Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/772

WATFORD. 760 WATTEN. cently been effected, a constant supply of water obtained on the high-pressure principle, and the streets and roads much improved. The town is well lighted with gas, and partially paved. An extramural cemetery has re- cently been laid out with two chapels. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 670. The church is dedicated to St. Mary. There are also the dis- trict churches of St. Andrew's, Leavesden, and Oxhey, the livings of which are perpet. euro. The Wesleyans, Independents, and Baptists have chapels. There are National, British, and infant schools, two old- established freo schools, the one founded in 1641, by Francis Coombe, for 11 boys, and the other in 1704, by Elizabeth Fuller, for 40 boys and 20 girls ; also alms- houses for 12 widows and a literary institution.- The Poor-law Union of Watford comprises 6 parishes. In the vicinity are Cashiobury Park, the seat of the Earl of Essex, and Grove Park, of the Earl of Clarendon. Market day is Tuesday. Fairs are held on Whit Tues- day and 9th September. WATFORD, a par. in the hund. of Guilsborough, co. Northampton, 5 miles N.E. of Daventry, its post town, and half a mile from the Crick railway station. The village is situated on the Union canal and the ancient Watling Street. The par. includes part of the hmlt. of Murcott. The surface is hilly, and the soil a strong loam. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Peterborough, val. 296, in the patron, of the lord chancellor. The church, dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul, contains tombs of the Clarke family. The parochial charities produce about 35 per annum, which go towards the support of Clarke's school. There are a National and infant schools. The Wesleyans have a chapel. WATH, a par. in the waps. of Allertonshire and Hallikeld, North Riding co. York, 4 J miles N. of Ripon, its post town, and half a mile N.W. of Melmerby station on the North-Eastern railway. The village is situated on the Leeds and Thirsk railway, near the river Ure. The par. includes the tnshp. of Norton Conyers and the vils. of Melmerby and Middleton-Quernhow. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Ripon, val. 981. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, has a chapel on the S. side, erected at the expense of Sir B. Graham, Bart., of Norton Conyers, and called Norton Chapel. The paro- chial charities produce about 108 per annum, 83 of which go to Samwaies' free school and almshouses, founded in 1690. There is an infant school. WATH, a tnshp. in the par. of Hovingham, wap. of Ryedale, North Riding co. York, 1 mile S. of Hoving- ham railway station, and 7 miles N.W. of New Malton, on a branch of the river Rye. The subsoil consists of redstone and limestone. There are traces of the Mow- brays' old seat. The Earl of Carlisle is lord of the manor and owner of the soil. WATH-ON-ROBESTON. See ROBESTON, WATHON, co. Pembroke. WATH-UPON-DEARNE, a par. and tnshp. in the N. div. of Strafforth wap., West Riding co. York, 6 miles N. of Rotherham, its post town, and 10 W. of Doncaster. It has stations on the Doncaster section of the South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire railway, and on the Midland railway. The par., which is six miles in length by four in average breadth, contains the tnshps. of Nether Hoyland, Swinton,Wentworth, Thorpe, Thorpe-Hesley, and Brampton-Bierlow. There are ex- tensive collieries, stone quarries, iron works, and pot- teries. The parish is bounded on the E. by the rivers Don and Dearne, and is intersected by the Dearne and Dove canal. The soil is clayey and sandy, but fertile. Many of the houses are lighted with gas from the works constructed in 1844. The population of the parish in 1861 was 13,820, and of the township 1,690. The property chiefly belongs to the Earl Fitzwilliam, who is lord of the several manors, and whose seat is within the limits of the parish. The living is a vie.* with the cur. of Adwick-upon-Dearne annexed, in the dioc. of York, val. 315, in the patron, of Christ Church, Oxford. The church, dedicated to All Saints, has two stained win- dows. The register dates from 1600. In addition to the parish church arc the following district churches viz., Brampton Bierlow, Thorpe-Hesley, Hoyland, S win- ton, Kilnhurst, Wentworth, and Elsecar, the livings of which are all perpet. curs., varying in val. from 340 to 125. The parochial charities produce about 30 per annum. There are an endowed school, and National, Sunday, and denominational schools for both sexes. The Wesleyans, Wesleyan Reformers, and Primitivo Methodists have each a chapel. A mechanics' institute was established in 1854. Wath Hall and Cross House are the principal residences. A statute fair for the hiring of servants is held on 24th November. WATLING STREET, a hmlt. in the par. of Wel- lington, co. Salop, near Wellington. WATLINGTON, a par. in the hund. of Clackclose, co. Norfolk, 5 miles N. of Downham-Market, its post town, and 6 S.W. of Lynn. It is a station on the Great-Eastern railway. The village is situated on the eastern bank of the river Ouse, over which is a bridge. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Norwich. The church, dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul, has an old font and some tombs. The parochial charities produce about 18 per annum. There are a Sunday-school for both sexes, and a chapel for the Wesleyans. WATLINGTON, a par. and small town in the hund. of Pyrton, co. Oxford, 8 miles S.W. of Thatne, and H S.E. of Oxford. It is situated between the two high roads leading from London to Oxford, about half a mile from the Roman way Icknield Street, and under the Chiltcrn hills, which rise above the town, and command an extensive view over three counties. On one of the spurs of the Chilterns is a figure of an obelisk cut on the face of the chalk. The par. includes the limits, of Greenfield and Wormondiscombe. It is men- tioned in Domesday book as Watelintone, and was then held by Robert de Oilgi, from whom it came to Roger Bigod, Piers Gaveston, the De la Beches, and other noble families. It is supposed to have derived its name from the Saxon watelar, in allusion to its having been a British village formed of wattles or wicker. The town- hall is an old building, standing near the centre of the town, and used as a school for boys. The petty sessions for the hundred are held every alternate Saturday in a new court-house built for the purpose. There are two breweries and two corn mills, which latter are worked by a small rivulet. The soil consists of clay, with a sub- soil of gravel and chalk. Two courts leet take place an- nually. The population in 1861 was 1,938. About three miles from the town is Chalgrove Field, where an engage- ment took place in 1643 between the Royalists and Parlia- mentarians, in which John Hampden was slain and the Royalists were victorious. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Oxford, val. 220. The church, dedicated to St. Mary or St. Leonard, contains tombs of the Homes, and three brasses, one bearing date from 1485. There are several parochial charities and a small church estate. There are two schools, one for boys and one for girls, and chapels for the Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists. Near the church is the moated site of a castle, built in 1338 by the De la Beches. There is also a camp at Britwell Hill. T. S. Carter, Esq., and Rev. W. P. Hulton, are lords of the manor. There are two statute and pleasure fairs held on the Saturday before and the Saturday after Old Michaelmas. WATNALL CANTELOPE and WATNALL CHA- WORTH, hmlts. in the par. of Greasley, co. Notts, 6 miles N.W. of Nottingham. WATTEN, a par. in the co. of Caithness, Scotland. It is nearly circular in form, and about 8J miles in diameter. The surface is undulating but low, being in some parts little more than 20 foot above sea- level. The soil is rich and productive, with the ex- ception of that of the moors, which are of consider- able extent. In 'the northern part of the parish is Loch Watten, extending 3 miles from W. to E., with a breadth of from 3 to 10 furlongs ; it abounds in eels and trout, and is much frequented by wild ducks and sea fowl. The southern part of the parish is watered by Loch Toftingall. The confluent streams from the