Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/254

Rh 211 HKI:K1IAMI'STK.U>. I.I! Fain for the sale of cattle, &c., are held on the 14th nd the 1st December. CKl.l.l.V, :i par. in the hund. of Frome, in the co. of Somerset, 3 i. E. of Frome, its ]x>st town. It is situated on the edge of Wiltshire, near the Wilts, Somerset, and Wi-yu.- ;i of the Great Western railway. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Bath and Wells, of the val. of 410, in the patron, of Sir C. Mor- daunt, Bart. The church, which was erected in 1761, is dedicated to St. Mary. Alexander Barclay, author of " The Ship of Fools," was a native of this village. I ( died in 1552. Berkeley House is the principal residence. BERKESWELL, with BARSTON, a par. in the Solihull div. of the hund. of Hemlinpford, in thu co. of Warwick, 5 miles to the W. of C'lvcntiy, its post town. It is a station on the Birmingham and Leaming- ton section of the London and North- Western railway. The living is a reel.* in the dioc. of Worcester, of the val. of 790, in the natron, of the Bev. S. I!. Shin-off, incumbent, who holds it with Barston (late a peculiar of Lichfield), val. 180. The church of Berkeswcll, an ancient building with a low tower, is dedicated to St. John the Baptist ; that of Barston to St. Swithin. In the chancel of Berkeswcll church are monuments of the Wilmot family. Then) is an endowed free school, and several other charities, which produce together about 200 per annum. Berkeswell House is the seat of Thomas Walker, Esq. BERKHAMPSTEAD, GREAT, or ST. PETER'S, a par. and market town, in the hund. of Dacorum, in the co. of Hertford, 22 miles to the W. of Hertford, and 26 miles by road from London, or 28 miles by railway. It is a station on the London and North- Western line. The par. is situated on the banks of the small river Bulbourne, which joins the river Gade about 4 miles below the town. The Grand Junction canal passes the town, running along the valley, nearly parallel with the high road, the river, and the railway. Herkha mpstead is a very ancient town ; and from its name, which is Saxon, is supposed to be of Saxon origin, though some antiquaries suppose it to have been the Durobricce of the Romans. It acquired import- ance from being a residence of the Mercian kings, who had a fortified seat here. A council is said to ha ve been held here in the year 697. It was here that the Norman Conqueror received the submission of Stigand, Arch- bishop of Canterbury, and immediately after encoun- tered the resistance of the Abbot of St. Alban's, who hindered his progress by felling the wayside trees and blockading the roads with them. The abbot, supported by a number of the leading men, both lay and eccle- siastical, obtained from the king an oath that he would govern the people according to their ancient laws and customs, and especially according to the laws of Edward the Confessor. This oath was taken in an assembly held at Berkhampstead. The manor was given by William to Robert, Earl of Moreton, his half-brother, who erected the castle on the site of the old residence of the Mercian kings. In the reign of Henry I., on the rebellion of Wil- liam, the son of the founder, the castle and manor came into the possession of the crown, and the castle lifched. The inhabitants of the town received many valu- able privileges from Henry II., who held his rntirt here for some time. The castlehaving been rebuilt in the of King John, and garrisoned for him, was besieged by Louis, Dauphin ! Prance, the ally of the insurgent barons, and was given up by command of the king. Prince Richard, King of the Romans, and brother of Henry III., died at Berkhampstead in 1271, t>i< hearted at hearing of the assassination of his son, Prince Henry, in Italy. Cicely, Duchess of York, mother of Edward IV., also died at this place, and Richard III. is said to have been born here. Berkhampstead sent two representatives to parliament in the reigns of Edward I. and Edward III. The castle and manor, forming, with several other manors, the honour of Berkhampstead, have been held by tha Princes of Wales as part of the Duchy of Cornwall from tho rei^Ti of Edward III., who conferred them on his eldest son, the Black I'rinee, when ho created him Duke of Cornwall. James I. selected the old man- sion called Borkhampstead Place as a residence i children, and conferred upon tho town a ehar; poration, but it was forfeited during the et V  a sou direction from theChiltern rangc-a It has twopriin i|>:i ' crossing each other at right angles. T) broad and about a mile long. Though :. uniforn built, many of the houses are handsome. '1 1 lighted with gas, and has a good supply < >f water, situation is considered remarkably healthy. There i new niarki t-house in the middle of tin town, tl mechanics' institution, a police station, a 1": house, and extensive nursery grounds. '11 station is situated on a high embankin the town, with which it communicates liy ;i l.ridge o the Grand Junction canal. Tho lace manufl^^^l the making of bowls, spoons, shovels, ic., were formerly carried on here to a great c present many women are employed in inak: phut. There is a foundry, two mailing-houses, i^^H wharfs. Petty sessions for the division are fortnightly by tho magistrates, and courts-letflHI honour twice in the year. Berkhampst< -ad is the set a Poor-law Union, and a polling-place for tbj^HI elections. Tho living is a rect. in the - various styles of architecture, but principally |^ pendicular. It stands in the centre of the ; tower was erected in the reign of Henry III small chapels, dedicated to St. John ami are connected with the church. There are m tercsting monuments (including seven brasses, 1 which are of the hitter half of the 14th families of the Torringtons, Comwallises, 1 others. Here is also the monument to the C'owper. The parsonage-house was the place (1731), the rectory being at that ti his father ; but the old house was pulled 1810, and a new one erected, nearly on the The Society of Friends, Wesleyan Methi dependents, and Baptists have places of won town. The charitable foundations of this numerous and important. The free grammar established in the reign of Henry VIII., was rated in the reign of his successor, by win mi tho of All Souls College, Oxford, was api After a long period of decline and investigation in the Court of Chanoei flourishing again, and has been recently ret; income amounts to above 900 a year, which was ori ally intended for the education of 144 boys, t
 * "J an now admitted on the foundation. A

school was founded in 1727, by Thomas Bou instruction and clothing of 20 boys and > 1 income of which is nearly 300, of tho scholars receives li. per v. i, and infant schools have also bean I. Almshouses for six widows v 1681, and have 1 n Min e i ndoweil liy several 1 factors. Then: are other charitable bequests for nl the poor. Portions of the massiv the old castle, which Belongs to tin Dnko of Cornwall, and gives to him the title of bt i, still remain on tho east side of tl i ho e> '* with the i xeeption of tho old castle, has been r d by F>arl Brownlow. Wednesday u marl i i on Shrove- ; following days; and fair on tin' 'J'-Mh S I;I-.I;K ii. . vr i AH. LITTLE, a par i.. : and co. of Hertford, 4 miles to the S post town, and the tame distance W. from Broil "