The tall four-storey octagonal chalk tower is 79 feet high is the oldest surviving lighthouse in ... more The tall four-storey octagonal chalk tower is 79 feet high is the oldest surviving lighthouse in England. It was built in 1674 as a lighthouse by Sir John Clayton and partner George Blake as a business venture. It was never used because suitable voluntary dues from passing ships were inadequate. Today it stands silent a gleaming monument on a golf course. The Beacon Tower Lighthouse is surrounded by modern posts and wire fences which separate it from the golf course. It is occasionally open to the public and can be viewed very easily from the road.
Mother Shipton’s cave and the Petrifying Well are set in a picturesque location at the bottom of ... more Mother Shipton’s cave and the Petrifying Well are set in a picturesque location at the bottom of the Nidd Gorge, on the opposite side of the river from Knaresborough Norman Castle. The Petrifying Well or Dropping Well was first put on view to the public in 1630. This is England’s oldest tourist attraction. Nowadays the Petrifying Well and Mother Shipton’s Cave are very much commercialised. The existence of Mother Shipton is uncertain. Her 1684 biographer, Richard Head, apparently invented most of the details of her life. In fact, she may never have existed outside of Yorkshire legend.
This report gives a description of the Halifax Debtor’s Gaol and one of its celebrity inmates Dr ... more This report gives a description of the Halifax Debtor’s Gaol and one of its celebrity inmates Dr Samuel Midgley. It also includes the 2018 temporary exhibition in Bankfield Museum, Halifax on ‘Crime and Punishments in Halifax’.
Alan Bennett is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. He was born in Leeds on 9 ... more Alan Bennett is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. He was born in Leeds on 9 May 1934 and has received numerous awards and honours for his works. The idea for ‘A Day Out’ came from an old photograph or postcard of a cycling club just before World War I that Alan saw, which inspired him to write the play.
Edward the Confessor’s death and Harold’s accession to the throne in January 1066 led to three ma... more Edward the Confessor’s death and Harold’s accession to the throne in January 1066 led to three major English battles; two were led by Harold Godwinson, the Saxon King of England and two were fought in Yorkshire. The first one was the Battle at Fulford, on the outskirts of York, fought on 20th September. The second battle was at Stamford Bridge on 25th September and the final battle was at Hastings on 14th October. Of these three battles the first one at Fulford is often forgotten and overshadowed by the other two battles of 1066 at Stamford Bridge and finally and most famously Hastings which is described through the images of the Bayeux Tapestry. The Stamford Bridge Tapestry tells of some of the events that took place in Yorkshire and the story of the battle at Fulford.
Research Project on Medieval Cross Slab Grave Covers, 2025
This research report details the medieval grave slab covers at All Hallows, Church Almondbury Hud... more This research report details the medieval grave slab covers at All Hallows, Church Almondbury Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Research Project on Medieval Cross Slab Grave Covers , 2025
This research report details the medieval grave slab covers from Kirkheaton near Huddersfield Wes... more This research report details the medieval grave slab covers from Kirkheaton near Huddersfield West Yorkshire
This report is a detailed account of The Shambles in York which was a historical street of butche... more This report is a detailed account of The Shambles in York which was a historical street of butcher shops and houses from medieval times. It was also the home to the saint and martyr Margaret Clitherow.
This report is a detailed account of the historical tradition of Blowing the Bainbridge Forest Ho... more This report is a detailed account of the historical tradition of Blowing the Bainbridge Forest Horn and the reason why it has faded into history.
Research Project on Medieval Cross Slab Grave Covers, 2025
There are two late medieval cross grave slab covers in the ruined church of St. Thomas à Becket, ... more There are two late medieval cross grave slab covers in the ruined church of St. Thomas à Becket, Heptonstall in West Yorkshire. These are rectangular floor stones cross slabs and are probably 15th or 16th century rather than earlier medieval. This report also includes the history of the church and a note on David Hartley’s gravestone that is in the graveyard of St. Thomas à Becket church. David Hartley, known as ‘King David’, was of the infamous Cragg Vale Coiners who was executed at York in 1770.
