Wibsey - Wickford

Wibsey

WIBSEY, a chapelry, in the township of North Bierley, parish and union of Bradford, wapentake of Morley, W. riding of York, 3 miles (S. W. by S.) from Bradford. This chapelry is situated in the heart of an extensive mining district, and includes several collieries, affording employment to a considerable number of the population. The village is on the Bradford and Halifax, and Bradford and Huddersfield roads. The chapel, founded about the year 1606 by the families of Richardson and Rookes, respectively of Bierley and Royds Halls, was enlarged in 1820 at an expense of £500, and again in 1837, at a cost of £2000, by subscription, aided by the profits of a bazaar held in the Exchange buildings at Bradford. It is now a handsome cruciform structure in the early English style, with a tower surmounted by a graceful spire; and contains 1200 sittings, of which 500 are free in consideration of a grant of £300 from the Incorporated Society. The chapel is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £250; patron, the Vicar of Bradford. A church, dedicated to St. Paul, was erected at Buttershaw, by John Hardy, Esq., one of the proprietors of the Low-Moor Iron-works, at a cost of £2500; it was consecrated by the Bishop of Ripon, August 2nd, 1842, and is in the early English style, with a well-proportioned tower and spire. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the Bishop; net income, £200. There are places of worship for Independents and Wesleyans; also a national school, a spacious building erected in 1814, at an expense of £1000, by the Low-Moor Company, by whom it is chiefly supported.—See Bierley, North.

Wibtoft

WIBTOFT, a chapelry, in the parish of Claybrooke, union of Lutterworth, Kirby division of the hundred of Knightlow, N. division of the county of Warwick, 5½ miles (W. N. W.) from Lutterworth; containing 101 inhabitants, and comprising 792 acres. The old Watling-street and Fosse-way meet at a Roman fort on the Leicestershire boundary, north of this place.

Wichaugh

WICHAUGH, a township, in the parish of Malpas, union of Wrexham, Higher division of the hundred of Broxton, S. division of the county of Chester, 5½ miles (N. W.) from Whitchurch; containing 30 inhabitants. It comprises 290 acres of a clayey soil. The tithes have been commuted for £36.

Wichenford (St. Lawrence)

WICHENFORD (St. Lawrence), a parish, in the union of Martley, Lower division of the hundred of Oswaldslow, Worcester and W. divisions of the county of Worcester, 6¼ miles (N. W. by N.) from Worcester; containing 350 inhabitants. It comprises 2699a. 1r. 33p.: the soil is generally clay, resting on deep red marl; the surface is flat, and watered by several small brooks. The living is a vicarage, endowed with the rectorial tithes, valued in the king's books at £9. 10., and in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester: the tithes have been commuted for £420. 6., and the glebe comprises 8 acres. The church is a small structure, built in 1269. It contains several monuments to the Washbourne family, who were proprietors of the parish, but lost much of their property for their attachment to the royal cause, in support of which one of its members fought at the battle of Worcester. Some Roman coins were lately discovered, on digging-up the foundations of an old building at Woodend.

Wichling, county of Kent.—See Witchling.

WICHLING, county of Kent.—See Witchling.

Wichnor

WICHNOR, a chapelry, in the parish of Tatenhill, union of Burton-upon-Trent, N. division of the hundred of Offlow and of the county of Stafford, 6½ miles (N. E.) from Lichfield; containing 155 inhabitants. This place was twice honoured by a visit from James I., who held a court at the Hall on the 21st of August, 1621, and again on the 19th of August, 1624, when the king dined at Wichnor. The Grand Trunk canal passes through the chapelry, and communicates with the iron-works in the vicinity. The living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £71; patron, John Levett, Esq. The chapel, dedicated to St. Leonard, is a small structure in the decorated English style, with a low tower. Parties married here are entitled by ancient usage to the same privilege as that enjoyed at Dunmow, in Essex. Many Roman coins have been found in the neighbourhood, and in the park are vestiges of an encampment.

Wick

WICK, a hamlet, in the parish of Fyfield, poor-law union of Abingdon, hundred of Ock, county of Berks; containing 42 inhabitants.

Wick and Abson (St. James)

WICK and ABSON (St. James), a parish, in the union of Chipping-Sodbury, hundred of PuckleChurch, W. division of the county of Gloucester, 7¼ miles (E. by N.) from Bristol; containing 794 inhabitants. The village is situated at the foot of a rocky hill rising to the height of more than 200 feet, and consisting of alternate beds of limestone and petro-silex. The parish comprises about 2000 acres: it abounds with coal, which is raised in great quantities; and lead-ore is also found. The living is united, with that of Westerleigh, to the vicarage of Puckle-Church. Here is a camp, supposed to be of British origin; and Roman coins, urns, and bricks, have been dug up in the parish.

Wick (St. Lawrence)

WICK (St. Lawrence), a parish, in the union of Axbridge, hundred of Winterstoke, E. division of Somerset, 8½ miles (N. N. W.) from Axbridge; containing 347 inhabitants. It is situated on the shore of the Bristol Channel. The living is annexed to the vicarage of Congresbury.

Wick, with Walton

WICK, with Walton, a tything, in the parish of Downton, poor-law union of Alderbury, hundred of Downton, Salisbury and Amesbury, and S. divisions of Wilts; containing 285 inhabitants.

Wick

WICK, a tything, in the parishes of Kemble and Oaksey, union of Cirencester, hundred of Malmesbury, N. division of Wilts, 7½ miles (N. E. by N.) from Malmesbury; containing 44 inhabitants.

