Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/757

Rh 749 MAINSFOltTH. ones, besides wall paintings, old brasses, and tombs. The church has recently been restored in a very costly nor, but the steeple, which was destroyed by light- ning in 1730, has never been rebuilt. In addition to the parish church are the district churches of the Holy Trinity, St. Peter's, St. John's, St. Paul's, St. Philip's, and St. Stephen's at Tovil, the livings of which are all perpet. curs.,* varying in val. from 420 to 95. There are also ten other places of worship, for Wesleyan Methodists, Independents, Baptists, and other Dissenters. There are numerous schools a free grammar school on the foundation of St. Benet's guild of Corpus Christi, with two scholarships at University College, Oxford ; a model school, Woodward's blue-coat and Sir C. Booth's schools ; besides almshonses founded by Sir John Banks, Corrall, Hunter, Duke, and Brenchley, and numerous other charities. There are remains of Edward III.'s Grey friary foundation, of St. Faith's chapel used in Eliza- beth's time by the Walloons, and of Archbishop Cour- y's college, of which Grocyn, the friend of Erasmus, was master. Several Protestant martyrs were burnt in M.'iidstone in the reign of Queen Mary. The plague raged here in three of the latter years of Queen Eliza- beth's reign, also in 1C04, 1607, and in 1666-7-8. Many persons of eminence have been born in this town, including Archbishop Lee in 1482, Jenkyns the com- poser, JeSrys the painter, and Broughton, secretary at Charles I.'s trial. Two newspapers are published in Maidstone, the Maidstone Gazette and the Maidstone Journal, the former on Tuesday, and the latter on Tuesday and Saturday. The militia headquarters are here. Numerous Roman coins have been found at various times. There are corn and hop markets every Thursday and Saturday, and a cattle market the second Tuesday in each month. Fairs are held on the 13th February, 12th May, 20th June, and on the 17th October is the great hop fair. MAIDWELL, a pp. in the hund. of Rothwell, co. Northampton, 10J miles N. of Northampton, its post town, and 7 S. of Market Harborough. The village, which is small, is situated on the high road from Northampton to Market Harborough, and is chiefly agricultural. There are some mineral springs in the neighbourhood. The par. includes the hmlt. of Maid- well St. Peter's, formerly a distinct par. Limestone is quarried for building purposes, and for burning into lime. The tithes were commuted under an Enclosure Act in 1696 for land and a money payment. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Peterborough, val. 218. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, has a tower containing a dock and five bells. It is very neatly arranged, and is in good repair. The church of St. Peter, having become dilapidated, was taken down in 1543. The parochial charities produce about 21 per annum, in- cluding the endowment of a scholarship at Clare Hall, Cambridge, founded by Lady Trott, for a youth of this parish. There is a freo school for both sexes. Henry t. H. Hungerford, Esq., of Dingley, is lord of the manor and the principal landowner. MAIN, a tnshp. in the par. of Meifod, co. Montgo- mery, 3 miles S.E. of Llanfyllin. MAINE, a river of co. Kerry, prov. of Munster, Ireland. Its source is among the Knockacur and Knockanadirive hills. After a course of 24 miles, chiefly in a south-westerly direction, it falls into Dingle Bay at Castlemaine Harbour. It is joined by the Tullig at Castleisland, and by the Fleskroe at Currens. MAINE, a stream of co. Antrim, prov. of Ulster, Ireland. Its source is near the Golliu Mountain, in the bar. of Kilconway. It is about 25 miles long, and falls in Lough Neagh near Kandalstown. It is joined by the I 'ringmount, and by the Kells and Braid at II. It has a cascade about 550 feet deep, and a good salmon fishery. MAIN HAM, a par. in the bar. of Ikeathy and Oughtcrany, co. Kildare, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 2 miles N.K. of Clane. Maynooth is its post town. It is 3 miles long by 1 J mile broad. The soil is good. The road from Prosperous to Maynooth intersects the inte- TOI.. II. rior. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Kildare, val. with Clane, 349, in the patron, of the crown. Here is Clongowe's Jesuit College. MAINLAND OF ORKNEY, or POMONA, the chief and much the largest of the Orkney Islands, Scotland. It contains the pars, of Birsay, St. Andrew's, Deerness, Evie, Firth, Harray, Holm and Pophay, Kirkwall and St. Ola, Orphir, Kendall, Sandwick, Shenness and Stromuess. The size of the island is 20 miles by 3 to 15, with an area of about 150 square miles. The surface consists of bare moor and moss, with pasture for small sheep and cattle ; there are a few fertile valleys, and no part of the island is more than 4 or 5 miles from the sea. There are several fresh-water lakes, among which are Orphir, Stennis, Skaill, Birsay, and Aikernesg. These send off' streams which abound with fish, and turn several mills. Besides other game, grouse and plover are shot here. Half the inhabitants live by agriculture, and the other half are fishermen. The coast is much broken up, and on the W. is bold and precipitous. Around the whole coast safn anchorage and harbours occur, more particularly at Stromness, Kirkwall Dew, and Holm Sound. MAINLAND OF SHETLAND, the largest of the Shetland Islands, Scotland. Its pars. , though in most instances including adjacent minor islands, are Aithsting and Sandsting, Bressay, Burra and Tuarff, Delting, Dunrossness, Lerwick, Nesting, Limnasting and Whel- say, Northmavine, Tingwall, Whiteness and Weesdale, and Walls and Sandness. It is 60 miles in length, and its breadth varies from 3 to 10 miles, save at one point, called Mavis Grind, in Hagraster Voe, where it is only 100 yards broad. No part of the island is more than 3 miles from the sea. The coast, which is very irregular, consists of high rugged cliffs, deep inlets, or voes, and large caves. The surface is a succession of desolate hills and mosses, with a green hollow here and there, and attains a height of 1,500 feet at Rona, or Roeness Mountain. In the 8. clay slate prevails, in the middle gneiss, in the N. greenstone and granite. But sandstone and many other specimens of rocks and minerals are found, as asbestos, garnet, copper and iron ores, &c. MAINS AND STRATHDIGHTY, an united par. in co. Forfar, Scotland, 3 miles N. of Dundee, its post town, and includes the vils. of Kirkton and Beldovan at the latter place is a station on the Dundee and New- tyle railway. The length of the parish is 5* miles by 3j at its greatest breadth. The surface is hilly, but fertile, and for the most part under cultivation. The chief streams are the Fithie Water and the Dighty Water. There are extensive freestone and slate quarries in the neighbourhood. The united par. is in the presb. of Dundee and synod of Angus and Mearns, in the patron, of the crown. The minister's stipend is 217. In 1799 the two parishes were united, and both at that time had their respective church. The present church for the united parish is a commodious structure erected in 1800. There are a Free church and several schools, also an asylum for imbecile children, erected by Sir John and Lady Ogilvy. * Mains was formerly called Mains of Fintry, after Fintry Castle, the old seat of the Grahams, which came to Claverhouse. The chief seats are Baldovan House, Strathmartine House, and Balmure House. About three-fourths of the inhabitants are em- ployed in manufactures similar to those of Dundee. The parish is intersected by the Dundee and Newtyle railway. MAINSBOROUGH, a hund. in the Winchester div. of co. Hants, contains the pars, of Brown Candover and Chilton Candover, comprising an area of 3,420 acres. MAINSBRIDGE, a hund. in the Southampton div. of co. Hants. The upper div. contains the pars, of Botley, Burlesdon, Hamble-le-Rice, Hound, and St. Mary Extra, comprising an area of 9,320 acres; the lower division contains the pars, of Chilworth, Millbrook, North Stone- ham, and part of South Stoneham, comprising an area of 10,460 acres. MAINSFORTH, a tnsbp. in the par. of Bishop- Middleham, N.E. div. of Stockton ward, co. Durham, 7 5