Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/118

Rh GLASTONBTJRY. 110 GLEADLESS. "apples." It entirely derived its origin and celebrity from its religious establishments, which were, it is gene- rally asserted, almost coeval with Christianity itself. Camden, following the monkish chroniclers, assigns its origin to Joseph of Arimathea, who is said to have originally constructed its famous abbey of wattles, which was subsequently replaced by a more permanent structure, built by Devi, Bishop of St. David's. St. Patrick is also said to have resided here, and to have built the monastery of St. Michael, on Tor Hill, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1275, the only remains of which is the tower at present standing. On the conquest of Britain by the Saxons, Ina, King of Wessex, possessed himself of Somersetshire in 708, and was welcomed by the abbot at Glastonbury ; for which service the king rebuilt the abbey, and added a splendid chapel adorned with 2,640pounds weight of silver plating, and an altar containing 264 pounds weight of gold. This display of wealth excited the cupidity of the Danes, who, a century later, plundered the abbey and burnt the town ; but it was again rebuilt by King Edmund. In 942 it was converted into a Benedictine monastery by St. Dunstan, who governed as abbot with regal splen- dour, and so enlarged the power of the abbacy, that henceforth it took precedence of all the abbots in Eng- land until 1154, when Pope Adrian IV. transferred that privilege to the abbots of St. Alban's. In the year 1184 it was destroyed by a fire ; but it was again restored by Henry II., and continued to increase under succes- sive abbots till the conventual buildings covered above 40 acres of ground, and its revenues amounted to 3,508 13s. 4<, arising from lands which would now produce above 300,000. Its abbot lived in almost regal state, had the title of lord, and sat among the barons in par- liament: a greatness brought to a close at the dissolu- tion of the monasteries in 1539, when the last abbot, Richard Whiting, being the sixty-first in succession, was hanged in his robes, with two of his monks, at Tor Hill, for refusing to acknowledge the supremacy of, or sur- render the abbey to, Henry VIII. The estates passed, in the reign of Edward VI., to the Duke of Somerset, and again reverting to the crown, were given to the Duke of Devonshire, and have since been dispersed by sale. The principal remains of the abbey are the abbot's kitchen, a large octagonal room with four immense fire- places, and St. Joseph's Chapel, a beautiful specimen of Norman architecture of the 12th century. The town, which gradually rose up under the shelter of the abbey, is for the most part ancient, consisting of two principal streets crossing at right angles, and bearing many traces of ancient splendour. The more modern houses are well built, chiefly of blue lias, with which the streets are likewise paved ; but the older tenements are built with stone derived from the abbey, which for a long time served the purpose of a quarry. In the market-place, near the centre of the town, is a new and elegant Gothic cross, built about 20 years since by public subscription. There are also a townhall, new assembly and reading rooms, with library attached, a bank and police barracks, with offices and chief constable's residence for the county of Somerset. The whole is well paved, lighted with gas, and supplied with excellent water. The woollen and silk manufactures, originally introduced by the French Pro- testant refugees, were at one time extensively carried on, but are now extinct, as is also the stocking trade, the sew- ing of gloves being the chief industry at present. There are besides tanneries and fellmongers' yards, the latter em- ploying many hands. Draining pipes, tiles, bricks, and coarse pottery are also made largely. The town received its first charter of incorporation from Queen Anna, It is at present governed under the Municipal Corporations Act, by a mayor, 4 aldermen, and 12 councillors, with the style of " mayor and burgesses of Glastonbury," and has a separate commission of the peace. It comprises the two district parishes of St. John the Baptist and St. Benedict, united for all save ecclesiastical purposes. Both livings are perpet. curs., val. respectively, 150 and 100, in the gift of the Bishop of Bath and Wells. The church of St. John the Baptist is situated in the central part of the town, close to the High-street ; and its fine tower of 140 feet, surmounted by lofty pinnacles, renders it a conspicuous object for many miles round. It con- tains monuments, altar tombs, and brasses of the Atwell, Dyer, and other families. It is at present undergoing a complete restoration, under the superintendence of G. G. Scott, Esq. The register dates from 1603. The church of St. Benedict is a fine Gothic building, erected in the early part of the 16th century by Abbot Bere. It con- tains Sharpham Chapel and monuments of the Gould family. The register dates from 1678. The Indepen- dents, Wesleyans, Primitive Methodists, and Brethren have chapels. There are National schools, recently built from designs by G. G. Scott, Esq., British, Sunday, and denominational schools. The parochial charities pro- duce 110 per annum, inclusive of 50 payable 4o the almshouses. The church of St. John possesses an esf which, when in hand, will produce 350 a year. In town and its neighbourhood are many remains to into: the antiquary, including the George Inn, the Tribui and other buildings, which were formerly appendages the great religious community. The " Abbey Hoi including in its grounds the site and ruins of the brated abbey, were recently purchased by, and are the occupation of, James Austin, Esq. At Tor Hill are entrenchments and other military works, extending some distance in the direction of the Wells-road; also the tower of St. Michael's Monastery, near which trees brought from the Holy Land were planted, and are said to have bloomed at Christmas. In the neighbourhood are some mineral springs, whose medicinal virtues were at one time highly celebrated. Sharpham Park, in this parish, was the birthplace of Henry Fielding, the novel- ist. The weekly market has been discontinued, but a large cattle market is held on the third Monday in each month. Two fairs are held, one at Tor Hill on the 19th September, and the other, called the Michaelmas fair, on the llth October. GLASTON- TWELVE -HIDES, a hund. in the middle div. of co. Somerset, containing the pars, of Bal- tonsborough, West Bradley, Glastonbury, Meare, Ny- land, West Pennard, and North Wootton, comprising together about 24,610 acres. GLATTON, a par. in the hund. of Norman Cross, co. Huntingdon, 3 miles S.W. of Stilton, its post town, and 10 S.E. of Oundle. It is situated to the S. of Holme Brook, and has the small parish of Holme united with it. The great North road passes within about a mile of the village, which is small. The greater part of the land is arable, and the soil a stiff clay. The tithes have been commuted for land and a money payment, under an Enclosure Act obtained in 1800. The living is a rect. with the perpet. cur. of Holme annexed, val. 546. The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, is a fine edifice, with square tower. There are some small charities, and a National school for both sexes, partly endowed. W. Wells, Esq., is lord of the manor. GLAZEBROOK, a tnshp. united with Rixton, in the par. of Warrington, hund-of West Derby, co. Lancaster, 6 miles N.E. of Warrington, its post town, and 7 S.W. of Leigh. It is situated on the N. bank of the river Mersey. The Roman Catholics have a chapel. GLAZELEY, a par. in the Chelmarsh div. of the hund. of Stottesden, co. Salop, 3 miles S.W. of Bridg- north, its post town, and 9 N.E. of Cleobury Mortimer. The main road between the above towns passes through the village, which consists of a few farmhouses. A bed of coal, of sulphurous quality, occurs in the neighbour- hood. The soil is a still clay, on a substratum of marl and carboniferous limestone. The living is a rect. an- nexed to that of Chetton, in the dioc. of Hereford, church is an ancient stone edifice. It contains memo: of the Wylde family. T. Browne, Esq., is lord of manor. GLEADLESS, a hmlt. and constablewick in the of Handsworth, wap. of South Stratford, West Ridin co. York, 3 miles S.E. of Sheffield. The people mostly employed in the manufacture of table cutli and in the coal-pits. There is a chapel-of-case