RAF Menwith Hill, Menwith Hill Road, Harrogate HG3 2RF

RAF Menwith Hill is located on the moors between Harrogate and Pateley Bridge. It is a telecommunications spy base run largely by the USAF. it is a familiar site for drivers travelling across the moors. Many local houses are rented out to americans stationed at the base. Side arms are often concealed under their jackets.

Percy Shaw O.B.E., Reflecting Roadstuds Ltd, 1 Mill Lane, Boothtown, Halifax HX3 6TR

Percy Shaw Cats Eyes is a trading name of Reflecting Roadstuds Limited. Originally set up in 1935 it still remains in Boothtown, Halifax.

Once after a long day of road laying Percy was slaking his thirst at the Old Dolphin in Clayton Heights. Percy, like all other motorists at that time relied at night upon the reflections of their headlights from the tramlines to see them safely home.  The demise of the tram led to the eventual removal of the tramlines thus depriving the motorist of the night-time aid they had so relied upon.

Shaw realised this night-time guide to traffic must somehow be re-instated.  His encounter with a cat this densely foggy night proved his inspiration and catalyst. As he made his way home through the village of Queensbury to his home in Boothtown he had to descend down a twisting road.  A sharp reflection in his headlights stirred his curiosity and caused him to bring his car to a standstill.  On alighting from his vehicle he discovered that this reflection was the eyes of a cat but more importantly that he was traveling down the wrong side of the road, had he continued in a straight path he would have plummeted over the edge of this twisting road.

He applied his spare time to resolving this issue of a night-time guide and after many trials and failures he eventually took out patents on his invention and on 15th March 1935 the company of Reflecting Roadstuds Ltd was incorporated with Percy Shaw as Managing Director.

The development of the company and the “Catseye” reflecting Roadstud was to occupy the rest of Percy Shaw’s life. Initially it was extremely difficult to persuade the authorities to invest in his invention and it wasn’t until the black-out during the Second World War almost ten years later that his invention was widely adopted and used on UK roads.

By the 1950s he had established manufacturing independence having constructed a Foundry to produce the cast iron base, a rubber processing plant which dealt with the compounding and vulcanising of the rubber insert and a  glass manipulation plant for the production and mirroring of the glass reflector.

The 1960s saw the company expand it’s markets overseas.  In the Queen’s Birthday honours list of 1965 Percy received recognition for this by being awarded an O.B.E. for services to export.  He was interviewed for television by Alan Whicker who revealed his spartan and reclusive lifestyle to the nation. Percy Shaw had an inventive and engineering mind, a dogged determination, unremitting Yorkshire grit and an impish sense of humour which enabled him to overcome every obstacle along an un-troddden path and illuminating it on the way.  He died on the 1st September 1976 at the age of eighty-six. 

A new pub the Percy Shaw was later named for him.

Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, The Railway Station, Haworth BD22 8NJ

The Worth Valley branch out of Keighley climbs up the valley serving several small Pennine villages along the way. At Oakworth, the railway leaves the valley of the River Worth and enters the valley of  Bridgehouse Beck, wherein lie Haworth and the line’s terminus at Oxenhope. The line has always terminated here, although press speculation of an extension to Hebden Bridge has at times been suggested. This has never been a serious proposition however.

The line opened in 1867, funded predominantly by local wealthy mill owners. Within a very short time, the railway became part of the Midland Railway until in 1923 at the Grouping, it was absorbed into the new London Midland and Scottish Railway. Upon Nationalisation in 1948, the line became part of British Railways, and with its fortunes declining with the rise of competition from the roads, the branch closed in 1962.
Much local opposition to this saw the rise of the KWVRPS and by their efforts, the railway reopened in 1968.

The railway has been used as a film location for nearly 50 years. Films such as Yanks and The Railway Children have featured it.

Whitelock's Ale House, 4 Turk's Head Yard, Leeds LS1 6HB

Whitelock's is one of the oldest pubs in Leeds. It was founded in 1715 as the Turk's Head. 

In 1867 the licence of the Turk’s Head was granted to John Lupton Whitelock. In the 1880s the Whitelock family purchased the pub, and in 1886 refurbished the pub, establishing the ornate decor still in place today, including the long marble topped bar, etched mirrors and glass.

From the mid-1890s the pub became known as Whitelock’s First City Luncheon Bar and in 1897 John Lupton Whitelock installed electricity, including a revolving searchlight, at the Briggate entrance to the yard.

