The Harrying – Unimaginable
Helen Johnson considers the unimaginable horror of the Harrying of the North – then writes a historical novel about it. Continue Reading →
Category Archives: Heritage and Culture
Christmas in Yorkshire
Helen Johnson reflects on Yorkshire Christmas traditions. Continue Reading →
How trick or treat crossed the Atlantic – twice
Half-term is coming, and the shops are full of gear for kids to go Trick or Treating on Halloween. Dressing up in fancy-dress and begging treats at Halloween became popular Continue Reading →
Interlace – the Web of Wyrd?
Yorkshire and the North-East of England boast an impressive collection of Anglo-Scandinavian stone sculpture, skillfully carved with interlace. Gravestones, standing stones, crosses: pieces of stone built into the walls of Continue Reading →
Dance for Christmas at Ryedale Folk Museum
Christmas is a time for fun and celebrations of every kind, and at the Ryedale Folk Museum, they’re celebrating dance. Victorian Christmas The Museum specialises in bringing a Victorian Christmas Continue Reading →
A life in Stokesley Fire Station
Alan Swales grew up virtually living on Stokesley Fire Station, where his father was a fireman and his mother the cook. It was war time, and the Brigade, supported by Continue Reading →
Heather Ritchie’s rag rugs bring the world to Swaledale
Years ago, when Heather Ritchie moved to Swaledale, neighbours taught her to make traditional, thrifty, rag rugs. Heather was inspired to ‘paint’ with coloured rags, and her rugs became pictures. Continue Reading →
A Richmond Guild reborn
The Fellmongers’ Guild of Richmond, Yorkshire is an ancient Mediaeval Guild, reborn for today. It came about because Ralph Waggett, a resident of Richmond and a collector of antiquarian books, Continue Reading →
Simon McKeown and his Invacars
Simon McKeown remembers, as a small child, curling up in the footwell of his Grandfather’s car for an illicit ride. Above him, a sign read ‘The carrying of passengers is Continue Reading →
West Tanfield’s Christmas Play
Each Christmas in West Tanfield, North Yorkshire, people come together to put on their own Christmas play. They prefer classic stories. They’ve done the Nativity, St Nicholas, and Babushka. Continue Reading →