Chapter I: Foreword: To the Fourth Edition

The first two editions of this work had not long been published when I was pelted with animadversions for the "scandalous misrepresentation" conveyed in my report of a conversation held with a villager at Burnsall; which conversation may be read in the twenty-second chapter. My reply was, that I had set down less than was spoken--that I had brought no accusation, not having even mentioned the "innocent-looking country town" as situate in any one of the three Ridings--that what I had seen, however, in some of the large towns, led me to infer that the imputation (if such it were) would hardly fail to apply; and, moreover, if the Yorkshire conscience felt uneasy, was I to be held responsible?

My explanation that the town in question was not in Yorkshire, was treated as of none effect, and my censors rejoined in legal phrase, that I had no case. So I went about for awhile under a kind of suspicion, or as an unintentional martyr, until one day there met me two gentlemen from Leeds, one of whom declared that he and others, jealous of their county's reputation, and doubting not to convict me of error, had made diligent inquiry and found to their discomfiture, that the assemblages implied in the villager's remark, did actually take place within Yorkshire itself. The discovery is not one to be proud of; but, having been made, let the county strive to free itself from at least that reproach.

Another censurable matter was my word of warning against certain inns which had given me demonstration that their entertainment, regulated by a sliding scale, went up on the arrival of a stranger. Yorkshire wrote a flat denial of the implication to my publishers, and inclosed a copy of what he called "his tariff," by way of proof, which would have been an effectual justification had my grievance been an invention; but, as it happened, the tariff presented testimony in my favour, by the difference between its prices and those which I had been required to pay.

I only notice this incident because of the general question, in which all who travel are more or less interested. Why should an Englishman, accustomed to equitable dealings while staying at home, be required to submit so frequently to the reverse when journeying in his own country? Shopkeepers are ready to sell socks, or saddles, or soap without an increase of price on the plea that they may never see you again, and without expecting you to fee their servants for placing the article before you; and why should innkeepers claim a privilege to do otherwise? The numerous complaints which every season's experience calls forth from tourists, imply a want of harmony between "travelling facilities" and the practice of licensed victuallers; and if English folk are to be persuaded to travel in their own country, the sooner the required harmony is established, the better. It would be very easy to exhibit a table of charges and fees by which a tourist might ascertain cost beforehand, and choose accordingly. Holland is a notoriously dear and highly-taxed country, yet fivepence a day is all the charge that Dutch innkeepers make for "attendance."

In one instance the discussion took a humorous turn:--the name of a certain jovial host, with whom I had a talk in Swaledale, appeared subscribed to a letter in the _Richmond Chronicle_, and as it furnishes us with a fresh specimen of local dialect, I take leave to quote a few passages therefrom. After expostulating with the editor for "prentan" a letter which somebody had written in his "neame," the writer says, "but between ye an' me, I believe this chap's been readin' a buke put out by yan White, 'at was trailin' about t' Deales iv hay-time, an' afoare he set off to gang by t' butter-tubs to t' Hawes, he ast me what publick-house he was to gang te, an' I tell't him t' White Hart; an' becoz he mebby fand t' shot rayther bigger than a lik'd, he's gi'en t' landlord a wipe iv his buke aboot t' length of his bill, an' me aboot t' girth o' me body--pity but he'd summat better to rite aboot; but nivver heed, it nobbut shows 'at my meat agrees wi' me, an' 'at t' yal 'at I brew 's naythur sour ner wake, an' 'at I drink my shar' on't mysel: but if I leet on him, or can mak' oot t' chap 'at sent ye t' letter, I'll gi' 'em an on-be-thinkin."

Sheffield, too, has not yet ceased to reprove me for having published the obvious fact, that the town is frightfully smoky, and unclean in appearance and in its talk. If I were to make any alteration in this particular, it would be to give emphasis, not to lighten the description. A town which permits its trade to be coerced by ignorance, and where the ultimate argument of the working-classes is gunpowder or a knock on the head, should show that the best means have been taken to purify morals as well as the atmosphere and streets, before it claims to be "nothing like so bad as is represented." But, the proverb which declares that "people who eat garlic are always sure it doesn't smell," will perhaps never cease to be true.

