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

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GIGGLESWICK:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1834.

"GIGGLESWICK, is a neat village in the parish of its name, one mile from Settle, well deserving notice as containing a free grammar school, founded by Edward VI, in which, amongst other eminent men, was educated Archdeacon Paley. The parish church is also in this village, a very ancient building, dedicated to St. Alkald. Near here is a singular ebbing and flowing well, the waters of which have been known to rise and fall nineteen inches in the space of five minutes. The time of its flux and reflux is apparently unconnected with rain or drought, or other external causes ; sometimes it is completely dry, and then, on a sudden, is heard to issue from the recesses of its native rock with a hollow gurgling sound. The water, which is received into a stone cistern, is limpid, cold and wholesome, and has no peculiar taste. Formerly this was a market town, but it has long since ceased to enjoy that distinction. The parsih of Giggleswick contained, at the last census, 3,017 inhabitants, and the township (including the hamlets of Rom and Stackhouse) 780 of that number. that number.
Please see under Settle for the 1834 trades directory for this parish."


"SETTLE, a small well built market town, in the parish of Giggleswick, and in the wapentake and liberty of Staincliffe and Ewecross, West Riding, is 230 miles from London, 59 w. from York, 50 n. from Manchester, and 16 n. by w. from Skipton. The situation of Settle is singular and picturesque, the town being seated at the foot of Castlebergh, a conical limestone rock, 210 feet high, backed by a cluster of rugged crags ; but its most striking peculiarity arises from the prevalence of stone fences in the neighbourhood ; these, in the opinion of some, detract from the beauty of the surrounding country, others deem them more consistent with its character than hawthorn hedges. The Duke of Devonshire is lord of the manor, and holds courts baron twice a year, at one of which a constable is appointed. Settle is one of the stations named in the new Boundary Act (an appendage to the Reform Bill) for receiving votes at the election of members to represent the West Riding of the county. The appearance of the market place has been recently improved by the erection of a handsome building, in the Elizabethan style, at the cost of upwards of 5000. It contains a market house, savings' bank, library, news rooms, &c. The neighbourhood is mountainous and purely pastural, no corn being grown within many miles. There are some considerable cotton manufactories in the town and neighbourhood ; the principal are those of Messrs. Procters', near Settle, and Messrs. Claytons', at the village of Langcliff, where there is also a paper mill belonging to Messrs. Wood & Crowdace. Settle contains a chapel each for methodists and independents, and a national school. The market is held on Tuesday ; and fairs for fat cattle on every alternate Monday. In 1831, Settle, with the adjoining hamlets of Anley and Mearbech, contained 1,627 inhabitants."

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