Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/919

Rh J1USKERRY, EAST. fll MUSTON. MUSKERRY, EAST, a bar. in the co. of Cork, prov. of Minister, Ireland. It is bounded by Duhallow, Barretts, Barrymore, Cork, Kinnalmoaky, and West Muskerry. Its area is 122,875 acres, and it contains the pars, of Aghabulloge, Aghinagh, Aglish, Athnowen, Cannaway, Carrigrohanebeg, Corbally, Desertmore, Inishcarra, Kil- bonane, Magourney, Matchy, Moviddy, and parts of Bal- linaboy, Carrigrohane, Donaghmoro, Dunderrow, Garry - cloyne, Grenagh, Inishkenny, Kilmurry, Kilnaglory, Knockavilly, St. Finburs, and St. Nicholas. MUSKERRY, WEST, a bar. in the co. of Cork, prov. of Hunster, Ireland. Its boundaries are Duhallow, East Muskerry, Kinnalmeaky, East Carbery, Bantry, and co. Keny. Its area is 183,487 acres, and it contains the pars, of Ballyvourney, Clondrohid, Dunisky, Kilcorney, Kilnamartery, Macloneigh, Macroom, and parts of Balti- nadcc, Drishane, Inchigeelagh, Kilmichael, and Kil- murry. The Deanes of Springfield take title of baron from this barony. MUSKHAM, NORTH, a par. in the N. div. of the wap. of Thurgarton, co. Nottingham, 3J miles N. of Newark, its post town. The village, which is consider- able, is situated on the Great North-road, and near the W. bank of the river Trent at Holme Ferry. The par. includes the hmlt. of Bathley, and is traversed by the Trent navigation. The soil is fertile, and the land under profitable cultivation. An Enclosure Act was obtained in 1771. The tithes have been commuted for land, and the vicarial glebe comprises 91 acres. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Lincoln, val. 230, in the patron, of the Bishop of Ripon. The church, dedicated to St. Wil- frid, stands on the bank of the Trent, and is a neat structure with a tower containing two bells. The paro- chial charities produce about 108 per annum, of which 61 goes to Woolhouse's free school, besides two alms- houses founded by Mr. Kemp. The Wesleyan Metho- dists have a place of worship. James Thomas Edge, Esq., is lord of the manor. MUSKHAM, SOUTH, a par. in the N. div. of the wap. of Thurgarton, co. Nottingham, 2 miles N. of New- ark, its post town. The par., which is chiefly agricul- tural, contains the hmlt. of Little Carlton. It is bounded on the E. and S. by the river Trent, which is here crossed by a bridge leading towards Newark. The river aflbrds facility of water conveyance to Gainsborough and Not- tingham. The village, which is small, is situated on the Great North-road to York. The great tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 677 4. 3d., and the vicarial for 139 17. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Lincoln, val. 139, in the patron, of the Bishop of Ripon. The church is a neat structure, dedicated to St. Wilfrid. Lord Middleton is lord of the manor. MUSSELBTJRGH, a post and market town, parlia- mentary burgh, burgh of regality, and bathing-place, in the par. of Inveresk, co. Edinburgh, Scotland, 24 miles E.S.E. of Portobello, 4 N.E. of Dalkeith, and 6j E. by S. of Edinburgh. It is a station on the Edin- burgh, Portobello, Musselburgh, and Eskbank branch of the North British railway. It stands on the right bank and near the mouth of the river Esk, in a fertile spot, about 3 furlongs S. of the Frith of Forth, from which it is divided by the sandy downs called Musselburgh Links. The boundaries of the burgh include the con- siderable town of Fisherrow, lying along the opposite bank of the river ; the large vil. of Newbigging, ex- tending southward from Middleburgh ; the vils. of North Esk, Westpans, and Levenhall, near the mouth of the Ravenshaugh burn; and the salt-works near Magdalene Bridge. Its ancient name was Eskmouth, or Eske-muthe, under which it is mentioned by Simeon of Durham so early as the 7th century ; but this name was subsequently exchanged for Musselburgh, (as is believed) from a mussel bank near the mouth of the Esk. In 1201 the barons of Scotland assembled here to swear fealty to the infant son of William the Lion, afterwards Alex- ander n. In the reign of David I. it was granted to the abbey of Dunfermline, and remained part of the abbey lands till the Reformation, -when it wag given by James VI. to Lord Thirlestane, ancestor of the earls