The Esk Valley Railway stretches from Whitby to Middlesbrough. This article discusses the delightful villages and beautiful scenery from Glaisdale to Castleton. The line follows the route of the River Esk as far as Castleton and then continues on to Middlesbrough.
Set at the foot of a narrow dale beside the River Esk, the next village on the Esk Valley Line is Glaisdale,. This village too operated blast furnaces for the iron-ore industry in the 1860s but there is now little evidence remaining of that or indeed of the thriving weaving trade in the 16th and 17th century.
Today it is a pretty rural village of stone built houses and cottages. Not far from the railway station is Beggar's Bridge, which was built over Glaisdale Beck in 1619 by Thomas Ferries son of a local moorland farmer. He was secretly courting Agnes Richardson, the daughter of a wealthy Glaisdale landowner who deemed him unsuitable. Tom was called up to join the English Fleet, but, unable to cross the river because it was in flood, he could not let Agnes know he was going. He fought alongside Drake and eventually made his fortune whereupon he returned to Glaisdale, a wealthy man . Agnes's father agreed to give his daughter's hand in marriage to the then wealthy and therefore suitable Thomas Ferries. They went to Hull where he became Mayor. It is said he built the bridge as a memorial to his wife so that other lovers could cross the river in safety and not be parted.'
St. Thomas church dates from 1793 but is built on the site of the Chappell of Glaisdale. This was a straw-thatched building from which a stone dated 1585 can be found in the side of the steps leading to the present tower.
During the last ice age, a huge wall of ice moved across the landscape and carved out the Esk Valley. At its head a huge dam was formed. Over time, a river carved a ravine now known as 'Crunkly Ghyll'. This steep wooded ravine leads down to Lealholm. The hamlet of Lealholm is mentioned in the Doomsday Book of 1086. An important crossing point of the River Esk, this village became an early settlement and has a history dating back to the 1200s including a paper mill in 1336.but this was demolished in 1709 A Quaker, Thomas Watson built a new mill but that too is no longer in use. He donated land which is now the Quaker Friends Burial Ground. The main way of life for the population was farming, but at one time there were shoemakers, blacksmiths, a tailor and a wheelwright to mention a few.
There are three crossing points for the River Esk. The main stone bridge, a fording point and the famous stepping stones near the Wesleyan chapel. There are two churches and a methodist chapel here, the Roman Catholic Our Lady of the Sacred heart, the C of E St. James's Church and the Wesleyan Chapel dated 1839.
Lealholm Show, an annual event held on the first Saturday in September is a farm produce, horticultural and agricultural show. One of the most memorable events is the Grand Duck race where 1000 numbered yellow plastic ducks are deployed from the village stone bridge.
The village of Danby is reached further along the line from Lealholm. At the heart of the village is the village green where sheep often graze. Around this area are many walks enabling the visitor beautiful moorland views.
A mile to the south is Danby Rigg which has over 800 cairns, the remains of a stone circle, defensive ditches and enclosures dating from Bronze Age times, some 3000 years ago. On the other side of the valley a footpath leads up to the moor to the remains of coal pits, these were in operation for 140 years from 1748.
To the south-west of Danby is the 14th century fortified Danby Castle now used as a farmhouse. The castle was once owned by the family of Catherine Parr the 6th and surviving wife of Henry VIII.
Half a mile east is the Danby Lodge Moors Visitors Centre which was a former shooting lodge dating back to the 17th Century, standing in 13 acres of grounds on the banks of the River Esk in the North Yorkshire National park.
Downstream from the Moors Centre is a narrow medieval bridge known as Duck Bridge built in the 13th century by George Duck, a wealthy mason, to enable packhorses to cross the River Esk.
Evidence of stone-age settlements in this area include a point in a national network of points where fires were lit to warn of danger from as early as Viking times. The present Danby Beacon, built in 2008 is situated near to the site of the Danby Beacon built in 1937 which housed equipment and staff to monitor aircraft movements. The Danby operatives were instrumental in the interception of the first German bomber to be shot down over England. The pilot was Flight Lieutenant Peter Townsend. The Heinkel was forced to land at Bannial Flat Farm on Guisborough Road. It was also instrumental in helping to track the flight of Rudolph Hess in May 1941. This facility was closed in 1956.
The last village on the Esk Valley Railway Line to run alongside the River Esk is Castleton. This busy moorland village is situated 10 miles west of Whitby and was at one time the largest settlement in Eskdale. It appears to have taken its name from a castle founded by Robert de Brus around 1092. Primrose Hill (formerly Stock Hill where there were medieval punishment stocks) is where John Wesley preached in 1772 and also the site of the famous Cheese Fairs held in the 19th century. Iron stone mining and smelting kept many people in employment here in years gone by.
Castleton seems to be split into two, the bottom Castleton Moor is where the railway station is situated and the Esk Bridge built in 1870. The second part of Castleton is reached by a winding road, on the ascent on the left hand side there can be seen the remains of the mound of a Norman motte.
The village church is St. Michael and St. George, Church of England, built in memory of the men who died in World War I. The benches, organ screen and panelling at each side of the altar all bear the distinctive signature of a crouching mouse of Robert Thompson, the 'Mouseman of Kilburn'.The Castleton and Danby Floral and Horticultural Society Annual Show is held on the second Saturday in September.
