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BELIEVE IT OR NOT facts / legends of yorkshire"

What is the origin of Bradford's coat of arms?
The inclusion of the boar's head and three bugle horns in Bradford's coat of arms was a result of a remarkable and unusual happening.

According to Camden, the sixteenth century historian, the significance and incorporation of horns into Bradford's crest came about on the following way:
"Bradforde belonged to John of Gaunt, who granted to John Northrop, of Manningham, and his heirs, three meesuages and six booates of land to cum to Bradford on the following blow of a horn on St. Martins day in winter, and wait on him and his heirs in their way form Blackburnshire, with a lance and a hunting dog for thirty days, to have for yeoman's board one penny for himself and halfpenny for his dog, etc., for going with the receiver or bailiff to conduct him safe to the castle of Pontefract."

A descendant of Northrop afterwards granted land in Horton to Rushworth of Horton, to hold the hound while Northrop's man blew the horn.
These are called Hornman or Hornblow lands, and the custom is still kept up.
A man coming into the market place with a horn, halbert and dog is sent by the owner of the lands in Horton.
After proclamation made, the former calls out aloud, " Heirs of Rushworth, come, hold me my hound while I blow three blasts of my horn, to pay my rent due to my sovereign lord the King."
He then delivers the string to the man from Horton, and winds his horn thrice. The horn is preserved though stripped of its silver ornaments.

With regard to the wild boar, the head of which forms part of the crest, we are indebted to a certain James Hartley, a schoolmaster, whose school was situated near the bottom of Kirgate two centuries ago, and who translated from ancient documents the following account :
"A ravenous boar of a most enormous size, haunted a certain place called the Cliffe wood, and at times very much infested the town (Bradford) and the neighbouring inhabitants thereof, so that a reward was offered by the government to any person or persons who would bring the head of this boar, which much excited some to attempt it.

Now the story runs thus, That this boar frequented a certain wood to drink, which to this day is called the 'Boar's Well,' that he was watched by a certain person who shot him dead there, took his tongue out of his head and immediately repaired to court to claim the promised reward.

Presently, after his departure from the well, another person came thither upon the same intention and, finding the beast dead, without any further examination, cuts off his head and away he hastes towards the same place, and in expectation of the reward as the former, and there arrives before him.

Being introduced to his majesty's presence, the head was examined but was found without a tongue, concerning which the man was interrogated could give no satisfactory account. Whilst this was held in suspense the other man was introduced with the tongue, claimed the promised reward and unfolded the riddle by informing his Majesty how and by what means he killed the beast, and thus received the following grant :
A certain place or portion of land lying at great Horton known as Hunt Yard and for the tenure of which he and his heirs for ever should annually attend in the market place at Bradford, on St. Martin's day, in the forenoon and there, by the name of the heir of Rushworth, hold a dog of the hunting kind whilst three blasts were blown on a gelder's horn, and these words, 'Come heir of Rushworth, etc.,' expressed aloud.

After changing hands many times the horn came into possession of Mr. Richard Fawcett, after whose death a century ago the relic was purchased by another Bradford gentleman, Mr. John Wright, who finally sold it to Mr. Charles Rhodes, who in turn disposed of it to an antiquarian, a Dr. Outhwaite.

The ancient instrument was repurchased by Mr. Rhodes who later presented it to Bradford Philosophical society. Finally, after having had many owners, the horn was preserved in the Cartwright Hall.

Two inns of old Bradford perpetuated the legend of the wild boar of Cliffe Wood, "The Boars Head" and the "Wild Boar."

Who was described as an "ornament of her age and country"?
Lady Anne Clifford, a member of that famous family and who was born in Skipton Castle in 1589.

She is best known for her work in restoring the home of her ancestors which had suffered great damage during the Civil War.

In addition, Lady Anne was responsible for the repair of seven churches as well as the rebuilding of the steeple of the church at Skipton.

Not long after the restoration of Skipton Castle, Lady Anne suffered the indignity of having troops quartered upon her, but nevertheless insisting upon living among her uninvited and unwelcome guests.

She died aged 87 at Brougham Castle in Westmoreland and was buried in the church of St. Lawrence at Appleby.

Which famous Yorkshireman was known as "Black Tom"?
Thomas Fairfax, who was born at Denton, lower Wharfedale, in 1612, the son of Ferdinando and Lady Mary Fairfax.

Fairfax married Mary Vere and settled at the family seat at Nun Appleton near York.

"Black Tom," whose nickname was given to him due to his dark hair and swarthy complexion, was one of the greatest Yorkshiremen of his age.

The outbreak of the Civil War in 1642 found Fairfax in the forefront in the struggle against the King.
He was in command during the seige of Bradford, Leeds, Wakefield and other towns, fought at Marston Moor and was wounded during a severe skirmish at Selby.

Oliver Cromwell served under Fairfax holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and whose ability General Fairfax was quick to recognise.

Black Tom accompanied Charles I as far as Holmby where the monarch was delivered up by the Scots in 1647, and when presiding over the judges who were to try the king, used his influence to avert the monarch's execution.

In quieter and more peaceful days Lord Fairfax retired to his home, Nun Appleton Hall, where he wrote his "Short Memorials."

As the weight of years descended upon old Black Tom he became crippled with gout and rheumatism and was confined to a mechanical chair.
This, with other Fairfax relics, is preserved in York museum.

The great old Yorkshireman, hater of kingly tyranny, died on the 12th of December, 1671, after reading the forty-second psalm.
His remains were buried in the Northern Chapel at Bilborough, near York, a black slab of marble bearing the following inscription :

"Here lye the bodies of the right Honble,
Thomas, Lord Fairfax, of Denton,
Baron of Cameron,
Why dyed November ye XII, 1671,
In the 60th yeare of his age,
And of Anne his wife, Daughter and co-heir of,
Horatio, Lord Vere,
Baron of Tilbury,
They had issue
Mary, Duchess of Buckingham,
And Elizabeth.
_______

The memory of the Just is Blessed.

Where was a sexton paid half a crown for whipping dogs out of the church?
The custom of whipping dogs and ejecting them from church during service was common in many country churches.

Farmers at one time took their dogs to church by habit, and the resulting barking and snarling by rival canines may be imagined.
It was the sexton's duty to clear the church of the animals.

The following entry was made in the Parish books of Kildwick in 1746 :
" To same for half a year's wages for whipping the dogs 2/6."

What was a Tyburn ticket?
Tyburn tickets were certificates given to a prosecutor on the capital conviction of a criminal, and which exempted the prosecutor from all parish and ward offices within the Parish wherein such felony was committed.

By an act during the reign of William III the certificate could be transferred to a third party by simply endorsing it. The custom was abolished in 1818.

When have wives been publicly auctioned in Yorkshire?
This happened in several places.

In 1858, in a beer shop in Little Horton, Bradford, a certain Hartley Thompson publicly announced that his wife would be sold to the highest bidder, and even engaged a bell-man to acquaint citizens of the fact.

On February 4th, 1806, a man named George Gowthorpe sold his wife for 20 guineas in the market place at Hull, delivering her to a purchaser named Houseman with a halter around her neck.

In 1815 a husband at Pontefract, evidently weary of his spouse, held an auction several times in an attempt to sell his wife.
Offering the woman at a minimum bid of one shilling, she was finally knocked down for 11 shillings.

At Selby in 1862 a husband succeeded in selling his wife on the steps of the market cross for a pint of ale.

These transactions had, of course, no legal standing, and they serve to illustrate the ignorance of many I those times where the binding ties of marriage are concerned.

Which underground stream has a course which has many times been explored unsuccessfully?
Fell Beck, on the southern side of Ingleborough, which disappears into Gaping Ghyll.

Many have descended into this pothole in an attempt to trace the course of the Beck, the first being Martel, a well-known French speleologist, on Ausust 1st, 1896.

Where was the swastika, the emblem of German Nazis, carved on stones in Yorkshire hundreds of years ago?

On Ilkley Moor. The swastika was in the Iron Age the symbol and sign of fertility.

Where was a king's hat knocked from his head whilst travelling in Yorkshire?
At Burn Bridge, near Harrogate.

Charles I was being taken under escort for trial in London and when passing through a lane bordered by oaks lost his hat when struck by an overhanging branch.

A villager who owned the land upon which the tree stood at once rushed out, and in shame felled the tree to the ground.

Where is Robin Hoods well?
In Barnsdale, between Ferrybridge and Doncaster, though several villages have wells bearing the same name.

The above-mentioned well is situated where the two parishes of Kirkby Smeaton and Burghwallis meet.

Years ago at a nearby inn a leather bottle was preserved and the claim that it was originally the property of Robin Hood.

A building designed by Vanburgh and built in the early eighteenth century now covers the well.

This well, referred to in ancient documents, is situated on the eastern side of the Great North Road.

