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'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' Buy it in Local Shops or order a copy (print or electronic) here: |
December 2020 issue...
In this issue you'll find pictures of the remarkable poppy displays in our villages, marking Remembrance Sunday, including a stunning knitted poppy display at Lealholm.
The craft exhibition at Danby Moors Centre offers an opportunity to buy gifts during December, or you can find locally made products via the Ley Hall Virtual Christmas Market or Esk Valley Camphill Community’s ‘Craft Room’. Bernie Eccleston completes a preview of his new book Farndale Reservoir Twice Derailed. Most events will remain online this month, but there will be some ‘real’ carol singers outside a few houses up the Valley . . . watch out for the Upper Esk Troubadours...! Incredible community support has been going on, including work by ‘Revival North Yorkshire’ and Early Essentials, based in Littlebeck, supporting vulnerable new mums. Finally, in the Christmas issue you can read Chris Firth's sparkling story, ‘The Fairy and the Angel’, and Sue Barlow's ‘Pisted Granny’ . . . There's a Fairy Competition, a Christmas Quiz and plenty more. We wish you all a very Happy and Healthy Christmas . . . Nicola & Pascal Buying the Magazine during Covid-19Printed copies of Esk Valley News magazine are available at The Old Chapel Tearoom Castleton, Danby Health Shop, Lealholm Shop, Glaisdale Shop, Grosmont Co-op, Grosmont Bookshop, Radford's Butchers Sleights, The Dispensary on Whitby's Skinner Street, Whitby Bookshop, Lythe Community Shop and Goathland PO... Ask for a copy if you are collecting shopping or making an order for home delivery. Alternatively, you can order a printed or digital single copy, or set up a subscription, via our Store ... or call us on 01947 897945.
Local Covid-19 Support GroupsStronger 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 Beginner's Guide To Video Calling With Ease Via Google HangoutsThe social-distancing and self-isolation measures necessarily brought in to deal with the Coronavirus come with the risk of increased loneliness and psychological as well as physical isolation. That in itself can of course prove harmful, so it is fantastic that we live at a time when very simple technology can be harnessed to counter the potential negative effects of the anti-Coronavirus measures.
Staying in touch by Video Calls (known as Video Conferencing or VC) on your computer or smartphone is one way of helping to alleviate loneliness - no matter how far apart you are from friends and loved-ones. You may never have used such technology before, and fear that such technology is ‘beyond you’ or that you will be unable to make it work. Thankfully, there are Video Call platforms out there which are very simple to install, and intuitive to use. This article and the step-by-step guide will help you to get started. Read more
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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.
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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.
Whitby & District War Memorial Cottage Hospital
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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?
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Messier Marathon
The Messier Marathon This challenge is an all-night endurance race to observe, before the Sun rises, as many of the 110 deep sky objects listed in Charles Messier’s catalogue. For more information on the Messier Marathon, the history of comet hunting and the development of Charles Messier’s catalogue to help locate deep sky objects, click here.
Crunkley Gill, Lealholm
Crunkley Gill, the steep gorge through which the River Esk passes on its way to Lealholm, featured on the August cover in a painting by James McGairy. The story of how the gorge was cut during the Ice Age is told in Rob Robson’s ‘Glimpses of Glaisdale’, a local history recently unearthed in an attic and now serialised in the magazine. James McGairy may be contacted via: www.jamesmcgairy-artist.com/07472 995644.
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.
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.
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. Download Part 2 of the series here . . .
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Dark Skies
Thinking of investing in some form of astronomical equipment? There is now a huge and bewildering selection of items to choose from. Click here for are a few thoughts and tips from Mark Dawson of Whitby & District Astronomical Society.
Man On The Moors
‘Seated Figure’, a 3-metre high painted bronze sculpture by Sean Henry, was erected on Castleton Rigg, near Westerdale on the North York Moors, in June this summer. This is the first public sculpture to be placed within the North York Moors National Park. Commissioned by the David Ross Foundation it will stay in place for five years. The artwork is accessible to the public. It stands on top of Castleton Rigg on land owned by David Ross (co-founder of Carphonewarehouse). You can see the sculpture from the Blakey Ridge road from Castleton to Hutton-le-Hole, and reach it by foot: a half-mile walk over moorland from the road. For more information about Sean Henry’s work, see his website: www.seanhenry.com.
Travelling Back in time With Debbie Raw
An exciting future awaits Debbie Raw, a young chef from Fryup who has made a name for herself on the BBC programme ‘Further Back in Time for Dinner’. Debbie won the nation’s hearts while playing the role of a maid in the 1900s.
