Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/261

HERTFORDSHIRE. 253 HESKET, UPPER AND NETHER. Luton, and Dunstable line, which joins the Great Eastern at Hertford, the Great Northern at Welwyn, and the London and North- Western at Luton. Although furnished with such abundant means of communication, both with London and all parts of the country, Hert- fordshire is not a manufacturing county the only ma- nufactures of any importance ure straw-plait, silk, and paper. In the first about 5,000 persons are employed, including bleachers, cleaners, Brazilian hat makers, and dealers ; in the second about 500 ; and in the third viz. paper about 350. There are a large number of millers, and a considerable business is done in malting, brewing, tanning, currying, brick and tile making, parchment bleaching, type-founding, pipe and chimney-pot making, sail- weaving, and coach-building. The amount of savings by the working classes, as tested by the returns of tho savings-banks made to parliament in 1862, was but small compared with the population, being only 1 88,759 ; yet there can be no doubt of the general prosperity ot the county, chiefly owing to the number of resident gentry. The population are principally of English extraction. The county returns three members to par- liament for the shire, and two for the borough of Hert- ford, which is the county town and place of election. It formerly returned two for St. Alban's, but this latter town was disfranchised for bribery at the late elections. The polling-places are Hertford, Stevenage, Bunting- ford, Bishop Stortford, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, and Hoddesdon. The county is governed by a lord-lieu- tenant, and a body of deputy-lieutenants and county magistrates. It is included in the Home circuit, and within the London bankruptcy jurisdiction. The assizes and quarter sessions are held at Hertford, except for tho hui ul. of Cashio and liberty of St. Alban's, which has a separate commission of peace. Besides the boroughs of Hertford and St. Alban's, the county contains 15 market towns viz. Ashwell, Baldock, Barnet, Berkhampstead, Bishop Stortford, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hitchin, Hoddesdon, Royston, Tring, Ware, Watford, with Bun- tingford and Rickmansworth ; but the markets of these two last have fallen into disuse. The other considerable towns are Cheshunt, Welwyn, Stevenage, King's Long- ley, Braughing, Offley, Sawbridgeworth, and Hadham. For civil purposes the county is divided into 8 hundreds, comprising 130 parishes and townships, and into 13 Poor-law Unions, parts of which extend into other adjoining counties. There are four coroners for the county, with separate divisions viz. Hertford, Hitchin, Hemel Hempstead, and St. Alban's. County courts are held in Barnet, Bishop Stortford, Hertford, Hitchin, Waltham, and Watford. For ecclesiastical purposes it forms the archdeaconry of St. Alban's, in the bishopric of Rochester and province of Canterbury, and is divided into 12 rural deaneries. The county constabulary con- sists of a chief constable, 3 superintendents, 9 inspectors, and 78 constables, maintained at an annual cost of about 8,000. Some of tho principal seats are Cashiobury I'urk, of the Earl of Essex ; Brocket Hall, of Viscount I'almerston ; Hatfield House, of tho Marquis of Salis- bury ; Ashridge House, of Earl Brownlow ; Ball's Park, of Marquis Townshend; Camfield, of Baron Dimsdale; (Jorhambury House, of the Earl of Verulam ; Great Hyde Hall, of the Earl of Rowden ; Grove Park, of the Hurl of Clarendon; Knebworth House, of Sir Edward I -yi ton Bulwer-Lytton, Bart. ; Marchmont House, of the Dowager Lady Cooper; Oakhill, of Lord Faversham; n Hall, of Henry Lushington, Esq. ; Bedwell Park, of Sir Culling E. Eardley, Bart. ; Beochwood, of Sir Thomas G. 8. Sebright. Bart. ; Broxbourne Bury, G. J. Bosanquet, Esq., besides numerous other seats of gentle- men and wealthy merchants, which greatly enhance the in Miity of the scenery of this county. The Roman and I'.ritish antiquities of Hertfordshire are numerous. 