Found this place by browsing my Outdoors GPS OS Maps app. Its a fab app – all your maps in one place with gps so you can see exactly where you are and you can build your own routes for walking or cycling or………..? I plan most of my walks using it, as you can check out points of interest, work out how many hills you are going to have to go up and down, and their gradient! One of the best things is the GPS, which I found to be pretty accurate, as knowing where you are on the map is not always so easy. You can use it offline too, which is a great plus. It gets some rather bad reviews on the Google Play store but Ive not had any problems. You have to pay for offline use – think its £19. Another one which gets very good reviews and does lots of extra stuff is View Ranger. I use Komoot for cycling, although map My Ride is good too, but they don’t have so much info on them.
Anyway, on to Wharram Percy. All the info about it is on boards, so click on the photos to read them.
Its amazing to walk where people lived in the middle ages and before. Below you can see how the village would have looked.
The the landowners evicted the villages so that they could use the land for sheep farming. Unbelievable!!!! Imagine what that must have been like.
Above you have what was called the improvement farm built 18thC. Click on the info board on the first photo to see info.
Above are a few images of the church first built in 10thC . The info board shows the various phases of building. It was still used by local villages even when Wharram was deserted.
Next we have the churchyard. The gravestone still standing are all from 18thC but 700 medieval skeleton have been found, which have revealed some very interesting evidence of how the villagers lived. Click the photos to read.
Next up is the mill pond.
Imprints are left in the ground of medieval Long Houses and Farmsteads and a Manor House.
I found this place fascinating and very atmospheric. There’s Wharram Abbey just down the road too.
The walk starts from the gate onto the golf course at Holt Farm on Holt Lane. Make your way straight on down the hill bearing right towards Breary Nature Reserve and Pauls Pond. Make your way leftwards around the pond going straight on into the woods. A little way in you will see a gate on the left, by an information board, turn through this gate towards some converted farm buildings. Go through the yard and over the cattle grid. Where the road bends to the left, take the path on the right towards the direction of Bramhope. Deer are often spotted here. Go over the stile at the bottom into a field (beware the cattle if they’re there) and carry straight forward past the rugby club on your right. You will come out onto The Sycamores.
Turn right up the Sycamores to the end of the road and cross over the A660 and climb over the stile and follow the way markers.
Breary Grange farm was established by the monks of Kirkstall Abbey who owned most of the land around Cookridge, Adel, Bramhope, Pool, Arthington, Horsforth and further afield. Kirkstall Abbey must have been very, very well off. In the last photo you can see the farm at East Breary. Both East and West Breary were townships, each had a farm but no village.
Eventually you reach Black Hill Road where you take a left. Shortly you will see Bank Top Farm, here take a footpath on the left, part of the Ebor Way. On your right as you walk through the fields is Blackhill Quarry . The main source of Bramley Fall stone is here, operated by Mone Bros Ltd since 1979. But the quarry has been worked for a lot longer than that. In 2011, four thousand tonnes of Bramley Fall sandstone, sourced at Blackhill, was used to widen the Blackfriars bridge across the Thames, when the new railway station was being constructed in London.
Follow the way markers which will lead you to Breary Lane East. There are some amazing houses down here, but their view across country has been blighted by the building site of Miller Homes.
There are a number of older cottages too. At the junction at the bottom of the road take a right onto Creskeld Lane then left onto Creskeld Drive. Now I have to warn you that the next mile or so is in suburbia, but not any old suburbia because this is high end Bramhope and I just love looking at all these beautifully styled houses. You’d need a £1000000 or so to buy one and employ a cleaner! but they are all so individual and beautifully designed and the views over the valley are to die for. As you near the bottom of the hill there is a path off to your right opposite Hall Rise on the left. This takes you through woods towards the North entrance of the Bramhope tunnel and a where Bramhope Corn Mill used to be, if you would like a short detour.
The solarium that you see in someones garden is a listed building and was in the grounds of Bramhope Hall. Keep going up Hall Drive, which is a quite a large hill. At the top you meet the A660 again. Turn left and come to the Puritan Chapel.
Bramhope Chapel is gable on to the Leeds Otley Road, its principal elevation facing south, with a small enclosed sanctuary at the east altar end, and a bell cote surmounting its west gable. It was formerly in the grounds of Bramhope Hall, which has been demolished, and now stands close to the edge of the hotel car park. It is built of coursed squared sandstone and has a stone slate roof. The chapel dates from 1649, and is a single storey Puritan Chapel having a virtually symmetrical 6 bay elevation with round headed doorways in bays 2 and 5, the remaining bays have 3 light windows except for the 1st bay that has a two light window, all with chamfered mullions set in double chamfered surrounds with square heads (Thornborrow, 2004). Principal structural alterations date from the early 19th century, when the walls and roof structure were raised by a few feet and a flat plaster ceiling (now removed) was inserted. After a period of neglect and severe storm damage in 1962 it was placed in the care of the local authority and thoroughly repaired (Stell, 1994). It was built by Robert Dyneley of Bramhope Hall who was a devout Puritan.
