(Lead image: Pixabay and Ripon Civic Society) North Yorkshire boasts numerous connections to the literary world across the centuries; the Brontë family immortalised Haworth and the dramatic scenery...
Lifestyle History
Local history spotlight: Naomi Jacob
(Lead image: Pixabay and Ripon Civic Society) North Yorkshire boasts numerous connections to the literary world across the centuries; the Brontë family immortalised Haworth and the dramatic scenery of the moors, Whitby Abbey famously inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula,...
Local history spotlight: Dr Laura Veale
If you’re walking down Victoria Avenue in Harrogate and keep your eyes peeled, you’ll notice a brown sign affixed to a stone wall outside one of the impressive town houses. If you stop to take a closer look, the person commemorated by this plaque might not be known to...
Knaresborough Heritage Centre to open this month
Knaresborough Heritage Centre has announced it plans to open this month. The centre, which celebrates and showcases Knaresborough's rich history, will open on April 27 at 12 High Street. It will offer gallery exhibitions, heritage information, children's activities,...
Village idiot visits Harrogate
A YouTuber who plans to visit all 10,474 civil parishes in England is turning his attention to Harrogate. Andy Smith, who calls himself The Village Idiot, has visited more than 1,000 parishes since he started in 2020. He expects it will take him 30 or 40 years to...
Local history spotlight: Blind Jack of Knaresborough
If you’re a Knaresborough resident, you’ll almost certainly have heard about Blind Jack, but his influence can be felt much further than the small Yorkshire town. A civil engineer, local guide, horse trader, businessman and a musician, Jack can sometimes be...
Exploring North Yorkshire’s plaques and the history behind them
(Image: Gyles Rocholl) Taking the local area for granted is something many of us can be guilty of - especially if you’re a North Yorkshire resident. History can be found round every corner but can often be sidelined as just a small thread within the wider tapestry of...
The hidden stories behind Harrogate’s newest chocolate shop
The Stray Ferret goes behind the scenes to discover more about brands and businesses in Harrogate and the surrounding areas. The first insider story is Neuhaus, a chocolatier that’s recently opened in Harrogate. Jean Neuhaus was a pharmacist who covered his medicines...
Final Ripon ‘Stonehenge’ site sold to English Heritage
The final henge of a 5,000-year site near Ripon known as the 'Stonehenge of the north' has been sold to English Heritage. The Thornborough Henges complex includes three large circular earthworks each more than 200 metres in diameter dating from 3,000 to 2,500 BC....
Historic Harrogate silverware goes on display at Ogden’s
A historic solid silver model of Harrogate’s Royal Pump Room has gone on display in the town centre. The model, which was created in Ogden of Harrogate jeweller’s workshop in 1927, has been hidden from view, stored as part of the council’s civic collection. But it has...
The Harrogate organ builders preserving an age-old craft
In a modest workshop on a nondescript street in Harrogate, a declining traditional craft is being kept alive. Peter Wood & Son is one of a small number of organ builders still operating in the UK. The company is run by Mark Wood, a fourth generation organ...
Harrogate care home owner “absolutely delighted” after Grove House conversion approved
The owner of Harrogate's Grove House has said he is "absolutely delighted" after planners finally gave the go-ahead to convert the grade two listed building into a luxury care facility. Graeme Lee, chief executive of Springfield Healthcare, bought Grove House for £3...
Wreath laid in Killinghall to honour heroic Harrogate airman
A wreath was laid in a churchyard in Killinghall on Sunday to mark the 80th anniversary of the death of a local RAF pilot in the Second World War. Flying officer Ted Thackway lost his life on Black Thursday — the worst night in British military aviation history. He...
