BURNESTON, a parish in the wapentake of HALLIKELD,
North riding of the county of YORK, comprising
the chapelry of Leeming with Exelby and Newton,
and the townships of Burneston, Carthorp, Gatenby,
and Theakstone, and containing 1326 inhabitants, of
which number, 288 are in the township of Burneston, 4
miles (S. E. by E.) from Bedale. The living is a vicarage,
in the archdeaconry of Richmond, and diocese of
Chester, rated in the king's books at £ 37. 6. 8., and in
the patronage of G. Elsley, Esq. The church is dedicated
to St. Lambert. There is a place of worship for
Wesleyan Methodists. Matthew Robinson, by deed
dated in 1688, assigned a rent-charge of £43. 5. for
the endowment of a school, and of an almshouse for
five poor persons, besides an alms-master, which he had
previously erected: the building contains a school-room,
with apartments for the master, also rooms for the
alms-master and five hospitallers: other benefactions
have subsequently been added, and the present annual
income is about £67, of which the schoolmaster receives
£16 for teaching seventeen children, the alms-master
or usher £5. 8., and the remainder is divided among
the poor inmates of the hospital. An annual sum of
about £20, arising from land appropriated for their benefit,
is distributed among the poor of the parish. The
magistrates acting for the district hold their meetings
at the New Inn, in this township, and at the York Gate
Inn, Melmerby, alternately.