Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/353

BOM8LEY. 3J1 RONALDSUAi:, SUUTH. rag and other ornaments. The V. end of the church is early English, richly decorated within. The whole building has recently been restored, under the auspices of the British Archaeological Association. It contains an ancient screen, old frescoes, sculptures on the S. tiansept, and several monuments, including those of Sir H. Petty, the Surveyor of Ireland, Lady Palmerston, of Broadlands, J. St. Barbe, whose tomb bears a curious epitaph, beginning, " Earth's rich in mines of pretious dust." An old apple-tree, which is said to have grown on the roof for above two centuries, was recently cut down for fear of its injuring the building. The register dates from 1569. The Wesleyans, Baptists, Indepen- dents, Primitive Methodists, and Sandemanians have places of worship. The charities produce about 700 per annum, including John Nowe'a school for 20 boys, with an endowment of 350 ; St. Barbe's charity of 25, now attached to the National school ; and Bartlctt'a and Kent's almshouses, with a joint income of 210 ; there are also National, British, and infant schools, be- sides an industrial school for girls, which was main- tained up to the day of his death by the late Lord Palmerston. Romsey Poor-law Union comprises 20 parishes. The principal residences are Broadlands, for many years the Beat of the late Viscount Palmerston, who was lord of the manor, and Embley Park, the seat of W. E. Nightingale, Esq. Jacob, author of the " Law Dictionary," was born here. Market day is on Thurs- day. Fairs are hold on Easter Monday, 26th August, and 8th November. ROMSLEY, a lib. in the par. of Alveley, Chelmarsh div. of Stottesden hund., co. Salop, 7 miles S.E. of Bridgnorth, within which borough it is included. It is situated near the river Severn. ROMSLEY, a tnshp. in the par. of Halesowen, hund. of Brimstree, co. Worcester, formerly in Salop, near Halesowen, and 8 miles S.W. of Birmingham. It is situated in the vale of the river Stour, near the Dudley canal and the line of the North- Western rail- way. Some of the inhabitants are employed in the neighbouring coal and iron mines. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dice, of Worcester, val. 125, in the patron, of the Vicar of Halesowen. The church, dedi- cated to St. Kenelm, is a modern structure. RONA, an island, one of the Hebrides, in the par. of Portree, Co. Inverness, Scotland. It extends about 5 miles in length, and nearly 1 mile in breadth. The inrface is irregular and barren. It is situated at the northern extremity of Raasay, from which it is sepa- rated by a strait just passable for vessels. The prevail- ing rocks are gneiss. A small portion of arable land surrounds the scattered village, that lies at the bottom of a bay, about 6 miles E. of Skye. In 1856 a light- house was constructed upon this island. RONA, or ROAN, a small island in the par. of Tongue, co. Sutherland, Scotland, 7 miles N. of Tongue. It is situated in the Kyle of Tongue. RONA, or ROAN, a loch in the co. of Kirkcud- bright, Scotland, 5 miles N. of Castle Douglas. RONA, or RONAY, an island in the par. of North TJist, Outer Hebrides, co. Inverness, Scotland, 2J miles N.E. of Benbecula. It extends 2 miles in length by about 1J mile in breadth. Its surface is of an uneven character, rising to an altitude of about 600 feet above sea-level. The land was formerly of little value, but is now much improved, and is one of the best grazing- grounds in the parish of North Uist. RONA, or RONAY, a small island in the par. of Barvas, Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It is situated 38 i N.V. of the Butt of Lewis. It is about a mile in length by half.a mile in breadth, consisting of two hills, with an altitude varying from 350 to 360 feet, and is the most north-westerly land in Europe. The chief part of the land is arable, with a fertile soil. There aro some ruinous huts, one of which appears to have originally been a church, dedicated to St. Ronan, from whom the island takes its name. Some years ago thin island was offered gratuitously to the govern- ment for a new penal settlement by Sir James