Hampsthwaite claimed bragging rights over Birstwith for the rest of the year after winning the annual New Year’s Day tug of war contest.

Men’s and women’s teams from the Joiners Arms in Hampsthwaite and the Station Hotel in Birstwith did battle at Hampsthwaite cricket field yesterday in front of a large crowd of spectators.

The men’s and women’s teams from Hampsthwaite both came out top in the best-of-three pulls.

The teams then put aside their rivalries to enjoy pie and peas at the Joiners Arms and take part in a raffle to raise money for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

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All the photos below were taken by Edward Lee.

Village pride will be at stake today when teams from Hampsthwaite and Birstwith do battle in their traditional New Year’s Day tug of war showdown.

Men’s and women’s teams from the Joiners Arms in Hampsthwaite and the Station Hotel in Birstwith will face-off at Hampsthwaite cricket field at 1pm.

Both sexes will compete over the best of three pulls before heading to the Joiners Arms for pie and peas.

There will also be a raffle in aid of Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Joiners Arms landlord Tony Crammage, aided by Robin Hardcastle, has been organising the Hampsthwaite men’s team while Nicola Binns is getting together the female team. Amy Howard is overseeing the teams in Birstwith.

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Joiners Arms landlady Becky Cranage explained the tug of war tradition dated back many years, with Hampsthwaite’s finest formerly taking on a team from RAF Menwith Hill.

But in recent years it has evolved into a battle of neighbouring Nidderdale villages, with Hampsthwaite emerging victorious last year.

Some of last year’s competitors.

An longstanding car garage in Hampsthwaite has proposed plans to relocate.

Simon Graeme Auto Services Centre, which is based on Grayson Plain Lane, has submitted a planning application to relocate onto the opposite side of the road.

The move would see a new purpose built facility built and the current MOT centre and car park demolished.

The new facility would include units for MOT servicing, training space and a reception and office. Fifteen car parking spaces would be provided, including six electric vehicle charging points.

In documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, the developer said the larger building was needed in order to “respond to changes in the automotive industry”.

It said:

“The business has outgrown the site and given the growth of electric and hybrid vehicles, together with need to maintain services for the farming community, there is a clear need for a larger, more bespoke building.

“This would also enable the building to be future proofed in terms of electric vehicle charging.”

The garage, situated just off the A59 near to Hampsthwaite, has been established for over 25 years.

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.

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Tributes have been paid to well-known Hampsthaite funeral director, Roger Bowers, who has died.

Born and raised on Hollins Lane in the village, Mr Bowers was the owner of the family-run business W.Bowers Funeral Directors.

He took on the firm, which was founded by his parents William and Josephine in 1945, and grew it to cover two offices in Hampsthwaite and Harrogate and host funerals across the district.

Stephen Hessell, partner of the funeral directors, said Mr Bowers was dedicated to the business even in his later life.

He said:

“He had not given up on the business right until the very end.

“He was always there for us.”

A popular figure in his home village, Mr Bowers was particularly supportive of Hampsthwaite Church of England Primary School, where he organised Christmas carol singing once a year.

He also sponsored bowls tournaments in Dacre and the town crier competition at Knaresborough Feva festival.

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Mr Hessell said giving back to his local community was important to Mr Bowers and was something he continued to do in later life.

He said:

“It meant a lot to him even in those last four years or so.

“One of the things he enjoyed doing was getting a deck chair outside his house and speaking to people who wandered by. He would enjoy that a lot.”

Mr Bowers (left) with Stephen Hessell

Illness and a decline in mobility had prevented Mr Bowers from the day-to-day running of the business since 2018.

He died on December 13, 2022, aged 79.

Mr Hessell said he would remember Mr Bowers as a friend who was always there.

He said:

“I’m going to miss his kindness for sure.

“If you needed to talk to somebody, I would sit with him for an hour. I’m going to miss him terribly.”

A private funeral will be held in accordance with Mr Bowers’ wishes. No details will be published of the service.

A village school near Harrogate has completed a £270,000 upgrade.

