Behind That Curtain and Hebden, North Yorkshire: Difference between pages

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{{infobox UK place|
{{infobox Book | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
|country = England
| name = Behind That Curtain
|official_name = Hebden
| title_orig =
|latitude = 54.064
| translator =
|longitude = -1.962
| image = [[Image:BehindThatCurtain.jpg|200px]]
|static_image = [[Image:PO, Hebden.jpg|240px]]
| image_caption = First edition dust jacket
|static_image_caption = Hebden Post Office
| author = [[Earl Derr Biggers]]
|population = 216<ref name="2001 census"/>
| cover_artist =
|area_total_km2 = 14.50
| country = [[United States]]
|population_density ={{Pop density km2 to mi2|(14.9) |precision=1|abbr=yes|wiki=yes}}
| language = [[English language|English]]
|civil_parish = Hebden
| series = [[Charlie Chan]]
| genre = [[Mystery novel]]
|shire_district = [[Craven]]
|region = Yorkshire and the Humber
| publisher = [[Bobbs-Merrill Company|Bobbs-Merrill]]
|shire_county = [[North Yorkshire]]
| release_date = [[1928 in literature|1928]]
|constituency_westminster = [[Skipton and Ripon (UK Parliament constituency)|Skipton and Ripon]]
| media_type = Print ([[Hardcover|Hardback]] & [[Paperback]])
|post_town = [[Skipton|SKIPTON]]
| pages = 337 pp
|postcode_district = BD23
| isbn = NA
|postcode_area = BD
| preceded_by = [[The Chinese Parrot]]
|dial_code = 01756
| followed_by = [[The Black Camel]]
|os_grid_reference= SE02606317
|london_distance={{convert|190|mi|km}}
}}
}}


'''Hebden''' is a small village and [[civil parish]] in the [[Craven]] district of [[North Yorkshire]], [[England]], and one of four villages within the [[Ecclesiastical_parish#Ecclesiastical_parishes|ecclesiastical parish]] of [[Linton, North Yorkshire|Linton]]. It lies near [[Grimwith Reservoir]] and [[Grassington]], in [[Wharfedale]], within the [[Yorkshire Dales]] National Park. In 2001 it had a population of 216,<ref name="2001 census">{{cite web
'''''Behind That Curtain''''' (1928) is the third novel in the [[Charlie Chan]] series of [[mystery novels]] by [[Earl Derr Biggers]].
|url = http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=797616&c=BD23+5DX&d=16&e=15&g=475346&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1220380197730&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779
|title = 2001 Census: Key Statistics: Parish Headcounts: Area: Hebden CP (Parish)
|accessdate = 2008-09-10
|work = Neighbourhood Statistics
|publisher = [[Office for National Statistics]]
}}</ref> and 133<ref name="Accommodation">{{cite web
|url = http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=797616&c=BD23+5DX&d=16&e=15&g=475346&i=1001x1003x1004&o=1&m=0&r=0&s=1221917801648&enc=1&dsFamilyId=787
|title = 2001 Census: Key Statistics: Parish Profile - Accommodation and Tenure: Area: Hebden CP (Parish) |accessdate = 2008-09-20
|work = Neighbourhood Statistics
|publisher = [[Office for National Statistics]]
}}</ref> dwellings.
Hebden has a church (built 1841),<ref>For a well researched local short history, see: {{cite book |last=Joy |first=David |title=Hebden The History of a Dales Township |origyear=2002|publisher=Hebden History Group |location=Hole Bottom, Hebden, Skipton |isbn=0945304306}}</ref> a chapel (1812) a hotel and public house, a community hall, a post-office and general store, and is well served by buses.<ref>{{cite web | title = Pride of the Dales: Bus Timetable | url=http://www.prideofthedales.co.uk/timetable.htm | accessdate = 2008-09-19 }}</ref> Until 1983, it had its own [[Primary_school#United_Kingdom|primary school]].


