Richmondshire
Encyclopedia
Richmondshire is a local government district
of North Yorkshire
, England
. It covers a large northern area of the Yorkshire Dales
including Swaledale
and Arkengarthdale
, Wensleydale
and Coverdale
, with the prominent Scots' Dyke and Scotch Corner
along the centre. Teesdale
lies to the north. It is larger than four of the English counties, such as Berkshire
.
in what became known as Rheged
, site of the Battle of Catterick
. At the terminus of Scandinavian York, there was a local bout of rebellion in Stainmore
, which resulted in the death of Eric Bloodaxe
. The Scandinavian settlement
of this area was eastwards from the Irish Sea
with names such as Gilpatrick in Middleham
and Thorfinn
in Bedale occurring at the time of the Domesday Book
. At the time of the Norman Conquest it was the Fee of Gillingshire
, held by Edwin, Earl of Mercia
. Gillingshire
was made up of the Borough of Richmond and five wapentakes of Gilling West
, Gilling East
, Hang West, Hang East and Hallikeld. After the Harrying of the North
, the land became capital of the Duchy of Brittany's Honour of Richmond
(first as a barony, then a county
and later a dukedom
).
The honour of Richmond was one of the three largest lordships created by William the Conqueror
. He granted it to his cousin, Alan the Red, brother of the Duke of Brittany. Alan had other English estates and by the time that Domesday Book was compiled he was one of the richest and most powerful barons. He died in 1093 and was succeeded by two of his brothers in turn. The family held on to this estate until 1399. Work on the castle started in 1071 after the northern rebellions had died down.
The honour of Richmond comprised 440 manors throughout England. The Yorkshire portion was a compact unit of 199 manors and 43 outlying properties situated near the main roads from Scotland into the Vale of York
.
Northern England
is said to differ from the other areas of the country and the difference between Breton and Norman lordship is seen as being a cause.
Richmondshire became an appanage of the English Royal Family
during the reign of Edward III of England
. In 1525 Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset
(1519-1536) became Lord Warden of the Marches
and Lord President of the Council of the North
while living at Sheriff Hutton
.
One of the most distinctive Christian names of Richmondshire folk is Marmaduke
, but this is an old and fading tradition.
baptised the locals in the River Swale
and as a result, it was known as the "Jordan of England". Richmondshire is an Archdeaconry which historically consisted not only of present-day Richmondshire, but also the Barony of Kendal
in Westmorland
, Copeland (borough) in Cumberland
and what is presently Lancashire
north of Ribblesdale, such as Amounderness
and Lonsdale (hundred)
. After originally composing part of the Diocese of York
, it was transferred to the Diocese of Chester
, before moving into the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds
.
. It was a merger of the municipal borough
of Richmond with the Aysgarth Rural District, Leyburn Rural District, Reeth Rural District and Richmond Rural District along with part of the Croft Rural District
, all in the North Riding of Yorkshire
.
The Council was controlled by Independent councillors until May 2003, when elections returned a council with no overall control (Conservative 11; Independent 9; Lib Dem 8; Richmondshire Independent Group 5; Social Democrat Party 1). Conservative John Blackie was elected as leader of the Council. In December 2005 Blackie was replaced by the leader of the Independent Coalition for Richmondshire, Bill Glover, following the resignation of several councillors from the Conservative group and the merger of the rival Independent groups. As of 15 May 2007 the council has been controlled by a minority Conservative administration, with Councillor Melva Steckles as leader of the council.
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
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 covers a large northern area of the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
including Swaledale
Swaledale
Swaledale is one of the northernmost dales in the Yorkshire Dales National Park in northern England. It is the dale of the River Swale on the east side of the Pennines in North Yorkshire.-Geographical overview:...
and Arkengarthdale
Arkengarthdale
Arkengarthdale is a dale, or valley, on the east side of the Pennines in North Yorkshire, England. Running roughly northwest–southeast, it is the valley of the Arkle Beck, and is the northernmost of the Yorkshire Dales...
, 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...
and Coverdale
Coverdale (dale)
Coverdale is a dale in the far east of the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire, England. It gets its name from the River Cover and the small settlement of Coverham, which is situated on its Northern edge...
