News

Railway Heritage and Archaeology in York

John Oxley, Archaeologist for York City Council took members of the Society to see what little remains of the great railway age of York.

Gone are the sidings, sheds and coal staiths of The York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway Company, and The North Midland Railway, to be replaced by the City of York Rowing Club, Memorial Gardens and commercial sites. York’s first station has completely gone, but George Hudson’s station of 1852 is now office accommodation inside the saxon area of the city.

The medieval city wall and the glacial drumlins on which the wall was built were removed to allow rail access to this terminal station. Then a new wall was built allowing pedestrians to walk the ramparts.

As a hub for numerous railways, York had a zero-point from which distances were measured.

Railway navvies excavated huge quantities of earth to give level track beds, but under the platforms of the present and second station there is undisturbed ground, which has recently been excavated and Roman burials unearthed.

Susan Harrison

The End of the Roman North: Roman to Anglo-Saxon in Northern England

A day-conference "The End of the Roman North: Roman to Anglo-Saxon in Northern England", followed by a Special Keynote Lecture from 'North of the Border' on The Traprain Law Hoard will take place on 13th November 2010 at Temple Hall, York St John University, Lord Mayor's Walk, York, YO31 7EX.

The detailed Programme and a Booking Form are available here; a map is here.

Guided Visit to Easingwold

Sixteen Members of the Society assembled in Easingwold Market Square on Saturday 22nd May 2010 - the hottest and sunniest day of the year, so far!

We were most fortunate to have Valerie Taylor and husband Brian as our guides; their knowledge of the town made for a very educational and entertaining visit. The history of the Town Hall (replacing the double row of shambles, and erected in 1864), the two-acre Market Square, and the Market Cross were outlined, followed by a short walk to the now-defunct public fountain, erected in 1873 by John Haxby. Valerie gave us an excellent description of the fine Georgian buildings on the west of Market Place, and pointed out the outline of the old Bull Ring. We then walked up Tanpit Lane to the green outside the old English National School (1862), and past the last surviving tannery, to Church Hill, and to St John the Baptist and All Saints Church - where the Parish Coffin, dating from around 1645 was to be seen, together with a gravestone to: ANNE HARRISON......., well known by the name of NANNE RAM DAWN. Who was chaste but not rude and ........ by principle virtuous, by education a protestant

Our tour finished by vising Millfield Lane - the site of the old Manor House, now managed by the Woodland Trust - and back to the Market Place via Uppleby with its timber-framed house having diagonal braces at first floor level - then on to Spring Street with its culverted spring, alms house, and rebuilt house with an inscription ‘GOD WITH US 1664’ (also displaying the date of its rebuild in 1907).

See what you (might have) missed! Our thanks are due to Terence for the arrangements...

Early Outings of Helmsley Archaeological Society!

These pictures show visits of Helmsley Archaeological Society to Mount Grace Priory in 1953, and to Weaverthorpe in 1960.

Can you identify any of the individuals? (click on the image to enlarge it); names have been provided for some of them.

(Acknowledgements and thanks are due to Christine Wright for these).

Dispersal of Monastic Artefacts conference

The Society for Church Archaeology will be holding their annual conference DOCUMENTING DESTRUCTION IN YORKSHIRE: THE DISPERSAL OF MONASTIC ARTEFACTS at the Bar Convent in York, September 17th-19th 2010.

Speakers will include Professor Richard Morris (University of Leeds), Pam Graves (Durham University), Leslie Johansen (University of York), Kevin Booth (English Heritage) and Andrew Davison (English Heritage).

They will be discussing the re-use of the monastic landscape and material culture in the aftermath of the Dissolution. There will also be an extensive series of tours, to Holy Trinity Priory and St Mary's Abbey in York, the Yorkshire Museum, Byland and Rievaulx Abbeys, and to English Heritage's store of monastic material in Helmsley.

Further information and a booking form can be obtained from www.britarch.ac.uk/socchurcharchaeol/

Workhouse Records 1783 - 1874

The Workhouse Records for the Parish of Helmsley, dating between 1783 and 1874, have recently been discovered in an attic room of Canon's Garth. They comprise a single vellum volume, with entries made from both ends - one the Agreements, Rules and Regulations, and the other the Finances and Payments made to individuals.

These make interesting reading, and are a fascinating insight into the time. The Records are a valuable genealogical resource, and are being scanned by the Ryedale Family History Group with the view of making them more widely available (they already have many Helmsley-related articles - see here).

