Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/262

Rh UKUWKjK-fl'ON-TWKl.n. 232 BBBWICK-UPON-TWEED. was constituted in the reign of William IV. a county of itself. The question of its relation to England and md remained for a long time unsettled, but has re- i mined by enactment to be included in Enghiiid. insisting of the town and its libs., is bounded by tin (k-rman Ocean, the co. of Berwick, and the river Tweed, and comprises an area of 6,195 acres, while Uio bcrough has an area of 7,497 acre*. The river belongs partly to the town and partly to Islandshire. The found town is commonly assigned to the Saxon kings of Northxunbria, Init nothing is certainly aMertained of its origin. The Danes are said to have Haded here in 8C7, and a few years after the place was taken by 1 v. ho did not retain it. In 1020, it is said to have been ceded to M.il- Ini II. Hut no authentic record of the town occurs before the reign of Henry I. At that period it was evidently a place of importance as a seaport, had a castle and many religious houses, and was the chief town of Lothian. It was one of the four towns of Scotland which were raised to the rank of royal burghs. The town was in the hands of the English from 1176 to 1189, being given up to 11. nry 1 1. by William the Lion after the battle of Aln- wick.and restored to the Scots by Kichard I., on receiving from them a large sum of money for his meditated cru- sade. It was taken and burnt by King John in 1216, but was soon rebuilt. The commerce of the town was greatly promoted by the settlt 'im -nt tin i>', in the 13th century, of some Flemish merchants. It was at Berwick that the council or commission sat in 1291, to inquire into the claims of Bruce and Baliul. to the throne of Scotland, when Edward I. as lord paramount of Scot- land, gave judgment in the great hall of the Castle, on the 17th m i. "That John Baliol should have seisin of the kingdom of Scotland." In 1295 Edward took the town by storm, when a great slaughter took place, and excessive cruelties were perpetrated. He re. the homage of the nobles, gave the town a charter, and made it his capital of Scotland. "William Wallace took Berwick in 1297, but soon lost possession of it, and eight years later the quartered body of the hero was exposed on the walls of the town. It was taken by Robert Bruce in 1318, and held by him till 1333, when it was given up to Edward 111. after his great victory at Halidon Hill. It was repeatedly besieged, surprised, taken, and retaken during the 14th and 15th centuries, being the first point of attack on the outbreak of war between the two countries. The first occasion on which cannon were fired in England was on the taking of Berwick by Henry IV. After 1482, when the town and castle were ceded to Edward IV., they remained in the possession ..f the English. By treaty between Ed- ward VI. and Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1551, Berwick was made a free town, indij - ndi nt "I both countries. James I. passed through it on his way to England, in 1603 ; on whose accession it lost its importance as a lace town. Charles I. was here twice. In 1648, Berwick was taken by Cromwell, and garrisoned for the parliament. Tip lands pleasantly on rising ground to the north of the Tweed, and is connected with the suburb of Twecdmouth by a fine stone bridge of 15 arehes, I,(I14 feet in length. ' ll lently narrow, being only 17 111' It w about the year 1634, at a cost of 25,000, and belongs to the crown l.e town ext the summit of Castle Hill. There are several goo. I "! the houses are gnu-rally well built. lia.-wa iiitrodueid in 1822. There isa large townhall, a handsome buildingpf hewn stone with a Tuscan portico, and a spire 151) height, in wliieh i.- a peal ot eight bells. The lower part of the building is uted as am xi-hange, or market, and the upper as a prison. It was creeled ab. nit 17.'l,and in the middle of one of the principal streets. The bar-, wliieh form a quadrangle, stand near the ramparts on the north-east, and can accommodate 700 men. arc assembly-rooms, a handsome com exchange, a lihiai y , savings-bank , and an infirmary. The principal business of the town arises from the i. .-hipping trail.-, and various manufactures connected with them. There are iron-works, manufactories of steam shipbuilding yards. The munufactui diaper, sacking, carpets, hats, oil-, ik.-, nil, ropes, pipes, and furniture, arc also carried on. waterworks are the property of the. the gas-works are managed by two companies. J wick is a garrison town, and is still J- : The jircscir. constructed the reign of Qu ih, consist ..f un earl rampart with a facing of norti and cost sides of the town wi: There are two powder magazines, and terios, commanding the entrance to the :, old walls, parts .1 which still remain, v. called the Bell Tower, enclosed a 1.. modern ones. The castle has be. u in nuns the reign of Charles I. The town is entered bjr gates, called the Scotch-gate, the Cowp. gate, and the Sand-gate. A fifth, whiet. head of the bridge and was called thi has been taken down. Berwick rei <, ,. 1 its chart incorporation from James I. in 1605, und. si. me modifications by the Reform A.-t. verned. The borough, comprising wit) Tweedmoiith and Spittle, is divided into tin is governed by a mayor, 6 aldermen, and 18 the stylo of the corporation being "the ma and burgesses of the borough ! i The town sent a representative t" the Scotland till the ICIL-M "I II. nry VI 1 1., s it bM returned ti taorei to t) liament. The sheriff is tl boundaries of the municipal and pa are co-extensive. The borough has a re 15,800, and comprises within its limit" houses, with a population of 13, census of 1861, snowing a decren- of M.I less in the decennial period from 1851. Berwick coast, and the entrance _ sandbanks. A good si* ne pier, mile long, protects the harbour, within w] good a --els of 500 tons burden, slip, 800 yard- in length, was erect. -d in are ext.n-ie warehouses along the - which is placed under the control about 60 vessels and one steamer In Alnmouth, Budle, and Holy Island are su The principal business of the port it. ; corn, coals, ale, and whisky. The imports manures, bones, iron, &c. There i- a light ontr.n. irbour.thc upper light at a distance of 11 mil. s. The fisheries of tlM ' the bay are very productive ; the river al salmon and trout, and the bay in cod, haddi and other valuable species. The salmon are ice and I London market ing which h:is 1" in in use since 171>0. 1. of crabs and latter .in' . pinn .1 io London. The liver
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-sed by a bridge- and a vi British railway, lieiwiek uard 1 the seat of a I'nor-law I'ni. n an 1 a t '..unty tli.-t. Three news]ia) the />' ni ick ll'iinii;-. and the Hi nal. The living is a vie.* in the of i'.'is.'t, iii the patron, of tl. ol limhani. The church, which was built of the Commonwealth, has no tower, and i* to tic Holy Trinity. It stands on th on.-, in whieli Hi.- mania::.- of Pavid i of Kdward III. w.i church dediiatcdto St. .Mary, the living perp, -t. cur. v.tl. 150, in the gift of tl tile Soldi ' tions . : Imlept nd> nts, tists, ai.'. ' athnlics. There isa school, founded about 1 OO.'i 1 y t age of which is vested in trustees. It was ""