a market and borough town of the west riding of Yorkshire, in the wapentake of Os-gold-cross, and 178 miles from London. It is a corporate town, now governed by a mayor, a recorder, four aldermen, and twelve councillors, and it returns two members to the House of Commons. The soil around it is remarkably fertile, and produces abundance of liquorice-roots, from the juice of which the medicine called pontefract-cakes is made. There are still to be seen ruins of an ancient castle, which is remarkable for the bloody tragedies exhibited within its walls. There Thomas earl of Lancaster was beheaded by Edward II. after the battle of Borough Bridge; Richard II. was long confined in it as a prisoner, and is said to have been murdered there; and the Earl of Rivers and Sir Richard Grey were executed there by order of King Richard III. During the civil wars it was held and ably defended by the party of Charles I., but ultimately taken, and soon afterwards demolished. It is now a well-built town, with a fine marketplace and elegant market-cross. The church is a large building. The population of the town amounted in 1801 to 3697, in 1811 to 3605, in 1821 to 4447, and in 1831 to 4832; but the parish, containing five other townships, contained at the last census 9254 inhabitants.