Whitelock’s was a favourite rendezvous with stage stars and it received royal approval when Prince George, later Duke of Kent, entertained a party in a curtained-off section of the restaurant. At one time a doorman made sure that men wore dinner jackets and, as women were not allowed at the bar, waiters served drinks where female customers sat.

Poet John Betjeman enjoyed the atmosphere of Whitelock’s, describing it as “the Leeds equivalent of Fleet Street’s Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese and far less self-conscious, and does a roaring trade. It is the very heart of Leeds.”

It was already a pub of some note by 1930, and the pub received a Grade II listing in 1963. In 2008, Whitelock’s was honoured by the Leeds Civic Trust with the 100th iconic “blue plaque” to be hung in the city. It was unveiled by Sarah Whitelock, granddaughter of Lupton Whitelock.

The Bradford Jesus Man (in memoriam)

Long ago (1960) there was an operative in the International Harvesters plant in Bradford. His name was Geoffrey Brindley. Suddenly one afternoon he walked out and punched in his last time ticket. He was going to live in a cave near Settle and find God.

Some time later he was spotted in Bradford moving in mysterious ways and wearing a monk's habit. He was known for his cheeriness and occasional aggressive shouting. As the generations evolved many legends grew up around him. The truth is he lived with a friend in Baildon. He was "spotted" so many times a website was set up to track his movements. 

In 2012 he had 20,000+ facebook nominations to carry the Olympic Torch through Bradford. He declined the offer in a modest way.

When he died in August 2015, at the age of 88, it left Bradford and most of West Yorkshire without their semi-mythical hero. The news even made the national press.

Since his death there have been facebook campaigns for a statue to commemorate him. Unfortunately Bradford MDC seem reluctant to honour this walking legend. A condolence book has been set up by his fans though.

Sandal Castle, Manygates Lane, Sandal, Wakefield WF2 7DS

Sandal Castle was probably first built in the early 12th century after William de Warenne received the Manor of Wakefield from Henry I in about 1106.

The earthwork motte and bailey castle was probably completed by about 1130.

The archaeological evidence suggests that the rebuilding in stone started at the very end of the 12th century and continued throughout much of the 13th century. The only documentary records relating to the building work are references to materials being supplied for building work in 1270 and 1275.  

Apart from a short period after 1317 when the castle was attacked and captured by Thomas Earl of Lancaster the castle continued to develop under the de Warennes until 1361.  

From 1361 the castle was in the hands of royal owners, who were largely absentee landlords and no further major building work seems to have taken place. In 1484/5  Richard III ordered building works to make Sandal suitable as a base for a permanent household in the north. 

His defeat at Bosworth in 1485 brought an end to any further development at Sandal. The major event of the Wars of the Roses to take place here was the Battle of Wakefield on 30 December 1460 at which the Duke of York was mortally wounded. The battle was fought on Wakefield Green below the castle and the castle suffered no damage.

From then on Sandal was allowed to fall into decay. The progress of that decay can be seen in surviving surveys of the fabric of the castle undertaken in the years 1538, 1545, 1564 and 1565-6. These surveys are very detailed, listing building by building the extent of the repairs needed. It is clear from the increasing amount of work needed in each survey that most of the stonework was in an advanced state of disrepair.

The castle seems to have been completely unoccupied from about 1600 until it was briefly re-fortified by a Royalist garrison in 1645 during the Civil Wars. The occupation lasted only a few months and the castle surrendered on 1 October 1645. In 1646 on the orders of Parliament the castle was stripped of its defences. The heap of stonework that was left quickly became overgrown. The masonry that did survive was revealed during the excavations in 1964 -1973.  

  

Kirklees Priory, Clifton, Brighouse HD6 4HD

Kirklees Priory

Wallace Hartley of the Titanic, Surreyside, 48 West Park Street, Dewsbury WF13 4LD

Wallace Hartley (1878 - 1912) was the bandmaster of the RMS Titanic and lost his life during it's sinking. Though born in Colne he spent much of his later life in Yorkshire and lived at the Dewsbury address above. His memorial is in Colne and there is a blue plaque at the Dewsbury address. 

Polish Parish, 15/17 Edmund Street, Bradford BD5 0BH

The end of World War II brought a large influx of polish refugees into Bradford. At first the Roman Catholic poles worshipped at the local St Joseph's and St Patrick's churches. This was the beginning of the new polish parish from 1948. 

