Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/831

Rh METFIELD. 823 METHWOLD. erection for both sexes. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have each a place of worship. There is a library and reading-room. William Smith, Esq., is lord of the manor. A pleasure fair is held on Trinity Monday. METFIELD, a par. in the hund. of Hoxne, co. Suf- folk, 5 miles S.E. of Harleston, its railway station and post town, and 7 K.V. of Halesworth. The village, which is considerable, is chiefly agricultural. The soil is of various quality. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 450. The living is a don. cur. * in the dioc. of Norwich, val. 69, in the patron, of the parishioners. The church, dedicated to St. John, is an ancient structure, with a square tower containing three bells. The interior of the church has a carved font of great antiquity. There is a place of worship for Inde- pendents. The parochial charities produce about 5 per annum, exclusive of lands worth 80 per annum left for repairing the church, and for parochial uses. There are Sunday and day schools, principally supported by the parishioners. Captain C. Rayley, R.N., is lord of the manor. METHAM, a tnshp. in the par. of Howden, wap. of Howdenshire, East Hiding co. York, 5 miles E. by S. of Howden. At a short distance from the line of the ancient Roman way which passes through this township a Roman pottery was discovered, including fragments of urns and other vessels. MKTHERINGHAM, a par. in the second div. of the hund. of Langoe, parts of Kesteven, co. Lincoln, 11 miles N. of Sleaford, its post town, and 8 S.W. of Stix- would railway station. It is situated near Methering- ham Brook, a branch of the river Witham, which bounds the parish on the E. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The ancient cross has been rebuilt, around which a market is held on Saturdays. The surface is undulating, and the higher grounds com- mand a view of Lincoln Cathedral and the surrounding country. The soil in the western part of the parish is li^lit, and in the eastern fenny. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Lincoln, val. 300, The church is a large ancient structure dedicated to St. Wilfrid. It was partly burnt in 1599, and was restored in 1701. The parochial charities produce about 6 per annum. There is a place of worship for the Wesleyans. Henry Chap- lin, Esq., is lord of the manor. METHIE, an ancient par., now joined to Inverarity, co. Forfar, Scotland. METHIL and KIRKLAND, vils. in the pars, of Markinch and Wemyss, district of Kirkcaldy, co. Fife, Scotland. It is a decayed burgh of barony, and has one of the finest tidal harbours on the S. coast of Fifeshiro if it were not choked by rocks. A chapel-of-ease was erected in the village in 1838 at an outlay of 1,050. This village adjoins that of Kirkland, which, together with the bathing-place of Dubbieside, have been formed inti' a f/"in"l xifi'ra, parish. METHLEY, a par. in the lower div. of the wap. of Agljrigg, West Riding co. York, 5 miles N.E. of Wake- iii-ld, its post town. It has stations on the Lancashire and Yorkshire and North Midland railways. The parish, h is 3 miles in extent, is situated near the con- ilurnco of the rivers Aire and Calder. The village is well built though irregular. Some of the houses are nt. A considerable trade is carried on in malt. 6 are collieries producing coal of a fine quality. The soil is generally fertile, and the lands are in a high state of cultivation, chiefly arable. The living is a reel.* in the dioc. of Ripon, val. 908, in the patron, of the y of Lancaster. The church, dedicated to St. id, is a stone edifice, with a square embattled tower, crowned with pinnacles and a well-proportioned epire, mtains three bells. Over the S. door is a statue of 1 )swald, which is of great antiquity. The interior ifl church contains an old register chest, font, and several monuments of the Saville family and of the Earl of Moxborough. The parochial charities produce about 12 per annum. There are National and Sunday Is for both sexes ; also places of worship for the Wesleyans, Wesleyan Reformers, and Primitive Metho- dists. Mothley Hall, originally a castellated edifice surrounded by a moat, was rebuilt by the late Earl of Mexborough, and now is a noble mansion. The Earl of Mexborough is lord of the manor. At the enclosure of the parish the tithes were commuted for land. METHLICK, a par. in the district of Ellon, co. Aberdeen, Scotland. It extends about 8 miles in length from N. to S., with an extreme breadth of 5 miles. The par. is bounded by Fyvie on the W., New Peer on the N. and N.E., and Tarves on the S.E. and S. The land is of a hilly nature, and of recent years a large portion has been brought under cultivation. The soU consists of a yellow loam with a gravelly and rocky bottom. The parish is intersected by the river Ythan, the banks of which are studded with plantations. The village, which is 6 miles N. of Old Meldrum, is of rural appear- ance. At a short distance from the village the river is crossed by an iron bridge. This par. is in the presb. of Ellon and synod of Aberdeen. The minister has a stipend of 159. The parish church was erected in 1780, and was restored in 1840. Besides the parish church there is a Free church, also a parochial school and library. Drs. Cheyne and C. Maitland were born in this parish ; the former was author of " Philosophical Principles of Natural Religion," and the latter the intro- ducer of vaccination into North Britain. About 2 miles distant from the village is Haddo House, the seat of the Earl of Aberdeen, who is the. sole landowner. Annual fairs are held on the Thursday following the llth May, and on the day in November after Peterhead, chiefly for hiring servants. METHOP WITH ULPHA, a tnshp. in the par. of Beetham, ward of Kendal, co. Westmoreland, 5 miles W. of Milnthorpe railway station. It is situated at the mouth of the river Kent, on Morecambe Bay, and con- tains Holm Island. METHVEN, a par. in co. Perth, Scotland. It con- tains the vils. of Almond Bank, Ballwherno, Bellstown, Bragrum, Gibbiestown, Glack, Meckven, Scrogiehill, and Woodend. It is a station on the Perth, Almond Valley, and Methven railway. It is situated on the Pow and Almond waters, and extends 5 miles from W. to E., with a breadth of from 3 and 4 miles. It is bounded by the pars, of Moneydie, Hedgorton, Tibber- more, Gask, and Fowlis- Wester. The parish is exten- sively wooded, a large portion being cut yearly as coppice. The surface, which is moderately even, is varied by gently rising grounds and hollows. The land is in a high state of cultivation. The parish is traversed westward by the road from Perth to Crieff, on which road the village of Methven is situated, 5 miles N.W. of Perth, and 11 N.E of Crieff. A large portion of the inhabitants are employed in cotton weaving, paper- making, &c. Sandstone and greenstone are quarried. This par. is in the prcsb. of Perth and synod of Perth and Stirling. The minister has a stipend of 284. The parish church was erected in 1783, and was restored and enlarged in 1825. Besides the parish church there are a Free church and an United Presbyterian church ; also parochial and other schools. There ire a public library and an agricultural association in the village. About three quarters of a mile E. of the village is Methven Castle, which is seated on an eminence, and has within its grounds the spot whore Bruce was defeated by the English, under the Earl of Pembroke, in 1306. The castle was held by the Mowbrays in 1323, after which period it came to the Stuarts, of whom Walter, son of Robert II., founded a collegiate church in 1433. Fairs are held on the Monday in May before Amubree, I ho first Thursday in August, and on the fourth Thursday in October. METHWOLD, a par. in the hund. of Grimshoe, co. Norfolk, 6 miles N.W. of Brandon, its post town. It is situated on the river Wisscy, and near the Great Eastern railway. The village, which stands on the high road from Lynn to Bury St. Edmund's, was for- merly a market town, and had a priory cell to Castle- Acre, called Slewesholme, or Slusham, of which there are