Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/509

SOMERS TOWN. 497 SOPLEY. The church is dedicated to St. Mary. The register dates from 1570. The parochial charities produce about 5 per annum, realised from town land. The Indepen- dents and baptists have each a place of worship. SOMERS TOWN, a chplry. in the par. of St. Pancras, co. Middlesex, 2 miles N.W. of St. Paul's Cathedral, London. This place, about 40 years ago, was built over, and became a populous suburb. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of London, val. 400, in the patron, of the vicar. The church is a modern edifice. See PANCHAS, ST. SOMERTON, a par. in the hund. of Ploughley, co. Oxford, 8 miles N.E. of Woodstock, its post town, and 4 S.E. of Deddington. It is a station on the Oxford section of the Great Western railway. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on the Oxford canal, near the river Cherwell, and is wholly agricultural. Archbishop Juxon was once rector of this parish. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Oxford, val. 275. The church, dedicated to St. James, is an ancient stone structure, containing tombs of the Fermors of Tusmore. The parochial charities produce about 2 per annum. There is Fermor's endowed boys' school, and a girls' and infant school endowed by the Countess of Jersey. The Earl of Jersey is lord of the manor. SOMERTON, a hund. co. Somerset, contains the pars, of Aller, West Carmel, Charlton-Adam, Charlton-Mack- rell, Kingston, East Lydford, Somerton, Long Sutton, and Yeovilton, comprising an area of 25,450 acres. SOMERTON, a par., post and market town in the above hund., co. Somerset, 6 miles N.E. of Longport railway station, and 7 S. of Glastonbury. It is situated at the bridge over the river Carey, and on the high road from Wells to Taunton. The par. contains the tnshps. of Somerton Borough, Somerton Earl, and Somerton Door, with the hmlts. of Catsgrove, Highbrooks, and Midney. There was a castle hero in the Saxon times, in which, subsequently, King John of Franco was confined by Edward III. In 877 the town was de- stroyed by the Danes, but being rebuilt, became the principal town of Somersetshire. The town, consisting of about five narrow streets, has recently been con- siderably improved, and is now paved, and lighted with gas, and has a good supply of water. The public hall stands nearly in the centre of the town, and is used by the county magistrates, who hold their sessions on Monday. There are three banks and a police station of recent "erection. The gaol is on the site of the old castle. Glove making is carried on to a considerable extent in connection with houses in Yeovil, ropes and twine are manufactured, there is also a brewery. The market cross, which is of grunt antiquity, is in good preservation. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Bath and Wells, val. 259. The church, dedicated to -St. Michael, is an ancient stone edifice, with an octagonal tower containing a clock and six bells. The interior contains several brasses and effigies, including one of Edithe the Nun. The parochial charities pro- duce about 139 per annum. There are an endowed free school for boys, a female school, supported by Col. Pinney, M.P., and Sunday-schools for both sexes. The Independents, Wesleyans, and Primitive Metho- dists have each a place of worship. A court-leet is held in October. The county court is held at Langport. Market day is on Tuesday. Fairs for cattle are held on the Tuesday in Passion week, every third Tuesday after for three months, and on Michaelmas day, 8th November,. and on the last Monday in January. SOMERTON, a par. in the hund. of Babergh, co. Suffolk, 6 miles N.W. of Sudbury railway station, 7 N.E. of Clare, and 9 S.W. of Bury St. Edmund's, its post town. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on a branch of the river Stour, and is wholly agricultural. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Norwich, val. 207. The church, dedicated to St. Margaret, has a tower containing four bells. The register dates from 1538. The parochial charities pro- duce about 11 per annum. J. G. W. Poley, Esq., is lord of the manor. SOMERTON, EAST, a par. in the hund. of West Flcgg, co. Norfolk, 4 miles N. of Great Ormesby, and 8 N.W. of Yarmouth, its post town. It is situated near the coast, overlooking the North Sea. Tho living is a cur. annexed to the rect. of Winterton, in the dioc. of Norwich. Tho church is in ruins, but the tower, covered with ivy, is remaining. Burnley Hall is the principal residence. SOMERTON, WEST, a par. in the hund. of Flegg, co. Norfolk, 9 miles N.W. of Yarmouth, its post town. The village, which is of small extent, is chiefly agricultural. In the reign of Henry II. a hospital for lepers was founded by Ralph de Granville, lord-chief-justice of England, as a cell to Butley Priory in Norfolk. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Norwich, val. ,98. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, has a round tower and octangular lantern. A court-leet is held annually by T. F. Grove, Esq., who is lord of the manor. SOMPTING, a par. in the hund. of Brightford, rape of Bramber, co. Sussex, 3 miles N.E. of Worthing, its post town, and 1 mile W. of the Lancing railway station. The village, which is considerable and chiefly agricultural, is situated under the Downs which rise in the N. of the parish. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Chichester, val. 150. The church is an ancient cruci- form structure, with a singular Saxon tower, terminated by a gable at each side, and crowned with a wooden spire. There is a National school. SONNING, a hund. in the co. of Berks, contains the pars, of Arborfield, Ruscomb, Sandhurst, and parts of Hurst, Sonning, and Wokingbam, comprising an area of 21,830 acres. SONNING, a par. partly in the hunds. of Sonning and Charlton, co. Berks, and partly in that of Binfield, co. Oxford, 3 miles N.E. of Reading, its post town, and 2 N.W. of Twyford railway station. The village, which, is large, is situated on the Great Western railway, at the bridge over tho river Thames, which separates it from tho county of Oxford. The par. includes tho hmlts. of Early, Woodley, and Eye. The living is a vie.* with the cur. of All Saints annexed, in the dioc. of Oxford, val. 451, in the patron, of the bishop. The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, has a square flint tower containing eight bells. Tho interior of the church contains monuments of great antiquity, with five brasses, the earliest bearing date 1434. There is also the district church of St. Peter's, the living of which is a perpet. cur.* val. 100. This church was erected in 1844 by subscription, and endowed by tho late Viscountess Sidrnouth. Tho parochial charities produce about 1 85 per annum, of which 30 are the endowment of Sir T. Riche's school, and 54 arise from church lands. There is a National school for girls. Holme Park House, Earley Court, and Balmirshe Court are the prin- cipal residences. SONTLEY, a tnshp. in the par. of Marchwiel, hund. of Bromfield, co. Denbigh, 3 miles S.E. of Wroxham. SOOTHILL, a tushp. in the par. of Dowsbury, lower div. of Agbrigg wap., West Riding co. York, 1 milo N. of Dewsbury, and 6 miles N.W. of Wakefield. The Batley railway station is in this township. Tho tnshp. includes the hmlts. of Hanging Heatori, Chidswell, Shawcross with Haybeck, Earls-Heaton, and Chicken- leg. A portion of the inhabitants arc employed in the collieries and stone quarries. In the vicinity are the remains of a church, now used as a malthouse. SOPEHS-FARM, an ext. par. place in the par. of Walcot, hund. of Bath Forum, co. Somerset. SOPLEY, a par. in the hund. of Christchurch, Ring- wood div. of co. Hants, 6 miles S. of Ringwood, its post town, and 2 N. of Christchurch. The village, which is considerable, is situated on the eastern bank of the river Avon. The par. includes the tnshps. of Avon, Ripley, and Shirley. A short distance from th village is a ford by which Sir Walter Tyrrel is said to have passed to Poolo when making his escape after the death of William Ilufus in the New Forest. The living is a vie.* in tho dioc. of Winchester, val. 230. The church, dedicated