Hampsthwaite Church of England Primary School was built by public subscription in 1861 and now has 142 pupils and a nursery. It is part of the multi-academy Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust, which includes St Aidan’s Church of England High School and a number of other Church of England and community schools in the district.

Since Amy Ross became headteacher in September 2019 the elegant stone building, which originally comprised a schoolroom with classroom, and master’s house, has been further extended and modernised.

It now has an early years foundation stage outdoor area, a perimeter fence, a main school entrance and school office, a link lobby which prevents classrooms being a thoroughfare that disrupted learning and a staff room.

The new staffroom and link lobby.

The £270,000 refurbishment was paid for by a combination of section 106 infrastructure funding from housing developers along with school and trust funds

Ms Ross said:

“We are delighted to have completed this next stage of our journey at Hampsthwaite which has further enhanced our facilities for the benefit of children, families and our passionate, dedicated and exceptionally talented staff team.”

“With fantastic support from Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust we have been able to achieve such a huge amount in a short space of time, and all of this despite covid.

“Completing the build also highlighted what a wonderful school community we have. Parents donated furniture, including a sofa and coffee tables for the staffroom and Graham Sanderson Interiors (Harrogate) made us some beautiful new blinds for the main office and for the staff room, which will be treasured for decades to come. I feel privileged and proud to be a part of this community.”

Jo Stott, the school business manager, said:

“Following the addition of a further classroom in recent years, the school had been lacking in facilities to support this extra provision, in particular to ensure a suitable entrance into school and also in providing staff room facilities.

“The improvements made to school make a huge difference in the day-to-day operations and will without doubt help Hampsthwaite School continue to thrive.”

A new music festival in the Harrogate district faces an uncertain future after the sudden departure of the man who made it happen.

German composer and pianist Thomas Flessenkaemper organised the first Amy Woodforde-Finden Music Festival in Hampsthwaite last month.

The ambitious two-day event, celebrating the work of composer Amy Woodforde-Finden, who is buried in Hampsthwaite’s village church, was a success.

This led to hopes the festival would become an annual event, promoting the work of Amy and other female composers, as well as engaging local artists and schools.

But Mr Flessenkaemper has resigned from his position as director of music for the benefice of Hampsthwaite, Killinghall and Birstwith.

The Stray Ferret understands he did so following a disagreement with Suzy McCarter, the vicar of Hampsthwaite with Felliscliffe, Killinghall and Birstwith.

Revd Suzy McCarter

The Venerable Jonathan Gough, Archdeacon of Richmond and Craven, did not respond to questions about a fallout when contacted by the Stray Ferret.

He said Mr Flessenkaemper had taken up a new post at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity in Gibraltar, adding:

“The success of the festival was largely due to Mr Flessenkaemper’s inspiration, leadership and commitment.

“Worshippers in the benefice are very grateful to Mr Flessenkaemper for his great contribution to the life of the churches and the villages since his appointment earlier this year.

“They are sad to see him go, but they recognise that a musician of his calibre will need to develop his musical career in a larger setting, and they wish him every success in his new post at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, Gibraltar.

“The Parochial Church Councils will consider future plans for the Amy Woodforde-Finden Music Festival in the New Year.”

Mr Flessenkaemper declined to comment when contacted by the Stray Ferret.

Amy Woodforde-Finden’s tomb in St Thomas a’Becket church in Hampsthwaite.

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Heavy rain has led to flooding on some Harrogate district roads today

The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms this morning and warned some roads could be flooded.

It proved accurate as drivers across the district, which is still under drought, struggled in many of the usual highway trouble spots for flooding.

Pic: Lynne Hardcastle

Church Lane in Hampsthwaite, pictured here, remained open despite treacherous conditions.

Pot Bridge, where there is a sharp double bend, on the B6161 was also difficult due to the conditions.

The weather warning ended at 1pm but driving conditions are expected to remain difficult this afternoon due to spray and standing water.

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An ambitious new two-day music festival in a small Harrogate village began last night.

The Amy Woodforde-Finden Music Festival was created to promote a female composer who is buried in Hampsthwaite.

