Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/163

OXHEY. 151 OXNEY. Western, which, leaving its main trunk at Didcot, passes through Oxford on its way to Birmingham. Lines are now open from Oxford to Evesham, Worcester, Droit- wich, Kidderminster, Dudley, and Wolverhampton. The London and North- Western has a branch lino from Bletchley to Oxford, and a line has been lately opened from Thame through Shotover Hill to Oxford, run- ning into the Great Western a little below Iffley. The principal roads are the following viz. the road which enters the county at Henley-upon-Thames, running through Bensington and Dorchester to Oxford, and thence, by Buribrd and Witney, into Gloucestershire; the road which enters the shiro near Stokeu church, and runs by Tetworth and Shotover to Oxford, and thence by Woodstock and Chipping Norton to Glouces- tershire ; and the road to Birmingham, which, entering Oxfordshire between Aylesbury and Bicester, runs through Bicester and Banbury into Warwickshire. This county contains several ruins of -castles and reli- gious edifices of the Anglo-Norman period, though none of them are of any great extent. Scarcely any traces are now extant of Oxford and Banbury Castles beside the mounds on which the keeps formerly stood, while Dorchester Castle has totally vanished. Slight ruins of Bampton Castle still exist. Broughton Castle, near Banbury, is surrounded by a deep and wide moat, crossed by a bridge, supported upon two arches. Several other portions, beside the old tower over the gateway, are still standing, to which some later buildings have been added. Other castellated mansions are Castleton, near Chipping Norton, the High Lodge at Woodstock, Asthall, near Witney, and in Holton Park, between Oxford and Stoken Church. There is a kitchen at Stanton Harcourt, near Bampton, resembling the Abbots' kitchen at Glastonbury. Minster Lovel House, near Witney, still preserves some traces of its formerly ex- tensive pile. The principal ancient roads were Icknield Street, which passed by Watlington to Goring, on the banks of the Thames ; Akeman-street, which passed by Bicester, Woodstock, Witney, and Burford ; a road, running from Dorchester northward to Alchester ; another in a north-westerly direction from London to Alchester ; and, lastly, one which crossed the Chiltern hills from Henley to Wallingford. Dorchester, on the Thames, was probably the Dorocina of Richard of Ciren- ccster. Traces still exist of Roman camps near Chad- lington and Kiddington, of which the latter is in excellent preservation. At Stonesfield, Steeple Aston, and else- where in this county, remains of tesselated pavements, &c., have been exhumed. There are several memorials of the Saxon and Danish periods in the earthworks and encampments traceable in different parts of the county. The works at Dyke Hill, near Dorchester, consist of a double entrenchment, three-quarters of a mile in length. The vallum of the camp at Knollbury Banks, near Chad- lington, is very steep, and is composed of rubble stone, cemented and coated with turf. At Mongewell, on the Thames, below Wallingford, is a high ridgeway, extend- ing in the direction of Nufficld, near which the bank becomes double, with a deep trench between. It is called Grime's Dyke, or popularly, Devil's Ditch. There are several barrows in Oxfordshire, chiefly on the north- western side. The most important monastic remains arc traces of Ensham and Oseney Abbeys, the Nunnery of Godstow, where the Fair Rosamond, mistress of Hrnry II., was educated; Goring Nunnery, and the Priories of Gogges and Minster- Lovell. Oxfordshire is rich in examples of church architecture ; as, for instance, Dorchester church, and Oxford cathedral, together with most of the college chapels at Oxford. Among tho lesser churches, many of which are partly Norman, may bo named those at Burford, Cassington, Chipping Norton, Cuddesden, Hanborough, Hardwicke, Henley, Heythrop, Idbury, Iffley, Mongewell, Great Tew, Thame, and Wcstwell. The seats of the nobility and gentry in this county are very numerous, of which the following are most deserving of attention : Blenheim, the seat of the Duke of Marlborough ; Shirburn Castle, of the Earl of llucclesfield ; Cuddesden Palace,of tho Bishop of Oxford ; Ditchley Hall, of Viscount Dillon ; Broughton Castle, of Lord Saye and Sole; and Stonor Park, of Lord Camoys. OXHEY, a hmlt. in the par. of Watford, hund. of Cashio, or lib. of St. Alban's, co. Herts, 2 miles S. of Watford. It is situated on the river Colne, near the line of the North- Western railway. The living is a don. cur. in the dioc. of Rochester. An earthen vessel containing several Roman seals was found here. OXHILL, a par. in the Kington div. of the hund. of Kington, co. Warwick, 4 miles S.W. of Kington, its post town, and 5 N.E. of Shipston-on-Stour. The village, which is of small extent, and is wholly agricultural, is situated in a valley through which flows a branch of the river Stour. The Warwickshire hounds meet in the neighbourhood. The tithes were commuted for land and an annual money payment under an Enclosure Act in 1797. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Worcester, val. 254. The church, dedicated to St. Lawrence, is an ancient stone structure with a low square tower contain- ing three bells. Tho chancel has recently been restored, and has a stained E. window. There is a free school, also a Sunday-school. The Wesleyans have a place of worship, with a mixed school adjoining. OXMANTOWN, a manor in the par. of Grangegor- man, bars, of Dublin and Coolock, co. Dublin, 1 mile N.W. of Dublin city. It gives the inferior title of baron to the Earl of Rosso. OX MOUNTAINS, a range of hills in the bars, of Lcyney and Tireragh, co. Sligo, Ireland. OXNA, an island in tho par. of Tingwall, Shetland Islands, coast of Scotland. It is situated in Scallowny Bay, about 2 miles N.W. of Burray Island, and 5 N.W. of Leswick. Between this island and Burray is a passage leading to the bay. OXNAM, a par. in tho district of Jedburgh, co. Rox- burgh, Scotland. It extends in length about 10 miles from N.W. to S.E., with an extreme breadth of 5 miles, and is bounded on the S. by England, and on tho other sides by the pars, of Jedburgh, Southdean, Crailing, and Hounam. The surface is undulating, and many of the hills are clothed with verdure to their summits, affording excellent sheepwalks. The soil of the arable lands, which comprises about 3,500 acres, is of good quality. Sandstone, limestonn, and trap are tho prevailing rocks. The village of Oxnam is about 3 miles S.E. of Jedburgh. It is situated at the head of tho rivers Jed and Coquet, under the Cheviot hills. Tho parish is traversed by the Roman road Watling Street, and by the Oxnam rivulet, which flows 12 miles N. to tho river Teviot, near Crail- ing. Trout and salmon, and all kinds of game, are abundant. Oxnam was formerly called Oxenham, and has traces of Plenderleith old chapel, and of Dolphis- ton, Mossburnford, and Crag Border towers or peels. This par. is in the presb. of Jedburgh and synod of Mirse and Teviotdalo, and in the patron, of the crown. The minister has a stipend of 248. The parish church was erected in 1758. There is a parochial school. OXNEAD, a par. in tho hund. of South Erpingham, co. Norfolk, 9 miles from Norwich, its post town, and 3 S.K. of Aylsham. The parish, which is of small extent, is situated on tho N. banks of tbe river Euro, and is wholly agricultural. On tho site of the blanket factory, which has been removed, a corn-mill has been erected. There is no village, only a few detached houses. The living is a rect. annexed with the vie.* of Buxton to tho rect. of Skeyton, in the dioc. of Norwich. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is an ancient structure with a square embattled tower, and surrounded by trees. It contains monuments to the Fastens, of which the princi- pal is one to Clement Paston, who built the old hall in the reign of Elizabeth. A portion of this mansion is still remaining, but has been converted into a farmhouse. The charities consist of Paston's hospital or almshouses. OXNEY, a hund. in tho lathe of Shepway, co. Kent, contains the pars, of Ebony, Stone, and Wittersham, comprising an area of 8,380 acres. It is chiefly marshy, and forms an island between tho river Rother and tha Kent Ditch.