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Sandal Magna, Yorkshire, England. Geographical and Historical information from 1887.

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SANDAL MAGNA:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1887.

"SANDAL MAGNA, is a pleasant village 2 miles S. of Wakefield, and the township in the parish of its name, includes the hamlets of Milnthorpe, Belle Vue, Woodthorpe, Pledwick, Newmillerdam and Stanbridge, and is in Wakefield Union, county court district, and bankruptcy court district, Agbrigg wapentake, Wakefield petty sessional division and rural deanery, Craven archdeaconry, and Ripon diocese. The township, which has been constituted a local board district, had 4264 inhabitants in 1881, comprises 1617 acres of land, and had a rateable value of £15,747. The parish of Sandal Magna comprises, the townships of Crigglestone, Sandal Magna, and Walton, and part of West Bretton and had 7787 inhabitants in 1881. Belle Vue, which is part of the parish of Sandal Magna, was added to the parliamentary borough of Wakefield by the Redistribution Act of 1885, whilst the remainder of the township is in the parliamentary division of Normanton. Few traces of the once formidable Castle of Sandal now remain, and the site is now a steep mound. Drainage works are being constucted at a cost of about £14,000. The Church (St. Helen), a cruciform structure, with a square central tower, containing a clock and six bells, was enlarged, restored, and newly seated in 1873 at a cost of £5,000, raised by subscription, when a reredos, presented by Sir Lionel M.T. Pilkington, Bart., and a stone pulpit were erected. Sir Edward Green, M.P., has recently filled a window at the east end with stained glass. The benefice is a vicarage, valued at £363, with residence, in the gift of the Lord Chancellor, and incumbency of the Rev. Richard N. Hurt. At Belle Vue, a rapidly improving locality, a new Church (St. Catherine) was built in 1876, containing 500 sittings. The Rev. E. Rowland is curate in charge. Here are also a Wesleyan Chapel, erected in 1870 at a cost of £600, and St. Catherine's School, built in 1871, and enlarged in 1883. The Endowed School is supported by the benefaction of Taylor and Alderman Scholey, the latter of whom in 1839 bequeathed £10,000, invested in the Three per cent. Consols, towards its maintenance and that of 50 poor parishioners. Scholarships are awarded to the children in the upper standards to the value of £30 annually. Richard Taylor's Charity, now yielding about £85 a year, is chiefly applied in support of the above school and of two poor widows. S. F. Harrison, Esq., contemplates the erection of six almshouses on the township property at Pledwick, to be endowed with £1000."


"CRIGGLESTONE, township is a fertile and pictureque district, comprising the villages of Crigglestone, Chapelthorpe, Hall Green, Dirtcar, Painthrope and part of New Miller Dam, and extending from three to four miles south of Wakefield. It is in the parish of Sandal Magna, Wakefield union and county court district, Wakefield bankruptcy court district, Lower division of Agbrigg (Wakefield) wapentake and petty sessional division, Sandal polling district, Normanton parliamentary division of the county, Wakefield rural deanery, Craven archdeaconry, and Ripon diocese. Thetownship which is rich in coal beds, had 2777 inhabitants in 1881 and comprises 3130 acres of land; the rateable value if £12,174. The Church (St. James), at Chapelthorpe is a plain stone structure. The benefice is a vicarage, now valued at £189, in the patronage of the Vicar of Sandal, and incumbency of the Rev. Robert Douglas, M.A. It was augmented in 1735 with £200 of Queen Anne's bounty, and a like sum was given by the Rev. William Vevers. The Wesleyans, Baptists, Primitive Methodists, and the New Connexion Methodists have chapels here. Here are two Almshouses, supported by the bequests of persons named Allott, Worrill, Dodsworth, Beaumont, Nevil, Lonsdale, and Wilson. There is a National School at Crigglestone, and a British School at Painthorpe; the latter was built in 1875 by Mr. Mackie. Crigglestone Consitutional Hall was built by Lieut.-Col. Charlesworth for diffusing Conservative principles; Mr. G. Grimshaw is the secretary. Crigglestone Working Men,'s Institute, establishes in 1877, is at Painthorpe; Mr. T. Andrews is honorary secretary. There are four almshouses; and charities from the bequests of Taylor & Scholey, Allott, etc."


"NEW MILLER DAM, is a village, mostly in Crigglestone township and partly in Sandal, in a deep valley, in the parish of Sandal Magna, and 3½ miles S. of Wakefield. The place derives its name from the "New Mill", which, with its pacious dam, covering nearly 80 acres and frequented by numbers of wild fowl, was constructed many years ago, being an adjunct to the ancient Soke Mills of Wakefield, whose monopoly is now abolished. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have each a chapel here. A School here was built and endowed by the late Lady Pilkington; and Miss Pilkington has erected a Reading Room, which is well supplied with books and papers."


"WALTON, on the Barnsley Canal, 3 ½ miles S.S.E. of Wakefield, is a village and township lying in the parish of Sandal Magna, Wakefield manor, union, county court district, petty sessional division and rural deanery, Craven archdeaconry, and Ripon diocese. It extends over 1824 acres, and had 621 inhabitants in 1881. Walton Hall was formerly the residence of the late Charles Waterton, Esq., a traveller and naturalist, and author of 'Wanderings in South America.' There is a good school, which is for the most part supported by Miss Pilkington, who in 1871 established a Laundry, where girls are prepared for service. A Mission Room has been erected at the expense of Mrs. Hailstone, of Walton Hall. Here is a small Free Methodist Church, built in 1856."

[Transcribed from White's General and Commercial Directory of Wakefield, Horbury, Alverthorpe, Sandal Magna, Stanley and Normanton - 1887]