Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/549

STETCHWORTH. 637 STEWARTON. STETCHWORTH, a par. in tho hund. of Radfield, co. Cambridge, 3 miles S.W. of Newmarket, its post town, and lj milo E. of the Dullingham station oil the Cam- bridge and Newmarket railway. Tho inhabitants of the village are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Ely, val. 174. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, is an ancient edifice, with a tower and five bells. It contains a monument to H. Gorges, Esq. Tho principal residence is Stetchworth House. STEVENAGE, a par., post, and small market town in tho hund. of Broadwater, co. Herts, 4 miles S.E. of Hitchin, and 12 N.W. of Hertford. It is a station on the Great Northern railway. It is situated on the great North road from London to Edinburgh, and ia a polling and petty sessions town. In Domesday Book it is called Stcvenach. It was a royal manor, and was granted by Edward the Confessor to Westminster Abbey, at the Dissolution by Henry VIII. to the Bishopric of West- minster, and on the suppression of that by Queen Mary to the see of London, to which the manor still belongs. The town principally consists of one long and spacious street extending N. and S. for nearly a mile, with several smaller ones branching off. It is well lighted with gas and amply supplied with water. A manor court is held annually at the Bury on the Wednesday in Easter week for the Bishop of London. Petty sessions for the division are held on alternate Thursdays at the National schoolroom. Tho trade is chiefly local, and straw-plaiting is extensively carried on. On tho London road are six barrows or hills, from which tho place is supposed to have derived its name. At Humly Wood, half a mile E. of the barrows, are the remains of an intrenched camp or forti- fication ; and at Dane End, Dane's field, &c., battles are supposed to have been fought between tho Danes and Saxons. The living is arect. * in tho dioc. of Rochester, gross val. 1,007. The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, is situated on a chalky eminence about half a mile from tho town, and is approached by an avenue of trees. It is an ancient flint structure with an embattled and spired tower, and attached to the chancel are two small chapels. The interior contains two ancient piscina}, also an E. window figuring the four Evangelists, tho gift of G. Smyth, Esq., of this town. A new church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, has been erected at tho S. end of the town at an outlay of 1,200. Tho parochial charities produce about 20 per annum. There is an endowed grammar school, to which, in 1558, tho Rev. Thomas Alleyne bequeathed an annuity of 13 6s. 8d. ; a separate endowment also belongs to it for English education of about 30. There are also National and infant schools. The Wesleyans and Baptists have each a place of worship. Market day is on Saturday, but the market is now discontinued, except for the sale of straw plait. A pleasure fuir is held 22nd of September. STEVENSTON, a par. in the district of Cunninghamo, co. Ayr, Scotland, containing a village of the same name, and nearly half of tho town of Saltcoats. The parish is bounded by the Frith of Clyde, and by tho parishes of Ardrossan, Kilwinning, and Irvine. It extends in length about 5 miles from W. to S.E., with an extreme breadth of 3 miles. Towards the sea the land is flat, and the soil light and sandy ; and on this level ground the town of Saltcoats and the village of Stevenston are prin- cipally built. From E. to W. the greater part of the parish is divided by a winding and rocky acclivity, which was evidently tho ancient sea cliff. To tho N. of this boundary the soil is of deep loam or stiff clay ; the state of cultivation is excellent ; and the undulating surface is in many places wooded. Besides quarries of limestone and of superior grey sandstone, there is an extensive coal- ii- Id, which has been worked for nearly two centuries. It consists of twelve separate seams, which taken together uro 38 feet in thickness, and the lowest of which I a depth of more than 200 fathoms. The eastern p<ntion of the field is worked under Messrs. Merry and (-'iininghamo, by whom the mining operations have been greatly extended, and furnace* erected for the smelting of iron ore. The western division is rented by Messrs Kenneth and Whitefield. The weaving of silk and other fine fabrics is still carried on, but not so extensively as formerly. A number of females are em- ployed in muslin flowering. The parish is traversed by a branch of tho S.W. railway, which has stations at Stevenston and Saltcoats. The village of Stevenston is about 6 miles N.W. of Irvine, and 1 mile N.E. of Salt- coats. Tho barony of Stevenstou was gifted by Richard de Morvillo, High Constable of Scotland, to one Lock- hart, and from his son Stephen tho parish took its name. The only interesting remnant of antiquity is Kirilaw Castle, a ruined stronghold of the earls of Glencairn, which was sacked by the Montgomeries of Eglinton in 1488. The village, mentioned in the charter of the Loudouu family as far back as 1240, has a popula- tion of 2,600, and consists of one principal street, half a mile long, which is crossed by several smaller ones. The par. is in the presb. of Irvine and synod of Glasgow and Ayr. The stipend of tho minister averages 300. The parish church was erected in 1833. There are two Free churches, and one United Presbyterian church, and several schools. The principal seats are Kirilaw, Ardeer, Auchenharvie, Hayock's Lodge, Parkeud, May- ville, and HuUerhirst. The population of tho parish by tho last census was 5,454. STEVENTON, a par. in the hund. of Ock, co. Berks, 4J miles S.W. of Abingdon, its post town. It is a station on tho Great Western railway. The village, which is considerable, is situated on a branch of the river Thames, and near the Wilts and Berks canal. Here were formerly a castle of the Wakes, built in 1281, and a priory of Black canons, founded as a cell to Bee Abbey, in Normandy, in the reign of Henry I., and which upon tho suppression of alien houses was given to West- minster Abbey. The land is divided between arable and Cture, with 100 acres of common. The soil is a rich m. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Oxford, val. 160, in tho patron, of the Dean and Chapter of West- minster. The church, dedicated to St. James, contains a brass of Richard Do and wife, bearing dato 1476. In tho churchyard are remains of an ancient cross, which, though of great weight, sways to and fro at a touch. The parochial charities produce about 60 per annum. There is a National school for both sexes. Tho Dean and Chapter of Westminster are lords of tho manor. STEVENTON, a par. in the hund. of Basingstoko, Kingclero div. of co. Hants, 5 miles N.E. of Andover, 3 S.E. of Overton, and 7 S.W. of Basingstoke. Tho village, which is small, is situated on the South-Western road. Tho living is a rect. * in the dioc. of Winchester, val. 485. The church, an ancient structure, dedicated to St. Nicholas, has been restored. There is a free school supported by E. Knight, Esq., who is lord of the manor. The manor-house, an ancient building, is tho principal residence. STEVENTON, or STEVINGTON, a par. in tho hund. of Willey, co. Bedford, 5 miles N.W. of Bedford, its post town. The village is situated near the river Ouse. The land is wholly arable. In the centre of the village stands an ancient cross. The living is a vie. * in tho dioc. of Ely, val. 168. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient edifice, with a tower and five bells. Tho interior contains abrass of T.Salle, bearing date 1422. Tho parochial charities produce about 20 per annum, which go to Barringer's almshouses. There is a National school for both sexes. Tho Baptists have a place of worship. Near the church is a spring, which is called the Holy Well. Crowe Alston, Esq., is lord of thd manor. STEWARTFIELD, a vil. in tho par. of Old Deer, co. Aberdeen, Scotland, 3 miles S.W. of Mintlaw. It is situated on the western road from Ellon to Fraserburgh. Its original name was Crichio. In the village is an United Presbyterian church. STEWAKTON, a par., post and market town, in tho district of Cunninghame, co. Ayr, Scotland. It extends nearly 10 milis in Icr.^'.h fr>:n S.W. t" X.K., with an