Yorkshire is the largest county in England. Nestled between the North Sea and Pennine hills, the picturesque county rests South of River Trees and North of the Humber Estuary. Yorkshire spans seven cities: York, Ripon, Wakefield, Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, and Kingston upon Hull. However, at the time The Moonstone was written,York, Ripon, and Wakefield were the sole county regions recognized as cities. A more prominent mode of geographical organization during the period The Moonstone took place was the ridings system. Yorkshire was divided into three “ridings”– or sub-counties–also known as “Thridings” in order to manage the large population and geographical span of the county: North Riding, East Riding, and West Riding. While a romantic view of the county might note the “expansive green moors” or “rich cultural legacy,” Yorkshire was the backdrop to explosive industrialization which gave way to putrid living conditions. The 19th century marked an overhaul of Yorkshire’s structure and industry: natural resources such as coal and iron were plentiful in Yorkshire and surrounding industrialization promoted demand for these resources. Consequently Yorkshire itself was set on the path of industrialization. This economic shift led to exponential population growth. The town of Middlesbrough exemplifies this growth: a small rural village of 25 people in 1801, Middlesbrough had an approximate population of 75,532 by 1861. Population growth on this scale strained existing infrastructure and resulted in poor living conditions. Frederick Engels wrote in 1844, “Within reigns the same filth and discomfort as Leeds. The older portions of the town are built upon steep hillsides, and are narrow and irregular. In the lanes, alleys and courts lie filth and debris in heaps; the houses are ruinous, dirty and miserable.” The Moonstone is set in the mid 19th century– thus Collins portrays this epicenter of industrialization during the midst of its transformation. 

Modern day Yorkshire has an expansive economy worth approximately 110bn pounds (for reference, twice the size of Wales) and a booming population of 5.3 million. While manufacturing accounts for 15% of Yorkshire’s industry (10% above the national average), a recent study identified that Yorkshire is in the process of transitioning from a heavy industry to a more diversified business economy. Specifically, the Yorkshire tech industry has grown in strength–with Tech Nation dubbing it the “fastest growing [industrial economy] in the UK.” This title has been earned through various measures, notably increasing access to wifi. The UK government's Project Gigabyte vastly improved connectivity in the region: “Around two-thirds (60%) of premises [in Yorkshire] now have access to next-generation gigabit-capable broadband, up from just 1.9% in September 2018.” Improved economic growth from the 19th century to modern day has (perhaps unsurprisingly) resulted in vastly improved living conditions. In fact, estate companies consistently rank Yorkshire as a top place to live in (Engel’s wouldn’t believe it!)