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Reproduced courtesy of Francis Frith.
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Situated in the Yorkshire
Dales National Park at the
junction of Swaledale and
Arkengarthdale, Reeth is a
picturesque market town with
a history stretching back to
Saxon times.
In Saxon times Reeth was
only a settlement on the
forest edge, but by the time
of the Norman Conquest it
had grown sufficiently in
importance to be noted in
the Doomsday Book following
the Norman Conquest, Reeth
went on to become a local
centre of the Lead industry
and the traditional craft of
hand knitting. With its name
originating from old English
and meaning "the place by
the stream", Reeth has
served the needs of its
surrounding farming
communities over many
centuries.
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REETH, a
market-town, in
the parish of
Grinton, union
of Richmond,
wapentake of
Gilling-West, N.
riding of York,
9¼ miles (W. by
S.) from
Richmond;
containing
around 1500
inhabitants. The
town is situated
on elevated
ground, at a
short distance
from the
confluence of
the rivers Arkle
and Swale, and
commands a
beautiful view
of the adjacent
country; it is
nearly
quadrangular,
and is
irregularly
built. The
township
comprises 5659
acres, of which
2783 are common
or waste land:
lead mines are
in extensive
operation,
upwards of 6000
tons being
annually
produced. The
market, granted
by charter in
the 6th of
William and
Mary, is on
Friday; and
fairs are held
on the Friday
before Good
Friday, on Old
May-day, Old
Midsummer-day,
the festival of
St. Bartholomew,
Old
Martinmas-day,
and St. Thomas'
day. There are
places of
worship for
Independents and
Wesleyans. The
Friends' school
here was erected
at the expense
of George and
John Raw, and is
endowed with £66
per annum; there
is also a school
endowed in 1643
by Alderman
Hutchinson, and
at Fremington a
national school
has been
established.
Opposite to
Healaugh, in the
township, on
Harker Hill, are
the remains of
an entrenchment
100 feet square,
called Maiden's
Castle; and on
the east side of
the hill and in
the dale are
other
entrenchments,
in one of which
some pieces of
armour have been
found. They are
supposed to be
Roman.
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The River Swale,
the first great
tributary of the Ouse,
is formed by the union
of numerous becks, or
brooks,
rising in the high
crescent of moorland
described in the last
Geological Survey of
Yorkshire as Birkdale
Common, Angram Common,
and Ravenseat Moor, and
sweeping from Water
Crag, by Nine Standards,
Fell End, High Seat,
Lady Pillar, and Shunnor
Fell. These flow down
from the western
mountains through deep
gills or ravines, and
unite at the head of
Swaledale. Most of the
mountains from which the
waters of this river
flow, are of the height
of more than 2000 feet.
Amongst them are
Stoneybank,
at the head of Long
gill, 2224 feet high ;
High Seat, at the head
of Brockholes gill, 2327
feet; and Lodge Hags, at
the head of Uldale gill,
2100 feet. |
Reproduced courtesy of Francis Frith.
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The range of mountains, of which
these are amongst the highest
points, separates the waters which
flow into
the rivers Eden and Tees, from those
that flow down Swaledale, into the
river Ouse. The summits of the
mountains at the head of Swaledale
belong to the millstone-grit
formation, and display the wild and
barren moors which form its usual
scenery, whilst in the valley the
Yoredale rocks and upper limestone
shales present grassy pastures on
the surface, and numerous veins of
lead beneath. The lead-mines of this
district form its principal natural
wealth, and are worked to a
considerable elevation amongst the
mountains and hills, as they have
been for many hundred years. The
river Swale is formed chiefly by the
two large streams named Sleddale
beck and Birkdale beck, which join
their waters at Stonehouse, near
Lane End lead-mines. Flowing east,
it receives the Whitestundale beck
from the north, near the Little Moor
Foot mines, and rather lower, the
Stonesdale beck. Each of these
streams rushes down a deep ravine,
and after heavy rains they pour
great floods of water into the river
Swale. Below the junction of
Stonesdale beck the valley begins to
widen, and at Muker, Swaledale
assumes the form of a winding
valley, watered by a bright and
lively river. Muker is a market
town, small in size, but much
frequented by the mining population
at its markets and fairs. In the
descent of these streams from the
mountain tops and sides, numerous
rapids and several small waterfalls
are formed, some of which are very
beautiful, especially after the
heavy rains which turn every brook
into a mountain torrent. From Muker
the river Swale flows by Gunnerside
to Reeth, which is the principal
town in this neighbourhood, and the
chief place of the mining district.