Of the L14,000,000 worth of woollen and worsted goods exported in 1859, Yorkshire supplied the largest portion; and still maintains its reputation for "crafty wit and shrinking cloth," as shewn by the increase in the manufacture of shoddy. One of the manufacturers at Batley has made known in a printed pamphlet, that 50,000,000 pounds of rags are at the present time annually converted into various kinds of so-called woollen goods. We walk on shoddy as it covers our floors; and we wear shoddy in our stockings and under-garments, as well as in capes and overcoats. Turning to mineral products, we find that in 1859, Yorkshire raised 1,695,842 tons of ironstone, and 8,247,000 tons of coal, worth in round numbers L3,573,000. And with all this there is an increase in the means and results of education, and an abatement of pauperism: in 1820, the poor's-rate in Hull was seven shillings and eightpence in the pound, in 1860, not more than eightpence.

And to mention facts of another kind:--by the digging of a drain on Marston Moor, a heap of twenty-five or thirty skeletons was discovered, around which the clay retained the form of the bodies, like a mould; a bullet fell from one of the skulls, and in some the teeth were perfectly sound, 213 years after the battle. At Malton, during a recent excavation of the main street, one hundred yards of the Roman highway leading from Derby to York were laid bare, three feet below the present surface. Scarborough is building new batteries on her castled cliff, and replacing old guns by new ones; and Hull is about to add to its resources by the construction of a new dock. The much-needed harbour of refuge is, however, not yet begun, as wrecks along the coast after easterly storms lamentably testify.

This _Month in Yorkshire_ was the second of my books of home-travel; and it was while rambling along the cliffs and over the hills of the famous county, that I conceived it possible to interest others as well as myself in the Past and the Present, in the delightful natural aspects and the wonderful industry of our native country to a yet wider extent; and therein I have not been disappointed. To the objection that my works are useless as guide-books, I answer, that no intelligent reader will find it difficult to follow my route: distances are mentioned with sufficient accuracy, the length of my longest day's walk is recorded, whereby any one, who knows his own strength, may easily plan each day's journey in anticipation. By aid of the map which accompanies the present volume either planning or reference will now be facilitated.

Next to ourselves, there is perhaps nothing so interesting to us as our own country, which may be taken as a good reason why a book about England finds favour with readers. For my part let me repeat a passage from the foreword to the second edition:--"I know that I have an earnest love for my subject; feeling proud of the name of Englishman, and the freedom of thought, speech, and action therein involved; loving our fields and lanes, our hills and moorlands, and the shores of our sea, and delighting much to wander among them. Happy shall I be if I can inspire the reader with the like emotions."

W. W

_London, March, 1861._

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PAGE.

A SHORT CHAPTER TO BEGIN WITH 1

CHAPTER II.

Estuary of the Humber--Sunk Island--Land _versus_ Water--Dutch Phenomena--Cleathorpes--Grimsby--Paul--River Freaks--Mud-- Stukeley and Drayton--Fluvial Parliament--Hull--The Thieves' Litany--Docks and Drainage--More Dutch Phenomena--The High Church --Thousands of Piles--The Citadel--The Cemetery--A Countryman's Voyage to China--An Aid to Macadam 5

CHAPTER III.

A Railway Trip--More Land Reclamation--Hedon--Historical Recollections--Burstwick--The Earls of Albemarle--Keyingham--The Duke of York--Winestead--Andrew Marvell's Birthplace--A Glimpse of the Patriot--Patrington--A Church to be proud of--The Hildyard Arms--Feminine Paper-hangers--Walk to Spurn--Talk with a Painter --Welwick--Yellow Ochre and Cleanliness--Skeffling--Humber Bank-- Miles of Mud--Kilnsea--Burstall Garth--The Greedy Sea--The Sandbank--A Lost Town, Ravenser Odd--A Reminiscence from Shakspeare--The Spurn Lighthouse--Withernsea--Owthorne--Sister Churches--The Ghastly Churchyard--A Retort for a Fool--A Word for Philologists 14

CHAPTER IV.

