Prestwich (St. Mary)
PRESTWICH (St. Mary), a parish, in the hundred
of Salford, S. division of Lancashire; comprising
the parochial chapelry of Oldham (in which are the
townships of Oldham, Chadderton, Crompton, and Royton), and the townships of Alkrington, Great and Little
Heaton, Pilkington, and Tonge; the whole containing
78,548 inhabitants, of whom 3180 are in the township
of Prestwich, 4 miles (N. W. by W.) from Manchester,
on the road to Bury. The founder of the knightly
family of Prestwich, Adam de Prestwych, held lands
here in the reign of Henry III.; and the family appear
to have been proprietors until they removed to Hulme,
on acquiring that manor, previous to the 12th of Henry
VI. About the same time, the estate of Prestwich came
by marriage to the Langleys. Sir Robert Langley died
seised of the manor of Prestwich in 1561: his eldest
daughter married Alexander Reddish, of Reddish, a
coheiress of whom brought the manor to a son of Sir
Edward Coke, the celebrated lawyer; and it continued
with the Cokes of Norfolk, until Mr. Coke, afterwards
Earl of Leicester, wishing to increase his landed property in Norfolk, sold his estates in Lancashire, and
with them this manor, to the father of Thomas Drinkwater, Esq., of Irwell House.
The parish is about fifteen miles in length, and four
in breadth; much of the land is in pasture, and laid
out for dairy-farming, the produce affording to the inhabitants of Manchester a large portion of their daily
supplies. Within the last century, the number of families in the parish, even exclusively of Oldham, has immensely increased; and manufactures, spreading in this
direction from Manchester, have made considerable progress, though less generally than in the chapelry of
Oldham. A large portion of the population is employed
in the weaving of cotton and silk, in spinning, calicoprinting, &c. In Prestwich township, the inhabitants
are principally engaged in hand-loom weaving and in the
dye-houses of the vicinity, and to some extent in agricultural pursuits. Its elevated position, the salubrity
of the air, and its contiguity to Manchester, have led to
the erection of numerous handsome mansions and villas,
occupied by the bankers and merchants of that town.
The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at
£46. 4. 9.; net income, £1230; patron, the Earl of
Wilton. The tithes of the township have been commuted for £160, and the glebe consists of 116 acres.
The church is a stately structure in the pointed style,
with a lofty tower, that forms a fine object in the landscape: it was rebuilt in the 16th century. The rectoryhouse was rebuilt in 1837. There are churches at
Ringley, Stand, and Unsworth, all in Pilkington township; a church at Tonge, and numerous incumbencies
in the parochial chapelry of Oldham. In the parish are
also numerous places of worship for dissenters; in
Prestwich township is one for Wesleyans.
Prestwick
PRESTWICK, a township, in the parishes of Dinnington and Ponteland, union, and W. division, of
Castle ward, S. division of Northumberland, 6½
miles (N. W. by N.) from the town of Newcastle; containing 161 inhabitants. It comprises 767 acres. Prestwick Carr, an extensive marsh, is in wet seasons so completely inundated by the river Pont, as to form one vast
lake; but in summer, when the waters retire, it affords
excellent pasturage for the neighbouring townships. The
impropriate tithes have been commuted for £145. 12. 6.,
payable to Merton College, Oxford; and the vicarial for
£14. 7.
Prestwold (St. Andrew)
PRESTWOLD (St. Andrew), a parish, in the union
of Loughborough, hundred of East Goscote, N. division of the county of Leicester, 2½ miles (E. N. E.)
from Loughborough; containing, with the townships of
Barton-on-the-Wolds and Cotes, and the chapelry of
Hoton, 1043 inhabitants, of whom 60 are in the township of Prestwold. The parish is situated on the road
between Loughborough and Nottingham; and facilities
of communication are also afforded by the Midland
railway and the Loughborough canal. Prestwold Hall,
the residence of C. W. Packe, Esq., has a collection
of family portraits by Cornelius Jansen, Sir Godfrey
Kneller, Sir Peter Lely, Reinagle, and other masters.
The living is a donative, in the gift of Mr. Packe; net
income, £24. The church contains several monuments.
There is a chapel of ease at Hoton. Miles Newton, in
1657, devised forty-two acres of land, now producing
£35 per annum, for a school.
Prestwood
PRESTWOOD, a hamlet, in the parish of StokeMandeville, poor-law union of Wycombe, hundred of
Aylesbury, county of Buckingham; containing 105
inhabitants.
Prestwood
PRESTWOOD, a township, in the parish of Ellastone, S. division of the hundred of Totmonslow, N.
division of the county of Stafford, 7 miles (N.) from
Uttoxeter; containing 68 inhabitants. It comprises
450 acres of land, chiefly the property of the Earl of
Shrewsbury. The Churnet-Valley railway passes close
to the township.