To whet your appetite, a scan of the first page and a transcript of the Rules are shown below:

Rules

1. That all, and every Poor person or persons, that may or shall be put into the Work-house, shall be Obedient to the Master and Mistrefs of the House, in all and every thing Lawful and Expedient, and all and every such person or persons disobeying such Lawful Commands, shall be liable to One Day's Confinement, or other Punishment, at the discretion of the Committee.
2. From Lady Day until Michaelmas, each and every Poor person according to their abilities, shall Work from Six o'Clock in the Morning, until Seven in the Evening; and from Michaelmas, until Lady Day from Seven in the Morning until Seven in the Evening; and for the better encouraging of Industry, each and every Poor person shall out of every Shilling they shall Earn, be allowed at the least Two-pence for their own Use.
3. All and every Poor person, whose bodily Strength will permit shall attend Divine Service twice every Lord's Day, and Family Prayers every Evening at Sev'n oClock, to be made by the Master of the House, or some other Person by him appointed, and whoever shall be absent, without a lawful Cause, shall be punished as the Committee shall direct.
4. If any of the Poor are, or shall at any time be Sick, or Lame so as to require the Advice, and Assistance of an Apothecary, or Surgeon; they shall be attended on, and provided for, according to the Direction of such Apothecary, or Surgeon, as shall or may be appointed.
5. None of the Poor shall at any time go out of the Yard belonging to the Work-house, without leave of the Master or Mistrefs, nor shall they or any of them haunt or frequent any Ale-House, Gin-shop etc. under pain of punishment as the Committee shall direct.
6. If any of the Poor, shall at any time abuse or waste the Victuals for them provided, or shall be guilty of Cursing, Swearing, Obscene talking, or using Scurrilous or abusive Language, they shall be punished as the Committee shall direct.
7. Any Poor Child or Children, that may or shall at any time be in the Work-house, shall as soon as they are of proper Age, be Properly taught and Instructed in Reading, Writing, Knitting, and Sewing, by some proper Person or Persons, appointed for that purpose.
8. When any Child in the Work-house is fit to put out Apprenticed, such Child shall go out Decently Clothed by the Master of the Work-house.
9. Any Complaint that may or shall at any time be made by the Master of the Workhouse against any of the Poor, that may or shall from time to time, or at any time be committed to his Care, or by any such Poor person or persons, against the Master, or Mistrefs of the Work-house; which may be of such a Nature and consequence, as the Two or more Committee Men acting at that time, do not think proper to redrefs; they shall afsemble and call together, the whole Committee, with the Church-Wardens and Overseers of the Poor, for the time being; who after deliberately hearing, and examining both parties, and all and every person therein concerned, shall Decide the Matter.
10. That none may plead Ignorant of these Rules, a Copy of them shall be put up in a Publick place in the Work-house, and shall be read over, at the going in of any and every Adult person, and on the last Friday-Evening, in each and every succeeding Month, by One of the Church-Wardens, Overseers of the Poor, or Committee Men, for the time being, or by any other person at their request.

And for the Binding of all, each and every Party concerned in this Agreement, and all, every and each of their Deputys and Succefsors for the time being; to the just Observation and true fulfilment and performance of all and every thing therein Exprefsed, Contained, and Intended, the aforesaid William Fletcher for the due performance of his part; and the Church-Wardens, and Overseers of the Poor, and other Inhabitants of, and for and in behalf of the aforesaid Parish of Helmsley (including Carlton, and the Moorhouses), the Township of Pockley, with Beadlam and Sproxton on their part; have hereunto, in the presence of each other, set and subscribed their Names or Marks.

N.B. The Master of the Work-house is to be Charged with any School or Doctors Bills; such Bills, or Debts, must be paid by the Overseers of the Parish, or Parishes, for whose Poor such Debts were Contracted.

Church Wardens for Helmsley
Overseers for Helmsley
Church Warden for Pockley with Beadlam and Sproxton
Overseer for Pockley Overseer for Beadlam Overseer for Sproxton
Inhabitants of Helmsley
Inhabitants of Sproxton

N.B. and the said Wm. Fletcher doth agree to give notice to the Inhabitants of the Town of Helmsley at Michaelmas in Each succeeding Year provided he wishes to be realised (sic) of this Contract inspecting Maintenance of the Poor as aforesaid and the Inhabitants doth agree to do the same on their part.

We, Two of the Justices of the Peace acting for the North Riding of the County of York dwelling near to the within mentioned Parish of Helmsley (including Carlton & the Moorhouses), & the Townships of Pockley, Beadlam & Sproxton do consent unto, allow and approve the within written Contract.

- Given under our hands and seals the first Day of June 1784 -

Records rediscovered in Canons Garth by Jen Harris; scanned and transcribed by Paul Harris

Disclaimer, Copyright & Privacy

Members should either contact the above-named inviduals directly, or use this form to request further information or to express their interest.

The Public Record Office, Malpas Road, Northallerton, will be open by appointment on the first Saturday in the month from 9.30am - 4.15pm. All the usual records and search room facilities wil be available, but original items must be ordered in advance. Please book 01609-777585 or archives@northyorks.gov.uk