Hide

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

hide
Hide
Hide

CALVERLEY:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1834.

"CALVERLEY, a parish in the wapentake of Agbrigg and Morley."


"CALVERLEY CUM FARSLEY, is a township, in the parish of Calverley, in the wapentake of Morley, about two and a half miles from Pudsey. The inhabitants derive their chief support from the woollen manufacture. This place is memorable as the scene of a most inhuman murder, committed in 1605, by Walter Calverley on his two infant sons, William and Walter, aggravated by his attempt to assassinate his wife also, for which he was executed, by being pressed to death, having on his trial refused to plead. This barbarous outrage was made the subject of the "Yorkshire tragedy," erroneously ascribed to Shakespeare. The parish church is dedicated to St.Wilfrid : the living is a discharged vicarage, in the gift of the crown. The parish contained at the last census, 16,184 inhabitants, and the township 2,637 of that number."


"FULNECK, in the township of Pudsey and parish of Calverley, is one of the principal settlements of the Moravians, or united brethren in England. It has been established more than 80 years, previous to which, the site on which it now stands was nothing more than an uncultivated and unprofitable hill ; but when the Moravians emigrated to England, they chose this spot, naming it after one of their principal settlements in Germany, Fulnek, and raised a grand pile of building, containing a chapel, schools, a house for single brothers, and another for single sisters, situated on a terrace of considerable length, commanding a fine prospect ; these, with the houses for separate families (all Moravians) form a considerable village, which, for simplicity and neatness, is not surpassed by any other in the county. The principal trade of this little colony is fine needle work. The township of Pudsey (including Fulneck) contained in 1821, 6,229 inhabitants, and in 1831, 7,460."


"IDLE, is a chapelry, in the parish of Calverley and wapentake of Morley, West Riding, three miles from Bradford, and 9 from Leeds ; situated within half a mile of the Leeds and Liverpool canal, and on an eminence commanding an extensive view of the valley of Aire, from which circumstance it is supposed to derive its original name Eyedale. The manufacture of woollen cloths, and the spinning of worsted is carried on in the chapelry : the former especially to a considerable extent. A new church was erected here by aid of the parliamentary commissioners, and was consecrated in the year 1830. It is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and is a neat edifice of Gothic architecture, containing nearly five hundred free sittings. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of the vicar of Calverley ; the present curate is the Rev. E.M.Hall, M.A. There are besides several places of worship for dissenters, with all of which Sunday schools are connected. The chapelry contained, in 1821, 4,666 inhabitants, and in 1831, 5,416."


"PUDSEY, is a chapelry and populous manufacturing village, in the parish of Calverley, and wapentake of Morley, West Riding, about 192 miles from London, 6 s.w. from Leeds, and 4 n.e. from Bradford ; it is finely situated on an eminence, but the irregularity of its buildings detracts greatly from its natural beauty.The inhabitants do not appear to pride themselves in the appearance of their village, or to rival each other to the exterior decorations of their several dwellings ; on the contrary, they strive to excel each other in industry and frugality, and seem more anxious to acquire riches, than ostentatiously to display them. The manufacture of woollen cloths is carried on here to a greater extent than in any other village in England. On the 30th of August 1824, was opened a new church ; it is dedicated to St. Lawrence, and is a large handsome Gothic structure, built under the act of parliament for erecting new churches : the living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the Rev. Samuel Redhead, vicar of Calverley ; the Rev. David Jenkins is the present incumbent. The other places of worship are, a chapel for independents, in Chapel town ; one for the Wesleyan methodists, in Low town ; and another belonging to the new connexion, in Far town. In the Low town is the Old hall, or manor house, formerly the residence of the Milner family, but now in the occupation of Mrs. Stowe."


"STANNINGLEY, a manufacturing village, in the townships of Bramley, Pudsey and Farsley, in the parishes of Calverley and Leeds, and wapentakes of Agbrigg and Morley, is three miles and a half north east of Bradford, upon the turnpike road between that town and Leeds, and about a mile from the centre of the chapelry of Pudsey. Population included with the several townships."

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