SOUTHWELL, (Nottinghamshire) 94 cm. 114 mm. from London, stands on the Greet, that falls into the Trent, has its name from a well on the S. side of it, and is divided into 2 parts, viz. the Burridge, as it is called for the burgage, which comprehends all that part bet. the Mt.-place and the Greet, and the prebendage or liberties of the Ch. Its Ch. which is both parochial and collegiate, the only one that is so in England, except that of Rippoo, is called a minster, and supposed to have been founded by Paulinus, the first Abp. of York, anno 630. There bel. to it 16 prebendaries or canons, 6 vicars choral, an organist, 6 singing men, 6 choristers, besides 6 boys, who attend as probationers, a register to the chapter, a treasurer, an auditor, a verger, &c. It was surrendered at the Diss. but Hen. VIII. re-founded it, and restored it to its ancient privileges, which were confirmed by Q. Eliz. and Ja. I. The chapter has a peculiar jurisdiction over 28 ps. to most of which it has the right of presentation, besides to others in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Here are visitations twice a year, besides 2 yearly synods, at which all the clergy of Nottingham attend. The civil Gt. of its jurisdiction, to which about 20. Ts. are subject, is called the soke of Southwell cum Scroby. The custos-rotulorum, and justices of peace, who are nominated by the Abp. of York, and constituted by a commission under the great-seal, hold their sessions both at Southwell and Scroby, and perform all other judiciary acts distinct from the Co. its Ch. being reputed the mother-Ch. of the T. and Co. of Nottingham, Hen. VIII. allowed it to be fedes archiepiscopalis; and here are the ruins of a very grand palace, demolished in the civil wars, which bel. to the Abps. of York, who had 3 parks here, which, though disparked, still retain the name. One of them, called Norwood-Park, has a house, much improved by Mr. Burton. The palace was supposed to have been built by one of the Abps. called Booth, because here is a chapel to this day called Booth's- Chapel; but though the Abps. have no seat, they have ever since the conquest, been Lds. of the manor, and by grants from our Ks. enjoy great privileges here; for they have the returns of writs on all their lands, tenements, and fees here; and besides a great leet, which they do or may hold over divers T.-ships, they have a sessions of peace, kept by turns at this place and Scroby by justices of the peace under their own nomination, tho' the K's, commission. Here is a fr. sc. under the care of the chapter, where the choristers, with other boys of the T. are taught gratis. The master is chosen by the chapter, and must be approved by the Abp. of Yorkshire, There are also 2 fellowships and 2 scholarships in St. John's- Coll. in Cambridge, founded in the R. of Hen. VIII. by Dr. Keton, canon of Sarum, to be presented by the master and fellows of the said college, to such as have been choristers of Southwell-Ch. This place has given name to a considerable family, that resided here from the R. of Hen. III. to that of Hen. VI. since dispersed into divers Cos. of which one of the greatest ornaments was Sir Robert Southwell, the grandfather of Edw. Southwell at Kings-Weston, one of the present representatives to Pt. for the city of Bristol. The Mt. here is on S. It must not be omitted that its minster was set on fire by lightning, on Nov. 1711, when the body of it was burnt to the ground, with its fine organ, and the bells melted, so that the damage was computed at near 4000 l.