Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/775

This page needs to be proofread.
767

MAN, ISLE OF. 767 MANNINGFORD-BRUCE. or Dufglas, rises in the mountains behind the town to i it gives name, and falls into the hay near Douglas ,. The climate is remarkably mild, but change- The soil is sandy on a substratum of clay or rock, large tracts of peat, in Which occur carbonised logs of fir and oak, chiefly in the hilly districts. The chief >ats, barley, and wheat, of which two last [iiuntitius are exported, and, together with herrings, auto the chief export trade of the island. Grasses, >, flax, and green crops are also cultivated, but the greater number of farmers are engaged in the rearing of pigs, poultry, and native cattle, which are a small white breed, for the home markets. The farms are in general of small extent, comprising from 15 to JtO acres, at rents varying from 5s. to 3 per acre. are cither held in perpetuity, paying certain foes and rents, or on lease, the estates, according to the Manx law, being the inheritance of the eldest child, whether son or daughter. The cottages of the peasantry are extremely primitive in construction, being built of sods and thatched. The people are for the most part allied in race to the Highland Scotch or Irish, and speak a dialect of the Gaelic language called Manx. The currency also differs in certain respects from that of the 1 Kingdom, there being 23. id. Manx to 1 >h, or 14d. in Is., and 1 notes are current, as in Hid. Previously to the Act of Revestment in 1765 an extensive contraband trade was carried on to the extent of about half a million sterling, but since the introduction of the new code of revenue laws, under the Act of 6 George IV., the exportation is confined almost solely to goods that are the produce or manufac- ture of the island, on which no export duty is paid. The manufacture of sheeting, linen, towelling, and sail- cloth was introduced about the beginning of the present century, when also the woollen manufacture was estab- liihed, and these branches of industry are still carried on chiefly at the Union Mills near Douglas. Extensive paper mills are established at Laxey, and in various parts of the island are breweries, tanneries (chiefly for Unx hides and skins), candle and soap works, &c. j;rics are prohibited by the British government on at of the temptation to smuggling. The herring ies, which employ above 400 boats of from 15 to 16 tons each, produce nearly 100,000 per annum, the 'i of the tnidu being Peel Harbour, which presents an animated appearance between July and October, the fishing season. The imports include brandy, , geneva, wine, tea, coffee, and tobacco, which require a license, and are prohibited to be re-exported, besides which black cattle, horses, sheep, agricultural imple- ments, seeds, linen, yarn, boards, bricks, cordage, and for nets, hemp, tackle for the fisheries, utensils for vjth manufacture, salt, soap, lees, wood ashes, and 113 colonial and British productions, are imported iVee. The general character of the population is ^^itablo but superstitious. The peasantry are deficient ' rgy and frugality, like most of the Celtic races, ire docile aid intelligent. Most of the children . ' 1 the schools, with which the island is well supplied, being 50 Church schools for the 31 parishes and ^:ts; of these 10 are free schools, 15 in connection the National Society, receiving grants from iriment, and 3 Sunday-schools. All the schools have paid teachers, whose salaries in the aggregate amount to near 1,500 per annum. King William's college is at Castletown, where a good classical ition is obtainable by the sons of the gentry and j wealthy fanners. The main lines of road branching las are three, one in the direction of Sneafell, iig through Kirk-Onchan, Laxey, and Ballaglass, to soy, thence in one direction to Kirk-Bride and Ayre

in another direction to Bishop's Court and

a. Another line of road from Douglas passes by the Nunnery to Kirk-Marown and Peel; the third Kirk St. Anne to Kushen Abbey, and ,>mce to Port le Murray and the Calf of . to which there is a ferry. The island has always . governed by its own laws, which, like the common law of England, rested rather on immemorial custom and precedents than on any written code, and were formerly administered under the lord proprietor by the deemsters and keys. Its most ancient records are the laws and ordinances enacted by the court of Tynwald in 1417. The statute book commences in 1422, and contains a collection of statutes, ordinances, and customs " presented, reputed, and used for the laws of the island." These laws, though still retaining much of their ancient peculiarity of character, have been from time to time modi- fied by the Acts of the Tynwald more in accordance with those of England. By an Act of Tynwald in 1777, and subsequently in the 57th of George III., the code now in general use was revised, since which very few altera- tions have been made. All new laws are published on the 5th July from the Tynwald hill. The institution of the grand jury forms an integral part of the judicial system as in England, but with this additional advan- tage, that it is capable of receiving evidence on the part of the accused, thereby enabling the court to find a bill with more certainty. MANLESS-GREEN, a hmlt. in the par. of Skelton, lib. of East Langbaurgh, North Riding of co. York, 3 miles N.E. of Guisborough. It is situated near the coast of the North Sea. MANLETH, a tnshp. in the par. of Llanidloes, co. Montgomery. It is situated near Llanidloes. MAN LEY, a tnshp. in the par. of Frodsham, second div. of the hund. of Eddisbury, co. Chester, 4 miles S.W. of Frodsham. It is situated near Delamere Forest. The village, which is small, is chiefly agricultural. There is a school for both sexes, entirely supported by J. V. Fox, Esq., the lord of the manor and principal landowner. MANLEY, a wap. in three di vs., East, North, and West, situated in the parts of Lindsey, co. Lincoln. The East wap. contains the pars, of Bottesford, Broughton, Frod- ingham, Hibaldstow, Messingbam, Redboume, Scawby, Waddingham, and part of Manton, comprising an area of 46,9UO acres. The North wap. contains the pars, of Appleby, Aikborough, Burton-on-Stather, Flixborough, West Halton, Roxby-cum-Risby, Whitton, Wintering- ham, and Winterton, comprising an area of 33,980 acres. The West wap. contains the pars, of Althorpe, Belton, Crowle, Epworth, Haxey, Luddington, Owston, Wroot, and part of Misson, comprising an area of 60,590 acres. MANLLWD, a tnshp. in the par. of Kerry, co. Mont- gomery. It is situated near Newtown. MANMOEL. See MAMHOLE, co. Monmouth. MANNIN, an islet off the coast of Cork, Ireland, opposite Kilcoe Castle. MANNIN BAY, a harbour on the coast of Galway, Ireland, 4 miles S.W. of Clifden. It has good anchorage in 8 fathoms water, but is partially obstructed by rocks. MANNINGFORD-ABBOTS, a par. in the hund. of Swanborough, co. Wilts, 2 miles S.W. of Pewsey, its post town, and 8 S. of Marlborough. The parish, which is of small extent, is situated on the rivulet Avon. The village consists of a few straggling houses, and the inhabi- tants are wholly engaged in agriculture. The manor anciently belonged to Llanthony Abbey, and, after the Dissolution, was granted to the Duke of Somerset, lord protector. The surface is greatly undulating, and the soil a clayey loam alternating with sand. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Sarum, val. 300. The church is a neat structure of ancient erection. There is a village school supported by subscription. MANNINGFORD-BOHUN, a tythg. in the par. of Wilsford, hund. of Swansborough, co. Wilts, 2 miles S.W. of Pewsey. It adjoins the par. of Manningfori- Abbots. MANNINGFORD-BRUCE, a par. in the hund. of Swanborough, co. Wilts, 2 miles S.W. of Pewsey, its post town, and 10 S.E. of Devizes. The village, which ig of small extent, is situated on the rivulet Avon, and is wholly agricultural. The surface is in general flat, but. rises into gentle eminences towards the Downs. Tho soil is chiefly sandy, resting on a substratum of chalk, and, in other parts, peat, resting upon clay. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 310. The