Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/832

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824

METTINGHAM. 824 MIAGHAILT, LOCH. still slight remains. There is an extensive rabbit warren. The inhabitants are exempt from serving on juries out of their own parish, and are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The parish, which is large, was until recently a ferny and sandy heath, hut is now reclaimed. The impropriate tithes have been commuted for a rent- charge of 1,102 10s. and the vicarial for 340 and a rent-charge of 32 5s., payable to the Rector of Feltwell. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Norwich, val. 340, in the patron, of the lord chancellor. The church, dedicated to St. George, has a square tower, containing a clock and six bells. The parochial charities produce about 50 per annum. There is a school for boys sup- ported by the Duchy of Lancaster. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have places of worship. A fair is held on 23rd April for cattle. METTINGHAM, a par. in the hund. of Wangford, co. Suffolk, 2 miles E. of Bungay, its post town, and i W. of Beccles. It is an irregularly built village situated on the road from Bungay to Beccles, and near the S. bank of the river Vaveney, and is wholly agricultural. There are ruins of Mettingham Castle, consisting chiefly of the gate and walls erected by John de Norwich about 1340, who founded a chantry in it, which subse- quently was converted into a college for a master and 13 chaplains. At the Dissolution the revenue amounted to 202 7s. 5rf., when the site was given to the Uffords. The living is a vie.* in the dioc. of Norwich, val. 140. The church, dedicated to All Saints, is an ancient struc- ture with a round tower. The charities produce about 100 per annum, for church, poor, &c. The Eev. J. C. Safford is lord of the manor. METTON, a par. in the hund. of North Erpingham, co. Norfolk, 3J miles S. of Cromer, its post town. The village, which is inconsiderable, is wholly agricultural. The parish is small, comprising only 662 acres, two- thirds of which is arable and the remainder pasture. The living is a rect. annexed to that of Felbrigge, in the dioc. of Norwich. The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, has a square embattled tower. The nave is separated from the chan:el by a carved screen. MEUX, a tnshp. in the par. of Waghen or Wawn, wap. of Holderness, East Riding co. York, 5 miles E. of Beverley. A Cistercian abbey was founded here in 1150 by William le Gros, Earl of Albemarle. At the Dissolution its revenue amounted to 445 10s. 6i, J1EVAGH, a par. in the bar. of Kilmacrenan, co. Donegal, prov. of Ulster, Ireland, containing the vils. of Carrickart and Glen. The par. is 6 miles long, and its extreme breadth is 3 miles. The surface lies between Sheephaven and Murrey Bay, and includes Rossgul Point. It is mountainous in character, Lough Salt Mountain attaining an altitude of 1,541 feet. Several loughs are within the limits, and the river Lackagh passes along by the S.W. The road from Dunfanaghy to Ramelton passes through the parish. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Raphoe. An old palace is situated at Carrickart. There are a Roman Catholic chapel, Sun- day-schools, parochial and other day schools. Petty sessions are held in the village. MEVAGISSEY, a par., seaport, and market town, in the E. div. of the hund. of Powder, co. Cornwall, 6 miles S. of St. Austell, its post town, and 1 mile S.E. of Chapel Point. It is a small fishing and seaport town, situated on the English Channel near Porthmellin. The bay of the same name is sheltered on three sides by lofty hills, which form a natural harbour of great con- venience. The par. includes the hmlts. of Penwarne, Tregiskey, and Trelaven. Mevagissey for centuries past has been famed for the large quantity of pilchards taken in its bay; as many as 16,000 hogsheads were taken in 1724, but the quantity of late years has not been nearly so great. The inhabitants chiefly depend, either directly or indirectly, on the fisheries. There is an import trade of coal, salt, timber, &c. The living is a vie. * in the dioc. of Exeter, val. 200. The church, dedicated to SS. Mavan and Issi, is an ancient structure, and had formerly a tower which was pulled down. There is a National school for both sexes. The Independents, "Wesleyans, and Primitive Methodists have each a place of worship. In 1849 this parish was so ravaged by cholera that the inhabitants moved into tents -while it was thoroughly cleansed. Market day is on Saturday. A fair is held on St. Peter's Day. MEWAN, ST., a par. in the hund. of East Powder, co. Cornwall, 1 mile W. by S. of St. Austell. It con- tains the' hmlts. of Burganlo and Trewoon, and the celebrated tin mine of Polgooth, which is partly in this parish. The rocks are chiefly granite and felspar, with veins of copper and tin, and in some places traces of silver and gold. The village is considerable but primi- tive. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 275. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Exeter, val. 284. The church is dedicated to St. Newan. MEWSTONE, several rocks of this name off the coast of co. Devon. The most dangerous are those at the mouth of Salcombe harbour, and those at the eastern entrance of Plymouth Sound. MEXBOROUGH, a par., partly in the lib. of St. Peters, but chiefly in the S. div. of the wap. of Strafforth, West Riding co. York, 6 miles N.E. of Rotherham, its post town, and 2 E. of Swinton. It is a station on the South Yorkshire railway. It is the ancient Maisebel, where the memorable battle was fought between the Saxons and the Britons under Aurelius Ambrosius, in which the latter were victorious. The par., which is extensive, is situated on the N. side of the river Don, and contains the tnshps. of Old and New Mexborough. The Dean and Dove canal passes through the parish and joins the Don just above the village, which has of late years consider- ably improved, its population having - increased from 500 in 1806 to 3,000 at the present time. A portion of the land has been recently enclosed for building and other purposes. The substratum contains clay for earthenware, for which the place has long been cele- brated. There are numerous stone quarries, coal mines, a pottery, extensive iron works, a brewery, and the Don Glass Company, employing many hands. Boatbuilding is also carried on. The land, which has been enclosed and cultivated, is rich, but there is still a considerable extent of common. The impropriation belongs to the Archdeacon of the East Riding, whose tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 570, and who has a glebe of 36 acres. The living is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of York, val. 150. The church, which has recently been restored, is an ancient structure, with a spired tovi r containing three bells. The interior of the church contains monuments to the Saville family, also fragments of stained glass bearing their arms. The register dates from 1562. The parochial charities produce about 5 5s, per annum, which goes to Messrs. Home and Calverly's almshouses. There are National and British schools, each having a Sunday-school attached. The Wesleyans, Wesleyan Reformers, and Primitive Metho- dists have each a chapel. The par. comprises two manors, Mexborough and Denaby, separated by the river Don. This place gives the title of earl to the Mexborough family. There are traces of several aggers in this parish, supposed to have been thrown up by the Romans to strengthen their works at Templeborough. MEYARTH, a tnshp. in the par. of Gwyddelwern, co. Merioneth, 2 miles N. of Corwen. MEY, EAST and WEST, vils. in the par. of Canis- bay, co. Caithness, Scotland, 5 miles N.W. of Canisbay. Here was situated Mey Castle, a stronghold of the earls of Caithness, which has given name to the loch, which is about 3 miles in circumference. MEYNELL-LANGLEY, a tnshp. in the par. of Kirk-Langley, hund. of Morleston, co. Derby, 4 miles W. by N. of Derby. This tnshp. is exempt from tithes, although not separately rated to the poor. Godfrey Meynell, Esq., is lord of the manor. MEYRICK, a mountain in the par. of Minnigaff, co. Kirkcudbright, Scotland. It rises about 2,500 feet above sea-level. MIAGHAILT, LOCH, a small lake in Kilmuir par., in the island of Skye, Scotland. It discharges its waters through a subterranean passage into the sea,