​“AYSGARTH is a parish, township and village, and polling place for the North Riding, pleasantly situated on the south side of the river Ure, or Yore, in Wensleydale, 8¼ miles west-south from Leyburn, 9 east from Hawes, and 4 south-east from Askrigg. It is in the wapentake of Hang West, Aysgarth union, county court district of Leyburn, rural deanery of Catterick, Richmond archdeaconry, Ripon dioceses, York province. The church of St. Andrew is an ancient stone building, in the Perpendicular and Gothic styles, having a square embattled tower containing 6 bells: the interior consist of naïve, aisles, and chancel: in this church is an elaborately carved roof-loft brought from Jervaulx Abbey: the whole church has recently been well restored, at a cost of about £6,000. The register dates from about the year 1700. The living is a discharged vicarage yearly value £137, in the gift of Trinity College, Cambridge, and held by the Rev. John Winn, M.A., of St. John’s College, Cambridge. There is a National school, which was built by subscription. The Wesleyan Methodists and Society of Friends have places of worship here. Aysgarth poor law union comprises the following twelve townships, viz.: - Askrigg, Aysgarth, Bainbridge, Bishopdale, Burton-cum-Walden, Carperby-cum-Thoresby, High Abbotside, Low Abbotside, Newbiggin, Thoralby and Thornton Rust; and the Askrigg highway district comprises the same twelve townships. Knit hosiery is made here. … The station on the North Eatern Railway Company's Leyburn and Hawes extension will be within a few hundred yards. Henry Thos. Robinson, esq., is lord of the manor, ... The soil is very good; subsoil, limestone. The chief crops are grass. The parish of Aysgarth is very extensive, containing the twelve townships of AYSGARTH, HIGH and LOW ABBOTSIDE, ASKRIGG, BAINBRIDGE, BISHOPDALE, BURTON-cum-WALDEN, CARPERBY-cum-THORESBY, NEWBIGGIN, THORALBY, THORNTON RUST, and HAWES: it covers an area of 81,012 acres, a great part of which is high moorland. The population of the whole parish in 1861 was 5,649; in 1872 5,742. ... and the area in acres; gross estimated rental, £1,757; rateable value £1,425.

 

 

Bishopdale extends in a southerly direction from 3 to 6 miles from Aysgarth; it consists of a few scatterd farm-houses, and is situated in the dale of its name. Leads is found in small quantities in this township. Henry Thomas Robinson, esq., is lord of the manor. The principal landowners are, Robert Lodge, esq., Wm. Purchas, esq., abd the Rev. John Metcalfe, &c. The soil is rich loam; the chief crops, grass. The population in 1871 was 80, and the area is 4,805 acres; gross estimated rental, £1,757; rateable value, £1,746 (p.89).

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

 

 

 

 

 

Newbiggin is situated in Bishopdale, about 9 miles south-west from Leyburn, and 10 south-east-by-east from Hawes. Thomas H. Robinson, esy., is lord of the manor. The principal landowners are John Chapman, esq., Robert Lodge, esq., Mr. - Fryer, Mr. Dixon, &c. Here is a small school, partly free, founded in 1748. The acreage is 2,000; gross estimated rental, £1,157; rateable value, £1,135; the population in 1871 was 113.

 

School, William Whalley, master. (p.89)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

​

 

​​

 

 

THORALBY is pleasantly situated in Bishopdale, about 9 miles south-west-by-west from Leyburn, and 10 south-east-by-east from Hawes. The Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists have each a chapel here. Lead is obtained in small quantities. There is a waterfall, called the Silver Chain Force. H.T. Robinson, Esq., is lord of the manor. The principal landowners are Wm. Purchas, esq., John Sadler, esq., H.T. Robinson, esq., &c. The acreage is 2,840; gross estimated rental, £2,244; rateable value, £2,244; the population in 1871 was 285.

 

POST OFFICE. – Thomas Nicholson, postmaster. Letters arrive from Bedale, viâ West Witton, at 12.30 p.m; dispatched at 1.40 p.m. The nearest money order offices are at Askrigg and West Burton.” (p.89)