HATFIELD, a parish in the southern division of
the wapentake of STRAFFORTH-AND-TICKHILL, West
riding of the county of YORK, comprising the townships
of Hatfield and Stainforth, and containing 2642
inhabitants, of which number, 1948 are in the township
of Hatfield, 3 miles (S. W. by S.) from Thorne. The
living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry and
diocese of Yoik, rated in the king's books at £15. 5.,
endowed with £200 private benefaction, and £ 1000
royal bounty. Lord and Lady Deerhurst were patrons
in 1817. The church, dedicated to St. Lawrence, is
in the later English style. Here is a place of worship
for Independents. In the reign of Charles I., Thomas
Wormeley devised to trustees property for securing an
annuity of £10 to a schoolmaster to instruct the children
of the inhabitants: in 1682, a school-house was
built by John Hatfield, Esq., and in 1716 assigned to
trustees for the use of the schoolmaster, but at the time
of the inquiry of the Commissioners of Charities, in 1828,
the school was discontinued.