It straddles a cross roads. The main east-west [[B6265 road|B6265]] route connects it with [[Grassington]] {{mi to km|1.7}} to the west and from there to its [[market town]] [[Skipton]], {{mi to km|11.5}}. To the east, the road crosses a fine bridge over Hebden Gill, built in 1827, and thence over the watershed to [[Pateley Bridge]] in [[Nidderdale]], {{convert|9|mi|km}} away.
==Plot summary==


Main Street, forming the high street for the village, continues south as Mill Lane, towards the bank of the [[River Wharfe]] and the villages of [[Hartlington]] and [[Burnsall]], the latter being just over {{convert|2|mi|km}}. The road to the north goes to Hole Bottom, made famous by William Riley's novel ''Jerry and Ben'',<ref>
It is set almost exclusively in [[California]] (as opposed to Chan's [[wiktionary:native|native]] [[Hawaii]]), and tells the story of the former head of [[Scotland Yard]], a [[detective]] who is pursuing the long-cold trail of a murderer. Fifteen years ago, a London solicitor was killed in circumstances in which the only clue was a pair of Chinese slippers, which he apparently donned just before his death. Sir Frederic Bruce has been following the trail of the killer ever since. He has also been interested in what appears to be a series of disappearing women around the world, which has some connection to the disappearance of a woman named Eve Durand in rural India also fifteen years ago. Just when it seems he might finally solve the murder case, at a dinner party to which a number of important and mysterious guests have been invited, Inspector Bruce is killed -- and was last seen wearing a pair of Chinese slippers, which have vanished. It is left to Chan to solve the case and tie up all loose ends.
{{cite book |last=Joy |first=David |title=Uphill to Paradise |origyear=1991|publisher=Jerry and Ben's |location=Hebden, Skipton }}
</ref> and from there continues as a track onto Grassington Moor.


The [[Dales Way]] crosses the River Wharfe at Hebden by means of a wrapped steel-cable [[suspension bridge]], a few yards upstream of a reconstructed course of medieval stepping stones. The bridge was built in 1885 by local blacksmith William Bell, and paid for by public subscription. A construction of recycled materials which originally featured a central supporting pier (the base of which can be seen in low water conditions), it has been well conserved and is a popular [[landmark]] on the river-side path.
==Film, TV or theatrical adaptations==
It was adapted for film as ''[[Behind That Curtain (film)|Behind That Curtain]]'' in 1929 and elements were used for ''Charlie Chan's Chance'' in 1932. The 1929 film was chosen to open the [[Fox Theatre (San Francisco)|Fox Theatre]] in [[San Francisco]] on [[28 June]][[1929]].


==Release details==
==Brief history==
*1928, USA, Bobbs-Merrill (ISBN NA), Pub date 1928, hardback (first edition)
*1974, USA, Bantam (ISBN 0-553-08464-0), July 1974, paperback
*1974, UK, Corgi Children's (ISBN 0-552-68464-3), October 1974, paperback
*1984, USA, Buccaneer Books (ISBN 0-89966-078-9), December 1984, paperback
*1987, USA, Popular Library (ISBN 0-445-40214-8), April 1987, paperback
*2005, UK, Dodo Press (ISBN 1-905432-92-5), Pub date September 2005, paperback


The name ''Hebden'' is considered<ref>{{cite book |last=Thurlow|first=William |title= Yorkshire Place-Names |origyear=1979| publisher=Dalesman Books |pages=30}}</ref> to be derived from either ''heopa'', Old English for a rose-hip or ''heopa'', [[Old English]] for a bramble, and ''dene'', Old English for a valley. Two [[Bronze Age]] [[stone circles]] and remnants of huts on the moors above the village show that the area has been settled since earliest times, and place names such as ''Scale Haw'' show that the [[Viking|Norse]] left their influence but there is no documentary record of the area until a brief reference in the [[Domesday Book]]<ref name="Domesday Book">{{cite web
[[Category:1928 novels]]
|url =http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=7584949&queryType=1&resultcount=4
[[Category:Charlie Chan novels]]
|title = National Archives: Domesday Book: Hebden, Yorkshire |accessdate = 2008-10-10
[[Category:Films based on mystery novels]]
|work = Domesday Book
|publisher = [[The National Archives]]}}</ref> in 1086.


During [[medieval]] times, an important east-west [[droving]] route which was used to move sheep between winter pastures around [[Fountains Abbey]] and summer pastures around [[Malham]], crossed Hebden Beck at Hebden.<ref>{{cite book |last=Raistrick |first=Arthur |title= Monks and Shepherds in the Yorkshire Dales|origyear=1976|publisher=Yorkshire Dales National Park Committee |pages = 5}}</ref> This droving route broadly followed the line of the [[Craven Fault]], thereby avoiding the moorland [[peat]] bogs, and it became a busy [[packhorse]] route for traders.


