Bentham, West Riding

Description
Bentham, a market-town and a parish in the W.R. Yorkshire, comprising the townships of Bentham, High Bentham, and Mewith. The town lies on the river Wenning, and on the M.R., 12 miles WNW of Settle, and has a station on the railway, a post, money order, and telegraph office under Lancaster, a church, a grammar-school, a weekly market on Wednesdays, and a cattle market every other Monday, and fairs on 5 Feb., 22 June, and 25 Oct. Acreage of parish, 7711; population, 2273. Large portions of the surface are upland. Many of the inhabitants are employed in linen manufactories, and some in potteries. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Ripon; net value, £480 with residence. The parish church is at Low Bentham, and is ancient; it was thoroughly restored in 1878. There is also a church at High Bentham, a Roman Catholic chapel, Wesleyan Methodist chapel, and Friends' meeting-house, a public hall, a reading-room and library, three schools at High and Low Bentham endowed from grammar-school funds, six almshouses, and other charities.