Castleford, West Riding

Description
Castleford, a town and a parish in the W. R. Yorkshire. The town lies in a valley, 7 1/2 miles ENE of Wakefield, and 9 from Leeds. The river Aire divides it from the township of Allerton Bywater, and is largely used by vessels for conveying coals to Goole and Hull, and a considerable number of steam tugs are employed in towing them to the sea. The Leeds and other markets are by this river continuously supplied with foreign fruit and vegetables. Castleford has a head post office. The principal railway station at Castleford is a joint station of the N.E., L. & Y., and G.N.R. Acreage of the civil parish, 564 ; population, 14,143 ; of the ecclesiastical, which includes Glass-Houghton, 15,620. There are several colliery villages adjacent to the town, and within a radius of 3 miles the population amounts to nearly 30,000. The Roman station Legiolium is supposed to have been here, and Roman coins, urns, and tessellated pavement have been found. Coal-mining, glass-making, malting, and chemical and earthenware manufacture are largely carried on, and have occasioned a considerable increase of population. Fryston, Wheldale, and Glass-Houghton collieries employ upwards of 3500 hands, and the various glassworks about 2400. The living is a rectory in the diocese of York; gross value, £800 with residence. Patron, the Duchy of Lancaster. The church is a building in the Early English style, erected in 1866-67 on the site of the ancient church. There are also one Roman Catholic, three Wesleyan, three Primitive Methodist, a Free Methodist, and Congregational chapels, a market hall and mechanics' institute, almshouses, and a cemetery. Castleford also has two of the most flourishing co-operative stores in Yorkshire. The town is governed by a local board.