Forest History Tours

08/07/2025

George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest British poets Wilki (2025).

Lord Byron and his ‘string of horses, dogs and mistresses’ were guests at the Crown Hotel in Low Harrogate in 1806 where he wrote his famous poem:

To a Beautiful Quaker:

https://www.foresthistorytours.com/poems

01/07/2025

Madam Patti

A journey to Fountain's Abbey was a particularly popular outing because town visitors could now travel considerably farther afield. One of Tom's clients was the celebrated Madam Adelina Patti, a world famous Italian opera soprano who demanded $5,000 in gold before each performance in her prime. She once wore a dress for one performance that was studded in Cartier diamonds and was worth in today's money over $30 million.

Tom brought her to the Nidd's Otter Hunt performance.

When King Edward VII sat in Tom's chair to smoke a cigar, he said it was quite cosy.

Another client was Winston Churchill, who organised the Harrogate Bathchair Artillery, a large-scale gathering after the Boer War. It started at Pier Head and arrived at Fountain's Abbey. He allegedly insisted that he should lead the chairs out from the front.

Tom passed away on October 3rd, 1931, and shortly after, his obituary was published in the Harrogate Advertiser. Grove Road Cemetery is where he is interred.

Adelina Patti was the highest paid entertainer of her time. She was the first truly global celebrity, rubbing elbows with composers and crowned heads alike ...

01/07/2025

The Bath Chair.
Many people think the name "bath chair" came from its association with baths and water. Actually, James Heath of Bath, who came up with the idea in or around 1750, took inspiration from the town of Bath.

The bath chair is a wheeled chair that was originally designed for use by ladies and the elderly but has since gained popularity among people of all ages and genders.

The bath chair was introduced to Harrogate by Thomas Rochford. He relocated to West Park from 90, Butler Road, Bilton in order to be closer to Montpellier Hill and a bicycle shop on Tower Street.

He was a well-liked character in the community and was referred to by residents as "Old Tom."

He also brought the Coventry Cycle Chair to Harrogate, which combined the comfort of a bath chair with the pedal power of a bicycle.

The photo of Tom that was published in the Harrogate Herald in 1931 and shows him mounted on the back of his cycling chair.

17/06/2025

Pier Head/ Prospect Terrace.

The neglect and closure of the Pier Head public lavatories was one of the least excusable facts of life in late 20th-century Harrogate.

Some readers may recall that the public lavatories - so convenient both for visitors arriving at the coach stops in St Mary's Walk, as well as for the town centre - and the terrace formed on the roof, were built a hundred years ago, thanks to the 1893 Act of Parliament which permitted such a structure to be built on Stray land.

The Act empowered Harrogate Corporation to build lavatories on the Stray, subject to the provision that if such lavatories were within 75 yards of an existing enclosure - i.e. building - then they must be placed under the ground.

Harrogate Corporation overcame this constructional difficulty, when the lavatories and terrace were built in 1896-97, by means of removing soil from the top of Montpellier Hill, constructing their building, and then covering it with soil removed for the excavation. The roof was provided with a paved terrace and banks of seating, and fitted with ornamental lamps and railings.

Visitors soon found Pier Head to be a pleasant place to sit and enjoy the views of Low Harrogate, as well as the antics of the pierrots and street musicians, who established their pitches here shortly after 1898. Even the best constructed buildings fall into decay if they are not properly maintained, and decades of neglect throughout the later 20th century told their tale. Malcolm Neesam

16/06/2025

With various streets and locations carrying the name, Harrogate's Montpellier area is located in the centre of town. Yet, it's possible that some of the sites in Harrogate were not named after the original location in the south of France.

The French town has a history of academic medical study because it is home to one of Europe's oldest medical schools. Due to its relatively elevated location and pleasant climate, it quickly became a favourite among international visitors to the south of France. There are numerous instances of writers using Montpellier as a byword for a healthy or uplifting location, particularly in the 1700s and 1800s.

Montpellier Gardens Chinese Temple.

In 1822, Mr. Thackwray, of the Crown Hotel, makes a similar discovery in his grounds, and over his spring erects a neat building in the manner of a Chinese Temple; he, too, provides " a female " to attend to the water-drinkers. At first Mr. Thackwray intended his spring to be reserved for his own guests; now, however, he has very generously thrown it open to the public.

The Montpellier Baths, which were initially used in Harrogate and were situated in the recreation area close to the Crown Hotel, were founded by Joseph Thackwray in 1835. The Crown Spa or Thackwray's Garden Spring were the previous names for the wells on this site (found around 1803). For almost 50 years, the Montpellier Baths and the grounds around them were in full bloom. George Dawson erected a pump room in 1870, but the facility was mostly destroyed in 1890, with the major structures being replaced by the Royal Baths of 1897.

