AL*oi:.\ll 



AI.l'KS, BASSES. 



are. In Jin the original pariah church at Almondbury, thirteen chapel* 

 or dutrict churche* of the Establishment, chapels for Baptist*, Inde- 

 pendent*. Weslryan Methodicte, and other dissenters, National and 

 Infant sobo..!*, and schools supported by Wealeyan Methodist*. The 

 TfllagM of Linthwaite and Nether Thong, in Almondbury parish, are 

 noticed undr Yotuuaiut, and Loekwood under HcDDiRsriiLD. At 

 Almondbury i* a Free grammar-school, founded in 1809, which has an 

 {come of 867. II*., and a bonce for the head matter : the number of 

 scholar* in 1852 was M. In the pariah are a lam number of woollen 

 mill*, and come cotton and ailk mills. On a hill in the neighbourhood 

 are UM remain* of an ancient castle. Almondbury in a place of great 

 antiquity, and i* taid to have been the residence of aome of the Saxon 

 king*. Bv tome antiquarie* it ha. been supposed to be the Campo- 

 ilunum of the Roman*. 



ALMORAH, the capital of the province of Kumaon, rituated in 

 * 86' N. lat. 79' 40' E. long., 60 miles X. by W. from Bareilly, U 

 the most considerable town pomesaed by the Kart India Company in 

 Northern Hindustan. It stands on the ridge of a mountain 5337 feet 

 above the lerel of the sea, in the midst of a bleak and naked country, 

 and in approached by a long and steep sigsag road, which a few 

 roeolute men might defend against an army. The fortification* are 

 very indifferent, being commanded from two point* of land, and 

 having no water within toe walla. 



The town consist* principally of one street, 50 feet wide and 

 time-quarter* of a mile long, with a gate at each end : this street 

 ha* a natural pavement of rock. The houses stand on a lower story 

 of stone, the superstructure being of wood an arrangement which i* 

 rendered neoenary by the frequent recurrence of earthquakes. The 

 root of most of the buildings are slated, which would give a neat 

 appearance to the town, if the inhabitant* were not accustomed to 

 pile on them stack* of straw as winter provender for their cattle. 



The native inhabitant* are honest, peaceable, cheerful, and indus- 

 trious, but extremely dirty, and partake largely of the prevailing native 

 dislike of innovation. The Oorkhas possessed the town from 1790 to 

 1815, when it wa* taken by the British. 



On the conquest of Almorah, the East India Company ordered 

 several small bungalows to be built in airy situations around it, which 

 are appropriated to the use of such of the Company's servant* as 

 repair to this northern hilly region for the benefit of their health. 

 The range of temperature is considerable. The productions of the 

 district are scanty. 



Ws Vpptr Pnmncet of India ; Hamilton's Eatt India 

 Oatttterr.) 



ALNMOITH. [NonTHCMBERI.AM).] 



AI.XWICK, orALXKWIOK, the county-town of Northumberland, a 

 market-town and seat of a Poor-Law Union in the parish of Alnwick and 

 east division of the Ward of Coqnetdale, is situated on the right bank 

 of the river Abie, in 55 25' N. lat, 1 42' W. long., distant 34 miles 

 X. by W. from Newcastle, 310 miles N. by W. from London by road, 

 nd 318 mile* by the Great Northern, and York, Newcastle and Berwick 

 railways : the population of the town in 1851 was 6231. The town 

 u governed by a bailiff and 24 common councilmen, four of whom are 

 chamtwrlains. The township is, "or sanitary purposes, under the 

 management of a Local Board of Health. The living is a perpetual 

 curacy in the archdeaconry of Lindisfarne, and diocese of Durham. 

 Alnwick Poor-Law 1'iiinn contain* 67 townships, with an area of 

 98,986 acres, and a population in 1851 of 21,122. The town is well 

 laid oat ; the street* are spaciou*, well paved, and lighted with gas : 

 the houses are chiefly of stone, of modern date, and some of them 

 of considerable elegance. The principal entrances to the town are by 

 the four strata, Bond-gate, Narrow-gate, Potter-gate, and Clayport. 

 In the first, the ancient gate from which it derives its name, and which 

 was erected by Hotepur, is still standing. In the centre of the town is 

 the market-place, a spacious square : on one side of the square is the 

 town-ball, a large and commodious stone building, surmounted with 

 a square tower ; on another side U an elegant modern structure, erected 

 1-y the late Duke of Northnmbcrinnd, the under part of which is used 

 us stall* or shamble* for the sale of butchers' meat, with a fish- and 

 poultry-market at the east-end, while above are an elegant assembly- 

 room and a spacion* reading-room, which his grace has appropriated 

 to the use of the gentlemen of the town and neighbourhood. There 

 are a dispensary, a boose of correction, and a theatre. 



The pariah church i* a fine structure in the perpendicular style. 

 The late Duke of Northumberland built an additional church in 1846 

 t a omit of about 30,0001, to which a district ha* been assigned. The 

 WeaUyan and New Connexion Methodist*, Independents, English 

 Presbyterian*, Roman Catholics, and Unitarian*, have each a chapel, 

 and the United Presbyterians have two chapels in Alnwick. TheFree 

 mmar-echool U open to children of freemen ; other children are 

 "** * payment of a small fee ; the nmnW of scholars in 1851 

 nere arc a subscription school, th.- Victoria Infant school 

 (jMtrtated to commemorate the coronation of Queen Victoria), a 

 2!i* < T 00 !f w b< 7 m ' "PPorted by the Duke of Northumberland, 

 5***' ***' TO Pt>"rtd by the Duchess of Northumb. , 



mechanic* Institute, a tradesmen* and mechanics 

 a subscription Iil,rary, and a saving* bank. To the 

 f town is the ancient oaMle of Alnwick, the residence 

 of the Duk* of Northumberland. U was completely repaired several 



years since ; and is now one of the most magnificent specimens in the 

 kingdom of an old baronial residence. The building i* of freestone, in 

 the gothic style, and is in excellent taste. The grounds, which are 

 5 miles long, and through which flown the Alnc, exhibit every species 

 of natural and artificial beauty, including the remains of two ancient 

 abbeys. The interior of the castle i* splendid, and the chapel, with 

 its exquisitely painted east window, its ceiling copied from that of King's 

 College Chapel at Cambridge, and it* gilded and painted mouldings and 

 stucco work, i* worthy of special notice. 