The second photo shows some graves of the inhabitants of Bramhope Hall over the years. The fourth photo is interesting as it states that Francis Walker and his wife Susannah and all descendants bearing the name of Walker are interred in a straight line facing Northwards. The next photo is of Charlotte Darwin wife of Francis Darwin(Rhodes) of Creskeld. He assumed her surname and arms in 1850 upon inheritance of Elston Hall from Robert Alvey Darwin[4] and they took up residence at Creskeld Hall.[5] The estate thus came into the ownership of the Rhodes family, who had been in Wharfedale for many centuries.
The next one is Sarah Ellen Rhodes nee Sheepshanks. We met the Sheepshanks family in Arthington from Arthington Hall. The last is a memorial to William Rhodes who died in 1869.
I have found there are so many connections with families within the West Riding areas.
The Hall (demolished in the 1960s) is thought to have occupied the site of an earlier medieval hall, and is located underneath what is now the hotel, off Leeds Road. The Hall is thought to have incorporated building phases from at least the 16th century, and is known to have been owned by the Dyneley family from 1546 until 1767. Between the 17th and 19th centuries the Hall had several owners and was structurally altered several times.
The earliest known settlement in the area was a British camp established off Moor Road. The Romans built a road through the area from Adel to Ilkley, traces of which remain in a field near Leeds Bradford Airport.[2]
Bramhope is mentioned in the Domesday Book as the manor of an Saxonthane, Uchill. In 1095 the manor passed to Percy family, and in 1165 was sold to Ralph de Bramhope. In the 13th century the monasteries owned much of the land and had granges where sheep were grazed. The monks used tracks, such as Scotland Lane and Staircase Lane, as they travelled from their outlying granges to Kirkstall Abbey.[2]
The village had a small population until the 20th century. The Black Death of 1348-9 reduced the number of adults to 34, but this gradually increased to about 400 in 1900. Now it is in the region of 4,500.[2] Water was drawn from private wells or the town well at the foot of Northgate (now Church Hill). The town well was restored in 1991 by the Bramhope History Group, and is located opposite St Giles Church.[2] The plaque says that the well was exposed in 1991, so perhaps it had been lost for some time.[3]
If you come out from the chapel turn left, walk past the hotel entrance and just past there you will see the information board about the well and the hall pictured below.
Back to the walk. Cross over the road to St. Giles church – theres not a lot of interest to the church, but opposite, the other side of Church Hill is Old Manor Farm circa 17th.
Walk up the hill past some old cottages on your left and another listed building on the right, then reach the Cross and the Fox and Hounds pub, which has been here since 1728. Bramhope has two distinct characters. At the cross-roads of Eastgate and Church Hill is the historic centre of the once nucleated settlement. The second came following the construction of the Leeds to Otley turnpike road in the mid 19th century. From this time Bramhope developed into a suburban settlement, particularly from the 1930s onwards.
The church Hill and Eastgate routes were known to have been bridleways in the medieval period and the sunken nature of parts of them suggest that they are ancient landscape features.
Most of the standing buildings centred around the crossroads near Church Hill date to the 17th and 18th centuries, and reflect the largely rural and agricultural past of Bramhope village. They are typical Yorkshire millstone grit buildings, with little ornamentation, and have stone or slate roofs. Many of the buildings are Grade II Listed former farmhouses (such as ‘Old Manor Farm’ (1691), Bramhope Manor (originally constructed in the 16th century but rebuilt in 1803), 1 Church Hill (late-17th century) and ‘The Hollies’ (mid-18th century)), however there are also indications of local industrial production at ‘The Smithy’ (dated 1687) and ‘Weavers Cottage’ (1709).
So turn left and walk down Eastgate and you will see the weavers cottage on your right. There are then a number of cottages, then some houses of 17th/18th century. And then the Methodist Church which is the biggest church in Bramhope. Methodism in Bramhope has a long history, the first documentary evidence of Methodist preaching in the village dating back to 1777. Services took place in cottages and barns for many years until the first chapel was built in 1837. This building eventually became too small so the present church was built to replace it in 1896.
After the church there are a few other buildings of interest but I haven’t been able to find any information about them.
The first house above has a date of 1758 above the door. Go down a lane by the side of the Knoll Playground ( see info in photo below).
At the end of the path cross straight over the road and follow the path through the woods. As you come to the end you will come across another railway tunnel shaft.
So now you meet Moor Road. Cross over and you will see a stile to your left which you clamber over and check out the sighting tower which I have mentioned before ( Bramhope Tunnel Update Post). See map below and finish off walk this way following post backwards.
There will be another post on Old Bramhope soon. Old Bramhope is up Old Lane past the Robert Craven Memorial Hall. I hope to do some detective work on the children’s home there.
Bramhope is one of Leeds many conservation areas believe it or not! Miller Homes have been allowed to build on what must have been Green Belt in Bramhope, so I don’t know what conservation status actually means!