Research Project on Medieval Pottery in Yorkshire , 2025
Only one large fragment of this medieval jug survives which is of the complete handle and part of... more Only one large fragment of this medieval jug survives which is of the complete handle and part of the rim. It was found in Greengate, Malton in 1893 which is located in the centre of Malton. The globular-like jug could have been a product of the Brandsby kilns dating to the later 14th century.
Research Project on Medieval Pottery in Yorkshire, 2025
During archaeological excavations at the Malton Roman Fort in North Yorkshire between 1927 and 19... more During archaeological excavations at the Malton Roman Fort in North Yorkshire between 1927 and 1930 by Dr John Kirk and Philip Corder found several pottery sherds of the thirteenth and fourteenth-century. They are mostly rims of cooking pots or storage jars discovered in the disturbed Roman deposits in the area of Malton Castle. At this time the excavation was focused on Roman finds so the significance of the sherds was not fully realised, although they were kept separate from the Roman finds. One of the fragments from the excavations was identified as a spout from a medieval pottery aquamanile. It can be quite difficult to identify fragments from aquamaniles however, this fragment looks as though it should be part of an aquamanile which has a spout through which water could be poured. This spout fragment from a medieval pottery aquamanile is of some archaeological importance, as with other aquamanile in Yorkshire. They serve to illustrate the wide area of distribution of better quality ceramics being produced by potters working in Yorkshire during the thirteenth and fourteenth-century.
York’s Medieval City Walls are the longest of any town in England and are famous for the gateways... more York’s Medieval City Walls are the longest of any town in England and are famous for the gateways into the city called Bars. York has been defended by walls since Roman times they were covered over by successive earth ramparts with the arrival of the Vikings in AD 866. These earthen ramparts were heightened again by the Normans who also built new gateways in stone. The walls have protected York, first from the Scots, when in 1319 an army led by the Earl of Moray reached the gates hoping to capture Queen Isabella and keep her hostage; and then Parliamentarians, who besieged the city in 1644. The final threat to the city defences came in 1745 when the Jacobite army of Charles Stuart threatened to attack; the walls were repaired, although the threat eventually came to nothing. Minor damage to the walls was done in the 1800s but most of the medieval walls, gates and towers still exist today.
This detailed article surrounded the legends of tolling the Devil’s Knell at All Saints Church, D... more This detailed article surrounded the legends of tolling the Devil’s Knell at All Saints Church, Dewsbury that takes place on Christmas Eve, one toll for every year since Christ was born. It also includes the history of the church
A Research Report on the Medieval Pricke of Conscience Glass Window in the Church of All Saints Y... more A Research Report on the Medieval Pricke of Conscience Glass Window in the Church of All Saints York North Yorkshire
A Case Study of a Medieval Traditional Yorkshire Folk Ballad, 2024
A Research Report on Scarborough Fair a Medieval Market and its ... more A Research Report on Scarborough Fair a Medieval Market and its Medieval Traditional Folk Ballad
The Bramhope railway tunnel is famous for its length, its castellated north entrance, and the ac... more The Bramhope railway tunnel is famous for its length, its castellated north entrance, and the accidental deaths of many men during its construction. This report records the historical importance of the construction of the tunnel.
A Research Report on Oatcakes: Yorkshire Food in History , 2024
This research report gives a history of the importance of Yorkshire Oatcakes. They had a traditio... more This research report gives a history of the importance of Yorkshire Oatcakes. They had a traditional connection with the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment stationed in Halifax West Yorkshire and became the regimental insignia.
A case study of King Richard III’s controversial Statue at Middleham Castle, North Yorkshire , 2024
The sculpture of Richard III is by Linda Thompson and was erected in 1996, long before Richard’s ... more The sculpture of Richard III is by Linda Thompson and was erected in 1996, long before Richard’s remains were found and excavated in 2012 on the former site of the 13th century Grey Friars Church in Leicester situated under the City Council’s car park. In 1996 Linda only had portraits and paintings to work on to interpret his figure and facial features. These show Richard as being too old, he was aged 32 when he died. Fortunately, these hideous symbolic images are placed at the back of the statue and are barely seen from the front. The figures are supposed to represent the two mischief-makers of legend and imagination, which have previously been associated with Richard, but are very controversial and give a negative and dangerously wrong impression of Richard III. Richard’s reputation so much disputed and contested will like so many figures in history continue to clarify and evolve. Now that we know where King Richard III is buried with his true facial and physique, and also with new documentary evidence research by Philippa Langley of the Richard III Society strongly indicates that the ‘Princes in the Tower’ were not killed by order of Richard III, history books will have to be rewritten. Richard III Society plans to replace the current sculpture with a statue that would represent a more favourable Richard III.
