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

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SNAITH:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1834.

"SNAITH, is a small market town and township, in the parish of its name, which is partly in the lower division of the wapentake of Osgoldcross, and partly in the lower division of the wapentake of Barkstone Ash, West Riding, 175 miles from London, 60 e.n.e. from Manchester, 22.5 s. from York, 20 s.w. from Market Weighton, 8 s.w. from Howden, 7.5 s. from Selby, and the like distance north from Thorne. The town stands on a gentle declivity on the southern bank of the river Aire, five miles from its confluence with the Ouse, before the united rivers take the name of the Humber; and the canal from Knottingley to Goole passes it on the south. Flax is cultivated in the neighbourhood to a considerable extent, for the market at Leeds, to which town it is conveyed by the river Aire. Lord Viscount Down is lord of the manor, and holds courts occasionally. Snaith is one of the stations, appointed by the new Boundary Act, for receiving votes at the election of members to represent the West Riding. The church, an ancient structure, dedicated to St. Lawrence, is in the later style of English architecture, with a low square tower, surmounted with pinnacles; the living is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of Nicholas Edmund Yarburgh, Esq. of Heslington, near York, and incumbency of the Rev. Robert Serjeantson. There are also in Snaith a methodist chapel, an endowed free school; six almshouses for poor widows, and the like number for widowers. The market is held on Thursday, and the fairs on the last Thursday in April and the 10th of August, for cattle, &c. The parish of Snaith contained, in 1821, 6,909 inhabitants, and in 1831, 8,530, of which last number 885 were returned for the township."


"CARLETON, is a chapelry, in the parish of Snaith, nearly two miles n. by e. from that town, agreeably situate on the northern bank of the river Aire, over which is a bridge on the road to Snaith. The church (or rather chapel) is dedicated to St. Mary : the living is a perpetual curacy, within the jurisdiction of the peculiar court of Snaith. There is a school, with a small endowment, in the village. The chapelry contained, at the last census, 808 inhabitants.
Directory for Carelton is included with Snaith."


"GOOLE, a small sea-port and township, in the parish of Snaith and wapentake of Osgoldcross, West Riding, is 175 miles from London, 33 from Leeds and Wakefield, 30 s.w. by w. from Hull, 18 e. of Ferrybridge, 13 s.e. of Selby, 8 e. from Snaith, and 5 s. from Howden. This place was made a port on the 6th of April, 1828, when the ' Lowther ' steam packet (the first class) cleared out for Hamburgh ; notice of this important circumstance to the town had been given in the newspapers, and as the inhabitants had also announced their intention of holding a public market on the same day (to be continued weekly) for the sale of corn, &c. a great concourse of people, from all parts of the country, were assembled to celebrate the event. The market commenced at eleven o'clock, and cattle and sheep, with other marketable commodities, found ready purchasers. On the flowing of the tide, the ' Lowther ' sailed out of the dock into the Ouse, and immediately proceeded on her voyage, with a number of cabin passengers, for Hamburgh, and a cargo, principally consisting of debenture goods from Manchester. A number of merchants and shippers attended from different parts of the kingdom, who seemed highly gratified, and some of whom expressed a determination to send goods to be bonded at this place, not only on account of its immediate connection with the West Riding, but because of the advantages they will derive from bonding goods, particularly wine and spirits, in a warehouse of such perfect security. There are two docks, with separate openings, from the river Ouse into the basin, the largest of which, termed the ship dock, is six hundred feet in length and two hundred feet in breadth, having seventeen feet of water, and will accommodate vessels of three hundred tons burthen. The smaller, termed the barge dock, is nine hundred feet in length, and one hundred feet broad, having eight feet of water. Extensive warehouses have since been erected by the trustees of the Aire and Calder Navigation Company, and the port of Goole is becoming rapidly a place of considerable commercial importance ; in which it is materially assisted by the canal from Ferrybridge to this town, a distance of 18 miles, which was opened on the 20th July, 1826. The places of worship are a chapel of ease, and others for Wesleyan methodists and independents. Admiral Southran is lord of the manor ; and the government of the town is vested in a constable, elected annually. The township contained, according to the government census taken in 1821, 450 inhabitants, and by that in 1831, 1,671."


"RAWCLIFFE, is a long irregularly constructed village and chapelry, in the lower division of Osgoldcross wapentake, and in the parish of Snaith, three miles s.e. of that town. In the village is a small neat chapel of ease to Snaith, dedicated to St. James; a chapel belonging to the old connexion of methodists, and a free school for boys. The population of the chapelry, in 1821, was 1,496, and in 1831, 1,450.
Directory for Carelton is included with Snaith."

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