The train ride along the Esk Valley Line is one of the most picturesque and memorable journeys in the North East of England connecting the picturesque villages along the River Esk to the beautiful town of Whitby before it flows through the piers into the
Set at the foot of a narrow dale beside the River Esk, the next village on the Esk Valley Line is Glaisdale,. This village too operated blast furnaces for the iron-ore industry in the 1860s but there is now little evidence remaining of that or indeed of the thriving weaving trade in the 16th and 17th century.
Today it is a pretty rural village of stone built houses and cottages. Not far from the railway station is Beggar's Bridge, which was built over Glaisdale Beck in 1619 by Thomas Ferries son of a local moorland farmer. He was secretly courting Agnes Richardson, the daughter of a wealthy Glaisdale landowner who deemed him unsuitable. Tom was called up to join the English Fleet, but, unable to cross the river because it was in flood, he could not let Agnes know he was going. He fought alongside Drake and eventually made his fortune whereupon he returned to Glaisdale, a wealthy man . Agnes's father agreed to give his daughter's hand in marriage to the then wealthy and therefore suitable Thomas Ferries. They went to Hull where he became Mayor. It is said he built the bridge as a memorial to his wife so that other lovers could cross the river in safety and not be parted.'
St. Thomas church dates from 1793 but is built on the site of the Chappell of Glaisdale. This was a straw-thatched building from which a stone dated 1585 can be found in the side of the steps leading to the present tower.
During the last ice age, a huge wall of ice moved across the landscape and carved out the Esk Valley. At its head a huge dam was formed. Over time, a river carved a ravine now known as 'Crunkly Ghyll'. This steep wooded ravine leads down to Lealholm. The hamlet of Lealholm is mentioned in the Doomsday Book of 1086. An important crossing point of the River Esk, this village became an early settlement and has a history dating back to the 1200s including a paper mill in 1336.but this was demolished in 1709 A Quaker, Thomas Watson built a new mill but that too is no longer in use. He donated land which is now the Quaker Friends Burial Ground. The main way of life for the population was farming, but at one time there were shoemakers, blacksmiths, a tailor and a wheelwright to mention a few.
There are three crossing points for the River Esk. The main stone bridge, a fording point and the famous stepping stones near the Wesleyan chapel. There are two churches and a methodist chapel here, the Roman Catholic Our Lady of the Sacred heart, the C of E St. James's Church and the Wesleyan Chapel dated 1839.
Lealholm Show, an annual event held on the first Saturday in September is a farm produce, horticultural and agricultural show. One of the most memorable events is the Grand Duck race where 1000 numbered yellow plastic ducks are deployed from the village stone bridge.
The village of Danby is reached further along the line from Lealholm. At the heart of the village is the village green where sheep often graze. Around this area are many walks enabling the visitor beautiful moorland views.
A mile to the south is Danby Rigg which has over 800 cairns, the remains of a stone circle, defensive ditches and enclosures dating from Bronze Age times, some 3000 years ago. On the other side of the valley a footpath leads up to the moor to the remains of coal pits, these were in operation for 140 years from 1748.
To the south-west of Danby is the 14th century fortified Danby Castle now used as a farmhouse. The castle was once owned by the family of Catherine Parr the 6th and surviving wife of Henry VIII.
Half a mile east is the Danby Lodge Moors Visitors Centre which was a former shooting lodge dating back to the 17th Century, standing in 13 acres of grounds on the banks of the River Esk in the North Yorkshire National park.
Downstream from the Moors Centre is a narrow medieval bridge known as Duck Bridge built in the 13th century by George Duck, a wealthy mason, to enable packhorses to cross the River Esk.
Evidence of stone-age settlements in this area include a point in a national network of points where fires were lit to warn of danger from as early as Viking times. The present Danby Beacon, built in 2008 is situated near to the site of the Danby Beacon built in 1937 which housed equipment and staff to monitor aircraft movements. The Danby operatives were instrumental in the interception of the first German bomber to be shot down over England. The pilot was Flight Lieutenant Peter Townsend. The Heinkel was forced to land at Bannial Flat Farm on Guisborough Road. It was also instrumental in helping to track the flight of Rudolph Hess in May 1941. This facility was closed in 1956.
The last village on the Esk Valley Railway Line to run alongside the River Esk is Castleton. This busy moorland village is situated 10 miles west of Whitby and was at one time the largest settlement in Eskdale. It appears to have taken its name from a castle founded by Robert de Brus around 1092. Primrose Hill (formerly Stock Hill where there were medieval punishment stocks) is where John Wesley preached in 1772 and also the site of the famous Cheese Fairs held in the 19th century. Iron stone mining and smelting kept many people in employment here in years gone by.
Castleton seems to be split into two, the bottom Castleton Moor is where the railway station is situated and the Esk Bridge built in 1870. The second part of Castleton is reached by a winding road, on the ascent on the left hand side there can be seen the remains of the mound of a Norman motte.
The village church is St. Michael and St. George, Church of England, built in memory of the men who died in World War I. The benches, organ screen and panelling at each side of the altar all bear the distinctive signature of a crouching mouse of Robert Thompson, the 'Mouseman of Kilburn'.The Castleton and Danby Floral and Horticultural Society Annual Show is held on the second Saturday in September.
The train ride along the Esk Valley Line is one of the most picturesque and memorable journeys in the North East of England connecting the picturesque villages along the River Esk to the beautiful town of Whitby before it flows through the piers into the
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