Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/264

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BETHNAL-GREEN. 254 BETTON. fields, and extensive market-gardens. The houses are generally old and poorly built. The district is very thickly peopled, and chiefly by silk-weavers, who carry on their employment at their homes. It is usual for one house to be occupied by several families, so that the official returns for 1861 give only 14,812 houses, inhabited by a population of 104,905. The neighbourhood, how- over, must be considered healthy, for the increase of population in the decennial period since 1851 has been no less than 14,712, and the excess of registered births over deaths in the same period 1 5,963, showing a consi- derable migration to less thickly peopled districts. The pariah contains a cotton manufactory, and a factory for waterproof hosiery for the use of brewers and firemen. Bothnal-Green forms a Poor-law Union by itself, and has a Onion workhouse. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of London, of the val. of 514, in the patron, of the bishop, having recently been reduced 100 per annum, by abolition of intermural burials. Tho church, a plain brick building, was erected in 1746, and is dedicated to St. Matthew. There are 1 1 other churches in the parish, 10 of which were founded between 1840 and 1850, chiefly in consequence of the energetic efforts of Bishop Blomfield. The livings are all perpet. curs, in the gift of the Bishop of London, varying in val. from 200 to 400. The church dedicated to St. John, is a largo and handsome structure in the Grecian style, built in 1828, from designs by Soune. Its COM nearly 18,000. Hero uro also an Episcopal chapel connected with the schools of the London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews, chapels belong- ing to the Wesleyans, Baptists, Independents, and other religious bodies. The charitable foundations arc nu- merous, and the minimi value of their endowments about 650. The principal charity is tho free school and alms- house founded and endowed in 1722 by Thomas Par- miter, and further endowed by Elizabeth Carter and others. The income from the endowments has been augmented by judicious management, and now amounts to above 300 per annum. The parochial school, estab- lished in 1771 for 90 children of both sexes, has an income of about 140. There is also a National school for 1000 children. There are almshouses founded by Captain Fisher, and by the Drapers' and Dyers' Com- panies. Trinity Hospital, for the support and resi- dence of masters of ships or their widows, was founded in 1695, and endowed a few years later by Captain Sandes. The building now occupied as a lunatic asylum was formerly a private mansion, and was built in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. According to tho old ballad this house was the residence of the " Blind Beg- gar of Bethnal-Green," the hero of tho ballad being, it is said, Henry, tho son of the great Simon de Mont fort, Earl of Leicester. The staff of tho parish beadle still bears memorial of the legendary adventure. Another impor- tant charity of this parish is that culled the Green Lands, tho produce of which goes to tho relief of the poor, and amount* to 154 per annum. Victoria is situated between the Regent's canal and the pars, of Hackney and Bow, extending about a mil' in length, and comprising an area of nearly 300 acres. The formation of the park was commenced in 1841, and a handsome drink- ing fountain was erected by Miss Burdett Coutts in 1862. Several men of note have been residents in this parish. Bishop Bonner is said to have lived in a kill called Bishop's Hall, the site of which is near the park ; Sir Richard, father of Sir Thomas Gresham, resided Ainsworth, author of the well-known Latin Dictionary, had a school here ; and William Caslon, tho famous en- graver and type-founder, was residing here at the time of his death, in January, 1766. Tho name of the paruh is probably derived from an ancient residence called Bathon Hall, and a large green near Bishop's Hall. A grand social experiment has recently been tried here by Miss Burdett Coutts, in order to show how houses may be provided for the Labouring classes in accordance with the requirements of sanitary science, and at tho same time affording a fair remuneration for tho capital employed. To solve this difficult social problem, Miss CoutU caused

HUM. 

a range of structures, designed by Mr. Darbishire, u forming three sides of a square, to be erect' block of buildings is distinct, and rises to five stork ith its own baths, washhouscs, club-rooms, aha) for removal of dust, and, in fact, all mod' in a], pliant that seem likely to conduce to tin health, dean comfort of tho class for whom they are designi lodgings were eagerly sought alter, r. I ar<< nowoec pied by about 170 tainili' >, v. ho rent t'n.m one to Uir rooms at rates vai '!. to 5s. j external appearance of this block of In pleasing, owing to tho unity of arrhi. and the breaking of the sky-line. As i success of tho experiment, it will Mr. Peabody presented in 1862 the munificent sum 150,000, to bo employed chiefly tor tho same (mrpOM BETLEY, a par. in the north div. ot the huni 1'in-hill, in the co. of Stafford, 7 miles to tij^^l Newcaatlo-under-Lyme. I ; . country on tho confines of Cheshire, and was former a market town. Tho Grand Jur ,- jut near it. A considerable extent of land is M^^H market gardens, from which supplies are sent to A^l castle market. Near tho village is a piece ^^H called Betli-y .Men. The living is a perpet. cotl^H dioc. of Lichfield, of the val. of il-.o, i, G. Tollett, Esq. The church is an ancient edd^H chancel and tower of more recent '" *4| framed, and contains columns and arches . ( wood, at several monuments of tho Egertons, To: chancel appears to have been or. l(l|l| the tower a century later. ThoWes], van Ut^H have a chapel in the village. Tho parochial o^^J including the endowment of a free school 15 a year. The principal seats a residence of the Toilette, ami .irt. fair is held on the 31st July. BET.SH. Mi I SHAM, a limit, in theptr. Southfieet, hund. of Axton, and* lathe of S^^ Hone, in tho co. of Kent, 3 miles to the S. W. of ^^ end. The neighbourhood is hilly, and the scenery f turesque. Tho land is partly laid out in h and orchards. BETTERTOK, a tythg. in tho pai hund. of Wantage, in the co. of Berks, 2 uiilta to S.E. of Wantage. BETTESHANGER, or l.V. 1'SlfANUEU, a per. . tho hund. of Eastry, lathe ot St. AUIMI of Kent, 4 miles to tho W. of I >. post town. The living is a red. in tin' dioc. of CntB bury, of the val. of 166, in tin | nitron. M Morrice, Esq. The church is dedic:;: Betteshanger Park, the seat of the Morrice*, wii fa merly that of the Boys family. BKTTISCOMBE, a par. in the lib. of Frampta and hund. of Whitchurch Canonicorum, ir. the Bw C'; div. of tho co. of Dorset, 6 mile. minster, and 8 S.W. from Crcwkerne, Tho living is a rect.* in tho dioc. ot 180, in tho gift of R. B. Sheridan, Es. ( lord of the manor. The church is a small ancient in the i . with a square tower. BETTISFIELD, a tush]., in tho par. c hund. o, in tho co. of Flint, Nor tin: N 10. of Ellesmero. The F< ml Heui>tidd Park, the format noe of Sir J. Hanim i , I lai t . one of wh< tors was Sir Thomas Hanmer, the editor of speare, and Speaker of the House of Common reign of Queen Anne. Ho sat in the house county of Suffolk about 30 years, and died in 17 some interesting old ] BK1TON, a tnshp. in tho par. of Market 1 and hund. of North Bradford, in tho Drayton of Salop. I'.KTTOX and AIKMEHE, a tnshp. in St. Chad, Shrewsbury borough, in the co. miles to the S. of Shrewsbury, its post town. The cipal residences are Botton Strange and liette.ii