshire; 12 miles south- west by south of Middleham. There is a small daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 84; in 1831, 108. Houses 16. Acres 5,960. Poor rates, in 1837, 3629. BISHOP’S-FONTHILL. See FonthILI, (BI- sHoP's). BISHOPS-FROME. See FROME (BISHoP's). BISHOPS-HULL. See HULL (BISHoP's). BISHOP-SIDE (HIGH and Low), a chapelry in the parish and liberty of Ripon, locally situated in the wapentake of Claro, west riding of Yorkshire; ll miles west-south-west of Ripon, on the northern bank of the river Nidd. It contains the market- town of Pateley-bridge. There are twelve daily schools here, one of which, containing 36 pupils, is endowed by the will of Miss Shepherd for the in- struction of 22 boys and 4 girls, and three Sunday schools. The lead-mines of this chapelry give em- ployment to 97 men. Pop., in 1801, 1,487; in 1831, 1,843. Houses 387. Acres 3,480. A. P. 384,160. Poor rates, in 1837, 36 l,008. BISHOPS-LY DEARD. See LYDEARD (B1- SHOP's). BlSHOP’S-MIDDLEHAM. See MuddLEHAM (BISHoP's ºs-Monkton. See Monkton (BI- SHOP's). BISHOPS-NYMPTON. See NYMPTON (Br- sHoP's). BISHOP’S-OFFLOW. sHoP's). BISHOP'S-STOKE. See Stoks (BISHoP's). BISHOPSTONE HUNDRED, in the rape of Pevensey, county of Sussex. Area 2,710 acres. Houses 50. Pop., in 1831, 410. BISHOPSTONE, a parish in the hund, and anion of Swansea, county of Glamorgan, South Wales; 6 miles south-west of Swansea, near the coast. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Caermarthen and dio. of St. David's, now in the dio. of Llandaff; valued at £9 6s. 8d.: gross income 3625 l; in the patronage of the bishop of Llandaff. Here is a daily charity school with a small endow- ment. Pop., in 1801, 303; in 1831, 476. Houses 105. A. P. 381,234. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.104. BISHOPSTONE, a parish in the hund. of Grims- worth, county of Hereford; 7 miles west-north-west of Hereford. Living, a discharged rectory, united See OFFLow (BI- south-east of Warminster. with the vicarage of Yazor, in the archd. and dio. of Hereford; valued at £7 7s. 6d. Patron, Sir R. Price. Here are 2 daily schools; and Berrington's hospital for 5 women : income, in 1836, £43 78. 6d. Pop., in 1801, 172; in 1831, 278. Houses 61. Acres 840. A. P. 38 1,025. Poor rates, in 1837. 3649. BISHOPSTONE, a parish in the hund. of Flex- borough, rape of Pevensey, union of Newhaven, county of Sussex; 2 miles north-west by north of Seaford. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. of Lewes and dio. of Chichester; valued at £8 13s. 4d., and in the parliamentary returns at £75; gross income £88; in the patronage of the bishop or Chichester. There is a small daily school here. This parish is within the liberty of the duchy of Lancaster. Pop., in 1801, 188; in 1831, 293. Houses 24. Acres 1,820. A. P. 362,050. Poor rates, in 1837, 4°178. BISHOPSTONE, a parish in the hund. of Down- ton, county of Wilts; 3% miles south of Wilton. Living, a vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Salis- bury; valued at £12 1s. 3d. ; there is also a sine- cure rectory, valued at £19. 14s. 2d.; gross income £806. Patron, in 1835, the Earl of Pembroke. The church is a handsome structure. There are two daily and two Sunday schools here. Pop., in 1801, 535; in 1831, 603. Houses 127. Acres 2,730. A. P. 384,987. Poor rates, in 1837, 36537. BISHOPSTONE, a parish in the hund. of Rams- bury, union of Highworth and Swindon, county of Wilts; 5% miles east of Swindon, in the neighbour- hood of the Great Western railway. Living, a vic- arage, formerly in the archd. of Wilts and dio. of Salisbury, now in the dio. of Gloucester and Bris- tol; valued at £66s. 8d., and in the parliamentary returns at £97. 14s. 3d. ; gross income £208. There is a daily school here, containing 83 scholars, origi- mally founded by the Rev. Thomas Cocker, and en- dowed with funds now producing £1 1 6s. per an- num, and subsequently, by Mr. Thomas Goddard, with £27 19s. 13 d. per annum. There are also two Sunday schools. Charities connected with the par- ish produce about £70. Pop., in 1801, 530; in 1831, 688. Houses 121. Acres 3,330. A. P. 363,831. Poor rates, in 1837, 26243. BISHOPS-STORTFORD. (BISHOP's). BISHOP’S-SUTTON HUNDRED, in the Al- tou north division of the county of Southampton. Area 20,570 acres. Houses 531. Pop., in 1831, 3,303. BISHOP'S SUTTON, a parish in the hund. of Bishop's-Sutton, Alton north division, county of Southampton; 2 miles south-east of New Alresford, on the post-road to London. Living, a vicarage, united with that of Ropley, in the archd. and dio. of Winchester; valued at £1910s. 23d. ; gross in- come £360. Patrons, in 1835, Sir Baring, Bart and J. Deacon, Esq. There are a daily and a Sun- day school here. There is also a parochial charity school for this parish and Ropley, situated in the latter. Pop., in 1801, 379; in 1831, 527. Houses 95. Acres 3,510. A. P. #3,370. Poor rates, in 1837, £344. BISHOP’S-TACKBROOK. See TACKBROOK (BISHoP's). BISHOP’S-TAWTON. SHOP's). BISHOPS-TEIGNTON. See TEIGNToN (BI- SHOP's). BISHOP'S - THORNTON. See THORNTON (BISHoP's). - BISHOPSTROW, a parish in the hund. and union of Warminster, county of Wilts; 13 mile Living, a rectory in the See STORTFORD See TAwton (BI BIS BIS 198 archd. of Wilts and dio. of Salisbury; valued at £ll 10s.; gross income £222. Patron, in 1835, Sir J. D. Astley, Bart. There is a daily school in this parish. Pop., in 1801, 227; in 1831, 278. Houses 54. Acres 980. A. P. 381,463. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.219. BISHOP’S-W OOD. See BREWOOD. BISHOPS-WALTHAM HUNDRED, situate partly in the New Forest, eastern division, and partly in the Portsdown division of the county of Southampton. Area 32,620 acres. Houses 1,565. Pop., in 1831, 8,408. BISHOP'S - WALTHAM. *:::::3% BISHOPS-WILTON. SeeWILTON (BISHoP's). BISHOPTHORP.E, or THoRPE-UPoN-OUSE, a parish and township in the ainstey of the city and union of York; 3% miles south by west of York, on the western bank of the river Ouse, and in the vicinity of the York and North Midland railway. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. and dio. of York, valued at £4; gross income £134; in the patronage of the archbishop of York. This parish possesses two day and Sunday National schools. Since the destruction of Cawood castle, in the parliamentary war, the palace erected here in the reign of John, by Archbishop Walter de Grey, has been the residence of the archbishops of York. The great and small tithes of the township, the property of the lay-impropriator and vicar, were commuted in 1757. De Grey also founded the chapel, which is in the early style of English architecture. The principal additions and alterations were made by Archbishop Drummond in 1763-6; and several new apartments were added by Archbishop Vermon. The pleasure- grounds occupy about six acres. Charities connected with this parish produce 3811 12s. per annum. Pop., in 1801, 218 ; in 1831, 445. Houses 79. Acres 760. A. P. 381,110. Poor rates, in 1837, :#101. BISHOPTON, a parish and village in the south- western division of Stockton ward, union of Sedge- field, co-palatine of Durham; 6 miles west-north- west of Stockton-on-Tees, and 2 miles south of the Clarence railway. It comprises the townships of Bishopton, East and West Newbiggins, and Little Stainton. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Durham, valued at £4 5s. 10d. ; gross income 26 179; in the patronage of Sherburn hospital. This parish possesses two daily schools containing 90 pupils, and a Sunday school. There are here vestiges of an intrenchment, supposed to have sur- rounded the mansion of Roger de Conyers, who, says Lambard, “in tyme of Kinge Stephen resistid one William Cumyn an ambitious prelate which sought by forcible and warlike means to invade the sea, and to have compelled the monkes of Durham to have elected him after Gaufride (which died about the yeare 1136,) their byshop, which bycause they re- fused to do, he beseiged, sacked, and spoiled, not only thabbey, but the towne of Durham also, withe suche crueltie and exquisite tormortes of deathe against suche as resisted him, as scarcely is the like to be found eyther in the Scottes or Danes them- selves, which have after a most barbarous sort often tymes heryed that quarter; howbeit, in thend, he bothe lost his desyre, and was compelled by the no- bilitie of the country (armed for that purpose) to submitte himselfe to the lawfully elect, whose name was William also; whatsoever the cause was, it is named of the byshop.” Pop. of the township, in 1801, 349; in 1831, 423. Houses 102. Acres 5,100. A. P. 362,067. Poor rates, in 1837, 3677. BISHOPTON, a township in the parish and liberty of Ripon, west riding of Yorkshire; 23 miles See WALTHAM west-north-west of Ripon. Pop., in 1801, 106; in 1831, 118. Houses 13. Acres 350. A. P. 361,161. Poor rates, in 1837, 3657. BISHOP-WEARMOUTH. See WEARMoUTH (*#): BISHTON, a parish in the lower division of the hund. of Caldecott, union of Newport, county of Monmouth; 4 miles south-east of Caerleon. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. and dio. of Llandaff, rated in the parliamentary returns at £60; gross income £51; in the patronage of the archdeacon ot Llandaff. There are two boarding schools here Pop., in 1801, 145; in 1831, 155. Houses 33. Acres 1,850. A. P. 361,364. Poor rates, in 1837, 3670. BISLEY HUNDRED, in the county of Glou- cester, is bounded on the north by the hund. ot Tewkesbury; on the north-east by that of Rapsgate, on the south-east by Crowthorne and Minety hund. , on the south by the hund. of Longtree; and on the west by that of Whitstone. Area 27,730 acres, | Houses 4,098. Pop., in 1831, 19,776. BISLEY, a market-town and extensive parish in the hund. of Bisley, union of Stroud, county of Gloucester, 97 miles west of London, and 3} east by north of Stroud, intersected by the Gloucester and Bristol railway, and the Stroudwater canal. The parish includes the chapelry of Chalford. The market-day is Thursday, but from the difficulty of access it is little attended. Fairs are held on May 4th, and November 12th, for cattle, sheep, and horses. The inhabitants are much employed in the manufac- ture of woollens. In 1838 there were 3 woollen mills here, employing 70 hands. The electors vote for the members for East Gloucester. Living, a vicarage in the archd. of Gloucester, and dio. of Gloucester and Bristol, valued at £19 10s. 5d. ; gross income 38528. Patron, the Crown. The church is an ele- gant building, in a mixed style of architecture. In the church-yard is an octagonal cross surmounted by an ancient font. The Independents have a chapel here. Here is a free school with an endowment of £13 14s. per annum, the master of which also receives £12 12s., for the education of ten boys, who are also clothed on an endowment given in 1820 by Mr. Taylor. There are thirteen other daily schools in this parish, two of which are partly supported by endowment, and five Sunday schools. Charities connected with the parish produce about £88 per annum. The common was given to the poor of Bisley by Roger Mortimer, earl of March, in the reign of Edward III. ; it consisted at first of 1200 acres, but has been in a great measure inclosed. Se- veral Roman antiquities have been found in the parish. Pop., in 1801, 4,227; in 1831, 5,896. Houses 1,264. Acres 7,980. A. P. 367,683. Poor rates, in 1837, 361,911. BISLEY, a parish in the hund. of Godley, union of Chertsey, county of Surrey; 4 miles south-east of Bagshot, in the vicinity of the Southampton and London railroad, and of the Basingstoke canal. Liv ing, a rectory in the archd. of Surrey and dio. of Winchester, valued at £7 16s. 8d. ; gross income £202. Patron, in 1835, S. Thornton, Esq. There are two daily schools here. Charities connected with the parish produce £24 4s. Pop., in 1801, 196; in 1831, 270. Houses 57. Acres 780. A. P. 261,025. Poor rates, in 1837, 3873. BISPHAM, a parish in the hund. of Amounder- mess, union of the Fylde, co-palatine of Lancaster; 2 miles west by north of Poulton, on the coast. It comprises the townships of Bispham with Norbreck, and Layton with Warbreck. Living, a perpetual curacy, formerly in the archd. of Richmond and dio. of Chester, now in the dio. of Manchester, valued at £8, and rated in the parliamentary returns at £150; BIS BIX 199 gross income £275, Patron, in 1835, P. K. Fleet- wood. There are four daily schools in this parish, one of which has an endowment of £70 per annum, and three Sunday schools. Pop., in 1801, 727; in 1831, 1,256. Houses 233. Acres 3,490. A. P. 367,616. Poor rates, in 1837, 36537. Pop. of the township, in 1801, 254; in 1831, 313. Houses 71. Žiš. 1,490. A. P. 363,177. Poor rates, in 1837, #195. - - BISPHAM, a township in the parish of Croston, hund. of Leyland, co-palatine of Lancaster; 6 miles north-east of Ormskirk, in the vicinity of the Leeds and Liverpool canal. Here is a free grammar-school, containing about 30 boys, founded by Richard Durn- ing, in 1692, and endowed with land producing £200 per annum. Pop., in 1801, 172; in 1831, 256. Houses * Acres 850. A. P. 361,736. Poor rates, in 1837, 499. BISTERN-CLOSES. See BURLEY. BITCHFIELD, a parish in the wapentake of Beltisloe, parts of Kesteven, union of Grantham, county of Lincoln; 3 miles north by west of Corby. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Lincoln, valued at £5 Ils. 5%d., and in the par- liamentary returns at £33; gross income £134; in the patronage of the bishop of Lincoln. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 95; in 1831, 135. Houses 26. Acres 1,540. A. P. £2,385. Poor rates, in 1837, 3662. BITCHFIELD, a township in the parish of Stamfordham, Tindale ward, county of Northumber- land; 1 mile north-east of Black Heddon. Pop., in 1801, 28; in 1831, 40. Houses 6. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1837, 368. BITTADON, a parish in the hund. of Braunton, south Molton division of Devon, county of Devon; 5% miles north by west of Barnstaple. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Barnstaple and dio. of Exe- ter, valued at £6 2s. 83d., and rated in the parlia- mentary returns at £90; gross income £83. Patron, in 1835, G. Barbor, Esq. Pop., in 1801, 24; in 1831, 57. Houses 8. Acres 5,100. B. P. 36698. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.18. BITTERING (LITTLE). See BEESTON. BITTERLEY, a parish partly in the hund. of Munslow, and partly in that of Overs, county of Salop; 4 miles north-east by east of Ludlow. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Salop and dio. of Hereford, Valued at £18 6s. 8d.: united with the curacy of Middleton; gross income £652; nett income £555. Patron, in 1835, Sir J. D. King, Bart. The church of Bitterley is a handsome structure, consisting of a body without side aisles. The chancel is divided from the body by a screen of oak carved in open quatre foils; at the top are foliage and grotesque ornaments. It contains an ancient stone font. The pulpit is of oak, finely carved. In the church-yard is an elegant stone cross, raised on steps, supporting an hexagonal shaft. On the top are tabernacled niches, containing sculptured representations of the Virgin and Child, the crucifixion, &c.—This parish possesses, five daily schools, one of which is partly supported by an endowment, consisting of the rent of a small estate of the value of £36 per annum. Other charities connected with the parish produce about £28 per annum.—The Clee hill near the church-yard, is a bold and grand object, upon the top of which are the remains of an encampment, said to be Roman. Its extreme point, called Titterstone, appears to be of volcanic formation. Many parts of the hill afford very extensive prospects, varied and beautiful. The interior of this immense mountain produces coal and ironstone in abundance. The in- habitants of Bitterley are chiefly miners, and, in 1831, 50 men were employed in the collieries here. in 1801, 1,083; in 1831, 1,194. Houses 232. Acres 5,610. A. P. 383,574. Poor rates, in 1837, £728. BITTERN AND POLLOCK, a tything in the parish of South Stoneham, hund. of Mansbridge, Fawley division of the county of Southampton ; 2 miles north-east of Southampton, in the vicinity of the Southampton and London railroad. It is within the jurisdiction of the Cheyney-court of Winchester. This was the seat of the Roman Clausentum, and relics of the Romans have been found here. Pop. in 1831, 703. Houses 139. Other returns with the arish. BITTESBY, a liberty in the parish of Clay- brooke, hund. of Guthlaxton, county of Leicester; 3 miles west by north of Lutterworth, on the line of the Midland Counties railway. Pop., in 1831, 11. House 1. A. P. 381,204. Poor rates, in 1837, 3628. BITTESWELL, a small parish and village in the hund. of Guthlaxton, county of Leicester; 1 mile north by west of Lutterworth, and 2 miles east of the Midland Counties railway. Living, a vicarage, formerly in the archd. of Leicester and dio. of Lin- coln, now in the dio. of Peterborough, valued at £4 3s. 0}d.; gross income £428; in the patronage of the Haberdashers' company and Christ's Hospital, London. The church has been renovated within these few years. All tithes, the property of the Haberdashers' company, London, and the vicar, were commuted in 1787. There is a daily school here. Charities connected with this parish produce 3858 7s. per annum. Pop., in 1801, 398; in 1831, 439 Houses 97. Acres 2,630. A. P. £3,064. Poor rates, in 1837, 38.255. BITTON, a parish in the upper division of the hund. of Langley and Swinehead, county of Glou- cester; 6 miles south-east of Briston, on the northern bank of the river Avon, and in the vicinity of the Great Western railway. It comprises the chapelries of Hanham and Oldland, with the hamlet of Bitton. Living, a discharged vicarage, formerly in the dio. of Gloucester, now in the archd. of Bristol, and dio. of Gloucester and Bristol, valued at £18 15s. ; gross income £350. The church is a handsome edifice in the Norman style of architecture. A new church has been erected here by the parliamentary commis- sioners, in the Gothic style, with a tower, at an ex- pense of £2,293. Sittings 1,019. There are seven daily and seven Sunday schools in this parish, be- sides three infant schools. Charities connected with Bitton produce about £27 per annum. In this parish are extensive collieries, and much iron ore ; 531 men are employed in coal-mines, quarries, and on the railroad. At Hanham there are traces of a camp and station of the Romans. Pop., in 1801, 4,992; in 1831, 8,703. Houses 1,696. Acres 7,520. A. P. £15,373. Pop. of the hamlet, in 1801, was 1,094; and in 1831, 2,258. Houses 435. A. P. 47,386. Poor rates, in 1837, 36753. BIX, or BIXBRAND, a parish in the hund. of Binfield, union of Henley, county of Oxford; 4 miles north-west by north of Henley-on-Thames. Living, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Oxford, valued at 9 lbs. ; gross income £500. Patron, in 1835, the Earl of Macclesfield. