Curiosities Of Great Britain: England And Wales Delineated Part 4

[Sidenote: Sir Henry Wyatt deprived of seventeen manors and his liberty, for treason.]

[Sidenote: Sir Thomas Wyatt, was an accomplished scholar, soldier and statesman.]

[Sidenote: Parish consists of one house, a church, and a cottage.]

Map Names of Places. County. Number of Miles From +--+-----------------------+----------+------------------------------+ 41 Allington pa Wilts Amesbury 4 Salisbury 6 41 Allington to Wilts Chippenham 2 Malmsbury 9 41 Allington to Wilts Devizes 4 Calne 7 11 Allington, East pa Devon Kingsbridge 4 Dartmouth 6 11 Allington, West pa Devon ... 1 Modbury 7 24 Allington, West pa Lincoln Grantham 5 Newark 10 22 Allithwaite, Upper to Lancaster Cartmel 3 Hawkeshead 11 22 Allithwaite, Lower to Lancaster ... 1 ... 13 9 Allonby to c.u.mberland Wigton 11 c.o.c.kermouth 9 7 Allostock to Chester Knutsford 5 Middlewich 5 36 All Saints, St. Elm pa Suffolk Halesworth 5 Bungay 5 17 Almeley pa Hereford Weobly 5 Kington 4 12 Almer, West pa Dorset Blandford 6 Bere Regis 6 35 Almington to Stafford Drayton 1 Newcastle 12 39 Almington & Delph to Warwick Tamworth 2 Atherstone 7 38 Almodington pa Suss.e.x Chichester 6 Bognor 10 45 Almondbury[A] pa & to W.R. York Huddersfield 2 Barnsley 10 15 Almondsbury pa & ti Gloucester Thornbury 4 Old Pas. Hou. 5 34 Almsford pa Somerset Castle Cary 1 Bruton 4 43 Alne pa & to N.R. York Easingwold 3 Borobridge 6 39 Alne, Great chap & to Warwick Alcester 3 Henley-Arden 5 29 Alnham pa & to Northumb Alnwick 14 Wooler 11 29 Alnwick[B] m.t. & pa Northumb Newcastle 34 Morpeth 9 +--+-----------------------+----------+--------------+---------------+ Dist. Map Names of Places. Number of Miles From Lond. Population.

+--+-----------------------+-------------------------+-----+---------+ 41 Allington pa Andover 11 77 80 41 Allington to Bath 13 95 162 41 Allington to Marlboro 10 88 162 11 Allington, East pa Totness 7 205 677 11 Allington, West pa Plymouth 18 207 872 24 Allington, West pa M. Mowbray 16 115 357 22 Allithwaite, Upper to Ulverstone 11 255 759 22 Allithwaite, Lower to ..by Ferry 6 257 838 9 Allonby to Abbey-Holm 8 315 783 7 Allostock to Northwich 6 168 448 36 All Saints, St. Elm pa Harleston 5 105 439 17 Almeley pa Leominster 7 107 ... 35 Almington to Eccleshall 10 158 340 39 Almington & Delph to Coles.h.i.+ll 10 112 264 38 Almodington pa Selsea-Bill 4 68 ... 45 Almondbury[A] pa & to Wakefield 9 186 30606 15 Almondsbury pa & ti Bristol 8 117 1408 34 Almsford pa Glas...o...b..ry 9 114 304 43 Alne pa & to Thirsk 9 212 1967 39 Alne, Great chap & to Stratford 7 103 343 29 Alnham pa & to Rothbury 9 314 278 29 Alnwick[B] m.t. & pa ... 11 308 6788 +--+-----------------------+-------------------------+-----+---------+

[A] ALMONDBURY is situated near the river Calder, in the upper division of the wapentake of Aybrigg. Here is a grammar school, founded by patent from James I. and endowed with about 120 per annum. This place is noted for its extensive woollen manufactories. It was anciently called Albanbury. In the neighbourhood traces of an ancient castle, on an eminence, are still discernable. It is supposed, by some antiquarians, to have been the Campodonum of the Romans, and subsequently a royal seat of some of the Saxon kings.

[Sidenote: Grammar school founded by James I.]

[Sidenote: Ancient castle. Campodonum of the Romans.]