, with the prominent Scots' Dyke and Scotch Corner
Scotch Corner
Scotch Corner is an important junction of the A1 and A66 trunk roads near Richmond, North Yorkshire, England. It has been described as "the modern gateway to Cumbria, the North East and Scotland".-Geography:...
along the centre. Teesdale
Teesdale
Teesdale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in England. Large parts of Teesdale fall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the second largest AONB in England and Wales. The River Tees rises below Cross Fell, the highest hill in the Pennines, and its...
lies to the north. It is larger than four of the English counties, such as Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
History
The history of this district in antiquity is not well known, but the closest important Roman settlement was at CatterickCatterick, North Yorkshire
Catterick , sometimes Catterick Village, to distinguish it from the nearby Catterick Garrison, is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England...
in what became known as Rheged
Rheged
Rheged is described in poetic sources as one of the kingdoms of the Hen Ogledd , the Brythonic-speaking region of what is now northern England and southern Scotland, during the Early Middle Ages...
, site of the Battle of Catterick
Battle of Catterick
The Battle of Catraeth was fought around AD 600 between a force raised by the Gododdin, a Brythonic people of the Hen Ogledd or "Old North" of Britain, and the Angles of Bernicia and Deira. It was evidently an assault by the Gododdin party on the Angle stronghold of Catraeth, perhaps Catterick,...
. At the terminus of Scandinavian York, there was a local bout of rebellion in Stainmore
Stainmore
Stainmore is a civil parish in the Eden District of Cumbria, England, including the villages of North Stainmore and South Stainmore. It has a population of 253.- Geography :...
, which resulted in the death of Eric Bloodaxe
Eric Bloodaxe
Eric Haraldsson , nicknamed ‘Bloodaxe’ , was a 10th-century Scandinavian ruler. He is thought to have had short-lived terms as the second king of Norway and possibly as the last independent ruler of the kingdom of Northumbria Eric Haraldsson (Eric, anglicised form of ; died 954), nicknamed...
. The Scandinavian settlement
Norse-Gaels
The Norse–Gaels were a people who dominated much of the Irish Sea region, including the Isle of Man, and western Scotland for a part of the Middle Ages; they were of Gaelic and Scandinavian origin and as a whole exhibited a great deal of Gaelic and Norse cultural syncretism...
of this area was eastwards from the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
with names such as Gilpatrick in Middleham
Middleham
Middleham is a small market town and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in Wensleydale, in the Yorkshire Dales, on the north-facing side of the valley just above the junction of the River Ure and River Cover. There has been a settlement there since Roman...
and Thorfinn
Thorfinn
Thorfinn may refer to:* Thorfinn Turf-Einarsson, Earl of Orkney * Thorfinn Sigurdsson, Earl of Orkney * Thorfinn Karlsefni, Icelandic explorer...
in Bedale occurring at the time of the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. At the time of the Norman Conquest it was the Fee of Gillingshire
Gilling West
Gilling West is a large village in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located in the civil parish of Gilling with Hartforth and Sedbury....
, held by Edwin, Earl of Mercia
Edwin, Earl of Mercia
Edwin was the elder brother of Morcar, Earl of Northumbria, son of Ælfgār, Earl of Mercia and grandson of Leofric, Earl of Mercia. He succeeded to his father's title and responsibilities on Ælfgār's death in 1062...
. Gillingshire
was made up of the Borough of Richmond and five wapentakes of Gilling West
Gilling West
Gilling West is a large village in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located in the civil parish of Gilling with Hartforth and Sedbury....
, Gilling East
Gilling East
Gilling East is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies on the main B1363 road between York and Helmsley and two miles south of Oswaldkirk...
, Hang West, Hang East and Hallikeld. After the Harrying of the North
Harrying of the North
The Harrying of the North was a series of campaigns waged by William the Conqueror in the winter of 1069–1070 to subjugate Northern England, and is part of the Norman conquest of England...
, the land became capital of the Duchy of Brittany's Honour of Richmond
Earl of Richmond
The now-extinct title of Earl of Richmond was created many times in the Peerage of England. The earldom of Richmond was held by various Bretons, Normans, the royal families of Plantagenet, Capet, Savoy, Tudor and Stuart.-History:...
(first as a barony, then a county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
and later a dukedom
Dukedom
Dukedom may refer to:* Duchy, the territory ruled by a duke* the office of a duke-Places:United States* Dukedom, Kentucky and Tennessee, an unincorporated community in Graves County, Kentucky and Weakley County, Tennessee-Computer games:...
).
