Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/328

Rh HUNSTERSON. 320 HUNTINGDON. Stocking's charity, and a girls' school supported by Mr. Le Strange. Hunstanton Hall, the seat of the Le Slranges, who have possessed the manor from a remote period, is situated in a finely-wooded park, in which are the gate and ruins of the old hail. A part of the present mansion was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1853. HUNSTERSON, a tnshp. in the par. of Wybunbury, bund, of Nantwich, co. Chester, 5% miles S.E. of Nant- wich. This township was formerly called Huntsterston. The village is small and wholly agricultural. There is a chapel-of-ease dedicated to St. John, which was erected in 1837 by the late Sir John Broughton, to whom there is a monument. The chapel is situated on the W. side of Doddington Park. The village school is endowed with an annuity of 10 from Delves's charity. Sir Henry Delves Broughton, Bart., is lord of the manor. HUNSTON, a par. in the hund. of Box, rape of Chichester, co. Sussex, 3 miles S.E. of Chichester, its post town and railway station. The parish, which is small, is situated near the Arundel and Portsmouth canal, and formerly belonged to the priory of Boxgrove. A small stream rises in this parish, and flows into Pag- ham harbour. The church is endowed with the rectorial tithes. The living is a vie. with that of North Mund- ham annexed, in the dioc. of Chichester, joint val. 617. The church, dedicated to St. Leodegar, is an ancient (structure with a tower containing two bells. The register dates from 1678. HUNSTON, a par. in the hund. of Blackbourn, co. Suffolk, 8 miles N.W. of Stowmarket, its post town, 9 N.E. of Bury St. Edmund's, and 3 miles N. of Elms- well railway station. The village is small and entirely agricultural. It is in conjunction with the village of Langham. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Ely, val. 55. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is situated in the grounds of Hunston Hall. The parochial charities produce about 12 per annum. John Henry Heigham, Esq., is lord of the manor. HUNSTON WORTH, a chplry. in the W. div. of Chester ward, co. Durham, 5 miles from Edmundbyers, 7 N.W. of Stanhope, and 12 from the Hexham station on the Newcastle and Carlisle railway. The village, which is inconsiderable, is situated near the head of the river Derwent. It formerly belonged to liobert Corbert, who transferred it to Kepier Hospital, and after passing through several families of distinction, it finally became the property of Robert Capper, Esq. Here are largo smelting-mills, and a huge water-wheel above 40 feet in circumference, with rods nearly a mile in length. The Derwent lead-mines are worked to a considerable extent, employing a large number of persons. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of Durham, val. 130. The church, dedicated to St. James, was rebuilt about 1781, and has one bell. The register dates from 1724. There is an endowed parochial school for both sexes, also a library in the vestry for the use of the parishioners. In 1850 a room was erected in the vicinity of the mines as a place of worship for the Primitive Methodists and Wesleyans every alternate Sunday. HUNSWOliTH, a tnshp. in the par. of Birstall, wap. of Morley, West Riding co. York, 1J mile from Cleck- heatou and Low-Moor station, and 3J miles S.E. of Bradford. Here are extensive collieries, also several woollen mills. There is a Wesleyau chapel at East Bierley, which is in this township. In the adjoining village of Birkenshaw is St. Paul's Church. The trustees of the Savile estates are lords of the manor. HUNTERFIELD, a vil. in the par. of Cockpen, co. Edinburgh, Scotland, 4 miles S.E. of Edinburgh. HUNTHILL, a. vil. in the par. of Blantyre, co. Lanark, Scotland, 3 miles W.N.W. of Hamilton. HUNTINGDON^ a market town, municipal and par- liamentary borough and county town, in the hund. of Leightonstone, co. Huntingdon, 59 miles N. of London by the Great Northern railway ; it is also a station on the St. Ives, Huntingdon, and Cambridge branch of the Great Eastern railway. It stands on a gently rising ground, near the line of the ancient Ermine Street, not far from the site of the Roman station Lurol Ouse, which separates it from the village of Godman Chester, is crossed by an ancient stone bridge of six arches, forming part of a causeway constructed above the meadows, which are frequently inundated by the river. It is noticed in the Saxon times as a town of considerable importance, and had a castle, erected Edward the Elder in 917, of which some traces remain. There were also, before the Kefonnatio several religious houses, and two hospitals, one of which now exists. In the civil war of Charles I., the Royalists took and plundered the town, which sustained considerable damage.. The modern town i sists principally of one street, extending about a mil along the Great North road, with several smaller streets or lanes branching off to the right and left ; these last consist of inferior houses, but are well paved, and lighted with gas. During the last twenty years, great improve- ments have been made in the drainage and sewage of the town, which were formerly in a very unsatisfactory -*"'" The formation of the Great Northern railway state. has also tended to the advancement of the town, and many good and substantial houses have recently been built, the number of inhabited houses in 1851 being 1,244, and in 1861, 1,285. The population, notwith- standing, has somewhat declined in the decennial period since 1851, when the number of inhabitants within the municipal borough was returned at 3,882, and within the parliamentary, which includes the parish of God- manchester, at 6,219 ; these numbers had declined in 1861 to 3,846 for the municipal, and 6,254 for the par- liamentary; showing that house accommodation had increased in an inverse ratio to the population, and with it the comforts and social condition of the inhabitants. The town is governed by a mayor, 4 aldertnen, and 12 common councilmen, who are chosen by the freemen. Previous to the passing of the Municipal Act, the resi- dents could obtain their freedom by purchase, but now none can obtain it except the sons born of freemen. Each freeman, or freeman's widow, has the privilege of pasturing three cows and two horses on the common lands which belong to the town. For parliamentary purposes the borough includes the village of Godman- chester, and returns two members to parliament. The trade of the town is considerable, principally in wool and corn, small vessels being able to ascend the Ouse. There are also two extensive breweries, an iron foundry, steam oil mill, oil-cake manufactory, and works for the manufacture of patent bricks and tiles. The market- place is tolerably spacious, and the townhall has two good court-rooms where civil and criminal causes are tried at the assizes ; and above these a large assembly- room. There are a county gaol and house of correction, and a borough gaol ; the former is situated about half a mile N. of the town, in the parish of Great Stukeley. Between this building and the town on the same line of road is situated the union poorhouse, with accommo- dation for the paupers of 33 parishes and townships included within the Huntingdon Poor-law Union. The town also contains a building belonging to the Literary and Scientific Institution, erected in 1842, in the High-street ; it comprises an entrance hall, an octagon room 30 feet in diameter, tised as a library and museum, and a room, 68 feet long by 27 wide, appropriated to lectures and public meetings, besides committee rooms, and domestic offices. This institutioi has a collection of philosophical apparatus, and a small collection of local curiosities and geological speci- mens. There are besides a savings-bank, county h"s- pital, and a county library, but the old theatre has been taken down. Within the extra parochial liberty of Hinchingbrook, which is partly in the jurisdiction of the town, stands the mansion of the Earl o wich, once the seat of Sir Oliver Cromwell, wli tained here James I., and his court, on his first progress from Scotland. The borough of Huntingdon comprise! the parishes of All Saints, St. Benedict, St. John ttu Baptist, and St. Mary. The churches of only two c. these, All Saints and St. Mary, are now standing, thong!)