[B] ALNWICK, is on the high road from London to Berwick, and usually regarded as the capital of the county. It is situated partly in the southern division of Barnborough Ward, and partly in the eastern division of Coquetdale Ward. It is built irregularly, on the declivities of a hill, near the river Alne, over which a handsome stone bridge was erected by the late Duke of Northumberland, which bears the Percy crest on the parapet; there is also another bridge, of one arch, lower down the river; these two bridges serve as boundaries to the fine lawns surrounding the castle. At the head of Pottergate is a tower or clock-house, built in 1786. An abbey of Premonstratension canons was founded at Alnwick by Eustace St. John, in the year 1147. It was pleasantly situated on the northern margin of the Alne, the site of which was granted, in 1549, to Ralph Sadler, and Lawrence Wennington, after which it became the seat of the Brandling family, and also of the Doubleday family, by whom it was sold to the Duke of Northumberland. A fine gate house still remains, on which the Percy arms is visible. This town has a s.p.a.cious market place, and a considerable town hall, in which the sessions and county courts are held. It is paved, watched, and lighted, under an act pa.s.sed in 1821. Although the county town, the a.s.sizes are held at Newcastle. Alnwick Castle has been for many centuries a fortress of great strength, and the family mansion of the Percys'; it stands on an eminence on the south side of the Alne, opposite to the town, and commands a beautiful view of the country. The walls are flanked with sixteen gothic towers, the battlements of which, are ornamented with figures of ancient warriors: it is very celebrated in border history, and was peculiarly fatal to the kings of Scotland, of whom Malcolm II. and his son Edward, fell before it; and William, surnamed the Lion, was taken prisoner. The castle has lately undergone a complete repair; great attention having been paid to the restoration of the gothic ornaments in their original style. The chapel has been rendered extremely beautiful, by the introduction of a ceiling, in imitation of the celebrated one of King's College, Cambridge. There is also a handsome window, on the model of one at York Minster, and the walls are painted in the manner of those of the cathedral of Milan. The tenants of the estate at Alnwick, in the year 1818, erected a monument to the memory of the late Duke of Northumberland, who died in 1817, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. The Percy column, as it is called, stands on a beautiful knoll, adjoining the road on the southern entrance to the town; it rises without a pedestal, and may be seen in every direction, it is eighty-three feet in height, but may be ascended easily by a circular flight of stairs within. There is an immemorial custom continued here on the proclamation of the several fairs; divers adjacent towns.h.i.+ps, which are free of toll in the borough, by this service, send their deputies to attend the bailiff, on the eve of the fair, when he makes proclamation; after which they keep watch all night in every part of the town, and this is the most perfect remains of watch and ward retained in any part of this country. It is said that King John, having endured considerable inconvenience from the miry state of the roads, in humorous revenge, directed that for the future, the freemen of Alnwick, should be made in the following manner, which is still observed.--On St.

Mark's day, those who are to be made free, a.s.semble in the market place, dressed in white, with white caps, and a sword by their side. They proceed on horseback from this place to the town moor, headed by the four chamberlains, attired in the same manner, where they alight and rush through a muddy pool; having performed this ceremony, they change their soiled garments, and return to the town. Here is a free school, supported by a revenue arising out of the tolls, and various minor charities.

_Market_, Sat.u.r.day,--_Mail_ arrives 6-1/4 A.M., departs 5-1/2 P.M.--_Fairs_, Palm Sunday eve, for shoes, hats, &c.; May 12th, horses and horned cattle; last Monday in July, linen and woollen cloth; 1st Tuesday in October, and October 28th, horses and cattle; and Sat.u.r.day before Christmas Day, for shoes, hats, and woollens.--_Bankers_, Ridley and Co., draw on Glynn and Co.--_Inn_, White Swan.

[Sidenote: An abbey of monks, founded in 1147.]

[Sidenote: Fortress of great strength.]

[Sidenote: The fall of Malcolm II. and his son Edward.]

[Sidenote: Monument to the memory of the late Duke of Northumberland.]

[Sidenote: Curious customs in Alnwick.]

[Sidenote: Making freemen at Alnwick through a muddy pool.]

