PATELEY-BRIDGE, a market-town and chapelry (parochial),
in the lower division of the wapentake of CLARO,
West riding of the county of YORK, 8 miles (W.NW.)
from Ripley, and 224 (N.N.W.) from London. The population
is returned with the township of High and
Low Bishopside, parish of Ripon, in which it is situated.
This town is situated on the northern bank of the river
Nidd, and is indebted for its importance to the adjacent
lead mines. A weekly market, granted by Edward II.,
in 1324, is held on Saturday: fairs are on Easter and
Whitsun eves, May llth, September 17th (if on a Saturday,
otherwise on the following Saturday), Monday
after October 10th, and on Christmas-eve. The living
is a perpetual curacy, in the peculiar jurisdiction of the
Archbishop of York, in the deanery of Ripon, endowed
with £400 private benefaction, £200 royal bounty, and
£1900 parliamentary grant, and in the patronage of
the Dean and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of Ripon.
The chapel, dedicated to St. Mary, has received
three hundred and sixty-five additional sittings, of which
two hundred are free, the Incorporated Society for the
enlargement of churches and chapels having contributed
£500 towards defraying the expense. A new church,
in the English style of architecture, was commenced
in October, 1825, and completed in 1827, the parliamentary
commissioners having granted £2000 towards
its erection j it contains eight hundred and three
sittings, of which four hundred and thirty-two are free.
There is a place of worship for Independents. An
ancient foundation, called Rake's school, from the site
of ground on which it stands, was augmented, in 1806,
with a bequest of £1800 stock by Mrs. Alice Shepherd,
the dividends to be applied to the education and clothing
of twenty poor children.