Spithead, roadstead, at the entrance of Portsmouth
harbour, Hants, extending 2 miles NW. and SE. along
the SW. side of the Spit Sand, with an average breadth
of 1\ mile; its natural advantages for safe anchorage,
and its vicinity to the great naval establishments of
Portsmouth, have made it a favourite rendezvous of
the British fleet, and the system of fortifications in-
tended for the defence of Portsmouth harbour and
dockyards is also designed as a protection for the road-
stead at Spithead, a term which is often applied, in a
more extended sense, to the whole of the channel which
separates the NE. coast of the Isle of Wight from the
mainland of Hants.

Spittal.—coast town and watering place, Tweed-
mouth par., Northumberland, at mouth of river Tweed,
opposite Berwick upon Tweed, pop. 1926; P.O., T.O.;
is a favourite watering-place with excellent beach for
bathing; has a mineral spring; and carries oniron found-
ing, mfrs. of spades and shovels, and large trade in fish-
curing. The gasworks of Tweedmouth and Berwick
are here.—2. Spittal, hamlet, Glentham, Hemswell,
and Bishop Norton pars., Lincolnshire, 6 miles SE. of
Kirton in Lindsey ; has a cattle fair.—3. Spittal, par.
and vil., Pembrokeshire—par., 2674 ac., pop. 403; vil.,
5½ miles N. of Haverfordwest; P.O.

Spittal.—hamlet, Halkirk par., Caithness, 14 miles
NW. of Wick; P.O.—2. Spittal, ancient par., now in
Crailing par., Roxburghshire.—3. Spittal, place with
site of ancient hospital, Cavers par., Roxburghshire, on
Rule Water, 1½ mile E. of Denholm.

Spittal House.—seat, North-Riding Yorkshire, 4
miles SW. of Bowes.—2. Spittal House, seat, East-
Riding Yorkshire, 6 miles W. of Filey.

Spittal of Glenshee, hamlet with inn, Kirkmichael
par., Perthshire, at head of Glen Shee, 20 miles N. of
Blairgowrie.

Spittalhaugh, seat, West Linton par., Peeblesshire,
on Lyne AYater, 2 miles SE. of West Linton.

Spittle.—Cheshire. See Poulton cum Spittle.—

2. Spittle,Northumberland. See Spittal.—3.Spittle,
hamlet, Fangfoss par., East-Riding Yorkshire, 3 miles
NW. of Poeldington.

Spittlegate, township, Grantham par., Lincolnshire,
wholly in bor. of Grantham, pop. 6459.

Spixworth, par., Norfolk, 5 miles N. of Norwich,
1224 ac., pop. 64 ; contains Spixworth Park, seat.

Spodden, rivulet, SE. Lancashire; nms 6 miles S. to
the Roch, below Rochdale.

Spofforth, par., township, and vil. with ry. sta., E.
div. West-Riding Yorkshire—par., 13,062 ac., pop.
3745; township (Spofforth with Stoekeld), partly also
in Kirk Deighton par., 5466 ac., pop. 856 ; vil., 3½ miles
NW. of AVetherby by rail; P.O., T.O.; on an eminence
at SW. side of vil. stand the ruins of Spofforth Castle
(1309); in vicinity is Spofforth Hall, seat.

Spon Lane, ry. sta. (for AYest Bromwich), Stafford-
shire, 4 miles NAY. of Birmingham; a large glass
factory is here.

Spondon, par., township, and vil. with ry. sta.,
Derbyshire—par., 3889 ac., pop. 2603 ; township, 2830
ac., pop. 1757 ; vil., 3 miles E. of Derby ; P.O., T.O.; in
vicinity are Spondon Hall and Spondon House, seats.

Spoonbed Hill, Painswick par., Gloucestershire, 4
miles N. of Stroud; is crowned by an ancient camp,
and was held by Earl Godwin in 1052, and by the
Royalists in 1643.

Spooner Row, ry. sta., Norfolk, 3 miles SAY. of
AYymondham; P.O.

Spooyt Vane, The (AVhite Spout), waterfall, in Glen
Mooar, Isle of Man, 2 miles S. of Kirkmichael.

Sporle with Palgrave, par., Norfolk, 3817 ac.,pop.
729 ; contains Sporle, vil., 2m. NE. of Swaffham ; P.O.

Spotland, township, Rochdale par., Lancashire, on
W. side of and partly within bor. of Rochdale, and con-
taining also part of Bacup, 14,174 ac., pop. 40,140.

Spott, par. and vil., Haddingtonshire—par., 7583
ac., pop. 579; vil., 3 miles S. of Dunbar; Spott House,
seat, is in vicinity.

Spottes, seat, Urr par., Kirkcudbrightshire, on Urr
Water, 4 miles NW. of Dalbeattie.

Spottiswoode, seat, Westruther par., Berwickshire,
5½ miles NE. of Lauder.

Spout of Ballaggan, Stirlingshire. See Ballaggan.

Sprattlng Street, hamlet, St Lawrence par., Kent,
1 mile NW. of Ramsgate.

Spratton, par., township, and vil. with ry. sta., in

Gazetteer of the British Isles, Statistical and Topographical, by John Bartholomew, F.R.G.S.

Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black, 1887. Public domain image from Gedcomindex.com