Harewood, Yorkshire, England. Further historical information.

HAREWOOD

HAREWOOD, a parish-town, in the upper-division of Skyrack; 6 miles from Wetherby, 5 N. of Leeds, Harrogate, and Otley, 10 from Knaresborough, 11 from Tadcaster, 12 from Bradford, 20 from York, 197 from London. Market, Monday. Fairs, last Monday in April, and second Monday in October, for sheep and cattle. The Market which appears to have been chartered for calves, sheep, &c. is now nearly obsolete. Principal Inn, Harewood Arms. Pop. 849. The Church is a vicarage, dedicated to All-Saints (see Churches for photograph), in the deanry of the Ainsty, value, ~£14. 1s. 0d. Patrons, the Earl of Harewood, with the Parishioners, and G.H. Wheeler, Esq. of Ledstone, alternately.

This is the neatest village in the county, the houses of which are uniformly and handsomely built of stone, consisting of two streets, one running north and south, the other east and west, the latter forming a regular approach to the gateway leading to Harewood House; and the houses have, at first view, more the appearance of habitations of gentlemen than tenantry.

The Church, of great antiquity, is surrounded by a thick grove of trees, which, by their embowering shade, give to it a peculiar air of solemnity; the west end is beautifully mantled with ivy. In number and perfect preservation of the tombs of its lords, this Church probably surpasses every parish church in the county; and as virtue and honest patriotism are, almost on all occasions, held up to us as models deserving our imitation, this place has been pointed out by all historians as most sacred, for it contains the relics of the virtuous Judge, Sir William Gascoigne, of Gawthorpe, who was, while trying one of the Prince of Wales' favourites, insulted upon the bench by the prince himself, afterwards Henry V. The Judge resolutely committed him, and declared, "He would have the laws respected." This upright Judge discovered equally his resolution and integrity, in refusing to try Archbishop Scrope, for High Treason, an office which another Judge, who was not so scrupulous, assumed and pursued to a fatal point for that prelate.