Lealholm: Difference between revisions

{{infobox UK place|

|country = England

|dial_code= 01947

|os_grid_reference= NZ762076

}}

'''Lealholm''' is a small village in [[Eskdale, North Yorkshire|Eskdale]], within the [[North Yorkshire Moors National Park]]. A [[Honeypot (geography)|honeypot]] during the summer months, it is located at a crossing point of the [[River Esk, North Yorkshire|River Esk]] in the bottom of a U-shaped valley formed by glacial actions during the last Ice Age.

 

===John Castillo===

Lealholm was home to the poet and lay preacher [[John Castillo]] (1792 - 1845), often referred to as the "Bard of the Dales". He lived on the site now known as "Poets Corner", which today operates as a plant nursery.

 

===Lealholmside===

Overlooking the village stands the hamlet of Lealholmside - a row of houses running along the side of the valley. It was a popular location with the photographer [[Francis Meadow Sutcliffe|Frank Meadow Sutcliffe]], who took many pictures in the area, although few of the village itself are in publication.<ref name=sutcliffe>[http://www.sutcliffe-gallery.co.uk The Sutcliffe Gallery]</ref><br>

On Friday [[27 April]] [[1979]], an [[USAF]] [[F-4 Phantom II|Phantom]] aircraft from [[RAF Alconbury|Alconbury]] was performing low level tactical reconaissance over the North York Moors. For some unknown reason their engine stalled and the aircraft banked left, striking the ground to the west of Lealholmside before cartwheeling in a fireball across fields for almost half a mile below the houses. Pilot Major Donald Lee Schuyler and Navigator Lt Thomas Wheeler were killed in the crash. It is believed that the crew carefully guided the stricken craft away from the village below where the local primary school would have been full of children, having begun classes just half an hour before the accident. A memorial stone, errected by villagers, stands on the site of the crash alongside the road between Lealholm and Lealholmside.<ref name=aircrash>[http://www.allenby.info/aircraft/planes/61-80/leal.html Plane Crash Lealholm]</ref><ref name=usafserialnos>[http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/1968.html USAF Serial numbers]</ref>

 

==Geography==

===Ice Age===

At the head of the village stands the woodland and steep sided valley of Crunkly Ghyll, a ravine carved by the River Esk through the hillside where the river drops 30 metres from the valley above to reach the village. It was formed during the last great ice age as a huge wall of ice moved across the landscape carving out what is now the Esk Valley as far as Lealholm. At its head it formed a massive dam blocking the flow of water from above and creating a lake running back up the valley to Commondale. As the ice melted, the river forced its way out carving the ravine we see today. In Victorian times, the Ghyll was home to a large rockery garden, open to the public, but long since washed away by flooding.

 

==History==

===Mills===

Lealholm was home to at least one mill for centuries, and the earliest records show a mill located within the village in 1336 belonging to the Lord of the Manor, William le Latimer, 3rd Baron of Danby. Fed by the small Cow Beck, water - and therefore work - could have been in short supply during dry summer months, and by 1709 it was demolished. A Quaker, Thomas Whatson, built a new mill on the site constructing a long mill-race from Crunkly Ghyll through the village to join Cow Beck close to the site. This mill-race now forms the boundary of the cricket pitch surrounding it on most sides as it passes the mill. The mill had the authority to clean and remove any woodland, earth or rubbish within 40 yards of the mill-race "for upholding the mill and dams", and "with liberty for all persons that shall grind corn and grain at the mill to sieve and sift on two parcels of ground called Adam Rigg and Ellergates". Thus the outcrop of hillside rising towards the station became known as Oatmeal Hill. When the Nos 3 & 4 railway cottages were purchased by the Overton family in 1970 the semi-detached houses were combined and the building became known as "Oatmill Cottage". The village was also home to a [[paper mill]], which employed up to 20 people during its heyday. The site is now a garden centre, known as "Poet's Corner" after John Castillo, who lived in a cottage on the site, now since demolished. <ref name=Davison>Davison, J (c 1974) Chronicles of Lealholm & Glaisdale: J.W. and M.E. Duck</ref>

 

== Lealholm Village Show ==

===History===

Lealholm Farm Produce and Horticultural Society hold a village show & sports day on the first Saturday in September. It held its 87th show in 2007. There was no show in 1970, and in 2001 the show was cancelled due to the [[2001 UK foot and mouth crisis|Foot and mouth]] outbreak.

 

<gallery>

Image:lealholm_bridge.jpg|Lealholm in Winter from St James' Church.

</gallery>