MEOLSE, GREAT. 816 MEPPERSHALL. trout. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Hereford, val. 425. The church is a small modern structure with a tower containing one bell. The charities consist of almshouses for nine poor widows. The Kingsland lunatic asylum and the Shrewsbury union poorhouse are in this parish. John Bather, Esq., is lord of the manor, lleole Hall is the principal residence, and in the grounds of which are traces of Meole Castle. MEOLSE, GREAT, a tnshp. in the par. of West Kirby, bund, of Wirrall, co. Chester, 8 miles N.W. of Birkenhead railway station. It is situated between the rivers Dee and Mersey. MEOLSE, LITTLE, a tnshp. in the par. of West Kirby, bund, of Wirrall, co. Chester, 9 miles W. of Birkenhead, and 10 N.N.W. of Great Neston. It is a small bathing-place near Hoylake. Most of the resident population are employed in the fishery along the coast. The Duke of Schomberg encamped with his army in 1690 at a place called the Hells. MEOLS, NORTH, a par. in the bund, of West Derby, co. Lancaster, 3 miles N.E. of Southport, its post town, and 7 N.W. of Ormskirk. The par., which is very considerable, is divided into two tnshps., North Meols and Birkdale. It is bounded on the N.W. by the Irish Sea, near the mouth of the river Ribble. It contains the chplries. of Crossens and Southport the latter a modern bathing-place besides 10 hmlts. The inha- bitants are principally employed in handloom silk- weaving. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Chester, val. 844. The parish church, dedicated to St. Cuth- bert, is a stone structure with a spired tower containing a clock and two bells. The interior of the church con- tains several monuments to the families of the Heskeths and Fleetwoods. In addition to the parish church are the following churches, viz. Christ Church, at South- port ; Trinity ; * St. James's, Birkdale ; * and Crossens, the livings of which are all perpet. curs., varying in val. from 678 to 200. The parochial charities produce about 22 per annum, of which 18 go to the grammar school. There is a school for infants. The Wesleyans, Independents, and Primitive Methodists, have each a chapel. North Meols Hall, formerly the seat of the Heskeths, is now converted into a farmhouse. Manor courts are held annually by Charles Scarisbrick, Esq., and the Rev. Charles Hesketh, who are the lords of the manor and principal landowners. An annual fair is held on the nearest Monday and Tuesday to the 20th August, for cattle, pigs, &c. MEON, EAST, a bund, in the Petersfleld div. of co. Hants, contains the pars, of Colemore, East Meon, Frox- field, Prior's Dean, Privett, and Steep, comprising 26,560 acres. MEON, EAST, a par. chiefly in the lower half of the hund. of East Meon, but partly in the bund, of Meon- Stoke, co. Hants, 5 miles S.W. of Petersfield station, its post town. The parish is of large extent, com- prising 11,380 acres. It contains the vils. of Meon-Stoke and West Meon. About 8,000 acres are arable, 700 meadow and pasture, 1,350 woodlands, 1,277 downs, and the remainder in common and waste. An Enclosure Act was passed in 1839 for taking in certain lands. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Winchester, val. with the curs, of Froxfield and Steep annexed, 903, in the patron, of the bishop. The church, dedicated to All Saints, is a cruciform structure with a Norman tower surmounted by a steeple containing six bells. It contains an ancient font, similar to that in Winchester Cathedral, sculptured with symbolical figures representing the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise, and their subsequent instruction in the arts of husbandry and spinning. There is a National school. The Bishop of Winchester is lord of the manor. Westbury House is the principal residence. MEON-STOKE, UPPER AND LOWER, a hund. in the Droxford div. of co. Hants, contains the pars, of Brandean, Exton,West Meon, Meon-Stoke, Corhampton, Soberton, Waruford, and part of Upham, comprising an area of 23,640 acres. MEON-RTOKK. a par. in the above hund., Droxford div. of co. Hants, 5 miles N.E. of Bishops- Waltham, and 4 S.W. of Petersfield. Droxford is its post town. The par. includes the vil. of Newtown, and is nearly separated by a small rivulet, which flows through several villages, and eventually discharges itself into South- ampton Water. The greater part of the land is arable, the remainder downs or common. The village, which was partially burnt in 1740, is neatly built. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 280. The living is a rect. * with the cur. of Soberton annexed, in the dioc. of Winchester, val. 568, in the patron, of the bishop. The parish church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient stone structure with a tower containing three bells, originally six. There is an E. window, in which is the rose of William of Wykeham, by whom this part of the building is said to have been erected. There is also a district church at Newtown, the living of which, is a perpet. cur.,* val. 100. There is a National school. The wardens and fellows of Winchester College are lords of the manor. On the north-eastern boundary of the parish is a Roman camp called Old Winchester, where a Roman lamp was discovered in 1834, also several barrows containing Roman pottery and calcined bones. MEON, WEST, a par. in the hund. of Meon-Stoke, co. Hants, 7 miles N.E. of Bishop's Waltham. Drox- ford is its nearest money-order office. The village is considerable, and chiefly agricultural. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 729. The living is a rect.* with the cur.* of Privett annexed, in the dioc. of Winchester, val. 602, in the patron, of the bishop. The church is a stone structure with an em- battled tower. The windows are all of stained glass. The register dates from 1640. The Independents have a chapel. The National school for both sexes was erected in 1852. John Dunn, Esq., is lord of the manor. MEOPHAM, a par. in the hund. of Toltingtrough, lathe of Aylesford, co. Kent, 5 miles S. of Gravesend, its post town. It is a station on the branch line of the South-Eastern railway. The village, which is small, is wholly agricultural. The land is chiefly arable, but partly in common and woodland, with some hop-grounds. The living is a vie. * in the dioc. of Rochester, val. 435, in the patron, of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, has a spired tower containing five bells. The church was partly rebuilt by Archbishop Simon de Meopham, who died in 1333, and from whom the parish derives its name. It was completed in 1396 by Archbishop Courtenay, who founded four almshouses near it. The parochial charities produce about 3 per annum. There is a National school for both sexes, also a place of worship for the Baptists, with a vestry and schoolroom attached. MEPAL, a par. in the hund. of South Witchford, co. Cambridge, 6 miles W. of Ely, its post town, and 5 S.E. of Chatteris railway station. The village, which is small, is situated on the rivers Old and New Bedford, and is wholly agricultural. The land is principally in pasture and common. The tithes of Mepal have been commuted for a rent-charge of 270. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Ely, val. 280, in the patron, of the dean and chapter. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient structure, in which are many relics of great antiquity. The register dates from 1790. The charities produce about 173, of which 160 ia realised from poor's land, and 15 to a school. There are two dame-schools. The Wesleyans and Baptists have each a place of worship. MEPPERSHALL, or MEPSHALL, a par. in the hund. of Clifton, co. Bedford, 3 miles S. of Shefford, its post town, 6 S. by W. of Biggleswade, and 12 S.E. of Bedford. The village is small, and chiefly agricultural. The plaiting of straw is carried on to some extent. Here are the remains of an ancient chapel, with an en- riched Norman doorway, now converted into a burn. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Ely, val. 500, in the patron, of St. John's College, Cambridge. The church, dedicated to St. Mary the-Virgin, is a cruciform structure, with a tower. The charities consist of a share with Ampthill. The church has brasses of J. Meperty shale
