Castleford

The Ancient Parish of CASTLEFORD

[Transcribed information mainly from the early 1820s]

"CASTLEFORD, a parish-town, in the wapentake of Osgoldcross, liberty of Pontefract, 3 miles from Ferrybridge, 3½ NW. of Pontefract, 22½ from York. Pop. 1,022. The Church is a rectory, dedicated to All-Saints, in the deanry of Pontefract, value, £20. 13s. 1½d. Patron, the King, as Duke of Lancaster.

Castleford, situated on the Ermine Street, near the confluence of the rivers Aire and Calder, is called by Marianus, Casterford. Here was a Roman station, named Legeolium, by Antoninus; and which Hovedon, the historian, expressly calls a city. Here many Roman ruins, and other antiquities have been frequently found; and at this place a battle was fought, between the Danes and Saxons, under Edred, in 950, in which the former were entirely defeated. The Danes, after having experienced the clemency of Edred at York, followed the Saxons from that city to Castleford, unnoticed, where they fell upon his rear with great fury; but such was the invincible valour of Edred, that he completely defeated them, and severely punished them for their ingratitude. Few or no traces of the antiquities of Castleford are now to be seen. --Camden. --Drake.

Thomas de Castleford, a Benedictine Monk, who flourished about the year 1326, and who wrote a history of Pontefract, was a native of this place.

The Tithes of this parish are settled by Act of Parliament; the rector receives twenty eight quarts of wheat, for every pound rent paid by the tenant to his landlord, on Arable land, and twenty quarts for every two pounds rent, on Grass land."

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"GLASS HOUGHTON, in the parish of Castleford, wapentake of Osgoldcross, liberty of Pontefract; 2 miles NW. of Pontefract, 3 from Ferrybridge, 9 from Wakefield. Pop. 412."