Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/71

ALDINGTON. 61 AMBLESIDE. parochial charities amount to 5. Alwalton Castle is the chief residence. ALWINGTON, a par. in the hund. of North Shebbear, in the co. of Devon, 4 miles to the S.W. of Bideford railway station. It lies on the river Yeo, which here flows through a valley, and not far from the coast of liarnstaple Bay. It includes the limits, of Fairy Cross, Ford, and Woodtown. The living is a rect.* in the dioe. of Exeter, val. 213, in the patron, of the Rev. J. T. P. Coffin. The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, is a fine old stone building, with a tower. There is a chapel for Weslryans, and a parochial school. Ahnshouses for three poor persons were founded and endowed in 1096, by R. Coffin, Esq. The charities of the parish, including the almshouses, amount to 16. The manor of Alwington has been held by the Coffin family from the Conquest. A chapel formerly stood in Yeo Vale, of which there are still remains. AIAVINTON, Northumberland. See ALLENTON. ALWOODLEY, a limit, in the par. of Harewood, in (lie upper div. of the wap. of Sky rack, in the West Killing of the co. of York, 4 miles to the N. of Leeds. It was once the estate of Sir Gervase Clifton. ALYTH, a par. partly in the co. of Forfar, but chiefly in the co. of Perth, Scotland, 4 miles from Meigle, and 18 miles to the N.E. of Perth, at a short distance from the Dundee and Newtyle railway. The town stands in a pleasant situation at the foot of Alyth Hill, on the river Isla, which forms the southern boundary of the parish. Under a charter granted by King James III., Alyth is a burgh of barony, and belongs to the Earl of Airly, who takes hence the title of Baron of Alyth. The district is hilly, having an elevation of 1,179 feet at the Hill of King's-seat, but the soil along the valley of the Islar is extremely fertile. There is a good supply of game in Alyth forest, among the mosses of which the burn of Alyth rises, which joins the Isla at Mount Blair, the highest ground in the parish. The principal occupation < of the inhabitants is the weaving of coarse linens for the Dundee trade. The living is in the presb. of Meigle, val. 230, in the patron, of the crown. The church is an elegant structure, in the Norman style of architecture, built in 1839, and contains 1,290 sittings. There is also i a Free church containing 806 sittings, and chapels belonging to the Episcopalians and United Presbyterians. There are extensive and well-preserved remains of an ancient entrenchment, believed to be Pictish, on Barry Hill. It is the subject of many legends, the predominant tradition being that it formed the prison of the renowned Guinevre, wife of the hero Prince Arthur. Her local name is Queen Wander, and she. is represented as a wii:ked giantess. On the south side of the same hill are i some rude pillars, which evidently belong to a very re- mote antiquity. A market is held at Alyth on Tuesday, anil there are several fairs in the course of the year. The par. has an area of about 30 square miles. AMASTON, a tiishp. iu the par. of Alberbury, in the hand, of Ford, in Shropshire, 7 miles to the W. of Shrewsbury. AMBERLEY, a hmlt. in the par. of Minchinhampton, in the hund. of Longtree, in the co. of Gloucester, not far from Minohinhampton. It comprises the hmlts. of Littleworth, Theescombe, and St. Cloe, which were granted to the parish in the reign of Henry VIII. The living is a rect. consolidated with Minchinhamp- ton. An object of great interest in this hamlet, is the great dyke called Woeful Dane Bottom. It is 8 feet in height, and extends in length 3 miles. AMBERLEY, a tnshp. in the par. of Warden, in the hund. of Broxash, in the co. of Hereford. It is distant about 2 miles E. from the village church of Marden, which is a very ancient and noble structure in the early English style ; it formerly had a small chapel of its own, called Amberley chapel, but at present it is in ruins. It maintains its own poor. AMBERLEY, or AMERLEY, a par. in the hund. of West Easwrith, rape of Arundel, in the co. of Sussex, 3 miles to the N.E. of Arundel. It is situated on the banks of the river Arun, at the foot of Amberlev Downs, and includes the hmlt. of Rackham. The river hero contains fine trout, for which Amberley is noted. The living is a vie. in the dioe. of Chichester, val. with that of Houghton, 166, in the patron, of the Bishop of Chichester. The church exhibits a mixture of styles, the nave being Norman, the chancel in the early English style. There is a richly sculptured Norman arch between the nave and the chancel. The church con- tains a monumental brass of the year 1424. There are national schools for forty boys and girls. On the river side are extensive remains of an ancient castle, formerly belonging to the Bishops of Chichester. It was in the form of a quadrangle, and extended in length about 260 feet, in breadth about 160. It was erected in the latter half of the 14th century, by William Rede, then Bishop of Chichester, who was a distinguished architect. The work occupied him for a period of ten years. The gate- house, part of the original structure, still remains. Bishop Sherborne, who died in 1536, was the last bishop who resided there. The buildings are now converted into a farm-house. AMBERSHAM, NORTH, a tythg. formerly included in the par. of Steep, Alton div. of the co. of South- ampton, but now, under the act called the " County Boundaries Act," 7 & 8 Viet., c. 61, attached to the par. of Famhurst, in the hund. of Easeboume, rape of Chichester, in the co. of Sussex, 4 miles to the S. of Haslomere. AMBERSHAM, SOUTH, a tythg. formerly included in the par. of Steep, Alton div. of the co. of South- ampton, but now, under the act called the " County Boundaries Act," 7 & 8 Viet., c. 61, attached to the par. of Easeboume, in the hund. of Easebourne, rape of Chichester, in the co. of Sussex, 2 miles to the E. of Mid- hurst. The river Rother flows through it. AMBLE, a tnshp. in the par. of Warkworth in the eastern div. of Morpeth ward, in the co. of Northum- berland, 7 miles to the S.E. of Alnwick. From the remains of antiquity which have been discovered here, it is concluded that Amble was a place of some impor- tance at an early period. Foundations of a circular form, some unhewn stones, Roman coins, and a cause- way have been brought to light. The village stands 011 a hill at the mouth of the river Coquet, and has a fine sea- view. The coal-mines, which are extensive, afford employment to many of the inhabitants. Amble was formerly a cell to the priory of Tynemouth. Amble House is the principal residence. AMBLECOTE, a hmlt. in the par. of Old Swinford, in the southern div. of the hund. of Seisdon, in the co. of Stafford, less than 1 mile from Stourbridge. The inhabitants arc employed in the glass-houses of which there are several the collieries, iron-works, and potteries. A fine blue clay, of which crucibles are made, is obtained here. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioe. of Wor- cester val. 100, in the patron, of the Earl of Stamford. AMBLESIDE, or AMBLESIDE - ABOVE - AND - BELOW-STOCK, a chplry. and market town, chiefly in the par. of Grasmere, but partly also in the par. of Windermere, Kendal ward, in the co. of Westmoreland, 2-5 miles to the S.W. of Appleby, and 276 miles from London, or 266 by the Kendal railway, which terminates at Windermere, about 4 miles from Amblcside. The town is situated on the slope of a steep hill, not far from the head of Windermere Lake, amidst lofty mountains, and commands a fine view of the beautiful vale of Rothay. The surrounding country abounds in scenery of extra- ordinary grandeur and beauty. Among the places and objects of attraction for tourists, may be mentioned Langdalo Pikes, Shap Fells, Grasmere, Coniston Water, Ryd'al, which lie within 7 or 8_ miles of Amblcside. Helv " gill Pike, hood. . _ .. houses being mostly detached and well-built. There are numerous lodging-houses for the accommodation of visitors, and the hotels are of a very superior description. The manufacture of bobbins is carried on here. Some of