Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/495

Rh SLEAFOED, NEW. 483 SLEDMUIR. town, nd 16 S.E. of Leicester. It is a small agricul- tural village situated in a sheltered spot, and command- ing a prospect of the vale of the Welland. The soil consists of stiff clay. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. <f Peterborough, val. 174. The church, dedicated to All Saints, is an ancient stone structure with a tower and three hells. The parochial charities produce ahout 3 per annum. The Independents have a place of wor- ship. The Earl of Cardigan is lord of the manor. SLEAFORD, NEW, a par. and market town in the wap. of Flaxwell, parts of Kesteven, co Lincoln, 14 miles N.E. of Grantham, and 18 S.E. of Lincoln. It is a elation on the Boston, Sleaford, and Grantham hranch of the Great Northern railway, and on the Midland is also a station for Sleaford. It is connected, by means of a canal and the river Witham, with the towns of Boston and Lincoln, and with the Trent navigation. It is situ- ated in a valley on the banks of the small river Slea, at a short distance below its source, and on the line of the ancient Ermine Street, where coins of Constantino have been found. It had formerly a castle, built by Alex- ander, Bishop of Lincoln, where King John sickened after the loss of his baggage in the Wash, and in which Bishop Fleming, the opponent of Wickliffe, died. This palace is described by Leland as an imposing castle with a drawbridge and gate-house, but the causeway and part of the walls are all that now remain. The town, which is an improving place, consists chiefly of four streets extending at right angles, and designated respec- tively North, East, West, and Southgate-streets. It contains a townhall, corn exchange, union poorhouse, and cross 70 feet high, designed by Boyle after one of Queen Eleanor's, and executed in 1830 for a testimonial to the late Henry Handley, Esq., M.P. for South Lan- cashire, also two hanks and a savings-hank. The streets are paved, and lighted with gas. The town, including the suburbs of Holdingham, Old Sleaford, and Quarrington, had a population in 1851 of 3,729, and in 1861 of 3,74o. Quarter sessions are held for the division of Kesteven. petty sessions by the county magistrates. Sleaford is a polling-place for the southern division of the county. The Poor-law Union comprises 56 parishes and town- ships. A new County Court is held in the town, which is also the seat of a superintendent registry. The living is a vie.* in the archdeac. and dioc. of Lin- coln, val. 170. The church, dedicated to St. Denis, has a tower surmounted by a spire 144 feet high. The church was built in 1271 by two merchants, and is re- markable for its number of windows. It has recently been thoroughly restored and refitted at a cost of 3,400. The interior contains several stone stalls and monu- ments of the Carr family, who formerly held the manor. The register commences in 1575. An extra- mural cemetery has lately been formed on the E. side of the town. Tho Wesleyans have a chapel, erected in 1848, and the Primitive Methodists, Independents, and Calvinists have each a place of worship. There are National schools, also a well-endowed grammar school, founded in 1604 by Robert Carr, who also endowed a hospital with lands now producing upwards of 1,000 per annum. This charity has recently been remodelled under an order of the Court of Chancery. Market day- is Monday. Fairs are held on Plough, Easter, and Whit Mondays, on 12th August, and 20th October for cattle, and on 1st October for cheese. SLEAFORD, OLD, a hmlt. in the par. of New Slea- ford, but formerly a separate parish. SLEAGILL, a tnshp. in the par. of Morland, W. ward, co. Westmoreland, 2 miles S.W. of Morland, 4J N.E. of Shap railway station, and 7J W. of Appleby. The village, of small extent, is situated in a valley, and is chiefly agricultural. The Boil is clayey, with a subsoil of clay, lime, and freestone. There is a school for both sexes, with a small endowment, also a Sunday-school. SLEAP, a tnshp. in the par. of Wcm, hund. of North Bradford, co. Salop, 2 miles S.W. of Wem. It is situated on the river Roden. SLEAP, a