A Month in Yorkshire ... Fifth edition

Front matter

This Book is sent with the best wishes of the people of Richmond, Surrey. A MONTH IN YORKSHIRE. BY WALTER AUTHOR OF "A LONDONER'S WALK TO THE LAND'S END," "ALL ROUND THE WREKIN," AND OTHER BOOKS O-1 TRAVEL. "Know most of the rooms of thy native country, before thou goest over the threshold thereof; especially, seeing England presents thee with so many observables." — I. uli.er. JFtftfj fEUtttnrt. LONDON : CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193 PICCADILLY. 1879. [The right of Translation is reserved.] HE t&e same A Londoner's Walk to the Land's End ; and a Trip to THE SciLLY Isles. Third Edition. On Foot through Tyrol. A July Holiday in Saxony, Bohemia, and Silesia. Northumberland and the Border. All Round the Wrekin. Eastern England, from the Thames to the Humber. Two vols. Holidays in Tyrol : Kltstein, Klobenstein, and Paneveggio.

FOREWORD TO THE FIFTH EDITION. Notwithstanding that time and circumstance work changes in landscapes as well as in human hearts — that where twenty-one years ago I found solitude, a spacious hotel and a straggling village now look forth upon the sea — that here and there a raw settlement with tall smoking chimneys mars the picturesque — that the severe has become softened, and the wildness tamed — that roads and railways are helping on what is called the task of reclamation — the great features of Nature still remain, fraught as of old with an everlasting charm. Eemote valleys and far-away hills, even in this crowded and busy land of ours, still offer to the earnest explorer all that he can desire of freshness and beauty, in delightful contrast to the laborious hum and restless move ment from which he has escaped.

Walking is in itself so inspiring, that all other gladsome influences are thereby multiplied : and the more footsteps the more enjoyment. Contrasts are among the advantages of travel. May I venture to suggest from my own experience, that the active wayfarer bent on a ramble through Yorkshire will find this little book the more useful as a guide, in the means it offers for comparing the past with the present. W. W. London, May, 1879. FOREWORD TO THE FOURTH EDITION. The first two editions of this work had not long been published when I was pelted with animadversions for the "scandalous misrepresentation " conveyed in my report of a conversation held with a villager at Burnsall ; which conversation may be read in the twenty-second chapter. My reply was, that I had set down less than was spoken— that I had brought no accusation, not having even mentioned the "innocent-looking country town" as situate in any one of the three Ridings — that what I had seen, however, in some of the large towns, led me to infer that the imputation (if such it were) would hardly fad to apply; and, moreover, if the Yorkshire conscience felt uneasy, was I to be held responsible ?

Chapter II

Estuary of the Humber — Sunk Island — Land versus Water — Dutch Phenomena — Cleathorpes — Grimsby — Paul — River Freaks- — Mud — Stukeley and Drayton — Fluvial Parliament — Hull — The Thieves' Litany— Docks and Drainage — More Dutch Phenomena — The High Church — Thousands of Piles — The Citadel — The Cemetery — A Countryman's Voyage to China — An Aid to Macadam 5

Chapter III

A Railway Trip — More Land Reclamation— Hedon — Historical Recollections— Burstwick — The Earls of Albemarle— Keyingham — The Duke of York — Winestead — Andrew Marvell's Birthplace — A Glimpse of the Patriot — Patrington — A Church to be proud of — The B-ldyard Arms — Feminine Paper-hangers — Walk to Spurn— Talk with a Painter — Welwick — Yellow Ochre and Cleanliness — Skeffling— Humber Bank — Miles of Mud — Kilnsea— Burstall Garth — The Greedy Sea — The Sandbank — A Lost Town, Ravenser Odd — A Reminiscence from Shakspeare — The Spurn Lighthouse — Withernsea — Owthorne — Sister Churches — The Ghastly Churchyard — A Retort for a Fool — A Word for Philologists ... 14 CHAPTER IY. Northern Manners — Cottingham — The Romance of Baynard Castle — Beverley — Yorkshire Dialect — The Farmers' Breakfast — Glimpses of the Town — Antiquities and Constables — The Minster— Yellow Ochre — The Percy Shrine— The Murdered Earl— The Costly Funeral— The Sisters' Tomb — Rhyming Legend — The Jridstool — The Belfry ■ X CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Y. PAGE. i Scotchman's Observations— The Prospect— The Anatomy of Beverlej —Historical Associations— The Brigantes-The Druids— Austins stone —The Saxons— Coin and Paulinus— Down with Paganism— A ijreat Baptism— St John of Beverley-Athelstan and Brunanburgb— Ihe Sanctuary— The Conqueror— Archbishop Thurstan's Privileges -1 be Sacrilegious Mayor-Battle of the Standard-St. John's Miracles- Brigand Burgesses— Annual Football— Surrounding Sites— Watton and Meaux — Etymologies— King Athelstan's Charter .... 33