The Montpellier public house, Montpellier Hill, Montpellier Street, and Montpellier Parade are all localities bearing their heritage.

18th Century Low Harrogate.

In 1796 Nicholson's drawing of Low Harrogate was engraved and the appearance of the place at that time possesses now a real historic interest, when the whole ground and its aspects have been so completely transformed. No fewer than five inns are shown in this valuable picture; commencing on the left side we have the old White Hart (rebuilt in 1846), then the Blue Bell (where the saddler's shop was afterwards built), next the Crown (where Lord Byron wrote a characteristic poem, To a beautiful Quaker), and then the Crescent (a century ago known as the Half Moon), and lastly the Swan. Hargrove.

16/06/2025

George Dawson, Builder

12 June 1821
Skelton-on-Ure, North Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died: 22 February, 1889 (aged 67) Harrogate, England

Explore the legacy of George Dawson, the visionary behind the transformation of Harrogate's Crescent Road. A self-made titan, Dawson's journey was one of relentless determination amid perpetual clashes with authority figures. Contemporary accounts painted him as a figure of controversy, with descriptors such as possessing "a will of iron" and an "excessively self-confident" demeanor. Despite facing financial challenges and fierce opposition, Dawson poured his sweat and toil into crafting the very foundations of Crescent Road, often toiling on-site until nightfall.

By the twilight of his life, Dawson's imprint on Harrogate was indelible. His masterful touch graced landmarks such as Cambridge Crescent and Prospect Crescent, while his vision extended to the enhancement of the Crown Hotel and the development of key residential areas like Swan Road and Victoria Avenue. Upon his passing on February 28th, 1891, the town mourned the loss of a towering figure. As his funeral procession wound its solemn path from Vanderbilt on Victoria Avenue to Grove Road Cemetery, the community paid its respects, with homes along the route solemnly adorned with drawn blinds.

George Dawson was the builder responsible for much of Crescent Road including the buildings we see in our photograph. A self-made man who was in constant conflict with the authorities, almost everything written about during his lifetime was scathing. He was described in the Harrogate Advertiser as having “a will of iron, a desire and ambition to own property and riches, the possessor of strong passions and a violent temper, excessively self confident, he could not tolerate opposition or defeat without resentment“. At age 40, undercapitalised and heavily mortgaged he could be seen on his building sites labouring on the foundations, often last to leave the site in the darkness.

By the end of his life though he had built Cambridge Crescent and Prospect Crescent, extended and improved the two wings to the Crown Hotel and was responsible for housing in Swan Road, North Park Road, Victoria Avenue and West End Park. When he died on February 28th, 1891, the flag on the council offices was lowered to half-mast. On the day of his funeral the hearse travelling from his house, Vanderbilt on Victoria Avenue to Grove Road Cemetery, was followed by a large number of townspeople and the blinds of the houses along the way were drawn as a sign of respect. Perhaps he had mellowed with age. You can see his elaborate gravestone erected by his second wife in the photograph. Full of symbolism the broken branch indicates a life cut short, the anchor with a broken link in its chain, the loss of a family member and the laurel wreath - victory in death.

Dawson's final resting place at Grove Road Cemetery is an ornate gravestone commissioned by his second wife, which stands testament to his enduring influence. Rich in symbolism, the broken branch signifies a life cut tragically short, while the anchor with a broken link evokes the pain of familial loss. On top the laurel wreath symbolises victory in death, perhaps hinting at a softer, reflective side to a man whose life was marked by ambition and conflict.

George Dawson, a man who shaped Harrogate's landscape and left an indelible mark on its history.

15/06/2025

Haverah Park & Harlow Hill.

Harlow is very much the gateway to Haverah Park - early settlers used hills as strategic vantage points where fires could be lit to warn of attacks, Harlow was one such hill, located between Harrogate and Haverah Park an ideal base for early occupation.

The route down from Harlow through Coldbath Road, formerly known as Robin Hood's Lane, connected Low Harrogate to High Harrogate via what is now called Walker's Passage. This well-known ancient trading route was used by some of our earliest settlers to transport lead and other goods from the resource-rich upper landscapes of the Forest.

William Grainge, writing in the 1860's, recorded from 'tradition murmurs' that the armies of Uter Pendragon encamped upon Harlow Hill, about the year 460; and the humble cottage of a husbandman bore the name of 'Pendragon's Castle' until quite a recent period' (i.e. circa 1870). Uter Pendragon was, of course, the father of King Arthur, and it is unfortunate that Grainge recorded nothing more substantial than 'murmurs'. Malcolm Neesam.

Haverah Park

Before the pre-Conquest period, finds in Haverah have included a natural boulder thought by some to be an inscribed hogback. Found in 1901 by W. J. Kaye, in the removal of two tumuli reputed to be British barrows and known locally as 'Pippin Castle.' Also a Viking axe head which may allude to a Viking barrow burial.

