WENSLEY, a parish in the western division of
the wapentake of HANG, North riding of the county of
YORK, comprising the chapelry of Bolton Castle, and the
townships of Leybourn, Preston under Scar,Redmire, and
Wensley, and containing 2182 inhabitants, of which
number, 317 are in the township of Wensley, 3 miles
(X.W. byW.) from Middleham. The living is a rectory,
in the archdeaconry of Richmond, and diocese of Chester,
rated in the king's books at £49. 9. 9., and in the
patronage of Lord Bolton. The church is dedicated to
the Holy Trinity. The river Ure runs through the parish,
and is crossed by an ancient bridge of three or
four arches, which was erected about the commencement
of the fourteenth century, and has been lately
widened and repaired, at the expense of the riding.
Above Wensley are the ruins of Bolton castle, built
in the reign of Richard II., by Richard, Lord Scroop
Lord High Chancellor of England. According to Leland
it consisted of four principal towers, and was eighteen
years in building, the expense having amounted to one
thousand marks yearly, or £12,000 sterling in the
whole. The timber was brought from Inglewood Forest
in Cumberland, the conveyance of which was the chief
cause of the great expense incurred in the building.