About 70 people attended a recital of her songs at St Thomas a Becket Church, featuring London mezzo-soprano Patricia Hammond.

A guided tour of Amy’s Hampsthwaite this morning will be followed by a concluding concert this evening featuring two baritones and talented local musicians at St Thomas a Becket.

It is hoped the festival will become an annual event, promoting the work of Amy and other female composers, as well as engaging local artists and schools.

Amy’s music was much sought-after at the turn of the last century but her reputation fell into obscurity following her death in 1919.

Amy Woodforde-Finden’s tomb

Her tomb in St Thomas a Becket Church attracted little attention for a century until the German composer and pianist Thomas Flessenkaemper was appointed director of music for the benefice of Hampsthwaite, Killinghall and Birstwith.

Mr Flessenkaemper noticed the tomb during his interview for the role and when he took up the position he became curious. He said:

“I set out to track down this extraordinary artistic personality. I quickly realised that I had struck gold and read everything I could find about Amy Woodforde-Finden.”

He became “completely drunk on the colourfulness of her musical language” and set about establishing a festival to promote her work.

St Thomas a Becket Church last night

Mr Flessenkaemper accompanied Ms Hammond at last night’s recital, the highlight of which was Amy’s four-song Indian Love Lyrics.

The programme notes included a supportive quote from international pianist Stephen Hough, who said he “immediately fell in love with the alluring melodies, the exotic harmonies and the ultra-sentimental words” of Amy’s music.

A video set to Amy’s music featuring Hampsthwaite is available here.

Tickets for this evening’s concert are available here and at the church door tonight.

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A new music festival will be held in a Nidderdale village to celebrate the work of a famed Victorian composer.

St Thomas à Becket Parish Church in Hampsthwaite will host the two-day event after discovering Amy Woodforde-Finden was buried in its churchyard, with a marble monument created by sculptor George Wade.

Amy, who was born in Chile, died in 1919.

As well as two concerts featuring her music on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8, the event will include a guided tour of ‘Amy’s Hampsthwaite’.

A spokesperson for the event said:

“Amy Woodforde-Finden’s success was particularly remarkable in the context of a male-dominated society, where women had no right to vote.

“Amy is best known for her set of Indian Love Lyrics. Her Kashmiri Song proved an instant and lasting hit and became one of the highest selling pieces of sheet music ever published at the time!

“Amy’s music perfectly captured the mood and morals of the time, and in recent years, her works have enjoyed a new appreciation, due to a revival and interest in neglected female composers.”

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The opening night will feature renowned soloist Patricia Hammond, who will travel from London to perform a song recital of Amy’s music.

Amy Woodforde-Finden

Patricia, who specialises in women composers of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, will be accompanied by the church’s director of music and mastermind of the inaugural festival, Thomas Flessenkaemper.

On the Saturday evening, members of the church will be joined by those from across the benefice of Felliscliffe, Killinghall and Birstwith, as well as local schoolchildren and musicians from the wider area.

They will perform a selection of pieces including Amy’s Pagoda of Flowers, which organisers believe is being recorded for the first time.

Tickets are available from the festival website at £12 for each concert or £20 for both. Concessions are £10 and children under 18 go free.

It was first established by Royal Charter in 1304 and has been enjoyed by villagers ever since.

Now, following a two-year break due to the pandemic, the Hampsthwaite Feast and show is returning this weekend.

This year the event, which is organised by volunteers for residents in the village, will start on Friday evening, kicking off with children’s races.

Saturday will include a pet show and a new and improved Hampsthwaite Run, which has been opened up to competitors from outside the village.

The Hampsthwaite Feast Show will take place in the memorial hall and the traditional feast fancy dress parade is also back, accompanied by Tewit Youth Band. This year’s theme is ‘Children’s TV – past and present’.

The event, which is aimed at emphasising the village’s “wonderful community spirit”, will finish with fireworks on Saturday night.

Feast secretary Vicki Dixon said:

“We are really thrilled it’s coming back this year. Last year we had a smaller event, but we weren’t able to do more than that. So we are really looking forward to celebrating as a village again.”

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