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Sedbergh, Yorkshire, England. Geographical and Historical information from 1868.

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SEDBERGH:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1868.

"SEDBERGH, a parish and small market town in the W. division of Staincliff wapentake, West Riding county York, 10 miles E. of Kendal, its post town, 77 W. of York, and 1 mile from the Sedbergh station on the Lancaster and Carlisle railway. It is situated in a vale of a mountainous district, and is traversed by the old coach road between Lancaster and Newcastle. The parish extends between the rivers Rowther and Lune, and includes the townships of Cowgill, Dent, Garsdale, Howgill, Cautley, Dowbiggin, and five hamlets It comprises about 50,000 acres, half of which are unenclosed and mountainous moorland, but the land near the river is fertile. The town is well built, and has a population of 2,346, but the parish contained in 1861 4,391 inhabitants. It contains a savings-bank, market-house, and other institutions. Petty sessions are held every alternate Wednesday. The board of guardians also meet every alternate Wednesday. There area cotton and two woollen mills, but the staple trade of the district is in agricultural produce. About four miles to the N. of the town is a cascade called Cautley Spout, with a fall of 60 feet. The impropriate tithes belong to the Master and Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Ripon, value £300, in the patronage of Trinity College, Cambridge. The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, is an ancient stone structure, with a tower containing three bells. The register dates from 1590. The interior of the church contains a monumental bust of Dr. Dawson, the mathematician. In addition to the parish church, are the following district churches, viz: Cautley and Dowgbiggin, Dent, Garsdale, Howgill, and Kirkthwaite, the livings of which are perpetual curacies, varying in value from £250 to £31. The parochial charities produce about £60 per annum, besides almshouses for six poor widows, built and endowed by the late T. Palmer, Esq. There are British and National schools in connection with the several ecclesiastical districts, also a free grammar school, founded by Dr. Lupton in 1552, who endowed the school with lands now producing a rental of £600, with exhibitions to three fellowships and ten scholarships at St. John's College, Cambridge. The Independents, Wesleyans, and Society of Friends have places of worship. Ingmire Hall stands in an extensive park within a mile of the town. C. W. Strickland, Esq., is lord of the manor. Market day is Wednesday, but is not well attended. Cattle fairs occur on the 26th February, 20th March, 28th April, and 29th October."


"BLAND, a hamlet in the parish of Sedbergh, hundred of Staincliff and Ewcross, in the West Riding of the county of York, not far from Sedbergh."


"CAUTLEY, a hamlet in the township and parish of Sedbergh, in the West Riding of the county of York."


"COWGILL, a village in the parish of Sedbergh, hundred of West Staincliff, in the West Riding of the county of York, 64 miles W. of York. It is situated in a quiet valley near the river Rowtber, sheltered by mountains. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in the collieries and neighbouring cotton-mills."


"DEEPDALE, a hamlet in the chapelry of Dent, parish of Sedbergh, in the West Riding, county of York, near Dent."


"DENT, a township and chapelry in the parish of Sedbergh, W. division of the wapentake of Staincliff, in the West Riding of the county of York, 40 miles NW. of York, and 9 N.E. of Kirkby-Lonsdale. It is situated on the river Dent, and is a polling place for the West Riding. This chapelry is very extensive, comprising about 24,000 acres, of which nearly two-thirds are unenclosed common-land, the rest is pasture and woodland. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Ripon, value £170, in the patronage of the landowners. The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, is an ancient structure. The charities amount to £83 per annum. At Cowgill is a chapel-of-ease. There are chapels for Wesleyans, Independents, Society of Friends, and Primitive Methodists. There is a grammar school, founded by royal charter in the reign of James I. and endowed with £50 per annum; also a National school. West House, Gate, and Broadfield are family seats. Fairs are held for cattle the first Friday after 13th February, and every fortnight till Old May Day."


"DOWBIGGIN, a hamlet in the parish of Sedbergh, in the West Riding of the county of York."


"FRASTOW, a hamlet in the township and parish of Sedbergh, West Riding county York, a short distance from Sedbergh."


"GARSDALE, a township and chapelry in the parish of Sedbergh, W. division of the wapentake of Staincliff, West Riding county York, 4 miles N.E. of Dent, and 6 S.E. of Sedbergh. The hamlet of Grizedale is included in this township, and a small stream called the Clough flows through it. A portion of the land is moor, and the people are mostly employed in agriculture. The living is a perpetual curacy*in the diocese of Ripon, value £77, in the patronage of the lord chancellor. The present church is a modern structure erected on the site of the former one, and dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The register commences in 1600. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have each a chapel, and the Society of Friends a meeting-house. There is a National school, endowed with land producing about £15 per annum."


"GRIZEDALE, a lordship in the township of Garsdale, parish of Sedbergh, West Riding county York, 7 miles W. of Hawes."


"HOWGILL, a hamlet and chapelry in the parish of Sedbergh, West Riding county York, 3 miles N. of Sedberg. It is situated under Howgill Fell. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Ripon, value £80, in the patronage of the Vicar of Sedberg. The church has recently been rebuilt."


"KIRTHWAITE, a hamlet in the township of Dent and parish of Sedbergh, West Riding county York, 6 miles S.E. of Sedbergh, and 10 N.E. of Kirkby-Lonsdale. It is situated in the valley of the river Dee, surrounded by lofty moors and fells."


"LENACRE, a hamlet in the township of Dent, and parish of Sedbergh, West Riding county York, 2 miles from Dent, and 9 N.E. of Kirkby-Lonsdale. It is situated near the river Dent."


"MARTHWAITE, a hamlet in the parish of Sedbergh, West Riding county York, near Sedbergh."


"NORTH LORDLAND, (and South Lordland), hamlets in the chapelry of Dent and parish of Sedbergh, West Riding county York, 2 miles from the town of Dent."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2013