THORNTON RUST an Introduction to the Built Heritage of the Village
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THORNTON RUST An introduction to the built heritage of the village Thornton Rust is a linear village, sitting on top of a The buildings of the village are, with the exception there are some picturesque but minor houses limestone bench above Wensleydale, and served of the Hall, more of vernacular interest than great and outbuildings of the later 18th and earlier only by a minor road from Aysgarth, 3km to the architectural importance. The Hall has a 19th centuries and, at a considerably higher social east. The village street broadens into the semblance two-storey south porch dated 1672. East End level, the Hall, which was remodelled in the early of a green at its east end otherwise there are simply Cottage is a smaller house of similar date, but which 18th century with a new frontage facing north onto two rows of properties, virtually all of which, in the still demonstrates some aspirations to status by the street. Its rather fine doorway seems to have usual fashion, face south. There is no nearby public having a two-storey porch. Rather humbler inspired humbler copies in houses like Fosse Cottage footpath from which the fronts of the southern structures of the late 17th or early 18th century, and the Post Office on the other side of the road. range of houses can be seen, the earlier southern without cut dressings, are seen firstly in the house When it comes to communal buildings Thornton Rust elevation of Thornton Rust Hall, the most important at the west end of the village that has rough has one unusual addition, a Calvinist Chapel and house, cannot even be glimpsed. flagstone cornices to its openings, and secondly in School of 1827, a tall building closing the east end an outbuilding on the east of East End Cottage of the village that retains its original dedication tablet with clear signs of the step gable of a but which was re-windowed in the 20th century. heather-thatched roof. Otherwise Further west is what must be the plainest ecclesiastical building in the dale, an Anglican mission hall, the upper room given a single Gothic-arched light of the simplest possible nature. The Hunt outside the From the 20th century comes the Village Institute of Village Institute 1924 with a World War I memorial plaque. in the 1950s There are many interesting buildings and archaeological sites around Thornton Rust. For more information visit our website www.outofoblivion.org.uk, type ‘Thornton Rust’ in the Keyword Search box and follow the links. 7. EAST END COTTAGE Originally the Manor Inn, and clearly of THORNTON RUST 6. FORMER POST OFFICE 17th-century date, this cottage has a Plan showing featured buildings A neat little house that, like Stone House, characteristic two-storey gabled porch kept its attractive 19th-century railings, that is just a little lower than the eaves 8. HAVENHURST and also has 4-pane sashes. It has a of the main building. To the east is an This was once the Calvinist Chapel and ‘G.R.’ post box in its wall and a stone attached outbuilding, much altered but Schoolroom. Sadly it has been heavily 1. VILLAGE INSTITUTE surround to its door with a pulvinated with clear evidence of a steep altered. The outlines of the heads of two The hall dates to 1924 with a broad frieze and moulded cornice. At first sight heather-thatched gable in its end wall. big round-arched windows are visible on gabled front and rendered. The this looks Victorian but the lintel beneath the east, and the merest traces of similar small-paned overlight to its central door is incised ‘G.C.1806’. openings on the west, although on this and octagonal gable window are typical of side a stepped cornice and dedicatory the period. The polished labradorite stone tablet survive ‘THIS CALVINIST CHAPEL of the World War I memorial tablet is an and SCHOOL ROOM were ENDOWED and exotic import. ERECTED By JOHN TOMLINSON of this place AD 1827’. John Tomlinson must have been a nonconformist amongst nonconformists to stand against the local tide of Methodism and distinguish his chapel as ‘Calvinist’, aligning himself with a body of theological thought in opposition 1 to Wesley’s dominant faith. Such were the storms that divided religious society in the 18th and early 19th century. 