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Masham, Yorkshire, England. Geographical and Historical information from 1835.
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MASHAM:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1835.
"MASHAM, a parish partly in the liberty of ST-PETER of YORK, but chiefly in the eastern division of the wapentake of HANG, North riding of the county of YORK, comprising the market-town of Masham, and the townships of Burton upon lire, Ellingstring, Ellingtons, Fearby, Healey with Sutton, Ilton with Pott, and Swinton with Warthermask, and containing 2767 inhabitants, of which number, 1171 are in the town of Masham, 34 miles W.N.W. from York, and 223 N.N.W. from London. The town is very pleasantly situated upon a gentle eminence in a fertile district, on the western bank of the river Ure; the houses are well built, and the air is remarkably pure. The trade consists principally in the spinning of yarn, for which an extensive manufactory has of late been established, affording employment to about one hundred persons. There is a small market on Wednesday; and fairs are held on the 17th and 18th of September, for live stock. During the spring, a fair for cattle and sheep is held every alternate Monday. A court leet is held annually, at which a constable is chosen, its jurisdiction also extending to the recovery of debts under 40a. The living is a vicarage, with that of Kirkby-Malzeard, in the jurisdiction of the peculiar court of Masham, or in that of the Dean and Chapter of York, being claimed by both, and the matter not yet decided; "it is rated in the king's books at £30, and is in the patronage of the Master and Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge. Masham was formerly a prebend, and the richest in the cathedral church of York, being rated in the king's books at £136: it was dissolved and made a lay-fee, by Archbishop Holgate, in 1546. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a small but handsome edifice, in the English style of architecture, with a tower surmounted by a lofty and elegant spire. Over the organ gallery is a fine painting representing an angel praying before the cross of Christ. There are places of worship for Baptists, the Society of Friends, and Wesleyan Methodists. The grammar school, founded by William Danby, Esq., in 1760, is endowed with property producing about £50 per annum; there are about eighty boys, who are all stipendiary pupils; the master is also superintendent of a charity school, for thirty-six poor children, under the same foundation, endowed with about £24 per annum, from the benefactions of Oswald Coates, Isabel Beckwith, and Ann Dauby. Two Sunday schools, in which two hundred and fifty children are instructed, are supported by subscription. This place was anciently the residence of the baronial family of Scroop, to which belonged Henry, Lord le Scroop, Lord Treasurer, and Archbishop Scroop, both beheaded for high treason in the reign of Henry IV."
"BURTON UPON URE, a township in the parish of MASHAM, eastern division of the wapentake of HANG, North riding of the county of YORK, l mile N. from Masham, containing 170 inhabitants. This township is chiefly composed of dispersed farm-houses, one of which is called High Burton, another Low Burton Hall, and a third Burton House. At a place called Aldborough was the ancient castle of William le Gros, Earl of Albemarle, who, for having gained the battle of the Standard, was created Earl of York, in 1138."
"ELLINGSTRING, a township in the parish of MASHAM, partly within the liberty of ST-PETER-of-YORK, but chiefly in the eastern division of the wapentake of HANG, North riding of the county of YORK, 4 miles W.N.W. from Masham, containing 204 in- habitants. There is a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists."
"FEARBY, a township in the parish of MASHAM, eastern division of the wapentake of HANG, North riding of the county of YORK, 2 miles E. from Masham, containing 214 inhabitants."
"HEALEY, a township, joint with Sutton, in the parish of MASHAM, eastern division of the wapentake of HANG, North riding of the county of YORK, 7 miles S.S.E. from Middleham, containing 413 inhabitants."
"ILTON, a township, joint with Pott, in the parish of MASHAM, eastern division of the wapentake of HANG, North riding of the county of YORK, 3 miles S.W. from Masham, containing 266 inhabitants."
"POTT, a township, joint with Ilton, in the parish of MASHAM, eastern division of the wapentake of HANG, North riding of the county of YORK, 5 miles W.S.W. from Masham. The population is returned with Ilton."
"SUTTON, a township, joint with Healey, in the parish of MASHAM, eastern division of the wapentake of HANG, North riding of the county of YORK, 6? miles S.W. from Bedale.. The population is returned with Healey."
"SWINTON, a township, joint with Warthermask, in the parish of MASHAM, partly in the liberty of ST-PETER-of-YORK, East riding, and partly in the eastern division of the wapentake of HANG, North riding of the county of YORK, 1 mile S.W. from Masham, containing, with Warthermask, 177 inhabitants. Many relics of antiquity have been discovered in this neighbourhood, among which were the handle of a shield, of gold, and a Roman battle-axe of brass."
"WARTHERMASK, a township, joint with Swinton, in the parish of MASHAM, partly within the liberty of ST-PETER-of-YORK, East riding, and partly in the eastern division of the wapentake of HANG, North riding, of the county of YORK, 7 miles S.S.W. from Bedale. The population of this township is returned with Swinton."
[Transcribed by Mel Lockie © from
Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1835]