Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/486

KINGTON. 478 KINGTON, WEST. Halfshire, co. Worcester, 9J miles E. of Worcester, its post town, 8 N.E. of Pershore, and 83 S.W. of Alcester. It is a small agricultural place consisting of a few farm- houses and cottages. The tithes were commuted for corn-rents under an Enclosure Act in 1781. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Worcester, val. 99. The church, dedicated to St. John, is a plain structure with a tower containing three tells. KINGTON, a par. and, market town in the hund. of Huntington, co. Hereford, 18 miles N.W. of Hereford, and 154 W. by N. of London. It is the terminus of the Leominster and Kington branch of the West Midland railway. The par., which is of large extent, includes, besides the town of Kington, containing Old and New Kington, the tnshps. of Barton, Both-Hergests, and Lilwall. The town, which consists of two spacious streets, is situated under Bradnor Hill Camp, on the banks of the river Arrow. It ia of considerable anti- quity, and had an archer's castle for defence of the Welsh borders. Charles II. is believed to have slept at an inn in this town previous to the fatal battle of Wor- cester. The manufacture of woollen cloth was formerly carried on extensively, but has now entirely ceased, and glove-making, which, until a recent period, furnished employment to a considerable number of the inhabitants, has much declined. There are three branch banks, a savings-bank, iron foundries, a nail manufactory, and an extensive tannery. Courts leet and baron for the manor are held annually, at the former of which a bailiff is appointed ; and the county magistrates hold petty sessions for the hundred of Huntington every Friday. The town is a polling-place for the county elections, and the seat of a Poor-law Union embracing 1 1 parishes in Here- fordshire, and 17 in Radnorshire. It is also the head of new County Court and superintendent registry districts. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Hereford, val. with Huntington annexed, 520, in the patron, of the bishop. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient structure, and was thoroughly repaired and enlarged in 1829. There are also churches at Brilley, Huntington, and Michael- church. The Baptists, Wesleyans, and Independents have places of worship. Tbe free grammar school was founded in 1619 by Lady Hawkins, who endowed it with an estate now producing 300 per annum. There are also National and Sunday schools. Bradnor Hill, to the N. of the town, are traces of an ancient encamp- ment, and to the W. of the town is a mound which was formerly fortified these works are supposed to have formed part of a chain of strongholds between Hunting- ton Castlo and the Castle of Lyon's Hall, to the S. of the parish. In a barn still standing the celebrated tragic actress, Mrs. Siddons, made her first appearance on the stage. Wednesday is market day. Fairs are held on the Wednesday beforo the 2nd February, Easter- Wednesday, Whit-Monday, 2nd August, 19th September, llth October, and Christmas, chiefly for cattle. KINGTON, a hund. in co. Warwick, in four divisions, distinguished as Brailes, Burton-Bassett, Kington, and Warwick [which see]. The Kington div. contains the pars, of Atherstone-on-Stour, Butlers Marston, Chads- hunt, Compton Verney, Eatington, Gayton, Holford, Kington, Lighthorne, Oxhill, Eadway, Tysoe, Whit- church, and part of Hmington, comprising about 31,000 acres. It gives name to a deanery in the archdeac. and dioc. of Worcester. KINGTON, or KINETON, a par. and decayed mar- ket town in the hund. of Kington, co. Warwick, 1 1 miles S.W. of Warwick, its post town, 12 N.W. of Banbury, and 6 from Harbury station, on the Oxford and Bir- mingham Junction line of railway. It is situated on rising ground near a branch of the river Avon, and in the midst of a valley. A small brook runs through the parish. It contains the hmlt. of Little Kineton and the chplry. of Combrook under Edge Hill, where Charles I. was defeated in 1642. The elevation of Edge Hill above the sea is 700 feet, and the waters descend from it on one side into the Thames by the river Cherwell, and on the other into the Severn by the Avon. Kineton was formerly a place of great importance, and belonged to King Edward the Confessor. It subsequently was the residence of King John, whose palace stood on Castle Hill. It was given to Kenilworth Priory by Henry I. At Little Kineton is a well called King John's Well. It is a meet for the Warwick hounds. The market was discontinued in 1841. Petty sessions are held at tho Swan Inn on the last Wednesday in each month. The town is a polling-place for the southern division of the shire. It is irregularly built, and the houses, which are of the rudest style of Elizabethan architecture, are in general of stone, with thatched roofs. In detached situations are several modern houses, built of stone and brick. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Wor- cester, val. 116. The parish church, dedicated to St. Peter, is an ancient cruciform structure with a tower containing six bells. The church was partly rebuilt in 1775. In the interior are effigies of a priest and several monuments. There is also a district church at Com- brook, the living of which is a perpet. cur. The cha- rities produce about 107 per annum, of which 25 goes to Combrook school. On the site of the old mark place a schoolroom has lately been erected by I. Willoughby de Broke. The Wesleyans and Baptitf have each a place of worship. A statute fair is hf' 2nd October, and a bean fair 5th February. KINGTON LANGLEY, a tythg. in tho par. Kington St. Michael, N. div. of the hund. of Dam ham, co. Wilts, half a mile N.W. of Kington St. Mic and 2 miles from Chippenham, its pgst town, inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture, living is a cur. annexed to the vie. of St. Michael, i the dioc. of Gloucester. The church was erected 1855, by voluntary contributions. It is a stone ture with a porch, and is dedicated to St. Peter, ia a National school for both sexea. Walter Coleman, Esq., is lord of the manor. KINGTON MAGNA, a par. in the hund. of Redlane, Sturminster div. of co. Dorset, 7 miles W. of Shafta- bury, and 7 S.E. of Wincanton. West Stour is its port town. It is situated near the river Gale, and contains the tythg. of Nyland. Tbe inhabitants are chiefly en- gaged in agriculture. The village, which is small, is situated on the road from London, via Yeovil, to Exeter. The living is a rect.* in tho dioc. of Sarum, val. 632, in the patron, of trustees. The church is an ancient structure, dedicated to tho Holy Trinity. The register dates from 1559. There are places of worship for Inde- pendents and Primitive Methodists. KINGTON ST. MICHAEL, a par. in the N. div. of the hund. of Damerham, co. Wilts, 3J miles N.Wrf Chippenham, its post town, and 36 from Salisbury, par., which is considerable, contains the tythg Easton Piercy, Kington St. Michael, and Kington I ley. It formerly belonged to the Saxon kings, who gare it to Glastonbury Abbey, which had a Benedictiae nunnery cell, founded prior to the reign of Henry I] Some traces of it are still to be seen at a farm. Its revenue at the Dissolution was 38 3s. Wd. It was once a market town, but is now an inconsiderable village. The surface is flat, and the soil clay alteruatii. sand and stone brash. Building stone is quarried. The living is a vie.* with the cur. of St. Peter's annexed, in the dioc. of Gloucester and Bristol, val. 450. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, ia an ancient Normsn I structure with a modern tower containing six bi ' the interior are some stained-glass windows, several monuments, and brasses of Lady Englefield, Snell, &c. The body of the church was built by Abbot Mir tho reign of Henry III. The parochial charities pro- duce about 45 per annum, of which 5 goes to Bower- man's school, and 33 to Lyte's aimshouses. A fair ia held on the 6th October for horses. KINGTON, WEST, a par. in the hund. of Chippen- ham, co. Wilts, 10 miles N.W. of Chippenham, town. The village, which is small, ia wholly agricul- tural, and is a meet for the Beaufort hounds. There are quarries of stone for common building purposes. The tithes have been commuted for a rent- charge of-