The honour of Richmond was one of the three largest lordships created by William the Conqueror
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
. He granted it to his cousin, Alan the Red, brother of the Duke of Brittany. Alan had other English estates and by the time that Domesday Book was compiled he was one of the richest and most powerful barons. He died in 1093 and was succeeded by two of his brothers in turn. The family held on to this estate until 1399. Work on the castle started in 1071 after the northern rebellions had died down.
The honour of Richmond comprised 440 manors throughout England. The Yorkshire portion was a compact unit of 199 manors and 43 outlying properties situated near the main roads from Scotland into 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....
.
Northern England
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...
is said to differ from the other areas of the country and the difference between Breton and Norman lordship is seen as being a cause.
Richmondshire became an appanage of the English Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
during the reign of Edward III of England
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
. In 1525 Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset was the son of King Henry VIII of England and his teenage mistress, Elizabeth Blount, the only illegitimate offspring whom Henry acknowledged.-Childhood:...
(1519-1536) became Lord Warden of the Marches
Lord Warden of the Marches
The Lord Warden of the Marches was an office in the governments of Scotland and England. The holders were responsible for the security of the border between the two nations, and often took part in military action....
and Lord President of the Council of the North
Council of the North
The Council of the North was an administrative body originally set up in 1484 by king Richard III of England, the third and last Yorkist monarch to hold the Crown of England; its intention was to improve government control and economic prosperity, to benefit the entire area of Northern England...
while living at Sheriff Hutton
Sheriff Hutton
Sheriff Hutton is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies about ten miles north by north-east of York...
.
One of the most distinctive Christian names of Richmondshire folk is Marmaduke
Marmaduke (disambiguation)
-Surname:*John S. Marmaduke, Confederate general*Meredith Miles Marmaduke, eighth governor of Missouri*Thomas Marmaduke, English sailor-Given name:*Marmaduke Constable, 15th-century English soldier...
, but this is an old and fading tradition.
Ecclesiastical divisions
St. PaulinusPaulinus of York
Paulinus was a Roman missionary and the first Bishop of York. A member of the Gregorian mission sent in 601 by Pope Gregory I to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, Paulinus arrived in England by 604 with the second missionary group...
baptised the locals in the River Swale
River Swale
The River Swale is a river in Yorkshire, England and a major tributary of the River Ure, which itself becomes the River Ouse, emptying into the North Sea via the Humber Estuary....
and as a result, it was known as the "Jordan of England". Richmondshire is an Archdeaconry which historically consisted not only of present-day Richmondshire, but also the Barony of Kendal
Barony of Kendal
The Barony of Kendal is a subdivision of the English county of Westmorland. It is one of two baronies in the county, the other being the Barony of Westmorland, and contains within it the wards of Kendal and Lonsdale...
in Westmorland
Westmorland
Westmorland is an area of North West England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974, after which the entirety of the county was absorbed into the new county of Cumbria.-Early history:...
, Copeland (borough) in Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
and what is presently Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
north of Ribblesdale, such as Amounderness
Amounderness
Amounderness was a hundred of Lancashire in North West England. Formerly, the name had been used for territories now in Lancashire and north of the River Ribble that had been included in Domesday Yorkshire.-Etymology and history:...
and Lonsdale (hundred)
Lonsdale (hundred)
Lonsdale was a hundred of Lancashire, England. For many decades, it covered most of the northwestern part of Lancashire around Morecambe Bay, including the detached part around Furness, and the city of Lancaster....
. After originally composing part of the Diocese of York
Diocese of York
The Diocese of York is an administrative division of the Church of England, part of the Province of York. It covers the city of York, the eastern part of North Yorkshire, and most of the East Riding of Yorkshire....
, it was transferred to the Diocese of Chester
Diocese of Chester
The Diocese of Chester is a Church of England diocese in the Province of York based in Chester, covering the county of Cheshire in its pre-1974 boundaries...
, before moving into the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds
Diocese of Ripon and Leeds
The Diocese of Ripon and Leeds is an administrative division of the Church of England, part of the Province of York. It covers an area in western and northern Yorkshire as well as the south Teesdale area administered by County Durham which is traditionally part of Yorkshire...
.
Modern history
The current district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
. It was a merger of the municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
of Richmond with the Aysgarth Rural District, Leyburn Rural District, Reeth Rural District and Richmond Rural District along with part of the Croft Rural District
Croft Rural District
Croft was a rural district in the North Riding of Yorkshire from 1894 to 1974.It was created under the Local Government Act 1894 from that part of the Darlington rural sanitary district which was in the North Riding . It was named after Croft-on-Tees.It was abolished under the Local Government Act...