Beggar's Bridge Players Celebrate 40 Years
Nothing is more effective at welding a small rural community together than a flourishing amateur dramatic society. Glaisdale's Beggar’s Bridge Players are no exception and in February the group took to the stage to celebrate 40 years of performances. With characteristic enthusiasm, the cast entertained the audience at The Robinson Institute for three separate performances of 'Aladdin', ably assisted by local band, The Middle Aged Kicks. The play was directed by Rob Smith and the script was by Dianne Whisker.
Staithes Festival: art, music, heritage, Light Shows and Dark Matter
1812 Theatre Company performing at Helmsley
You might spot a co-editor of Esk Valley News in this picture...!
The fabulous @1812TheatreCo performing in the garden for our wonderful volunteers pic.twitter.com/rJzVjX2Rh3
— Helmsley Arts Centre (@helmsleyarts) July 14, 2016
Tour de Yorkshire in the Esk Valley
The third day of the Tour de Yorkshire 1916, from Middlesbrough to Scarborough, passed through the Esk Valley. Limber Hill at Glaisdale, shown here, proved a tough climb. Finishing first in Scarborough was Frenchman Thomas Voeckler of Team Direct Energie, the overall winner, and Irishman Nicolas Roche of Team Sky a close second in the sprint finish and overall standings.
The Hayshed at Commondale
The Hayshed, a care farming enterprise in Commondale, opened its doors on Sunday 5 June for the 'Open Farm Sunday' event.
St Hilda's Festival Chorus
The Chorus based in Whitby performed Gounod’s St Cecilia Mass and Puccini’s Messa Di Gloria on Saturday 19 March at St Hilda’s Church, West Cliff, Whitby, 7.30 pm.
Broadband speed
The Danby Group Parish Council is acutely aware that not everyone within the Parish and the Esk Valley in general has access to good internet service by way of broadband.
Archbishop Sentamu in Danby
The 9.28 am train on 3 December arriving at Danby was greeted by a large crowd eager to meet the Archbishop of York. His first stop in the local area was Danby's Church of England Primary School, where the Archbishop spoke to the assembled staff and children about the purpose of his pilgrimage.
Moorland Children's Home
Davison Home in Danby, which opened its doors to needy children from Middlesbrough between 1915 and 1984, is the subject of a new book by Colin and Heather Mather.
Getting on Track
On the morning of Saturday 31 October, Goth Weekend in Whitby, track magically appeared along the pier for the first official outing of Morticia, probably the world’s only coffin-carrying velocipede. This extraordinary invention began life at Grosmont's Motive Power Depot.
Dark Night Skies over the Moors
During the dark evenings why not try to seek out an entirely separate galaxy with just the naked eye: the Andromeda Galaxy?
At a distance of 2.65 million light years our sister galaxy is considered the most remote object visible to the unaided eye. In an expanding universe where everything is hurtling away from one another, the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy are slowly edging together, a process that will take four to five billion years, merging around the time our Sun reaches the end of its life. Whether you use the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope to view our ‘near’ galactic neighbour, it is astonishing to reflect that this faint smudge of light emanates from over 300 billion suns arranged in a spiral system spanning some 160,000 light years across. The combined radiance diminished only by a 2.65-million-year journey, a journey that started when our early human ancestors first gazed up at the starry firmament. www.whitby-astronomers.com
At a distance of 2.65 million light years our sister galaxy is considered the most remote object visible to the unaided eye. In an expanding universe where everything is hurtling away from one another, the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy are slowly edging together, a process that will take four to five billion years, merging around the time our Sun reaches the end of its life. Whether you use the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope to view our ‘near’ galactic neighbour, it is astonishing to reflect that this faint smudge of light emanates from over 300 billion suns arranged in a spiral system spanning some 160,000 light years across. The combined radiance diminished only by a 2.65-million-year journey, a journey that started when our early human ancestors first gazed up at the starry firmament. www.whitby-astronomers.com
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland – 150 years old
Lewis Carroll’s famous book Alice’s Adventures inWonderland was first published 150 years ago, 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.
Tour de Yorkshire excitement in the Esk Valley
Villages up and down the Esk Valley were decorated in blue and yellow for Friday 1 May 2015, the first day of the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race. This photo shows cyclists at Danby (photo © Peter Leeming Photography).
March’s Solar Eclipse
All things considered we were rather fortunate to catch more than a fleeting glimpse of the partial eclipse on 20 March. The forecast did not make for pleasant viewing, but at least from Whitby the cloud fragmented just enough, and at the right time, for the greatest show ‘off earth’ . . .