Northern Manners--Cottingham--The Romance of Baynard Castle-- Beverley--Yorkshire Dialect--The Farmers' Breakfast--Glimpses of the Town--Antiquities and Constables--The Minster--Yellow Ochre-- The Percy Shrine--The Murdered Earl--The Costly Funeral--The Sisters' Tomb--Rhyming Legend--The Fridstool--The Belfry 27

CHAPTER V.

A Scotchman's Observations--The Prospect--The Anatomy of Beverley --Historical Associations--The Brigantes--The Druids--Austin's Stone--The Saxons--Coifi and Paulinus--Down with Paganism--A Great Baptism--St. John of Beverley--Athelstan and Brunanburgh--The Sanctuary--The Conqueror--Archbishop Thurstan's Privileges--The Sacrilegious Mayor--Battle of the Standard--St. John's Miracles-- Brigand Burgesses--Annual Football--Surrounding Sites--Watton and Meaux--Etymologies--King Athelstan's Charter 33

CHAPTER VI.

The Great Drain--The Carrs--Submerged Forest--River Hull--Tickton --Routh--Tippling Rustics--A Cooler for Combatants--The Blind Fiddler--The Improvised Song--The Donkey Races--Specimens of Yorkshiremen--Good Wages--A Peep at Cottage Life--Ways and Means-- A Paragraph for Bachelors--Hornsea Mere--The Abbots' Duel--Hornsea Church--The Marine Hotel 40

CHAPTER VII.

Coast Scenery--A waning Mere, and wasting Cliffs--The Rain and the Sea--Encroachment prevented--Economy of the Hotel--A Start on the Sands--Pleasure of Walking--Cure for a bad Conscience--Phenomena of the Shore--Curious Forms in the Cliffs--Fossil Remains--Strange Boulders--A Villager's Etymology--Reminiscences of "Bonypart" and Paul Jones--The last House--Chalk and Clay--Bridlington--One of the Gipseys--Paul Jones again--The Sea-Fight--A Reminiscence of Montgomery 48

CHAPTER VIII.

What the Boarding-House thought--Landslips--Yarborough House--The Dane's Dike--Higher Cliffs--The South Landing--The Flamborough Fleet--Ida, the Flamebearer--A Storm--A talk in a Limekiln-- Flamborough Fishermen--Coffee before Rum--No Drunkards--A Landlord's Experiences--Old-fashioned Honesty 56

CHAPTER IX.

Men's and Women's Wages--The Signal Tower--The passing Fleet--The Lighthouse--The Inland View--Cliff Scenery--Outstretching Reefs-- Selwick's Bay--Down to the Beach--Aspect of the Cliffs--The Matron --Lessons in Pools--Caverns--The King and Queen--Arched Promontories--The North Landing--The Herring-Fishers--Pleasure Parties--Robin Lyth's Hole--Kirk Hole--View across little Denmark --Speeton--End of the Chalk--Walk to Filey 60

CHAPTER X.

Old and New Filey--The Ravine--Filey Brig--Breaking Waves--Rugged Cliffs--Prochronic Gravel--Gristhorp Bay--Insulated Column--Lofty Cliffs--Fossil Plants--Red Cliff--Cayton Bay--Up to the Road--Bare Prospect--Cromwell Hotel and Oliver's Mount--Scarborough--The Esplanade--Watering-Place Phenomena--The Cliff Bridge--The Museum --The Spa--The Old Town--The Harbour--The Castle Rock--The Ancient Keep--The Prospect--Reminiscences: of Harold Hardrada; of Pembroke's Siege; of the Papists' Surprise; of George Fox; of Robin Hood--The One Artilleryman--Scarborough Newspapers-- Cloughton--The Village Inn, and its Guests--Tudds and Pooads 66

CHAPTER XI.

From Cloughton to Haiburn Wyke--The embowered Path--Approach to the Sea--Rock, Water, and Foliage--Heavy Walking--Staintondale Cliffs--The Undercliff--The Peak--Raven Hall--Robin Hood's Bay--A Trespass--Alum Works--Waterfalls--Bay Town--Manners and Customs of the Natives--Coal Trade--The Churchyard--Epitaphs--Black-a-moor-- Hawsker--Vale of Pickering--Robin Hood and Little John's Archery-- Whitby Abbey--Beautiful Ruin--St. Hilda, Wilfrid, and Coedmon-- Legends--A Fallen Tower--St. Mary's Church--Whitby--The Vale of Esk--Specimens of Popular Hymns 78

CHAPTER XII.