The new Parish Priest Henryk Borynski (whose mysterious disappearance in 1953 attracted much publicity in the local press) quickly established the Polish Parish Council, Polish Catholic Youth Association, Church Choir and Rotary Circle. Later a 21-year lease on an existing church building in Lansdowne Place was signed and in March 1960 the church was consecrated. Shortly after this the nearby Polish Parish Club was opened for social meetings and celebrations. 

In 1971 the church was bought outright under the invocation of Our Lady of Czestochowa. The pontification of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla as Pope John Paul II brought much jubilation to Poles in the UK and all over the world. In January 1979 the Polish Church in Bradford received special recognition and thanks for their achievements from their much beloved Pope.

The parish today functions with a number of associations :-

Polish Catholic Elders’ Circle (KSWK)

Polish Catholic Youth Association (KSMP)

Polish School (Szkola Polska)

Polish Scouts (Harcerze)

Polish Parish Club & Day Centre

Manningham Mills, Heaton Road, Bradford BD9 4SH

Manningham Mills is one the prominent features on the Bradford skyline with it's 255 foot chimney. It is a grade 2 listed building and much of it has been converted into apartments by Urban Splash. It is also known locally as Lister's Mill due to it's founder Samuel Cunliffe Lister. The property was built in 1873 and replaced another mill on the site.

A strike at t'mill in 1890/91 led to the foundation of the Independent Labour Party from which the modern Labour Party evolved.

Keld War Memorial, Keld DL11 6LJ

Keld is a small scenic and remote village in the upper reaches of Swaledale. It derives it's name from kelda the norse name for a spring. It's World War I memorial is probably unique in only having four names on it.

The Great War 1914 - 1918 Those whose names are on this wall For their country gave their all: Coming hither, passing hence, Hold their names in reverence. Richard Alderson Thomas Clarkson William Waller Hutchinson Robert Rukin

Timothy Taylor & Co.Limited, Knowle Spring Brewery, Keighley BD21 1AW

Timothy Taylor was established in 1858 in Keighley. Since 1863 the brewery has been at it's current site.

Timothy Taylor's best known ale is Landlord, a pale bitter, 4.3% abv when cask conditioned, and 4.1% when sold filtered in the bottle. It was created for miners, to compete against local rival Barnsley Bitter. It has been voted Champion Beer of Britain four times by CAMRA. It increased it's popularity when the musician Madonna declared it to be her favourite beer.

A variety of other ales, such as Boltmaker, Golden Best, Dark Mild and Ram Tam may be found in Timothy Taylor's pubs. A French style blonde ale Le Champion was brewed specially to celebrate the 2014 Tour de France Grand Depart in Leeds.

Pontefract Castle, Pontefract WF8 1QH

Pontefract Castle has had a long and colourful history since it was first built in the years following the Norman Conquest. It was frequently at the centre of national events, acting as fortress, temporary home for lords and kings and a centre of local administration. It was also a prison and armoury up to its demolition in 1649. 

The first earth and timber motte and bailey castle was built by Ilbert de Lacy in the late 1080s. As a reward for his services to William the Conqueror, Ilbert received vast estates in Yorkshire.

Richard II was imprisoned and died at Pontefract. It is not known if he starved himself to death or left to starve by his captors. Other famous prisoners included James I of Scotland, and Charles Duc d'Orleans captured at the battle of Agincourt in 1415.​

The castle continued to act as a royal base for military activities in times of unrest. During the Wars of the Roses it was sometimes used as a Lancastrian stronghold, as when in 1460 the Lancastrian army marched from Pontefract to the Battle of Wakefield. 

The Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III, used Pontefract as one of his official residences. In 1483, during his usurpation of the throne, he had three of his political opponents executed in the castle.

During the Civil Wars Pontefract Castle was held for the King and underwent three sieges, during which the town suffered great damage. Siege coins were minted at the castle, which was the last remaining Royalist stronghold when it finally surrendered in 1649. 

On the orders of Parliament the castle was so thoroughly demolished.  A true picture of its strength and grandeur in its heyday can now only be seen in the fine 17th Century painting on display at Pontefract Museum. Later the bailey area was used for growing liquorice.

In 1882 Pontefract Corporation opened the castle as a public park after some excavation. The castle is now a scheduled ancient monument in the guardianship of Wakefield Council, although still the property of Her Majesty the Queen in right of her Duchy of Lancaster. 