Saving Junipers on the North York Moors
Peter Woods describes how a simple brief to restore a quarry turned into a quest for juniper. The reasons for the decline of juniper in the North York Moors, and elsewhere, are probably complex, but several are suggested in Peter Woods' article, which can be read here.
Fryupdale caught in Cloud
Peter Leeming, landscape photographer and climber based in Danby, North York Moors, captured this stunning image of Fryupdale.
"Quite often in winter, if we have wind from the south or south west, we get cloud spilling over from the southern Dales into Danby Dale or the Fryupdales. I still seem to miss it, usually by being in the wrong place, though I managed this recent image from the Oakley Walls more by luck than judgement . . ." (photo © Peter Leeming Photography)
As a Biologist by training, a mountaineer by way of life, and as a photographer searching for depth, Peter creates images that reflect his sense of place in wild landscapes. Read his journal about his recent Alps trip here.
"Quite often in winter, if we have wind from the south or south west, we get cloud spilling over from the southern Dales into Danby Dale or the Fryupdales. I still seem to miss it, usually by being in the wrong place, though I managed this recent image from the Oakley Walls more by luck than judgement . . ." (photo © Peter Leeming Photography)
As a Biologist by training, a mountaineer by way of life, and as a photographer searching for depth, Peter creates images that reflect his sense of place in wild landscapes. Read his journal about his recent Alps trip here.
Castleton School History
Castleton School has recently celebrated its 140th anniversary. Just three years after the Education Act of 1871, the school was built on land given by a former Lord Downe. A new book to celebrate the school’s anniversary has been published, Our Village School: the saga of the stove by Carol Wilson, headteacher at the school between 2000 and 2007. The book is based on the School’s log book records and includes many personal anecdotes and more than 150 images.
Moorsholm wins Gold
The small moorland village of Moorsholm has won a Gold award in the UK finals of the ‘Britain in Bloom’ competition. A team of volunteers has worked tirelessly around the year to bring home this amazing result.
Potash Mine Plans
On 30 June 2015 members of the North York Moors National Park Authority resolved to grant permission for the York Potash planning application to build a potash mine and mineral transport system near Whitby subject to the finalisation of the Section 106 Agreement and final wording of conditions. Members made the decision at a special planning committee meeting at Sneaton Castle, Whitby. Click here for more information about the project.
Whitby Hospital Plans
Members of the community were invited to have a say in plans for a new build of Whitby Hospital.
Lights Out, Lealholm
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More than 60 people gathered at Lealholm’s
War Memorial on the night of 4 August 2014, to mark the centenary of the beginning of
the First World War. The Royal British Legion encouraged people all across the
country to participate in their Lights Out campaign, which was inspired by the
famous remark attributed to Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary at the outbreak
of war: ‘The lamps are going out all over
Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.’
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Esk Valley Theatre Success
The Esk Valley Theatre celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2014 with the production ‘One for the Road’ by award-winning playwright Willy Russell. The Esk Valley Theatre brings professional theatre to the rural community and draws theatre-goers from far and wide. Watch out for other events by the Company throughout the year: they are always a treat. More information at www.eskvalleytheatre.co.uk and in this short film of one of their summer plays:
Threatened Closure of Public Toilets
Scarborough Borough Council plans to close the public toilets in Esk Valley villages including Castleton, Danby, Egton Bridge, Glaisdale, Grosmont, Lealholm; also in Ruswarp, Robin Hood’s Bay and Runswick Bay. At the same time the Council seeks to increase the number of visitors to the area. If you are concerned about the removal of public toilets in the villages, there is a petition you can sign here.
James Cook Station open – Esk Valley Railway
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James Cook Station is open for service on the Esk Valley line – giving rail access to the Middlesbrough hospital for anyone living or staying in the Esk Valley. Four trains a day, in each direction, connect the stations along the Esk Valley as far as Whitby. The Esk Valley Railway Development Company advocates a more frequent service. To voice your support, please email EVRDC saying why an improved service is so important to the Esk Valley and Whitby communities.
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Lewis Hunton – Project Go-ahead!
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The North East Yorkshire Geology Trust secured £60,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and partners for a two-year project to explore and celebrate the geological and industrial heritage of Loftus, birthplace of Lewis Hunton (1814–1838) who made a critical advance in a sub-discipline of geology that is still relevant today.
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Apprentices in the National Park
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The North York Moors National Park Authority was named Yorkshire & Humber’s best medium employer of the year in the National Apprenticeship Awards in 2012 and 2013, and listed in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers in the country for the previous three years.
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Loss of National Park Champion
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Derek Statham, who was instrumental in shaping today’s North York Moors, died aged 76. Derek was National Park Officer at the NYM National Park for 20 years, presiding over a time of great change for the organisation.
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