Map Names of Places. County. Number of Miles From +--+----------------------+-------+------------+------------+ 14 Alphamstone pa Ess.e.x Halstead 5 Sudbury 5 36 Alphaston pa Suffolk Sudbury 7 Lavenham 3 11 Alphington pa Devon Exeter 1 Topsham 5 27 Alpington pa Norfolk Norwich 6 Loddon 5 7 Alpraham to Chester Tarporley 3 Malpas 8 14 Alresford pa Ess.e.x Colchester 5 St. Osyth 6 16 Alresford, New[A] m.t. Hants Southamp. 19 Winchester 7 +--+----------------------+-------+------------+------------+ Dist. Map Names of Places. Number of Miles From Lond. Population.

+--+----------------------+--------------------+-----+------+ 14 Alphamstone pa Colchester 10 50 277 36 Alphaston pa Bury 10 61 309 11 Alphington pa Chudleigh 8 167 1236 27 Alpington pa Hempnell 6 119 197 7 Alpraham to Nantwich 7 176 418 14 Alresford pa Manningtre 8 56 297 16 Alresford, New[A] m.t. Alton 10 57 1437 +--+----------------------+--------------------+-----+------+

[A] NEW ALRESFORD, is in the north division of the hundred of Alton: seated on the river Itchin, at no great distance from its source. It was anciently a more populous place than at present, the navigation of the river, having at one time extended from Southampton to this town; whereas, it now ceases at Winchester. Alresford is divided into two parishes, of which that of Old Alresford is deemed the mother church.

The town, which formerly sent a member to parliament, is governed by a bailiff and eight burgesses; and the petty sessions are held here. There is a manufacture of linseys of some consequence, but generally speaking, the trade is much decayed. At Tichbourne Hall, about two miles distant, the seat of Sir H. Tichbourne, there has been bestowed annually, on Lady Day, from the reign of Henry II. a gift to every applicant of twopence in bread or money; of which bounty, in some years, no less than seventeen hundred persons have partaken.

_Market_, Thursday.--_Mail_ arrives 3-1/2 A.M. departs 11-1/2 P.M.--_Fairs_, last Thursday in July, and October 17, sheep, &c.--_Bankers_, Knapp & Co. draw on Barclay & Co.--_Inn_, Swan.

[Sidenote: Formerly a populous place.]

[Sidenote: Tichbourne Hall, seat of Sir H. Tichbourne.]

Map Names of Places. County. Number of Miles From +--+--------------------+---------+------------+--------------+ 16 Alresford, Old pa Hants Southamp. 19 Winchester 7 35 Alrewas pa Stafford Lichfield 5 Burton 8 35 Alewas Hayes dis Stafford ... 4 ... 9 7 Alsager pa Chester Sandbach 5 Congleton 9 10 Alsop-le-Dale pa Derby Ashbourn 6 Longnor 8 22 Alston to Lancaster Preston 6 Blackburn 6 42 Alstone chap Worcester Tewkesbury 5 Evesham 7 35 Alstonefield pa & to Stafford Ashbourn 6 Longnor 6 22 Altcar chap Lancaster Ormskirk 6 Liverpool 11 8 Alternon pa Cornwall Launceston 8 Camelford 8 22 Altham to & chap Lancaster Burnley 5 Colne 11 14 Althorne pa Ess.e.x Maldon 6 Southminster 3 24 Althorp pa & to Lincoln Burton 5 Epworth 5 27 Althorpe ham Norfolk Fakenham 2 N. Walsingh. 3 48 Altmawr chap Brecon Builth 3 Brecon 12 45 Altofts to W.R. York Wakefield 4 Leeds 8 16 Alton[A] m.t. & pa Hants Southamp. 29 Basingstoke 10 41 Alton Barnes pa Wilts Marlboro 7 Devizes 7 12 Alton Pancras pa Dorset Dorchester 7 Cerne-Abbas 3 41 Alton Priors chap Wilts Devizes 7 Marlboro 7 7 Altringham[B] m.t. Chester Knutsford 7 Stockport 10 +--+--------------------+---------+------------+--------------+ Dist. Map Names of Places. Number of Miles From Lond. Population.

