Goathland
Encyclopedia
Goathland is a village and civil parish
in the Scarborough
district of North Yorkshire
, England
. It is in the North York Moors
national park situated due north of Pickering
, off the A169 to Whitby
. It is surrounded by beautiful scenery, and has the advantage of having a station on the steam-operated North Yorkshire Moors Railway
line.
According to the 2001 UK census
, Goathland parish had a population of 407.
Goathland village sits 500 feet above sea level and has a history extending back to Viking
times. In 1109 King Henry I granted land to Osmund the priest and brethren of the hermitage of Goathland (called Godelandia) for the soul of his mother Queen Matilda, who had died in 1083. This is recorded in a charter held at Whitby Abbey. The village was a spa town
during the 19th century. It is still a very green area, with many stone footpaths. There are many hotels and guest houses in the village, the largest being the Mallyan Spout Hotel, named after the nearby beautiful waterfall. There is also a caravan site, reached by driving along the track which is the site of the older railway route, 1835 to 1860.
Much of the surrounding land is owned by the Duchy of Lancaster
. The Duchy's black faced sheep have a common right to graze on the village green and surrounding moorland that extends back for hundreds of years. As a result they are used to the many visitors to Goathland and will sometimes beg for food.
Some other regular settings in the series are located outside of the village. The police house can be found about 70 miles away in the small village of Askwith
near Ilkley
and the police station can be found in the town of Otley
. This was a real police station in past years. It was announced in New Year 2009 that filming of Heartbeat episodes would cease, with no date given for starting again. A petition of protest is being compiled by the owners of the local Post Office.
is on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
. It is a private charitable trust with a number of paid staff but mostly operated by volunteers, running nearly all the year including at Christmas. It carries upwards of 250,000 passengers a year and is the second-longest preserved line in Britain. It links Grosmont in the north with Pickering in the south. It follows the route of the 19th century line that originally connected to Whitby
. From spring 2007 some trains on the railway are timetabled to run all the way to Whitby.
Goathland railway station has also been used as the location for Hogsmeade railway station in the Harry Potter
films, and the line was filmed for Harry's journey.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Scarborough
Scarborough (borough)
Scarborough is a non-metropolitan district and borough of North Yorkshire, England. In addition to the town of Scarborough, it covers a large stretch of the coast of Yorkshire, including Whitby and Filey....
district of 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...
. It is in the North York Moors
North York Moors
The North York Moors is a national park in North Yorkshire, England. The moors are one of the largest expanses of heather moorland in the United Kingdom. It covers an area of , and it has a population of about 25,000...
national park situated due north of Pickering
Pickering, North Yorkshire
Pickering is an ancient market town and civil parish in the Ryedale district of the county of North Yorkshire, England, on the border of the North York Moors National Park. It sits at the foot of the Moors, overlooking the Vale of Pickering to the south...
, off the A169 to Whitby
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
. It is surrounded by beautiful scenery, and has the advantage of having a station on the steam-operated North Yorkshire Moors Railway
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England. First opened in 1836 as the Whitby and Pickering Railway, the railway was planned in 1831 by George Stephenson as a means of opening up trade routes inland from the then important seaport of Whitby. The line...
line.
According to the 2001 UK census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, Goathland parish had a population of 407.
Goathland village sits 500 feet above sea level and has a history extending back to Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
times. In 1109 King Henry I granted land to Osmund the priest and brethren of the hermitage of Goathland (called Godelandia) for the soul of his mother Queen Matilda, who had died in 1083. This is recorded in a charter held at Whitby Abbey. The village was a spa town
Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
during the 19th century. It is still a very green area, with many stone footpaths. There are many hotels and guest houses in the village, the largest being the Mallyan Spout Hotel, named after the nearby beautiful waterfall. There is also a caravan site, reached by driving along the track which is the site of the older railway route, 1835 to 1860.
Much of the surrounding land is owned by the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
. The Duchy's black faced sheep have a common right to graze on the village green and surrounding moorland that extends back for hundreds of years. As a result they are used to the many visitors to Goathland and will sometimes beg for food.
Heartbeat connection
The village is now famous as the setting of the fictional village of Aidensfield in the Heartbeat television series set in the 1960s. Fans of Heartbeat will not be disappointed by a visit to fictional Aidensfield, as many of the series landmarks are recognisable, including the stores, garage/funeral directors, the public house and the railway station. In reality the pub is called the Goathland Hotel, but in the series is the Aidensfield Arms. After filming for some years in the real pub, a precise replica (complete to the morris dancers' "swords" on the wall) was built in the studio. It has often been possible to see the stars of the show as filming for the series occurred throughout the week.Some other regular settings in the series are located outside of the village. The police house can be found about 70 miles away in the small village of Askwith
Askwith
Askwith is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England, with a population of 220 . The village is located in Wharfedale, and is close to the border of West Yorkshire. Nearby towns are Ilkley and Burley-in-Wharfedale....
near Ilkley
Ilkley
Ilkley is a spa town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, in the north of England. Ilkley civil parish includes the adjacent village of Ben Rhydding and is a ward within the metropolitan borough of Bradford. Approximately north of Bradford, the town lies mainly on the south bank of the River Wharfe...
and the police station can be found in the town of Otley
Otley
-Transport:The main roads through the town are the A660 to the south east, which connects Otley to Bramhope, Adel and Leeds city centre, and the A65 to the west, which goes to Ilkley and Skipton. The A6038 heads to Guiseley, Shipley and Bradford, connecting with the A65...
. This was a real police station in past years. It was announced in New Year 2009 that filming of Heartbeat episodes would cease, with no date given for starting again. A petition of protest is being compiled by the owners of the local Post Office.
North York Moors Railway
Goathland railway stationGoathland railway station
Goathland railway station is a station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and serves the village of Goathland in North Yorkshire, England. It is famous for appearing in the television series Heartbeat and as Hogsmeade station the Hogwarts Express stop at in the Harry Potter films...
is on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England. First opened in 1836 as the Whitby and Pickering Railway, the railway was planned in 1831 by George Stephenson as a means of opening up trade routes inland from the then important seaport of Whitby. The line...
. It is a private charitable trust with a number of paid staff but mostly operated by volunteers, running nearly all the year including at Christmas. It carries upwards of 250,000 passengers a year and is the second-longest preserved line in Britain. It links Grosmont in the north with Pickering in the south. It follows the route of the 19th century line that originally connected to Whitby
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
. From spring 2007 some trains on the railway are timetabled to run all the way to Whitby.
Goathland railway station has also been used as the location for Hogsmeade railway station in the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
films, and the line was filmed for Harry's journey.
External links
- Visit Goathland website the definitive Goathland information source online
- You can see some excellent photographs of Goathland on: http://www.glendalehouse.co.uk/pages/goathland.htm
- Heartbeat on ITV