Click on the map to enlarge it so you can see the route.
Started off from home past Adel St Johns church, up Eccup lane, past the New Inn, down to Weardly, right onto Arthington Lane, left onto Harrogate Road, over the bridge and next right up to Kirby Overblow. Bear right at the pub down Barrowby Lane, keep left onto Kirkby Lane, keep left again takes you to Clapgate. Sound nice doesn’t it? It used to be a pub but is now housing. Keep going and you get to Sicklinghall – a beautiful, expensive village. The Scott Arms used to be one of our favourite haunts. Its more of an up market gastro pub now, but still nice. Follow through on the Wetherby Road which becomes Sicklinghall Road into the outskirts of Wetherby and keep a lookout on the left for the old Wetherby Station (Harland Way).
The Harland Way is a fantastic off road route along a disused railway track, click on the link above to see an information leaflet on it. It finishes at Spofforth. Turn right onto the high street and at the right hand bend go straight on to the castle. There’s quite a few walkers, but no problem as far as I was concerned, just a polite “excuse me” and a thank you and everyone happy. It was really muddy, which was fun. Through the mud or round the mud? That is the question. Well depends on the path. I prefer going straight through, keep the bike upright, no chance of skidding. Might get a dirty bike and splashed legs but I prefer that to ending up sat in it!
Spofforth was the main seat of the Percy family – one of the most important and influential families in northern England – until the late 14th century. William de Percy, a favourite of William the Conqueror, built a manor house here in the 11th century, and it was reputedly here that rebel barons drew up Magna Carta in 1215. The surviving remains are those of a fortified manor house, dating mainly from the 14th and 15th centuries.
Past the castle on your left – good place to stop for a bit of sustenance. Carry on along Castle Street, down Follifoot Lane, eventually reaching the village of Follifoot. Another lovely, expensive village with a couple of pubs, one of which is the Radcliffe Arms, another of our old haunts – haven’t been in years.
So far, so good, a lovely ride.
As you leave the village go straight on down the no through road, as theres a little cycle path at the end that will take you underneath the John Metcalf Way. At the top of the slope turn right and then left past the Rudding Park Estate.
The south gatehouse of the Rudding Park Estate stands at the top of the village of Follifoot. The estate was bought by Lord Loughborough in 1788, and he engaged the landscape designer Humphry Repton to improve the grounds and surrounding landscape.
The estate was purchased by the Hon William Gordon in 1805 and he was responsible for the construction of the present house. By the time the estate was purchased by Sir Joseph Radcliffe 19 years later the house was still unfinished. In 1972 the house and 2000-acre estate was acquired by the Mackaness family.
Today the estate compromises a hotel, caravan and camp site, a restaurant and golf course. The main part of the estate is now separated from the village by the A658 Harrogate bypass.
We are now travelling along Rudding Lane, which will take you all around the estate, then watch out for Crimple Lane and turn left into it. This is a small lane, past an interesting little pub called the Travellers Rest. (Looks like one to try if it survives the Covid lockdowns.) You will see a gate through to the Harrogate Showground, where there is a permissive cycle path. Follow the path to the gate at the end where we turn left through another gate down the slope past a couple of viaduct on your left. But before you turn down here, if you go right, you’ll see Fodder Food, where you can buy lovely Yorkshire Produce, there’s a nice cafe and there is an outside van where you can get hot drinks, hot and cold food.
The Viaducts when passing through the Showground.
So we’ve gone down the slope, up the slope, straight over Hookstone Drive, you will pass a couple of schools after which follow the cycle path left down the side of the school across the Stray, turn right down Stray Rein. At the end, follow the cycle route, straight across into South Park Rd, at the roundabout go straight across, same at next roundabout, and next, bear left on Dragon Rd, then watch out for a cycle path on left , it looks like you’re going into a car park but you’ll see on your right a path by the side of the railway track-follow this. You’ll cross over the railway bridge and follow the Nidderdale Greenway.
The former Nidd Valley Railway closed completely in 1964 and Leeds-Thirsk railway line was closed in 1969.[2][3] The Nidderdale Greenway makes use of both of these former railways to provide a traffic-free walking and cycle zone that extends from Bilton (in north eastern Harrogate) to the village of Ripley, which is 4 miles (6.4 km) further north.[4] The Greenway was first proposed in the 1990s and after land purchases, public inquiries and a lottery grant, was officially opened in May 2013.[5] The route is very popular and is used by pedestrians, cyclists, runners and horse-riders.[6]
Starting at Bilton (which is on the southern link of the Way of the Roses cycle route), the route heads north-westerly on the former Leeds-Thirsk railway line. At Bilton Beck Wood, it crosses the River Nidd[7] on a grade II listed seven-arch viaduct which is known as either Nidd or Bilton Viaduct.[8][9] The viaduct is at the western end of the Nidd Gorge, where the waters of the River Nidd are funneled into a steep ravine.[10] Just west of the village of Nidd, the route diverges onto the former Nidd valley Railway line until it reaches the A61 road at Killinghall Bridge. It then crosses the A61 by means of a Pegasus crossing and runs parallel to the road into Ripley on its own path.[11] The last section into Ripley was donated by the owners of Ripley castle to allow safe passage into the village without cyclists having to resort to using the A61.[12]
The greenway is part of the National Cycle Route 67[13] which runs from Long Eaton to Northallerton, although parts of it are as yet to be completed. At both ends, the path links into other paths and long distance cycles routes to Brimham Rocks, Fountains Abbey, Knaresborough, and Starbeck.[14] The route is maintained by Sustrans Rangers and in May 2017, a redundant Millennium Milepost was installed on the Greenway carrying information about the route on it.[15] Harrogate Borough Council are working on extending the path from Bilton by a further 0.62 miles (1 km) to the south-west which will connect that part of the route with Harrogate railway station.[4]This view is looking south from the former Nidd Junction on the Leeds & Thirsk Railway, now used as the Nidderdale Greenway.
