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

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THORNHILL:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1868.

"THORNHILL, a parish and township in the lower division of Agbrigg wapentake, West Riding county York, 2½ miles S.E. of Dewsbury, and 6 W. of Wakefield. At Thornhill Lees is a station on the Wakefield, Leeds, and Manchester railway. The village, which was anciently a place of considerable importance, and had a market, is situated on the Leeds and Manchester canal and the river Calder. The parish contains the townships of Millbank, Flockton, Shitlington, Thornhill, and Lower Whitley, and the hamlets of Thornhill Lees and Thornhill Edge. Many of the inhabitants are employed in the woollen mills, brass and iron works, &c., and in the Stansfield colliery. The soil consists of clay and loam upon a subsoil of stone and clay. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Ripon, value £988. The church is dedicated to St. Michael. A portion of it was rebuilt in 1773. On the S. side of the church is the mortuary chapel of the Saville family, containing numerous monuments, one of which, entirely of oak, has the effigies of Sir John Saville and his two wives. There are also the district churches of Flockton, Lower Whitley, and Thornhill Lees, the livings of which are all perpetual curacies* varying in value from £200 to £94. The parochial charities produce about £313 per annum, of which £20 go to Greenwood's and £51 to Walker's free schools. There is a Sunday-school. The Wesleyans, Baptists, and Primitive Methodists have chapels. In a large park, sloping towards the banks of the river Calder, are the ruins of the moated seat of the Thornhill and Saville families, which was garrisoned for Charles I., and besieged and taken by the Roundheads, and subsequently demolished."


"BRIESTFIELD, (or Briestwbistle), a hamlet in the township of Lower Whitley, and parish of Thornhill, wapentake of Agbrigg, in the West Riding of the county of York, 5 miles to the E. of Huddersfield."


"FLOCKTON, a chapelry in the parish of Thornhill, lower division of the wapentake of Agbrigg, West Riding county York, 7 miles S.W. of Wakefield, its post town, and 6 E. of Huddersfield. An abundance of excellent coal is obtained here, most of the people being employed in the pits. The soil is fertile, and chiefly the property of W. B. Beaumont. Esq. The village extends along the road from Barnsley to Huddersfield. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Ripon, value £94, in the patronage of certain trustees. The church is dedicated to St. James. The charities produce upwards of £90 per annum. The Independents, Wesleyans, Primitive Methodists, and Christian Brethren have each a chapel, and there is a free school with a small endowment, also a grammar school. W. B. Beaumont, Esq., is lord of the manor. Flockton Hall is the principal residence."


"GRANGE MOOR, a hamlet in the township of Lower Whitley and parish of Thornhill, West Riding county York, 1 mile S. of Dewsbury."


"LOWER WHITLEY, an ecclesiastical district and township in the parish of Thornhill, lower division of Agbrigg wapentake, West Riding county York, 5 miles E. of Huddersfield, and 3 S.E. of Dewsbury. It is situated in a populous manufacturing district near the river Colne, and includes the hamlets of Briestfield, Briestwhistle, and Grange Moor."


"MIDGLEY, a village in the township of Shitlington and parish of Thornhill, West Riding county York, 7 miles N.W. of Barnsley."


"MILLBANK, a hamlet in the parish of Thornhill, wapentake of Lower Agbrigg, West Riding county York, 2 miles S.W. of Dewsbury. It is situated near the river Calder and the line of the Leeds and Manchester railway. Some of the inhabitants are engaged in the Stanfields colliery, and some in the woollen mills."


"SHITLINGTON, a township in the parish of Thornhill, lower division of Agbrigg wapentake, West Riding county York, 5 miles S.W. of Wakefield. It is situated in the vale of the Calder, and comprises the hamlets of Over, Middle, and Nether Shitlington, with Midgley. The road from Wakefield to Huddersfield passes through the township The substratum abounds with coal of excellent quality, which is extensively worked, and there are some quarries of good building-stone. The woollen manufacture is carried on to a considerable extent. The Calder and Hebble navigation affords ready water conveyance. There are places of worship for Wesleyans at Middle and Nether Shitlington."

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