Spofforth Castle is a fortified manor house situated in the village of Spofforth in North Yorkshi... more Spofforth Castle is a fortified manor house situated in the village of Spofforth in North Yorkshire. From the Norman Conquest until the 17th century, Spofforth was in the possession of the Percy family, one of the most important and influential families in the North of England. In 1924 Charles Henry, Baron Leconfield, transferred ownership of the site to the State by deed of gift. Today all that remains of Spofforth Castle is the west range which is rectangular in plan and built partly on a small rocky outcrop and overlooks the village. In 1965 the Ministry of Public Building and Works: Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings published the only guide booklet on Spofforth Castle written by R. J. A. Bunnett, O. J Weaver and R. Gilyard-Beer and a set of black and white postcards. These have not been reproduced and are out of print.
The tall four-storey octagonal chalk tower is 79 feet high is the oldest surviving lighthouse in ... more The tall four-storey octagonal chalk tower is 79 feet high is the oldest surviving lighthouse in England. It was built in 1674 as a lighthouse by Sir John Clayton and partner George Blake as a business venture. It was never used because suitable voluntary dues from passing ships were inadequate. Today it stands silent a gleaming monument on a golf course. The Beacon Tower Lighthouse is surrounded by modern posts and wire fences which separate it from the golf course. It is occasionally open to the public and can be viewed very easily from the road.
Mother Shipton’s cave and the Petrifying Well are set in a picturesque location at the bottom of ... more Mother Shipton’s cave and the Petrifying Well are set in a picturesque location at the bottom of the Nidd Gorge, on the opposite side of the river from Knaresborough Norman Castle. The Petrifying Well or Dropping Well was first put on view to the public in 1630. This is England’s oldest tourist attraction. Nowadays the Petrifying Well and Mother Shipton’s Cave are very much commercialised. The existence of Mother Shipton is uncertain. Her 1684 biographer, Richard Head, apparently invented most of the details of her life. In fact, she may never have existed outside of Yorkshire legend.
This report gives a description of the Halifax Debtor’s Gaol and one of its celebrity inmates Dr ... more This report gives a description of the Halifax Debtor’s Gaol and one of its celebrity inmates Dr Samuel Midgley. It also includes the 2018 temporary exhibition in Bankfield Museum, Halifax on ‘Crime and Punishments in Halifax’.
Alan Bennett is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. He was born in Leeds on 9 ... more Alan Bennett is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. He was born in Leeds on 9 May 1934 and has received numerous awards and honours for his works. The idea for ‘A Day Out’ came from an old photograph or postcard of a cycling club just before World War I that Alan saw, which inspired him to write the play.
Edward the Confessor’s death and Harold’s accession to the throne in January 1066 led to three ma... more Edward the Confessor’s death and Harold’s accession to the throne in January 1066 led to three major English battles; two were led by Harold Godwinson, the Saxon King of England and two were fought in Yorkshire. The first one was the Battle at Fulford, on the outskirts of York, fought on 20th September. The second battle was at Stamford Bridge on 25th September and the final battle was at Hastings on 14th October. Of these three battles the first one at Fulford is often forgotten and overshadowed by the other two battles of 1066 at Stamford Bridge and finally and most famously Hastings which is described through the images of the Bayeux Tapestry. The Stamford Bridge Tapestry tells of some of the events that took place in Yorkshire and the story of the battle at Fulford.