A bike sculpture made of stones was unveiled just south of Ripley alongside the greenway to celebrate the 2014 Tour de France which passed by Ripley. There is also a portrait bench at the Bilton end of the Greenway which depicts local cycling heroes.[16] The bench is part of a national scheme operated by Sustrans to promote local cycling heroes on the National Cycle Routes.[17]
The route may be under threat by a proposal to build a bypass for the A61 which would go from the east side of Harrogate and re-join the existing A61 east of Ripley.[18] This would avoid the road going through Killinghall, but as yet, the plans have not been published.[19] The greenway is also under threat of a possible resurgent railway between Harrogate and Ripon, as Bilton Viaduct would need to be utilized in any re-opened railway line.
An extension to the greenway was added in 2014. This allows users at the north end to go further on than Ripley towards the village of Clint.[20] A further extension on the trackbed of the Nidd Valley railway to Pateley Bridge has been proposed to avoid the necessity for cyclists using the narrow and winding B6165.[19]
From the end of the Greenway turn right and at T junction turn left onto the Ripon Road up the hill take a right signposted Otley. At the roundabout, cross the A59 and go past the Army Foundation College.
The two maps above give you an idea of the climbs if you check out the contours.
Tom Moore was appointed as the first honorary colonel of the college on his 100th birthday, in recognition of his fundraising success during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6] When acting in that capacity, he was addressed as “Colonel Tom”.[7]
After this is a downhill to Oak Beck and then a massive u bend up a massive hill, which I was really proud to have conquered. I have to say although the scenery is rather nice, it was the least enjoyable bit of the ride. Go straight on to Beckwithshaw. Stay on this road. Turn down Pill White Lane to Lindley. The reason I did this was because the road was closed at Pool. I wish I hadn’t because I tanked on the hill after you cross the River Washburn. I’ve done this without a problem twice before so guess my legs had had enough after the longer ride. Keep left at the the T junction and right at the next towards Otley. All downhill and I gave up at Riverside gardens by Otley Bridge – sat, rang Mike to get me and watched the ducks whilst I waited.
this is just one of the many long hills one has to navigate from Killinghall onwards.
So let me explain. My previous scooter was a Vespa Primavera 125cc and I named her Hilda after my Mum who helped pay for her. She’d be horrified – it was with money she left me when she passed away. I was happy enough with it, but I’d had a few spills on it, so it was scratched in a few places and I’d always thought I’d upgrade it to the above. Then some scum went and stole it whilst it was parked in Bramhope – I mean Bramhope of all places!!!!! A posh rather quiet place. I was doing some research for a History of Bramhope blog (watch this space) when I parked Hilda Mark 1 outside the church on the road, left it for no more than 15 minutes whilst I took some photos and when I got back it was gone! Its such a weird feeling……you actually question if you actually did leave it there or if it had rolled away!
This was Hilda 1.
Anyway after the palaver of contacting police and many phone calls and form fillings for insurance I eventually got paid out. However the insurance company greatly undervalued the bike and after I questioned this, they upped the pay out by £300. I hate insurance companies. Anyway, the scum did me a favour, even though I’m out of pocket because of the excess of £300.
Anyway, was out of the blocks pretty fast and found this one online in a dealer in Nottingham. Ive never bought anything without seeing it in the flesh, but with covid there was no choice and the dealer was fab. So would highly recommend Midland Scooter Centre. They had it delivered within a few days, serviced and taxed. And its a belter.
Only problem is with me…….I’m such a short arse…..5ft 3″ and found the seat too high. It had quite a raised area at the front. So managed to find a guy in Bradford who does custom motorbike seats and £40 later its perfect, I can now get my foot flat on the ground. Would highly recommend Tony Archer. So here’s a before and after photo.
Had a great ride out on her today. bit of a blast along the ring road and Harrogate road – fantastic views down Wharfedale to Almscliffe Crag at the top of Harewood hill. Love my open face helmet – new bike, new helmet, had to be done. Did get a bit chilly, but much better than sneezing in a full face one!
