Mersea, East (St. Edmund)
MERSEA, EAST (St. Edmund), a parish, in the
union of Lexden and Winstree, hundred of Winstree, N. division of Essex, 9 miles (S. S. E.) from Colchester; containing 331 inhabitants. The parish comprises 1844 acres, whereof 72 are common or waste; it
occupies the eastern portion of the Isle of Mersea, and
is bounded on the north by Pyefleet channel, and on the
east and south by the Colne, near its confluence with
the Blackwater. The living is a rectory, valued in the
king's books at £21, and in the patronage of the Crown:
the tithes have been commuted for £427, and the glebe
comprises 20 acres. The church has a square stone
tower, which formerly served as a landmark. A national
school is partly supported by a bequest of £200.
Mersea, West (St. Peter and St. Paul)
MERSEA, WEST (St. Peter and St. Paul), a parish, in the union of Lexden and Winstree, hundred
of Winstree, N. division of Essex, 9 miles (S.) from
Colchester; containing 917 inhabitants. The parish
comprises the greater portion of the Isle of Mersea,
which is about five miles in length and two in average
breadth; and is connected with the main land on the
west by a causeway named the Strode, for the maintenance of which an estate of 46 acres, producing £70 per
annum, is appropriated. The surface is diversified with
hill and dale, and richly wooded. From various remains,
Mersea appears to have been occupied by the Romans,
and to have been the residence of the Count of the
Saxon Shore, or some other Roman officer of distinction.
During the Danish invasions of Britain the isle was a
frequent landing-place, and in their retreat here the
invaders were besieged by Alfred the Great. In 1730,
when some alterations were made at West Mersea Hall,
a very fine tessellated pavement was discovered, 21½
feet long, and 18½ broad. The trade in oysters was
formerly extensive, but it has greatly diminished, being
limited at present to the supply of a few Dutch vessels.
The living is a discharged vicarage, valued in the king's
books at £22; patron and impropriator, Thomas May,
Esq.: the great tithes have been commuted for £500,
and the vicarial for £230. The church, situated at the
extremity of the isle, is a small ancient edifice. There
is a place of worship for Independents; and a school is
endowed with the interest of £200. The parish contained a Benedictine convent, dedicated to St. Peter,
which was a cell to the abbey of St. Audoen, at Rouen,
in Normandy.
Mersham (St. John the Baptist)
MERSHAM (St. John the Baptist), a parish, in
the union of East Ashford, hundred of Chart and
Longbridge, lathe of Shepway, E. division of Kent,
3¾ miles (S. E.) from Ashford; containing 751 inhabitants. The parish comprises by measurement 2417 acres,
of which 1276 are pasture, 908 arable, 190 woodland,
and about 28 in hop plantations. The South-Eastern
railway passes through the western portion. A fair for
pedlery and toys is held on the Friday in Whitsunweek. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's
books at £26. 16. 10½., and in the gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury: the tithes have been commuted
for £630. 10. 6.; there is a glebe-house, and the glebe
comprises 40 acres. Over the west door of the church
tower, which stands on the south side of the nave, is a
very curious window, in the later English style. There
is a place of worship for Wesleyans.
Merstham (St. Catherine)
MERSTHAM (St. Catherine), a parish, in the
union, and Second division of the hundred, of Reigate,
E. division of Surrey, 3½ miles (N. E.) from Reigate;
containing 1130 inhabitants. It comprises 2535a. 1r.
18p., of which 1585 acres are arable, 597 meadow and
pasture, 235 woodland, and the remainder gardenground and common. The Reigate stone, called also
fire-stone, is found here, under beds of chalk and chalk
marl; a considerable quantity of it was used in the
erection of old Windsor Castle and Henry the Seventh's
chapel. The Brighton railway intersects the parish.
The living is a rectory, in the patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury, valued in the king's books at
£22. 1. 8.: the tithes have been commuted for £574,
and the glebe comprises 26 acres. The church, standing
on a knoll, was erected about the time of Henry VI.,
and is principally in the later English style; the tower
is in the early style, and surmounted by a wooden
spire.
