Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/825

Rh WICKLOW. 813 WICKWAK. quantities of butter are made for the Dublin market. Flannels were formerly extensively manufactured, but are now little attended to. There is one silk-spinning mill with 1,182 spindles, which employs upwards of 100 persons. The Wicklow fishery embraces parts of the Dublin and Arklow districts, but is not much attended to, ehiefly from the want of safe harbours. Oysters are taken from Arklow bank. The county belongs chiefly to the diocese of Dublin and Olendalagh, with small por- tions in the dioceses of Ferns and Leighlin, which are united with the see of Ossory. The diocese of Glenda- lagh, of which Saint Kevin was the first bishop, early in the 6th century, existed separately till 1491, when it was joined to that of Dublin. In the Koman Catholic distribution it forms part of the archdiocese of Dublin, and of the diocese of Ferns, which is suffragan to Dub- lin. Of the population in 1861, 15,285, or 177 percent., were members of the Established Church ; 70,044, or 81'0 per cent, were Roman Catholics; and 1,150, or 1-3 per cent., belonged to other denominations. The county is divided for civil purposes into 8 baronies, Arklow, Ballinacor, North and South, Newcastle, Rathdrum, Shillelagh, and Talbotstown, Lower and Upper, and contains 59 parishes. It returns two members to par- liament for the county at large. Its government is en- trusted to a lord-lieutenant and custos, vice-lieutenant, high sheriff, 17 deputy-lieutenants, 1 resident and about 92 local magistrates. It is in the Leinster circuit, the assizes being held at Wicklow. Quarter sessions are held there, and also at Arklow, Bray, Baltinglass, and Tinaholy ; and petty sessions at 13 places. The county is partly within the military district of the Curragh. Fairs are held at 35 places, and there are 12 market towns. The county gaol is at Wicklow, and there are infirmaries at Wicklow and Baltinglass. There are three Poor-Law unions, Baltinglass, Shillelagh, and Eathdrum ; and 15 dispensary districts. The seats are more numerous than in any other county in Ireland. The principal are Shelton Abbey, of the Earl of Wick- low ; Kilruddery, of the Earl of Meath ; Stratford Lodge, of the Earl of Aldborough ; Glenart Castle, of the Earl of Carysfort ; Coolattin, of Earl FitzwiUiam ; Charlevillo, of Viscount Monck ; Powerscourt, of Vis- count Powerscourt ; Russborough, of Earl of Jlilltown ; Hollybrook, of Hodson, Bart. ; Lcugh Bray, of Cramp- ton, Bart. ; Castle Howard, of Brooke, Esq. There are cromlechs at Cabinteely, Lugnaquilla, and Baltinglass ; a cairn at Knockroe, a druidical circle at Donoughmore, and raths near Enockloe and Baltinglass. Of the ecclesiastical remains, the most interesting are St. Bridget's chain and well, near Kilranclagh, the ruins of Seven Churches, the round tower and old cross at Glen- dalough, the abbey at Baltinglass, the friaries of Wick- low and Aghold, the old church of Donard, near Strat- ford, also old castles, which may be met with in many parts of the country. WICKLOW, a seaport, market town, and municipal borough and county town of co. Wicklow, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 15 miles N. of Arklow, and 31 S.E. of Dublin. It is situated on the estuary of the river Vartry, in the pars, of Kilpoole, Rathnew, and Drum- kay, and is a station on the Dublin, Wicklow, and Wexford railway. The estuary of the Vartry, called Brom Lough, into vfhich the river falls about 2 miles above the town, is so narrow at its mouth as to be crossed by a bridge of eight arches. It is separated from the sea by a narrow strip of land called the Murragh, upon which races are occasionally held. There is a bar across the entrance to the harbour, on which there is only 8 or 9 feet of water at high tide, rendering it lit only for small craft. In ancient times it was frequented as a maritime station by the Danes, who gave it the name of Wykinglogh and Wigginge Lough, and held it till 1170, when it was seized by Maurice Fitzgerald, who built a castle here, and died before it was completed. Maurice's sons were dis- possessed by William Fitz-Aldelm, and obliged to accept Ferns