In 1487, Henry VII visited Pontefract Castle and was met by the earl of Northumberland with many Gentry and Nobles who were attached to the House of Lancaster, "between Pontefract and Doncaster a littell beyonde Robyn Haddes Well."

Where are to be seen ruts and grooves on the surface of an ancient highway made by Romans during their period of occupation?
On Blackstone Edge on the paved Roman road running between Ripponden and Littleborough.
The grooves, it is believed, were made by poles used as the brakes of vehicles.

What villages on the Yorkshire coast finally disappeared beneath the waves as a result of the incursions of the ocean?
Ravenspur and Ravenserodd at the mouth of the Humber.
The former at one time sent a member to Parliament.

Other villages which have fallen victims to the advance of the sea are Old Withernsea, Auburn, Old Kinsea, Old Albordinlington, Northorp, Hyde, Hornsea Burton, Orwithfleet and Sunthorp.

What was the Hand of Glory?
A grisly talisman and charm made use of by robbers.
It was composed of a hand hacked from a gibbetted criminal, pickled in brine and the fat of the dead man.

A candle placed in the hand was believed to shed a light which gave thieves immunity from arrest and caused others to fall into a dead sleep.

O hand of glory, shed thy light,
Direct us to our spoil tonight,
Flash out thy light, O skeleton hand,
And guide the feet of our trusty band.

What church has shops and other commercial premises built into its walls?
Holy Trinity at Richmond.

Who was Half Hanged Smith?
A native of Malton who was found guilty of burglary at York in 1705.
He was hanged at Knavesmire before a vast crowd of 40,000 spectators.

Fifteen minutes later a messenger dashed up to the gallows with a reprieve and Smith was cut down, bled and restored to conciousness.

Due to this extraordinary experience the unfortunate man earned the soubriquet of Half Hanged Smith.
He returned to prison soon afterwards but was released on lack of evidence.

A third time he was fortunate again for the prosecutor died before the trial could be held.

Who impersonates a patron saint and rides through a city on a white horse?
This is an annual custom at Ripon on the feast of St. Wilfrid.

A representative rides through the city streets on a white horse, wearing robes and mitre and preceded by a monk.

This custom is perpetuated in memory of St. Wilfrid who came to Ripon to found a church in the seventh century.

Who refused a gift of £1,000 from the king when in the depth of penury and want?
Andrew Marvell, the famous poet, who was born near Hull in 1621.

The poet became a friend of Milton and represented Hull as an M.P. for twenty years.

He was described as a pure-minded patriot in the most corrupt of times." He died in 1678.

Who were the original Darby and Joan?
An old couple who lived in Healaugh, near York.

The Marquis of Wharton called them " The happy couple."
They were buried together in the village churchyard.

On which hill was a monument erected in memory of a famous explorer?
A monument in the form of an Obelisk was erected on monument hill in Cleveland by a Whitby man, Robert Campion, in 1827.
It overlooks Marton where Captain Cook was born in 1728, and Great Ayton where he was at school.

Cook conducted extensive surveys of the Australian coast but he was killed by Hawiian natives in 1779.

Where was once known as " the smallest church in Yorkshire"?
A tiny church at Upleatham, near Redcar, which dated from Norman times.

Where were trousers forbidden in the pulpit?
At Bethel Chapel, Cambridge Street, Sheffield.

In 1820, at a time when breeches were universally worn and trousers considered vulgar, the following trust deed was drawn up for the aforementioned chapel:
"Under no circumstances whatever shall any preacher be allowed to occupy the pulpit who wears trousers."

Who was the innkeeper who was charged with the same crime on three occasions?
Tom Lee of Grassington, who in 1779 murdered Dr. Petty, a local physician, and threw the body into the river at Burnsall.
Lee was twice detained and charged but released for lack of evidence.

Finally he was arrested and sent to York to face trial and was hanged. His body was afterwards suspended in chains in Grass Wood.

Where did the opposing armies appear in the sky engaged in mortal combat?
At Hull in September, 1654, where a number of local citizens swore to having witnessed an extraordinary battle between phantom soldiers in the heavens between nine and ten in the evening.

The rival combatants formed a red and black army, the conflict being accompanied by all the dread clash of arms, explosions and cries of the wounded.

A similar phenomenon took place in October, 1658, and which was reported to have been heard forty miles away.

A local record of this strange fantasy stated :
"The country people were struck with such deep wonder and terror that they gave over their labour and ran home with fear, yea, some poor people gathering coals by the seaside were so frightened that they ran away, leaving their sacks behind them.
For forty miles this fearful noise of cannons, muskets and drums was heard all the country over."

Which Castle drew its water supply through the pipes made from the branches of elm trees?
Skipton Castle, which was supplied with water from a point three-quarters of a mile away.

Who was the eccentric young man who, when jilted, went home and spent the rest of his life in bed?
William Sharp of Worlds Farm near Laycock, Keighley.

His bride failing to turn up at church, Sharp, or "Three Laps" as he was familiarly known, returned home, went to bed in a tiny room and hid from the world until the day of his death almost fifty years later.
He died on March 7th, 1856, aged 79.

Who for a wager walked 1,000 miles in as many hours?
James Searle, alias Tigser, a native of Leeds, who in the Barclay match of November, 1843, succeeded in walking 1,000 miles on the stretch of road between the Shakespeare Inn, Meadow Lane, and the New Peacock Inn, Holbeck.

In what churchyard does the following curious epitaph appear on a tombstone?

"My stithy and my hammer I reclined,
my bellows too have lost their bind,
My fire's extinguished, and my forge decayed,
And in the silence dust my vice is laid,
My coal is spent, my stock of iron's gone,
My last nail driven and my work is done."

In the churchyard at Low Moor, near Bradford.
The epitaph refers to Christopher Barlow, a blacksmith of Raw Nook, who died on October 9th, 1824.

Who,according to legend and tradition, built Swinsty Hall on proceeds gained from robbing the dead?
An individual named Robinson who lived in the valley of the Washburn, a few miles from Otley, about the end of the sixteenth century.

The story tells us that Robinson departed for London at a time when the black plague raged there, and spent some time in that terror stricken city robbing the dead and looting houses which had been deserted by the owners.

As a result of his depredations the Yorkshireman became the possessor of a considerable quantity of gold, silver, jewellery and other valuables, which he transported to Yorkshire by means of a wagon and horses.

He found however, upon his arrival home, that all doors were closed against him, the stories of his activities having reached his neighbours' ears and the dread of infection isolating him from his fellows.

Robinson was obliged to seek shelter in a barn in the Washburn Valley, where he also carefully hid his ill-gotten gains, spending his days washing gold and silver in the Greenwell Spring.

In the course of time Robinson bought several acres of land in the Washburn and built Swinsty Hall, a monument to his pillaging expedition.

Who was the governor of a Yorkshire castle whose loyalty to a comrade cost him his life?
Colonel John Morrice, who with Cornet Blackburn was executed at York in 1649 for the murder of Colonel Robert Rainsborough.

Morrice was innocent of the charge, but at the surrender of Pontefract Castle, of which Morrice was governor, and whilst attempting to escape, the pair were caught and sent to York for trial.

However, an opportunity to escape presented itself in the form of a rope which both men descended, hoping to scale the wall and gain their freedom.

Unfortunately for Cornet Blackburn, and indeed for both men as things fell out, in his haste to reach the ground the soldier fell and broke his leg, rendering incapable of proceeding further.

The mishap cost both men their lives, for Colonel Morrice, loyal to the end, refused to desert his companion in misfortune and remained with the injured man until they were taken again and finally executed.

Freebird

MORE BELIEVE IT OR NOT facts / legends of yorkshire"

Who was the hermit of Rombalds Moor?
A certain Job Senior, the illegitimate child of Ann Senior of Beckfoot, near Ilkley.

As a young man he worked as a labourer at Ilkley, later removing to Whitkirk where he forsook a sober and respectable life for that of which a hard drinker, losing regular employment and being obliged to exist as he might, later returning to his native parts and earning a livelihood by means of casual labour on farms at Burley Woodhead.

It was here he made the acquaintance of a widow who lived in a cottage of a widow who lived in a cottage at Coldstream Beck on the edge of Rombolds Moor and determined to marry her.

The lady in question was advanced in years, owned a cottage and garden, and in addition had managed to put a little money aside.
These assets Senior determined to possess by means of marriage, and finally succeeding in making the old crone his wife.

But although his aged spouse did not live long, Senior's plans came to naught, for one day during his absence her first husband's relations visited the cottage and pulled it down, leaving her husband and heir homeless, and his wife's savings, which he had secreted in the walls, either stolen or lost.

In anger and desperation, Job Senior built from the ruins a home, or rather a kind of dog-kennel, just large enough to admit his body and into which he would drag himself and live in filth and squalor.

He lived on a diet consisting almost entirely of potatoes, which he roasted on a fire of peat, having with foresight planted almost all the cottage garden with this vegetable.

