The mixed or coloured cloth hall, built in 1758, is a qua drangular building, enclosing an open area of 1271 yards by 66. It is divided into six covered streets, each of which contains two rows of stands. Each stand is 22 inches in front, and has the name of the clothier painted upon it. The total number is 1800. The number of master manufactur ers, however, does not exceed 1780, some of them having two stands. Each stand originally cost three guineas ; but they are now worth from 81. to 151. The hall is so com pletely lighted, that the colours of the goods can be seen as distinctly as in the open air.
The white or undyed cloth hall, built in 1775, is a qua drangle, 99 yards long and 70 broad; and is divided into five covered streets, each of which has a double row of stands, the total number of which is 1210. Each of these cost originally 30 shillings, but they now sell from Si. to 81. A small hall was erected some years ago in Albion street, for the use of those clothiers who had not received a regu lar apprenticeship, and who could not therefore be admitted into the other halls.
The market for coloured cloths is held every Monday and Saturday at nine in the morning, and that for white cloth on Tuesday at one o'clock. The market commences by the ringing of a hell. At the end of an hour a second bell rings ; and at the end of a quarter of an hour a third bell announces that the market must be cleared. All the business is therefore completed in an hour and a quarter ; and if any merchant remain in the hall after the last bell is finished, he is fined five shillings, and the same sum for every five minutes that he continues there. After the cloths have been properly fulled, and the uniformity of their fabric certified by a leaden ticket affixed by the inspector, they arc brought to the market in the rough. The buyers pur chase in a few words, and the cloths are taken to the ware houses to be examined. A part of the price is then paid, and six months credit given for the balance.
The new court-house and prison, at the bottom of Park Row, may be ranked among the first public buildings of the town. The first stone was laid on the 2d of September, 1811, and the edifice was completed in 1813. The princi pal front is towards Park Row, and consists of a portico of four Corinthian columns, and two wings, which have pan nels highly wrought in has relief, containing the fasces, fleece, wreaths, &c. The rotation-office, and the West
Riding magistrates' room, are on each side of the vesti bule, and communicate with the great room, which con tains an elevated stage for the public, capable of containing 800 persons. There are also two galleries, one for the grand jury, and a corresponding one for ladies ; a room for the counsel, and a retiring-room for the jury, which com municates with their box. The casement story, which is entirely arched with stone, consists of an open ground ar cade, for the use of the military, behind which is a guard room, and an engine-room, sufficiently large to contain the whole of the town and fire-office engines.
There are also on this story, gaoler's apartments, which command the prison-court, in which are thirteen cells.
The king's mills are held by a grant from the crown by J. P. Neville, Esq. and all the inhabitants of Leeds are obliged to grind their corn there.
The water-works are near the bridge over the Aire, and supply the town with abundance of soft water. Adjoining to them are the vast warehouses belonging to the Aire and Calder Navigation.
The charity-school, in which 70 boys are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, and 50 girls reading, writing, and knitting, was founded by Mr. Harrison. The children are admitted at seven, and remain till fourteen.
The Leeds national school is a convenient and hand some edifice, for the instruction of 320 boys and 180 girls, on Dr. Bell's system. It was begun in 1812, and opened in 1813.
A Lancastrian school was also erected in 1812, and is a large and commodious brick building.
A Wesley chapel, a very handsome and spacious build ing, was erected in Maiden-lane in 1816.
Leeds has an excellent circulating library, which was es tablished in 1768 by the exertions of Dr. Priestley. It con tains a large and excellent collection of books, and some valuable manuscripts, which are deposited in a splendid apartment, erected at an expence of 50001.
Magnificent assembly rooms have been built in Leeds, and dancing assemblies are held every fortnight during the winter. The theatre was built in 1771 ; but during four years previous to 1816 it was shut up.