Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/267

PRESTON-LE-SKERNE. 255 PRESTON-PLTJCKNETT. dismantled by Cromwell in 1650, and afterwards be- came the property of Sir David Dalrymple, who, as one of the Lords of Session, was entitled Lord Hailes, and who wrote the " Annals of Scotland." In this parish is also an ancient pillar stone 10 feet high; and at Markle are the ruins of a religious house. PRESTON-LE-SKERNE, a tnshp. in the par. of Aycliffe, S.E. div. of Darlington ward, co. Durham, 6 miles N.E. of Darlington, on the river Skerne. The Newcastle railway passes through the township. PRESTON, LONG, a par. and tnshp. in the wap. of Staincliff West, West Riding co. York, 11J miles N.W. of Skipton, its post town, and 4 N.E. of Settle. It is a station on the North- Western railway. The village, which is of large extent, is situated on the western bank of the Ribble. The par. which is extensive, comprises the tnshps. of West Halton, Hellifield, and Wiggles- worth. A portion of the inhabitants are engaged in cotton weaving. The soil, though fertile, is of various qualities, consisting chiefly of a brown sandy loam upon a gravelly subsoil. Limestone and freestone are ex- tensively quarried. A large portion of the land is devoted to grazing. There are several mineral springs. The impropriate tithes belong to the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Ripon, val. 30J, in the patron, of Christ Church, Oxford. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient structure, with a low embattled tower con- taining three bells. The church has an E. window by Capronnier, of Brussels. The parochial charities pro- duce about 206 per annum, of which 125 goes to Knowles' almshouses, founded in 1615, and which have recently been rebuilt. There is a free school for chil- dren of both sexes, founded in 1835 by Mrs. Hall, who endowed it with land now producing 150 per annum. The Wesleyans and Baptists have each a place of wor- ship. The Duke of Devonshire is lord of the manor. PRESTON-MILL, a vil. in the par. of Kirkbean, co. Kirkcudbright, Scotland, 12 miles S. of Dumfries. It is situated near the coast of the Solway Frith, and had once a market, of which the old market-cross still remains. PRESTON-NEXT-FA VERSHAM, a par. in the hund. of Faversham, upper div. of the lathe of Scray, co. Kent, 1 ', mile S. of Faversham. The village, which is considerable, has of late years been much improved. Some of tho inhabitants are employed in the oyster fishery. About two-thirds of the land are arable, and the remainder pasture, woodland, and waste. The im- propriation belongs to the Dean and Chapter of Canter- bury, who enjoy a portion of the rectorial tithes. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Canterbury, val. 324, in the patron, of the archbishop. The church, dedicated to St. Catherine, is an ancient structure, with a small tower at the E. end of the S. aisle. On the N. side of tin: (hancel is an altar-tomb of the Boyles, ancestors of the earls of Cork, also several sepulchral brasses of, the Biicet family, one hearing date 1442. Preston House is the principal seat. PRESTON-ON-STOUR, a par. in the upper div. of the hund. of Deerhurst, co. Gloucester, 3J miles S.E. of Stratford, its post town. The Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton line of railway passes in the vici- nity. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on the river Stour. It is chiefly agricultural. The soil is mostly clay and marl, intermixed in parts with gravel and sand. The principal seat is Alscot Park. Tho living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Gloucester and '1, val. 55. The church, dedicated to St. Mary , has a square tower crowned with pinnacles, containing three bells. The parochial charities produce about o per annum. There is a National school for both sexes. J. R. West, Esq., is lord of the manor. TON-ON-1 I!i:-im,L, a tnshp. in tho par. of Rmicoin, hund. of liucklow, co. Chester, 5 miles S.W. I Varrington, 4 N.K. ,,( Frodsham, and the same dis- tance from Runcorn. The village, which is of small >n Brook station of the Grand Junction railway, which here passes through a tunnel 40 yards long. The grand Trunk and Bridg- water canals form a junction in this township. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The soil is of a clayey nature, upon a subsoil of clay. There is a National school for both sexes. Miss E. A. Yates is lady of the manor. The Wesleyans have a place of worship. PRESTON PANS, a par., market town, and burgh of barony in the co. of Haddington, Scotland, 8 miles E. of Edinburgh, and 9 W. of Haddington. It is a station on the North British railway. It comprehends the two baronies of Preston and Preston - Grange, which are commonly called the East and West baronies, and formed part of the par> of Tranent previous to 1606, when it was created a separate parish by the Parliament of Perth. In ancient documents it is called Aldhammer, but took the names of Preston Pans and Salt Preston from the salt works established here by the monks of Newbottle, to whom the manor was given by Robert de Quincey in the 12th century. The charter erecting the East barony was granted in favour of Sir John Hamil- ton, of Preston, in 1617. It is famous in history as the scene of the battle in which the Pretender Charles Stuart defeated the English forces under Cope, on the 21at Sept., 1745, and in which Colonel Gardiner was slain. This action was called by the Jacobites, " the action of Meadowmills," and by the Highlanders, " the battle of Gladsmuir." Tho par., which is about 5 miles in length by 1 mile in breadth, extends along the shore of the Frith of Forth, and includes, besides tho town of Preston Pans, the vils. of Cuttle or Kuittle, Dolphinston (with Dolphinston Mains), Preston (including Northfield and Shaw's Hospital), Preston Grange (with Drummore, part of the quoad sacra par. of Cockenzie). The only harbour in the parish is Morisou's Haven, formerly called New Haven, which has 10 feet water at spring tides, and is esteemed one of tho safest harbours in the Frith of Forth. The creeks are the Figgat-bourn, Mussel-burgh, Port Seaton, Aber-Lady, and North Ber- wick. The surface is in general level, and the soil fer- tile. The subsoil is sandstone and coal, with gravel and clay in parts. The collieries, though long ago opened by the monks of Newbottle, have not recently been worked, owing to the cheap supplies from the neighbourhood. The town of Preston Pans, which grew out of the salt manufacture, is of considerable antiquity, and has about 16,000 inhabitants, now decreasing. It is under the government of two bailies. It contains a custom-house, post-office, good ale brewery, soap factory, works for the manufacture of oil of vitriol, spirits of salt, and Glauber salts. Many of the inhabitants are engaged in the coasting trade, and in the Pandoor oyster and other fisheries ; also, some in the making of bricks and tiles. The parish is in the prosb. of Haddington, and synod of Lothian and Tweeddale. The minister has a stipend of 290. The church was rebuilt in 1774. There are also a Free church and several other places of worship. At Preston Pans school, Sir Robert (afterwards Lord) Keith received his education. PRESTON-PATRICK, a tnshp. and chplry. in the par. of Burton-in-Kendal, ward of Kendal, co. West- moreland, 3 miles N.E. of Milnthorpe railway station, and 6 S.W. of Kendall. Burton is its post town. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on the Lan- caster canal, which here crosses the small river Beetha or Belo. Challen or Chauon Hall stands on the site of an abbey, founded by Thomas Cospatrick, in 1119, but removed to Shap about 1150. There are bleaching works, a bobbin factory, two corn mills, and extensive marble works, where large blocks brought from Dent, in Yorkshire, are cut and polished. The tithes were commuted for land under an Enclosure Act in 1814. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc: of Carlisle, val. 132, in the patron, ofc landowners. Tho church, dedi- cated to St. Patrick, has a tower containing one boll. The charities produce about 14 per annum. There is an endowed school, founded in 1676. On a hill near the church is a moat, calli-d " S wainshaw Bank Abbey." PRESTON-PLUCKNETT, a par. in the hund. of