DONCASTER, a parish, in the West riding of the county of YORK,
comprising the borough and market-town of Doncaster, which
has a separate jurisdiction, the townships of Balby with Hexthorp,
and Long Sandal with Wheatley, in the soke of DONCASTER,
and the township of Langthwaite with Tilts, in the
northern division of the wapentake of STRAFFORTH-AND-TICKHILL,
West riding of the county of YORK, and containing
9117 inhabitants, of which number, 8544 are in
the borough of Doncaster, 37 miles (S. by W.) from
York, and 162 (N.N.W.) from London. This place,
the Danum of Antoninus, a Roman station on the
river Don, was by the Saxons called Dona Ceaster, from
which its present name is derived. According to Camden,
the town was entirely destroyed by lightning about
the year 759, at which period the castle, of which the
founder and the time of its foundation are unknown, is
supposed to have been burnt. The town is pleasantly situated
on the southern bank of the river Don, and the
surrounding scenery, especially on the western side, is
delightfully picturesque; it consists of several streets,
of which the High-street, about a mile in length, is the
principal, and is considered to be the best, for width and
beauty, on the road from London to Edinburgh; they
are well paved, and lighted with gas, at the expense of
the corporation, who have ample revenues for the improvement
of the town, and the inhabitants are supplied
with water by means of water-works near the Friar's
bridge, from a reservoir at the top of the High-street,
under the direction of the corporation, the expense
being defrayed by a rate. An elegant cross, in the
later style of English architecture, stands on an eminence
called Hall-cross hill, and has superseded a rude and
ancient structure of a similar kind, which was formerly
placed in the centre of a road leading into the
town, but removed in order to widen and improve the
carriage-way. An agricultural society, established in
3 803, holds an annual meeting in July or August. A
very commodious suite of apartments was erected in
1821, for a public library and news-room, established by
private subscription, to which a collection of old books,
kept for many years in. a room over the church porch, has
been recently-added: this institution is open to the use of
all the inhabitants, though not members of the society.
The races, which for some years have been increasing
in splendour and attraction, and are attended
by nearly all the families of rank in the North of
England, are generally held in the third week in
September, and continue five days. About a mile
from the town is the celebrated race-ground, on which
a very elegant and commodious stand has been built
at the expense of the corporation, who also have for
many years given an annual plate, of the value £50, of
and a subscription of £42 towards the stakes; in addition
to these donations are His Majesty's plate of £105,
and a gold cup of £105, given by the stewards. An elegant
building of the Ionic order, called the Bettingroom,
was erected in 1826; it is ninety feet in length,
and twenty-two feet wide, lighted"3uring the day by a
handsome dome, and at night with gas introduced into
three superb chandeliers. The theatre is a handsome
building, also erected at the expense of the corporation,
in 1774; the performances commence in the race week,
and continue about six weeks. Doncaster has but
little trade or manufacture. There are two or three castiron
foundries, and a sacking and twist manufactory,
but all on a very small scale. The river Don is crossed
by two bridges; Friars bridge was erected by the cor-
poration in 1614, and subsequently widened and handsomely
ornamented with iron balustrades; the mill
bridge was rebuilt in 1782. A long causeway has
been constructed from both the bridges, to obviate
the danger arising to passengers from the overflow of
the river, which, being navigable to Sheffield, supplies
a ready means of conveyance for articles of commerce,
which are sent to London, Hull, and other places, in
small vessels of from thirty to fifty tons burden; timber,
deals, grocery, and other goods are returned. The market
is held on Saturday: fairs are held, February 2d,
April 5th, August 5th, for horned cattle, horses, sheep,
and coarse woollen cloth, and November 16th, which is
a statute fair for hiring servants. A wool market commences
on the second Saturday in June, and continues
every Saturday until the 6th of August. The marketplaces
occupy nearly the centre of the town, consisting
of that for holding the corn-market, a spacious area,
adjoining which is the market for meat, or the new shambles,
built by the corporation in 1756, the roof of which
is slated, and supported on twenty-four columns: an
octagonal building was also erected by them in the same
vear, for the sale of fowls, butter, eggs, &c., and for fish,
vegetables, and fruit.
