Knaresborough to hold first community archaeology festival

Knaresborough’s fascinating past is to be brought to life at the town’s first community archaeology festival this month.

Visitors will see hundreds of local artefacts from prehistoric times to the modern era, including a 4,000-year-old ceremonial hand axe.

They are also invited to bring along any artefacts they have found and a team of experts will answer questions about them.

Knaresborough Museum Association is hosting the free to enter festival over the two half-term weekends of October 28 and 29 and November 4 and 5 from 10am to 4pm at Centre-on-Gracious Street.

Kathy Allday, chair of the association, said:

“It’s a really exciting opportunity for visitors to look at a wide range of archaeological finds from the local area and find out what these tell us about the people who have lived in this area for generations.

“We can learn about the first inhabitants who came to hunt, live and farm in Knaresborough, and see what they left behind.”

“The displays also tell us what the Romans, Vikings and Saxons got up to in Knaresborough, as well as shining a light on the town’s amazing medieval history.”

Association vice-chair Malcolm Hay inspects a find.

A £10,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to the association funded the festival and also paid for a geophysical survey of Priory Cottage Orchards on Abbey Road, where the Trinitarian Priory precinct once stood.

Some of the objects on display will be used in a quiz for adults and a game for children at the festival.

Nun Tabbetha will be making an appearance, writing exquisitely illustrated medieval pardons for anyone who needs forgiveness for being naughty.

Audio visual recordings from conservationist Keith Wilkinson on the archaeology of Nidd Gorge, and mudlarker Steve Mycroft will be available and local history books and Knaresborough Christmas cards will be on sale to raise funds for the association.

The association is commissioning a 3D model of the Gates Hill Iron Age fort.

The association plans to take its displays to outlying villages, libraries and community centres, expanding its outreach work with community groups and schools.

It also had plans to organise more exhibitions, research projects and further archaeological survey work.

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Historic deal will see Ripon end years of neglect from Harrogate, says councillor

A “historic” deal is set to unshackle Ripon from years of neglect by councillors in Harrogate, it was claimed today.

North Yorkshire Council‘s ruling executive agreed to set up a project team to oversee Ripon people taking control of Ripon Town Hall, the market place and car park, public toilets and the Wakeman’s House.

The assets were controlled by Harrogate Borough Council until it was abolished in April.

North Yorkshire Council agreed to trial local management as part of its commitment to what its Conservative leadership calls “double devolution”.

Councillor Andrew Williams, a member of the Conservative and Independents group who represents Ripon Minster and Moorside, praised the move at today’s meeting and launched an eviscerating attack on Harrogate Borough Council.

He said:

“This is for Ripon potentially a historic day in the building of a more constructive relationship with the unitary authority than it had previously with a rather fractured relationship that existed with Harrogate Borough Council.”

‘More grass on market than centre court at Wimbledon’

Cllr Williams said Ripon’s poor relationship with Harrogate led the city council to formulate “ambitious and complex” plans to take control of assets. He added:

“They all interlink to develop the central area of Ripon, which has sadly been neglected for some time.

“If you look at the Wakeman’s House that we are hoping to take ownership of, no work has been undertaken on that for over 10 years. The lease income from the business in there has been spent elsewhere.

“Ripon Town Hall last had maintenance carried out on it in 2004 when the queen visited.”

The Wakeman’s House 

Laughter was heard when Cllr Williams added:

“The market place will soon have more grass growing on it than the centre court at Wimbledon.”

He then criticised the decision to close public toilets at 9pm when the city encouraged visitors to watch the nightly hornblower ceremony. He added:

“We firmly believe Ripon people know Ripon better than anybody else and know best how to make it a success rather than it currently is, which is underachieving its potential.

“The people of Ripon and the council are firmly behind the principle of double devolution.”

Cllr Barbara Brodigan, a Liberal Democrat who represents Ripon Ure Bank and Spa, told the meeting she endorsed Cllr Williams’ comments.

The executive agreed unanimously to proceed with the proposals.

Knaresborough also set for more local control

North Yorkshire Council invited town and parish councils to submit expressions of interest to run local assets in November last year.

Harrogate was excluded from the process because it doesn’t have a town council and moves to set one up have been delayed by local Conservatives.

Twelve parish councils submitted expressions of interest.

Knaresborough Town Council and Ripon City Council were among those selected to advance their proposals, with a view to formally taking over on April 1 next year.

Knaresborough bid to manage the markets and assets associated with managing the market, such as road closure signs and tables.

But Little Ouseburn’s proposal to take charge of grass cutting of the green area outside Broomfield Cottages.was rejected because it “did not evidence legal competence”.