Research Project on Medieval Cross Slab Grave Covers, 2025
This research report details the medieval grave slab covers at All Hallows, Church Almondbury Hud... more This research report details the medieval grave slab covers at All Hallows, Church Almondbury Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Research Project on Medieval Cross Slab Grave Covers , 2025
This research report details the medieval grave slab covers from Kirkheaton near Huddersfield Wes... more This research report details the medieval grave slab covers from Kirkheaton near Huddersfield West Yorkshire
This report is a detailed account of The Shambles in York which was a historical street of butche... more This report is a detailed account of The Shambles in York which was a historical street of butcher shops and houses from medieval times. It was also the home to the saint and martyr Margaret Clitherow.
This report is a detailed account of the historical tradition of Blowing the Bainbridge Forest Ho... more This report is a detailed account of the historical tradition of Blowing the Bainbridge Forest Horn and the reason why it has faded into history.
Research Project on Medieval Cross Slab Grave Covers, 2025
There are two late medieval cross grave slab covers in the ruined church of St. Thomas à Becket, ... more There are two late medieval cross grave slab covers in the ruined church of St. Thomas à Becket, Heptonstall in West Yorkshire. These are rectangular floor stones cross slabs and are probably 15th or 16th century rather than earlier medieval. This report also includes the history of the church and a note on David Hartley’s gravestone that is in the graveyard of St. Thomas à Becket church. David Hartley, known as ‘King David’, was of the infamous Cragg Vale Coiners who was executed at York in 1770.
Research Project on Medieval Pottery in Yorkshire , 2025
Only one large fragment of this medieval jug survives which is of the complete handle and part of... more Only one large fragment of this medieval jug survives which is of the complete handle and part of the rim. It was found in Greengate, Malton in 1893 which is located in the centre of Malton. The globular-like jug could have been a product of the Brandsby kilns dating to the later 14th century.
Research Project on Medieval Pottery in Yorkshire, 2025
During archaeological excavations at the Malton Roman Fort in North Yorkshire between 1927 and 19... more During archaeological excavations at the Malton Roman Fort in North Yorkshire between 1927 and 1930 by Dr John Kirk and Philip Corder found several pottery sherds of the thirteenth and fourteenth-century. They are mostly rims of cooking pots or storage jars discovered in the disturbed Roman deposits in the area of Malton Castle. At this time the excavation was focused on Roman finds so the significance of the sherds was not fully realised, although they were kept separate from the Roman finds. One of the fragments from the excavations was identified as a spout from a medieval pottery aquamanile. It can be quite difficult to identify fragments from aquamaniles however, this fragment looks as though it should be part of an aquamanile which has a spout through which water could be poured. This spout fragment from a medieval pottery aquamanile is of some archaeological importance, as with other aquamanile in Yorkshire. They serve to illustrate the wide area of distribution of better quality ceramics being produced by potters working in Yorkshire during the thirteenth and fourteenth-century.
York’s Medieval City Walls are the longest of any town in England and are famous for the gateways... more York’s Medieval City Walls are the longest of any town in England and are famous for the gateways into the city called Bars. York has been defended by walls since Roman times they were covered over by successive earth ramparts with the arrival of the Vikings in AD 866. These earthen ramparts were heightened again by the Normans who also built new gateways in stone. The walls have protected York, first from the Scots, when in 1319 an army led by the Earl of Moray reached the gates hoping to capture Queen Isabella and keep her hostage; and then Parliamentarians, who besieged the city in 1644. The final threat to the city defences came in 1745 when the Jacobite army of Charles Stuart threatened to attack; the walls were repaired, although the threat eventually came to nothing. Minor damage to the walls was done in the 1800s but most of the medieval walls, gates and towers still exist today.
This detailed article surrounded the legends of tolling the Devil’s Knell at All Saints Church, D... more This detailed article surrounded the legends of tolling the Devil’s Knell at All Saints Church, Dewsbury that takes place on Christmas Eve, one toll for every year since Christ was born. It also includes the history of the church
A Research Report on the Medieval Pricke of Conscience Glass Window in the Church of All Saints Y... more A Research Report on the Medieval Pricke of Conscience Glass Window in the Church of All Saints York North Yorkshire
A Case Study of a Medieval Traditional Yorkshire Folk Ballad, 2024
A Research Report on Scarborough Fair a Medieval Market and its ... more A Research Report on Scarborough Fair a Medieval Market and its Medieval Traditional Folk Ballad
The Bramhope railway tunnel is famous for its length, its castellated north entrance, and the ac... more The Bramhope railway tunnel is famous for its length, its castellated north entrance, and the accidental deaths of many men during its construction. This report records the historical importance of the construction of the tunnel.
