Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/611

Rh SWANSTON. 599 SWAN WICK. by 220, erected in 1830 at an expense of 20,000; the castle, originally founded in 1099 by Henry de Bell- amonte, Earl of Warwick, and rebuilt by Bishop Gower in 13S3, but now used as a storeroom for the militia, the part remaining consists of a massive square tower surmounted by an open gallery supporting a carved parapet ; and the Royal Institution of South Wales, a Grecian building, with a portico erected in 1840, this last comprises a theatre, library, and museum of an- tiquity, natural history, and geology, in which is an unique collection of bones of the mammoth and other animals found in the limestone caves of Gower, also a series of coal plants from the surrounding pits, with rolled pebbles of coal found by Sir W. Logan, appa- rently the debris of prior seams of coal which had been broken up and transported by the tides thither ; other buildings are the house of correction, public assembly rooms, theatre, barracks and gaol at the castle, union poorhouse, infirmary, mechanics' institute, savings-bank, three commercial banks, baths, and gas-works. Along the northern side of the docks are extensive warehouses and Btraiths for shipment of coal, and on the eastern side of the harbour are the extensive copper works of Port Ten- nant with their great chimneys. In the Swansea dis- trict are seventeen other copper works, also many tin, iron, zinc, alkali, pottery, and patent fuel works ex- tending along the banks of the Swansea canal up the Vale of Taw, and from the Port Tennant Dock by the Neath Junction canal towards Llansamlet. The average quantity of copper ore smelted being about 200,000 tons annually, at an average price of 7 7. per ton. The ore which is imported from distant parts is sold at a kind of auction held in one of the hotels, termed ticket- ings. A large trade is also done in coal, anthracite coal, timber, lime, grain, and patent fuel. The popu- lation in 1851 was 31,461, and in 1861, 41,606, inhabiting 7,578 houses. It returned one member to parliament in conjunction with Cardiff and other towns from the reign of Henry VIII. , but by the Reform Act was made the head of a district, including Aberavon, Kenfig, Loughor, Neath, &c., which now sends one member. It claims to be a borough by prescription, having been first chartered by King John, and under the Municipal Act is divided into three wards, governed by a mayor, 6 aldermen, and 18 councillors, with the style of " Portreeve aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Swansea." The muni- cipal revenue is about 6,000. The Cambrian, the oldest of the Welsh newspapers, is published in the town. There are several societies, including the Swansea Lite- rary and Scientific Society, the Society for the Acquire- ment of Useful Knowledge, and a society for instructing the deaf and dumb. There is a lunatic asylum for the counties of Glamorgan, Caermarthen, Cardigan, and Pembrokeshire. In front of the town is a sandy beach of 3 miles, and the geology of the whole district is full of interest, forming part of the great coal-field of South Wales. The hill of Kilvy to the E. of the town and the town hill overhanging it on the W. are com- posed of Pennant sandstone, which is of enormous thick- ness, and possesses some valuable seams of coal. The living is a vie.* with the cur. of St. Peter's annexed, in the dice, of St. David's, val. 300, in the Church Patronage Society. The parish is 25 miles in circum- ference. The parish church, dedicated to St. Mary, was rebuilt after the fall of the old one in 1739, and has three side chapels. It contains a brass of 1481 to the memory of Sir Hugh Johnys, of Llandymore Castle, in Gower ; also a monument to Lady Elizabeth Gordon, daughter of the Earl of Huntley, and who was given in marriage by the King of Scotland to the Pretender, Pcrkin Warbeck, but subsequently married Sir Matthew Cradock, high steward of Gower. In addition to the parish churches are the district churches of Holy Trinity and St. Paul's, Sketty, the livings of which are perpet. curs., valued respectively at 170 and 60. The church of