Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/861

WITNEY. 849 WITTON. WTTNEY, a par. and market town in the hund. of Bampton, co. Oxford, 6 miles W. of Bampton, and 11 N.W. of Oxford, with which it is connected by a short line of railway. The par., which is watered by the river Windrush, over which is a bridge of three arches, and traversed by the road from Cheltenham to Glouces- ter, comprises, besides the town of Witney, the chplries. of Crawley, Curbridge, and Hailey. It ia a place of considerable antiquity, having been given by Bishop Ailwyn to Winchester Cathedral, and by Bishop de Blois to St. Cross. It sent members to parliament in the 33rd year of Edward I. and 5th Edward III., about which time a tournament was held here by Humphrey de Bohun and Aylmer de Valence. The market cross was built in 1683, by "William Blake, Esq., of Coggs, and was repaired in 1811. The town consists chiefly of two streets, one above a mile in length. It contains a townhall, built over a piazza in which the market is held, a Blanket Hall, erected in 1721 for the transaction of business, but now used as a warehouse, two branch banks, and in the chapelry of Curbridge the union workhouse. The population in 1851 was 3,099, in- habiting 630 houses, and in 1861, 3,458, inhabiting 741 houses. The manufacture of blankets, duffels, or pilot cloths, and other woollen goods, for which the town has long been celebrated, still occupies a considerable num- ber of hands, although it has somewhat declined since the introduction of machinery ; tiltings, gloves, and woolstapling are also carried on, and a large trade is done in matting. The local affairs of the town aro ad- ministered by two bailiffs, two constables, and other officers, chosen at the annual court leet held at Michael- mas, but the jurisdiction belongs to the county magis- trates. A court baron is held twice a year by the l)uke of Marlborough, as lessee of the manor under the Bishop of Winchester. The Poor-law Union comprises 42 parishes, of which one is in co. Berks, two in Gloucester, and the remainder in Oxford. It is also the seat of a new county court and superintendent registry. The river Windrush abounds in trout and crayfish. The living ia a rect. and vie. in the dioc. of Oxford, val. 1,000, in the patron, of the Bishop of Winchester. The church, dedicated, to St. Mary, has on the N. side a mortuary chapel of the Wenman family. It has within the past year been very handsomely restored at the cost of 4,000, including the restoration of the chan- cel, which was nndertaken by the present rector, at a cost of 1,000. The designs were by Mr. Street. There is also a district church recently erected in Wood Green. The Wesleyana, Primitive Methodists, Independents, and Society of Friends, have chapels. The free gram- mar school for 30 boys was founded and endowed in 1663, by Henry Box ; the Blue-coat school in 1723, by John Holloway ; and another school by William Blake in 1693 ; there are, besides, National and Sunday schools, and several almshouses. The charities, in- cluding the school endowments and Freeland's estate for the poor, produce about 650 per annum. Market day is on Thursday, and a cattle market is held on the last Thursday in every month. Fairs are held on Easter Tuesday, Holy Thursday, Thursdays following 9th July, 21th August, 8th September, 1st December, and the Thursday before 10th October for cattle and CllHI-sr. WITSTON. See WHITSON, co. Monmouth. WITTENHAM, LITTLE, a par. in the hund. of Ock, cp. Berks, 4 miles N.W. of Wallingford. The village is situated on the Thames, near Sinodun Hill, which ia surrounded by an ancient camp, where many Roman antiquities have been found. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Oxford, val. 400. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, contains brasses, the earliest being that of a priest, 1433, and monuments to the Kidwelly and Dunche families. There are day and Sunday schools. G. H. Cherry, Esq., is lord of the manor. WITTENHAM, LONG, or EARL'S, a par. in the hund. of Ock, co. Berks, 4 miles S. of Abingdon, and 5 N.W. of Wallingford. The village is situated on the river Isis, and adjoins tho parish of Little Wittenham. Funeral urns and other Roman antiquities have boon found here. The manor belongs to the President of St. John's College, Oxford. The living ia a vie.