Although no property within the village is older than seventeenth century, its layout reflects its development in medieval times as a planned village. Eight [[toft village|toft]] compartments are still discernible to the west of Main Street, and the outline of the four surrounding common fields, now divided, may be identified from the pattern of [[dry stone|dry stone walls]]. These fields were then largely arable, providing the village with most of its food requirements, but are now farmed exclusively for pasture and hay.
{{mystery-novel-stub}}

The last stretch of Hebden Beck before it reaches the River Wharfe was first used to power a [[corn mill]] in the Middle Ages, and corn milling survived into the middle of the nineteenth century. In the fourteenth century Fountains Abbey had a [[fulling|wool fulling]] mill<ref>{{cite book |last=Raistrick |first=Arthur |title= Monks and Shepherds in the Yorkshire Dales|origyear=1976|publisher=Yorkshire Dales National Park Committee |pages = 15}}</ref> in the village. At the end of the eighteenth century a cotton mill was built alongside the corn mill, and this was productive until 1870 when it was eventually driven out of business by the more efficient stream-driven machinery of the [[industrial revolution]]. At its peak, the mill employed over 70 men, women, and children. The building continued to fulfil a variety of roles, including a [[roller skating]] rink, but was eventually demolished in 1967.

Lead mining on Grassington Moor became important in the 1700s,<ref>{{cite book |title=Lead Mining in the Mid-Pennines |last=Raistrick |first=Arthur|year=1973 |publisher=D. Bradford Barton Ltd. |location=Truro|pages=90}}</ref> and from the early nineteenth century Hebden served as a dormitory village for some of the miners, helping the population to rise to over 500 in the 1830s. In the early 1850s<ref>{{cite book |last=Gill |first=M.C.|title=The Wharfedale Mines|origyear=1994|series=British Mining |volume=49 |publisher=Northern Mine Research Society |location=Keighley|isbn=0901450413|pages=97&ndash;120}}</ref> profitable mines were established within the parish to the north of the village on veins associated with Grassington Moor, which led to a doubling of the population to over 1,000 in 1861.<ref>{{cite book |last=Davis|first=V. |coauthors= J.M.Dickinson|title=The Effect of Lead Mining on the Population of Villages in the Wharfedale Minging Field 1853&ndash;1880 |origdate=1964 |series= Memoirs|publisher=The Northern Cavern and Mine Research Society |pages=8&ndash;9}}</ref> However, although activity continued sporadically into the last decade of the century, the accessible ore was largely exhausted by 1865, and the population steadily declined.

The prosperity brought by the mines was a significant factor in the remodelling and redevelopment of much of the village. Green Terrace, which includes the Post Office was built in the 1870s, and Main Street was transformed from a humble back lane into the high street. The village school, with working [[clock]] and [[bell tower]], was built by the community in 1874,<ref>{{cite book |last= Raistrick|first=Elizabeth|title=Village Schools. An Upper Wharfedale History|origyear=1971 |publisher= The Dalesman Publish Company|location=Clapham (via Lancaster) |pages=41&ndash;44}}</ref> and the Ibbotson Institute, a well-built stone building which serves as a community hall, was completed in 1903.

The opening of the [[Yorkshire Dales Railway]] to [[Threshfield]] in 1902 opened up Hebden as a destination for both day visitors and holiday makers. A purpose-built timber guest house opened in 1909 at the south end of the village to cater for the new demand, and it continued in business, mainly catering for school parties, until 1990.

Although it now has its fair share of second homes,<ref name="Accommodation"/> holiday cottages and commuters,<ref>{{cite web
|url =http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=797616&c=BD23+5DX&d=16&e=15&g=475346&i=1001x1003x1004&o=1&m=0&r=0&s=1221984364991&enc=1&dsFamilyId=783
|title = 2001 Census: Key Statistics: Parish Profile - Work and Qualifications: Area: Hebden CP (Parish) |accessdate = 2008-09-20
|work = Neighbourhood Statistics
|publisher = [[Office for National Statistics]]}}</ref> with eight working farms, a fish farm, coach and haulage companies, Hebden remains a working and thriving community.

