Part 24 (1/2)
[Sidenote: King Offa buried here.]
[Sidenote: John Bunyan.]
[Sidenote: n.o.ble charity, founded by Sir William Harper.]
[Sidenote: Its revenues.]
[Sidenote: Alms-houses.]
[Sidenote: Lace-making, the chief trade.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+-----------------+--------+---------------+------------+ 29
Bedlington[A] pa
Durham
Morpeth 4
Blyth 14
21
Bedmanton ham
Kent
Sittingbourne 5
Lenham 3
34
Bedminster pa
Somerset
Bristol 1
Dundry 3
35
Bednall to
Stafford
Penkridge 3
Rugeley 7
33
Bedston pa
Salop
Knighton 4
Ludlow 11
26
Bedwas pa
Monmouth
Newport 10
Cardiff 9
3
Bedwall Green ham
Bedford
Dunstable 2
Toddington 3
26
Bedwelty pa
Monmouth
Newport 16
Pontypool 10
+--+-----------------+--------+---------------+------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+-----------------+------------------------+------------+ 29
Bedlington[A] pa
Newcastle 12
286
2120
21
Bedmanton ham
Maidstone 8
42
34
Bedminster pa
Weston 19
119
13130
35
Bednall to
Stafford 4
134
33
Bedston pa
Bishops' Cas. 10
153
159
26
Bedwas pa
Pontypool 10
158
756
3
Bedwall Green ham
Hockliffe 5
36
26
Bedwelty pa
Abergavenn. 14
159
10637
+--+-----------------+------------------------+-----+------+
[A] BEDLINGTON, though within the county of Northumberland, belongs to Chester ward, in the county of Durham. It lies between the rivers Wansbeck and Blythe. The monks of Durham, in their flight to Lindisfarne, before the arms of the Conqueror, with the incorruptible body of St. Cuthbert, rested all night here. The Rev. Francis Woodmas, the expositor of St. Chrysostom, was vicar here from 1696 to 1710. The Bedlington blast furnace, for smelting iron, was some years since taken down. At the Bebside and Bedlington Mills, about fifty men are employed.
An unsuccessful attempt was a few years ago made to establish a manufactory of printed cottons at Stannington bridge, in this neighbourhood.
[Sidenote: Blast furnaces.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+-------------------+---------+-------------+---------------+ 41
Bedwin, Great[A] pa
Wilts
Marlborough 7
Ramsbary 5
41
Bedwin, Little pa
Wilts
... 8
... 4
39
Bedworth pa
Warwick
Nuneaton 4
Longford 2
23
Beeby pa
Leicester
Leicester 6
Houghton 3
35
Beech to
Warwick
Stafford 7
Eccleshall 6
4
Beech Hill ti
Berks
Reading 7
Aldermaston 5
41
Beechingstoke pa
Wilts
Devizes 5
Pewsey 5
38
Beeding, Upper pa
Suss.e.x
Steyning 1
Sh.o.r.eham 5
38
Beeding, Lower ti
Suss.e.x
... 2
... 5
4
Beedon pa
Berks
E. Ilsley 3
Newbury 7
43
Beeford pa & to
E.R. York
Driffield 7
Bridlington 10
10
Beeley chap
Derby
Bakewell 3
Chesterfield 10
21
Beelsby pa
Lincoln
Caistor 5
Grimsby 7
4
Beenham pa
Berks
Reading 8
Newbury 9
11
Beer chap
Devon
Colyton 3
Honiton 10
34
Beer
Somerset
Bridgewater 4
Stowey 5
11
Beerhall
Devon
Bridport 8
Honiton 10
11
Beeralston[B] to
Devon
Tavistock 6
Plymouth 7
+--+-------------------+---------+-------------+---------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+-------------------+-----------------------+-----+---------+ 41
Bedwin, Great[A] pa
Hungerford 6
71
2191
41
Bedwin, Little pa
... 5
70
587
39
Bedworth pa
Coventry 5
96
3980
23
Beeby pa
Melton 9
104
120
35
Beech to
Newcastle 8
141
4
Beech Hill ti
Kingsclere 7
46
249
41
Beechingstoke pa
Lavington 6
86
187
38
Beeding, Upper pa
Brighton 10
51
589
38
Beeding, Lower ti
... 10
51
533
4
Beedon pa
Hungerford 12
57
306
43
Beeford pa & to
Beverley 13
196
894
10
Beeley chap
Matlock 6
150
441
21
Beelsby pa
Louth 18
164
158
4
Beenham pa
Pangbourn 6
47
360
11
Beer chap
Sidmouth 7
153
34
Beer
Watchet 14
143
11
Beerhall
Crewkerne 14
147
11
Beeralston[B] to
Saltash 4
213
+--+-------------------+-----------------------+-----+---------+
