Yorkshire History And Heritage | Yorkshire

February 19, 2010

Ten Top North Riding Churches

Easby Church St Agatha in the precinct of the Abbey is an early English church with a long low slate roof. The remarkable porch leads to fine wall paintings and decorations surviving from the 13th century.

Pickering St Peter and St Paul is said to be over restored but contains material from all periods of medieval architecture. The beautiful soaring spire of St Peter and St Paul’s leads the way to this magnificent church which is otherwise hidden by the cluster of cottages and shops that nestle around it. The murals are quite a treasure.

St Michael Coxwold has an octagonal tower and relics from each century from the 15th century glass to the 20th century south window. Read more

Thirsk’s St. Mary’s Church was built between 1420 and 1480 and is a magnificent mediaeval perpendicular building. Often called the cathedral of North Yorkshire because of its outstanding Perpendicular Gothic architecture. A two storeyed porch, very fine roof, 17th century murals and tracerier doors are worth exploring.

St Gregory is well sited in Kirkdale, a church from the 13th century whilst the sun dial’s Old English inscriptions tell us that St Gregory’s was bought by Orm Gamelson when it was in ruins and he had it rebuilt during the period when Tostig was Earl of Northumbria, 1055-1065.

Lastingham St Mary’s was founded c.654 as a Celtic monastery by St Cedd of Lindisfarne, as a place of prayer and hospitality. The crypt is dated from 1078 and the days of a Benedictine monastery. More details on the shrine of St Cedd

Wensley’s Holy Trinity church dates from the mid C13 and was built on the foundations of an earlier C8 Saxon church. It consists of an aisled nave with north and south porches, chancel, vestry and three-stage west tower. The church contains a number of furnishings brought from Easby Abbey after the dissolution, including a screen forming the Scrope family pew, choir pews and a reliquary. Set in a beautiful rural location in the small village of Wensley, with a large churchyard on the north bank of the river Ure it is a focal point for visitors.

St Mary Whitby is the parish church of this fishing village and seaside town. ‘St. Mary’s is a delightful hodge-podge of many eras. The oldest parts, primarily the tower and basic structure, are Norman and date from around 1110.’ It can be explored after a climb up 199 steps from the town and is located with the Abbey.
‘The church has never been entirely stripped or rebuilt, but various extensions, modifications and furnishings were added over the centuries. The interior is mostly 18th-century and contains one of the most complete sets of pre-Victorian furnishings in England.’

Scarborough, South Cliff has two gems: St Martin’s, the parish church, which has loads of pre-Raphaelite connections, and St Andrew’s United Reformed Church, which was largely financed by West Riding and Midlands manufacturers, especially Titus Salt of Saltaire.’ according to comments by Patricia McNaughton but for my top selection I am going for St Mary’s in the grounds of Scarborough castle. It contains a collection of eighteenth century brasses but is best known as thwe resting place of Anne Bronte in the graveyard.

St Lambert in Burneston is entirely perpendicular in style with battlements, pinnacles, clerestory and large windows. There are some intersting pews dating back to 1627. Named for a seventh century bishop of Maastrict.

I hope some churches in this list inspire some people to visit these locations as a tourist or attend as a worshiper. There are numerous other splendid buildings and interiors that deserve to be included. If you have a favourite or come across a good church let us know or comment on our selection below.

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February 5, 2010

Twirlies on Trolley Buses

Filed under: Yorkshire History and Heritage — Tags: nostalgia, transport — brian @ 12:24 am

Twirlies you know, the ones who stand at bus stops with their free passes and ask if they are ‘too early’ because it is not yet 9.30am.
Well they would have needed to get up early in the morning to catch the Bradford Corporation Trolley Bus No 7 to Thornbury.
Ten Bradford trolleybuses are now preserved at the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft , Lincolnshire. In the tram shed at Bradford Industrial Museum there is the pictured Trolley bus plus the only tramcar left in Bradford.

The Bradford trolleybus was an electric bus that drew its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolleypoles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit, unlike a tram or streetcar, which normally uses the track as part of the electrical path and thus needs only one wire and pole. This increased the amount of street furniture and the cost of maintenance. However the buses were quite, clean and exceptionally good for the hills rising from the center of Bradford to the suburbs.

