Richmondshire

Last updated

Richmondshire District
Non-metropolitan district
Richmondshire arms.png
Coat of arms
Richmondshire UK locator map.svg
Shown within North Yorkshire
Coordinates: 54°19′48″N2°00′43″W / 54.330°N 2.012°W / 54.330; -2.012
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Region Yorkshire and the Humber
Administrative county North Yorkshire
Admin. HQ Richmond
Government
 • TypeRichmondshire District Council
 •  Leadership:Alternative – Sec.31
 • Executive: 
 •  MPs: Rishi Sunak
Area
 • Total509 sq mi (1,319 km2)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total50,358
 • Density99/sq mi (38/km2)
Time zone UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
ONS code 36UE (ONS)
E07000166 (GSS)
Ethnicity97.0% White
1.5% S.Asian [1]
Website richmondshire.gov.uk Archived 27 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine

Richmondshire was a local government district of North Yorkshire, England, from 1974 to 2023. It covered a large northern area of the Yorkshire Dales including Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, Wensleydale and Coverdale, with the prominent Scot's Dyke and Scotch Corner along the centre. Teesdale lay to the north. With a total area of 1,319 km2, it was larger than seven of the English ceremonial counties (namely, in decreasing order of size, the West Midlands, Merseyside, Tyne & Wear, Rutland, the Isle of Wight, Bristol, and the City of London).

Contents

History

The history of this district in antiquity is not well known, but archaeologists have found artefacts from the Neolithic Period (4000–2000 BC)[ clarification needed ], the Bronze Age (2500–2000 BC), the Iron Age (700 BC–first century AD) and the Roman Period (43–400 AD) in the Richmond area. [2]

The closest important Roman settlement was at Catterick in Rheged, and was thesite of the Battle of Catterick. [3]

At the terminus of Scandinavian York, there was a local bout of rebellion in Stainmore, which resulted in the death of Eric Bloodaxe. The Scandinavian settlement of this area was eastwards from the Irish Sea with names such as Gilpatrick in Middleham and Thorfinn in Bedale occurring at the time of the Domesday Book. At the time of the Norman Conquest it was the Fee of Gillingshire, held by Edwin, Earl of Mercia. [4] Gillingshire [5] It was made up of the Borough of Richmond and the five wapentakes of Gilling West, Gilling East, Hang West, Hang East and Hallikeld. [6]

After the Harrying of the North, the land became capital[ clarification needed ] of the Duchy of Brittany's Honour of Richmond (first as a barony, then an earldom and later a dukedom).

The Honour of Richmond was one of the three largest lordships created by William the Conqueror. King William granted it to his double-second-cousin, Alan the Red, the leader of the Bretons in England and a cousin of Hawise, Duchess of Brittany.

Traditional Richmondshire Honour of Richmond.png
Traditional Richmondshire

According to the Register of the Honour of Richmond, [7] the official transfer of the lands of Earl Edwin (Richmondshire) occurred at the "Siege of York" in 1068 or early 1069. Edwin's brother Morcar, Earl of Northumbria, lost his title to Robert Commines on 28 January 1069 and also lost lands to Count Alan following the brothers' participation in the northern rebellion of 1068.

A charter of Count Alan Rufus's dated before 1086 [8] states that he obtained the honour with the help of Queen Matilda. Alan had many other English estates, and by the time of the compilation of the Domesday Book he was one of the richest and most powerful barons. He died in 1093 and was succeeded by two of his brothers in turn. The family held on to this estate until 1399. Work on Richmond Castle started in 1071 after the northern rebellions had died down.

The Honour of Richmond comprised 782 manors throughout England. [9] The Yorkshire portion was a compact unit of 199 manors and 43 outlying properties situated near the main roads from Scotland into the Vale of York. [10]

Richmondshire became an appanage of the English Royal Family during the reign of Edward III of England. In 1525 Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset (1519–1536) became Lord Warden of the Marches and Lord President of the Council of the North while living at Sheriff Hutton.

