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Silkstone, Yorkshire, England. Geographical and Historical information from 1868.
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SILKSTONE:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1868.
"SILKSTONE, a parish in the wapentake of Staincross, West Riding county York, 4 miles S.W. of Barnsley, its post town, and the same distance N.E. of Peniston. It is a station on a branch of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire railway. The village, which is situated in a valley on a branch of the river Dearne, is well built, and principally consists of one long street. The parish is of large extent, including the townships of Barnsley, West Bretton, Cawthorne, Cumberworth, Dodworth, Stainbrough, Thurgoland, and Hoyland-Swaine. A portion of the inhabitants are engaged in the collieries, nail factories, iron and wiredrawing works, and in the manufacture of linen. The coal obtained is of excellent quality, and is wrought chiefly by R. Clarke, of Noblethorpe. There are also quarries of good building-stone. The produce of the mines and quarries is conveyed by a short railway of 2 miles to the basin of the Barnsley canal, whence it is sent to London and various other markets. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Ripon, value £270, in the patronage of the bishop. The church, dedicated to All Saints, is an ancient structure with a square tower and six bells. The interior of the church contains brasses and effigies of the Beaumonts and Wentworths of Bretton Park, also a monument to Gen. Sir W. Wentworth, who commanded the forces in Ireland in the reign of Charles I. In addition to the parish church are the following district churches, viz: at Cawthorne, West Britton, Cumberworth, Barnsley St. Mary, Barnsley St. George, Barnsley St. John, Stainbrough, Dodworth, and Thurgoland, the livings of which are perpetual cars.,* varying in value from £225 to £119. The parochial charities produce about £372 per annum, including £29, the endowment of Clarkson's school. There is a National school for both sexes. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have chapels."
"BARNSLEY, a township in the parish of Silkstone, wapentake of Staincross, in the West Riding of the county of York, 33 miles to the S.W. of York, and 185 miles from London by railway. It is a station on the Manchester and Lincolnshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire railways, and is connected by a canal with the river Calder near Wakefield, and by the Dearne and Dove canal with the river Don, at Swinton. It is the seat of an extensive linen manufacture, and the centre of a rich and important mining district. Its staple trade was formerly wire-drawing, which had been carried on from the reign of James I. The wire supplied from the works here was considered the best in the kingdom, but its production has now almost ceased. The linen manufacture was introduced about the end of the last century, and has risen to great importance, above 2,000 hands being employed in its various branches. The fabrics of its looms are linen cloth, damasks and drills, ducks, diapers, &c. There are extensive iron foundries, dye-works and bleaching-grounds, and many coal mines. Freestone is abundant in the neighbourhood, and most of the houses in the town are built of stone. The town stands on a hill, and used to be called Bleak Barnsley. The streets are narrow; but paved and lighted. There are three churches. The old parish church, dedicated to St. Mary, has been rebuilt since 1850; the extension of the mines having rendered it no longer secure. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Ripon, of the value of £225, in the patronage of the bishop. Two new district churches have been erected: one dedicated to St. George, with a perpetual curacy, value £150, in the gift of the bishop; the other dedicated to St. John, a curacy, value £150, in the alternate gift of the crown and the Bishop of Ripon. There are chapels belonging to the Society of Friends, Roman Catholics, Independents, Baptists, and four to the Wesleyans. There is a free grammar school, which was founded by Thomas Keresforth in 1665, with a revenue of about £17 per annum. The National school was erected in 1813 by the trustees of Ellis's charity, founded in 1711, for the promotion of education. Bosville's charity was established in 1558 for the benefit of the town, and produces a revenue of £180. The total value of the charitable endowments of Barnsley is £306. Two scientific institutions are established. The corn market is on Wednesday, and a pro vision market on Saturday. There is a large market house. Barnsley is the seat of a County Court district, and a polling-place for the Riding. Near the town, on the north side, are the ruins of Monk Bretton priory, founded in the reign of Henry II., now the property of Sir C. Wood, Bart. Wentworth Castle is about 2 miles from Barnsley. Fairs for the sale of cattle, &c. are held on the last Wednesday in February, the 13th May, and the 11th October."
"CRANE MOOR, a hamlet in the township of Thurgoland, parish of Silkstone, in the West Riding of the county of York, 2 miles S.E. of Peniston. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in the collieries."
"CUMBERWORTH, a township and chapelry in the parishes of Silkstone and High Hoyland, wapentake of Staincross, in the West Riding of the county of York, 6 miles S.E. of Huddersfield, and 5 E. of Holmfirth. It contains the hamlet of Scissett. Many of the inhabitants are engaged in the neighbouring collieries and ironworks. The living is a donative curacy* in the diocese of Ripon, value £148, in the patronage of W. B. Beaumont, Esq. The church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, is an ancient Norman structure. The charities amount to £4 per annum. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have chapels. There is a National school."
