Hambleton Hills
Encyclopedia
The Hambleton Hills are a range of hills in North Yorkshire
in the United Kingdom
. They form the western edge of the North Yorkshire Moors but are separated from the moors by the valley of the River Rye
. They are the eastern boundary of the low lying Vale of Mowbray
which they abut with a precipitous escarpment.
They run in a north south direction for about 15 miles and merge with the Cleveland Hills
in the north and Howardian Hills
in the south.
The hills are made up of rocks of middle and late Jurassic
age with the hard Corallian Limestone
forming the cap at the highest points. The highest points are Black Hambleton which rises to 380 metres, Roulston Scar reaches 280 metres and Whitestone cliff is 324 m.
The Corallian Limestone also outcrops along the southern edge of the North Yorkshire Moors forming the Tabular Hills
which run from Black Hambleton eastwards to Scarborough, although much broken through by river valleys.
(aka Roulston Scar) is a high point on the Hambleton Hills with extensive views over the Vale of York
and the Vale of Mowbray. The hill is the site of one of the most important prehistoric monuments in the region, an Iron Age hill fort
built in around 400 BC.
The Hambleton Drove Road runs along the summit of the hills, it is part of an ancient highway running from Scotland to the south of England. It is thought to be prehistoric and various burial grounds from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages are evident along its route. Large-scale movement of cattle from Scotland to market in England during the 18th and 19th centuries have given it the name by which it is known today.
The Pass of Byland was seized in 1322, by the invading army of Scottish warlord James Douglas
"the Good" resulting in the Battle of Old Byland
which ended in the defeat of the English king Edward II
's army.
In 1857 a Giant white horse
hill figure was carved in the limestone above the village of Kilburn
by the village schoolmaster John Hodgson.
composed the poem entitled Composed After A Journey Across The Hambleton Hills, Yorkshire.
The vet Alf Wight whose pen name was James Herriot
famed for the All Creatures Great and Small series of books, TV programs and films, lived and worked in the nearby market town of Thirsk
and many of his stories take place in the Hambleton Hills.
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...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. They form the western edge of the North Yorkshire Moors but are separated from the moors by the valley of the River Rye
River Rye, Yorkshire
The River Rye is a river in the English county of North Yorkshire. It rises just south of the Cleveland Hills, east of Osmotherley, and flows through Hawnby, Rievaulx, Helmsley, Nunnington, West and East Ness, Butterwick, Brawby, and Ryton, before joining the River Derwent at near Malton.On some...
. They are the eastern boundary of the low lying Vale of Mowbray
Vale of Mowbray
The Vale of Mowbray is a stretch of low lying land between the North Yorkshire Moors and the Hambleton Hills to the east and the Yorkshire Dales to the west...
which they abut with a precipitous escarpment.
They run in a north south direction for about 15 miles and merge with the Cleveland Hills
Cleveland Hills
The Cleveland Hills are a range of hills on the north-west edge of the North York Moors in North Yorkshire, England, overlooking Cleveland and Teesside. They lie entirely within the boundaries of the North York Moors National Park. Part of the long Cleveland Way National Trail runs along the...
in the north and Howardian Hills
Howardian Hills
The Howardian Hills form an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in North Yorkshire, England. located between the Yorkshire Wolds, the North York Moors National Park and the Vale of York. The AONB includes farmland, wooded rolling countryside, villages and historic houses with parkland...
in the south.
The hills are made up of rocks of middle and late Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
age with the hard Corallian Limestone
Corallian Limestone
Corallian Limestone is a coralliferous sedimentary rock, laid down in Jurassic times. It is a hard variety of "coral rag". Building stones from this geological structure tend to be irregular in shape. It is often found close to seams of Portland Limestone...
forming the cap at the highest points. The highest points are Black Hambleton which rises to 380 metres, Roulston Scar reaches 280 metres and Whitestone cliff is 324 m.
The Corallian Limestone also outcrops along the southern edge of the North Yorkshire Moors forming the Tabular Hills
Tabular Hills
The Tabular Hills are an east west line of distinct hills on the southern boundary of the North Yorkshire Moors, running from Scarborough in the east all the way to Black Hambleton in the west. The name refers to their flat tabular shaped summits composed of hard Corallian limestone known...
which run from Black Hambleton eastwards to Scarborough, although much broken through by river valleys.
Points of interest
Sutton BankSutton Bank
Sutton Bank, also known as Roulston Scar, is a hill in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire in England. It is a high point on the Hambleton Hills and the North Yorkshire Moors with extensive views over the Vale of York and the Vale of Mowbray...
(aka Roulston Scar) is a high point on the Hambleton Hills with extensive views over the Vale of York
Vale of York
The Vale of York is an area of flat land in the north-east of England. The vale is a major agricultural area and serves as the main north-south transport corridor for northern England....
and the Vale of Mowbray. The hill is the site of one of the most important prehistoric monuments in the region, an Iron Age hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
built in around 400 BC.
The Hambleton Drove Road runs along the summit of the hills, it is part of an ancient highway running from Scotland to the south of England. It is thought to be prehistoric and various burial grounds from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages are evident along its route. Large-scale movement of cattle from Scotland to market in England during the 18th and 19th centuries have given it the name by which it is known today.
The Pass of Byland was seized in 1322, by the invading army of Scottish warlord James Douglas
James Douglas, Lord of Douglas
Sir James Douglas , , was a Scottish soldier and knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence.-Early life:...
"the Good" resulting in the Battle of Old Byland
Battle of Old Byland
The Battle of Old Byland was a significant encounter between Scots and English troops in Yorkshire in October 1322, forming part of the Wars of Scottish Independence...
which ended in the defeat of the English king Edward II
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
's army.
In 1857 a Giant white horse
Kilburn White Horse
The Kilburn white horse, , is a hill figure formed in the hillside near the village of Kilburn, in North Yorkshire, England. The horse is long by high and covers about and is said to be the largest and most northerly in England....
hill figure was carved in the limestone above the village of Kilburn
Kilburn, North Yorkshire
Kilburn is a small village in North Yorkshire, England that is known for two reasons: the White Horse, and the Mouseman.The White Horse is a figure cut into the hillside to the north of the village, and visible for many miles around on a clear day....
by the village schoolmaster John Hodgson.
Literary references
On 4 October 1802 the poet William WordsworthWilliam Wordsworth
William Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads....
composed the poem entitled Composed After A Journey Across The Hambleton Hills, Yorkshire.
The vet Alf Wight whose pen name was James Herriot
James Herriot
James Herriot was the pen name of James Alfred Wight, OBE, FRCVS also known as Alf Wight , an English veterinary surgeon and writer, who used his many years of experiences as a veterinarian to write a series of books of stories about animals and their owners...
famed for the All Creatures Great and Small series of books, TV programs and films, lived and worked in the nearby market town of Thirsk
Thirsk
Thirsk is a small market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. The local travel links are located a mile from the town centre to Thirsk railway station and to Durham Tees Valley Airport...
and many of his stories take place in the Hambleton Hills.
External links
- The Hambleton Hills Accessed August 2010