In appearance he cut a strange figure, his coat being a mass of patches of various colours as were his trousers, which were held in a position by means of a Hempen belt.
Upon his head he wore a tattered old hat of antique shape, the brim of which had been missing for many years.
His legs and feet were bandaged with straw, the pair of clogs he wore being stuffed with the same material.

Since he never bathed, his general condition may be imagined.
He never sought the services of a barber and his heavy, greasy locks fell about his shoulders, whilst his matted and grizzled beard covered his chest.

His one inseparable companion was an old tobacco pipe which he carried suspended from his hat.
A pair of crooked sticks aided him in his progress around the countryside, and no doubt as a result of his way of life he knew the tortures of rheumatism.

Blessed with self-discipline and common sense the odd fellow might have enjoyed a career as a singer, since he possessed a remarkable voice-treble, alto, tenor and bass-singing in adjacent villages and also at theatres in Leeds and Bradford.
His favourite songs were sacred ones and which he would render with much feeling and expression.
The singer's general condition, however, was such that few would extend hospitality on these occasions, and he was perforce obliged to seek shelter in any outhouse, blacksmith's shop or odd corner he could find.

The end came as the result of a visit to Silsden where Job had made an appearance as a singer.
He was attacked by a serious bout of cholera but managed to struggle back to Ilkley, where he sought the warmth and comfort of a barn belonging to the Wheat Sheaf Inn.
He was removed to Carlton Workhouse, where he died a few days later at the age of seventy-seven.

This odd character, who became known as the hermit of Rombalds Moor, was interred in the churchyard at Burley-in-Wharfedale.

Which church dignitary gave a banquet of staggering proportions and in the preparation of which 2,000 people were employed, and which has been described as the greatest feast in English history?
George Neville, brother of the famous Earl of Warwick, the king maker.

Elevated to the see of York in 1464 the new Archbishop entertained his noble friends at Cawood and gave a feast of gargantuan size.
The menu contained the following items:
"104 oxen, 1,000 sheep, over 500 stags, bucks and does, 400 swans, 2,000 geese, 1,000 capons, 200 pheasants, 500 partridges, 400 woodcocks, 100 curlew, 400 plovers, 2,000 chickens, 4,000 mallards and teals, 400 pigeons, 1,500 hot pasties of venison, 4,000 cold ditto, 2,000 hot custards, 3,000 cold ditto, besides some hundreds of tons of ales and wine with spices and delicacies, etc."

Neville later suffered the confiscation of all his estates, was arrested and thrown into prison and where no doubt he had time to reflect upon his former life of luxury.

In the porch of which church did a man struggle to the death with a cat?
At Barnborough, near Barnsley. Sir Percival Cresacre five hundred years ago was attacked by a huge wild cat when returning home.

According to the legend man and animal struggled for several hours, Sir Percival retreating towards the shelter of the church where the contestants collapsed and died of wounds and exhaustion.

The church contains an old wooden effigy of Sir Percival and on the tower may be seen the carving of a cat.
The flagstones in the porch bear a certain stain which, it is claimed, no amount of scrubbing will efface.

Where is the supposed grave of Robin Hood?
At Kirklees Priory, where according to tradition he was betrayed and treacherously bled to death by the prioress.

The dying outlaw is supposed to have shot an arrow supplied by his old comrade, Little John, the site where it fell marking the spot where his grave was to be dug.
The date is supposed to have been 1247.

Where is the supposed tomb of Oliver Cromwell?
At Newburgh Priory.

The story goes that Mary, a daughter of the protector and who had married one of the Fauconbergs of Newburgh in 1657 and her father's headless body secretly exhumed from the grave beneath Tyburn Tree and conveyed to Newburgh.

The tomb at the priory has never been opened and the facts of the story verified.

What and where is the Strid?
A narrow channel of the Wharfe close to Bolton Abbey which rushes between the banks at great speed.

There is a legend which tells of a boy named Egremond who was drowned whilst attempting to leap from bank to bank.
According to the legend the sorrow-stricken parents built Bolton Abbey as a memorial to their son.

Many lives have been lost by those daring enough to risk a leap across the treacherous waters.

Which Yorkshire town possesses a town hall of which the tower is a copy of a famous Italian building?
Bradford.

The town hall tower is a copy of the Pallazzo Vecchio, Florence.

Where is Hades?
It is a small village near Holmfirth.

When and by whom were the curative waters discovered at Harrogate?
In 1571 by William Slingsby who found a steel spring.

At the present time there are 87 springs, 32 of which are in the Bog's field.

Where and in what river were 10,000 people baptised in a single day?
In the Swale, the waters of which were regarded as sacred by the English long ago.

Paulinus, the first Archbishop of York, is said to have baptised 10,000 men, women and children in this river in a single day.

Which part of a Yorkshire city has a lake which commemorates a famous battle?
Roundhay Park, Leeds, which contains the Waterloo Lake formed in 1818 to perpetuate the memory of Waterloo and the defeat of Napolean.
Its formation took two years to complete.

What and where are the buttertubs?
They are great holes, naturally found in the limestone, about three miles from Muker, between Wensleydale and Swaledale.
Their depth varies from 50 feet to 100 feet.

Which are the highest hills and mountains in Yorkshire?
Mickle Fell 2,592 ft Whernside 2,414 ft
Ingleborough 2,373 ft Great Shunner Fell 2,340 ft
High Seat (Mallerstang) 2,328 ft Great Whernside 2,310 ft
Buckden Pike 2,302 ft Pen - Y - ghent 2,273 ft
Great Coum 2,250 ft The Calf 2,220 ft
Baugh Fell 2,216 ft Lovely Seat 2,213 ft

What and where are the twelve apostles?
Twelve stones placed in a circle on Ilkley Moor on the site of a pre-christian burial ground.

Which is and where is to be found the highest public house in Yorkshire?
Tan Hill Inn, Upper Swaledale, which stands at an altitude of 1,732 feet.

Where can be found a milestone considered to be 1,000 years old?
On the North Riding moors. It is the Lilla Cross.

In which rectory were arrangements made for the coronation of Elizabeth I?
Part of the arrangements for the coronation were made in a small room in the rectory at Newton Kyme, near Tadcaster, by Owen Oglethorpe, the rector, who became Bishop of Carlisle and who crowned Elizabeth I, and Lord Cecil who was squire of Newton Kyme.

A valuable old commentary is preserved at the rectory which was printed in 1534 and signed by Elizabeth after her coronation in 1559.

Where did a tenant farmer pay his rent with snow and roses?
At Langsett, where the tenant paid his rent in the form of a snowball on Midsummer Day and a red rose at Christmas.

Who was the curate who kept a public house and entertained his parishioners by playing the fiddle?
Jeremiah Carter, who was the curate of Lastingham during the early years of the eighteenth century.

As well as his parish duties he kept an ale-house where he regaled his parishioners with airs on his fiddle, in addition to selling liquor as a means of augmenting a very meagre stipend.

Who rode to hounds on a bull?
Jemmy Hirst of Rawcliffe, one of Yorkshire's most eccentric characters.

In addition, he made a vehicle equipped with sails and a carriage of wicker-work which housed his bed and was drawn by Andalusian mules.

In this vehicle the odd fellow visited the king, drawing huge crowds en route.
His costume consisted of a huge hat of lambskin, a coat of lambskin and ducks' necks, breeches of blue, yellow and black, and red and white stockings.

He constructed his own coffin which had windows and shelves.

Jemmy died in 1829, aged 91, and left £12 to be paid to a dozen old maids who were to follow his coffin.
Two musicians were engaged, a fiddler and a piper, who, as a final salute, played "O'er the hills and far away."

Who was known as "The Railway King"?
George Hudson who was born in 1800 and who became a draper in York.

Upon inheriting some £30,000, he began to speculate in the new form of travel, the railway.

He became a promoter of railway-routes and met with immense success.

He was three times Lord Mayor of York and from obscurity rose to wealth and fame.
However, his career came to a complete showdown.
He was accused of faking the accounts and paying dividends from capital.
His fortune was lost and he became again a poor man.

Which famous Yorkshire apple is of French origin?
The Ribston Pippin, which originated in three apple pips sent to Sir Henry Goodricke from an orchard at Rouen in Normandy.

Though two of the pips failed to germinate, the third gave us the famous Ribston Pippin, now known throughout England.

Who possessed second sight and the power to foretell future events?
An individual named Wrightston, a native of Stokesley, who died early in the last century.

He was a man of no education but what he lacked in learning he seemed to possess in the form of extraordinary powers of discernment, beyond the range of perception and knowledge.

Wrightston was consulted by many as to the whereabouts of missing and stolen property, and often the loyalty of an absent lover.
His forecasts were rarely at fault.

Who claimed to be a prophet with divine power and commanded the water of Aire to divide?
John Wroe, who was born at Bowling, Bradford, in 1782.

