Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/903

Rh YARMOUTH, LITTLE. 851 YARNTOX. last is a tidal lake formed by the confluence of the Yare and Waveney before they again contract into the channel which carries their waters to the sea. The present town extends considerably beyond the limits of the old walls on the K. towards Caistor, on the E. towards the sea, and on the S. towards Nelson's Column. It is connected by a bridge over the Yare with the suburb or hamlet of Soutli Town, some- times called Little Yarmouth, on the right bank of the river, and within the Suffolk border, and further to the S. with the adjoining town of Gorleston. The principal streets are regularly built, and are crossed at right angles by 145 narrow lanes called rows. Many of the houses both in the old and new parts of the town are lofty, and there are terraces along the sea, chiefly let out in apartments to visitors during the Reason. The streets are well paved, lighted with gas, and drained under the Health of Towns Act, and the houses are supplied with water laid on by a company incorporated in 1853. Amongst the most striking features of Yarmouth are its quays, distinguished as South Quay and North Quay ; the former is near a mile and a quarter in length, and 450 feet broad in some parts, having a promenade planted with trees in the centre. A Marine drive has recently been constructed along the entire sea-frontage, with the Wellington pier to the S., and the Britannia pier to the N. On the South Denes is a column by Wilkins, erected in 1817 by county subscription to the memory of Nelson. This column is 144 feet high, with fluted shaft, sur- mounted by a ball and a figure of Britannia, holding in her hand a trident and a laurel-branch ; the summit is reached by a circular staircase of 270 steps, terminating in a chamber supported by caryatides, and commanding an extensive land and sea view. Other conspicuous objects are the suspension-bridge over the Yare, con- structed in 1855 ; the wrought-iron bridge over the Bure, and the iron tubular bridge. On the beach are the South Star and North Star batteries ; and on the South Quay is an Elizabethan mansion, built in 1596, once occupied by a granddaughter of Oliver Cromwell. At Borne little distance is the Star Inn, with pendant ceilings and carved wainscoatings, once belonging to the Bradshaw family. The principal public buildings are the Town House ; the Town Hall, built in 1716, and adjoining which is a Eecord Koom, in which the town muniments are kept ; the Tolhouse Hall ; the borough gjaol and house of correction ; the custom - house, situated on the Quay; the bath-house, built in 1759, has been converted into an hotel, but continues to supply hot and cold sea -water baths ; the corn ex- change is a modern structure, situated in Regent- street ; the theatre was erected in 1778, but remodelled in 1 820 ; the public library on the Quay contains read- ing-rooms and 10,000 volumes. Other buildings are the Royal Hospital, founded in 1838 ; the Fishermen's Hospital, built in 1702 ; the workhouse, built in 1838, at a cost of 7,000 ; the Naval Lunatic Asylum, situated at the southern extremity of the town, and built ori- ginally for barracks by Pilkington in 1811, at a cost of 100,000; an armoury, built by Wyatt in 1806; the depSt for the East Norfolk Militia and Militia Artil- lery, built in 1850 ; assembly-rooms ; post-office, inland revenue-office, 6 branch banks, a savings-bank, gas- works, herring-curing houses, a silk factory, corn-mills, breweries, malt-houses, timber and ship-building yards, small docks, three large ropo manufactories, and a cetnent manufactory on the river. The market place covers above 3 acres. The number of vessels belonging to the port is upwards of 500, besides about 250 fishing- boats and other small craft. The population of the parish in 1861 was 30,338, and of the borough, which includes South Town and Gorleston in Suffolk, 34,810. The borough, which was first incorporated by John in 1208, is divided under the Municipal Reform Act into six wards, and is governed by a mayor, 12 aldermen, and 36 town-councillors, assisted by a recorder, high-steward, town-clerk, coroner, clerk of the peace, and other officers. The style is that of " Mayor, aldermen, burgesses, and VOL. III. commonalty of Great Yarmouth." The corporation revenue amounts to about 8,000 per annum ; th* old town charities being under the care of trustees. The recorder presides in the borough court, and a county court is held monthly at the Tolhouse Hall. Under a separate commission of peace, quarter sessions are held, and petty sessions daily by the mayor and magistrates. There are commissioners for the care of the haven and pier, and also for pilotage. The races take place on the South Denes towards the end of August, which the inhabitants also use for cricket and other amusements. Two regattas are annually held, one in the Roadstead and the other on Braydon Water. Tho Poor-law Union and superintendent registry com- prise the parish, but the now county court district includes besides the registry of Flegg and Gorleston sub-district. The East Norfolk Militia and Norfolk Militia Artillery have their head-quarters hero. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of Norwich, val. 400, in the patron, of the dean and chapter. The parish church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, was originally commenced in 1101 ; it is the largest parish church in the kingdom. Formerly 16 chapels or oratories were attached to it, and it contains a fine organ by Jordan, built in 1733. Extensive restorations were made in 1848, and are still in progress. It .contains an old font of Purbeck marble, a copy of Rubens's " Elevation of the Cross," monuments to the England, Fuller, Hall, and other families. The register commences in 1558. There are besides several district churches and chapels-of-ease; that of St. George was built in 1716, under the authority of an Act of Parliament ; that of St. Peter, in 1835, at a cost of 12,000, by Scoles; that of St. John, in 1857, chiefly for the accommodation of seamen. These are all in the parish ; but at Gorleston is tho parish church of St. Andrew, containing a brass of Sir John Bacon ; and at South Town is the church of St. Mary, built in 1831. The Roman Catholics have a chapel in the Regent-road, the Jews a synagogue, recently rebuilt, and the Wes- leyans, Primitive Methodists, General and Particular Baptists, Independents, Countess of Huntingdon's Con- nexion, Society of Friends, and Unitarians have chapels. Adjoining the churchyard is a cemetery of 12 acres ; there is also a Roman Catholic cemetery. Tho old grammar school, founded in the reign of Queen Eliza- beth, has been re-established by tho charity trustees ; the Children's Hospital school, rebuilt in 1845; British, National, infant, and Unitarian schools, and a factory evening-school for girls. The charities are considerable. The Victoria Gardens, a former place of amusement, are now (1868) being built over. Market days are Wednes- day and Saturday; fairs are held on tho Friday and Saturday in Easter week, and on Monday and Tuesday at Shrovetide. YARMOUTH, LITTLE, a hmlt. See SOUTH Toww, co. Suffolk. YARNFIELD, a hmlt. in the par. of Maiden-Bradley, hund. of Norton-Ferris, co. Somerset, 5 miles N.E. of Bruton, and 6 S. of Frome. YARNFIELD, a tnshp. in the par. of Swinnerton, co. Stafford, 2 miles S.W. of Stone. YARNSCOMBE, a par. and tnshp. in the hund. of Hartland, co. Devon, 6 miles N.E. of Great Torrington, 8 S. of Barnstaple, and 3J from Umberleigh station, on. the North Devon railway. The soil is clayey, but fertile. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Exeter, val. 135. The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, was re- paired in 1852. There is a National school. The cha- rities produce about 25 per annum. The trustees of the late Lord Rolle are lords of the manor. YARNTON, a par. in the hund. of Wootton, co. Oxford, 4 miles N.W. of Oxford, and 3J 8.E. of Wood- stock. It is a station on the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton section of the Great Western railway It is situated near tho Oxford canal and tho river Thame. It is mentioned in Domesday survey as Har- dintone, and was subsequently given to Eynsham Abbey by the name of Erdington, from which it passed to Bernard de St. Walenco and Edmund Earl of Cornwall, 6s