Bradford became the first (1911) and last city (1972) to operate trolleybuses in the United Kingdom. Bradford introduced a one-man operated trolleybus route to Bolton Woods in 1915, with the West Yorkshire Road Car Company, which later formed the City Circle route with the link to Bankfoot and Lister Park service.

Double deck trolleybuses were first introduced in 1921. The last rear-entrance trolleybus in Britain was also in Bradford and is now owned by The Bradford Trolley Bus Association

Many of the Twirlies will have enjoyed the experience of riding to the Trolley buses but also remember the delays when they were ‘off their Trolleys’. As a Twirly my self I even remember Bradford’s trams that pre-date the trolley service but that is a whole new subject. The Trolley bus evokes a distinct nostalgic feeling and even though it is out of the county I will have to visit Sandtoft.

This is the only book I can find on Electric buses and Trolleys but be warned it costs £41.65 and that is from discounter amazon.

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January 31, 2010

Top Ten West Riding Churches

Filed under: Books & Literary Work, Our Yorkshire, Yorkshire History and Heritage — Tags: churches, locations, trips — brian @ 9:07 am

To select but 10 churches for a ‘best of’ list was impossible so I tried to find 10 varying churches in each Riding and this is my effort for the West Riding of Yorkshire. I would be happy to consider for inclusion a readers top ten if you send me details.

St John Baptist Adel is one of our finest Norman churches and is a Grade 1 national treasure and an architectural gem. Internal decoration, chancel arch and carvings are of top quality. Through the church yard is York Gate a garden open for Perennial the gardeners charity
St Cuthbert Fishlake (above) is believed to have safeguarded the remains of Cuthbert from the Vikings. The priest’s doorway is Norman and the south doorway is one of the most decorative in the country.
Hatfield St Lawrence is a large cruciform church with a crossing tower externally perpendicular with some good windows and crenelations . Norman and medieval features include a fine clerstory, monuments and font.
St Mary’s Sprotborough like other churches had its tower heightened in the perpendicular period. Monuments from 13th century onward and an interesting rood screen make this an interesting church to visit.

Shipley St Paul’s (above) is the original 1826 parish church of Shipley. It has dark, soot blackened sandstone walls that befits a church from and set in the industrial West Riding.The building, an historic “Waterloo” or “Commissioners’” church also has a “listed” organ
Birkin St Mary’s is an impressive Norman church with a 14th century south aisle. Due to associations with the Templars there are items of quality in many areas of this fine church.
Halifax St John is the largest 15th century parish church in Yorkshire. Fine 17th century ceilings and communion rail, poor box and box pews are key features.
St Andrew`s Church Aldborough was partially destroyed by Scots raiders in 1318. The present building is the third church to occupy what is thought to be the site of a Roman Temple of Mercury in Roman garrison town of Isurium Brigantium. The north wall dates from around 1330, and carries a brass of William de Aldeburgh dating from around 1360.
Dewsbury All Saints or minster has been rebuilt in 18th & 19th cneturies but many sculptural pieces from the 9th century have ben reincorporated. There is also some stunning stained glass.
St. Mary Tickhill housed Austin friars and has north and south porches. There is also an important church organ from the mid 19th century

The Yorkshire Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne (1825-1874) Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record is available by clicking on the picture below but at a price of £28.50. You may choose to spend the money visiting or donating to the churches mentioned ABOVE.

The medieval review says this book (Editor L.A.S. Butler) has ‘effectively rescued Glynne’s Yorkshire Church Notes from merely describing a frozen moment in time into a valuable resource for those who wish to trace for themselves the 19th-century changes in church architecture’. ‘A major contribution to the study of Yorkshire church architecture at a time of change’. Leeds Civic Trust.

See also Ten Top North Riding churches and Top York churches on Gods Own County.

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January 21, 2010

Yorkshire Bank Funding National Trust

Filed under: Our Yorkshire, Yorkshire History and Heritage — Tags: gardens, National Trust, trips — brian @ 5:13 am

The UK’s biggest ever plant hunt is underway with a survey that will cover tens of thousands of plants at more than eighty significant National Trust Gardens. The project is sponsored by Yorkshire Bank, sponsors of the Outdoor Programme which also includes help to conserve and protect National Trust gardens through investment in greener gardening initiatives.

Using the latest technology including GPS positioning to record plant locations over 1,000,000 plants are being recorded to give an overview of the largest collection of cultivated plants in the UK. Many of these plants tell the history of a garden’s creation, people’s passions and changing fashions through the centuries.