in exchange. The town was burned by the Irish in 1301 ; but William FitzwiUiam, a descendant of an early English settler, put the castle in a state of defence in 1376, and his family preserved the constableship for many generations. It was taken by the O' Byrnes, from the N. of the county, early in the 16th century, but won surrendered to Henry VLH. in 1543. Luke O'Toole besieged the castle in 1641, but was obliged to retire by Sir Charles Coote, who put many of the inhabitants to the sword. Its population in 1851 was 3,147, and in 1861 3,448, inhabiting 582 houses. The town is built on elevated rugged ground on the N. side of Wicklow Head. The streets are narrow and irregular, but have lately been much improved. Of the population in 1861, 649 were members of the Established Church, 2,673 were Roman Catholics, 26 Presbyterians, 68 Methodists, 1 Independent, and 31 of the Society of Friends. The parish church of Drumkay is situated near the round mound. The S. door has a Norman arch, the remains of the old building. There are a Roman Catholic chapel, and meeting-houses for Methodists and Friends. The other public buildings are the court-house, gaol, in- firmary, market-house, and barrack. The assizes for the county are held here, also quarter and petty sessions. The import trade is confined to timber, iron, coals, and limestone, and the exports to agricultural produce and ore raised in the various mines of the county. Tho fishery is good, but the shallowness of the harbour prevents the employment of proper vessels. There are two light- houses on Wicklow head, 1J mile E. of the town. The ruins of Black Castle, built in 1375 by William Fitz- gerald, occupy a rock overhanging the sea, and in the town are the ruins of a Franciscan abbey, besides other remains. The Howards of Shelton Abbey take the title of earl from this place. Races take place in May. Mar- ket-day is on Saturday. Fairs are held on the 28th March, 24th May, 12th August, and 25th November. WICKMERE, a par. in the hund. of South Erping- ham, co. Norfolk, 6 miles N.W. of Aylsham. The vil- lage is principally the property of the Earl of Orford, who is lord of the manor. The living is a rect. conso- lidated with that of Wolterton. There is a school for girls, supported by the Countess of Orford. WICK-NEAR-PERSHORE, a chplry. in the par. of St. Andrew Pershore, co. Worcester, 1 mile S.E. of Pershore, of which it is a suburb. An Austin priory was founded here in the reign of Slejhen by Peter de Corbezon, who a few years afterwards removed it to Studley, in Warwickshire. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Worcester, val. 110. The church is dedicated to St. Lawrence. WICKS, or WYKES UFFORD, a hmlt. in the par. of Rushmere, co. Suffolk, 2 miles N.E. of Ipswich. WICKS OF BAIGLIE, a commanding spot near Perth, co. Perth, Scotland. WICKTON, a tnshp. in the par. of Stoke-Prior, hund. of Wolphy, co. Hereford, 4 miles S.E. of Leominster. It is joined to Risbury. WICKVER. See WTOPAIR, co. Denbigh. WICKWAR, a par., market town, and borough by prescription, in the upper div. of Grumbald's Ash hund., co. Gloucester, 4 miles N. of Chipping Sodbury, 15 N.E. of Bristol, and 20 S. W. of Gloucester. It is a station on the Midland Counties railway. This town is situated on the Cotswolds, and on the main road from Bristol to the N. The clothing trade was formerly carried on, but has for some time been discontinued. There are malt- houses and a brewery, and a mechanics' institute, with library and reading-rooms. The population in 1861 was 949. In the reign of Edward I. it received a grant of a weekly market and two annual fairs, and in that of Charles I. a charter of incorporation, under which it is governed by a mayor and an indefinite number of aldermen. A manorial court under Earl Ducie is held triennially in October, and a flower and fruit show an- nually at Tortworth Court, for growers among the earl's tenant farmers and allotment tenants. Coal has been discovered in the parish, which is watered by two small streams. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Glou- cester and Bristol, val. 440. The church, dedicated to St. Thomas, or to the Holy Trinity, was repaired in