Whitby's Attractions--The Pier--The River-Mouth--The Museum-- Saurians and Ammonites--An enthusiastic Botanist--Jet in the Cliffs, and in the Workshop--Jet Carvers and Polishers--Jet Ornaments--The Quakers' Meeting--A Mechanics' Institute--Memorable Names--A Mooky Miner--Trip to Grosmont--The Basaltic Dike-- Quarries and Ironstone--Thrifty Cottagers--Abbeys and Hovels--A Stingy Landlord--Egton Bridge--Eskdale Woods--The Beggar's Bridge 89

CHAPTER XIII.

To Upgang--Enter Cleveland--East Row--The first Alum-Maker-- Sandsend--Alum-Works--The huge Gap--Hewing the Alum Shale-- Limestone Nodules: Mulgrave Cement--Swarms of Fossils--Burning the Shale--Volcanic Phenomena--From Fire to Water--The Cisterns-- Soaking and Pumping--The evaporating Pans--The Crystallizing Process--The Roching Casks--Brilliant Crystals--A Chemical Triumph --Rough Epsoms 97

CHAPTER XIV.

Mulgrave Park--Giant Wade--Ubba's Landing-place--The Boggle- boggarts--The Fairy's Chase--Superstitions--The Knight of the Evil Lake--Lythe--St. Oswald's Church--Goldsborough--Kettleness--Rugged Cliffs and Beach--Runswick Bay--Hob-Hole--Cure for Whooping-cough --Jet Diggers--Runswick--Hinderwell--Horticultural Ravine-- Staithes--A curious Fishing-town--The Black Minstrels--A close- neaved Crowd--The Cod and Lobster--Houses washed away--Queer back Premises--The Termagants' Duel--Fisherman's Talk--Cobles and Yawls--Dutch and French Poachers--Tap-room Talk--Reminiscences of Captain Cook 104

CHAPTER XV.

Last Day by the Sea--Boulby--Magnificent Cliffs--Lofthouse and Zachary Moore--The Snake-killer--The Wyvern--Eh! Packman-- Skinningrave--Smugglers and Privateers--The Bruce's Privileges-- What the old Chronicler says--Story about a Sea-Man--The Groaning Creek--Huntcliff Nab--Rosebury Topping--Saltburn--Cormorant Shooters--Cunning Seals--Miles of Sands--Marske--A memorable Grave --Redcar--The Estuary of Tees--Asylum Harbour--Recreations for Visitors--William Hutton's Description--Farewell to the Sea 115

CHAPTER XVI.

Leave Redcar--A Cricket-Match--Coatham--Kirkleatham--The Old Hospital--The Library--Sir William Turner's Tomb--Cook, Omai, and Banks--The Hero of Dettingen--Yearby Bank--Upleatham--Guisborough --Past and Present--Tomb of Robert Bruce--Priory Ruins-- Hemingford, Pursglove, and Sir Thomas Chaloner--Pretty Scenery-- The Spa--More Money, Less Morals--What George Fox's Proselytes did --John Wesley's Preaching--Hutton Lowcross--Rustics of Taste-- Rosebury Topping--Lazy Enjoyment--The Prospect: from Black-a-moor to Northumberland--Cook's Monument--Canny Yatton--The Quakers' School--A Legend--Skelton--Sterne and Eugenius--Visitors from Middlesbro'--A Fatal Town--Newton--Digger's Talk--Marton, Cook's Birthplace--Stockton--Darlington 123

CHAPTER XVII.

Locomotive, Number One--Barnard Castle--Buying a Calf on Sunday-- Baliol's Tower--From Canute to the Duke of Cleveland--Historic Scenery--A surprised Northumbrian--The bearded Hermit--Beauty of Teesdale--Egliston Abbey--The Artist and his Wife--Dotheboys Hall --Rokeby--Greta Bridge--Mortham Tower--Brignall Banks--A Pilgrimage to Wycliffe--Fate of the Inns--The Felon Sow--A Journey by Omnibus--Lartington--Cotherstone--Scandinavian Traces-- Romaldkirk--Middleton-in-Teesdale--Wild Scenery--High Force Inn-- The voice of the Fall 136

CHAPTER XVIII.