One of the most distinctive forenames of Richmondshire folk was Marmaduke. [11]

Ecclesiastical divisions

Holy Trinity, Wensley, a 13th-century church built on eighth-century foundations HolyTrinity back 8812.jpg
Holy Trinity, Wensley, a 13th-century church built on eighth-century foundations

St. Paulinus baptised the locals in the River Swale [12] and as a result, it was known as the "Jordan of England". [13]

Richmondshire is an archdeaconry which historically consisted of present-day Richmondshire and the Barony of Kendal in Westmorland, Copeland in Cumberland and what is now Lancashire north of Ribblesdale, such as Amounderness and Lonsdale. [14]

After originally composing part of the Diocese of York, it was transferred to the Diocese of Chester, before moving into the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds and finally the Diocese of Leeds (known informally as the 'Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales' for a period, although this term has now fallen out of use).[ citation needed ]

Modern history

The modern district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972. It was a merger of the municipal borough of Richmond with the Aysgarth Rural District, Leyburn Rural District, Reeth Rural District and Richmond Rural District along with part of the Croft Rural District, all in the North Riding of Yorkshire.

See Richmondshire District Council for details of the former political makeup.

In July 2021 the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced that in April 2023, the non-metropolitan county of North Yorkshire would be reorganised into a unitary authority. On 1 April 2023, Richmondshire District Council was abolished and its functions transferred to a new unitary authority named North Yorkshire. [15] [16]

Economy

Tourists approaching a field barn in Muker Field barn muker 9118.jpg
Tourists approaching a field barn in Muker
Cauldron Force, West Burton Cauldron west bourton 9319.jpg
Cauldron Force, West Burton
Historic homes in West Burton West bourton row 9278.jpg
Historic homes in West Burton

The region is heavily agricultural [17] but there are also many commercial enterprises, supported by four main business associations: Richmond Business and Tourism Association, Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Business Association, Lower Wensleydale Business Network and Upper Wensleydale Business Association. [18] Tourism is an important part of the economy with some visitors attracted by the Yorkshire Dales. In 2014, roughly 3.62 million people visited the area; tourism provided some £225 million to the economy and supported 3,860 full time jobs. [19] There are many hiking trails in the region as well as various attractions. Travellers using the Trip Advisor site particularly recommend Richmond Castle, Green Howards Museum, Georgian Theatre Royal, The Station, Millgate House Garden, Richmondshire Museum, Foxglove Covert Local Nature Reserve, Catterick Racecourse, The Friary Gardens War Memorial and Friary Tower and Gardens. [20]

Important communities for visitors include Hawes in Wensleydale, the home of Wensleydale cheese, Leyburn, a market town with many amenities, the very quaint villages of Reeth, Wensley, West Burton and Muker, and Middleham with its castle and horse racing. [21]

Catterick Garrison is also important to the economy, particularly around Richmond. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world with a population of around 13,000 and expected to continue growing. [22]

Media

In terms of television, the area is served by BBC North East and Cumbria and ITV Tyne Tees broadcasting from the Bilsdale transmitter. [23]

Radio stations for the area are: [24]

The district is served by two local newspapers, North Yorkshire editions of the daily Northern Echo and the weekly Darlington & Stockton Times both published by Newsquest.[ citation needed ]

Settlements

Middleham Castle MiddlehamCJW.jpg
Middleham Castle
A traditional pub with rooms to let in Hawes Pub bullshead Hawes 177.jpg
A traditional pub with rooms to let in Hawes

The former administrative area of Richmondshire included the major settlements of:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond, North Yorkshire</span> Town in North Yorkshire, England

Richmond is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It is located at the point where Swaledale, the upper valley of the River Swale, opens into the Vale of Mowbray. The town's population at the 2011 census was 8,413. The town is 13 miles (21 km) north-west of Northallerton, the county town, and 41 miles (66 km) north-west of York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wensleydale</span> Upper valley of the River Ure in North Yorkshire, England

Wensleydale is a valley in North Yorkshire, England. It is one of the Yorkshire Dales, which are part of the Pennines. The dale is named after the village of Wensley, formerly the valley's market town. The principal river of the valley is the Ure, which is the source of the alternative name Yoredale. The majority of the dale is within the Yorkshire Dales National Park; the part below East Witton is within the national landscape of Nidderdale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bedale</span> Market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England

