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Entry from White's Directory for 1842 |
Crowle, a small market-town
near the channel of the old river Don, 6
miles N.of Epworth, and 17 miles N. by W.
of Gainsbro', increased its habitants from
1889, in 1831, to 2235 souls, in 1841, and
has in its township about 6000 acres of
land, including the hamlet of Ealand, 1
mile S.E.; Crowle Wharf, on the Stainforth
and Keadby canal 1. 1/4 mile S. of the town;
and about 500 acres of moorland, laying
within the Yorkshire border, and assessed
to the county- rates of the West-Riding,
though there is no dwelling upon it. Crowle
parish includes also Eastoft township, and
many parts of it has been fertilized by
the warping process. Its market, formerly
held every Saturday, is now only held every
Monday fortnight, during the months of March,
April and May. Here are two annual fairs
for cattle, flax, &e., held on the last
Monday in May, and on Nov. 23rd, or old
Martinmus day; and another was formerly
held on Sept. 4th. The old Don is now only
a small brook, but the surrounding country
is so intersected on every side by drains,
canals, and embankments, as to give it the
appearance of a Dutch settlement. Earl Manvers
is lord of the manor of Crowle, but the
greater part of the soil belongs to numerous
freeholders and copyholders; the later subject
to fines, varying from 1. 1/2 to 1. 3/4
years' annual value. Among the principal
owners are the Lightfoot, Brunyee, Maw,
Johnson, Margrave, Drury, and other families.
In 1747, the body of a woman was found at
the depth of six feet, in the Peat Moor,
near Crowle, in an erect position; and though,
from the antique sandals on her feet, she
appeared to have been there several centuries,
her hair and nails were as fresh as when
living; and the skin was soft and strong,
though of a tawny colour.
The Church (St Oswald,) has undergone many
repairs, but still retains a little of its
original Saxon architecture. It is a vicarage,
valued in K.B. at £14. 10s. and now
at £777, in the patronage and incumbency
of the Rev. Godfrey Egremont, for whom the
Rev. James Johnson officiates. The Rectory
is in the impropriation of R.P.Johnson,
Esq. ; but the tithes were commuted at the
enclosure of Godnow Common and Crowle Moor,
when about 500 acres were awarded to the
vicar. There are in the town four chapels,
belonging to the Wesleyan and Primitive
Methodists, the Independents, and the General-
Baptists. Three houses, with extensive common-rights,
and ten acres of land, were bequeathed to
this parish, for the education and relief
of the poor, by Richard Brewer, in 1687;
Thos. Walkwood, in 1692; and Richd. Clark,
in 1721. The land and common-rights were
exchanged at the enclosure for 21A. 3R.10p.
of copyhold, but tithe -free land, and the
sum of £206.The later was expended
in repairing the buildings, and the whole
estate is now let for £59. 10s. per
annum. The trustees pay the schoolmaster
£32 a-year, for teaching 32 free scholars,
besides an allowance for coals; and they
distribute about £9 yearly among the
poor, and retain the remainder to provide
for fines, repairs, &c.
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