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Spofforth, Yorkshire, England. Geographical and Historical information from 1835.
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SPOFFORTH:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1835.
"SPOFFORTH, a parish in the upper division of the wapentake of CLARO, West riding of the county of YORK, comprising the chapelry of Wetherby, and the townships of Follifoot, Linton, Plompton, Little Ribston, Spofforth, and Stockeld, and containing 3044 inhabitants, of which number, 895 are in the township of Spofforth, 8 miles W.N.W. from Wetherby. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry and diocese of York, rated in the king's books at £73. 6. 8., and in the patronage of the Earl of Egremont. The church is dedicated to All Saints. There is a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists. This was for several ages, prior to Alnwick, or Warkxvorth, the seat of the Percy family, who had a princely castle here, which was demolished by the Yorkists after the battle of Towton, in which the Earl of Northumberland and Sir Charles Percy, his brother, were slain. The grand hall of this once magnificent mansion, though in ruins, still remains; it is nearly seventy- six feet in length, and about thirty-seven in breadth, and is lighted by one of those large cathedral windows introduced subsequently to the reign of Edward I. A school for fifteen poor children is supported by an annuity of £5, the gift of the Earl of Egremont, in 1786, and another of £2. 10., by the Rev. Dr. Trip."
"FOLLYFOOT, a township in the parish of SPOFFORTH, upper division of the wapentake of CLARO, West riding of the county of YORK, 5 miles W.N.W. from Wetherby, containing 293 inhabitants. There is a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists."
"LINTON, a township in the parish of SPOFFORTH, upper division of the wapentake of CLARO, West riding of the county of YORK, 1 mile S.W. from Wetherby, containing 167 inhabitants. There is a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists."
"LITTLE RIBSTON, a township in the parish of SPOFFORTH, upper division of the wapentake of CLARO, West riding of the county of YORK, 3 miles N.W. from Wetherby, containing 195 inhabitants. It is within the peculiar jurisdiction of the court of the honour of Knaresborough."
"PLOMPTON, a township in the parish of SPOFFORTH, upper division of the wapentake of CLARO, West riding of the county of YORK, 2 miles S.S.E. from Knaresborough, containing 208 inhabitants. It is within the jurisdiction of the peculiar court of the honour of Knaresborough."
"STOCKELD, a township in the parish of SPOFFORTH, upper division of the wapentake of CLARO, West riding of the county of YORK, 2 miles W. from Wetherby, containing 69 inhabitants. On the margin of a lake, within this township, is a rock of a peculiar form, sixty-fi ve feet in girth, and in height thirty, which probably gave name to the place, Stockheldt being the Dutch term for a misshapen figure of stone."
"WETHERBY, a market-town and chapelry in the parish of SPOFFORTH, upper division of the wapentake of CLARO, West riding of the county of YORK, 12 miles S.W. from York, and 194 N.N.W. from London, containing 1217 inhabitants. The Saxon name of this town, whence the present is obviously deduced, was WederU, intended to designate its situation on a bend of the river Wharf. During the great civil war it was garrisoned for the parliament, and successfully repulsed two attacks made upon it by Sir Thomas Glemham. About 3 miles below it is St. Helen's ford, where the Roman military way crossed the Wharf. The town consists chiefly of one long street, behind which is the market-place. Over the river is a handsome stone bridge, and a little above this a wear, formed for the benefit of some mills for grinding corn, extracting oil from rape-seed, and pulverising logwood for the use of clothiers and dyers. Many old houses have been recently removed and new ones erected, under the direction of the lord of the manor. The market is on Thursday; and fairs are held on Holy Thursday, August 5th, October 10th, and the first Thursday after November 22d; there are also fortnight fairs for the sale of cattle. The quarter sessions for the West riding are held here at Christmas,-in rotation with Knaresborough, Skipton, and Wakefield, and courts leet and baron on Lady-day and Michaelmasday. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry and diocese of York, endowed with £200 private benefaction, £400 royal bounty, and £800 parliamentary grant, and in the patronage of the Rector of Spofforth. The church is dedicated to St. James. There are places of worship for Independents and Wesleyan Methodists."
[Transcribed by Mel Lockie © from
Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1835]