Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/136

GOSCOTE, WEST, HUNDRED. 128 GOSPORT. divisions of the co. Leicester, situated in the north-eastern part of the co., and bounded on the N. by the hund. of Framland, on the E. by the co. of Lincoln, on the S. by the hund. of Gartree, and on the W. by the hund. of West Goscote and the co. of Nottingham. It includes the pars, of Alexton, Ashfordby, Ashby-Folville, Barkby, Beeby, Brookesby, Cossington, South Croxton, Dalby- Jlagna, Dolby-on-the- Wolds, Frisby, Gaddesby, Grim- stone, Hoby, Humberstoue, Hungerton-with-Thorpe, Launde, Loddington, Lowesby, East Norton, Prestwold, Queensborough, Ragdale, Ratcliffe, Rearsby, Rotherby- with-Hoby, Saxelby, Seagrave, Shoby, Sileby, Skeffing- ton, Syston, Thurssingtou, Twyford, Walton, Wiines- wold, with parts of Bclgrave, Rothlcy, Tilton, and Tugby, comprising nearly 80,000 acres. It gives name to a deanery in the archdcac. of Leicester and dioc. of Peter- borough. GOSCOTE, WEST, HUNDRED, situate W. of tho above, and bounded on the N. and W. by tho co. of Derby, on the E. by the hund. of East Goscote and co. of Nottingham, and on tho S. by the hund. of Sparkenhoc. It contains the town of Mount Sorrel, and the pars. of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Beaumanor, Beaumont-Leys, Breedon-on-the-Hill, Broadgate, Charley, Colc-Orton, Diseworth, Castle Donnington, Garenden, Hathern, Kcgworth, Lockington, Loughborough, Newtown-Lin- ford, Osgathorpe, Seal, Sheepshed, Swepstone, Swith- land, Thorpacro, Thurcaston, Wanlip, Long Whatton, Whitwick, with portions of Barrow-on-Soar, Belgrave, Packington, Ravenstone, and Rothley, together com- prising about 86,560 acres, all of them in the deanery of Ackley, in the archdcac. of Leicester. GOSFIELD, a par. in the hund. of Hiuckford, oo. Essex, 3 miles S.W. of Halstead, its post town, and 6 N.E. of Braintree. It is situated on a small tributary of the river Colue. The Great Eastern line of railway has stations at each of the above towns, the turnpike- road between the two passing through the village. This was the seat of the Do Veres, and subsequently belonged to the dukes of Buckingham. The surface is elevated, and the soil a good loam, alternating with sand and gravel. The impropriate tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 161 16s. 3d., and the vicarial for 257 16*. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Roches- ter, val. j266. The church is an ancient edifice with two chapels, situated in the park of Gosfield Hall. It is dedicated to St. Catherine, and contains some handsome monuments and a brass of the Rolfe family of the 15th century. There are small charities of a'bout 1 per annum. Gosfield Hall and Gosfield Place are the prin- cipal residences. The former, situated in an extensive park, abounding with stately timber, is a handsome mansion of the time of the Tudors. It has a good pic- ture gallery, some antique carvings, and equestrian figures in armour. The Essex hounds meet here. GOSFOED, a hmlt. in the par. of Kidlington, hund. of Wootton, co. Oxford, 4 miles N. of (Mord. It is situated in the vicinity of the river Cherwell. GOSFORD CASTLE, the seat of the Earl of Wemyss, in tho co. Haddington, Scotland, near Aberlady. It is situated on tho Firth of Forth, and includes the old castlo. In the picture gallery are some fine works of the old masters, chiefly of the Italian and Flemish schools. There is another seat of the same name, be- longing to the Earl of Gosford, in the co. Armagh, Ireland, near Market Hill. GOSFORTH, a par. in the E. and W. divs. of Castle ward, co. Northumberland, 3 miles N. of Newcastle, its post town. It is situated on a tributary of tho river Tyne. The par., which is of considerable extent, com- prises the tnshps. of North and South Gosforth, East and West Brunton, Coxlodge, Fawdon, and East and West Kenton, with the village of Three-Mile-Bridge. The surface, though generally flat, has a gradual elevation towards the N. and W. The stratum is rich in mineral produce, and there arc two extensive collieries. The living is a cur. annexed to the vie. of Newcastle-upon- Tyne, in the dioc. of Durham, and in the patron, of the bishop. The church is a stone structure of the Last