Ward Nab (aka Cook’s Crags)

Ward Nab on the edge of Coate Moor is much beloved by local climbers who know it simply as Cook’s Crags¹“Rocks Climbs on the North York Moors”. Cleveland Mountaineering Club. Page 29. 1985.. It overlooks the sleepy village of Kildale — the dale of Chil²GENUKI. 2016. ‘GENUKI: KILDALE: Geographical and Historical Information from the Year 1890., Yorkshire (North Riding)’, Genuki.org.uk <https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/NRY/Kildale/Kildale90> [accessed 24 December 2022] — and used to host a medieval market³“Historical Atlas of North Yorkshire.” Edited by Robin A Butlin. Page 103. Westbury Publishing. Reprinted 2004. ISBN 1 84103 023 6.. Even in more recent times it had a pub, a post office, and a school.

John Blakeborough writing in the Northern Weekly Gazette in 1904 tells the story of an eccentric teacher at the village school⁴Blakeborough, John. ‘By-Gone Cleveland. Jottings about People , Townships, and Everyday History | Northern Weekly Gazette | Saturday 30 April 1904 | British Newspaper Archive’. 2022. Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk <https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0003075/19040430/337/0012?browse=true> [accessed 24 December 2022]: —

Kildale once had a quaint old school-[master — Simon van] Vught—a Dutchman. Simon was quite a character, and many are the stories told of him to this day by those who were at the Kildale School under his regime. The old man was something of a naturalist, and taught his scholars to love nature too. Not once only, but often he sent the elder lads to catch him adders in the Kildale Woods, instructing them as to the proper method. Then he would give them an object lesson. What eventually become of the reptiles is a mystery. Legend has it he ate them, and it also said rats were a favourite dish. He would ask people to supper and tell them he was going to have a nice fat rat to eat—result: They did not come, nor did want them. He lived alone, but unlike most bachelors who live under similar circumstances he was scrupulously clean. He was a great believer in the old saying: “Too much work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” and it could not be laid to his charge that he did not give them plenty of recreation. “But,” said one of his old scholars, with whom I had a chat the other day, “When we were in school he was cramming into us knowledge, and never were we allowed to spend an idle moment.” When the hounds were anywhere in the immediate neighbourhood all the bigger boys were allowed to have the day holiday from ten o’clock so that they might follow them. They would ask his permission to go, and each time would he say, ‘No, of course not, you can’t go,” but when ten o’clock came he would single out of those in the bigger boys who merited a holiday and say, “Now you boys, you’re no good here, get away and have some sport” He stood in the doorway and gave them each a smack with the cane as they ran out as a reminder of his authority. In spite of all his eccentricities the old man was much respected. He ended his days at Harlsay, near Northallerton.

I must point out that a whole chapter is devoted to Kildale school in Cedric Anthony ‘s “Glimpses of Kildale History”, but there is no mention of a Simon van Vught.

• 1
  “Rocks Climbs on the North York Moors”. Cleveland Mountaineering Club. Page 29. 1985.
• 2
  GENUKI. 2016. ‘GENUKI: KILDALE: Geographical and Historical Information from the Year 1890., Yorkshire (North Riding)’, Genuki.org.uk <https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/NRY/Kildale/Kildale90> [accessed 24 December 2022]
• 3
  “Historical Atlas of North Yorkshire.” Edited by Robin A Butlin. Page 103. Westbury Publishing. Reprinted 2004. ISBN 1 84103 023 6.
• 4
  Blakeborough, John. ‘By-Gone Cleveland. Jottings about People , Townships, and Everyday History | Northern Weekly Gazette | Saturday 30 April 1904 | British Newspaper Archive’. 2022. Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk <https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0003075/19040430/337/0012?browse=true> [accessed 24 December 2022]