REETH is a market and union town, which, with Fremington and Healaugh, form a township, in the parish of Grinton, and is situated in Swaledale, near the confluence of the rivers Swale and Arkle, 6 miles north from Redmire station on the Hawes branch of the North Eastern railway, 10 west from Richmond, 8 north-west from Leyburn, 16 south from Barnard Castle and 16 north-east from Hawes, in the Richmond division of the Riding, wapentake and petty sessional division of Grilling West and county court district of Richmond. The town is lighted by electricity. The nearest church is the parish church at Grrinton, three-quarters of a mile distant. Here are a Congregational chapel, founded in 1783, with 250 sittings, and a Wesleyan Methodist chapel, with minister’s house. There are also a Conservative Club and a Literary Institute, with reading and billiard rooms and a library of 1,200 volumes. The Reeth and District Agricultural society hold their annual show here during the first week in September. Cattle fairs are held on the first Friday in May, 3rd of November, the Friday before Masham lamb fair, and the Friday before the first Monday in March. On Fremington Edge is a chert mine, extensively worked by the Boulder Flint Co. the produce of which is identical with the chert found on Halkyn Mountain, Holywell, N. Wales. Messrs. Barclay and Company Limited have a sub-branch here of their bank, which is open daily. Capt. Francis Horner Lyell is lord of the manors of Healaugh and Muker, which embrace over 40,000 acres, principally moorland. The lords of the minerals in these two royalties are Sir Francis Charles Edward Denys-Burton bart. J.P. of Draycott Hall, and Sir Stewkley Frederick Draycott Shuckburgh bart. of Shuckburgh, Warwickshire, and Sir Thomas George Fermor-Hesketh bart. of Rufford Old Hall, Ormskirk, Lancs., Capt. F. H. Lyell and James William Close esq. of Leeds. The other principal landowners are Ernest G. Whitelock esq. of The Bryn, Atlow, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, the trustees of the late John Barker, of Reeth, Captain Sherlock, Mrs. Robinson and W. E. Winn esq. The soil is various; subsoil, stone, gravel and mineral. The land is principally pasture, with some wood and moor land. The area is 5,648 acres of land and 53 of water; rateable value, £5,476; the population in 1911 was 628, including a officers and 15 inmates in the workhouse.

REETH UNION

Board day, every alternate Friday.

The union comprises:-Arkengarthdale, Ellerton Abbey, Grinton, Marrick, Melbecks, Muker & Reeth. Area, 74,538 acres; rateable value at Michaelmas, 1912, £31,078; the population in 1911 was 2,396.

The Workhouse is available for 30 inmates.

Public, Elementary (Friends’) Higher school (mixed), erected with master’s residence in 1862, at a cost of about £4,000, for 400 children; average attendance, 90.