HARROGATE, a municipal borough of the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, 18 m. N. of Leeds, 19 m. W. of York, 203 m. N. by W. from London, on the L.N.E. railway. Pop. (1891), 16,316, (190I) It stands about 400 ft. above sea-level, on the Pennine foothills, with Blubberhouses moor lying to the west, and the Vale of York to the east. It is thus an excellent tourist centre for the high moor land district and the dales of Yorkshire and is not far from the beauty spots of Fountains abbey, Bolton abbey, etc. Harrogate is the principal inland watering place in the north of England, containing upwards of 8o mineral springs for bathing and drinking purposes. It owes its rise and importance to the presence of these springs.
The town consists of two scattered townships—Low Harrogate, sheltered and warm in winter, and High Harrogate, with a more bracing climate. These have gradually been connected by the growth of villas extending from both the high and the low town. A common, called the Stray, secured by act of parliament from ever being built upon, stretches for 20o ac. in front of the main lines of houses, and so, notwithstanding its rapid growth, Harro gate has retained much of its rural charm.
The principal chalybeate springs are the Tewitt well, discovered towards the close of the 16th century by Captain William Slingsby, of Bilton Hall, and called "The English Spa" by Dr. Bright, who wrote the first account of it ; the Royal Chalybeate Spa, more commonly known as John's Well, discovered by Dr. Stanhope, of York, in 1631 ; Muspratt's chalybeate or chloride of iron spring, discovered in 1819, but first properly analysed by Dr. Sheridan Muspratt in 1865; and the Starbeck springs, midway between High Harrogate and Knaresborough. The chief sulphur springs are the old sulphur well in the centre of Low Harrogate, discov ered about the year 1656; the Montpellier springs, the principal well of which was discovered in 1822, situated in the grounds of the Crown hotel, and the Harlow Car springs, in a wooded glen about 1 m. W. from Low Harrogate. A saline spring was dis covered in Low Harrogate in 1783. The principal bath establish ments are the Victoria Baths (1871) and the Royal Baths (1897), both of which are owned by the corporation. Harrogate also con tains a handsome Kursaal, opened in 1903, a grand opera house, numerous modern churches, and several hospitals, including the Royal Bath hospital. Harlow Hill observatory, a square tower 100 ft. in height, stands on elevated ground about 1 m. W. of Low Harrogate, and commands a very extensive view. The town was incorporated in 1884, the corporation consisting of a mayor, eight aldermen and 24 councillors.