+--+--------------------+----------------------+-----+--------+ 16 Alresford, Old pa Alton 10 57 459 35 Alrewas pa Bromley 5 124 1607 35 Alewas Hayes dis ... 6 124 77 7 Alsager pa Nantwich 8 157 446 10 Alsop-le-Dale pa Winster 6 145 61 22 Alston to c.l.i.theroe 9 222 1030 42 Alstone chap Persh.o.r.e 7 101 78 35 Alstonefield pa & to Winster 8 144 5169 22 Altcar chap Prescott 13 214 505 8 Alternon pa Bodmin 16 222 1069 22 Altham to & chap Blackburn 6 212 413 14 Althorne pa Rochford 6 42 352 24 Althorp pa & to Glandford Br 12 165 981 27 Althorpe ham Holt 10 111 9 48 Altmawr chap Aberedwy 2 170 43 45 Altofts to Pontefract 3 186 502 16 Alton[A] m.t. & pa Farnham 10 47 2742 41 Alton Barnes pa Pewsey 4 82 138 12 Alton Pancras pa Sherborne 10 120 210 41 Alton Priors chap Pewsey 4 82 205 7 Altringham[B] m.t. Manchester 9 179 2708 +--+--------------------+----------------------+-----+--------+

[A] ALTON is seated on the river Wye; it is a pleasant open town, consisting of three streets, of which the princ.i.p.al contains some handsome houses. It is governed by a constable appointed by the magistracy, and a petty sessions are held in the town. The district around is celebrated for the superiority of its hop plantations, and possesses manufactures of druggets, serges, and other worsted fabrics, which are dyed in the wool. It was at Alton that Sir William Waller, in December 1643, obtained some advantages over the forces of Lord Hopton, who had taken his post in the town, the regiment commanded by Colonel Bowles retreated to the church, but not having time to barricade the doors, threw down their arms, and surrendered; but the Colonel himself, refusing quarter, was slain on the spot. Amongst the celebrated men to whom this town has given birth, may be mentioned William de Alton, a Dominican Friar, who lived in the time of Edward II., and wrote on the universality of the pollution of mankind by original sin. John Pitts, the Roman Catholic Biographer, who was born in 1560, and died in 1616; and William Curtis the Botanist, who was born about 1746, and died in 1799.

_Market_, Sat.u.r.day.--_Mail_ arrives 2 A.M. departs 12-3/4 A.M.--_Fairs_, Sat.u.r.day before May, sheep and lambs, September 29, cattle and toys.--Commercial Banking Company, draw on Williams, and Co.--_Inn_, Swan.

[Sidenote: Celebrated for hops, and manufactures in serges and other worsted fabrics.]

[Sidenote: Church converted to a fortress.]

[B] ALTRINGHAM is a very neat market-town in the parish of Bowden, and hundred of Bucklow, near which the Duke of Bridgewater's ca.n.a.l pa.s.ses from the Mersey at Runcorn, to Manchester; it possesses several factories of yarn, cotton, and worsted, and the vicinity supplies the markets of Manchester well with fruit and vegetables. This town was anciently a fee for the barons of Dunham Ma.s.sey, one of whom granted to it a guild mercatory in the thirteenth century.

_Market_, Tuesday.--_Mail_ arrives 4-1/2 A.M., departs 9-1/2 P.M.--_Fairs_, April 29, August 5, November 22, for cattle and drapery.--_Inns_, Bowling Green and Unicorn.

[Sidenote: Yarn, cotton, and worsted manufactories]