==Governance==

Hebden lies within the Parliamentary Constituency of [[Skipton and Ripon (UK Parliament constituency)|Skipton and Ripon]], with the seat currently<ref>{{cite web | title = BBC News. Skiptom &amp; Ripon 2005 Election Result|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/html/520.stm | accessdate = 2008-09-23 }}</ref> held by [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] member [[David Curry]] MP, and within the Mid Craven electoral division of [[North Yorkshire County Council]], currently<ref>{{cite web | title = North Yorkshire County Council: 2005 election results for Craven area| url=http://www.northyorks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=6328| accessdate = 2008-09-23 }}</ref> represented by Conservative member, County Councillor Shelagh Marshall.<ref>{{cite web | title = North Yorkshire County Council: Councillor Shelagh Marshall| url=http://www.northyorks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2901&contactid=5675 | accessdate = 2008-09-19 }}</ref> Hebden is also within the Grassington [[Wards of the United Kingdom|ward]] of [[Craven District]], a [[non-metropolitan district]], which is currently<ref>{{cite web | title = Craven District Council: 2005 election results|url=http://www.cravendc.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/875C374D-4BA5-4AC0-B144-F04F7A551347/2758/DeclarationofResultofPollDistrictWards0205091.pdf| accessdate = 2008-09-23 }}</ref> represented by Conservative member, Councillor Richard Foster.<ref>{{cite web | title = Craven District Council: Councillor Richard Foster| url=http://www.cravendc.gov.uk/Craven/Residents/Council+and+Democracy/Democracy/YourCouncillors/Richard+Foster.htm | accessdate = 2008-09-19 }}</ref>

Hebden has a [[parish council]] with five independent members supported by a parish clerk.<ref>{{cite web | title = Craven District Council: Hebden Parish Council | url=http://www.cravendc.gov.uk/Craven/Residents/Council+and+Democracy/Democracy/ParishCouncils/Hebden/ | accessdate = 2008-09-19 }}</ref> Elections are held every four years, with the most recent held in 2008. Council meetings are held every six weeks. The parish council activities are largely funded from the proceeds of the annual letting of parish lands.

==Geography==

The south-east boundary of Hebden Parish runs along the [[River Wharfe]], {{convert|500|ft|m}} above sea level, and the north-east boundary runs along the Wharfedale-Nidderdale watershed, reaching a height of {{convert|1770|ft|m}}. The upper section of the eastern boundary runs along Gateup Gill which is one of the main inflows of [[Grimwith Reservoir]]. The parish is rectangular in shape, averaging under {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} across and some {{convert|5|mi|km}} long. To the north, the land rises away from Hebden up to the {{convert|2310|ft|m}} summit of [[Great Whernside]], some {{convert|7|mi|km}} distant.

The habitations and main farming are largely confined to the area within the Wharfe valley, with the rest of the land being mainly rough moorland pasture. Hebden village is positioned on one of several branches of the North Craven Fault where Hebden Beck emerges from the moors through a steep-sided valley into the Wharfe valley, at an ancient east-west route.

Hebden Beck rises on Grassington Moor some {{convert|2.5|mi|km}} from the village, but the main valley continues north as a [[dry valley]], until it reaches [[Mossdale Caverns]] and the upper flanks of Great Whernside.

The geology is dominated by rocks<ref>{{cite book|last=W. W.|first=Black|title=The Carboniferous Geology of the Grassington Area|series=Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society|volume=28|year=1950|pages=29&ndash;42}}</ref> [[Carboniferous]] in age, but as the parish straddles a complex section of the North Craven [[Fault (geology)|Fault]], it is varied. To the north-east of the village the rocks are predominantly Bowland [[sandstone]]s and [[shale]]s, and to the south-east are largely massive [[limestone]]s. The River Wharfe runs across the limestone, through the impressive gorge of Loup Scar. [[Mineral vein]]s cross the Bowland series, and these have been exploited for their lead ore.

==Religion==

Hebden is part of the [[ecclesiastical parish]] of Linton within the [[Diocese of Bradford]], and has a [[chapel of ease]] dedicated to [[St. Peter]].<ref>{{cite web | title=St. Peter's Church, Hebden |url=http://www.achurchnearyou.com/hebden-st-peter/| accessdate = 2008-10-04 }}</ref> There is also a [[Methodist]] chapel which is part of the Skipton and Grassington [[Methodist Circuit]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Skipton and Grassing Circuit: Hebden|url=http://www.skiptonandgrassingtonmethodist.org.uk/churches/index.php?content=hebden&version=graphic| accessdate = 2008-10-04 }}</ref> Because the congregation is small, the Anglicans and Methodists share a single service on Sundays, alternating between the venues.

