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Masham, N. R. (2) a market town,
parish, and township, in the wapentake
of Hang East, 6 miles S. W. from Be-
dale, 34 miles N. W. from York, 222
miles from London; inhabitants, 1171;
a vicarage, valne 30/.; patron, Trinity
College, Cambridge; market, Wed-
nesday ; fair, September 17, 18, 19.
Masham is delightfully situated on the
south hank of the Ure, amidst an abun-
dantly fertile country. A large estate
here, formerly belonged to the family
of the Lords Scrope of Masham, so
called, to distinguish them from ano-
ther branch, the Lords Scrope of Bol-
ton ; the family failing in the male line,
in the early part of the 15th century,
their estates became divided between
the Wyvils and the Danbys. The pa-
rish of Masham contains the various
townships of Burton upon Ure, Elling-
string, Ellingtons, Fearby, Healey, II-
ton with Pott, and Swinton, Entire
population, 2767.
Mason Gill, W. R. (4) a hamlet
in the township and parish of Thornton
in Lonsdale, wapentake of Ewcross, 3
miles N. W. from Ingleton. |
Masborough, W. R. (8) a hamlet
in the township of Kimberworth, pa-
rish of Rotherham, wapentake of Straf-
forth and Tickhill, ยง mile W. from
Rotherham. Masborough House is the
seat of Miss Walker. This village is
divided from Rotherham by the river
Don, over which there is a stone bridge;
it contains nearly the same number of in-
habitants as Rotherham, and is celebra-
ted for its extensive iron works, origi-
nally established in 1746, by Mr. Samuel
Walker, at which have been manufac-
tured cannon of the largest calibre, and
almost every article of cast iron, with
various kinds of wrought iron; the pon-
derous iron bridges at Yarm, Sunder-
land, and Southwark, with innumerable
others, were cast at these founderies.
The history of their original projector,
who was born at the neighbouring vil-
lage of Hill Top, in 1716, affords, as it is
expressed in his epitaph, written by his
friend, the poet Mason, “ a singular
example, both of the public and pri-
vate benefits, which may 'arise from
the smallest beginnings, when prose-
cuted with integrity, foresight, regu-
larity, and an active and comprehen-
sive genius.” Mr. Walker was left by
the death of his parents, at the age of
twelve, with scarcely the means of
subsistence; by diligent application he
qualified himself for keeping a school,
which he continued till the age of thirty,
when, in conjunction with his two bro-
thers, he established a small foundery,
which at length became one of the most
flourishing establishments of the kind
in Europe: he died in 1782, immensely
rich, and universally esteemed. But,
perhaps, such extreme prosperity al-
most defeats the benefit of the exam-
ple to be derived from so striking an
instance of successful industry, as tend-
ing to excite a murmur at the unequal
distribution of the gifts of Providence :
thousands and tens of thousands, en-
dued with as large a portion of inte-
grity, diligence, and knowledges this
excellent person, would deem them-
selves too happy in the enjoyment of
the hundredth part of his possessions ;
and how many have been shipwrecked
by those uncontrolable currents of ad-
verse fortune, which no human pru-
dence could avert or withstand. Mr.
Walker erected a meeting-house for
dissenters of the independent denomi-
nation at Masborough; and was a great
benefactor to an institution, entitled,
“ The Rotherham Independent Acade-
my, for the Education of Students in-
tended for the Ministry,” established
in the same place.
Mauley Cross, N. R. (2). See
Pickering.
Maunby^ N. R. (2) a township in
the parish of Kirkby Wiske, wapentake
of Gilling East, 6 miles S. from North-
allerton ; inhabitants, 206. Maunby
Hall is the seat of T, S. Walker, Esqv |
