Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/233

Rh PLENDERLEITH. 221 PLUMPTON. PLENDERLEITH, an ancient par. in the co. of Roxburgh, Scotland, now joined to Oxnam. PLESHEY, or PLA1SY, a par. in the hund. of Dun- mow, co. Essex, 7 miles N.W. of Chelmsfprd, its post town, and 7 S.E. of Dunmow. It is situated on a branch of the river Chelmer, and has traces of a Roman camp 1 mile in circumference. The village, which con- sists principally of one long street, is surrounded by an entrenchment, in which are also the ruins of the castle of the high constables of England, who resided here from the first institution of their office till nearly four centuries after the Norman conquest. Among the emi- nent persons who held the castle were William de llagnaville, the Bohuns, Thomas Duke of Gloucester, Sir J. Gates, &c. The only remains of the castle now existing are the foundations of the oval keep, 890 feet in circumference, and the bridge, of singular construc- tion, across the moat. The great Duke of Gloucester was arrested here in 1397 by Richard II., and murdered at Calais. Holland, Duke of Exeter, was also taken here, and beheaded by the populace in 1400. Many antiquities have been found within and around the ruins. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The t 'il consists of a chalky clay, intermixed with flints and chalk fossils. The liying is a perpet. cur. * in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 95. The church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was rebuilt by Bishop Compton in 1708. About forty years later, a chancel was erected by Samuel Tufncll, .Esq., who also restored the ancient tower. There are some ancient tombs, and several monuments to the Tufnell family. The original structure was a cruciform building, which, together with the college for priests, was founded by Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, sixth son of Edward III., in 1393. All that now remains are the old tombs and the Roman bricks ] in the tower. The revenue of the college at the Disso- lution was estimated at 143 12*. Id. The register j dates. from 1656. The charities consist of church lands, j producing about 9 per annum. The manor belongs to the Duchy of Lancaster. PLESSEY-W1TH-SHOTTON, a tnshp. in the par. of Stannington, co. Northumberland, 9 miles N. of Newcastle, and 6 S. by E. of Morpeth. It is a station on the North-Kastcrn railway. PLINLYM5ION, a mountain ridge on the border of cos. Cardigan and Montgomery, 8 miles S.E. of Ma- chynlleth, and 9 N.W. of Llanidloes. It is a barren slaty ridge, 2,463 feet high, commanding a broken view over St. George's Channel, Cader Idris, and part of Herefordshire. Properly speaking, it consists of three summits, forming the centre of a large group of moun- tains spreading into subordinate chains. From near the summit spring the five rivers of the Rhcidiol, the Llyflhant, a tributary of the Dyfi, the Wye, the Ystwith, and the Severn, which last has its source at " the Well." The best ascent is from Dyffryn Castell, on the Rhayader and Abcryatwith road, but it should not be attempted without a guide, on account of the dangerous bogs that exist. Copper is obtained at Bryntaigh. PLOCTON, a quoad sacra par. in the par. of Loch- aliih, cos. Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, 5 miles S. of Strome Castle. There are a government and a Free church. PLOSIESGATE, a hund. in the co. of Suffolk, con- tains the pars, of Aldeburgh, Benhall, Blaxhall, Bruis- yard, Chillesford, Cransford, Earnharn, Friston, Great til'iuham, Little Glemham, Hazlewood, Iken, Orford, Parham, Rcndham, Saxmundham, Snape, Sternfield, Stratford St. Andrew, Sudbourne, Swelling, Tunstall, and Wuntisden ; comprising an area of 41,390 acres. PLOUGHLEY, a hund. in the co. of Oxford, con- tains the pars, of Ardley, Bicestor, Bletchingdon, Buck nell, Charlton-on-Otmoor, Chesterton, Cottesford, Fin- mere, Fringford, Fritwell, Goddington, Hampton-Gay, Uampton-Poyle, Hardwicke, Heath, Upper and Lower Jl-yford, Islip, Kirtlington, Launton, Lillingstone- Lovell, Middleton-Stoney, Mixbury, Newton-Purcell, Note, Oddington, Shelswell, Somerton, Souldern, Stoke- Lyno, Tusmore, Wendlebury, Weston-on-the-Green, and