and dukes of Lauderdale, from whom it came in 1709 to the Duke of Bucclouch. Mussolburgh was " a burgh whim Edin" was nane," having been first chartered by David I. in 1340. It was subsequently erected into a royal burgh under the great seal in 1632 ; but the privilege being questioned by the citizens of Edinburgh, it did not obtain the right of representation in parliament till the passing of the Reform Bill in 1832, when it was united, with Portobello, to Leith. It now differs from a royal burgh in nothing but the name, and under the late Municipal Act is governed by a provost, 3 bailies, 7 councillors, and a treasurer. The town council and borough magis- trates also act as commissioners of police and harbour- masters. The Edinburgh county police also have a station in the town, and the magistrates hold a court for recovery of small debts and adjudication of minor criminal causes. The burgh revenue is about 1,645, including the produce of the town lands, which were formerly more extensive than at present, a considerable portion having been long ago sold. The site of the town, though only a few feet above the sea-level, is remarkably dry and healthy. The stream of the Esk, here crossed by four bridges, flows through the burgh ; and to the N. of it are the Links, cutting off the view of the Frith of Forth ; while on the S. the slopes of Inveresk bound the horizon. The town contains several good streets, as High-street, running eastward from the new bridge, and on the line of the Edinburgh and Berwick road ; Mill-hill-street, running north-eastward from the end of the timber bridge to the links and the road to New- bigging ; besides several cross streets, and various lanes and alleys. The houses are well and somewhat regularly built, and many of them are detached. The principal public buildings are the tolbooth, built in 1590 of mate- rials taken from the ruined chapel of Loretto, and subsequently repaired. It is surmounted by a spire of still earlier date, and contains a clock of 1496. It is said to have been the first building erected in Scotland for secular purposes out of the materials of an eccle- siastical edifice ; and for this sacrilege the citizens of Musselburgh were annually excommunicated at Rome during two centuries. Adjoining the tolbooth is the townhall, a more recent structure, containing the council and assembly rooms ; also a church, five chapels, mosonio lodge, grammar school, lunatic asylum, and sailors' so- ciety founded in 1669. There are also a public library, commercial bank, gas-works, breweries, and corn-mills ; and at the W. end of the High-street is a monument to Dr. Moir, the eminent physician, and author of the papers signed " Delta " in Slackwood'a Magazine. The monument consists of a statue 84 feet high, sculptured by Ritchie, on a pedestal 20 feet high. Other ob- jects of interest are the stone bridge of five elliptical arches connecting Musselburgh and Fisherrow, erected in 1807 from a design by Sir John Rennie; and the very ancient bridge farther up the stream, with a draw- bridge in the middle, supposed to have been originally constructed by the Romans, being on the direct line between the Pratoritim at Inveresk and the harbour of Fisherrow, and connected with the remains of an ancient causeway. There are traces of a Roman station at Fisher- row, and of a camp at Sheriffhall ; but the principal object of attraction in the town is the vault of the hermitage of Loretto, once the most renowned in Scot- land for miraculous cures. All that now remains of this once considerable building, which was regarded with superstitious veneration, is a vault or cell 12 feet by 10, covered by a circular wooded mount, and having in tho roof a strong iron bar with an oaken pulley attached. Near that part of the Links where Huntley met the Covenanters in 1638, and where Cromwell encamped with his army for several months in 1650, is now tho line of the Edinburgh racecourse; and here, too, is played the annual match of the Musselburgh Golf Club, established in 1774. J. Burnet, the eminent engraver, and Alexander and John Ritchie, the sculptors, were born here. Market day is Friday. A fair is held on tho second Tuesday in October. MUSTON, or MUSSON, a par. in the hund. of Fr/im-