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 303; in 1831,409. Houses 77. Acres 3,130. A. P. £2,957. Poor rates, in 1837, fö75. BIXLEY, or BExLEY, a parish in the hund. and union of Henstead, county of Norfolk; 3 miles south- east by south of Norwich, on the line of the railroad from London to Norwich. Living, a discharged rectory with Earl's Framlingham, in the archd. of Norfolk and dio. of Norwich, valued at £5; gross income £691. Patron, in 1835, Charles Brereton, Esq. Pilgrimages were formerly made here to the Pop. I image of St. Wandegisilus, the patron saint. Bexley BLA BLA 200 Hall, the seat of the Earl of Roseberry, is a hand- some, well-built edifice, erected about the middle of last century, by Sir Edward Ward. It is situated in well-wooded grounds near the high-road lead- ing from Norwich to Bungay. Pop., in 1801, 33; in 1821, 84. Houses 20. Acres 760. A. P. 381,408. Poor rates, in 1837, £70. BLABY, a parish in the hund. of Guthlaxton, union of Blaby, county of Leicester; 4 miles south by west of Leicester, on the line of the Midland Counties railway, and intersected by the Union canal. It includes the chapelry of Countess-Thorpe. I.iv- ing, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Leicester and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Peterborough, valued at £15 5s. ; gross income £400. Patron, the Crown. The great and small tithes, the pro- perty of the clerical rector, were commuted in 1766. The Baptists have a place of worship here; the church was formed in 1807. This parish possesses eight daily and four Sunday schools. Pop., in 1801, 1258; in 1831, 1840. Houses 381. Acres 3,300. A. P. 364,845. Poor rates, in 1837, £462.—A work- house has been erected here by the poor-law com- missioners, for the union of Blaby, at an expense of 384,400, capable of accommodating 350 persons.— The Blaby poor-law union comprehends 22 parishes, embracing an area of 53 square miles; with a popu- lation returned in 1831 at 13,061. The average annual expenditure on the poor of this district, dur- ing the three years preceding the formation of the union, was £9,145. Expenditure, in 1838, £6,604. BLACKAUTON, a parish in the hund. of Cole- ridge, union of King's-bridge, county of Devon; 5 miles west of Dartmouth. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. of Totness and dio. of Exeter, valued at £15 8s. 9d., and in the parliamentary returns at £118; gross income £128. Patron, in 1835, J. H. Seale, Esq. The church contains a Norman font and a richly carved wooden screen. There is a daily school in this parish. Pop., in 1801, 1,019; in 1831, 1,477. Houses 212. Acres 5,850. A. P. 368,332. Poor rates, in 1837, 36886. BLACKBOROUGH, a parish in the hund, of Hayridge, county of Devon; 5 miles east-south-east of Cullompton. Living, a rectory in the archd, and dio. of Exeter, valued at £4, and in the parliamen- tary returns at £113; gross income £140. Patron, in 1835, the Earl of Egremont. The church is desecrated, and the inhabitants resort to the church of Kentisbere, with which parish the population is returned. BLACKBOROUGH, or BLACKBURGH, in the parish of Middleton, hund. of Free-bridge, county of Norfolk.—“Roger de Scales, and Muriel his wife, temp. Henry II., brought some monks to this place, (then also called Shiplade,) and built a priory for them to the honour of the blessed Virgin and St. Catherine, wherein were afterward religious of both sexes, under the government of Hamo Wauter and Maud his mother, but Robert, son to the said Roger Scales, before the year 1200, settled this house upon nuns of the order of St. Benedict, who continued here (about ten in number) till the general suppres- sion, when it was rated at £76 3s. 9d., per annum. It was granted to the bishop of Norwich and his successors, 49 Edward VI.”—Tanner's Not. Mon. BLACKBOURNE HUNDRED, in the lathe of Scray, county of Kent. Area 17,050 acres. Houses 449. Population, in 1831, 2,829. BLACKBOURN HUNDRED, in the county of Suffolk, is bounded on the north by the county of Norfolk; on the west by the hundred of Lackford; on the south by that of Thedwestry; and on the east by the hundred of Hartesmere. Area 67,370 acres. Houses 1,929. Pop., in 1831, 14,267. | BLACKBROOK (THE), a river, running into the Stour, near Loughborough, county of Leicester. BLACKBURN HUNDRED, in the co-palatine of Lancaster, consists of two divisions—higher and lower—and is bounded on the north and east by Yorkshire; on the south by the hundred of Salford; on the south-west by that of Leyland; and on the west by Amounderness hundred. Area 175,590 acres. Houses 29,509. Pop., in 1831, 168,057. Petty- sessions for places generally within the higher and lower divisions of the hund., are held at Blackburn, Clitheroe, Whalley, and at other places, when and where the magistrates' services are required. BLACKBURN, A parish and market-town in the lower division of the hund. and union of Blackburn, co-palatine of Lancaster; 212 miles north-west of London, 30 south-east of Lancaster, and 24 north-north-west of Manchester, intersected by the Leeds and Liverpool canal, which passes close to the town, and affords an extensive line of inland navigation. The parish comprises 23 townships, viz. the market-town of Blackburn, and the townships of Balderston, Bil- lington, Lango, Great Harward, Over Darwen, Salisbury, Samlesbury, Tockholes, Walton-le-dale, Clayton-le-dale, Cuerdale, Lower Darwen, Dinkley, Eccleshill, Little Harwood, Livesley, Mellor, Os- baldeston, Pleasington, Ramsgrave, Richton, Wilp- shire, and Witton. These townships, except such as are under the immediate care of the vicar of Blackburn, are divided into 8 chapelries. The par- ish of Blackburn, which is 14 miles long by 10 broad, was originally part of the parish of Whalley. Ecclesiastical Affairs, &c.]—The living is a vicar- age, formerly in the archd. and dio. of Chester, now in the dio. of Manchester, valued at £8 ls. 8d. ; gross income £918. The church was originally part of the ancient monastery of Whalley, but was almost entirely rebuilt in 1819. In 1826, a new church was completed at an expense of £26,000. Besides these, there are the chapels of St. John, St. Peter, and St. Paul, the livings of which are curacies, and, as well as all the out-chapelries in this parish, in the patronage of the vicar, but independent of him in point of revenue. The Baptists, Independents, Scot- tish Secession, Society of Friends, Methodists, Swe- denborgians, Unitarians, and Roman Catholics, have places of worship here. The oldest Baptist church was formed in 1760; the Wesleyan Methodist church in 1780; one of Association Methodists in 1838; and a church of Primitive Methodists in 1825. In 1778 a church of a Presbyterian character was formed, which, in 1792, became Independent. A second In- dependent chapel is now (1840) in process of erection. The Baptists have also a second chapel in course of erection. The Secession church was formed in 1828. —Here is a free grammar-school, founded in 1567, and endowed with £120 per annum; also a school in which 90 girls receive instruction and clothing, founded in 1764 by William Leyland. There are 53 daily, 50 Sunday-schools, and 14 infant-schools in this parish. Several of these schools are conducted on the principles of the National, and others on those of the British and Foreign school system. There are also several charitable institutions and donations to the poor: among others, a strangers' friend so- ciety, and a society for the relief of poor women during childbirth. The Independents have at present an academy here for the education of young men for the ministry, but it is intended shortly to remove this institution to the neighbourhood of Manchester. General description.] — The market-town of Blackburn was formerly the capital of a sterile dis- BLACKBURN. 201 trict called Blackburnshire. It stands on a small stream, anciently called Blakeburn, or the yellow stream; and is sheltered by hills on the north-east and north-west. The country around is barren, but has been much improved by cultivation. The streets are irregularly built, partly owing to the intermixture of glebe and other lands; but they contain some good houses, and are paved, lighted with gas, and watched under the provisions of an act of parliament. There is a good supply of water; and an act for bet- ter lighting with gas the town and township was passed in the session of 1837–8. A theatre was erected here in 1818, and there are assembly-rooms, and a subscription library. Two newspapers are published in this town; and there is a savings' bank. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in the various branches of the cotton-manufacture. In 1821, of 9,795 families in this parish, only 552 were employed in agriculture. In 1838 there were 44 cotton mills, employing 10,460 hands. Under the reform act, Blackburn returns two members to par- liament. The number of electors is about 840. Manufactures.]—“The manufactures of Black- burn,” says Baines, in his excellent ‘Lancashire Directory,” “appear to have arisen in the time of the commonwealth, and may be dated about the year 1650. The first fabrics for which this place was distinguished, were called Blackburn checks, a species of cloth consisting of a linen warp and cot- ton woof, one or both of which being dyed in the thread gave to the piece, when woven, a striped or checked appearance. This article was afterwards superseded by the Blackburn greys, so called from the colour, neither the warp nor the weft having been dyed. The component parts of this cloth con- sisted of a mixture of linen and cotton, and when manufactured, the pieces were generally sent to London to be printed. The great era of improve- ments in the cotton business, which opened about the year 1765, led the manufacturers of this district to turn their attention to the making of calicoes, so called from their resemblance to the India manu- facture brought from the province of Calicut, and from that time to the present Blackburn has enjoyed the advantages of this branch of the cotton business. more perhaps than any other place in Lancashire. James Hargrave, a carpenter of Blackburn, was amongst the first of those persons who endeavoured to overcome the disadvantages under which the cot- ton weavers laboured, owing to the want of yarn when it was to be produced by the distaff and the spindle. This ingenious artisan, in 1767, according to the statement submitted to the house of com- mons, by Mr. (afterwards Sir Richard) Arkwright, “constructed an engine that would at once spin 20 or 30 threads of cotton into yarn for the fustian manufacture; but because it was likely to answer in some measure the end proposed, his engines were burnt and destroyed (by a mob), and himself driven out of Lancashire; he afterwards removed to Not- tingham in 1769, and obtained a patent for his en- gine; but his patent right was invaded, and his in- yention being thus cruelly wrested from him, he died in obscurity and in great distress.’ This represent- ation, made by Mr. Arkwright, does not appear to be strictly correct: though James Hargrave did construct, he did not invent the spinning machine. The merit of inventing the crank and comb for tak- ing the carding from the cylinder of the carding-engine belongs to James Hargrave, and fairly ranks this ingenious, but ill-fated man, amongst that class of worthies to which Lancashire is indebted for its present pre-eminence in the manufacture of cotton. The number of pieces of cotton goods manufactured at Blackburn weekly is now estimated at 49,200, the workmanship of which, in the various processes, gives employment to 10,000 persons, and the annual value of these goods before they are dyed and printed, is calculated at two millions sterling. One of the causes of the extent of the cotton manufac- ture here is to be found in the abundant supply or fuel furnished by the southern part of this parish, and another in the skill, industry, and enterprise of the inhabitants. Although Blackburn may justly lay claim to the earliest improvements in spinning machinery, yet it is only within the last seven years that the spinning of cotton has been carried on in this town and neighbourhood to any great extent. Where property is not secure, trade can never flour- ish, at least not that particular branch of it to which the insecurity applies. It has been seen that the machines of James Hargrave, the patentee of the spinning jenny, were destroyed by popular violence, as early as the year 1769; and ten years afterwards a spinning factory, on a large scale, established at Wensley Fold. 1 mile to the west of this town, shared the same fate. The natural consequence of these outrages was to drive persons inclined to pro- secute this branch of the manufacture to Manchester and other places where the business was less ob- noxious. Nearly half a century was necessary to inspire public confidence; but about the end of the revolutionary war spinning manufactories began to be erected here, and there are now about 100,000 spindles at work in the town and its immediate vicinity, which yield an average weight of yarn of about 100,000 lbs. weekly, chiefly about 40 hanks to the pound.” Government, &c.] The town is regulated by com- missioners, appointed according to act of parliament, and by constables. It is within the jurisdiction of the magistrates of the hundred, who hold petty- sessions here. The market-days are Wednesday and Saturday. . A convenient market-place is much wanted; Fleming square, which is now used, being much too small. In this square is a handsome cloth hall for the exhibition and sale of woollens. Fairs for horses, horned cattle, and toys, are held on Easter Monday and Tuesday, May 11th and 12th, and October 17th. The Manchester and Liverpool District bank, and the Commercial bank of England, have branches here. . . There are penny-posts to Whalley, Darwen, Gisburne, Accrington, and Cli- theroe. Pop., in 1790, 5,000; in 1801, 33,531; in 1831, 59,791. Houses 10,041. Acres 45,620. A. P. £107,639. Poor rates, in 1837, £10,893. Pop. of the town, in 1801, 11,980; in 1831, 27,091. Houses 4,594. Acres 3,610. A. P. 3637,758. Poor rates, in 1837, 383,840—Robert Bolton, a celebrated divine, was born at Blackburn in 1572.-It is in contemplation to form a railway from Preston, by Blackburn, to Todmorden on the Manchester and Leeds railway :—see ToDMORDEN. BLACKBURTON, a parochial town in the mund. of Bampton, union of Witney, county of Oxford; 5% miles south-south-east of Burford. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd, and dio. of Oxford; valued at £140; gross income £160; in the patronage of the dean and canons of Christ church. The im. propriate and vicarial tithes, moduses, &c., the pro- perty of the dean of Oxford and the vicar, were com- muted in 1770. There are two daily schools here. Pop., in 1801, 273; in 1831, 352. Houses 66. Acres 1,300. A. P. 36346. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.216. BLACK-CALLERTON, a township in the par- ish of Newburn, west division of Castle ward, county of Northumberland; 6 miles north-west of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. There is a daily school in this township endowed with £9 10s. per annum, payable for ever out of the Black-Callerton estate l, 2 C BLA BLA 202. There is also a Sunday school, to which a lending library is attached. Pop., in 1801, 495; in 183}, 438. Houses 80. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1837, 293. BLACK-CHAPEL. See WALTHAM (GREAT). BLACKDEN, a township in the parish of Sand- bach, hund. of Northwich, co-palatine of Chester; 63 miles south-south-east of Nether Knutsford, on the line of the Chester extension railway. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 136; in 1831, 170. Houses 32. Acres 760. A. P. £2,018. Poor rates, in 1837, £122. BLACKDOWN, or BLADEN, a ridge of hills in the county of Dorset. Here are many pits, running from east to west; they are of the form of an in- verted cone, in some instances 60 yards across, and never containing water even in the wettest seasons. Their origin is ascribed to the Druidical priests. BLACKENHURST HUNDRED, in the county of Worcester, consists of two divisions, lower and upper; the former is situated in the division of Northfield; the latter in that of Pershore. Area 17,340 acres. Houses 683. Pop., in 1831, 3,115. BLACKFORD, a parish in the hund. of Whitley, union of Wincanton, county of Somerset; 4% miles west-south-west of Wincanton. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. of Wells and dio. of Bath and Wells; valued at £6 11s. 0}d., and in the parlia- mentary returns at £1295s. 3d. ; gross income £177. Patrons, in 1835, the heirs of J. Hunt. It is an an- tient building in the early style of English architec- ture, with a Norman arch at the entrance. Pop., in 1801, 159; in 1831, 192. Houses 21. Acres 680. A. P. £948. Poor rates, in 1837, £67. BLACKFORDBY, a chapelry in the parish of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, western division of the hund. of Goscote, county of Leicester; 2 miles west-north- west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. This chapelry pos- sesses a daily school and two Sunday schools. Pop., in 1801, 243; in 1831, 327. Houses 67. Acres 1,320. A. P. 362,039. Poor rates, in 1837, 36 123. BLACKHEATH HUNDRED, in the lathe of Sutton-at-Hone, county of Kent. Area 16,580 acres. Houses 13,483. Pop., in 1831, 77,690. BLACKHEATH, a hamlet, chiefly in the parish of Greenwich, but extending into those of Lewis- ham, Lee, and Charlton, hund. of Blackheath, lathe of Sutton-at-Hone, county of Kent; 6% miles south- east of London, in the vicinity of the Croydon rail- road, and the Croydon canal. On this heath, and in its vicinity, there are many handsome villas. Here are two episcopal chapels, the one in the parish of Lewisham, and the other in an extra-parochial place called Kidbrook. There are also several schools here. The most important is the free grammar- school, founded and endowed in 1652 by the Rev. Abraham Colfe, vicar of Lewisham, for the instruc- tion of 31 boys of Lewisham and the adjoining parishes, and for the sons of all the clergy in the hundred of Blackheath. On the east side of the heath is Morden college, for the support of decayed merchants above sixty years of age. It was com- pleted in 1695, by Sir John Morden, Bart., an afflu- ent Turkey merchant, who was interred in the chapel here in 1708. He endowed it with the manor of Old-court, now producing 381,600 per annum. The establishment consists of 30 brethren, who must be upwards of 50 years of age, and a chaplain. The inmates dine at a common table, and receive £20 per annum each.