, all in the North Riding of Yorkshire
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
.
The Council was controlled by Independent councillors until May 2003, when elections returned a council with no overall control (Conservative 11; Independent 9; Lib Dem 8; Richmondshire Independent Group 5; Social Democrat Party 1). Conservative John Blackie was elected as leader of the Council. In December 2005 Blackie was replaced by the leader of the Independent Coalition for Richmondshire, Bill Glover, following the resignation of several councillors from the Conservative group and the merger of the rival Independent groups. As of 15 May 2007 the council has been controlled by a minority Conservative administration, with Councillor Melva Steckles as leader of the council.
Settlements
Richmondshire presently includes the major settlements of:- AskriggAskriggAskrigg is a small village and civil parish in Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is part of the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England...
- BartonBarton, North YorkshireBarton is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 884. It is situated near the border with the ceremonial county of County Durham, and is 6 miles south-west of Darlington. The village is recorded as...
- CatterickCatterick, North YorkshireCatterick , sometimes Catterick Village, to distinguish it from the nearby Catterick Garrison, is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England...
- Catterick GarrisonCatterick GarrisonCatterick Garrison is a major Army base located in Northern England. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world with a population of around 12,000, plus a large temporary population of soldiers, and is larger than its older neighbour...
- ColburnColburn, North YorkshireColburn is a village and civil parish in Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England, approximately 2 miles west of Catterick and has a population of 3,606....
- Croft-on-TeesCroft-on-TeesCroft-on-Tees is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. South of Darlington, it stands on the opposite side of the River Tees from Hurworth-on-Tees and is situated on the A167. The bridge over the Tees between Croft and Hurworth marks the boundary...
- HawesHawesHawes is a small market town and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England, being granted its market charter in 1699...
- KeldKeld, North YorkshireKeld is a hamlet in the English county of North Yorkshire. It is situated on Swaledale, in the Yorkshire Dales. The name derives from the Viking word Kelda meaning a spring, and the village was once called Appletre Kelde - the spring near the apple trees.Keld is the crossing point of the Coast to...
- LeyburnLeyburnLeyburn is a busy market town and civil parish in the borough of Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, England sitting above the northern bank of the River Ure in Wensleydale. Historically within the North Riding of Yorkshire, the name was derived from 'Ley' or 'Le' , and 'burn' , meaning clearing by the...
- MiddlehamMiddlehamMiddleham is a small market town and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in Wensleydale, in the Yorkshire Dales, on the north-facing side of the valley just above the junction of the River Ure and River Cover. There has been a settlement there since Roman...
- Middleton TyasMiddleton TyasMiddleton Tyas is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located nearby to Scotch Corner.-History:The name Middleton is of Anglo-Saxon origin and it means middle-farm or middle-settlement...
- ReethReethReeth is a village in the Yorkshire Dales within the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England and principal settlement of Swaledale. It is situated at the meeting point of the two most northerly of the Yorkshire Dales: Swaledale and Arkengarthdale....
- RichmondRichmond, North YorkshireRichmond is a market town and civil parish on the River Swale in North Yorkshire, England and is the administrative centre of the district of Richmondshire. It is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and serves as the Park's main tourist centre...
See also
- HallamshireHallamshireHallamshire is the historical name for an area of South Yorkshire, England, in the current city of Sheffield.The origin of the name is uncertain. The English Place-Name Society describe "Hallam" originating from a formation meaning "on the rocks"...
- HexhamshireHexhamshireHexhamshire was a county of northern England. It existed for several hundred years until it was incorporated into Northumberland in 1572.-County:...
- History of YorkshireHistory of YorkshireYorkshire is a historic county of England, centred on the county town of York. The region was first occupied after the retreat of the ice age around 8000 BC. During the first millennium AD it was occupied by Romans, Angles and Vikings. Many Yorkshire dialect words and aspects of pronunciation...
- HullshireHullshireHullshire was a former district of England. The large county corporate was created in 1440 by Henry VI of England. It took its name from the River Hull, which formed its eastern boundary. At times it included the East Riding of Yorkshire's other two boroughs, Beverley and Hedon...
- List of hundreds of England and Wales
- WinchcombeshireWinchcombeshireWinchcombeshire, an ancient county in the South West of England, in the 10th and 11th centuries, developed around its county town, Winchcombe....