NE;\V MILLS. 76=>

NE)V M~ILLS, • WITH DISLEY, HAYFIELD, AND KEIGHBOURHOODS.

NEw :n-fiLLS i'l- a township formed about the middle of the last century, by the unio;n of the ~our hamlets of BearQ., Olerset, Whittle, and '):'hornsett. Its present 11ppellation is derived from a. New MilL which was then erected for the use of the inhabitants, on the river Kinder. The original name of New lYiills was Bowder-IJiiddle-Oale, containing seven hamlets, three of which are now attached to ;Hayfield. The village, which is rather extensive, is situated in the parish of , in the ;Hundred of High Peak, on the confines of the counties of and Ches­ ter, six miJes north-west from Chapel-en-le-Frith, nearly eight miles south-east from Stoclrport, a;nd fourteen miles south soutl;l-east from Manchester. The population of the township in 1831 was 3,538, in 184J, 3,591, and in 1851 it amounted to 4,305 persons. The number of acres in the township is 4,714, and the rateable value £9,749 9s. 10d. Though a place of modern date, , since the ~ntroduction of the cotton trade, has risen to importance as a manu-­ facturing district. The extent to which cotton spinning is carried ou )lere is conside1·able, affording employment to a large number of the inhabitants of both sexes. High towering rocks overlook the vale of the river, at the foot of which tbe mills and factories stand; but these are partly bid from public view when passing through the villa~e, which occupies an elevated and :pleasant position on a stone quarry. The soil in many parts is very fertile and productive. The Church, dedicated to St. George, is a handsome Gothic structure of stone, erected in 1831~ at a cost amounting to upwards of £3,500, of which sum £2,500 was granted by the com­ missioners for building churches. The site for this sacred edifice, which ·will seat 1,000 persons, and consists of a ;nave, chaJ)cel, and side isles, was given by Lord George Henry Caven­ clish; The living is {t perpetual curacy, in the gift of the vicar of Glossop, and incumbency of the ;Rev. John Rigg, M.A. '):'he Catholic Church of the Annunciation was erected in 18J5, at an t'xpense amounting to £-1,000 raised by subscription c:hiefly through the unwearied exertions of the pries-t the Rev. J. J. Collins. This handsome edifice, which is in the decorated style of English architecture, may be considered as a perfect revival of an ancient parish church. Its internal decorations, executed by Wailes of Newcastle, are beautiful and profuse. The east window is richly embellishecl with stained glass, having in its centre light, a beautiful represeu­ tf!.tion of the Annunciation, whilst the pgures of Saint John and Saint J oseph ornament the side lights. Messrs. Weightman and Hadfield, of Sheffield, were the architects. The Independents, the Methodists (Old and New connection), and the Primitive Methodists, have each a chapel here. A charity school, in which nine poor children are _gratuitously instructed, is situated in Whittle, and an tillotment of land in the same hamlet is charged with the support of another school. Here also are National and other day schools, the former built in l~J5 at a cost of £800, on land given by W. H. F. Cavendish, Esq. Fairs for cattle are held annually, on the llth of May and 22nd of October. DISLEY, Distley, or Dystelegh-Stanlegh as it was anciently calleu, is a village and chn.pelry, in the Hundred of l\Iacclesfield, county of Chester and parish of , from which town it is distant six miles to the south-east. The population of the chapelry in 1831 was 2,037, in 1841, 2,HH, and in 1851 it contained 2,225 persons. The number of statute acres in the chapelry is 2,f>24, and the rateable value £5,99B 3.s. 7 d. In the neighbourhood are several cotton mills and calico print works. The village of Disley is pleasantly situated upon the high road to Derby, .on the immediate borders of that county. In the reign of Edward I. the manorial rights were possessed by Jordan de Dystelegh, and at the same period a hamlet, situated on the north side of the village, wa::l held by Grym de Stanlegh, and hence the compound modem appellation of Disley-Stanley. The church or chapel, dedicated to St. Mary, was rebuilt iu 1558, and subsequently e:olarge,Ll and repaired at different periods, and contains in its chancel window some beautiful specimcms of heraldic stained glass. In the 'tower, which is of stone, is a peal of six musical bells. The living is a perpetual cu::acy, in the patronage of Thomas Legh, Esq. who is lord of the manor, and whose .seat (Lyme Hall, a commodious mansion), is situated about two miles from the village. The Rev. Noble Wilson is incumbent of the lhing. Here is a day and Sunday sc}lool, with a house for the master, erected in 1823 at a cost of £tl00, by Thomas Legh, Esq. who also endowed it with £15 per annum. The inhabitants of Disley are well supplied with excellent water, from a fountain erected in the centre of the village~ by the mumficeuce of Richard ~nd l'homas Orford7 Esqrs, of l\larple,