SOUTHWELL, Nottioghamahire, a market-town and the seat of a Poor-Law Union, in the parish of Southwell, is pleasantly situated in 53' 5' N. lat., 0° 58' W. long, distant about 15 miles N.E. from Not tingham, and 132 miles N.N.W. from London by road. The popu lation of the town of Southwell in 1851 was 3516. The living is a rectory in the archdeaconry of Nottingham and diocese of Lincoln. Southwell Poor-Law Union contains 60 parishes and townships, with an area of 117,142 acres, and a population in 1851 of 25,596.
Southwell is a place of considerable antiquity. There appears to have been a Roman station or outpost here. A church was established here by Paulinua, ono of the early missionaries to the Anglo-Saxons. This church became collegiate, and was afterwards richly endowed by the liberality of prelates and nobles. Charles L was frequently at Southwell during the civil war, and here be surrendered himself to the Scotch commissioners. The town contains many good houses. The collegiate church is a magnificent cruciform building, consisting of nave and aisles, transepts, choir, and eastern transepts, two western towers, and a central tower. The nave and transepta and the towers are Norman, of very bold character and well-executed details. The extreme length of the church is 300 feet, breadth of the nave and aisles 59 feet, breadth at the transepts 121 feet. Tho north porch is
a large and much-enriched specimen of Norman. Tho nave and transepts have a wooden flat ceiling ; the aisles have a atone groined roof. The choir and eastern transepts, which are of early English character, are among the finest specimeus of that style in the klogdom, and are in good preservatiou. The entrance into the Minster-Yard is by ancient gateways, of which the western has a semicircular arch. In the yard are the extensive ruins of a former palace of the arch bishops of York. The chapter of Southwell collegiate church consists of six canons and two minor canons. Annual meetings of the Not tinghamshire clergy are held at Southwell, which is the mother-church of the county. At Southwell aro chapels for Wesleyan Methodists and Baptists ; a Grammar school, which had 8 scholars in 1854; National and Infant schools, a savings bank, assembly-rooms, a theatre, and a house of correction for the county. The lace and hosiery manufactures employ a considerable number of workmen. Tanning and silk-throwing employ some of the inhabitants. The market is on Saturday, and there are fairs on Whit-Monday and October 21st.