During the three year sponsorship deal Yorkshire Bank is also supporting the Greener Gardens initiative to improve the way both the Trust and its supporters can maintain gardens in more environmentally sustainable ways. This includes composting on an industrial scale, rainwater harvesting and reviving old wells, to experimenting with drought-resistant varieties of plants and introducing solar-powered lawnmowers.

It is good to see a bank putting something into more than just executive bonuses.

Locations from the National Trust Yorkshire section that you might like to visit include

Beningbrough Hall & Gardens
This imposing Georgian mansion contains one of England’s best baroque interiors. Over 100 pictures are on loan from the National Portrait Gallery. Outside there is a delightful walled garden and a fantastic adventure playground.

(more…)

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January 3, 2010

Horological Tempus Fugiting

Filed under: Yorkshire History and Heritage, Yorkshire Sport and Pastimes — Tags: hobbies — brian @ 12:30 pm

John Dyson the jeweler’s created Time Ball Buildings in Briggate, Leeds in around 1865 with its clock and facade that now seems to be under threat. Leeds other famous clock monument is in Thornton’s arcade opened in 1877 by Charles Thornton, a Music Hall owner. The arcade is best known for its clock which features animated characters from Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe. Robin Hood and Gurth the Swineherd strike the quarter hours, Friar Tuck and Richard the Lionheart strike the hours.

Clock making has a long tradition in Yorkshire and Hull’s Wilberforce House Museum’s permanent exhibition explores Hull and East Yorkshire’s clock making trade from the 18th and 19th centuries. It including 14 longcase clocks from Hull, Beverley, Bridlington and Patrington. Many of these clocks are in full working order and have distinctive brass and painted dials .

In the 18th century many dales villages had their own clock maker. A Concise Guide to the Clockmakers of Northallerton and their Clocks, by David F. Severs lists 55 known clock makers from Northallerton. R. Bradberry of Leyburn, James Bothroyd and his son Richard, of Reeth were other dales village clock makers.

John Stancliffe of Barkisland were active in the 1730’s. The Snow family were making clocks just north of Harrogate. Samuel Fletcher in Dewsbury around 1790, John Hall of Grimsby and John Bancroft of Scarborough were clock making around the turn of the 19th century. Yorkshire clocks made after 1800 became wider, taller and more imposing, often with fine elaborate veneers to give them a majestic look. Pearson of Halifax used a trademark exotic birds to the centre of painted dials.

More Information Sources

Every hobby and pastime has it’s own data source and the bible for the clock collector is a book called ‘Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World’, by G. H. Baillie, with volume 2 by Brian Loomes. These two volumes cover almost 100,000 known makers from the English-speaking world . For those wanting to follow the interesting hobby of clock collecting the magazine of choice is Clocks Magazine. You may also be interested in the Antiquarian Horological Society web site

A book by local expert Dr David Firth ‘An Exhibition Of Yorkshire Grandfather Clocks – Yorkshire Longcase Clocks And Their Makers from 1720 to 1860′ is available from amazon by clicking on the picture below

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December 8, 2009

Yorkshire Shire Horses

Filed under: Our Yorkshire, Yorkshire History and Heritage — Tags: animals — brian @ 1:44 pm

Yorkshire Shire Horse

The Shire Horse is held to be the tallest of the modern draught breeds and can be black, brown, bay or grey in colouring. Its distinctive feature is long, silky hair, commonly white, on the lower part of its legs. The title “English Cart Horse” was adopted in 1878 but changed to “Shire” some years later. They are ideal for pulling vehicles and are still used for beer and bread deliveries, street cleaning and rubbish collection. There are attempts to re-introduce Shire horse-power on canals both for commerce and leisure. Shire horses continue to be used in agriculture and timber operations to complement mechanisation.

Heavy Horses
Largest individual British Heavy Horse may well be Digger the Clydesdale who is still a youngster and has some growing to do. Digger is set to enter the record books as Britain’s biggest horse as in 2007 he measured 19 hands (6ft 5in) or 9ft when his head is up. The world’s biggest horse is alleged to be Sampson, foaled in 1846 in Bedfordshire, England, stood 21.2½ hands high 7ft 2½in at his withers, and weighed approx 3,300 lb or over 1.5 tonnes.
Other varieties of draft or cart horses found in Yorkshire include, Cream Draft, Percheron, Boulonnais, Belgian, Clydesdale, Suffolk, Brabant, Shire and Ardennes.