CHAPTER VI.

The Great Drain— The Carrs— Submerged Forest -River Hull— Tickton — Routh— Tippling Rustics— A Cooler for Combatants— The Blind Fiddler— The Improvised Song— The Donkey Races— Specimens of Yorkshiremen— Good Wages— A Peep at Cottage Life— Ways and Means— A Paragraph for Bachelors — Hornsea Mere — The Abbots' Duel — Hornsea Church— The Marine Hotel ..... 40

CHAPTER VII.

Coast Scenery — A -waning Mere, and wasting Cliffs— The Rain and the Sea— Encroachment prevented — Economy of the Hotel — A Start on the Sands — Pleasure of Walking — Cure for a bad Conscience — Phenomena of the Shore — Curious Forms in the Cliffs — Fossil Remains — Strange Boulders — A Villager's Etymology — Reminiscences of "Bonypart" and Paul Jones — The last House — Chalk and Clay — Bridlington — One of the Gipseys— Paul Jones again — The Sea-Fight — A Reminiscence of Montgomery 48

CHAPTER VIII.

What the Boarding-House thought — Landslips — Yarborough House — The Dane's Dike— Higher Cliffs— The South Landing— The Flamborough Fleet — Ida, the Flamebearer — A Storm — A talk in a Limekiln — Flamborough Fishermen — Coffee before Rum — No Drunkards — A Landlord's Experiences — Old-fashioned Honesty 56

CHAPTER IX.

Men's and Women's Wages — The Signal Tower — The passing Fleet — The Lighthouse — The Inland View— Cliff Scenery — Outstretching Reefs — Selwick's Bay— Down to the Beach— Aspect of the Cliffs— The Matron — Lessons in Pools — Caverns — The King and Queen— Arched Promontories— The North Landing — The Herring-Fishers— Pleasure Parties— Robin Lyth's Hole — Kirk Hole — View across little Denmark —Speeton— End of the Chalk— Walk to Filey CONTENTS. XI

CHAPTER X. PAGK.

Old and New Filey — The Ravine — Filey Brig — Breaking Waves — Rugged Cliffs — Procbronic Gravel— Gristhorp Bay— Insulated Column — Lofty Cliffs— Fossil Plants-Red Cliff— Cayton Bay-Up to the Road— Bare Prospect— Cromwell Hotel and Oliver's Mount — Scarborough— The Esplanade — Watering-Place Phenomena — The Cliff Bridge — The Museum— The Spa— The Old Town— The Harbour— The Castle Rock — The Ancient Keep — The Prospect— Reminiscences: of Harold Hardrada; of Pembroke's Siege; of the Papists' Surprise; of George Fox; of Robin Hood — The One Artilleryman — Scarborough Newspapers— Cloughton — The Village Inn, and its Guests— Tudds and 1'ooads 66

CHAPTER XI.

From Cloughton to Haiburn Wyke — The embowered Path — Approach to the Sea— Rock, Water, and Foliage — Heavy Walking — Staintondale Cliffs— The Undercliff— The Peak— Raven Hall— Robin Hood's Bay— A Trespass — Alum Works — Waterfalls — Bay Town — Manners and Customs of the Natives — Coal Trade — The Churchyard— Epitaphs — Black-a-moor — Hawsker — Vale of Pickering — Robin Hood and Little John's Archery — Whitby Abbey — Beautiful Ruin— St. Hilda, Wilfrid, and Cœdmon — Legends — A Fallen Tower — St. Mary's Church — Whitby — The Vale of Esk — Specimens of Popular Hymns 78

CHAPTER XII.