Merston (St. Giles)
MERSTON (St. Giles), a parish, in the union of
North Aylesford, hundred of Shamwell, lathe of
Aylesford, W. division of Kent, 4¼ miles (E. S. E.)
from Gravesend. This place is parochial in its ecclesiastical jurisdiction, but in other respects is part of Shorne.
It is a sinecure rectory, in the patronage of the Crown,
valued in the king's books at £2. 13. 4; net income,
£69. The church is in ruins, and its site is included in
a plantation of about five acres, called Chapel-wood.
There are some traces of ancient fortifications.
Merston
MERSTON, a parish, in the union of West Hampnett, hundred of Box and Stockbridge, rape of
Chichester, W. division of Sussex, 3 miles (S. E.)
from the city of Chichester; containing 104 inhabitants.
The Arundel and Portsmouth canal passes through the
parish. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's
books at £7. 4. 7., and in the patronage of the Crown:
the tithes have been commuted for £260, and the glebe
contains 7½ acres. The church is partly in the early and
partly in the decorated English style.
Merther (St. Merther)
MERTHER (St. Merther), a parish, in the union
of Truro, W. division of the hundred of Powder and
of the county of Cornwall, 5 miles (W.) from Tregoney; containing 408 inhabitants. This parish, which
is situated on St. Clement's Creek, an inlet of the river
Mopus, is distinguished for the treaty concluded at
Tresilian Bridge, between Sir Ralph Hopton, on the
part of the royalists, and Sir Thomas Fairfax, on that
of the parliamentarians, in 1646, by which Cornwall
was surrendered to the latter. Abundance of excellent
stone for building is quarried. The creek is navigable
for barges up to Tresilian Bridge; and the two great
roads from London to Falmouth viâ Launceston and
viâ Plymouth, skirt the parish. The living is a perpetual curacy, formerly annexed to the vicarage of
Probus, from which it was separated in 1532; net income, £57; patrons, the Parishioners; appropriators,
the Dean and Canons of Christ-Church, Oxford, whose
tithes have been commuted for £250. The church is
an ancient structure. There is a place of worship for
Wesleyans. William Hals, author of the Parochial History of Cornwall, resided at Tresawson, in the parish.
Merton (All Saints)
MERTON (All Saints), a parish, in the union of
Torrington, hundred of Shebbear, Black Torrington
and Shebbear, and N. divisions of Devon, 5¾ miles
(N. by W.) from Hatherleigh; containing 763 inhabitants. The parish comprises 3536 acres, of which 335
are common or waste: pipe-clay and potters'-clay are
found on the moors. Potheridge House, the birthplace,
and for some time the residence, of the celebrated General Monk, who rebuilt it, was a noble structure, with a
chapel attached, and some magnificent stables which yet
remain; the mansion is now a farmhouse. The living
is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £20. 15. 7½.,
and in the gift of Lord Clinton: the tithes have been
commuted for £365, and the glebe comprises 66 acres.
Merton (St. Peter)
MERTON (St. Peter), a parish, in the union and
hundred of Wayland, W. division of Norfolk, 2¼
miles (S. S. W.) from Watton; containing 164 inhabitants. It comprises 1361a. 1r. 20p., of which 738 acres
are arable, 491 pasture, and 86 woodland. The Hall,
the seat of Lord Walsingham, is a handsome mansion
in the Elizabethan style, containing many stately apartments, some of which are hung with ancient tapestry in
good preservation; the park is richly wooded, and much
of the timber is of luxuriant growth. The living is
a discharged rectory, valued in the king's books at
£6. 0. 5.; patron, Lord Walsingham: the tithes have
been commuted for £201. 14., and the glebe consists of
25 acres. The church, situated in the park, is an ancient
structure with a round tower; the chancel contains
several monuments and brasses to the family of De Grey,
and in the south window are effigies of St. Edmund, and
of Robert Clifton, in stained glass.
