MALHAM, a township in that part of the parish
of KIRKBY-in-MALHAM-DALE which is in the western
division of the wapentake of STAINCLIFFE-and-EwCROSS,
West riding of the county of YORK, 5 miles
(E. by S.) from Settle, containing 262 inhabitants.
There is a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists.
Rowland Brayshaw, in 1717, conveyed land, &c., for
the support of a free school, the income arising from
which is £49 per annum. The river Aire has its
source here, in a fine lake stored with trout and
perch; the vicinity abounds with scenery of a romantic
character. Malham Cove is a remarkable natural
amphitheatre of limestone rock, rising to the height of
two hundred and eighty-six feet; at its base issues a
small subterranean brook, the passage for which, when
flooded, not being capacious enough to discharge its
swollen stream, the waters rise to the summit of the
rock, and tumble down in a fine cataract.