regulation of the said Stray, and to raise money to defray the cost of draining and improving the same. Since that time it has been much improved by draining, levelling, and manuring; so that the old coarse forest vegetation has been changed into good pasturage. The ornamental planting has not been so fully carried out as it might have been: avenues of trees by the sides of the principal roads were planted in 1861, at the cost of the Stray owners-the Improvement Commissioners providing iron guards to protect the trees. PAROCHIAL AFFAIRS, STATISTICS, &c. In parochial matters Bilton-with-Harrogate is within the Knaresborough Poor Law Union, to which it elects four guardians. Previous to the formation of that Union, in 1854, the houseless and infirm poor were kept in a workhouse at Starbeck, which building is now used as a boarding school, known as Beech Grove Academy. A few notes from some of the books may be interesting, as they will show the difference between the past and present methods of relieving the poor, and the difference of the rateable value of the township at different periods. In 1808, this was the cost of a pauper's funeral— "Dec. 24. Ellen Meldrum's funeral: ale and bread 10s.,) cheese, 6 lbs., 5s. 5d., sugar, &c., 1s. 7d., coffin 188. 6d., funeral fee 6s. 4d."...... £2 1 10 In 1809, the parish authorities purchased for John Poppleton, March 8, "A shuttle, pair of brushes, six dozen bobbins, and pair of pinkers," for the sum of 11s. 4d. 1808. April 30th. Relieved a pauper with a pass.. 6d. 4d. .6d. This year the rents of thirty-six poor people were paid half-yearly, the rents varying from 13s. to £2 the half-year. Coals were given by the overseers to forty-three persons, in quantities varying from two bushels to twelve corves, the prices were 1s. the bushel, and 28. Od. the corf. The total expenditure for the year from April 20th, 1808, to April 20th, 1809, was £750 14s. 10ąd. The largest proprietor on the rate-book is John Watson, Esq., of Bilton Hall, who is personally the largest rate-payer, and has twenty-nine tenants beside; Lord Harewood, ten tenants; Ely Hargrove, self and six tenants; Sir John Ingilby, Bart., eight tenants; James Brown, fourteen tenants; Dr. Jaques, self and six tenants. Between 1808 and 1835 the proprietory appears to have completely changed, and John Greenwood and William Sheepshanks have come conspicuously forward as landowners. In 1835, the number of rate-payers was 546, and the rateable value £8,300. In 1856, In 1862, In 1866, In 1869, 846, £20,254. £23,646. £30,158. £35,564. As the hotels are the most conspicuous objects in Harrogate, and as their increase in value may be considered an index to the progress of the town, we will give the value of a few of them, at different periods, from the overseers' books: In 1856, a new kind of rate-payers have come into existence which were not to be found in 1834; these are the Waterworks Company, £20, the Gas Company-works and piping-£125, Leeds Northern Railway Company, £453 9s. 3d., Montpellier Baths, £245. The Earl of Rosslyn is entered as owner of the tithes of Bilton Park, £33, and the Vicar of Knaresborough as owner of the small tithes of the same park, 12s. In this year, thirty-five are rated at £100 and upwards, and 456 at £10 and upwards. In 1866, 636 were rated at £15 and upwards. In 1866, we find amongst the land owners Baron de Ferrars, owner of one and a half cattle gates on the Stray, and Baroness de Boyce, as owner of a stone quarry in Barker lane. Scotton Flax Mill, though on the northern side of the river Nidd, is rated to this township, at £32; and the Forest Lane Windmill, with eleven perches of land, is rated at £15. The Telegraph Companies also come in for a share of attention. The Electric has 2 wires, 880 yards each (Harrogate branch) 4 The Maguetic has 8 wires, 3,774 yards (main line) 2,970 (Harrogate branch, N. side 2 10 166066 The following is a statement of the valuation and extent of the North Eastern Railway Company's property in this The ratability of the Gas Company has increased from £125, in 1856, to £482 15s., in 1866. The valuation of Bilton-with-Harrogate, as assessed to the county rate, in 1849, was £18,057; in 1859, £23,904; and in 1866, £31,779. The population at the different decennial periods has been as follows:-In 1801, 1195; 1811, 1583; 1821, 1934; 1831, 2812; 1841, 3372; 1851, 4262; 1861, 5567. The number of houses at the last mentioned period was 1132. The The following is a statement of the rainfall at Harrogate during the eight years from 1861 to 1868, inclusive. gauge was fixed at six feet from the ground, and 420 feet above the sea level. Communicated by Frederick Bainbridge, Esq., surgeon, Harrogate. January April May June July 70 August 3.82 4.01 .89 September 2.10 1861. 1862. 1863. 1864. 1865. 1866. 1867. 1868. 3.84 2.18 2.24 1.93 1.79 .36 1.91 ⚫62 4.44 October Total 32-58 34.76 26-48 27.74 39-44 30-33 32.83 During the year 1862, rain, more or less, fell on 204 days; in 1863, on 183 days; in 1864, on 162 days; in 1865, on 145 days; in 1866, on 210 days; in 1867, on 172 days; and in 1868, on 160 days. The greatest quantity recorded as having fallen in one day was on October 11th, 1865, when 2.16 inches fell. Thunderstorms are recorded as having occurred six times in 1862, eight times in 1863, six times in 1864, thirteen times in 1865, three times in 1866, and three times in 1867. The prevailing winds are the N.E., S.E., S.W., W., and N.W. The strongest winds, or gales, are from the S.W. and S.S.W. TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY. A walk round the town of Harrogate and its immediate neighbourhood will enable the reader better to comprehend the different localities, and also give an opportunity for the introduction of matter not admissable by any other method. Commencing our survey at the northern extremity, the cemetery is the first object deserving of attention. The two small elegant chapels, with their slender spires, are observable at a considerable distance. From its recent formation, this place has not yet become so interesting as it will do in the course of time; for the places where the dead are buried are always regarded with veneration by the living; while the monuments-sometimes by their elegance-sometimes by the inscriptions they bear, recording the talents or virtues of those sleeping below-demand our veneration; while the plain grassy hillocks preach a sermon whose moral is memento mori. A short distance east of the cemetery is the Harrogate National School; opposite is Grove House, a large lofty building, surrounded by a grove of sycamore trees, the property of John Greenwood, Esq., of Swarcliffe Hall, and now occupied |