YORKSHIRE. 



well-vrooded and incloJed, and have numerous villages 

 interfperfed. 



The foil of Yorkfhire is not lefs variegated than the fur- 

 face. In the E. moorlands of the North Riding, wherever 

 the ground is covered with ling or heath, the upper foil is 

 invariably black moor or peat : but the fubfoil is various, 

 and confills of clay, free-ftone, and hardened fand. In that 

 part of the moors called Hamilton, the foil coiififts gene- 

 rally of fine loam on lime-ftone rock. In the interfefting 

 dales, black moory earth, fand, and grit-rock, more or lefs, 

 prevail ; but the vale of Cleveland, along the river Tees, is 

 compofed chiefly of ftrong tenacious clay. Lime-ftone, or 

 a calcareous rock, is the general baCs of the W. moorlands ; 

 and the beneficial efFefts of this fubfoil are evident in the 

 grafs and other ufeful produftions with which the furface is 

 generally covered. In the extenfive traft of plain ftyled 

 the Vale of York, which occupies the interior parts of the 

 county, and comprehends portions of all the three Ridings, 

 confiderable changes of foil are found. In the N. part 

 towards the river Tees, a rich gravelly loam prevails. 

 The flopes of the high grounds on the E. and W. are in 

 fome places cold, and abound in fprings ; but in the greateft 

 part the foil is ftrong and fertile. Of the Eaft Riiiner, the 

 moft llriking feature is the range of hills called the Wolds, 

 compofed of chalk ; but the furface is in general a light 

 free loam, interfperfed with chalky gravel, often very 

 (hallow. The great plain between the Wolds, the fea, and 

 the lower part of the Humber, contains many extenfive 

 trafts of fertile cultivable land, efpecially in the N. and E. 

 quarters ; but the fouthern diftriAs, towards the river, are 

 covered with marfties and fens, fufceptible, where draining 

 can be praftifed, of material improvement. In the con- 

 tinuation of thofe fens, fituated on the W. of the Wolds, 

 called the Levels, the foil is either clay or fand, with 

 moorilh trafts interfperfed ; but on the banks of the Dar- 

 went and the Oufe ftrong clay and loam prevail. In the 

 extenfive Weft Riding foils of every kind are to be found, 

 from deep ftrong clay and rich loam to the pooreft peat- 

 earth. Clay and loam, but mingled with forae fand and 

 moor, prevail in the E. diftrict of this Riding, while the 

 middle divifion confifts chiefly of loam on a lime-ftone ba(». 

 Similar foils extend through the W. parts, but are fre- 

 quently interrupted by trafts of moor of different kinds. 



In a country of fuch extent, and of fuch variety of foil, 

 elevation, and expofure, as Yorkfliire, an accordant variety 

 of climate, with regard to temperature, humidity, and falu- 

 brity, muft naturally be experienced. The E. moorlands, 

 advancing high and bold into the German ocean, are 

 neceffarily expofed to the cold, moift, and impetuous winds 

 from the N. and E. The climate there, however, is rather 

 difagreeable than unhealthy ; for the high grounds are fre- 

 quently involved in fogs and vapou-'s from the fea. Among 

 the W. moorlands the climate is ftill more fevere ; but its 

 effefts on the produftions of the furface are powerfully 

 counterafted by the calcareous rock of which thofe moun- 

 tainous trafts confift. By their diftance from the fea, com- 

 bmed with their much greater elevation, the fnow remains 

 on them confiderably longer than on the E. moorlands. 