Whitby's Attractions— The Pier— The River-Mouth— The Museum— Saurians and Ammonites — An enthusiastic Botanist— Jet in the Cliffs, and in the Workshop— Jet Carvers and Polishers— Jet Ornaments —The Quakers' Meeting— A Mechanics' Institute — Memorable Names — A Mooky Miner — Trip to Grosmont — The Basaltic Dike— Quarries and Ironstone— Thriftv Cottagers — Abbeys and Hovels— A Stingy Landlord— Egton Bridge— Eskdale Woods— The Beggar's Bridge - 89

CHAPTER XIII.

To Upgang— Enter Cleveland — East Row — The first Alum-Maker — Sandsend — Alum-Works— The huge Gap — Hewing the Alum Shale- Limestone Nodules : Mulgrave Cement — Swarms of Fossils — Burning the Shale— Volcanic Phenomena — From Fire to Water— The Cisterns — Soaking and Pumping — The evaporating Pans — The Crystallizing Process — The Roching Casks— Brilliant Crystals — A Chemical Triumph — Rough Epsoms CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XIV. PAGE.

Mulgrave Park— Giant Wade— Ubba's Landing-place— The Boggle-boggarts— The Fairy's Chase— Superstitions— The Knight of the Jivil Lane — Lythe— St. Oswald's Church— Goldsborough— Kettleness— Rugged CUffs and Beach— Runswick Bay— Hob-Hole— Cure for Whooping-cough— Jet Diggers— Runswick— Hinderwell— Horticultural Ravine— Staithes— A curious Fishing-town— The Black Minstrels— A close-neaved Crowd— The Cod and Lobster— Houses washed away— Queer back Premises— The Termagants' Duel — Fisherman's Talk— Cobles and Yawls— Dutch and French Poachers— Tap-room Talk— Reminiscences of Captain Cook ... 1M

CHAPTER XV.

Last Day by the Sea— Boulby— Magnificent Cliffs— Lofthouse and Zachary Moore — The Snake-killer — The Wyvern — Eh! Packman— Skinningrave — Smugglers and Privateers— The Bruce's Privileges — What the old Chronicler says — Story about a Sea-Man — The Groaning Creek — Huntcliff Nab— Rosebury Topping— Saltburn — Cormorant Shooters— Cunning Seals — Miles of Sands— Marske — A memorable Grave — Redcar — The Estuary of Tees — Asylum Harbour — Recreations for Visitors — William Hutton's Description— Farewell to the Sea . 115

CHAPTER XVI.

Leave Redcar — A Cricket-Match — Coatham — Kirkleatham— The Old Hospital — The Library — Sir William Turner's Tomb — Cook, Omai, and Banks — The Hero of Dettingen — Yearby Bank — Upleatham — Guisborough — Past and Present — Tomb of Robert Bruce — Priory Ruins — Hemingford, Pursglove, and Sir Thomas Chaloner — Pretty Scenery — The Spa — More Money, Less Morals — What George Fox's Proselytes did — John Wesley's Preaching — Hutton Lowcross — Rustics of Taste — Rosebury Topping — Lazy Enjoyment — The Prospect : from Black-a-moor to Northumberland— Cook's Monument — Canny Yatton — The Quakers' School — A Legend— Skelton— Sterne and Eugenius — Visitors from Middlesbro' — A Fatal Town — Newton — Digger's Talk — Marton, Cook's Birthplace — Stockton— Darlington .... 123

CHAPTER XVII.

Locomotive, Number One — Barnard Castle— Buying a Calf on Sunday — Baliol'8 Tower— From Canute to the Duke of Cleveland — Historic Scenery— A surprised Northumbrian — The bearded Hermit— Beauty of Teesdale— Egliston Abbey— The Artist and his Wife— Dotheboys Hall — Rokeby— Greta Bridge— Mortham Tower— Brignall Banks— A Pilgrimage to Wyeliffe— Fate of the Inns— The Felon Sow— A Journey by Omnibus — Lartington — Cotherstone— Scandinavian Traces — Romaldkirk— M iddleton-in-Teesdale— Wild Scenery— High Force Inn— The voice of the Fall ... . . ICG CONTENTS. XIII

CHAPTER XVIII. PAGE.

