Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/859

Rh MINNIGAFF. Sal MIN STER-I N-SHE1TEY. Tuesday in March, 25th Juno (old style), Friday in August before Lockerby, and on the Saturday in Sep- tember before Lockerby. MINNIGAFF, a par. in the W. div. of the co. of Kirkcudbright, Scotland. It comprises the vils. of Crec- bridge, Slillcroft, Mines, and Blackcruig, and extends about 17 miles S.E., with a breadth varying from 8 to 12 miles. It is bounded by the cos. of Wigtown and Ayr and the pars, of Carsphairn, Kells, Girthon, and Kirk- mabreck. Within its boundaries are numerous lochs as Dee, Enoch, Trool, and Moan. It is also watered by the rivers Filnour, Cree, Polkil, and Minnick. The sur- face is rugged, and there are several hills of great altitude as Cairusmuir, rising 2,400 feet above sea-level, the Garlies and Glencaird hills, Larg Fell, &c. The land is a good deal improved, especially towards the margin of the Cree. A large portion of the parish is in pasture, and is covered by large flocks of sheep and numerous herds of black cattle. Greywacke and clay slate are the chief rocks, but granite abounds in boulders. Lead was for- merly worked, but of late years the mines have become exhausted. The village of Minnigaff is situated in a valley at the confluence of the rivers Polkil and Cree, hero crossed by a bridge. It contains a small woollen manufactory, tan-yard, and two corn-mills. It is of ancient date, and was formerly of some importance, but is now much decayed. This par. is in the presb. of Wigtown and synod of Galloway, and in the patron, of the crown. The minister has a stipend of 269. The parish church has a tower, and was erected in 1836. There is a chapel-of-ease at Bargrennau ; also a parochial school. There are numerous tumuli among the hills, and within a mile of Newton-Stewart is " Heron- Kirouchtree," a mansion built on the side of a hill in the midst of well-wooded grounds, in which is a curious grotto formed out of an old stone quarry. MINNISHANT, a post-office vil. in the par. of May- bole, co. Ayr, Scotland, 9 miles S. by W. of Ayr. MINOLA. See MANILLA, co. Mayo, Ireland. MINQUIERES, LES, a reef of rocks lying about 12 miles S. of Jersey, Channel Islands. They are very dangerous for vessels approaching St. Male, and caused the wreck of the steamer Superb in October, 1850, when twenty persons perished. M1NNONIE-BURN, a rivulet which drains the pars, of Gamrie and King Edward, cos. Banff and Aberdeen, Scotland. MINSHTJLL, CHURCH. Set CHURCH-MINSHTJLL, CO. Chester. MINSHULL-VERNON, a tnshp. in the par. of Mid- dlewich, hund. of Northwich, co. Chester, 4 miles S.W. of Middlewich, its post town, and near Wimboldsley. It is a station on the London and North- Western railway. The village, which is irregularly built, is wholly agricul- tural. It anciently belonged to the Vernons, from whom it derives the suffix to its name, and has since passed through several families of distinction ; it is now partly held by the Frances of Bostock Hall. The land is chiefly in pasture. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Chester, val. 100, in the patron, of the bishop. The church is a small edifice. There is a National school. Newfield Hall is the principal residence, and seat of Edward Loy d, Esq., who is lord of the manor. MINSKIP, a tnshp. in the par. of Aldborough, lower div. of the wap. of Claro, West Hiding co. York, 7 miles S.E. of Ripon, and If mile S.W. of Boroughbridge. The Tillage is small and wholly agricultural. There is a National school for infants, and a place of worship for the Wcsleyans. A. S. Lawson, Esq., is lord of the manor. M INSTEAD, or MINESTEAD, a par. in the hunds. of Redbridge and Thorngate, Romsey div. of the co. of Hants, 2 J miles N. of Lyndhurst, its post town, and 5 W. of Redbridge railway station. The par., which is situated in the New Forest, contains the tythgs. of London-Min- Btead, Canterton, and Cadnam, near Malwood Castle ; also Stoney Cross, where William Rufus was shot. A triangular stone, about 5 feet in height, erected in 1745 by John Lord De la Warre, commemorates the place where formerly stood the oak tree from which TyrrelTa arrow glanced. The soil is clayey, but fertile. