1141 



WIMBLEDON. 



WINCHESTER. 



1143 



charred wood. Some small pieces of bone, a little charred wood, and 

 tome coarse pottery were intermixed with the soil" These exca- 

 vations seem to prove that this was Dot a place of sepulture, but 

 rather of sacrifice. The cursus shows that the immediate vicinity of 

 Stouehenge was a place of assemblage for public sports, and public 

 sports were generally in early times associated with religious cere- 

 mouie-. The great labour, skill, aud cout necessary to the erection of 

 such a structure as Stonehenge, lead us to the conclusion that it must 

 have been intended for some great public purpose. On the whole we 

 incline to the opinion, as in the instance of AVEBUBT, that this extra- 

 ordinary structure was a British temple, or a place of meeting for 

 important deliberations, and probably was appropriated to both 

 purposes, as well as to solemn judicial investigations. But the 

 mechanical skill and art displayed in its construction, lead us to infer 

 that Stouehenge waa raised at a time when the tribe had made a 

 considerable advance beyond the state of cultivation existing when 

 Avebury was erected. In a word, we believe that it was erected 

 probably not very long before the Roman conquest of Britain ; while 

 the discovery of Roman pottery within its area shows that it continued 

 to be used for some tune after that event. 



Tumuli are more numerous in Wiltshire than in any other English 

 county ; the camps and other earth-works are also very numerous ; 

 they are fully described in Sir R. C. Hoan's 'Ancient Wiltshire,' 

 which has been our chief authority for the antiquities of the county. 



In the reign of Henry II., 1164, a national council was held at 

 Clarendon, 2 miles S.E. from Salisbury, where the kings had a 

 issidsnen and a forest. At this council the Constitutions of Claren- 

 don wen passed, restricting the power of the clergy. In the reign of 

 Henry 111., 1207, the statutes for the suppression of tumults, known 

 as ' The Satutes of Malbri.lge,' wen enacted in an assembly or council 

 held at Marlborough. In the War of the Roues the men of Wiltshire 

 generally embraced the Lancastrian side ; but no great event in that 

 war occurred in the county. IB the civil war of Charles I., Marl- 

 borough was garrisoned by the Parliamentarians, but was taken by 

 the Royalists under Wilmot iu 1642. During the Commonwealth, 

 Wiltshire was the scene of the unsuccessful attempt of the Royalists 

 under Sir Joseph Wagstaffe. [SiilSBUBT.] 



Keliytoiu H'ortkip and Education. According to the Returns of the 

 Census in 1851, it appears that then wen then in the county 754 

 places of worship, of which 352 belonged to the Church of England, 

 1M to four sections of Met ho- lists, 101 to Baptists, and 76 to Inde- 

 pendents. The total number of sittings provided wss 159,484. Of 

 Sunday schools there wen 473, of which 281 were connected with the 

 Church of England. The total number of Sunday scholars wa< 

 . Of day schools there ware 774, of which 367 wen public 

 schools with 27,068 scholars, and 407 private with 7776 scholars. 

 Then wen 16 evening schools fur adults, with 342 scholars ; aud 12 

 literary and scientific institutions, with 1956 members, aud libraries 

 containing 6424 volumes. 



Sarmyt BamJu. In 1853 tha county possessed 11 savings banks at 

 Bradford, Calne, Chippenham, Devuea, Malmesbury, Marlborouxh, 

 Salisbury, Swiudon, Trowbridge, aud Warminstcr. The 

 amount owing to depositors on November 2uth 1853 was 

 /. 13*. 4<t 



WIMBLKUO.V. [SCBBM.] 



WIMtiOKXK MIXS1KU. Dorsetshin, a very ancient market-town, 

 and, conjointly with Cranbornc, the seat of a Poor-Law Union, in the 

 parish of Wimborne Minster, it situated in 50' 48' N. lat, 1 57' 

 W. long., distant 21 miles K.X.E. from Dorchester, and 100 miles 

 S.\V. by W. from London by road. The population of the town in 

 1851 waa S296. Wimborne and Cranborne Poor-Law Union contains 

 84 parishes and towuhips, with an ana of 79,873 acres, aud a 

 population in 1851 of 17,271. 



Wimborne is supposed to have been a Roman station called 

 Vindogladia ; by the Saxons it was called Vinbuman. A nunnery 

 was established hen in the beginning of the 8th century, upon the 

 site of which the present minster or collegiate church was built ; and 

 the word 'Minster' has been added to the name of the town to 

 distinguish it from Wimborne Si. Oiles, in another part of the 

 county. Wimborne Minster is pleasantly situated on the right bank 

 of the Stour, near its confluence with the Wim or Allen. Parts of 

 tha m meter wan built soon after the Conquest. It is a cruci- 

 form structure, 108 feet iu length, and consists of a chancel, nave, 

 choir, and side aisles, a transept, and three porches. Then are two 

 quadrangular towers, one at the west end, and the other, once sur- 

 mounted by a very lofty spire, at the intersection of the cross. The 

 minster is a royal free chapel, and a peculiar in the diocese of Salis- 

 bury. Several royal and noble persons have been interred here. The 

 Wealeyan Methodist', Baptists, and Independents have places of wor- 

 ship. There are a Free Grammar school, for the support of which 

 some of the lands of the nunnery were set apart by Queen Elizabeth, 

 National schools, two ancient hospitals for poor aged persons, and a 

 savings bank. Friday u the market-day ; fair* an held on the Friday 

 before Good Friday snd on September 14th. Coach-making is carried 

 on. A county court U held in the town. 



WIMl'OLri [CAMBHIDi.ESIIIHE.] 