Map Names of Places. County. Number of Miles From +--+------------------------+----------+-------------+-------------+ 7 Alvanley chap Chester Frodsham 3 Warrington 9 7 Alvaston to Chester Sandbach 9 Middlewich 10 10 Alvaston to & chap Derby Derby 4 Kegworth 8 40 Alvechurch[A] pa Worcester Bromsgrove 4 Redditch 4 41 Alvediston pa Wilts Hindon 7 Wilton 8 33 Alvely pa & to Salop Bridgenorth 6 Bewdley 8 11 Alverdiscott pa Devon Bideford 4 Barnstaple 6 16 Alverstoke pa Hants Gosport 1 Tichfield 6 45 Alverthorpe to W.R. York Wakefield 1 Leeds 7 30 Alverton ham Notts Newark 7 Bingham 7 31 Alvescott pa Oxford Burford 5 Bampton 3 15 Alveston[B] pa Gloucester Thornbury 3 New Pas 6 39 Alveston pa Warwick Stratford 2 Warwick 7 35 Alveton pa & to Stafford Cheadle 4 Uttaxeter 6 24 Alvingham pa Lincoln Louth 4 Saltfleet 8 15 Alvington ham Gloucester Blakeney 6 Coleford 6 19 Alwalton pa Hunts Peterboro 5 Stilton 6 11 Alwington pa Devon Bideford 4 Torrington 6 45 Alwoodley to W.R. York Leeds 4 Ottley 5 17 Amberly ham Hereford Hereford 6 Bromyard 9 38 Amberly pa Suss.e.x Arundel 4 Petworth 4 16 Ambersham, North ti Hants Midhurst 3 ... 4 16 Ambersham, South ti Hants ... 3 ... 4 29 Amble to Northumb Alnwick 9 Morpeth 11 35 Amblecoat ham Stafford Stourbridge 1 Dudley 4 40 Ambleside[C] m.t. & chap Westmorlnd Kendal 13 Helvelyn 8 +--+------------------------+----------+-------------+-------------+ Dist. Map Names of Places. Number of Miles From Lond. Population.

+--+------------------------+------------------------+-----+-------+ 7 Alvanley chap Chester 10 188 341 7 Alvaston to Whitchurch 11 164 46 10 Alvaston to & chap Burton 12 124 364 40 Alvechurch[A] pa Birmingham 11 114 1548 41 Alvediston pa Shaftesbury 9 92 239 33 Alvely pa & to Cleobury 9 133 836 11 Alverdiscott pa Torrington 4 200 334 16 Alverstoke pa Fareham 6 79 12637 45 Alverthorpe to Dewsbury 5 183 4859 30 Alverton ham Southwell 9 118 16 31 Alvescott pa Whitney 6 74 361 15 Alveston[B] pa Bristol 9 119 800 39 Alveston pa Henley 9 96 650 35 Alveton pa & to Ashbourn 8 42 2391 24 Alvingham pa Grimsby 18 153 292 15 Alvington ham Chepstow 7 128 281 19 Alwalton pa Wandsford 5 80 294 11 Alwington pa Barnstaple 12 206 486 45 Alwoodley to Wetherby 8 193 142 17 Amberly ham Leominster 8 135 25 38 Amberly pa Worthing 11 51 637 16 Ambersham, North ti Haslemere 6 49 121 16 Ambersham, South ti ... 6 49 183 29 Amble to Felton 6 301 247 35 Amblecoat ham Wolverhamp 8 122 1157 40 Ambleside[C] m.t. & chap Winanderm 1 278 1095 +--+------------------------+------------------------+-----+-------+

[A] ALVECHURCH is situated in the middle division of the hundred of Halfs.h.i.+re; it was formerly a borough and governed by a bailiff, chosen annually at the court of the lord of the manor. The church is a large structure of Anglo Norman architecture, but the tower is modern. It however contains many ancient monuments: a hospital was founded here by Nicholas Lewkenor, of Hadsor, in 1580. The bishops of the county formerly had a palace here. Bishop Brain, Chancellor of England, in the reign of Edward III., to whom the Black Prince, wrote a circ.u.mstantial account of the battle of Poicters, died here in 1361. Bishop Latimer put it in repair in the reign of Henry VIII., it seems to have been merely a timber building. It has not been inhabited by any Bishop since the restoration, and was nearly a century ago, entirely pulled down, when the park was converted into farms. The river Arrow, which rises in the Lickey Hills, runs through the parish, towards Beoley Park, and Warwicks.h.i.+re; and the Ikenield Street, also pa.s.ses it. This town formerly consisted of several streets, but is now fallen into decay, it however, receives some benefit from the Worcester ca.n.a.l, which pa.s.ses it, and joins the Stratford-and-Avon ca.n.a.l, at King's Norton.

[Sidenote: Church of Anglo Norman architecture.]

[Sidenote: Dilapidations of time.]

[B] ALVESTON. This parish contains the vestiges of two Roman camps; the one on the top of a hill called Oldbury, near the Severn; the other called Castle Hill; in both which places, various relics of antiquity have been discovered.

[Sidenote: Two Roman camps.]