[A] BEDWIN was a market-town, and supposed by Stukeley to have been the Leucomagus of the Romans; it certainly was a chief city of the Saxons, who built a castle there. It was a borough by prescription, sending two members to parliament, and is governed by a portreeve, and exercises many of its original rights, although considerably reduced in population. The church, a cruciform building of flints, with a central tower, is ancient and curious in itself, and for the monuments which it contains. The obtusely pointed arches of the nave, ornamented with zig-zag and billetted mouldings, rest on capitals, richly adorned with flowers, grotesque heads, and other figures. In the south transept are two tombs, which commemorate Adam and Roger de Stocre, Lords, according to Leland, of ”Stoke Haulle thereby.” The chancel contains the n.o.ble altar monument of Sir John Seymour, of Wolphall, father of the Protector, Somerset, and other distinguished persons. Near this tomb are two bra.s.s plates, on one of which is the figure of a lady, with her hands folded, and the inscription--”Julia Seymour;” the other commemorates a son of Sir John Seymour. The manor of Bedwin, which once belonged to Gilbert, Earl of Clare, husband of Anna d'Acres, was purchased by the late Earl of Aylesbury. This place gave birth, in 1621, to Dr. Thomas Willis, a learned physician, who wrote several works on his art, was appointed physician in ordinary to Charles II., and died of pleurisy in 1675. On Castle-hill is an entrenchment, in area two acres, with some foundations, supposed to be those of a castle, founded by the Saxons. Chisbury Castle is an entrenchment more than fifteen acres in extent, supposed to have been begun by the Britons, and sometime occupied by the Romans. The neighbouring village of Little Bedwin has a church built of flints, in the Anglo-Norman style of architecture, with a nave, aisles, chancel, and tower.
_Market_, formerly Tuesday (disused).--_Fairs_, April 23, and July 26, for horses, cows, and sheep.
[Sidenote: Monument of Julia Seymour, sister to Lady Jane Grey.]
[B] BEERALSTON. This place once had the privilege of sending two members to parliament. It is chiefly inhabited by labourers employed in agriculture and mining. The borough was under the influence of the Earl of Beverley. The right of election was vested in those who had land in the borough, and paid three-pence acknowledgment to the Lord of the Manor, who varied the number of electors at his pleasure, by granting burgage-tenures, which were generally resigned when the election was concluded, to as many of his partisans as were requisite. The portreeve, chosen annually in the Lord's court, was the returning-officer. The first members were returned in the twenty-seventh of Elizabeth. Risdon mentions that Beare was bestowed by William the Conqueror on a family descended from the house of Alencon in France, and that it still continues its name under the corruption of Bere-Alson. In the reign of Henry II., Henry Ferrers had a castle here, which came to the possession of his descendant Martin Ferrers, the last of the house, in the time of Edward III. The manor then came to the Champernounes, and pa.s.sed respectively through the families of Willoughby, Mountjoy, Maynard, and Stamford, to the present possessor, the Duke of Northumberland. In this place are several lead-mines, now of inconsiderable value, though sometimes impregnated with silver; but in the reign of Edward I., it is said, that in the s.p.a.ce of three years 1,600 pounds weight of silver was obtained. Since that time no considerable quant.i.ty has ever been procured.