\V 1 .s <; A N TON, or W 1 XI A I X TON, Somersetshire, a market-town 

 and tha seat of a Poor-Law Union, in the parish of Wincanton, u 



situated on the left bank of the river Cale, in 51 3' N. lat, 2 2o' 

 W. long., distant 26 miles S. by W. from Batb, and 109 miles W.SAV. 

 from London. The population of the parish of Wincanton in 1851 

 was 2488. The living is a perpetual curacy in the archdeaconry of 

 Wells aud diocese of Bath and Wells. Wincantou Poor-Law Union 

 contains 39 parishes and townships, with an area of 65,960 acres, and 

 a population in 1851 of 21,272. 



Wincanton consists chiefly of four principal streets, one of which 

 forms part of the main road from London to Exeter by Ilcheater and 

 Honiton. In the Domesday Survey the town is called Wincaleton, a 

 name which embodies that of the river on which the town stands. 

 Wincanton parish church is a commodious structure, with a tower at 

 the west end. The Independents and Baptists have places of worship, 

 and there are National schools, and a reading-room with a lilirary. 

 Wednesday is the market-day : fairs are held 011 Easter Tuesday aud 

 September 29th. Some dowlas and bed-tick are manufactured. 



WINCHCOMBE, Gloucestershire, a market-town and the seat of a 

 Poor-Law Union, in the parish of Winchcombe, is situated on the 

 banks of the river Isbourne, a feeder of the Upper Avou, in 51 57' 

 N. lat, 1 58' W. long., distant about 19 miles N.E. from Gloucester, 

 and 95 miles W.N.W. from London. The population of the town iu 

 1851 was 2052. The living is a vicarage in the archdeaconry of 

 Gloucester and diocese of Gloucester and Bristol 



Winchcombe is a place of great antiquity, and was once of con- 

 siderable importance. It was anciently the site of a castle aud of a 

 Benedictine abbey, the abbot of which was mitred. No trace of the 

 buildings remain. The parish church is a fine gothic edifice, with au 

 embattled tower at the west end. The Wesleyan Methodists and 

 Baptists have chapels, and there is a Grammar school. Saturday is 

 the market-day : fairs are held on the last Saturday iu ilarch, May 6th, 

 and July 2sth. 



WINCHELSEA. [Sussex.] 



WINCHESTER, the county town of Hampshire, au ancient epis- 

 copal city, a municipal and parliamentary borough, aud the seat of a 

 Poor-Law Union, U situated iu 51 4' N. lat., 1 19' W. long., distant 

 62 miles S.W. from London by road, aud 67 miles by the London and 

 South- Western railway. The population of the city of Winchester in 

 1S51 was 13,704. The livings are in the archdeaconry aud diocese of 

 Winchester. The city u governed by 6 aldermen and 18 councillors, 

 of whom one is mayor; and returns 2 members to the Imperial Parlia- 

 ment. Winchester Poor-Law Union contains 34 parishes aud townships, 

 with an area of 60,544 acres, and a population iu 1851 of 21,164. 



Winchester is one of the most ancient towns in Euglaud ; its origin 

 is lost in the fables of tradition. The Britous are said to have called 

 it ' Caer Gwent,' or the White City ; the Komans, by whom it was 

 first subdued, named it Venta Belgarum ; the Saxons, who were the 

 next possessors, named it Witauceaster, which has become Wiuchester : 

 in Latin deeds and by the Latin writers it is called Wintouia. 



Winchester appears to have flourished under the Romans aa long 

 as they remained in the island. The massive walls, composed of flints 

 and mortar, which inclosed the city, are considered to have been 

 originally built by them. In A.D. 519 it was conquered by Cerdic the 

 Saxon, who afterwards made it the seat of his government ; aad it 

 continued to be the capital of the West Saxon kings till Egbert, the 

 first king of the whole heptarchy, was crowned there, and then it may 

 be said to have become the metropolis of England. Though some- 

 times plundered and in the possession of the Daues, it continued to be 

 the capital of successive Saxon kings till 1013, when Sweyu, the Danish 

 king, obtained possession of England, and Winchester became the seat 

 of his government. After his death a fierce struggle ensued, and 

 England is said to have been ultimately divided iuto two kingdoms : 

 London became the capital of Canute, and Winchester of Edmund 

 Ironside, till Edmund's death in 1016, when Canute became sole king 

 and Winchester the sole capital 



After the Normau conquest Winchester continued to be the capital, 

 and during the reign of Henry I. attained the summit of ita greatness. 

 It was surrounded by strong walls ; was defended by a castle built 

 by William the Conqueror ou the west, and by another, subsequently 

 erected for the residence of the bishop, on the east ; it contained ail 

 extensive palace and numerous mansions of the nobility ; a cathedral, 

 three monasteries of royal foundation, and a very large number of 

 churches : the suburbs extended a mile from the walls in "-very direc- 

 tion. In the reign of Stephen, Winchester began to decline. While 

 Stephen was a prisoner in Gloucester Castle a contest commenced 

 between his queen and the Empress Matilda, aided by their respective 

 psjIsMim, which was carried on for several weeks in the streets of 

 Winchester, at the termination of which nearly the whole of tlio town 

 north of the High-street, the royal palace, the abbey of St. Mary, Hydo 

 Abbey, and about 40 churches, were burnt down or laid iu ruiua. Tho 

 death of Stephen in 1154 put a stop to the calamities of civil warfare. 

 Henry II. resided much at Winchester; he rebuilt the palace, aud to 

 a considerable extent renewed the city ; but London seems to have 

 found more favour iu the eyes of subsequent kings, aud Winchester 

 lost its dignity as capital of the kingdom. 



In the contests between Henry III. and his barons Winchester 

 suffered severely, both parties alternately gaining possession of its 

 castles, and carrying on the work of destruction in the city. From 

 this time Winchester, though partly upheld by the splendour of it< 



