KNARESBOROUGH, a town in the West Riding of Yorkshire in England, 199 miles from London, is an ancient borough by prescription, called by foreigners the Yorkshire Spaw. It is almost encompassed by the river Nid, which issues from the bottom of Craven-hills; and had a priory, with a castle, long since demolished, on a craggy rock, whence it took the name. The town is about three furlongs in length;
Knapdale and the parish is famous for four medicinal springs near each other, and yet of different qualities. 1. The sweet spaw, or vitriolic well, in Knapdaleborough forest, three miles from the town, which was discovered in 1620. 2. The flinking, or sulphureous spaw, which is used only in bathing. 3. St Mungo's, a cold-bath, four miles from the town. 4. The dropping-well, which is in the town, and the most noted petrifying spring in England, so called by reason of its dropping from the spongy rock hanging over it. The ground which receives it, before it joins the well, is, for 12 yards long, become a solid rock. From the well it runs into the Nid, where the spring water has made a rock that stretches some yards into the river. The adjacent fields are noted for liquorice, and a soft yellow marble, which is rich manure. The town is governed by a bailiff. Its baths are not so much frequented since Scarborough Spaw came in vogue. It has a good market and six fairs. Here is a stone bridge over the river, near one end of which is a cell dug out of the rock, and called St Robert's chapel.