Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/220

PEVENSEY RAPE. 208 PHILADELPHIA. built and endowed in 1618 by T. Thompson, for 12 poor persons belonging to the'parish, who receive an annuity of 10 each, and an almshouse for 4 aged men. There are schools for both sexes, endowed by the late Earl of Egremont ; also a girls' school at Byworth, and an in- fant school, erected and endowed by Lord Leconfleld in 1862. Besides the above schools, there are Sunday and Dissenting schools. The Independents and Cal- vinists have each a place of worship. Lord Leconfleld is lord of the manor. Market day is Saturday. Fairs are held on 1st Hay, 4th September, and 20th November. PEVENSEY RAPE, in the co. of Sussex, contains the hunds. of Alciston, Bishopstone, Burleigh-Arches, Danehill Horsted, Dill, Eastbourne, East Grinstead, Flexborough, Hartfield Longbridge, Loxfield-Dorset, Loxfield Pelhani, Pevensey Lowey, Ringmer, Rotberfield, Eushmonden, Shiplake, Totnore, and Willingdon, com- prising an area of 228,990 acres. Pavensey Lowey in the above rape contains the pars, of Pevensey and West- ham, comprising an area of 7,780 acres. PEVENSEY, or PEMSEY, a par. in the above rape, co. Sussex, 6J miles N.W. of Eastbourne, its post town, and 5 S. W. of Hailsham. It is a station on the Hastings section of the Brighton and South Coast railway. Pe- vensey is at present only a small village, situated on the rivulet Ashburn, which runs into Pevensey Bay in the Channel. It is a decayed market town, and a member of the Cinque Port of Hastings. It is supposed to occupy the site of the Anderida foi-tus of the Romans, on the Ermine Street, and was the 1'eivenesea or Pefeniea of the Saxons, to which the sea once reached. The town was ravaged by Earl Godwin, and is the place where William the Conqueror landed in 1066, who then proceeded to, and fortified, Hastings Castle, preparatory to the con- flict which took place at Battle, 8 miles distant. Oil the summit of a hill are the ruins of a castle of Roman origin, which was given by the Conqueror to his half-brother, Earl Robert, ancestor of the Earls of Mortaigne, who restored the castle. It subsequently reverted to the crown, and was by Henry I. bestowed on Gilbert de Aquila, and afterwards came to John of Gaunt, the Pel- hanis, Corr.ptons, and Cavendishes. The ruins of the castle consist chiefly of massive walls, built of Roman bricks placed herring-bone-wise, and of a gateway or moated keep flanked by round towers, which from their magnitude show this to have been a fortress of consider- able strength. In the reign of Henry IV., the Duke of York was for some time confined within the walls of this castle, as was also Queen Joan of Navarre, the last wife of Henry IV., and James I. of Scotland, for nearly eighteen years. The towers were formerly approached by a drawbridge. Pevensey Bay affords excellent accom- modation to shipping, and is defended by numerous mar- tello towers, which extend along the bay from Jiexhill to beyond Langney, or Pevensey Point, off which is Pevensey Shoal with only from 2 to 4 fathoms water, besides several other shoals outside. The decline of Pevensey from the importance it once possessed has been, like several other places in this neighbourhood, princi- pally owing to the receding of the sea, from which it is now a considerable distance, being only accessible to small boats. The town has still a corporation, consist- ing of a bailiff, jurats, and commonalty. General ses- sions for the liberty are held quarterly, and over the prison, which is a small building, is the townhall. The surface of the parish is level, and was formerly much subject to inundation, but has recently been improved by drainage. The tract over which the sea formerly flowed, now called Pevensey Level, comprises some of the richest fattening pastures for cattle in England. It is also noted for its production of Southdown mutton. Pevensey gives the title of viscount to the Earl of Shef- field. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 1,153, and there are 80 acres of appropriate glebe, valued at 200, and 10 acres of vicarial glebe valued at 25 per annum. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Chi- chester, val. 948, in the patron, of the bishop. The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, is an ancient stisicture with a low square tower, also a spire on the N. side. A large portion of the chancel, which is overgrown with ivy, and contains a monument to John Wheatley, Esq., is not used. The parochial charities produce about 100 per annum, which goes to the support of the almshouses. Andrew Borde, a jocular physician of Henry VIII., and who is said to have given origin to the appellation of " Merry Andrew," was born in this parish. In 1840, on removing some earth within the area of the castle, numerous brass coins extending in a series over the reigns of six or seven Roman emperors were discovered. A cattle market is held every alternate Thursday, com- mencing from the latter end of June until the beginning of October. PEVERELL POINT, a headland on Swanage Bay, coast of Dorset, 5 miles S.E. of Corfe Castle. The Saxon fleet commanded by Alfred the Great gained a victory here over the Danes in 877. PEVINGTON, a par. in the hund. of Calehill, lathe of Shepway, co. Kent, 4 miles W. by S. of Charing. The village, which comprises only a few farmhouses, may be considered a hamlet of Pluckley, to which it was ecclesiastically united in 1583. The living is a rect. annexed to that of Pluckley, in the dioc. of Canterbury. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is in ruins. PEWIT, an i&lct near Horsey Island, co. Essex, 6 miles S.W. of Harwich. PEWSEY, a par., post and small market town, in the hund. of Kinwardstone, co. Wilts, 7 miles S.W. of Marlborough, and 12 E. of Devizes. It is a station on the Berks and. Hants section of the Great Western rail- way. It is a petty sessions town situated on the river Avon, near the Kennet and Avon canal, and contains several well-built houses and shops. The petty sessions for the division are held on the 2nd Friday in every month at the Phoenix Inn, in which building the corn market is also held. The inhabitants of the village are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 1,200, and the glebe comprises 131 acres. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Sarum, val. 1,038. The church, dedicated to St. John tho Baptist, is an ancient structure with a square pinnacled tower containing six bells. The church has recently undergone thorough restoration, the expense being defrayed by the parishioners. The chancel con- tains a monument of Charles II.'s time. There is a National school for both sexes. The Wesleyans and Baptists have each a place of worship. Tho union poor- house has accommodation for 200 paupers. The Poor- law Union comprises 23 parishes or places. PEWSEY. See PUSEY, co. Berks. PEWSHAM, an ext. par. place in the hund. of Chip- penham, co. Wilts, 1 J mile S.E. of Chippenham. FEXHALL, a limit, in the par. of Prestbury, hund. of Macclesfield, co. Chester, 3 miles W. of Macclesfield. It forms a tnshp. in conjunction with Henbury. PEYTON, a chplry. in the par. and hund. of Bainp- ton, co. Devon, 4 miles N.E. of Bampton. PHARAY, a par. and island in the district of the North Isles of Orkney, co. Orkney and Shetland, coast of Scotland. It is in conjunction with Eday parish. PHARAY, NORTH, an island in the par. of Stronsaj and Eday, Orkney and Shetland Isles, coast of Scotland. It is situated near Holm of Pharay. It extends about 2 miles in length by half a mile in breadth. The inhabi- tants are chiefly engaged in the cod and herring fisheries. PHARAY, SOUTH, an island in the par. of Walls and Flota, Orkney and Shetland Isles, coast of Scotland, 1 mile W. of Hoy Island in Scalpa Flow. It is a quoad sacra par. in conjunction with the par. of Walls. It extends about 2 miles in length, by about 1 mile in breadth. PHIBSBOROUGH, a vil. in the par. of Grangegor- man, co. Dublin, Ireland, 1 mile N.W. of Dublin. It ia situated on the banks of the Royal canal, and comprises part of Phoenix Park. See DUBLIN. PHILADELPHIA, a vil. in the par. of Tynemouth, co. Northumberland, 2 miles from Shields. The inha- bitants are principally engaged in the collieries. PHILADELPHIA, a vil. in the tnshp. of Nether