A programme of excavation and conservation was undertaken from 1981 - 1985 by The West Yorkshire Archaeology Service for the Pontefract Castle Conservation Committee. ​

Haworth Old Hall, Sun Street, Haworth BD22 8BP

The Old Hall is one of the oldest buildings in the village dating back to the year 1580.

Much of the Tudor charm and atmosphere has been preserved and there are two beautiful open log fires, seven real ales on tap, a delicious seasonal food menu using local produce and an extensive wine list too. 

Set a short stroll from the moors and situated at the foot of the historic Haworth Main Street, The Old Hall is one of the most popular destinations for visitors young and old to the Pennines.

York Real Ale Pubs Map -June 2015

York Real Ale Pubs Map -June 2015

The Shambles, York YO1 7LZ

When in York visiting the Shambles is a must.  ‘The Shambles’ is sometimes used as a general term for the maze of twisting, narrow lanes which make York so charming.  At its heart is the lane actually called the Shambles, arguably the best preserved medieval street in the world.  It was mentioned in the Domesday Book of William the Conqueror in 1086.  Many of the buildings on the street today date back to the late fourteenth and fifteenth century (around 1350-1475).

The Shambles was a street of butchers’ shops and houses, many complete with a slaughterhouse at the back of the premises, ensuring a ready supply of fresh meat.  The meat was hung up outside the shops and laid out for sale on what are now the shop window-bottoms.  It is still possible to see some of the original butcher’s meat-hooks attached to the shop fronts.

Lacking modern-day sanitation facilities, there was a constant problem of how to dispose of the waste produced by the slaughter of animals in the city.  The pavements are raised either side of the cobbled street to form a channel where the butchers would wash away their offal and blood twice a week.

In some sections of the Shambles it is possible to touch both sides of the street with your arms outstretched.  The architecture which now appears so quaint had a very practical purpose.  The overhanging timber-framed fronts of the buildings are deliberately close-set so as to give shelter to the ‘wattle and daub’ walls below.  This would also have protected the meat from any direct sunshine.

The name is thought to derive from ‘Shammel’, an anglo-saxon word for the shelves which were a prominent feature of the open shop-fronts.

Chellow Dene Reservoirs, Haworth Road, Bradford BD15 9LJ

Chellow Dene is a local beauty spot on the western outskirts of Bradford which can be reached by public transport. Although within the City boundaries Chellow Dene reservoirs lie within a quiet wooded valley and are a haven for wildlife including herons and owls.

The reservoirs were constructed by Bradford Corporation in Victorian times to provide a stable water supply for the people of Bradford. The upper reservoir was the first to be built, in 1844. The lower reservoir constructed in 1853. The reservoirs are no longer used to provide a water supply and were acquired by Bradford Council in 1974 and are maintained for recreational purposes. The reservoirs feed into Bradford Beck.

A walk around Chellow Dene

Whip Ma Whop Ma Gate, York YO1 8BL

Whip Ma Whop Ma Gate is a small street in central York.  It was the site of a whipping post/pillory during the medieval period. The street used to be called Whitnourwhatnourgate, meaning "neither one thing, nor the other" in Norse.

Egypt & The Walls of Jericho, Egypt Road, Thornton, Bradford BD13 3RS

The Walls of Jericho were created between 1847 and 1891 to support the embankments on the road from Egypt to Thornton. The weight of the walls and the earth behind them caused strain. During 1985/86 the walls were demolished for safety reasons and the road widened. The cottages at Egypt still remain. Both names are probably biblical in origin. 

Slackbottom Road, Bradford BD6 3RH

Yorkshire is full of quirky, and in this case, rude names. The name slack is an old norse name referring to a small valley or depression in the ground. Though only a small residential and unmade street it has two fine facilities. At the eastern end is the Buttershaw Lane Fish & Chip Shop (the one storeyed property in the top photo). In the middle of the street is the Gaping Goose pub (below). A listing of old norse names is available here.

The White Horse of Kiburn, Sutton Bank, Thirsk YO7 2EY

The White Horse was designed and financed by Thomas Taylor, a Victorian businessman, and was cut in 1857. A native of Kilburn, he worked for a London merchant. He had seen the famous chalk hill figures of southern England and wanted to create something similar for his home village.