The situation and strength of Alnwick castle rendered it in early 

 times one of the strongest defences against the invasions of the Soots. 

 It was besieged by them in 1093, 1174, and 1328. In 1411 the castle 

 was embattled, and the town walled. There was at Aluwick an abbey 

 of Premonatratensian canons, called 1 1 nine Abbey ; the revenue of 

 which at the dissolution was about 190f. ; this abbey was in 1850 

 excavated and examined. 



The trade and manufactures of Alnwick are inconsiderable. A 

 woollen manufactory was once established, but the undertaking failed. 

 There are tanneries, breweries, flour-mill*, and brick and tile works. 

 A small export trade i* carried on in corn, pork, and eggs. The 

 market on Saturday is chiefly for corn. A county court is held in 

 the town. 



There are some peculiarities in the local government of Alnwick, 

 which, as they are commonly mis-stated, it may be worth while to 

 state correctly. The corporation u of very early date : it is affirmed 

 to be Saxon. The ancient title was ' the Burgesses of Alnwick ;' the 

 more modern title is that of ' the Chamberlains, Common Council, and 

 Freemen of the Borough of Alnwick.' The executive body < 

 of 24 burgesses, who are styled the chamberlain* and common council, 

 and are self-elected : when one dies, or leaves the parish, or resigns, 

 the remainder elect another in hia place from the body of the burgesses 

 about 800 in number. The Duke of Northumberland is lord of the 

 manor, both of the barony and of the borough of Alnwick, and he 

 appoints a steward of his manor-courts. The 24 members of the 

 executive council elect annually 8 out of their number, and present 

 them to the duke's steward, when he is sitting in the Michaelmas court 

 for the manor and borough of Alnwick ; of these eight the steward 

 selects four, who are then sworn into office as chamberlains for the 

 year ensuing. They are at the head of the 24 burgesses during tin ir 

 year of office, at the termination of which four others are chosen in a 

 similar manner. (Communication from the Clerk of the Peace.) 



The freemen are admitted into the body of burgesses either as sons 

 of freemen or by servitude. After admission on St. Mark's day 

 (April 25) they are required to ride the bounds of a large comn . 

 which the burgesses have rights of common and pasture, granted t linn 

 in the 12th century, by the family of De Vescy the predecessors of 

 the Percys in the title and property of the manor of Alnwick. In 

 riding the bound*, the newly-made burgesses come to a very long 

 narrow pond perhaps 50 yards long when they dismount from their 

 horacn, clothe themselves in a cotton dress, and, at the word of command 

 given by the Bailiff of Alnwick, plunge into the pond and scramble 

 through its whole length amid the shouts of the crowd of spectators 

 who line both it* banks. Thev then resume their ordinary dresses, 

 and continue their perambulations. This ridiculous, and, as it appears , 

 illegal custom, is ."till strictly enforced. The popular tradition asserts 

 that the observance of it wag enjoined by Kim; John, as a penalty on 

 the townsmen for neglecting to keep the roads across this moor, or as 

 it w;m then called the Forest of Haydon, in a state of repair, owing to 

 which he was bemired in a bog. The story has been treated as such 

 traditions generally ore ; but it has received a rather singular con- 

 firmation by the publication by the Record Commission of the 

 Itinerary of King John, from which it appears that that monarch was 

 at Alnwick on the 24th of April, and prokibly on the following day 

 (St. Mark's day), in 1209. Alnwick Moor, the ancient Forest of Hnydon, 

 we may add, containing about 25,000 acres of lnn.1 mi the west 

 town, has been <li\i<l<-<l and im-lo.scd under on Inclosure Act, 13 Vic., 

 cap. 8 (1850). (Corrupondent at Alnirirl:) 



ALOST, a town in the Behr; of East Flanders, is situated 



on the Dender, 41 miles W. by N. fn.ii lirussels, and has a population 

 of 15,027. The name means ' to the east,' and seems to hav. 

 given to the town from it* position near the eastern frontier of the 

 province, Alost was formerly the capital of Austrian Flanders. Turcnne 

 took it in 1667. After the battle of Hamilli. , the French abandoned 

 it to the allies. The town U well built and clean ; it is surrounded by 

 walls pierced by five gate-entrances. The town-hall, a got hie structure, 

 whii-h dates from 1210, is a very interesting and well-preserved building. 

 In the church of St. Martin, which i* very beautiful though unfini 1 1. . I, 

 there is a fine picture l.y Knbens, representing ' the Plague of ' 

 This church is collegiate, and is said to have been erected by the 

 archilr. cathedral. 



The town is about 4 miles distant from the Audeghem station on the 

 Ohent-Malinos railroad. It is a busy commercial and manufacturing 

 place. There i* a good market for corn, cloth, and hops. The indus- 

 trial products comprise calico, cotton -prints, linen, checks, cott. 



;. .irn, hats, salt, soap, tobacco, lace, hosiery, sewing thread, glazed 

 pottery, coleseed-oil, Ac. 



AU'KS, BASSES, a department of France, named from its com- 

 prising the lower ranges of the French Alps, and formed out of part 



