Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/445

SHAPCOMBE. 433 8HARLESTON. resemble those of Harrogate, being strongly impreg- nated with sulphur. A large hotel has been erected by the Earl of Lonsdale, who is lord of the manor, near the spring, with bath-house, stables, and other accom- modation for visitors. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Carlisle, val. 95. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is an ancient stone structure, with a low square embattled tower containing five bells. There are also the district chapels of Murdale and Swindale, the livings of which are perpet. curs., val. 132 and 64 re- spectively. The Vicar of Shap is patron of both livings. The chapel-of-ease at llardale has a low square tower. The Wesleyans have a chapel at Shap. There is a free school for boys and girls, with an en- dowment of 3S per annum, also a girls' school, held in the old market hall, endowed with 14 per annum, and a Sunday-school held in the boys' school. The parochial charities produce about 22 per annum, dis- tributed to the poor. About a mile W. of the village, in the secluded vale of the Lowther, stands the ven- erable ruins of Shap Abbey, founded in the 12th cen- tury for Prsemonstratensian canons, and having a revenue at the Dissolution of 166 10s. lOrf. The tower of the church is nearly all that remains, and this is cleft with numerous fissures. Until recently there was a perfect Druidical temple a little to the S. of the village, consisting of blocks of water-worn granite, arranged in two rows nearly parallel, but differing materially in the size of the stones, and terminating in a rudely-formed circle of smaller stones. Monday is market day, and a fair amount of business is done. Fairs are held on 4th May and 28th September, chiefly for cattle, sheep, and pedlery. SHAPCOMBE, a tythg in the par. of Luppitt, co. Devon, 4 miles N. of Honiton. SHAPINSAY, an island and par. in the district of the Morth Isles of Orkney, co. Orkney and Shetland, Scotland. It extends in length nearly 6 miles from E. to W., with an extreme breadth of about 4J from N. to 8. The surface is of an irregular character, and rises gradually towards the centre. The coast is moderately flat, along which are Viantro and Elwick bays, the latter, opening to the S.W. towards Kirkwall, has from 4 to 6 fathoms water, with a sandy bottom, and forms a natural harbour. On the W. side of it is a beach. Near the coast are numerous antiquities, including Shapinsay Standing Stone, 12 feet by 4, and 1J in thickness; the black stone of Odin, with other Pictish remains ; and several round and oval " Picts' houses " of stone without cement, nearly kiln-shape. Much of the southern part of the parish has been brought under cultivation through the energies of the late Colonel Balfour and his son, to whom the village owes its foundation and prosperity. The soil is generally thin and shallow, and very fertile. There are several hilly sheep-walks and limestone quar- ries at How. Lead mines were formerly worked here, but have been discontinued, and there are numerous lime kilns. The village of Shapinsay is about 5 miles N.E. of Kirkwall. It is situated between Stronsay Frith and the String near Kirkwall Bay. Its houses are well built, encircling the bay of Elswick. Many of the inhabitants are employed in the cod and herring fisheries. This parish formerly made part of the tem- poralty of the bishopric of Orkney, the estates of which are now forfeited to the crown and leased to Lord Dun- das. This par. is in the presb. of North Isles and synod of Orkney. The stipend of the minister is about 158. There are a United Presbyterian church, Evangelical Union chapel, and a school under the Society for Pro- moting Christian Knowledge. The principal mansion is Clindale, the mansion of How being now in ruins. On the W. shore, nearly opposite the rock of Vasa, is Grucula, or Agricola, where tradition says one of Agri- cola's ships, in his voyage round the island of Britain, was stranded, and near this spot Roman coins have been found. SHAPWICK, a par. in the hund. of Badbnry, co. Dorset, 5 miles S.E. of Blandford-Forum, ita post town, und the same distance N.W. of Wimborne. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on the river Stour, which bounds the parish on the S. It had formerly a market and a small Carthusian priory, founded in 1414 as a cell to the priory of Sheen, in Surrey. Edward the Elder once encamped here, and in the vicinity are traces of an ancient cross. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Sarum, val. 379. The church dedicated to St. Bartholomew, is an ancient structure with a low tower. The interior of the church contains several brasses. There is a National school. George Banks, Esq., is lord of the manor. SHAPWICK, a tythg. in the par. of Axminster, co. Devon, near Axminster. SHAPWICK, a par. in the hund. of Whitley, co. Somerset, 4 miles from Street, its post town, and 6J S.W. of Glastonbury. It has a station on the Somerset and Dorset railway. The village, which is of small extent, and chiefly agricultural, is situated on the road from Bath to Exeter. The soil is of a clayey nature upon a subsoil of blue lias stone, which is quarried for building purposes. A canal from the Bristol Channel at Highbridge passes through the parish. There is a mineral spring called the Holy Well, the waters of which resemble in their properties those of Harrogate. The living is a vie. with the perpet. cur. of Ashcroft annexed, in the dioc. of Bath and Wells, val. 215. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient structure, with a tower containing five bells. The interior of the church contains tablets of the Strangeway family. The church has recently undergone thorough restoration. The parochial charities produce about 8 per annum. There is a National school for both sexes. Shapwick House is the principal residence. SHARDLOW, a tnshp. in the par. of Ashton-upon- Trent, hund. of Morleston, co. Derby, 7 miles S.E. of Derby, its post town, and 4 S.W. of Sawley railway station. The township is situated on the Trent and Mersey canal, near its confluence with the river Trent, and includes the hmlt. of Great Wilne. On the banks of the river are coal and timber wharves. About a quarter of a mile from the village the Trent is crossed by Cavendish Bridge, constructed in 1771. Shardlow gives name to a Poor-law Union comprising 46 parishes or places in the counties of Derby, Leicester, and Notting- ham, and contains the union poorhouse. There are salt works in the vicinity. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Lichfield, val. 300. The church has a tower contain- ing six bells. E. A. Holden, Esq., is lord of the manor. SHARESHILL, a par. in the E. div. of the hund. of Cuttlestone, co. Stafford, 6 miles N.E. of Wolverhamp- ton, its post town, 6 S.E. of Brewood, and 2J from the Four Ashes station on the London and North Western railway. The village is situated near the Stafford and Worcester canal and Sharedon Brook. The par. in- cludes the hmlts. of Hilton and Great and Little Saredon. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The soil is of a light nature. Near Watling Street are two small camps, apparently Roman. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Lichfield, val. 114. The church, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, has a stone tower containing four bells. The interior contains effigies of the Swintons. The parochial cha- rities produce about 6 per annum. There is a parochial school. The principal residence is Hilton Hull, near to which is a tower situated on a slight eminence. SHARK, a lough on the borders of the cos. of Armagh and Down, Ireland, 2 miles N.E. of Pointzpass, close to the Newry canal. SHARLESTON, a tnshp. in the par. of Warminfield, lower div. of Agbrigg wap., West Riding co. York, 4 miles S.E. of Wakefield, its post town, and 2 E. of Oakenshaw railway station. The village, which is of small extent, is chiefly agricultural. Tho soil consists of clay and marl. Sharleston Hall, erected in 1591, was the residence of Nicholas de Fleming, who held the mayoralty of York for six years. Coal was formerly worked, but the mines are now nearly exhausted. The charities produce 20, the bequest of the Countess of Westmoreland in 1729, for the relief of widows.