Merton, or Martin (St. Swithin)
MERTON, or Martin (St. Swithin), a parish, in
the union of Bicester, hundred of Bullingdon, county
of Oxford, 4 miles (S. by W.) from Bicester; containing 230 inhabitants. The living is a discharged vicarage,
valued in the king's books at £8; net income, £110;
patrons and impropriators, the Rector and Fellows of
Exeter College, Oxford: the tithes were commuted for
land in 1763. The church is an ancient edifice, with a
tower formerly surmounted by a lofty spire, which was
taken down in 1796. Near it is the manor-house,
erected in the reign of Elizabeth, and now occupied as a
farmhouse. A branch of a Roman road runs through
the parish.
Merton (St. Mary)
MERTON (St. Mary), a parish, in the union of
Croydon, W. division of the hundred of Brixton, E.
division of Surrey, 9 miles (S. W. by S.) from London;
containing 1914 inhabitants. The name in Domesday
book is Mereton and Meretune, a Saxon compound of
mere, a lake or marsh, and tun, a town or vill. According to some writers, the place was the scene of the
murder of Cynewulf, King of Wessex, in 784, and also
of a battle between the Danes and the Saxons, in 871;
but doubt exists as to its identity with the Merton
referred to by ancient historians. In 1115, a convent
built of wood, for Canons regular of the order of St.
Augustine, was founded here by Gilbert Norman, sheriff
of Surrey; and Henry I., in 1121, granted to the community a charter of incorporation and the manor of
Merton, towards the erection of a church in honour of
the Virgin Mary: the priory was rebuilt of stone in
1130, and was liberally endowed by subsequent benefactions; at the Dissolution its revenue was valued at
£1039. 5. 3. In the reign of Henry III., Walter de
Merton, lord high chancellor of England, and afterwards Bishop of Rochester, founded here a seminary of
learning, which he subsequently removed to Oxford, on
the foundation of Merton College. A parliament was
held at the priory in 1236, when statutes were enacted
which take their name from the place: on that occasion
the prelates attempted to introduce the imperial and
canon law, but were met by the memorable reply of the
barons, Nolumus leges Angliæ mutari. Here was concluded the peace between Henry III. and the Dauphin
of France, through the mediation of Gaulo, the pope's
legate; and here, also, Hubert de Bourg, chief justice of
England, found a temporary asylum from the displeasure
of the same monarch. During the civil war in the reign
of Charles I., a considerable part of the conventual
building was still standing; and it appears that a garrison was established here; for, in July, 1648, orders were
issued by the government for putting the place in such
condition that no further use might be made of it to
endanger the peace of the kingdom. In 1680, Merton
priory was advertised to be let, when it was described as
containing several large rooms and a very fine chapel.
The only vestiges are the outer walls, constructed of
flint and rubble, which are nearly entire, and inclose a
space of about sixty acres.
The village, which is situated on the small river Wandle, consists chiefly of one street; the houses are modern:
the inhabitants are supplied with water from several
springs, and from the river, over which a bridge was
built in 1633, uniting this parish with Wimbledon and
Mitcham. The printing of cotton, silk, and challis, is
carried on to a considerable extent on the site of the
priory; and at the north-east corner of the premises is a
copper-mill. The London and South-Western railway
passes between Merton and Wimbledon, at which latter
place is a station. The living is a perpetual curacy, with
a net income of £93; the patronage and impropriation
belong to Mrs. Mary Bond. The church, a structure
in the Norman style with later insertions, was erected
by the founder of the abbey, in the twelfth century;
the arms of England and those of the priory, painted on
glass, decorate the chancel window. There is a place of
worship for Independents. In 1687, William Rutlish
bequeathed an estate now producing £96 a year, directing the income to be applied in apprenticing children;
and Rear-Admiral Sir Isaac Smith, in 1831, left £700
three per cent. reduced annuities to the poor. Thomas
à Becket was educated here under the first prior; and
Walter de Merton, a native of the place, also received
instruction in the priory. Church House was the residence of Garrick and of Sheridan, the latter of whom
was frequently visited here by George IV., when Prince
of Wales. Earl Nelson enjoys the inferior title of Viscount Merton.
