Wetherby, Yorkshire, England. Further historical information.

WETHERBY

WETHERBY, a market and post town, in the parish of Spofforth, upper division of Claro; 6 miles from Harewood, 7 from Knaresborough, and 7 NW. of Tadcaster, 8 from Aberford, 12 from Boroughbridge, 15¼ from York, 16 from Otley and Leeds, 194 from London. Market, Thursday. Fairs, Holy Thursday, and August 5, for sheep and pigs, Principal Inns, Angel, and Dog and Swan. Pop. 1,217. The Church is a perpetual curacy, of which the Rector of Spofforth is Patron.

This place is situated upon the river Wharfe, over which there is a handsome bridge. It consists principally of one street, which has of late years been considerably improved by the Duke of Devonshire, the chief proprietor, by whose directions a number of ruinous houses have been pulled down, and new ones, upon a smaller scale, erected of stone.

The Manor of Wetherby, in the 10th William I. was in the hands of two Norman Lords, viz. William de Percy, and Erneis de Burun. It was afterwards in the possession of the Knights Templars, and, together with all their estates in England, was forfeited on the abolition of their order, in 1312; when it was given with other possessions by the Pope, to the Knights Hospitallers of St. John, and confirmed by parliament, in 1324.

In the civil wars of Charles I., this town had a small Garrison, commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax, who in the year 1642, repulsed Sir Thomas Glenham in two different attacks. See the particulars in History of Knaresborough, extracted from the Memoirs of that illustrious Commander. Before the erection of a bridge at Wetherby, which is on the great north road, the Roman military way crossed the river at Helen's Ford, between this town and Tadcaster.