BILLESDON. 265 BILLINGHAM. - Act, but for civil purposes forming part of tho , real Burstead, hund. of Barstable, in the co. of ' i x, 8 miles to the S. of Chelmsford, and 23 miles to tho N". of London. Tho Great Eastern railway passes
- ie it on tho west, and has a station at Brentwood,
ilcs distant. Tho town is of ancient origin; but ibeeu much improved of late years by the building w houses, and is now lighted with gas. It is seated in eminence at the junction of the road from London id and Southend and that from Chelmsford to n'erry over the Thames at Tilbury, and enjoys a com- ding view over the Nore, the* coast of Kent, and the nrs, the vessels on which are often visible. Tho oymeiits of the people are agricultural; and brick- ing is carried on to a small extent. Billcricay is tho of a Poor-law Union, and contains the Union oje. It has been a market town since the reign of (lord rV., but the market is now of much less rtaneo than formerly, being chiefly for pigs. Poll- H tho county elections takes place here, and petty sbus aro held once a fortnight in the market-house, i iliving is a perpct. cur. in the dioc. of Rochester, of al. of 120, in the patron, of tho bishop. The lieh is dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. The tower, lib is built of brick, is of earlier date than tho body uirch, and is now much decayed. There are i.vls belonging to tho Independents and Baptists, charitable foundations consist of the grammar -1, endowed in 1654 by the Rev. Samuel Bayley, for iildren, which has an income of 120; and schools . he National and British systems. Tuesday is the ret day, and fairs for tho sale of cattle are held on '.nd August and tho 7th October. LLESDON, a par. in tho hund. of Gartree, in the f Leicester, 8 miles to the E. of Leicester, its post v.. It is situated in a beautiful valley, among the hills i >t side of the county, and includes the chplries. uadl.y and Rolleston. Near the village is tho hill ,1 Jiiilesdon Coplow. Billcsdon is the seat of a 'o'-law Union, and contains the Union house. An djnarket-OTOM stands in the village. Agriculture, tho making of hosiery, earthenware, &c., aro tho Li.; MII -s.ses of the place. The living is a vie.* in of Peterborough, of the val. with tho curs, of by and Rolleston, of 279, in tho patron, of Sir Mr Hazlerigg and others. The church, dedicated to . jlm the. Baptist, has a tower and spire, which were It in 1862. There are chapels belonging to the ii.stsandWcsleyans. The parochial charities amount L- annum, and include a free school endowed veral persons, and some almshouses. In the neigh- i 1 of Billesdon are. tho remains of an extensive imp, covering 18 acres, and defended by a ram- i and ditch. A Roman temple is said to have stood
- site-.
I.LESLEY, a par. in tho Stratford div. of the A of Barlichway, hi the co. of Warwick, 3| miles to V. of Stratford-on-Avon, its post town. The living
- ischarged rect. in the dies, of Worcester, val. 100,
i! patron, of tho representatives of tho late M. i -, Esq., and tho Rev. T. Higgins. The church, ,atcd to All Saints, is stated by Dugdalo to have - -in his time only half the original building; and i.'-iai-ish now contains only three houses: Billesley . -cat of Miss Miles, and two homesteads. 1LLINGBORUUGH, a par. inthcwap. of Aveland, ! nl' Kesteveii, in the co. of Lincoln, 3 miles to the 1 1-'ollangham, its post town. The living is a vie.* i '( dioc. of Lincoln, val. 295, in the patron, of Earl '. ilseue. The church is in tho decorated style of r -lecture, with a good tower and spire, and is dedi- a-.J to St. Andrew. Hero is a free school, founded nJndowed by Mary Toller, in 1671, with a revenue ! 30. The annual value of the poor's land is ab ) 24, and there aro other charities producing about year. ..LINGE, a par. in the hund. of West Derby, in i. palatine of Lancaster, 5 miles to the S.W. of 1 W if a, its post town, and 4 miles N. of St. Helen's. It i. comprises tho tnshp. of Billinge Chapel-End and tho limit, of Winstanley. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of Chester, val. 400, in the patron, of tho Rector of Wigan. A church and churchyard existed here in the time of Elizabeth, but this was pulled down in 1717, and tho present one was erected on the site. There is a parochial school, with residence for the master and mistress. Tho Roman Catholics have a chapel and schools here. Winstanley Hall, tho seat of Meyrich ilaukes, Esq., is a fine old mansion, erected in tho 16th century. Billingo Hill is a lofty eminence near the termination of tho Yorkshire range, rising to tho height of 593 feet, and commanding a very wide pros- pect, which includes tho Ingleborough mountain in Yorkshire, and parts of Cumberland, Chesliire, and AVales. BILLINGE HIGHER-END, a tnshp. in the par. of Upholland, and hund. of West Derby, in the co. palatine of Lancaster, close to Billingo Chapel-End. Here are some cotton-mills, employing a small number of persons, and some stone-quarries. This township shares with Billingo Chapel-End tho benefit of charitable endow- ments producing about 117 per annum. Bispham Hall, in this tnshp., is an ancient residence, belonging to the Holts of Bispham, but now in tho occupation of V. H. Brancker, Esq. BILLLNGFORD, a par. in the hund. of Earsham, in the co. of Norfolk, 3 miles to tho S.E. of piss. Scolo is its post town. It lies on tho borders of Suffolk, on the north bank of the river Waveney. The living is a rect. hi the dioc. of Norwich, of tho val. with that of Little Thorpe, of 264, in the patron, of G. Wilson, Esq. The church is dedicated to St. Leonard. Tho manor was held in tho 14th century by Sir S. Burley, tho favourite of Edward tho Black Prince. BILLINGFORD, a par. in the hund. of Eynsford, in the co. of Norfolk, 3 miles to tho S.W. of Foulsham. Thetford is its post town. The river Wensum runs through the parish. A hospital for poor travellers was founded here early in tho reign of Henry III. by Wil- liam de Beck, to which a chapel was attached, dedi- cated to St. Thomas-a-Becket. The living is a rect. in tho dioc. of Norwich, val. 360, in tho patron, of the Earl of Leicester. The principal residence is Billing- lord Hall. BILLING, GREAT, a par. in the hund. of Spelhoe, in tho co. of Northampton, 4 miles to the E. of North- ampton, its post town. The Peterborough and North- ampton branch of the London and North- Western rail- way passes near it, and there is a station at Billing Road. The living is a rect.* in tho dioc. of Peterborough, of the val. of 495, in the patron, of the Principal and Fellows of Brasenose College, Oxford. The church is dedicated to St. Andrew, and contains a monument to Henry, Earl of Thomond, to whom the manor belonged, and who died in 10U1. A tablet to the memory of Caro- line Elwes, who died hi 1812, is adorned with a bas- relief by Flaxman. A hospital was founded here by John Freeman in the 17th century, which has an in- come from endowment of 33 a year. There are other small charities. This village was the birthplace of Sir J. Wake, a scholar and diplomatist of the reign of James I., tho rectory being at that time held by his father. Billing Paddock is the seat of the Elwes family, to whom the manor now belongs. BILLINGHAM, a par. in the north-eastern div. of Stockton ward, in the co. palatine of Durham, 3 miles to tho E. of Stockton-on-Tccs, its post town. It is a station on the llaillepool and Port Clarence railway. The par. contains the chplry. of Wolviston, and the tnshps. of Billingham, Cowpen-Bewley, and Newton-Bcwley. It is watered by a branch of tho river Tees. Many of the inhabitants are employed in the coal-mines of the neighbourhood. The living is a vie. in tho dioc. of Durham, of the val. of 240, in tho patron, of the dean and chapter. The church has a monumental brass of a priest, and is dedicated to St. Cuthbert. The parochial charities amount to 90 a year, including the church lands, which produce about 50, and a small endowed M M
