Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/845

WINCHESTER. 833 WINCHFIELD. during her marriage with Philip of Spain. There are, too, the holy hole, where bones were formerly collected ; the doomsday vault in the N. aisle, where the Sotttlus Wintonia was kept before its removal to London, and many frescoes, wall paintings, punning rebuses, and tombs of bishops. Within the cathedral precincts are a passage 90 feet long, formerly connected with Bishop de Luey's cloisters; the site of the old chapter-house close to the dean's garden ; the refectory, an ancient stone structure, 41 feet by 23, with two large kitchens below ; the prior's hall, now the deanery, and Bishop Morley's palace, with a chapel of the time of Henry VII. Second only to the cathedral is St. Mary's College, the foundation of William of Wykeham, situated outside the city boundary, on the S.E. It was erected in 1382-93 on the site of the old grammar-school, in which he had been educated, and which is known to have been founded before 1136. It consists of two quadrangles built of hewn stone, and entered through an antique gateway, which leads, by another gateway under a tower, to the inner court. Over the latter gateway are statues of St. Michael and the founder, praying on either side, and the Virgin in the centre. The inner quadrangle is the more elegant, having in the S. side the hall and chapel : the former 63 feet by 33, with a good timber roof; and the latter one of the most beautiful specimens of Gothic architecture extant, covered with a vaulted roof, and enriched with stained windows, the eastern one representing the genealogy of Christ ; also antique stalls, six brasses of priests, and an altar reredos lately restored byMr. Butterfield at the expense of Chief Justice Sir W. Erie. The cloisters adjoining the chapel are of the fifteenth century, and form a square, each side of which is about 132 feet, with several brasses let into the wall ; and in the central area is the library, built in 1430, by J. Fromond, as a chantry. The school-room was built by a subscription among the Wykehamists, as the students are styled, in 1687, at a cost of 2,592. The residence of the head-master adjoins the college, and has been recently rebuilt at a cost of 20,000. This college numbers at present about 300 students. It was originally designed by the founder as a preparatory seminary of New College, Oxford, also founded by Wykeham, and consists of a warden, 10 fellows, and 70 foundation scholars, besides other scholars, clerks, choristers, and others. A public examination takes place annually, when the vacant scholarships at New College are filled up by the warden from among the most promising students. Amongst the eminent men educated here have been about 40 prelates, including Ken (whose name may still be seen cut upon the cloister walls), Howley, and Louth, besides Sir T. Browne, Wotton, Otway, Phillips, Young, Somer- ville, Collins, T. Warton, Hayley, and Sidney Smith. Other ancient foundations are St. John's hospital, part of which is now used as a public banqueting-room and assembly room ; Symonds's college, or Christ's hospital, founded in 1607 by Peter Symonds ; Morley's hospital, or the Matrons' college, founded in 1672 by Bishop Morley, for the support of 10 clergymen's widows, on the site of St. Grimbald's new mynster, founded by Alfred the Great in 808, and whose inscription was picked up here ; the Abbey house, built on the site of St. Mary's abbey, originally founded by Alfred's wife, Alswitha, and rebuilt by Henry II. ; and the hospital of St. Cross, which has lately been restored by Mr. Butterfield, about 1 mile S. of the town. The hospital was originally built and endowed by Henry de Blois, the brother of King Stephen, in 1136, but was much enlarged by Cardinal Beaufort, who added the " Alms- IK.IISOS of Noble Poverty." The church and other buildings belonging to the hospital are in Norman archi- t i luro, erected chiefly during the prelacy of Cardinal 11- uifort. At present this ancient institution consists of a. master and 13 brethren of Bishop de Blois' original lidion, with a porter, cook, and 25 out-pensioners ; but when its revenues, which are managed under a pro- ii.il scheme of the Court of Chancery, will permit, it is in contemplation to revive Cardinal Beaufort's larger design. The churches of Winchester are 12 in number, and are mostly ancient. St. Lawrence is tho bishop's or mother church ; St. Swithin's was built by King John over the old postern of the king's gate, and is much admired ; St. Bartholomew's, once be- longing to Hyde Abbey; St. Maurice's, once collegiate; St. Thomas, recently rebuilt ; St. John's, part Norman ; St. Peter Cheeshill, built in the llth century; St. John the Baptist's chapel ; the old church of St. Cross, men- tioned above ; the Holy Trinity Church, on the N. walls, recently erected by tho Messrs. Govers ; and Christ Church, S.W. of the town. The city comprises the eight parishes of St. Bartholomew Hyde, St. Law- rence, St. Peter Cheeshill, St. Swithin, St. John, St. Maurice with St. Mary Kalendar and St. Peter Cole- brook annexed, St. Thomas with St. Clement's, besides the extra-parochial districts of the Close, St. Mary's College, and the hospital of St. Cross. The see of Win- chester is in the province of Canterbury, and includes the archdeaconries of Surrey and Winchester, with the islands of Wight, Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark. The bishop is sub-dean of the province of Can- terbury, and prelate of tho Order of the Garter, ranking next after London and Durham. The chapter com- prises a dean, 5 canons, 5 minor canons, a chancellor, and 2 archdeacons. The income of the bishop is fixed at 10,500, and his residences are Farnham Castle, in Surrey, Winchester House, and St. James's-square, London. Winchester has a high steward and recorder, and is a borough by prescription. Under the late Mu- nicipal Act it is divided into 3 wards, and is governed by a mayor, who is returning officer, 6 aldermen, and 18 councillors, with the style of "mayor, bailiffs, and commonalty of the city of Winchester." The mu- nicipal revenue is about 2,700, its area is 850 acres, and its assessment 41,453. It has returned two members to parliament since the reign of Edward I., and is the polling town for tho northern division of the county. The spring and midsummer assizes and quarter sessions for tho county are held in tho county hall ; and the mayor and corporation hold quar- terly sessions for tho trial of all offences not capital. A county court is held monthly, and the Bishop's court, callen Cheyney court, from the French word ehene, " an oak," under which it was formerly held, has also juris- diction for debt and damage within the liberties of tho see or convent of St. Swithin. It is the head of an excise district, and the seat of a superintendent registry. Tho Poor-law Union comprises 34 parishes and townships. Since the decay of the woollen trade no manufactures of importance have been introduced, but considerable busi- ness is done in the general trade and in agricultural produce, also in brewing, malting, and brick-making. The principal seats in the vicinity are Ampfield, Aving- ton Park, Cranbury, Crawley, Hursley Lodge, Shaw- ford, Twyford House, Worthy Park, and Hong Kong, in the Chinese stylo of architecture, where R. Andrews, Esq., as mayor of Southampton, received Kossuth, the Hungarian, on his arrival in England in 1854. Win- chester gives title of Marquis to the Paulets of Amport. The Kingsworthy hounds hunt in the vicinity. One newspaper, tho Hampshire Chronicle, is published in the town. Here is a Roman Catholic church, built in 1792 by Carter, which has several stained windows, and the ancient Norman porch of St. Mary Magdalene's hospital. The Wesleyans, Independents, Baptists, and other dissenting congregations have chapels. The edu- cational establishments include Winchester College, above described, the diocesan training school, several private academies, and numerous National, infant, and Sunday schools in connection with the several places of worship. Races take place annually on the downs, about 3 miles N.W. of the town, on a two-mile course. Market duys are Wednesday and Saturday. Fairs are held on the first Monday in Lent ; on tho 2nd August, at St. Mary Magdaleno's hill ; and on the 23rd and 24th October for sheep, horses, &c. WINCHFIELD, a par. in the hund. of Odiham, co. Hants, 2 miles S.W. of Harford Bridge, and 2 N.E. of