Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/857

Rh MIMERAM. 819 MINCHINHAMPTON. town, and 2J N.E. of the Sandon railway station. The village, which ia small, and wholly agricultural, is situated at the junction of the Stone and Stafford turn- pike roads. The par. includes the hmlts. of Colon, Garshall-Green and Day-Hills. The land is chiefly arable and the surface varied. The impropriate tithes have boon commuted for a rent-charge of 132 8s., and the vicarial for 138 13. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Lichfield, val. 95. The church, dedicated to All Saints, is a modern brick edifice with an ancient stone tower. The parochial charities produce about 40 perannum. There are National and infant schools with a small endowment. There is a place of worship for the Wesleyan Methodists. MIMERAM, or MARAN, a feeder of the river Lea, rises near King's Walden, in co. Herts, and joins the Lea at Hertford. 1IIMMS, NORTH, a par. in the hund. of Dacorum, though locally in that of Cashio, co. Herts, 4 miles S. of Bishop's Hatfield, its post town, and 19 from London. The par. which is chiefly agricultural, includes the hmlts. of Welham Green, Koestock, and Little Heath, and formerly belonged to the Magnavilles, Knolles, Hydes, and Osbornes. The soil is in general light but fertile. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Rochester, yal. 230. The church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is built of flint and of great antiquity. It has a square embattled tower surmounted by a lofty spire and con- taining six bells. The interior of the church contains six brasses, one of a priest under a canopy bearing date 1350; also tombs of Lord Chancellor Somers, the Coningsbys, Botelers, &c. On the N. side of the chancel is the chantry chapel of St. Catherine, founded in 1323, by Simon de Swonlond, the windows of which exhibit, in stained glass, various shields and coats of arms, prin- cipally of the Coningsby family. North Mimms Park is the principal residence ; the grounds are very exten- sive, and watered from a source of the river Colne. There are two schools, one partly supported by endow- ment, and the other, for girls, by subscription. The charities produce about 75 per annum. MIMMS, SOUTH, a. par. in the hund. of Edmonton, co. Middlesex, 4 miles N.W. of Chipping Barnet, its post town, and 2 W. of the Potter's Bar station on the Great Northern railway. The par., which is of large extent, is situated near Gladsmoor Heath and Enfield Chase, including the vil. of Potter's Bar, and part of Barnet. It is a district for the S division of Metro- politan police. Mimms, formerly called Mymcs, Mymmys, &c., came through the Leuknors, Scropes, and Wind- sors, to the Marquis of Salisbury. A great portion of the land is woody, with warren, and about half in pasture ; the remainder is chiefly in gardens, orchards, and common. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of London, val. 310. The church, dedicated to St. Giles, stands near the high road. It is of great antiquity, and has a square tower at the W. end mantled in ivy. The interior of the church contains a piscina, font, effigies, and two brasses ; one of Hill, a former vicar, and the other of a Fowyk, who founded a chantry here. In addition to the parish church there are two district churches, viz. St. John's, Potter's Bar, and Christ Church, Barnet, the livings of both which are perpet. curs. The church of St. John was erected in the village of Potter's Bar in 1835 by subscription, but chiefly by George Byng, Esq., M.P. Christ Church is a flint structure, with stone Coynes and dressings, and has a turret at the W. end. It was erected at an outlay of nearly 5,000, by Captain John Trotter, of Derham Park. There are National schools for both sexes, also a British school. Derham Park and Wrotham Park are the principal residences. The charities consist chiefly of almshouses, among which may be mentioned, the Leathersellers of the City of London situated in Union- street, near Chipping Barnet, and the Brewers, for six Cr widows, situated near the church ; also other alms- ses contributed to by the parishioners. A market for cattle and merchandise is hold on Wednesday at the "Green Man" inn. M INANE, a vil. in the bar. of Kinalea, co. Cork, Ireland, 7 miles N.E. of Kinsale. MINARD, a par. in the bar. of Corkaguiny, co. Kerry, prov. of Muustcr, Ireland, 6 miles E.S.E. of Dingle, its post town. The surface rises from the coast of Dingle Bay. The road from Dingle to Castlcmaino traverses the interior. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Ardfcrt and Aghadoe, val. with Kilflyn, 271, in the patron, of the Earl of Cork. Minard Castle is the prin- cipal residence. Here are remains of a castle formerly of the Knights of Kerry, which was blown up in 1650 during an attack. At Parknafulla several Ogham stones are to; be seen. MINCH CHANNEL, THE, separates the isle of Lewis from the co. of Ross, Scotland. It belongs to the above county, and extends 50 miles in length, with a breadth varying from 26 to 40 miles. It becomes narrower towards the S., and forms the sound which separates the Outer Hebrides from the island of Skye. Its W. side is flanked by the southern part of Harris, North Uist, and Benbecula. MINCHINGTON-WITH-GUSSAGE, a tythg. in the par. of Handley, co. Dorset, 6 miles N.W. of Cranborne. MINCHINHAMPTON, a par., post and market town, in the hund. of Longtree, co. Gloucester, 1 mile S. of the Brimscombe railway station, and 4 miles S.E. of Stroud. The parish, which is large, is situated on the road from Cirencester to Gloucester. It comprises the chplries. of Amberley, Brimscombe, and Rodborough, with Nails- worth and 12 other tnshps. Amberley and Brims- combe were constituted separate ecclesiastical districts by an order in council in 1840. Minchinhampton was given by William the Conqueror to a nunnery of Caen, in Normandy, and camo through the Windsors to the Sheppards. The origin of its present name is derived from the word motiaehina, a diminutive of moiiac/ia, a " nun." The Thames and Severn canal passes through the parish. The woollen cloth trade is carried on very extehsively, there being many clothing mills on the banks of the several streams, employing a large number of the inhabitants. There are also some mailings and a brewery at the hmlt. of Forwood. The town is situalcd on the summit and southern declivity of a hill over- looking the vale of the Severn. It consists of one long, irregularly built street, intersected by another partially paved, and is well supplied with water from springs. It is a polling-place for the eastern division of the county of Gloucester. The tithes were commuted in 1839. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Gloucester and Bristol, val. 433. The parish church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is a stone cruciform structure, with an oc- tagonal tower containing a clock and six bells. It was built in the reign of Henry III. by the nuns, and contains a fine W. window and several antique brasses bearing date 1519 and 1556, and one to Dr. James Bradley, the astronomer, which has been removed from his tomb in the churchyard. In addition to the parish church there are three district churches at Amberley, Brimscombe, and Rodborough, the first two livings of which are perpet. curs.,* and the last a rect.,* val. 300 each. The parochial charities produce about 200 per annum, part of which is distributed to the poor in warm clothing ; also almshouses for eight aged females. There are National and British schools for both sexes, with a small endowment. There are places of worship for the Baptists, Wesleyans, and Independents. David Ricardo, Esq., is lord of the manor. On Minchinhampton Common is a very extensive entrenchment, called Amberley Camp, the site of which belongs to the poor, to whom it was granted by Mrs. Alice Hampton in Henry VIII.'s time, when the allot- ment was 1,000 acres ; but, from the encroachments which have occasionally taken place, it has been reduced to nearly half that amount. The entrenchment stretches to the length of 3 miles from the hamlet of Littleworth to a valley on the opposite side of the town, called Woeful Danes Bottom an appellation supposed to be derived from the sanguinary overthrow suifered by the