Bedale, is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the North Riding of Yorkshire, it is 34 miles (55 km) north of Leeds, 26 miles (42 km) south-west of Middlesbrough and 7 miles (11 km) south-west of the county town of Northallerton. It was originally in Richmondshire and listed in Domesday Book as part of Catterick wapentake, which was also known as Hangshire ; it was split again and Bedale remained in East Hang. Bedale Beck is a tributary of the River Swale, which forms one of the Yorkshire Dales, with its predominance of agriculture and its related small traditional trades, although tourism is increasingly important.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swaledale</span> Valley in North Yorkshire, England

Swaledale is a valley in North Yorkshire, England. It is one of the Yorkshire Dales, which are part of the Pennines, and within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is named after the River Swale, which runs through it. Swaledale is the most northerly of the major dales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reeth</span> Village in North Yorkshire, England

Reeth is a village 11 miles (18 km) west of Richmond in North Yorkshire, England, in the civil parish of Reeth, Fremington and Healaugh. Historically part of the North Riding of Yorkshire, it is the principal settlement of upper Swaledale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawes</span> Market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England

Hawes is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, at the head of Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales, and historically in the North Riding of Yorkshire. The River Ure north of the town is a tourist attraction in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leyburn</span> Market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England

Leyburn is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, sitting above the northern bank of the River Ure in Wensleydale. Historically in the North Riding of Yorkshire, the name was derived from 'Ley' or 'Le' (clearing), and 'burn' (stream), meaning clearing by the stream. Leyburn had a population of 1,844 at the 2001 census increasing to 2,183 at the 2011 Census. The estimated population in 2015 was 2,190.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkengarthdale</span> Dale in North Yorkshire, England

Arkengarthdale is a dale, or valley, on the east side of the Pennines in North Yorkshire, England. Running roughly north-west to south-east, it is the valley of the Arkle Beck, and is the northernmost of the Yorkshire Dales. It is a subsidiary dale to Swaledale, which it joins at Reeth. The history of the dale, its people, and farming, lead mining, and local crafts is displayed and documented in the Swaledale Museum in Reeth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aysgarth</span> Village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England

Aysgarth is a village and civil parish in Wensleydale, in North Yorkshire, England. The village is in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, about 16 miles (26 km) south-west of Richmond and 22.6 miles (36.4 km) west of the county town of Northallerton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eryholme–Richmond branch line</span>

The Eryholme–Richmond branch line was opened in 1846 by the York and Newcastle Railway Company. The original section of the line ran from between a point in between Darlington and Northallerton on what is now the East Coast Main Line and the terminus at Richmond railway station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calver Hill</span> Peak in the Yorkshire Dales, England

Calver Hill is a fell in the Yorkshire Dales National Park in North Yorkshire, England. It is composed of limestone and is situated at grid reference NZ012003, near where the valleys of Swaledale and Arkengarthdale meet, the village of Reeth is located on its lower south-eastern slopes, it reaches an altitude of 487 metres (1,598 ft) and is a distinguished feature in mid Swaledale. Calver Hill is an area of grouse shooting and the fell is dotted with grouse butts. Most of the drainage from the fell goes north and easterly to join the Arkle Beck in lower Arkengarthdale which eventually joins the River Swale just south of Reeth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkle Town</span> Hamlet in North Yorkshire, England

Arkle Town is a hamlet in Arkengarthdale in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated 0.4 miles (0.64 km) to the south of Langthwaite and 2.7 miles (4.3 km) north-west of Reeth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A6108 road</span> A-road in North Yorkshire, England

The A6108 road is an A road in North Yorkshire, England. It runs from the south of Scotch Corner to Ripon going via Richmond and Leyburn across the moors and the valleys of Swaledale and Wensleydale. The road is 37 miles (60 km) long, but through traffic between the two destinations will find a shorter route of 26 miles (42 km) by going south on the A1. The route is single carriageway for its entire length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swaledale Museum</span> Museum in North Yorkshire, England

Swaledale Museum is a local museum in the village of Reeth, near Richmond in North Yorkshire, England. It covers rural history including life and work in the local area of Swaledale and Arkengarthdale within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmondshire District Council</span>

