310 Yorkshire Natural History 200 Years Ago. 
The Natural History of this West Riding. 
w H cannot but begin this Part of the Natural History of 
Yorkshire, with the extraordinary Situation of Hassel- 
wood, the Seat antiently of the famous Family of the Vavasors, 
near which is the remarkable Ouarry, called Peters-post. out 
of which the stone, which built the Cathedral Church of York, 
dedicated to St. Peter, was hewed, given by the Vavasors. 
This Town affords a very pleasant Prospect ; for the two 
Cathedrals of York and Lincoln, tho’ sixty Miles asunder, 
and much of the Country and Towns between them, may be 
from thence discovered ; and Tunstal, Bishop of Durham, 
affirmed to King Hen. VIII. when he was in his Progres to 
York, that the Country round about for Ten Miles, was the 
richest Valley that he ever found in all his Travels through 
Europe, there being in it One hundred sixty-five Manorhouses, 
the Seats and Possessions of Lords, Knights, and Gentlemen of 
the best Quality ; Two hundred seventy-five several Woods 
(of which some of them contain Five hundred Acres) thirty- 
two Parks, and two Chases for Deer, One hundred and twenty 
Rivers and Brooks, (whereof seven are navigable) well stored 
with Salmon and other Fish, seventy-six Water-mills for 
grinding Corn, twenty-five Coal-mines, three Forges for making 
Iron, and Stone enough to supply the same with .Materials 
to work on ; and besides this, within these Limits, as must 
Sport and Pleasure for Hunting, Hawking, Fishing, and Fowl- 
ing, as in any Part of England. It is possible and probable, 
that from that Time to this many Alterations have happened 
by demolishing Houses, cutting down Woods, &c. but although 
the Face of Nature may be disguised, the Features of so admir- 
able a Region will still remain ; but to come to a more particular 
History of Nature’s Bounty to this Part of the Shire, we shall 
•continue to make Use of our former Method in treating of the, 
1. Air. 2. Earth. 3. Water ; and 4. Eire. 
1. Of the Air, which is more wholesome and healthy in 
this Riding than in the other two Ridings, the East and North, 
because they border upon the English or German Ocean in 
some Part or other ; for the Unwholesomness of Air proceeds 
generally either from the Sea. Marshes, or other Fens and Bogs, 
of which this Riding is as free as any County in England is, 
or can be ; for Rivers and Pond Fogs are common to all them, 
more or less ; and being not so noisome as others, do very 
little prejudice the Air. There was antiently on the East- 
Side of this Riding a River Island, called Marsh-land to this 
Day, which was once over-run with Water, and so probably 
infected the Air with unwholesome Fogs ; but it hath been 
for some Years drained at the Charge of the Gentlemen 
of the Neighbourhood, in the Reign of King Charles I. and 
Naturalist 
