Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/346

EOCHESTOWN. 334 ROCK CHANNEL. A monastery was established here by the Clangibbons in the 13th century, remains of which are seen near ROCHESTOWN, a par. in the bar. of Iffa and Offa "West, co. Tipperary, prov. of Munster, Ireland, 2 miles S.E. o'f Cahir, its post town. The surface lies along the river Suir. The living is a reet. in the dioc. of Listnore, val. with Ardfinnan, 188, in the patron, of the bishop. The church has long been in ruins. It is united to Ard- finnan in the Roman Catholic arrangement. There is a school. The remains of an old castle and several raths and earthworks are to be traced. ROCHESTOWN, a hmlt. in the bar. of Rathdown, co. Dublin, Ireland, 2 miles S. of Kingstown, and 7 S.E. of Dublin. It is situated on the S. side of Kingston Bay, and has an obelisk. ROCHFORD, a hund. in the co. of Essex, contains the pars, of Ashendon, Barling, Canewdon, Eastwood, South Fambridge, Foulness, Iladleigh, Havengore, Hawkwell, Hockley, Leigh, Paglesham, rrittlewell, Rawleth, Rayleigh, Rochford, North and South Shoe- bury, Shopland, Southchurch, Great and Little Stam- bridge, Button, Great and Little AVakering, and part of Thundorsley, comprising an area of 57,930 acres. ROCHFORD, a par., post, and market town in the above hund., co. Essex, 4 miles N. of Southend, 6 from Rayleigh, and 19 S.E. of Chelmsford. It is a polling- place for the county elections, and petty sessions town, also a sub-port to Maiden. It is situated on the small river Roche, a feeder of the Crouch, which latter is navigable to Broomhills, within about a mile of the town. It is mentioned in Domesday Book as having belonged to Suene, and in Henry II.'s time came to Guy Fitzeustace or de Rochefort, and through the St. Johns to the Child and Long families. The town is irregu- larly built, and consists of four streets, which are well paved and lighted with gas. There is an excellent supply of good water from a stream, and from a pump in the market place. The principal public buildings aie the timbered townhall, a branch bank, savings-bank, and union poorhouse, erected in 1837. Petty sessions are held weekly on Thursday. A singular but ancient custom is performed by the tenants of this manor, inas- much as they go from the " King's Head," at midnight on the first Wednesday after Michaelmas, to the Steward's "Lawless Court" on King's Hill, where business is done in whispers, and the minutes made with coal. The Poor-law TJnion comprises 24 parishes or places. Rochford Hall, the birthplace of Anno Boleyn, queen of Henry VIII., was nearly destroyed by fire at the end of the last century. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 570. The church, dedi- cated to St. Andrew, is an ancient structure, with a brick tower. The interior of the church contains a brass of SI. Dilcok, bearing date 1514. The parochial charities produce about 42 per annum. There are National and British schools for both sexes, also alms- houses for six inmates, founded by R. Rich, Earl of Warwick. The Independents and Wesleyans have each a place of worship. The stewards of the manor are Messrs. Coverdale. Market day is on Thursday. Fairs are held on Easter Tuesday and on the Wednesday fol- lowing the 29th September. ROCHFORD, a par. in the hund. of "Wolphy, co. Worcester, 2 miles N.E. of Tenbury, its post town. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on the river Teme, and is chiefly agricultural. A portion of the land, which is rich and fertile, is in hop grounds. Until recently this parish formed part of the county of Hereford. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Here- ford, val. 400. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is an ancient structure, exhibiting specimens of early architecture. The parochial charities produce about 8 per annum, distributed to the poor. ROCHFORT-BRIDGE, a post town in the par. of Castlelost, bar. of Fartullagh, co. Westmeath, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 7 miles S.W. of Kinnegad, on the Dublin and Athloue road. It contains the parish church, police station, and a National school. ROCK, a par. in the lower div. of Doddingtree hund., co. Worcester, 5 miles S.W. of Bewdley, its post town, and 5 W. of Stourport. It comprises the chplry. of Heightington and the hmlts. of Alton, Lindons, Hollin, and More. The village is wholly agricultural. The land is partly in hop grounds. The road from Bewdloy to Tenbury passes through the parish. The neighbour- ing coal mines afford employment to some of the inha- bitants. The living is a rect.* with the cur. of Height- ington annexed, in the dioc. of Hereford, val. 1,100. The church, dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul, is an ancient structure, with a massive square tower contain- ing six bells. It was built prior to the Conquest, and has been thoroughly restored. A church has been re- cently erected at Far Forest, and is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The parochial charities produce about 28 per annum, of which 5 goes to Edward VI. '8 free grammar school, and 20 to Dr. Wall's almshouses. The Baptists, Wesleyans, and Primitive Methodists have each a place of worship. ROCK, a tnshp. and chplry. in the par. of Embleton, S. div. of Bambrough ward, co. Northumberland, 4J miles N.E. of Alnwick, its post town. The village, which is of small extent, is wholly agricultural. The soil is of a clayey and sandy nature, with a subsoil of clay. The chplry. comprises the hmlts. of Rock and Rennington. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Durham, val. 115, in the patron, of the Vicar of Embleton. The church, dedicated to SS. Philip and James, is an ancient stone edifice, with a belfry con- taining one bell. There is a free school, with an endowment of 7 per annum. ROCK, a tnshp. in the par. of Stanton Lacy, co. Salop, 1 mile N.E. of Ludlow. ROCKABILL, an islet off fie coast of co. Dublin, Ireland, 5 miles N.E. of the Skerries. ROCKBEARE, a par. in the hund. of East Budleigh, co. Devon, 6J miles N.E. of Exeter, its post town, and 5^ W. of Ottery St. Mary. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on the high road from Honiton to Exeter, and is wholly agricultural. The par. com- prises the hmlts. of Marsh Green, Pithead, Allicombo, and Little Silver. The land is nearly evenly divided between arable and pasture, with about 200 acres of common. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Exeter, val. .148, in the patron, of the bishop. The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, or St. Mary, is an ancient edifice, with a tower crowned with four pinnacles, and containing five bells. The parochial charities produce about 9 per annum. There is a village school of recent erection, endowed with an annuity of 25 by Mrs. Big- wood. There is a place of worship for the Independents at Marsh Green. Rockbearo House and Rockbeare Court are the principal residences. T. Porter, Esq., is lord of the manor. ROCKBOURN, or ROCKBURNE, a par. in the hund. of Fordingbridge, Ringwood div. of co. Hants, 4 miles N.W. of Fordingbridge, its post town, and 9 S.W. of Salisbury. The par., which is of large extent, comprises the hmlts. of Brickhill and Sandhill Heath. The village is small, and wholly agricultural. The surface is hilly, and comprises a considerable extent of downs bordering on Salisbury Plain. The soil is. princi- pally a chalky loam, intermixed with clay. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 675, and the glebe contains 116 acres. The living is a don.* in the dioc. of Winchester, val. 624. The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, is an ancient structure, with a wooden tower containing a clock and three bells. The chancd was rebuilt in 1830, at the expense of Lady Coote. The church contains several monuments to the Coote family, including one to Sir Eyre Coote, the captor of Pondi- cherry. There are parochial schools for both sexes. N ear the church are traces of an extensive nunnery, now a farmhouse. West Park is the principal residence. The Earl of Shaftesbury is lord of the manor and prin- cipal landowner. ROCK CHANNEL, the southern approach to tho Mersey, co. Chester, off New Brighton. It lies between