ATKINSON : HISTORY AND OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY. 
53 
attacked in three places by Cromwell's generals, the two 
Fairfaxes, and a cavalry engagement took place at the end 
of Ousegate, near the Station, when the Royalists were com- 
pelled to retreat to York with the loss of 1,600 men. Tins 
victory was the precursor of Marston Moor, and ended in 
the complete destruction of the Royalists' power in the north 
of England. 
In 1774 a branch of the Aire and Calder Canal was opened, 
and was the means of creating a considerable amount of 
trade. 
In 1834 the Hull and Selby Railway was opened, one of 
the earliest railways in the kingdom. 
This is the first time that a purely scientific society has 
visited the town, but I trust it will not be the last. Doubt- 
less the monks who built the splendid pile opposite, with a 
zeal and an ingenuity worthy of our most profound admira- 
tion, would to-day rejoice to see you assembled here to unfold 
some of the mysteries of nature, the antiquity and impor- 
tance of which far surpassed even their efforts, but whose 
perseverance even we might well imitate. 
With respect to our Abbey, I will not trespass upon your 
time in describing it, although by the second name of our 
title " Polytechnic," I might perhaps be justified ; but I may 
remark that one of the earliest papers to this Society was 
contributed by Mr. Wm. Waller on "An Elucidation of 
the Geometrical Principles of Gothic Architecture." I will 
close this part of my subject by quoting the words of Dr. 
Freeman, one of our greatest living historical writers, who 
says, — " It may appear strange to claim the first place 
amongst the abbeys of Yorkshire for Selby. That great 
church has had the luck, good or bad, to be preserved in an 
almost perfect state. It is certain we have at Selby a foun- 
dation of the Conqueror which grew into a high position 
amongst the monastic houses of England, and to a specially 
