Cable Stone Crag

I can’t believe it’s getting on for 4 years since I last visited Low Cable Stone, or Cable Stone Crag as I’ve titled this post, a name I picked up from a 19th-century account of a foxhunt in which “a bag fox” was released and “pulled down within twenty minutes”¹Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk. (2022). Hunting. | York Herald | Saturday 02 March 1867 | British Newspaper Archive. [online] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000499/18670302/049/0012 [Accessed 9 Jul. 2022].. Twenty minutes of cruelty but alas a sign of the times.

Not unsurprisingly the curious plaque to Alfred J. Brown is still there — did I expect it not to be?

Alfred John Brown (1894 – 1969) was a prolific Yorkshire writer and over of the moors and dales. He was also a novelist writing under the pen name of Julian Laverack.

The plaque is supposed to have been erected by Tom Scott Burns, another local writer, although I haven’t found any corroboration that Brown lived at Mornington Villas which is in Bradford²Tripsdale.co.uk. (2013). Tripsdale – a dale of surprises. [online] Available at: http://www.tripsdale.co.uk/#Alfred%20(AJ)%20Brown [Accessed 9 Jul. 2022].. He was born in Little Horton, Bradford, and after his marriage settled in Burley-in-Wharfedale³Wikipedia Contributors (2022). Alfred John Brown (writer). [online] Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_John_Brown_(writer) [Accessed 9 Jul. 2022].. After discharge from the RAF he opened an hotel in Darnholme, near Goathland.

His father’s name was also Alfred John Brown so I suppose the link could be there.

There is no evidence that Alfred J. Brown actually visited Low Cable Stone. In his book “Striding Through Yorkshire”⁴Published by Country Life. London. 1943. Page 191. , he describes a walk from Chop Gate to Bransdale crossing Tripsdale by an “old track”, suggesting a more southerly route.

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  Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk. (2022). Hunting. | York Herald | Saturday 02 March 1867 | British Newspaper Archive. [online] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000499/18670302/049/0012 [Accessed 9 Jul. 2022].
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  Tripsdale.co.uk. (2013). Tripsdale – a dale of surprises. [online] Available at: http://www.tripsdale.co.uk/#Alfred%20(AJ)%20Brown [Accessed 9 Jul. 2022].
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  Wikipedia Contributors (2022). Alfred John Brown (writer). [online] Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_John_Brown_(writer) [Accessed 9 Jul. 2022].
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  Published by Country Life. London. 1943. Page 191.