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

WENSLEY:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1834.

"WENSLEY, a parish in the wapentake of Hang West, and liberty of Richmondshire;"

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"LEYBURN, is a market town and township, in the parish of Wensley, wapentake of West Hang, North Riding, about 235 miles from London, 9 s from Richmond, 18 e from Hawes, 22 nw from Ripon, and 20 w by s from Northallerton. The town, which consists chiefly of one oblong square or street of well built houses, is pleasantly situated a short distance from the river Ure, and the neighbourhood presents a variety of beautifully picturesque scenery. The remarkable walk called Leyburn Shawl, which passes along the edge of one continued ridge of rocks to the village of Preston, is indisputably one of the finest natural terraces in the kingdom. Petty sessions are held at the Bolton's Arms the last Friday in the month. Here is no place of worship under the establishment ; but the Roman catholics, independents, and the Wesleyan methodists have each a chapel. The market which is held on Friday, is well attended, and supplied with corn, butchers' meat, &c. The adjacent country is noted for breeding sheep & cattle, as are its fairs for the sale of them, which take place on the second Fridays in the months of February, May, October and December. The township contained in 1821, 810 inhabitants, and in 1831, 1,003. Wensley is a small township and village, in the parish of its name, situated 1.5 miles west of Leyburn, gently elevated above the bank of the river Ure. Wensley dale, the valley which derives its name from this village, is of considerable width, and may rank with the finest of our northern valleys. The parish church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is a neat structure, the living is a rectory, the present incumbent is the Rev. John Orde. The parish contained in 1831, 2,266 inhabitants, and the township 288 of that number. Redmire is also a village and township, in the parish of Wensley, 4.5 miles west of Leyburn. Here is a chapel of ease, which is dedicated to St. Mary, the living is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of the rector of Wensley. There is also a place for worship for methodists. In this village is a sulphureous spring, and an open well for bathing, the water of which possesses valuable medicinal virtues in cases of scurvy, &c. About a mile above the village are the remains of Bolton Castle, in one of the towers of which was confined Mary Queen of Scots. Population of the township at the last census was 344."

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