Priddy (St. Lawrence)
PRIDDY (St. Lawrence), a parish, in the union
of Wells, hundred of Wells-Forum, E. division of
Somerset, 4¼ miles (N. N. W.) from Wells; containing
313 inhabitants. The parish comprises 1361a. 1r. 9p.,
and lies in a hollow on the summit of the Mendip range,
at an elevation of nearly 1000 feet above the sea, which is
distant about fourteen miles. Here are traces of numerous mines, which yielded lead and silver, and were
worked by the Belgic Britons, and by the Romans. In
the neighbourhood are vestiges of a Roman encampment,
and nine barrows. One of the largest fairs in the county
is held at Priddy on August 21st, for cattle, horses, and
sheep. The living is annexed to the vicarage of Westbury: the impropriate tithes, payable to the Duke of
Buckingham, have been commuted for a yearly rentcharge of £40, and the vicarial tithes for one of £43.
The church is a large and handsome edifice. There is a
place of worship for Independents.
Priestcliffe
PRIESTCLIFFE, a township, in the parish and
union of Bakewell, hundred of High Peak, N. division of the county of Derby, 3 miles (S. S. W.) from
Tideswell; containing 98 inhabitants. The Rev. Roger
Wilkinson, of this place, gave £400 for the endowment
of a charity school, and the sum having been vested in
land, produces £80 per annum.
Priestend
PRIESTEND, a hamlet, in the parish, poor-law
union, and hundred of Thame, county of Oxford;
containing 413 inhabitants.
Prime-Thorp
PRIME-THORP, a township, in the parish of
Broughton-Astley, union of Lutterworth, hundred
of Guthlaxton, S. division of the county of Leicester,
5½ miles (N. by W.) from the town of Lutterworth;
containing 286 inhabitants.
Prince's-Risborough, in the county of Buckingham.—See Risborough, Prince's.
PRINCE'S-RISBOROUGH, in the county of Buckingham.—See Risborough, Prince's.
Princethorpe
PRINCETHORPE, a township, in the parish of
Stretton-upon-Dunsmoor, union of Rugby, Rugby
division of the hundred of Knightlow, N. division of
the county of Warwick, 6¼ miles (N. by W.) from
Southam; containing 278 inhabitants. It comprises
973 acres; and the roads from Warwick to Rugby, and
from Southam to Coventry, cross each other in the
township. Here is a convent for nuns, capable of receiving 200 inmates. The site for it, and about 200
acres of land, were purchased by Madame du Chastelet,
abbess of a similar institution at Orrel Mount, near
Wigan, in Lancashire, which has been removed to this
place. The buildings are situated on an eminence, and
have a very imposing appearance; the chapel was opened
in September, 1837.
Prinknash-Park
PRINKNASH-PARK, an extra-parochial district, in
the Middle division of the hundred of Dudstone and
King's-Barton, E. division of the county of Gloucester, 3¼ miles (N. by E.) from the town of Painswick;
containing only 7 inhabitants, and comprising 224 acres
of land.
Prinsted
PRINSTED, a tything, in the parish and union of
West Bourne, hundred of Westbourne and Singleton, rape of Chichester, W. division of the county of
Sussex; containing 203 inhabitants.
Prior's, Ash, county of Somerset.—See Ash-Priors.
PRIOR'S, ASH, county of Somerset.—See AshPriors.—And other places having a similar distinguishing
prefix will be found under the proper name.
Prior's-Lee
PRIOR'S-LEE, a chapelry, in the parish and union
of Shiffnall, Shiffnall division of the hundred of
Brimstree, S. division of Salop, 3 miles (W. N. W.)
from Shiffnall; containing 2470 inhabitants. The population is principally employed in extensive collieries,
and in the manufacture of iron, for which there are
numerous blast-furnaces, rolling and slitting mills, and
foundries. The living is a perpetual curacy; net income,
£150; patron, the Vicar of Shiffnall. The chapel, which
is a brick edifice with stone windows and corners, was
consecrated August 24th, 1837.
Priston (St. Luke)
PRISTON (St. Luke), a parish, in the union and
hundred of Keynsham, E. division of Somerset, 5¼
miles (S. W. by W.) from Bath; containing with the
hamlet of Wilmington, 322 inhabitants. The parish
comprises 1674 acres, and is situated to the right of the
road from Bath to Wells; the village is in a valley, the
land around being for the most part hilly. The living
is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £12. 18. 4.,
and in the gift of W. Vaughan Jenkins, Esq.: the
tithes have been commuted for £400, and the glebe comprises nearly 48 acres.
