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Yorkshire

West Riding

Nearby places

The Ancient Parish of PONTEFRACT

[Transcribed information from the early 1820s]

"PONTEFRACT, (or Pomfret) a market and parish-town, in the wapentake of Osgoldcross, liberty of Pontefract; 2 miles from Ferrybridge, 11 from Aberford, 9 from Wakefield, 13 from Leeds, 14 from Snaith, Barnsley, and Selby, 15 from Doncaster and Tadcaster, 17 from Wetherby, 20 from Rotherham and Thorne, 24 from York, 177 from London. Market, Saturday. Fairs, first Saturday after January 13; first Saturday before February 2; first Saturday after February 13; Saturday before Palm Sunday, Low Sunday, and Trinity Sunday; Saturday after September 12; and the first Saturday in December, for horses, horned cattle, and sheep: the Fortnight Fairs are on Saturday next after the York Fortnight Fairs. Bankers, Messrs. Leathams, Tew, Trueman, and Co. draw on Messrs. Dennison and Co. 100, Fenchurch Street; Messrs. Perfect, Hardcastle, and Co. draw on Sir J.W. Lubbock, Bart. and Co. 11, Mansion House Street. Principal Inns, Star, Red Lion, and New Elephant. Pop. 4,447. The Church is a vicarage, dedicated to All-Saints (see Churches for photograph), in the deanry of Pontefract, value, ~£13. 6s. 8d. Patron, the King." (There is further information for Pontefract).

Information on the following places in this Parish is contained on a supplementary page.

Carleton Cattle Laithe East Hardwick Ferrybridge

Knottingley New Hall Spittal Hardwick Tanshelf

Churches

• There are two? parish churches for Pontefract, one in ruins (All Saints), and the other (St. Giles) in use, but in need of restoration. The following information has been obtained by Cathy Halpin:

  Information received from the West Yorkshire Archives Service indicates that All Saints was the original Parish Church in Pontefract, but was damaged and abondoned after the civil war. St Giles became the parish church at that time. Part of All Saints was restored in 1831, and it became a parish church again in 1838. Cathy goes on to say:
  It was interesting to see All Saints, the ruined outer structure remains, and a smaller church has been built inside the old walls. St Giles stands in the center of town. It is quite old, and is about to undergo restoration.

  From the brochure published for the St Giles Church Regeneration Appeal:
  "St Giles church was built around 1106 on or adjacent to the original site of the preaching cross of St Oswald, named after one of the first Christian kings of Northumbria. The octagonal clock tower stands as a distinguishing landmark above Pontefract.
  In 1789, the Chapel of St Giles, as it was known, became the Parish Church of Pontefract. Since then, there have been a number of alterations to ensure that St Giles continues to serve its purpose within the Church of England and accommodate its variable congregation..."

• Here are photographs of Churches in the parish:
  • All Saints' Church, Pontefract (close up).
  • All Saints' Church, Pontefract (general view).
  • Another view of All Saints, from the other end.
  • St. Giles' Church (new), Pontefract.
  • St. Giles' Church, Pontefract, from the square.
  • Municipal Cemetery Chapel, Pontefract.
  • St. Mary's Church, Pontefract.
  • The Central Methodist Church, Pontefract.
  • The Micklegate Methodist Church, Pontefract.
  • The Evangelical Church, Pontefract.
  • St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Pontefract.
  • The Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family, Pontefract.
  • St. Stephen's Church, East Hardwick (view 1).
  • St. Stephen's Church, East Hardwick (view 2).
  • St. Botolph's Church, Knottingley.
  • St. Andrew's Church, Ferrybridge (view 1).
  • St. Andrew's Church, Ferrybridge (view 2).
  • The Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Carleton.
  • St. Botolph's Church, Knottingley (view 1).
  • St. Botolph's Church, Knottingley (view 2).
  • The Doncaster Road Methodist Church, Knottingley, opened in 1878 as a Primitive Methodist Chapel.
  • Rope Walk Methodist Church, Knottingley.
  • The United Reformed Church, Knottingley.
  • St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church, Knottingley.
  • The Elim Church, Knottingley.
  • The Salvation Army, Knottingley.
  • The ex-Primitive Methodist Chapel, Knottingley.
• The following Churches have their own websites:
  • St. Giles' Church, Pontefract
  • St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church, Knottingley

Church Records

• The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Knottingley.
• The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Parish of Pontefract.

Directories

• Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in Baines's Directory and Gazetteer Directory of 1822.
• Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in Pigot's Directory of 1829.
• Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in Pigot's Directory of 1834.
• Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in White's Directory of 1837.

Gazetteers

• There is further information about this parish from Pigot's 1829 Directory Yorkshire section.
• There is further information about this parish from Pigot's 1834 Directory Yorkshire section.
• There is further information about this parish from White's 1837 Gazetteer, History and Directory of the West Riding.
• There is further information about this parish from National Gazetteer 1868 Yorkshire extracts.

History

• Local history of Pontefract
• The medieval Honour of Pontefract and its castle
• Story of the famous Pontefract liquorice
• Knottingley and Ferrybridge online - lots of local and family history information

Maps

• 
• For a more detailed map of the parishes in the riding please see the Yorkshire parish maps page.
• For a more detailed map of the county please see the Yorkshire map page.
• Here is a map showing the wapentakes for the county.
• View maps of Pontefract and places within the boundaries of its ancient parish.

Memorial Inscriptions

• Transcription and photograph of Pontefract war memorial
• Transcription and photograph of Pontefract All Saints Church war memorial
• Transcription and photograph of Knottingley war memorial
• Transcription and photograph of Knottingley St. Botolph's Church war memorial
• Transcription and photograph of Ferrybridge war memorial
• Transcription and photograph of Carleton war memorial
• Transcription and photograph of East Hardwick war memorial
• A transcription of the The War Memorial at Knottingley.

Names (Geographical)

• The following places are within the boundaries of this (ancient) parish, but I have no further information on them other than the Ordnance Survey Landranger Grid reference shown:
  • (SE463218) Baghill
  • (SE465210) Chequerfield
  • (SE464213) Grove Town
  • (SE459230) Monkhill
  • (SE458234) New Town

Societies

• This parish is covered (or partly covered) by the following Societies:
  • Wakefield and district FHS
  • Pontefract and District FHS

Town Records

• Mayors of Pontefract 1484-1883 transcribed by Alan Longbottom