Place:


North Riding  Yorkshire

 

In 1887, John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles described North Riding like this:

Yorkshire, North-Riding, occupies the N. of the county, between the East-Riding and the county of Durham, and is separated from the West-Riding by the Ouse, the valley of the Ure, and the hills above Wharfedale; area, 1,361,664 ac., pop. 346,260. The principal rivers are the Derwent, which separates the North-Riding from the East-Riding, with its tributary the Rye; the Tees, which separates the North-Riding from Durham; and the Swale and the Ure, which unite to form the Ouse. ...


The Vale of York, along the rivers Swale and Ouse, divides the eastern moorlands from the western. In the western moorlands the picturesque dells are mostly in pasture. The eastern moorlands contain several beautiful dales, including the Vale of Cleveland and the fertile Vale of the Rye. The best land is found in the Vale of York, (For agricultural statistics, see Appendix.) The mountain lime-stone yields valuable lead deposits, and alum and jet are obtained at Whitby. Valuable beds of ironstone exist in the Cleveland Hills, and iron smelting and other allied industries are carried on on a vast scale at Middlesbrough, which is also a considerable seaport. Scarborough is one of the great watering-places, and Whitby is specially known for its mfr. of jet ornaments. The North-Riding comprises 11 wapentakes; 2 liberties; 554 pars, and parts of 5 others; the parl. and mun. bors. of York (2 members), Middlesbrough (1 member), and Scarborough (1 member); and the mun. bor. of Richmond. It is almost entirely in the dioceses of York and Ripon. For parliamentary purposes it is divided into 4 divisions - viz., Thirsk and Malton, Richmond, Cleveland, and Whitby, each division returning 1 member; the representation of the North-Riding was increased from 2 to 4 members in 1885.

North Riding through time

North Riding is now part of Hambleton district. Click here for graphs and data of how Hambleton has changed over two centuries. For statistics about North Riding itself, go to Units and Statistics.

How to reference this page:

GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of North Riding, in Hambleton and Yorkshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.

URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/20099

Date accessed: 19th March 2024


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