Huntworth history

7 November 2004
Leaders - Arthur Lupton and Harold Foxcroft
 JOURNAL 
 2005 
 North Craven 
 Heritage Trust 

The walk was planned by Arthur Lupton, but was conducted on the day by Harold Foxcroft. The meeting place was Tarn Barn, Mill Hill, Giggleswick. The area provides many subjects relevant to the history and heritage of Giggleswick. The barn meeting point itself, date-stoned JH 1824, was positioned on the edge of the former Giggleswick Tarn. The tarn was drained in 1837 and revealed a dug-out oak canoe in 1863, often quoted as of ancient British origin. After a move from a Settle Museum to Leeds, a bomb on the Leeds Museum destroyed the boat during World War II. Carbon dating during its restoration proved it to be of a later 14th century origin. The reconstructed canoe can be seen in the Leeds Museum.

After following the overgrown and potentially hazardous public footpath through the golf course, the Ebbing and Flowing Well was found in a dormant state, but copies of pages from Speight's 'The Craven and North-West Yorkshire Highlands' provided information about its operation and history. The golf course itself is one of the oldest in Yorkshire and has expanded to provide a further nine holes on the original tarn area.

An old map of about 1850 showed some five or six limekilns along the length of Giggleswick Scar and David S. Johnson's book 'Limestone Industries of the Yorkshire Dales' charts the later story of Giggleswick Quarry and Lime Works, including the background of the aerial ropeway of the 1920s and 30s leading to Giggleswick Station.

Returning along Mill Hill Lane past the re-emerging Huntworth Beck, a diversion revealed water issuing through built stonework from below the road. The supposition is that this is the way the Tarn was drained. The route also passed a recently built pump-house, the most recent addition to the private water supply of Giggleswick School, sourced at the top of Buckhaw Brow and dating from before 1890.

Following the footpath between Mill Hill and Craven Bank Lanes gave the chance to look at the now derelict observatory, built about 1950/60 for pupils at Giggleswick School, but now made redundant by technological advances. At Craven Bank Lane there was the opportunity to see another former tarn which had been drained and in 1910 had been drastically re-shaped to provide the School's cricket field.

Paths were now followed to the west and south of the School to return along the ancient Dallicar Lane to the starting point.

HuntworthWalk.jpg
Looking for raptors on Giggleswick Scar



HuntworthWalk.jpg
Looking for raptors on Giggleswick Scar