Historic? That Is Too Mild a Word!

THE TEESDALE MERCURY Wednesday, 24th August, 1988 FIRE FIGHTERS HISTORIC? THAT IS TOO MILD A WORD! ON PART-TIME MERCURY DUTY MUST BE haven would have been a conven COMMENT I have already written ient place from which to start after ONE OF DALE S Paris about how evidence can still Writes Edward Judge a night’s rest. Once established the be seen around Bowes of resting place at the highest con response to the appeal made in and C This is the third and final part of an BEST BARGAINS congrej previous inhabitants, from essay by Edward Judge, describing the venient level would remain and the Mercury, will know they are Stone Age Man to the become what, in modern terms A few of Teesdale’s part- giving their time to an extremely kirk C rich mix of features from past ages Oommi R om ans. which can still be traced around the would be regarded as a staging time firemen get their names worthwhile service. p o st. in the newspapers now and Aftei About 600 years after the village of Bowes, where he lives. It takes true dedication to drop cults j Bowes is at just that level and again, perhaps once every departure of Rome, a period as The third of the three aims everything and run for the station of the stairway in the south east comer for that reason the majority, if two or three years, when long as from the present back to still leads to what remains of the mentioned earlier in this article is as soon as the alarm sounds, ready by the not all, of the successive settle involved in some dramatic the times of Richard II, the first floor. to enquire why this remarkable ments have been here. Not surpris to deal with any situation whether Walsh. incident. it takes a few minutes or a number Normans arrived. They, as their Stand there in the deserted keep range of antiquities should be ingly, man has left for us this Man; o f h o u r s. name indicates, were from Scandi and the gloomy, ruined walls located at Bowes. wealth of antiquities. Uusually that means a rescue, had ei navia but they had lived for some In a lecture he gave some months Often when an engine races togethe towering above, with the wind Such, then is a brief survey of such as from the rocks at High time on the north coast of France. ago at Bowes, Denis Coggins told through the town or a village it I had bej sighing through the many gaps, the quite remarkable group of an Force or from a burning building, us that, when the ice had dis- will be stated that it was dealing were h They were great builders as their will evoke something of the raw, tiquities to be seen in and around and they tend to play down their with “only” a chimney fire, chip it was many cathedrals and casUes testify. harsh conditions under which the village of Bowes; much has part in it. pan fire or other outbreak that The In the north west quarter of Lava- people lived. The enterprising necessarily had to be left out. Edward Judge At other times, week in and seems to be fairly trivial. tris they built a fine keep with the people of Bowes have recently had I am grateful to Denis Coggins nard € week out, they deal with jobs that But its arrival brings enor ready cut stones from the Roman the keep floodlit and the effect at for so kindly reading the type dale ( seem fairly minor and routine to mous relief to the families involv fort. Many famous people of those night is both beautiful and im script of this essay and making variety many people but are highly im ed and prevents the small fires from times, including Edward I and p ressive. appeared from Stainmore, man constructive comments and critic in aid Large bulf delays portant to those caught up in them. becoming major ones. probably the notorious King John, Man’s yearning for other than soon established a trade route over ism. For the same reasons I am which W hen there is a serious incident, stayed there. Today it stands as material things cannot be suppres the pass. It went from what is now grateful to Tim Laurie. The errors The fire fighters go about their eluding duties so efficiently and with such e ith e r in a b u ild in g , o n the river, group of ramblers the magnificent ruin of Bowes sed. About 200 years after the Dublin to the River Ouse, from which remain are mine. More given j around a farm or on a road, the Castle. completion of the keep those now where the goods were shipped to information can be got from The it tie fuss that it is easy to forget A c A large group of Barnard Castle part-timers show as much skill, The main door of the keep is known as the mediaeval people the Continent. A plaque on the Bowes Museum; and staff in the low much protection they offer the bring i and Darlington ramblers met at determination and enthusiasm as on the east side at the first floor built the church of St. Giles. This wall at the entrance to the Viking libraries at Barnard Castle and rest of us day and night. held ai Bowlees car park for the start of can be found in any full-time but the stairway to that has long remarkable old building is still Hotel in York marks the end of Darlington are most helpful. It really is remarkable that they Mrs B. an interesting Saturday afternoon since gone. You enter now at used today by many of the people can give cover against all sorts of b rig a d e. offered th e rou te. The few people mentioned here walk. They used the tourist track ground level through a break in of Bowes for their worship. emergencies throughout a vast area C o n s id e r in g th e m o d est sums paid also arj The traverse of Stainmore must have always answered my numer up to Gibson’s Cave and back. The the south wall but the spiral In this little progress through on a part-time basis, at so little to the men for their duties, they of £111 always have been a difficult under ous questions and no doubt would group then headed up the track history we come to what are really cost to the public. must rank as just about the best tions. I taking and even today it can be be equally helpful to the genuine towards Ash Hill. modem times and even there we Men who join the brigade at bargain in any type of public funds. hazardous in winter. After cross enquirer. But we ought to respect have remains which are rapidly Barnard Castle and Middleton, in service in the dale. Than One gate they had to use was ing the pass the traders would their privacy and recognise that acquiring that ancient charm. The Bell ai blocked by a large buil.Fortunately have sought to descend to a level calls on them can be demanding. headstones of the graves in the support there were plenty of cows around where thev could rest overnight in The village of Bowes is frequent him. Two brave members of the churchyard are a constant source PEEPS INTO THE PAST of interest and there in Joe Close’s some comfort. ly described as historic. That is group went up to the gate and the On the reium crossing the same i something of an understatement. bull moved away and allowed front garden on the village street 5 years ago M ichael and Christiana Bentley, Tot everyone to pass. Continuing past is all that is left of the village Baby show winners at Middleton who were married at the Quakers’ Dirt Pitt they then crossed the cross. were Richard Fawcett and Sarah M eeting House in Cotherstone, set COP fields to High Force Hotel. Such Is man’s longing for things Davis. Fancy dress winners includ o ff fr o m B a rn a rd C a stle to help past that the monument for which ed Gavin Anderson, Andrew Ward, v illa g e r s h it b y d ro u g h t in India. Ian 1 The roadway had to be used Bowes has become world famous Lynne Alderson, Robin Anderson, Both had gained degrees. Drive, for a few hundred yards before is really more literary than Rachel Pinkney, Angela Ward, before crossing the Tees near Holwick historical. John Lee, Margaret Parker, Nicola 20 years ago Wednes The newly formed Upper Tees Head House. From here the group It is, of course, the large square and Louise Peart. commu used the Pennine Way upstream building at the west end of the dale fell rescue team stood by when him rei a group of Aycliffe boys became to have a look at High Force. village which was formerly Wil A new scheme was launched in The ill on High Cup Nick. They were After a stop in the sunshine a high liam Shaw’s Academy and which Teesdale by graduate Liz Moore given was immortalised by Charles taken to hospital suffering from level route was taken past Mine to teach adults to read and write charges Dickens in his novel Nicholas mild food poisoning.

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