YORKSHIRE VERNACULAR BUILDINGS STUDY GROUP www.yvbsg.org.uk www.facebook.com/yvbsg twitter.com/YorksVernacular Newsheet No 102 March 2021 Dear Member, Welcome to our 102nd Newsletter – lived in York’. Kenneth was husband of streets called ‘gate’. He had found 151 our first for 2021. Have you renewed Barbara Hutton and I first met him on a places that contained at least one ‘gate’ your membership yet? You can do it training course based in Askrigg run by street name, nearly half being in now by a banking app from your Barbara on how to record buildings in Yorkshire at the heart of the Danelaw mobile – so no excuses such as ‘Sorry the early 1980s when I was prior to the Conquest with a large old- I’m isolating and can’t post a cheque’! Calderdale’s newly appointed Norse-speaking population, the word Yes, I’m pleased to report that we have Architectural Historian tasked with re- deriving from the Scandinavian gata moved into the twenty-first century, surveying the Metropolitan Borough for meaning ‘way’ or ‘road’. This was one of the results of our changed listed buildings. Following that event, usually leading to, or from, a landmark circumstances at this most difficult of she published a book that featured such as the church (Kirkgate) or bridge times where online communication can plans I had contributed to, and my (Briggate), but might also be directional be a lifesaver. It is now time-critical for drawing of an interior. So Mel’s piece including the points of the compass, as you to renew soon, as if you don’t reminded me of Kenneth and Barbara found in the old part of Elland where within the next month you will no and how instrumental they both were Northgate, Southgate, Westgate and longer receive future Newsheets and in the founding of YVBSG and how it Eastgate run around the church linked emails detailing our future activities, should be organised. Our President by Church Gate (Kirkgate) off which St such as our next Zoom talk. I hope those Barry Harrison wrote a fine obituary for Mary’s Gate runs (the church is of you that booked enjoyed the first Barbara in Newsheet 82 published in dedicated to St Mary). Moorgate leads couple of talks. If you missed them, you December 2015; new members would to and from the common or open can do a ‘catch-up’ and view them at find it instructive to read this. She met moorland, while Towngate is self- your leisure – details overleaf. Kenneth as a student at Oxford explanatory. Perhaps you might like to However, I am hopeful that the mass University during the Second World try a bit of research yourself using an immunisation programme will, given War, and after graduating they both A-Z map book of your area to see how time and patience, bear the fruit of became teachers in Hatfield. When many gate roads you can find (in the more YVBSG activities perhaps six Kenneth was appointed a Schools index) and report back for our next months down the line; we’ll let you Inspector for the North Riding they Newsheet? I used the Calderdale Street know our thoughts and ideas in our moved to Clifton on the outskirts of Atlas and found Bridge Gate in Hebden next Newsheet. York, and so it began! Bridge that leads to the ancient sixteenth century stone packhorse Last time I reported that I’ve always To return to Mel’s article, he tells us of bridge that crosses the Hebden Water liked coincidences, and this is the theme Kenneth’s research – York has 35 leading to Old Gate. The conjoined of my letter to you. As most of you version of Briggate is rarer and usually know I live in Barnsley and every defines an ancient main street, as it still month I receive a free magazine does in Leeds where the medieval delivered to our S75 postcode borough was laid out along Briggate, published by www.titomedialtd.co.uk with Upper and Lower sections as it’s with regular features and articles of such a long street. Kenneth mapped in general interest to the region. In the all some 469 ‘gate’ streets – how many latest magazine for January 2021 (Issue of those can you find? Try and find 129) I was interested to read Mel Jones’ some that mention different types of regular local history article – this month food? Good hunting! on ‘Street and Road names ending in – GATE’. Some of you visited his house, Peter Thornborrow, Chair Kirkstead Abbey Grange, with me on We are sad to report that, since Peter my Rotherham walkabout a few years prepared this article, we have heard back – a partial pre-medieval survivor that Professor Melvyn Jones died with cusped lights and an extraordinary suddenly at home on 14 January 