tnshp. in the par. of Ercall Magna, CO. Salop, 1 miles N. W. of Wellington, on the river Tern. VOL. in SLEAT, a par. in the island of Skye, co. Inver- ness, Scotland. It is situated to the westward of the mainland of Scotland, being separated by a channel which varies from a quarter of a mile to two leagues in breadth. Tho parish extends 20 miles in length by 3 in extreme breadth, being indented by Loch-in-Daal on the S. side, which leaves an isthmus of only about 1J mile to the head of Loch-Eishart, on the opposite side, thus cutting the parish into two divisions. The surface abounds in hilly pasture. The village of Sleat stands on Sleat Sound, with Sleat Point to the S.W., and Loch Alsh to the N.E., at which point it is crossed by a parliamentary road from the ferry at Kyle-Rhoa. This par. is in the presb. and synod of Gleuelg, and in the patron, of the crown. The parish church was erected in 1631, and was restored and enlarged about 1837. There are a Free church, six non-parochial schools, and a parochial school. In this parish are the castles of Dunskaich, Knock, and I'Chamuis, or the Castle of the Bay, once residences of the barons of Sleat. There are also five duns, or Danish forts. SLEATY, a par. in the bar. of Slievemargy, Queen's County, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 2 miles N.W. of Carlow. It is situated along the river Barrow. Tho living is a rect. in the dioc. of Leighlin, united with Shrule. The church has long been in ruins. There is a hedge school. An old burial-ground here has two curious crosses. SLEATYGRAIGUE, a vil. in the bar. of Slieve- margy, Queen's County, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, on the river Barrow, near Carlow. SLEBECH, a par. in the hund. of Dungleddy, co. Pembroke, 7 miles from Havcrfordwest, its post town, and 5 W. of Narberth. The village, which is small, is situated on the river Cleddan. In 1148 it belonged to a commandery of Knights Hospitallers. The living is a perpet. cur. with those of Mynwero and New- ton annexed, in the dioc. of St. David's, val. 281. The church contains effigies of the Knights Hospi- tallers. Slebech Hall, situated on the site of the old commandery, is the principal residence. In the interior is preserved the sword formerly used at the installation of Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. SLEDDALE, a hmlt. in the tnshp. and par. of Guis- brough, lib. of East Langbaurgh, North Riding co. York, near Guisbrough. SLEDDALE, LONG, a chplry. in the par. and ward of Kendal, co. Westmoreland, 7j miles N.W. of Kendal, its post town. It is situated on the river Sprint. It is about 6 miles in length by half-a-mile in breadth, and is divided into small estates. The mountains, which are exceedingly lofty, are clothed to within a short dis- tance of the summits with hanging woods and sheep- walks. There are many cascades formed by the moun- tain streams. The living is a perpet. cur. * in the dioc. of Carlisle, val. 69, in the patron, of the Vicar of Kendal. There is a school for both sexes, with an en- dowment of 10. SLEDDALE, WEST, a hmlt. in the par. of Shap, co. Westmoreland, 3 miles S.W. of Shap, on a branch of the river Lowther, under Shap Foils. SLEDMERE, a parochial chplry. in the wap. of Buck- rose, East Riding co. York, 3 miles 'from the Fimbor and Sledmore station, on tho Driffitld and Matton branch of the North-Eastern railway, and 12 S.E. of Matton, ita post town. The village, which is chiefly agricultural, is situated on tho old Koman way from York. The par. includes tho hmlt. of Croome. A pack of harriers is kept in the neighbourhood. The land is divided between arable, meadow, and sheep-walks. The living is. a per- pet. cur. in the dioc. of York. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, has a square tower with three bells. Tho interior of the church contains monuments of tho Sykcs and Masterman families. The parochial charities produce about 6 per annum. There is a National school for both sexes. Near tho church stands Skedmero Hall. Sir T. Sykes, Bart., is lord of tho manor. 8LEDMUIR, a vil. in tho par. of Kerriemuir, co. Forfar, Scotland, 2 miles from Kerriemuir. SB