a town of France, in the department of Gard, on the right bank of the Rhone, 32 miles N.E. of Nîmes. It derives its present name (for it was formerly called St Saturnin) from the great bridge which crosses the broad and rapid river, and which is the longest stone bridge in the world, being 2717 feet, or three times as long as London Bridge. It crosses the river obliquely, and has 23 arches, varying in size, the largest being 108 feet wide. It was finished in 1309, after 45 years of labour; and the cost was partly defrayed by offerings made at a small chapel of the Holy Ghost at one of its ends. The town is ill built, with narrow irregular streets; it is defended by ramparts, and by a citadel built by Louis XIII. against the Protestants. There is here a good harbour, and some trade in wine, oil, fruits, provisions, &c. Pop. 5538.

PONTECORVO, a town of the Papal States, in an isolated district of the same name belonging to the province of Frosinone, but surrounded by the Neapolitan province of Terra di Lavoro, on the left bank of the Garigliano, 20 miles S.E. of Frosinone. It is the seat of a bishop, and has a mediæval castle, a cathedral, a fine bridge, and an hospital. In the vicinity there are some remains of the ancient Interamna. Pop. 5300.

PONTEFRACT, or POMPET, a parliamentary and municipal borough and market-town of England, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, on an eminence near the Aire, 24 miles S.S.W. of York, and 177 N.N.W. of London. The original appellation of the town was Kirkby under the Saxons; but it obtained its present name (from the Latin pontis fractus) on account of the breaking of a bridge over the Aire. A castle, the remains of which still exist, was built here in 1080 by Ilbert de Lacy, who received from William the Conqueror a grant of the adjacent lands. In the beginning of the fourteenth century it passed by marriage to Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, uncle to Edward II., who was executed here by his nephew in 1322. Several important historical events took place in the castle of Pontefract; as the murder of Richard II. in 1399, the execution of Archbishop Scrope for rebellion against Henry IV. in 1405, and the murder of Lord Rivers and others by order of Richard III. in 1483. During the civil war the castle was garrisoned for Charles I. by Colonel Lowther; besieged in vain by Lambert in 1644; surrendered to Fairfax in 1645; retaken in 1648 by Colonel Morrice, who first issued money in the name of Charles II. here; and finally captured and destroyed by Lambert in 1649. It seems to have consisted of several towers; the remains are very few, and the site is now occupied by gardens. The town is well built, chiefly of brick, and has several broad well-paved and well-cleaned streets. The parish church is old, but has been very much altered. The old church of All Saints, formerly the parish church, is cruciform, and has a fine tower. It has recently been restored and fitted up for public worship. Besides these, there are places of worship in Pontefract for Roman Catholics, Independents, Quakers, Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists. Of several ecclesiastical establishments, colleges, and hospitals, that formerly existed here, no traces now remain. There is here a town-hall and a commodious court-house, in which the Easter quarter sessions are held. There is a free grammar school with an interest in several exhibitions to Oxford, a charity school, national and British schools, a subscription library, mechanics' library, news-room, and savings-bank. The charitable institutions include a dispensary, poor-house, and several almshouses. The surrounding country is celebrated for its gardens and nurseries, from which vegetables are supplied to York, Leeds, Doncaster, and other places. Liquorice is extensively raised on the deep rich soil of this district. There are also coal-mines and flour-mills in the neighbourhood, and filtering stones are quarried on the castle-hill. Though not remarkable for its manufactures, Pontefract produces hats, iron and brass castings, earthenware, bricks, tiles, beer, &c. There is some trade in liquorice, malt, corn, &c.; and eight annual cattle-markets are held at Pontefract. The borough is governed by a mayor, three other aldermen, and twelve councillors; and it returns two members to the House of Commons. Pop. (1851) of the municipal borough, 5106; of the parliamentary, 11,515.