Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/393

Rh SAGGART. 381 SALCOMBE. by Geoffrey de Magnaville, a friend and companion of William the Conqueror, who as lord of the honour of Walden, which then comprised 118 lordships, built a castle here, part of the ruins of which may still be seen occupying the highest part of the town. The foundations were composed of flint stones and mortar, and were ap- parently of great strength. This nobleman's grandson Geoffrey founded, in 1136, a Benedictine priory, which was subsequently made an abbey, and at the Disso- lution by Henry VIII. had a revenue of more than 406 per annum. It then became the property of Sir Thomas Audley, lord chancellor, to whom the king gave the title of Lord Audley of Walden. The pre- sent seat at Audley End was not, however, erected until the reign of James I., when Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk, inherited the estate and built the mansion at a cost of little less than 200,000. In 1549 Edward VI. granted a charter of incorporation to Saffron Walden, and under the new Municipal Corporation Act it is now governed by a mayor, four aldermen, and twelve town councillors, with the style of " mayor and aldermen of the town of Saffron Walden." The town is irregularly built, the houses being of all styles of architecture, and some of great antiquity. There are, however, many build- ings of modern date, and the streets are paved and lighted with gas. The population of the borough, which is co-extensive with the parish, was, in 1851, 5,911, but had decreased in 1861 to 5,474. The principal public buildings are the townhall, situated in the market-place, and in which a county court is held monthly ; the corn exchange, recently built in the Italian style; a new post-office, savings-bank, two commercial banks, a museum of local antiquities, literary institution, with reading rooms and library attached, and a new cattle market opened in 1834. There are also a bridge over the Blade brook, a cemetery situated about half a mile from the town, and a new hospital built by money left by the late W. G. Gibson, Esq. The chief trade is in malt, which is extensively carried on, and there is an iron foundry. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of London, val. 237. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is of the time of Henry VII. It consists of a nave, chancel, tower, and three aisles, with a roof of oak. Leche, one of the first vicars, Lord Chancellor Audley, and Thomas Howard all helped to build the church. In 1831 the tower, which had bold buttresses crowned with crocketed turrets and long plain pinnacles, was surmounted by a belfry with a peal of eight bells, and a spire nearly 200 feet in height, in place of the old wooden belfry and spire. As late as 1860 the present interior fittings were sub- stituted for the old ones, and the church was thoroughly restored. There are monuments to Lord Chancellor Audley, and to two sons of the late Lord Bray- brooke, who were killed in the Crimean war. There are also places of worship for Baptists, Indepen- dents, Society of Friends, Wesleyans, and Primitive Methodists. Leche's free grammar school was founded in the early part of the 16th century ; it has an endow- ment of j60 a-year, and Sir Thomas Smith, succes- sively Secretary of State to Edward VI. and Queen Elizabeth, was educated here, and caused the school to be raised to a royal foundation, to which twenty-four boys, elected by trustees from the adjacent villages, are now admitted on a payment of 10*. entrance, and 15s. quarterly each to the head master. There are also infant and National schools. The almshouses for thirty decayed housekeepers of either sex were erected in the place of a former range endowed by Edward VI. The union workhouse was built in 1836, and cost about 8,000. Saffron Walden Union contains 24 parishes and townships, and comprises an area of 63,140 acres. The Maze and the Pell Ditches camp, 730 feet long, are of great antiquity. Saffron Walden gives the title of liaiuii Howard de Walden to the Ellises. Market day i.s Saturday. Fairs are held on Mid-Lent Saturday, Mon- day after 3rd August, and on 1st and 2nd November. SAGGART, or TASSAGGART, a par. in the bar. of Newcastle, co. Dublin, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 1 mile S.E. of Bathcoole. The surface is mountainous, and is traversed by the road from Dublin to Naas. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Dublin. The old' church is in ruins. In the Roman Catholic arrangement the parish gives name to a union. There are a Roman Catholic chapel and a public school. Saggart House, Kingswood, and Ashtreo Cottage are the principal resi- dences. The parish is the reputed site of a monastery existing in the 7th century. Fairs are held in October and November. SAHAM-TONEY, a par. in the hund. of Wayland, co. Norfolk, If mile N. W. of Watton, its post town. The parish, which is of large extent, is situated near the river Wissey. Nearly central of the parish is a mere of 13 acres abounding in fish. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The glebe comprises about 50 acres. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Norwich, val. 796, in the patron, of New College, Oxford. The church, dedicated to St. George, has a lofty tower con- taining six bells, and a painted window. The church has been improved and restored. The parochial charities produce about 136 per annum, chiefly the rents of 54 acres of land allotted to the poor on the enclosure of waste lands in 1800, besides a bequest of 50, which goes to Gofie's schools and almshouses. There are places of worship for Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists, also a National school built in 1832. SAIGHTON, a tnshp. in the par. of St. Oswald, lower div. of Broxton hund., co. Chester, 4 miles S.E. of Chester, and 1J mile S.W. of the Waverton railway station. It is a small agricultural village, situated near the Crewe railway and Nantwich canal. SAINTBURY, a par. in the upper div. of Kifts- gate huud., co. Gloucester, 2 miles W. of Chipping- Campden, its post town, and 7 from Evesham. The surface is diversified with hills and valleys, and in the latter are some rich meadows. The village, which is of small extent, is chiefly agricultural. It was designated Suineberie, after King Sweyne, who had a camp at Castle Bank, communicating with a larger one upon the summit of the same hill in the' adjoining parish of Willersley. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Glou- cester and Bristol, val. 415. The church is dedicated to St. Nicholas. The parochial charities produce about 6 per annum. SAINTFIELD, or TONAGHNIEVE, a par. and post town in the bar. of Upper Castlereagh, co. Down, prov. of Ulster, Ireland, 9 miles N.W. of Downpatrick, and 78 N.E. of Dublin. It is a station on the Belfast e.nd Downpatrick railway. The town is an improving place, containing a police station, market house, hotel, &c. The linen trade is carried on to some extent. Petty sessions are held here. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Down, val. 240. The church, which stands in the town, is in the early English style. The Roman Catholic chapel is united to that of Killinchy. There are a parochial and several other public schools. Saint- field House is the chief seat. Monday is market day. Fairs are held once a month. SALCEY-LODGE, an ext. par. place in the pars, of Grafton Regis and Hartwell, hund. of Cleley, co. North- ampton, 6 miles S.E. of Northampton. It is the seat of the Duke of Grafton, situated in the honour of Grafton and Salcey Forest, which latter comprises about 1,847 acres in 4 walks. The government of the forest is vested in a warden, ' deputy- warden, surveyor, two verderers, three yeomen keepers, and a woodward. It contains an oak measuring 47 feet in circumference. The forest, which contains about 1,000 head of deer, has 1,121 acres enclosed for navy timber. SALCOMBE, a chplry. in the par. of Malborough, hund. of Stanborough, co. Devon, 4 miles S. of Kings- bridge, its post town. It is situated on an arm of the sea, at the western side of the entrance to Kingsbridge Harbour, and is a sub-port to Dartmouth. The village hag more than trebled itself during the last half century, and has water sufficient for the anchorage of vessels of from 60 to 70 tons burthen. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in the coasting trade and in shipbuilding. From the mildness of its climate and the salubrity of the