Reeth stands near the point where
Arkle beck pours into the Swale,
a stream which, after heavy
rains, is not much less abundant
than its own. The town is situated
about half a mile above the conflux
of the Arkle with the Swale, upon an
eminence sloping to the south-east,
and presenting many beautiful and
highly picturesque views. It is the
capital of the mining districts of
Swaledale and Arkengarthdale,
and has also a manufacture of
knitted stockings, for which these
dales have always been famous. To
the west of Healaugh are the remains
of a mansion, which is said to have
belonged to John o' Gaunt, duke of
Lancaster, who, as earl of Richmond,
was lord of all this valley. Below
Reeth the valley opens, though still
bounded both to the north and the
south by rugged hills and cliffs,
rising to the height of 1000 to 1500
feet. At Grinton, which is the most
ancient parish of Swaledale, the
river winds round the parish church
and an ancient camp, probably of
British or Roman origin, and soon
after passes the monastic ruin of
Marrick Priory, on the north side of
the river, and Ellerton Abbey or
Priory, on the south side of the
stream. Some Roman remains have been
found at Fremington, near Reeth,
although
the great line of Roman
communication, from Eboracum to the
western end of the Roman wall, was
through the valley of the Tees, and
not through that of the Swale.
Flowing past Marske, the ancient
seat of the Huttons, with its deer
park and its extensive woods, it is
there joined by Marske Brook. Below
Marske the river Swale flows through
woods and enclosures to Whitcliffe
paper mills, and thence to Richmond,
with its ruined castle, built in
1071. |
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1837, Reeth became part of the new
Richmond Poor law Union.
However, its remoteness caused
travelling problems for paupers,
Guardians, and the Relieving
Officer, particularly in winter. On
occasions, the Guardians for Reeth,
Arkengarthdale, Grinton, Marrick and
Ellerton Abbey met in Reeth so that
relief claimants could avoid the
journey to Richmond to have their
applications heard. On 27th April
1840, Reeth became a separate Poor
Law Union. Its operation was
overseen by an elected Board of
Guardians, 11 in number,
representing its 7 constituent
parishes as listed below (figures in
brackets indicate numbers of
Guardians if more than one):
North Riding of
Yorkshire:
Arkengarthdale (2), Ellerton Abbey,
Grinton, Marrick, Melbecks (2),
Muker (2), Reeth (2). The population
falling within the Union at the 1831
census had been 7,020 with parishes
ranging in size from Ellerton Abbey
(population 61) to Reeth itself
(1,456). An old mansion, just to the
east of the old parish workhouse,
was purchased for £700 and converted
for use as the Reeth Union workhouse
to accommodate up to sixty inmates.
Its location is shown on the 1912
map above. |
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Reproduced courtesy of Francis
Frith.
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Reeth's Bartle Fair was
traditionally held on
St.Bartholamew's Day.
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It was revived in Reeth
to celebrate the new
millennium. At the
height of its
prosperity, Reeth had up
to six fairs a year as
well as a weekly market.
These events offered the
isolated locals the
chance to experience
some of the pleasures of
the outside world.
Reeth's fairs and
markets became somewhat
notorious however: "On
some market days,
drunken men came reeling
shouting and quarrelling
out of the inns, and
even at mid-day some
awful fighting took
place but especially so
when night came on. "The
Fairs no longer take
place in Reeth - perhaps
they should return?
The traditional Market
still takes in the
Marketplace every Friday
and on some Bank
Holidays in the summer. |
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Swaledale & Arkengarthdale
Archaeology Society: |
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SWAAG is
a group of
enthusiasts in
the northernmost
of the Yorkshire
Dales, who plan
to contribute to
the historical
knowledge base
of our dales
through the full
range of
archaeological
and associated
activity. |
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SWAAG is
affiliated with
the Swaledale
Museum, and
began work in
July 2009 under
the guidance and
supervision of
Tim Laurie, the
leading expert
on prehistoric
landscapes in
the area with
many landscape
surveys,
excavations and
publications to
his credit. |
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Our work
programme will
provide
something to
interest
everyone:
desk-top
research on
documents,
Google Earth,
aerial and site
photographs;
site surveying,
mapping and
drawing; linking
geology to
historic land
use; recording
ancient
hedgerows and
vintage trees;
field-walking;
excavation;
recording and
analysis of
finds; and
producing
published
reports. |
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Our first survey
is focussing on
previously
unrecorded Iron
Age/Romano-British
settlements in
Swaledale. We
plan over time
to study a wide
range of sites
from prehistoric
through
Romano-British
to medieval and
lead mining. |
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So, if you are
interested in
research,
surveying,
mapping and
drawing,
excavation,
finds analysis,
botany, geology
or just walking
beautiful
countryside
year-round or
muddy ploughed
fields in
autumn, then
please visit our
website at
www.swaag.org |
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Mining history in Swaledale &
Arkengarthdale : |
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Ancient history in Swaledale &
Arkengarthdale : |
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