Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/736

Rh UYA. 724 VALEY. consider the terms of a treaty, -which however they could not agree upon, in 1645. It was occupied by Cromwell in 1647. The town consists mainly of one long street of well-built houses, some of which are ancient, and of several out-lying hamlets or suburbs. The streets are clean and well-lighted, and the shops have a thriving appearance. Tho principal buildings are the market-house, on pillars, 140 feet by 49 feet ; the public rooms in London-street, where the county court is held monthly ; the old bank, and the commer- cial branch bank, and two bridges. This place derives much of its importance from its numerous and exten- sive wharves, which facilitate the trade in corn, foreign .timber, coals, slate, and other heavy commodities for the supply of West Middlesex and Bucks. There are extensive corn-mills, oil-mills, an iron foundry, four breweries, parchment works, several agricultural-im- plement factories, besides window, chair, and brick makers. It is the place of residence for many genteel families, provisions being abundant, with excellent fishing and shooting in the neighbourhood. The royal staghounds meet here. The population in 1851 was 3,236, and in 1861, 3,815. It was formerly governed by two constables and four headboroughs, but is now under a local board of health, and under the Public Health Amendment Act is divided into two wards, the old borough being known as the In ward, and the populous suburbs, the Out ward. It is a polling-place for the western division of the county, a petty sessions town, and head of an excise collection district. Ux- bridge also gives name to a Poor-law Union comprising 10 parishes, though the poorhouse is situated at Hilling- don, and to a deanery in the diocese of London. The livings of the three ecclesiastical districts viz., St. Margaret's in the In ward, and St. John's in the Out ward, or "Oxbridge Moor, and the new district of St. Andrews, are perpet. curs.,* the first val. 82, the second 100, and the third about 200. The church of St. Margaret was built about the middle of the 15th century, and had formerly a chantry founded by Shi- ryngton. It contains an old font and the effigies of Dame Leonora Bennet, who once resided in the Treaty House, where Cromwell had his head-quarters, but which is now converted into the "Crown Inn." The local charities produce about 850 per annum, including 600 belonging to the "borough," and 100 being Townshend's bequest for the maintenance of a lecturer. There are a National school, a British school, and an infant school, and a school of industry. The principal residences are Hillingdon House, the seat of H. R. Cox, Esq., and Hillingdon Court, the seat of C. Mills, Esq. Market days are Thursday and Saturday. Fairs are held on 25th March, 31st July, 29th September, and llth October, the two last being statute fairs. UYA, an island in co. Orkney and Shetland, Scot- land. It is situated between Unst and Yell islands, in Uya Sound, and has a harbour. It extends in length about 1^ mile by 1 in breadth. UYA, or UYEA, a vil. in the par. of Unst, Shetland Islands, Scotland. It is situated between Unst and Yell islands, at the head of the sound to which it gives name. It is a place of modern date, and has a good harbour. UZMASTON, a par. in the bund, of Dungleddy, co. Pembroke, 1 mile S.E. of Haverfordwest, its post town, and 7 miles from Milford Haven, on the river Cleddy. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dice, of St. David, val. 100, in the patron, of the dean and chapter. The church is dedicated to St. Ishmael. VAAKSAT, an island, one of tho Outer Hebrides, coast of Scotland. It is situated in Harris Sound, near the north-eastern extremity of North Uist. VABON, a hmlt. in the tnshp. of Dyffrun-Cidrioh, par. of Llangadock, co. Carmarthen, on the river Towy, under Trichrug mountain. VAILA, an island in the par. of Walls, oo. Orkney and Shetland Islands, Scotland, 3.} miles N.W. of Skel- derness. It is situated on Vaila Sound, near Grueting Voe, and is about 4 miles in circumference. The island is wholly tho property of Scott, of Melby and Vaila House. VAINOL. See FAENOL, co. Merioneth. VAINOE, a par. in the hunt., of Penkelly, co. Brecon, 4 miles N.E. of Merthyr Tydfil. The village is situated on the river Taff. The par. includes the hmlts. of Cocd-y-Cymmar, Dyffrin, and Gelli. There are iron and coal mines, &c. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of St. David, val. 265. The church is dedicated to St. Gwendoline ; near it is a pillar-stone. There are several cairns in tho vicinity. VAINOR, a tnshp. in the par. of Nantmel, hund. of Rhayader, co. Radnor, 4 miles S.E. of Rhayader, at the head of the river Dulas. VAINOR, UPPER and LOWER, tnshps. in the par. of Llanbadarn - fawr, hund. of Geneur Glynn, co. Cardigan, 2 miles from Aberystwith, within which borough they are partly included. The land is the pro- perty of the Duke of Leeds. VALE, THE, a par. in the Isle of Guernsey, Channel Islands, 3 miles N. of Peter's Port. It is situated at the northern extremity of the island, on Grand Havre Bay, and was formerly divided into two parts at the Braye du Val by an irruption of the sea, which occurred in the 13th century. Through the exertions of Sir John Doyle, the greater part of the overflowed lands were recovered by the erection of a bridge or dam near the Vale church, and are now under cultiva- tion. In the close of the Vale, not far from the spot whore the church now stands, a Benedictine abbey was founded in 692 by some fugitive monks from St. Michael's Mount in Normandy, which was subsequently endowed by Duke Robert of Normandy, father of William the Conqueror, with a large tract of land, con- stituting at that time (1032) near a quarter of the culti- vated part of the island, which demesne at the Dissolu- tion reverted to the crown, for which a special court is held three times a year. There are extensive granite quarries. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Winchester, held with the rect. of St. Sampson's, in the patron, of the governor. The church, dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, was erected in 1117, and originally belonged to the Abbey. The French Protestants have a chapel. In the beginning of the present century two Druidical altars were dug out of the sands, and near the shore are the ruins of an ancient castle of the 10th century, called St. Michael or Vale Castle, supposed to be the earliest masonry in the island now extant ; within the ruined ramparts are several flanking towers and <1 more recent pile of building used as barracks. VALENTIA, an island and par. in the bar. of Iveragh, co. Kerry, Ireland, 4J miles S.W. of Cahirci- veen. It is a fertile and populous island, about 6 miles in length by 2 in breadth, situated at the mouth of the Valentia river, near Biginish Island. The shore is guarded by steep, rocky cliffs, rising 620 feet at Bray Head, where was formerly a beacon tower, and 886 feet at Rinnadrolaun Point. The village, which is consider- able, is a postal and coast-guard station on Valentia harbour, the most westerly port in Ireland. This haven, lying inside the island, with about 7 fathpms at low water, is well sheltered, and has within the last few years risen into importance, owing to the Atlantic Telegraph Company having selected it as the point of landing for the great cable, being the nearest land to America, or about 350 miles nearer than Liverpool. There are extensive slate and flagstone quarries. Many of the inhabitants are employed in the coasting trade and in the fisheries. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Limerick, Ardfert, and Aghadoe, val. 170, in the patron, of the crown. The church was rebuilt in 1815 in place of an .old one, the ruins of which remain. There are three Roman Catholic chapels and several schools. The Annesley femily take from this place the title of Viscount Valentia. VALEY an islet, one of the Shetland Islands, coast