Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for HOLBECK

HOLBECK, a suburb, a township, three chapelries, and a sub-district, in Hunslet district, W. R. Yorkshire. The suburb stands on the S side of the river Aire. on the S side of the Leeds and Liverpool canal, and at the junction of the Leeds and Bradford railway with the railway to Harrogate, 1 mile SW by W of Leeds; shares in the municipal interests and manufacturing industry of Leeds; and has a station at the railway junction, and a post office‡ under Leeds.-The township includes the suburb; and is in Leeds parish, and all within Leeds borough. Acres, 760. Real property, £33, 555; of which £700 are in ironworks. Pop. in 1851, 14, 152; in 1861, 15, 824. Houses, 3, 584. A workhouse is here; and, at the Census of 1861, had 60 inmates. Hot and cold baths also are here, similar to those of Harrogate, but not so strong.--The chapelries are H. ST. Matthew, H. ST. John, and H. ST. Barnabas; and the first is ancient, the second was constituted in 1847, the third, in 1855. Pop. of H. ST. M., 6, 343; of H. ST. J., 2, 612; of H. ST. B., 6, 869. The living of St. M. is a p. curacy, the others vicarages, in the diocese of Ripon. Value of H. St. M., £300;* of H. ST. John, £250;* of H. ST. B., £300.* Patron of H. ST. M., the Vicar of Leeds; of H. ST. John, J. G. and H.Marshall, Esqs.; of 1I. ST. B., alternately the Crown and the Bishop. The church of St. M. dates from very ancient times, being mentioned in a document of the year 800; was rebuilt in last century; and is a handsome edifice in the early English style, with tower and spire. The church of St. J. was built in 1849, after designs by G. Scott, at the expense of the Messrs. Marshall; and is a neat structure, in the early English style. The church of St. B. was of later erection, and is in the decorated English style. There are chapels for Independents and Methodists, national schools, factory schools, a mechanics, institute, and charities £23. There is also at BeestonHill, a cemetery of about 9 acres.—The sub-district contains also Beeston township in Leeds parish, and Churwell township in Batley parish. Acres, 2, 783. Pop., 19, 935. Houses, 4, 440.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a suburb, a township, three chapelries, and a sub-district"   (ADL Feature Type: "populated places")
Administrative units: Holbeck CP/Ch       Hunslet RegD/PLPar/PLU       Yorkshire AncC
Place: Holbeck

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