Ravenstonedale Parish History Group
The Group’s origins go back to 2010, when it became necessary to find storage for a large amount of Parish archive material, and it was felt that this could be located in the former High Chapel in the centre of Ravenstonedale village (for the Ravenstonedale Community website please click here). At the same time it was decided that the archive should be organised, catalogued and made available to anyone interested in viewing it. This work is ongoing!
The History Room, upstairs at the now renamed Ravenstonedale High Chapel Community and Heritage Centre, is open on Thursday afternoons from 2-4pm from February to December, and at other times by appointment (please phone 015396 23308 or 07798 688057). Members and visitors are always welcome on Thursday afternoons (tea and coffee at 3pm!).
A monthly winter programme of talks began in autumn 2010. Talks are on the third Wednesday of every month from September to March, except December and January. We now hold talks in either High Chapel or Newbiggin-on-Lune Public Hall. Admission: members £4, non-members £6, including tea and coffee. (In 2020-2021 the majority of our talks were presented on Zoom).
We are affiliated to Cumbria Local History Federation, a group of over 80 societies and also individuals interested in the local history of our County. Click here for their website
I am particularly interested in Needlehouse and Newhouse Farms at Udale, as my great-grandfather William HOLME (Born 1850 at Smorthwaite, Garsdale) was employed as the Farm Bailiff by the Frankland family around the turn of the 19th/20th century, and was referred to as “Old Holme” by Mrs Frankland in a paper she published later.
Thank you for your enquiry. We will be in touch with you by email.
One of my direct ancestors was Thomas Moss, vicar of Ravenstonedale; he died I believe in 1842, and I know he features on a list of vicars for st Oswald’s church.
I wondered if you had any information regarding his tenure with the church and, unlikely I know, any illustrations/photos of him?
Thank you for your enquiry. We will be in touch with you by email.
Hi
on your website you have a story about the Milner brothers who went to New Zealand and the inquiry was from Russell Pugh. I am from the Colac & District Family History Group and the brothers spent some time in the 1850s to early 1860s living near Colac with their cousin George Milner. After he died two went to New Zealand, another later marrying George’s widow. After she died, he eventually joined his brothers. I am wondering if there is any chance you can please put me in contact with Russell Pugh – we have been trying to track down descendants of this family for some time.
We were also given information originally from a lady in England that Milners lived on Long Gills farm and the death of George Milner is recorded on a headstone with other family members in the local cemetery – she kindly sent a photograph of both the farm and the headstone.
Thanks for your enquiry – we’re pleased to have been able to help you out.
Hello, I am writing a piece about drystone walls (dykes), and I’m interested in the limestone walls on the land around Harry Hope’s House in The Clouds. I gather HH probably lived there until 1820, but I wonder if anything else is known about him and his family (assuming he had family)? I’ve been thinking about how the men on a small-holding/farm would work to maintain the walls (or not). If you could point me to any relevant records or local stories I’d be very grateful. With many thanks
Thank you for your enquiry and we will be in touch by email.
Hello,
I was wondering if there are any records of field names for the fields around Bleaflatt Farm? I’ve seen tithe maps with field names in other parts of the country but don’t know if there’s something similar for Ravenstonedale?
Many thanks
Thanks for your enquiry and we will be in touch by email.
Hello,
I work for Cumbria Wildlife Trust and am writing an interpretation panel about the history of the reserve. I was wondering if anyone had any old pictures that they would be happy for us to use?
cheers
matt
Thank you for your enquiry. We will reply to your request by email.
Hello,
I am researching the Richardson family who lived at the Oddfellows Arms in Ravenstonedale in about 1883. It seems they left the Oddfellows Arms in 1886 and moved to the Black Swan Inn, Ravenstonedale where the family remained until it was sold in 1899. John Richardson seems to have drunk a lot and been a bit of a character, and I would be grateful if you can find any records of him and his family about that time. I know that John Richardson is a very common name in the Cumberland/Westmoreland area, but it is this John Richardson I am researching, his wife Margaret nee Metcalfe, his children – Annie Isabella, Eleanor, Mary Jane, George, Alice (who died at the Black Swan) William, Deborah and Margaret.
Thank you for your help, S Linacre
Thank you for your enquiry about the Richardson family. We will look through our research into the Oddfellows Arms and the Black Swan and reply to you by email.
I have recently taken over the Website for the Upper Eden History Society https://www.upperedenhistory.org.uk/
Looking at our links to other interesting sites near Kirkby Stephen I wondered if might add yours? I am also writing to one or two other enterprises
to encourage some sense of pulling in the same heritage direction.
Best Wishes
Hello again from Down Under, Our y-DNA results give me a date of 1529 for when our Fawcett branch left Ravenstonedale. I have a documented paper trail of my fathers Fawcett family in Australia, from Norton near Malton, YKS, and Thirsk YKS. from a marriage of William Fawcett and Elizabeth Mounckton in Thirsk in 1583. Since last contacting you I’ve endeavoured to fill this “gap” without success. I calculate, given the strong naming tradition of our family back then, William may be the son of Robert and Anne (or Robert and Thomassin) Fawcett, born about 1560? Suggesting his parents being born between about 1510 and 1540, in either Ravenstonedale or Thirsk? If anyone is able to suggest a Ravenstonedale source for research within these dates I’d be most grateful.
