An Industrial Landscape around Pateley Bridge

The area around Pateley Bridge is of  great National and regional importance as an Industrial Heritage landscape. The countryside is quiet now but not so long ago was a hive of industrial activity . The landscape is littered with the remains of lead and iron ore mining

These spoil heaps can be seen on the way from Pateley Bridge to Appletreewick.Old trackways once lead to working areas which are now silent and derelict , ghosts from  a time when the land was full of people, noise and activity . 

Toft Gate Lime Kiln near Pateley Bridge was built around 1860-70 to meet the demands of the expanding industrial towns . Lime mortar was used in  building construction and the site met the needs of the Yorkshire towns . As pasture improvements also developed lime was used on the land to help enrich the quality of pasture.

 Toft Gate now forms part of a heritage trail and is an impressive ruin

The Bewerley Industrail Heritage Walk starting at Pateley Bridge OS SE157655 will be of great interest to anyone who has an interest in industrial archaeology and the industrial past. It follows a route for around nine miles covering many sites including Providence Mine and Cockhill Mine which was once was of the most important mines in the area . The walk can be found at  Bewerley Industrial Heritage Trail Walk . There are many information boards in the area explaining the important industrial past

Mock Beggar or Monks Hall ,Appletreewick

Mock Beggar Hall is a beautiful Grade II listed building on the north side of the main street in Appletreewick
It has a long history going back to at least the fifteenth century . Also known as Monks Hall the building is associated with Bolton Priory , having once been a grange for that monastic house .

The village of Applewicktree began to prosper around 1300 when Bolton Priory acquired the manor there. Prosperous industries included sheep and lead mining . The local fair and market remained important until the coming of the railways in the middle of the nineteenth century .

Mock Beggar Hall has a number of very interesting features including a gabled wing to the right of the building . 

The wing dates to the seventeenth century .                                                                                                                  

The windows on this part of the building are interesting in design as are the holes above the upper windows and above the door which where designed to house pigeons presumably for eggs and household consumption. More pigeon holes can be seen on the left hand wall of the building .

 Nine steps lead to the upper floor of the gabled extension . Four interesting windows can be seen to the front of this building.

Another interesting feature of the house is the carved stone head set over the door in the central part of the building . Stone heads have been found all over Britain dating from in some cases the Iron Age . They are often lined with  pagan ritual  symbolism 

Details of the Hall can be Found at British Listed Buildings http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-323668-mock-beggar-hall-appletreewick-north-yor