As a young man, Wroe was employed by his father but later set up on his own account.

He became ill and suffered from epilepsy, wandered alone and finally conceived the notion that he had been sent on earth as a saviour.

Wroe visited France, Italy, Spain and Austria, preached to Catholics and Jews, and was on several occasions fortunate to escape unharmed.

In February 1824, Wroe announced his intention of receiving baptism in the Aire at Appleby Bridge, and that he would divide the waters by divine command.
But due to some hesitation on the part of Wroe, possibly due to the coldness of the water, the large crowd which had assembled chased the "prophet" and his friends with sticks and stones.

In 1854, Wroe bought land near Wakefield and had a mansion built there costing some £2,000 ; built, said Wroe, "to belong to the members of the house of Israel" and which extravagance caused a good deal of uneasiness among the faithful.

The extraordinary man visited the U.S on four occasions and also Australia,

He publicly declared he would live forever but nevertheless died at Fitzroy, Australia, in 1863.
His companion took to the heels, leaving debts amounting to several hundred pounds.

So ended the career of one of Yorkshire's most curious characters.

In which village was kept a parish coffin for the common use of all?
At Easingwold, where the coffin is still kept in a chamber of the church as a relic.

In former times it was made use of by all but those in a position to provide this essential receptacle for the remains of a dead relative.

The coffin was used to convey the corpse from the place of death to the church and thence to the grave, after which it was returned to the church.

Where did monks fight a battle to settle a dispute?
A battle was fought in 1260 on the banks of Hornsea Mere between the monks of St. Mary's York, and those of Meaux.

The object was to settle a dispute which had arisen as to fishing rights. The contending parties had the right of choice between trial by jury or physical combat.
They chose the latter method of settling the matter and fought all day with staves.
The monks of York were the victors.

Who is said to have lived to the age of 138 and to have married an illegitimate daughter of Oliver Cromwell?
Jonathon Hartop, a native of Aldborough, near Boroughbridge.

Some accounts give his age at death as 146, but he seems, at all events, to have stood the strains of life well enough to outlive his first four wives, taking as a fifth spouse an illegintimate daughter of the Protector, Oliver Cromwell.

Hartop's parents had lived in London and perished in the plague, and their son, who lived until 1791, clearly remembered the great conflagration which ravaged and destroyed a large part of the city in 1666.

Hartop possessed a fine oil painting of Cromwell and was offered no less than £500 for it, which the old man refused.

He knew Milton well and on one occasion leant him £50 when the poet's circumstances were at a low ebb.

Hartop was throughout his life abstemious, clean-living and active in his habits, and thought nothing of walking to York and back.

He left seven children, twenty-six grandchildren, seventy-four great grandchildren and 140 great great grandchildren.

Who covered his clothing with money in order to win a bet?
One of two rivals who competed in a contest in York in the eighteenth century, the object being to exhibit a most original and unusual costume.

The contest was held in the castle Yard, one of the rivals appearing in a coat trimmed with bank notes, ten guinea notes forming the lapels and pocket flaps whilst five guinea notes covered the collar and waistband.
The brim of the hat was trimmed with notes and ornamented with gold coins.
A sheet of paper pinned on the back of the coat bore the words "John Bull."

The dress of the other competitor was equally odd, half of his costume being that of a female with petticoat, silk stocking and slipper, and the other booted and spurred.
The competitor's face was divided, one half being as black as a negro's and the other rouged, powdered and patched.

The former competitor of the banknotes was adjudged the winner.

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Who used a potter's crate as a bed in the company of ducks, geese, a fox and other animals?
A citizen of York named Lumley Kettlewell, the son of a Mr. Richard Kettlewell, a prosperous farmer of Bolton Percy.

He was born at Clementhorpe in 1741, and although given education, culture and the material means to provide a life of ease and tastes of a gentleman, chose an existence which was not only eccentric but squalid, sordid and degrading.

Kettlewell was a man of delicate build and was gentle and refined in manner, yet although in possession of the qualities and means which might have given him admission to the drawing-room and fashionable salon, Kettlewell sought a way of life which was, to say the least, extraordinary.

He eschewed the costume of the conventional and respectable, appearing on the streets of York in a tattered ballroom coat, a fur cap and hussar boots, or wearing a high-crowned hat and old oilskin coat.

Throughout his life Kettlewell kept fine bloodstock horses and game-dogs, the poor creatures usually starving to death as a result of neglect.

His house, the front door of which he kept strongly barred, was entered by means of a ladder which gave entrance to the first floor.
His living quarters consisted of one room in which he passed the hours of slumber in a potter's crate stuffed with hay.
The chamber was shared with dogs, a fox, muscovy ducks and a Maltese ass, which poor creatures usually terminated their existence as a result of neglect and starvation.

Kettlewell in spite of his very meagre existence, was careless of his money, leaving it in any odd corner and littered over the window seats, much of it, being in the form of banknotes, being devoured by the rats which overran the place.

In spite of a seeming difference in the way of fellows, Kettlewell had a strong sense of humour and was regarded as a man whose word was his bond.
He never indulged in a quarrel or calumny and never broke a promise.

Nothing delighted him more than an intellectual discussion, particularly concerning natural history and chemistry.
He never received visitors, which is hardly surprising, but would spend hours in the houses of educated and thoughtful persons, discussing scientific and philosophical subjects for hours on end.

In warm weather, Kettlewell would carry a large sponge on his person, dipping it occasionally in water and placing it on the top of his head, remarking that such a method of cooling oneself was the equal of food and drink.

His diet was a curious one and he regarded the heads of cocks as a particular delicacy.
Unfortunately for the creatures in his care, his dietetic theories did not prove beneficial to them and he wrote of his favourite horse, "As soon as the beast grew accustomed to living without food, it died."

Kettlewell died in 1819 in conditions of poverty and degredation, and having left his mark as one of the oddest characters Yorkshire has ever known.

Who presented a king with a tankard of gold?
A wealthy Leeds citizen, John Harrison, a benefactor who founded and built St. Johns church. Harrison was an ardent royalist and devoted to that cause during the civil war.

When Charles I was brought to Leeds in the hands of the Scots and detained as a prisoner in Red Hall, Harrison pleaded that he might offer the monarch a tankard of ale.
His wish being granted, Harrison carried to the King's chamber a tankard which, falling upon one knee, he begged Charles to accept.
The king, thanked his well-wisher, drank the ale with relish and retained the tankard, most of which was filled with gold pieces.

Who hired five poor men to act as his mourners on the day of his death?
Richard Turpin, the notorious robber and highwayman who was hanged in 1739.

The day before his execution on York Knavesmire, Turpin engaged five men in indigent circumstances to follow the cart to the gallows.

The mourners received a payment of ten shillings each.

What and where are the Dalton Parlours?
The site of a Roman villa at Collingham, discovered in 1854.

What village, though situated in central Yorkshire, was once part of Durham?
Crayke, near Easingwold, once part of the see of Durham, but became part of the North Riding a century ago.

Dean Inge was born there.

Which Yorkshire city has been known by three different names during the past 650 years?
Hull.

It was first called Wyke-upon-Hull, then under Edward I became Kingston- upon-Hull, and is at present simply Hull.

Which famous Yorkshire school stands upon land which was once the property of Guy Fawkes?
St. Peters School, York, where five members of the famous Gunpowder Plot were educated.

A school has occupied the site for 1,300 years.

What is the individual length of Yorkshires chief rivers?
The following list gives an approximate length in miles and includes the diversions and irregularities.

Tees 95 Aire 87 Wharfe 75 1/4
Derwent 72 Swale 71 3/4 Don 68
Ure 61 1/4 Ribble 61 Nidd 55
Calder 47 Humber 38 Hull 28 3/4
Dearne 26 Hodder 25 1/4 Rye 25

Which and where are Yorkshire's steepest roads and thoroughfares? (The location is given in brackets.)
Rosedale Chimney (North Riding) 1 in 3;
Staithes Hill (North Riding) 1 in 3.5;
Sutton Bank (Hambledon Hills) 1 in 3.8;
Park Rath (Kettlewell, Wharfedale) 1 in 4;
Wass Bank (Hambledon Hills)1 in 4.2;
Greenhow Hill (Pateley Bridge to Grassington) 1 in 4.5;
Blue Bank (Sleights) 1 in 5; Leathley Bank (Sleights) 1 in 5;
Lythe Bank (Saltburn to Whitby) 1 in 5.5;
Kidstone Pass (Buckden to Aysgarth) 1 in 6;
Jolly Sailor (Whitby to Guisborough) 1 in 6;
Ampleforth Beacon (Whitby to Guisborough) 1 in 6;
Cowley Hill (Rotherham to Penistone) 1 in 6;
Hopper Hill (Skipton to Harrogate) 1 in 6;
Ruswarp Bank (Whitby to Pickering) 1 in 6;
Garrowby Hill (York to Bridilington) 1 in 6.