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Knaresborough road closure signs put up ‘in error’

Signs for a road closure in Knaresborough have been removed after the council said they were put up “in error”.

Residents were braced for a two-week road closure of the B6163 Briggate after the signs appeared and North Yorkshire Council ‘s roadworks map indicated the highway would be closed daily between 7.30am until 5.30pm from yesterday until November 1.

The council said the road, where a wall collapsed last month, would be resurfaced.

The collapsed wall

But there was confusion when the signs disappeared and no work took place.

A council spokesperson has now said the signs were “installed by the contractor in error” before being removed. They added resurfacing was now due to take place in April next year.

Councillor Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West, said the wall needed repairing before roadworks could be carried out and he was trying to find out when work on the wall would begin.

Cllr Walker added:

“The signs were put in the wrong location — they were intended for High Bridge but had the wrong date on as that’s been delayed by a week.

“It all seems very chaotic and disorganised.”

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Knaresborough father fights for autistic son to join twin brother at SEND school

A Knaresborough man has raised concerns following ongoing issues with North Yorkshire Council about his autistic son’s education.

Stephen Coe’s twin sons, Magnus and Felix, are both autistic and have been given an education, health and care plan (EHCP) – which supports those with special educational needs (SEND).

After completing mainstream primary school, Mr Coe hoped the 12-year-old twins would both be accepted into The Forest School, in Knaresborough, which only caters for those with special needs and an EHCP.

However, he was shocked to discover only Magnus had received a place.

Following an assessment of Felix’s standard assessment tests (SATs), North Yorkshire Council found him to only have mild learning difficulties and he was too able to attend a special educational needs and disabilities school, Mr Coe added.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“Magnus was accepted into The Forest School, and he loves it.

“The council, however, told us that Felix is too able to attend Forest, despite his SATs results actually being worse than Magnus’s.”

Mr Coe also said the council suggested Felix would be able to attend King James’s School in Knaresborough, despite the school saying it could not cater to his needs.

“I have had to take unpaid leave from work to look after Felix, as I refuse to send him to a mainstream school that has said since October 2022 that they cannot meet his needs, following multiple assessments there – a decision that, we as parents, support.

“King James’s has been honest and fair throughout.”

The Forest School has since told Mr Coe that it is now full and could not give Felix a place.

Felix has been out of full-time education since July this year. Although his father is trying to provide him with sufficient at-home education, he added “quite frankly, I’m not a teacher.”

Mr Coe added:

“All I’m asking is for my son’s rights to be observed – he needs stability.

“Other than the staff King James’s, not one person that has made this decision for him, has even met him in person.”

The council awarded £700 in compensation for “mismanagement of process” following a complaint by Mr Coe but he is now escalating it to a tribunal.

He will face the local authorities next February.

North Yorkshire Council told the Stray Ferret that “all SEND admissions follow the national requirements outlined in the SEND Code of Practice 2015.”

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Knaresborough man set for third trip to South Pole

A Knaresborough man is set to embark on his third trip to the South Pole.

Gerald Draycott, who is originally from North Wales, previously worked at Menwith Hill before moving to The Hague and then back to Scriven to continue his work as a satellite engineer.

He was invited on a work trip by explorer, Robert Swan OBE, and was asked to install a satellite at the summit of the South Pole alongside 160 other people.

It was used to broadcast images and information of the Antarctic online and raise awareness of the significant environmental impacts the continent has on the world.

Mr Draycott added:

“We wanted people to understand the significant impact the Antarctic has on the rest of the environment.

“The animals and nature there, the ice caps and the O-Zone layer are all so important and, by installing the satellite, we could broadcast this back home for people to really understand.”

Those on the trip were broadcasting live on Facebook, calling families, and sharing images on social media to spread awareness thanks to the vessel, he added.

Mr Draycott and crew on the first expedition.

In January of this year, Mr Draycott was invited back to Antarctica by Mr Swan to complete a 70-mile trek to the South Pole.

The explorer had attempted the walk before but injured his hip 90 miles before the finish line, so invited a group to complete the walk with him.

Mr Draycott added:

“It was a 60 nautical mile trek — which is 70 regular miles — to the pole while pulling my sled.”

The trip took 10 days to complete and temperatures  reached -33 degrees celsius.

“It was really overwhelming; you look out and see literally nothing but white.

“Your mind begins to play tricks on you because there’s just nothing to take your mind off what you’re doing.”

Gerald Draycott

His workplace, SES Satellite, sponsored his second trip to the summit.

