KINGSTON UPON HULL

KINGSTON UPON HULL, a town in the east riding of Yorkshire, 173 miles from London. Its common name is simply Hull. It is situated at the conflux of the rivers Hull and Humber, and near the place where the latter opens into the German Ocean. It lies so low, that by cutting the banks of the Humber the country may be laid under water for five miles round. Towards the land it is defended by a wall and a ditch, with the farther fortification of a castle, a citadel, and a block-house. A dock was begun here, but after great expence left unfinished.—A new cut has been lately made to Hull by Wighton. The town is large and populous, containing two churches, several meeting-houses, a free-school, a charity-school, and some hospitals. Among the latter is one called Trinity-house, in which are maintained many distressed seamen, both of Hull and other places, that are members of its port. It is governed by 12 elder brethren and six assistants; out of the former are chosen annually two wardens, and out of the younger brethren two stewards; they determine questions between masters and seamen, and other sea matters. A handsome infirmary has lately been erected without the town to the north. Here are also an exchange and a custom-house, and over the Hull a stone bridge consisting of 14 arches. A good harbour was made here by Richard II. This town has not only the most considerable inland traffic of any port in the north of England, but a foreign trade superior to any in the kingdom, excepting the

ports of London, Bristol, Liverpool, and Yarmouth. By means of the many large rivers that fall into the Humber, it trades to almost every part of Yorkshire, as well as to Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Cheshire; the commodities of which counties are brought hither, and exported to Holland, Hamburg, France, Spain, the Baltic, and other parts of Europe. In return for those, are imported iron, copper, hemp, flax, canvas, Russia linen and yarn, besides wine, oil, fruit, and other articles. Such quantities of corn are also brought hither by the navigable rivers, that Hull exports more of this commodity than London. The trade of Hull with London, particularly for corn, lead, and butter, and with Holland and France, in times of peace, for those commodities, as well as for cloth, kerseys, and other manufactures of Yorkshire, is so considerable as to employ not only single vessels, but fleets; the Hull fleets to London being generally from 50 to 60 sail, and in time of war frequently 100 sail or upwards. The mayor of Hull has two swords, one given by King Richard II. the other by Henry VIII. but only one is borne before him at a time; also a cap of maintenance, and an oar of lignum vitæ as a badge of his admiralty jurisdiction within the limits of the Humber. This town gave title of earl to Robert Pierpoint of Holme Pierpoint, viscount Newark, created in the 4th of Charles I. Being unfortunately slain in crossing the Humber in 1643, he was succeeded by his son Henry, created marquis of Dorchester in 1645, only for life; who dying in 1680, without male issue, was succeeded in the earldom by Robert, grandson of his younger brother William Pierpoint of Thoresby; who dying unmarried in 1682, left this honour to William his brother and heir; and he also dying without issue in 1690, it descended to his brother Evelyn, who was further advanced to the honours of marquis of Dorchester in 1706 and duke of Kingston in 1715; and dying in 1725 was succeeded by his grandson Evelyn last duke of Kingston, who died in 1773, and the title became extinct.