Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/125

ASTBURY, 115 ASTIIORPE. and Loch Enard on the S. It extends in length from tho point of Storr, in the N.W., to Cromall, in the 8.E., 36 miles ; and in breadth, at the widest part, 18 miles. It is one of the wildest and most mountainous districts in Scotland, and has almost innumerable lochs. The loftiest mountain is Benmore, on the southern bor- der of the parish. It has an elevation of 3,200 feet above the sea. Others are Cuniack, or Queenaig, north of Loch Assynt, a ridge terminating in a small peak by the lake ; Snilven, or Sugar Loaf, to the south of Loch Inver, &c. The largest lake is Loch Assynt, occupying nearly the centre of tho parish. It is a freshwater lake, containing abundance of trout, and extending in length nearly 7 miles, and in breadth about 1 mile. Cam- loch is tho next largest lake, and lies in the southern, which is the highest, part of the pariah. Close to it is TJrgil loch ; on the west coast, Inver loch ; and scattered over the parish, especially tho western half, a multitude of others too numerous to name. The coast is rugged and dangerous, with many indentations and small islands. There are several caves, both on the coast and inland. Limestone is abundant in the parish : in one place it appears in a huge abrupt ridge, nearly 200 feet high and extending for a mile and a half. Marble is quarried at Ichnadamph, and some slate spar is procured. Fishing is the chief occupation of the inhabitants, who live mostly near the coast. Sheep fanning is also car- ried on extensively. Tho parish belonged in ancient times to the thanes of Sutherland, subsequently to the McLeods, and now to the Duke of Sutherland. The living is in the presb. of Dornoch, of the val. of 158, and in the patron, of the Duke of Sutherland. The church stands at tho east end of Loch Assynt. There are also two Free churches. The people speak the Gaelic, language almost universally. On the shore of Loch Assynt, near its eastern end, are the ruins of Ard- vraok Castle, which is considered to have been the seat of tho McLeods, and to have been built near the close of the 16th century. It was by a member of this family that the Marquis of Montroso, who took refuge in Assynt, was betrayed, in the reign of Charles I. On the coast at Cinch toll are some remains of a druidical temple. There is a building near tho church, supposed to be part of an ancient place of worship. Lochinver is the principal village. Tho parish contains two post offices, one near the church, and the other at the village of Loch- inver. ASTBURY, a par. in the hunds. of Northwich and Macclesfield, in the co. palatine of Chester, 1 mile from Congleton its post town. It lies near the Macelesfield canal, on the borders of Staffordshire, and comprises the market town of Congleton, and the following tnshps. : Newbold Astbiuy, Buglawton, Davenport, Hulme Wal- field, Moreton, Odd Rode, Radnor, Smallwood, Somerford Booths, and Somerford. Mow Cop, or Mole Cop Hill, which rises to the height of 1,090 feet, is partly in this parish, and partly within tho limits of Staffordshire. Limestone and coal are obtained here, and the silk and cotton manufactures are carried on to a large extent. There are above forty factories, which, with the collieries ! and limeworks, furnish tho chief employment for the population. Tho living is a rect. * in the dioc. of Chester, with the perpet. cur. of Hulme AYalfiokl, val. 2,240, in the patron, of Lord Crewc. The church, which is a handsome building in the perpendicular style, has a spin: and a finely carved roof, executed in 1616, by Richard Lmvndes. It contains also a screen, roodloft, stained windows, and several interesting monuments of the Moretons and Bellots. In the churchyard arc some very old tombs of the Breretons. The church is dedi- cated to St. Mary. In addition to the parish church, there are nine district churches and chapels of ease in this extensive parish, named after their districts, Bug- lawton, Congleton, Congleton St. James's, Congleton St. Stephen's, Eaton, Mossley, Odd Rode, Smallwood, and Somerford chapel. The whole of these, except the last, are perpet. curs., and