Ackworth West Riding of Yorkshire Family History Guide
Ackworth is an Ancient Parish in the county of Yorkshire.
Other places in the parish include: Low Ackworth, and High Ackworth, Brackenhill, Moor Top.
Parish church: St. Cuthbert; Sacred Heart (Catholic) at Ackworth Grange.
Parish registers begin: 1558
Nonconformists include: Wesleyans, the Society of Friends/Quaker and the Brethren, at. Low Ackworth, and Primitive Methodists at Moor Top.
Parishes adjacent to Ackworth
- Wragby
- Hemsworth
- Badsworth
- Pontefract
- Featherstone
Historical Descriptions
Ackworth
BEETON'S BRITISH GAZETTEER 1870
Ackworth, a parish and village in the W. Riding of Yorkshire, near its post town, Pontefract. Area, 2270 acres. Pop. 1813.
Source: Beeton's British Gazetteer 1870. Ward, Lock & Tyler, Paternoster Row, London.
ACKWORTH LEONARD'S GAZETTEER OF ENGLAND AND WALES 1850
Ackworth, 3 miles S. Pontefract. P. 1828
Source: Leonard's Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850.
ACKWORTH THE PARLIAMENTARY GAZETTEER OF ENGLAND AND WALES 1840
Ackworth, a parish and township in the upper division of Osgoldcross wapentake, west riding of Yorkshire, nominally divided into Upper and Lower Ackworth. Living, a rectory in the archd. and dio. of York; rated at £22 1s. 0½d.; gross income £425. Patron, the crown. Ackworth is 3½ miles south-south-west from Pontefract, near the high road to Doncaster. It is celebrated for the school belonging to the Society of Friends, some of whom, and among the rest Dr John Fothergill, in 1777, purchased the premises belonging to a foundling hospital in this place, with 85 acres of ground adjoining, and established a seminary for the education of 180 boys and 120 girls. There is also a school for the education of 20 children, and an hospital for 6 women, both endowed by Mrs Mary Lowther in 1741. The annual income of this charity is £81 19s. Other charities connected with this parish produce about £65 yearly. Dr Bradley, chaplain of Charles I., and who attended that monarch on the scaffold, was rector of this parish. Ackworth is said to be one of the most healthy spots in the kingdom. The name is supposed to be derived from the great number of oak-trees in the neighbourhood. Pop., in 1801, 1,432; in 1831, 1,660. Houses 263. Acres 2,270. A. P. £6,686. Poor rates, in 1837, £559.
Source: The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales; A Fullarton & Co. Glasgow; 1840.
ACKWORTH, W. R. THE NEW YORKSHIRE GAZETTEER 1828
Ackworth, W. R. (8) a parish and township in the wapentake of Osgold cross, 3½ miles S.W. from Pontefract; inhabitants, 1575; a rectory, value 22l 1s. 0½d.; patron, the King, as Duke of Lancaster. This place, standing on a moor, is nominally divided into the two villages of High and Low Ackworth, and is much celebrated for its Quaker school. In the year 1777, the premises, then an appendage to the Foundling Hospital of London, with 85 acres of land, were purchased by the Society of Friends, for the purpose of instituting a seminary for the education of youth in the more humble classes of their persuasion at a mode rate price. The number of pupils is limited to 180 boys, and 120 girls: as might be expected, the greatest order and decorum are observable through out the establishment. The parish contains many handsome residences.— Ackworth Park the seat of John Petyt, Esq; Ackworth Grange, Richard Wilson, Esq.; Ackworth Lodge, Rev. Geo. Maddison; Ackworth Moortop, Thomas Gee, Esq.; and Houndhill Hall, Mrs. Bland.
Source: The New Yorkshire Gazetteer or Topographical Dictionary; Stephen Reynolds Clarke; London 1828
ACKWORTH – LANGDALE A TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF YORKSHIRE 1822
Ackworth, a parish town, in the wapentake of Osgoldcross, liberty of Pontefract; 3 miles from Pontefract, 5 from Ferrybridge, 8 from Wakefield, 28 from York. – Pop. including Low-Ackworth, 1,575. The Church is a rectory, dedicated to St. Cuthbert, in the deanery of Pontefract, value 22l. 1s. O½d. Patron, the King, as Duke of Lancaster. Ackworth is nominally divided into two villages, called High and Low, adjoining each other. The parish and township are co-extensive, in which are the following seats, viz. :- Ackworth Park, John Petyt, Esq. Ackworth House, John Goldsworthy, Esq. Ackworth Villa, Thomas St. Quintin, Esq. Ackworth Lodge, The Rev. George Maddison; Ackworth Moor-Top, Thomas Gee, Esq. Ackworth Grange, Richard Wilson, Esq. and at Ackworth, D’Oyley Sanders, Esq.
The school at this place was originally an appendage to the Foundling Hospital in London, and built partly by original subscription, and partly by aid of Parliament. In 1777 the premises and lands were offered for sale; when Dr. Fothergill, and some of the Society of Friends, purchased the whole for 7,000l, and converted it into a seminary for the children of Quakers. The school has since been supported by legacies, donations, &c. The sum paid for board, education, and clothes, is regulated by a committee. There are generally about 300 pupils on this establishment; and nothing can exceed the order and regularity that prevails in the school, which stands in a beautiful and pleasant situation. The management is under the direction of Mr. Robert Whitaker, superintendant, subject to the direction of the committee.
Source: A Topographical Dictionary of Yorkshire By Thomas Langdale. Second Edition. Printed and Sold by J. Langdale; and sold by T. Langdale, Ripon. 1822.
ACKWORTH TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM CAPPER 1808
Ackworth, a parish in the wapentake of Osgoldness, West Riding of York, 3 miles from Pontefract, and 181 from London; stands on a moor, and contains 245 houses and 1432 inhabitants, of whom 117 were employed in trade. It is a rectory, value 22l. 1s. Patron, the king, as duke of Lancaster. This place has a benevolent institution for the children of Quakers.
Source: A Topographical Dictionary of the United Kingdom. Benjamin Pitts Capper. 1808.
ACKWORTH COMPLETE POCKET GAZETTEER OF ENGLAND AND WALES 1807
Ackworth, Ackworth-Halse, Ackworth-Lower, and Ackworth Moor, (York. W. R.) four lordships near Pontefract. At Ackworth is a large school for Quaker's children, where are frequently 200 boys, and nearly as many girls. Here also are the seats of Colonel Surtees and the countess dowager of Mexborough.
Source: Complete Pocket Gazetteer of England and Wales; Crosby Rev. J. Malham; 1807.
High Ackworth
BAINES HISTORY DIRECTORY AND GAZETTEER OF THE COUNTY OF YORK 1822
Ackworth (High), (P.) in the wap. of Osgoldcross; 3 miles S. of Pontefract. Mrs. Mary Lowther endowed a school here for youths of both sexes; she also founded an hospital for six poor women, each of whom receives 9l 10s. yearly from the same endowment. The church is a small, but neat edifice, of which the Rev. W. R. Hay, M.A. is rector. The population of this parish amounts to 1575.
Source: History, Directory & Gazetteer of the County of York by Edward Baines. Printed and Published by Edward Baines, at the Leeds Mercury office; and sold by Hurst and Robinson, 90, Cheapside, London, and all other booksellers. 1822.
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Administration
- County: Yorkshire
- Civil Registration District: Hemsworth
- Probate Court: Exchequer and Prerogative Courts of the Archbishop of York
- Diocese: Post-1835 - Ripon, Pre-1836 - York
- Rural Deanery: Pontefract
- Poor Law Union: Hemsworth
- Hundred: Osgoldcross
- Province: York