Yorkshire Connections
Local shows at Epworth and Otley in May and Eastrington and Todmorden in June and Harthill near Sheffield are Yorkshire venues where these horses can be seen on parade.
Staintondale Shire Horse farm is a visitor attraction celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2010. it is located between Whitby and Claughton near Scarborough. Web site for details.

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November 16, 2009

Otley Museum and Industrial Heritage

Filed under: Our Yorkshire, Villages and Towns, Yorkshire History and Heritage — brian @ 10:15 am

Otley museum is a Yorkshire treasure that charts the industry and life of folk in Otley though the exhibits and informative volunteers. There are currently good research facilities where you can access the principal Museum Archive or the Urban Development Archive and conduct family or historical research. Current exhibits include details of locally discovered Neolithic bodies 5,000 years old that are thought to have suffered from Spina Bifida type health problems through new Rag Rugs from local children to Victorian coat hangers from gents outfitters and photographs of old farming families.

Local industries provided many of the commercial exhibits with a lot of detail from the heart of the printing machinery industry and the birth of the Wharfedale Printing machine. Notwithstanding the industrial connection the heart of the collection is an accumulation of all things that have gone to make up the life of a great market town in the West Riding.

Currently the museum is open Monday, Tuesday and Friday 10.00-12.30 and staffed exclusively by volunteers. Visit the Museum soon as the Mechanics Institute or Civic Hall where it is located is due for refurbishment. All the exhibits will have to be put into storage and it not certain that the self-funding charity will be able to afford the rent due to the council when the premises are reopened. Local communities need connections to the past and the museum deserves to be given every chance to entertain and educate future generations. Otley also needs all the attractions it can muster to encourage day trippers and visitors to the market and the surrounding countryside.

One special collection is of ‘Concealed Shoes’ which are individuals shoes discovered in old buildings. Since the 13th century buildings have had shoes concealed in the fabric, in walls, chinneys, roofs or under floorboards. Probably placed there to ward of witches and evil spirits they were meant to bring good luck or avoid bad luck. if you find such a shoe it is worth reporting to the museum for deatiled record keeping but leave it in place in case evil spirits do exist.

Biblography on Concealed Shoes.
Otley Museum concealed Shoes found around Otley Research File by appointment.
Edwardd J C Swaysland Boot & Shoe Design & Manufacture 1905 Museaum copy
Swann, J.M. web story and , ‘Shoes Concealed in Buildings’, Northampton Museum Journal 6 (December 1969) pp.8-21.
Ralph Merrifield, ‘Folklore in London Archaeology’, The London Archaeologist (Winter 1969) vol.1, no.5.
Ralph Merrifield, The Archaeology of Ritual and Magic (London, Batsford, 1987).
Denise Dixon-Smith, ‘Concealed Shoes’, Archaeological Leather Group Newsletter no.6 (Spring 1990).
Olaf Goubitz, ‘Verborgen Schoeisel’ in Westerheem VIII no.5 (1989) pp.233-39.
Margaret Baker, The Realms of Gold (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson 1975; Penguin 1977) p.357.
J.L. Nevinson, Letter to The Times 5 February 1934, asking for reasons for concealments.
Col. Pen Lloyd, The History of the Mysterious Papillon Hall (Leicester 1977).

The Architecture of Otley is featured in the Otley Museum but there are many places for visitors to discover. The above photograph is a detail from the memorial to the Navvies who built and died during the construction of the Bramhope Railway Tunnel.

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November 9, 2009

Ripper Sutcliffe’s Victims

Filed under: Books & Literary Work, Yorkshire History and Heritage — brian @ 3:36 am

This book examines the detail behind each of 13 murders by the Yorkshire Ripper and the resulting police investigations. There is less said about the seven attempted murders but it does highlight the possibility of several other unsolved cases including 2 male deaths that could be attributed to Sutcliffe. Michael Bilton in ‘Beyond Belief’ focuses also on the victims and their lives, rather than glossing over them to focus on the criminal Peter Sutcliffe. Much of the newspaper reporting in 1981 covered Sutcliffe’s time from being a Grave digger at Bingley in the 1960’s until his arrest in Sheffield and sentencing at the Old Bailey in May 1981

‘This book is different as it tells the story in some detail of the effects on the son of the victim, his family neighbours and friends. It really is an eye opener and reminds us all and especially those responsible for investigating crime and those responsible for the future of the villain to consider much more fully the effects the murderer has on those bereaved and their well being. Very well written and though detailed is not ” Heavy”. It is to this sons credit that he came through his trauma eventually and a credit to the author for sensitivity and thorough research.’ with thanks for Amazon review by Rev. J Cooper.

