Part 16 (2/2)
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+--------------------+----------+------------+-----------+ 40
Bampton[A] to & pa
Westmorlnd
Orton 10
Penrith 9
40
Bampton-Grange ham
Westmorlnd
10
9
9
Bampton, Little to
c.u.mberland
Wigton 5
Carlisle 7
+--+--------------------+----------+------------+-----------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+--------------------+-----------------------+-----+-----+ 40
Bampton[A] to & pa
Shap 4
282
636
40
Bampton-Grange ham
... 4
282
9
Bampton, Little to
Longtown 10
311
213
+--+--------------------+-----------------------+-----+-----+
[A] BAMPTON. The river Lowther runs through this parish. Here is a beautiful lake, called Haweswater, three miles long, and half a mile broad; it is environed by lofty mountains, conveying to the mind a grand and imposing appearance: its eastern side is sheltered by rocky eminences, plentifully clothed with verdure, while the western side displays the open fields, with all the sweet varieties of culture. A lead mine has lately been discovered in the neighbourhood. The free grammar-school was founded by Thomas Sutton, D.D., who vested in trustees the sum of 500., collected from estates out of the parish of St. Saviour, Southwark, and other places. Here, also, three parochial libraries were established respectively, in the years 1710, 1750, 1752, comprising about 800 volumes. Thomas Gibson, M.D., who married the daughter of Richard Cromwell, Protector, was Physician-General of the army, and a native of this parish. He was the author of a system of anatomy. The learned doctor, having laid the foundation of his cla.s.sical learning at a school in this county, he entered as scholar at Queen's College, Oxford, in 1686. The study of the northern languages about this period was particularly cultivated at the University, and Mr. Gibson rigidly applied himself to that branch of literature, in which he was a.s.sisted by Dr. Hicks. In a short time he translated into Latin the ”Chronicon Saxonic.u.m,” and published it together with the Saxon original. Dr. Gibson had an early and strong inclination to search the antiquities of his own country, and being well versed in the knowledge of its original languages, he applied himself with great diligence, and in a few years produced his edition of ”Camden's Britannica,” and concluded this branch of learning with ”Reliquae Spelmannianae,” or the posthumous works of Sir Henry Spelman, relating to the laws and antiquities of England, which, with a life of the author, he published at Oxford, in 1698, and dedicated his work to Archbishop Tenison. About this time he was taken as Domestic Chaplain to the Archbishop's family, and soon afterwards was made Rector of Lambeth, and Archdeacon of Surrey. Upon the death of the Archbishop, in 1715, Dr. Wake, Bishop of Lincoln, succeeded him, and Dr. Gibson was appointed to that See; and Dr. Robinson also dying, in 1720, Gibson was appointed Bishop of London.
The ministry were so sensible of his great abilities, that a sort of ecclesiastical ministry was committed to his charge for several years.
He died on the 6th of September, 1748, with true Christian fort.i.tude, and in perfect tranquillity of mind.
[Sidenote: Haweswater lake.]
[Sidenote: Dr. Thomas Gibson.]
[Sidenote: An Antiquarian.]
[Sidenote: Made Bishop of London.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+---------------------+--------+-----------+------------+ 53
Bannel to
Flint
Hawarden 3
Mold 4
31
Banbury[A] bo. & m.t.
Oxford
Oxford 21
Woodstock 16
+--+---------------------+--------+-----------+------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+---------------------+--------------------+-----+------+ 53
Bannel to
Wrexham 10
196
...
31
Banbury[A] bo. & m.t.