Haverah Park was created in the late 12th century as a royal deer park within the Forest of Knaresborough.
The park is the location of John of Gaunt's castle and has passed through the hands of many Royal Families including Edward II III and Richard II.

The Castle rests on a ditched platform 35mx30m it had a curtain wall and a gatehouse, with a bridge over the moat. Within are buried footings of a central tower, 15m square, and 1 wall which probably formed part of a range.

The park later became the property of the Ingleby family of Ripley Castle.

The Royal Forest was given to John, Duke of Lancaster (also known as John of Gaunt) by King Edward III in 1372, making the Duchy of Lancaster the major landowner in Harrogate.

14/06/2025

Harrogate Map 1853

In medieval England, Harrogate did not exist as the town we know today. It was an area situated between the parish of Pannal (also known as Beckwith with Rossett) and the township of Bilton with Harrogate within the ancient Parish of Knaresborough.

Both High Harrogate and Low Harrogate originated from Bilton and Pannal, respectively, located in Knaresborough Royal Forest.

In the late 18th century, Tobias Smollett described Harrogate as a wild, barren common without cultivation. Thomas Pennant noted in 1777 that Harrogate was situated on a desolate moor, serving as a stop on the road from Knaresborough to the royal park at Haverah. While there are conflicting theories about the origin of the town's name, Harlow of Harlow Hill is suggested as a possible source, indicating a gateway to Harlow. Additionally, "Hill" in Harlow Hill may be redundant as "Harlow" itself means "Soldiers' Hill."

14/06/2025

Due to ongoing work commitments. From January 2026 Forest History Tours website will be closing. Thank you all for your interest, I wish you all happy researching and would encourage you to visit Harrogate Library and Nidderdale Museum for research into our wonderful local history.

25/05/2025

Just discovered something quite interesting. If you have Thorn Thur, Thor or True etc in your name you are most likely of Danish descent and probably have Thrurbrand the Hold as an ancestor.

All styled on Thor a prominent God in Norse mythology, revered as the God of thunder, lightning, storms, and the protector of mankind.

Places: Bishop Thornton, Thornthwaite, Thornborough, Thornborough Henges, Thoralby, Thormanby, Thorpe, Thornaby-on-Tees.

Notable people: Scarborough Castle – the town was founded by Danes in the 10th century, when Thorgil (also known as Skarthi, meaning ‘hare-lip) built a stronghold here - hence ‘Skarthi’s burh’.

Ralph Thoresby:(16 August 1658 – 16 October 1725) was an antiquarian, who was born in Leeds and is widely credited with being the first historian of that city. Besides being a merchant, he was a nonconformist, fellow of the Royal Society, diarist, author, common-councilman in the Corporation of Leeds, and museum keeper. Ralph Thoresby was the son of John Thoresby, a Leeds merchant who for a time was an officer under Fairfax during the English Civil War.

Thor Longus.

Thor of Tranent.

The suffix "-by" in place names is also strongly associated with Viking, and specifically Danish, descent and typically indicates a settlement or village.

The suffix "-ton" is derived from Old English and Viking words meaning "farmstead" or "enclosure"

Beginning in the Viking Age, personal names containing the theonym Þórr are recorded with great frequency, whereas no examples are known prior to this period. Þórr-based names may have flourished during the Viking Age as a defiant response to attempts at Christianization, similar to the widespread Viking Age practice of wearing Thor's hammer pendants.

22/05/2025

The earliest "invaders" of Britain, as described in the passage, were the Angles and Saxons, who originated from northern Germany. They had previously raided the Yorkshire coast during the Roman occupation, and by around AD 500, their presence had spread as far as Ripon. Some historians propose that the names of places like Ripley and Ripon might have come from the Germanic Hype tribe, who may also have been the source of Ribston, according to Hook Norton Village Website.

Anglo-Saxon Origins:
The passage highlights the Angles and Saxons as the initial invaders of Britain during the "Dark Ages". These groups were from what is now northern Germany and Denmark.

Early Raids and Settlements:
The passage mentions that these groups had previously raided the Yorkshire coast during Roman occupation, indicating a pattern of early incursions. By AD 500, they had moved inland, reaching as far as Ripon, suggesting a gradual settlement process.

Place Name Connections:
Some historians believe that the names of certain places, such as Ripley, Ripon, and Ribston, may have their roots in the Germanic Hype tribe. This suggests that the Hype tribe played a role in the early settlement and naming of areas in northern England.

Ribston's Origin:
The passage mentions that Ribston, with its early form Ripestan, may have been derived from "Hype-stone," implying a tribal boundary or landmark at the confluence of rivers.

19/05/2025

THE FOUNTAINS ABBEY ARCHIVE
Discover the history of Fountains Abbey and its families

https://fountainsabbeyarchives.wordpress.com/category/12th-century-1100-1199/