Recent articles

  • Blind Peter Barker

    Remembering Hampsthwaite’s Blind Joiner - an article by Shaun WilsonLike the market town of Knaresborough, who had ‘Blind Jack’ – John Metcalf, the road builder of Yorkshire in the eighteenth century, the small rural village of Hampsthwaite had it’s blind hero also, almost a century later – Peter Barker who became known as ‘The Blind Joiner of Hampsthwaite.’ Though there are some similarities between John Metcalf and Peter Barker’s lives, these are purely co-incidental and each fulfilled a life, character and career in their own right.

  • The Execution of Hannah Whitley

    Arsenic Poisoning in Hampsthwaite - The Execution of Hannah Whitley In 1789, Hannah Whitley of Hampsthwaite used a pie as the delivery medium for a fatal dose of arsenic, with the poison concentrated in the crust. She claimed She had been coerced into the act of poisoning by her employer, a local linen weaver named Horseman, who was involved in an on-going feud with the intended victim.

  • Jane Ridsdale

    JANE RIDSDALEAged 33 years, born at Hampsthwaite, near Harrogate, Yorkshire, her height is 31 ½ inches.She is remarkably chearfull & enjoys very good health.Published July 1st 1807 by Jane Ridstale, at Harrogate where purchasers of this Print will have the opportunity of seeing and conversing with her

  • Joshua Tetley

    Joshua Tetley was the founder of Tetley’s Brewery in Leeds, and he retired with his wife Hannah to Hollins Hall on the outskirts of Hampsthwaite (Hollins Hall Retirement Village).

  • Scrubbers and Stones

    SCRUBBERS & STONES - Sat 29th June 10.30am - 2.30pm - Entry FREE! Explore the Memorials at St Thomas a'Becket Memorials Treasure Trail - for children if all ages Self-Service / Self-Checkout BBQ from 12 noon (inc. veg option) Food £2, Drink £1, Donations? - yes please! Hot & Cold Drinks Laptop & Screen to show Mapping Hampsthwaite’s Past Use a Bucket & Brush to help reveal Inscriptions on the older memorials . . . or just Sit & Enjoy CORPUS CHRISTI BRASS BAND . . . from 11.30am . . . followed by Afternoon Tea & Cakes at the Memorial Hall!

  • Hampsthwaite Open Gardens

     Hampsthwaite Open Gardens - Sat 29th June 12.30am - 5.00pm - Entry £5.00 (accompanied under 15's FREE) Tickets on the day from Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall Plant sales - many named varieties of plants Delicious homemade refreshments Afternoon tea and cakes served from 12.30pm at the Memorial Hall

  • Genealogy Websites

    Free genealogy websites will help you start your family history research at no cost as listed by the 'Who Do You Think You Are' magazine.

  • Kitchen Refurbishment

    Memorial Hall kitchen is now completely, and expertly, refurbished by Neil,Batty Builders Ltd as a result of a grant awarded by the National Lottery's 'Reaching Communities' fund.See also the equivalent

  • Amy Woodforde-Finden

    A highly successful composer of the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, Amy Woodforde-Finden, together with her husband and step-son, is laid to rest in the churchyard of St Thomas à Becket Parish Church. Inside the church there is an impressive marble monument of her, created by the renowned sculptor George Edward  Wade. It was unveiled in 1923 and a few years later, Finden Gardens in Hampsthwaite was named in her honour.[Click on title or image to link to articles]

  • Amy Woodforde-Finden Centenary Events (1)

    Amy Woodforde-Finden : re-enactment of her memorial unveilingA wreath was laid on the white marble recumbent figure of Amy to mark the centenary of its unveiling in April 15th 1923. Click on images to open full-size in new window and use the Browser back arrow to return to here.  
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Peckfield Cottages

Hampsthwaite's last thatched cottages

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In this extract from the 1909 Ordnance Survey Map we see in field number 285 a row of buildings fronting High Street at the point where, today, the road enters Peckfield. The same buildings can be detected on the 1853 survey. The buildings were cottages with thatched roofs and stood here until they were demolished to make way for the development of the Peckfield estate in the middle of the 20th century.

In Book One (Villagers' Reminiscences), Eric Lundell recalled how "Johnny Bowers (Roger's grandfather) had his wooden joiner's shop just across the road from the Old Mill - where Peckfield Close is now. There used to be old thatched cottages 'top side of Calvert's shop' and Johnny's mother lived in one of them. When the council houses were about to be built, they had to be pulled down."

The Land Valuation survey of 1910 describes the cottages as follows. . . "2 cottages and gardens. Occupier J.W. Bowers and M.A.Jeffrey. Owner (freehold) Wm. Sheepshanks. Half yearly rent £2.12.0d and £3.11.0d.
Old thatched stone cottages with small garden. 1 room & 1 bedroom to each. One of the cottages is too damp and dilapidated for habitation and is used by tenant as store and workshop. Wood joiner's workshop tenant's."

Bernard Wilson (1919-1998) lived all his life in the village and, like other villagers still surviving, must have seen the thatched cottages very often. He painted this water-colour of them as he remembered them.

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There will have been many other thatched buildings in the village in past years but these have the distinction of being the last.

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Peckfield Cottages

Hampsthwaite's last thatched cottages

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