6 2. THORNTON RUST HALL 7 The ‘big house’ was once known as Thornton Hall. The original house, seat of 2 4 the Chapman family, faced south. Its 8 porch and elaborate doorway dated ‘1672 GMC’ are out of sight from the road. The 5 north front, flanked by gabled wings, is of early 18th-century date. The wings have 5. STONE HOUSE rusticated quoins and big sash windows in A house with a 19th-century frontage stone surrounds, although the gables 3 that, in contrast to the earlier houses on above are capped by large chimney the same side of the road, faces north stacks. The recessed central section has 3. THORNTON RUST KENNELS onto the street. The front, with a Victorian more big windows and a doorway with a In 1833, several local packs of hounds when members of the Chapman family ashlar door case and 4-pane sashes, is lugged architrave, pulvinated frieze and a were amalgamated to form the took charge again. In the late 1970s, the rendered, perhaps to disguise earlier modillion cornice. The front wall of the Wensleydale Hounds or Harriers. This was pack moved to Hanging Lund Farm, fabric. At the back is a doorway with an house has two pairs of rusticated gate a subscription pack and was maintained Mallerstang and the Thornton Rust 4. ANGLICAN MISSION elliptical-arched stair window directly piers with low pyramidal caps. by its members. John Chapman of kennels were left derelict until demolished A little two-storey structure, the upper above. They share a stone surround with Thornton Hall was Master from 1833-1874 in 1998. Only the stone built mash house floor of which (accessed by a stone stair keystone and imposts. and the village became the headquarters where the hounds’ food was prepared on the south) serves as the Thornton Rust for the hunt although it seems that the survives. The photo shows the kennels Mission to St Andrew’s Parish Church in hounds were originally kept with the prior to demolition. Aysgarth. It was built as a response by various members of the hunt to save the Established Church to the money. From 1882 to 1907, the Master of nonconformity that usually held sway in the Hunt was W H Tomlinson, who had the these outlying villages. It remains in use. pack kennelled at his own expense at his home, Flattlands, Aysgarth. The pack moved to brick-built kennels in Thornton Rust sometime in the early 20th century Private Spaces Public Places Village Heritage Project This leaflet and others in the series were produced by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority as part of the Private Spaces Public Places project. This European Union funded project was undertaken during 2003-5 in selected villages in the Richmondshire area of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The project’s aim was to enable communities to take a more active role in the management and enhancement of the historic character of their villages, and to promote a common outlook on their future development. An Historic Environment PARTICIPATING VILLAGES Consultancy firm was appointed by the Yorkshire Dales WARD: Grinton and Upper Swaledale: National Park Authority to complete character appraisal WARD: Aysgarth: VILLAGES: VILLAGES: documents in consultation with each community. The Carperby Muker documents include an appraisal of the historic character of West Burton Gunnerside the village, and form the basis for the development of an Thornton Rust Low Row agreed action plan targeting specific enhancement projects. Aysgarth Keld Electronic versions of the village character appraisal Thoralby Grinton documents, along with a copy of this leaflet are available on Newbiggin WARD: Hawes and High Abbotside: www.yorkshiredales.org.uk from the Understanding/Historic WARD: Bolton Manor: VILLAGES: Environment page. VILLAGES: Gayle Castle Bolton Burtersett West Witton Sedbusk PROJECT PART-FINANCED Hardraw BY THE EUROPEAN UNION GLOSSARY Private Spaces Public Places Village Heritage Project Architraves Lugged architrave A characteristic moulded surround to a doorway An architrave decorated with projecting tabs, or window typical of the 18th century. or ‘lugs’. Ashlar Modillion cornice Good quality cut stone with a smoothly-tooled A cornice supported by horizontal brackets, surface. usually in the form of a scroll with an acanthus leaf decoration. Dressings The cut stones – e.g. quoins and in the Pulvinated frieze surrounds of openings – as opposed to the A frieze which has a convex, cushion shape. unshaped rubble of some wall fabric. Rusticated Impost Rustication is a technique by which the edges of The block at the head of the jamb of an opening the individual blocks are bevelled or chamfered. from which the head or arch springs. Rusticated quoins Keystones Quoins, usually of ashlar, in which the edges of A keystone is the central stone of the head of the individual blocks are bevelled or chamfered. an opening, usually but not always arched. It is Typical of good-quality Classical buildings of the sometimes emphasised by its face standing 17th century onwards. proud of the others, and usually of a wedge shape..