Beverley, Yorkshire, England. Geographical and Historical information from 1829.

BEVERLEY:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1829.

"BEVERLEY, a market town and borough, and with the district around it, forms a local jurisdiction, called 'the town & liberties of Beverley,' is in the east riding, 180 miles from London, 92 from Manchester, 29 from York, and 9 from Hull. The name is said to be derived from its situation near the river Hull, a place of resort (as recorded) for beavers; but the probable origin of its appellation is from John de Beverley, Archbishop of York, who founded a monastery here, where he also died, in 721. In honour of the archbishop, whom several kings adopted as their guardian saint, the place was endowed with many privileges and immunities, particularly by King Athelstan, and other succeeding monarchs. The principal are, exemption from toll, stallage, &c. throughout England; exemption from being summoned as jurymen without the borough; and from the jurisdiction of the sheriffs of York; the burgesses have besides the enjoyment of common pastures, wherein each resident burgess can keep thirteen bead of cattle the greater part of the year; these pastures, four in number, contain 1,174 acres. The town is nearly a mile in length; the houses are built with a regard to neatness, and the streets are well paved and clean : it is governed by a mayor, twelve aldermen and thirteen capital burgesses, and has returned members to parliament since the twenty-third year of the reign of Edward I.; the present representatives are Charles Harrison Battley and John Stewart Esqrs; the mayor is the returning officer and the electors are the burgesses at large, in number about 1,400. Quarter sessions for the town and liberties are held at the usual periods, as are the courts leet and baron of the corporation for the borough; and the liberties of St. John of Beverley are under different lords, who hold courts accordingly. The borough comprises three parishes, St. Martin's, St. Mary's and St. Nicholas'. The two latter are united, the livings being it the gift of the Crown, and the present incumbent is the Rev. W. R. Gilby. St. Martin's, with St. John of Beverley, forms a perpetual curacy, in the gift of the corporation; the Rev. Joseph Coltman is the present incumbent, and the assistant curates are the Rev. James Eyre and the Rev. James Hildyard. There are besides the churches, places of worship belonging to the independent, Wesleyan and primitive Methodists, Baptists, and Quakers. The ancient minster is a neat structure, and contains several monuments of the Percies, Earls of Northumberland, who added a little chapel to the choir, in the windows whereof there are several pictures of that family on painted glass. At the upper end of the choir, on the right hand of the altar-piece, stands the freed-stone, made of one entire piece, to which every one that fled had a right of protection. At one end of the body of the church hangs an ancient tablet, -with the picture of King Athelstan, who founded the church. The scholastic and charitable institutions comprise a free grammar, blue coat and Sunday schools; several sets of almshouses for poor widows and widowers, and a good workhouse. The corn trade may be considered the chief branch of traffic in this town; and it has good water communication, by means of a short canal with the river Hull. The country around here, although generally flat, presents many fine views; the land is very fertile, about two-thirds arable, and the rest pasture. The weekly market is on Saturday, which is a large one, for corn, besides other necessaries. The market place is spacious and convenient, containing nearly four acres of land, with a beautiful cross, supported by eight columns, of one entire stone each. The fairs are Thursday before February 25th, Ascension-day, July 6th and November 5th, for horses, cattle, sheep, &c. There are besides, cattle markets held every alternate Wednesday throughout the year. The number of inhabitants in the borough and liberties of Beverley, by the census of 1821, was 7,503."

[Transcribed from Pigot's National Commericial Directory for 1828-29 ]
by Colin Hinson ©2007