Category: North York Moors
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The Wayward Nuns of Baysdale Abbey
This rickety cairn seems to teeter precariously over Baysdale but it has stood for at least half a century. A former resident once informed me that it was constructed by Roland Close, an estate worker and renowned local archaeologist who grew up in Shepherd’s House, the ‘last’ house in the dale. Close would pass by…
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The Pinfold of Swainby: A Glimpse into Medieval Livestock Management
Little remains of medieval Swainby, a village first mentioned in records from the late 13th or early 14th century. By the 16th century, many of its villagers were engaged in the tanning industry. At the southern edge of the village stands a small square pen built from large, roughly coursed sandstone blocks, complete with quoining…
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Graffiti, Landslips, and Bonfires
Standing alone atop Roseberry Topping is a rare privilege. From this vantage point, Guisborough lies in the distance, with the North Sea stretching beyond. The crags of the summit are scarred by decades of graffiti, the soft sandstone inviting visitors from the towns of Teesside to carve their names into history. Many of these inscriptions…
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Purple Haze: Ling’s Role in Yorkshire’s Past
For a brief spell each year, the North York Moors are transformed into a sea of iconic purple. The ling, or heather, is not quite at its peak yet; it remains patchy, especially here on Great Ayton Moor. Some may argue that these vast stretches of purple moorland lack diversity and serve only the grouse…
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The Alum Industry of Carlton Bank
It is difficult to imagine that 250 years ago this tranquil scene was a hub of intense industrial activity. For over a century, Jurassic shales were quarried here to produce alum crystals, which were essential as a mordant in dyeing textiles and as a curing agent in tanning. A comment on a previous post about…
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Saint Julian’s Park: a testament to the passage of time
A view across West Beck reveals the medieval Saint Julian’s Park, now known simply as Julian Park. Once a striking landscape feature, this park has transformed greatly over the centuries. Eight hundred years ago, visitors would have encountered a circular boundary enclosing the park, a segment of the so-called ‘Roman road’ crossing it, a grand…
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A Nation’s Shame — Reckoning with Racism
A walk of reflection following the shocking scenes from Middlesbrough and other towns and cities over the weekend. For the first time in almost half a century, I find myself fearing for my family’s safety. My two lovely daughters, both adopted and of mixed race, were born in the North of England. Throughout their upbringing,…
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Osmotherley Show, Thimbleby Hall and the Barwick Lineage
Among my most popular posts this year is ‘From Barbados to Morrisons—The history of Thimbleby and its owners.’ An observant reader noted that I had overlooked a significant chapter in this chronicle.Today, Thimbleby Hall opened its grounds for the Osmotherley Show, allowing the fell race to Black Hambleton and back. And an opportunity for me…
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A Cloud over Rudland Rigg and the Insects’ Plight
An uncommon veil of cloud swathes Rudland Rigg, seen here across the expanse of Farndale. In the foreground, a vivid member of the thistle family teems with insects eagerly gathering its nectar. It is a picture of health, yet beneath this tranquil surface, a serious calamity is unfolding. Even without the trained eye of an…
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Maiden Hair: From Dye to Deficiency
While the day was still fresh, as I wandered across Warren Moor, a vivid expanse of orange-yellow caught my eye. The bog asphodel, with its star-like blooms, presented a scene of rare splendour. Singularly, these flowers might escape notice, but en masse, they transform the landscape. Never before have I witnessed such a display on…