"DODWORTH, a township in the parish of Silkstone and wapentake of Staincross, in the West Riding of the county of York, 2 miles E. of Silkstone, and 2 W. of Barnsley, its post town. It is a railway station on the Barnsley branch of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln line. Several collieries, and some stone quarries, are in operation Linen is made here by the hand-loom. The land is fertile, and the substratum is chiefly coal. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Ripon, value £120, in the patronage of the Vicar of Silkston. The church, dedicated to St. John, is a modem stone structure, erected in 1842 by subscription, aided by grants from the Incorporated and Pastoral Aid societies. The parochial charities amount to £6 per annum. The Wesleyan Methodists have a chapel, and there are National and day schools. The Duke of Leeds is lord of the manor."
"HOOD GREEN, a village in the township of Stainbrough, and parish of Silkstone, West Riding county York, 2 miles S.W. of Barnsley."
"HOYLAND SWAINE, a township in the parish of Silkstone, wapentake of Staincross, West Riding county York, 2 miles E. of Penistone railway station, 6 W. of Barnsley, and 13 S.E. of Huddersfield. The village, which is straggling, consisting of scattered houses, is situated on rising ground near the Sheffield railway. There are extensive nail manufactories. Here is a National school with master's residence, erected in 1850, for both sexes. The New Connexion Methodists have a place of worship. Edmund Buckley, Esq., is lord of the manor."
"HUTHWAITE, a village in the township of Thurgoland, parish of Silkstone, West Riding county York, 3 miles S.E. of Penistone."
"KINSTON PLACE, a hamlet in the parish of Silkstone, wapentake of Staincross, West Riding county York, 3 miles from Barnsley and 33 S.W. of York. It is situated near the river Dearne and the Barnsley canal."
"MEARSBRO', a hamlet in the chapelry of Barnsley, parish of Silkstone, West Riding county York, 2 miles from Barnsley, and 33 S.W. of York. It is situated near the river Dearne and the Barnsley canal. Some of the inhabitants are engaged in the linen manufacture, and others in the collieries."
"OLD BARNSLEY, a hamlet in the parish of Silkstone, wapentake of Staincross, in the West Riding of the county of York, near Barnsley."
"RATTEN ROW, a village in the township of Stainbrough, parish of Silkstone, West Riding county York, 2 miles S.W. of Barnsley. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in the collieries."
"SCISSETT, an ecclesiastical district in the township of Cumberworth, and parishes of Emley, Kirkburton, and Silkstone, West Riding county York, 4 miles N.W. of Penistone, and 8 S.E. of Huddersfield. It is a populous district, containing in 1861 about 3,131 inhabitants, and includes the hamlet of Skelmanthorpe. There are several worsted and woollen mills for making fancy cloths, worsted damasks, and other fancy stuffs. The water, from its purity and softness, is considered peculiarly adapted for preparation of the raw materials. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Ripon, value £133. The church, dedicated to St. Augustine, has a square embattled tower, and was erected in 1839 at an expense of £2,000. There are National schools."
"STAINBROUGH, a township in the parish of Silkstone, wapentake of Staincross, West Riding county York, 3 miles S.W. of Barnsley, its post town. It includes the hamlets of Stainbrough Folds, Hood Green, and Ratten Row. The village is small, and chiefly agricultural. Some of the inhabitants are engaged in the collieries. The living is a donative curacy in the diocese of Ripon. The church was rebuilt in 1841, and is situated in the park. The parochial charities produce about £40 per annum, which go towards the support of the school. Wentworth Castle was erected in 1730-68 by the second and third earls of Stafford. It is situated on an eminence in the midst of a well-timbered park. F. Wentworth, Esq., is lord of the manor."
"THURGOLAND, a township in the parish of Silkstone, wapentake of Staincross, West Riding county York, 10 miles N.W. of Sheffield, its post town, 4 S.E. of Penistone, and 2 N.E. of the Wortley railway station. The village, which is considerable, is situated on an eminence. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in the iron and steel wire works, woollen mills, charcoal burning, and in the extensive collieries. The township includes the hamlets of Coates Crane Moor, and Huthwaite. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Ripon, value £120, in the patronage of the Vicar of Silkstone. The church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was erected in 1842. There is a national school for both sexes. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have chapels. The Earl of Scarborough is lord of the manor."
"WENTWORTH CASTLE, a modern mansion in the parish of Silkstone, wapentake of Staincross, West Riding county York, 3 miles S.W. of Barnsley, and 34 from York. The house, which was built in 1730 by Thomas Earl of Strafford, occupies the site of the old castle, near Worsborough Dale colliery."
"WEST BRETTON, a township, partly in the parish of Silkstone, and wapentake of Staincross, and partly in the parish of Sandall, and wapentake of Agbrigg, in the West Riding of the county of York, 5 miles to the S.W. of Wakefield. Bretton Hall, now the seat of the Beaumonts, was erected in 1720 by Sir William Wentworth, Bart., and is pleasantly situated on high ground, in a park commanding picturesque scenery, on the banks of the river Dearne."
[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2013