Early Morn— High Force— Rock and Water— A Talk with the Waitress —Hills and Cottages — Cronkley Scar — The Weel — Caldron Snout — Soothing Sound — Scrap from an Album — View into Birkdale — A Quest for Dinner — A Westmoreland Farm — Household Matters — High Cope Nick— Mickle Fell— The Boys' Talk— The Hill-top^Glorious Prospect — A Descent — Solitude and Silence — A Moss — Stainmore — Brough — The Castle Ruin— Reminiscences 146

CHAPTER XIX.

Return into Yorkshire— The Old Pedlar— Oh ! for the Olden Time— " The Bible, indeed ! " — An Emissary — Wild Boar Fell — Shunuor Fell— Mallerstang— The Eden— A Mountain Walk— Tan Hill— Brown Landscape — A School wanted — Swaledale — From Ling to Grass — A Talk with Lead Miners — Stonesdale — Work for a Missionary — Thwaite — A Jolly Landlord — A Ruined Town — The School at Muker —A Nickname — Buttertubs Pass — View into Wensleydale — Lord Wharncliffe's Lodge— Simonstone — Hardraw Scar — Geological Phenomenon — A Frozen Cone — Hawes 157

CHAPTER XX.

Bainbridge — " If you had wanted a wife " — A Ramble — Millgill Force — Whitfell Fore. — A Lovely Dell — The Roman Camp — The Forest Horn, and the old Hornblower— Haymaking — A Cockney Raker — Wensleydale Scythemen — A Friend indeed — Addleborough — Curlews and Grouse — The First Teapot— Nasty Greens— The Prospect— Askrigg — Bolton Castle — Penhill— Middleham — Miles Coverdale's Birthplace —Jervaux Abbey — Moses's Principia — Nappa Hall— The Metcalfes — The Knight and the King — The Springs— Spoliation of the Druids — The great Cromlech — Legend — An ancient Village— Simmer Water — An advice for Anglers — More Legends — Counterside — Money-Grubbers— Widdale — Newby Head 165

CHAPTER XXI.

About Gimmer Hogs — Gearstones — Source of the Ribble — Weathercote Cave — An Underground Waterfall — A Gem of a Cave— Jingle Pot — The Silly Ducks — Hurtle Pool — The Boggart — A Reminiscence of the Doctor — Chapel-le-Dale — Remarkable Scenery — Ingleborough— Ingleton— Craven — Young Daniel Dove, and Long Miles— Clapham — Ingleborough Cave — Stalactite and Stalagmite — Marvellous Spectacle — Pillar Hall — Weird Music— Treacherous Pools — The Abyss — How Stalactite forms — The Jockey Cap — Cross Arches — The Long Gallery — The Giant's Hall— Mysterious Waterfall— A Trouty Beck— The Bar- Parlour — A Bradford Spinner CONTENTS. XIV

CHAPTER XXII. PAGE.

By Rail to Skipton— A Stony Town— Church and Castle— The Cliffords — Wharfedale — Bolton Abbey — Picturesque Ruins — A Foot-Bath — Scraps from Wordsworth— Bolton Park — The Strid — Barden Tower— The Wharfe— The Shepherd Lord— Reading to Grandfather— A Cup of Tea— Cheerful Hospitality— Trout Fishing— Gale Beck— Symon Seat — A Real Entertainer— Burnsall— A Drink of Porter— Immoralities — Threshfield— Kilnsey— The Crag— Kettlewell— A Primitive Village- Great Whernside— Starbottom — Buckden— Last View of Wharfedale— Cray— Bishopdale— A Pleasant Lane — Bolton Castle— Penhill— Aysgarth— Dead Pastimes— Decrease of Quakers— Failure of a Mission — Why and Wherefore— Aysgarth Force— Drunken Barnabv— Inroad of Fashion . "... 191

CHAPTER XXIII.

