Slackstead
SLACKSTEAD, a tything, in the parish of FarleyChamberlayne, union of Hursley, hundred of King'sSombourn, Romsey and S. divisions of the county of
Southampton; containing 37 inhabitants.
Slad, or Slade
SLAD, or Slade, a hamlet, partly in the parish of
Painswick, and partly in that of Stroud, union of
Stroud, hundred of Bisley, E. division of the county
of Gloucester, 2 miles (N. E. by E.) from Stroud.
This hamlet, which is on the road to Cheltenham, is
divided by a stream of water (that separates the parishes
of Painswick and Stroud) into two parts, called respectively Painswick Slad and Stroud Slad. The scenery is
agreeably diversified: in the vale are several clothing
manufactories, one of them, in Stroud Slad, being among
the largest in the west of England. An elegant district
chapel was erected in 1831, through the exertions of
Mrs. Rucker, on a site given by the lord of the manor.
Slade-Green
SLADE-GREEN, a hamlet, in the parish of Crayford, union of Dartford, hundred of Lessness, lathe
of Sutton-at-Hone, W. division of the county of Kent;
containing 66 inhabitants.
Slaidburn (St. Andrew)
SLAIDBURN (St. Andrew), a parish, in the union
of Clitheroe, W. division of the wapentake of Staincliffe and Ewcross, W. riding of York; containing,
with the townships of High Bowland Forest, Easington, and Newton, 1792 inhabitants, of whom 741 are in
Slaidburn township, 8 miles (N. by W.) from Clitheroe.
The parish comprises by computation 35,570 acres, of
which 5617, including 1200 common or waste, are in
the township. The lands are chiefly in pasture, and
great numbers of cattle are reared in this extensive
mountainous and moorland district. The village is
situated in a valley, on the river Hodder, and the scenery around it is very beautiful: large cattle-fairs are
held here on the Wednesday before Easter, on WhitMonday, and the 4th of November. The living is a
rectory, valued in the king's books at £32; net income,
£336; patron, Thomas Wiglesworth, Esq. The tithes
of the township of Slaidburn have been commuted for
£112, and the glebe consists of 11 acres. The church
was built in the 13th or 14th century. There is a place
of worship for Methodists at Slaidburn, one for Presbyterians at Newton, and the parish contains one, with a
burial-ground, for the Society of Friends. A free grammar school was established in 1717, by John Brennand,
who bequeathed an estate in trust, £200 of the proceeds
being for the erection of a school-house, £50 a year for
a master, and £30 for an usher. A chantry was founded
in 1332, by Stephen de Hamerton, in the chapel of
St. Mary then existing on his manor of Hamerton,
for a secular chaplain to celebrate mass for the repose of
the souls of himself, his father, and his mother.
Slaithwaite
SLAITHWAITE, a chapelry, in the parishes of
Huddersfield and Almondbury, union of Huddersfield, Upper division of the wapentake of Agbrigg,
W. riding of York; containing, with the township of
Lingarths, 3726 inhabitants, of whom 2925 are in Slaithwaite township, 5 miles (W. S. W.) from Huddersfield.
This chapelry comprises 3073a. 3r. 3p.: the lands are
in meadow and pasture, with a small portion of arable;
the scenery is bold and romantic. In the quarries of
the district are found vegetable fossils, especially firs
and other mountain trees. The village is beautifully
seated in the valley of the river Colne; the inhabitants
are chiefly employed in the woollen manufacture, in the
spinning of cotton and silk, and in silk-weaving. Slaithwaite Hall, an ancient mansion, situated on a hill which
has indications of having been a fortified station, is now
divided into cottages: the old manor-house near the
chapel is still used for holding the courts leet of the
manor of Slaithwaite cum Lingarths, of which the Earl
of Dartmouth is lord. About the year 1820, a spring
strongly impregnated with sulphur was discovered, and
also a chalybeate spring, in their properties closely resembling the waters of Harrogate. Mr. Richard Varley
has since erected baths with every requisite accommodation for the use of the waters, has built several cottages for visiters, and laid out gardens and pleasuregrounds, which are tastefully embellished. On an analysis by Mr. West, of Leeds, an imperial gallon of the
sulphureous spa was found to contain, 0.7 grains of
chloride of calcium, 0.4 of chloride of magnesia, 2.5 of
chloride of sodium, and 20.4 of carbonate of soda: the
gases are sulphuretted hydrogen, 0.75 of a cubic inch;
carbonic acid 1.25, and carburetted hydrogen, 4.75.