* in the dioc. of Oxford, val. 170, in the patron of Exeter Col- lege. The church is dedicated to St. Peter. The chari- ties produce 20 per annum, being tho rental of 25 acres. There are National and infant schools. WITTER, a par. in the bar. of Ards, co. Down, Ire- land, 2 miles S.E. of Portaferry. The village is situ- ated on the E. side of tho entrance to Lough Strangford. On the eastern coast aro Quintin, Millin, and Tara bays, and on tho western that of Bar Hall, with the headland of Ballygrintin to the S. There are some remains of De Courcy's castle. The land is hilly, and generally fertile. The living is a vie. united to that of Inch. WITTERING, EAST, a par. in the hund. of Man- hood, rape of Chichester, co. Sussex, 7 miles S.W. of Chichester. The village is situated near the coast of tho English Channel, which bounds tho parish on the S. The sea has been encroaching upon this part of the coast, and has absorbed a considerable portion of the prebendal manor of Bracklesham. The sands, which are left dry at low water, aro particularly firm and level, with patches of soft clay, in which fossil shells are found. The living is a rect. in the dioe. of Chichester, val. 200, in the patron, of tho Bishop of London. WITTERING, WEST, a par. in the hund. of Man- hood, rape of Chichester, co. Sussex, 7J miles S.W. of Chichester, and 2 N.W. of East Wittering. The village is bounded on the W. by Chichester Harbour, and on the S. by tho British Channel. Here the Saxon chief- tain Ella is supposed to have defeated tho Britons in 477. The old episcopal palace of the bishops of Chichester, now called Cakeham Manor Place, has been converted into a farmhouse, and near it is tho tower built by Bishop Sherborne. The living is a vie. in tho dioc. of Chiches- ter, val. 165, in the patron, of the bishop. The church contaius a Norman font, and two monuments, with effigies of William Ernlcy and family. Tho register commences in 1622. Thero are National schools. WITTERSHAM, a par. in tho hund. of Oxney, latho of Shepway, co. Kent, 5 miles S.E. of Tenterdon, and 5 N. of Rye railway station. The village is situated on a plateau surrounded by the river Rother and its branches, forming, with the adjoining parishes of Ebony and Stone, the Isle of Oxney. There aro hop-gardens and orchards. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Canterbury, val. 730, in the patron, of the archbishop. The church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The Wesleyans have a chapel. There are a literary institution, and a frco school founded in 1820. The charities produce about 80 per annum, including the school endowment. A fair is held on tho 12th May. WITTON, a par. in tho hund. of Blofield, co. Nor- folk, 5 miles E. of Norwich, and 2 from the Brundall railway, station. It ia traversed by the road from Nor- wich to Yarmouth, and bounded on the S. by the navi- gable river Yare. The land is chiefly arable. The liv- ing is a rect. consolidated with that of Brundall. Tho church, dedicated to St. Margaret, has been recently re- stored. The register commences in 1571. WITTON, a par. in the hund. of Tunstead, and Tun- stead and Happing incorporation, co. Norfolk, 4 miles N.E. of North Walshain, near the coast. The living ia a vie.* in the dioc. of Norwich, val. 136, in the patron, of tho bishop. Tho church, dedicated to St. Margaret, was erected by the late Lord Wodehouse. In the in- terior are monuments to the Norris family, to whom the manor formerly belonged. There is a school, founded by Lady Wodehouse in 1834. The charities produce about 50 per annum. Tho register dates from 1558. WITTON, a hmlt. in the par. of Aston, co. War- wick, 3 miles N. of Birmingham, near the Grand Junc- tion canal. WITTON, a par. in the hund. of Hurstingstone, co. Hunts, 2 milos N.W. of St. Ives, and 3J E. of Huntingdon. The village is situated on tho river Ouse, which passes through the parish. It was for sonw