Gayle, North Yorkshire
Encyclopedia
Gayle is a hamlet
sited a mile south of Hawes
in Wensleydale
, North Yorkshire
, England
.
Gayle was originally a farming settlement but the population grew during the late 18th century to around 350 with employment in local quarries, coal-mining in Sleddale and in a water-driven
cotton mill on Gayle Beck. The population of the village later contracted.
Gayle Mill, constructed in 1776, is now a Grade II* listed building, a scheduled monument and came third in the BBC's 2004 Restoration
contest. Originally a cotton-spinning
mill it was converted to a sawmill
in 1878. It is the oldest structurally unaltered cotton mill in existence, and its Thomson Double-Vortex turbine built by Williamson's of Kendal
in 1878 is believed to be the world's oldest surviving water turbine
still in its original situation. The mill has been restored and is now open to the public.
Gayle has a Methodist Church, constructed in 1833. A breakaway Methodist sect, associated with the Sandemanians
in Scotland, was previously associated with the village, but only their graveyard remains.
Gayle relies primarily on farming and tourism, with the area boasting campsites and bed-and-breakfasts, as well as being a popular location for holiday homes.
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
sited a mile south of Hawes
Hawes
Hawes is a small market town and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England, being granted its market charter in 1699...
in Wensleydale
Wensleydale
Wensleydale is the valley of the River Ure on the east side of the Pennines in North Yorkshire, England.Wensleydale lies in the Yorkshire Dales National Park – one of only a few valleys in the Dales not currently named after its principal river , but the older name, "Yoredale", can still be seen...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Gayle was originally a farming settlement but the population grew during the late 18th century to around 350 with employment in local quarries, coal-mining in Sleddale and in a water-driven
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
cotton mill on Gayle Beck. The population of the village later contracted.
Gayle Mill, constructed in 1776, is now a Grade II* listed building, a scheduled monument and came third in the BBC's 2004 Restoration
Restoration (TV series)
Restoration, Restoration, Restoration is a set of BBC television series where viewers decided on which listed building that was in immediate need of remedial works was to win a grant from Heritage Lottery Fund...
contest. Originally a cotton-spinning
Spinning (textiles)
Spinning is a major industry. It is part of the textile manufacturing process where three types of fibre are converted into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. The textiles are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. There are three industrial processes available to spin yarn, and a...
mill it was converted to a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
in 1878. It is the oldest structurally unaltered cotton mill in existence, and its Thomson Double-Vortex turbine built by Williamson's of Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
in 1878 is believed to be the world's oldest surviving water turbine
Water turbine
A water turbine is a rotary engine that takes energy from moving water.Water turbines were developed in the 19th century and were widely used for industrial power prior to electrical grids. Now they are mostly used for electric power generation. They harness a clean and renewable energy...
still in its original situation. The mill has been restored and is now open to the public.
Gayle has a Methodist Church, constructed in 1833. A breakaway Methodist sect, associated with the Sandemanians
Glasite
The Glasites or Glassites were a Christian sect founded in about 1730 in Scotland by John Glas. Glas' faith, as part of the First Great Awakening, was spread by his son-in-law Robert Sandeman into England and America, where the members were called Sandemanians.Glas dissented from the Westminster...
in Scotland, was previously associated with the village, but only their graveyard remains.
Gayle relies primarily on farming and tourism, with the area boasting campsites and bed-and-breakfasts, as well as being a popular location for holiday homes.