Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/896

Rh MORTIMER'S-CROSS. MORTON. and ended his daya in a hermitage at this place. The Primitive Methodists have a place of worship, and there is a National school. MORTIMER'S -CROSS, a tnshp. in the par. of Amestry, co. Hereford, 6 miles N.W. of Leominster. It is situated on the river Lug. At Kingslandfield is a pillar, bearing date 1799, erected on the spot where Henry VI. and the Lancastrians were defeated hy Edward Mortimer in the interest of Edward IV. MORTIMER-STRATFIELD, a par. chiefly in the hund. of Theale, co. Berks, but partly in that of Lower Holdshott, co. Hants, 8 miles S. by W. of Reading. It is a station on the Basingstoke branch of the Great Western railway. The parish, which is extensive, includes some patches of fir plantation and common. The Tillage is considerable. The impropriate tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 941, and the vicarial for 244, besides 83 acres of impropriate glebe valued at 60, and 32 acres of vicarial glebe valued at 40. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Oxford, val. 246, in the patron, of Eton College. The church is an ancient structure, dedicated to St. Mary. The Indepen- dents have a place of worship. There are parochial schools supported by subscription. In the vicinity are remains of a Roman amphitheatre attached to the ancient station of Silchester. MORTIMER, WEST-END, a tythg. in the par. of Mortimer-Stratfield, cos. Berks and Hants, 8 miles N. of Basingstoke. MORTLACH, a par. in the co. Banff, Scotland. It includes the vil. of Dufftown, and the post-office vil. of its own name. It extends about 12 miles N.N.E. in length, with an extreme breadth of 8J miles, and is bounded by the pars, of Bohann, Botriphnie, Glass, Cabrach, Inveravon, and Aberlour. The surface is hilly, but fertile. On the mountainous boundary to the S. are Coryhabbie Hill and Cook's Cairn; and on the W. side of me western glen is the gigantic Ben Rinnes, towering 2,765 feet above sea-level. The principal portion of the land under culture occurs along the banks of the rivers Fiddick and Dullan, by which the parish is watered. The soil near the rivers is of a loamy nature, but a large extent of the uplands is barren rock. The district includes the Craig of Balvenie, with its old castle, and the Giant's Chair on the river Dullan, with the little cascade called the " Linen Apron." The prevailing rocks are granite, slate, and limestone, which are exten- sively quarried. There are several mineral springs, also a petrifying spring. The village of Mortlach is distant about 9 miles S.W. of Keith. It is situated on the river Spey, under Ben-Rinnes, and was the seat of a diocese from 1010 till 1139, when David I. joined it to Aberdeen. Near Glenlivet the Earl of Huntley defeated Argyll in 1594 ; and in the neighbourhood are numerous memo- rials of Malcolm's victory, as Con val camp, pillar stones, cairns, &c. This par. is in the presb. of Strathbogie and synod of Moray, and in the patron, of the crown. The minister has a stipend of 226. The parish church, which is of great antiquity, was restored and enlarged in 1829. There are a Free church, a Roman Catholic chapel, also a circulating library, parochial school, and other schools. Fairs are held on the first Tuesday in January (old style), second Thursday in July, and third Thursdays in August and December. MORTLAKE, a par. in the W. div. of the hund. of Brixton, co. Surrey, 2 miles E. of Richmond, and the same distance S.E. of Brentwood. It has stations on the Windsor and Richmond and Thames Valley branches of the London and South- Western railway. It is situated on the S. bank of the river Thames, and on the road from London to Richmond, and in eludes part of Richmond park. On the banks of the Thames are many residences and villas. The parish contains East Sheen, also traces of Mortlake House, anciently the residence of the archbishops oJ Canterbury. Edward III. resided here in 1352, and Queen Elizabeth frequently visited Dr. Dee. There was a tapestry factory established here in 1616 by F. Crane, the first in England, but was destroyed in the time of the Civil War. An extensive trade is done in malting and brewing, and there is a small pottery for stoneware. There is a savings-bank for this parish and /hat of Barnes held in the vestry-room. A great part of the land is occupied by market gardens, in which asparagus is largely cultivated. A farm comprising 80 acres, on the Richmond side of the parish, was formerly the private property of George III. The appropriate tithes, belonging to the Dean and Chapter of Worcester, have been commuted for a rent-charge of 400. The Living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of London, val. 180, in the patron, of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, has an ancient stone and flint tower, square and embattled, and con- taining eight bells. The interior of the church contains an old font presented by Archbishop Bourchier in the reign of Henry VI., at which time the church was restored or rebuilt ; also several brasses and monuments of persons of distinction, including Sir Philip Francis, Dr. John Dee, and John Partridge. The church was enlarged in 1860. The register dates from 1577. The parochial charities produce about 177 per annum, of which 47 goes to Lady Capel's school, and 45 to Juxon's almshouses, also Colston's almshouses. There are National, British, Roman Catholic, and infant schools, also an industrial school for girls intended for domestic service. The Independents and Roman Catho- lics have each a place of worship. Cromwell House is a red brick mansion, erected on the site of General Ireton's house, where, it is said, Cromwell frequently held his councils ; it was subsequently the seat of Edward Colston, the great benefactor to the city of Bristol, who during his lifetime expended above 70,000 in the support of various charitable institutions. A cemetery was opened here in 1859. MORTLESTOWN, a par. in the bar. of West Iffa and Offa, co. Tipperary, prov. of Munster, Ireland, 3 miles N.E. of Cahir, its post town. It is 3J miles long, and about 1 mile broad. The soil is good. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Lismore, val. with Ough- teragh, 209, in the patron, of the bishop. Ruins of the church are seen, likewise of three castles. MORTOMLEY, a vil. in the tnshp. and par. of Ecclesfield, wap. of Strafforth, West Riding co. York, 5 miles N. of Sheffield. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in the neighbouring collieries and iron works. MORTON, a par. in the district of Nithsdale, co. Dumfries, Scotland. It comprises Thornhill, a burgh of barony, and the larger portion of the vil. of Carron- bridge. It extends in length about 7 miles from S. to N., with an extreme breadth of 4 miles, and is bounded on the N.E. by the co. of Lanark, and on the other sides by the pars, of Closeburne, Penpont, and Durrisdeer. The surface is of a hilly nature, and comprises both pas- toral and arable land. Where cultivated it is well en- closed and fertile. The lower district is traversed by the road from Glasgow to Dumfries, and by the Glasgow and South- Western railway. The vil. of Morton is distant 3 miles N.E. of Penpont, and within easy access of the Carron-bridge and Thornhill station on the Glas- gow and South- Western railway. It is watered by the rivers Nith, Cample, and Carron; and near a small tributary of the Cample stand the ruins of Morton Castle, which belonged to Randolph in the reign of Robert Bruce. The ruins cover a space of 100 ft. by 30 ft. in area, and include parts of the corner towers, and the S. wall between 30 ft. and 40 ft. in height. The castle passed from the Randolphs to the Douglases, who take from hence the title of earl. This par. is in the presb. of Penpont, and synod of Dumfries. The minister has a stipend of 236. The parish church was erected in 1841 ; and at Thornhill is an United Presbyterian church. There are a parochial school, and several dis- trict schools. MORTON, a post-office vil. in the par. of Libherton, co. Edinburgh, Scotland, 4 miles S. of Edinburgh. The principal residence is Morton Hall. MORTON, a par. in the hund. of Scarsdale, co. Derby, 3 miles N.E. of Alfreton, its post town, and 1 mile S.E. of the Stretton railway station .The village, which is of small