Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/243

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HELENA, ST. 235 HELIER, ST. 4 miles S.W. of Cullompton, and 8 N.E. of Exeter, by the Great Western railway, on which it is a station. It is situated near the river Culme and the South Devon railway. There is a?so a bridge of this name across the Exe, in co. Somerset. HELENA, ST., a hmlt. in the par. of Rotherhithe, CO. Surrey, 3 miles S.E. of St. Paul's, London. HELENSBURGH, a post town and burgh of barony, n the pars, of Cardross and Row, co. Dumbarton, Scot- and, 8 miles N.W. of Dumbarton, and 66 from Edin- burgh. It is a station on the Glasgow and Lochlomond railway. Helensburgh is a bathing village, standing on the banks of the Clyde, near the mouth of Gair loch, and immediately opposite to the town of Greenock. It contains a Free church, with school, Presbyterian church, a large chapel-of-ease, Episcopal and Indepen- dent chapels, hotels, baths, branch bank, insurance office, reading-rooms, athenaeum, two boarding-schools, distillery, and gasworks. Thert) is a landing-stage for steamers, and a promenade has been constructed along the beach. This town was founded in 1777 by Sir James Dolquhoun, Bart., and named in honour of his daughter. [t was constituted a burgh of barony in 1802, and is joverned by a provost, 2 bailies, 8 councillors, a trea- rarer, and superintendent of works. Ardinaplo and Roseneath Castle are the magnificent mansions of the Duke of Argyle. The only manufacture carried on is weaving. Here Henry Bell was born, who tried the first steam- vessel on the Clyde in 1812. Fairs are held on the second Tuesday in February, 1st June, 6th August, .inu 1 2th November. HELEN'S, ST., a par. in the East Medina liberty, [sle of Wight, co. Hants, 4 miles S.E. of Rydo, and 9 E. of Newport. The village of St. Helen's Green is mely situated on the bay called St. Helen's Road, near Brading Harbour. The par. includes the ecclesiastical listrict of Oakfield, or Seavil, and the hmlts. of Sea- View, and Spring Vale, and Nettlcstone. A Cluniac >riory was founded here in 1115, which was subse- nicntly given by Edward IV. to Eton College, Windsor. the remains of the ancient watch-tower belonging o the priory, now converted into a gentleman's

eat, still crown the cliffs overlooking the sea, and

ommand views of the Hampshire and Sussex coasts. n the Roads outside Spithead there is anchorage in hree to five fathoms, with some dangerous rocks and andbanks in the vicinity, but much used in time of var as a rendezvous of the royal navy. The living is a >erpet. cur. in the dioe. of Winchester, val. 121, in the Kitron. of Eton College. The church, dedicated to St. !'i-n, was removed to its present site in 1719, and _.-.! in rebuilt in 1831, with the exception of the chancel. r of the old church, which stood close to the eashore, is still standing, and serves as a sea-mark. s a church, dedicated to St. John, recently r> >r the ecclesiastical district of Oakfield. There >nal and other schools. HI) I. UN'S, ST., a large market and manufacturing p>wn in the tnshps. of Windlo and Sutton, Eccleston ry, and hund. of West Derby, co. Lancas- j:r, 3 miles N.E. of Prescot, and 48 S. of Lancaster. t is a station on the London and North- Western li'w.-iy, the St. Helen's junction being about 2 miles town; there is also water communication by !;oy Brook canal. The town, which is one of urge and increasing commerce, is very irregularly built, jnd covers a largo extent of ground, being entirely If modern date. The market-place forms a square ntro of tho town, and on one side stands the I'wnhall, a modern building. Tho inhabitants are Qgagcd in the neighbouring collieries and in < nsivo glass manufactories, that at Ixavcn- i tho township of Sutton, being tho largest i33 manufactory in the world. There are also , breweries, and extensive chemical works.