An inflammable gas rises from the surface of the water.
The chalybeate spring was found to contain in an imperial gallon 3.4 grains of sulphate, 4.0 of carbonate of
lime, 2.4 of carbonate of magnesia, and 3.3 of oxide of
iron. There are several reservoirs in the district, one of
which, comprising 17 acres, is for the supply of the
Huddersfield canal. The road from Leeds to Manchester
intersects the village, and is nearly parallel, on the south
side, with the river Colne and the canal. Fairs for
cattle are held on the Friday before May-day, and the
last Friday in October.
The living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £192;
patron, the Vicar of Huddersfield. The ancient chapel,
repaired in 1593, and rebuilt in 1719, stood near the
river, where is now a cemetery. In 1788, the building
was taken down, and the present spacious though plain
edifice erected on ground given by the Earl of Dartmouth; the tower was added in 1814, and an additional
cemetery, on the north side, was consecrated in 1842.
The free school was founded and endowed in 1721, by
the Rev. Robert Meeke, then incumbent, and has an
income amounting, with subsequent benefactions, to
£42; the master must be a communicant, but not the
incumbent, of Slaithwaite. The school-house, which
adjoins the ancient chapelyard, was rebuilt in 1744, and
again in 1842. There is also a national school, for
which a handsome building was erected in 1840, at an
expense of £650: it is endowed with a surplus fund of
£150; and a building erected in 1825 for a proprietary
grammar school has been taken on lease for the residence
of the master and mistress. The Slaigh or Sloe tree,
which formerly spread over a great part of the district,
gave the original name of Slaighthwaite to the township;
and from the Ling plant the township of Lingarths
derives its name.
Slaley
SLALEY, a parish, in the union of Hexham, E.
division of Tindale ward, S. division of Northumberland, 5½ miles (S. E. by S.) from Hexham; containing 547 inhabitants. It comprises about 7430 acres
of land, lying south of the Devil's water and Dipton,
and west of Heeley burn. Prior to the inclosure of
Bulbeck common in 1771, a great portion of the district
was moory waste; but nearly the whole is now under
cultivation, and the parish has assumed a pleasing appearance, adorned with thriving woods and plantations.
Some of the buildings have been much improved of late
years, and others have been superseded by modern erections, covered with blue or grey slates, instead of thatch.
Here is a valuable stone-quarry. The living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £103; patron, T. W. Beaumont, Esq.; impropriators, R. Trevelyan and H. Witham,
Esqrs. The foundation stone of a new church was laid
on the 25th of May, 1832; the old church had become
a mass of ruins, and totally unfit for the celebration of
divine service.
Slapton (Holy Cross)
SLAPTON (Holy Cross), a parish, in the union of
Leighton-Buzzard, hundred of Cottesloe, county
of Buckingham, 3½ miles (S. S. E.) from LeightonBuzzard; containing, with part of Horton hamlet, 336
inhabitants. The parish comprises 1170a. 1r., of which
about two-thirds are arable, and the remainder pasture;
the soil is clay, and the surface generally level. The
Grand Junction canal passes through the parish, and
the London and Birmingham railway within a mile of
the church. The living is a rectory, valued in the
king's books at £14. 9. 7.; net income, £172; patrons,
the Dean and Canons of Christ-Church, Oxford. There
is a place of worship for Wesleyans.
Slapton (St. Mary)
SLAPTON (St. Mary), a parish, in the union of
Kingsbridge, hundred of Coleridge, Stanborough
and Coleridge, and S. divisions of Devon, 7 miles
(S. W.) from Dartmouth; containing 726 inhabitants.
This place belonged to Sir Guy de Brien, Knt., standardbearer to Edward III., whom he attended at the battle
of Calais in 1349, on which occasion, having greatly
distinguished himself by his intrepidity, he was rewarded
with a grant of 200 marks per annum, payable out of
the exchequer during his life. Sir Guy founded a chantry
in the church for a rector and four priests, and endowed
it with £10 per annum in land, and with the advowson
of the living. The parish comprises about 3000 acres.