The village schoolmaster, John Hodgson, and helpers did the work. He marked out the figure of a horse on a hillside high above the village. A team of thirty-one volunteers did the actual cutting. When the shape of the Horse was complete, they deposited 6 tons of lime on the naturally greyish rock beneath to whiten it.

The White Horse is 314ft long and 228ft high and about 20 people could stand on the grass island, which forms the eye, though walking on the horse is now strongly discouraged.

Unlike the horses in the South of England which are cut into chalk and are therefore naturally white and virtually self-preserving, the Kilburn white horse is cut into limestone, which is the wrong colour and needs artificial whitening. This was first done using gallons of whitewash, but now chalk chippings from the Yorkshire Wolds are used. Its conspicuousness hasn't always been considered a benefit; during World War II the Horse had to be covered over to stop it becoming a target for German bombers !

The North York Moors National Park have published a short walk around the White Horse and Sutton Bank. This walk skirts the nearby Yorkshire Gliding Club.

True Yorkshire Map

click map to enlarge

One of the great injustices was committed in the 1974 local government re-organisation. Substantial chunks of Yorkshire were given away to Cleveland, County Durham, Lancashire and Greater Manchester. The map above shows these changes. This historical deviance has been challenged by the Yorkshire Ridings Society ever since. They should be commended for their efforts.

Emley Moor Transmitting Station, Jagger Lane, Emley Moor, Huddersfield HD8 9TQ

Emley Moor Transmitting Station is a telecommunications and broadcasting facility on Emley Moor, 1 mile (1.6 km) west of Emley. The station's most visible feature is its 1,084-foot (330.4 m) tall concrete tower, which is a Grade II listed building. It is the tallest freestanding structure in the United Kingdom.

The tower's official name "Arqiva Tower" is shown on a sign beside the offices at the base of the tower but it is commonly known as "Emley Moor mast". It is the 3rd tower to have occupied the site since 1956. The preceding tower collapsed during bad weather in March 1969. The photo above shows the new tower (1971) from the top of Holme Moss. 

J Brindon Addy, Penistone Road, Hade Edge, Holmfirth HD9 2JG

On my travels around Yorkshire I occasionally found great eateries and shops. This remote location on the moors has one of the best butchers/delicatessens around. It's worth a trip out for the scenery alone !  I regularly stopped for their home made pies and scotch eggs. They even sell that fancy continental food as well. J Brindon Addy's comes highly recommended by those in the know.

Haribo Pontefract Cakes 26 Front Street, Pontefract WF8 1NJ

Pontefract Cakes are a small, roughly circular black sweet made of liquorice, originally manufactured in the Yorkshire town of Pontefract.

Liquorice has been grown in England since at least the 16th century. Records indicate it's use in Pontefract since the 17th century. Today the principal manufacturer of Pontefract Cakes is Haribo (formerly Dunhill). Another manufacturer is Tangerine Confectionery in the district of Monkhill. A list of old manufacturers can be downloaded here.

Seabrook Crisps, Duncombe Street, Bradford BD8 9AJ

Seabrook Crisps was founded by Charles Brook in 1945. The trade name originated with some confusion about the spelling of Mr Brook's name. Seabrook's original factory was on the site of a liberal club in the Allerton area. In 1979/80 a larger factory was built nearby at Princeville. All the production has been at the Princeville premises since 2004. 

The crisps are available throughout the UK and the company remains a family concern. The crisps are cooked in sunflower oil and are MSG free. The company employs about 150 people and mostly uses Yorkshire grown potatoes in it's main product.

Mitchells Wool Fat Soap Ltd, 46 St Helena Road, Bradford BD6 1QH

Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap was first produced in the early 1930's by Bradford chemist Fred Mitchell who realised that the natural lanolin content of wool fat, which kept the hands of local sheep shearers and wool sorters so exceptionally soft, could also be beneficial to delicate complexions and sensitive skins.

A simple and natural product, Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap is still made to Mr. Mitchell's original formula, based on a recipe from the turn of the century and incorporating lanolin from the wool fat as the key ingredient.

Although no medical claims are made for it, this very gentle soap is particularly soothing to sensitive skins and has often been recommended by members of the medical profession to help alleviate certain skin complaints.

From its early loyal following of mainly local customers, the reputation of Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap has grown and it is now in great demand not only in the British Isles but in Europe, Australia, Japan and the USA.

Again in response to customer demand, other products developed from the original recipe, such as shampoo and bath foam, have now been added to the Mitchell's range.