Aysgarth

The Ancient Parish of AYSGARTH

[Transcribed information mainly from the early 1820s]

"AYSGARTH, a parish in the wapentake of Hang West, and liberty of Richmondshire; 4 miles ESE. of Askrigg. This parish is very extensive, and contains three market towns, viz. Hawes, Askrigg, and Burton in Bishop's Dale, and is famous for its romantic situation on the banks of the river Ure. The church dedicated to St. Andrew, is a handsome edifice, and the living, which is a discharged vicarage, in the patronage of Trinity College, Cambridge, is enjoyed by the Rev. John Brasse; the Rev. John Winn, is the curate. There is here a curious bridge called Yore, which rises thirty-two feet, and spans seventy-one; the concave of which is embellished with pendant petrifactions, and its airy battlements beautifully festooned with spreading ivy. The cataracts near this place, also claim the attention of every traveller; so much so, that the learned Dr. Pocock, whose search after the sublime and marvellous, brought him to Aysgarth, is said to have owned, with exultation, that these cataracts exceeded those so celebrated on the Nile. In addition to the parish church there are two meeting-houses, one for the Society of Friends, and another for the Methodists. Population, 293.

In this village was born about 1710, James Tunstall, a learned and amiable divine. He was educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, of which he became fellow and principal tutor. In 1741, he was elected public orator of the University, afterwards chaplain to Archbishop Potter, created D.D. in 1744, and lastly, vicar of Rochdale. He died in 1772. -Biographical Dictionary."



Information on the following places in this Parish is contained on a supplementary page.

Addleborough Hill Appersett Askrigg Bainbridge Bear Park Birk Riggs Bishopdale Borwins Bowbridge Hill Burtersett Cams Houses Carperby Carpley Green Carr End Cotterdale Countersett Craven Holme Cross House Cubeck East Holme House Edgley Fossdale

Gayle Grange Hardraw Hawes Heaning House Hell Gill Beck High Abbotside High Blean Kidstones Litherskew Littleburn House Lunds Marsett Mossdale Nappa Hall Nappa Scar New Houses Newbiggin Raydale Rigg House Sedbusk Semerwater

Shaw And Shaw Cote Simonstone Smelter Snaizholme Stalling Busk Thoralby Thoresby Thornton Rust Thwaite Bridge Urehead Walden Warnford Cottage West Burton West Gill Widdale Fell Wood End Lodge Woodhall Worton Yore Yore Bridge Yorescott