The living is a discharged perpetual curacy; net income,
£96; patron, William Paige, Esq.; impropriators, the
landowners. Thomas Knyghton, in 1629, left an estate
now producing about £30 a year, for the repair of the
town-houses, and for the poor; and John and Charles
Kelland, about 1690, bequeathed the sum of £150, which,
with accumulations, now produces about £35 per annum,
for purposes of instruction.
Slapton (St. Botolph)
SLAPTON (St. Botolph), a parish, in the union of
Towcester, hundred of Greens-Norton, S. division
of the county of Northampton, 3¾ miles (W. S. W.)
from Towcester; containing 208 inhabitants. It comprises about 600 acres, of which two-thirds are arable,
and the remainder pasture. The soil is chiefly clay,
alternated with loam, and in the higher lands consists of
gravel and sand; the surface on the south is flat, and a
brook bounds the parish on this side, separating it from
Abthorpe. Limestone abounds. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £9. 9. 9½.; patron,
the Rev. Thomas Coleman Welch. The church is an
ancient structure with a tower, and a handsome chancel
window. There is a place of worship for Wesleyans.
Slaugham (St. Mary)
SLAUGHAM (St. Mary), a parish, in the union of
Cuckfield, hundred of Buttinghill, rape of Lewes,
E. division of Sussex, 4½ miles (S. by W.) from Crawley;
containing 1286 inhabitants. The parish comprises 3088
acres, of which 1136 are common or waste land. It is
situated on the road from London, through Crawley, to
Brighton; and the river Ouse has its source here, in the
grounds of Ashford, forming in its course a lake of about
thirty acres at Slaugham mills. The surface is diversified with hill and dale; the soil is sandy, and generally
poor. There are considerable remains of the old manorhouse of Slaugham Place, the ancient seat of the Covert
family; the grand staircase was given by the late Colonel
Sergison to the proprietor of the Star inn, Lewes, and
was erected in that house. The living is a rectory,
valued in the king's books at £10.19. 2., and in the patronage of Mrs. A. Sergison; net income, £282. The
church was enlarged in 1837, and contains a splendid
monument to the Coverts. There is a place of worship
for Baptists.
Slaughter, Lower
SLAUGHTER, LOWER, a parish, in the union of
Stow, Lower division of the hundred of Slaughter, E.
division of the county of Gloucester, 3 miles (S. W.)
from Stow; containing 222 inhabitants. The living is
annexed to the rectory of Bourton-on-the-Water.
Slaughter, Upper (St. Peter)
SLAUGHTER, UPPER (St. Peter), a parish, in
the union of Stow, Lower division of the hundred of
Slaughter, E. division of the county of Gloucester,
3¼ miles (S. W. by W.) from Stow; containing 231 inhabitants. The parish comprises about 1727 acres of
land, chiefly arable, with some good meadow. The surface is hilly, being a portion of the Cotswold range; and
the lower grounds are watered by two brooks, which,
after flowing through the parish, unite with a third, together forming the river Windrush. The substratum
contains stone, which is quarried for building purposes
as occasion requires. The living is a rectory, valued in
the king's books at £14. 14. 2.; net income, £131; patron and incumbent, the Rev. W. E. Witts. The tithes
were commuted for land in 1731; the glebe altogether
comprises 227 acres. The church is in the Norman
style, with subsequent additions.
Slaughterford (St. Nicholas)
SLAUGHTERFORD (St. Nicholas), a parish, in
the union and hundred of Chippenham, Chippenham
and Calne, and N. divisions of the county of Wilts, 5½
miles (N. by W.) from Chippenham; containing 156
inhabitants. The living is a perpetual curacy, annexed
to the rectory of Biddestone.
Slawston (All Saints)
SLAWSTON (All Saints), a parish, in the union
of Uppingham, hundred of Gartree, S. division of the
county of Leicester, 5¾ miles (N. E. by N.) from Harborough; containing 250 inhabitants. The living is a
discharged vicarage, valued in the king's books at
£6. 5. 7½.; net income, £174; patron, the Earl of Cardigan; impropriators, the family of Tailby, and others.
The tithes were commuted for land and corn-rents in
1793.