Meshaw, or Meshet (St. John the Baptist)
MESHAW, or Meshet (St. John the Baptist), a
parish, in the union of South Molton, hundred of
Witheridge, South Molton and N. divisions of Devon,
5¼ miles (S. E. by S.) from the town of South Molton;
containing 305 inhabitants. The living is a discharged
rectory, valued in the king's books at £7. 4., and
in the gift of the Rev. W. Karslake: the tithes have
been commuted for £110, and the glebe comprises 84
acres. The church contains several monuments to the
Courtenays, by one of whom a handsome service of communion-plate was presented.
Messing (All Saints)
MESSING (All Saints), a parish, in the union of
Witham, Witham division of the hundred of Lexden,
N. division of Essex, 3 miles (E.) from Kelvedon; containing 758 inhabitants. It comprises by measurement
2173 acres, of which 160 are woodland, and the remainder, with the exception of a few acres of pasture,
all arable; the situation is elevated, and the soil generally light, and moderately fertile. The village has many
handsome houses in its neighbourhood, and the beauty
of the scenery renders it an agreeable place of residence. A fair is held on the first Tuesday in July. The
living is a vicarage, valued in the king's books at £8;
patron and impropriator, the Earl of Verulam: the tithes
have been commuted for £430, and the glebe comprises
30 acres. The church is a handsome edifice, with an
east window decorated with paintings of the six Christian graces: Sir William de Messing, the founder, was
formerly represented in wood, in the north wall, recumbent, as a Knight Templar, but the figure was removed
some years since.
Messingham (Holy Trinity)
MESSINGHAM (Holy Trinity,) a parish, in the
union of Glandford-Brigg, E. division of the wapentake of Manley, parts of Lindsey, county of Lincoln,
7½ miles (W. by S.) from Glandford-Brigg; containing,
with part of the township of East Butterwick, 1548 inhabitants, of whom 1368 are in the township of Messingham. The parish is bounded on the west by the
river Trent, and comprises about 6000 acres of land,
mostly arable, with a little wood: the surface is undulated, and the soil of various qualities, chiefly clay and
sand; a portion of the surface has been fertilized by
warping from the Trent. The village is large, and pleasantly situated on a slope. The living is a discharged
vicarage, with the vicarage of Bottesford united in 1727,
valued in the king's books at £10; net income, £598:
it is in the alternate patronage of the Bishop and the
Dean and Chapter of Lincoln. The tithes were commuted for land in 1800. The church is a neat edifice,
built, with the exception of the tower, in 1821. There
is a place of worship for Wesleyans; and a national
school is supported by subscription.
Metfield (St. John the Baptist)
METFIELD (St. John the Baptist), a parish, in
the union and hundred of Hoxne, E. division of Suffolk, 3¾ miles (S. E. by E.) from Harleston; containing 702 inhabitants, and comprising 2140 acres, of which
40 are common or waste. The living is a donative, in
the gift of the Parishioners; the income is partly derived
from 45 acres of land, bequeathed by Mr. Chapman.
The tithes have been commuted for £450. The church
is chiefly in the later English style, with a square embattled tower, and a handsome south porch. The Independents have a place of worship. There are lands producing £80 per annum, for repairing the church and for
parochial uses.
Metham
METHAM, a township, in the parish and union of
Howden, wapentake of Howdenshire, E. riding of
York, 5 miles (S. E. by E.) from Howden; containing
42 inhabitants. The township comprises 920 acres, of
which two-thirds are arable. Metham Hall was built by
Sir George Metham, whose family were long seated here.
A Roman pottery, including fragments of urns and other
vessels, has been discovered, about a mile distant from
the line of the Roman military way.
