Greenhow Hill

The delightful village of Greenhow, although characterised by its industrial past has a charm and welcome that is unique to this part of Yorkshire. Remains of the extensive lead mining industry can be seen in the village and in the surrounding landscape; the lifestyle of the past is well documented and visible in museums and historic buildings of the area.

Once consisting of just a small building housing two monks, Greenhow Hill, standing at 1300 feet above sea level, was developed by Stephen Proctor in the early 17th century. It is one of the highest developments in England and in the past, the life of the ordinary people would have been hard in such as isolated place. The Black Death of 1349 probably killed much of Greenhow's population, although documents of the Archbishop of York at the time suggest that there was still a thriving mining industry as workers paid tithes individually.

It is not known how many of these people who worked the mines, actually lived on the hill; it is thought most of the workers walked in from outlying areas. The earliest known settlements belonged to Fountains Abbey, a worthwhile attraction for visitors to the area today. Monastic farms were recorded in the area and it is thought that the two monks lived in a cottage, the original Kell House, thought to have been built around 1526-1530. The ruins of this cottage still stood in the garden of the present day Keld House in the 1920s.

This region's dramatic Yorkshire landscapes are best enjoyed by poets. It is here in this land of dreams, inspiration and muses that Rudyard Kipling penned an entire chapter 'On Greenhow Hill' in his book 'Life's Handicap'. Kipling's grandfather was once a Methodist minister at the chapel here and Rudyard has based many of his characters on known locals.

Dialect poems and prose have also been written by Thomas Blackah, once a lead miner who lived and worked in Greenhow Hill at the start of the 19th century. Another writer, Harold Bruff also wrote a book in 1920 about the village and its people. He wrote the words of the villagers in the phonetic dialect that is particular to this village

To find out more about the areas rich heritage, follow the Bewerley Industrial Heritage Trail or visit the Toft Gate lime kiln on the edge of the village where there are information boards and a short trail. For a shorter trail and more local information, look out for the board next to the Lychgate into the village burial ground.

There is much to do in both Greenhow and the surrounding Nidderdale area, with variety to keep the whole party happy, The award-winning Nidderdale Museum, the Pateley Playhouse 'Little Theatre of the Dales' and the creative talents of potters, jewellers and glassblowers hard at work in their craft workshops. Traditions are also enthusiastically preserved with annual events such as the Nidderdale Festival and the Agricultural Show, one of the country's finest.

Nidderdale is a mecca for walkers, mountain bikers, horseriders and thosew with a love of all things outdoor. The rich natural scenery is breathtaking and perfectly accommodates water sports, fishing, pot-holing and rock climbing.