DISCLOSURE: This page may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we may receive a commission.
UK Genealogy Archives logo

Drighlington

DRIGHLINGTON, a township, in the parish of Birstal, union of Bradford, wapentake of Morley, W. riding of York, 5 miles (S. E.) from Bradford, and 5½ (W. S. W.) from Leeds; containing 2031 inhabitants. That part of the township known as Adwalton, is memorable as the scene of a sanguinary battle which took place in the reign of Charles I., between the royalists, commanded by the Earl of Newcastle, and the parliamentarian forces under Lord Fairfax, in which the latter were defeated with considerable loss, and both Lord Fairfax and his son driven off the field. The township comprises by measurement 1098 acres, laid out in arable and pasture: the surface is elevated, and the substratum abounds in coal, several mines being in operation; stone is quarried, but it is of inferior quality, and used chiefly for field-fencing and inside walling. At the extremity of the township, towards Gildersome, is a mill for woollen goods, which affords employment to a small portion of the inhabitants; also two steam corn-mills, in one of which is a room for power-looms for the Bradford market. A market was formerly held at Adwalton, and also fairs for cattle, which were originally established by charter; the fatcattle fairs have long been removed to Wakefield, but there are still good supplies of cows and horses on Feb. 26th, the Thursdays in Easter and in Whitsun week, Nov. 5th, and some other days. The village is pleasantly situated on the Whitehall road from Leeds to Halifax, and on that from Bradford to Wakefield; and commands, from its elevated position, an extensive view over the surrounding country. The chapel, a neat edifice with a campanile turret, was erected by subscription in 1786, and contains 345 sittings, of which 30 are free: the living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of Messrs. Hague. There are places of worship for Primitive Methodists, Methodists of the New Connexion, and Wesleyans. The grammar school, free to a limited number of scholars, was founded in 1666, by Dr. James Margetson, Archbishop of Armagh, in Ireland, a native of this village, who endowed it with a rent-charge of £60, which is paid to three masters, the head master being appointed by Peterhouse College, Cambridge.

Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858.

Advertisement

Advertisement