I miss Veronica, my trusty Virago 535 but feel happier handling the Vespa now.
Lovely 25 mile ride today. Sunny but with a nippy wind.
Ride from Adel St. Johns Church up to five lane ends bear slight right onto lane to Eccup Resevoir. Carry on past the reservoir, when you reach the main Harrogate Road cross over and carry on up a cycleway (bit muddy) which take you past the back of the Leeds Grammar school, down Manor lane and wow are there some Manors there. You reach Wigton Lane and more millionaire houses. Turn left, eventually meeting a T junction by the Dextor pub. Turn left and take the first right onto Tarn Lane. These lanes are usually quite quiet. At the cross roads go straight on and at the next cross roads do the same. You go through Scarcroft village and meet the Wetherby road where you go straight over again into Thorner Lane. Eventually you meet a triangle in the road, bear right onto Milner Lane, which takes you to Thorner village where you take a left onto Bramham Road. At the t junction turn left onto Thorner Road. At the T-junction turn left onto Thorne Lane eventually bearing right onto Holme Farm Lane and keep left to take you to the A58. Go left for a few hundred yards and take a right to Bardsey. Carry on up Church Lane ( some very interesting history in Bardsey is on my list) look out for Spear Fir on the right and turn down here. At the end turn left onto Wike Lane. This road takes you back to the Dexter pub where you turn right and follow Wigton and Alwoodley Lane until you reach the junction with King Lane where you turn left and first right down Staircase Lane, past Adel Woods, up the hill and turn right past York Gate Gardens until you find yourself back at Adel church where you turn left.
(REMEMBER YOU CAN ENLARGE PHOTOS IN GALLERIES BY CLICKING ON THEM. THEY LOOK SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU CAN SEE THE DETAIL.)
We started our walk here by the church at Bramhope. Opposite is the Brittania Hotel which is a bit of an eye sore built in 1971. It was built on the site of Bramhope Hall – more of that when I do the history of Bramhope.
c1900-1904. View of Bramhope Hall, home of the Dyneley family from the 16th century onwards.
The well and pump were restored in 1991. To read the history of it click on the photo of the info board to enlarge.
The above is the walk that I mapped out. I didn’t record it, so its not quite the correct milage, which worked out just over 8mls. Theres some steep hills as it crosses the “ridge” that the Bramhope Rail Tunnel runs under. We actually went off piste at the bottom of the hill into the woods towards the railway line, where it exits the tunnel and got a photo of the ornate crenelated portal.
We walked through the woods following the path of the line, which was a lovely walk but a dead end, so we had to retrace our steps.
When we met the road we walked down to Creskeld Hall.
The place-name is first attested in the twelfth century, as Creskeld and Creskelde. The name comes from the Old English words cresse (‘cress‘) and kelde (‘spring, well’, itself a borrowing of Old Norse kelda). Thus the name once meant ‘spring with cress growing nearby’. The place-name thus suggests that the settlement dates back to before the Norman Conquest of England.[2] A spring of fresh water flows past the Hall all year round; and watercress grows in abundance in the streams and water gardens.
n 1189, Hugo de Creskeld gave all his land at Creskeld with an annual rent of 6d and a common pasture of 260 sheep to Kirkstall Abbey. A chapel was attached to the house before the end of the 12th century. The Manor House was leased to Sir Richard de Goldsbro and in 1352 a deed was executed between Sir Richard de Goldsboro and Robert Tottie relating to the granting of Creskeld wood for the smelting of iron. This deed is said to be the oldest deed relating to that industry now in existence.
At the dissolution of the Monasteries, the Manor of Creskeld passed into the hands of Thomas Cranmer, a nephew of the famous Archbishop Cranmer. In 1596 the Wentworth family from Wakefield occupied the Hall and rented it for £15 a year. In 1660, it was inherited by Evelild, the eldest daughter of George Wentworth, who was the wife of John Thornhill of Fixby.
In 1846, Francis Rhodes[3] of Bramhope Hall, the next door estate, married the only child of the owner of the Hall Charlotte Maria Cooper Darwin. He assumed her surname and arms in 1850 upon inheritance of Elston Hall from Robert Alvey Darwin[4] and they took up residence at Creskeld Hall.[5] The estate thus came into the ownership of the Rhodes family, who had been in Wharfedale for many centuries.
Francis (Rhodes) Darwin was born in 1825. He became a barrister, then a magistrate and was Chairman of the Highways Committee and Alderman of the new West Riding of Yorkshire County Council for more than 50 years. He died in 1918 at the age of 93.
The present Hall at Creskeld occupies the site of the original Manor house and there are parts in the centre which date back to the 1600s, with very old oak beams. Much of the rest of the building was built between 1850 and 1920 and includes a chapel room that was rebuilt after a fire in 1870. This was never re-consecrated and is now part of the main house. A flat-roofed billiard room extension was added in 1919. This connects the rebuilt chapel with the main body of the house, and has enclosed a courtyard where the front entrance used to be.
