Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/137

Rh OSYTII. 125 OTLEY. built in the Elizabethan stylo, and a dispensary. Euro's ahnshouses are among the charities. The Earl of Powis is lord of the manor. Market days are Wednesday and Saturday, the former for corn, when much business is done, and the latter for cheese, poultry, and provisions. Fairs for the sale of cattle are held on the first "Wednes- day in every month. OSYTH, a par. in the hund. of Tendring, co. Essex, 10 miles S.E. of Colchester. It is situated near tho sea-shore, on a creek or arm of the navigable river Colne, which hero separates into two branches, and has two wharves in this parish. The surface is marshy, and about two-thirds arable, the remainder being pas- ture and woodland. It is a coastguard station, and has remains of a nunnery, originally founded by St. Osyth, daughter of Redwald, King of East Anglia, who wag martyred by the Danes when they destroyed the nunnery. At the time of the Domesday Survey tho site belonged to the see of London, but shortly afterwards a priory for Augustine canons was refounded on the site of the ancient nunnery by Richard do Belmeis, Bishop of London. At tho Dissolution its revenues amounted "to i'758 5. 8d., and the site was given to tho Crom- wells, from whom it subsequently came to the D'Arcies and Nassaus, Earls of Rochford. The impropriate tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 2,503. Tho living is- a don. in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 100. The church, dedicated to St. Osyth, is a spacious struc- ture, principally of the time of Henry VI. In the chancel are two monuments of alabaster to the first two Lords D'Arcy. The parochial charities produce about 10 per annum, which goes to the support of tho free school. The Priory is a modern mansion, formed out of the remains of the ancient monastery, and approached by a gateway of hewn stone, mixed with flints, and having two towers and posterns. OTI5Y, a hmlt. in the par. of Walesby, S. div. of Walshcroft hund., parts of Lindsey, co. Lincoln, 1 mile N. of Walcsby, and 2 miles N.E. of Market- Rasen. OTELEY, a hmlt. in the par. of Ellesmere, co. Salop, 1 mile S.E. of Ellesmere. It is situated on the Elles- mere canal, and forms, with Newton and Spconhill, a township. OTFORD, a par. in tho hund. of Codsheath, lathe of Sutton-at-Hone, oo. Kent, 3 miles N. of Sevonoalcs, its post town. It is the terminus of a branch line of the London, Chatham, and Dover railway. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on the river Darent, and is wholly agricultural. It is the Saxon Ottanford, where, in 773, Offa, King of Jlercia, defeated Aldric, King of Kent, and also tho scene of the defeat of the Danes, under Canute, in 1016, by Edmund Ironside. Shortly before the Norman conquest it became the pro- perly of the see of Canterbury, and was tho favourite retreat of Thomas-a-Becket, who had a palace hero, which was repaired by Archbishop Warham at an ex- pense of 33,000. In it Henry VIII. was entertained ; but all that now remains is a roofless tower and the cloistered side of a court, now converted into stables. N " .ir the ruin is Becket'a well, enclosed by a wall, and said to have been used by him as a bath. A hospital for lepers was founded here in tho reign of Henry III. The soil is chalky, and tho land partly in hop-grounds, le is burnt, and there are some brick kilns. The great tithes belong to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, but aro leased to Lord Willoughby do Broke. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of Canterbury, val. 179, in tho patron, of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster. Th'j church, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, has an E. l'iw, renewed after tho design of the original one, which was destroyed when the church was burnt in 1037. Tho interior of tho church contains several monuments, among which is one by Sir William Cheer, composed of seven kinds of marble, erected to tho memory of Charles Polhill, Esq. The register dates from 1635. Thr jarochial charities produce about 24 per annum. Thoro is a National school for both sexes. Tho Weileyani have a place of worship. Dowager Lady Amherat is lady of tho manor. OTHAM, a par. in the hund. of Eyhorno, lathe of Aylesford, co. Kent, 3 miles S.E. of Maidstono, its post town. The village, which is of small extent and chiefly agricultural, is situated about 1 milo from the road between London and Ashford, and on tho rivulet Lenham, a branch of tho river Medway. This stream, which forms the northern boundary of tho parish, works several mills in its course to tho Medway. Otham manor formerly belonged to the Hendleys and Horns of Gore Court. A Prcmonstratensian abbey was founded here in tho reign of Henry II., but was re- moved to Beaulicu in 1200, and thence to Bayham. The soil is of various qualities, but admirably adapted for fruit and hops, which are grown extensively. Kentish ragstone is abundant, and several quarries belonging to tho Earl of Romney aro worked for building purposes. Tho tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 400, and the glebe comprises 38 acres. Tho living is a rect.* in tho dioc. of Canterbury, val. -112. The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, is an ancient stone structure, with a spired tower containing three bells. Tho church contains several monuments of great antiquity. The register dates from 1538. Tho parochial charities pro- duce about 4 per annum, besides houses for tho poor. There is a parochial school. Dr. Home, Bishop of Norwich, and author of the well-known Commentary on the Psalms, was born hero in 1730. Tho Earl of Romney is lord of the manor and principal landowner. OTHERTON, a tnshp. in tho par. of Penkridge, E. div. of the hund. of Cuttlestono, co. Stafford, 1 mile S.E. of Penkridgo. OTHERTON, a hmlt. in the par. of Cotheridgc, co. Worcester, 4 miles W. of Worcester. OTHERY, a par. in the hund. of Whitlcy, co. Somer- set, 7 miles E. of Bridgwatcr, its post town, and 4^ N.W. of Langport railway station. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on the river Parrot, which forms its western and southern boundaries, and is tra- versed by tho high road from Taunton to Bath, and by that from Bridgwater to Langport. It is wholly agri- cultural. The soil is of a sandy and loamy nature, with a subsoil of limestone. There is a quarry of good build- ing-stone. Tho par. includes tho hmlt. of Borough- bridge, and once belonged to the abbey of Glastonbury, to which it was given by Alfred the Great. Tho appro- priation belongs to the Bishop of Bath and Wells. Tho living is a vie.* in tho dioc. of Bath and Wells, val. 166, in the patron, of the bishop. Tho church, dedi- cated to St. Michael, is an ancient cruciform structure, with a tower 75 feet high, containing five bells. Tho register dates from 1560. There is a National school, at which a Sunday-school is also held. Tho Indepen- dents have a place of worship. OTLEY, a par. in the hund. of Carlford, co. Suffolk, 8 miles N. of Ipswich, its post town, and 7 N.W. of Woodbridge. The village, which is considerable, is wholly agricultural. In the neighbourhood is an ancient entrenchment. The Hall, built in tho reign of Elizabeth, and once tho scat of tho Gosnold family, is now a farmhouse. Tho tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 650, subject to tho payment of rates, and the glebe comprises 70 acres. Tho living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Norwich, val. 670. The church, dedi- cated to St. Mary, has a square tower containing five bells. Tho church has an E. window, presented by Paul Storr, Esq. The parochial charities produce about 1 per annum, which is distributed to tho poor in bread. There is a school for both sexes, with residence for master, both of which were erected at the expense of the Rev. Francis Storr. Tho Baptists have a place of worship. Tho Earl of Abergavenny and Guidon Rebow, Esq., are lords of tho manor. OTLEY, a par., post and market town, partly in tho upper div. of Skyrack wap., and partly in the upper div. of Claro wap.,West Riding co.York, 9 miles S.W. of llar- rogato, 10 from Leeds, and 3J from tho Arthington station, on tho North-Eastern line. Tho Leeds and Bradford rail- way passes through tho parish to llkley. It is situated ia a valley under tho precipitous heights of Almscliffe