Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/570

Rh LEEDS. .5G2 LEEDS. mcrly known as the Vicar's Croft has been erected an iron structure, used aa a covered market. It is in tho Gothic style, and about 300 feet long by 130 wide ; tho shops, 81 in number, form a double row round the exterior, one half facing into the surrounding streets, and the others opening inside; the whole ia enclosed with 17 pairs of folding-gates, and altogether it is the most unique structure of its kind. In Call-lane ia tho now corn-exchange, of dressed stone, cased in- ternally with coloured bricks : the building has tho appearance of a Roman amphitheatre, covered in with an iron roof, having an elliptical dome 190 feet in length by 136 in width. It cost upwards of 30,000. Leeds possesses many public schools, some of which are richly endowed from the liberality of former ages, while others are supported by the voluntary subscriptions of living benefactors, who are to be found among all classes of the citizens. The free grammar school, on St. John's Hill, Woodhouse Moor, is an elegant stone building in the early decorated style of architecture, erected in 1859 from designs by E. M. Barry. It con- sists of two large schoolrooms, with class-rooms, library, and a residence for the head-master, capable of affording accommodation to boarders. St. John's charity school, founded rather more than a century ago, has an endow- ment of 400 a year. Situate in Beckett-street are the moral and industrial training schools, erected at a cost of 16,000 ; the building ia rather plain, but occupiea an elevated and commanding site, having a bold front 276 feet in length. In addition to thcao principal places of education there are numerous schools in connection with the churches, chapels, and mechanics' institutions, British, National, and denominational, which afford, even to the poorest classes of the community, the power of educating their children. For tho relief of suffering humanity there are various charitable institutions, where the blind and deaf are cared for, the diseased comfortably nursed, and the wants of the honest poor rendered less severe. The general infirmary, supported by annual subscriptions and voluntary donations, is an extensive building, situated close to tho Mixed Cloth Hall: it was commenced in 1767. There ia also a house of recovery for fever patients, which was founded in 1803, when tho building was erected in Vicar-lane, but tho situation being found incon- venient, and the accommodation insufficient, about twenty years ago a new structure, better adapted for tho charitable purpose contemplated by its founders, waa built in a salubrioua locality at Burmautofts, at a cost of about 7,000. Thia alao is dependent on tho bounty of annual subscribers and occasional donors. In the number of her places of worship, as compared with her population, and in their beauty and aptitude for the great purpose for which they were erected, Leeds is now without a rival in the United Kingdom. The several sects of the Independents, Wesleyans, Baptists, Uni- tarians, and Presbyterians have each buildings more or less handsome in appearance, and commodious in their internal arrangements. There are meeting-houses be- longing to the Society of Frienda; and the Korean Catholics are not unprovided with structures in which Divine worship may bo performed in " the beauty of holiness." But tho grand old buildings of the Esta- blished Church deserve a more particular enumeration, and a brief account of the present work of church exten- sion cannot be otherwise than interesting. The old parish church, which was dedicated to St. Peter, and was a massive Gothic structure of great antiquity, situate in Kirkgatc, was taken down in 1838, and on the site was erected a largo building, cruciform in shape, in the pointed style of tho 15th century, capable of contain- ing 3,000. Its cost, 30-,000, was raised by voluntary subscription. The living is a vie., val. 1,100, in the patron, of 25 trustees. The church contains some monuments and brasses. St. John tho Evangelist's Church stands in tho street to which it has given its name. It was built in tho middle of tho 17th century, and contains the tomb of its founder, John Harrison, who was a great benefactor to the town. The living is a on. as atron. whirh vie.,* val. 600, in the patron, of the vicar, mayor, and three members of the corporation. St. Paul's Church ia in Park-square. It was built in 1791, at a cost of 10,000. The living is a perpet. cur., val. 130, in the patron, of the vicar. Trinity Church is in Boar-lane. The living is a perpet. cur.,* val. 300. Tho vicar, the recorder, and the incumbent of St. John's are the patrons. St. Philip's Church, in Wellington -street, and All Saints' Church, in Pontefract-lane, are both perpet. curs., in the patron, of the crown and bishop alternately the former val. 150 and the latter 300. Christ Church, in Mfa- dow-lane ; St. Mary, Quarry Hill ; St. Luke, North- street ; St. James, York-street ; and St. Thomas, Mel- bourne-street, are all in the patron, of the incumbent of the parish church. They are but poorly endowed at present, but there are good grounds for expecting that ere long none of the existing livings in Leeds will be of leas value than 300 a year. In addition to the above may be mentioned St. George's Church, Mount Pleasant, in the patron, of five trustees ; St. Andrew's, in St. An- drew's-road, also in the patron, of five trustees; St. Mark's, in St. Mark's-street, Woodhouse, in the same patron, i the parish church ; St. Saviour's, East-street, in the patro: of truatees ; and St. Matthew's, Camp-road, to which the crown and the bishop of the diocese alternately pre- sent. Steps are being taken to provide increased church accommodation for the rapidly-increasing population. There are three public' cemeteries, each containing an area of about 10 acres. One, near Woodhouso Moor, is the property of a company of shareholders, and has been open for interment for about thirty years. Tho others were formed ten yeara later at the expense of the corpo- ration of the town one at Hunalet and tho other at Burmanstofts ; and the way in which they were origin- ally laid out and are now kept up is very creditable to the gentlemen who compose the committee of manage- ment. LEEDS, a par. in tho hund. of Eyhorne, lathe of Aylesford, co. Kent, 5 miles E. of Maidstone, its post town, and 7 N.W. of Headcorn. Part of tho land is in hops. Tho village, which is small, is situated on a branch of the river Medway, and was originally called Ledian, or Ledes. It came from Bishop Odo to the Crevecoeurs one of whom, llobert do Crepits Corde, founded a priory of Black Canons here in 1119. The abbey church is said to have been equal in magnitude and beauty to a cathedral, and the monastic buildings were of corresponding size and grandeur, but no remains now exist. The revenue of tho priory at the Dissolution was 362 7*. "id. The manor subsequently passed to the St. Legers, Colepepers, and Fairfaxes, of whom was General Fairfax. The living ia a perpet. cur. with that of Broomfiold annexed, in the dioc. of Canter- bury, val. 163, in the patron, of the archbishop. The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, is an anci.-nt structure with a remarkably low square tower contain- ing a peal of ten bells. Tho interior of the church contains a piscina, stone scats, and monuments of the Merediths, who succeeded tho St. Legers in the abbey. The register dates from 1575. There is a sch"<>l for both sexes. The Independents have a phi worship. Leeds Castle, one of the most stately struc- tures in the kingdom, was the seat of the above-n tioned families. It was originally built by the Creve- cceurs, much enlarged by William of Wykcham Henry VIII., and has recently been extensively repaired. This noble structure is entirely of stone, and in many styles of architecture, having been built at different The two courts are surrounded by a moat, with t round towers, gateway, drawbridge, &c. It inch:' grand hall, and a suite of state apartments containing a portrait of General Fairfax. During the rci; Henry VI. Archbiahop Chichelo presided here at the trial of the Duchess of Gloucester, in 1440. Richard II. and Henry IV. resided here, and George III. visited it in 1778. Joan of Navarre, second queen of Henry IV., confined in this castle for conspiracy against the life of her stepson. It is now the seat of Charles WykehMO Martin, Esq., who is lord of tho manor.