A Windy Morning Pondering Mount Vittoria’s Secrets

A wander up here in the dark the other day reminded me of the old name for this long ridge descending deep into Bilsdale, which most people know today as Cold Moor. The prevailing conditions today wasn’t particularly cold, but rather characterised by gusty winds—remarkably so—sufficient to blow the cobwebs away, as the saying goes.

The old name does pique my interest, and so I devoted this afternoon to diligently perusing the internet with the hope of unearthing some novel tidbit elucidating its provenance. But, alas, all to no avail.

The name is recorded on the 1857 Ordnance Survey map, and I harbour three speculative notions regarding its origin.

In the first place, it alludes to the Battle of Vitoria in 1813, where the Marquess of Wellington bested the French army led by King Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon’s elder brother. Maybe it’s a tribute to a local soldier who perished in that battle. I reckon the double ‘t‘ is not significant.

Secondly, it pertains to Mount Vittoria, a penal colony in New South Wales, where the 1/4th Lancaster, King’s Own regiment was stationed around this time¹‘Graham Jaunay – British Regiments in AUS’. 2023. Jaunay.com <https://www.jaunay.com/garrisons.html> [accessed 21 December 2023]. Once more, it is not inconceivable that a local soldier met his fate down under.

Nevertheless, in my investigations of both places, I have discovered no mention of a local soldier being amongst the fatalities. Among those who did meet their demise during this period, one notable figure was Major Heneage Wynne, a nephew of the Squire of Stokesley²Tyerman, D.W. “The Inkerman Free Gift.” Bilsdale Study Group. Page 34. . His life was tragically cut short in the Battle of Inkerman in 1854, a mere day after learning of his inheritance of the manor. However, it is essential to acknowledge that Inkerman lies in the Crimea, a considerable distance from both Vitoria in Spain and even further from Vittoria in Australia. The impact of Major Wynne’s untimely death resonated deeply across all segments of the local populace, enduring for a significant span of at least the subsequent decade.

There it is, a puzzle begging for resolution. Maybe a trip to the North Yorkshire archives in Northallerton will yield results. I will include it on my to-do list.

• 1
  ‘Graham Jaunay – British Regiments in AUS’. 2023. Jaunay.com <https://www.jaunay.com/garrisons.html> [accessed 21 December 2023]
• 2
  Tyerman, D.W. “The Inkerman Free Gift.” Bilsdale Study Group. Page 34.