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

GISBURN:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1834.

"GISBURN, is a small market-town, in the parish of its name, in the wapentake of Staincliffe & Ewcross, West Riding; 221 miles from London, 56 w. from York, 11 s. from Settle, the like distance s.w. from Skipton, and about 7 n. by e. from Clithero. It is situated in a fertile plain near the eastern bank of the Ribble, and not far from the borders of Lancashire. The manor of Gisburn is the property of Lord Ribblesdale, of Gisburn park, in this parish, which is beautifully situated at the confluence of the Ribble and Stockbeck rivers. Two courts leet are held for the manor of Gisburn annually, in May and November, at one of which a constable is appointed for the town-ship. In the manor of Rimington, in this parish, is a vein of lead ore, which contains a considerable portion of silver. The only place of worship in the town-ship is the parish church, dedicated to St. Mary; it is a neat structure supposed to have been erected in the reign of Henry 7th; the architecture is in the later English style, and the windows are ornamented with stained glass. The living is a vicarage, in the gift of the crown; the present incumbent is the Rev. Richard Jones. Here is a grammar school, with a small endowment, made by John Halstead and William Stanley, esqrs. The country around is wholly agricultural, and principally grazing land, which fattens innumerable flocks of cattle for different markets. The weekly market has almost ceased to be observed; but a fair is held for cattle every alternate Monday throughout the year, and two annual ones, on Easter Monday and September 18th and 19th, for cattle and pedlary. The population of the parish of Gisburn, in 1821, was 2,530, and, in 1831, the number was reduced to 2,306: at the latter period the township of Gisburn contained 607 inhabitants, and that of Gisburn Forest 400."

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