parts of Stowe and Stratton-Audley, comprising an area of 59,520 acres. PLOVER SCAR, a rock in the estuary of the river Lune, co. Lancaster. A lighthouse was erected on it in 1847. PLOWDON, a tnshp. in the par. of North Lydbury, co. Salop, 3 miles S.E. of Bishop's Castle. It is in con- junction with Eyton. PLOWLAND, a hmlt. in the par. of Welwick, East Riding co. York, 2 miles S.E. of Patringtou. PLUCK, a hmlt. in the bar. of Raphoe, co. Donegal, Scotland, 3 miles S.E. of Letterkenny. PLUCKLEY, a par. in the hund. of Calehill, lathe of Shepway, co. Kent, 6 miles E. of Ashford, its post town, 3 S.W. of Charing, and 19 S.W. of Canterbury. It is a station on the Soulh-Eastern railway. Tho vil- lage, which is small, is wholly agricultural. The par. comprises the old par. of Pevington, and the limits, of .Maintains, Shurland, &c. Tho land is partly in hop grounds. The tithes have been commuted for a rent- charge of i'700, and the glebe comprises 34 acres. The living is a rect.* with that of Pevington annexed, in the dioc. of Canterbury, val. 595, in the patron, of the archbishop. The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, was built by the Pluckleys in the reign of Henry II., and has a tower containing six bells. The interior of the church contains tombs, and three brasses, of the Derings of Surrenden-Dering, bearing date from 1490. The register dates from 1560. The charities produce about 17 a-year. There is a National school for both sexes. A fair is held on Whit-Tuesday for toys and pcdlery, also a fair for cattle and swine on 6th December. PLUMBLAND, a par. in the ward of Allcrdalo- below-Derwent, co. Cumberland, 6 miles N. by E. of Cockermoutl). It is situated near the line of the Mary- port and Carlisle railway, and is bounded on the N. and W. by the river Ellen, a trout stream. The village, which is small, is chiefly agricultural. Above half the land is arable, the remainder meadow and pasture, with about 40 acres of woodland. The parish abounds in coal, freestone, and limestone, which last is extensively quarried for burning into lime. The glebe comprises 72 acres. Tho living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Carlisle, val. 375. The church, dedicated to St. Cuthbert, is a plain structure, recently repaired and improved. The parochial charities produce about 90 per annum, chiefly the endowment of Captain John Sibson's free school, founded in 1759. The school-house was erected in 1800. PLUMBLEY, or PLUMBY, a tnshp. in the par. of Great Budworth, hund. of Bucklow, co. Chester, 2 miles S.W. of Knutsford. It is a station on the Northwich, Knutsford, and Altrincham section of the Cheshire Midland railway. It is situated near the river Weaver. The Wesleyans have a place of worship. Lord do Tabley is lord of the manor and principal landowner. PLUMPTON. a par. in the hund. of Green's-Norton, co. Northampton, 7 miles W. of Towcester, its post town. Tho village, which is of small extent, is wholly agricultural. The surface is undulating and well wooded. The soil is clay, intermixed with limestone and gravel. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Peterborough, and in the patron, of Jesus College, Oxford. The church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, has a pinnacled tower containing one bell. The charities produce about 1 per annum. A Sunday-school is held at the church. PLUMPTON, a par. in the hund. of Street, rape of Lewes, co. Sussex, 2j miles from Cook's-Bridge, and 4J N.W. of Lewes. It is a station on the Keymcr branch of the London, Brighton, and South Coast rail- way. Tho village, which is of small extent, is situated on the road from Lewes to Ditchland, under the South Downs, which here rise bold and precipitous. Tho in- habitants are wholly agricultural. There is a view at Plumpton Plains, embracing the Sussex coast, with a reat part of Hampshire to the S., and parts of Sussex, urrey, and Kent to the N. The land is partly in com- mon, with an abundance of chalk. On Plumpton Plums, between Ditchling atid Lewes, Sir Simon de Montibrt drew up his army, previously to the battle of Lewes,