This is a view (photograph below) of a part of Wensleydale looking in a westerly direction towards the villages of Askrigg and Bainbridge and to the market town of Hawes ( there are other small villages in between).
There are two roads that run east/west along this valley and I have chosen the quieter one which runs from the small village of Wensley (a few miles west of Leyburn) and along the northern side of the valley to Hawes, which is 17 miles west of Leyburn. Hawes is approximately 42 miles west of Thirsk. It takes me about one hour and 10 minutes to drive to Hawes from Thirsk.
The whole of this area and the adjacent valleys in the Yorkshire Dales are classed as being part of Herriot Country. Thirsk, in the Vale of York, is the epicentre of Herriot Country. It is Darrowby (the fictitious market town in the James Herriot books) where James Herriot (real name Alf. Wight) had his genuine veterinary practice and where he lived.
Where the veterinary practice in Kirkgate used to be is now The World of James Herriot visitor centre which takes about 2 hours to look around it.
The first photograph is taken near to the village of Redmire which is about one mile west of here.
Adjacent to the village of Redmire is Castle Bolton village and Bolton Castle (see the second photograph).
Bolton Castle featured in the television series 'All Creatures Great and Small'.
Bolton Castle (photograph below) in Castle Bolton village was built for the Scrope family between 1378 and 1399 and is still in the family. For more information about Bolton Castle consult the link below
Mary, Queen of Scots was held prisoner at Bolton Castle for 6 months (she was considered a threat to the English throne). After her defeat at the Battle of Langside in Scotland in 1568 she fled to England. She was allowed to have a large retinue of knights and staff, many of whome had to lodge in local houses and cottages in the village because the castle could not accommodate them all. Furnishings and other objects had to be quickly borrowed from local houses and cottages for the castle's temporary (guests???). Queen Elizabeth 1st even loaned Mary some pewter vessels and a copper kettle (very generous of her). Apparently, she was allowed a great deal of freedom to roam the local countryside and to go hunting. She even had time to learn English because she could only speak French, Latin and the Scots language (she had spent much of her childhood in France). A great deal of her time at Bolton Castle was spent having her hair attended to !?
In January 1569 Mary was taken to Tutbury in Staffordshire where she spent much of the next 18 years before finally being executed in 1587 by beheading.
Immediately after the execution the executioner held up Mary's head and proclaimed "God save the Queen" at which head and hair parted company. He was left holding an auburn wig!!! Mary's hair was short and grey!! She was 44 years of age.
Blood thirsty times. Thankfully, we are not quite so barbaric these days.
Read more fascinating and historical information about Mary, Queen of Scots on the link below
Bolton Castle.
Bolton Castle featured in All Creatures Great and Small.
Bolton Castle (east fascade) and part of Castle Bolton village.
Bolton Castle (south fascade).
Bolton Castle (west and south fascades).
Bainbridge in upper Wensleydale.
This photograph shows an Archimedes Screw Turbine above and to the left of the waterfall in Bainbridge and which produces electicity for the use of the village.
A close up view of the Archimedes Screw Turbine.
Another view of the river and Archimedes Screw Turbine at Bainbridge.
Bainbridge village green.
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