Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/100

GERARDSTOWN. 92 GIANT'S RING. Isle of Jersey, Channel Islands, 1J mile from St. Helier. GERARDSTOWN, a vil. in the par. of Trevet, bar. of Skreen, co. Meath, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, near Ratoath. Gerardstown House is the principal seat. GERMAN. See KIKK-GERMAN, Mo of Man. GERMANS, ST., a par. and small market town in the 8. div. of the hund. of East, co. Cornwall, 9 miles N.W. of Devonport, and 18 S. of Launceston. It is situated on Lynhcr Creek and the river Tidi, and is a station on the Cornwall line of railway. The par. includes the vils. of Crafthole, Downderry, Hessenford, and Tideford. A priory appears to have been founded here in the early part of the 10th century, and in the following century it was made a bishop's see, afterwards annexed to Cre- diton. In the Domesday Survey it is called Abbylone. At the Dissolution the demesne of the priory was given to the Champernowne family, from whom it passed to the Eliots, who take from this place the title of Earl. It is the head of a Poor-law Union embracing 14 parishes, and of a superintendent registry. It is a subport to Plymouth, and returned two members to parliament till the passing of the Reform Bill, when it was disfranchised. Some of the people are employed in the fishery. Limestone and slate are obtained in various parts of the parish. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of Exeter, val. 150, in the patron, of the Dean and Chapter of Windsor. The church, dedicated to St. Germanus, is an ancient structure, for the most part in the Norman style of architecture, and probably belonged to the monastery. It has two fine towers, and contains monuments of the Eliot, Glanvill, and Scawen families, and an ancient stone font. There are also two district churches viz. Hessenford and Tide- ford, both perpet. curs.,* of the respective vals. of 100 and 46, in the gift of the incumbent of the parish. The parochial endowments for education and almshouses produce about 14 per annum. The Wesleyans have a chapel, and there are National and infant schools. Port Eliot, a fine mansion with good picture gallery, is the seat of the Earl of St. Germans, who is lord of the manor. Friday is market day, and fairs are held on 28th May for the sale of live stock, and 1st August for pleasure. GERMANSWEEK, or WEEK ST. GERMANS, a par. in the hund. of Lifton, co. Devon, 8 miles S.E. of Holsworthy, and 10 W. of Okehampton, its post town. The village is small, and wholly agricultural. The living is a cur. annexed to that of Broadwood-wigger, in the dioc. of Exeter. The church is a small ancient edifice. The Baptists have a chapel in the parish. GEHMOE, a par. in the hund. of Kerrier, co. Corn- wall, 5 milesW.N. W. of Helstone,its post town, and 8 S.E. of Penzance. The main road between these towns passes through the village. Mining operations are carried on here, mostly in tin, giving employment to a large pro- portion of the inhabitants. The extensive Godolphin tin-mines have an expenditure of above 16,000 a-year for working. Stone is quarried for building purposes. The living is united with the vie. of Breage, val. 760, in the dioc. of Exeter, and in the patron, of the crown. The church is an ancient stone structure dedicated to St. Germoe. It has an embattled tower and porch, about which there are some antique carvings, and con- tains a stone font and register chest. A curious seat on the N. side of the churchyard is called St. Germoe's chair. The register commences in the year 1682. The charities produce annually about 3 for the relief of widows, and 10 for education. The Wesleyans have a chapel, and there is a National school. In the S. of the parish, near the sea-shore, are considerable remains of Pengersick Castle. The lords of the manor are the Duke of Leeds, H. M. St. Aubyn, and Buller, Esqs. GERNONSTOWN, a par. in the bar. of Ardee, co. Louth, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, containing its post town, Castle Bellingham. It lies along the banks of the river Glyde, near Dundalk Bay. The surface consists of a well-cultivated clayey soil, and is traversed by the road from Drogheda to Dundalk. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Armagh, val. with Kilsaran, 394. The church of the united parishes is situated near Castlo Bellingham. In the Roman Catholic arrangement this parish is united to that of Kilsaran. GERNONSTOWN, a par. in the bar. of Upper Slane, co. Meath, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 3 miles W. of Slane, on the road from thence to Kingscourt. Stack- alien is its post town. The surface consists of a good soil, and is drained by the Boyne river on the E. Tho living is a rect. in the dioc. of Meath, val. with Stack- alien, 420, in the patron, of the crown and bishop alternately. The Roman Catholic chapel at Rushweo is annexed to that of Slane. Here is a hedge school. Tankardstown and Rochestown are the chief residences. GERRANS, or GERRANCE, a par. in the hund. of West Powder, co. Cornwall, 7 miles S.E. of Truro, and 4 N. of St. Mawe's. It is situated at the upper extre- mity of St. Mawe's Harbour, being hounded on the E. by the English Channel. It formerly formed part of the demesne of the bishops of Exeter. It includes the hmlts. of Porthskaths and Trewithan. The land is rich, and the soil chiefly arable. Slate occurs in some parts. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Exeter, val. 258, in the patron, of the bishop. The church is situated on an eminence commanding a fine prospect. It is dedicated to St. Guron, and contains a handsome monument to the Hobbs family. The Independents and Wesleyans have chapels. There is a parochial school. On the estate of Trewithan are remains of an ancient fortress called Dun-gerein, reported by tradition to have been the castle of King Gerennius. GERRARD'S-CROSS, a vil. in the par. of Chalfont St. Peter, hunJ. of Bumham, co. Bucks, 3 miles S.E. of Beaconsficld. The village, which is small, is situated on the road between Uxbridge and Beaconsficld. In the vicinitv is Bulstrode Park, a seat of the Duke of Port- land. " GESTINGTHORPE, a par. in the hund. of Ilinck- ford, co. Essex, 4 miles-S.W. of Sudbury and 5 N. of Halstead, its post town. It is situated on a small tribu- tary of the river Stour, and includes the old parish of Odewell. Tho soil is generally clayey, but in some parts a rich loam interspersed with sand. The land is almost wholly arable, with a small proportion of wood- land. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 150, to which is annexed a sinecure rect. of the val. of 454. The church is an old edifice of brick, dedicated to St. Mary. It has a square tower, and con- tains a monument of a knight templar, and a painting of -the Ascension. There is a school endowment of about 16 per annum, which goes towards the support of the National school. Both the vicarial and rectorial tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge. GIANT'S CAUSEWAY, THE, a celebrated basaltic promontory on the magnificent coast of the bar. of Gary, co. Antrim, prov. of Ulster, Ireland. It consists of throe columnar piers, designated the Great, the Middle, and the Little, stretching out from Aird's Snout into the sea, the former 300 yards, and the two last 150 yards, and estimated to contain 40,000 polygonal columns, from 40 to 65 feet in length, most of them six-sided, some five, seven, and eight-sided, one three-sided, and three nine-sided. Each column is composed of a series of lengths fitted to each other with mathematical nicety, the termination of every joint being either concave or convex. The whole coast, from the embouchure of the Bush river to Fair Head, abounds in the most interesting and beautiful rock structure. Among some of the most remarkable objects to the W. of the Causeway are Lord Antrim's Parlour, the Ladies' Chair, and the Steucans, and to the E. are the Giant's Gateway, the Organ, the Loom, and other remarkable cliffs. GIANT'S GRAVE, THE, a name given to the town- land of Pitmore, in the par. of Glenavy, bar. of Massa- rene, co. Antrim, prov. of Ulster, Ireland, so called from the finding here of some enormous human bones. GIANT'S RING, THE, in the par. of Drumbo, bar. of Castlereagh, co. Down, prov. of Ulster, Ireland, 4 miles S. of Belfast. A remarkable circle, about 580 feet in