Leeds Railway

387 'VAKEFIELD. WAKEPIELD, one of the new BoROUGHS created by the Reform Act, with the privilege of sending one representative to Parliament, is a large, opulent, and handsome MARKET TowN, pleasantly seated on the north side of t11e navigable river Calder and the Manchester and Leeds Railway, in the pa· rish, soke, and extensive barcmial rnanm: to which it gives name, and in the lower division of the Wapentake of Agbrigg; being on the eastem verge of the populous clothing district, and, in many civil matters, the capital of the West-Riding, for which it holds the principal court at the election of Members of Parliament, and has a register office for deeds, a prison, an asylum, the office of the clerk of the peace, and other institutions applicable to the whole Riding. It is distant 9 miles S. by E. of Leeds, 29 miles S.W. by S. of York, 2± miles N. byW. of Sheffield, and 182 miles N.N.W. of Lon don. It is approached from the south by a broad and handsome bridge of eight arches, upon which stands a beautiful chapel, in the rich Gothic style of the 14th century, now entirely rebuilding. From the bridge, the town extends over the plain and the northem acclivities of the picturesque vale of the Calder. Most of the streets are regular, handsome, and spacious; aml the houses, which are chiefly of brick, are well built, and many of them large and lofty, especially in the suburbs, which are beautified with gardens and shrubberies. Wu.kefield has long been noted for its extensive fortnight caitle fairs, and for its trade in corn, malt, and wool; and it still enjoys some participation in the woollen and worsted manufactures. By means of the Aire and Calder, and the Salter and Hebble Navigations, the town has long enjoyed the facilities of a water communication with the populous parts of the kingdom and the eastem and westem oceans. The Manchester and Leeds Railway passes on the south side of the town, and joins the Midland Railway about two miles to the east. The Wakejield, Pontejract, and Goole Railway is constructing, and the Wakifteld, Barnsley, and Sheffield Rail way is projected, and will commem:e in the Manchester and Leeds line, near Horbury. Another line, called the Leeds, Wakifteld, and Midland Junction, is projected. WAKEFIELD UNION comprises the parish of Wakefield, and the fol· lowing thirteen townships, viz.: East Ardsley, West Ardsley, West Bretton, Crigglestone, Emley, Flockton, Oulton-with-Woodlesford, Shittlington, Sharlestone, Sandal Magna, Walton, Warmfield·cnm-Heatb, and Thorpe. These townships, for the maintenance of their poor, are placed under the care of o. BoARD Ol' 22 GUARDIANs. Mr. ·wm. Stewart, of Horbury, is the Union Clerk and Superintendent Registrar; and Messrs. John Alien, of Wakefield, and John Kaye, jun., of Emley, are the relieving officers. Mr. John and Mrs. Hadfield, are master and matron of the Workhouse, which has room for 150 paupers, who are maintained at the weekly cost of about 2s. 5d. each. Mr. J ames Holdsworth is registrar of births and deaths for Wakefield District, and of marriages for the whole Union. The PARISH op WAKE FIELD increased its population from 16,597 souls, in 1801, to 29,992 in 1841, when the number of inhabitants in each of its four townships were Wakejield, 14,754; Alverthorpe-U;-ith-Thornes, 5930; Horbury C/wpelry. 2683; and Stanley-with- Wrenthorpe, 6625. The whole parish comprises 9390 acres. The return for Wakefield, in 1841, included 839 persons in the House of Correction; and 105 in the Union Workhouse; and that of Stanley-with-Wrenthorpe, included 412 in the West-Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum. The BoROUGH has upwards ,of 20,000 inhabitants, .

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