A Walk — Carperby — Despotic Hay-time — Bolton Castle — The Village — Queen Mary's Prison — Redmire — Scarthe Nick — Pleasing Landscape — Halfpenny House — Hart-Leap Well — View into Swaledale — Richmond — The Castle — Historic Names — The Keep — St. Martin's Cell — Easby Abbey — Beautiful Ruins — King Arthur and Sleeping Warriors — Ripon — View from the Minster Tower — Archbishop Wilfrid — The Crypt — The Nightly Horn — To Studley — Surprising Trick — Robin Hood's Well — Fountains Abbey — Pop goes the Weasel — The Ruins — Robin Hood and the Curtail Friar — To Thirsk — The Ancient Elm —Epitaphs 206

CHAPTER XXIV.

Sutton : a pretty Village— The Hambleton Hills — Gormire Lake— Zigzags — A Table-Land — Boy and Bull Pup— Skawton — Ryedale— Rievaulx Abbey — Walter L'Espec — A Charming Ruin — The Terrace — The Pavilion — Helmsley — T' Boos — Kirkby Moorside — Helmsley Castle — A River swallowed — Howardian Hills — Oswaldkirk — Gilling — Fairfax Hall — Coxwold — Sterne's Residence — York — The Minster Tower — Yorke, Yorke, for my monie — The Four Bars — The City Walls — The Ouse Legend— Yorkshire Philosophical Society — Ruins and Antiquities — St. Mary's Lodge 217

CHAPTER XXV.

By Rail to Leeds— Kirkstall Abbey— Valley of the Aire— Flight to Settle — Giggleswick— Drunken Barnaby again — Nymph and Satyr — The astonished Bagman — What do they Addle? — View from Castleber — George Fox's Vision on Pendle Hill— Walk to Maum— Companions- Horse versus Scenery— Talk by the Way— Little Wit, muckle Work— Malham Tarn— Ale for Recompense — Malham— Hospitality— Gordale Scar— Scenery versus Horse— Trap for Trout— A Brookside Musing— Malham Grove— Source of the Aire— To Keighley CONTENTS. XV

CHAPTER XXVI. PAGE.

Keighley — Men in Pinafores — Walk to Haworth — Charlotte Bronte's Birthplace— The Church — The Pew — The Tombstone— The Marriage Register— Shipley — Saltaire — A Model Town— Household Arrangements — I isn't the Gaffer — A Model Factory — Acres of Floors — Miles of Shafting — Weaving Shed — Thirty Thousand Yards a Day — Cunning machinery — First Fleeces — Shipley Feast — Scraps of Dialect — To Bradford—Rival Towns— Yorkshire Sleuth-hounds— Die like a Britoner . 235

CHAPTER XXVII.

Bradford's Fame — Visit to Warehouses — A Smoky Prospect — Ways and Means of Trade — What John Bull likes— What Brother Jonathan likes — Vulcan's Head-quarters — Cleckheaton ■ — Heckmondwike — Busy Traffic — Mirfield — Robin Hood's Grave — Batley the Shoddyopolis — All the World's Tatters — Aspects of Batley — A Boy capt — The Devil's Den — Grinding Rags — Mixing and Oiling — Shoddy and Shoddy — Tricks with B*gs — The Scribbling Machine — Short Flocks, Long Threads — Spinners and Weavers — Dyeing, Dressing, and Pressing — A Moral in Shoddy — A surprise of Real Cloth — Iron, Lead, and Coal — To Wakefield— A Disappointment— The Old Chapel— The Battle-field— To Barnsley— Bairnsla Dialect— Sheffield 245

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Clouds of Blacks — What Sheffield was and is— A detestable Town- Razors and Knives — Perfect Work, Imperfect Workmen — Foul Talk — How Files are made — Good Iron, Good Steel — Breaking-up and Melting — Making the Crucibles — Casting — Ingots — File Forgers — Machinery Baffled — Cutting the Teeth — Hardening — Cleaning and Testing— Elliott's Statue— A Ramble to the Corn-Law Rhymer's Haunt — Rivelin — Bilberry gatherers — Ribbledin — The Poet's Words — A Desecration— To Manchester — A few Words on the Exhibition . 256

CHAPTER XXIX.

A Short Chapter to end with 2C6