Where in Yorkshire, according to legend, is a raven said to stand guard over a treasure chest?
Beneath the ruins of Guisborough Priory.

Here in a secret passage a raven is said to watch over a chest of gold.

It is related that on one occasion a daring character of the neighbourhood entered the passage and approached the chest and its guardian.
The bird instantly changed into the Devil, to the terror of the would-be-looter who fled in panic.

What and where is the dropping well?
The dropping well is constantly flowing sheet of water, which running down the face of a cliff flows into the Nidd at Knaresborough.

For a small fee objects may be hung under the stream of water in order, so it is believed, to turn them into stone.

In actual fact they are not petrified but receive a coating of calcium. Mother Shipton's cave is close by.

Where was tobacco grown on a large scale in Yorkshire?
During the 18th century tobacco was cultivated with success in the Vale of Pickering.

It came to an end as a result of government prohibition due to a loss of revenue.
The growers, for a time, ignored the government ban but at a length they were imprisoned and the crops were burned.
In addition heavy fines were imposed, totalling over £30,000.

Where is the Merrie city?
Wakefield, due to its citizens' love of sport and amusement.

Where can we find a lighthouse in the middle of the street?
At Withernsea, where the houses were built round the tower.

Where in Yorkshire stands a church erected in memory of someone murdered by brigands?
In the village of Skelton, four miles from Ripon.

The man was Fredrick Grantham Vyner of Newby Hall, who was captured by a party of brigands in Greece in April, 1870.
Other captives were set at liberty but Vyner was held on a ransom of £50,000, his capturers having learned something of his status.

The government, having refused a free pardon and sent a strong force of police to apprehend the free-booters, the prisoner was murdered before the arrival of the ransom money.

The church of Christ the Consoler was built by the murdered man's family in memory of their unfortunate son.

Where and what is the street of tombs?
It is part of the highway between York and Tadcaster and was once a Roman burial ground.

What and where is the Devil's punchbowl?
The valley on Saltersgate moor.

Legend has it that the Devil in removing earth and boulders for the construction of Blakely topping left the depression in the ground.

The real cause is due to underground springs.

Who rose from the humble office of stable-boy to that of Prime Minister?
Thomas Ward, who was born at Howley in 1809 and the son of a stud-groom.

In 1823 Ward was sent to Vienna to deliver some horses to the stables of Aloys Von Lichenstein and whose service the Yorkshire lad entered.

Being noticed by the Duke of Lucca he became valet de chambre to that gentleman in 1830 and quickly won his master's confidence as an astute and reliable servant.

So ably did Ward execute the missions entrusted to him that he was eventually offered a portfolio in the ducal service.
This honour Ward declined out of modesty, but later accepted an appointment as Minister of Finance, which office he filled with outstanding success.

Ward was finally made Prime Minister but in 1854, on the death of the Duke, Ward was banished by the nobleman's widow and returned to his native Yorkshire.

In spite of his rise in fortune, Ward remained simple, modest and direct. He died in 1858, aged 49.

Which Yorkshire village is associated with Indian love-songs?
Hampsthwaite, near Harrogate, where Amy Woodforde Finden, the well-known composer of the Indian love lyrics, was buried.

The church contains a beautifully-executed effigy of the composer in marble.

What famous naval engagement was fought near Flamborough?
An encounter in 1778 between Paul Jones, a Scot by birth and known as the founder of the American Navy, and two armed British vessels, the Serapis and the Countess of Scarborough.

The battle lasted three hours until Jones' ship, the Bonhomme Richard, came off the victor, seized the Serapis and took it to France.

The Americans lost 300 men in the engagement.

Who advertised for a wife and as a result was made the vicim of a matrimonial hoax?
A Mr. Winter, a Leeds gentleman, who in 1852 was made the victim of a clever hoax.

The gentleman received a perfumed billet-doux, supposedly penned by a coy maiden, a certain Miss Bailey, but actually contrived by a couple of jokers.

A correspondence resulted and a meeting was arranged to take place at the Bull and Mouth where an amazing scene was staged.

Mr. Winter was entirely deceived by the male impersonator in female attire, who was accompanied by a number of supposed relatives, brothers, uncles, cousins and a host of others.

The hoax having gone far enough, Mr. Winter was acquainted with the cold and brutal truth, after which, as a good-humoured ex-lover and sportsman, he entertained the entire party of hoaxers at his own expense.

Who pleaded poverty yet lived surrounded by stolen wealth?
Jonathon Clayton of Wistow, Selby, who died in 1850.

When a boy, Clayton had the misfortune to lose an arm in a gun accident and which, no doubt, due to some feeling of inferiority among his fellows, produced extreme eccentricity in his make-up.

Having inherited a little money on the death of a relative, Clayton opened a small school at Hambleton, four miles from Wistow, to which he walked each morning and returned by the same means at night.

He developed an extraordinary mania for collecting practically anything, and filled his home with such an odd miscellaneous collection as to have scarce room enough to find his bed.

After his death a vast amount of collected material was found in his house, most of which had been purloined during his nocturnal and predatory rambles.
The following list contains some of the articles stored in Clayton's home and which amounted to two large wagon loads :
A large quantity of hay, two tons of coal, two wagon loads of wood, 20 boys' whips, 50 brooms, a large number of mop sticks, six hatchets, 12 hammers, 60 pocket knives, a quantity of iron hoops and stables, a sackful of cow ties and halters, some gate posts, a pair of harrows, ploughshares, a cart wheel, posts, rails, a guide post, children's apparel, a bushel and a half of candles, fifty brooms, several spades, a quantity of linen, tops, balls, marbles, 18 farmers' whips, 18 plough harness, rakes and forks, 1 roll of silk, 5 rolls of cotton thread, a loaded pistol, dozens of old shoes, hundreds of scissors and thimbles, a set of china, soap, bottles of wine, rum, gin and brandy.

In addition Clayton had hoarded a considerable sum of cash in the form of sovereigns, spade sovereigns and seven shilling pieces.
The entire hoard of money amounted to £650.

Clayton had always posed as the poorest of men and told his neighbours that he feared the workhouse.
He left a letter, most of which was an expression of his sorrow at being rejected by a local maiden.

Who was the Yorkshire divine who readily forgave the thief who had stolen his plate?
Dr. Bentley, who was a native of Oulton, Leeds.

He possessed a stern but at the same time gentle character and was called familiarly "Slashing Bentley with his desperate hook."

A thief, having stolen Dr. Bentley's plate, was hauled before the council of the college and commissary Greaves expatiated at great length on the evil of the culprit's character.
He was interrupted by Dr. Bentley who remarked, "why tell the man he is a thief?" and addressing the offender said, " Hark ye, fellow. Thou seest the trade thou hast taken up is an unprofitable trade, say aside an occupation by which thou canst gain nothing but a halter, and follow that by which thou may'st earn an honest livelihood."

Dr. Bentley, against the wishes of all present, ordered the thief to be set at liberty, saying, "Go in piece and sin no more."

Who was the old lady who at 92, as an accomplishment, walked from Greenock to Truro, Cornwall?
A Mrs. Auston of Sheffield, who successfully walked at the age of 92 from Greenock, Scotland, to Truro in Cornwall.

She undertook a number of walks, some of which rivalled those of Foster Powell of Horsforth.

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What legend is attached to an old stone in the churchyard at Kellington?
The story concerns a local shepherd, his dog and a serpent.

Centuries ago the reptile was greatly feared by the inhabitants of Kellington near Pontefract, and which caused great havoc among the flocks of sheep in the neighbourhood.

At length a shepherd named Armroyd, having more courage than his fellows, who feared the monster to be satan in disguise, determined to do battle with the marauder, and after a savage struggle slew his enemy with his crook, losing his life in the contest, as did his dog.

A stone upon which had been cut a cross, a man with clasped hands, a dog and rough marks which may have represented a serpent, was discovered in Kellington churchyard, and which, perhaps, at one time served as a coffin lid, thus giving some credence to the story.

A field in the vicinity bears the same name of Armroyd close and is said to have been presented to the hero's descendants of gratitude to his neighbours.

Who was publicly hanged and buried yet lived to tell the tale?
John Bartendale, a piper and citizen of York, who was found guilty of felony.

He was hanged on Knavesmire on March 27th, 1643, and after suspension for the best part of an hour was cut down and interred on the spot.
A little while afterwards a Mr. Vavasour, riding past the spot, saw the earth move and instructed his servant to procure a spade and release the unfortunate wretch.

Bartedndale was revived, sat up and enquired where he was, equally amazed as the spectators.

He was again tried at York castle and gained his livelihood as an ostler. Drunken Barnaby in his "Book of travels," comments as follows :

"Here a piper apprehended,
Was found guilty and suspended,
Being led to fatal gallows,
Boys did cry 'Where is thy bellows?'
Ever must though cease thy turning,
Aswered he for all thy cunning,
You may fail in your prediction.
Which did happen without fiction
For cut down and quick interred,
Earth rejected which was buried,
Half alive and dead he rises,
Got a pardon next assizes,
And in York continued blowing-
Yet a sense of goodness showing."

