Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/800

Rh WESTWOOD PARK. 788 WETTLETON. with the Avon. The village contains the pool-house for the Bradford union. The land chiefly belongs to the Dean and Chapter of "Winchester. The living ie a rect. in the dioc. of Salisbury, annexed to the vie. of Brad- ford. The dedication of the church is unknown. There ia a National school for boys and girls. At Iford are traces of a Roman settlement. WESTWOOD PARK, an ext.-par. lib. in the upper div. of Halfshire hund., co. Worcester, 1J mile N.W. of Droitwich. Here was formerly a nunnery dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, founded in the reign of Henry II. Its revenue at the Dissolution was 75 18*. lid. The site was given by Henry VIII. to J. Packynton, an- cestor of the present owner, Sir J. Pakington, Bart. WESTWOOD-SIDE, a hmlt. in the par. of Haxey, co. Lincoln, 3 miles S.W. of Epworth. WETHEEAL, a par. and vil. chiefly in Cumberland ward, but partly in Eskdale ward, co. Cumberland, 5 miles S.E. of Carlisle. It is a station on the Newcastle and Carlisle railway, which is here carried across the river Eden by a bridge of five arches, 80 feet span, and about 100 feet above the surface of the water. There is also another bridge across the valley of the Corby Beck, 4SO feet in length, which consists of seven arches of 40 feet span. The par. includes the tnshps. and vils. of Great Corby, with Warwick Bridge, Cumwhinton, with Coathill, Scotby, and the limit, of Holme Park. The village is situated on the steep banks of the Eden. There are quarries of red freestone and alabaster. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of Carlisle, val. with that of Warwick Bridge annexed, 150, in the patron, of the dean and chapter. The church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was built in the reign of Henry VIII., with a mortuary chapel attached of the Howards of Corby, built in 1791. There are besides several district churches and chapels in the townships above named. The Na- tional schools at Wetheral were founded in 1760 and rebuilt in 1851. A little to the S. of the village, on the bank of the Eden, are the ruins of .Wetheral Priory, founded by Rauulph de Meschines in 1088, as a cell to the abbey of St. Mary at York. At the Dissolution its revenues were returned at 128 5s. 3d. Of the conventual building the tower or gatehouse is all that remains, but near the site are three ancient cells called the Safe- guards, excavated in the steep face of the rock at the height of 40 feet above the river, and on the opposite side is a full-length stone statue of St. Constantine. Corby Castle is the seat of the Howards, which stands on the site of a more ancient castle purchased by Lord William Howard, third son of the Duke of Norfolk, in 1624, and still remains in the hands of his descendants. The principal landowners are the Ecclesiastical Commis- sioners, the Duke of Devonshire, and John Ramsay, M.D. WETHERBY, a tnshp., chplry., and small market town in the par. of Spofi'orth, upper div. of Claro wap., West Hiding co. York, 7 miles N.W. of Tadcaster, 12 N.E. of Leeds, and 13 S.W. of York. It is a station on the Harrogate branch of the North-Eastern railway. It was anciently called IVederby, from the Saxon word " to turn," descriptive of its situation on a bend of the river Wharfe, which ia here crossed by a stone bridge of six arches. About 3J miles below the bridge is St. Helen's Ford, where the Roman military way crossed, and a little above it is a modern weir, or dam, for working a largo corn-mill. The town consists of several streets and- a market-place. It has recently been much im- proved. The houses are principally built of stone, and there are some good shops, a branch bank, corn, oil, and dye-wood mills, and an extensive brewery. It is not incorporated, but is under the board of guardians for the Wetherby division. The quarter sessions for the West Hiding are held in the townhall at Christmas, in rotation with Knaresborough, Skipton, and Pontefract. The petty sessions are held fortnightly, the Earl of Harewood being chairman, and courts leet and baron are held on Lady- day and Michaelmas-day. Previous to the year 1824 the whole town belonged to the Duke of Devonshire, but at that time it was sold in small lots or freeholds. It is famed in history for the noble defence made by the small garrison under Sir Thomaa Fairfax, who twice repulsed a much superior force of royalists in 1642. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of Eipon, val. 120, in the patron, of the Rector of Spof- forth. The church is dedicated to St. James. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have each a chapel, and there are National and Wesleyau day schools. Market day is Thursday for corn and provisions, and is well attended. Fairs are held every alternate Thursday for horses and cattle, and statute fairs in November. WETHERDEN, a par. in the hund. of Stow, co. Suffolk, 4 miles N.W. of Stowniarket, and 1J mile S.E. of Elmswell station, on the Great Eastern railway. It is a small scattered village, and has remains of the old seat of the Sulyards. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Norwich, val. 500, in the patron, of the lord chan- cellor. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, has a carved oak roof, and contains several brasses, an antique font, some old stalls, the arms of the Sulyards, and a monu- ment to one of the Miles family. The register dates from 1638. There are a Baptist chapel and a village school. The parochial charities produce about 23 per annum, including 5, the endowment for a Sunday- school. Lord Thurlow is lord of the manor. WETHERINGSETT, a. par. in the hund. of Hartis- mere, co. Suffolk, 4 miles N.W. of Debenham, 3 N.E. of Mendlesham, and 3 J S.E. of Finningham station, on the Great Eastern railway. The vil. includes the hmlt. of Brockford, where the parish church is situated. The land is fertile, and the soil clay alternated with loam. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Norwich, val. 714. The church is dedicated to All Saints. The register dates from 1683. The parochial charities produce 120 per annum, including the town lands and a bequest of 40s. to provide dinner for twenty poor people on Lady- day in the church. The Rev. R. Hakluyt, compiler of " Early English Voyages," was once rector. WETHERLEY, a hund., co. Cambridge, contains the pars, of Arrington, Barrington, Barton, Comberton, Coton, Grantchester, Harleton, Haslingfield, Orwell, Shepreth, and Wimpole, comprising 18,559 acres. WETHERSFIELD, a par. in the hund. of Hinck- ford, co. Essex, 6| miles N.W. of Braintree, its post town and railway station. The village belonged to Algar, Earl of Mercia, in the time of Edward the Confessor. The par. includes the hmlts. of Blackmore End and Beazley End, and is bounded by the river Blackwater or Pant, on which are several large flour-mills. It is a meet for the East Essex hounds. It was formerly a royal manor, and Thomas White, Esq., the proprietor of the two manors of Wethersfield and Codham Hall, still holds a manorial court annually. The living ia a vie. in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 320, in the patron, of Trinity Hall, Cambridge. The church is dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. There is a chapel for Independents, but Codham Hall, once a Roman Catholic chapel, is now a farmhouse. There are National schools, partly supported by Nott's and Fitch's endowments for education. The parochial charities, including the school endowments and the " Guildhall " or poors' house, produce about 280 per annum. WETLEY ROCKS, a vil. and chplry. in the pars, of Cheddleton and Caverswall, co. Stafford, 4 miles N.W. of Cheadle, and 2 S. of Cheddleton railway station. It is situated near the Uttoxeter canal, under Wetley Rocks, a ridge of lofty hills 150 feet high and extending three quarters of a mile. The principal seats are Wetley Abbey and Consall Hall. On Wetley Rocks is a colliery. The chplry. includes the hmlt. of Cellarhead. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of Lichfield, val. 50. The church is dedicated to St. John. The Methodists of the New Connexion have a chapel, and there is a National School. WETTENHALL, a chplry. in the par. of Over, first div. of Eddisbury hund., co. Chester, 5 miles S.E. of Tarporley, and 6 N.W. of Nautwich, on a branch of the river Weaver. WETTLETON, a tnshp. in the par. of Stokesay, co. Salop, 7 miles N.W. of Ludlow, on the river Onny.