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

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THORNHILL:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1834.

"THORNHILL, is a township, in the parish of its name, in the lower division of Aggbrigg wapentake, West Riding, about 2 miles south from Dewsbury ; situated on the banks of the Calder, commanding extensive views of the beautiful scenery through which that river passes. In the extensive park, which slopes to the river, stood the castellated mansion of the knightly family of the Thornhills, which was garrisoned by Sir George Saville, a descendant of that family, for Charles 1st, but was taken and destroyed by the forces of the parliament. Though now only a manufacturing village, Thornhill was formerly a place of considerable importance, indications of which are still visible. Edward 2nd granted to it a market and fair, which have long been discontinued. The parish church, dedicated to St. Michael, is in the early style of English architecture : the living is a rectory, in the patronage of the Saville family. The other places of worship are a chapel each, for baptists and Wesleyan methodists. A free grammar school was founded here in 1642, by the Rev. Charles Greenwood, who endowed it by a bequest of £500., the income arising from which is applied to the education of children of the parish. There is besides another free school, founded and endowed by Richard Walker, about 1712, and a Sunday school. The township contained in 1821, 1,932 inhabitants, and in 1831, 2,371.
Please see Dewsbury Parish for the 1834 trades directory for this township."

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