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 399 l"is, The living is a rect.* with the cur. of Lyndhurst an- nexed, in the dioc. of Winchester, val. 355. The church, dedicated to All Saints, is an ancient structure with u tower containing three bells. The interior of the church contains tablets of the sons of William R. Preston, Esq., who died in the Crimean war. The parochial charities produce about 45 per annum, of which 15 goes to a school. There is a National school. H. C. Compton, Esq., is lord of the manor. The place was visited by George III. and his queen in June, 1789. MINSTER, a par. in the hund. of Lesnewth, co. Cornwall, 4 miles N. of Camelford, its post town, and 3i E. by N. of Bossiuey. It is situated near the Bristol Channel, and was formerly called Talcarne. At Slaughter Bridge, in this parish, the memorable battle is supposed to have been fought in 525, between the Britons and Saxons, in which king Arthur received his mortal wound ; and near the sources of the river Camel another battle was fought in 820 between the Britons and the Saxons under Egbert. The par. contains the small seaport town of Boscastle, and was distinguished for an aniient castle, once the seat of William do Botreaux, who founded here a Black priory cell to Tywardraeth. The soil consists of a dark loam upon a subsoil of rock. The surface is generally flat, and the greater part of the land is in pas- ture. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 255. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Exeter, val. 224. The church, which is of great antiquity, has only part of the tower remaining. It contains an old circular font, and monuments of the Benders and Cottons of Boscastle and Worthyvale. The E. window bears the Trelawny arms. The register dates from 1600, the older entries having been destroyed. There are almshouses for six poor persons. There is a National school for both sexes, in which a Sunday-school is held. The Metho- dists have a place of worship. There are some remains of an ancient chapel, dedicated to St. John, and on Waterpit Downs is an ancient cross, embellished with sculpture and delicate tracery. In the grounds of Worthyvale is a stone, bearing some rudely-sculptured characters, supposed to commemorate the battle of Slaughter Bridge, from which place it was brought. Two annual fairs are held in August and November for lambs, sheep, and cattle. Thomas Ricard Avery, Esq., is lord of the manor. MINSTER-CLOSE-PRECINCTS, an ext. par. place in the City of Peterborough, co. Northampton. See PETERBOROUGH. MINSTER-IN-SHEPPEY, a par. in the Isle of Shep- pey, lathe of Scray, co. Kent, 3 miles E. of Queens- borough, and 3 S.E. of Sheerness, which tnshp. it includes, though the port of Sheerness enjoys an independent jurisdiction. The ruins of the old abbey, from which this parish derives its name, are still to be seen. The nunnery was founded by Queen Sexburga in 673, but was afterwards burnt by the Danes, and rebuilt for Bene- dictine nuns by Archbishop Corboyl of Canterbury, in 1 130. It continued to flourish till the Dissolution, when its revenue was returned at 122 14*. &d., and the site given to the Cheneys, Hobys, &c. The coast is bounded by numerous lofty cliffs, and guarded by several coast- guard stations. Cheney Rock, or oyster ground, is situate opposite the coast. The village is situated on high land, commanding extensive views. Market gar- dening is carried on extensively, but the lands are chiefly in pasture and meadow, with a small proportion of arable and woodland. The ground is marshy, and the soil principally clay. The navigable river Hoale intersects the parish. The King's Ferry affords communications with the main land, and at Sheerness is a modern pier, with wharfs attached, affording facilities for the convey- ance of produce by water. The impropriate tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 1,002 11s. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of Canterbury, val. 169. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, formerly be- longed to the nunnery, and has a large, square, massive tower, crowned with a turret, which has been diminished