Wessex

Wessex, the ancient kingdom of the West Saxons, comprising Berks, Hants, Wilts, Dorset, Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall. Mr Thomas Hardy, whose native county is Dorsetshire, has made the name once more familiar.

West Australia

West Australia. See Western Australia.

West Bay City

West Bay City, a town of Michigan, on the Saginaw River, opposite Bay City, with a very large trade in lumber, etc. Pop. 13,120.

Westborough

West'borough, a manufacturing town of Massachusetts, 32 miles by rail W. by S. of Boston, with a state reform school. Pop. 5429.

Westbury

West'bury, a market-town of Wiltshire, 16 1/2 miles SSE. of Bath and 25 NW. of Salisbury. Returning till 1832 two members, and then till 1885 one, it has lost its clothing industry, but has iron-smelting works. The fine church has memories of Walter Map and Mackonochie. Westbury White Horse, on the S. slope of West-bury Down (775 feet), is 175 feet long, and was restored in 1778 and 1853. It probably commemorates Alfred the Great's victory of Ethandun (Edington) in 878. Pop. of urban district, 8305.

West Calder

West Calder. See Calder.

West Chester

West Chester, a town of Pennsylvania, 27 miles W. of Philadelphia. Pop. P530.

West Derby

West Derby, a NW. suburb of Liverpool.

West Drayton

West Drayton. See Drayton.

Westerham

Westerham, a market-town of Kent, 5 miles W. of Sevenoaks. General Wolfe was a native. Pop. of parish, 2900.

Westerkirk

Westerkirk, a Dmnfriesshire parish, 6 miles NW. of Langholm. Telford was a native.

Westfield

Westfield, a town of Massachusetts, 9 miles by rail W. of Springfield. Pop. 12,310.

Westgate-on-Sea

Westgate-on-Sea, a western extension of Mar. gate (q.v.), with an asylum for inebriates.

West Ham

West Ham. See Ham, West.

West Hartlepool. See Hartlepool.

Westhoughton

Westhoughton, a town of Lancashire, 5 miles E. of Wigan, with manufactures of silk, cotton, and nails, and neighbouring collieries. Pop. (1851) 4547; (1901) 14,377.

Westland

Westland, a provincial district (capital, Hokit-ika) of New Zealand, occupies the W. portion of South Island. Area, 4641 sq. m.; pop. 15,887.

Westminster

Westminster. See London, p. 424.

Weston-super-Mare

Weston-super-Mare (May'reh), a fashionable watering-place of Somerset, on the Bristol Channel, 20 miles SW. of Bristol. Grown from a fishing-village since 1805, it is sheltered by rocky, fir-clad Worle Hill (306 feet); commands a splendid view over to Wales; and has an esplanade (begun 1825) 3 miles long, a promenade pier (1867) 1040 feet long, the Prince Consort gardens, potteries, etc. Pop. (1901) 19,847.

West Point

West Point, the U.S. Military Academy, on the Hudson's right bank, 48 miles by rail N. of New York. Established in 1802, on the site of an older fort, it occupies a plateau 188 feet above the river, surrounded by the bold scenery of one of the finest river-passes in the world.

Westport

Westport, a Mayo seaport, at the head of Clew Bay, 13 miles SW. of Castlebar. Pop. 3890.

West Prussia

West Prussia. See Prussia.