The Hall has been privately owned by the same family since 1919 being purchased by Bertram Parkinson, the grandfather of the current owners. It was then the home of Colonel Sir Malcolm Stoddart-ScottOBEMC TD, Member of Parliament of the local constituency from 1945 until his death in 1973.
We then walked to the end of the lane, crossed straight over and down Warren Lane to the Arthington Viaduct which I’ve blogged about previously. We retraced our steps and then turned left along the Tadcaster to Otley Turnpike Road, which seems to have always had problems with heavy traffic!
The reason we walked the road is because I wanted to check out the buildings.
Here we came across the Old Post Office with the GR insignia for King George and the old school 1872.
On the south side of Arthington Lane, Crag View and Ivy Cottage, Holme View, are a pair of cottages, built of coursed squared sandstone with quoins and a stone slate roof, as an eye-catcher, in the 19C. The central two-storey part is Crag View, and the wings are single-storey with screen walls at first-floor level, topped by an open pediment and battlements. A row of six cottages, Nos. 5 to 10, was built in the early to mid-19C of coursed squared sandstone with quoins and dressings of the same, and a Welsh slate roof. All have a wide recessed arch at first-floor level, merging into the eaves. The row of cottages was originally symmetrical, with the ones next to the end slightly recessed, but No.5 on the right has been extended in a similar style, but without the blank arch.
Next we walked along to Arthington Hall.
The name Arthington is first attested in the Domesday Book as Hardinctone, Ardintona and Ardinton. The first element of the name comes from the Old Englishpersonal name Eard, a nickname form of longer names like Eardwulf; the connecting element -ing-, used to indicate Eard’s association with the place; and the word tūn (‘farmstead, estate’). Thus the name meant ‘Eard’s estate’. Spellings with th for d appear from the twelfth century onwards and are thought to show the influence of Old Norse pronunciation on the name.[4]Arthington was part of the estate of Aluuard of Northumbria, along with Adel, Burdon, Cookridge and Eccup, up until the Norman conquest of England. It was then given to the Count of Mortain (half brother of William the Conqueror). However, it had greatly reduced in value during the Conquest, falling from 30 shillings to 5, and much of the area was described as waste.
It was in the 12th century that Arthington (or Ardington) as a family name was established, as vassals to the tenant in chief, the Paynel and later the Luterel family. Peter de Arthington donated lands at Arthington to Kirkstall Abbey which led to the establishment of a nunnery known as Arthington Priory. The site is now believed to be occupied by the Nunnery, with the main house dated 1585 built from the ruins.[6] By this time the region had improved with more land under agriculture and more inhabitants.[5]
Originally built in the mid 15th century, the hall stands on the site of a former Cluniac nunnery endowed by the Arthington family in the late 1200s, and given by Henry VIII to Archbishop Cranmer in 1543, after the dissolution of the monasteries. Following a fire in the late 1700s, the house was substantially remodelled for Henry Arthington by Yorkshire architect John Carr, who was much in favour in Wharfedale at about that time, designing such illust-rious country houses as nearby Harewood House and Denton Park, and Farnley Hall at Otley.
This was a period when many rich Leeds merchants decided to swap the trading floor for the green and pleasant life of a country landowner-a condition that Carr himself aspired to. Born the son of a stonemason in 1723, he went on to become Yorkshire’s dominant architect, a gentleman, twice Lord Mayor of York, and a justice of the peace for the West Riding, with his own country house and estate.
At Arthington Hall, Carr’s most notable legacy is undoubtedly its famous flying staircase, described by the late Giles Worsley (Country Life, May 5, 1988) as a ‘masterpiece of joinery (and) one of Yorkshire’s unknown 18th-century marvels’. Set in an oval stairwell, it starts with two flights that meet at a half-landing to form a central, unsupported flight that is said to ‘bounce unnervingly’ when walked upon.
The route from Leeds to Wharfedale was already well-trodden by the time the Sheepshanks family (wool merchants, as the name suggests) bought Arthington Hall in 1842. In 1875, William Sheepshanks commissioned a Victorian extension by Alfred Waterhouse; a further wing was added in 1908. The hall has been the Sheepshanks family home ever since, apart from a period during and after the Second World War, when it was used as a convalescent home.
In the early 1990s, the present vendors, William and Alice Sheepshanks, bought Arthington from William’s late mother, Mary, who, with his father, Charles, reclaimed the house and gardens in the 1960s and restored them. However they sold the hall in 2012 as the running cost were becoming too much. I can’t find out who bought it or who lives there
The Nunnery
Situated on Arthington Lane, it is believed that this Nunnery was founded by Peter de Arthington about 1150. It was a small establishment with usually around ten nuns. At the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Elizabeth Hall, the prioress received a pension of £35. Nine other nuns were offered much smaller amounts. The building became a home and the land around the farm. TB 15851B is on the house, thought to be the initials of Thomas Briggs and his wife who were early owners.
