W 1 M 



Wiltshire or Ekven-fiared Plough, in Agriculture, zn 

 Implement of this kind invented and ufed in that diftnft. 

 In Oxfordlhire it is employed for many different purpofes ; 

 as for cleaning the land, and with (hares contrived for fur- 

 rowing the land previous to fowing. The crops principally 

 fown, or put in after the ufe of this implement, are thofe of 

 tares or vetches and turnips. See Plough. 



WILZ, in Geography, a town of France, in the depart- 

 ment of the Forefts ; 6 miles N.W. of Dicrich. 



WILZBURG, a fort of Germany, in the principality of 

 Anfpach ; 23 miles S.E. of Anfpach. 



WIMACOMACK, a town of New York, in Long 

 ifland ; 44 miles E. of New York. 



WIMBA, or WiNiPA, a town of Africa, on the Gold 

 Coaft ; 20 miles S.W. of Acra. 



WIMBLE, in Rural Economy, a term provincially made 

 ufe of to fignify a boring auger. See Auger. 



WIMBLEDON, in Geography, a village of England, in 

 the county of Surrey ; fuppofed by Camden and others to be 

 the place where Ethelbert king of Kent was defeated by 

 Ceaulin king of the Weft Saxons. According to hiftory, 

 the battle was fought in the year 586, at Wibandune. At 

 the fouth-weft corner of Wimbledon common is a circular 

 encampment, with a fingle ditch, containing a fpace of about 

 feven acres ; 9 miles S. of London. 



WIMBORNE or Winbourne Minjler, a market-town 

 of remote antiquity, in the hundred of Badbury, Shafton 

 divifion of the county of Dorfet, England, is fituated on the 

 river Allen, near its confluence with the Stour, at the diftance 

 of 28 miles E.N.E. from Dorchefter, and lOO miles S.W. 

 by W. from London. It was called by the Romans Vindo- 

 gladia, alluding to its fituation on a river. The appellation 

 of Wimbourne is Saxon, derived from Bourne, a vale, and 

 Wim, a fmall river which flows near the town. The term 

 Minfter, from the church, was added to diftinguifh it from 

 other places of the fame name. Camden ftates this town to 

 have been a place of great confequence in the Saxon times, 

 and that it then retained many marks of Roman grandeur. 