[C] AMBLESIDE is seated on the decline of a hill, at the extremity of the romantic lake Winandermere, of which a branch pa.s.ses through the town. It is held by Horsley, to be the site of the Roman Dictus. It is scarcely in the power of language to do justice to the romantic beauties of this neighbourhood; perhaps the most beautiful scenery in England, is to be found in its vicinity. Here is an extensive manufactory of woollen cloth.

_Market_, Wednesday.--_Fairs_, Wednesday after Whit-Sunday, for horned cattle October 29, ditto and sheep--_Mail_ arrives 9-1/2 A.M., departs 7 A.M.

[Sidenote: Site of the Roman Dictus.]

Map Names of Places. County. Number of Miles From +--+--------------------------+--------+-------------+-------------+ 57 Ambleston pa Pembroke Haverfrd.W. 5 Fishguard 3 31 Ambrosden pa & to Oxford Bicester 2 Aylesbury 14 24 Amcotts ham Lincoln Burton 4 Glandford 10 5 Amersham[A] bo. m. t. & pa Bucks Aylesbury 14 Chesham 3 41 Amesbury[B] m.t. & pa Wilts Salisbury 7 Stone-Henge 3 +--+--------------------------+--------+-------------+-------------+ Dist. Map Names of Places. Number of Miles From Lond. Population.

+--+--------------------------+---------------------+-----+--------+ 57 Ambleston pa Newport 10 266 574 31 Ambrosden pa & to Oxford 12 51 914 24 Amcotts ham Epworth 9 165 359 5 Amersham[A] bo. m. t. & pa Beaconsfield 5 26 2612 41 Amesbury[B] m.t. & pa Andover 14 77 544 +--+--------------------------+---------------------+------+-------+

[A] AMERSHAM, or Agmondesham is situated on the Misbourne, a branch of the river Colne. The town which is seated in a vale between two wooded hills, consists of a long street on the road from Uxbridge to Wendover; it is intersected about the centre, by a cross street from Chesham to High Wycombe, at the point of which stands the church. The market is held in the Market House, or Town Hall, built by Sir William Drake, about 1680; it is a brick building supported by pillars and arches, with a lanthorn and clock, and said to be the handsomest in the county.

Amersham was a parliamentary borough by prescription, but by the Reform Bill of 1832, is now disfranchised. The church was extensively repaired in 1778, in the chancel of which are monuments of the family of the Bents of Leicesters.h.i.+re, who had a seat in the parish; and a monument of Henry, son of Sir Patrick Curwen, Bart., who died in 1638; and also several monuments of the Drake family, in the chancel and the adjoining mausoleum; among which are those of Montague Gerrard, by _Sheemaker_, and the wife of the late Mr. Drake, by Henry Cheere. About a mile northward from the town, is Shardeloes Park, the seat of Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt Drake: the estate was formerly in the possession of the Brudenell's, which family terminated in a peeress, and brought Shardeloes to the Cheynes; afterwards it became the seat of William Totehill, Esq., where he entertained Queen Elizabeth in one of her progresses. Francis Drake, of East Sherwin, Surrey, who was one of the gentlemen of the bedchamber to James I., married Jane, the daughter and heiress of William Totehill, Esq. The mansion is beautifully situated on the brow of a hill, overlooking an immense sheet of water, covering thirty-five acres, and commands a delightful prospect, particularly towards the east, where the town of Amersham, and the surrounding eminences, covered with wood, present a very picturesque appearance. The gardens, formerly much admired for their beauty, were originally formed by Sir William Drake, about 1666, but have been modernized by Richmond, for the late proprietor. Here is also a Free Grammar School, the scholars of which are ent.i.tled to three exhibitions in Corpus Christi College, Oxford, bequeathed by Dr. Challoner, a canon of Windsor, in 1620; and likewise four alms houses, with other minor charities. The manufactures are chiefly lace, sacking, and all kinds of white cotton, wrought by machinery; and the markets are well attended.

_Market_, Tuesday.--_Fairs_, Whit-Monday for horned cattle, and September 19, for cattle, and statute.--_Inns_, Crown and Griffin.--_Mail_ arrives 7 A.M., departs 9-1/4 P.M.

[Sidenote: Town Hall, built by Sir W. Drake, 1680.]