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Beverley, Yorkshire, England. Geographical and Historical information from 1834.

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BEVERLEY:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1834.

"BEVERLEY, a market town and borough, and with the district around it, forms a local jurisdiction, called 'the town and liberties of Beverley,' is in the East Riding, 180 miles from London, 92 e. by n. from Manchester, 29 s.e. from York, and 9 n. from Hull. The name is said to be derived from its situation near the river Hull, a place of resort (as recorded) for beavers; but the probable origin of its appellation is from John de Beverley, Archbishop of York, who founded a monastery here, where he also died, in 721. In honour of the archbishop, whom several kings adopted as their guardian saint, the place was endowed with many privileges and immunities, particularly by King Athelstan, and other succeeding monarchs.The principal are, exemption from toll, stallage, &c. throughout England; exemption from being summoned as jurymen without the borough; and from the jurisdiction of the sheriffs of York : the burgesses have besides the enjoyment of common pastures, wherein each resident burgess can keep thirteen head of cattle the greater part of the year; theses pastures, four in number, contain 1,174 acres. The town is upwards of a mile in length; the houses are built with a regard to neatness, and the streets are well paved and clean. Within the last seven years very considerable improvement has taken place in Beverley and its neighbourhood, by an increase of trade, and several extensive establishments now flourish here, which give employment to a great number of hands : amongst these may be noticed, particularly, the large works of Messrs. Tigar, Champney & Co. for the manufacture of paints, colours, cement and Paris white. The premises are situated at Grove Hill, on the river Hull, (two miles from the town,) the ancient landing place of the Romans. The Paris white is made from the cliff stone, dug at Queen's gate, a quality of stone peculiarly adapted for the manufacture of this article ; and the works in this branch are supposed to be the most extensive in the kingdom. In the manufacture of paints and colours, the fine streams of water, about here, afford the most efficient assistance. Mr. Tigar, one of the spirited firm before-named, has lately obtained a patent for wrought iron wheels, applicable to carriages and other vehicles. Another extensive establishment, is that belonging to Mr. Wm. Crosskill, for the founding and manufacture of all kinds of fancy iron work for gates, railings, &c. adapted to buildings or pleasure grounds ; as also for the manufacture of stoves, grates, and other articles for domestic purposes, and machines and instruments used in agriculture ; and the construction of hot-houses, and conservatories of iron. These works, which are conducted with considerable spirit and invention, are situated in the Riding fields, near to the town. The corn trade may be considered an important branch of traffic to Beverley, which has a good water communication, by means of a short canal, with the river Hull.

Beverley is governed by a mayor, recorder, twelve aldermen, and thirteen capital burgesses. Quarter sessions for the town and liberties are held at the usual periods; a court of record before the mayor, recorder and aldermen, every Monday, for the trial of personal actions to any amount; and a court of requests for the recovery of debts under £5. A short distance without the north bar, are the sessions house, and gaol, for the East Riding; & in Register square, is an office for the registration of wills and deeds. This borough has sent members to parliament since the 23d of Edward 1. The gentlemen elected to the first reformed parliament, in 1832, were the Hon. Charles Langdale and Henry P. Burton, Esq. The mayor is the returning officer. Under the new Boundary Act, the limits of the borough are defined to comprise the several parishes of St. Mary, St. Martin, and St. Nicholas, and also such part of the parish of St. John as is included within the liberties of Beverley. Under the same act, this borough is appointed the place of electing members to represent the East Riding.

Beverley comprises the parishes of St. John, St. Martin, St. Mary and St. Nicholas: the two latter are united, the living being in the gift of the Crown, and the present incumbent is the Rev. --- Sandys. St. Martin's with St. John's, form a perpetual curacy, in the gift of the corporation; the Rev. Joseph Coltman is the present incumbent, and the assistant curates are the Rev. James Eyre and the Rev. William Hildyard. The ancient minster, or St. John's church, contains several monuments of the Percies, Earls of Northumberland, who added a little chapel to the choir, in the windows whereof there are several pictures of that family in painted glass. At the upper end of the choir, on the right-hand of the altar-piece, stands the 'freed-stone,' made of one entire piece, to which every one that fled had a right of protection. At one end of the body of the church hangs an ancient tablet, with the picture of King Athelstan, who founded the church. There are besides the churches, places of worship belonging to the independents , Wesleyan and primitive methodists, baptists, and the society of friends. The principal scholastic establishments in Beverley are, a free grammar school, for the instruction of sons of the burgesses in the classics, &c. (of which the Rev. Z.S.Warren is head master); a blue coat school; one for boys and girls, founded by James Graves, in 1804; another conducted upon the Lancasterian system, and several Sunday schools. Here are alms-houses, which afford comfortable habitations for poor widows and widowers, and a dispensary, established in 1828, yields gratuitous relief to the indigent sick. A mechanic's institute, in Minster square, subscription news' rooms, in Register square, and a savings' bank, in Hengate, are institutions well supported. The country around here, although generally flat, presents many fine views: the land is very fertile, about two-thirds arable, and the rest pasture. The weekly market is on Saturday, which is a large one, for corn, besides other necessaries. The market-place is spacious and convenient, containing nearly four acres of land, with a beautiful cross, supported by eight columns, of one entire stone each. The fairs are on the Thursday before February 25th; Ascension-day, July 6th and November 5th, for horses, cattle, sheep, &c. There are besides, cattle markets held every alternate Wednesday throughout the year. The borough and liberties of Beverley contained, by the government returns for 1821, 7,503 inhabitants, and in 1831, 8,302."

[Transcribed by Steve Garton ©2000 from
Pigot's directory (Yorkshire section) 1834]