[Sidenote: Electioneering abuses.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles from
+--+-----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+ 34
Berecrocombe pa
Somerset
Ilminster 5
Taunton 7
11
Bere Ferris[A] pa
Devon
Saltash 3
Plymouth 6
12
Bere Hacket pa
Devon
Sherborne 4
Yeovil 4
12
Bere Regis[B] m.t. & pa
Dorset
Wareham 7
Blandford 9
+--+-----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles from
Lond.
Population.
+--+-----------------------+----------------------+-----+------+ 34
Berecrocombe pa
Somerton 12
135
182
11
Bere Ferris[A] pa
Tavistock 8
215
1876
12
Bere Hacket pa
Beaminster 12
121
110
12
Bere Regis[B] m.t. & pa
Dorchester 12
113
1170
+--+-----------------------+----------------------+-----+------+
[A] BERE FERRIS. This parish is situated south by west from Tavistock.
Here, observes Risdon, ”lieth Ley, the ancient possession of a family so called, whence the name tooke that honor; for from hence Sir James Ley, Knt., Lord Chief Justice of England, and High Treasurer, created afterwards Earle of Marlborough, descended; a lawgiver in the chief place of justice, and a preserver of venerable antiquity, whose n.o.ble thoughts were so fixed on virtue, and his discourses embellished with wisdome, and his heart with integrity, that his words did never bite, nor his actions wrong any man, to give him just cause of complaynt.”
Amongst several ancient monuments in Bere-Ferris Church, is one under an arched recess, of a cross-legged knight half inclined on his right side, with his right hand on his sword; and another of a knight and his lady, under a richly ornamented arch in the chancel. Among the figures painted on the east window is that of William Ferrers, who was probably the builder of this fabric, as he is represented kneeling, and holding the model of a church in his hand.
[Sidenote: A honest lawyer.]
[B] BERE REGIS is situated in the Blandford division of the county. Drs.
Stukeley and c.o.ker conjecture that this place was the site of a Roman station; an opinion which is confirmed by a large entrenchment upon Woodbury Hill, about half a mile north-east of the parish. The area of this place, which contains about ten acres, is surrounded by triple ramparts, that in some places are high and deep. On the summit, which commands a very extensive prospect, a fair is annually holden. This fair begins on the Nativity of the Virgin, and continues through the five following days: though of late years it has much decreased; it was once the most considerable in the west of England. Queen Elfrida, to whom the manor belonged, is said to have retired to her seat in this place, after the murder of her son-in-law, Edward the Martyr. King John also appears to have made it his residence. In the reign of Henry III. the manor was bestowed on Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester; but, as a consequence attending his rebellion, it was taken from him, and granted to the King's brother, Edmund. Edmund gave a moiety of it to the Abbess of Tarent, who, in the reign of Edward I. claimed for her manor of Bere a fair, a market, a free-warren, and the whole forest of Bere. Her moiety of these was granted her. At the dissolution, Henry VIII., for the sum of 680. 16s. 8d. granted the manor to Robert Turberville, to whose ancestors the other moiety had belonged for ages. The mansion of the Turbervilles still remains: it is an ancient irregular structure, built with stone, and its windows contain various quarterings of the Turberville family and its alliances. Bere Regis, though it does not appear ever to have been represented in parliament, was incorporated in the time of Edward I. Its market is ancient, as appears from King John's having confirmed it to the inhabitants. The church is a large and handsome structure, and contains numerous monuments of the Turberville and other families. The town of Bere Regis has suffered twice by fire: once in 1634, and again in 1788. After the latter fire the inhabitants found shelter in the booths erected for the fair. The most distinguished natives of the place have been James Turberville, Bishop of Exeter, and John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury.
_Market_, Wednesday.--_Fair_, September 18.
[Sidenote: The residence of Queen Elfrida.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles from
+--+-----------------------+----------+-------------+------------- 9
Bees, St.[A] to & pa
c.u.mberland
Egremont 3
Whitehaven 4
24
Beesby pa
Lincoln
Louth 9
Grimsby 9
24
Beesby in the Marsh, pa
Lincoln
Alford 3
Saltfleet 10
3
Beeston to
Bedford
Biggleswade 3
Tempsford 3