Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/157

Rh BALA. 147 BALDERSBY.
 * iples of Izaak Walton to this place. Friday is the

irarket day, and a sale of cattle takes place every second Monday. Fairs are held on Easter Monday and Whit- Monday, the 26th of August, and the Mondays after tlfe .Oth Octoher and the llth November. BALA, a borough and market town in the par. of jlanykil, in the hund. of Penllyn, and co. of Merioneth, >orth Wales, 17 miles to the N.E. of Dolgelly, and 94 miles from London. It is situated at the north- astern extremity of Bala lake, and is a place of great ntiquity. It is a borough by prescription, and is governed by two bailiffs and a common council. It is he seat of a County Court district, and of a Poor-law Jnion. The town contains one principal street, with a ownhall, market-house, and savings-bank. The inha- litants are employed in the manufacture of hosiery, rloves, flannels, Welsh wigs, &c. There are good ons, which are much frequented by mountain tourists. i. grammar school was established in 1712, and has revenue of about 90 per annum. There are col- 1 chapels belonging to the Independents and Cal- inistic Methodists, also National and British schools. ion from the town, and is nearly three-quarters of a mile It is the largest lake in the principality. Its lottom is rocky, and its water, which has a depth of ibout 40 feet, is remarkable for clearness and purity, -he shores of the lake are cultivated, and partly wooded, fine pike, eels, perch, red trout, and "gwyniads" (a -imous local luxury) abound in it. The fishery, which elonged at an early date to Basingwerk Abbey, is now eld by Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, Bart., whose shing lodge is at Glan Llyn. The river Dee, the sources f which are in the range of lofty hills to the south, nlled Arran Fowddy, flows through this lake. The ioman Watling Street passed near its margin. From a ifty tumulus near the town there is a fine prospect over he lake and the neighbouring mountains, including 'ader Idris, The native name of the lake is Llyn Tegid. -i) called Pcmblemere. Polling for the county takes place at Bala, and the assizes are held hero i turn with Dolgelly. Petty sessions are also held, "he market is on Saturday, and fairs take place on the 4th May, the 10th July, the llth September, the 24th 'ctober, and the 8th November. BALASLEY. See BAUSLEY, Montgomeryshire. BALBEGGIE, a vil. in the par. of Kinnoul, in the >. of Perth, Scotland, not far from Perth. BALBERNIE, a vil. in the par. of Ruthven, in the D. of Fife, Scotland, 5 miles from Kirkcaldy. It is ituated on the river Leven. Coal is obtained here, 'he chief residence is Balbemie House. BALBLAIR, a small island, forming part of the par. of odderty, in the co. of Ross, nearly opposite Dingwall. UALBRIGGAN, a chplry., seaport, and market town i the par. of Balrothery, and bar. of the same name, in lie co. of Dublin, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 22 miles to he N.E. of Dublin. It is situated on the eastern nast of Ireland, and is a station on the Dublin and )rogheda railway. Balbriggan was formerly a mere Aing village, but in 1780 cotton factories were erected re by Baron Hamilton, the proprietor of the estate, nd the place grew rapidly into importance. A largo .umber of persons are still employed in the manu- ucture of linen and cotton goods and stockings, in em- Toidery, the corn trade, fisheries, and the coasting r.ide. The town contains, according to the census of -iGl, 500 inhabited houses, with a population of 2,308, if whom 2,011 are Roman Catholics, 273 belong to HO Established Church, and 24 to other persuasions. . he harbour is formed by a fine pier, 600 feet in length, ted in 1763. A new pier was erected in 1826 '->. There is a lighthouse at the end of the old pier, 5 feet high, the light of which is visible at the distance
 * , ill lake extends nearly 4 miles in a south-westerly direc-
 * ' 10 miles. The port is subordinate to Dublin. Here

