Out & About …

… on the North York Moors, or wherever I happen to be.

Standing Stone, Kildale Moor

Standing Stone, Rivelingdale

At Percy Rigg Cross, a spur of the moment to pop down to have a look at the spring in Rivelingdale or Codhill Beck.

Not surprisingly, the spring is still there, just like I remembered, complete with a dressed stone lintol.

There is one internet source which suggests the spring is a holy well with the name of ‘St. Mary’s Well1Themodernantiquarian.com. (2021). Percy Rigg. [online] Available at: https://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site.php/2949/percy_rigg.html [Accessed 1 Oct. 2021].. Apparently, it’s a name referred to by the archaeologist Roland Close in his report on his excavation of the Iron Age huts on Percy Rigg but I can not find any mention in his report2Huddersfield.exposed. (2020). Yorkshire Archaeological Journal (1972) Volume 44 – Huddersfield Exposed: Exploring the History of the Huddersfield Area. [online] Available at: https://huddersfield.exposed/wiki/Yorkshire_Archaeological_Journal_(1972)_Volume_44 [Accessed 1 Oct. 2021]..

The spring is mentioned in the ‘perambulation’ of Edward Chaloner, Lord of the Manor of Guisbrough when he rode around the boundaries of his estate on the 2nd May 1716 with an entourage of 2003“Boundary Perambulation 1716”. NR Record Office. Chaloner Calendar: ZFM 55 – Manorial. Brelstaff, J. (2021). Chaloner. [online]. Available at: http://guisboroughhistorynotes.blogspot.com/2009/11/chaloner.html [Accessed 1 Oct. 2021].:

… Sleddil Beck comes running down between Guisbrough Lordship and Kildale From that place to a Spring a little below Peircy Crofs and the said Sleddil Beck is the boundary for several miles between Guisbrough and Kildale and from the said Sleddil Beck on the south side of the said Spring directly up to Peircy Crofs is the boundary between Kildale and Guisbrough and all the lands lying on the right hand of he said boundaries belongs to the Manor of Guisbrough …

The spring is possibly also mentioned in a much earlier 13th-century charter between Guisborough Priory, and Richard de Hoton and his brother, Humphrey, following a dispute over grazing and the cutting of peat and heather on the moor4“Charter Document – 01130327 | DEEDS.” Utoronto.ca, 2013, deeds.library.utoronto.ca/charters/01130327. Accessed 17 Feb. 2021..

Basically, it is agreed that Richard and Humphrey are allowed to cut turves/heather from the western side of  ‘the valley of Rivelingdale to Rotandekelde’.

Rivelingdale’ is of course the wide boggy valley of Codhill Slack while ‘Rotandekelde’ translates as ‘the red spring’ possibly a reference to the presence of iron salts in the water although I didn’t notice any of the distinctive red deposits today5Guisborough Before 1900″. Edited by B.J.D. Harrison and G. Dixon. ISBN 0 9507827 0 X 1982.

In spite of having a dressed stone lintol and sides, the spring is not listed in the North York Moors National Park Historic Environment Register although a nearby boundary stone is6North York Moors National Park HER Map (2012).  HER No:17964. [online] Available at: https://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/discover/archaeology/her-map [Accessed 1 Oct. 2021].. This could date from Edward Chaloner’s perambulation.

  • 1
    Themodernantiquarian.com. (2021). Percy Rigg. [online] Available at: https://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site.php/2949/percy_rigg.html [Accessed 1 Oct. 2021].
  • 2
    Huddersfield.exposed. (2020). Yorkshire Archaeological Journal (1972) Volume 44 – Huddersfield Exposed: Exploring the History of the Huddersfield Area. [online] Available at: https://huddersfield.exposed/wiki/Yorkshire_Archaeological_Journal_(1972)_Volume_44 [Accessed 1 Oct. 2021].
  • 3
    “Boundary Perambulation 1716”. NR Record Office. Chaloner Calendar: ZFM 55 – Manorial. Brelstaff, J. (2021). Chaloner. [online]. Available at: http://guisboroughhistorynotes.blogspot.com/2009/11/chaloner.html [Accessed 1 Oct. 2021].
  • 4
    “Charter Document – 01130327 | DEEDS.” Utoronto.ca, 2013, deeds.library.utoronto.ca/charters/01130327. Accessed 17 Feb. 2021.
  • 5
    Guisborough Before 1900″. Edited by B.J.D. Harrison and G. Dixon. ISBN 0 9507827 0 X 1982
  • 6
    North York Moors National Park HER Map (2012).  HER No:17964. [online] Available at: https://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/discover/archaeology/her-map [Accessed 1 Oct. 2021].

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