will bo described under their several headings. There are charitable endowments amounting to 263, of which sum 177 is the produce of Holford's bequest for education, relief of the poor, &c. Little Moreton Hall, situated in the tnshp. of Odd Rode, was formerly the seat of the Breretons, since of tho Moretons. It is an interesting example of a timbered mansion, and is richly ornamented ; a moat surrounds it, and the entrance is by a stone bridge. The house is in good preservation, and appears, from an inscription over one of the oriel windows, to have been built, at least in part, in 1559. Some portions are evidently of earlier date. Tho parish of Astbury extends over an area of 19,602 acres, and contains nearly the same number of inhabitants. ASTELYK'S, a limit, in the par. of High Ongar, in the hund. and union of Ongar, in tho co. of Essex. It is situated on the road to Chehnsford, not far from tho river Roding. This hamlet is remarkable for its ancient seat, now a farm, in which, according to tradition, Tho- mas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, took shelter when fleeing from the wrath of Queen Elizabeth. ASTEL, a vil. in the bar. of Iraghticormor, co. of Kerry and prov. of Munster, Ireland, not far from Bally- longford. ASTERBY, a par. in the northern div. of the wap. of Cartree, parts of Lindsey, in the co. of Lincoln, 6 miles to the N. of Horncastle, its post town. It is situated on. tho Wolds, not far from the river Bam. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Lincoln, of tho val. of 210, in the gift of T. Southwell, Esq. The church is dedicated to St. Peter. There are several small charities, among which is a bequest by Anthony Ascham for education. Asterby Grange is about 2 miles from the village. ASTERLEY, a tnshp. in tho par. of Poutesbury, in the Pontesbury div. of the hund. of Ford, in the co. of Salop, 8 miles to the S.W. of Shrewsbury. The river Rhea runs near it. ASTERLEY FARM, an ext. par. lib. in the par. of Kiddington, hunds. of Chadlington and Wootton, in tho co. of Oxford, 4 miles from Woodstock. It constituted a separate parish till the year 1291, when it was incor- porated with Kiddington. Traces of its old church, mansion, and other buildings still exist at Chapelbroke field. ASTERTON, a tnshp. in the par. of Norbury, and hund. of Purslow, in the co. of Salop, 4 miles from Church Stretton. It is situated on the range of tho Longmont, or Long Mynd Hills. ASTHALL, a par. in tho hund. of Bampton, in the co. of Oxford, 5 miles to the W. of Witney. Bui-ford is its post town. It is situated in Wychwood forest, on the river Windrush, and comprises the limit, of Asthall Leigh. At the period of the Norman survey, the manor of Asthall was held by Roger do Ivri. It is called Esthalo in Domesday Book. The old way called Ake- man Street runs through this parish, and was carried across the Windrush. Bordering on this way is a largo and lofty mound called Asthall Barrow, which is conjec- tured to be tho burial-place and monument of some mili- tary chief. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Oxford, of the val. of 100, in the gift of the Provost and Fellows of Eton College. The church is dedicated to St. Nicholas, In the north aisle is a stone coffin, which is said to hold the remains of Alice Corbctt, mistress of Henry I. There are small endowments, by Sir George Fettiplace, for instructing girls and apprenticing boys, and some other charities. Asthall House, an old manorial residence, was formerly the scat of the Fettiplaces, to whom the manor belonged in the l"th century. The manor was purchased in 1688 by Sir Edmund Fettiplace, of Lord Lumley. The mansion is now a farmhouse. ASTHORPE, an ext. par. lib. in the par. of Mars- worth, and hund. of Cottisloe, in the co. of Buckingham, 5 miles to the E. of Aylesbury. It is united with the lib. of Long Marstone. ASTHORPE, a limit, in tho par. of Willoughby, Wold div. of the hund. of Calceworth, parts of Lindsey, in tho co. of Lincoln, 4 miles to the S. of AJforJ. ASTLEY, or EAST LEIGH, a chplry. in the par. of Leigh, hund. of West Derby, in the co. palatine of Lan- caster, 3 miles to the E. of Leigh. It is a station on tho