Knaresborough urchins to invade pubs again this Christmas

Pubs in the Harrogate district are set to be invaded by a group of scruffy urchins from Knaresborough this Christmas.

Knaresborough Mummers will perform five-minute plays at pubs around Knaresborough this Saturday before moving on to other parts of the district.

Mummers plays, which date back to the 1700s, were originally performed by peasants and beggars to make money at Christmas and Easter.

Knaresborough Mummers, which was founded in 1974 and performed annually prior to covid, donates proceeds from a whip-round at the end to charities.

They will give a version of the Blue Stots play, which is a Mummers play from the Vale of York traditionally presented by agricultural workers in tattered coats and dirty faces, with trousers tied at the knees to stop rats running up them.

Leader John Burrell said the 10-strong team was anxious to get back to playing in local hostelries again after a break due to covid.

He added re-establishing their 40-year-old tours had not been easy as some pubs have closed and others have changed into restaurants, but gradually a full programme of five tours was put together. Details of venues are here.

Mr Burrell, who used to run a folk music club in Knaresborough, said the group was keen to accept new members.

He said no experience was necessary besides “a sense of humour and not minding going into a pub and acting daft”. 

Money raised from this year’s plays will go to Jennyruth Workshops, Follifoot Park Disabled Riders Group, Greatt North Air Ambulance, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Martin House hospice.

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New bus service to link Harrogate and Knaresborough with Yorkshire Dales

Improved bus links from Harrogate and Knaresborough to the Yorkshire Dales will begin this weekend.

A new service, DalesBus 74, will run every Saturday from Knaresborough and Harrogate to Ilkley, Bolton Abbey and Grassington. 

The Reliance bus leaves from Knaresborough Bus Station (stand C) at 9.10am and Harrogate Bus Station (stand 2) at 9.25am. It returns from Grassington at 5pm and Bolton Abbey at 5.25pm.

There are also minor changes to DalesBus 59, running between Harrogate and Skipton on Saturdays, from this weekend.  All journeys will return from Skipton five minutes later, and the bus will no longer call at Millstones.

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From July 3, a service called Eastern DalesBus 825 will run on Sundays and Bank Holidays from Harrogate to Brimham Rocks, Fountains Abbey, Masham, Leyburn and Richmond.

These services are managed by Dales and Bowland Community Interest Company, which aims to improve sustainable access to the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 

Dales Rover day tickets are £10 for adults and £18 for any group of up to two adults and three children.  Concessionary bus passes for the elderly and disabled are valid for free travel on DalesBus 59 and DalesBus 74.

Tickets are available from the driver.

Excitement builds for Masham Sheep Fair this weekend

Masham Sheep Fair will take place this weekend and promises to be a celebration of all things sheep farming.

The fair, which commemorates Masham’s rich history of sheep farming, is one of the biggest annual events in the Harrogate district and provides a major boost for tourism in the Dales’ town.

Susan Cunliffe-Lister and other volunteers started the sheep fair 30 years ago, initially as a one-off event to raise money for farmers in Africa. It raised £7,950 and became an annual event, now raising £159,000 for Yorkshire charities.

Attractions include sheep racing, sheepdog demonstrations, craft and fleece stalls, Morris dancers, tours of Masham’s Theakston and Black Sheep breweries and a children’s fair.

There is also a large sheep show in which various breeds are judged and supreme champions decided.

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The schedule for the sheep fair is below.

Saturday

10.00 – Town Hall & School exhibitions open
10.00 – Harvest display & refreshments in Methodist Chapel
10.45 – Judging of Sheep Show commences
10.45 – Flower Festival opens in St. Mary’s Church
11.30 – Sheep Show on trailer in front of Town Hall
12.00 – Trips around Theakston’s & Black Sheep Breweries start
12.00 – Sheep racing in field beyond churchyard
12.30 – Sheepdog demonstrations in field beyond churchyard
13.00 – Judging of Supreme Champion in Sheep Show
13.45 – Bishop Blaize procession from Maple Creek to the Square
14.00 – Sheep Show on trailer in front of Town Hall
14.30 – Sheep racing over the sticks
15.00 – Sheepdog demonstration in field beyond churchyard
15.00 – Handbell ringing in Church
15.30 – Sheep Show on trailer in front of Town Hall

Sunday

10.00 – Town Hall & School exhibitions open
10.30 – Morning Service in Methodist Chapel
10.45 – Harvest Festival Thanksgiving Service at St. Mary’s Church
10.45 – Judging of Sheep Show commences
11.30 – Sheep Show on trailer in front of Town Hall
12.00 – Flower Festival opens in St. Mary’s Church
12.00 – Trips around Theakston’s & Black Sheep Breweries start
12.00 – Sheep racing in field beyond churchyard
12.00 – Refreshments start at Methodist Church
12.30 – Sheepdog demonstrations in field beyond churchyard
13.00 – Judging of Supreme Champion in Sheep Show
13.45 – Bishop Blaize procession from Maple Creek to the Square
14.00 – Sheep Show on trailer in front of Town Hall
14.30 – Sheep racing over the sticks
15.00 – Sheepdog demonstration in field beyond churchyard
15.00 – Handbell ringing in Church
15.30 – Sheep Show on trailer in front of Town Hall
18.30 – Songs of Praise service in Methodist Chapel

Masham Sheep Fair to go-ahead this month

Masham Sheep Fair is to go-ahead on September 25 and 26 as planned, the organisers announced last night.

The fair, which commemorates Masham’s rich history of sheep farming, is one of the biggest annual events in the Harrogate district.

It provides a major boost for tourism in the Dales town so the decision to proceed, after last year’s event was cancelled due to covid, will be welcomed by many.

Susan Cunliffe-Lister and other volunteers started the sheep fair 30 years ago, initially as a one-off event to raise money for farmers in Africa. It raised £7,950 and became an annual event, raising £159,000 for Yorkshire charities.

We are pleased to confirm that Masham Sheep Fair WILL take place on 25th and 26th September. Full details on https://t.co/XAIl8VVvI5 Click on image for main features pic.twitter.com/3JoJ0Dy4m2

— Susan Briggs (@Dales_Tourism) September 6, 2021

Attractions include sheep racing, sheepdog demonstrations, craft and fleece stalls, Morris dancers, tours of Masham’s Theakston and Black Sheep breweries and a children’s fair.

There is also a large sheep show in which various breeds are judged and supreme champions decided.

Many traditional Harrogate district summer events were cancelled for a second year running this year due to covid, including Masham Steam Engine and Fair Organ Rally, Ripley Show and Nidderdale Show at Pateley Bridge, which was due to take place less than a week before the sheep fair.

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