PONTEFRACT, West Riding of Yorkshire, a municipal and parlia mentary borough and market-town, in the parish of Pontefract, is situated near the confluence of the rivers Aire and Calder, in 53° 42 N. lat., 1° 19' W. long., distant 24 miles S.S.W. from York, 177 miles N.N.W. from London by road, and 193 miles by the Great Northern railway. The population of the municipal borough of Pontefract in 1851 was 5100 ; that of the parliamentary borough was 11,515. The borough is governed by 4 aldermen and 12 councillors, of whom one is mayor, and returns two members to the Imperial Parliament. The living is a vicarage in the archdeaconry and diocese of York.
Pontefract is a town of considerable historical importance. It was called Kirkby in the time of the Saxons. After the Conquest, Ilbert de Lacy received a grant of the place, and built here a very atroug castle. The vast possessions of Do Lacy, who was a great favourite with William, passed about 1310 by marriage to Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, uncle to Edward IL When the Earl of Lancaster took part with the barons he was taken prisoner and brought to Pontefract Castle, where he was soon after beheaded. Pontefract Castle was subsequently the scene of Richard IL's imprisonment and death, and of several other incidents of importance in English history. After the execution of Charles L, Pontefract Castle was dismantled by order of the parlia ment, and the valuable materials were sold. At the present day little even of its ruins remains : the area is now chiefly occupied by gardens and a quarry of filtering-stones.
Pontefract possesses several spacious streets, which are well-paved, cleansed, lighted with gas, and supplied with water. The parish
church is small and plain. The more ancient church of All Saints, the original parish church, is cruciform, with a handsome tower in the middle. It is in the early English style, and has been partially restored and made available for publio worship. The Roman Catholics, Independents, Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists, and Quakers have places of worship. The town has a subscription library, a mechanics library, a public news-room, a. savings bank, and a dispensary. The Free Grammar school was established in the reign of Edward VI. ; it has an interest in several exhibitions and scholarships at Oxford ; its income from endowment is 50/. a year : the number of scholars in 1852 was 19. There are also National and British schools. The town-hail is a handsome building, erected on the site of the old moot hall, at the joint expense of the county and the corporation; the borough and petty sessions are held in it. The spring quarter sessions are held in the court-house, a commodious modern building, erected at the expense of the West Riding. A county court is held. The market is on Saturday, and there are eight annual fairs for the sale of cattle. The town is chiefly celebrated for its extensive gardens, nurseries, and liquorice-grounds : the soil is rich and deep. Several coal mines, brick- and tile-works, potteries, flour-mills, iron- and brass foundries, hat-manufactories, and breweries afford employment.