Whose ghost was said to haunt Old Hall, Wakefield?
That of Lady Mary Bolles who died in 1662.

The Hall, which was a good example of the Elizabethan period of architecture, was built for John Kaye of Dalton, and after passing through the hands of successive owners became the residence of Thomas Bolles, of Osberton, Nottinghamshire, whose widow, Lady Mary, inherited the property and where she lived in great style.

She was a woman who entertained lavishly and exhibited great eccentricity, giving orders in her will that her remains were to remain above ground for six weeks before interment.

She left £120 for the entertainment of guests before the funeral and £200 to be expended in the erection of her tomb, £700 to be spent on mourning and a further £400 for overall funeral expenses.

A tradition told of a breach of faith, and a room which Lady Bolles had caused to be walled up on account of large sums having being gambled away in it was later opened.
Another story tells of failure to carry out instructions in her will. However, for many years her restless spirit was said to glide through the corridors of the old house, and at dusk flit along the coach road.

Heath Old Hall is no more.
It was demolished in 1961 and with its passing Yorkshire became poorer and lost yet another historical old mansion.

What are Brimham Rocks?
A number of curiously shaped stones near Pately-bridge whose odd shapes have been fashioned by wind and weather.

They cover an area of about 60 acres and the largest is estimated to weigh 100 tonnes.

Their names are singular : Baboon Rock, the Yoke of Oxen, the Druid's Writing Desk, the Wishing Rock, the Idol Rock, the Turtles and the Dancing Bear.

Where were church bells rung at the bottom of a coal pit shaft?
On Saturday, March 5th, 1904, in response to an invitation the ringers of St. James' church, Bolton, Bradford, visited Horserigg Colliery, Gildersome, and were conducted through a tour of the workings.

At the conclusion of the visit a course of Grandsire Caters was rung on handbells at the bottom of the shaft, the first time church bells had been heard in a coal mine.

Where is Blubberhouses?
Blubberhouses is a small township near Fewston, seven miles from Otley.

There are many theories as to the origin of this peculiar name, one being that it is derived from the Norse Blaaber Hus - the house of bilberry. Another attributes it to Blue Boar, an inn so named at Blubberhouses long ago.

Grainge, in his history of Knaresborough, states the name to have most likely have originated in whortleberry, which theory may contain some truth.

Ancient documents refer to the place as Blueburgh, Blueborrow, and Blubberhouse.

When during the present century was a woman accused of witchcraft?
At Scarborough 1904, a woman being charged in court with wilfully neglecting her child, an infant of 17 months.

The woman named Cooper, and who lived in Ewart Street, emphatically denied the charge, insisting that the child had been deliberately bewitched to death by a neighbour named Marshall.

The jury found that the child had died as a result of convulsions.

What was described as the Pharasalia of England?
The name applies to the famous battle of Towton which was fought on Palm Sunday, March 29th, 1461.

One hundred thousand warriors were engaged, composed of the rival forces of York and Lancaster.

More than 37,000 were slain during a frightful struggle in which no prisoners were taken and quarter neither asked for or given.

Where is the Land of Green Ginger?
The name applies to a street in Hull where long ago a conserve was made from lemons and ginger.

The name was used by Winifred Holtby as the title of one of her novels.

What and where is whip-ma whop-ma gate?
It is an interesting but short street in York built in the middle ages.

In past times on the day preceding the Apostolic Fair the tenants of the street, by custom, whipped every dog out of the thoroughfare.

What is the Danes Dyke?
It is an ancient entrenchment about three miles long near Flamborough.

What and where is the White Horse?
It is the figure of a horse cut in the turf of the Hambleton Hills, visible for many miles around and known as the White Horse of Kilburn.

The figure was formed in 1837 by Mr. Thomas Taylor, a native of Kilburn, and on land given by Mr. Dresser of Kilburn Hall.

The figure's dimensions are as follows: length 180 feet, height 80 feet, land area 3 roods.

Six tons of lime were used to whiten the figure and the entire process engaged 33 men.

Where and what is Dotheboys Hall?
A building at Bowes near Barnard Castle, and over a century ago of the notorious Yorkshire schools.

Dickens, who visited Bowes in 1838, used Dotheboys Hall in his "Nicholas Nickelby" as an illustration of the cruelty and exploitation of children boarded at these so-called academies.

At that time Dotheboys Hall was owned by a brutal character named Shaw, who according to Dickens thrashed and starved his pupils unmercifully.

Dickens' character, Squeers, was in reality the one and same person and whose harshness has been hotly denied by certain of his descendants.

The former school is now a café and roadhouse.

Where can be found the shortest river in England?
In Wensleydale. The River Bain is approximately only a mile in length.

Where in Yorkshire can one find underground lakes?
Under Ingleborough, where White Scar cavern, which is composed of a series of passages, contains lakes, a waterfall, stalactites and stalagmites.

Where is the lake which has neither feeder or outlet?
Lake Gormire, near Whitestone Cliff, in the Hambledon Hills.

What and where are the Devil's Arrows?
They are huge rough columns of gritstone, several tons in weight and standing upright between Boroughbridge and Aldborough.

Legend tells us that the Devil, surprised during an attempt to hurl these missiles at Aldborough church, failed in his object, the stones falling short of the target.

It is generally believed that the stones were used by the Druids for religious rites. Their date has been placed around 1,000 B.C.

Where did a servant girl offer her help to a king in order to save his life?
At Red Hall, Leeds, where Charles I was held prisoner by the Roundheads during his journey to London.

The girl, who was a sympathiser and loyal to the king, was filled with compassion for the prisoner and offered him female attire, saying she could escort him safely in the dark to an alley which led to Lands Lane and the house of loyal friends.

The king declined with gratitude and presented the girl with a token which she later brought to the notice of Charles II after the restoration.

As a result her husband was appointed Chief Baliff of Yorkshire.
It was he who built Crosby House in the Heathrow.

Where are the remains of a windmill wherein a miracle is supposed to have been performed?
At Aberford, between Hook Moor and the southern end of the village.

It is still related locally how Sammy Hick, a blacksmith and local preacher of Micklefield, prayed earnestly for wind at the mill during a long spell of calm, still weather.
The prayer was answered, the sails began to turn and the millstones to grind, the flour was forthcoming and there was ample for the lovefeast seed bread the following Sunday.

Strangely enough, many who carried corn to the mill were disappointed, the sails would not move an inch for those whose faith was apparently a matter of convenience.

Sammy Hick was buried near the south wall of Aberford church which contains a stained glass window to his memory.

Who was the Luddite who became a beadle?
Joseph Radcliffe, who was born at Halifax in 1791 and whose father deserted his family and fought in the Napoleonic wars.

Ratcliffe was apprenticed to a wool-cropper and as a young man joined the Luddites whom he helped in the smashing of mill machinery.
He was one of several hundred who on the night of April 11th, 1812, attacked Cartwright's mill, but evading arrest became a law-abiding citizen and turned informer, by which office he profited at the expense of those with whom he had once conspired.

In 1846 Ratcliffe became a beadle at Halifax and later mace-bearer to the first mayor of the town.

He died in 1867.

Where was a lizard found inside a solid block of coal 150 feet below the surface of the earth?
At William Fenton's mine at Outwood, Wakefield, in 1818.

The reptile was discovered in a solid block of coal and was five inches long.

Upon being exposed to the air the creature died immediately.

What famous rebel and conspirator rang the church bells at Cowthorpe?
Guy Fawkes, whose father owned a small estate there and where Fawkes spent some time as a boy.

What is known as the Thieve's litany?
The following doggerel verse which in times past was no doubt familiar to many members of the brotherhood of crime.

"There is a Proverbe, and a prayer withall,
That we may not to these strange places fall,
From Hull, from Halifax, from Hell, 'tis thus,
From all these three, good Lord, deliver us,
This praying proverbe's meaning to set down,
Men doe not wish deliverance from the towne,
The towne's named Kingston, Hull's the famous river,
And from Hull's dangers, I say, Lord deliver,
That who so more than thirteen pence doth steale,
They have a tyn that wonderous quick and well,
Send thieves all headless unto Heav'n or Hell,
From Hell each man says, Lord, deliver me,
Because from Hell can no redemption be,
Men may escape from Hull and Halifax,
But sure in Hell there is a heavier Taxe,
Let each one for themselves in this agree,
And pray, from Hell, good Lord, deliver me."

From which prison did twenty prisoners succeed in escaping?
From York Castle in 1761 when twenty French prisoners of war succeeded in escaping after filing the bars of their cell.

Though six were taken the remainder got clear away and no doubt with the assistance of English sympathisers made their way to the coast and freedom.