century, with a square tower surmounted by an octagonal spire. It is situated in South Gosforth, and is dedicated to St. Nicholas. There are National schools and a school for the children of those employed in the coal-pits. Gosforth House is the principal residence. The chapel- of-ease which formerly stood in North Gosforth has been taken down. GOSFORTH, a par. in the ward of Allerdale-above- Derwent, co. Cumberland, 5 miles N. of Ravcnglass, and 12 S.E. of Whitehaven, its post town. It is situated on the river Bleng, and includes the tnshps. of High and Low Bolton, Boonwood, and Newton. Scascale is a large sea-side hamlet of the parish, much frequented for bathing, where there is a station on the Whitehaven and Furness Junction railway, about 3 miles W. of Gosforth. There is a large tract of moorland, and several extensive peat mosses. This place supplies good building stone, which is extensively quarried. The tithes were com- muted for land under an Enclosure Act in 1810. The living is a rect. * in the dioc. of Carlisle. The church ia a substantial edifice, partly in the Norman style of archi- tecture, decorated with curious stone carvings. It is dedicated to St. Mary, and has monuments of the Sen- house and Parker families. The register commences in 1571. There are a few small charities. There is t National school possessing a small endowment. Gosforth Hall, formerly a good mansion, is now a farmhouse. A copper battle-axe was found at Bolton Wood, and at Seascale are the remains of a Druidical temple. General Wyndham is lord of the manor. Cattle fairs are held at Boonwood on 25th April and 18th October; statute fairs for hiring servants at Gosforth at Whitsuntide and Martinmas. GOSPORT, a par. chplry., seaport, market, and post town, in the par. and lib. of Alverstoke, co. Hants, 23 miles S.E. of Winchester, and 77 from London by tho turnpike road, or 96 by the South- Western railway, which has a branch line to this place. It is situated on the western side of the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour, on a point of land facing the town of Portsmouth, from which it is distant, at one part, only half a mile, and with which there is constant intercourse by means of a steam ferry, and a floating bridge conveying passengers, car- riages, horses, and all kinds of merchandise. Gosport is, comparatively, a modern town, deriving its import- ance, chiefly, from its proximity to Portsmouth. It ap- pears that Kong Stephen succeeded in landing here, after being driven about in a storm, and called it God's Port. He afterwards bestowed it upon his brother, the Bishop of Blois, who granted it a charter. Tho town is well built, and, especially from the water, has a handsome appearance. It is governed in matters relating to its sanitary and social condition by a body of trustees ap- pointed under a local Act of Parliament, who make and levy all rates for paving, lighting, &c. There are also two officers, called constables, chosen under tho ancient charter. The town contains a market-house, theatre, commercial and savings banks, house of correction, foundries, breweries, and extensive works connected wi " the government establishments, affording employment a large number of people. Here are situated the Roj Clarence victualling- yard for supplying her 11 navy, extensive powder magazines, the Forton marine barracks, and the Haslar hospital, capable of acuommo- dating 2,000 inmates. Within a short distance of the above hospital are the two powerful batteries known as the Block House and Monckton forts ; other defences arc iu process of construction. The coastguard and police ser- vices have stations here. It is a polling-place for the county, and petty sessions are held fortnightly. The living is a perpet. cur. * in the dioc. of Winchester, val. 220, with good parsonage house, in the patron, of the Rector of Alverstoke. The church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was originally erected in 1696, and ha^' been subsequently much enlarged. It was entirely repaired in 1830 at the cost of 4,000. Its inti TIKU appearance is very handsome. There is also the district church of St. Matthew, the living of which is a pcrpct. cur., val. 200, in the gift of the bishop and rcctoi