lv;u 'extensive works for smelting copper were

u-d by tho Bolivar Mining Association, mid works were subsequently erected by tho British d Foreign Copper Company. The living is a perpot. cur. in the dioc. of Chester, val. 450, in the patron, of trustees. There are three churches, two Roman Catholic chapels, and chapels belonging to tho Independents and Methodists, and .A school with an ample endowwent founded by Mrs. Cowley. Market day is Saturday. Fairs are held on Monday and Tuesday after Easter week, and Friday and Saturday after the 8th September. HELEN'S, ST., one of the smaller Scilly Islands, N. of Tresco Island, with an old church, good pasture, but no inhabitants. HELEN'S, ST., a par. in the bar. of Forth, co. Wex- ford, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 5 miles S.E. of Killinick. It is about 1 mile long, and less than a mile broad. It is situated on the coast near Greenore point. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Ferns, val. with Tacumshin, 789, in the patron, of tho bishop. Bally hire and Ballycronigan are two residences in tho vicinity. Hero 19 a coastguard station. HELESAY, one of tho Inverness Islands, W. coast of Scotland. It is within the parish of Barra, lying between it and South Uist, and is about 1 mile long. IIELFORD, a small seaport in tho par. of Manaccan, hund. of Kerrier, co. Cornwall, 6 miles S.W. of Fal- mouth. It is situated on the south side of the river Hel, near the mouth of which is the Gedge reef. Tho population are chiefly engaged in the coasting trade and in the fisheries. The Independents have a chapel. HELHOUGHTON, a par. in the hund. of Gallow, co. Norfolk, 5 miles S.W. of Fakenham, 8 S.W. of New Walsingham. Rougham is its post town. It is situated on the river Wensum. The waste lands were enclosed in 1219, when 30 acres were allotted to tho poor for fuel. The impropriato tithes have been com- muted for a rent-charge of 299 14s., and the vicarial for 184 12s. Tho living is a vie. annexed to that of South Raynham, in the dioc. of Norwich, joint val. 258. The church, which is dedicated to All Saints, is a rude structure with square tower. Tho Marquis of Townshend is lord of the manor. HELIER, ST., a par., market town, seaport, and watering place in tho Isle of Jersey, Channel Islands, of which it is the capital, within 9 hours' steam from Southampton or Plymouth, and 33 from London. It is situated on the southern coast of the island, at the base of an amphitheatre of low hills, which slope down to St. Aubin's Bay; in 49 11' 18" N. lat., and 2 7' W. long. Tho Victoria and tho Albert piers are tho usual landing places, enclosing a very commodious harbour, which replaced one of imich smaller dimensions a few years since. It is defended by two fortresses ; the one called Fort Regent, overlooking the harbour, was begun in 1806, and cost no less than 800,000 before its completion. The magazines and barracks are in tho bastions, and unjler the ramparts, and are bomb proof. The powder magazine is capable of containing 5,000 barrels, and tho garrison are supplied with water from a well 234 feet deep, and 10 feet in diameter, bored through tho solid rock. This fort is open to visitors ; the approach to it from tho town is between two hills, and the view from the ramparts is very fine. The other fortress, called Elizabeth Castle, is an ancient and pic- turesque castle, built on a hugo sea-girt rock, passed in approaching the town from tho sea, but now of com- paratively little strength. It was in this castle that Charles II. took up his residence when seeking refuge in tho island, and it was tho last fortress to hold out against the forces of Cromwell. Adjoining tho castle rock is tho hermitage reputed to have been tho retreat of St. Holier, who has left his name to the town. This dwelling has long been desolate, and is in tho roughest stylo of masonry, with only apertures for tho door and window, and a bed scooped in the hollow of the rock to the size and shape of the human body. Tho town itself is irregularly built, consisting of several main thorough- fares, and a number of narrow and irregular streets, tho houses being mostly of stone. It is well lit with ga.s, and paved, and is supplied with water from wells. Tho population of the town and parish of St. Helier, includ- ing the village of Ville-es-Nouaux, in 1861, was 29,528,