Early Morn--High Force--Rock and Water--A Talk with the Waitress-- Hills and Cottages--Cronkley Scar--The Weel--Caldron Snout-- Soothing Sound--Scrap from an Album--View into Birkdale--A Quest for Dinner--A Westmoreland Farm--Household Matters--High Cope Nick --Mickle Fell--The Boys' Talk--The Hill-top--Glorious Prospect--A Descent--Solitude and Silence--A Moss--Stainmore--Brough--The Castle Ruin--Reminiscences 146

CHAPTER XIX.

Return into Yorkshire--The Old Pedlar--Oh! for the Olden Time-- "The Bible, indeed!"--An Emissary--Wild Boar Fell--Shunnor Fell-- Mallerstang--The Eden--A Mountain Walk--Tan Hill--Brown Landscape --A School wanted--Swaledale--From Ling to Grass--A Talk with Lead Miners--Stonesdale--Work for a Missionary--Thwaite--A Jolly Landlord--A Ruined Town--The School at Muker--A Nickname-- Buttertubs Pass--View into Wensleydale--Lord Wharncliffe's Lodge-- Simonstone--Hardraw Scar--Geological Phenomenon--A Frozen Cone-- Hawes 157

CHAPTER XX.

Bainbridge--"If you had wanted a wife"--A Ramble--Millgill Force-- Whitfell Force--A Lovely Dell--The Roman Camp--The Forest Horn, and the old Hornblower--Haymaking--A Cockney Raker--Wensleydale Scythemen--A Friend indeed--Addleborough--Curlews and Grouse--The First Teapot--Nasty Greens--The Prospect--Askrigg--Bolton Castle-- Penhill--Middleham--Miles Coverdale's Birthplace--Jervaux Abbey-- Moses's Principia--Nappa Hall--The Metcalfes--The Knight and the King--The Springs--Spoliation of the Druids--The great Cromlech-- Legend--An ancient Village--Simmer Water--An advice for Anglers-- More Legends--Counterside--Money-Grubbers--Widdale--Newby Head 165

CHAPTER XXI.

About Gimmer Hogs--Gearstones--Source of the Ribble--Weathercote Cave--An Underground Waterfall--A Gem of a Cave--Jingle Pot--The Silly Ducks--Hurtle Pool--The Boggart--A Reminiscence of the Doctor--Chapel-le-Dale--Remarkable Scenery--Ingleborough--Ingleton --Craven--Young Daniel Dove, and Long Miles--Clapham--Ingleborough Cave--Stalactite and Stalagmite--Marvellous Spectacle--Pillar Hall --Weird Music--Treacherous Pools--The Abyss--How Stalactite forms --The Jockey Cap--Cross Arches--The Long Gallery--The Giant's Hall --Mysterious Waterfall--A Trouty Beck--The Bar-Parlour--A Bradford Spinner 177

CHAPTER XXII.

By Rail to Skipton--A Stony Town--Church and Castle--The Cliffords --Wharfedale--Bolton Abbey--Picturesque Ruins--A Foot-Bath--Scraps from Wordsworth--Bolton Park--The Strid--Barden Tower--The Wharfe --The Shepherd Lord--Reading to Grandfather--A Cup of Tea-- Cheerful Hospitality--Trout Fishing--Gale Beck--Symon Seat--A Real Entertainer--Burnsall--A Drink of Porter--Immoralities-- Threshfield--Kilnsey--The Crag--Kettlewell--A Primitive Village-- Great Whernside--Starbottom--Buckden--Last View of Wharfedale-- Cray--Bishopdale--A Pleasant Lane--Bolton Castle--Penhill-- Aysgarth--Dead Pastimes--Decrease of Quakers--Failure of a Mission --Why and Wherefore--Aysgarth Force--Drunken Barnaby--Inroad of Fashion 191

CHAPTER XXIII.

