Skerne Parish information from Bulmers' 1892.

SKERNE:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1892.

Wapentake of Harthill (Bainton Beacon Division) - County Council Electoral Division of Hutton Cranswick - Petty Sessional Division of Bainton Beacon - Poor Law Union and County Court District of Driffield - Rural Deanery of Harthill - Archdeaconry of the East Riding - Diocese of York.

This parish comprises 2,757 acres of land lying between Driffield and Hutton Cranswick. The soil is a variable mixture of loam, clay, and gravel, resting on clay, and chiefly devoted to the culture of wheat, oats, and barley. The Skerne estate, containing 2,733 acres, was purchased by Richard Arkwright, Esq., whose father began life as a barber in his native town of Preston, but subsequently amassed a fortune by the spinning jenny, which he invented, or rather perfected, and was knighted by George III. In 1851, the estate was sold by public auction at Driffield, and purchased by the late Lord Londesborough, father of the present owner. There are no dependent townships. For rating purposes the parish is valued at £2,865; the population in 1881 was 176, and in 1891, 182.

The village is situated about two-and-a-half miles south-east of Driffield, whereat is the nearest railway station, and 13 from Beverley. The houses are of modern type, nearly all of them having been rebuilt in late years; a few trimkept gardens and stately elms add their charms. The church, dedicated to St. Leonard, is a neat stone structure consisting of chancel, nave, south porch, and an embattled western tower with pinnacles, containing two bells. There was formerly an aisle on the north side, separated from the nave by three pointed arches, springing from clustered columns. When the aisle was taken down, these arches were built up, but they are still visible inside the church. In the wall of one, may be seen the remains of several monumental stones, amongst which is the full-length effigy of a cross-legged knight in armour, which it is probable, originally, rested in the aisle now destroyed. The chancel is separated from the nave by a Norman arch, and the inner door of the porch is also of the same style of architecture with beak-head moulding. The church was extensively repaired at the expense of the late Charles Arkwright, Esq., the then lord of the manor, and patron of the church. The registers date from the year 1558. The living is a new vicarage in the gift of Lord Londesborough, worth £65 a year gross, derived chiefly from 27 acres of glebe, and held by the Rev. R. C. G. O'Callaghan, M.A., Trinity College, Dublin, who is also vicar of Hutton Cranswiek.

The Wesleyan Methodists hold religious service in a small building which was formerly used as a school.

A School Board consisting of five members was formed in 1876, and the following year a school, with teacher's house attached, was erected for the accommodation of 40 children.

[Description(s) from Bulmer's History and Directory of East Yorkshire (1892)]

Directories

• Transcript of the entry for the Post Office, professions and trades in Bulmer's Directory of 1892.

Scan, OCR and html by Colin Hinson. Checking and correction by Peter Nelson.