==Attractions==

Hebden is a popular centre for walkers and cyclists in Upper Wharfedale. It has a pub, a shop, and a tea room to help meet the needs of its many visitors, and within easy walking distance are the attractive Dales villages of [[Appletreewick]], [[Burnsall]], [[Thorpe, North Yorkshire|Thorpe]], [[Linton, North Yorkshire|Linton]] and [[Grassington]]. [[Grimwith Reservoir]], popular with [[wind surfing|wind surfers]], [[dinghy sailing|dinghy sailors]], and [[bird watching|bird watchers]] is {{convert|2|mi|km}} to the east along the B6265, and a further {{convert|2|mi|km}} brings one to [[Stump Cross Caverns]] - a [[show cave]].

Because of its proximity to the Craven Fault, the scenery is remarkably varied. The [[Dales Way]] passes through the parish as it follows the banks of the [[River Wharfe]] between Burnsall and Grassington, mainly through peaceful limestone pastures but occasionally, as at Loup Scar and Linton Falls, through limestone gorges and past waterfalls. Hebden Beck flows down from Grassington Moor, which is dominated by the long-abandoned remains of the lead mining industry, through a splendidly rugged and wooded gill. A popular walk is an {{convert|8|mi|km}} circuit up to Grassington Moor, and thence to Grassington, returning along the River Wharfe. South of Hebden, the edge of the limestone is heralded by a number of text-book examples of [[reef knoll]]s, including Elbolton Hill, Stebden Hill, and Kail Hill depicted below, which are the conical remnants of limestone reef structures.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ramsbottom |first=W.H.C. |coauthors= R.F.Goosens, E.G. Smith, M.A. Calver |editor=D.H. Rayner and J.E. Hemingway |title=The Geology and Mineral Resources of Yorkshire |origdate=1974 |publisher=Yorkshire Geological Society |pages=61&ndash;64}}</ref> Behind the reef knolls lies a large expanse of Millstone Grit [[Red grouse|grouse moor]], Thorpe Fell and Burnsall Fell, where further walking may be enjoyed - especially around the edges.

==Photograph gallery==


{{Commons cat|Hebden North Yorkshire Images|Hebden, North Yorkshire}}

<gallery>
Image:Hebden in Wharfedale, from nnw.jpg|View of Hebden from the NNW, Spring 2008
Image:Old School House, Hebden, North Yorkshire.jpg|Hebden School, now a tea room
Image:swoop! West Field.jpg|View across Hebden's old SW Field with mown hay
Image:Hebden Moor cumuli.jpg|Typical moor and cloud vista, NE of the village
Image:Bell's bridge, trout fisher.jpg|Suspension bridge from west, with trout fisherman
Image:Bell's bridge, n, Dales walkers.jpg|Suspension bridge from east, with Dales walker
Image:Bell's bridge, dog.jpg|Suspension bridge and stepping stones
Image:stepping stones, Hebden, bench.jpg|Stepping stones across the River Wharfe
Image:Bolton Gill, miners' path to shaft.jpg|Miners' path to lead mining shaft, Bolton Gill
Image:ruin of Engine Hse, cp.jpg|Ruin of mine shop, Hebden Gill
Image:three reef knolls, from ne, 6265.jpg|Kail, Stebden, &amp; Elbolton reef knolls, from Hebden
Image:Miners' Bridge, sw.jpg|''Miners' Bridge'' over Hebden Beck
Image:Egg_&_spoon_finish_line.jpg|Children's egg & spoon race, annual Hebden Sports day, 2008
Image:schoolhouse bell, jet plane.jpg|Schoolhouse bell, frequent fell flyers
Image:Sun_&_fog,_toward_Burnsall.jpg|Sun dispersing fog, toward Burnsall
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Villages in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Parishes of North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Craven]]
[[Category:Wharfedale]]

Revision as of 21:15, 10 October 2008

Hebden
Hebden Post Office
Area14.50 km2 (5.60 sq mi)
PopulationExpression error: "216[1]" must be numeric
OS grid referenceSE02606317
• London190 miles (310 km)
Civil parish
  • Hebden
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSKIPTON
Postcode districtBD23
Dialling code01756
PoliceNorth Yorkshire
FireNorth Yorkshire
AmbulanceYorkshire
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Yorkshire

Hebden is a small village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England, and one of four villages within the ecclesiastical parish of Linton. It lies near Grimwith Reservoir and Grassington, in Wharfedale, within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. In 2001 it had a population of 216,[1] and 133[2] dwellings.

