Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/101

NOSS HEAD. 89 NOTTINGHAM. NOSS HEAD, a promontory on the E. coast of co. Caithness, Scotland, 6 miles N. by E. of Wick. It is situated between Sinclair and Wick bays, and has on it a lighthouse 175 feet high, containing a revolving light, which may bo seen at sea for 15 miles. NOSS ISLAND, one of the Shetland group, coast of Scotland. It is situated on the E. side of Brassay Island, and is only accessible by means of ropes passed from the opposite cliffs of Brassay. NOSTAL, a hinlt. in the par. of Wragby, upper div. of the wap. of Osgoldcross, West Hiding co. York, 4 miles S.E. of Wakefield. There was formerly an Austin priory, founded by Ilbert-do-Lacy in the reign of Wil- liam Kufus. Near its site has been erected a family residence, the gallery of which contains a collection of paintings by Flemish artists, also " The Family of Sir T. More." It is joined with Hardwick to form a town- ship. NOSTERFIELE a hmlt. in the par. of West fan- field, West Riding co. York, 3 miles S.E. of Masham. NOTGROVE, a par. in the hund. of Bradley, co. Gloucester, 6 miles N.W. of Northloach, its post town, and 9 from the Adlestrop station on tho Oxford, Wor- cester, and Wolverhampton railway. The village, which is inconsiderable, is wholly agricultural. Tho land is generally sheep-walks and tho soil a stone brash. The tithes were commuted for land and a money payment under an Enclosure Act in 1770. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Gloucester and Bristol, val. 256. The church is an ancient structure, dedicated to St. Bartho- lomew. NOTLAND CASTLE, a stronghold in the Islo of Westray, Orkney Isles, coast of Scotland, near Noup Head. NOTLEY ABBEY, a monastic ruin at LongCrendon, CO. Bucks, 2 miles N. by E. of Thame. It was founded in 1162 by Giffard Earl of Buckingham for canons of tho Augustine order, and had at the Dissolution a reve- nue of 438. NOTLEY, BLACK, a par. in tho hund. of Witham, co. Essex, 1J mile S.E. of Braintree. Tho village, which is small and chiefly agricultural, is situated on elevated ground commanding views of the adjacent country. The surface is undulating, and the lower grounds are watered by the Hoppett brook, which de- scribes part of tho northern boundary of the parish. The soil is generally a rich loam alternating with gravel. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 497. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 465, in the patron, of St. John's College, Cam- bridge. The church, dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul, is a small edifice with a belfry of wood, surmounted by a shingled spire. In the churchyard is a monument to the distinguished naturalist, the Rev. John Ray, who was a native of this parish, as was likewise Bishop Bedell, of Kilmore, who died in 1641. There is a National school. The parochial charities produce about 3o per annum. Many Roman antiquities, comprising Is of copper, brass, and blue glass, and several i earthen urns, were found here in 1762. NOTLEY, WHITE, a par. in tho hund. of Witham, i .ssex, 4 miles N.W. of Witham, and 4 S.E. of Brain- The village, which is small and chiefly agricul- tural, is situated near the river Brain. The land is ily arable, with a small proportion of pasture and woodland. The impropriato tithes have been commuted rent-charge of 254, and the vicarial for 248 13s. living is avic.* in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 270, in tho patron, of tho bishop. Tho church, dedication unknown, is an ancient stone structure with a lofty Bpire. There is a National school. Tho charities pro- duce &1 r annum, including Whitebread's. NOTOY., a limit, in tho par. of Bleasby, co. Notts, SmilrsS. by K. .,1 Southwell. NOTTAGE, a limit, in the par. of Newton-Nottage, W. by S. i,f Bridgend. NOTTINGHAM, the ceunly town of Nottingham- shire, constituting a co. in itself, a municipal and par- liamentary borough, market town, and the seat of a Poor-law Union, 15} miles from Derby, and 124 miles N.W. of London by road, or 130 by railway, having stations on the Midland, Great Northern, and Man- chester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire lines. It is situated at the union of the rivers Leno and Trent, in the wap. of South Thurgarton. The original form of the name Nottingham was Snatingaham, or Cavetown, and the place was so called from the numerous excavations in the sandy rock on -which tho castle is built, and which can still be seen. There was a Roman settlement here ; and after tho conquest of tho country by the Saxons tho town belonged to Mercia. For several years it was held by the Danes, and was taken from them in 868 by Bur- hed, king of Mercia, with tho assistance of Ethelred and his brother Alfred ; but they again occupied it, and were not finally expelled till the reign of Edmund, in 941. In the reign of Edward tho Confessor the number of burgesses in the town was 192; but the number subse- quently decreased, and in Domesday Book is given as 134. William I. gave the government of tho district to his natural son, William Peverell, who built a castle on the site of the present one, and fortified the whole town, which became a place of importance for military opera- tions, and was twice taken and partially burnt during the wars in Stephen's reign, in 1140 and 1153; in 1264 it was taken by Henry III. during tho barons' war, and during John's reign it was attacked by the barons. Numerous parliaments were also held here among others, the first parliament held by Richard I. after bis release from captivity ; that in 1337, when the Flemish manufacturers were invited to settle in the kingdom, and three others in the reign of Richard II. In 1330 Edward III. surprised and captured Roger Mortimer, the favourite of his mother Queen Isabella, in the castle, by means of a secret passage excavated through tho rock, still shown as " Mortimer's Hole." In 1460 Edward IV. was proclaimed here. Richard III. stayed at the town on his way to Bosworth, and Henry VII., in 1487, on his way to the battle of East Stoke. In May, 1642, when Charles I. had resolved not to yield to the demands of the parliament, he marched hither from York, and formally set up his standard within the castlo precincts, on a spot now known as Standard Hill, and it chanced that the standard was almost immediately blown down by a violent storm of wind and rain, which was naturally looked upon by tho people as a bad omen of his future success. Next year tho town was besieged and taken by Colonel Hutchinson, who remained there to watch the royalist garrison at Newark. The castlo was completely destroyed as a fortress during the Pro- tectorate, and after the Restoration was sold by the Duke of Buckingham, in whose possession it then was, to the Duke of Newcastle, who rebuilt it as a dwelling-house ; but it was burnt by the Reform rioters in 1830, owing to the then duke's opposition to the Reform Bill, and has not been repaired, although the county paid him a considerable sum as compensation. Of tho old castle, in which King David of Scotland was for some time a captive, there are no remains except a gate. Remains of tho town walls may be seen above Narrow Marsh, and there are traces of an ancient chapel in tho park. There were formerly here a Grey Friary, founded 1250, and granted to the family of tho Heneagcs ; a White Friary, founded by Reginald Grey do Wilton ; a Hospitallers' house and lazar hospital of the time of Henry III., and a cell of St. Mary's priory in tho castle. Nottingham stands on an eminence on tho left bank of the Leno, overlooking the Vale of Trent. On tho S. side there is tho Vale of Belvoir and tho Nottingham Wolds ; but on tho N. side it is sheltered by a chain of hills. Tho town is irregularly built, and the old streets are crooked and narrow ; but tho newer part of the town is composed of spacious streets with well-built houses. The paving and lighting is throughout good, and there is a copious supply of water laid on by two companies. Since 1849 tho size of the town has increased, with great rapidity. Before that time the adjoining^Wnd was unavailable fur building purposes, owin-Wthe rights of common pos- sessed by the freemen ; but in that year a bill was