Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/129

Rh OELESTONE WITH HAM-STEEET. 117 OEMISTON, and here the highest elevation (Wart Hill) is but 1,600 feet. The climate is moist, hut not severe. In winter, storms of sleet and rain are frequent, but in summer the weather is generally fine and steady. Agriculture has until very recently been neglected, in favour of the fisheries and the manufacture of kelp, which last industry is now much less than formerly. Great exertions have within the present century been made to bring more of the land into cultivation, and shell marl and seaweed are extensively employed as manure. The native breeds of cattle and sheep are very small, the latter having soft hairy fleeces and dun faces ; but many new varieties have been introduced of late years with the object of improving the natives. Babbits and poultry are numerous, and game is abundant. During the season of incubation the cliffs swarm with myriads of sea-fowl, and in the hilly parts eagles are so nume- rous, that the king's falconer in the present century was wont to visit the islands annually for the young hawks and falcons. The herring and cod fisheries are very productive, and large numbers of lobsters are sent to London. The principal manufacture carried on in these islands is that of straw plait for bonnets, in which at one time about 5,000 young women wera employed, though at present scarcely half that number. Wire- wrought hosiery, hemp, flax, linen, woollens, and stockings also employ a few hands. Boat-building, Bail-making, and cordage, are carried on to somo extent. Commerce has been greatly facilitated by the improve- ments effected in Kirkwall Harbour. There are besides deep and well-sheltered harbours at Inganess Bay and Stromness, which last place ranks as a burgh of regality. At Start Ness and Pentland Skerries are lighthouses. The principal exports are herrings, of which abovo 40,000 barrels are sent to Spain and other continental countries, hardy cattle for stock, wool, hides, butter, eggs, kelp, straw plait, an inferior variety of barley called bigg, hare-skins, and lobsters. The principal seats are Grsomsay, of Sir G. E. Honyman, Bart. ; Tan- kerness, of Baikie ; and Tresness, of Traill, M.P. Ork- ney constitutes a synod of the national church, containing three presbyteries ; and was the seat of a bishopric, now united with and merged into Aberdeen. The family of Fitzmanrice take from hence the title of earl. OELESTONE WITH HAM-STEEET, a par. partly in the hund. of Ham, and partly in the lib. of Eomuey Marsh, lathe of Shepway, co. Kent, 6 miles S. by W. of Ashford, its post town, and 3 from Appledore. It is a station on the Ashford and Hastings branch line of railway. The village, which is small, is situated near the Military canal, and is chiefly agricultural. Bricks are made in the parish. The land is divided between arable and pasture, with about 700 acres of woodland. The soil is fertile, producing good wheat crops. There are several chalybeate springs. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 157 18s., and the glebe consists of 48 acres. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Canterbury, val. 155. The church is dedicated to St. Mary. It is situated in a secluded spot about three- quarters of a mile N. of the village. There is a place of worship for the Wesleyans. Thomas Thornhill, Esq., is lord of the manor and principal landowner. An annual cattle fair is held the last Thursday in August. ORLETON, a par. in the hund. of Wolphy, co. Hereford, 6 miles S.W. of Ludlow, and 1J mile from Woofferton, its railway station. The village, which is small, is situated on a branch of the river Tcme, and near the Leominster canal. Orleton is a petty sessions town, and was formerly held by the Mortimers, and subsequently belonged to Blount the antiquary. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The land is partly in hop grounds. The soil consists of clay and sand, with a subsoil of rock and sand of a singular nature. Many of the houses are of ancient date. The n ' landslip is in this parish, also the hamlet of Comberton. The impropriato tithes have been com- muted for a roj.t -cliiu-go of 145 Us., and the vicarial .C129 9. The living is a vie." in the dioc. of il.Toford, val. 106, in the patron, of the Governors of Lucton School. The church is of great antiquity, and has a tower crowned with an oak-shingled spire, and containing three bells. The church has an an- cient font, a piscina, two chests hewn out of the solid oak, portions of several stained windows, and monu- ments to the Blount family. The churchyard contains an old cross. Tho parochial charities produce about 5 12s. per annum. There is a National school for both sexes, in which a Sunday-school is also held. It was erected, with a master's residence, in 1855, at an outlay of 1,000. Tho Wcsloyans and Primitive Me- thodists havo each a place of worship. Orleton Court is an ancient building. W. Blount, Esq., is lord of the manor. A largo cattle fair is held on the 23rd of April, and is celebrated for its boat bred " Hercfords." ORLETON, a tnshp. in the par. of Eastham, upper div. of the hund. of Doddingtrec, co. Worcester, 7 miles S.E. of Tenbury, its post town, and 3 E. of East- ham. It is situated on the river Teme, and is wholly agricultural. The living is a cur. annexed to the rect. * of Eastham, in the dioc. of Hereford. The church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. ORLINGBUEY, a hund. in co. Northampton, con- tains the pars, of Brixworth, Broughton, Cransloy, Hanniugton, Hardwick, Great and Little Harrowden, Isham, Lamport, Old, Orlingbury, Pitchloy, Scaldwell, and Walgrave, comprising an area of 29,600 acres. ORLINGBUEY, a par. in tho hund. of the same name, co. Northampton, 3^ miles N. of Wellingborough, its post town, and 4 from Kcttering. Tho village, which is of small extent, is chiefly agricultural. Tho tithes were commuted for land and corn rents under an Enclosure 'Act in 1808. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Peterborough, val. 405. Tho church, dedi- cated to St. Mary, has a lofty pinnacled square tower. Tho church was opened in 1843. The parochial chari- ties produce about 1 per annum. There is a large, newly-erected school adjoining tho church. Tho Dis- senters of various creeds have each a place of worship. Orlingbury House, the principal residence, is a stono mansion of recent construction. Allen A. Young, Esq., is lord of the manor. OEME'S HEAD, GEEAT AND LITTLE, two headlands on the coast of Carnarvon, with a rocky bay between, near the estuary of the Conway. They form part of a lofty limestone ridge of hills, rising from 500 to 700 feet above the sea level, and servo as sea-marks. Sea-fowl breed in the cliffs, and several varieties of rare plants are found. OEMISTON, a par. in the co. of Haddington, Scot- land. Shortly after the Reformation this parish was considerably enlarged by the annexation of the estate of Paystoun, which was then disjoined from Pencaitland. It comprises the vils. of Ormiston and House of Muir. It extends in length about 4J miles, with an extreme breadth of 3J miles. It is bounded on tho W. by tho co. of Edinburgh, and on the other sides by the pars, of Tranent, Pencaitland, and Humbrie. The surface is chiefly level, and in an excellent state of cultivation. Freestone, ironstone, and limestone abound, and coal is worked on the property of the Earl of Hopetoun. At Dodridge Law are traces of a Danish or British camp. T*he village of Ormiston is about 2 miles S. of Tranent railway station, and 8 W. of Haddington. It is situated on the left bank of the river Tyne, near its head. It comprises one spacious street, with an ancient cross in tho centre, near the site whore once stood a Roman Catholic chapel. The houses consist of two stories, and are well built, many of them having good gardens and orchards, with which the district abounds. This par. is in the prosb. of Dalkeith, and synod of Lothian and Tweeddale. The minister has a stipend of 250. The parish church was erected in 1856. There are also a Freo church, a parochial school, besides other schools. Ormiston Hall, the seat of the Earl of Hopetoun, is near the old seat where Wishart the martyr was taken by Bothwell and given up to Cardinal Beaton. In the garden is Wishart's yew-tree, said to be upwards of 300 years old; its trunk is 11 feet in circumference and 25