WETHERBY, a market-town and chapelry in the
parish of SPOFFORTH, upper division of the wapentake
of CLARO, West riding of the county of YORK, 12
miles (W. by S.) from York, and 194 (N. N. W.) from
London, containing 1217 inhabitants. The Saxon name
of this town, whence the present is obviously deduced,
was WederU, intended to designate its situation on a
bend of the river Wharf. During the great civil war
it was garrisoned for the parliament, and successfully
repulsed two attacks made upon it by Sir Thomas
Glemham. About 3 miles below it is St. Helen's ford,
where the Roman military way crossed the Wharf.
The town consists chiefly of one long street, behind
which is the market-place. Over the river is a handsome
stone bridge, and a little above this a wear,
formed for the benefit of some mills for grinding corn,
extracting oil from rape-seed, and pulverising logwood
for the use of clothiers and dyers. Many old houses
have been recently removed and new ones erected,
under the direction of the lord of the manor. The
market is on Thursday; and fairs are held on Holy
WET 441 WE Y
Thursday, August 5th, October 10th, and the first
Thursday after November 22d; there are also fortnight
fairs for the sale of cattle. The quarter sessions
for the West riding are held here at Christmas,-in rotation
with Knaresborough, Skipton, and Wakefield, and
courts leet and baron on Lady-day and Michaelmasday.
The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry
and diocese of York, endowed with £200 private
benefaction, £400 royal bounty, and £800 parliamentary
grant, and in the patronage of the Rector of Spofforth.
The church is dedicated to St. James. There
are places of worship for Independents and Wesleyan
Methodists.