BIRSTALL, a parish in the wapentake of MORLEY,
West riding of the county of YORK, 7 miles (S. W.)
from Leeds, comprising the chapelries of Clackheaton,
Drighlington, Heckmondwike, Liversedge, andTong, and
the townships of Great and Little Gomersall, Hunsworth,
and Wike, and containing 21,217 inhabitants. The living
is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry of
the East riding, and diocese of York, rated in the king's
books at £23. 19. 2., and in the patronage of the
Archbishop of York. The church, dedicated to St.
Peter, has lately been enlarged by the addition of one
hundred and fifty sittings, one hundred of which are
free; the Incorporated Society for the enlargement of
churches and chapels having granted £150 towards
defraying the expense. There is a place of worship for
Wesleyan Methodists. A chapel is also being erected
at Birkenshaw, in this parish. The village of Birstall
is situated in the township of Gomersall: the clothing
business prevails to a great extent in the parish, in
which also there are some collieries. The Rev. William
Armystead, in 1601, bequeathed £100 for the erection
of a school; the fund now produces £8. 10. per annum,
for which six children are instructed gratuitously in a
National school, which was erected in 1819, at the
expense of William Charlesworth, Esq. Dr. Priestley,
equally distinguished for his advocacy of Unitarianisffi1
and his discoveries in chemistry, was born at Field-heads
in this parish, in 1733; he died in America, in 1804.