Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/311

Rh READING STREET. 299 RECULVER. tains and educates 47 boys. The girls' green-coat school was established in 1782, and has an income of ahout 150 per annum, and Simeon's Sunday-school has an endowment of about 125. A National school now occupies the abbey refectory, in which the parlia- ment met on several occasions, and where Cardinal 1'iindulph held church councils in 1184 and 1212. The most interesting antiquities are the ruins of the abbey, including a Norman gateway, the refectory, part of the grand hall, the walls of which are 8 feet thick, and the remains of the abbey mill, also the W. window and part of the church of the Grey friars, founded in 1 233, and latterly used as the borough gaol. There were also a leper's hospital, founded before 1134 by Abbot Auche- rius, a pilgrim's hospital, founded in 1180 by Abbot Hugh de Reading, and a Franciscan friary ; but of these all traces have disappeared. The charities are numerous and well endowed, producing an aggregate income of about 4,000 per annum, of which the Church lands produce 300, John Kendrick's endowment for the Oracle 750, and Archbishop Laud's bequest for appren- ticing poor children near 500. The almshouses are also partially endowed, and are distinguished as Harri- son's, Kendrick's, Vachel's, Smith's, Jenkin's, Hall's, Webb's, and Wimbledon's. The races annually take place in August in the King's Meadow, on the N.E. side of the town. Market days are Wednesday and Saturday the latter, being tho great corn market, is numerously attended. Fairs are held on 2nd February, 1st May, 25th July, and 21st September tho last being the great cheese fair, at which upwards of 700 tons are ordinarily sold. READING STREET, a hmlt. in tho par. of St. Petor, Isle of Thanet, lathe of St. Augustine, co. Kent, 2 miles S.E. of Margate. REAFIRTH, a voe or sea loch on the inside of Has- cosay Island, North Shetland Isles, coast of Scotland. REAGILL, a tnshp. in tho par. of Crosby-Ravens- worth, West ward, co. Westmoreland, 11 miles S.E. of Penrith, its post town, and 3 N.E. of Shap. The vil- lage, which is of small extent, is situated on rising ground, and is chiefly agricultural. Reagill was for- merly called Rcnegiil, and came from Shap Abbey to tho Whartons and Lowthers. There was formerly a ch;ipel at a place now designated Chapel-Garth. The soil consists of loam and clay upon a subsoil of limestone, sandstone, and clay. The whole of tho land is in an excellent state of cultivation. Coal exists, but being of an inferior quality is not worked. There is a free school founded in 1684, and further endowed in 1803 by the commissioners for enclosure of waste lands, who assigned an allotment now let for 30 towards the support of the master. REANIES POINT, a promontory on the coast of Cork, Ireland, 3 miles E. of Nohaval, and 8 E. of Kin- sale. Off this point tho Kittarney steamer was wrecked. REARSBY or REORSBY, a par. and tnshp. in the huud. of East Goscote, co. Leicester, 7 miles S.W. of Melton-Mowbray, its post town, and 7 N.E. of Leicester. It is a station on tho Syston and Peterborough rail- way. Tho village, which is of small extent, is situated iH'ar the river Wreak, on the road from Leicester to Mdton-Mowbray. A few of the inhabitants are employed in frame-work knitting, and some in the manufacture of ry. There is a wharf on the river Wreak, which near Waltham-on-the-Wold. The parish is tra- d by the lino of the Midland Counties railway, and by the Wreak and Melton canal. The tithes were corn- united for land under an Enclosure Act in 1761, and tho glfbe consists of 335 acres. The living is a rect.* in Hoc. of Peterborough, val. 645. The church, dedi- 1 to St. Michael, is an ancient structure with a r containing three bells. In the churchyard is the tomb of Cleare Sacheverelle. The parochial charities produce about 7 per annum. There are schools for i sexes. The Wesleyans have a place of worship. Viin ,], i A. Pochin, Esq., is lord of the manor. .Y.MOUE, or REARY, a par. in tho bar. of '1 innahinoh, Queen's County, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 6 miles N.W. of Mountmellick, its post town. The sur- face, which consists generally of good soil, is situated along the banks of the river Barrow, and is crossed by the road from Mountmellick to Parsonstown. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Kildare, val. with Oregan or Rosenallis, i'575. There are two public and two private day schools. Near the village are ruins of the old church, also a holy well. Reary Vale and Reary More are the chief seats of the locality. REASBY, a hmlt. in the par. of Stainton-by-Lang- worth, W. div. of Wraggoe hund., parts of Lindsey, co. Lincoln, 4 miles N.W. of Wragby. REAVELEY, a tnshp. in the par. of Ingram, N. div. of Coquetdale ward, co. Northumberland, 7 miles S.E. of Wooler, and 10 N.W. of Rothbury, near the river Breamish. REAY, a par. in the cos. of Caithness and Aberdeen, Scotland. It comprises a vil. of its own name, also the vils. of Melvich and Portskerray. It extends in length about 18 miles, with an extreme breadth of 9, and is bounded by the North Sea, and by the pars, of Thurso, Halkirk, Kildonan, and Farr. The surface is of a hilly nature, the highest point being at Binra Mountain, which rises 2,000 feet above sea-level. The rocks con- sists of gneiss, syenite, granite, quartz, hornblende, sandstone, and limestone, the two last being extensively quarried. There are mineral springs, also traces of lead and iron. The soil of the district lying within the county of Caithness is generally of a fertile nature ; while that of Strath Halladale in Aberdeenshire is better adapted for pasture and sheepwalks. The parish is watered by tho rivers Reay, Torss, and Walla, and by the lakes Seirach, Tormaid, and Calam, in all which there are abundance of salmon and trout. There is also a fishery along 9 miles of the coast. The district abounds in black cattle and sheep, also in game, wild fowl, the eagle, otter, fox, &c. The chief bays are Port Skerray and Sandside Bay, the former situated at the mouth of the Halladale, and the latter about 1 miles E. of tho boundary be- twixt cos. Caithness and Sutherland. The parish is traversed along the coast by the road from Thurso to Tongue, and by another road up Strath Halladale. The village of Reay, or New Reay, is about 12 miles S.W. of Thurso, and 30 W. of Wick. It is of small extent, and is situated at the head of Sandside' Bay. In the village is an ancient market cross, which, according to tradition, belonged to the burgh of Old Reay. At Knock Urray was formerly a Pictish fort. About 2 miles N.E. of Sandside Bay are traces of the old seat of the Mackeys, whose lauds in Strath Halladale, Durness, Tongue, and Edderachyllis are now tho property of the Duke of Sutherland. This par. is in the presb. of Caithness and synod of Sutherland, and in the patron, of the crown. The minister has a stipend of 236. The parish church was erected in 1739. There are a Free church, a mission chapel, and a parochial school, besides other schools. RECTORIAL, a hmlt. in the par. of Aber Porth, co. Cardigan, 7 miles N.W. of Newcastle-in-Emlyn. RECULVER, a par. in the hund. of Bleangate, lathe of St. Augustine, co. Kent, 3 miles E. of Herne Bay, its post town, and 10 N.E. of Canterbury. Tho village, which is of small extent, is situated on the banks of the Thames, and was formerly a market town. In Leland's day it was more than half a milo from the shore, but is now in danger of being washed away by the continued encroachment of the sea. It is supposed to be the Eegul- lium of the Romans, who placed here the first cohort of the Setasii. It was named by tho Saxons Raculf-ceaster, or minster, and had a palace of the Saxon kings of Kent, who founded herti, in tho 7th century, the Bene- dictine abbey, which was subsequently annexed by King Edred to Christ Church in Canterbury. There are traces of tho Roman castle which, when in its perfect state, measured 594 feet by 570, and in the vicinity of which numerous Roman and Saxon coins and other relics have been found. A submarine forest is clearly distinguishable under the cliffs. The appropriate tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 575, and the