Doncaster

DONCASTER, market town, county borough, Doncaster parliamentary division, south Yorkshire, England, 156m. N. of London. Pop. (1931) 63,308. It lies astride the ridge dividing the watershed of the rivers Don and Trent. It is the centre of a rapidly developing coal-mining area and an important station on the L.N.E. railway, whose principal locomotive and carriage works are here. It is also served by the L.M.S. railway, stands on the Great North road, and the river Don affords water communi cation with the Humber and Goole. The parish church of St. George (architect Sir G. G. Scott) occupies the site of an older structure, destroyed by fire in 1853. It is a fine cruciform struc , ture of Decorated character, with a central tower 17o ft. high, and contains a fine organ. St. James's church was erected by the same architect and Lord Grimthorpe. Other important buildings are the guildhall, mansion house, public library, school of art, techni cal college, corn exchange and market hall. The grammar school was founded in 1553; and there is a large high school for girls, whilst some of the elementary schools are the finest in the country.

The Doncaster racecourse lies m. S.E. of the town and is owned and managed by the corporation. The old course is m. 7 fur. 7o yd. long, the Sandall mile was added in 1892 and the straight mile in 1912. Race-meetings are held in September, Octo ber and May. In September the St. Leger race, which originated in 1776, is run. The grand stand was erected in 1777 but there are several other stands. Systems of electric tramways, trolley vehicles, and motor omnibuses connect the borough with the coal mining towns in the neighbourhood, there being 23 coal-mines within a io m. radius. Agricultural trade is extensive and there are iron, brass, wagon, wire and agricultural machine works, toffee and chocolate works, wall-paper works and a woollen mill. Adjoin ing the borough are the urban districts of Bentley-with-Arksey (P0P. 16,458), Adwick-le-Street (20,257), Conisbrough (18,179), with the Saxon and Norman ruins of Conisbrough castle, and Tickhill (2,107), also with remains of a Norman castle. The town contains four free libraries, a museum and art gallery, six public parks and a municipal swimming bath.

History.

There was a Roman station here, and numerous re mains of the Roman period have been found. In the reign of Ed ward the Confessor, Doncaster belonged to Earl Tostig; but be fore io86 it had been granted to Robert, earl of Mortain, whose successor William was attainted for treason in the time of Henry I. The overlordship then fell to the crown, and the families of Fossard, Mauley and Salvin successively held the manor as underlords. Doncaster was evidently a borough held of the crown for a fee farm rent before 1194, when Richard I. granted and confirmed to the burgesses their soke and town to hold by the ancient rent and by 25 marks yearly. The town was incorporated in 1467 by Edward IV.; and Henry VII., while confirming this charter in i5o5 and in i5o8 granted further powers to the bur gesses. In 1623 Ralph Salvin tried to regain the manor of Don caster from the mayor and burgesses who, fearing that the case would go against them, agreed to pay about L3,000, in return for which he gave up his claim. Charles II. in 1664 gave the town a new charter, but since this was not enrolled the burgesses ob tained another charter from James II. in 1684 by which the town was governed until the Municipal Corporation Act. In 'zoo a fair at Doncaster on the vigil and day of St. James the Apostle was confirmed, and by the charter of 1194 the burgesses received licence to hold a fair on the vigil, feast and morrow of the Annun ciation. These fairs were confirmed by Henry VII. in 1505. The fairs and markets are still held under these charters.