Wick-Episcopi

WICK-EPISCOPI, a township, in the parish of St. John Bedwardine, union of Worcester, Lower division of the hundred of Oswaldslow, Worcester and W. divisions of the county of Worcester; comprising about 3400 acres. The tithes were commuted for land and a money payment in 1806.

Wick-Near-Pershore

WICK-NEAR-PERSHORE, a chapelry, in the parish of St. Andrew, Pershore, union, and Upper division of the hundred, of Pershore, Pershore and E. divisions of the county of Worcester, 1 mile (E. S. E.) from Pershore; containing 305 inhabitants. It is intersected by the road between Pershore and Evesham, and situated near the left bank of the river Avon; and consists of 1536 acres. The living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £105; patron, the Vicar of Pershore; appropriators, the Dean and Chapter of Westminster. The chapel is dedicated to St. Lawrence. An Augustine priory was founded here early in the reign of Stephen, by Peter de Corbezon, who a few years afterwards removed it to Studley, in Warwickshire.

Wicken (St. Lawrence)

WICKEN (St. Lawrence), a parish, in the union of Newmarket, hundred of Staploe, county of Cambridge, 7 miles (S. S. E.) from Ely; containing 945 inhabitants. An act was passed in 1840 for inclosing certain lands. The Buckingham canal passes through the parish. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of Miss Hatch, with a net income of £56: the tithes have been commuted for £512. 17. Here is a national school with an endowment; also an almshouse for widows. At Spinney was a priory, founded by Sir Hugh de Malebisse, in the reign of Henry III., for three Augustine canons.

Wicken (St. John the Evangelist)

WICKEN (St. John the Evangelist), a parish, in the union of Potters-Pury, hundred of Cleley, S. division of the county of Northampton, 3½ miles (W. S. W.) from Stony-Stratford; containing 503 inhabitants. It is situated in the southern extremity of the county, the river Ouse separating it from Buckinghamshire; and comprises 2280½ acres, whereof 400 are in wood. The surface is undulated, and the scenery picturesque, bordering on the forest of Whittlebury; the soil is generally clay, upon limestone, and alluvial by the river side: there are good limestone and gravel, but the strata are exceedingly various. Lace is made by the females. The road from Buckingham to StonyStratford, and the Grand Junction canal, intersect the parish; and the Wolverton station of the London and Birmingham railway is distant five and a half miles. The living is a rectory, with that of Wyke-Hamon consolidated, valued in the king's books at £15. 1. 10½., and in the gift of Sir J. Mordaunt, Bart.: the tithes have been commuted for £452. 10.; and the glebe comprises 127 acres, with an excellent house, built from the materials of the old manor-house, which belonged to the Spencer family. The church was rebuilt, with the exception of the well-proportioned tower, in 1758, by Thomas Prowse, Esq.; it contains some handsome monuments, and a very ancient font. Elizabeth Prowse, in 1810, bequeathed a share in the Grand Junction canal, the produce to be applied in aid of a day and Sunday school. A school was built by the patron in 1839. Wyke-Hamon church has been demolished.

Wicken-Bonant (St. Margaret)

WICKEN-BONANT (St. Margaret), a parish, in the union of Saffron-Walden, hundred of Uttlesford, N. division of Essex, 1 mile (W. by S.) from Newport; containing 158 inhabitants. It comprises about 830 acres, of which more than three-fourths are arable, and the remainder meadow and pasture; the situation is low, but the lands are in good cultivation. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £11; net income, £213; patron, A. George, Esq. The church is a small stone edifice, with a tower of wood.

Wickenby (St. Peter and St. Lawrence)

WICKENBY (St. Peter and St. Lawrence), a parish, in the W. division of the wapentake of Wraggoe, parts of Lindsey, union and county of Lincoln, 5½ miles (N. W.) from Wragby; containing 181 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £6. 17. 6., and in the patronage of C. Nevile, Esq.: the tithes have been commuted for £390, and there is a glebe of 41 acres, with a house.

Wickersley (St. Alban)

WICKERSLEY (St. Alban), a parish, in the union of Rotherham, S. division of the wapentake of Strafforth and Tickhill, W. riding of York, 3½ miles (E. by S.) from Rotherham; containing 652 inhabitants. It comprises about 1240 acres, of which 780 are arable, 410 meadow and pasture, and 45 woodland; the soil is rich, the surface elevated, and the surrounding scenery diversified. There are ten quarries of excellent stone, frorn which the Sheffield manufacturers are supplied with grindstones, and in which 100 men are constantly employed: fossils of various kinds are frequently found. The road between Bawtry and Tinsley passes through the village. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £8. 0. 2½.; net income, £345; patron and incumbent, the Rev. John Foster. The tithes were commuted for land in 1814; the glebe altogether comprises 242 acres, with a house rebuilt by the present rector in 1805. The church, erected soon after the Conquest, was rebuilt, with the exception of the tower, in 1835, at an expense of £1000; and the tower was raised in 1842: the structure contains 527 sittings. Here is a place of worship for Wesleyans.

Wickford

WICKFORD, a parish, in the union of Billericay, hundred of Barstable, S. division of the county of Essex, 6 miles (E. by S.) from Billericay; containing 445 inhabitants. It comprises 1600 acres, of which about 1200 are arable, and 400 meadow and pasture. The ground is generally wet and heavy; in the vale of Wickford is some rich land, producing excellent crops of wheat. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £14, and in the gift of R. B. De Beauvoir, Esq.: the tithes have been commuted for £470, and the glebe comprises 47 acres. The church, situated on an eminence, is a small edifice consisting of a nave and chancel. There is a place of worship for Independents.