Aspects of Village History
West Witton History Group
ISBN: 978-1-902019-03-1
98 pages, paperback, 146mm x 208mm.
Published by Greenridges Press, May 2002.
Edited by June Hall
60 black and white photos
Reprinted March 2007, March 2011
Price: £ 5.99 Postage and Packing:
The Group decided to work from the known to the unknown; to look at the village as it is today and ask questions. How did it come to look as it does? How old are the buildings? Who lived here, worked here and died here? By examining material evidence and adding information from the oral tradition, old photographs, maps, monumental inscriptions, fieldwork, parish registers, census returns, the enclosure award and many other sources, the group have begun to unravel West Witton’s story. The group's policy from the start has been to share its findings with the people of the village and the many visitors who go there.
The subject of each chapter was chosen by the author as a topic of personal interest. The group did not set out to write a comprehensive and chronological account of West Witton’s history; that will take years of study. Instead, they have presented the results of individual work on a miscellaneous number of topics which they hope will help residents to enjoy, understand and cherish the place where they live, and encourage visitors to return. The topics covered include:-
The Open Fields
A Square Mile of Barns
The Village Cornmill
The Stories Behind the Stones
Insights to West Witton through Nineteenth Century Census Records
The Village Institutions
Fireplaces, Hearths and Fire Windows
The Listed Houses of West Witton
The Burning of Bartle
To assist genealogists and local historians the book has been comprehensively indexed. The index can be consulted on-line, so that you can see if there is mention of a person, place or event of interest to you. To access the Index, click here
West Witton History Group at the opening of their Exhibition, October 2001.
Miss Marie Hartley (front, left) and Lady Cordelia James (front, right) opened the Exhibition.
History Group, (left to right):
The year 2001 was disastrous for Wensleydale in that Foot and Mouth Disease in livestock devastated farming and tourism. Their plans were put on hold, fieldwork was impossible and everyone’s life was affected. They used their time to write the chapters which appear in this book. They are based on panels for an exhibition, ready for Easter 2001, but not put on show until October when, to everyone’s relief, the disease seemed to be at an end.
Contact Details
The book is available from Mrs E Kirby, Chantry Cottage, Main Street, West Witton, LEYBURN, DL8 4LU. Telephone 01969-622517.