Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/491

Rh SKIPTON-UPON-SWALE. 479 SKIRLAUG1I, SOUTH. Oxford. After the Norman conquest this place became the property of Robert do Romeli, who built the castle about the end of the reign of William the Conqueror. It subsequently passed by marriage into the Albemarle family, but reverting to the crown, was given by Ed- ward II. to Piers Gaveston, after whose death it was given, in 1311, to Robert Lord Clifford, in whose family it has continued, with the exception of a single attainder, for 500 years. During the Great Rebellion it sustained a siege of three years by the parliamentary generals, and surrendered in 1645. Of the castle, which stands at a short distance E. of the church, the greater part is modern, having been rebuilt by Anne Countess of Pem- broke as a residence, after having been dismantled by order of Parliament in 1649. The town is laid out in the form of the letter Y, with the market-place near the centre. The only public buildings aro the townhall, union poorhouse, mechanics' institute, a savings-bank, and two commercial branch banks. A brisk trade is carried on in corn and agricultural produce, and there are three cotton mills. The population of the township in 1851 was 5,044, and in 1861, 5,454. It is a polling- place for the county elections, and a potty sessions town. The Poor-law Union embraces 47 tnshps. It is also the seat of new County Court and superintendent registry districts. The living is a vie. * in the dioe. of Ripon, val. 307, in the patron, of Christ Church, Oxford. The parish church is supposed to have been rebuilt by Richard III., but some parts, including the four stone sedilia, are of greater antiquity, and formed part of the original Norman edifice. It was entirely restored in 1854 at an expense of 3,000, defrayed by the parish. In addition to the parish church aro the following churches, viz. Christ Church, St. Cuthbert's, Bolton Abbey, and St. Mary's, Embsay, varying in val. from 150 to 250. The church of St. Cuthbert, once the nave of Bolton Abbey, is a Gothic structure, with stained windows, and was reroofed in 1858. The ancient castle church is now a stable belonging to Sir II. Tutton, Bart. The manor of Bolton Abbey belongs to the Duke of Devonshire, who has a seat here. The parochial register dates from 1597, and that of Bolton Abbey from 1689. The Primitive Methodists have two chapels, and the Wesleyans, In- dependents, Swedenborgians, and Roman Catholics each one. There is a free grammar school, founded in 1548 by William Ennysted, a canon of St. Paul's, London, which has an income from endowment of 800 per annum, with three exhibitions of 7 each to Christ's College, Cambridge, also National, British, and Sunday schools. There is also at Bolton a grammar school on the foundation of the famous Robert Boyle. The cha- rities produce above 1,150 per annum, including school endowments. About 5 miles N.E. of Skipton aro the ruins of Bolton Abbey, and 6 miles N. are the ruins of Barden Tower, once a residence of the Cliffords. Market day is Saturday. Fairs are held on alternate Mondays for cattle and sheep, and on 25th September for horses. SKIPTON-UPON-SWALE, a tnshp. in the par. of Topcliffe, wap. of Birdforth, North Riding co. York, 4 J miles W. of Thirsk, its post town, and 7 N.E. of Ripon. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on the river Swale, and is wholly agricultural. The living is a perpet. cur." in the dioc. of York, val. 30. The church, dudicated to St. John the Evangelist, was built in 1842. The Wesleyans have a chapel. 8KIPWITH, a par. in the wap. of Ouse, East Riding co. York, 5 miles N.E. of Selby, its post town. The village, which is of small extent, is chiefly agricultural, The par. includes the tnshp. of North Duffield. The living ia a vie. in the dioc. of York, val. 300, in the patron, of the lord chancellor. The church, dedicated tn St. Helen, has a square tower containing three bells. There is an endowed school, founded in 1714. SKIRBECK, a wap. in parts of Holland, co. Lin- coln, contains the pars, of Boston and the pars, of Ben- ningham, Butterwick, Fishtoft, Frieston, Lcake, Lever- ton, Wrangle, and part of Skirbeck ; comprising an I' 30,880 acres, exclusive of Boston. SKIRBECK, a par. in the wap. of Skirbeck, parts of Holland, co. Lincoln, half a mile S.E. of Boston, its post town. It is situated on the river Witham, and nearly encircles the town of Boston. The par. includes the hmlt. of Skirbeck Quarter, which lies on the W. of the above-mentioned river. The living is a rect.