After suppression of the priory, in 1543 the site was given by the King to Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. In the time of Charles I, a plain but substantial hall was built on the priory land. The front doorway which is dated 1585, has been removed from some older building. In 1822 the hall was occupied as a farm house and was the property of the Earl of Harewood. In the parish records it is described as “a large well-built, square house, on a fine elevation above the river”.
Despite the loss of the ancient buildings, the 1822 records have an entry that states: “ARTHINGTON NUNNERY, in the parish of Adel, upper-division of Skyrack, and adjoins the village of Arthington”. This probably refers to The Nunnery, a farmhouse which is said to stand on the foundations and lower courses of the priory church.[3] Its farm buildings were possibly built over the monastery buildings.[3]
The information about the history of all these interesting places and buildings has been researched from many web pages and there are some links to these incorporated within the text. I have mostly used my own photos, as I like to show that I have actually been to all these places, but have used a few old ones from the internet too.
We walked to the church of St Peter built in 1864 for Mr William Sheepshanks of Arthington Hall. The first vicar was Thomas Sheepshanks. It is now a Coptic church.
We then made our way up a path up the side of the church, and ascended the ridge across some very muddy fields, finally reaching Bank Top farm where we cross the road following the Ebor Way back to Bramhope.
The last photo is of another shaft/air vent from the Bramhope tunnel.
Down Stair Foot Lane Adel, past Adel Woods up the hill to T junction, left and almost immediately right onto Alwoodley Lane. Pass all the posh houses and golf clubs to traffic lights. Straight across onto Wigton Lane or Millionaires Row until you reach Shadwell. At the T junction turn right and left at the lights onto Shadwell Lane. Follow on to main St and at cross roads turn right onto Coal Rd for a short while on A58 then take a left continuing on Coal Rd. At the next cross roads take a left onto Shelton lane, at the end of which take a right onto Thorner Lane. You hit the A64 at the end where you turn left for a few hundred yards then turn right onto Scholes Lane. Carry on through Scholes – it becomes Main St. On the way to Barwick in Elmet now. When you hit Leeds road bear left and stay on Leeds Road until you reach a left hand bend Where the road becomes Main Street , turn right to Long Lane and first left onto Chapple lane. Stay on chapple Lane until you reach a T junction where you turn right onto Aberford Road. This become Cattle Lane and is a long stretch down to Main st at Aberford where you turn right. The becomes Bunkers Hill where you will see what used to be Aberford Alms houses. Bloody grand for that! https://www.parlington.co.uk/structures.lasso?process=3&subProcess=struct13
Follow the road which runs beside the A1, at the T junction turn right onto Aberford Road. Carry pn until you come to a roundabout going straight across over the M1. Down the A612 across another roundabout . After the primary school look for Bar Lane on the left. Turn down Bar Lane, over the railway and watch out for Derwent Ave on your right because just after this you will turn off right onto the Sustrans Route 697.
This delightful traffic-free route travels from the small town of Garforth just outside Leeds through lovely countryside, passing a nature reserve and an RSPB site, along a river and canal ending at Woodlesford station.
To follow the route:
Exit Garforth station and follow the White Rose [WYCC] signs until you pick up signs to National Route 697 and The Linesway and join this lovely greenway.
You soon enter Townclose Hills Nature Reserve (or Billy Wood as it’s known locally) on the edge of Kippax. From the grassland plateau, there are beautiful near-panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.
Continue along the route to Allerton Bywater, where there is a café if you want to take a break. Turn right at Owl Wood Cottage towards Woodend and continue until you pick up signs to National Route 67, part of the Transpennine Trail.
Pause for a short detour at Woodend to visit RSPB St Aidans on the banks of the River Aire. The reserve is teeming with wildlife and is home to thousands of birds, brown hares, roe deer and insects – all living in a stunning landscape of vast reedbeds, grassland, woodland, lakes, ponds and islands. This is a great spot for a picnic.
Continue along the route, cross the River Aire and follow the river, then the canal to Woodlesford, passing Woodlesford Locks.
From here you can hop on a train from Woodlesford station.
If you want to extend the route, you could continue onto the fantastic Rothwell Country Park.
When you reach the end of the Line, I planned to make my way along the river here but was not able to, so turn right and any the T junction turn right onto Leeds road – go along here until you see Queen St on the left and turn down here to St. Aidens RSPB reserve
I stopped here for a bite to eat and a drink. Its a great reserve. You can ride respectfully through the reserve which I did, making my way through across the river and onto the Sustrans 67 route. This follows the Woodlesford canal section.
When you can see the motorway ahead at Woodlesford you cross over the canal via a lock bridge and ride between the canal and river . This is where it all got a bit complicated and im not sure how I eventually got to Temple Newham. I then made my way home via main roads which wasn’t much fun but I’d had enough by then lol.
Didn’t intend to walk this far today. It was cold, breezy and very, very muddy. Mike and Tetley talked me into it. So as a little compromise, I drove to Cookridge cricket club and started the walk from there.