Metheringham (St. Wilfrid)
METHERINGHAM (St. Wilfrid), a parish, in the
Second division of the wapentake of Langoe, parts of
Kesteven, union and county of Lincoln, 10½ miles
(N.) from Sleaford; containing 1205 inhabitants. This
parish, which is bounded on the east by the river
Witham, comprises by computation 6000 acres of land,
chiefly arable. The soil in the western part is light, in
the central of mixed quality, and in the eastern fenny;
the surface is undulated, and the higher grounds command some pleasing prospects, and a fine view of Lincoln
cathedral. The living is a discharged vicarage, valued
in the king's books at £8. 0. 10.; net income, £300;
patron, the Marquess of Bristol; impropriators, the
trustees of Sleaford Hospital. The church is a handsome structure, in the later English style; it was burnt
down, or greatly damaged, in 1599, and was restored in
1701. There is a place of worship for Wesleyans.
Methley (St. Oswald)
METHLEY (St. Oswald), a parish, in the Lower
division of the wapentake of Agbrigg, W. riding of
York, 7 miles (E. S. E.) from Leeds; containing 1702
inhabitants. The parish is bounded on the south by the
Calder, that river here forming a confluence with the
Aire, which is on the east. It comprises 3336a. 2r. 20p.,
whereof about three-fourths are arable; the soil is in a
high state of cultivation, and the scenery is richly diversified. Some coal-pits here have been lately worked
out. Methley Park, the residence of the Earl of Mexborough, originally a castellated edifice surrounded by a
moat, has been much enlarged by the present earl, and
is now a stately and elegant mansion. The village is
irregularly built, and some of the houses are ancient:
there is a small trade in malt. The Midland railway
runs through the parish, and is joined in the vicinity by
the York and North-Midland line, and also by the Leeds
and Manchester line. The living is a rectory, valued in
the king's books at £25. 8. 6½., and in the patronage of
the Crown, in right of the duchy of Lancaster; net
income, £908, arising from 374 acres of land allotted at
the inclosure in lieu of tithes. The church is partly in
the decorated, but chiefly in the later, English style,
with a square embattled tower and well-proportioned
spire; over the south entrance is a statue of the tutelar
saint, and the interior contains some ancient and interesting monuments. There are places of worship for
Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists.
Methop, with Ulpha
METHOP, with Ulpha, a township, in the parish
of Beetham, union and ward of Kendal, county of
Westmorland, 5½ miles (E. N. E.) from Cartmel; containing 87 inhabitants. It is bounded on the south by
the estuary of the Kent.
Methwold (St. George)
METHWOLD (St. George), a parish, in the union
of Thetford, hundred of Grimshoe, W. division of
Norfolk, 6 miles (N. N. W.) from Brandon; containing 1441 inhabitants. It is situated on the road from
Lynn to Bury St. Edmund's, and comprises 13,192a. 3r.
9p., whereof about 4969 acres are pasture and meadow,
7921 arable, and 65 woodland. In the neighbourhood
is a warren that once contained a great number of
rabbits, the fur of which was in considerable repute.
Here was formerly a market; and a fair is still held on
the 23rd of April, for horses, cattle, &c. The inhabitants are exempt from serving on juries out of their own
parish. The living is a discharged vicarage, annexed to
the rectory of Cranwick, and valued in the king's books
at £9. 1. 3.; impropriators, H. S. Partridge and W. L.
Jones, Esqrs. The impropriate tithes have been commuted for £1102. 10., and the vicarial for £340; the
impropriate glebe contains 133 acres. The church, a
handsome structure in the later English style, has an
embattled tower surmounted by a crocketed spire; the
chancel contains neat memorials to the Partridge family.
There is a place of worship for dissenters. The proceeds
of about 26 acres allotted at the inclosure, are distributed
in money to the poor; and the occupiers of 72 tenements
have a right of fuel on 365 acres of fen. Some slight
remains are visible of the priory of Slewesholme, called
Slusham, a cell to the monastery of Castle-Acre.