e coastguard and police stations, and petty sessions are ?ld once a fortnight. A market house was built in ill, and a savings-bank has been established. The >wn is resorted to as a bathing-place. The living is i" hi a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Dublin, Glendalagh, and Kildare, val. 80, in the patron, of G. A. Hamilton, Esq., M.P. The church, erected and endowed by the proprietor, has an average congregation of about 300 from the town and neighbourhood. There are chapels belonging to the Roman Catholics and Wesleyan Methodists. The market is on Monday and Saturday, and fairs are held on the 29th April and the 29th September. BALBROGIE, a vil. in the par. of Cupar Angus, in the co. of Perth, Scotland, 10 miles to the N. of Perth. It lies at the confluence of the small river Ericht with the Isla, a branch of the Tay, and near the Scottish Midland railway. BALBUNNO, a vil. in the par. of Longforgan, in the co. of Perth, Scotland, 10 miles to the N.E. of Perth. BALBY, or HEXTHORPE, a tnshp. in the par. and soke of Doncaster, in the West Riding of the co. of York, 2 miles to the S. of Doncaster, its post town. It is situated in a level country on the south side of the river Don, near the Great Northern and South Yorkshire railways. The living is a perpet. cur. united with that of Hexthorpe, in the dioc. of York, val. 150, in the patron, of the Rev. R. J. Banks. In this village were held the earliest meetings of the Society of Friends, under George Fox and his associates. BALCARRA, a vil. in the bar. of Carra, in the co. of Mayo, prov. of Connaught, Ireland, 5 miles from Castle- bar. BALCARRICK, a vil in the par. of Malahide, in the co. of Dublin and prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 4 miles E. from Swords, and 10 from Dublin. In the vicinity is Balcarrick House. BALCHRISTIE, a hmlt. in the par. of Newburn, in the co. of Fife, Scotland, 2 miles from Largo. A religious house was founded here by the Culdees. BALCOMBE, a par. in the hund. of Buttingill, rape of Lewes, in the co. of Sussex, 3 miles to the N. of Cuck- field, its post town. It is situated in a pleasant district, and is a station on the Brighton railway, which passes through a tunnel above 1,100 yards in length near tho village. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Chichester, of tho val. of 515, in tho patron, of the Rev. G. C. Bethune. The church is in the early English style, and is dedicated to St. Mary. The principal residence is Balcombo House. The village is a meet for the Horsham hounds. An annual fair is held on the 4th of June. BALCURRIE, a vil. in tho par. of Markinch, in the co. of Fife, Scotland, 4 miles to the N. of Dysart. BALDERNOCK, a par. in the co. of Stirling, Scot- land, 5 miles to the N. of Glasgow. It lies on the north bank of the river Kelvin, a branch of the Clyde, and contains the vil. of Balmore. Its ancient name was Bathernock, and it belonged at an early period to tho Galbraiths, who had a large seat in tho parish, the tower of which is still in existence. Baldowic Loch lies on tho south-west side of the parish, and the great canal passes near its eastern extremity. The ground rises gradually from the river northward, and the soil is of various character. The higher tract is partly moorland. Coal and lime have been obtained here for nearly two cen- turies. Iron ore, fire clay, and alum are also found. The living, of the val. of 157, is in tho presb. of Dum- barton, and in the patron, of the crown. The par. con- tains several raims, and a very singular structure, called the Aitld Wife's Lift. It is formed of three massive stones, two of a prismatic form placed close together on level ground, and the third a parallelepiped supported upon them. The three are of similar size, measuring 18 feet in length, 11 in breadth, and 7 in thickness. The space surrounding the level on which they stand is enclosed by a sort of amphitheatre several yards high, and about a hundred yards in diameter. BALDERSBY, a chplry. and tnshp. in the par. of Topcliffe, wap. of Birdforth, in the North Riding of the co. of York, 5 miles to the N.E. of Ripon. Thirsk is its post town. At Baldersby Gate is a station on the Leeds and Thirsk branch of the North Eastern railway. The