Thorne, Yorkshire, England. Further historical information.

THORNE

THORNE, a market and parish-town, in the lower-division of Strafforth and Tickhill; (the seats of Henry Ellison, and R. Pemberton Milnes, Esqrs.) 6 miles from Crowle (Linc.) 7 SE. of Snaith, 11 from Doncaster, 13¼ from Howden, 14 from Bawtry, 30 from York, 170 from London. Market, Wednesday. Fairs, Monday and Tuesday after June 11, and Monday and Tuesday after October 11, for horned cattle, woollen cloth, &c. Principal Inns, White Hart, Red Lion, Granby's Head, and Royal Oak. Pop. 3,463. The Church is a perpetual curacy, dedicated to St. Nicholas (see Churches for photograph), in the deanry of Doncaster, value, p.r. !£72. Patron, Lord Deerhurst, in right of his wife.

This place is pleasantly situated in a fruitful country, about a quarter of a mile from the south bank of the Don. Since the cutting of the Stainforth Canal, near the side of the town, the trade has considerably increased, and vessels now trade regularly from this town to London.

The Castle, named by Leland, vol. I. page 38, is no more, and no traces remain, except the foundation on the hill on which it stood. The place now bears the name of "Pill Hill:" and is the property of John Benson, Esq. who lately bared the foundations; the top of them was found to be from four to five feet thick of cement, &c.; the diameter of the summit about twenty six yards, and the base about twice that number.

In the marshes, near Thorne, great numbers of oak trees have been found, which appear to have been cut down and sunk in the marsh; wedges and broken axe heads, fir cones, acorns, and nuts, with some Roman coins of Vespasian and other Emperors. From the position of the trees, and other circumstances, it is evident they grew where they were found, and were probably cut down by the Romans, who took that method to prevent the continued depredations the Britons made upon them, from their thick woods and impenetrable marshes, intercepting their provisions, and killing their convoys. --Peck.

Of this Church, which is a good Gothic building, the Rev. Abraham de Ia Pryme, F.R.S. was minister, he died here, and was buried at Hatfield in 1704, aged 34: amongst his MSS. is a history of Ripon, (now in Lord Shelburne's library) with Selby, Doncaster, and the West Riding, 1 vol. --Peck.

Here is a Free School, founded by Henry Travis in 1706, value in 1786 £34. 16s. 4d. which arises out of two farms, situated in the Levels.