MARKSBURY. 779 MARLBOROUGH. Nidd. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agricul- ture. Agricultural machines are manufactured in this township, and lime -burning is carried on. The soil v. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of Kipun, val. 169, in the patron, of the bishop. The church, dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, is a ntsit stone structure, with a belfry containing two bells. The charities produce about 7 per annum. There is an endowed Church school for both sexes, and a place of worship for the Wesleyans. William Wilberforco, Esq., is lord of the manor. MARKSBURY, a par. in the hund. of Keynsham, co. Somerset, 7 miles S.W. of Bath, its post town, and 4 $. of the Keynsham railway station. The par., which is of small extent, is chiefly agricultural, and includes the huilt. of Houndstreet. The soil consists of loam and stone brash, with a subsoil of marl. Coal is found. The surface is hilly, and the lower grounds are watered by several rivulets. On Wingsbury Hill are remains of an ancient chapel, probably belonging to a monastery, which formerly existed here. The living is a rect. * in the dioc. of Bath and Wells, val. 240. The church, dedicated to St. 1'eter, is an ancient structure, with a tower containing six bells. There is a National school for both sexes, also a Sunday-school. There is a place of worship for the fflTeeleyans. MARKSHALL, a par. in the Witham div. of the hund. of Lexden, co. Essex, 2 miles N. W. of Coggeshall, its post town, and 5 N. of the Kelvedon railway station. The parish, which is of small extent, is situated near the river Blackwater, and is wholly agricultural. At the Conquest it was held by Nigel under the Montforts, and was called Marcheahald. The situation is low, and the soil gene- rally a strong loam, resting on a substratum of clay. The land is chiefly in pasture and woodland. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 176. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 158. The church, dedicated to St. Margaret, is a modem brick building of neat appearance. It contains an altar- piece figuring the Descent from the Cross. Adjoining the church is Markshall, the principal residence. The hall contains a portrait of Mrs. M. Honeywood, who, dying at the age of 93, left 16 children, and 351 grand- children to the fourth generation. JIARKSHALL, a par. in the hund. of Humbleyard, co. Norfolk. See MATTISHALL. 1IARKS-TEY, a par. in the Witham div. of the hund. of Lexden, co. Essex, 5 miles W. of Colchester, its post town, and 5 S.E. of Coggeshall. It is situated near the Great Eastern railway, on which it is a station. There are traces of the moat which formerly surrounded Marks- Tey Hall, now a farmhouse. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The living is a vie.* in the diou. of Rochester, val. 234, in the patron, of Balliol College, Oxford. The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, is an ancient structure. MARLAND-PETERS, a par. in the hund. of Sheb- bear, co. Devon, 5J miles S.W. of Great Torrington, its post town, and 12 J 8. of Bideford. The village, which is small, is situated on the high road from Torrington to Hathcrleigh, and is wholly agricultural. The soil is >us, with a subsoil of clay and rock. The impropriate tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 195. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Exeter. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, is an ancient stone struo- . with a tower containing four bells. The interior of the church contains several brasses and monuments. i is a school for both sexes, and a Sunday-school in the school-room. Winscott House is the principal nee. JLULBOROUGH,a par., post and market town, and municipal and parliamentary borough, locally in the hund. of Silkley, but exercising separate jurisdiction, co. Wilts, 10 miles 'V. of Hungerford, and 14 E. of Devizes. ' -s about 6 miles off the Berks and Hants line of rail- , with which it is connected by a branch line, start-
- om Savernake station. This town is supposed by
been the Ctwetio of Antoninus, and sub- sequently took the name o I ' 'irHarleberg, from the marl or chalk hills by which it is surrounded. At the time of the Domesday Survey it was held in royal demesne, and had a church, but the castle was not built till the subsequent reign. In the baronial war of John, the castle was alternately held by the king and the barons, and seems to have been an occasional residence of subsequent sovereigns till the time of Henry VII., and to have formed part of the dowries of several queens. There was also a royal residence at Ogbourne, about a mile and a half from the town. Henry III. held a par- liament here, which enacted the laws relative to the police of the kingdom, commonly called the "statutes of Marlebridge," and from that time till the reign of Charles I., the assizes were held here. In the civil war of the 17th century, it was garrisoned by the parliamen- tarians under the Earl of Essex, but was surprised by General Wilmot, who, in December, 1642, captured here above 1,000 prisoners and a great quantity of military stores. The castle and borough were granted by Henry VIII. to Edward Duke of Somerset, and have descended by intermarriage to the Marquis of Ailesbury. The castle having fallen into decay, the Dukes of Somer- set, of the Seymour family, erected a large house on its site, subsequently converted into the Castle Inn, which has recently given place to the Marlborough College, which forms a considerable mass of buildings at the western extremity of the High-street. This institution, originally founded with the object of giving a liberal education to the sons of clergymen on economical terms, was incorporated by letters patent in 1845, and received a second charter in 1849, by which latter half of the pupils may be sons of laymen. It has a chapel, dedi- cated to St. Michael, built in 1847 by Blore, and sub- sequently decorated by Butterfield, designed solely for the use of the pupils, who average about 600. The Archbishop of Canterbury is perpetual visitor, the Bishop of Salisbury is president of the council. A modern school has recently been attached to the college for the education of youths not intended for the Universities. The town, which stands on the Bath road near the banks of the river Kennett, consists chiefly of one spacious street, running from E. to W., which is paved, and lighted with gas. On the N. side of the principal street, chiefly shops, is a penthouse projecting in front of the houses, and serving for a promenade in wet weather. The houses are for the most part large and well-built, the more modern of stone and brick, and the older of wood, ornamented in front by curious carved work. It contains a market-house, erected by the corporation in 1790 on the site of a former one, over which is the town- hall. There are also assembly rooms, a council room, and court-house, the county bridewell, four commercial banks, and a savings-bank. The public reading-room, situated in High-street, was opened in 1864, and has a library attached, belonging to the Marlborough Reading and Mutual Improvement Society, established in 1844. The town derives considerable advantages from the esta- blishment of Marlborough College, which has considera- bly added to the business. The trade is principally in corn, meal, coal, malt, bacon, butter, and cheese, of which two last vast quantities are sent every week to London. The chief industries carried on are malting, brewing, rope and sacking making, tanning, and wool-stapling. The population of the municipal borough in 1851 was 3,908, and, in 1861, 3,684 ; that of the parliamentary borough, which includes the parish of Preshute, in 1851, was 6,135, and, in 1861, 4,893. It returns two members to parlia- ment, and is a borough by prescription, first chartered by John in 1205. Under the Municipal Reform Act it is governed by a mayor, who is also returning officer, 4 aldermen, and 12 councillors, with the style of "mayor and burgesses of the borough and town of Marlborough." The new borough has an area of 3,983 acres, and a re- venue of about 1,000, chiefly arising from rents. The franchise is enjoyed by all 10 householders, but the chief influence is with the Marquis of Ailesbury, of Tottenham Park. Marlborough i? the headquarters of the county militia, and the head of a Poor-law Union, embrac- ing 13 parishes. The union workhouse, which is situ-
