Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/268

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258

BEWDLEY. 258 HILL. anciently an extra-parochial place, included within the jurisdiction of tli>: Welsh March* s, and possessed the privilege of sanctuary. It became a part of tin: parish of Ribbesford iu tho reign of Henry VI., and was added to the county of Worcester in the latter |>art of the reign of Hunry VIII. A palace was built hero by Henry VII. for hw son Arthur, and the marriage of that prince with Catherine of Arragon (by proxy) took place here. Tin pa.. during the Civil Var, after his retirement from I Ixford, and being much injured by tho attacks of i troops, was soon alter taken down. The town of Lewd- ley stands partly on tho level ground by the river, and partly on the slope of a pleasant hill. Tho river is crossed by a slight and handsome stone bridge of three arches, which was erected in 1797, and from which the principal street runs westward, and divides into two branches. The town is clean, the houses for the most part well built, and tho streets paved and lighted with gas. There ia a townhall, built of stone in 1818, and supported on several arches, through which arc the en- trances to the market-place, an open area bounded by arcades with stalls. Two small prisons stand next tho townhall. Bewdley was at one time the seat of an ex- tensive carrying trade on the river, and also of tho manufacture of Dutch caps ; but both these have de- clined. Most of the workpeople are now employed in agricultural pursuits, or in the manufacture of horn combs, lanterns, drinking-horns, and powder-flasks. There are also a brass foundry, brick and rope-making works, several tanneries and malting houses. The living is a perpct. cur. in the dioc. of Hereford, of the val. of 100, in tho patron, of tho Kector of Ribbcsford. The church stands in tho principal street. It is a spacious stone structure, erected in 17-48, on the site of an ono built of timber, and is dedicated to St. Anne. In 1853 a separate district was assigned to this church by an order in council, out of the palish of Kibbcsford, which district is named the "district chapelry of St. Anne," and embraces about a third part of the town. There is a now church, dedicated to tho Holy Trinity, at Far Forest, tho liv-ing of which is a cur., val. 101, in the gift of tho Kector of the parish of Kibbesford and the Kector of Rock, alternately. Tho Bap'.i-t . > - leyans, Unitarians, and Quakers have chapels in the town. The charitable endowments of Bewdley amount to 278 per annum. The foundations consist chiefly of the free grammar school and numerous almshouses. The gram- mar school was founded in 1591, and was afterwards en- dowed by several benefactors, but its affairs were fol many years involved in a suit in Chancery. It is, how- ever, expected that a new school-house will soon be built, and a master appointed. Tho blue-coat school for GO children has been united with the National school. Four- almshouses for aged women were founded in 1645 : eight additional ones, by Thomas Cook, in 1693 ; and six for aged men, rebuilt in 1763. Cook's almshouaes have been lately very extensively repaired by a donation of 200 from the late Ker. Joseph Crane, formerly curate of Kibbesford. In connection with the grammar school is a small free library founded by tho la to Thomas in. There are also a library and reading-room, established in 1818, in connection with the literary institution ; and a savings-bank. Bewdley i < its first charter of incorporation from Edward IV., on whose accession the manor, which at an early belonged to the Beaumonts, Earl* of WlxwioE, and afterwards to tho Mortimers, Earls of March, became a possession of the crown. A new charter was grunti <1 1> James I., another by James 1 1., but after long litigation the foimer was continued. The borough has returned ono member to parliament -hire the n -ign of James I. Under tho Reform Act, tho limits of tho borough in- clude, besides tho old borough, Wribbenhall, on the east bank of tho Severn, Hoarstone, Blackstone, Netherton, and Stourport. Its government is vested in a mayor, 1 aldermen, and 12 councillors, with tho style of tho "bailiff, burgesses, and inhabitants of the town and borough of Bewdloy." It has a revenue of about 600, and an area of 7,110 acres, containing 691 houses, according to the census of 1861, within municipal, and 1,616 within i y limiti tho population being ly '2,'M~> against 3,124 and 7.31S, in 1 the parliamentary borough of 1,'ioJ, and in the cipal of 219, in the d< -Tom! philologist, and Bishop Willis, one of t the Society for Promoti. n Knowledge, bom here, and received their early education ' hool. Ticknel Talk, Winterd Spring Grove are tho principal scats. I near the town, is an extensive Inclosnre, sdn magnificent woods, intersected by tine walks. market day. Fairs are held on th> in Febiiiary, and on tho Monday before tho St. Anne, for cattle ; :.nd on the 23rd April, Tuesday in Octob. 10th and llth for pedlery and general mcrchandi BEWERLEY, a tnshp. in the par. of Ripon, Claro, in the West Riding of tho co. of York, 1 to the W. of Ripon. It is situated on the bar 1 - rivt-r Nidd, near Pateley Bridge, and inc vil. of Greenhow Hill. Extensive lead mines I here, and give employment to many of The chief residence ia Bewerley Hall. BEWHOLME, a tnshp. in the par. wap. of Holderness, in the East Riding of tho co. 3 miles from Hon BEWICK, a vil. in the tnshp. I wap. of Holderness, in the York, 6 miles to the 8. of 11. in- 1; the sea-coast. BEWICK, NEW and OLD, tnshps Eglingham, ward of Coquetdale, in the < d, 7 miles to the S.E. of Woolcr. In th*^| bourhood are the remains of two a - a semicircular form one situated on 1 other at Harup Burn. The former has i and both are considered to bo liriti some ruins of an ancient chapel near tl BEWLEY. See BKAULIM BEWLEY CASTLE, a hinlt. in West ward, in the co. of W Appleby. BEWSBOROU ( ill 1 1 r XI 1 1 ; I hunds. or subdivisions of tho lathe the co. of Kent, bounded by the i Cornillo on the X.W. and N.E., th Iv., and the lathe of Shopway on the W. KM tains tho pars, of Buckland, Charlton, i. I >eal, E well, (i- Lydden, St. Margaret-at-Clifle, r wold, and Whitfield, comprising an area 19,800 acres. BEXHILL HUNDRED, one of tho 13 K of tho rape of Hastings, in the co. of SUSMI by tho hunds. of Nintield >w oi and W., and by tho sea on the S., an part of tho par. of Bexhill. It with privileges like those of Battle and The inhabitants are exempt from sen ing on j r.liXIIILI,, a pur. in the linnd. of also within the libs, of Hastings ' Hastings, in tho co. of Sussex, C miles to the London. 1- situated on a hill on tie lea-coast, and is a the South Coast railv hop-grounds, n bed of lignite, and several springs. The living is u vie.* in the dio of the Mil. of .r.i.v.i. in the patron, of th

structure, apparently of Norman i being separated from tho aisles by round-In adi^i resting on massive pillars, while the chancel is early English style, with lancet-shaped -ii-iet church, dedicated to St. Mark, the living which is a r., val. 280, in the gJJj^B vicar. Bexhill Common ia north-west of the viUsgc-