“Because it’s so clear, you can see for about 25 miles ahead of you.

“We could see the pole and thought, ‘that’s not too bad’, but realised it was still another three days of walking away.

“It was an absolutely amazing experience though and it’s such a story to tell. You really find out who you are on a trip like that.”

Now, Mr Draycott is planning his third trip in 2025 and is looking for companies in the Harrogate district to sponsor the expedition.

He aims to walk 1,130km across 60 days from the Hercules Inlet coast to the South Pole.

The satellite connectivity means sponsors would get social media and online coverage along the way, and would be a great way to put something unique back into the area, he added.

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Knaresborough road to be closed for resurfacing

A road in Knaresborough is set to be closed for resurfacing next week.

North Yorkshire Council will carry out work on B6163 Briggate from Monday (October 16).

According to the council’s roadworks map, the road will be closed between 7.30am until 5.30pm everyday until November 1.

Advanced warning signs of the closure are also in place on the road.

The move comes as the road was recently hit by disruption after a wall collapsed.

The wall, which was painted by Knaresborough artist Joseph Baker Fountain last century, crashed on to the road on Thursday, September 14.

Two-way traffic lights were put in place as repairs were carried out.

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Knaresborough man to deliver two fire engines to Ukraine this month

A Knaresborough man will drive to Ukraine later this month to deliver two fire engines.

Bob Frendt, who is in his 70s, began his humanitarian work just over 18 months ago after the war between Ukraine and Russia began.

He said:

“I saw it on the TV when it started and saw the conditions these people were living in.

“I said to my wife ‘I can’t just sit here; I need to do something to help’.”

He is now preparing to make his ninth trip to the city of Volodymyr.

The Mayor of Volodymyr requested Mr Frendt, who is a retired truck driver, to supply the community with a fire engine after the original one was taken for use in Kyiv.

Bob Frendt’s fire engine.

He has held several fundraising events to pay for the £24,000 fire engine, including quiz nights and choir concerts, but said he has not worked out the total amount raised yet.

A company also donated a second vehicle to Mr Frendt after hearing about his venture.

He will be joined by his wife Maureen and two other passengers along the way.

The group will set off on Friday, October 27 at 2pm, from Aldi car park in Knaresborough.

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Police link Scotton collision to Knaresborough car theft

North Yorkshire Police believe a collision in Scotton could be linked to a recent car theft in Knaresborough.

Emergency services, including North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, were called to the incident, which happened on Market Flat Lane in Scotton at 6.17pm yesterday.

Fire crews found a 53-reg blue Land Rover Freelander on its roof on arrival.

A police spokesperson told the Stray Ferret:

“The vehicle had overturned and two young men ran off into a nearby field, off Scotton Way.

“Despite ground searched and assistance from a police airplane, they have not yet been located.”

The force does not believe the men suffered serious injuries.

It added an investigation into the theft of the Land Rover Freelander in Knaresborough, which happened on Wednesday, October 11, has been linked to the collision.

The car is believed to have been stolen between 2pm and 6pm that day.

A spokesperson added:

“Witnesses or anyone with dash-cam or doorbell footage are asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 4, and speak to the Force Control Room.”

You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Quote reference 12230193555 when providing details.

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Land Rover found on its roof after Knaresborough collision

Fire crews were called to a single vehicle collision near Knaresborough last night.

Knaresborough and Harrogate firefighters arrived at the scene at 6.13pm on Market Flat Lane, in Scotton, and found a car was on its roof.

The vehicle, which was a Land Rover Freelander, had lost control, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue reported.

The incident log added:

“Witnesses had seen two persons running from the scene and no other persons were involved.

“Fire crews used a thermal imaging camera to check the nearby vicinity for any casualties, none were found.”

The incident was left with the police and no further details were provided.

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Developer plans 25 lodge holiday park near Knaresborough

A developer has submitted plans for a new 25 lodge holiday park near Knaresborough.

The proposal has been tabled by AMS Planning on behalf of Mr Duffield for land at Shortsill Lane at Coneythorpe, known as Spring Bank Farm.

It would see 25 holiday lodges built at the site, as well as a reception.

The proposed lodges would be built around two ponds, which the developer said would serve as a haven for wildlife and enhance “the character of the site”.

It added that the site would also help the local economy and increase accommodation in a rural area.

In a planning statement to North Yorkshire Council, the developer said:

“Spring Bank Farm provides a rare opportunity to introduce an employment generating use without detriment to the key characteristics of the districts picturesque countryside. 

“The subject proposal will help remediate the current dearth in the supply of rural outdoor accommodations.”

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

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