The government of the town, by charter of Richard I.,
confirmed by succeeding kings, and modified . by
James II., is vested in a mayor, recorder, twelve aldermen,
twenty-four common council-men, assisted by a
town clerk and other officers. The mayor is chosen
from among the aldermen, who elect to vacancies in their
own body from the members of the common council, in
which vacancies are filled up by the mayor, aldermen,
and the capital and free burgesses: the mayor may appoint
one of the aldermen who has passed the chair as
his deputy. The recorder, who must be an outer barrister
at least, is elected by the mayor, aldermen, and
common council-men. The mayor, and three senior
aldermen, are justices of the peace within the borough
and soke of Doncaster. The freedom is inherited by
birth, or obtained by seven years apprenticeship within
the borough, or by purchase for £3. 6. 8. The corporation
hold quarterly courts of session, for determining
on offences not capital; and a court of record, under the
charter of Henry VIII., for the recovery of debts to any
amount. A court of requests is held under commissioners
appointed by an act passed in the 4th of George III.,
for the recovery of debts under 40s. within the borough
and soke: the annual session for the wapentake of
Strafforth and Tickhill is also held here, and the
county magistrates hold a meeting every Saturday
for the adjoining district. The mansion-house, which
is an elegant structure, was completed in 1748, and
furnished at an expense of more than £8000; it
was enlarged in 1800, and an attic raised above the
columns to screen the roof. The principal room is
decorated with a full length portrait of his late Majesty,
George III., in his coronation robes; also with portraits
of the present Earl Fitzwilliam, and of the Marquis of
Rockingham, in parliamentary robes, both presented to
the corporation by the earl. Here the muniments
of the corporation are preserved, the feasts of the
corporate body held, and concerts and assemblies periodically
take place. This town had a residence especially
appropriated for its chief magistrate before either
London or York. The town-hall, which occupies the
site of a church dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, was
thoroughly repaired and beautified in 1784, and considerably
enlarged and improved in 1828, and is now
one of the most convenient court-rooms in the county.
The corporation are about to remove the present gaol,
built in 1778, and to erect a new one upon the radiating
plan, adapted to receive four classes of prisoners, with
distinct airing-courts to each, the gaoler's house to
occupy the centre, and to command an entire inspection
of the prisoners.
The living is a vicarage, in the archdeaconry and
diocese of York, rated in the king's booksat £32.19.9,
and in the patronage of-the Archbishop of York; it is
under lay impropriation to Miss Sharp, a lineal descendant
of the archbishop of that name, and from this lady
the vicar receives an annual stipend of £ 60. The church,
dedicated to St. George, is a spacious cruciform structure,
principally in the later style of English architecture,
with a tower, of which the details are exquisitely
rich. According to Leland, it was partially built with materials
from the ruins of the old castle: the exact period
of its original erection is uncertain, but a stone, discovered
a few years since, during some repairs, with the
date of 1071 upon it, strengthens the opinion that part
of it was erec-ted about the time of the Conquest; it has,
however, undergone so many alterations that no part of
the original structure now remains, though there are
some traces of an earlier date. The building consists of
a nave, aisles, and a transept, with a choir and side
chapels, or chantries, extending north and south to the
extremity of the transept. The roof of the nave is sustained
by twelve massive octangular pillars, with plain
capitals, whence spring ten obtusely pointed arches. The
tower is supported by four ponderous octagonal columns,
with richly decorated capitals, of a later date than the
rest of the fabric; and from these rise four finely pointed
arches, on each side of which and in the belfry are
monograms, armorial ensigns, &c., commemorative of
various benefactors. The height of the church is seventyeight
feet, breadth sixty-eight feet, and length one hundred
and fifty-four feet; the height of the tower is one
hundred and forty-one feet. In the interior is an ancient
font, though probably not of such remote antiquity
as the date 1061 upon it implies; a magnificent east window
has been recently erected, containing figures of the
Apostles and the Prophets, the gift of Mrs. Baker. Among
the various monuments is that of Robin of Doncaster,
placed just behind the reading-desk, and bearing a curious
inscription with the date 1579; the tomb is an
altar of free-stone near the north-west supporter of the
tower; also the tomb of Ellis, founder of the hospital,
and five times mayor of Doncaster. A new church,
in the later style of English architecture, called
Christ's church, has lately been erected, from a fund
of £ 13,000, granted by John Jarratt, Esq., a native of
Doncaster, and formerly an iron-master at Bowling,
near Bradford; it consists of a nave and side aisles, is
ninety-five feet long and fifty-two feet wide, separated
by slender-shafted pillars, and the spire, which is one
hundred and sixty feet in height, is remarkable for its
lightness and elegance. There are places of worship for
the Society of Friends, Independents, Presbyterians, and
Wesleyan Methodists.
