Data from the 'Collectio Rerum Ecclesiasticarum' from the year 1842.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

Data from the 'Collectio Rerum Ecclesiasticarum' from the year 1842.

The place: CASTLEFORD.     Church dedication: ALL SAINTS.     Church type: Rectory in charge.

Area, 2,040 acres. Osgoldcross wapentake, U.D. -Population, 1,587 *2; Church-room, 500 *3; Net value, £555. -The town of Castleford was anciently called Legoilium.

In the time of King Stephen, Henry de Lacy gave the ferry at Castleford to the monks of Pontefract.

This is an ancient Rectory, belonging to the patronage of the Lacies, Earls of Lincoln; and in temp. Henry H., Henry de Lacy gave it to the Hospital of Burton Lazars, in the county of Leicester, notwithstanding which they obtained it again, as the Lacies were constant patrons thereof, until it descended to the house of Lancaster.

Patron, the Lord Chancellor.

The value in Pope Nicholas's taxation is £16; in the King's Books £20. 13s. lid.; and in the Parliamentary Survey, vol. xviii. page 385, is £95 per annum. Synodals, 5s. Procurations, 6s. 6d.

" A Rectory endowed with the whole tithes, saving that the Duke of Lancaster, being lord of the manor, alienated two-thirds of the tithe of corn and hay arising from his demesne lands (to the present value of £6 or £7 per annum) from the Church, towards the maintenance of a chaplain at St. Clement's Chapel in Pontefract Castle. The same being now in the estate of John Savile, of Methley, Esq. Besides which there is also another alienation of the whole tithe of corn and hay, arising from a parcel of ground, called Hardwick Rood, of the value of £1 per annum, in the occupation of --- Pierrepoint, of Nottingham, Esq. or his assigns; but when or by whom the alienation was made is altogether unknown. The living is above the annual value of £30" -Notitia Parochialis, No. 571.

" The Rector is entitled to the tithes both of the first and second crop of clover-hay, made on Farr Carr Close, although there is a modus of 1s. a year payable for all lands when used as meadow, in lieu of all manner of tithe hay." -Sumner v. Wiggin, 2 Wood, p. 521.

An Act was passed 56th Geo. III. to inclose Houghton with Castleford.

The glebe house is fit for residence.

Dr. Whitaker gives a catalogue of the Rectors.

Here was a Roman station, and a battle was fought in 950 at this place, between King Edred and the Danes, in which the latter were defeated. Thomas de Castleford, a monkish writer, was born here.

The Register Books commence in 1653.

Charities:
Jeremiah Hudson's charity, by will, dated in 1803. Rent charge of £2 per annum to the poor, charged on half an acre of land in Castleford Ings. The land has been subsequently given up to the trustees.

Rawson's charity. The interest of £10 per annum, left by Widow Rawson, and distributed at Christmas.

Thakerah's charity. Interest of £20 left to the poor of Haughton.

Houghton poor's estate. Rent of 3a. 1r. 2p. of land, and two cottages. £2. 2s. per annum is paid to the master of Castleford Sunday School, for catechising the children ; the rent of two acres in Houghton Carr is paid to the overseer ; and the residue is distributed in money and warm clothing, at the discretion of the Rector, who is the sole trustee. -Vide 15th Report, page 645.

Post town: Pontefract.

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References:
Nonae Roll, page 225. Abp. Sharp's MS., vol. i. page 161. Torre's MS. page 707. Loidis et Elmete, page 261.

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Notes:
*1 Anciently Casterford.

*2 Viz. Castleford, 1,141; and Houghton Glass, 446. The labourers not agricultural in the township of Castleford, are chiefly employed on the river.

*3 In 1818, the return was 600.