Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/138

Rh OTMOOE. 126 OTTERHAM. Wharfe, over -which is a bridge of seven arches. The par., -which is of largo extent, comprises the tnshps. of Baildon, Bramhope, Burley, Denton, Farnley, Poole, Esholt, and six others. In Domesday Book Otley is mentioned as Otlielai, and is supposed to have derived its name from Otho, its ancient Saxon proprietor. It -was given by King Athelstane to the Archbishop of York, who had an episcopal residence on the site now occupied by the manor house, and held courts of quarter session in the town till the reign of William IV., when the right of appointing the magistrates was transferred by Act of Parliament to the lord-lieutenant of the West Riding. It is a polling and petty sessions town, and formerly returned two members to parliament. The town is small, but well built, and is paved and lighted with gas. It has a good supply of water. There are a county court, two banks, savings-bank, mechanics' institute, police station, and gasworks. Its chief trade formerly consisted of woollen manufactures, but these have given place to the worsted and paper-mills ; spinning, weaving, and machine-making are also carried on. A county court is held monthly. Quarter sessions are held here, also petty sessions on the first Friday in each month, at the court-house, Clapgate. The river Wharfe abounds with smelts, eels, grayling, trout, and occasionally salmon. A new road was cut from Leeds through the town in 1841, in order to avoid the steep ascent of the Chevin. A. largo proportion of the land is in pasture and moor- laud, including part of Rombald's Moor. Lord Fairfax, the parliamentary general, was born at Denton Park, in this parish, in 1611, and died here in 1671. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Ripon, val. 300. The church, dedicated to All Saints, is a cruciform structure with a tower surmounted by a wooden spire, and containing eight bells. The interior of the church contains monu- ments of the Fawkeses, Vavasours, Fairfaxes, Pulleynes, and other distinguished families. In addition to the parish church are the following district churches viz. at Baildon, Bramhope, Burley- with-Menston, Denton, Esholt-with-Hawkesworth, Farnley, and Poole, the livings of which are perpet. curs., varying in val. from 148 to 40. The parochial charities produce about 82 per annum, part of which is distributed to the poor in bread every Sunday, besides a dole at Christmas. There are National and Roman Catholic schools, also a free grammar school at Clapgate, founded in 1611 by Thomas Cave, Esq. ; but its foundation has recently been altered by the Court of Chancery. The Wesleyans have a Sun- day-school at Walkergate. There are places of worship and Sunday-schools for the Independents, Wesleyau Methodists, Primitive Methodists, Roman Catholics, and Christian Brethren. The Manor House and Westborne Lodge are the principal seats. Otley is under Gilbert's union Wharfedale, which comprises 18 tnshps. The Arch- bishop of York is lord of the manor. Market day is Friday, and a cattle market every alternate Friday. The principal cattle fairs are held on the Wednesday in Easter week, second and fourth Wednesday after Easter, Whit- Wed- nesday, and the Monday following 2nd August, also two statute fairs for the hiring of servants on the Fridays preceding and following old Martinmas Day. OTMOOR, a marshy tract of 4,000 acres, co. Oxford, about 9 miles N.E. of Oxford, on the bank of the river Ray. It is crossed by the Roman road Akeman Street, and has traces of a Saxon camp near Merton. OTTER, a river of the co. of Devon, rises under Black Down, and after a course of 23 miles falls into the English Channel at Otterton. The East Devon Otter hounds hunt on its bank. OTTERBOURNE, a par. in the lower half div. of Buddlesgate hund., co. Hants, 4 miles S. of Winchester, its railway station and post town, and 8 N.W. of South- ampton. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on the road from Winchester to Southampton, and on the river Itching. The par. includes the tythg. of Boyatt. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agri- culture. The Itching navigation and the South- Western railway pass through the district. The living is a cur. annexed to the Tic.* of Hursley, in the dioc. of Win- chester. The church, dedicated to St. Matthew, is a cruciform structure of blue brick, erected in 1839 at a cost of 4,000. The interior is decorated with stained windows, and contains two bells. There is a National school for both sexes. The Primitive Methodists have a place of worship. The President and Fellows of Mag- dalen College, Oxford, are lords of the manor. OTTERBTJRN, a tnshp. in the par. of Kirkby-in- Malham, W. div. of Staincliff wap., West Riding co. York, 5 miles S.E. of Settle, and 3 from Kirkby-in- Malham. It is situated on the river Aire, and is a meet for the Craven hounds. The soil is rich and fertile, on a substratum of limestone. OTTERBURN-WARD, a tnshp. and chplry. in the par. of Elsdon, S. div. of Coquetdale ward, co. Northum- berland, 3J miles W. of Elsdon, and 9 N.E. of Belling- ham. Newcastle is its post town. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on the river Reed, and on the turnpike road from Newcastle to Jedburgh. Otter- burn is celebrated in Border story as the scene of the well-contested battle described in the popular ballad of Chevy Chase. This battle was fought on the 15th August, 1388, between the English and Scots, the former being defeated, and Harry Percy, surnamed Hotspur, and his brother Ralph, made prisoners, while the Scottish com- mander, Earl Douglas, was left dead on the field. On the spot where the battle was fought are several tumuli, also remains of intrenchments, and a cross which marks the spot where Douglas fell. There is a woollen manufac- tory, and some of the inhabitants are engaged in carding, dyeing, and fulling. There is also a colliery. The soil is of a loamy nature, with lime. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Durham, val. 200. The church, dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, is a stone structure erected in 1858, at the expense of the Misses Davidson and Mrs. Askew, at a cost of 3,000. It contains a stone screen richly carved. At the same period a school-house was erected by the former ladies, and the old school-house added to the master's residence. A church for the United Presbyterians was built in 1834. Otterburn Tower, the principal residence, was erected on the site of the old castle, which sustained frequent attacks of the Scottish Borderers. Thomas James, Esq., is lord of the manor. OTTERDEN, a par. partly in the hund. of Eyhorne, lathe of Aylesford, and partly in the hund. of Faversham, lathe of Scray, co. Kent, 7 miles S. of Faversham, its post town, 3 N. of Charing, and 3 N.E. of Lenham. The village, which is of small extent, is wholly agricul- tural. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 207 108., and the glebe comprises 225 acres. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Canterbury, val. 307. The church, dedicated to St. Lawrence, was rebuilt on the site of the old one in 1753. There are several monu- ments of great antiquity to the Curteis and Bunce families. The parochial charities produce about 10 per annum, besides almshouses. Otterden Place is the principal residence. The Rev. Charles Wheler is lord of the manor and principal landowner. OTTERFORD, a par. in the hund. of Taunton, co, Somerset, 7 miles S. of Taunton. Honiton is its post town. The village, which is of small extent, is situated under the Black Down Hills, and is wholly agricultural. The soil is of a clayey nature, but fertile. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Bath and Wells, val. 87- The church, dedicated to St. Leonard, is an ancient stone structure with a tower containing three bells. There is a National school for both sexes, in which a Sunday- school is also held. William Beadon, Esq., is lord of the manor and principal landowner. OTTERHAM, a par. in the hund. of Lesnewth, co. Cornwall, 6 miles N.E. of Camelford, its post town, and 12 W. of Launceston. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on the river Attery, and on the main road from Stratton to Camelford. It is mentioned in Domesday Book as Othram, and after the Conquest was held by the Earl of Mortaigne, and afterwards by the Champernounes, Coplestons, and others. The soil con- sists of a dark loam, producing good grain crops. The
 * nd Clievin, or Cefn Hill, and is watered by the river