A Research Report on Oatcakes: Yorkshire Food in History , 2024
This research report gives a history of the importance of Yorkshire Oatcakes. They had a traditio... more This research report gives a history of the importance of Yorkshire Oatcakes. They had a traditional connection with the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment stationed in Halifax West Yorkshire and became the regimental insignia.
A case study of King Richard III’s controversial Statue at Middleham Castle, North Yorkshire , 2024
The sculpture of Richard III is by Linda Thompson and was erected in 1996, long before Richard’s ... more The sculpture of Richard III is by Linda Thompson and was erected in 1996, long before Richard’s remains were found and excavated in 2012 on the former site of the 13th century Grey Friars Church in Leicester situated under the City Council’s car park. In 1996 Linda only had portraits and paintings to work on to interpret his figure and facial features. These show Richard as being too old, he was aged 32 when he died. Fortunately, these hideous symbolic images are placed at the back of the statue and are barely seen from the front. The figures are supposed to represent the two mischief-makers of legend and imagination, which have previously been associated with Richard, but are very controversial and give a negative and dangerously wrong impression of Richard III. Richard’s reputation so much disputed and contested will like so many figures in history continue to clarify and evolve. Now that we know where King Richard III is buried with his true facial and physique, and also with new documentary evidence research by Philippa Langley of the Richard III Society strongly indicates that the ‘Princes in the Tower’ were not killed by order of Richard III, history books will have to be rewritten. Richard III Society plans to replace the current sculpture with a statue that would represent a more favourable Richard III.
Spofforth Castle is a fortified manor house situated in the village of Spofforth in North Yorkshi... more Spofforth Castle is a fortified manor house situated in the village of Spofforth in North Yorkshire. From the Norman Conquest until the 17th century, Spofforth was in the possession of the Percy family, one of the most important and influential families in the North of England. In 1924 Charles Henry, Baron Leconfield, transferred ownership of the site to the State by deed of gift. Today all that remains of Spofforth Castle is the west range which is rectangular in plan and built partly on a small rocky outcrop and overlooks the village. In 1965 the Ministry of Public Building and Works: Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings published the only guide booklet on Spofforth Castle written by R. J. A. Bunnett, O. J Weaver and R. Gilyard-Beer and a set of black and white postcards. These have not been reproduced and are out of print.
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The existence of Mother Shipton is uncertain. Her 1684 biographer, Richard Head, apparently invented most of the details of her life. In fact, she may never have existed outside of Yorkshire legend.
The idea for ‘A Day Out’ came from an old photograph or postcard of a cycling club just before World War I that Alan saw, which inspired him to write the play.
Richard’s reputation so much disputed and contested will like so many figures in history continue to clarify and evolve. Now that we know where King Richard III is buried with his true facial and physique, and also with new documentary evidence research by Philippa Langley of the Richard III Society strongly indicates that the ‘Princes in the Tower’ were not killed by order of Richard III, history books will have to be rewritten. Richard III Society plans to replace the current sculpture with a statue that would represent a more favourable Richard III.
The existence of Mother Shipton is uncertain. Her 1684 biographer, Richard Head, apparently invented most of the details of her life. In fact, she may never have existed outside of Yorkshire legend.
The idea for ‘A Day Out’ came from an old photograph or postcard of a cycling club just before World War I that Alan saw, which inspired him to write the play.
Richard’s reputation so much disputed and contested will like so many figures in history continue to clarify and evolve. Now that we know where King Richard III is buried with his true facial and physique, and also with new documentary evidence research by Philippa Langley of the Richard III Society strongly indicates that the ‘Princes in the Tower’ were not killed by order of Richard III, history books will have to be rewritten. Richard III Society plans to replace the current sculpture with a statue that would represent a more favourable Richard III.