—The hundred of Blackheath is called in Domesday book the hundred of Grenoez, i. e. Greenwich, but the present name was in use in the 7° Edward I., and was probably derived either from the bleakness of its situation or the nature of its soil. From its vicinity to London, Blackheath has been the scene of several memorable transactions. In the reign of Richard II, the insur- gents under Wat Tyler assemb’ed here, as did Jack Cade and his followers in 145l. Foreign ambassa- dors have been met here in great pomp, and the cor- poration of London received Henry V. at this place on his return from the battle of Agincourt. The Cornish rebels under Lord Audley were met here, and vanquished by Henry VII., in 1497.—In the immediate vicinity of the heath, towards Deptford, a cavern, consisting of several irregular chambers, excavated from solid chalk, was discovered about 1780. It is supposed to have been intended as a retreat during the struggles of the Danes and Saxons. Fairs are held here on May 12th and October 11th for bullocks, horses, and toys. BLACKHEATH HUNDRED, in the county of Surrey, consists of two divisions, first and second, and is bounded on the north by the hundred of Woking; on the east by that of Watton; on the south by the county of Sussex; and on the west by the hundred of Godalming. Area 40,930 acres. Houses 1,504. Pop., in 1831, 8,681. BLACKHEDDON, a township in the parish of Stamfordham, north-east division of Tindale ward, county of Northumberland; 14 miles north-west of Newcastle-on-Tyne. Pop., in 1801, 56; in 1831, 64. Houses 12. Poor rates, in 1837, 3676. BLACKHOUSE, in the parish of Polton, hund. of Bewsbury, lathe of St. Augustine, county of Kent. Tanner says that here was “a priory of White or Premonstratensian canons dedicated to St. Nicholas, at first a cell to Lavinden in Bucks, but afterwards annexed to St. Radegund's near Dover.” BLACKLAND, a parish in the hund. and union of Calne, county of Wilts; 13 mile south-east of Calne, on the post-road to Marlborough. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. of Wilts and dio. of Salisbury; valued at £3 10s. 10d. ; gross income #160. Patron, in 1835, the Rev. James Mayo. Pop., in 1801, 48; in 1831, 55. Houses 13. Acres 460. A. P. 381,613. Poor rates, in 1837, 3633. BLACKLEY, or BLAKELEY, a chapelry in the parish of Manchester, hund. of Salford, co-palatine of Lancaster; 23 miles north of Manchester. Liv- ing, a curacy, not in charge, formerly in the archd. and dio. of Chester, now in the dio. of Manchester; rated at £1329s. ; gross income £140; in the pas tronage of the collegiate church of Manchester. The church was built about A. D. 1610, and has recently been enlarged. The Wesleyan Methodists. Independents, and Socinians, have meeting-houses here. A Presbyterian church was formed in 1700; a Methodist church in 1806. This chapelry possesses five daily and four Sunday schools. Some of the most extensive dyeing works in England are situated here. The river Irk waters this place. Pop., in 1801, 2,361; in 1831, 3,020. Houses 492. Acres 1,840. A. P. £5,455. Poor rates, in 1837, 36456. BLACKLOW HILL, in the hund, of Knightlow, Warwickshire, 2 miles north of Warwick, is memor- able as being the spot where Piers Gaveston, the ill-starred minion of Edward II, was beheaded by order of the Earl of Warwick and other powerful barons. A grey-stone cross, bearing the following inscription, marks the place of execution :-‘‘ In the hollow of this rock was beheaded, on the 1st day of July 1312, by barons, lawless as himself, Piers Gaveston, Earl of Cornwall; the minion of a hate- ful king—in life and death a memorable instance of misrule.” From the summit of the hill a delightful and diversified view of surrounding scenery is ob- tained. BLACKMANSTONE. See DYMCHURCH. BLACKMORE, a parish in the hund, of Chelms- BLA BLA 203 ford, union of Ongar, county of Essex; 3% miles north-west by west of Ingatestone. Living, a vicar- age in the archd. of Essex and dio. of London; valued at £6 13s. 4d., and in the parliamentary re- turns at £52; gross income £83. Patrons, in 1835, the representatives of C. A. Crickitt, Esq. There are four daily and two Sunday schools in this parish. Here “an hermitage or priory of Black canons was built by Adam and Jordan de Samford, to the hon- our of St. Lawrence, before or in the beginning of King John's reign. This was one of the small monasteries which Cardinal Wolsey procured to be dissolved, 17th Henry VIII., in order to the endow- ment of his two colleges at Oxford and Ipswich, at which time the earl of Oxford claimed to be founder, and it was valued at £859s. 7d. per annum. Upon the attainder of the cardinal, this priory was granted in exchange, 23d Henry VIII. to Waltham abbey; and after the general suppression, to John Smith, 23d Henry VIll.” Tanner's Not. Mon. A fair is held here on August 21st for cattle in general. Pop., in 1801, 591; in 1831, 648. Houses 127. Acres 1,990. A. P. 364,248. Poor rates, in 1837, 28280. BLACKPOOL, a chapelry in the parish of Bisp- ham, hund, of Amounderness, co-palatine of Lan- caster; 4 miles south-west of Poulton, on the coast. Living, a perpetual curacy, formerly in the archd. of Richmond and dio. of Chester, now in the dio. of Manchester; of the yearly value of £130; in the patronage of the perpetual curate of Bispham. The chapel was erected in 1821. Here is also an Inde- pendent chapel. , Blackpool, which was formerly an inconsiderable hamlet, is now much resorted to in summer as a bathing-place, and has therefore in- creased considerably. The visitors—chiefly from Manchester—are sometimes so numerous as 800. There are some good hotels, and two coaches run daily between this place and Preston. The beach is smooth and sandy, and therefore excellently adapt- ed for bathers; the view from the beach on a fine day is varied and extensive, commanding the pro- montory of Furness, the fells of Westmoreland, the crags of Lancashire, the hills of Cumberland, and the mountains of North Wales. A theatre, library, and news-room, have lately been erected, and assem- blies are occasionally held. The pool which gives name to the place is at the south end of the village near a house called Foxhall, once the residence of the Tyldesleys. The sea appears to have encroached very considerably on the land at this place. At the south end of the chapelry is a building, called Vaux- hall, now in a ruinous condition, but formerly the retreat of popish recusants. In 1715 the Pretender was concealed here till matters were ripe for a gene- ral insurrection. Returns with the township of Layton and Warbrick. BLACKROD, a village and chapelry in the parish of Bolton, hund. of Salford, co-palatine of Lancas- ter; 4% miles south-south-east of Chorley, in the Vicinity of the Leeds and Liverpool canal, and the Wigan and Preston railway. Living, a perpetual curacy, formerly in the archd. and dio. of Chester, now in the dio. of Manchester; valued at £21 0s. 9d., and rated in the parliamentary returns at £139 10s. 5d., gross income £100; in the patronage of the vicar of Bolton. Here is a free grammar-school, containing 117 pupils, with an endowment of £140 per annum. For scholars on the foundation there are three exhibitions, of £60, £70, and £80 per annum, for four years, at Pembroke college, Cam- bridge, founded in 1568 by John Holmes. There is a house for the master. Here are also two Sunday schools. This place is pleasantly situated upon elevated ground, and is supposed to be on the site of the Roman station which Antoninus calls Coccium, and Ptolemy, Rigodunum. Pop., in 1801, 1,623; in 1831, 2,591. Houses 447. Acres 2,660. A. P. £4,618. Poor rates, in 1837, £365. BLACKSTONE-EDGE, a range of high hills in the hund. of Salford, parish of Rochdale, Lancashire, forming part of ‘the Backbone of England;’ 6 miles east-north-east of Rochdale. The division stone of the counties of York and Lancaster stands on the summit of these hills, near Whiteholm reservoir. BLACKTAIL, a great shoal on the coast of Essex, below Leigh-road, or Canvoy island. It runs out nearly three leagues to sea, and a beacon has been erected on it by the brethren of the Trinity house. BLACKTHORN, a hamlet, formerly a chapelry, in the parish of Ambrosden, hund. of Bullington, county of Oxford; 3 miles south-east by east of Bicester. The great and small tithes, the property of the bishop of Oxford and vicar, were commuted in 1776. Pop., in 1801, 305; in 1831,417. Houses 81. Acres 2,280. A. P. 362,179. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.192. BLACKTOFT, a parish in the wapentake of Howdenshire, union of Howden, east riding of York- shire; 7 miles south-east by east of Howden, and 23 miles south of the Selby and Hull railroad. ... It comprises the townships of Blacktoft and Scalby. Living, a curacy in the archd. of the east riding and dio. of York; valued at £20, and rated in the par- liamentary returns at £38; gross income £58; in the patronage of the dean and chapter of Durham. There is a daily school in this parish. . The village stands near the junction of the Ouse with the Trent. Pop., in 1801, 238; in 1831, 267. Houses 74. Acres 2,730. A. P. 362,434. Poor rates, in 1837, 36230. BLACK-TORRINGTON. See ToBRINGTon- BLACK. BLACK-TORRINGTON HUNDRED, in the county of Devon. Area 141,600 acres. Houses 3,337. Pop., in 1831, 19,492. BLACKWALL. See PopLAR and BLACKWALL. BLACKWATER (THE), a river rising near Cranbrook in Dorset, and falling into the Stour. BLACKWATER (THE), a river rising in the north-west part of the county of Essex, near Saffron- Walden, and, after uniting with the Chelmer, falling into the estuary called Blackwater bay. BLACKWELL, a township in the parish of Bakewell, hund. of High Peak, county of Derby; 34 miles south-west of Tidswell. Pop., in 1801, 55; in 1831, 69. Houses 10. A. P. 36712. Poor rates, in 1837, 3622. BLACKWELL, a parish in the hund. of Scars- dale, county of Derby; 3 miles north-east of Alfre- ton. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. of Derby and dio. of Lichfield and Coventry; valued at £5.4s.2d.; gross income £113; in the patronage of the duke of Devonshire. Pop., in 1801, 420; in 1831,432. Houses 99. Acres 1,700. A. P. 362,062. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.193. BLACKWELL, a township in the parish of Darlington, ward of Darlington, south-east division, co-palatine of Durham; 1 mile south-west by south of Darlington, on the eastern bank of the Tees, which is here navigable, and in the vicinity of the Great North of England railway. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 277; in 1831, 271. Houses 48. Acres 1,670. A. P. 383,377. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.202. BLACKWELL, a hamlet in the parish of Tred- ington, hund. of Oswaldslow, county of Worcester; 23 miles north-north-west of Shipston-upon-Stour, in the vicinity of the Moreton and Stratford-on-Avon railroad. Pop., in 1811, 198; in 1831, 176. Houses 48. Other returns with the parish. BLA BLA 204 BLACKWELL, or BLACKHALL (HIGH), a town- BLAEN-PENAI, a chapelry in the parish of . ship in the parish of St. Cuthbert, within the liber- ties of the city of Carlisle, county of Cumberland; 24 miles south of Carlisle, in the immediate vicinity of the Carlisle railroad. This manor was given by Margaret de Wigton, heiress of Sir John de Wigton, to Sir Robert Parvinge, sergeant-at-law, and after- wards lord-chancellor, in the reign of Edward III., for successfully conducting her cause against Sir Robert de Bridekirk, who had impugned her title to the barony of Wigton. Here is a school with a small endowment. Pop., in 1801, 265; in 1831, 268. Houses 45. Other returns with the parish. BLACKWELL, or BLACKHALL (Low), a town- ship in the parish of St. Cuthbert, within the liber- ties of Carlisle, county of Cumberland; 2 miles south of Carlisle. Pop., in 1801, 105; in 1831, 150. Houses 29. Other returns with the parish. BLACKWOOD AND CROWBOROUGH, a township in the parish of Horton, hund. of Totmon- slow, county of Stafford; 4 miles west of Leek. There is a Sunday school here, attended by 80 chil- dren, Pop., in 1811, 354; in 1831, 527. Houses 106. Acreage with the parish. A. P. 381,708. Poor rates, in 1837, 36 166. BI, ACKWORTH. See BACKworTH. BLACON witH CRABHALL, a township in the parish of the Holy Trinity, hund. of Wirrall, co-palatine of Chester; 2 miles west-south-west of Chester, in the vicinity of the Chester and Birken- head railroad. Pop., in 1801, 36; in 1831, 72. Houses 12. Acres 1,170. A. P. £1,852. Poor rates, in 1837, 3684. BLADON, a parish in the hund. of Wooton, union of Woodstock, county of Oxford; 2 miles south of Woodstock. Living, a rectory with the chapelry of Woodstock, in the archd. and dio. of Oxford; valued at £160s. 5d. ; gross income £446. Patron, in 1835, the Duke of Marlborough. All tithes, the property of the clerical rector, were com- muted in 1766. There is a Sunday school here, containing 66 scholars, endowed with £1 10s. per annum. In 1798 an alms-house was erected here by the late Duchess of Marlborough for six poor women, endowed with £3,000 three per cent. consols. Each alms-woman receives £1 monthly. Other charities connected with this parish produce about £18 per annum. This parish contains the hamlet of Hensing- ton, and unites with the borough of New Woodstock and adjacent parishes, in returning one member to parliament. Pop., in 1801, 351 ; in 1831, 585. Houses 125. Acres 1,350. A. P. 361,986. Poor rates, in 1837, 36272. BLAEN-AERON, a township in the parish of Caron, or Tregaron, hund. of Penarth, county of Cardigan, South Wales; 4 miles north-east of Tre- garon. There are two dissenting chapels here. Pop., in 1801, 250; in 1831, 304. Other returns with the parish. BLAENCARON, a township in the parish of Caron, hund. of Penarth, county of Cardigan, South Wales. Pop., in 1821, 96; in 1831, 94. Houses 21. Other returns with the parish. BLAENGWRACK, a hamlet in the parish of Glynncorwg, hund. of Neath, county of Glamorgan; 10 miles north-east of Neath. Pop., in 1801, 132; in 1831, 414. Houses 69. A. P. 36.242. Poor rates, in 1837, 36127. BLAEN-HONDDAN, a hamlet in the parish of Cadoxton, hund. of Neath, county of Glamorgan, South Wales; 3 miles north-north-west of Neath. There are a daily and a Sunday National school here. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in copper-mines in the vicinity. Pop., in 1801, 801; in 1831, 1,029. Houses 218, A. P. 36.684, Poor rates, in 1837, 36497. ; i Llan-ddewr-brefi, hund. of Penarth, county of Car- digan, South Wales; l l miles north by east of Lam- peter. Living, a curacy in the archd. of Cardigan and dio. of St. David's; valued at 13s. 4d., and rated in the parliamentary returns at £80; gross income 2894. Patrons, in 1835, the Earl of Lis- burne, and R. Price, Esq., alternately. There is a daily school here, endowed with 26.5 per annum. Pop., in 1801, 331; in 1831, 543. Houses 109. A. P. 36700. Poor rates, in 1837, 3672. BLAEN-PORTH, a parish in the hund. or Troedyraur, union and county of Cardigan, South Wales; 6 miles east by north of Cardigan. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. of Cardigan and dio. of St. David's; valued at £5, and rated in the par- liamentary returns at 2659 19s. ; gross income £97. Patrons, in 1835, the Earl of Lisburne, and J. W. Loyd, Esq., alternately. There are three Sunday schools here, containing 207 children. On a tumu- lus in this parish stood an ancient fortress of great strength, thought to have been built by Gilbert, earl of Clare. In 1116 it was besieged and taken by Gryffydd-ap-Rhys, and subsequently demolished. There are also traces of two ancient encampments in this neighbourhood, the one called Caer Sonydd, the other Castell Tydur, or Tudor's castle, on the sea-coast. Pop., in 1801, 538; in 1831, 695. Houses lö5. A. P. f. 1,260. Poor rates, in 1837, 28228. BLAGDON, a township in the parish of Stans nington, western division of Castle ward, county of Northumberland; 7 miles south of Morpeth. Blag- don was held of the barony of Morpeth by John de Plessis, in the time of Henry III. In 1567 it be- longed to the Fenwicks, who sold it to the Whites. Pop, returned with the parish. HLAGD ON. See PITMINSTER. BLAGDON, a parish in the hund, of Winter. stoke, union of Axbridge, county of Somerset; 6 miles north-east of Axbridge. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Wells and dio. of Bath and Wells; valued at £29 13s. 9d. ; gross income £260. Pa- tron, in 1835, George Thorne, Esq. The church was lately rebuilt. The Methodists have a meeting- house here. There are seven daily schools in this parish, one of which, containing 50 pupils, is en- dowed with £15 10s. per annum, arising from land bequeathed for this purpose, in 1687, by Thomas Baynard. A fund of £13 per annum, left by John Leman, is appropriated to the apprenticing of chil- dren. Other charities connected with the parish produce £16 12s. per annum. Teasel is cultivated here to a considerable extent, and part of the inha- bitants receive employment from a paper-mill. Some ruins at a place called Reg-hill-bury, are said to in- dicate the site of an ancient palace. The well- known Dr. John Langhorne was rector of this par- ish. Pop., in 1801, 797; in 1831, 1,109. Houses 161. Acres 2,520. A. P. 285,308. Poor rates, in 1837, 36473. BLAGRAVE. See HADLEY with BLAGRAvL. BLAISDON, a parish in the hund. and union of Westbury, county of Gloucester; 4 miles north of Newnham. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. of Gloucester and dio. of Gloucester and Bristol; valued at £5 7s. 3}d. Patroness, in 1835, Mrs. Anna Gordon. Pop., in 1801, 152; in 1831, 255. Houses 44. Acres 760. A. P. 361,139. Poor rates, in 1837, 3660. BLAKEDON, in the parish of Paington, hund. of Haytor, county of Devon. “In the 28° year of Henry III., one Nicholas de Blakedon gave lands in Blakedon, Aleborn, &c., to Ralph de Wulvelegh, prior of Torneford, chief minister in England of the order of the Holy Trinity, for the redemption of BLA BLA 205 captives, upon condition, that before Michaelmas that year, or at farthest before Michaelmas the next year, there should be placed and maintained here at Blakedom at least seven brethren of the same order, who were to serve God and keep hospitality accord- ing to the rules of the same order.” Tanner's Not. Mon. BLAKEMERE, or BLACKMooR, a parish in the hund. of Webtree, county of Hereford; 10% miles west of Hereford. Living, a discharged vicarage united with that of Preston. There is a small daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 167; in 1831, 190. Houses 36. Acres 1,080. A. P. £1,119. Poor rates, in 1837, £48. BLAKEMORE FOREST, in the hund. and di- vision of Sherborne, county of Dorset. “Here was formerly a house of Friars hermits, who had been settled before A. D. 1300, in which year died Ed- mund, earl of Cornwall, who had been a great bene- factor, if not founder of it. But the convent seems to have forsaken this habitation before 1460, for after that time it is spoken of as a free chapel, the master- ship of which was bestowed on secular priests till it was annexed to Cern abbey, 5° Henry VIII. It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.” Tanner's Not. Mon.—“The vale or Forest of Blakemore, or White Hart, comprehended a large tract of this county in the north and western parts of it, viz. the whole hundreds of Brownshall and Buckland Abbas, the greatest part of Sherborne and Whiteway, and some parts of Pimpern, Tollerford, and Gateminster hun- dreds.” Hutchins’ Dorset. BLAKENEY, a tything in the parish of Awre, hund. of Blidesloe, county of Gloucester; 14 miles south-west by west of Gloucester, on the western bank of the river Severn. Living, a curacy in the archd. of Gloucester and dio. of Gloucester and Bristol, of the yearly value of £250; in the patron- age of the Haberdashers' company, London. The Baptists have a place of worship here. Fairs for live stock are held on 12th May, and 12th Novem- ber. Pop. returned with the parish. BLAKENEY, a parish and sea-port in the hund. of Holt, union of Walsingham, county of Norfolk; 8 miles east of Wells. Living, a rectory united with CoCKTHoRPE : which see. The church is an ancient and curious structure. The great and small tithes, the property of the clerical rector, were com- muted in 1820. The Methodists have a place of worship here, and a Baptist congregation was formed in 1883. This parish possesses a day and Sunday Na- tional school, attended by 110 children, with a lending library attached, and two daily schools. Several small charities connected with this parish produce about £9 per annum. This place has an excellent harbour, well-adapted for sheltering vessels. About 54 vessels averaging 60 tons burden, belonged to this port in 1833. Some vessels are employed in the oyster- fisheries. Blakeney was called Snitterley in the reign of Henry III., who granted it a market. Here are some fine remains of an ancient Carmelite mo- mastery. “About 24° Edward I., Richard Stormer, John Stormer, Thomas Thober, and other copyhold tenants of the manor gave and set apart 13 acres of ground, whereon to build a church and habitation for friars of the Carmelite order; which grant was afterward confirmed by the king and Sir William de Roos, knight, lord of the manor; so the church and all the offices of the house were finished in 1321. The friars were, by composition, to acknowledge the said Sir William, and Maud his wife, (daughter and one of the co-heiresses of John de Vallibus,) as their principal founders, and from them the patron- age of this house descended to the earls of Rutland. But after the suppression, the site was granted to William Rede.” Tanner's Not. Mon. Pop., in 1801, 618; in 1831, 929. Houses 215. Acres 1,630. A. P. 381,468. Poor rates, in 1837, £569. BLAKENHALL, a township in the parish of Wybunbury, hund. of Nantwich, co-palatine of Chester; 5% miles south-east of Nantwich, on the line of the Grand Junction railway. There is a daily school here, containing 20 females, supported by Sir John Delves Broughton's charity. Pop., in 1801, 199; in 1831, 245. Houses 39. Acres 1,700. A. P. 381,441. Poor rates, in 1837, 36197. BLAKENHAM (GREAT), a parish in the hund. and union of Bosmere and Claydon, county of Suf- folk; 3% miles south-east of Needham, on the western bank of the river Gipping. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. of Suffolk and dio. of Norwich, valued at £6 16s. 0}d.; gross income £170; in the patronage of Eton college. “Walter Gifford, earl of Buckingham, in the time of William Rufus, gave this manor to the abbey of Bec in Normandy, to which it became a distinct alien priory; though sometimes reckoned as parcel of the priory of Oke- burn in Wiltshire, or of Russelep in Middlesex, both of which were subordinate to that great abbey. After the dissolution of the alien priories, King Henry VI. gave this to the provost and fellows of Eton, and King Edward IV. confirmed it to them.” Tanner's Not. Mon. Pop., in 1801, 120; in 1831, 192. Houses 35. Acres 1,850. A. P. 381,011. Poor rates, in 1837, 26 135. BLAKENHAM (LITTLE), a parish in the hund. and union of Bosmere and Claydon, county of Suf- folk; 4 miles south by east of Needham. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Suffolk and dio. of Nor- wich, valued at £10 3s. 4d. ; gross income £280. Patron, in 1835, S. Jackson, Esq. There is a small daily school in this parish. Pop., in 1801, 115; in 1831, 102. Houses 24. Acres 250. A. P. £1,302. Poor rates, in 1837, 3673. BLAKESLEY, a parish in the hund. of Green’s- Norton, union of Towcester, county of Northamp- ton; 4 miles west-north-west of Towcester. It contains the hamlet of Woodend. Living, a dis- charged vicarage in the archd. of Northampton and dio. of Peterborough, valued at £9 17s. ; gross in- come ºf 176. Patron, in 1835, Wight, Esq. Impropriate and vicarial tithes, the property of the lay-impropriator, and the vicar, were commuted in 1760. Here is a free school for children of all resi- dent inhabitants, founded in 1669 by William Fox- ley, and endowed with land which now yields #85 per annum. Here are also two Sunday schools, for the endowment of which Sir John Knightley, Bart., bequeathed £200, vested in the funds, which, hav- ing been thrown into Chancery, payment is obtained only at long intervals, and with much difficulty ; the sum received is £6 per annum. It is said that afra- termity of the order of St. John of Jerusalem an- ciently occupied Blakesley hall. Pop., in 1801, 659; in 1831, 829. Houses 172. Acres 2,840. A. P. 365,256. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.141. BLANCHL AND (HIGH), or SHOTLEY HIGH QUARTER, a chapelry in the parish of Shotley, eastern division of Tindale ward, county of North- umberland; 9 miles south by east of Hexham, on the northern bank of the river Derwent, over which there is a bridge here. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. of Northumberland and dio. of Dur- ham, not in charge, rated in the parliamentary returns at £115; gross income £198, Patrons, in 1835, Lord Crewe's trustees. There are two day and Sunday National schools here, attended by 108 pupils, founded and supported by the trustees of the late Lord Crewe. The scholars are divided into four classes,—the boys being taught writing and arith- BLA BLA 206 umetic, the girls reading, knitting, and sewing. All the children within distance, regardless of parish boundary or religious persuasion, are admitted on the same terms as those belonging to the township. The village is seated in a deep narrow green vale, on the north side of the Derwent, and is inclosed by heathy hills and morasses. Lead ore is found in considerable abundance in the vicinity. In 1165, Walter de Bolbec founded here an abbey of Pre- monstratensian canons, in honour of the blessed Virgin. The abbot was raised to the house of peers in the 23d Edward I., and at the dissolution the revenues were valued at £44. 9s. 1d., there being an abbot and fourteen canons in the establishment. The property was granted, 37th Henry VIII., to John Bellow and John Broxholm. It was afterwards bought by Bishop Crewe, who bequeathed it along with other estates, for charitable purposes. The gateway and various parts of the buildings yet re- main. In 1752, the trustees of Lord Crewe formed a chapel out of the tower of the ruined abbey, which contains some ancient grave-stones; they erected also a house for the curate. Pop., in 1811, 518; in 1831, 454. Houses 85. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1837, 36100. BLANDFORD DIVISION, in the county of Dorset, consists of two parts, north and south. #: 132,620 acres. Houses 4,032. Pop., in 1831, ,903. - - BLANDFORD-FORUM, or CHIPPING.BLAND- For D, a market-town and parish in the hund. of Pimperne, Blandford union and division of the county of Dorset, possessing separate jurisdiction; 103 miles south-west of London, and 48 of Popham Beacons on the Southampton railway. It stands on a bend of the river Stower, near the ancient ford, called by the Romans, Trajectus Belaniensis, from which it takes its name. In some ancient records it is styled a borough, but it does not appear to have had any corporate existence until the reign of James I. ; a charter of incorporation was then bestowed, dated 15th November 3° James I., and a grant was made of the manor from the Crown to the bailiff and burgesses, bearing date the same day. The bound- aries of the borough, as recently fixed by the parlia- mentary commissioners, extend to the river on the south ; to Bryanstone park on the west; to Barton, near the entrance to the Shaftesbury road on the north; and Damory Lane on the east. The in- habitants were noted for their attachment to Charles I., during the civil war, in consequence of which it suffered much from the parliamentary army under Major Sydenham. It has suffered frequently from fire, so that though it is a very ancient town, the houses are in general comparatively modern. It was partially consumed in 1677 and 1713, but the most extensive conflagration took place in 1731, when the whole town, with the exception of forty houses, and the whole hamlets of Blandford, St. Mary, and Bryanstone, were burnt to the ground. The damage was estimated at £40,000. This disaster is com- memorated by an inscription on a pump within the town-hall, erected by John Bastard after the fire, in order to insure a supply of water on any similar oc- casion, and a local act of parliament was obtained, which embodies no general provisions but one,— a prohibition against thatched roofs. Two super- visors of fire continue to be appointed every year. The town is now a handsome place, the houses be- ing neatly built of brick, and the streets regular and well-paved, and lighted with gas. There is no general watch maintained, nor any police force, except a con- stabulary one, which does not extend beyond the limits of the borough. There are three good bridges over the Stower, and there is an ample supply of water. The town-hall is a handsome building of Portland stone in the Doric style of architecture. The theatre is a neat building which is occasionally open, and races are held in August, on a fine race- course in the immediate vicinity of the town.— There are scarcely any manufactures here, that of lace, which formerly flourished, having declined. A number of females receive employment in the manu- facture of shirt-buttons, which is still considerable, though not so extensive as in former times. Bland- ford is chiefly supported by travellers, and by the numerous gentry in the vicinity; its markets and fairs are also well-attended. Saturday is market-day, and fairs for horses, sheep, and cheese, are held on the 7th of March, 10th July, and 8th November. There is a branch of the Wilts and Dorset bankin company here. The town was governed by a bailif and ten capital burgesses, chosen annually, at the court-leet of the lord of the manor, with a recorder, town-clerk, and other corporate officers; under the new municipal act its magistracy consists of 17 mem- bers: viz. a mayor, 4 aldermen, and 12 councillors. The only court now in use within the borough is the court-leet, held before the recorder. A jury is sum- moned to attend this court by the serjeant at mace, under the directions of the bailiff, who gives him the list, which consists of the most respectable trades- men of the town. The petty sessions for the Bland- ford division are held here. The courts of the bishop and archdeacon are held here monthly. The corpor- ation is entitled to purchase and hold lands in fee, and has a common seal. The corporate revenues, in 1837, amounted to about £200; they arise from the tolls of markets and fairs, from premises let at rack rent, from quit rents, from annual fines for en- croachments, and from the renewal of leases on lines. Blandford is one of the polling-places in the election of the members for Dorsetshire. Living, a vicarage, formerly in the archd. of Dor- set and dio. of Bristol, now in the dio. of Salisbury, valued at £128s. 1%d., and in the parliamentary returns at £145 8s. ; gross income 36210; in the patronage of the dean and chapter of Winchester. The church is a handsome Grecian edifice, with a tower 80 feet in height. The Independents have a place of worship here; and the Roman Catholics a chapel which was licensed in 1794. Here is a gram- mar-school, in which Archbishop Wake received the rudiments of his education. In 1729, Archbishop Wake founded a blue-coat charity school, on which he settled £1,616, which now produce an annual in- come of £48 9s. 8d. There are mine infant schools in this parish, three of which are supported by an endowment of £12 12s. per annum; and five daily schools. There are also two day and Sunday Na- tional schools, attended by 219 scholars, and four day and boarding schools.-In 1685, George Ryves, Esq. founded alms-houses for ten aged persons, and be- queathed the residue of his estate, which now yields £120 per annum, for the education of poor boys. Six alms-houses in the church-yard were built in 1736 by the corporation.—In 1621, William Wil- liams gave £3,000 for the establishment of a fund for charitable purposes, and for the education of four children; the land purchased with this donation now yields £300 per annum.–In the vicinity are some traces of an ancient intrenchment. At the east end of the town are the remains of Damory court, the baronial mansion of the family of that name, who were anciently lords of the manor. Near this stood the famous Damory oak, which in 1747 was 75 feet in height, the branches extending 72; the trunk was 23 feet in diameter at the bottom, and a cavity in its centre was 15 feet wide. It was rooted out for fire- wood in 1755,-The duke of Marlborough takes the BLA BLE 207 title of marquess from Blandford. Pop., in 1801, 2,326; in 1831, 3,109. Houses 522. Acres 920. A. P. 366,019. Poor rates, in 1837, £985.—A workhouse has been erected here for the union of Blandford, by the poor-law commissioners, at an expense of £1,200. The Blandford poor-law union comprehends 33 parishes, embracing an area of 92 square miles; with a population returned, in 1831, at 13,056. The average annual expenditure on the poor of this district, during the three years preceding the formation of the union, was 368,387. Expendi- ture, in 1838, £6,027.-There are penny-posts to Almer, Bere, Durweston, Iwerne, Milborne, Piddle- town, Shillington, Spettisbury, Storminster, Thick- thorne, and Whitchurch. BLANDFORD (ST. MARY), a parish in the hund. of Coomb's-ditch, Blandford union and division of the county of Dorset; # mile south of Blandford- Forum, on the opposite side of the river Stower, over which there is a bridge here. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Dorset and dio. of Bristol, now in the dio. of Salisbury; valued at £15 17s. 8%d.; gross income £315. Patron, in 1835, Sir J. Burrough. There is a day and Sunday school here, supported by the Honourable and Rev. S. Best. This was the birth-place of the celebrated antiquary, Dr. Browne Willis, born on the 14th September, 1682. Pop., in 180}, 292; in 1831, 363. Houses 70. Acres 420. A. P. 362,278. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.192. BLANKNEY witH LINWOOD, a parish in the second division of the wapentake of Langoe, parts of Kesteven, union of Sleaford, county of Lincoln; 93 miles north of Sleaford. Living, a rectory in the archd, and dio. of Lincoln; valued at £16 10s, 7}d.; gross income £821. Patron, in 1835, C. Chaplin, Esq. All tithes of Blankney and Scopwick, the property of the bishop of Lincoln, clerical rector, and vicar, were commuted in 1797. There are two daily schools here, containing 41 pupils. There is also a day and Sunday National school, the teacher of which receives 3613 per annum from Charles Chaplin, Esq. Pop., in 1801, 410; in 1831, 543. Houses 96. Acres 6,000. A. P. 384,811. Poor rates, in 1837, #384. BLASTON (ST. MICHAEL), a parish in the hund. of Gartree, county of Leicester; 7 miles north-east of Market-Harborough. Living, a curacy, subordi- nate to the rectory of Hallaton. There is a day and Sunday school here.—The share of the rents of Goodman's charity due to this parish amounts at present to £10 per annum. Pop., in 1801, 76; in 1831, 73. Houses 14. Acres 1,300. A. P. 381,986. Poor rates, in 1837, #87. BLATCHINGTON. See BLETCHINGTON. BLATCHIN WORTH AND CALDER BROOK, a chapelry and township, in the parish of Rochdale and hund. of Salford, co-palatine of Lancaster; 4% Iniles north-east of Rochdale, in the immediate vici- nity of the Rochdale canal, 7 chains west of which the Manchester and Leeds railway passes. It is ad- jacent to Huddersfield, and the inhabitants are chiefly employed in the manufacture of woollens. Pop., in 1801, 1,647; in 1831, 4,221. Houses 715. Acreage with the parish. A. P. 384,892. Poor rates, in 1837, 38490. BLATHERWYCKE, a parish in the hund. of Corby, union of Oundle, county of Northampton; 8 miles north by east of Rockingham. It comprises the parishes of the Holy Trinity, and St. Mary Mag- dalene, united in 1448. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Northampton and dio. of Peterborough; valued at £14 13s. 3d. ; gross income £408. Pa- tron, in 1835, S. O'Brien, Esq. There is a day and Sunday school here, wholly maintained by the lady Houses 39. Acres 2,750. A. P. 381,673. Poor rates, in 1837, 3861. BLAWITH, a chapelry in the parish of Ulver- stone, hund. of Lonsdale, north of the sands, co- palatine of Lancaster; 7 miles north of Ulverstone, on the western bank of the river Crake, over which there is a bridge here. Living, a perpetual curacy, formerly in the archd. of Richmond and dio. of Chester, now in the dio. of Carlisle; valued at £4, and rated in the parliamentary returns at £65. 