ance with the engravings. I also wish to acknowledge the great kindness of Mr. Sternberg, Librarian to the Old Library, Leeds, during my frequent visits to that noble collection. To G. Wentworth, Esq., and to Mr. Rowland Jackson, the Historian of Barnsley, my warmest thanks are due, for contributions from the valuable collection at Wooley Park. For the valuable assistance received at the British Museum, and the Bodleian Library, Oxford, I beg to tender my respectful and grateful acknowledgments. To my friends E. J. Walker, Esq. and J. Stott, Esq. of Halifax I am under great obligations, for the deep interest they have taken in my project, and the aid I have derived from their antiquarian knowledge. To the Subscribers without whose prompt and liberal orders the History would have failed, my grateful thanks are due. With these acknowledgments, I venture to launch my book. How far I have been successful in the matter, the public must determine, I only sincerely hope, that their expectations will not be disappointed.

Harewood, 1st February, 1859.

INTRODUCTION.

HE Village of Harewood is pleasantly situated on the Leeds and Harrogate Road, about 8 miles distant from each town. Its position is one of great beauty, standing on a considerable eminence overlooking the valley of the Wharf. To the West a prospect of a most diversified character presents itself embracing the magnificent scenery of Wharfdale, for nearly 20 miles, bounded in the distance by the hills of Craven; while to the East the Vale of York lays stretched out before the observer, York Minster being clearly discernible at the distance of 20 miles. Standing at the intersection of two high roads; the great North Road, and the highway from the West to York, it was formerly a place of much life and bustle, twenty two stage coaches passing and repassing every day. The introduction of Railroads however has destroyed this traffic, and one solitary stager to Harrogate during the summer season, is all that remains. The Cottages are erected uniformly on these two roads, and most of them having gardens in the front, under the shade of fine trees, the traveller or visitor is generally struck with the regularity and beauty of the village.

Dr. Whitaker says "this is a fortunate place, blessed with much natural beauty and fertility, and in the compass of a country village, with an entire though dismantled Castle, a modern palace surrounded by a wide extent of pleasure grounds and plantations, and a parish church filled with unmutilated sculptures of the 14th and 15th centuries."

With respect to the Etymology of Harewood the same eminent Antiquarian says, "I will seek for no other etymology than that which will present itself to every mind.' From this it may be inferred, that the village derives its name from the hares which abounded in the woods here. This however although very feasible, will not bear the test of investigation, and I know of no circumstances to support this supposition, beyond the fact of its proximity to Knaresbro' forest. Thoresby imagines that it received its name (which in all old documents is Harwood not Harewood) from some battle fought here, or in the neighbourhood, from "Here, exercitus legio." In sup

port of this we have Harelow Hill, or the battle hill; Hereford "exercitus vadum" (the ford of the army;) Harwich, the bay where the army may lie; Hargrave, or Heregrave, the companion of the battle, &c. Bede, A.D. 680, relates that a great battle was fought between the rival Saxon Kings at Win-moor near Seacroft; and it may therefore be presumed as occurring within the range of possibility, that some portion of this army may have encamped here. This supposition is certainly strengthened by other circumstances. A remarkable camp formerly existed, so late as Mr. Boulter's time, A.D. 1700, and Thoresby (whose opinion is certainly of

great weight) is induced from this fact, to believe this to be the true etymon of Harewood.

Very little is known of Harewood previous to the Conquest. It history is essentially a medieval one, and all its existing antiquities, are subsequent to this era. The only event worth recording, belonging to the Anglo Saxon period, is the supposed murder of Athelwold by King Edgar, A.D. 959. The following is the generally received account. Edgar having heard of the exquisite beauty and accomplishments of Elfrida, the daughter and heiress of Olgar, Earl of Devonshire, commissioned Athelwold, his favourite, to visit her residence, and inform him whether this report was true. The faithless courtier was himself smitten by the lady's beauty, and forgetting the King his master, he entertained the idea of marrying her himself. Upon his return he told the King that he could not see much beauty in the lady to recommend her to the King's notice, but as she was the richest heiress in the kingdom, he solicited permission to marry her, which was granted. Not long afterwards, the King journeying in the neighbourhood of Athelwold's seat, desired to be introduced to his wife, about whom he had formerly heard so much. Edgar immediately discovered the faithlessness of his friend, and resolved to have her as his wife. Shortly afterwards Athelwold was slain in a hunting match, and Elfrida became the queen of Edgar. Many historians have not hesitated in laying the scene of this murder at Harewood. William of Malmsbury (lib: 2 De Gest: Reg: Angl:) says, "Edgar took Athelwold into a wood (Harewood forest) upon pretence of hunting, and killed him there with his lance." Higdon in his

Polychronicon, A.D. 1342, says,

"Thenne whan the Kynge saw the woman, he beganne to brenne in her love, and made it as thoughe he were not wrothe, and hadde the Erle with hym for to hunt in the wode of Werwelleye, that now is called Hoorewode. There the Kynge smate hym thorughe with a shafte. Afterwarde for clensying of this dede, this Elfrytha buyld an abbaye of nonnes at Warwell."* Mr. Jewel says "may not this Werwelleye be the hamlet of Weardley; this Hoorewode, the present Harewood; and this abbey, Arthington nunnery, which is very near to the field tradition points out as the scene of the murder. I have thoroughly investigated the statements of every historian who alludes to this event, and have come to the conclusion, that Harewood has no claim whatever to it, but that it took place at Whorwell in Hampshire. Stowe, A.D. 1565, says that it took place at Whorwell. Camden in his Brittania, A.D. 1586, also states that it took place at Worwhell in Hampshire. Hollinshed supports the same statement, and the place itself (according to Dugdale) had a nunnery founded by Elfrida, A.D. 986, whereas Arthington nunnery was not founded until the middle of the twelfth century, upwards of 200 years afterwards. All the later historians have copied the statement from Higdon, who says, that it is Hoorewode in Werwelleye, evidently shewing that Hoorewode was the name of the wood in a place called Werwelleye. This cannot apply to Harewood, for Harewood was not the name of a wood, but of a considerable place, of which Weardley was then, as it is now, a hamlet. Wherwell the legitimate locality is near Andover. On a

* A correct extract from the Copy in the Bodleian Library.