Hebden has a church (built 1841),[3] a chapel (1812) a hotel and public house, a community hall, a post-office and general store, and is well served by buses.[4] Until 1983, it had its own primary school.

It straddles a cross roads. The main east-west B6265 route connects it with Grassington Template:Mi to km to the west and from there to its market town Skipton, Template:Mi to km. To the east, the road crosses a fine bridge over Hebden Gill, built in 1827, and thence over the watershed to Pateley Bridge in Nidderdale, 9 miles (14 km) away.

Main Street, forming the high street for the village, continues south as Mill Lane, towards the bank of the River Wharfe and the villages of Hartlington and Burnsall, the latter being just over 2 miles (3.2 km). The road to the north goes to Hole Bottom, made famous by William Riley's novel Jerry and Ben,[5] and from there continues as a track onto Grassington Moor.

The Dales Way crosses the River Wharfe at Hebden by means of a wrapped steel-cable suspension bridge, a few yards upstream of a reconstructed course of medieval stepping stones. The bridge was built in 1885 by local blacksmith William Bell, and paid for by public subscription. A construction of recycled materials which originally featured a central supporting pier (the base of which can be seen in low water conditions), it has been well conserved and is a popular landmark on the river-side path.

Brief history

The name Hebden is considered[6] to be derived from either heopa, Old English for a rose-hip or heopa, Old English for a bramble, and dene, Old English for a valley. Two Bronze Age stone circles and remnants of huts on the moors above the village show that the area has been settled since earliest times, and place names such as Scale Haw show that the Norse left their influence but there is no documentary record of the area until a brief reference in the Domesday Book[7] in 1086.

During medieval times, an important east-west droving route which was used to move sheep between winter pastures around Fountains Abbey and summer pastures around Malham, crossed Hebden Beck at Hebden.[8] This droving route broadly followed the line of the Craven Fault, thereby avoiding the moorland peat bogs, and it became a busy packhorse route for traders.

Although no property within the village is older than seventeenth century, its layout reflects its development in medieval times as a planned village. Eight toft compartments are still discernible to the west of Main Street, and the outline of the four surrounding common fields, now divided, may be identified from the pattern of dry stone walls. These fields were then largely arable, providing the village with most of its food requirements, but are now farmed exclusively for pasture and hay.

The last stretch of Hebden Beck before it reaches the River Wharfe was first used to power a corn mill in the Middle Ages, and corn milling survived into the middle of the nineteenth century. In the fourteenth century Fountains Abbey had a wool fulling mill[9] in the village. At the end of the eighteenth century a cotton mill was built alongside the corn mill, and this was productive until 1870 when it was eventually driven out of business by the more efficient stream-driven machinery of the industrial revolution. At its peak, the mill employed over 70 men, women, and children. The building continued to fulfil a variety of roles, including a roller skating rink, but was eventually demolished in 1967.

Lead mining on Grassington Moor became important in the 1700s,[10] and from the early nineteenth century Hebden served as a dormitory village for some of the miners, helping the population to rise to over 500 in the 1830s. In the early 1850s[11] profitable mines were established within the parish to the north of the village on veins associated with Grassington Moor, which led to a doubling of the population to over 1,000 in 1861.[12] However, although activity continued sporadically into the last decade of the century, the accessible ore was largely exhausted by 1865, and the population steadily declined.

The prosperity brought by the mines was a significant factor in the remodelling and redevelopment of much of the village. Green Terrace, which includes the Post Office was built in the 1870s, and Main Street was transformed from a humble back lane into the high street. The village school, with working clock and bell tower, was built by the community in 1874,[13] and the Ibbotson Institute, a well-built stone building which serves as a community hall, was completed in 1903.

The opening of the Yorkshire Dales Railway to Threshfield in 1902 opened up Hebden as a destination for both day visitors and holiday makers. A purpose-built timber guest house opened in 1909 at the south end of the village to cater for the new demand, and it continued in business, mainly catering for school parties, until 1990.

Although it now has its fair share of second homes,[2] holiday cottages and commuters,[14] with eight working farms, a fish farm, coach and haulage companies, Hebden remains a working and thriving community.