* with the cur. of Trinity annexed, in the dioc. of Lincoln, val. 631. The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, is an ancient structure, and is situated on the E. side of the river Witham, about a mile distant from the town. The church of the Holy Trinity is situated on the Spilsby road. The parochial charities produce 86, of which 35 belong to the bedesmen of St. Leonard's, and 24 to Middlecott's almshouses. Here was formerly a hos- pital of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jeru- salem, founded by Sir T. Multon in 1230, the tenements and gardens of which are now occupied by the bedesmen of St. Leonard's. SKIRBECK QUARTER, a hmlt. in the par. of Skir- beck, wap. of Kirton, parts of Holland, co. Lincoln. SKIRCOAT, a tnshp. in the par. of Halifax, wap. of Morley, West Riding co. York, half a mile 8.W. of Halifax, its post town. It is situated on the line of the Manchester and Leeds railway, near the junction of the rivers Calder and Hebble. The tnshp. includes the hmlts. of Skircoat Green, Heath, Shaw Hill, Wood- house, Salter Hebble, and King Cross. A portion of the inhabitants are employed in the cotton and woollen mills, and there are several dyeing works and flour-mills. Skircoat-Moor is a heath of ISO acres, commanding views of Halifax and the surrounding country. On the banks of the Calder and Hebble navigationare spacious wharves and warehouses. The living is a don. cur. in the dioc. of Ripon, val. 15. An episcopal proprietary chapel was erected on Skircoat-Moor in 1826. There are Na- tional schools for both sexes, and infant schools. The Wesleyans, Independents, and Methodists of the New Connexion have places of worship. SKIHDUSTON, an ancient par. in the co. of Banff, Scotland, now joined to Aberlour. SKIREHOLME, a hmlt. in the tnshp. of Applewick and par. of BurnsnJl, West Riding co. York, 7 miles N.E. of Skipton, near the river Wharfo, under Bardon Fell. SKIRETHORNS, a hmlt. in the tnshp ; of Thresh- field and par. of Linton, West Hiding co. York, 7 miles N. of Skipton, on the river Wharfe. SKIRK, or SKEIKE, a par. in the bar. of Clanco- nagh, Queen's County, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 2 miles S.S.W. of Borris-in-Ossory. Gowran is its post town. The soil is mostly of good quality, and the road from Borris-in-Ossory to Templemoro traverses the interior. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Ossory, val. 377, in the patron, of the crown. There is a church, erected in 1831, partly by means of a loan from the late Board of First Fruits. The parish is united to that of Rath- downcy in the Roman Catholic arrangement. There are a public and a private school. Skirk Cottage and Ballymeelish are the principal residences. There are remains of the castle of Garran, and traces of a Druidi- cal circle and cromlech. SKIRLAUGH, NORTH, a tnshp. and chplry. in the par. of Swine, East Riding co. York, 3 miles N.E. of Swine, and 9 N.E. of Hull, its post town. It is a station on the Hull and Hornsea railway. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on Lambwith Drain, and is chiefly agricultural. The soil is rich and productive. The Skirlaugh union poorhouso is situated in this town- ship. North Skirlaugh is separated from South Skir- laugh by the Lamworth stream. R. Bethell, Esq., of Rise Park, is lord of the manor. SKIRLAUGH, SOUTH, a chplry. in the par. of Swine, middle div. of Holderness wap., East Riding co. York, 9 miles N.E. of Hull, its post town, and 8 N. of Hedon railway station. The village is situated on the Hull and Hornsea turnpike road, near the Lamworth stream. The soil is of clay. About 1809 several celts, spear-heads, &c., were discovered in a bank. The living is a cur. annexed to the vie. of Swine, in the dioc. of York. The church, dedicated to St. Augustine, is an