Prittlewell (St. Mary)
PRITTLEWELL (St. Mary), a parish, in the union
and hundred of Rochford, S. division of Essex, 19
miles (S. E.) from Chelmsford; containing 2239 inhabitants. The parish borders on the Thames, and includes Southend, a pleasant bathing-place, a short
distance above which is Crow Stone, marking the
extreme eastern boundary of the jurisdiction of the
mayor of London, as conservator of the river. The
village of Prittlewell is agreeably situated, and contains
several handsome modern houses. A fair is held on the
15th of July. The living is a vicarage, valued in the
king's books at £18. 13. 4.; net income, £308;
patron, the Bishop of London; impropriator, Sir Thomas
Neave, Bart. The church is in the later English style,
with a fine pinnacled tower, which serves as an excellent
landmark. At Southend is a separate incumbency. In
the parish is a school on the national system, partly
supported by an endowment of £23 per annum. A
Cluniac priory in honour of St. Mary, subordinate to
the abbey of Lewes, in Sussex, was founded here in the
reign of Henry II., by Robert Fitz-Swaine: at the Dissolution it had a revenue of £194. 14. 3.—See the
article on Southend.
Privett
PRIVETT, a parish, in the union of Petersfield,
hundred of Fawley, Petersfield and N. divisions of the
county of Southampton, 5¾ miles (N. W. by W.) from
Petersfield; containing 273 inhabitants. The living is
annexed to the rectory of West Meon. The church has
been enlarged. There is a national school.
Probus (St. Probus)
PROBUS (St. Probus), a parish, in the union of
Truro, W. division of the hundred of Powder and of
the county of Cornwall; containing, with part of the
ancient borough of Grampound, 1586 inhabitants. This
place, which is situated on the road from Plymouth to
the Land's End, was at the time of the Norman survey
distinguished for its college, founded and endowed for a
dean and four prebendaries, and afterwards given by
Henry I. to the bishop and church of Exeter. A market
was formerly held; and large fairs for horses and cattle
still take place on April 5th and 23rd, July 5th, and
September 17th. The living is a vicarage, to which
anciently the livings of Cornelly and Merther were
annexed, but from which they were separated in 1532;
it is valued in the king's books at £13. 16. 8.: patron,
the Bishop of Exeter. The great tithes have been commuted for £883, and the small for £549: there is a
vicarial glebe of 37 acres. The church is in the later
English style, of which it is a very fine specimen. Some
remains of a chapel are to be seen at Golden; and at
Hellan, Treworgy, Trelowthas, Trennoth Wood, and
Tresilian Bridge, were anciently other chapels. There is
a place of worship for Wesleyans; also a free school,
founded in 1688 by Mr. John Williams, who endowed
it with £10 per annum, to which was subsequently added
by Mr. William Williams a small endowment in land.
In the neighbourhood are vestiges of an intrenchment,
inclosing an area of about one acre.
Provosts-Fee
PROVOSTS-FEE, a manor, in the parish of Walkington, union of Beverley, Hunsley-Beacon division
of the wapentake of Harthill, E. riding of York;
containing 282 inhabitants. This place, which is usually
returned as a constablewick, was anciently the fee of the
provost of Beverley.
Prudhoe
PRUDHOE, a township, in the parish of Ovingham, union of Hexham, E. division of Tindale ward,
S. division of Northumberland, 12½ miles (W. by S.)
from Newcastle; containing 369 inhabitants. The
township comprises about 1400 acres of land, mostly
arable; the soil is somewhat inferior in the hilly parts,
but near the turnpike-road is of better quality, producing
good turnips and barley. A small land-sale colliery is
in operation, and there is excellent clay for fire-bricks,
for which a manufactory has been erected. The Duke
of Northumberland and Mr. Capper are the principal
owners of the township. On Mr. Capper's property is
a farmhouse, which has evidently been a chapel; in the
wall on the south side is a handsome Norman arch, and
a porch was removed some years since. The tithes
have been commuted for £157.
Prudhoe-Castle
PRUDHOE-CASTLE, a township, in the parish of
Ovingham, union of Hexham, E. division of Tindale
ward, S. division of Northumberland, 12¾ miles (W.)
from Newcastle; containing 126 inhabitants. Here
was formerly a chapel, dedicated to St. Thomas. On
an eminence sloping to the southern bank of the Tyne
stood the castle of Prudhoe, the chief baronial seat of
the Umfravilles from the Conquest until about 1381; it
has been long in ruins, its ivy-mantled towers and lofty
keep forming venerable monuments of its ancient grandeur and importance. The present possessors are the
Percy family, of whom Algernon, only brother of the
late Duke of Northumberland, was created Lord Prudhoe, Baron of Prudhoe Castle, in 1816: he succeeded to
the dukedom in 1847. The Newcastle and Carlisle railway passes under the ruins. A rent-charge of £6 has
been awarded as a commutation for the impropriate
tithes.