Southam 14
76
5906
+--+---------------------+--------------------+-----+------+
[A] BANBURY is pleasantly situated on the small river Charwell, and its staple commodities seem to be cheese and cakes; the former, even in Shakspeare's time, appear to have been celebrated, for Bardolph, when accused by ”Slender” of robbing him of his two milled sixpences, exclaims, ”You Banbury cheese.” The cakes have made this town more celebrated than even its political engagements. The castle of Banbury was founded in the year 1153, by Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln, and continued an episcopal residence till the reign of Henry VI. During the contentions between the houses of York and Lancaster, when civil discord was a familiar incident in this neighbourhood, Banbury suffered much; but more particularly in the memorable engagement, called ”The Battle of Banbury,” fought about three miles from the town, in 1469. It took place on a plane called Danesmoor, near Edgecote. The Earl of Warwick was the commander of the Lancasterian forces, and the Yorkists were led by the Earls of Stafford and Pembroke, who had possession of the town. After one of the most determined conflicts ever recorded, the Yorkists were routed; the Earl of Pembroke and his brother were both taken and beheaded, and Edward IV. himself made prisoner a few days after. In 1642, the towns-people took part with the Parliament, but after the battle of Edgehill, this castle was taken by the royalists, under Sir William Compton, who defended it for 13 weeks against all the efforts of Sir John Fiennes, until the garrison was relieved by the Earl of Northampton. It suffered a further siege of 10 weeks, under Sir William Waller, and surrendered on honourable terms. Leland, who wrote in the Reign of Henry VIII., says, ”In this castle is a terrible prison for convict men.” A stone vault, with grated windows, and traces of the inner ditch, is supposed to have been the terrible prison alluded to, but very small remains exist in the present day. The free grammar-school is now wholly abandoned, and the school-house let out on lease by the corporation. This is much to be regretted, as it was formerly held in such high estimation, that the statutes of this establishment were taken as a model for St. Paul's school, London; and the statutes of the free grammar-school of Manchester, in 1524, ordain, that the grammar taught in that school, should be taught only ”after the manner of the school at Banbury, in Oxfords.h.i.+re, which is called Stanbridge's Grammar.” Mr.
Stanbridge, the celebrated grammarian alluded to, was a highly learned man, and tutor to Sir Thomas Pope. Adjoining the Ram Inn is a sulphurous well, and at a small distance from the town is a chalybeate spring. The pyrites aureus, or golden fire-stone, is frequently found in this neighbourhood. Among other interesting remains about the town is an ancient hospital, dedicated to St. John, now converted into a farm-house. This borough returns one member to parliament, as it did before the pa.s.sing of the Reform Bill. The electors of the old const.i.tuency were but 18 in number, but the 10. householders are about 365. The borough comprises the parish, and the returning-officer is the Mayor.
_Market_, Thursday.--_Fairs_, Thursday after Jan. 18, for cattle, horses, and sheep: first Thursday in Lent; second Thursday before Easter, cattle and sheep; Ascension Day; Thursday and Friday in Trinity week; August 13, horses, cows, and sheep; Thursday after Old Michaelmas, hogs and cheese; October 30; and second Thursday before Christmas. Cheese, hops, and cattle.--_Mail_ arrives 4.15 morning; departs 10.34 night.--_Bankers_, (Old Bank) Cobb and Co., draw on Jones, Lloyd, and Co.; Gibbons and Co., draw on Robarts and Co.; Gillett and Co., draw on Esdaile and Co.--_Inns_, Red Lion, and White Lion.
[Sidenote: Cheese and cakes.]
[Sidenote: Battle of Banbury.]
[Sidenote: Once a celebrated grammar school.]
[Sidenote: Electors.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+-------------------+----------+------------+-------------+ 50
Bangor[A] city & pa
Caernarvon
Caernarvon 9
Aberconway 15
+--+-------------------+----------+------------+-------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+-------------------+-----------------------+-----+-------+ 50
Bangor[A] city & pa
Holyhead 24
245
4751
+--+-------------------+-----------------------+-----+-------+
[A] BANGOR, which signifies the beautiful choir, is a Bishop's See; compared to its former size, it is now but an inconsiderable place. It is seated at the mouth of the Menai, near its opening to the Lavan sands, in a narrow valley, between two low ridges of slate rock, opening to the south, towards the majestic mountain, Snowdon, which rises 3571 feet above the level of the sea. Mr. Warner, the intelligent Welsh tourist, and his companion, spoke in raptures of this place. The beauty, repose, and retirement of the whole pleased them wonderfully. The latter observed, ”If he were Bishop of Bangor, the only translation he would covet would be, thence to heaven.” The former agreed with him, that ”Were fate to throw him also into such a spot, very few attractions would have sufficient force to elicit him from it.” They had ”Never seen a place which united so many beauties in so narrow a circle.” From this city the new road finds its way through a low pa.s.s in the adjacent ridge, and descends gently along the face of the sloping bank to the great bridge: this road is very smooth and well protected, and worthy of the magnificent scenery by which it is surrounded. Menai suspension bridge is distant about two miles and a half from Bangor. This n.o.ble bridge is subst.i.tuted for the inconvenient ferry; it is 100 feet above the level of high water, even at spring tides. The cathedral is a low plain building, dedicated to St. Deiniol, to whom it owed its origin about the year 525, and he was elected the first bishop in 550. He was the son of Dinothus, Abbot of Bangor-iscoed, and reared under the auspices of a Welsh prince, patron of the bard Talliesin, and perhaps the most liberal prince of his time. In 1402 it was burnt down, during the rebellion of Owen Glendower; and what is rather singular, it was suffered to remain in ruins during the s.p.a.ce of 90 years, when the choir was rebuilt by the Bishop in the reign of Henry VII. But that cruel ravager of ecclesiastical property, Bishop Bulkeley, not only alienated the lands belonging to the cathedral, but even had the audacity to sell the bells of the church. The choir is fitted up in a style of neat and simple elegance, and ornamented with an excellent organ, the gift of Dr.
