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Wakefield (Capital of the West bishopric)

the capital of the West bishopric. Its cathedral, formerly the larged and reconsecrated in 1329, and' of keeping with the sad occasion. again enlarged about 1470, was restored 1888 it was constituted the seat of a in 1857-1886 from designs by Sir G. G. fine Perpendicular parish church, en- Scott, and has a tower and spire 227 feet high. On the eight-arch bridge over the Calder is larged and reconsecrated in 1329, and fine Perpendicular parish church, en- Wakefield, a building in the beautiful flowing Decorated style; it also was re an interesting chapel WAKEFIELD stored in 1847. At the grammar school, chartered in 1591, and removed to new buildings on a different site in 1855, were educated Dr. Radcliffe, Archbishop Potter, the Benedictine Cressy, and Bentley, the first two of whom were natives. The town hall, French Renaissance in style, was erected in 1880; and other buildings are the corn exchange; fine art institute, Clayton hospital, and lunatic asylum.

Though not the great "clothing town" it was formerly, Wakefield still has considerable manufactures of woolens, worsteds, and hosiery, as also of agricultural implements, machinery, etc. The chief event in the history of Wakefield is the Yorkist defeat in the Wars of the Roses, on Dec. 31, 1460. Pop. about 55,000.