and, in 1634, it received a new charter of incorporation from Bishop Morton. During the civil wars it was garrisoned for the Parliament. The town was chiefly indebted for its earlier prosperity to the coal trade. The river is crossed by an iron bridge of one arch, erected near the close of last century at a cost of £61,800. The span of the arch is 236 feet, and the height above low water 94 feet to the centre of the arch, so that ships of 300 tons pass under it by lowering their top gallant masts. The harbour at Sunderland is formed by two piers on the north and south sides of the river. The new docks, completed in 1850, enclosing eighteen acres, add greatly to the accommodation. Near the termination of the north pier, a light-house was built in 1802. However, in 1841, an alarming breach took place in that pier, and the light-house was, by the ingenuity of Mr. Murray, engineer, moved in an entire state nearly 150 yards, to the eastern extremity of the new pier. There is not the slightest appearance of crack in any part of the building, though the gross weight moved was 338 tons. The principal manufactures of Sunderland are of bottle and flint-glass, anchors, chaincables, &c., and ship-building and rope-making are carried on to a very great extent. Brick-making, coal-mining, and quarrying grindstones, also afford extensive employment in the neighbourhood. This port possessed in the beginning of 1851, 77 sailing vessels, under, and 894 over, 50 tons, besides 32 small steamers. Total tonnage, 207,804 tons. Upwards of 500 vessels are engaged in the coal trade, which is very extensive. Lime, glass, and grindstones are also exported. Timber and iron are imported from the Baltic; butter, cheese, and flax, from Holland, &c. Total customs revenue, 1857, £104,535. A considerable fishery is carried on. The borough contains numerous churches, chapels, and meeting-houses; a custom-house, mechanics' institute, and an exchange, several banks, a theatre, and assembly rooms. On the town moor are extensive barracks. Near the town, on the coast, is a chalybeate spring. A quarter of a mile above the bridge is the celebrated Pemberton shaft, 273 fathoms deep. Two M.P. Pop. of parl. borough 1851, 67,394. By means of railways Sunderland is connected with all parts of the kingdom.

SOUTH SHIELDS is situated on the south bank of the Tyne, near its mouth. It derived its name and origin from the fishermen of the Tyne, who built here along the shore sheds, locally termed "sheels," or "shields," to defend themselves from the weather. The Romans had a station at South Shields, and various Roman antiquities have been found here. The principal trade of the town is in coal, great quantities of which are shipped here. Ship-building is carried on with great activity, and there are very extensive glass-works, a pottery, and manufactures of soda and alum, breweries, and rope-walks. South Shields was once noted for the manufacture of salt, but that branch of industry is now nearly extinct. The church of St. Hilda contains several monuments, and a model of the life-boat, presented by Mr. Greathead, the inventor, an inhabitant of this town. South Shields has numerous churches and chapels, banks, and charitable institu

414

NORTH SHIELDS-TYNEMOUTH.

tions, a mechanics' institute, a theatre, &c. The borough is in the parish of Jarrow, famous for its Benedictine monastery, of which some remains still exist. The original building was destroyed in the invasion of William the Conqueror, but was subsequently repaired, and ultimately became a cell to Durham. Some remains of the ancient conventual church are embodied in the present church of Jarrow, and in the vestry there is preserved a chair which is said to have been the seat of the venerable Bede, who, born near it, spent the greater part of his life in the monastery of Jarrow. His well is still shown. South Shields was incorporated 1850. One M.P. Pop. of parl. bor. 1851, 28,974.

South Shields is connected by railway with all parts of the empire.

NORTH SHIELDS extends about a mile along the north bank of the Tyne, opposite South Shields. It is a town of considerable antiquity, having arisen about the time of Edward I., under the protection of the prior of Tynemouth, who established a market, and formed a harbour; but in consequence of the opposition of the burgesses of Newcastle, who regarded the formation of this town as a violation of their charter, he was compelled to destroy the buildings he had erected. During the time of the Commonwealth an act was passed by Cromwell for the formation of quays, and the establishment of a market; but it was not till the eighteenth century that the restrictions upon the trade of the place were removed. North Shields possesses a spacious new church, and numerous chapels, a scientific and mechanics' institute, a subscription library, and a theatre. It is a railway station, and a place of very considerable trade, and exports great quantities of coals, chiefly to London, and the eastern coasts of England and Scotland. Ship-building and its kindred branches of manufacture are actively carried on. At the entrance of the town from the sea are two lighthouses, and near them is Clifford's Fort. It forms a part of the parl. borough of Tynemouth. Pop. of North Shields 1851,

8882.

TYNEMOUTH is a parliamentary borough and seaport at the mouth of the Tyne, where ships receive their cargoes from Newcastle. It has been supposed that the Romans had a post on the site of Tynemouth Castle. On the same site a religious house was afterwards erected, which was enclosed and fortified in the time of William the Conqueror. Here Malcolm III., King of Scotland, and his son Prince Edward were interred. It was twice besieged and taken, during the great civil war. Considerable remains still exist both of the priory and the castle. The priory church was used as the parish church until the time of Charles II., when a new church was built at North Shields. There are a lighthouse and some other modern buildings in the castle. Tynemouth is much frequented in the bathing season, and some good baths have recently been erected. The Marsden Rocks, a few miles from Tynemouth, are frequently visited by parties of pleasure. Tynemouth sends one M.P. Pop. of par. bor. 1851, 29,170. The parliamentary borough comprehends the township of Tynemouth, North Shields, Chirton, Preston, and Cullercoates.

Cullercoates is a small bathing town two miles from Tynemonth. Eight miks

from Tynemouth is Seaton Delaval, formerly the seat of the Delavals, now the property of Lord Hastings. It was erected from designs by Sir John Vanbrugh, and was one of the finest mansions in Northumberland, but was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1822. There is a mausoleum within the grounds, and the chapel, which is as old as the time of William the Conqueror, is one of the most complete and beautiful little pieces of antiquity in England.

CXLII. FROM LONDON TO KIRKBY MOORSIDE THROUGH HELMSLEY BLACKMOOR, 227 Miles.

8 miles dist. Hoving- 10 ham Hall.

Helmsley is a small

market-town on a declivity near the Rye. The inhabitants are employed in agriculture and the 9 linen manufacture. Here are the ruins of a castle which was taken by Fairfax in the civil war. The grounds of Duncombe Park, half a mile distant, are laid out with great taste, and command fine prospects. Four miles distant are the ruins of Rivaulx Abbey, founded in 1181 5 for Cistercian monks. The situation is one of remarkable beauty. Five miles from Helmsley are the ruins of Ryland Abbey.

3

Gilling Castle, C. Fairfax, Esq. and

Newburgh Hall, Sir G. Wombwell, Bart.

Oswaldkirk Hall. Duncombe Park, Lord Feversham, an elegant mansion, containing a fine collection of paintings. It was formerly called Helmsley, ("once proud Buckingham's delight"), and was the seat of the Villiers, Dukes of Buckingham.

To Bilsdale, 9 miles, thence to Kirkby, 8 m., -thence to Stokesley, 2 m.

CXLIII. LONDON TO WHITBY THROUGH BALDOCK, STAMFORD,
GRANTHAM, DONCASTER, YORK, AND NEW MALTON, 246 Miles.

Sand Hutton, J. Walk- 39

218

220 Kirkby Hall.

2254

2301

11

2341

6

2391

CXLV. LONDON TO WHITBY THROUGH LINCOLN, HULL, AND SCAR

London.