Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/521

SPEXHALL. 509 SPITTLE. priory cell to Preaux Abbey in Normandy, founded by the Earl of Mellent in the reign of Henry I., but after- wards joined to Monks-Toft, in Norfolk. The living is a rect.,* with the cur. of Charlton Marshall annexed, in the dioc. of Sarum, vol. 517. The church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, was rebuilt in 1859, except the tower. The register dates from 1705. The parochial charities produce about 110, which go to Dr. Hall's and Dr. Sloper's schools. There are National and infant schools, also the convent of St. Monica. The Inde- pendents and Primitive Methodists have chapels. SPEXHALL, a par. in the hund. of Blything, co, Suffolk, 2 miles N. of Halesworth, its post town. The village is small and wholly agricultural. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Norwich, val. 277, in the patron, of the lord chancellor. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, is an ancient structure with a ruined tower. The parochial charities produce about 15 per annum, realised from poors' land. SPEY, a river and loch of the cos. of Inverness and Elgin, Scotland. It rises in Uadcnoch, under the Grampians, and^lows by a rapid course of 80 miles in a N.E. direction to the Moray Frith at Gannouth. It is apt to flood, and has a salmon fishery suid to be worth 6,000 a-year. SPEYMOUTH, a par. in the co. of Elgin, Scotland. It contains the vils. of Garmouth, Kingston Port, and Mosstodlach. The present par. consists of the two an- cient pars, of Dippel and Essil, and the barony of Gar- mouth, which were erected into one par. by a decree of the Court of Session, dated the 14th of July, 1731, when the present name was given to the united par. from its situation at the mouth of the river Spey. It extends in length about 6J miles from N. to S., with a mean breadth of about lj mile, and is bounded on the N. by the Moray Frith, on the E. by the river Spey, which is said to be the most rapid river in Scotland, on the S. by Rothes, and on the W. by Urquhart. The surface is level near the coast, but rises gradually towards the interior, and terminates in a high hill to the S. It abounds in wood and moorland, with about 50 acres of moss. The pariah is traversed from S. to N. by the great road from Garmouth, and from "W. to E. by the road from Keith to Elgin. It has water communication, and is within easy access of the Inverness and Aberdeen railway. This par. is in the presb. of Elgin, synod of Moray. The stipend of the minister is about 135. The parish church was erected in 1732, and enlarged and restored in 1799. There is a free church, also paro- chial and four other schools. The ancient hospital of St. Nicholas was founded by one of the Bishops of Moray. SPIDDLE, a post-office hmlt. in the par. and bar. of Moycullen, co. Galway, prov. of Connaught, Ireland, 1 1 miles W.S.W. of Galway. It is a fishing station on Spiddle Cove. SPIKE, an islet in Cork harbour, co. Cork, Ireland, 1 mile S. of Uueenstown. It is occupied by a battery and barracks, and was made a convict depot in 1847. SPILSBY, a par., post, and market town in the E. div. of Bolingbroke hund., parts of Lindsey, co. Lincoln, 10 miles S.E. of Horncastle, and 30 E. of Lincoln. It is a station on the Great Northern railway. It is situated on an eminence near the river Steeping, and includes the hmlt. of Eresby, the ancient seat of the Willough- bys and Berties. Spilsby is a petty sessions and polling town for the county. The town, which is well built, consists mainly of two streets, with a market-place in which is an ancient octangular market-cross on five steps, at one end. It is well paved and lighted with gas. It contains a townhall and court-house, house of correc- tion, erected in 1824 at an outlay of upwards of 25,000, corn-exchange, savings bank, and three commercial branch banks. Petty sessions are held every Monday, and the general quarter sessions for the southern divi- sion of the parts of Lindsey alternately here and at Louth, also a New County Court monthly. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Lincoln, val. 109. The church, dedicated to St. James, is an ancient structure with a tower of Henry VTI.'s time, containing six bells. The interior contains several brasses one to Margaret Wil- loughby, bearing date 1391, also tombs of the Bekes and Willoughbys. The parochial charities produce about 95 per annum. There are a free school and National schools for both sexes. The Independents, Wesleyans, and Primitive Methodists have chapels. The union poorhouse was erected in 1838. The board of guardians meet every alternate Thursday. The late Sir John Franklin, Kt., was born here in 1786. Market day is on Monday. Fairs for cattle are held on the Monday prior to Whit-Monday, and on the Monday following the 12th July. SPINDLESTONE, a tnshp. in the par. of Bambrough, N. div. of Bambrough ward, co. Northumberland, 3 miles S.E. of Belford. It was formerly a Roman station, with remains of Danish camps, &c. The soil is clayey. SPINKWELL, a hmlt. in the tnshp. of Dewsbury, West Biding oo. York, near Dewsbury. SPINNINGDALE, a vil. in the par. of Criech, co. Sutherland, Scotland. It is situated near Dornoch Frith, and had formerly a cotton manufactory, which was destroyed by fire in 1809. SPIRRINGATE, a tythg. in the par. of Cirencester, co. Gloucester, near Cirencester. SPIRTHILL, a tythg. in the par. of Bremhill, co. Wilts, 2 miles N.W. of Calne. SPITAL, a station on the Manchester, Chester, Birkenhead and Liverpool railway. SPITAL, a hmlt. in the par. of St. Peter, co. Essex, near Maldon. SPITALFIELDS, or CHRISTCHTJRCH, a populous metropolitan par. in the Tower div. of Ossulstone hund., co. Middlesex., It was anciently called Lolesmrth field, and was a Roman cemetery, but is now a densely populated district in the N.E. part of London, which see. SPITHEAD, an important anchorage beyond the Spit Sand, midway between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. SPITTAL, a par. in the hund. of Dungleddy, co. Pembroke, 5 miles N.E. of Haverlbrdwest, its post town, and 10 from Fishguard. The village is situated on a branch of the river Cleddy. It had formerly a chapel or hospital belonging to Slebech preceptory. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of St. David's, val. 79, in the patron, of the bishop. The church is dedicated to St. Mary. The Independents and Wesleyans have each a chapel. SPITTALFIELD, a vil. in the par. of Caputh, co. Perth, Scotland. It is situated near Dunkeld, and is traversed by the high road from Dunkeld to Dundee. SPITTAL-IN-THE-STREET, a hmlt. in the pars, of Hemswell and Glentworth, co. Lincoln, 10 miles E. of Gainsborough. It is situated on the Roman way Er- mine Street. Hero is St. Edmund's hospital, which was founded for poor women prior to 1330, and is now under the management of the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln. SPITTLE, or SPITTAL, a tnshp. in the par. of Tweedmouth, hund. of Islandshire, co. Northumberland, formerly in Durham, 1 mile S.E. of Berwick-on-Tweed, its post town. It is an improving village, situated on the coast of the North Sea, at the mouth of the river Tweed, and consists of two principal streets, one about a mile in length. It is a coastguard station and bathing- ' place much frequented during ihe summer. There is also a mineral spa. In the village is an iron foundry and spade and shovel manufactory. The inhabitants are engaged in fish curing. In the summer months two steamers ply between this village and Berwick every half-hour during the day. There is a large school for both sexes. The United Presbyterians have a chapel. The Berwick and Tweedmouth Gas Company's works are situated in this township. SPITTLE, a tnshp. in the par. of Ovingham, E. div. of Tindale ward, co. Northumberland, 9 miles N.E. of Hexham. SPITTLE, a hmlt. in the par. of Fangfoss, Last Riding co. York, 3 miles N.W. of Pocklington. SPITTLE. See POULTON-CX-M-SPITTLE, co. Chester.