8s. ; gross income £59. Patron, in 1835, T. R. G. Brad- dyll, Esq. There are two daily schools here, one, containing 30 boys, is endowed with £6 8S. per annum, being the interest of £160. Pop., in 1801, 160; in 1831, 171. Houses 32. Acres 2,620. A. P. 36859. Poor rates, in 1837, 3698. BLAXHALL, a parish in the hund. and union of Plomesgate, county of Suffolk; 3% miles east of Market-Wickham. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Suffolk and dio. of Norwich; valued at £20; gross income £500. Patron, in 1835, A. Arredeckne. There are two daily schools in this parish. The poor of Blaxhall receive #18 per annum, arising from land bequeathed for this purpose by Mr. and Mrs. Garthwaite. Pop., in 1801, 373; in 1831, 525. Houses 57. Acres 1,930. A. P. 362,203. Poor rates, in 1837, 36413. BLAXTON, a township in the parish of Finning- ley, soke of Doncaster, west riding of Yorkshire; 5 miles north-east of Bawtry. There is a small daily school here. Pop., in 1811, 132; in 1831, 176. Houses 32. Acres 1,640. Assessed property with the township of Awkley. Poor rates, in 1837, 3838. BLAYDON, a small village in the township of Winlaton, parish of Ryton, western division of Chester ward, co-palatine of Durham. Here are some iron and lead works: see WINLATON. The railway from Newcastle to Blaydon, on the north side of the river Tyne, commencing from the station west of the infirmary, and forming part of the New- castle and Carlisle railway, was opened on the 21st October, 1839, when several very elegant and com- modious omnibuses were to be seen plying for the first time between the station and the different inns in Newcastle,_an undoubted improvement upon the old plan of the passengers coming to Redheugh, and from thence by steam-boat to the Close. BLAZEY (ST.), a parish in the eastern division of the hund. of Powder, union of St. Austell, county of Cornwall; 4 miles north-east of St. Austell, on the post-road to Liskeard. There are four daily and four Sunday schools here, and an infant school. Living, a curacy in the archd. of Cornwall and dio. of Exeter, annexed to the vicarage of St. Aus- tell. Many of the inhabitants of this parish are employed in mines. A fair is held here for cattle, &c. on February 2d. Pop., in 1801, 467; in 1831, 2,155. Houses 343. Acres 2,000. A. P. 361,878, Poor rates, in 1837, 36602. BLEADON, a parish in the hund. of Winterstoke, division of Wrington, and union of Axbridge, county of Somerset; 6 miles west-north-west of Axbridge, on the northern bank of the river Axe, and inter- sected by the Bristol and Exeter railway. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Wells and dio. of Bath and Wells; valued at £27 7s. 83d. ; gross income 38505; in the patronage of the bishop of Winches- ter. In several barrows in the vicinity—supposed to be Danish—bones, coins, and armour have been found. Pop., in 1801, 381; in 1831, 599. Houses 95. Acres 2,490. A. P. £4,522. Poor rates, in 1837, 36231. BLEAN, or St. Cosmius AND DAMIAN-IN-THE- BLEAN, a parish in the hund. of Whitstable, lathe of the 'Squire. Pop., in 1801, 154; in 1831, 227. of St. Augustine, union of Blean county of Kent. BLE BLE 208 2 miles north-west by north of Canterbury, inter- sected by the railway between Swalecliffe and Can- terbury. Living, a vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Canterbury; valued at £10; gross income £423; in the patronage of the master of Eastbridge hospital. The northern part of this parish is all coppice-wood. A court-leet is held for the manor of Blean, at which a borsholder is chosen. Pop., in 1801, 287; in 1831, 554. Houses 101. Acres 5,760, of which about 70 are in hops. A. P. £2,092. Poor rates, in 1837, 38 137.—A workhouse has been erected here by the poor-law commissioners for the union of Blean, at an expense of £6,300, capable of containing 478 persons. The Blean poor-law union comprehends 16 parishes, embracing an area of 54 square miles; with a population returned in 1831, at 10,639. The average annual expenditure on the poor of this dis- trict during the three years preceding the formation of the union, was £10,516. Expenditure, in 1838, 264,329. BLEAN (FoREST of). The king's ancient forest of Blean is a large district, says Hastead, “consist- ing almost all of it of large tracts of coppice-woods, mostly of oak, having great quantities of that timber growing over the whole of them. It extends from the bottom of Boughton-hill, in length eastward, almost as far as the Harbledown turnpike on the London-road, about 2+ miles, and across from Whit- stable and Sea-salter parishes southward as far as that at Chartham, about 4 miles, besides the manor and large wood of Thornden which lies detached from the north-east corner of it, and contains in the whole about 5,000 acres of land, having many houses and cottages interspersed throughout in different parts of it. The forests of this realm were anciently waste grounds belonging to the kings of it, in which there were all beasts of chase, which were under their royal protection for their pleasure and recrea- tion. And so late as King Henry the Sixth's reign, there were wild boars which were hunted in these woods. And in the 15th year of Queen Elizabeth, it appears there was then a patent subsisting, granted by the Crown, of the office of keeper of the Blean, and the woods contained within it. This forest seems formerly to have been of much greater extent, for in King Henry the First's reign it reached as far and partly encircled the hospital of Harbledown, then called from it the hospital of Blean-wood; and from the name of the parish of St. Cosmus and Damian, in the Blean, it seems probable that it was once like- wise, or the greatest part of it, within the bounds of this district. But before the Norman conquest, as well as afterwards, the several kings made grants at different times of large tracts of land within it, especially to the neighbouring religious houses, till at length almost the whole of it was separated from the Crown, and became the property of the subject, by which means it entirely lost all privileges of a forest, and even the name of being one, and in the room acquired that of the Blean, without any further distinction, which name continued till within me- mory; but several houses having been built within the bounds of it, many, especially on the south side of the common, at the bottom of Boughton-hill, which were inhabited by low persons of suspicious character, who sheltered themselves there, this being a place exempt from the jurisdiction of either hun- dred or parish, as in a free port, which receives all who enter it without distinction, the whole district hence gained the name of Dunkirk. But the neigh- bouring parishes complaining of the burdens they were continually subject to, occasioned by the casual support of the poor resorting hither, and other in- conveniences arising from it, procured it, though not without great opposition from the inhabitants, to be made a ville, by the name of the Ville of the Hun- dred of Westgate, alias Dunkirk, and the jurisdic- tion over it was annexed to the upper division of justices acting for the lathe of Scray.” BLEANGATE HUNDRED, in the lathe of St. Augustine, county of Kent. Area 18,800 acres. Houses 882. Pop., in 1831, 5,212. BLEASBY, a parish in the hund. of Southwell and Scrooby, union of Southwell, county of Not- tingham; 3% miles south-south-east of Southwell, on the western bank of the river Trent, over which there is a ferry here. Living, a discharged vicarage in the peculiar jurisdiction and patronage of the collegiate church of Southwell, dio. of Lincoln; valued at £4, and in the parliamentary returns at 3697; gross income £107. The great and small tithes, &c., the property of the prebendary of Nor- manton, &c. and the vicar, were commuted in 1777. There are two daily schools here. Pop., in 1801, 215; in 1831, 324. Houses 60. Acres 1,550. A. P. 362, lló. Poor rates, in 1837, 3657. BLEASDALE, a chapelry in the parish of Lan- caster, hund. of Amounderness, co-palatine of Lan- caster; 4 miles east by north of Garstang, in the neighbourhood of the Lancaster and Preston rail- way. There are a daily National school here, with an endowment of £10 per annum, and a Sunday school. Pop., in 1801, 220; in 1831, 236. Houses 39. Acres 8,490. A. P. 381,642. Poor rates, in 1837, 3690. BLEATARN, a hamlet in the parish of Warcop, East ward, county of Westmoreland. Some estates in this manor are tithe-free, if occupied by the pro- prietor. The manor was given in the reign of Henry II., by John Tailbois, to the abbey of Byland, in Yorkshire, a cell to which was founded here, which appears from the ruins to have been of considerable extent. Wordsworth has made this sequestered spot the abode of his ‘Solitary.’ The poet has accurately described it as —‘A little lowly vale, A lowly vale, and yet uplified high Among the mountains.” Pop., in 1821, 129. Other returns with the parish. BLECHINGLY. See BLETCHINGLY. BLECHINGDON, a parish in the hund. of Ploughley, union of Bicester, county of Oxford; 4 miles east by north of Woodstock. Living, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Oxford; valued at £12 9s. 4}d. ; gross income £439; nett income £356; in the patronage of Queen's college, Oxford. There are four daily and two Sunday schools in this parish. Here are alms-houses for four poor persons, with endowments, founded in 1620 by Leonard Power. Other chari- ties connected with the parish produce about £40 per annum. Pop., in 1801, 503; in 1831, 641. Houses 131. Acres 2,540. A. P. f.3,580. Poor rates, in 1837, 36471. BLEDINGTON, or BLADINGTON, a parish in the upper division of the hund. of Slaughter, union of Stow-on-the-Wold, county of Gloucester; 4 miles south-east of Stow-on-the-Wold. Living, a dis- charged vicarage in the archd. of Gloucester and dio. of Gloucester and Bristol; rated at £6 13s. 4d., and in the parliamentary returns at £70; gross in- come £88; in the patronage of the dean and chapter of Christ church, Oxford. All tithes, the property of the dean and chapter of Christ church, Oxford, were commuted in 1769. There are a daily and a day and Sunday school here. Pop., in 1801, 282; in 1831, 335. Houses 71. Acres 1,110. A. P. 262,567. Poor rates, in 1837, 36145. BLEDD-FA, or BLETHvAUGH, a parish in the hund. of Kevenlleece, union of Knighton, county of Radnor, South Wales, in the forest of the same BLE BLE 209 name; 6 miles south-west by south of Knighton. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Brecon and dio. of St. David's; valued at £10 12s. 8d., and in the parliamentary returns at £150; gross income £190; in the patronage of the bishop of St. David's. There is a daily school in this parish. Pop., in 1801, 201; in 1831, 233. Houses 41. A. P. £1,171. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.188. BLEDLOW witH BLEDOW-RIDGE, a parish in the hund. of Aylesbury, union of Wycombe, county of Buckingham; 5% miles east-south-east of Thame. Living, a discharged vicarage, formerly in the archd. of Buckingham and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Oxford; valued at £16 9s. 7d. ; gross income £250. Patron, in 1835, Lord Carrington. The great and small tithes, the property of the lord of the manor, lay-impropriators, and vicar, were commuted in 1809. The church stands on the edge of a cliff above a deep glen. There are three Sun- day and eight lace schools here. Pop., in 1801, 917; in 1831, 1,135. Houses 217. Acres 4,130. A. P. 365,108. Poor rates, in 1837, 36564. BLENCOGS, a township in the parish of Broom- field, Cumberland ward, county of Cumberland; 4% miles west by south of Wigton, in the neighbour- hood of Maryport and Carlisle railway. There is a daily school here. Pop., in 1801, 167; in 1831, 226. Houses 37. Acreage with the parish. A. P. 381,918. Poor rates, in 1837, 3654. BLENCOW (GREAT), a township in the parish of Dacre, Leath ward, county of Cumberland; 5 miles west-north-west of Penrith. Here is a free grammar-school for all children, founded in 1576, and endowed with £190 per annum, by Thomas Burbank. The late Lord Ellenborough was edu- cated here. Pop. with the parish. BLENCOW (LITTLE), a township in the parish of Greystoke, Leath ward, county of Cumberland; 5 miles west of Penrith. Here are the remains of a chapel and other ancient buildings, and a church- yard with an ancient stone cross. Pop., in 1801, 68; in 1831, 60. Houses 11. Other returns with the parish. BLENDWORTH, a parish in the hund. of Finch- Dean, Alton, south division, union of Catherington, county of Southampton; 73 miles south-south-east of Petersfield. Living, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Winchester; valued at £6 7s. 8d.: gross income £204. Patron, the late Rev. E. Ward. There is a daily school here, the mistress of which receives a salary from a fund for the education of children, bequeathed, in 1695, by William Appleford. Pop., in 1801, 174; in 1831, 246. Houses 53. Acres 3,110. A. P. £1,441. Poor rates, in 1837, 4°183. BLENHEIM, an extra-parochial hamlet, locally situated in the parish of Woodstock, hund. of Woot- ton, liberty and county of Oxford; 623 miles west- north-west of London. This is the demesne of the Øukes of Marlborough. Blenheim castle was founded in 1704, the demesne having been conferred on the celebrated John Churchill, duke of Marlborough, by Queen Anne, and the sum of £500,000 having been voted by parliament for the erection of a suitable mansion for the duke and his descendants, and for laying out the grounds properly, as a permanent tes- timony of royal favour and national gratitude for his services in the field. The architect was Sir John Vanbrugh, and the castle was called Blen- heim, after a German village near which the duke obtained a signal victory over the French and Bava- rians, on the 2d of August, 1704. On the anniver. sary of this battle, it was directed, by way of tenure, that, “every year, for ever, the inheritors of his grace's honours and titles, should render at Windsor, to her majesty, her heirs and successors, one stand. ard or colours with three flour-de-lis painted thereon, as an acquittance for all manner of rents, suits, and services, due to the Crown;”—a custom strictly and pointedly observed. The building is in a splendid, though not a faultless style of architecture, and measures 348 feet from wing to wing. The interior is magnificent, especially the hall, the walls of which are 67 feet in height; the roof, which is supported by Corinthian pillars, was painted by Sir James Thornhill. The bay-window room is hung with tapestry of great beauty. The duke's study is full of pictures, and contains some fine bronzes. Tue east drawing-room, the grand cabinet, the little drawing-room, and the great drawing-room, are all hung with crimson cloth, and crowded with pictures. Every apartment at Blenheim is indeed adorned in a similar manner, and some of the finest specimens of the old masters are here to be met with. The dining-room is a lofty and commodious apartment, containing, among other pictures, several by Sir J. Reynolds, of the Marlborough family. From this room we enter a magnificent apartment called the saloon, the lower part of which is lined with marble, of which the large door-cases are likewise composed. The ceiling and compartments of the walls are painted by La Guerre. The state drawing-room is the finest of the whole for the richness of its furni- ture, its proportions, the splendour of its decorations, and the taste displayed in its arrangement. It con- tains some fine tapestry, representing the march to Bouchain and its siege. The state bedchamber is hung with blue damask, with which the furniture and bed are covered. The bed-posts are carved and enriched with gold, their extremities being adorned with military trophies, and the top of the bed, rising into a dome, is surmounted by a ducal coronet. The library occupies the entire west front, and is 200 feet long by 32 wide in the centre. It is supported with solid marble columns, the basement being composed of black marble, and contains the books of the Sunderland collection consisting of 20,000 volumes; but the whole of the collection formed by Charles, earl of Sunderland, is not kept in this room, there being another portion in a part of the palace not shown to strangers. At the upper end is a fine statue in white marble, by Rysbrach, of Queen Anne; and other statues, busts, and paint- ings adorn the walls. From the library we pro- ceed along a piazza to the chapel, in the western wing of the building. The china gallery is a small building, containing a fine collection of porcelain, delf, and Japan manufactures, formed by Mr. Spald- ing, and presented by him as an appendant to Blen- heim, on condition that it should be annexed as an heirloom to the Marlborough family, unless the duke should choose to give it to some university, museum, or corporation. The grounds are extensive and laid out with great beauty and picturesque effect, being considered the chef-d'-ouvre of the celebrated land- scape-gardener, Brown. They contain a triumphal arch, a pillar 130 feet high supporting a colossal statue of the duke in a Roman garb, a fountain copied from that of the Piazza Navona at Rome, and an artificial lake supplied by the small river Glyme. The ancient palace of Woodstock formerly stood in this park, for an account of which, see the article WooDSTOCK. The northern part of the park is crossed by the Roman road, Akeman-street, near which remains of Roman buildings have been dis- covered. BLENKINSOP, a township in the parish of Haltwhistle, western division of Tindale ward, county of Northumberland; 18 miles west of Hex- ham, intersected by the Newcastle and Carlisle rail- way. Here are extensive coal-works. Blenkinsop 2 D BLE BLE 210 castle is a strong square tower built upon vaults, on a little eminence on the south side of the Tippal. It was the ancient seat of the Blenkinsops, noted for their border feuds. There are a daily and a Sun- day school here, the latter of which has a lending library attached. Pop., in 1801, 196; in 1831, 344. Houses 57. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.188. BLENNER HASSET AND KIRKLAND, a town- ship in the parish of Torpenhow, ward of Allerdale- below-Darwent, county of Cumberland; 73 miles south-west of Wigton, on the southern bank of the river Ellen, and in the vicinity of the Maryport and Carlisle railroad. Here are a chapel for Independ- ents, and two daily schools. Pop., in 1801, 204; in 1831, 238. Houses 45. Acreage with the parish. A. P. 362,047. Poor rates, in 1837, 3692. BLETCHINGLY, or BLECHINGLY, a borough and parish, formerly a market-town, in the first divi- sion of the hund. of Tandridge, union of Godstone, county of Surrey; 5 miles east of Reigate, inter- sected by a branch of the London and Brighton rail- way. The town is situated near the chalk hills which divide the county, on an eminence command- ing a view of the South Downs and other parts of Sussex. The market has fallen into disuse, but fairs for horses, bullocks, and toys, are or were till very recently held on June 22d, and November 2d. This borough returned members to parliament since the 23d Edward I. The right of election was vested in the resident holders of burgage tenures. These were about 130 in number, but being all the property of one individual, he returned the members. There was no returning officer, the bailiff not taking part in the elections. It has of course been wholly ‘ cashiered’ by the reform bill; and has sunk into such insigni- ficance consequently as to have been brought to the hammer in September, 1835, when upwards of 100 dwelling-houses, comprising almost the whole town, and some beautiful meadow and garden-ground, were sold by public auction. The property (which to an ordinary observer had the most unsaleable aspect) realized nearly £11,000, including the manor, which was purchased by John Perkins, Esq., of Pondhill, a gentleman of large landed property in the neigh- bourhood. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in agriculture. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Surrey and dio. of Winchester; valued at £19 19s. 4d. ; gross income £905. Patrons, in 1835, the heirs of the late Ward. The church is an ancient structure in the early style of English archi- tecture, consisting of a nave, south aisle, and double chancels, the latter of which contains a magnificent monument to Sir Robert Clayton, mayor of London in 1680, and his lady. The Independents have a chapel here. This parish possesses a charity school for 25 boys, founded in the 8th of Elizabeth, by Mr. John Whatman, and endowed with £23 per annum, with a house and garden for the master, and four daily schools. There are also alms-houses for ten aged persons, founded in 1668. Other charities con- nected with Bletchingly produce about £28 per annum. Near the town was a Roman road, and traces of Roman buildings have been discovered. The ancient manor-house in which Stafford, duke of Buckingham—afterwards beheaded by Henry VIII.-resided, no longer exists. Here was also the residence of Earl Godwin, who retreated to this place when his estates in Kent were inundated by the sea. Pop., in 1801, 1,344; in 1831, 1,203. Houses 201. Acres 5,250. A. P. £6,770. Poor rates, in 1837, £711. BLETCHINGTON #. or BLATCHINGTON, a parish in the hund. of Flexborough, rape of Pe- vensey, union of Newhaven, county of Sussex; 11 miles east by south of Brighton, on the coast. ... Liv. ing, a rectory in the archd. of Lewes and dio, of Chichester, valued at £14; gross income £88. Patron, in 1835, John King, Esq. Here is a strong battery for the defence of the coast. Pop., in 1801, 154; in 1831, 170. Houses 20. Acres 2,110. A. P. £785. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.194. BLETCHINGTON (WEST), or BLATCHING- ToN, a parish in the hund. of Whalesbone, rape of Lewes, union of Steyning, county of Sussex; 2% miles north-west by west of Brighton, in the neigh- bourhood of the railroad from London to Brighton. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. of Lewes and dio. of Chichester, subordinate to the vicarage of Brighton. Pop., in 1801, 50; in 1831, 58. Houses 10. Acres 590. BLETCHLEY, a parish in the hund, of New- port, union of Newport-Pagnell, county of Bucking- ham; 13 mile west of Fenny-Stratford, on the line of the London and Birmingham railway. It com- prises part of the chapelry of Fenny-Stratford, and the township of Water-Eaton. , Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Buckingham and dio...of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Oxford, valued at £29 13s. 13d. ; gross income £500. Patron, in 1835, J. Fleming, Esq. All tithes, the property of the clerical rector, were commuted in 1810. This parish possesses a daily National school, and four Sunday schools. Pop., in 1801, 1,038; in 1831, 1,254. Houses 254. Acres 3,150. A. P. 385,377. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.172. * BLETHERSTON, a parish in the hund. of Dungleddy, union of Narberth, county of Pembroke, South Wales; 5 miles west-north-west of Narberth. Living, a curacy, not in charge, attached to the vicarage of Llawhaden, in the dio. of St David's. There is a Sunday school here. Pop., in 1801, 235; in 1831, 300. Houses 53. A. P. 361,392. Poor rates, in 1837, 4:127. BLETHVAUGH. See BLEDD-FA. º BLETSOE, a parish in the hund. of Willey, union and county of Bedford; 6 miles north-north- west of Bedford. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Bedford and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Ely, valued at £17 ; gross, income 263.16. Patron, in 1835, Lord St. John. This parish pos- sesses a daily school, and two Sunday schools, the two latter being supported by a bequest of £8 per annum. The petty-sessions for the hundreds of Bar- ford, Stodden, and Willey, are sometimes held here. Charities connected with this parish produce £12 10s. per annum. Pop., in 1801, 321; in 1831, 410. Houses 63. Acres 2,220. A. P. 362,611. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.217. BLEWBERRY, a parish partly in the hund. of Reading and partly in that of Moreton, union of Want- age, county of Berks, containin f the chapelry of Aston- Upthorpe, and the liberty of Upton and Notting- ham-fee; 4 miles north-east of East-Ilsley, in the neighbourhood of the Great Western railway. Liv- ing, a discharged vicarage, with the curacies, of Ashton-Upthorpe and Upton, formerly in the archd, of Berks and dio. of Salisbury, now in the dio. of Oxford, valued at £16 6s. 10}d. ; gross income #166; in the patronage of the bishop of Oxford. Here is a Baptist church, formed in 1835. There are three daily schools in this parish, two of which are endowed by Mr. Malthus with estates now pro- ducing £600 per annum; 30 boys and 30 girls are educated and clothed on this foundation. The boys are allowed ls. 6d. for two years, and 2s. per week for other two years, and £20 to apprentice them : the girls 1s. 6d. per week for three years, and 421 ibs. to fit them for service, and if they re- main a year in one place they receive a further sum BLI BLO 2] I of £25s. Here is an alms-house, founded and en- dowed with £271 13s. 4d., in 1732, by Mr. Bacon. In the vicinity a battle was fought between the Saxons and Danes, and some remains of intrench- ments are observable on the neighbouring hills. The Roman road Ickleton, and the British road Grims- ditch, cross the parish. A fair is held here on Thursday after September 29th. Pop., in 1801, 966; in 1831, 1,056. Houses 197. Acres 6,950. A. P. 367,789. Poor rates, in 1837, £730. . . BLICKLING, a parish and manor in the hund. of South Erpingham, union of Aylsham, county of Norfolk; 14 mile north-west of Aylsham. Living, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Norwich, valued at £10 13s. 4d. ; united with that of Erpingham; gross income £530. Patroness, in 1835, the Dow- ager Lady Suffield. There are three daily schools here, one of which is supported by the Dowager Lady Suffield. This was a royal demesne from the time of the Confessor. When the Domesday survey was made, one part of it belonged to Beausoe, bishop of Thetford, and the other moiety to the crown. William I. settled the whole town and advowson on the see. The manor was successively in the possession of the families of Dagworth, Erpingham, Fastolf, and Boleyne. Its proprietor, Sir Thomas Boleyne, the father of Anne Boleyne, who was born here in 1507, was advanced to the title of earl of Wiltshire and Ormonde, in the 219 of Henry VIII. Upon his death in 1538, the estate was purchased by Sir Henry Hobart, who built the present stately mansion, which is now, through marriage, the seat of Lord Suffield. Blickling-hall is an interesting specimen of the architecture of the era of James I. The library measures 127 feet in length by 21 feet wide, and contains upwards of 10,000 volumes. The park and gardens comprehend about 1,000 acres. They enclose one of the finest pieces of water in the kingdom, about one mile in length and 400 yards in breadth. Pop., in 1801, 394; in 1831, 365. Houses 83. Acres 2,240. A. P. 381,605. Poor rates, in 1837, 36239. BLIDESLOE. See AURE. BLIDESLOE HUNDRED, in the county of Gloucester, is bounded on the east and north-east by the river Severn; on the north-west by the hundred of St. Briavels; and on the south-west by that of Westbury. Area 12,990 acres. Houses 541. Pop., in 1831, 2,945. BLIDWORTH, a parish in the liberty of South- well, and Scrooby, union of Mansfield, county of Nottingham; 5 miles south-east of Mansfield. Liv- ang, a º vicarage, a peculiar of Southwell college, dio. of Lincoln, valued at £4; gross income £200; in the patronage of the prebendaries of Qxton, in the collegiate church of Southwell. The church is desecrated. Tithes of wool and lamb, the property of the lay-impropriator and vicar, were commuted in 1769. The great and small tithes, the property of the prebends of Oxton and the vicar, were commuted in 1805. The Wesleyan Methodists have a chapel here; the congregation was formed in 1786. There are two daily schools in this parish, containing 50 scholars, and a day and Sunday school, with a lending library attached. Pop., in 1801, 427; in 1831, 901. Houses 157. Acres 6,610. A. P. £3,157. Poor rates, in 1837, £143. , BLINDBOTHEL, a township in the parish of Brigham, ward of Allerdale-above-Darwent, county of Cumberland; 2 miles west of Cockermouth. There is a small daily school here. 82; in 1831, 106. Houses 19. Acreage with the parish. A. P. 36691. Poor rates, in 1837, £25. BLINDCRAKE, a joint-township with Isall and Redmain, in the parish of Isall, ward of Allerdale- Pop., in 1801, § below-Darwent, county of Cumberland; 34 miles north-north-east of Cockermouth. Pop., in 1801, 188; in 1831, 323. Houses 58. Acreage with the parish. A. P. £4,631. Poor rates, in 1837, 3685. BLISLAND, a parish in the hund. of Trigg, union of Bodmin, county of Cornwall; 4 miles north- north-west of Bodmin. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Cornwall and dio. of Exeter; valued at 3813 10s. ; gross income £635. Patron, in 1835, the Rev. W. Pye. There are three daily schools in this parish. A cattle-fair is held here annually, on the first Monday after September 22d. Pop., in 1801, 437; in 1831, 644. Houses 120. Acres 6,800. A. P. 363,643. Poor rates, in 1837, 36199. BLISWORTH, a parish in the hund. of Wymers- ley, union of Towcester, county of Northampton ; 5 miles north-west of Castle Thorp, and 44 north- east of Towcester. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Northampton and dio. of Peterborough; valued at £20 3s. 9d.; gross income £385. Patron, in 1835, G. F. Hatton, Esq. All tithes, moduses, &c. the property of the clerical rector, were com- muted in 1808. A Baptist church was formed here in 1825. There are a daily school in this parish, endowed with £10 4s. 9d. per annum, and two Sunday schools. The Grand Junction canal passes through a tunnel in the vicinity of the vil- lage; and the London and Birmingham railway is conducted through a very deep cutting here, which, though not the largest work of the description on the line, has, from the character of the material, been by far the most expensive and arduous. The Tring cutting contains a greater cubic content, but the material being entirely chalk, less difficulty was experienced in the execution than in the Blisworth, which consists chiefly of hard blue limestone belong- ing to the oolitic series of rocks, and which yielded throughout all seasons large quantities of water, which it was necessary to drain by pumping. The working of the rock in this cutting was also rendered more difficult and tedious than it otherwise would have been by the strata of rock being interstratified by these beds of blue shade, which being impervious to water, rendered every means of drawing off—ex- cept that of pumping—unavailable. The Blisworth excavation contains 1,200,000 cubic yards, averaging 50 feet deep, for two miles in length. About 400,000 have been removed from each end to form adjoining embankments, which reach the height of 45 feet at the highest point. The remaining 400,000 have been raised up the steep side of the excavation, and deposited on the adjoining lands, forming what are termed sprit banks. The cost of this work has been £200,000, and is believed to be the largest excava- tion of the kind ever executed. Pop., in 1801, 730; in 1831, 679. Houses 145. Acres 1,980. A. P. 262,725. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.248. BLITHFIELD witH NEWTON, a parish in the south division of the hund. of Pirehill, county of Stafford; 3% miles north of Rugeley. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Stafford and dio, of Lichfield and Coventry; valued at £10 19s. 2d.; gross in- come £468. Patron, in 1835, Lord Bagot. Here are two daily schools, endowed with land given in 1729, by Elizabeth Bagot and Jane Jones, and also aided by the munificence of Lord Bagot; a lending library is attached to these schools. Other charities connected with this parish produce about £23 per annum. Pop., in 1801, 439; in 1831, 468. Houses 80. Acres 4,180. A. P. £4,009. Poor rates, in 1837, 36 18l. . BLOCKLEY, a parish surrounded by Gloucester- shire, but belonging to the upper division of the hund, of Oswaldslow, union of Shipston-on-Stour, county of Worcester; 3 miles north-west of Moré- BLO 2] BLO © and ton-in-the-Marsh; and 10 south-east of Evesham. It comprises the hamlets of Aston-Magna, Blockley, Ditchford, Dorne, Draycot, Northwich, and Paxford. There are 6 silk-mills, which, in 1838, gave employ- ment to 215 hands, within this parish, besides several corn-mills on a branch of the Stour. In the vicinity are some good stone-quarries. Fairs are held on the Tuesday after Easter week for cattle, and on the 10th of . October for hiring servants. There is a branch of the Gloucestershire Banking com- pany here. Living, a vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Worcester; valued at £54; gross income £780; in the patronage of the bishop of Wor- cester. The impropriate and vicarial tithes of the township of Blockley, and the hamlets of Dray- cot and Paxford, were commuted in 1772. The Baptists have a place of worship here; the church was formed in 1820. There are two day and Sun- day schools in this parish, endowed with 36.12 14s. per annum, arising from the interest of bequests. There was anciently a monastery here. Westiges of the ancient fosse-way of the Romans, are visible within this parish, and many coins and other relics of that people have been found here. Blockley, previous to the Reformation, possessed a bishop's palace; but no traces of it now exist. Pop., in 1801, 1,569; in 1831, 2,015. Houses 431. Acres 7,660. A. P. £11,722. Poor rates, in 1837, 36752. BLOFIELD. HUNDRED, in the county of Nor- folk. Area 20,290 acres. Houses 888. Pop., in 1831, 5,290. - BI.OFIELD, a parish in the hund, and union of Blofield, county of Norfolk; 4 miles west by south of Acle, on the line of the railroad from Norwich to Yarmouth. Living, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of Norwich; valued at £23 6s. 8d.: gross income £933; in the patronage of Caius college, Cambridge. Here is a daily school endowed with the produce of land, lying in the parish of Halvergate, given in 1729, by the Rev. Charles Reeve, for charitable purposes. There are besides four other daily schools and a Sunday school within this parish. Charities con- nected with Blofield produce about £84 per annum. Petty-sessions for the bundred of Blofield and Wals- ham are held here. Pop., in 1801, 657; in 1831, 1,092. Houses 215. Acres 1,990. A. P. 384,168. Poor rates, in 1837, 36636. A work-house has been erected here for the union of Blofield, by the poor- law commissioners, at an expense of £5,810, capable of accommodating 250 persons. The Blofield poor- law union comprehends 32 parishes, embracing an area of 73 square miles; with a population, returned in 1831, at 9,815. The annual average expenditure on the poor of this district, during the three years preceding the formation of the union, was £5,816. Expenditure, in 1838, £6,042. A paid constabulary force has been successfully introduced into Blofield Ulril OII. BLOOMFIELD, a village in the parish of Tipton, county of Worcester. The Wesleyan Methodists have a place of worship here, a congregation having been formed in 1823. BLOORE-IN-TYRLEY, a township in the parish of Drayton-in-Hales, northern division of Pirehill hund, county of Stafford; 23 miles, east of Dray- ton, in the neighbourhood of the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction canal. Pop., in 1811, 187; in 1831, 397. Houses 72. Other returns with the parish. BLORE, a parish and township in the northern division of the hund. of Totmanslow, county of Stafford; 3% miles north-west of Ashborne, on the western bank of the river Dove. It comprises the chapelry of Blore with Swainscoe, and part of the the archd. of Stafford and dio. of Lichfield and Coventry; valued at £88s., and in the parliament- ary returns at £110; gross income £131. Patron, in 1835, S. Shore, Esq. There is a small daily school here. The church contains some curious monuments of the Basset family. Bloreheath was the scene of a sanguinary conflict between the parti- zans of York and Lancaster in 1459. Pop., in 1801, 203; in 1831, 299. Houses 71. Acres 3,730. A. P. 36623. Poor rates, in 1837, -8125. BLO’-NORTON, or NoFTON-BELLEAU, a parish in the hund. and union of Guiltcross, county of Nor- folk; 5 miles south of East Harling, on the northern bank of the river Waveney. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. of Norfolk and dio. of Norwich; valued at £5.6s. 8d.: gross income £237. Patron, in 1835, the Rev. C. H. Browne. There is an en- dowed daily school here, which was attended, in 1835, by 60 scholars. Pop., in 1801, 267; in 1831, 4ll. Houses 57. Acres 1,400. A. P. £1,665. Poor rates, in 1837, 36337. f BLOXHAM HUNDRED, in the county of Ox- ford. Area 27,710 acres. Houses 1,873. Pop., in 1831, 8,706. BLOXHAM, a parish in the hund. of Bloxham, union of Banbury, county of Oxford; 4 miles south- west of Banbury. Living, a discharged vicarage, united with the curacy of Milcombe, in the archd. and dio. of Oxford; valued at £17 9s. 4d. ; gross income 36284; in the patronage of Eton college. The great and small tithes of this parish were commuted in 1799 and 1800. The Presbyterians and Baptists have chapels here. The Baptist church was formed in 1814. There are three daily schools in this parish, one of which—the free-school—is endowed by the will of Mr. Job Faulkner, late of Bloxham, with the interest of £666 13s. 4d., three per cent. consols. There are also four Sunday schools. From the feofee's estate of this parish a clear income of £213 13s. is derived, which is divided into three parts, one of which is carried to an account called the poor's book, the second to the town's book, and the third is devoted to the repairs of the church and bridges. Pop., in 1801, 1,157; in 1831, 1,573. Houses 350. #. 4,240. A. P. 366,879. Poor rates, in 1837, 3781. BLOXHOLME, a parish in the wapentake of Flaxwell, parts of Kesteven, county of Lincoln; 5 miles north by west of Sleaford. Living, a rectory with the vicarage of Digby, in the archd. and dio. of Lincoln; valued at £99s. 4%d.; gross income £245. Patroness, in 1835, Mrs. L. Manners. There is a day and Sunday school here. Pop., in 1801, 81; in 1831, 76. Houses 15. Acres 1,100. A. P. 38 1,355. Poor rates, in 1837, 3646. BLOXWICH, a chapelry in the parish of Walsall, southern division of the hund. of Offlow, county of Stafford; 23 miles north-north-west of Walsall, in- tersected by the Wyrley and Essington canal. Liv- ing, a perpetual curacy in the archd. of Stafford and dio. of Lichfield and Coventry; valued at £7; gross income £143; in the patronage of the bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. The Roman Catholics have a chapel here, licensed under the marriage act. The hamlet is noted for the production of good sad- dlery. Returns with the parish, BLOXWORTH, a parish in the hund. of Coombs- ditch, Blandford division of the county of Dorset; 5+ miles north-north-west of Wareham. Living, a rectory, a peculiar of the dean of Salisbury, formerly in the archd. of Dorset and dio. of Bristol, now in the dio. of Salisbury; valued at £15 7s. 1d. ; gross income £230. Patron, in 1835, the Rev. G. Pickard. There is a day and Sunday National school in this chapelry of Calton. Living, a discharged rectory in parish. In the neighbourhood are vestiges of a BLU BLY 213 Danish fort. Pop... in 1801, 182; in 1831, 251. Houses 34. Acres 3,420. A. P. 381,115. Poor rates, in 1837, 36116. BLUBBERHOUSES, a township in the parish of Fewston, lower division of the wapentake of Claro, west riding of Yorkshire; 7 miles north by west of Otley. The Independents have a chapel here. Pop., in 1801, 120; in 1831, 118. Houses 18. Acres 3,600. A. P. 36.303. Poor rates, in 1837, 3614. BLUNDESTON, a parish in the hund. of Mut- ford and Lothingland, county of Suffolk; 33 miles north-west of Lowestoft, in the vicinity of the Nor- wich and Lowestoft navigation. Living, a discharged rectory with Flixton, in the archd. of Suffolk and dio. of Norwich; valued at £13 6s. 8d.: gross in- come £617. Patron, in 1835, the Rev. G. Anguish. There are four daily schools in this parish, one of which is endowed with a small cottage and an acre and a half of land, producing annually about £11. There is a Baptist chapel here. Pop., in 1801, 386; in 1831, 517. Houses 106. Acres 1,500. A. P. #2,397. Poor rates, in 1837, £207. BLUNHAM, a parish in the hund. of Wixamtree, county of Bedford, including the hamlet of Mogger- hanger; 5 miles north-north-west of Biggleswade, on the western bank of the river Ivel. Living, a rec- tory, formerly in the archd. of Bedford and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Ely; valued at £46 2s. I lii.; gross income £815. Patron, in 1835, Earl de Grey. The church contains several ancient mo- numents. The Baptists have a chapel here; the church was formed in 1670. This parish possesses a daily school and two Sunday schools. A market and fair were formerly held here, but have been dis- continued. Pop., in 1801, 376; in 1831, 916. Houses 187. Acres 3,300. A. P. 361,807. Poor rates, in 1837, 36222. BLUNSDON (ST. ANDREw), a parish in the hund... of Highworth, Crickdale and Staple, county of Wilts; 5 miles west-south-west of Highworth, in the vicinity of the North Wilts canal, and the Chel- tenham and Great Western railroad union. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Wilts and dio. of Salisbury, now in the dio. of Gloucester; valued at £8 19s. 2d.; gross income £285. Patroness, in 1835, Mrs. D. M. Barker. Pop., in 1801, 65; in 1831, 73. Houses 12. Acres 1,420. A. P. 361,968. Poor rates, in 1837, 3647. BLUNSDON (BROAD), a chapelry in the parish of Highworth, hund. of Highworth, Cricklade and Staple, county of Wilts; 33 miles west by south of Highworth, in the neighbourhood of the North Wilts canal. Pop., in 1801, 396; in 1831, 699. º 154. Acres 2,260. Other returns with the parish. BLUNTISHAM AND EARITH, a parish in the hund. of Hurstingstone, county of Huntingdon; 5 miles north-east by east of St. Ives, on the western bank of the river Ouse. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Huntingdon and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Ely; valued at £32 16s. 0}d.; gross income £1,139; mett income £1,010; in the patron- age of the bishop of Ely. The church is a handsome Gothic structure. There is a Baptist church here, formed in 1787. The Independents have also a place of worship here. There are five daily schools here, one of which is endowed with land yielding 48.100 per annum, and two Sunday schools. Chari- ties connected with this parish produce about £108 per annum. A destructive hurricane occurred here in September, 1741. Pop., in 1801, 460; in 1831, 674. Houses 137. Acres 2,410. A. P. 363,618. Poor rates, in 1837, 36706. BLURTON AND LIGHT WOOD FOREST, a bapelry in the parish of Trentham, northern divi- sion of the hund. of Pirehill, county of Stafford, 5 miles south-east by east of Newcastle-under-Lyne, in the vicinity of the Grand Trunk canal, and the Manchester and Birmingham railroad. Living, a curacy in the archd. of Stafford and dio. of Lichfield and Coventry, not in charge, of the yearly value of 4°189. Patron, in 1835, the Duke of Sutherland. Pop., in 1821, 844; in 1831, 849. Houses 149. Acres 2,210. Other returns with the parish. BLYBOROUGH, a parish in the western division of the wapentake of Aslacoe, parts of Lindsey, county of Lincoln; 9 miles north-east of Gainsbo- rough. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Stow and dio. of Lincoln; valued at £19; gross income £525; in the patronage of the Crown. There is a daily school in this parish. Pop., in 1801, 157; in 1831, 201. Houses 30. Acres 3,080. A. P. £2,935. Poor rates, in 1837, £152. BLYMHILL witH BRINCTON, a parish in the western division of the hund. of Cuttlestone, county of Stafford; 6 miles west-north-west of Brewood, in the vicinity of the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction canal. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Stafford and dio. of Lichfield and Co- ventry; valued at £13 10s. 7d.; gross income £630. Patron, in 1835, the Earl of Bradford. There is a day and Sunday National school here, with a small endowment, containing 60 pupils. Pop., in 1801, 475; in 1831, 566. Houses 122. Acres 2,190. A. P. 363,490. Poor rates, in 1837, £321. BLYSOOG (THE), a river rising in Pembroke- shire, and falling into the Tavy, near Kilgarrin castle, in Cardiganshire. BLYTH, a parish comprising the chapelries of Austerfield and Bawtry, in the wapentake of Straf- forth and Tickhill, union of Doncaster, west riding of the county of York, the township of Ranskill, in the liberty of Southwell and Scrooby,–the mar- ket-town of Blyth,-the lordship of Hodsock, and the townships of Barnby-moor with Bilby, Styrrup, and Torworth, in the Hatfield division of the wa- pentake of Bassetlaw, union of Worksop, county of Nottingham; 152 miles north-north-west of London, and 6 of East Retford. The town of Blyth is an agreeable village, occupying a gentle ascent, and had formerly a market on Wednesday. This has fallen into disuse, but fairs are held on Holy Thursday and October 20, for cattle, horses, and swine. The North of England, and the Newcastle, Shields, and Sunderland union banks, have branches here. Liv- ing, a discharged vicarage, formerly in the archd. of Nottingham and dio. of York, now in the dio. of Lin- coln; valued at £149s. 4d. ; gross income £751; in the patronage of Trinity college, Cambridge. The church is a capacious and elegant Gothic structure, with an ancient tower, the whole being evidently of very high antiquity. The interior presents a noble nave, with arches supported by lofty pillars, blended with some beautiful monuments of the Mellish fa- mily. The Society of Friends have a place of wor- ship here. This parish possesses 11 daily and 8 Sunday schools, with 4 infant schools. There are several endowed almshouses here. Other charities connected with the parish produce about £28 per annum. “Here was a priory of Benedictine monks, built by Roger de Builly and Muriel his wife, about A. D. 1088, to the honour of the blessed Virgin. It was in some respects subordinate to the abbey of the Holy Trinity, on the mount of St. Catherine, near Rox, in Normandy; however, it was not seized with the alien priories, but continued till the general dis- solution, when the revenues were equal to £126 8s. 2d. The site was granted, 35° Henry VIII., to Richard Andrews and William Ramsden.—A hospi- tal for a warden, three chaplains, and several leprous BLY BOB 214 people, was founded here by William de Cressy, lord of Hodesac, and dedicated to St. John the Evange- list. It was valued, 269 Henry VIII., at £8 14s.” —Tanner's Not. Mon. Of this hospital no traces remain. The country around the township of Blyth, embracing the grounds not only belonging to the mansion of the Mellishes, but also those of Serlby- hall, presents a scene of cultivation so rich and va- ried as to resemble that of a garden. The high road itself seems an ornamented walk, leading over a magnificent bridge of Rock-Abby stone, built for the purpose of crossing the extensive piece of water formed by damming up the river Idle and the little brook called Ryton, which intersects these grounds. See BAwarry. Pop., in 1801, 1,565; in 1831, 3,735. Houses 502. Acres 17,070. A. P. 3624,255. Poor rates, in 1837, 361,761. Pop. of the township, in 1801, 589; in 1831, 811. Houses 166. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.368. BLYTH (NoFTH). See BEDLINGroN. BLYTH (SouTH), AND NEWSHAM, a seaport town and chapelry in the parish of Earsdon, eastern division of Castle ward, county of Northumberland; 288 miles north-north-west of London, and 9 south- east of Morpeth. There is a chapel-of-ease here, erected in 1751 by Sir M. W. Ridley, Bart., in whose family the patronage remains. The church of Scotland, Wesleyans, New Connexion Method- ists, and United Seceders, have places of worship here. This township possesses eight daily and four Sunday schools. The exports are chiefly coal and salt, and above 100 small vessels belong to the port, whose harbour is secure, but accessible only by ves- sels of moderate burden. In full tides there are 16 feet of water at the bar. There is a lighthouse here, showing a fixed light, visible at 10 miles dis- tance in clear weather. Position 55° 7' N. lat. ; 19 30' W. long. Pop., in 1801, 1,170; in 1831, 1,769. Houses 246. Acreage with the parish. A. P. 264,909. Poor rates, in 1837, 36791. BLY THBURGH, a parish in the hund, and union of Blything, county of Suffolk; 4 miles west of Southwold, on the post-road to Saxmundham, in- tersected by the river Blythe, which is here navi- gable. Living, a perpetual curacy not in charge, in the archd. of Suffolk and dio. of Norwich; valued in the parliamentary returns at £26; gross income 2£45. Patron, in 1835, Sir Charles Blois, Bart. The chapel is a large and ancient structure, very much decayed. According to Stow, a severe thun. ler-storm occurred here on Sunday the 4th August, 1577, during divine service, when the church sus- tained great damage from the lightning, and upwards of 20 people were struck down by it, two of whom were killed, and the others scorched. There are two daily schools here, one of which, held in the poor-house, and including 151 children, is supported by the incorporated hundred of Blything from the poor rate. There is also a Sunday school endowed with 263 per annum. The town was formerly of much importance, and had a weekly market and three annual fairs; but it declined on the suppression of the priory, of which there are trifling remains. In 1679 it sustained a loss by fire to the amount of 261,803, on which occasion some of the inhabitants, from inability to rebuild their houses, and others from the failure of trade, removed elsewhere, and reduced the place to poverty. A fair is held on April 5th for toys. “Here was a priory of Black canons, cell to the abbey of St. Osith in Essex, to which house the church here was given by King Henry I. It was dedicated to the blessed Virgin, and valued 26° Henry VIII., about which time there were here five religious, at £48 8s. 10d. per annum. It was granted, 36° Henry VIII., to Sir Arthur Hopeton.”—Tanner's Not. Mon. Pop., in 1801, 363; in 1831, 579. Houses 113. Acres 3,590. A. P. 362,818. Poor rates, in 1837, £583. BLYTHE, (THE), a river in Warwickshire, fall- ing into the Tame, near Maxstock castle. BLY THE (THE), a river in Northumberland, flowing through Stannington vale, and falling into the sea at Blythe. BLY THE (THE), or BLITHE, a river in Suffolk, rising near Laxford, flowing east, and falling into the German sea near Southwold. It is navigable to Halesworth, a distance of 9 miles. BLY THFORD, a parish in the hund. and union of Blything, county of Suffolk; 23 miles east by south of Halesworth, on the northern bank of the river Blythe. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. of Suffolk and dio. of Norwich, not in charge; valued at £16; and, in 1835, in the patronage of the Rev. Jeremy Day. Pop., in 1801, 163; in 1831, 197. Houses 23. Acres 1,240. A. P. 26.709. Poor rates, in 1837, 36182. BLYTHING HUNDRED, in the county of Suffolk, is bounded on the north by the hundred of Wangford; on the north-east by that of Mutford; on the east by the North sea; on the south by the hundred of Plomesgate; and on the west by that of Hoxne. Area 83,850 acres. Houses 3,917. Pop., in 1831, 24,177. A workhouse has been erected at an expense of £713 2s. 6d., at Bulcamp, by the poor-law commissioners, for the union of Blything, and is distinctly returned. The population of this house of industry in 1801, was 523; in 1831, 404.— The Blything poor-law union comprehends 49 par- ishes, embracing an area of 138 square miles, with a population returned, in 1831, at 25,303. The aver- age annual expenditure on the poor of this district, during the three years preceding the formation of the union, was £21,979. Expenditure, in 1838, 3610,379. BLYTON witH WHARTON, a parish in the wapentake of Corringham, parts of Lindsey, union of Gainsborough, county of Lincoln; 4 miles north- east of Gainsborough. Living, a vicarage in the archd. of Stow and dio. of Lincoln; valued at £12; gross income £400. Patron, in 1835, the Earl of Scarborough. This parish possesses five daily schools, one of which is endowed with £20 per annum. Pop., in 1801, 377; in 1831, 551. Houses 117. Acres 2,830. A. P. 384,946. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.190. BOARHUNT, a parish in the hund. and divi- sion of Portsdown, union of Fareham, county of Southampton; 2 miles north-north-east of Fareham. Living, a donative in the archd. and dio. of Win- chester, not in charge; no return was made. Pa- tron, in 1835, T. Thistlethwayte, Esq. Here is a monument to Lord Nelson. Pop., in 1801, 133; in 1831, 225. Houses 25. Acres 1,850. A. P. st 1,744. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.118. BOARSHURST. See SADDLEworth WITIn QUICK. BOARST ALL. See BoRSTALL. BOBBING, a parish in the hund. and union of Milton, lathe of Scray, county of Kent; 14 mile west by north of Milton, near the post-road to Chatham. Living, a vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Canterbury; valued at £30 16s. ; gross income 26.120. Patron, in 1835, W. Simpson, Esq. There is a daily school here. Bobbing-court, now in ruins, was the ancient residence of the Savages, and in the principal chancel of the church there are some curious memorials of that family. Titus Oates, the dis- coverer of the popish plot, in the reign of Charles II., was vicar of this parish. Pop., in 1801, 231; in 1831, 364. Houses 60. Acres 1,040, A. P. 361,549 Poor rates, in 1837, 36 153. BOB BOD 215 BOBBINGTON, a parish in the union of Seisdon, partly in the hund. of Brimstrey, county of Salop, and partly in the southern division of the hund. of Seisdon, county of Stafford; 8% miles south-west of Wolverhampton, and 3% west of the Stafford and Birmingham canal. Living, a perpetual curacy, for- merly in the archd. of Salop and dio. of Lichfield and Coventry, now in the dio. of Chester, a peculiar of the yearly value of £97. Patron, in 1835, T. Whitmore, Esq. Here is a school for 20 boys and 12 girls, founded and endowed with 361,400, by Hannah Cobbett, in 1792. There are also a daily school, containing 33 pupils, and two Sunday schools. Pop., in 1801, 381; in 1831, 429. Houses 82. Acres 2,320. A. P. £4,025. Poor rates, in 1837, £187. BOBBINGWORTH, a parish in the hund. and union of Ongar, county of Essex; 2% miles north- west of Chipping-Ongar. Living, a rectory, formerly in the archd. of Essex and dio. of London, now in the dio. of Rochester; valued at £13 6s. 8d.: gross income £395. Patrons, in 1835, Honblon and C. Cure, Esqrs. There is a daily school in this parish supported by Capel Cure, Esq. Pop., in 1801, 216; in 1831, 277. Houses 48. Acres i,430. A. P. 362,458. Poor rates, in 1837, £190. BOCKENFIELD, a township in the parish of Felton, eastern division of Morpeth ward, county of Northumberland; 8 miles north of Morpeth. Pop., in 1801, 130; in 1831, 107. Houses 26. Acreage with the parish. Poor rates, in 1837, £51. BOCKHAMPTON. See STINSFoRD. _BOCKING, a parish and village in the hund. of Hinckford, union of Braintree, county of Essex; 2 miles north of Braintree, on the northern bank of the river Pant, and 41 miles east of London. It forms the northern suburb of Braintree, and derives some advantage from its situation as a thoroughfare from the metropolis to the eastern counties. This manor was presented by Ethelred to the see of Can- terbury, to which it was attached till the dissolution of monasteries by Henry VIII. It is still the seat of a deanery. . Living, a rectory in the archd, and dio. of Canterbury; valued at £35 10s. 8d.; gross income £1,128; nett income £923; in the patronage of the archbishop of Canterbury. The church, sup- posed to have been built in the 14th century, is a Spacious structure, and contained, before the Refor- mation, three altars and five chantries. There is an Independent church here, which has existed since 1710, º This parish possesses four daily schools, one of which was endowed by John Gauden, bishop of Worcester, with £21 per annum, three Sunday schools, with lending libraries attached, and four boarding schools. Bocking has increased consider- ably from the manufacture of silk and crape, which gives employment to many of the inhabitants. In 1838, 223 hands were employed in a silk-mill here. There are also some corn and fulling-mills driven by power from the river Pant. Here are alms-houses for nine persons, endowed with £80 per annum, and an hospital, founded by John Doreward, Esq. for a provost or master, and six poor persons, 189 Henry WI. Petty-sessions are held here and at Halstead for the division of South Hinkford. Pop., in 1801, 2,680; in 1831, 3,128. Houses 647. Acres 3,800. A. P. 386,957. Poor rates, in 1837, £2,015. BOCKLETON, a parish in the union of Tenbury, partly in the hund, of Broxash, county of Hereford, and partly in the hund, of Doddingtree, county of: Worcester; 5 miles south of Tenbury. It includes the hamlet of Hampton-Charles. Living, a per- petual curacy, formerly in the archd. of Salop and dio, of Hereford, now in the dio. of Worcester; valued at £134s, and rated in the parliamentary returns at £l00; gross income £133, Patron, in 1835, the Rev. J. K. Miller. There is a daily Na- tional school in this parish. Pop., in 1801, 223; in 1831, 385. Houses 71. Acres 3,300, of which about 100 are in hops. A. P. 362,364. Poor rates, in 1837, 4:239. BOCONNOC, a parish in the hund. of West, union of Liskeard, county of Cornwall; 4 miles east-north-east of Lostwithiel. Living, a discharged rectory, with that of Broad-Oak, in the archd. of Cornwall and dio. of Exeter; valued at £9 17s. 8d. ; gross income £416. Patron, in 1835, Lord Gren- ville. There are two daily schools here. In Bocor. noc house, once the property of Lord Camelford, Charles I. resided a short time in 1644, and was shot at when walking in the grounds. The ball missed the king and killed a fisherman who was gazing at him. Some lead mines were formerly worked here but were not productive. Boconnoc is the birth- place of the celebrated statesman William Pitt, earl of Chatham. Pop., in 1801, 212; in 1831, 259. Houses 49. Acres 2,230. A. P. £1,254. Poor rates, in 1837, £116. BOD AIOCH. See TREF-EGLwys. BODDINGTON, a parish in the union of Tewkes- bury, partly in the hund. of Tewkesbury and partly in that of Westminster, lower divisions, county of Gloucester; 4 miles north-west by west of Chelten- ham, and 3 west of the Cheltenham railway. Living, a curacy, subordinate to the vicarage of Staverton. Pop., in 1801, 273; in 1831, 421. Houses 62. Acres 1,550. A. P. 363,243. Poor rates, in 1837, 26229. BODDINGTON (LoweR and UPPER), a parish in the hund. of Chipping-Warden, county of North- ampton; 9 miles south-west of Daventry, in the vicinity of the Oxford canal. It includes the hamlet of Barrow. Living, a rectory in the archd. of North- ampton and dio. of Peterborough; valued at £20; gross income £780; in the patronage of Emanuel college, Cambridge. All tithes of Upper Bodding- ton, the property of the clerical rector, were com- muted in 1758. There are four daily schools in this parish, one of which is endowed by Richard Lamprey. Pop., in 1801, 476; in 1831, 662. Houses 122. Acres 3,770. A. P. 364,117. BODEDERN, a parish in the hund. of Llyffon, union and county of Anglesey, North Wales; 6. miles east of Holyhead, on the post-road to Bangor. Living, a perpetual curacy in the archd. of Anglesey and dio. of St. Asaph and Bangor; valued at £12 15s, and rated in the parliamentary returns at £78; gross income £104; in the patronage of Jesus college, Cambridge. The Calvinistic Methodists have a chapel here; the church was formed in 1784. There are two daily schools in this parish, one of which, containing 78 pupils, is supported by endowment and five Sunday schools. Fairs are held here or March 13th, April 16th, May 5th, June 9th, Tues- day after Whit-Monday, August 16th, September 14th, and October 1st and 21st, for cattle. Here are two druidical cromlechs. Pop., in 1801, 593; in 1831, 1,085. Houses 228. A. P. 362,038. Poor rates, in 1837, 36436. BODENHAM, a parish in the hund. of Broxash, union of Leominster, county of Hereford; 8 miles north-north-east of Hereford. Living, a vicarage in the archd. and dio. of Hereford; rated at £12 1s. 53d. ; gross income £686. Patron, in 1835, R. Arkwright, Esq. The great and small tithes, the property of the bishop of Hereford, clerical rector and vicar, were commuted in 1802. Here are 2 daily schools, and a National one, endowed with £30 per annum. There is an endowment for poor housekeep- ers not receiving parochial aid. Pop., in 1801, 887; in 1831, 998. Houses 199. Acres 5,550, of which BOD BOD 216 about 270 are in hops. A. P. £5,661. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.400. BODEWRYD, a parish in the hund. of Twr- Celyn, county of Anglesey, North Wales; 23 miles south-west of Amlwch. Living, a curacy, not in charge, in the archd. of Anglesey and dio. of St. Asaph and Bangor; of the yearly value of £70. Patron, in 1835, Sir J. T. Stanley, Bart. Pop., in 1801, 58; in 1831, 35. Houses 6. BODFARY, or Bodva RI, a parish in the union of St. Asaph, partly in the hund. of Ruthin, county of Denbigh, and partly in that of Rhudalan, county of Flint, North Wales; 4 miles north-east of Den- bigh. It contains the township of Aberwheeler. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. and dio. of St. Asaph and Bangor; valued at £95s. 23d. ; gross income £326; in the patronage of the bishop of St. Asaph. This parish possesses two daily schools, one of which is partly supported by the interest of .#100, bequeathed in trust by the late Sir Robert Cotton, Bart., and paid by Lord Combermere, and two Sunday schools. At this place the Romans built a small city, which they named Bodvari, the mansion of Varus, who is supposed to have had his residence here. The ruins of the buildings still exist upon an adjoining hill, called Moel-y-gaer. Pop., in 1801, 825; in 1831, 873. Houses 170. A. P. 364,870. Poor rates, in 1837, £131. - BODFERIN, or BoDVERN, a parish in the hund. of Commitmaen, union of Pwllheli, county of Caer- narvon, North Wales; la miles south-west by south of Pwllheli. Pop., in 1801, 58; in 1831, 56. Houses 11. A. P. 36.250. Poor rates, in 1837, 3614. BODFUAN, or BoDvEAN, a parish in the hund. of Dinlleyn, union of Pwllheli, county of Caernar- von, North Wales; 2% miles south-south-east of Nevin. Living, a rectory in the archd. of Bangor and dio. of St. Asaph and Bangor; valued at £6 6s. 8d.: gross income £223; in the patronage of the bishop of St. Asaph and Bangor. The Calvinistic Methodists have a place of worship here; the church having been formed in 1827. There are a daily school here, endowed with £100, and a Sunday school. Pop., in 1831, 378. Houses 69. A. P. 361,175. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.156. BODHAM, a parish in the hund. of Holt, union of Erpingham, county of Norfolk; 3 miles east of Holt. Living, a discharged rectory in the archd. and dio. of Norwich; valued at £9; and, in 1835, in the patronage of Thomas W. Mott, Esq. Pop., in 1801, 227; in 1831, 308. Houses 65. Acres 1,680. A. P. £1,356. Poor rates, in 1837, 36225. BODICOTT, a chapelry in the parish of East Adderbury, hund. of Bloxham, county of Oxford; 2 miles south of Banbury, in the vicinity of the Oxford canal. Living, a curacy, not in charge, an- nexed to the vicarage of East Adderbury. The Baptists have a chapel here; the church was formed in 1817. There are two daily and two Sunday schools here. Pop., in 1801, 574; in 1831, 779. Houses 138. Acres 1,680. A. P. 262,968. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.400. - BODIHAM, a parish in the hund, of Staple, rape of Hastings, union of Ticehurst, county of Sussex; 7 miles north-north-east of Battle, on the northern bank of the river Rother, over which there is a bridge here. Living, a vicarage in the archd. of Lewes and dio. of Chichester; valued at £6 18s. 63d. ; gross income £280. Patron, in 1835, Sir J. G. Thomas. There are a daily and a Sunday school here, sup- ported by the vicar of the parish. A fair is held here on June 6th for cattle and pedlery. Bodiham castle, which stands at a small distance eastward of the village, was built in the 13th century, and is still a magnificent pile of building even in ruins. It is surrounded by a large and deep moat, now stagnant. The great gate is flanked by two square machicolated towers, and over it are three escutcheons of arms, and the iron portcullis, yet entire. Pop., in 1801, 225; in 1831, 349. Houses 58. Acres 1,480, of which 130 are in hops. A. P. 381,665. Poor rates, in 1837, 36.165. - BODMIN, a borough and parish in the hund. of Trigg, union of Bodmin, county of Cornwall; 232 miles west-south-west of London, 21 south-west of Launceston. The limits of the borough are well- defined. Bodmin, formerly a stannary town, con- sists of a single long street running east and west, and lighted with gas. It is situated near the centre of the county, in a hollow between two hills. A railway from Wadebridge was opened in 1834; it extends up the valley towards Camelford. Its whole length is 14 miles, 5 furlongs, 6 chains. An excel- lent market-house was opened in 1840. Races take place annually, and assemblies are occasionally held here. Bone-lace was formerly made in considerable quantity; but the chief manufacture at present is that of shoes. Saturday is market-day. Fairs for oxen, sheep, and cloth—of which last but a small quantity is now sold—are held on the 25th January, Saturday before Palm Sunday, Tuesday and Wed- nesday before Whit-Sunday, and December 6th. In the hamlet of St. Lawrence, in the immediate vicin- ity, large cattle-fairs are held on the 21st August, and 29th and 30th October. There are a branch of the Devon and Cornwall banking company, and of the East Cornwall bank, here. The corporation are in possession of the following charters:–36° Edward III., 1362; 39 Richard II., 1380; 59 Eliz- abeth, 1563; 36° Elizabeth, 1594; and 38° George III., 1798. There is also a charter granted by James II. ; but this is considered illegal, and has never been acted on. By the municipal act of 1835, the govern- ment, under the title of ‘the mayor and burgesses of Bodmin, in the county of Cornwall,’ is vested in a mayor, 4 aldermen, and 12 councillors. The mayor, and the late mayor, are justices of the peace, e& officio. By the charter of George III., a court- of-record was granted, before which all personal actions, not exceeding £100, might be brought, and also a court of pie-powder. Bodmin is the place of election for the two members for the eastern division of Cornwall; it also unites with the parishes of Lanivet, Lanhydrock, and Helland, in returning two borough-members. Under the old regime its 37 corporation-voters enjoyed the same right. The county sessions and assizes are all now holden in this town: the spring assizes having been removed from Launceston, and the April sessions from Truro, in 1839. A new hall has been erected in the town for the purpose of the assize-business, with two very handsome courts. The grand jury-room, indictment. room, and other requisite offices, are all within the building. A new mayoralty house, and judge's lodging, was built in 1838. A part of the ancient convent of Grey friars—afterwards noticed—with some modern additions, is used as a corn-market. Previous to the erection of the new county-hall, the summer assizes were holden in the old refectory of the Grey friars. The county-gaol and house-of- correction is situated below the town. It is meat and well-arranged, and contains 177 cells, 15 wards, 16 day-rooms, and 15 airing-yards. Two tread-mills, both connected with the same shaft, and two crank- machines, are attached to the building. The em- ployments of the inmates, though various, are not very productive to the county. The number of prisoners, in 1835, was 569. St. Guron had an hermitage here, on the site of which St. Petroc founded a cell for four monks, BOD BOL 217 about A. D. 518. Dr. Borlase is of opinion that here was the first seat of the bishopric of Cornwall, but Whitaker has shown this to be an error. The mon- astery of Bodmin was granted by King Ethelred to the bishop of St. Germains, in 994. The following is the account given by Tanner in his Notitia.- “The body of St. Petroc having been moved to this place, there was a church built to his memory, and the episcopal see for Cornwall was therein placed by King Edward the Elder, and Archbishop Plegmund, A. D. 905. Here King Athelstan is reported to have met with old Saxon, or rather British monks, follow- ing the rule of St. Benedict, to whom he granted so great privileges and endowments, that he is account- ed the founder of the monastery here, about A. D. 926. That settlement was destroyed by Danish pirates in 981, yet the religious continued here under several shapes, and much alienation of their lands, both before and after the conquest, till about the year 1120, when one Algar, with the king's licence and the consent of William Warlewast, bishop of Exeter, re-established this religious house, and placed therein regular canons of the order of St. Austin, who continued here till the general suppression, when it was styled the priory of St. Mary and St. Petroc, and was valued at £289 lls. 11d., per an- num. The site, with the demesnes, were granted, 36° Henry VIII., to Thomas Sternhold, one of the first translators of the Psalms into English metre.*— A house of Grey friars was on the south side of the market-place, begun by John of London, a merchant, and augmented by Edmund, earl of Cornwall. After the dissolution, this friary was granted to one William Abbott, 37° Henry VIII., and in Queen Elizabeth's time it was the house of correction for the county.” The town was formerly of much greater extent than it now is; for besides a priory and cathedral, it possessed, according to Hals, thirteen churches or free chapels, the sites of some of which are still distinguishable. It was one of those decayed towns for the repairing of which an act was passed in the 329 Henry VIII. Living, a discharged vicarage in the archd. of Cornwall and dio. of Exeter; valued at £13 6s. 8d.; gross income 38300; in the patronage of the Baron- ess Bassett. The church is a spacious structure, in the later style of English architecture. It contains a large Norman font, and a finely sculptured monu- ment in honour of Thomas Vivian, bishop of Megara, and one of its latest priors, whose bones are kept above ground, in a closet. Here are also places of worship belonging to the Wesleyan Methodists, Bryanites, and the connexion of the Countess of Huntingdon. The Wesleyan church was formed in 1803; that of Lady Huntingdon's connexion in 1825. There are here 22 daily schools, collectively contain- ing 592 children, one of which was founded and en- dowed by Queen Elizabeth.—It appears that the inhabitants long exercised the right of cutting wood for fuel in the Dunmeer woods; the exercise of this right often occasioned great riots in the days of the prior of Bodmin, to whom these woods belonged. After the dissolution of the priory, they came into the possession of John Chamond, who conveyed to the corporation the Dunmeer mills, upon special trust that the rents and profits should be given for the relief of poor persons resident within the borough. The municipal commissioners report, that the rents derived from these mills, and the fines received on * A manuscript copy of the gospels, of the 9th century, or earlier, and formerly belonging to the church of St. Petróg in Bodmin, has recently been discovered in Oxfordshire, and is tº deposited in the British museum. There are entries in it, in Saxon and Latin, of the time of Edgar. miles west by south of Watton. granting various leases, have been appropriated to the general purposes of the corporation. Near the town was an ancient hospital for lazars, endowed with £140 per annum, the revenue of which has been transferred, by decree of the court of Chancery, to the infirmary of Truro. Pop., in 1801, 2,299; in 1831, 3,782. Houses 641. Acres 6,310. A. P. 3610,861. Poor rates, in 1837, 4:943.—The Bod- min poor-law union comprehends 19 parishes, em- bracing an area of 128 square miles; with a popula- tion returned, in 1831, at 18,836. BODNEY, a parish in the hund. of South Green- hoe, union of Swaffham, county of Norfolk, 5%; Living, a dis- charged rectory subordinate to Great Cressingham. Pop., in 1801, 89; in 1831, 110. Houses 8. Acres 2,590. A. P. 381,000. Poor rates, in 1837, 3691. BODWROG, a parish in the hund. of Llyfon, union and county of Anglesey, North Wales; 10% miles east by south of Holyhead, on the post-road to Bangor. Living, a perpetual curacy united with that of Llandrygarn. This parish possesses a Sun- day school, containing 80 children, with the privilege of sending 12 pupils to the National school in the adjoining parish of Llandrygarn. Pop., in 1801, 219; in 1831, 312. Houses 63. A. P. f.896. Poor rates, in 1837, 36145. - BOGNOR, or HoTHAMPTON, a market-town and chapelry in the parish of South Bersted, hund. of Aldwich, rape of Chichester, county of Sussex; 6% miles south-east of Chichester, in the neighbourhood of the Arundel and Portsmouth canal. The town is an agreeable, favourite, and fashionable, watering- place : it is sheltered from the north winds by the South Downs, and commands a fine inland prospect. “The mildness of the temperature of Bognor,” says Dally, in his Bognor Guide, “is manifested by the luxuriance of the trees and shrubs that grow near the shore, and the facility with which all sorts of native, and many exotic, plants are cultivated. At the very edge of the ocean, the elegant tamarisk is seen to blossom in full perfection during several of the win- termonths; and whilst the snow lies embedded on the northern sides of the hills, it is either not seen here, or soon dissolves away under the genial influence of the climate.” A chapel was erected here in 1821. Living, a perpetual curacy of the yearly value of