Aysgarth

Aysgarth

Aysgarth
Aysgarth
 Aysgarth shown within North Yorkshire
Population 178 (2011 census)
OS grid referenceSE004883
DistrictRichmondshire
Shire countyNorth Yorkshire
RegionYorkshire and the Humber
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town LEYBURN
Postcode district DL8 3
Police North Yorkshire
Fire North Yorkshire
Ambulance Yorkshire
EU Parliament Yorkshire and the Humber
UK ParliamentRichmond (Yorks) (UK Parliament constituency)
List of places
UK
England
Yorkshire

Coordinates: 54°17′26″N 1°59′40″W / 54.29046°N 1.99444°W / 54.29046; -1.99444

Aysgarth is a village and civil parish in Wensleydale, in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. The village is in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, about 16 miles (26 km) south-west from Richmond and 22.6 miles (36.4 km) west of the County Town of Northallerton.

History

The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book as Echescard. The toponymy is derived from the combination of the Old Norse words eiki, meaning Oak, and skarð, meaning Open space giving Oak trees in open space.[1][2]

At the time of the Norman invasion, the manor was held by Cnut, son of Karli. Afterwards the manor was in the possession of Count Alan of Brittany, who granted lordship to Geoffrey of Swaffham.[3] By the 13th century, the manor was in the hands of the Burgh family of Hackforth. The manor descended with the manor of Hackforth until 1480 at which time they were conveyed to the Crown in the person of Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Some lands in the manor in the 13th century came into the hands of the lords of Middleham and then followed the descent of the manor of Thoralby.[4][5]

The village's railway station, part of the Hawes Branch of the North Eastern Railway, opened in 1878 and closed in April 1954.

The George and Dragon Inn in Aysgarth dates from the 17th century[6] when it was a coaching inn and is now a Grade II listed building.[7] Local real ale from the Black Sheep Brewery and the Yorkshire Dales Brewing Company is served.[6]

On 5 July 2014, the Tour de France Stage 1 from Leeds to Harrogate passed through the village.[8]

Governance

The parish lies within the Richmond UK Parliament constituency. It also lies within the Upper Dales electoral division of North Yorkshire County Council and the Addlebrough ward of Richmondshire District Council.[9]

The civil parish shares a grouped parish council with the civil parishes of Bishopdale, Newbiggin, Thoralby and Thornton Rust, known as Aysgarth & District Parish Council.[10]

Geography

Aysgarth Falls (Upper)

The village lies along the A684 road near the south bank of the River Ure. The nearest settlements are Carperby to the north, Thoralby to the south-west and West Burton to the south-east, all within 1 mile (1.6 km) of the village. Aysgarth & District Parish Council is bordered by the Parishes of Bainbridge, Askrigg and Low Abbotside, Carperby cum Thoresby, Burton cum Walden and Buckden.[11]

Aysgarth Falls

This is a triple flight of waterfalls on the River Ure over a one-mile stretch. The falls are fast flowing, especially during wet weather, as thousands of gallons of water cascade over the series of broad limestone steps. Aysgarth Falls is a popular tourist attraction and has been the subject of works by Ruskin, Turner[12] and Wordsworth, who all visited the area. The upper fall was featured in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.[13]

Demography

Population[14][15][16]
Year 1881 1891 1901 1911 1921 1931 1951 1961 2001 2011
Total 370 235 273 279 290 299 259 196 197 178

2001 census

The 2001 UK census showed that the population was split 48.7% male to 51.3% female. The religious constituency was made of 73.5% Christian, 1.5% Jewish and the rest stating no religion or not stating at all. The ethnic make-up was 98.5% White British and 1.5% White other. There were 100 dwellings.[15]

2011 census

The 2011 UK census showed that the population was split 48.9% male to 51.1% female. The religious constituency was made of 67.4% Christian, 1.7% Jewish, 0.6% Buddhist and the rest stating no religion or not stating at all. The ethnic make-up was 99.5% White British and 0.5% each White Other . There were 136 dwellings.[16]

Culture and community

There are two public houses in the village. There are a few local businesses, and gift shops for tourists. There is a Youth Hostel near the falls.[17] To the east of the village is a caravan and lodge park.

Transport

A regular bus service operates between Bedale and Hawes. On Sundays a year-round DalesBus service operates between Northallerton and Hawes. There are three DalesBus routes that call at the village in the summer season. A bus service operates between Darlington College and Askrigg.

The Wensleydale Railway Association has plans to rebuild the railway from Northallerton (from its current western terminus at Redmire) to Garsdale, and re-open Aysgarth railway station.[18]

Religion

Aysgarth Church

St. Andrew's Church in Aysgarth was substantially rebuilt in 1536,[19] and restored in 1866. It is now a Grade II* listed building.[20] The unusually large churchyard extends to about four acres. The church preserves a number of fittings that were rescued from Jervaulx Abbey at the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, including a rood screen and the abbot's stall.[4][5][21]

The Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists[22] both had chapels in the village: the Wesleyan chapel only is still in use.[23] The Society of Friends had a meeting house.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Watts (2011). Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-names. Cambridge University Press. p. 29. ISBN 978-0521168557.
  2. ↑ A.D. Mills (1998). Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford Paperbacks. p. 26. ISBN 978-0192800749.
  3. ↑ Aysgarth in the Domesday Book. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  4. 1 2 William Page (editor) (1914). "Parishes: Aysgarth". Victoria County History. A History of the County of York North Riding: Volume 1. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 Bulmer's Topography, History and Directory (Private and Commercial) of North Yorkshire 1890. S&N Publishing. 1890. pp. 322–323. ISBN 1-86150-299-0.
  6. 1 2 "Real Ale, Real Welcome!". The George and Dragon Inn, Aysgarth, Leyburn, North Yorkshire. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  7. ↑ Historic England. "Details from image database (323061)". Images of England.
  8. ↑ "Tour de France Stage 1". Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  9. ↑ Ordnance Survey Open Viewer
  10. ↑ "Parish and Town Councils". Richmondshire District Council. 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  11. ↑ "North Yorkshire Parish Council Maps". North yorkshire County Council. 25 March 2013.
  12. ↑ "Turner Artwork". Tate Britain. 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  13. ↑ "Film Location". Internet Movie Database. 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  14. ↑ "Population at Cenuses". Vision of Britain. 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  15. 1 2 "2001 UK Census". Office for National Statistics. 2002. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  16. 1 2 "2011 UK Census". Office for National Statistics. 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  17. ↑ "Youth Hostel". Disqus.com. 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  18. ↑ "Five Year Strategic Plan 2010-2014" (PDF). Wensleydale Railway Association. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  19. ↑ "Aysgarth Church". Britannia.com. Retrieved 16 June 2009.
  20. ↑ Historic England. "Details from image database (323060)". Images of England.
  21. ↑ "Aysgarth Church". The George and Dragon Inn, Aysgarth, Leyburn, North Yorkshire. Retrieved 18 April 2009.
  22. ↑ "GENUKI: Aysgarth Parish information from Bulmers' 1890.". www.genuki.org.uk. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  23. ↑ "Methodist Church". North Yorkshire Dales Methodist Circuit. 2013.

External links

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