RASTRICK is a large and populous village, township and ecclesiastical parish in the parish of Halifax, having a station on the Lancashire fend Yorkshire railway, 5 miles south-east, from Halifax, 3 ½ north from Huddersfield, and 15 south-west from Leeds, and is a polling-place for the Northern division of the Riding, in the wapentake of Morley, Halifax union, county court district and rural deanery, Craven archdeaconry, and Ripon diocese, situate on an eminence on the Calder; the parish is governed by a Local Board of Health of 12 members. The church of St. Matthew, built to replace an ancient chapel in 1796, is a stone building in the Grecian style, consisting of apsidal chancel, finely decorated with mosaics, nave, tower with clock and a bell turret containing one bell, organ chamber and vestries: the church was restored in 1879 when a stained window consisting of three lights was placed at the east end: on the south side is a memorial window presented by the inhabitants in memory of the Rev. Thomas Hayne, 33 years incumbent of Rastrick, and another on the same side to W. L. P. Bradbury esq. who died Oct, 18th. 1861: there are monuments to the Archbell, and Armitage families, and a marble tablet to the Rev. Thos, Burton M.A. for 36 years incumbent of this place and who died May 6th. 1837: the interior is surrounded by a gallery on three sides: the carved oak pulpit was the gift of Mrs. Macaulay: a fine organ was erected by subscription in 1854. The register, which is in good condition, dates from the year 1614. The living is a perpetual curacy, yearly value £300 with residence, in the gift of the vicar of Halifax, and held by the Rev. Robert Gill Irving, of St. Bees. There is a Congregational chapel, a Friends’ Meeting-house, situated in Huddersfield road and erected in 1869; and a chapel belonging to the Methodist Free Church. There is a charity, founded by Mrs. Mary Law in 1721, of the yearly value of £30, to be divided between four poor widows, the minister of Rastrick acting as co-trustrea with the heirs of the Hanson family; aleo a dole arising from an endowment by the Thornhill family, and distributed on St. Thomas’ day; and other charities of £30 yearly value, for four poor widows with a small charity for clothing. There are extensive stone quarries, woollen mills and a silk manufactory. W. Capel Clarke-Thornhill esq. is chief landowner and lord of the manor. The soil is sandy and clayey; subsoil, stone. The chief crops are corn, oats, grass and turnips. The area of the township is 1,371 acres; of the ecclesiastical parish 1,290 acres; rateable value, £23,131; the population in 1871 was 5,896.

Schools: —

The Grammar (boys’) school was founded & endowed in 1721 by Mrs. Mary Law for 20 poor boys of Rastrick Brighouse, & is now managed by governors appointed under a new scheme prepared by the Charity Commissioners in 1875, with a yearly income of about £80; a good house has been erected for the master, & it is intended to proceed to the building of new school premises in the present year (1881); Thomas A. Storr, master.

National (infants), Miss Rosina Whitehead, mistress.

The British & Foreign schools were endowed by the late John Clay esq. with the interest of £1,000: William P. Yates, master; Miss Fitton mistress.

St. John’s Girls & Infants Miss Stacey, mistress; Miss C. Stoner, infants’ mistress.