A Walk--Carperby--Despotic Hay-time--Bolton Castle--The Village-- Queen Mary's Prison--Redmire--Scarthe Nick--Pleasing Landscape-- Halfpenny House--Hart-Leap Well--View into Swaledale--Richmond-- The Castle--Historic Names--The Keep--St. Martin's Cell--Easby Abbey--Beautiful Ruins--King Arthur and Sleeping Warriors--Ripon-- View from the Minster Tower--Archbishop Wilfrid--The Crypt--The Nightly Horn--To Studley--Surprising Trick--Robin Hood's Well-- Fountains Abbey--Pop goes the Weasel--The Ruins--Robin Hood and the Curtall Friar--To Thirsk--The Ancient Elm--Epitaphs 206

CHAPTER XXIV.

Sutton: a pretty Village--The Hambleton Hills--Gormire Lake-- Zigzags--A Table-Land--Boy and Bull Pup--Skawton--Ryedale-- Rievaulx Abbey--Walter L'Espec--A Charming Ruin--The Terrace--The Pavilion--Helmsley--T' Boos--Kirkby Moorside--Helmsley Castle--A River swallowed--Howardian Hills--Oswaldkirk--Gilling--Fairfax Hall--Coxwold--Sterne's Residence--York--The Minster Tower--Yorke, Yorke, for my monie--The Four Bars--The City Walls--The Ouse Legend--Yorkshire Philosophical Society--Ruins and Antiquities-- St. Mary's Lodge 217

CHAPTER XXV.

By Rail to Leeds--Kirkstall Abbey--Valley of the Aire--Flight to Settle--Giggleswick--Drunken Barnaby again--Nymph and Satyr--The astonished Bagman--What do they Addle?--View from Castleber-- George Fox's Vision on Pendle Hill--Walk to Maum--Companions-- Horse versus Scenery--Talk by the Way--Little Wit, muckle Work-- Malham Tarn--Ale for Recompense--Malham--Hospitality--Gordale Scar --Scenery versus Horse--Trap for Trout--A Brookside Musing--Malham Grove--Source of the Aire--To Keighley 226

CHAPTER XXVI.

Keighley--Men in Pinafores--Walk to Haworth--Charlotte Bronte's Birthplace--The Church--The Pew--The Tombstone--The Marriage Register--Shipley--Saltaire--A Model Town--Household Arrangements --I isn't the Gaffer--A Model Factory--Acres of Floors--Miles of Shafting--Weaving Shed--Thirty Thousand Yards a Day--Cunning machinery--First Fleeces--Shipley Feast--Scraps of Dialect--To Bradford--Rival Towns--Yorkshire Sleuth-hounds--Die like a Britoner 235

CHAPTER XXVII.

Bradford's Fame--Visit to Warehouses--A Smoky Prospect--Ways and Means of Trade--What John Bull likes--What Brother Jonathan likes --Vulcan's Head-quarters--Cleckheaton--Heckmondwike--Busy Traffic --Mirfield--Robin Hood's Grave--Batley the Shoddyopolis--All the World's Tatters--Aspects of Batley--A Boy capt--The Devil's Den-- Grinding Rags--Mixing and Oiling--Shoddy and Shoddy--Tricks with Rags--The Scribbling Machine--Short Flocks, Long Threads--Spinners and Weavers--Dyeing, Dressing, and Pressing--A Moral in Shoddy--A surprise of Real Cloth--Iron, Lead, and Coal--To Wakefield--A Disappointment--The Old Chapel--The Battle-field--To Barnsley-- Bairnsla Dialect--Sheffield 245

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Clouds of Blacks--What Sheffield was and is--A detestable Town-- Razors and Knives--Perfect Work, Imperfect Workmen--Foul Talk--How Files are made--Good Iron, Good Steel--Breaking-up and Melting-- Making the Crucibles--Casting--Ingots--File Forgers--Machinery Baffled--Cutting the Teeth--Hardening--Cleaning and Testing-- Elliott's Statue--A Ramble to the Corn-Law Rhymer's Haunt--Rivelin --Bilberry gatherers--Ribbledin--The Port's Words--A Desecration-- To Manchester--A few Words on the Exhibition 256

CHAPTER XXIX.

A SHORT CHAPTER TO END WITH 266

A MONTH IN YORKSHIRE.