Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/249

Rh PORTFIELD. 237 PORTHCAWL. hund. of Swansea, co. Glamorgan, 13 miles S.W. of Swansea, its post town, and 13 from Penrhys. It is situated on Porth-Eynion Bay, near Porth-Eynion Point, and contains the vil. of Overton. The inha- ts are chiefly engaged in the oyster fishery and in the lime works. It was once infested by smugglers. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of St. David's, val. 121. The church is dedicated to St. Cadocus. The parochial charities produce about 2 per annum. PORTFIELD, a vil. in the par. of Oving, hund. of Box, rape of Chichester, co. Sussex, 2 miles E. of Chi- chester. PORTFIELD, a tythg. in the par. of Curry-Rivoll, hund. of Abdick, co. Somerset, 2 miles S.W. of Lang- port. PORTFIELD- WITH-FURZY-PARK, an ext. par. place in the hund. of Haverfordwest, co. Pembroke, near Haverfordwest. PORTGATE, a tnshp. in the par. of St. John-Lee, S. div. of Tindale ward, co. Northumberland, 3 miles N. of Corbridge, and 5 N.E. of Hexham railway station. It is situated at the spot where the Roman way Watling Street passed through Hadrian's Wall, hence the origin of its present name. There are collieries ; also remains of a border tower, near which the Devil's Causeway branches from Watling Street. Rowland Errington, Esq., is lord of the manor and owner of all the land. I'ORT-GAVORN, a small seaport in the par. of En- dcllion, hund. of Trigg, co. Cornwall, half a inilo E. of Port-Isaac. It is situated on the const of the Bristol Channel. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in the shipping of slate from the Delabole quarry, and in the importation of coal from Wales. The pilchard fishery was formerly very productive. PORT-GLASGOW, a par., market town, and seaport, a royal and parliamentary burgh in lower ward, co. Renfrew, Scotland, 2J miles S.E. of Greenock, 13 N.W. of Renfrew, and 20 W. by N. of Glasgow. It is a station on the Glasgow and Greenock railway, which is here carried across the beach on a viaduct. The par., which includes the quoad sacra par. of Newark, is situated on the N. coast of Renfrewshire, extending along the 8. bank of the Frith of Clyde, and formerly formed part of the par. of Kilmalcolm. It is about a mile square, and is bounded by the pars, of Greenock and Kilmalcolm, and by the river Clyde, which is here about 2 miles broad at high water, but the greater part of its bed is left dry at low water. It was anciently the property of the Maxwells, but was purchased in 1G68 by the Corpo- ration of Glasgow to form a harbour on the Upper Frith for the extension of the commerce of that city, vessels of large tonnage not being then able to ascend so far as Glasgow. It was constituted a separate parish in 1695, when a charter was obtained from the crown erecting the new town into a free port and a burgh of barony. In 1710 it was constituted the principal custom- house port of the Clyde, and in 1775 was first chartered by Act of Parliament, and incorporated with the village of Newark, then a burgh of barony under the Hamiltons of Wishaw. This town continued to make rapid progress, and two tidal harbours were formed, with quays, docks, and every appliance for commerce, including a graving dock, the oldest in Scotland, having been originally built in 1761, though subsequently much improved at a great expense. The powers of the corporation were ixed by a statute passed in 1803, which also provided ii>r the erection of a new court-house, a gaol, and other ic buildings. Quays have recently been added ing the Clyde for the accommodation of steamers, , nf Newark, which lies to the E. of the town, converted into a wet dock, covering 12 acres, at a cost of 40,000. Although the importance of the place has somewhat declined since the Clyde was deepened, and ships go straight to Glasgow, its trade is still consider- vise and to foreign ports. The custom-
 * . tends along the S. bank of the Clyde

from (Iri'i-iiiick t'i Jilantyrn. The sti ".tilar, ' in general Ini'ty. court-hall and prisons, forming a Grecian structure with a spire 150 feet high, built in 1815, at a ccst of 12,000 ; also a spacious custom-house, market-house, theatie, public library, and three commercial banks viz. branches of the Royal, Union, and Western banks, be- sides ten insurance agencies, and six shipping agencies. On the W. quay is a lighthouse with a fixed light. The only noticeable edifice out of the town is Newark Castle, the old seat of the Maxwells, having upon it the inscrip- tion, " The Blissinge of God be Herein, anno 1597." Immediately behind the town the surface rises steeply in two successive ridges of hill to an altitude of about 400 feet, the steep slopes being covered with wood and verdure. The principal countries with which commerce is carried on, exclusive of the coasting trade, are British North America, from which nearly 30,000 tons of timber are annually imported, the West Indies, the United States, the Levant, and the East Indies. The articles of export consist of iron, steel, coals, textile fabrics of linen, silk, and cotton, hardware and cutlery, haber- dasher}-, machinery, and numerous other manufactured articles.' The principal manufactures carried on in tho town are sailcloth, ropes, anchors, chain cables, and a sugar refinery. There are large ship-building yards, with appliances for the construction of large sailing vessels and steamers. The population of the burgh in 1851 was 6,986, inhabiting 418 houses; which had in- creased in 1861 to 7,214, inhabiting 438 houses. The revenue of the burgh is about 3,500. Under the New Municipal Reform Act of 1833, the burgh is governed by a provost, two bailies, and nine councillors. It is contributory to Kilmarnock in returning one member to the imperial parliament, and in 1856 had a consti- tuency of 212. The magistrates exercise summary jurisdiction in all civil matters, and a justice of peace court meets every alternate Monday. The par. is in the presb. of Greenock and synod of Glasgow and Ayr, in the patron, of the town council of Glasgow. The minister's stipend is 200. The parish church was built in 1823. There are also a district church for the quoad sacra parish of Newark, a Free church, an United Presbyterian church, an Episcopalian chapel, erected in 1856, at a cost of 4,000, and a Roman Catholic chapel. The principal schools are Beaton's, tho new academy, the town school, and eight other schools. Market day is on Friday. A fair is held on the third Tuesday in July. PORTGLENONE, a small post and market town, partly in the par. of Ahogill, co. Antrim, and partly in that of Tamlaght O'Crilly, co. Londonderry, prov. of Ulster, Ireland, 4 miles N.W. of Ahogill, and 90 N. of Dublin. It is situated on tho river Barm, and on the road from Randalstown to Kilrea. The town consists of one principal street, formed of very tolerably built houses. A bridge spans the Bann. There is a police station, where petty sessions are held. A fair trade is done in carrying on the river, and a little linen weaving. Fairs are held on tho first Tuesday in each month and on the 25th May. PORT-GORDON, a vil. in the par. of Rathven, co. Banff, Scotland, 8 miles N.W. of Keith. It is situated on the Moray Frith, near Port Tannachie. The inhabi- tants are chiefly employed in the fisheries. PORT-GOWER, a vil. in the par. of Loth, co. Sutherland, Scotland, 2 miles S.W. of Helmsdale. It was founded by the late Duke of Sutherland. The inhabi- tants are engaged in the fisheries. PORT-GUIN, or QUIN, a small seaport in the par. of Endellion, hund. of Trigg, co. Cornwall, 8 miles N.W. of Camelford. It is situated on the coast of tho Bristol Channel, and was formerly a large fishing village. Tho only trade is at present in the importation of coal. PORTH, tho prefix to the names of many small creeks on the coast of Wales, as Porthamel, on tho Mcnai Straits. I'Oiri'HALL, a station on the Dundalk and London- derry section of the Irish North- Western railway. It is
 * igs are the town-house with
 * ion to Strabano.

1>( 'KTHCAWL, a small harbour on the Bristol Chan-