HALSTEAD. HALTON. and of the free school. Sir T. A. Clifford Constable is lord of the manor and chief landowner. HALSTEAD, a par. and market town in the hund. of Hinckford, co. Essex, 16 miles N.E. of Chelmsford, and 7 N.E. of Braintree. It is a station on the Colne Valley branch of the Great Eastern railway. The parish is situated on the river Colne, and, besides the town of Halstead, contains the hmlt. of Greenstead Green. During the time of Edward the Confessor it belonged to Earl Godwin, from whom it passed to William do Warren. The town, which ia of considerable extent, is built on an acclivity, and consists of several streets, which are well paved and lighted with gas. It is the head of a Poor-law Union embracing sixteen parishes. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in the silk, velvet, and crape trade, and in the paper mill at Hal- stead Green. The manufacture of tuscan and straw- plait is carried on to a considerable extent. There are extensive breweries and mailing-houses. Petty ses- sions are held here fortnightly, and county courts monthly. The town is governed by a local board of health, who are making great improvements in the place. It contains the townhall, market-house, house of correc- tion, union poorhouse, mechanics' institute, two banks, and a savings-bank. The Horticultural Society holds its meetings in the town. The living is a vie. * in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 370, in the patron, of the bishop. The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, has recently been restored at a cost of between 5,000 and 6,000, and is capable of accommodating 1,000 persons. It has a tower containing six bells. In the S. isle arc two ancient tombs of the Bourchiers, who, in 1340, built a chantry. There is also a brass of Sir T. Bourchier bearing date 1409. There are two district churches in the parish. The living of Holy Trinity is a perpet. cur., val. 150, in the patron, of the bishop. The church is a handsome structure erected in 1844, and has a tower crowned by a lofty spire. St. James's at Greenstead Green was erected in 1845 at the sole expense of Mrs. Gee. It is a fine structure with tower and spire containing six bells. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the gift of the bishop. There are two chapels for Independents and Baptists, and one for Quakers. The parochial charities produce 541 per annum. There is a grammar school in the town, founded by Dame Itamsey in 1594, for forty scholars ; also a British school for boys, girls, and infants, and three National and infant schools. Arch- bishop Bourchier was a native of this place. The prin- cipal seats are the Howe, Halstead Lodge, Stanstead Hall, Ashford Lodge, &c. Market day is Friday. Fairs are held on the 6th May and 29th October for cattle. HALSTEAD, a par. in the hund. of Codsheath, lathe of Sutlon-at-Hone, co. Kent, 6 miles N.W. of Sevenoaks, and 18 from London. The parish is small, and the village wholly agricultural. The li ving is a rect.* in the dioc. of Canterbury, val. 184, in the patron, of the archbishop. The church, dedicated to St. Margaret, is an ancient structure, containing two brasses of W. Bury s, 1444. In the chancel is a piscina, partly screened by the altar. At the W. end is the tower, crowned with a spire. There is a free school. Broke House is the principal residence. HALSTEAD, a tnshp. in the par. of Tilton, hund. of East Goscote, co. Leicester, 8 miles S.W. of Oakham. The village is small. There is a place of worship for Wesleyans. HALSTOCK, a par. in the lib. of Halstock, Sher- borne div. of co. Dorset, 6 miles S.W. of Yeovil, its post town, and 6 N.E. of Beaminster. The road from Brid- port to Yeovil passes through the village, which is con- siderable. The land is nearly evenly divided between arable, pasture, and woodland, with a small tract of common. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Sarum, val. 200, in the patron, of the Prebendary of Halstock in Salisbury Cathedaal. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, was rebuilt in 1846. It has a square tower, containing five bells. There is a charity bequest, pro- ducing about 10 per annum. Lord Abinger is lord of the manor. HALSTON, an ext. par. place in the hund. of TJp_ Oswestry, co. Salop, 3 miles N.E. of Oswestry. It ia situated near the Ellesmere canal, and the Shrewsbury and Chester railway. Here was anciently a preceptory of the Knights Templars by the Fitzalans. Halston Hall, the principal residence, is the fine old seat of the Myttons, who came into possession of the estate in 1560. HALSTON, a tnshp. in the par. of Pontesbury, co. Salop, 7 miles S.W. of Shrewsbury. HALSTOW, HIGH, a par. in the hund. of Iloo, latho of Aylesford, co. Kent, 6 miles N. of Rochester, and S N.E. of Higham railway station. It is situated on rising ground near the banks of the Thames, by which the meadows were formerly overflowed, but are now embanked. The land is nearly evenly divided between arable and pasture, with about 80 acres of wood, chiefly oak and elm. In the marshes are reed beds, and about 50 acres of salts outside the river walls. The village is small and wholly agricultural. Opposite the Blythe Sands is a coastguard station. The Mean is a tract of land belonging in halves to High Halstowand St. Mary Hoo. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 602. The church is dedicated to St. Margaret. HALSTOW, LOW, a par. in the hund. of Milton, lathe of Scray, co. Kent, 6 miles E. of Chatham, and 5 N.E. of Sittingbourne. It is situated at the upper end of Stangate Creek, which communicates with the Med- way a little above Sheerness. Off here the quarantine vessels lie. The village is small and wholly agricultural. The road from Chatham to Sheerness by King's Ferry crosses the creek at a ford called the Stray. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Canterbury, val. 245, in the patron, of the dean and chapter. The church, dedicated to St. Margaret, is a very handsome structure. The charities produce about 14 per annum. HALSWAY, a hmlt. in the par. of Stogumber, co. Somerset, 5 miles S.E. of Watchet. HALTCLIFF, CALDBECK, a tnshp. in the par. of Caldbeck, ward of Allerdale-below-Derwent, co. Cum- berland, 6 miles S. of Curthwaito. HALTEMPRICE FARM, an ext. par. place adjoining the par. of Cottingham, East Riding co. York, 4 miles N.W. of Hull. HALTHAM-UPON-BAIN, a par. in the soke of Horncastle, parts of Lindsey, co. Lincoln, 4 J miles S. of Horncastle, its post town. The parish, which is small, is situated on the canal, upon which steam-vessels ply daily between Lincoln and Boston. The village is small, and wholly agricultural. The living is a rect. united with that of Roughton, in the dioc. of Lincoln. The church is dedicated to St. Benedict. The Wesleyans have a chapel. Henry Chaplin, Esq., is lord of the manor, and principal landowner. HALTON, a par. in the hund. of Aylesbury, co. Bucks, 2 miles N.E. of Wendover, its post town. It is situated on the Wendover canal, and the inhabitant* are employed in agriculture. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Oxford, val. 200. The church is dedicated to St. Michael. The charities produce 1 per annum. Halton House is the principal residence. HALTON, a tnshp. and parochial chpbry. in the par. of Runcorn, hund. of Bucklow, co. Chester, 6~ miles S.W. of Warrington, and 1 J mile S.E. of Runcorn. Preston Brook is its post town. This place was anciently the head of a barony, which, with the constableship of Chester, was conferred by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, upon his cousin Nigel, whom he also appointed his earl marshal. These offices were for several centuries held by Nigel's successors, barons of Halton, who had the power of holding courts for the trial of all offenders within the barony, and for the determination of all pleas, ex such as belonged to the earl's sword. They had also a prison, master-sergeant, and eight under-scrg' within their fee. The village, formerly a market : is situated on an eminence near the Bridgwater canal, and the rivers Irwell and Mersey, commai an extensive view of the latter. In 1837 an Act was I obtained for lighting the place with gas. The castle, I situated in a commanding position on the brow of A I
