October Issue
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This month . . . The community must decide the future of St Ninian’s Church on Baxtergate, a unique part of eighteenth-century Whitby and one of four remaining proprietary churches in the whole of the UK (page 3).
   As Halloween approaches, a new book sails onto the horizon: Scravir: While Whitby Sleeps is a chilling gothic tale reminiscent of Dracula but set in contemporary times, around the autumn Goth Festival. Author C.M. Vassie discusses the inspiration for his characters and setting (page 20).
   Brian Walker outlines the history of the Forestry Commission, revealing how this ‘ugly duckling’ in 1919 emerged to lead the way in environmental, ancient site, wildlife and biodiversity protection while offering the public unrivalled opportunities for recreation – every reason to love our public-owned forests! (page 7)
   Anne Press finds good reasons to love our weeds (page 13), and if you love fungi there’s a fungi exploration walk near Loftus (page 2). Also near Loftus, Dr Steve Sherlock explains the huge significance of the recently unearthed neolithic salt manufacturing site (pages 27 & 31).
   In Whitby, a new blue plaque celebrates champion of the poor and protector of public rights of way, Francis Haydn Williams (page 30). Vivian Griffiths introduces Welsh poet and early proponent of biodynamic farming Win Corrin (page 16), while the Garden club records a visit to our nearest biodynamic garden – Homefield in Ainthorpe (page 39).
Events include Broadwood Piano’s festival at Lythe (page 25); activities at a new star and nature hub at Sutton Bank National Park Centre and elsewhere for the Dark Skies Fringe Festival (page 37); exhibitions at Whitby Museum, Ryedale Folk Museum and the Inspired by... gallery Danby (page 43); the Colin Holt band (page 45); and community apple pressing and cider-making days (page 47).
​   Enjoy October!

Buying the Magazine 


Printed copies of the monthly Esk Valley News magazine (£1.50) or the Special Edition book All About Trees (£3.50) are available at local shops/cafes/libraries listed below, or you can order printed or digital copies from our online store. ​

October Skylights

You cannot fail to notice the conspicuous beacon of Jupiter dominating  the evening sky over in the southeast as dusk falls. As noticeable as Jupiter is to the naked eye, through the eyepiece of a telescope it is an unforgettable sight, a bright, distinctly oblate, banded disk flanked by linear specks of light – the Galilean moons, which throw up a different configuration each night. When orientated in view, closer scrutiny may also reveal the great red spot (GRS), a huge storm-like system visible for the last 400 years, but a decent 4-inch (100mm) scope is needed to spot it. Our moon resides lower left of Jupiter on the 15th..   [Read more from Mark Dawson ]
Community magazine covering the Esk Valley, North York Moors and Whitby coastal area
'A very well produced magazine teeming with local information.' – Nicholas Rhea, whose books inspired the TV series Heartbeat
'... a slice of life in the Esk Valley, Whitby and North York Moors National Park'
What's On?
Esk Valley, Whitby, North York Moors Events & Activities.
Reviews...
‘Teeming with local information...’
'Extremely important  
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Local Support Groups

Stronger Together Whitby District
Stronger Together Danby, Ainthorpe & Fryup
Stronger Together Castleton
Glaisdale Community Group
Ley Hall Lealholm
Goathland Village News

Other Support for Vulnerable People:
Esk Moors Caring Ltd – 01287 669357
Debbie Swales, Revival North Yorkshire – 07970 955407  

All About Trees: Special Issue

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What a wonderful response to our bumper summer issue All About Trees! Thank you to all contributors and readers, shops and cafes who supported this little experiment. We are so pleased and excited with the result that we’re raring to create more special editions. Please let us know if you’d like to get involved or have ideas for topics. 

For more information about our special issue, All About Trees, published July–August 2021, click here.


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​PICK OF THE PAST

Shackleton Bridge, Danby

‘Shackleton Bridge, Danby’, John Freeman’s beautiful painting on the cover of the October 2020 issue, can be found in his book Meander Down the Esk. 

​Memories of a Wartime Signaller 

​The most impressive contribution to the recent D-Day 75th Anniversary celebrations were those of the surprisingly large number of survivors. Their personal memories gave reality and validity to the whole event. Few readers of Valley News may have realised that Glaisdale has its own survivor in the person of Mary Heron, who was a fully trained Signaller during the War. In Glaisdale she is chiefly known for her farming at Bank House and for the ‘Glaisdale Singers’, the choir she created and conducted for some thirty years.  Her wartime stories are serialised in the July–September 2019 issues of the magazine.

Land of Iron

A three-part series published in Esk Valley News magazine introduces readers to an exciting project in the Esk Valley and North York Moors National Park to preserve the Victorian ironstone landscape. From 1830 to 1930 the area was a thriving hub of mining industry. 'This Exploited Land of Iron' aims to record, conserve and improve the historic and natural beauty of remains that are slowly being reclaimed by nature.

Alice's Adventures in Whitby

Lewis Carroll’s famous book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was first published on 4 July 1865. Born Charles Lutwidge Dogson, Lewis Carroll visited Whitby in 1854 as a 22-year-old student of Christ Church College, Oxford. He stayed at number five East Terrace (now La Rosa Hotel) and lodged there on another six occasions, the last time being in 1871. On one of his visits he was seen sitting on a rock on the beach telling stories to young listeners. It is thought that ideas for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and his poem ‘The Walrus And The Carpenter’ (in the sequel book Through The Looking Glass) were inspired by his walks around the town and along Whitby beach. 

Whitby Artist's 50 Years 

John Freeman’s exhibition marking 50 years as a professional artist in Whitby (1969–2019) was held at the Pannett Art Gallery in Whitby in November and December 2019. John estimates that over 50 years he has created more images of this area (original and print form) than any other living artist, an estimated 20,000 in total. 

Whitby & District War Memorial Cottage Hospital 

As plans progress for the refurbishment and part-demolition of Whitby Hospital, Joyce Stangoe of the Whitby Civic Society reminds us that the first hospital on the site was built as a War Memorial following the First World War, funded by donations from the people of Whitby and surrounding villages. Can you help in a project to gather information on the hospital’s history and people lost through war?  ​

Lythe's Link to Beethoven

Two hundred years ago, in the Spring of 1818, a Broadwood grand piano arrived at the home of Beethoven in a village near Vienna. It was a gift from Broadwood & Sons of London.
   Today, the Broadwood company continues to make, tune and repair pianos at its rural craft workshops in Lythe near Whitby. The firm has held a Warrant for the supply and maintenance of pianos to the various Royal Households since the reign of George II, and can name among its illustrious customers the composers Haydn, Chopin, Brahms, Liszt, Elgar, Holst and Vaughan Williams.
​   Present-day directors of the company, which is an independent enterprise, include three members of the Laurence family, whose ancestors worked for many generations in a technical capacity in John Broadwood & Sons’ Soho factory. 
   We are fortunate to have such an illustrious company on our doorsteps offering skills honed over generations in piano tuning and manufacture.  
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