Part 2 (2/2)
c.u.mberland
Wigton 4
Carlisle 9
24
Ailsby pa
Lincolns.h.i.+re
Gt. Grimsby 4
Caistor 9
28
Ailsworth ham
Northamp
Peterboro 4
M. Deeping 9
43
Ainderby Myers to
N.R. York
Catterick 3
Richmond 4
43
Ainderby Quernhow to
N.R. York
Thirsk 6
Northallerton 8
43
Ainderby Steeple to & pa
N.R. York
Bedale 5
2
9
Ainstable pa
c.u.mberland
Penrith 11
Carlisle 11
46
Ainstie dis
W.R. York
43
Aiskew to
N.R. York
Bedale 1
Northallerton 6
44
Aismondersly
W.R. York
Ripon 1
Aldborough 5
22
Ainsworth to
Lancaster
Manchester 7
Bury 3
9
Ainthorn to
c.u.mberland
Wigton 10
Carlisle 12
22
Aintree to
Lancaster
Liverpool 6
Ormskirk 8
44
Airton to
W.R. York
Settle 6
Skipton 6
43
Airyholme to
N.R. York
New Malton 7
York 16
43
Aisenby to
N.R. York
Borobridge 6
Ripon 6
43
Aislaby to & pa
N.R. York
Whitby 2
Scarboro 18
13
Aislaby to
Durham
Stockton 4
Darlington 11
24
Aisthorpe to & pa
Lincoln
Lincoln 7
Gainsboro 12
29
Akeld to
Northumb
Wooler 2
Coldstream 9
5
Akeley to & pa
Bucks
Brackley 9
Buckingham 3
36
Akenham pa
Suffolk
Ipswich 4
Woodbridge 9
18
Albans, St[A] bo & to
Herts
Watford 8
Dunstable 12
+--+------------------------+------------+-------------+---------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population +--+-----------------------+---------------------------+-----+---------+ 9
Aglionby to
Penrith 18
302
107
22
Aighton to
Preston 12
210
1980
43
Aikber to
Bedale 4
234
43
46
Aike to
Gt. Driffield 7
190
86
9
Aikton to & pa
Abbey-holm 7
309
753
24
Ailsby pa
Barton 15
165
28
Ailsworth ham
Stamford 9
83
289
43
Ainderby Myers to
Middleham 7
222
43
Ainderby Quernhow to
Ripon 7
217
107
43
Ainderby Steeple to & pa
Darlington 12
223
802
9
Ainstable pa
Kirk Oswald 5
295
46
Ainstie dis
...
199
8740
43
Aiskew to
Richmond 9
223
586
44
Aismondersly
Masham 7
212
22
Ainsworth to
Bolton 8
189
1584
9
Ainthorn to
Gretna Green 8
315
203
22
Aintree to
Prescott 10
212
247
44
Airton to
Arnecliff 7
230
179
43
Airyholme to
Helmsley 6
223
43
Aiseny to
Thirsk 5
211
43
Aislaby to & pa
Pickering 15
237
402
43
Aislaby to
Yarm 1
244
143
24
Aisthorpe to & pa
Kirton 12
140
89
29
Akeld to
Kirk Newton 3
322
171
5
Akeley to & pa
Sto. Stratford 6
59
291
36
Akenham pa
Needham 7
73
119
18
Albans, St[A] bo & to
Hatfield 6
21
4772
+--+------------------------+--------------------------+-----+---------+
[A] St. ALBANS is situated on the river Ver, or Muss, and consists of three parishes; parts of two of which, extend beyond the limits of the borough. It is said to have been the site of the ancient British metropolis of Ca.s.sibela.n.u.s, and is very near that of the ancient Roman Verulam, mentioned by Tacitus, being the same as the Saxon Watlingceaster, so called because seated on the road called Watling-street. It was here that Queen Boadicea made her celebrated a.s.sault on the Romans, and failed, after an immense slaughter of seventy thousand men. In 795, Offa, king of Mercia, erected an abbey here, in memory of St. Alban, the British protomartyr, who was born here in the third century. He served in the Roman army, but was converted to Christianity by a monk, named Amphilabus, and suffered during the Dioclesian persecution, A.D. 303. The abbey subsequently obtained great privileges, and became very rich, the revenues at the dissolution amounting to upwards of 2500. per annum. Monastic foundations had their origin in this country, about the time of St. Augustine, who came from Rome, to convert the Pagan Saxons to Christianity; and when Offa ascended the throne of Mercia, about twenty great monasteries had been founded in England, and about the same number of episcopal sees established. Offa's zeal prompted him to do what many of his crowned predecessors had done; but being undetermined whom to select as the patron saint of his establishment, it is recorded that, while at the city of Bath, an angel appeared to him in the silence of the night, desiring him to raise out of the earth the body of Alban, the first British martyr, and place his remains in a suitable shrine. Even the memory of Alban had been lost for three hundred and forty years; but the king a.s.sembling his clergy and people at Verulam, an active search was made for his body with prayer, fasting, and alms; when it is said a ray of light was seen by all to stand over the place of burial, similar to the star that conducted the magi to Bethlehem. The ground was therefore opened, and, in the presence of the king, the body of Alban was found.