2021. roof truss featured in our last journal. We very much appreciated the extensive He refers to an article he came across in historical knowledge he shared with us The Local Historian written in 1968 by during our visit to Kirkstead Abbey ‘a reader called Kenneth Hutton who Grange in 2018. Page 1 YVBSG Events for your diary Third Thursday Talks We are continuing to offer a series of monthly online talks which you can attend from the comfort of your home. These normally take place by Zoom at 7.30pm on the third Thursday of the month and there will be the opportunity for questions after each talk. The talks are open to all (including non-members) and are free of charge. The current programme is listed below; further details of each talk will be circulated by email and published on the website. Please book by following the link from www.yvbsg.org.uk, which will take you to the Eventbrite booking page. Joining instructions will be sent by email before each talk. Vernacular architectural features in Upper Wharfedale Revising Pevsner in the North Riding Part 1: the complex of buildings at Kilnsey by Jane Grenville, on Thursday 15 April 2021 by Malcolm Birdsall, on Thursday 18 March 2021 Vernacular houses in Carleton During a week self-catering at ‘The Old Chapel’ in Kilnsey in October 2020, Malcolm’s past memories of various vernacular by Sue Wrathmell, on Thursday 20 May 2021 buildings in the Upper Wharfedale area were ignited. With Bricks and mortar – rural industry and the supply of some of his past recording and recent research he has put building materials 1700-1900 together a presentation that includes architectural assessments in Kilnsey: The Old Chapel – was it originally a by George Sheeran, on Thursday 17 June 2021 Chapel?, The Old Hall, the partially ruinous gatehouse (with a conjectured original layout) and a detached bakehouse. Recordings of previous talks Please note that Malcolm had initially also intended to talk The previous two talks can now be watched by following the about corn-drying kilns during this presentation, together links on the website: Ships timbers ahoy! Ways to convince it’s with architectural features in Grassington, Parceval Hall at not part of the Armada by David Cant, and A farmer-miner Skyreholme, and Mock Beggar Hall at Appletreewick. landscape: cowhouses and the practice of smallholdings in However, because of the amount of material of interest, these Castle Bolton (lower Wensleydale) by Hannah Kingsbury. topics will now form a separate talk (Part 2) at a future date to be confirmed. AGM and talk The Annual General Meeting will be held by Zoom at 3pm on Saturday 27 March 2021. Prior to commencement of the formal agenda, David Cant will give a short talk, From Maypole to Daisy Bank; rebuilding a timber-frame at the end of the nineteenth century, which will describe the moving of a timber All members of the group are formally invited to attend. If you are unable to attend the AGM and wish to raise any matter, you may do so in writing to the Secretary, Mary Cook. Please send any nominations for officers or members of the committee to Mary (contact details on back page). Kilnsey Old Hall. The agenda and the Zoom link for the meeting will be The two dovecote entries under the eaves have alighting circulated by email and will also be available on the Members’ shelves and provide access to internal stone nesting boxes. Area of the website, together with the annual accounts and the minutes of last year’s AGM. Membership renewal for 2021 – a reminder Membership fees for 2021 became due on 1 January and preferences) to the Membership Secretary, Pat Leggett, at the renewal notices were sent out in December 2020. If a address shown on the slip. reminder is enclosed with this Newsheet, this means that For BACS transfer these are the details you require: you have not yet renewed your membership for 2021. We gently remind you that in line with our Privacy Statement Account name: Yorkshire Vernacular Buildings Study Group which came into effect with GDPR in 2018, membership Sort code: 09-01-56 may be terminated if you do not renew within three Account number: 52840000 months from 1 January each year and you would then Reference: Please use your surname receive no further correspondence from us, so please do renew soon – we don’t want to lose you! The password to the Members’ Area of the website changed in January and you’ll receive the new details Renewal payment (£12) can be by cheque payable to YVBSG, when you renew your membership. The Members’ Area or by using direct bank transfer (BACS).