Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/259

Rh IIERSTMONCEATJX. 251 HERTFORD. perpet. cur. in the 'dice.' of Winchester, val. 100. The church, erected in 1839, has a gable turret containing one bell, and is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The Independents have a chapel, and there is a National school for both sexes. In Oatlands Park is the new district church of St. Mary's, erected in 1862, with a belfry containing one bell. Near to this church is the Metropolitan Convalescent Asylum, erected on five acres of land presented by the late Earl of Elles- mere. It is a large building with upwards of 200 beds, and further accommodation is afforded by the recent erection of a new wing. This excellent institution is upported by voluntary contributions. HERSTMONCEAUX, a. par. in thehund. of Foxearle, rape of Hastings, co. Sussex, 4 miles E. of Hailsham, its post town, and 10 S.W. of Battle. It is a small agri- cultural village, situated on the road from Lewes to Battle and Hastings. The manor formerly belonged to the De Hursts, one of whom was of Monceaux in France, from which circumstance the village takes its name. It came afterwards to the Fiennes, who built the castle, and from them to the Dacres and theNaylors, who sold it. The land is partly in hop-grounds. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of ,339. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Chichester, val. 920. The church, dedicated to All Saints, is an ancient structure, containing tombs of the Fiennes, also a curious brass of Sir Thomas, bearing date 1402. Here is a National school for both sexes, supported by volun- tary contributions. The Independents have a place of worship. About a quarter of a mile distant from the church are the ruins of Herstmonceaux Castle, situated in a valley, and built in the reign of Henry VI., being one of the most ancient brick struc- tures in England. The castle, which was dismantled in 1777, is surrounded by a moat, which is now dry. The building measures 214 feet in length by 206, and has towers 84 feet in height. HERSTON, a hmlt. in the par. of Swanage, co. Dorset, 4 miles S.E. of Corfe Castle. HERTFORD, or HARFORD, a market town, muni- cipal and parliamentary borough, also the county and assize town of Hertfordshire, 21 miles N. of London by road, and 26 from the Shoreditch station of the Great Eastern railway, which has a branch to Hertford, the station being at the E. end of the town. A branch line for goods traffic only connects this line with the Hertford, Luton, and Dunstable section of the Great Northern line. It derives its name from the tribe of the Hertings, whose capital was situated near a ford on the right bank of the river Lea, at the extremity of the great plain extending from S. to N. 25 miles. In 673 a national synod was held hero. And it is again mentioned in 905 as having been rebuilt by Edward the Elder, when he constructed the castlo of Hertford to check the incursions of the Danes, who had recently devastated the country. In the reign of John the castle was taken by the barons and Prince Louis of France, and at a subsequent period was granted with the town to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lan- caster, and to the queens of Henry IV., Henry V., and Henry VI. Within its walls the illustrious Ivhvard III. kept Jehan II. of France and David of Scotland prisoners. Queen Elizabeth held her court here on several occasions, and resided within the castle, which has undergone so many repairs and alterations that but a small part of the original building is now left standing. The greater part was rebuilt about the time of James I., and modernised at the end of the last 'ry. The town is irregularly laid out, but the U are well paved, lighted with gas, and clean. It contains the shire hall, a spacious brick building, situa- ted in the market place, comprising townhaU, council nber, assembly room, grand jury rooms, and other judicial and municipal offices; the new corn exchange tiud tree library, erected on the site of the old butchers' ,' t in Fore-street, a commodious structure roofed with 1,'hss, but having a front of Bath stone sur- county gaol, union poorhouso, Hertford General In- firmary, two banks, savings-bank, iron foundries, malt- houses, breweries, coach-building establishments, lite- rary and scientific institution, with 4,000 volumes, wharves chiefly used for the conveyance of corn and coals by the river Lea, which] is here navigable, and so continues as far as London. In the immediate vicinity of the town are brickfields, lime-kilns, rose gardens, and nursery grounds. The trade is confined to the sale and grinding of corn, making of malt, oilcake, &c., besides which there is a large retail trade in supplying the numerous gentry of the surrounding country with com- modities from London. The limits of the borough extend through a circuit of about six miles, comprising, according to the census of 1861, 6,168 acres, with a population of 6,769, against 6,605 in 1851. It returns two members to parliament, and is governed by a municipal corporation, consisting of a mayor, 4 alder- men, and 12 town councillors. The assizes, quarter sessions, elections of borough and county members, county court, sittings of the county and borough magistrates, and of the poor-law guardians, are held, and three newspapers arc published, in the town. For ecclesiastical purposes Hertford forms two parishes, All Saints and St. Andrew's ; the rectory of St. John, and the liberties of Little Amwell und Brickenden, being now annexed to the former. The living of All Saints is a vie.* in the dioc. of Rochester, val. with St. John's rect. 290, in the patron, of the lord chancellor and the Marquis of Townshend alternately. The church is a large cruciform structure of the 14th century, with a square tower, surmounted by a spire at the west end. It has a peal of 10 bells, and was thoroughly re- paired in 1840. It contains a marble tablet to the memory of tho officers and privates of the 49th (Hert- fordshire) regiment who fell in the Crimea. Tho register dates from 1653. Tho living of St. Andrew's is a rect.,* val. with St. Mary's rect. and St. Nicholas' vie., 271, in the patron, of tho Duchy of Lancaster. Tho church is a small structure of the 12th century, with a low tower surmounted by a spire. It has a peal of eight bells, and will accommodate about 600 persons. It is intended to rebuild this church on a more exten- sive plan, so soon as the subscriptions can be collected. Tho register dates from 1560. Tho Independents, Wes- leyan and Primitive Methodists, Baptists, and Roman Catholics have chapels, and the Society of Friends a meeting-house. The Roman Catholic chapel is an orna- mental building erected in 1859 on tho site of the old Priory, in the rear of Christ's Hospital; this latter building faces the road leading from Hertford to Ware, and has accommodation for 400 boys and 100 girls ; it is designed as a nursery for the great establishment in London, and tho infirmary is calculated for the recep- tion of 100 children whose health requires especial attention. About two miles from the town is Hailey- bury College, in which the civil servants of the East India Company were formerly educated, but now con- verted into an academy conducted on similar principles to the great public schools of Marlborough and Rossall. In Hertford are also the Cowper Testimonial National schools, erected in 1841; Halo's free grammar school; tho industrial training college ; the free green-coat school of industry, founded in 1784, but rebuilt in 1850 by public subscription ; and infant schools for the parishes of All Saints and St. Andrew. The free public library, which occupies a gallery at the end of the new corn exchange, is open without charge to the inhabitants of and visitors to the town. The Poor-law Union comprises 18 parishes, and the union poorhouse is situated in the town. Hertford is the head of a deanery, and of County Court and superintendent registry districts. The market, which is on Saturday, is one of tho largest in thejcounty for corn. Fairs are held on the third Saturday before Easter, on 12th May, 6th July, and 8th Nov., HERTFORD, a hund. in co. Herts., contains tho towns of Hertford and Hoddesdon, and the pars, of Great Amwell, Bayford, Bcnges, Little Berkhampstead, Broxbourne, Cheshunt, Essendon, Hertingfordbury,
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