St. John is a small edifice, built on the site of an ancient chapel of the Knights Templars, who had a preceptory here ; and there is just completed a Gothic church, dedicated to St. Luke, as a chapel-of-ease to the mother church. The Wesleyans have two chapels. Calvinistic Methodists, Welsh Baptists, Independents, Unitarians, and Roman Catholics have chapels, and the Jews a synagogue, one episcopal seaman's chapel, and one for Dissenters. The free grammar school, founded in 1682 by Bishop Gore, has an income from endowment of 120. and is attended by about forty scholars. There are also a normal training col- lege, supported on the voluntary principle ; National and infant schools for 800 children, built in 1848 ; St. Peter's schools, situated among the mining popula- tion, built in 1858 ; the parochial schools, on the Oystermouth road, capable of containing 400 children, built in 1862 ; St. Helen's National schools for infants, erected in 1864 ; and the Swansea Industrial Home for Orphan Girls. The foundation-stone of a hospital, to contain 100 beds, has been recently laid. There is a library of Welsh history, formed in connec- tion with the Royal Institution, South Wales. The principal residences in the vicinity are Singleton, Sketty, and Sketty Lodge. The races take place annually at Crumlyn Burrows, and a regatta in August or Septem- ber. The poet Gower and Beau Nash, the celebrated master of ceremonies at Bath, were natives of Swansea. Market days are Wednesday and Saturday. Fairs are held on the 2nd May, 2nd July, 15th August, and 30th October. SWANSTON, a vil. in the par. of Colinton, co. Edin- burgh, Scotland, 5 miles S.W. of Edinburgh, on the skirts of the Pentland hills. SWAN-STREET, a hmlt. in the par. of Halstead, hund. of Hinckford, co. Essex, 2 miles N.W. of Hal- stead, and 17 N.E. of Chelmsford. It is situated on the river Colne, near the line of the Great Eastern railway. SWANTHROPE, a tythg. in the par. of Crondall, upper half div. of the hund. of Crondall, co. Hants, 4 miles S.E. of Odiham. SWANTON-ABBOTT, a par. in the hund. of South Erpingham, to. Norfolk, 11 miles N.E. of Norwich, 1 mile N. of Scottow, and 3 miles S. of North Walsham, its post town. The village, which is chiefly agricul- tural, is situated on a branch of the river Bure, and on the road from Norwich to North Walsham. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Norwich, val. 228. The church is dedicated to St. Michael. The interior con- tains an ancient font and a brass with the effigy of S. Multon, rector in thn 16th century. The parochial charities produce about 15 per annum. There is a National school for both sexes, supported by voluntary contributions. The Wesleyans and Primitive Metho- dists have chapels. SWANTON-MORLEY, a par. in the hund. of Laun- ditch, co. Norfolk, 3J miles N.E. of East Dcreham, its post town, and 129 from London. The village, which is considerable, is situated on the river Wensum, which bounds the parish on the E. Many of the inhabitants are engaged in a long established paper manufactory, and there are lime and whiting works. The living is a rect. in the dioc. -of Norwich, val. 228. The church, erected by Lord Morley in 1379, on a hill in the centre of the village, is dedicated to All Saints. The parochial charities produce about 95 per annum, of which 84 is realised from town lands. There is a National school. The Primitive Methodists have a chapel. SWANTON-NOVERS, a par. in the hund. of Holt, co. Norfolk, 8 miles E. of Fakenham, and 6 S.W. of Holt. Thetford is its post town. The village is on the river Stiffkey. The living is a rect. annexed to that .of Wood Norton, in the dioc. of Norwich. The church, dedicated to St. Edmund, has a tower and monument of J. Dew, Esq. The Wesleyans have a chapel. The Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, are lords of the manor. SWANTONSTOWN, a hmlt. in the bar. of West Carbery, co. Cork, Ireland, near Ballydehob. SWANWICK, a hmlt. in the par. of Afroton, co. Derby, 1) mile S.W. of Alfreton. This place is pro- ductive of coal, ironstone, and red clay. Many of the inhabitants are employed in the collieries, and some in