East Witton

The Ancient Parish of EAST WITTON

[Transcribed information mainly from the early 1820s]

"EAST WITTON, (Within & Without), a parish in the wapentake of Hang West, and liberty of Richmondshire; 2 miles SE. of Middleham. There is here a very good school chiefly supported by the Marquis of Ailesbury, who is lord of the manor, and who built a school room for its use in 1817, masters salary £60. per annum. This place is noted for its excellent quarry of free stone, in great repute for making grind-stones. The parish church, dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, (Yorks. Dict. says St. Ella -CH 1999) is a handsome Gothic structure, built in a commanding situation at the sole expense of the late Earl of Ailesbury. in commemoration of his Majesty George III. having lived to enter on the 50th year of his reign. This church, which was commenced in 1809, was opened on the 29th of March, 1812, under the authority of a licence from Dr. Spark, Bishop of Chester, and consecrated on the 1st of Oct. in the same year, by Dr. Law, Bishop of that diocese. The living, which is in the patronage of the Marquis of Ailesbury, is of the value of £100. a year, exclusive of the vicarage and glebe. No Market. Fairs, May 3, and November 20, (established in 1819) for horned cattle, sheep, and horses, November 23, for pedlary ware.

Population: parish Within, 444; parish without, 303; total, 747. Jervaulx Abbey, is in this parish, (for which see Jervaulx Abbey)"



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

Birks Braithwaite Hall Fleet's House Hammer High Newstead

Jervaulx Abbey Kilgrim Bridge Lane House Moor Cote Ulshaw Bridge