The bridleway down as far as the railway bridge is easy going if a little pot holed.
on this last photo you can see the tails of the airplanes that are going nowhere at the moment.
The above is Moseley Wood Farm which has been split into four properties.
This is Moseley Farm, a grade 2 listed building, reputed to have been built as a house for the owner of the bleach works (demolished), remains of which are on the hill slope to south and east of the house.
Early C19, altered C20. Coursed squared gritstone, low-pitched stone slate roof with stone copings and kneelers. On site of or reusing parts of a C17 house. 2 storeys, 3 windows. Quoins. Garden front faces SW and has central door with tie-stone jambs, flanking large square windows with plain surrounds and C20 wooden frames; gutter brackets, end stacks. Rear, uphill side: entrance to right of centre with tie-stone jambs, recessed chamfered window surrounds to left and 2 to 1st floor, a tall central stair window with blocked opening below, centre.
The mud started on the railway bridge and continues ad infinitum!
Here starts the Bramhope tunnel. After the railway bridge we carried on up the hill, passing what I took to be part of the old bleach works factory.
Nethersprings Bleach Works circa 1900 – drying the flax.
Nethersprings was one of north Horsforths many flax bleaching mills which was used for linen. The Flax seed would have been used for oil and the unbleached fibres of the plant for twine and rope. Ropeworks were many in Horsforth as well in the Woodside area and over the boundary at Clayton.
This handsome couple are Hannah Morfitt Pullan nee Ingham and Mathew Pullan who together started Nethersprings Bleach Works in 1860
The Inghams owned Dean Grange Farm and still do. It has been owned by the Ingham family since the 1700’s. One of the sons Robert opened a pub called the Bay Horse for the navvies building the Bramhope Tunnel. In it he organised prize fights for his customers! You can imagine some quite riotous times here.
The above houses are where the beer house would have been.
Samuel Inghams will of 1825 shows that he also had an interest in Crag Farm, Cookridge, where his son William was sub-tenant. Rosanne Clelland (nee Ingham) also tells us that Samuel held the lease for Moseley farm as well as Crag and Dean Grange farms. Moseley and Crag farms are in Cookridge, whilst Dean Grange is across the stream in Horsforth.
After Samuel’s death, William took over Crag farm, Robert took over Moseley.
I have trawled through the family history of the Inghams and they were obviously an important family within the areas of Horsforth, Cookridge, Arthington and Otley.
It is a big farm but looks like its seen better days. The final photo was a cold store. All these buildings including the cold store are listed grade 2.
And so after all the history we walked on up to meet Scotland Lane. All this area is actually known as Scotland. Horsforth has had two royal visitors. The first was William the Conqueror, who crossed the Aire at Newlay on his way to confront rebellious Danes at York and took possession of land in north Horsforth from the Anglo Danish Earl Gamal. The land was later granted to one, Robert de Bruys, whose Scottish decendant ‘Robert the Bruce’ laid claim to the Scottish throne. He passed this way on one of his raids into Yorkshire after his victory at Bannockburn, reportedly spending the night at Dean Head Grange on the Horsforth Estate. That outlying area of Horsforth has been known as ‘Scotland’ ever since.
After the history lesson, back to the walk. We turned left, crossed over the road and a short while took the path over the field toward the airport runway. O my goodness was it boggy! We reached a fenced area around the perimeter of the runway and I proceeded to have to walk whilst doing the splits, in order to stay out of the deep mud and water streaming down a gully that was a path. We slid down ankle deep into it numerous times, which was funny to start with but soon lost its fun element. After a while we legged it over a lower bit of fence onto Horsforth golf course, that someone else had obviously done before us and made our way over to the road – Bayton Lane. We were quite glad to walk on the road but it wasn’t very pleasant; you would not think for a minute that we were in “lockdown” with all the traffic! We eventually turned off left after the golf course following a path back over field to Scotland Lane. We crossed the road and went down a lane that led to Owlet Grange circa 17th.
Another listed building. In 1200AD, Horsforth became part of the domain of the Abbots of Kirkstall who exploited its resources by quarrying and farming as well as using the water-power of the beck, to drive their famous forge. Monastic farm houses, often manned by lat brothers, were known as granges. We have Newlay Grange and two granges on the de Bruys land, Dean Head Grange and Owlet Grange.
And this one….
Some absolutely gorgeous dwellings around this area.
And then came the baptism in mud. We walked through a farmyard and entered a field that had had a great deal of tractor activity. We again snack up to our ankles in bog like mud, having to haul our feet out against the suction! I tried walking in the tractor track but it was so deep I could hardly get out!
We eventually made it back to Dean head Farm and our way home. FUN! And learnt so much history afterwards.
The male mandarin duck has the most elaborate and ornate plumage with distinctive long orange feathers on the side of the face, orange ‘sails’ on the back, and pale orange flanks.The female is dull by comparison with a grey head and white stripe behind the eye, brown back and mottled flanks.
They were introduced to the UK from China and have become established following escapes from captivity.
