Editorial

Maureen Ellis and Michael Slater
 JOURNAL 
 2015 
 North Craven 
 Heritage Trust 

The past is how we got here, and there is a comfort in looking back because it is a known quality. We also learn from our heritage how to do things better and why things are as they are. Fortunately for inquisitive people there is always more to discover. Heritage is not just about beautiful buildings and artefacts, it is the grist of daily living, by the poor as well as the rich and is about local industry and commerce. Humble objects belong to our heritage as well as gold.

Disagreements can break out between neighbours, counties and countries - one of the articles describes an object of war. Craven abounds with the heritage of animal husbandry and crop growing in its place-names and buildings. Sheep are everywhere on the fells and the rights and lives of tenant farmers looking after them is recorded in another article. Energetic and power-driven people have emerged to build grand houses and capitalize on natural resources. A vital community does leave scars on the landscape; some aspects of everyday living are not pretty, but they tell a story of people’s needs. Man-made features go hand-in-hand with wildlife heritage. This year’s Journal contains articles on shops that over the years have kept up with the times, and the coinage involved in commercial transactions.

Our religious buildings are linked to the past. Medieval churches are often built on sites that were originally sacred, often near a water source or on a mound. Before effective cures of body and mind became available, a special place would become associated with alleviation of these afflictions. These traditions would link the spiritual past with later buildings and one of the articles describes this.

We are extremely grateful over the years and especially the last two years, for the hawk-eyed and experienced contributions that Sylvia and John Harrop make to the draft and proof reading of the Journal. They help us to reach a professional standard. We also want to thank David Holdsworth and Frank Woodhams again for their professional time in managing our web-site.

Would authors submitting articles for next year’s Journal please read the note about the formats desired, especially regarding style of references, or copy one of the styles adopted in this Journal. This significantly reduces the amount of work we have to do. The note is at the back of the 2014 Journal and on the website.

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