Governance

Hebden lies within the Parliamentary Constituency of Skipton and Ripon, with the seat currently[15] held by Conservative member David Curry MP, and within the Mid Craven electoral division of North Yorkshire County Council, currently[16] represented by Conservative member, County Councillor Shelagh Marshall.[17] Hebden is also within the Grassington ward of Craven District, a non-metropolitan district, which is currently[18] represented by Conservative member, Councillor Richard Foster.[19]

Hebden has a parish council with five independent members supported by a parish clerk.[20] Elections are held every four years, with the most recent held in 2008. Council meetings are held every six weeks. The parish council activities are largely funded from the proceeds of the annual letting of parish lands.

Geography

The south-east boundary of Hebden Parish runs along the River Wharfe, 500 feet (150 m) above sea level, and the north-east boundary runs along the Wharfedale-Nidderdale watershed, reaching a height of 1,770 feet (540 m). The upper section of the eastern boundary runs along Gateup Gill which is one of the main inflows of Grimwith Reservoir. The parish is rectangular in shape, averaging under 1.5 miles (2.4 km) across and some 5 miles (8.0 km) long. To the north, the land rises away from Hebden up to the 2,310 feet (700 m) summit of Great Whernside, some 7 miles (11 km) distant.

The habitations and main farming are largely confined to the area within the Wharfe valley, with the rest of the land being mainly rough moorland pasture. Hebden village is positioned on one of several branches of the North Craven Fault where Hebden Beck emerges from the moors through a steep-sided valley into the Wharfe valley, at an ancient east-west route.

Hebden Beck rises on Grassington Moor some 2.5 miles (4.0 km) from the village, but the main valley continues north as a dry valley, until it reaches Mossdale Caverns and the upper flanks of Great Whernside.

The geology is dominated by rocks[21] Carboniferous in age, but as the parish straddles a complex section of the North Craven Fault, it is varied. To the north-east of the village the rocks are predominantly Bowland sandstones and shales, and to the south-east are largely massive limestones. The River Wharfe runs across the limestone, through the impressive gorge of Loup Scar. Mineral veins cross the Bowland series, and these have been exploited for their lead ore.

Religion

Hebden is part of the ecclesiastical parish of Linton within the Diocese of Bradford, and has a chapel of ease dedicated to St. Peter.[22] There is also a Methodist chapel which is part of the Skipton and Grassington Methodist Circuit.[23] Because the congregation is small, the Anglicans and Methodists share a single service on Sundays, alternating between the venues.

Attractions

Hebden is a popular centre for walkers and cyclists in Upper Wharfedale. It has a pub, a shop, and a tea room to help meet the needs of its many visitors, and within easy walking distance are the attractive Dales villages of Appletreewick, Burnsall, Thorpe, Linton and Grassington. Grimwith Reservoir, popular with wind surfers, dinghy sailors, and bird watchers is 2 miles (3.2 km) to the east along the B6265, and a further 2 miles (3.2 km) brings one to Stump Cross Caverns - a show cave.

Because of its proximity to the Craven Fault, the scenery is remarkably varied. The Dales Way passes through the parish as it follows the banks of the River Wharfe between Burnsall and Grassington, mainly through peaceful limestone pastures but occasionally, as at Loup Scar and Linton Falls, through limestone gorges and past waterfalls. Hebden Beck flows down from Grassington Moor, which is dominated by the long-abandoned remains of the lead mining industry, through a splendidly rugged and wooded gill. A popular walk is an 8 miles (13 km) circuit up to Grassington Moor, and thence to Grassington, returning along the River Wharfe. South of Hebden, the edge of the limestone is heralded by a number of text-book examples of reef knolls, including Elbolton Hill, Stebden Hill, and Kail Hill depicted below, which are the conical remnants of limestone reef structures.[24] Behind the reef knolls lies a large expanse of Millstone Grit grouse moor, Thorpe Fell and Burnsall Fell, where further walking may be enjoyed - especially around the edges.

