Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/150

Rh GREENOCK. 112 GREENSTEAD. gi E in 1591 ; that of the Middle parish was erected in 1757, and also stands in the town ; lastly, that of the East parish was erected in 1853. There are seven Free churches, and four for United Presbyterians, besides several Roman Catholic chapels and meeting-houses. There are numerous schools, including the Greenock and Highlanders' academies the latter built in 1836, also a school of industry and several charity and ragged schools. The lordship anciently belonged to Hugh de Greenock, a Scottish baron of the 13th cen- tury. A century later it was possessed by the two daughters of Malcolm Galbraith, who marrying, it was formed into two baronies, and held by their husbands, Shaw of Sanchie, and Crawford of KiTburnie. It has ever since remained in the possession of the Shaws. The castle of the Shaws, or Wester Greenoek Castle, has iven place to a more modern edifice. The ruins of aster Greenock Castle, the ancient seat of the Craw- iords, were remaining in 1710. Previous to the Refor- mation the bars, of Greenock were included within the limits- of the par. of Innerkip, and the church being at an inconvenient distance, three chapels were established in Greenock. Greenock House is the principal residence. GREENOCK, a parliamentary burgh and bonding port in the above par., 22J miles N.W. of Glasgow by railway. It is supposed to derive its name from Grian-aig, " sunny bay." The custom-house is a fine building, erected in 1818 at a cost of .30,000. A new townhall, designed by William Allison, has lately been erected. Wood's Mari- ners' Asylum, a fine Elizabethan edifice, standing just without the town, was built in 1851, at a cost of 10,000 from designs by James Mackintosh, Esq., of Exeter (out of a legacy of 30,000 Consols, bequeathed by Sir Gabriel Wood), for the residence and maintenance of aged and decayed seamen of several adjacent counties. Sir Ga- briel's sister left a considerable fortune to carry out his design. Among other public establishments are the Academy, sugar exchanges (raw and refined), post-office, 27 churches, gas works, mechanics' institute (a monument to James Watt), enclosing Chantrey's statue, and the large public library of the town, 8 banks, prison, hos- pital, news-rooms, assembly rooms, mechanics' libraries, charity and industrial schools, and several societies for the culture of the arts and sciences, &c. The Shaws water works were designed and constructed by Robert Thorn in 1825. Their total expense up to this time has been 100,000. The water is brought into the town by an aqueduct from behind the neighbouring hills, 600 feet above the level of the sea. Besides giving a supply for domestic consumption, it drives the ponderous machineiy of numerous mills. One of these is a cotton mill, the wheel of which is one of the largest in the world, mea- suring over 70 feet in diameter. The trade of Greenock is miscellaneous and very considerable. The chief branches of manufacture are wood and iron shipbuilding, sugar refining, iron and brass founding, coppersmithing, chain and anchor making, rope and sailmaking, also worsted, cotton, flax, paper, rice, bagging, saw and flour mills, chemical works, machine making, pottery, cooperages, tanneries, breweries, distillery, bread and biscuit bakeries, soap and candle factories, brick- works, and various other branches of handicraft. A large amount of shipping is owned in the town. Its commercial prosperity dates from 1707, the year of the Union, previous to which it was a small fishing village. The first commercial eflbrt seems to have been in the herring fishery, introduced by the Dutch settlers in the time of Charles II. At the instance of the lord of the manor, John Shaw, a harbour, with quays and other improvements, were planned. These have been recently much improved, and many most im- portant works are now (1864) in progress, including Albert Harbour, with an area of 1 1 acres, and an espla- nade of lj mile in length, and 100 feet along the river at the W. end of the town. The port is rapidly growing in importance, and transacts a very large trade with America, the West Indies, and British colonies parti- cularly with Newfoundland, in whose fishing and sealing a number of the chief firms are largely engaged. Its graving docks, sheds, cranes, and rails do credit to a first-rate port. Greenock is a starting-point for tourists to the W. of Scotland, and to Liverpool, Dublin, Belfast, Londonderry, &c., as well as to the numerous ports on the Clyde. As many as a hundred steamers call at its quays in a day. The railway station is in the centre of the town, and near the steamboat quay. Greenock waa constituted a burgh of barony in 1641, and obtained ita charter in 1751. The town council consists of 16 mem- bers, among whom are a provost, 4 bailies, and a treasurer. The revenues administered by the council amount to over 50,000 per annum. The burgh returns one member to parliament; the constituency in 1864 being 1,754. A sheriff court sits every Friday, and a small debt court on Mondays ; also justice of peace court on Thursday. Friday is the market day. Greenock gives the title of baron to Earl C'athcart. GREENOCK LOCH^ou the coast of co. Ross, Scot- land, near Ru Rea point. It is 5 miles long by broad, and contains the small island of Greenock. GREENOGE, a par. in the bar. of Ratoath, co. Mea prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 5 miles S.W. of Dunboy: Ratoath is its post town. The road from Dublin Slane passes through the interior. The living is a i in the dioc. of Ratoath, val. 595, in the patron, of crown. GREENOSIDE, a vil. in the tnshp. and par. of Ecclesfield, wap. of Straflbrth, West Riding co. York, 4 miles N. of Sheffield. GREENS, a tnshp. in the par. of Felton, E. div. of the ward of Coquetdale, co. Northumberland, C miles N.E. of Rothbury. It is united to Glantleea. GREENSFIELD, a hmlt. in the tnshp. of Alnwick, South Side, E. div. of the ward of Coquetdale, co. North- umberland. It is situated in the vicinity of the town of Alnwick. GREENSHAWHILL, atiishp. in the par. of Ingram, ward of Coquetdale, co. Northumberland, 7 miles S. of Wooler. GREENSIDE, a par. in Edinburgh city, Scotland^ See EDINBUBGH. GREENS NORTON, a par. in the hund. of the sumo name, co. Northampton, 2 miles N.W. of Towcester, its post town, and 6 E. of Canons Ashby. It is situated on the old Roman road, Watling Street. The river Tove, or Tow, flows through the par., which includes the limits, of Bengali, Duncote, Field Burcote, and Littleworth. It is believed to have been the birthplace of Catherine Parr. There is a chalybeate spring near Kingston Wood. Shoe- making is the principal employment. The soil is good, resting upon a substratum of limestone and red sand- stone. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Peter- borough, val. 771, in the patron, of the crown. The church is a fine stone edifice dedicated to St. Bartholomew. It has an ancient font and monumental figures, and a brass of the Greene family, from whom the place takes the first part of its name. There are charities of about 14 yearly value. Here is a National school with a small endowment, and one for infants. The Duke at Grafton is lord of the manor. GREENS NORTON HUNDRED, one of the 20 hunds. or subdivisions of the co. Northampton, situa' in the south-western part of the co. It is bounded the N. by the hund. of Fawsley, on the E. by the hi of Towcester, on the S. by the hund. of King's Sul and on the W. by the hund. of Chipping Warden, includes the pars, of Canons Ashby, Blakesley, Brad Greens Norton, Maidford, Morton Pinkney, Plump Silverstone, Slapton, Weedon-Loys, and Whittleb comprising 22,080 acres. GREENSTEAD, a par. in the hund. of Ongar, Essex, 1 mile W. of Ongar, ita post town, and 5 miles of Epping. The river Roding flows through the ' bourhood. The par. is of small extent, but plea wooded. The land is nearly evenly divided bet pasture and arable. The living is a rect.* in the of Rochester, val. 280, in the patron, of the Bishop London, in trust. The church is an ancient struct! dedicated to St. Andrew. It is supposed to have b