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Which Yorkshire village has two wells, one associated with a saint and the other with the death of a drummer boy?
The village of Harpham, in the East Riding, and where St. John of Beverley was born in the seventeenth century. It has two wells, one associated with the local boy who became Bishop of York, and the other, known as the drummer boy's well, so named due to the legend which tells of the tragic death of a little drummer boy who fell down the deep shaft during archery practice by soldiers. Both wells are credited with strange powers and it has long been believed that the ghost of the drummer boy sounds a roll on his drum prior to the death of a member of the St. Quintin family.

Who was known as old boots?
An employee of the Unicorn Inn, Ripon, named Thomas Spence. Spence lost his teeth somewhat before he might and developed a remarkable facility. He was able, being blessed with an abnormally long nose and slightly upturned chin, to hold a coin between the two points of his physiognomy. Curiosity seekers travelled far to see him. He received the distinction after death of being the last to be buried in the Minster Yard.

Who was the schoolmaster and brilliant intellectual who was hanged for murder in 1759?
Eugene Aram, born at Ramsgill, near Pateley Bridge, in 1704, and the son of a gardener. As a boy he showed extraordinary intellectual gifts and by the age of sixteen had mastered the Latin, Greek and Hebrew tongues. He grew into an intensely studious man who appeared to prefer a life devoted to the pursuit of knowledge and culture than a normal association with his fellows. In 1734 Aram opened a school at Knaresborough and for some years led a respectable life. But a few years later he made the acquaintance of three men of utterly different calibre, Richard Houseman, Henry Terry and Daniel Clarke, men of shady and suspicious character. In 1744 Clarke disappeared, and although numerous enquiries were made and searches set afoot, his whereabouts remained a mystery. Shortly afterwards Aram vanished from his neighbourhood and was not heard of again for several years until in 1758 some bones, believed to be those of Clarke, were discovered. Houseman, who was suspected as a murderer, broke down under examination and named Aram as Clarkes assassin, and as a result a search for the schoolmaster began. He was at length discovered at Lynn, Norfolk, was apprehended by constables and brought to York. In August 1759, Aram and Houseman faced trial in York castle, charged with the murder of Clarke, Houseman turned king's evidence and blackened Aram's character by every means he could use. The schoolmaster was found guilty and on very circumstantial evidence, and in our own time he would certainly have been acquitted. He conducted his own defence and read a long, carefully reasoned and ingenious statement to the judge. It was, however, and unfortunately for the wretched schoolmaster, not considered strong enough to prove his innocence. The night before his death, Aram attempted suicide by means of a razor, but was revived and conveyed to the gallows on York Knavesmire. A paper was discovered in his cell and on which the Knaresborough schoolmaster had penned the following :

"Come pleasing rest ! Eternal slumber fall !
Seal mine, that once must seal the eyes of all,
Calm and composed, my soul her journey takes,
~No guilt that troubles, and no heart that aches,
Adieu, thou sun ! all bright, like her arise,
Adieu, fair friends ! and all that's good and wise."

Where was built a bridge for the sake of love?
A bridge was constructed near Glaisdale by a certain Tom Ferris to span the Esk. He had loved and courted a local freeman's daughter though the father forbade the association and swore he would never permit the girl to marry a beggar. There being no bridge across the river at the time, Tom was obliged to swim across the Esk to see his sweetheart and vowed that when he became rich he would build one for others. He kept his word, married the girl of his heart and carved his initials and the date 1619 on the parapet of the bridge.

Where is the holy well supposed to be that was associated with the death of a king?
At Bardsey. Wilfar's well is believed to be connected with the death of king Oswin.

Where are the remains of an old oak tree considered to be 1,000 years old?
At Cowthorpe, near Wetherby. Of Cowthorpe Oak, Dugdale, in his "Antiquities of England," wrote : "At this village may be seen the famous oak, exceeding in size even the Greendale oak at Welbeck in Nottinghamshire. The principal branch was rent off in 1718 in a storm, and being accurately measured was found to contain upwards of five tons of timber. Its present circumference at the ground is 60 feet, its principal limb extends 45 feet from the trunk, and its shadow is said to cover half an acre." The tree is now a mere skeleton.

At what Yorkshire inn did the landlord lose his licence for harbouring thieves and vagabonds on his premises?
The landlord of the ancient Blue Bell at Wentbridge 350 years ago lost his licence as a result of encouraging criminals and unlawful characters on his premises. The licence was however, restored in 1633 and until recent times the old sign was preserved by the landlord who retained it for curious sightseers, a much-battered and worn relic bearing the crude painting of a bell and the date 1633.

Where did a witty innkeeper warn his customers in verse?
At an inn in Silkstone where the following notice, placed on the mantelpiece, may be read by all :

"Customers came and I did trust 'em,
I lost my money and my custom,
To lose them both it grieved me sore,
So I'm resolved to trust no more.
Chalk is good, say what you will,
But chalk ne'er paid the maltser's bill,
I'll strive to keep a decent tap,
For ready money, but - no strap."

Which old hall was once haunted by a skull?
Burton Agnes Hall, near Bridlington. The disturbances were the result of a broken promise made by two surviving sisters at the death bed of the third, Anne Boynton. The dying woman had begged that her head be severed from her body after death and buried within the precincts of the home she loved so well. Her sisters, however, either regarding the request as something emanating from a confused mind on the brink of eternity, or recoiling at the execution of such a task, broke their promise. The result was nights of disturbance and terror for both sisters and servants, until at length the promise was honoured and the skull of Anne taken into the house, after which peace and tranquillity were restored.

Which catholic place of worship remained free and unmolested during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I?
The chapel, dedicated to St. Leonard, which adjoins Hazelwood castle near Tadcaster, and founded in 1286 by Sir William Vavasour, the first baron. The chapel, a venerable building, never suffered despoliation and closure, nor its worshippers prosecution during the stormy periods of religious intolerance during the 16th and 17th centuries. This was perhaps due to the fact that one of the Vavasours supplied timber from his estate for the building of a fleet to meet the Armada of Spain. Stone was also given for the construction of York minster by Robert Le Vavasour. The chapel contains some fine 16th century marble tombs and statues of members of this ancient family.

Which theatre is haunted by the apparition of a nun?
The Theatre Royal at York, which is tenanted by a ghost known as the grey lady. The building occupies the site upon which St. Leonards Hospital stood in ancient times and where a nun is believed to have been walled up in her cell, a section of which now forms part of the Dress Circle coffee lounge. Several people claim to have seen the restless lady whose appearance is always accompanied by a sharp fall in temperature.

Who claimed to have invented the first straw hat?
Isobel Denton of Beeston, Leeds. She produced the first model in the reign of Charles I, having as a spouse a wastrel husband which necessitated her labour to provide for several children. The new mode met with great success and soon involved a very large turnover.

What and where is Cromwell Gap?
A gap in the hedge on Clump Hill on the southern edge of Marston Moor battlefield. The vacant space is now filled by a gate and tradition tells us that on July 2nd, 1644, the royalists, hotly pursued by the forces of Cromwell's Iron-sides, fled in panic through the opening. It is claimed that since the event nothing will grow on the spot.

Which Yorkshire mansions are reputedly haunted by female apparitions?
Temple Newsam and Newburgh priory. In the former instance the Blue Damsak Bedroom is haunted by the ghost of a lady dressed in blue and wearing a beautiful lace shawl. She has been seen by many, including the late Lord Halifax. The old mansion houses other phantoms, including a little boy who steps out of a cupboard and a malevolent-looking monk. At Newburgh priory the ghost of a lady in crinoline is seen on rare occasions. Her visits are by tradition a warning of the owner's death. The priory contains a room which according to legend, is cursed. It is known as the Unfinished room, and many attempts have been made to complete it without success.

Where was a gold ring found in the heart of a turnip many years after it was lost?
At Northallerton in 1798 when the cook of a Mrs. Metcalf, in cutting open a turnip, found in its heart a gold ring which had been lost during weeding twelve years previously.

Who was "The Factory King" who laboured for the abortion of child exploitation in industry?
Richard Oastler, who was born in Leeds in 1789, and who with others campaigned vigorously on behalf of children in mills and factories who in his day were literally worked to death. A humane and sensitive man, Oastler, who was the son of a Thirsk linen merchant, had been much influenced by John Wesley and agitated unceasingly to ameliorate conditions for factory children. He died in Harrogate in 1861 and was buried in Kirkstall Curchyard. A statue to his memory was erected in Bradford.

Where has a fire supposed to have burned continuously for 300 years?
At the Falcon Inn on the Scarborough-Whitby road.

Who was the Leeds goldsmith who made the city's mace and was later hanged for coining?
Arthur Mountjoy of Briggate who was paid £60-11-0 for his work on the mace. Two years later he was found guilty of coining and hanged at York.