The grammar school, kept on the ground-floor of the
town-hall, was founded for the sons of freemen, by
the corporation, who appoint the master, and allow
him a salary of £ 80 per annum: there is a scholarship
of £10 per annum in Jesus College, Cambridge,
belonging to this and the school at Arksey. A National
school has been lately established, in which
two hundred and twelve boys, and one hundred and
eight girls are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic;
the girls being likewise instructed in needle-work: it is
supported by voluntary contributions, including an
annual gift of £20 by the corporation. Sunday schools
were introduced here at their first institution. St.
Thomas Hospital was erected in 1588, by Thomas Ellis,
whose tomb is in the church, for the support of six
poor and decayed housekeepers; the founder endowed it
with an estate then let. for £10 per annum, but which,
from the increased value of land, now produces about
£400 per annum, enabling the trustees, who are the
mayor and vicar, with others, to give pensions to twelve
poor persons not resident, but who are admitted as
vacancies arise. A dispensary was established in 1792,
and is supported by voluntary contributions, and an
annual gift of £105 from the corporation, at whose
expense the building was erected. The poor-house, situated
in St. Sepulchre's gate, was erected in 1719, by
subscriptions of the more wealthy inhabitants; the annual
rent of fifty-nine acres and sixteen perches of land, in
a place called the Intacks, with a rate on the inhabitants,
under the management of a select vestry, is paid to the
master for the maintenance of the poor. Edward Fenwick,
of London, bequeathed £100 for the benefit of
the poor of Doncaster, at the disposal of the mayor and
corporation; Thomas Martin gave £20, charged on
lands at Stainforth andTudwath, to apprentice three,
four, or five poor boys, natives of, and resident in,
Doncaster; Mr. Quinston Kay, of Ludgate-hill, London,
upholsterer, in 1804, gave to the corporation £2000
three per cent. Bank Annuities, and £6000 four per cent.
Bank Annuities, producing £300 per annum, in trust,
to apply the dividends as follows; viz., £2. 2. to the
vicar, or curate, for a sermon on the first Sunday in
September, and £5 to be distributed on that day in
bread to the poor; £ 60 to apprentice every year six poor
children, of either sex, residing in the township, at the
age of fourteen, to some useful mechanical. business;
£3. 3. annually to the dispensary; £10 to the town
clerk, for his trouble in making payments, and keeping
accounts; the residue of the dividends to be paid in sums
of £1. 1. per month to poor reduced persons, of either
sex, being resident, and not less than fifty years of age.
John Jarratt, Esq., of Doncaster, invested £2200 with
the corporation, for an annuity of £110 per annum, to
be divided amongst six reduced housekeepers.
The ancient Roman road, Watling-street, on which
the town stands, may be traced over Scawsby Lees,
near Adwick le Street, and in many other places northward,
towards Legiolium, now Castleford, near the
confluence of the rivers Aireand Calder; and some years
since, a Roman votive altar was dug up in the cellar of
a house belonging to John Jarratt, Esq., near St. Sepulchre's
gate. Among the religious establishments
anciently existing here, were the hospitals of St. James
and St. Nicholas, founded for lepers in the reign of
Henry III.; a house of Grey friars, founded in 1315;
and a house of Black friars, of which the founder and
the date are unknown. John Lacy, an actor and writer
of plays in the time of Charles II., was born here.
Henry Heaton, chaplain to Archbishop Herring, one
of the young academics who assisted the Yorkes in the
production of the Athenian Letters; and Dr. Edward
Miller, who in 1804 published the "History of Doncaster,"
resided here. Doncaster gives the title of earl to
the Duke of Buccleuch.