 The prefent appearance indicates no veftiges of its former 

 profperity ; though large and populous, it has little to re- 

 commend it to notice ; the ftreets being irregular, and the 

 houfes deficient in uniformity. The trade carried on is 

 chiefly confined to the woollen manufaftory and the knitting 

 of hofiery. The great objeft whence Wimborne derived its 

 ancient reputation, and to which it is folely indebted for 

 its modern celebrity, is the Nunnery, which was founded 

 among the earlieft of its kind in the kingdom. It was 

 ereAed, as Leland informs us, in the beginning of the 

 eighth century, by St. Cuthburga, daughter of Kenred, and 

 fifterof Ina, king of the Weft Saxons. In the reign of Ed- 

 ward the Confeflbr, or of one of the Edwards his predecef- 

 fors, this edifice having been deftroyed by the Danes, the 

 eftabUfhment was dilFolved, and converted into a college of 

 fecular canons, confifting of a dean, four prebendaries, three 

 vicars, and other inferior officers. This college fubfifted till 

 the year 1547 : on the diflblution the revenues were vefted 

 in the crown. Great part of the lands was granted to 

 Edward, duke of Somerfet ; and part was by queen Elizabeth 

 vefted in the corporation of the college towards the found- 

 ation of a grammar-fchool. In the reign of Charles I. all 

 the pofleflions of the church and fchool were granted, in 

 truft, to twelve governors, who, among other conditions, 

 were to find for the fervice of the collegiate church three 

 priefts, three clerks, and lubordinate members. This efta- 

 bliOimeut, with feme temporary obftruftions, has been kept 

 up ever fince. The revenues at prefent amount to between 



WIM • 



three and four hundred pounds. The church merits parti- 

 cular notice for its age and venerable appearance, and for 

 the pecuharities of its architefture. Mr. Gilpin fays, its 

 form dates its antiquity, being of the heavieft and earlieft 

 Saxon ftyle. Dr. Stukeley, however, and other antiquaries, 

 were of opinion, that the eaftern tower, and moft part of 

 the church, were built foon after the Conqueft. Many 

 parts are of early Norman architefture, particularly the 

 femicircular arches in the eaftern tower, the falfe windows 

 in the fouth tranfept, and feveral others. The church is 

 cruciform, with two quadrangular towers, one ftanding on 

 the middle of the roof, and the other at the weft end ; the 

 former was anciently ornamented with a fpire, faid to be of 

 an extraordinary height. The whole edifice confifts of a 

 chancel, nave, choir, and fide aifles, a tranfept, and three 

 porches. Its length, from eaft to weft, is 180 feet. Both 

 chancel and choir are fupported by eight pillars, over which 

 are five windows on the north and three on the fouth fide. 

 The nave is fupported on each fide by fix mafty pillars of 

 an irregular form, above which are pointed arches, with zig- 

 zag mouldings : the whole enlightened by a fimilar number 

 of windows, apparently of a more modern ilyle. Many 

 royal and noble perfons have been interred in this church, 

 moft of whom were anciently commemorated by fuitable 

 monuments. Of thefe time has deftroyed many, and the 

 hand of violence more. Among thofe remaining, the moft 

 confpicuous is that of king Ethelred, who, as the infcription 

 ftates, was flain by the Danes April 23, 872. This tomb 

 ftands in the choir on the north fide of the altar. On the 

 oppofite fide is that of the duke and duchefs of Somerfet 

 (parents of Margaret, countefs of Richmond, mother of 

 Henry VII.), with their effigies in alabafter. Within this 

 church were once ftanding ten altars for the celebration of 

 divine fervice, all of which were compofed of alabafter and 

 other coftly materials, and fuitably ornamented. The furni- 

 ture of the high altar was particularly fplendid ; confifting 

 of a variety of croffes and images, and other objefts of 

 worfhip, of filver-gilt, and adorned with precious ftones. 



Exclufive of the church, the pubhc buildings of Wim- 

 borne are few and uninterefting. The town-hall was fuf- 

 fered to fall to decay ; near its fcite is an open fpace, called 

 the Square. Here are two meeting-houfes for Preftyyte- 

 rians and Anabaptifts ; and a large commodious workhoufe. 

 Two annual fairs are held, and a weekly market on Fridays. 

 The north part of the town has been long ftyled a borough, 

 and confifts of two ftreets, Eaft Borough and Weft Borough 

 ftreets. It was never incorporated, but is governed by tw» j 

 bailiff's annually chofen. The fouth part of the town, in- 

 cluding all that is not in the borough, compofes the tything 

 of Wimborne Minfter. The population of the whole, by 

 the return of the year 18 11, was enumerated at 3158 ; the 

 houfes at 701. About a quarter of a mile from the town 

 is an hofpital, or alms-houfe, with a chapel adjoining, 

 called St. Margaret's hofpital. The time of its foundation 

 is entirely unknown ; but by feveral curious deeds preferved 

 in the chapel, it appears to be at leaft as old as the time of 

 king John, when it was fet apart for the relief and fupport 

 of poor perfons affliAed with the leprofy. It does not ap- 

 pear to have had any endowment, but to have been fup- 

 ported by voluntary donations, for which pope Innocent IV., 

 in the year 1245, granted fpecial indulgences. Since the 

 year 1688, the alms-people are not required to have the 

 original qualification of leprofy, but only to be poor aged 

 people. A fecond hofpital, or alms-houfe, was founded and 

 endowed by Gertrude Courtney, marchionefs of Exeter, for ' 

 the maintenance of fix poor men and women ; and a patent 



was 



