Out & About …

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

Low Staindale

A delightful former farm-house situated in Staindale in the parish of Lockton. The farmstead is shown on the Thomas Jefferies map of 1775 and it is believed the farmhouse certainly dates from that time with later alterations and extensions1Nationaltrust.org.uk. (2015). MNA144667 | National Trust Heritage Records. [online] Available at: https://heritagerecords.nationaltrust.org.uk/HBSMR/MonRecord.aspx?uid=MNA144667 [Accessed 17 Mar. 2022]..

The house itself is Grade II listed but two of the outbuildings are also of historical significance2Nationaltrust.org.uk. (2015). MNA144865 | National Trust Heritage Records. [online] Available at: https://heritagerecords.nationaltrust.org.uk/HBSMR/MonRecord.aspx?uid=MNA144865 [Accessed 17 Mar. 2022].3Nationaltrust.org.uk. (2015). MNA145497 | National Trust Heritage Records. [online] Available at: https://heritagerecords.nationaltrust.org.uk/HBSMR/MonRecord.aspx?uid=MNA145497 [Accessed 17 Mar. 2022]..

One of these outbuildings is described as a ‘laithe barn‘. Now I am not sure what this actually was. I had thought a ‘laithe‘ was just a Yorkshire dialect for a barn4Viking.no. (2022). List of Yorkshire dialect words of Old Norse origin. [online] Available at: http://www.viking.no/e/england/yorkshire_norse.htm#L [Accessed 17 Mar. 2022].. Another source suggests a granary5Wiktionary.org. (2019). laithe – Wiktionary. [online] Available at: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/laithe#Noun [Accessed 17 Mar. 2022]..

The house is part of the National Trust’s Bridestones property and is now let on long-term occupancy. The property of 165 acres was acquired in 1943 with a bequest from Mrs. R. F. A. Whitney, of Cambridge6‘National Trust Acquisition’ (1943) Times, 08 Apr, 6, available: https://link-gale-com.ezproxy.is.ed.ac.uk/apps/doc/CS101792904/GDCS?u=ed_itw&sid=bookmark-GDCS&xid=80c2bdec [accessed 06 Oct 2021]..

In 1948, the Youth Hostels Association leased the farmhouse and opened it as a “self-cooker” hostel — that is, cooking facilities were provided, but hostellers would do their own cooking7Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk. (2022). More Hostels For East Riding Walkers | Hull Daily Mail | Monday 08 December 1947 | British Newspaper Archive. [online] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19471208/030/0003 [Accessed 17 Mar. 2022]..

To my mind this is the traditional type of youth hostel, unpopular now as it’s more lucrative to provide food and drink, but in the late 1940s, a survey among Y.H.A. members favoured this simpler type of accommodation8Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk. (2022). A False Report | Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer | Thursday 13 May 1948 | British Newspaper Archive. [online] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19480513/111/0004 [Accessed 17 Mar. 2022].. The hostel provided accommodation for 16 members9Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk. (2022). Says Necessary I. Order Be Time Tor Flxeo Appointment Here. Not So “express” My Note Yesterday About The Yorkshire Journey | Yorkshire Evening Post | Tuesday 27 January 1948 | British Newspaper Archive. [online] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19480127/049/0004 [Accessed 17 Mar. 2022].

Before the war, before the mass forestry planting, and certainly before the tarmac road of the Dalby Forest Drive, Staindale was one of the remotest valleys in the North York Moors. In 1933, it was reported that there were children of up to 8 years old living at Low Staindale who had never attended school10Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk. (2022). Because Of The Isolated Position Their Homes On The Barren Moors Of North Yorkshire, and The Absence Of Travelling Facilities, | Aberdeen Press and Journal | Monday 30 October 1933 | British Newspaper Archive. [online] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000577/19331030/068/0007 [Accessed 16 Mar. 2022]..

In 1903, John Purson lived at Low Staindale11Or his name may have been Peirson: Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk. (2022). Widening The Wicket. | Yorkshire Evening Post | Saturday 21 February 1903 | British Newspaper Archive. [online] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19030221/011/0004 [Accessed 17 Mar. 2022].. We know this because while he was working at a thrashing machine on the farm of William Thompson at Lockton Pastures, his right arm was caught by the revolving drum and torn off above the elbow and had to be subsequently amputated12Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk. (2022). North Country News. Rev. Frank Bellew’ Will Pees& In Easy Chapel Huntley Neat, 10.30 and 6.30. Apr,. A Al Hype’ | Daily Gazette For Middlesbrough | Saturday 21 February 1903 | British Newspaper Archive. [online] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000159/19030221/067/0003 [Accessed 17 Mar. 2022]..

An appalling accident and one which would have had dire consequences for the family.


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