Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/711

CROYDON. 701 CEUCKMEOLE. and the Victoria stations. This town, which is supposed, to be tho fToviomagus of Antonine, is called by Camdeu Cr/it/i i/i'ii, a corruption of its ancient name Ci- from civic, " chalk," and dtinc, " a hill," referring to its situation on the edge of tho largo chalk basin of the Thames. It is by some supposed to have been a royal residence in the Saxon times, and at the Conquest was given to Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, whose successors in that see have ever since been lords of the manor, and formerly resided at the old palace, which stands at tho E. end, near the parish church. During the baronial wars in the reign of Henry III., the Londoners defeated the king here, with groat slaughter, in 1'JGi. In 1573 Queen Elizabeth was entertained hero by Archbishop Parker. The palace, having at length become dilapidated, was sold in 1730 by Act of Parlia- ment, to Sir Abraham Pitches, for 2,520. It is now occu- pied as a bleaching establishment, and the chapel which ittaehed to it is converted into an industrial school. With the funds realised by the sale of the old palace tho estate and mansion of Addington Park, 3J miles S.E. of Croydon, were purchased, and the house rebuilt, by the late Dr. Howley. The town consists chiefly of one street more than a mile in length, running nearly X. ind S., through which tho turnpike road to Brighton and other parts of Sussex passes. There are, besides, many smaller streets, which also contain good shops ; 1 1 '/so are generally in tho older parts of tho town. There are a great number of mansions and handsome - in the suburbs. The town of Croydon is well 1 and drained, and lighted with gas, with a plentiful y of water, and its sanitary condition is well looked to by a local Board of Health. The townhall, situated in tlio High-street, is a handsome stone building, with clock, erected in 1809. The market-house is close by it. The new public hall and -rooms of the Croydon Literary and Scientific Institution, established in 1838, are in George-street. The Union workhouse is on D uppas Hill, where the Board of Guardians meet weekly. The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution, founded in 1850 for Freemasons or their widows, is a handsome Elizabethan building of brick and stone, situated in St. Jarnes's-road. There are also a gaol, barracks for 200 men, forming a depot for recruits of the three regiments of foot-guards, a police station, and a branch of the London and County Bank. Croydon is the polling place for the election of members of parliament for the eastern division of the county. A County Court is held at the townhall, and within its jurisdiction are Croydon, Addington, Farleigh, Anerley, Merton, Mit- charn, Beddington, Chaldon, Norwood, Mordon, Chels- ham, Coulsdon, Penge, Woodmansteme, Wallingdon, Warlingham, Sanderstead, Selsdon, Shirley, and Tats- field. Croydon is likewise a summer assize town, and petty sessions are held by the magistrates of the district every Saturday at the townhall. The living is a vie.,* val. 725, in the patron, of tho Archbishop of Canter- bury. The parish church, dedicated to St. John tho Baptist, situated in Church-street, is a noble structure in the Gothic style of architecture, built of stone and flint, i The interior was restored in 1844. It has a lofty tower, iwitli embattled parapet and pinnacles, and a peal of eight bells. The church consists of a spacious nave, j N. and S. aisles, and chancel, 130 feet in length. The I tower at the W. end and tho adjacent portions are sup- posed to have been erected by Archbishop Chieheley, by reason of shields bearing his arms occupying the spaii- drils of the entrance arch. The entrance porch on tho N. side bears the arms of Archbishop Courtenay, who is supposed to have erected a portion of the church in the reign of Richard II. The chantry, dedicated to St. Nicholas, now called the Bishop's chapel, was founded in 1450 by Richard Weldon and his wife. The splendid monument to Archbishop Grindall stands on the S. side of the altar ; he was born in 1519, and died at Croydon Palace in 1583. There is also a monument to Arch- bishop Whitgift, an exact counterpart of that of his predecessor, Archbishop