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

Linton has it's roots in Folklore and the far, distant, Prehistoric past

Linton is linked to it's prehistoric and so called pagan past by folklore and tales of dark deeds and traditions.
It is noted for black dogs, fairies, conjuring up the Devil , ceremonies , Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age remains remains .
Harry Speight writing around 1900 tells us that not far from the church 'In a field-wall bedside the road may be seen some huge glacial boulders and there is one very large one one standing alone in the adjoining field, which from one point of view bears a striking resemblance to a human visage; and a notion prevails amongst the young folk of the neighbourhood that this stone will fall on it's face when it hears the cock crow ' To read more about the folklore of the area follow the link  Northern Antiquarian to an excellent site where these stories and traditions are described in detail

Linton Parish Church - all here is not quite what it seems according to Local Folklore

The Parish Church at Linton is not all that it seems . Local folklore tells that is built on a pagan site and indeed this could be true .Saint Michaels and All Angels church dates back to the Twelfth century - one part dates from 1150.

However it is folklore that dominates the local memory around the site . In his work Upper Wharfedale , published in 1900 Harry Speight  records a more ancient practices 
'The practice at Linton was to walk seven times round the church when the doomed one would appear '
This of course being the Devil himself .