Beverley, Yorkshire, England. Geographical and Historical information from 1750.

BEVERLEY:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1750.

"BEVERLEY, a parish in the E.R. of Yorkshire, 6 m. from Hull, 22 from York, 142 cm. 179 mm. from London, Stands near the r. Hull, to which the townsmen drew a channel of 6 furlongs for the conveyance of boats and barges. The magistrates were at first 12 governors and wardens, and by the favour of Q. Eliz. and K. James II. had a mayor, recorder, and 12 ald. &c. In the Saxons time, a mon. was built here by John de Beverley, who retired into it after he renounced the Arch Bk. of York, and the T. itself was made a sanctuary for debtors, and all persons suspected of capital crimes, befides being exempted from toll or custom in any T. or port of England. The minster here, which is a neat structure, founded by K. Athelstan, is now a parochial Ch. has several monuments of the Piercies Es. of Northumberland, and a tomb of two virgin sisters, who gave the T. a piece of land, into which any freeman may put three milch kine, from March 25, to Sept. 29. The Ch. was beautifully repaired not long ago, by help of a brief procured in 1710, and of a sum of money granted by K. George I. who also gave the stone for it from a dissolved mon. of St. Mary's in Yorkshire, Sir Michael Wharton also gave 500 l. in his life-time, and 4000 l. by will, as a perpetual fund, to keep it in repair. St. Mary's is another Ch. and both together are reckoned the finest and largest in the kingdom. Several springs run through the T. and the liberties of it include about 100 Ts. and parts of Ts. in Holderness and other tracts of this riding. Here is a fr. s. which is improved by 2 fellowships, 6 scholarships, and 3 exhibitions in St. John's college in Cambridge bel. to it, besides a ch. s. a work-house,and 7 alms- ho. the largest built by the executors of Michael Wharton, Esq; who left 1000 l. for it by his will. The streets are spacious, and well paved. There is as good company here as at St. Edmund's-Bury, the rather because the adjacent country affords much game; and it being the nearest T. of any note to the centre of this riding,the sessions are always held here; and here is not only a goal, but an office erected for the publick register of all deeds, wills, &c. that affect any lands, &c. in this riding, pursuant to an act of Pt. in 1708. The principal mfs. of this T. are malt, oatmeal, and tann'd leather; but the chief support of the poor people is the weaving of bonelace. It has a Mt. for cattle from the beginning of Lent till after Mids. and another every S. for corn; and great variety of fish, fowl, and other provisions are brought to both in plenty. The Mt. place contains 4 acres, and is adorned with a beautiful cross, supported by eight free-stone columns, each of one entire stone, erected at the charge of its late members of Pt. Sir Charles Hotham, and Sir Miles Wharton. Its Fairs are Easter W. April 30, June 14, Ocf. 25, but its chief is in all Rogation Week, held in a street called Londoners-street, because then the Londoners bring down their wares hither to sell by wholesale to the country traders. The trade of this place is very much increased since 1727, that, by act of Pt. the creek, or cut abovementioned, called Beverly-back, from the T. to the r. Hull, which runs into the Humber, has been rendered navigable for large vessels. The D. of Queensbury has title of Marquis from this T. as well as from Queensbury, It has sent 2 Burgesses to Pt. ever since the 26th of Edw. I. except some intermissions in the Rs. of Edw. II and III. There are 4 common pastures near the T. containing 1000 acres, in which every burgess or free-man may keep 12 head of cattle. In one of them to the E. called Swine-moor, there's a kind of spaw, which hath cured many sores, ulcers, &c, by washing and bathing. Sir Charles Hotham, Bt. abovementicned, has a fine mansion-house in the T. and Mr. Moyfer another, very remarkable for its gardens, and the curious paintings in and about them. The heirs of Sir Miles Wharton have another seat, 2 m. from the T. at Beverley-park."

[Transcribed by Mel Lockie © from
Stephen Whatley's England's Gazetteer, 1750]