YORK. 



the principal was St. Mary's abbey, fituatcd on the bank of 

 the river Oufe, on the outfide of the city wall. The found- 

 ation of the monaftery is of uncertain date ; but tlie church, 

 of which fome confidcrable ruins ItiU remain, was rebuilt in 

 1 270. Having fallen to decay after the general fuppreffion 

 of religious houfes, Henry VIII. ordered a palace to be 

 ereaed out of the ruins, for the refidence of the lord-pre- 

 fident of the north of England, to be defignated the 

 * king's manor.' This was enlarged by James I. Pre- 

 vioufly to the Revolution it became an objeft of popular 

 outrage : but fome years afterwards the kmg's Mint was 

 eftabhfhed in it, and much gold and filver, diftinguilhed by 

 the initial letter Y, was ftruck there for Wilham III. The 

 fcite of the abbey and the minor have long been leafed 

 from the crown by lord Grantham and his predeceflbrs. 

 Connefted with the religious fyftem of former times, it 

 may be noticed, that adjoining to the walls of York, im- 

 mediately without Micklegate-bar on the London road, 

 is an eftablifliment called the Nunnery. The building was 

 originally acquired in 1686, as a place of education and 

 living for young ladies of Roman Catholic families. The 

 eftablifliment at prefent confifts of the fupcrior and twenty 

 affiftants, who wear the drefs and conform to the regulations 

 cf nuns in Catholic countries, with twelve lay-fifters, and a 

 chaplain. From fixty to feventy boarders are ufually ac- 

 commodated in the inftitution. 



The Guild-hall and the Manfion-houfe are fituated near 

 the river Oufe, in the north-weft quarter of the city. The 

 hall, built in 1446, is a noble room, ninety-fix feet long, 

 forty-five broad, and twenty-nine feet fix inches high. In 

 it are held the law-courts and the courts of municipal juf- 

 tice. The Manfion-houfe was ereaed in 1725, and con- 

 tains every necelFary accommodation for the lord-mayor. 

 In the fame quarter of the city are the affembly-rooms, 

 the theatre, the fubfcription library, the principal hotels, 

 Sec. As a fortrefs, York caftle has long ceafed to be of 

 importance : it is now occupied by feveral ftruftures. That 

 on the W. fide of the area is the county-hall, rebuilt in 

 1777, in which the aflizes are held, and other county bufi- 

 nefs is tranfafted. The centre building is the prifon for 

 debtors and criminals: the third building on the E. con- 

 tains the record-office, and various apartments neceffary for 

 the tranfaftion of the bufinefs of the county. Of all 

 thefe buildings it is but juftice to fay, that in their conftruc- 

 tion external elegance and tafte have been properly com- 

 bined with a due attention to their feveral deftinations. 

 The arrangement and management of the prifons have 

 been frequently the fubjeft of commendation. The new 

 city -gaol, an extenfive ftone ftrufture near the Old Baile, on 

 the weft fide of the river Oufe, and the houfe of correftion, 

 are alfo deferving of attention. 



The charitable eftabhftiments for the poor and the fick 

 in York are very numerous, and well conducted. Among 

 thefe, the county-hofpital and the city-difpenfary are highly 

 commendable. Schools for the education of youth of both 

 fexes are not wanting in York. In 1647 a petition was pre- 

 fented to the crown from the inhabitants of the city and the 

 county, and from other parts of the north, for the eftabhfti- 

 ment of an univerfity in York : but the unfettled ftatc of the 

 affairs of the kingdom then prevented due confideration of the 

 requeft ; nor has it fince been renewed ; although, for various 

 important reafons, York feems pecuharly adapted for a place 

 of hlerary and fcientific retirement and lludy. A feminary 

 or college for the education of minifters and lay-gentlemen 

 among Proteftant diftenters, which formerly fubfifted at 

 Manchefter under the fucceffive care of the Rev. Dr. 

 Barnes and Mr. Walker, and was liberally fupporled by 



voluntary fubfcription, was on the death of the latter pro- 

 feflbr removed to York, where it is conduced with great 

 reputation by the Rev. Meflrs. Wellbeloved, Kenrick, and 

 Turner. 



Bridge. — Communication between the original city of 

 York, and the fuburb ftyled Micklegate-bar on the fouth- 

 weft fide of the river Oufe, is maintained by a handfome ftone 

 bridge, which has lately been erefted from the defigns and 

 under the direftion of Peter Atkinfon, efq. of York. In 

 1 154 the bridge w.-is wood : but in 1 268 it was probably of 

 ftone ; for then was founded on it St. William's chapel, in 

 atonement for the death of feveral perfons on the fpot in a 

 fray with the people of the town. In 1564 a flood fol- 

 lowing an intenfe froft fwept away two arches of the bridge, 

 with the houfes built on them. 



On the fouth-eaft fide of York, going out by Walmgate- 

 bar, near the village of Heflington, is an eftablifhment for 

 the reception and relief of perfons difordered in mind ; which 

 has, for fome time, been the fubjeft of general approbation. 

 This was called the Retreat, founded by the refpeftable 

 Society of Friends, and originally intended for members of 

 their clafs alone. The firft idea of this admirable inftitu- 

 tion was fuggefted in 1791, by the unfortunate death of 

 one of their fociety, at a common receptacle for the infane. 

 In 1794 land was purchafed, and the building commenced, 

 on a commanding eminence. The general arrangement, 

 management, and fyftem of treatment of the unfortunate 

 patients, have been imitated, as the moft perfeft of their 

 kind, in various parts of the kingdom and America. See 

 an " Account of the Retreat," 8vo. — Eboracum, or Hiftory 

 and Antiquities of York, by Francis Drake, F.R.S. folio, 

 1736. Defcription and Hiftory of the City and Cathedral 

 of York, l2mo. 3d ed. 1790. Defcription of York, l2mo. 

 1816. A Guide to the Cathedral of York, l2mo. 1815, is 

 a rational and judicious vade mecum. 



York, Cujlom of. See Rationabili parte lonorum. 



York, in Geography, a county of the United States, in 

 the diftrift of Maine, containing 23 towns, and 41,877 

 inhabitants. 



York, a diftrift of South Carolina, containing 10,032 

 inhabitants, including 3164 (laves. 



York, a county of Pennfylvania, fouth-weft of Suf- 

 quehanna. It contains 22 townlhips, and 31,958 in- 

 habitants. 



York Borough, a town of Pennfylvania, in York county, 

 containing 2847 inhabitants. 



York, a townfhip of Pennfylvania, in York county, con- 

 taining 1649 inhabitants. 



York, a county of Virginia, with 5187 inhabitants, in- 

 cluding 2931 flaves. 



York, a town of United America, in the diftrift of 

 Maine, and county of York, containing 3046 inhabitants ;, 

 50 miles N.N.E. of Bofton. N. lat. 43" 7'. W. long. 

 70° 40'. 



York, a townfhip of Ohio, in the county of Belmont, 

 containing 1349 inhabitants. 



York, the capital of Upper Canada, fituated on the 

 lake Ontario. It is likely to become a city of great 

 importance, as it poflefTes great facilities for commerce 

 and navigation. It lies in about 43° 35' N. lat., within 

 an excellent harbour of the fame name, made by a long 

 peniiifula, which embraces a bafon of water fufficiently 

 large for containing a confiderable fleet. VefTels may ride 

 fafely at its entrance during the winter. On the extre- 

 mity of the peninfula, which is called Gibraltar Point, 

 are erefted commodious block-houfes and ftores command- 

 ing the entrance into the harbour. On the main land op- 



pofite 