Anna Rogulsky was attacked in Keighley in July 1975 and Wilma McCann and Joan Harrison were murdered later that year. Emilly Jackson, Marcella Claxton, Jayne McDonald, Marilyn Moore, Marguerite Walls, Upadhya Bandara, Jacqueline Hill and Irene Richardson were all found dead in Leeds during the 5 years of horror perpetrated by Sutcliffe. Murders also took place in Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford and of Vera Millward in Manchester.

On 2 January 1981 Olivia Reivers was getting into a car when the police stopped to talk to the driver. He asked to go relieve himself in some bushes where he stowed a knife and Ball Pein Hammer. Meanwhile police realised the number plates were false and took Sutcliffe, then calling himself Peter Williams, into Hammerton Road police station before transferring him to Dewsbury. Another knife was discovered in the toilets at the police station and eventually Sutcliffe confessed he was ‘The Ripper’.

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October 22, 2009

Yorkshire Regiments

Filed under: Our Yorkshire, Yorkshire History and Heritage — brian @ 4:36 am

The East Yorkshire Regiment landed in St Nazare on 10th September 1914 and the battalions and some of the soldiers are researched in detail on 1914-1918 web site ‘The Long Long Trail’. This seems to be a good site for family and military researchers, ‘it is a tribute to the men and women who fought and won – and to the million who died trying.’

The Yorkshire Regiment’s formation in June 2006 was part of the restructuring of the infantry with the merger of three regular battalions, plus a TA battalion:

1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (previously 1st Battalion, Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire)
2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (previously 1st Battalion, Green Howards)
3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (previously: 1st Battalion, The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding))
4th Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (previously: East and West Riding Regiments and Green Howards company from the Tyne-Tees Regiment ), all formerly titled and known as The Yorkshire Volunteers.
The Green Howards Museum is in Richmond and read more on the Yorkshire Regiment web site

The Royal Dragoon Guards were formed on the amalgamation in 1992, of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. They are stationed in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, continuing a tradition of service that now runs over three hundred years. All Saints Church, Pavement, York is the Regimental Church of The Royal Dragoon Guards. The museum at York is also worth visiting.

East Yorkshire Regiment in the Great War 1914-1918 by Everard Wyrall from Amazon

Hull Pals: 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th (Service) Battalions of the East Yorkshire Regiment

On 10th September 1914, the City of Sheffield officially raised its own Battalion.

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October 18, 2009

Plot Night 1605

Filed under: Yorkshire History and Heritage — brian @ 1:48 pm

‘Remember remember the 5th of November gunpowder treason and plot’ so it isn’t bonfire night but Plot Neet or just Plot!
The Plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 included plotters Robert Catesby,Thomas Percy, Christopher and John Wright, Thomas Wintour and the infamous Guy Fawkes, a Yorkshire man from Scotton, Knaresborough who went to school at St Peter’s, York. Most of the plotters had Yorkshire connections but it isn’t their effigy that is burnt on Plot night but Guy’s (burning a Tom, Bob or Chris doesn’t sound quite the same).

‘Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot…………………. ‘ In fact we may think again after this years appalling expenses shambles. It is obvoius MP’s are not Right and they are not Honorable. Perhaps the picture of these Mine of Serpents is more appropriate than you could imagine.

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Outside Yorkshire I have never heard of collecting wood for a bonfire called ‘Proggin’ but that is what we called it in Bradford in the 1950’s. The posh kids may have been ‘chumpin’ but on a straw poll in Lancashire I was told they went ‘collecting bonfire wood’ (blinkin’ obvious if you ask me). A bit of ‘millband’ was used to light the blue touch paper (although we never called it that) on Volcanoes, Penny bangers, Rip Raps, Catherine Wheels, Roman Candles, Snow Storm, Airbomb, humble coloured matched and Rockets launched from milk bottles. Even the names of the manufacturers brings back nostalgic memories; Wessex, Standard, Pains, Brocks, Astra, Wells and Benwells were just some of the Firework manufacturers I remember. More info at the Fireworks Museum.

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