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| Local History |
| About the village & surrounding area. |
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| The name Arncliffe literally means 'Eagle's Cliff', so it's more than likely that these birds of prey once nested in the limestone scars that overlook the village. Arncliffe has been a conservation area for many years, most of the properties (which have an average age of 300 years) face the village green. The River Skirfare that once powered the Mill winds through the village and down Littondale's valley, joining the River Wharfe a few miles downstream at Kilnsey. |
| The area is rich in Bronze & Iron Age settlements, Saxon cultivation terraces (lynchets) can be seen in the sheltered fertile valley. Post the Norman Conquest, it was turned into a hunting chase until the 13th century when the land was given to the monks of Fountains Abbey, and became as it is to this day mainly used for sheep farming. |
| Although it is a small village, (population approx. 70), Arncliffe is the largest of Littondale's settlements, these include Hawkswick, Litton, Halton Gill & Foxup. Over the years most of the facilities have vanished, however there still remains the village pub, village hall, primary school & church. Now part of the county of North Yorkshire, but originally part of the historic West Riding of Yorkshire. |
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Famous Residents. |
| Charles Kingsley (1819 - 1875): Now a classic, the book 'The Water Babies' was written when he stayed at Bridge End, Arncliffe in 1863. Seen in some ways to be a simple fairy tale about a young chimney sweep named Tom, however many scholars have written about it's views on social reform at the time & Darwin's 'Origin of the Species' main protagonists that are mentioned in the book. |
| Bishop John A.T. Robinson (1919 - 1983): Was a scholar of the New Testament and a former Anglican Bishop of Woolwich. He was also a lecturer at Trinity College, Cambridge, and later became the Dean. His first publication was in 1952 titled 'The Body: A Study in Pauline Theology', but whilst confined to his bed with a back ailment he wrote his best known book 'Honest to God', published in 1963. In 1960 he campaigned against the censorship of D.H.Lawence's 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' and gave testimony in Obscenity Trial held at the Old Bailey, his involvement helped greatly towards the verdict of not guilty. This case's outcome has guided many of the changes seen since in the publishing of explicit material worldwide. His sermons and numerous publications made him a household name, preaching on many subjects including denouncing the death penalty & nuclear weapons, homosexuality and what he referred to as 'Christian Freedom' (looking at the acting responsibly as a Christian without depending on the code of morality.) He died of cancer in 1983 and is buried in the churchyard of St Oswald's. |
| Filming in our dale. |
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| In 1972 Yorkshire Television launched 'Emmerdale Farm', much of the filming took place around the village of Arncliffe. The Falcon was used for the external shots of The Woolpack Inn,(but not the internal scenes, these were recorded back at the Emmerdale production centre which is part of the YTV studios in Leeds.) After four years the location became known to the public, so the filming of the series moved to the village of Esholt, where it remained for the next 22 years, before moving to a purpose built set in the grounds of Harewood House. The original Emmerdale Farm buildings were located at Leathley, near Otley & not in littondale as many think . |
| Over the years many film crews have visited the village to cover rural reports & news stories about farming in the North Yorkshire Dales National Park. In 2008 due to the unspoilt condition of the village & lack of modern buildings it was used for filming a television production of Emily Bronte's 'Wuthering Heights'. The village church and river featured prominately in this classic tale, Halton Gill was used for Fair scenes. This four hour (2 part) version was shown on the ITV in August 2009. |
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Buildings of interest. |
| St Oswald's Church: A church has stood on the site alongside the River Skirfare since the 12th century. In the early 1500's the old church was demolished and a new church was erected, this included the tower which still stands to this day. About 1795 the main part of the church was rebuilt in a 'Gothic' style, this version only existed until the mid 1800's when it was rebuilt again, described at the time by vicar Boyd as 'in a more ecclesiastical & religious character'. This is very much the church that is to be seen today. |
| The Vicarage was built in 1770, old maps show a track from the main access road into the village that cut across the meadows to the dramatic frontage of the property. This has long gone & the building has since been divided into two dwellings. Most of the main properties in the village are of a similar age & with the exception of a few minor modifications remain as they have done for the past three centuries. In the last 20 years five barn conversions have been permitted, all completed to a very high standard, with the most recent being a long barn that overlooks the green. |
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