Hawes, Aysgarth, North Yorkshire
Description edited from Langdale's Yorkshire
Dictionary (1822) and Baine's Directory of the County of York (1823)
HAWES, in the parish of Aysgarth, wapentake of Hang West, and liberty of
Richmondshire; 5.5 miles from Askrigg, 17 from Sedbergh, and 17 from Leyburn,
with a market on Tuesday.
Market, Tuesday.
Fairs, Whit-Tuesday, for woollen goods, &c. September 28, for horned
cattle, horses, sheep; woollen-cloth, &c.
Principal Inn, White-Hart.
Population 1408.
A considerable quantity of stockings are knitted in this neighbourhood, which
give employment to a great number of the inhabitants. The chapel of Ease is a
low plain structure; the living is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of the land
owners, and the incumbent is the Rev. John Whaley. The dissenting places of
worship are a Sandemanian chapel, and a Friends' Meeting house; here is a
public school with a small endowment of £10. per annum. The markets and
fairs of Hawes are in a thriving state. There are two extensive manufactories
of knit hose. The town is pleasantly situated near the east bank of the Ure,
and commands an extensive view of the mountainous country by which it is
surrounded. From these mountains are extracted large supplies of coal, lead and
lime. Much to the honour of the town, there is here an extensive subscription
library, stocked with well selected books of the best authors. A great number
of the inhabitants are freeholders of the County of York.