Offa is said to have placed a golden circle round the head of the deceased, with an inscription, to signify his name and t.i.tle, and immediately caused the remains of the saint to be conveyed to a small chapel, without the walls of Verulam, as the town was then called, until a more n.o.ble edifice could be raised for its reception. This is said to have occurred on the 1st day of August, 791, four hundred and ninety-four years after the martyrdom of Alban. Offa afterwards made a journey to Rome, and obtained the desired privileges of his intended foundation, with great commendations for his zeal and piety, from the pope, when he undertook to build a stately church and monastery, to the memory of St. Alban. From this abbey the town originated, which early obtained considerable importance. The abbey church, which claims particular attention for its size, beauty, and antiquity, is constructed of Roman brick, to which age has given the appearance of stone. A stone screen, erected before the communion table, in 1461, is much admired for the richness and lightness of its sculpture. The tombs of the founder, Offa, and that of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, are shown here; and, not many years ago, the leaden coffin, containing the body of the latter, was opened, and the corpse found nearly entire. The Roman antiquities discovered on the site have been very numerous. The effect of the venerable abbey, when seen from a distance, is extremely imposing; situated upon an eminence, its ma.s.sive towers rise majestically above the houses of the ancient town, which is well, known to have derived its first importance from the Romans, since which, it has increased chiefly under the protecting influence of successive abbots of this rich and powerful monastery. The prospect of its mouldering ruins, forces upon the mind a melancholy train of reflection on the instability of all human inst.i.tutions.
_Market_, Sat.u.r.day.--_Fairs_, March 25 and 26; October 10 and 11, for horses, cows, sheep, and hiring servants.--_Inns_, Angel, and White Hart.--_Mail_ arrives 10.15 P.M. Departs 4.30 A.M.
[Sidenote: Originally the British metropolis.]
[Sidenote: King Offa's extraordinary vision, which induced him to build the abbey.]
[Sidenote: St. Alban's body found after a lapse of 494 years; a golden circle placed round his head.]
[Sidenote: Duke of Gloucester's body found nearly entire.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+--------------------+-------+---------------+----------------+ 38
Albourn pa
Suss.e.x
Hurst 2
Brighton 8
33
Albrighton to & chap
Salop
Shrewsbury 4
Wem 7
33
Albrighton pa
Salop
s.h.i.+ffnall 6
Bridgnorth 10
27
Alburgh pa
Norfolk
Harleston 3
Bungay 5
31
Albury pa
Oxford
Tetsworth 3
Thame 4
+--+--------------------+-------+---------------+----------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+--------------------+-----------------------+------+---------+ 38
Albourn pa
Cuckfield 6
42
362
33
Albrighton to & chap
Ellesmere 12
157
1054
33
Albrighton pa
Wolverhamp 7
137
98
27
Alburgh pa
Norwich 16
103
586
31
Albury pa
Wheatley 3
45
239
+--+--------------------+-----------------------+------+---------+
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+---------------------+---------+----------------+------------+ 18
Albury pa
Herts
Bp Stortford 5
Standon 4
37
Albury pa
Surrey
Guildford 6
Dorking 7
27
Alby pa
Norfolk
Aylesham 6
Cromer 5
12
Alcester lib
Dorset
Shaftesbury 1
Sherborne 16
39
Alcester[A] m.t. & pa
Warwick
Warwick 16
Stratford 8
38
Alciston pa
Suss.e.x
Seaford 5
Hailsham 5
19
Alconbury pa
Hunts
Huntingdon 4
Kimbolton 8
19
Alconbury Weston chap
Hunts
... 5
... 8
27
Aldborough pa
Norfolk
Aylesham 5
Cromer 6
43
Aldborough to
N.R. York
Richmond 7
Darlington 5
46
Aldborough to & pa
E.R. York
Hull 11
Hornsea 6
45
Aldborough[B] pa & to
W.R. York
York 18
Thirsk 10
41
Aldbourn[C] to & pa
Wilts
Marlboro 7
Ramsbury 3
18
Aldbury pa
Herts
Tring 3
Dunstable 7
22
Aldcliffe ham
Lancaster
Lancaster 2
Garstang 10
36
Aldeburgh[D] m.t.
Suffolk
Orford 5
Saxmundha 7
+--+---------------------+---------+----------------+------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+---------------------+--------------------------+-----+------+ 18
Albury pa
Buntingford 7
35
631
37
Albury pa
G.o.dalming 7
29
929
27
Alby pa
N. Walsham 6
26
346
12
Alcester lib
Salisbury 20
101
227
39
Alcester[A] m.t. & pa
Bromsgrove 12
103
2405
38
Alciston pa
Lewes 7
64
266
19
Alconbury pa
Stilton 9
63
765
19
Alconbury Weston chap
... 8
63
441
27
Aldborough pa
Holt 9
126
275
43
Aldborough to
Bernard Cas 10
240
522
46
Aldborough to & pa
Hedon 6
185
620
45
Aldborough[B] pa & to
Ripon 6
207
2447
41
Aldbourn[C] to & pa
Swindon 8
73
1418
18
Aldbury pa
Berkhampst 4
34
695
22
Aldcliffe ham
Kirk. Londs 17
238
96
36
Aldeburgh[D] m.t.
Dunwich 10
94
1341
+--+---------------------+-------------------------+------+------+
[A] ALCESTER is situated at the confluence of the two small rivers, Alne and Arrow, having a bridge over each. It is supposed to have been a Roman station; Roman coins, urns, and similar relics, having been frequently found here. The Roman way of Icknield Street also pa.s.sed through it, and from its situation it is deemed the Alana of Richard of Cirencester. It was anciently a borough by prescription, and of some note in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, when it became the property of the Beauchamps, and afterwards of the Grevilles. The church is a fine gothic structure; the market is well supplied with corn; and the manufacture of needles is very extensive. Here is a Free School, founded by Walter Newport, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and various alms-houses and small charities, originating in different benefactors.
Traces of the site of an abbey, founded in the reign of King Stephen, to the north of the town, are still visible.
_Market_, Tuesday.--_Mail_ arrives 9-1/2 A.M., departs 8-1/2 P.M.--_Inn_, Angel.--_Fairs_, March 20, June 23, Tuesday before April 5, May 18, 2nd Tuesday in July, for cheese.
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