Pontefract in historic gazetteers

Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887). John Bartholomew

Pontefract (or Pomfret), parl. and mun. bor., market town, par., and township, E. div. West-Riding Yorkshire, near confluence of rivers Aire and Calder, 10 miles E. of Wakefield, 14 miles SE. of Leeds, and 173 miles from London by rail - par., 6796 ac., pop. 14,717; township, 238 ac., pop. 6335; mun. bor. (comprising Pontefract, Pontefract Park, Monkhill, and Tanshelf townships), 4078 ac., pop. 8798; parl. bor. (comprising also Carleton, Ferry-Frystone, and Knottingley townships), 7316 ac., pop. 15,332; P.O., T.O., 3 Banks, 3 newspapers. Market-day, Saturday. Pontefract (i.e., Broken Bridge) is an ancient town, and dates from Roman and Saxon times. The castle, built in 1080, and dismantled by Lambert the Parliamentarian in 1649, figures prominently in history, among the many tragic scenes within its walls being the murder of Richard II. in 1399. The ancient churches of St Giles and All Saints are prominent features of the town, which also possesses a town hall of 1656, a market house of 1859, and a grammar school of the time of Edward VI. The industries include iron and brass founding, the mfrs. of earthenware, bricks, tiles, and pipes, sack and hearth-rug making, malting, brewing, and tanning. The growing and refining of liquorice for the lozenges called "Pomfret cakes" is largely carried on; collieries and extensive gardens and nurseries are in the neighbourhood. Pontefract was chartered in the reign of Richard I., and sent 2 members to Parliament from the time of James I. until 1885. It now returns 1 member.

Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887). John Bartholomew

Pontefract Park , township, Pontefract par. and bor., E. div. West-Riding Yorkshire, 1395 ac., pop. 66.