Grindall ; he died at Lambeth Palace in 1604. There are also monuments to arch- bishops Sheldon, Wake, Potter, and Herring. Besides the mother church there are seven district churches : St. James's, erected in 1829, is situated in St. James's- road, and is built of brick j it has a tower and clock. The living is a perpet. cur., val. 300, in the gift of the Vicar of Croydon. St. Peter's, situated in St. Peter's- road, South End, was erected in 1851. It is built chiefly of flint, and has a square tower. Tho living is a perpet. cur., val. 300, in the gift of the Vicar of Croydon. Christ Church, Broad Green, was erected in 1852, of stone and flint. Tho living is a perpet. cur.,* val. 400, in tho patron, of trustees. The church of St. Andrew, erected for the poor in 1857, is a stone building. The living is a perpet. cur., val. 153, in the patron, of the Rev. J. Randolph. At Norwood, in this parish, is the church of All Saints, a stone edifice, erected in 1827, standing on Beulah-hill. It has a beautiful spire, which may bo seen from a very great distance. The living is a perpet. cur.* with the cur. of St. Mark's, val. 350, in the patron, of the vicar. St. Mark's church, likewise at Norwood, was built in 1852. The living is a cur. annexed to All Saints. At Shirley is the church of St. John the Evan- gslist, situated about 2 miles to the E. of the town of roydon. The living is a perpet. cur.,* val. 70, in tho patron, of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Baptists, Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists, and Independents have chapels. The Roman Catholics have a church and schools at Broad Green, and the Society of Friends have a meeting-house and large schools in Park-lane. The chief schools are, Archbishop Tenison's free school, a col- legiate school, and Friends' school. The charities amount to about 2,800. The hospital of tho Holy Trinity, founded by Archbishop Whitgift in 1596, constructed to accommodate 39 persons, is at North End. The little almshouses, situated in Pitlake, are for 24 persons ; and there are others for 7 poor persons, founded by Elys Davy in 1447, situated in Church-street. -Howard of Effingham resided here, and Barclay, who wrote the " Ship of Fools," is buried here. Gurney, the lord mayor, was a native. Roman coins of Domitian and Valentinian have been found. Market day is Saturday ; the chief trade is in corn and butter. The cattle market is held on Thursdays at the S. end of tho town. A fair is held on the 5th July for cattle, and a pleasure fair on the 2nd October. CROYDON, a limit, in the par. of Old Cleeve, in the co. of Somerset, 2 miles S.W. of Dunster. CROYDON-CUM-CLAPTON, a par. in the hund. of Armingford, in tho co. of Cambridge, 4J miles S. of Caxton, and 6 N.W. of Roystou. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Ely, val. with the rect. of Clapton an- nexed, 449, in the patron, of J. F. Gape, Esq., who is lord of the manor. The church is dedicated to All Saints. A commodious National school was built in 1858. Coprolites are found here in abundance. CROYLAND. See CHOWLAND, Lincolnshire. CRUAGH, or CREVAGH, a par. in the bar. of Uppercross, in the co. of Dublin, prov. of Leinster, Ire- land, 7 miles S. of Dublin. Tallaght is its post town. It is situated on the river Owendugher, which forms tho boundary between this parish and that of Whitchurch. The surface is very mountainous, being, in fact, a por- tion of the South Dublin range, from which vantage ground a fine view may be obtained of tho distant metro- polis and bay. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Dublin, val. with Tallaght, 296, in tho patron, of tho archbishop and the representatives of B. Brian, Esq., alternately. The church is now a ruin, but the burial- ground is still in use. An old military road commences here, which takes its solitary course to Aughavanagh, a distance of 33 miles. Cloragh and Mount Venus are the principal residences ; in the grounds of the latter is a fino cromlech, 10 feet high. CRUAGIIMORE, a hill in tho bar. of Cary, in the co. of Antrim, prov. of Ulster, Ireland. It stands to tho W. of the village of Ballintoy. Basalt columns occur on its summit. CRUCKMEOLE, a tnshp. in the par. of Pontesbury, in the co. of Salop, 5 miles S.W. of Shrewsbury.