with America and the Mediterranean, the principal ex-
port being Portland stone. (For shipping statistics,
see Appendix.) It has also shipbuilding, sail-making,
and rope-making, and is the packet station for the
Channel islands. Melcombe Regis is the watering-
place, and has smooth firm sands, a fine esplanade and
pier, baths, bazaars, concert rooms, and all the ap-
pliances of a well-frequented seaside resort. It was
brought into repute by the frequent visits of George
III. towards the close of the 18th century. Weymouth
and Melcombe Regis were two important seaports from
a very early period until the 17th century. They were
distinct boroughs until the time of Elizabeth, when they
were united. They returned 4 members (2 memoers
each) to Parliament from the time of Edward II. until
1832; and the united pari. bor. of Weymouth and Mel-
combe Regis returned 2 members from 1832 until 1885.

Weythel, vil., Old Radnor par., Radnorshire, in E.
of co., 3 miles SE. of New Radnor.

Whaddon.—par., township, and vil., in N. of Bucks
—par., 3772 ac., pop. 745; township, 2525 ac., pop.
405; vil., 4% miles SE. of Stony Stratford; P.O.; in
vicinity is Whaddon HaU, seat.—2. Whaddon, par.
and vil., Cambridgeshire, in SE. of co.—par., 1463 ac.,
pop. 348; vil., 4 miles N. of Royston; P.O.—3.
Whaddon, par., Gloucestershire, 3 miles S. of Glou-
cester, 727 ac., pop. 111.—4. Whaddon, par., Wilts,

2 miles SW. of Melksham, 438 ac., pop. 51.

Whale Chine, ravine, on S. coast of Isle of Wight, 3
miles NW. of Niton; is 180 ft. wide at its entrance.

Whale Firth, sea-inlet, on W. coast of Yell island,
Shetland.

Whalesbone, hundred, Lewes rape, Sussex, 873 ac.,
pop. 59 ; is conterminous with West Blatchington par.,
and formerly contained Brighton.

Whaley.—Cheshire. See Yeardsley cum Whaley.

—_2. Whaley, hamlet, Bolsover par., Derbyshire, 9
miles E. of Chesterfield.

Whaley Bridge, vil. with ry. sta., Yeardsley cum
Whaley township, Taxall par., Cheshire, at E. border
of co., on river Goyt, 5% miles NW. of Chapel en le
Frith and 10% SE. of Stockport; P.O., T.O., 1 Bank;
coal mines are in the neighbourhood.    [

Whaligoe, school, Wick par., Caithness.

Whalley, township and vil. with ry. sta., NE. Lanca- j
shire, and par., partly also in N. div. West-Riding York-
shire—par. (containing the towns of Accrington, Bacup. *
Burnley, Clitheroe, Colne, Haslingden, Nelson, &c.), f
115,382 ac., pop. 244,395 ; township, 1603 ac., pop. 895 ;
vil., 3% miles S. of Clitheroe and 7% NE. of Blackburn
by rail; P.O., T.O. A Cistercian abbey was founded
here in 1296, and its ruins attest the splendour of its
architecture. Whalley church is a venerable structure
rebuilt in 1100, having been founded in 628. The parish
is the largest in Lancashire, and one of the largest in j
England; it consists of 49 townships (including 1 in j
Yorkshire), and is ecclesiastically divided into 43 entire I
districts and 10 parts.

WhaUey Range, eccl. dist., Manchester par., SE.
Lancashire, on S. side of Manchester, pop. 16,165.

Whalsay, island, Nesting par., Shetland, If mile
E. of the nearest point of the Mainland and 14 miles NE.
of Lerwick, pop. 870 ; P.O.; measures 5% miles from NE.
to SW., and has a maximum breadth of 2% miles.    j

Whalsay and Skerries, quoad sacra par., Nesting |
par., Shetland, pop. 1027; the church is on Whalsay
island.    j

Whalton, par., township, and vil., Northumberland
—par., 6039 ac., pop. 474; township, 2126 ac., pop.

315 ; vil., 6 miles SW. of Morpeth; P.O.

Whaplode, par. and vil. with ry. sta., Lincolnshire
—par., 10,164 ac., pop. 2375; vil., 2% miles W. of Hoi- i
beach; P.O.

Whaplode Drove, eccl. dist. and vil., Whaplode
par., Lincolnshire—dist., pop. 783; vil., 6% miles S. of
Whaplode sta.; P.O.    I

Wharf Bank, North, shoal, at mouth of river Wyre,

N. Lancashire, near Fleetwood; at NE. elbow of shoal
is a fixed light (Wyre River) 30 feet above high water
and seen 10 miles.    i

Wharfe, river, West-Riding Yorkshire; rises on Cam
Fell, and flows SE. past Ilkley, Otley, Wetherby, and I
Tadcaster, to the Ouse near Cawood; is 60 miles long, j

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