Photograph gallery

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hebden, North Yorkshire.
  • View of Hebden from the NNW, Spring 2008
    View of Hebden from the NNW, Spring 2008
  • Hebden School, now a tea room
    Hebden School, now a tea room
  • View across Hebden's old SW Field with mown hay
    View across Hebden's old SW Field with mown hay
  • Typical moor and cloud vista, NE of the village
    Typical moor and cloud vista, NE of the village
  • Suspension bridge from west, with trout fisherman
    Suspension bridge from west, with trout fisherman
  • Suspension bridge from east, with Dales walker
    Suspension bridge from east, with Dales walker
  • Suspension bridge and stepping stones
    Suspension bridge and stepping stones
  • Stepping stones across the River Wharfe
    Stepping stones across the River Wharfe
  • Miners' path to lead mining shaft, Bolton Gill
    Miners' path to lead mining shaft, Bolton Gill
  • Ruin of mine shop, Hebden Gill
    Ruin of mine shop, Hebden Gill
  • Kail, Stebden, & Elbolton reef knolls, from Hebden
    Kail, Stebden, & Elbolton reef knolls, from Hebden
  • Miners' Bridge over Hebden Beck
    Miners' Bridge over Hebden Beck
  • Children's egg & spoon race, annual Hebden Sports day, 2008
    Children's egg & spoon race, annual Hebden Sports day, 2008
  • Schoolhouse bell, frequent fell flyers
    Schoolhouse bell, frequent fell flyers
  • Sun dispersing fog, toward Burnsall
    Sun dispersing fog, toward Burnsall

References

  1. ^ a b "2001 Census: Key Statistics: Parish Headcounts: Area: Hebden CP (Parish)". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 2008-09-10.
  2. ^ a b "2001 Census: Key Statistics: Parish Profile - Accommodation and Tenure: Area: Hebden CP (Parish)". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
  3. ^ For a well researched local short history, see: Joy, David. Hebden The History of a Dales Township. Hole Bottom, Hebden, Skipton: Hebden History Group. ISBN 0945304306. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  4. ^ "Pride of the Dales: Bus Timetable". Retrieved 2008-09-19.
  5. ^ Joy, David. Uphill to Paradise. Hebden, Skipton: Jerry and Ben's.
  6. ^ Thurlow, William. Yorkshire Place-Names. Dalesman Books. p. 30.
  7. ^ "National Archives: Domesday Book: Hebden, Yorkshire". Domesday Book. The National Archives. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
  8. ^ Raistrick, Arthur. Monks and Shepherds in the Yorkshire Dales. Yorkshire Dales National Park Committee. p. 5.
  9. ^ Raistrick, Arthur. Monks and Shepherds in the Yorkshire Dales. Yorkshire Dales National Park Committee. p. 15.
  10. ^ Raistrick, Arthur (1973). Lead Mining in the Mid-Pennines. Truro: D. Bradford Barton Ltd. p. 90.
  11. ^ Gill, M.C. The Wharfedale Mines. British Mining. Vol. 49. Keighley: Northern Mine Research Society. pp. 97–120. ISBN 0901450413.
  12. ^ Davis, V. The Effect of Lead Mining on the Population of Villages in the Wharfedale Minging Field 1853–1880. Memoirs. The Northern Cavern and Mine Research Society. pp. 8–9. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |origdate= ignored (|orig-date= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ Raistrick, Elizabeth. Village Schools. An Upper Wharfedale History. Clapham (via Lancaster): The Dalesman Publish Company. pp. 41–44.
  14. ^ "2001 Census: Key Statistics: Parish Profile - Work and Qualifications: Area: Hebden CP (Parish)". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
  15. ^ "BBC News. Skiptom & Ripon 2005 Election Result". Retrieved 2008-09-23.
  16. ^ "North Yorkshire County Council: 2005 election results for Craven area". Retrieved 2008-09-23.
  17. ^ "North Yorkshire County Council: Councillor Shelagh Marshall". Retrieved 2008-09-19.
  18. ^ "Craven District Council: 2005 election results" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-09-23.
  19. ^ "Craven District Council: Councillor Richard Foster". Retrieved 2008-09-19.
  20. ^ "Craven District Council: Hebden Parish Council". Retrieved 2008-09-19.
  21. ^ W. W., Black (1950). The Carboniferous Geology of the Grassington Area. Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society. Vol. 28. pp. 29–42.
  22. ^ "St. Peter's Church, Hebden". Retrieved 2008-10-04.
  23. ^ "Skipton and Grassing Circuit: Hebden". Retrieved 2008-10-04.
  24. ^ Ramsbottom, W.H.C. D.H. Rayner and J.E. Hemingway (ed.). The Geology and Mineral Resources of Yorkshire. Yorkshire Geological Society. pp. 61–64. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |origdate= ignored (|orig-date= suggested) (help)
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