Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/51

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41

ALCISTON. 41 ALDBROUGH. Hertford gave the ground for the national school which was established in 1844. There is a savings-bank, and two other banks. A county court and petty sessions are held in the town. Tuesday is the market day. Fail's are held on the Tuesdays before the 29th January and the 25th March, the third Tuesday in April and May, the last Tuesday in July, the third Tuesday in September, the Tuesday after the 16th October,and the first Tuesday in December, for the sale principally of cattle and choose. On a hill a short way from the town, there are remains of the walls and terraces of Oversley Castle, the seat of the Butlers, one of whom was executed by Edward IV. for a treasonable saying on the king having shot his favourite buck. ALCISTON, a par. in the hund. of the same name, Pevensey rape, in the co. of Sussex, 6 miles to the S.E. of Lewes. It lies near the South Coast railway, and the small river Cuckmere, in a hilly district. The living is a vie. united with Selnieston. In the church there are specimens both of Norman and early English archi- tecture. Portions of coffins of different kinds have been found. ALCISTON HUNDRED, one of the 19 hunds. of the rape of Pevensey, in the co. of Sussex. It contains the pars, of Alctston, Alfriston, and Lullington, and is 1,620 acres in extent. ALCISTON, in Salop. See ALCASTEH. ALCOMBE, a hmlt. in the par. of Dunster, hund. of C'arkampton, in the co. of Somerset, lying 1 mile to the N.W. of Dunster. It is not far from the coast of the Bristol Channel. Alcombe House is the principal residence. ALCONBURY, a par. in the hund of Leightonstone, in the co. of Huntingdon, 4 miles N.W. of Huntingdon. It is situated near the British way called Tormina Street and the Eastern Counties railway, and at the foot of Alcon- bury Hill. Alconbury Brook runs through the parish. It has a course of about 13 miles, rising near Lullington and joining the Ouse at Huntingdon. There is on the hill an ancient chapel dedicated to St. Anne, which com- mands an extensive prospect. The living is a vie. * in the dioc. of Ely, val. with Weston, 162, in the patron, of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster. The church is dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul. The Wesleyau Method- ists have a chapel here. A fair is held on the 21st June. Alconbury Lodge is the principal residence. ALCONBURY WESTON, a vil. in the hund. of Leightonstone, in the eo. of Huntingdon, 1 mile N.W. of Alconbury. The living is a vie. united with that of Alconbury. ALCUMLOW, Cheshire. See MOHETON-CUM-AI.CVM- LOW. ALDBOROUGH, in Suffolk. See ALDEHUROII. ALDBOROUGH, a par. in the wap. of Upper and Lower Claro, in the West Riding, and of Hallekeld in the North Riding, of the co. of York, 15 miles to the N.W. of York. It comprises the chplries of Borough- V/ridge, Dunsforth, and Rocliiie, with the tnshps. of Humlierton, Minskip, and Ellenthorpe, and is situated on the south bank of the Ure, and on the Roman road AVatling Street. It is a very ancient town, having been a station of great importance in the time of the Romans, and probably a chief place among the Brigantes at an earlier period. Its Roman name was Isurium. Its pre- sent name was given by the Saxons, and indicates its great age in their time, Aid-burgh signifying Old Town. The old city appears to have occupied a square space, each side of which extended about the third of a mile. This is shown by the remains still traceable of the foundations of the ancient walls. In 1783, a mound called Borough Hill, which stood near the middle of the square, was removed, and from the pavements and other Roman remains then brought to light, it is supposed that a temple stood on the spot. The coins were of various dates, from the reign of Trajan to that of Con- stantine. In recent years, on several occasions, other pavements have been found, one of a very large size, measuring 14 feet in length and 13 feet in breadth, with pieces of urns, signets, &c. Near the south wall is an outwork 200 feet long, in the form of a half circle, forming a terrace with a slope of 30 feet. Some of the walls and pavements in Aldborough and Borough- bridge have been formed out of the materials of the old Isurium. Near Boroughbridge are three obelisks roughly shapen of ragstone, about whose origin and character antiquarians are not agreed. They are locally named the Devil's Arrows or Bolts, and by different authorities have been assigned to a British, a Roman, and a Celtic origin. Aldborough was made a borough in 1558, receiving the elective franchise from Philip and Mary, and returning two members to parliament from that time till 1832, when it was disfranchised under the Reform Act. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of York, val. 380, and in the patron, of the Dean and Chapter of York. The church, which is old, is dedi- cated to St. Andrew, and contains a Saxon gravestone and a brass of the 14th century. There are three chapels of ease one at Boroughbridge, a perpet. cur.,* val. 115; one at Dunsforth ; and the other at Roccliffe ; and a parish school with a small endowment at Borough- bridge. Petty sessions are held in the town. Its trade is inconsiderable, and the houses poorly built. A fair is held on the 4th September. ALDBOROUGH, or ALBOROUGH, a par. in the nor- thern div. of the hund. of Erpingham, in the co. of Nor- folk, 4 miles N. of Aylsham, and 7 miles S. of Cromer. It is on the river Bure. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Norwich, val. 173, in the patron, of Lord Suffield, whose seat is Gunton Park. The church is dedicated to St. Mary, and contains a brass. The church, with the exception of the tower, was restored in 1849. The register dates from 1558. ALDBOROUGH HATCH, a chplry. belonging to Great Ilford, in the hund. of Becontree, in the co. of Essex, 5 miles W.S.W. of Romford, and 7 from Lon- don, being a station on the Eastern Counties railway. It is situated near Epping Forest, close to the river Roding. The living is a cur. in the dioc. of London, val. 20, in the patron, of the Woods and Forests. ALDBOURN, a par. in the hund. of Selkey, in the co. of Wilts, 7 miles to the N.W. of Hungerford. It contains the tythgs. of Upham and Preston, and is situated in a pleasant valley near the Great Western railway. It was at one time a market town, hut has ceased to be such for nearly 150 years. Seymour, Duke of Somerset, had a royal chase here, which was granted him by Henry VIII., and which, after being long a rabbit warren, is now enclosed and brought under cultivation. A skirmish took place in this parish during the civil war in the reign of Charles I. John of Gaunt had a hunting seat here, of which a part is thought still to remain in one portion of the present vicarage house. An ancient British camp has left some traces near Pierce's Lodge, a farm-house here. The land in the district is fertile. The popula- tion has been decreasing, and the fustian manufacture, once important, has greatly declined. The living is a vie. * in the dioc. of Salisbury, val. 367, in the patron, of the bishop. The church, ancient and partly Norman, is dedicated to St. Michael. It contains a monumental brass of 1508. The Wesleyans have a chapel here. ALDBROUGH, or ALDBURGH, a tnshp. in the par. of Skirlaugh, in the wap. of Middle and North Holderness, in the East Riding of the co. of York, 7 miles to the N.E. of Hedon. It is situated on the coast, and is united with the tnshps. of East and West Newton, and Little Cowden, or Golden Parva, besides four hmlts. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of York, val. 476, in the patron, of the lord chancellor. The church is a large and ancient one, dedicated to St. Bartholomew. It was erected by one Ulf, who was at an early period lord of the place, and had a stronghold there. This fact is re- corded and preserved on a curious circular stone in the church, supposed to be of Danish origin. No trace of the fort itself now exists. There are some almshouses and a school endowed by Mr. Towry, which with other charities amount to 200. There is a Wesleyan chapel. A fair is held on the 4th September, for the sale of cattle and pedlery.