BARTON-upon-HUMBER, a market-town, comprising the united parishes of St. Mary and St. Peter, in the northern division of the wapentake of YARBOROUGH, parts of LINDSEY, county of LINCOLN, 34 miles (N.) from Lincoln, and 16? (N.) from London, on the road to Kingston upon Hull, containing, according to the last census, 2496 inhabitants (since increased to above 3000), of which number, 1191 are in the parish of St. Mary, and 1305 in that of St. Peter. This place is said to have been a station of considerable importance during the Saxon and Danish contests, and to have been surrounded by a rampart and a fosse, some remains of which, called the Castle Dykes, are still perceptible. At the time of the Conquest it was noted for its commerce, which continued to flourish until some time after Edward I. bestowed upon Wyke upon Hull the appellation of King's town upon Hull, and made it a free borough, when the trade of Barton began to decline. The town is pleasantly situated at the northern extremity of the Wolds, and on an acclivity rising gently from the southern bank of the river Humber, which is here from two to three miles broad: it consists of several streets, irregularly built, in which, among many old houses, are some of modern structure, and has been recently much improved, by the erection of many new buildings of various descriptions, and of several handsome and respectable dwelling-houses. The trade is chiefly in corn and flour, and there are several manufactories for rope, sacking, starch, plaister of Paris, bricks, and tiles. About six miles lower down the Humber is a ferry to Kingston upon Hull, which has existed from time immemorial, though there is little doubt that it was originally to Hessle, to which place the inhabitants on the Barton side may "still demand a passage, at a proper state of the tide, on paying the ancient customary toll; it is noticed in Domesday- book, and was confirmed in the 45th of Edward III. The customary tolls and regulations, according to the records in the Tower, in the reign of Edward III., were as follows: " Every person to pay one penny; for every quarter of hard corn, twopence; for every quarter of malt, one penny; for one man and horse, sixpence; deals by the score, fourpence; nothing to be paid for under a horse-load; the boat, or boats, to return the next tide, if weather serve, and not to take-in strangers from Hull, on the market day, to the prejudice of the said inhabitants; two or more of the boatmen to live in Barton; no boat to land upon the green shore but in case of necessity; also, upon request, neither boat to be denied for Hessle, paying the ancient fare; for every boat fivepence, and gift money one penny; and also to land all passengers without paying more than customary due." The ferry, which belongs to the Crown, is at present leased to the corporation of Kingston upon Hull, who have also a right of ferry from Hull to Barton, or to any of the parts of Lindsey; the occupiers have at various times attempted to raise the fares, but have been resisted by the inhabitants with success. In 1785, an attempt being made by the lessee to increase the customary tolls, a subscription was raised to try the question, and legal proceedings were instituted; but a compromise was effected, and the fares were reduced to the former amount. Since that period different lessees have attempted to raise the fares, which have been increased for passengers, and more particularly for corn and merchandise; and since the employment of a steam-packet, which the present occupiers have introduced, in addition to the regular ferry boats, and of which the fares are arbitrary, the latter have been in stime degree neglected, and the inhabitants have foreborne to enforce their prescriptive rights; but, on the termination of the present lease, which will expire in 1833, they intend to enforce the observance of the ancient customary tolls, and to recover their privileges. The market is on Monday, and on every alternate Monday there is a large cattle market: the fair is on Trinity Thursday. The town is within the jurisdiction of the county magistrates: constables and other officers are appointed at the court leet of the manor, which belongs to the Crown. A court baron, formerly held every third week, for the recovery of debts under 40s., has been superseded by a court of requests, for the recovery of debts under £5, which is held monthly, under an act passed in the 4?th of George III. The living is a consolidated vicarage, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Lincoln, rated in the king's books at £19. 4. 8., and in the patronage of Charles Appleby, Esq. The church of St. Peter is an ancient and spacious structure, principally in the decorated style of English architecture, with a tower, the upper stage of which is evidently in the early Norman style, and the lower of a much earlier date, being probably one of the few specimens of Saxon architecture subsisting in England. The church of St. Mary, which is supposed to have been built as a chapel of ease to St. Peters, having no endowment, is also a spacious edifice, partly in the Norman, but principally in the early style of English, architecture, of which latter the tower is an elegant specimen. There are places of worship for Independents, and Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists. The school, for the instruction of poor children in reading, writing, and arithmetic, was founded, in 1722, by Mr. William Long, who endowed it with £7. 12 per annum, to which, in 1735, Mr. Nicholas Fountain added £50, The estates are vested in nine trustees, who have lately introduced the system of mutual instruc* tion, and have added an infant school, the accomplishment of which has been greatly facilitated by the exertions of Robert Browne, Esq., clerk to the trustees. Almshouses, for four aged women of St. Mary's parish were founded and endowed, in 1669, by Mr. Thomas Holland. About fifteen grey coats are annually given to poor men from the rental of property left for that purpose by Magdalen George; and about thirty suits of blue cloth are annually given to poor men, and thirty dresses of the same colour to poor women, from the rental of the Blue-coat charity estate, given by John Trippe, in 1669.