-S I A I'KAUD. 280 DISIiur S I.YDKAKIi, n par. in the western div. (if tin- hund. nl' Kingbbury, in tljr co. nl i milt's to tin' X.W. of Taunton, its post town. It is a station ..n the Taunton anil tin' Great Western railway. It lies near the west foot of the Quen- tock hills, and contains the limit, of Kenlry Bottom, and tin- tythgs. of Coomb's Ash, East Bagborough, East Coomb, and sow-nil others. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Bath and Wi-lls, val. 120, in the put run. of the Dean and Chapter of Wells. The church is dedi- cated to St. Mary. The charitable endowments, con- sisting chiefly of the revenue of the almshouscs, amount to 156 per annum. BlSimrs MIDIILKIIAM, a. m. in the north- eastern div. of Stockton ward, in the co. palatine of Durham, 9 miles to the S. of Durham. Ferry II ill is its post town. It is situated on the river .Skcrne, and contains the tnshps. of Cornforth, Garmondsway Moor, Mainsforth, and Thrislington. The Darlington and 1 1 1 1 tlepool railways pass near it. The bishops of Dur- ham had a manorial seat in this parish, which was the residence of various prelates from the Norman Conquest to the close of the 14th century. The mansion, of which no traces are left, stood on a hill over the river. Limestone is obtained hero. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Durham, of the val. of 152, in the patron. of the lord chancellor. The church is dedicated to St. Michael. The parish has the benefit of charitable bequests which produce about 30 a year. BISHOP'S NYMPTON, a par. in the hund. of Withcridge, in the co. of Devon, 3 miles to the S.E. of South Molton, its post town. It lies in a pleasant hilly country, to the south of the river Yeo, and contains abundance of limestone. The living is a vie. * in the dioc. of Exeter, of the val. of 296, in the patron, of the bishop. Cattle fairs are held here on the 14th April and the 29th October. BISHOP'S OFFLEY, a tnshp. in the par. of Adbas- ton, hund. of Pirehill, in the co. of Stafford, 3 miles from Eccleshall. BISHOP'S SPARKFORD, a tythg. in the city of Winchester, Winchester div. of the co. of Southampton. BISHOP'S STORTFORT), a par. and market town, in the hund. of Braughin, in the co. of Hertford, 12 miles to the N.E. of Hertford, and 32 miles by railway from London. It is a station on the Groat Eastern rail- way. The situation of the parish on the river Stort is indicated by its name, and the prefix "Bishop's" was derived from the fact of the town belonging to the see of London at a very early period. That a small castle existed here before the Norman Conquest, and was even then held by the bishops of London, appears from Domes- day Book ; the same authority also showing a gift of the castle and town by the Conqueror to the then bishop. In the reign of John, the bishop having join. .1 in the papal interdict, the king had the castle razed to the ground, and made the town a borough. This privilege was enjoyed but for a short time ; for in the reign of Edward III. the bishop resumed his rights. Bishop's Stortford is situated in Herts, on the borders of Essex, in a rich corn country, and is the seat of a considerable corn and malt trade. The numerous malt-houses, with their " cowls," form a conspicuous feature in the general aspect of the place ; and there is an extensive brewery. The formation of a canal, in 1709, by which communica- tion was opened with the river I*n and the Thames, i very much to improve the trade of the town. The leather trade was formerly carried on, ami were several tan-yards and a silk-mill ; but these are now defunct. Tl id streets en at right angles, with a handsome maikct-house ;it tin n- intorsoction. It occupies groun'l > iier, mid rontains many good li ; large inns, and is lighted with gas. The in:nki t-lnmse, erected in 1828, has a handsome Ionic front, im<l contains a hall occupied as an exchange, an assembly-room, ami other apartments. The town is the seat of n Poor-law 1 and contains the T'nion In, use. It is also the head of a County Court district, and a polling-place for the county wtoim, as elections. There is a public library, and a tav bank. The living is a vie. in th > ho*U the val. of 365, in the patron, ol -itoro 1'uul'.- .I'll, whir ll stands on h ground, is a large structure in tho perpendicular M- with a lofty tower and spire, and is dedicated to I. The tower was rebuilt in 1820. Besidai parish church there are two district churches, one d, cated to the Holy Trinity, situated at llockcrill. The livings of both are , curs., the former in tho gift of the vicar, and the vol. 100, in the patron, of ti There are chapels belonging to the In i. leyans, Baptists, and Quakers. The grammar sdu founded in tho reign of Queen Elizalx th, attained high repute at tho commencement of the but cotto under the mastership of Dr. Tooke, but subwqun fell into decay. After many years of suspend tion it has i 1. It is endow. .; per annum, and recently a spacious house fat baud has been built for tho head-mast' re in ; town National, British, and proprietary ing school for female teachers, founded in some almshouses. Tho annual value charitable endowments of the parish is which sum 107 is the income of th. Bishop's Stortford was the birthplace i i Chauncey, author of tho " History sii.i Hertfordshire," who also reccived'his . grammar school. Thursday is the market <i are held on Holy Thursday, Thursda Sunday, and on the llth October, t r the sa and horses. BISHOP'S BUTTON HI M' hands, or subdivisions of the co. < at. .1 in the northern division of the co., and SB by the hunds. of Alton and Fawlev (part lie* in Alton hund.) It is in two (live., the i lower: the upper containing the pars, of Medsted, and Wield ; the lower, the pars, ol Sutton, Ropley, and area of entire hund. is about 10,750 a BISHOP'S SUTTON, a par. in hund. of the same name, in the co. of Southland] mile to the S.E. of Alresford, its p of Winchester had formerly a which are now occupied as a malt-h a vie.* in the dioc. ot il., with cur. of Ropley annexed, 350, in tho ] Deacon. The church is dedicated t" St. BISHOP'S TArlliiKiioK.ap:,, ofthehund. ol Kington, partly also ; low, in tile co. of Waiwick, :f mi. wick. ton is its port town. I; branch of the river Avon, and . lory Tachbrook. The living is a vie.* in the Worcester, val. 293, in the pati Lichfield. The church is dedicated is a free school, with an cndowmcn: and some other small charii I'.ISIK H"S TAVT< )N, a par. in the hund. of in the co. of Devon, 2 miles to ti staple, its post town. It is pleasantly situated on east bank of the river Taw, from which it name, and contains the ihphy. of New; is said to have been the seat of the I nt ot'tlic 10th century. The v removed toOrediton. The ! in the dioc. of Exeter, val. 440, in bishop. The church is dedicated to St. John the B I monuments. Thepar. amount to t' 1 7 per annum. BI8HOP8-TEIGNTOK, a par. ii minst.r, in tho CO. of Devon, 6 in Chudleigli. Ti iL'innoiith, 2mi' itsport It is sitnat. d ill a 1.. ant i I ill di-tli.'t neartl I'.V'.n railway. 'I * as held by r, who iiad a pa i : in the
