Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/587

Rh LEOMINSTER. 579 LEONARD'S, ST. down on the building of the new townhall, which it adjoins, but ia re-erected on the Grange, a large open pace in the centre of the town. The gaol, a neat brick edifice, erected in 1750, stands in New-street. The county police station ia a modern building, erected on the site of the theatre, which last, while it stood, was an object of great interest, having been built in the 13th century. The union poorhouse, with which was incor- porated the remaining portion of the old priory in 1836 ; the excise-office, in South-street; the post-office, in Drapers' -lane; the stamp-office, in Broad-street; and the savings-bank, in Burgess-street, which last is a new building of brick, with Bath stone dressings. There re besides two branch banks, several reading-rooms and book societies, subscription and circulating libraries, insurance offices, young men's mutual improvement ociety ; two bridges over the Ken water, one of stone, and tie other of iron ; several clubs and associations, including the agricultural and horticultural, which hold several shows during the season, cricket club, angling association, philharmonic society, &c. It is the head of a Poor-law Union embracing 24 parishes, also the seat of new County Court and superintendent registry districts. One newspaper, the Leominster Gazette, is published in the town. Near the town was a good race- course, where races were held in August ; but since this was cut through by the Shrewsbury and Hereford rail- way, the races have been discontinued. The harriers and other hounds are kennelled in the neighbourhood. On Shrove Tuesday, when the bell rings at noon, the good people of the town still keep up the old custom of frying their pancakes. This place gives the title of Baron " Lempster " to Earl Pomfret, though the manor is held by John Arkwright, Esq., of Hampton Court, in this parish, who inherits it from the Villiers family, through the Coningsbys and H. Martin the regicide. Leominster gives name to a deanery in the archdeac. and dioc. of Hereford. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Hereford, val. 230 with augmentation from Queen Anne's bounty, in the patron, of the lord chancellor. The church, dedicated to S3. Peter and Paul, was partly burnt in 1700, but has been restored. It is an irregular and massive structure, exhibiting specimens of every ityle of Norman and English architecture, and has been recently described by an eminent architect as " one of the noblest examples of this variety of Gothic architecture in existence." The tower at the N.V. angle is of Norman character at the base, but of later styles in the upper stages, surmounted by an embattled parapet and pinnacles, and containing a peal of eight bells, and a clock that chimes. The western doorway is ornamented with pillars and receded arched mouldings. The southern part of the edifice is modern, and is appro- priated to the performance of Divine service. It con- tains the coinmuuion-table supported by two full-length figures of Moses and Aaron, and the altar-piece, a painting of the Last Supper, after Rubens. The old Norman nave, which formed a part of the original monastic structure, and is far-famed for its Norman architecture, and which for centuries past has been disused, except as a place of mentjhas, within the last year, been restored, with a "d ceiling, at a cost exceeding 2,000. There are also several monuments, tombs of the Hackluyts of Kyton Hall, and of J. and S. Ward, grandparents of Mr. Kemble and Mrs. Siddons ; a carved font, recently
 * tcd by the rural dean, the Rev. W. E. Evans;

decorated sedilia, a piscina, and richly chased antique communion service. There is also a district a at Ivington, the living of which is a perpet. cur., val. 100, in the patron, of the vicar. The church of St. John's, Tvington, situate 3 miles W. of the town, Hitid in 1841. There are places of worship for ts, Wcsleyans, Moravians, Society of Friends, rians, Llewcllynites, Plymouth Brethren, Primi- i'.rcthren, and local missionaries, which last have a chapel in Etnam-street, called the Town and ly Mission, first opened in 1855. The charities ice about 155 per annum, including 25, the vmcnt of Clarke's almshouses for four widows, founded in 1/35, and 20, the income of Queen Mary's grammar school, situated in Church-street. Archbishop Peckham's " Chapelle in the Fourbury," a very ancient edifice of the 13th century, is now converted into a lawyer's office. Gothic schools, comprising a boys' and girls', National, and infant schools, with a master's residence, have been recently erected at a cost of nearly 3,000. There are besides British and Foreign schools, Society of Friends' girls' school, St. John's schools at Ivington, and Sunday-schools in connection with the several denominations. "Almory Close" was the site of the Almonry or Almsbury. Within the parish are several ancient earthworks, as Ivington Camp and Cursneh Hill Camp, from which is a fine view, as also from Eyton and Croft -Ambrey hills. Price, the local historian, and the two monks William and John of Leominster, were natives of the town. Friday is market day, the chief markets being on the first Friday in every month, and the Friday before the llth December, called " the great market before Christ- mas;" also a small butter and poultry market on Tuesdays. Fairs are held on the 13th February, Tues- day after Mid-Lent Sunday, 2nd May, 29th June, 10th July, 4th September, 17th October, 8th November, and the Friday alter llth December. LEOMINSTER, or LTMINSTER, a par. in the hund. of Poling, rape of Arundel, co. Sussex, 2 miles S.E. of Arundel, itspost town, and 1J mile from Little- hampton. It is a station on the South Coast railway. It is a small agricultural village situated on the road from Worthing to Portsmouth, and near the river Arun. The par. contains the tythg. of Warning-Camp, anciently a chplry. A Benedictine nunnery was founded here in 1070 as a cell to Almanasche, in Normandy, by Roger do Montgomery, Earl of Arundel, which, on the suppression of alien priories, wasgiven to Eton College. There wasnlso a priory of Black Canons at Py nham, founded by Adeliza, the second queen of Henry I., which continued till the Dissolution, when its revenue, amounting to 43, was granted to Cardinal Wolsey, towards the endowment of his intended colleges. The impropriate tithes, belonging to the Provost and Follows of Eton College, have been commuted for a rent-charge of 375, and the vicarial for 350. The impropriate glebe comprises 6 acres valued at 10 per annum. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Chichester, val. 350, in the patron, of Eton College, on the nomination of the bishop. The church, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, is a very ancient edifice, with a square tower containing six bells. There is a free school, endowed by the late Mr. Wyatt with the interest of 5,000 three per cents., for children of this and Rustington parish. On the Causeway hill in this parish is a chalybeate spring.- LEONARD, ST., a chplry. and hmlt. in the par. of Aston-Clinton, hund. of Aylesbury, co. Bucks, 3 miles S.E. of Wendover, and 4 N.E. of Aylesbury. It is a small agricultural place situated near the Wendover and Aylesbury canals. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of Oxford, val. 170, in the patron, of trustees. The church is a small ancient edifice. The Rothschild hounds meet here. LEONARD, ST., a par. in the hund. of Wonford, co. Devon, comprised within the borough of Exeter, which see. LEONARD, ST. See POCKTHORPE, co. Norfolk. LEONARD, ST., a par. in the district of St. Andrew's, co. Fife, Scotland, adjoining the city of St. Andrew's. LEONARD, ST., two small places of this name in co. Hants, one near the mouth of the river Beaulieu, the other 3 miles S.W. of Ringwood. At the former are the remains of the grange of Beaulieu Abbey, measuring 226 feet in length by 67 wide and 60 high. LEONARD'S, ST., or ST. LEONARD-ON-6EA, a par. and fashionable watering-place, chiefly in the hund. of Baldslow, but having a detached portion in the hund. of Gnestling, rape and borough of Hastings, co. Sussex, 1 mile W. of Hastings, within which borough it is included, and 62 miles S.S.E. of London. It has