New Yorkshire Gazetteer (1828) page 147
Click on the image to view a larger, bitmap (.bmp) image suitable for printing.

HOME PAGE ... REFERENCE PAGE ... THIS GAZETTEER’S PAGE



Click on the image above for a larger, bitmap image suitable for printing.


the neighbouring springs of Harrogate
being more highly impregnated with
the same qualities, they have become
neglected: a greater curiosity is the
famous dropping or petrifying well, on
the opposite bank of the river to the
castle; a spring, rising on the declivity
of a hill, spreads itself over the surface
of a limestone rock, which projects over
its base about fifteen feet; through this
overhanging cliff the water perforates
and trickles down, in about thirty aper-
tures, with a musical sort of tinkling;
it is saturated with a sparry matter,
which incrusts in a short time every
thing it falls upon, placed in the well
or pool beneath. Near this place was
born, in the year 1488, the celebrated
Mother Shipton : very little is known
of this personage, beyond that she was
baptized by the name of Ursula Son-
thiel, and at the age of twenty-four
married Tobias Shipton, a builder, of
Skipton: her prophecies long main-
tained a reputation, and it is probable
that she was at once artful and saga-
cious : by a lucky assertion, that Car-
dinal Wolsey, after his disgrace, when
residing at Cawood, should never again
enter York, she established her repu-
tation, as he was soon after arrested by
order of Henry VIII., and died at Lei-
cester on his road to London: her pro-
phecies, said to be delivered to the Ab-
bot of Beverley, like those of Merlin,
of which, indeed, they seem an imi-
tation, were in great repute during
the rage of the parliamentarian war.
The annals of Knaresborough may
tend to abate the vanity of the love of
fame, that
tc last infirmity of noble
mind,” since a reputed witch, and a real
murderer, have equalled in renown,
such as it is, the most acknowledged
and eminent Worthy, which this ex-
tensive countyhas produced. John Met-
calf, another native of Knaresborough,
possessed acquirements certainly more
wonderful than those of Mother Ship-
ton, as, notwithstanding the loss of his
sight in his infancy, he yet became a mu-
sician, a guide over the forest, a common
carrier, a builder of bridges and houses,
a contractor for making roads, and a
skilful player at whist; he died in 1810,
at the great age of 93. The Forest of
Knaresborough extends nearly twenty
miles west from the town, over several
parishes, to Bolton Bridge, and was
about eight miles in breadth; its enclo-
sure commenced in 1771, which has
produced an astonishing increase of
produce to the country. The parish of
Knaresborough contains the townships
of Arkendale, Bilton with Harrogate,
Brearton, and Scriven with Tentergate.
Entire population, 9101.

Knayton, N.R. (2) a township in
the parish of Leak, wapentake of Aller-
tonshire, 3 miles N. from Thirsk; in-
habitants, 377. In this township is
Brawith Hall, the seat of Warcop Con-
sitt, Esq.

Knedlington, E.R. (8) a town-
ship in the parish of Howden, wapen-
take of Howdenshire, 1 mile W. from
Howden; inhabitants, 118. Here is
the seat of Thomas Clark, Esq.; at the
west end of the village, is an ancient
hall, built in the reign of Elizabeth, in
which was born Dr. Terrick, Bishop of
London in the last century.

Kneeton, N. R. (2) a hamlet in
the township and parish of Middleton
Tyas, wapentake of Gilling East, 6
miles N. from Richmond.

Knostrop, W, R. (5) a hamlet in
the township and parish of Leeds, wa-
pentake of Skyrack, If mile S.E. from
Leeds. Here are the remains of an old
house which was occupied by Captain
Adam Baynes, who was burgess for
Leeds, in the only parliament in which
it was ever represented, in the time of
the Commonwealth.

Knottingley, W. R. (8) a town-
ship in the parish of Pontefract, wapen-
take of Osgoldcross, 3 miles N. E.from
Pontefract; inhabitants, 3753; a cha-
pelry to Pontefract. This is a large







PREVIOUS PAGE ... NEXT PAGE

This page was written in HTML using a program written in Python 3.2 and image-to-HTML text generated by ABBYY FineReader 11, Professional Edition.