Thomas Lloyd, in 1779. The chapter consists of a dean, three archdeacons, two precentors, two vicars choral, six minor canons, six lay clerks, and eight choristers, with an income of 2,000. per annum.
The windows of the cathedral were formerly very handsomely ornamented with stained gla.s.s, but in the civil wars of Charles I. the soldiers destroyed these, amongst other things. The most conspicuous monument in this building is that erected to the memory of Owen Gwynedd, one of the ancient princes of Wales. Here are several Dissenting meeting-houses, and the town is the resort of many visitors during the summer season; upwards of 50,000 annually are said to remain for longer or shorter periods. Steam-packets ply between this place and Liverpool.
_Market_, Friday.--_Fairs_, April 5; June 25; September 16; and October 28.--_Mail_ arrives at Menai Bridge 4.15 morning; departs 8.32 afternoon.
[Sidenote: The suspension bridge.]
[Sidenote: Cathedral.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+------------------+----------+---------------+------------+ 53
Bangor[A] vil & pa
Flint
Ellesmere 11
Overton 3
27
Banham pa
Norfolk
East Harling 5
Buckenham 2
45
Bank-Newton to
W.R. York
Skipton 5
Settle 11
9
Banks to
c.u.mberland
Carlisle 13
Brampton 3
27
Banningham pa
Norfolk
Aylesham 3
N. Walsham 5
37
Banstead[B] pa
Surrey
Ewell 3
Croydon 6
34
Banwell[C] pa
Somerset
Axbridge 4
Bristol 18
21
Bapchild pa
Kent
Sittingbourne 2
Milton 3
40
Barbon chap
Westmorl.
Kirkby Lons. 3
Sedbergh 7
+--+------------------+----------+---------------+------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+------------------+-----------+--------------+-----+------+ 53
Bangor[A] vil & pa
Wrexham 5
174
1389
27
Banham pa
Diss 7
92
1297
45
Bank-Newton to
Burnley 15
221
125
9
Banks to
Longtown 14
314
296
27
Banningham pa
Cromer 9
121
369
37
Banstead[B] pa
Sutton 3
15
991
34
Banwell[C] pa
Fensford 16
130
1623
21
Bapchild pa
Faversham 6
41
319
40
Barbon chap
Kendal 11
258
318
+--+------------------+--------------------------+-----+------+
[A] BANGOR ISCOED is situated on the banks of the river Dee, which here pa.s.ses under a bridge of five arches. This place, at present very inconsiderable, is famed on account of having been the site of the most ancient monastery in the kingdom, founded by Lucius, the son of Coel, the first Christian King of Britain, sometime previous to the year 180.
This abbey was remarkable for its valuable library, and the number of learned men trained within its venerable walls. Gildas Ninnius, who lived in the 7th century, was one of its abbots. He wrote in Latin an incorrect history of England, which is still extant. According to Speed, this monastery, in the year 596, contained no less than 2,400 monks, 100 of which pa.s.sed in their turns one hour of devotion; there are no remains of the monastery existing.
[Sidenote: The first abbey established in Britain.]
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