Mathe- son, the proprietor. About four leagues to the eastward is the rock Sulisker, only a quarter of a mile in circum- ference, but abounding with a great variety of sea fowls. RONALDSHAY, NORTH, a par. and island in the North-Eastern Orkney Isles, co. Orkney and Shetland, coast of Scotland, 3 miles N. of Sanday Island. It formed part of the par. of Cross till 1831, and was called Kinarseya by the Northmen. It extends in length about 3 miles, with a mean breadth of little over 1 mile. Its surface is low and flat, with the exception of a gentle rise towards the centre. The soil is sandy, with red clay upon red sandstone. The land is tolerably fer- tile, and large quantities of sea-weed are collected on. the shore, from which about 100 tons of kelp are made annually. In various parts ancient tumuli are to be seen, and on a promontory is a lighthouae, visible for 15 miles. Fish and seals are abundant round the coast, which has good anchorage in Linklets Bay, near Brides- ness, and at Stromness. The shores aro low and rocky, with Reef Dyke, Linay Altars, and other dangerous reefs. This par. ia in the presb. of North Isles, and in the patron, of the crown. The stipend of the minister is 120. The parish church was erected by the par- liamentary commissioners. There is a Free church. The island belongs to Mr. Trail, of Woodwick. RONALDSHAY, SOUTH, an island and par. in the South-Eastern Orkney Isles, co. Orkney and Shet- land, coast of Scotland, 6 miles N.E. of Duncansby- Head, and 11 S. of Kirkwall. The parish, which is scattered, comprehends, besides the island of South Ronaldshay, the inhabited islands of Burray, Hunda, the Pentland Skerries and Swona, and the uninhabited island of Glimsholm, occupying the south-eastern corner of the Orcadian archipelago. The principal island of this group is South Ronaldshay, lying between Pent- land Frith, on the S., which divides it from Caithness, and Water-Sound on the N., which is about a mile broad, and divides it from Burray. It is about 9 miles in length, and from 2 to 5J in breadth, covering a superficial area of near 18 square miles. Its surface is generally level, or slightly hilly, the highest point not exceeding 300 feet above sea-level. The coast is bold, especially towards the E. and W., where it is protected by several headlands, as Brough-head, near Barsick, or Barwick ferry to Houna, in Caithness, Halero and Stores, or Souse, heads ; on the E. Grimness, Hoxa, Earth, and other promontories. On the northern side of the island is St. Margaret's Hope, one of the best harbours for small craft anywhere on this coast, also Water-Sound ferry to Bun-ay ; and on the western side is Widewall Bay, with good anchorage for vessels of 500 tons. The prevailing rocks are of the red sandstone formation, with clay, sand, and moss scattered over the surface ; but a considerable extent of the land is loamy, and presents a much richer and more generally cultivated appearance than in most parts of the Orkney group. Wild fowl are abundant, and the fisheries off the coast are produc- tive chiefly in cod, herrings, and lobsters. The popula- tion of the modern parish of South Ronaldshay and Burray is about 3,100. Three ancient parishes are com- prehended in the present parish, viz. St. Mary's, or South Ronaldshay, St. Peter's, or the N. end of South Ronaldshay, and Burray parish, including Hunda and Glimsholm. In the Roman Catholic times the offices of Dean of Orkney and provost of the cathedral were held by the priest of South Ronaldshay, which then contained seven or eight chapels, remains of which still exist. The par. is now in the presb. of Kirkwall and synod of Orkney. The minister's stipend is 210, with glebe. There are two parish churches, St. Mary's at the southern, and St. Peter's at the northern, end of the island of South Ronaldshay, the latter built in the 13th century. There is also an United Presbyterian church, built in 1826. There are two schools, founded and par- tially endowed by Governor Tomison, of the Hudson's Bay Company. Remains of picU' houses are scattered over the island, and near the manse ia a Pictish gran- ary, or tomb, paved with water-worn atones, also three