 But the greateft obftacle to agricultural labours in the W. 

 parts of the county is the almoft inceftant rain which falls 

 among the mountains.. On them are accumulated and con- 

 denfed the vapours collefted by the oppofite winds, which 

 prevail on the contrary fides of the ifland. By the humidity 

 thus produced, no attempt to raife corn-crops among thofe 

 high lands can fucceed. In the intermediate plains and 

 gently -fwelling trafls of the centre of the county, the 



climate is, on the contrary, in general mild and temperate 

 in proportion to the remotenefs from the mountainous 

 quarters. The low grounds on the banks of the Darwent, 

 are, however, fo moift, although warm, as to be much 

 better adapted to pafturage than to corn-land. What is 

 faid of the chmate of the W. parts of the North Riding is 

 equally apphcable to the correfponding portion of the W. ; 

 for there the climate is alfo rainy, cold, and ftormy. At 

 Shef&eld, although on the S. border of the county, the 

 quantity of rain which falls in a year is about 33 inches. 

 It is, mdeed, found by experience, that the lofty trafts 

 which feparate Yorkfhire from Lancaftiire and Chefhire 

 are fully as fubjeft to fog, rain, and ftorms, as any other 

 portion of England. But notwithftanding thefe circum- 

 ftanL;s, the air is pure and healthy. The middle and lefs- 

 elevated trafts of the Weft Riding are equally healthy, 

 milder, and lefs humid ; holding a defirable medium between 

 the tempeftuous blafts of the mountains in the W., and the 

 dull fogs and damps which ufually befet the low^marfhy 

 country in the E. On the oppofite fides of the Wolds, in 

 the Eaft Riding, a different temperature is experienced ; 

 for by thofe hills the W. divifion is in general fheltered 

 from ttie cold damp winds from the fea and the entrance of 

 the Humber, which prevail over the E. divifion. On the 

 Wolds themfelves the air is fharp, and the fnow remains for 

 a confiderable time on the ground. But the mildnefs of 

 the climate in the W. Levels is abundantly compenfaled, in 

 regard to falubrity, by the vapours of the marfhes. 



Mountains. — The E. moorlands of the North Riding 

 form a pecuhar feature in the county ; for they are wholly 

 detached by their pofition, and by their fubftance, from the 

 mountains in the W. Some points of the E. moorlands 

 rife nearly 9C0 feet above the level of the fea ; but the moft 

 remarkable fummit of the whole is Rofebury Topping. 

 This fingular hill, fituated midway between Stokefley and 

 Guifborough, towards the N.W. edge of the moors, (hoots 

 up in a conical form, to the height of 1488 feet above the 

 fea. By its detached pofition and fuperior elevation, it 

 commands, in all direftions, a profpeft at once extenfive 

 and interefting. The hiU feems to reft on a bafis of alum- 

 rock, interfperfed with iron ftone ; and its pinnacled fummit 

 indicates to the furrounding country the approaching 

 changes in the weather ; for when the fummit is involved 

 in clouds, rains feldom fail to defcend on the neighbouring 

 low grounds. It is, however, on the W. borders of the 

 county, that the moft elevated mountains are found. Thefe 

 are a portion of the chain, which, commencing in the S. in 

 Staff'ordfhire, extend northward, with increaCng elevation, 

 through Derbyftiire, Lancalhire, Weftmoreland, Cumber- 

 land, and Northumberland, into Scotland. In that portion 

 of this range which belongs to Yorkfhire are feveral fum- 

 mits of very confiderable elevation above the fea. Of thefe, 

 the moft remarkable are, Pennigant, which rifes, according 

 to barometrical meafurement, to the height of 3930 feet ; 

 Ingleborough, 3987 feet; and Whernfide, 4052 feet. The 

 laft mountain is the higheft in England ; for Crofsfell on 

 the borders of Cumberiand is in height only 3S39 feet ; 

 Skiddaw, 3530; and Snowden, the higheft in Wales, 3568. 

 Bennevis, a detached mountain in the N. of Scotland, and 

 the moft elevated in Britain, rifes to the height of 4387 

 feet. Pennigant, fituated about 7 miles N. from Settle, is 

 fteep and towering. Ingleborough conlifts of a bafis of 

 hme-ftone, but towards the fummit the grit-rock appears. 

 The E. and S. fides of this mountain are very fteep, and of 

 difEcult accefs, on account of a deep morafs at the bottom ; 

 but the W. and N. fides, particularly the fonner, may be 



afcecded 