Richmondshire District Council was the administration body covering Richmondshire, a large area of the northern Yorkshire Dales including Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, Wensleydale and Coverdale, with Scots' Dyke and Scotch Corner at its centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St Andrew, Grinton</span> Anglican church in Swaledale, North Yorkshire, England

The Church of St Andrew, Grinton, is the parish church for the village of Grinton in North Yorkshire, England. The grade I listed structure has also been called The Cathedral of the Dales, and as the only parish church in Upper Swaledale, it was at the end of the Swaledale Corpse Way, where those who had died in the upper valley, were brought for burial. Grinton never developed past village status, but its noted crossing point of the River Swale afforded it more importance than other settlements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Yorkshire Dales floods</span> July 2019 floods in the Yorkshire Dales, England

In July 2019, parts of the Yorkshire Dales, in North Yorkshire, England, were subjected to above average rainfall for the time of year. The flash-flooding that followed affected many communities destroying bridges, sweeping roads away, causing landslips on railway lines and resulting in at least one public event being cancelled. The flooding even inundated the fire station in the town of Leyburn, in Wensleydale, whilst the crew were out helping those in need. The recovery took many weeks and months, with immediate help by the rescue services being bolstered by British Army personnel who assisted with the clean up.

Richmond and Northallerton is a proposed constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it will first be contested at the next general election. The constituency is named after the towns of Northallerton and Richmond.

The Wensleydale Creamery Football League is an adult amateur football league based in North Yorkshire in the North Yorkshire Dales and is affiliated with North Riding County FA. The Wensleydale league celebrated its centenary in 2019.

References

  1. ↑ "Resident Population Estimates by Ethnic Group (Percentages); Mid-2005 Population Estimates". National Statistics Online. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2008.
  2. ↑ "BPre-Historic settlers and later discoveries" . Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  3. ↑ "Timeline of the Early British Kingdoms 410 AD-598 AD". Britannia Internet Magazine. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  4. ↑ Page, William, ed. (1914). "'The honour and castle of Richmond', A History of the County of York North Riding: Volume 1" . Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  5. ↑ "By any name, June brings summer". The Northern Echo. 6 June 2003. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  6. ↑ "Richmondshire – Introduction". British History Online. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  7. ↑ Farrer, William; Clay, Charles Travis (21 March 2013). Early Yorkshire Charters: Volume 4, The Honour of Richmond, Part 1, Appendix A: Note on the Grant of Lands in Yorkshire to Count Alan I. Cambridge University Press. p. 94.
  8. ↑ Farrer, William; Clay, Charles Travis (21 March 2013). Early Yorkshire Charters: Volume 4, The Honour of Richmond, Part 1. Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–2.
  9. ↑ "PASE Domesday, Search on: Name: Alan, Description: Count, Landholder type: 1086 tenant-in-chief" . Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  10. ↑ Hey, David (2005). "3". A History of Yorkshire. Lancaster: Garnegie. pp. 88–90. ISBN   1-85936-122-6.
  11. ↑ "Behind the Name: Marmaduke" . Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  12. ↑ "Britannia Biographies: St. Paulinus, Archbishop of York". Britannia.com. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  13. ↑ Yorkshire legends and traditions –. Arno Press. 1888. p.  7 . Retrieved 10 August 2009– via Internet Archive. Jordan of England.
  14. ↑ "Probate, Lancashire genealogy". Genuki. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  15. ↑ "Next steps for new unitary councils in Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Somerset". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  16. ↑ "The new council". North Yorkshire County Council . Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  17. ↑ "Farming". Richmondshire Today. 8 January 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  18. ↑ "Business and Economy". Richmondshire. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  19. ↑ "Economic Action Plan" (PDF). Richmondshire. 12 December 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  20. ↑ "The 15 Best Things to Do". Trip Advisor. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  21. ↑ "Things to do in Richmondshire". Dales Discoveries. 1 July 2018. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2019. Richmondshire covers a large area of the Yorkshire Dales including Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, Coverdale and Wensleydale.
  22. ↑ "D&S column: making sure facilities match Catterick Garrison's future growth". Rishi Sunak. 7 April 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  23. ↑ "Bilsdale (North Yorkshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  24. ↑ "Yorkshire Radio Stations". Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2024.{{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 18 April 2024 suggested (help)

Bibliography

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