1 the sites of Verulamium and Ad Fines, already mentioned, there is a large camp on Wilbury Hill, near Baldoek, covering 7 acres, and surrounded by a rampart h, which is 5 feet high on the W. side. In tho sun. ],,,rt of tho county, at Caldecote and Ashwell, I Ionian antiquities have been found, including funereal urns filled with charred bones, glass lacryma- tories, patera of fine red earthenware, fibulae, rings, and a great variety of silver coins. At Rockley Wood, near Royston, a small bronze figure of Mars, and some thin plates with figures and inscriptions upon them, have been dug up. Coins have also been found at Braughing, Cheshunt, Bishop Stortford, and Hemel Hempstead. The most interesting of the ancient buildings are St. Alban's and Waltham abbeys, recently restored; the priories of Hitchin and Ware, of which there are some remains ; the palaces of Hatfield and King's Langley, the latter built by Henry III. ; and the castles of Hert- ford, Berkhampstead, Bishop Stortford, and the Anstie, of which last the earthworks alone remain. HERTINGFORDBURY, a par. in the hund. and co. of Hertford, 2 miles S.W. of Hertford by the Hertford and Dunstable section of the Great Northern railway. It is situated on the river Maran, and was given by William the Conqueror to Philip Do Valoines. The manor was subsequently held as part of the duchy of Lancaster from the reign of Edward III. to that of Charles I. Tho land is chiefly arable, with some pasture and woodland. The village is small and the inhabitants engaged in agriculture. The tithes have been com- muted for a rent-charge of 555. The living isa rect.* in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 473, in the patron, of tho Duchy of Lancaster. Tho church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient structure, with tombs of tho Cowpers of Panshanger and Hertingfordbury House. The charities produce about 100 per annum, distributed to tho poor. HESKETH, a par. in the hund. of Leyland, co. Lancaster, 9 miles N.E. of Ormskirk. It' is joined with Becconsall, and includes the port of Hesketh Bank, being a subport to Preston. The vil. is situated near the junction of tho rivers Douglas and Ribble. In 1720 the sea broke in between Hesketh and Cockerham, over- whelming a largo tract of land. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Manchester, val. 275. The charities consist of a share of those belonging to Croxton. HESKET-IN-THE-FOREST, a par. in the ward of Lcath, co. Cumberland, 9 miles S.E. of Carlisle, its post town, and 9 N.W. of Penrith. It is situated on the river Eden, and is intersected by tho Lancaster and Carlisle railway. The par., which is of large extent, comprising above 10,000 acres, contains the vil. of Armathwaite, and tho tnshps. of Itonfield, Petteril- Crooks, Plumpton-street, with Nether and Upper Hesket, in Inglewood Forest, and tho hmlt. of Cal- thwaite. It is a polling place for the eastern division of the county. At Barrock in this parish is a fine variety of clay well adapted for the manufacture of porcelain. Tho living is a perpet cur. in the dioc. of Carlisle, val. 150. There is also a district church at Aima- thwaite, the living of which is a perpet. cur., val. 50. Tho parish church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a modern structure, with an open turret containing two bells. The parochial charities produce about 18 per annum, chiefly endowment of tho parochial schools. Hero is a lake called Tarn Wadling, famed for its production of the finest carp. HESKET NEWMARKET, a market town in tho tnshp. of Caldbeck-Haltclifle, par. of Caldbeck, and ward of Allerdale-below-Derwent, co. Cumberland, 12 miles S.W. of Carlisle, and 297 N.N.W. of London. It is a small town of modern date, near the Lancashire railway, situated in a secluded spot among tho mountains, on the bank of tho river Caldew, which here dashes over tho Caldbeck Falls. Tho surrounding district is rich in mineral wealth, especially lead, copper, molybenda, and manganese, and at Carrickbeck are smelting works for the lead ore. Hero is an old hall, the seat of tho Lawsons, and a chapel belonging to the Society of Friends. Near the town is a petrifying spring, issuing from the rock. Market day is Friday. Fairs for cattle are held on every Friday from the 1st May till Whitsuntide, and for sheep on the last Thursday in August, and tho second in October. HESKET, UPPER AND NETHER, a tnshp. in tho X K.