Who spent 43 years in prison for refusing to answer a question?
John Dunfreni, a Leeds merchant, who was sent to prison in 1813 for refusing to answer a question under commission of bankruptcy taken out against him. He died in 1856, having spent 43 years in gaol.

Who exhibited what was described as a "magic stove"?
A certain Monsieur Soyer who demonstrated his stove at the warehouse of Beecroft, Butler and Co., Leeds. It was claimed that the stove was capable of cooking six mutton chops a minute. The food consumed by visitors at the demonstration included 150 pounds of meat, 570 eggs and several bottles of wine.

Where did an ass drive a preacher from his pulpit?
At Luddenden Dean Wesleyan Chapel one Sunday in August, 1830. As the minister announced the text, "and the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said into the Balaam. . ."he suddenly dropped his bible and in horror fled from the building through a side door. To the astonishment of the congregation an ass quietly walked up the aisle towards the empty pulpit, evidently driven by a swarm of bees which covered the animal, to seek refuge in the building at a most inappropriate moment.

Who was the bishop who wrote a poem denouncing the evils of war and which was quoted in the House of Lords?
Bishop Porteus, who was born at York in 1731. His poem was quoted by a noble lord during a debate in the House of Lords.

"One murder makes a villain,
Millions a hero ! Princes are privileged
To kill, and numbers sanctify the crime.
Ah ! will Kings forget that they are men?
And men that they are brethren? Why delight
In human sacrifice ? Why burst the ties
Of nature, that should knit their souls
In one soft bond of amity and love ?
They yet still breathe destruction, still go on,
Inhumanely ingenious to find out
New pains for life, new terrors for the grave.
Artificers of death ! Still monarchs dream
Of universal empire, growing up
From universal ruin. Blast the design,
Unpitied victims at Ambition's Shrine."
Great God of Hosts ! Nor let thy creatures fall

Who was confined as a prisoner in his father's cellar for fifteen years?
Benjamin Storr, a young man of thirty, who was discovered in the year 1819 chained to the wall in the cellar of his father's house in Leeds. Storr had been forcibly kept in these distressing circumstances over a period of fifteen years. A few stacks and a heap of straw represented his bed, whilst the wretched rations he had been provided with had reduced his physical condition to that little better than a skeleton. He had not been washed for several years and was so emaciated that his bones in several places had penetrated the skin. He died thirteen days after removal to the workhouse.

Who was known as "Blind Jack?"
John Metcalf, who was born at Knaresborough in 1717 and was remarkable for his achievements. He lost his sight as the result of smallpox when a child of six, but which misfortune did not prevent his engaging in a number of enterprises. He soon became well-known as a swimmer, hunter, racer, fiddler, card player, cock fighter and a reliable guide to travellers. Metcalf seemed to know the countryside by heart and would travel between Skipton and Knaresborough without difficulty. In one occasion he travelled alone and on foot from London to Knaresborough. He was accustomed to visit the coast, being in the fish trade, and once rode from Knaresborough to Newcastle in a day, a distance of 74 miles. Metcalf eloped with a Miss Benson, whose parents kept an inn at Harrogate and where the young lady was to marry a rival. The couple lived in great happiness for 39 years. In 1745, in the days of the Scottish pretender, the blind man marched away to Scotland with local volunteers, his beloved fiddle on his back, later returning to Knaresborough unscathed, where in 1754 he opened a stage wagon service between York and Knaresborough. Metcalf later became a contractor and constructor of highways, undertaking work all over the country. Some examples of his work are the turnpike road between Harrogate and Boroughbridge, Harrogate to Harewood bridge, Chapletown to Leeds, two miles of Burley road, the road between Huddersfield and Wakefield and that between Huddersfield and Halifax. He also undertook the lengthening of Sheepscar Bridge. Metcalf finally retired to Spofforth, having lost his wife in 1778, and lived for the rest of his life with his daughter. He died in 1810 in his ninety-third year, leaving four children, twenty grandchildren and ninety great and great great grandchildren. His remains lie in the old churchyard at Spofforth on the north side of the church, the headstone of the grave bearing the following epitaph :

"Here lies John Metcalf, on whose infant sight
Fell the dark pressure of an endless night,
Yet such the fervour of his dauntless mind
His limbs full strength, his spirit unconfined,
That ere yet life's border years began
His sightless efforts mark'd the aspiring man.
Nor marked in vain-high deed his manhood dared
And commerce, travel, both his ardour shar'd
'Twas his, a guide's unerring aid to lend,
O'er trackless wastes to bid new roads extend.
And when rebellion reared her giant size
'Twas his to burn with patriot enterprise,
For parting wife and babes one pang to feel,
When welcome the danger for his country's weal.
Reader, like him adore the bounteous hand of heaven."
_________________
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MORE BELIEVE IT OR NOT facts / legends of yorkshire"

In what historic building did hundreds of Jews die in tragic circumstances?
In Clifford's Tower, York in 1190. A large number of the Jewish community, seeking refuge from an incensed mob led by frantics, barricaded themselves in the tower, and fearing a treacherous plot refused the governor admission. The result was an assault upon the place by force of arms, and the mob, taking advantage, seized the opportunity and took the law into their own hands. The Jews, terrified and driven to a final extremity, cut the throats of their wives and children, then killed themselves.

What is Leeming Lane?
It is part of the great northern highway and a section of the old Roman road known as Watling Street which runs northwards from York. Leeming Lane, which covers twenty-six miles from Boroughbridge to Scotch Corner, is practically a straight line and almost completely level. It is one of the finest stretches of road in the country, has many old inns dating back to the heyday of coaching and was in past times the haunt of highwaymen and footpads.

Who was Joe Rogue?
A miser who died in 1790 at Rigton, near Otley. His real name was Joseph Holmes and he died worth £550, a considerable sum in those times. Holmes boasted that he had never done a day's work in his life nor never spent a single farthing on food and clothing, succeeding in begging all the necessities of existence.

In what Yorkshire city did the plague infect the locality so severely as to cause birds to fall from the air?
In Leeds in 1644. Dr Whitaker wrote: " The air in June when the greatest number died, was very warm, and so infectious that dogs and cats, mice and rats died, also several birds in flight over the town dropped down dead." In that year 1,335 persons died of plague.

What and where is Nevison's Leap? It is a deep chasm through which now runs a modern highway on the outskirts of Pontefract. Nevison, the Yorkshire highwayman, when hotly pursued by constables, put his mount to the jump and made a desperate but successful escape. He thus eluded his would-be captors who in fear turned back. The spot has borne his name ever since.

Where did a thunderstorm coat candle-snuffers with gold?
At Harewood in 1787 and due to the extraordinary effect of lightning. Scratchard wrote of the affairs that follows: "A very worthy person, one George Fawcett, a hatter of Birstall, whom I well knew, especially as an excellent singer, happened to call at Harewood for payment of a bill when a thunderstorm came on. A number of sovereigns were laid, with notes, upon a table, when an awful flash alarmed the reckoners and caused them to retire. Upon re-approaching the money it was discovered that a guinea or a sovereign was gone, and it occasioned some explanation, Fawcett denying that he had touched the cash, and his customer averring that he had counted it out and left it. The former, I believe, with his usual generosity, good temper and forbearance, gave up the point, and the other had no qualm of conscience for, on reaching down the candle-snuffers, the same evening, which hung upon a nail, the good housewife discovered them to be almost as finely gilded as though working a goldsmith had done the job. These snuffers are, I understand, still shown at Harewood. An equal astonishment was once excited at Horsforth but I forget the particulars."

Who was the hangman who became a rigid opponent of capital punishment?
James Berry, who lived in Bradford and who carried out 130 executions in the period 1884-1892. He described himself as "Executioner of England." Berry made efforts to make the hanging of criminals a more speedy and humane affair, and which was written about in "The Reluctant Hangman" by Justin Atholl. In spite of the hardening effect of his office, Berry, upon retiring, embarked upon a campaign which urged the abolition of hanging, and gave many lectures upon the subject. He also became a fervent Methodist. His neighbours, however, did not relish his presence, and one by one vacated the row of houses, one of which was occupied by Berry. The latter solved the problem by buying the lot and letting them to new tenants.

Where is a house believed to have been given as a reward for murder?
"Broadgates," Barnard Castle, an interesting old Tudor building on the hill and dating from about 1483, though the kitchen, dining hall and dungeon are much older. The house is believe to have been a gift from Richard III to one of the murderers of the Princes in the tower. The cellars are 80 feet below ground, the dungeon being hewn out of solid rock and which once contained a torture chamber. Until recently, "Broadgates" was a museum and housed a fine collection of furniture of the Elizabethan and Stuart periods. After Marston Moor, Cromwell, on his way to Richmond, spent a night there.

Who was the Yorkshireman described as "the morning star of the reformation"?
John Wycliffe, the great reformer, who was born at Hipswell near Richmond and who became a leader of the religious sect known as Lollards. Wycliffe did much to carry his message to lowly and simple folk; he was