Hi Anthea, we’ll look into this for you and will be in touch.
Hi Val, I am a Fawcett, descended from Fawcetts in Ravenstonedale. We have DNA results that prove one branch of the family moved from Ravenstonedale to USA in 1831, and our, now Australian line moved from Ravenstonedale to Thirsk shortly prior to 1583.
Apart from these DNA results I had already published my own research in Searching for William – William Fawcett of Yorkshire and Cumbria. If you would like a copy and send me your postal address I’m more than happy to add it to your library of research (free of course.) It won the South Australian Genealogical and Heraldry Reed Award when published. Regards Anthea nee Fawcett
akalazich@bigpond.com.au
Hi all,
I have decided to do a walk around the Street area for Heritage Open Days in September which I thought would make a good focus for a possible Roman/Medieval road to fit in with the HOD theme this year, the history of routes, networks and communications. Can any of your group give me any additional information on the area. I know Heather Leach and am already familiar with the Lidar images.
Regards Ann Sandell
Hi Ann
Thanks for the message. We’ll email you about it shortly.
Hello there, I am researching my family history, and I already know that the Bells were established at Kilmire Farm in the late C18th. It would be a great help if anyone in your group or community can tell me if the cemetaries in and around Ravenstonedale have had their headstones transcribed, and if they’re available online (or, if not, where they are stored/deposited)? Thanks in anticipation, Richard Bell
Hi Richard – we can help you with this query and someone from the History Group will email you direct about it.
Thank you we will keep your name on file.
Hello,
My name is Katherine Grundy and I live in Horwich , Nr Bolton in Lancashire. I have recently been building my family tree. My mother’s name was Emma Stubbs and I have have indeed traced my family back to 1570, to a Sir Henry Stubbs who was born in Nether Stavely. However by the 1700s my ancestors were well and truly settled in and around Ravenstonedale. I gather there are two books available full of information about Ravenstonedale and the people who lived in the vicinity. I would be interested in buying these books if it would further my knowledge of the Stubbs family. I am particularly interested in finding out more about the life of Christopher Stubbs who married Jane Fothergill in1746 at Ravenstonedale Parish Church. I cannot find much out about Sir Henry Stubbs b 1570 except that he had a son , James , born near Kendal in1608. I would be so grateful if you would let me know if the purchase of these books would be advantageous.
Best wishes Katherine Grundy
Hi Kathryn. thank you for the enquiry. I will pass on your details to the author of the books who will be in touch
I emailed Val Fermer a while ago regarding some history books – I have not had a reply but thhat might mean that I have an out of date email address for her.
The Orton and Tebay Local History Society closed down some time ago and we have a few history books from our librabry that we thought Ravenstonedale History Group might be inreseted in.
Please can some one let me know if you would like these or some of them – Shap Hostory group has already taken some – if you are not iinterested I will take them to a charity shop. Thankyou
Thanks Mary – we’ll be in touch about the books.
Hello,
I wonder if you could help please?
My Grandfather HARRISON THOMPSON, was the brother of ALBERT THOMPSON, who was living in Ravenstonedale with his wife MARGARET JANE prior to 1911. He would have been born in 1895.
In November, we will be staying in Snowdrop Cottage, and it would be excellent if you could find any information on the family that we may view. It would be of particular interest, if you were able to find the address, hoping that the building still exists. The family moved to Salford near Manchester, where Albert was a Police constable.
I would thank you in advance, and hope that you may be able to help me.
Kind regards,
Colin
Hi Colin
We will check out what we have about your grandfather and his brother and email you to let you know as soon as we can.
I should like to become a member if your history group
Can you send me details of what I have to do to join
Thanks for your enquiry – our membership secretary will send you details.
I read with interest the article in this week’s Herald about Diana Fothergill’s recent talk about Dr john Fothergill. I think this is the same Dr John Fothergill who founded Ackworth School, first opened in October 1779, still going strong, and where I was educated in the late ’50s. It still uses the original (but enlarged) premises. He bought a redundant Foundling Hospital in West Yorkshire and opened the school for the children of Quakers ‘not in affluence’. I am a Quaker living in Kirkby Stephen and would be interested in (and might be able to help with) researches into the Quakers in Ravenstonedale.
Thank you for your comment. We’ll put you in touch with two of our History Group members who are researching the Fothergills and the local Quakers.
I am not sure whether this is the right place to make this request but if not could I please ask you to pass it on.
Quite by chance, I note from your website that Diana Fothergill is talking on zoom about the early Fothergills on Wed, 17th March. My wife and I are not members but we are wondering if you might accept non-members to this or other events. Although it may depend on timing, we would like to zoom in if possible. We are of course happy to contribute.
To clarify further, I was born at Brownber Farm and my grandfather at one stage owned the Hall.
Thank you for the request and good to hear from you. There is no cost for Zoom meetings.
Dear Sir/Madam
I visited Ravenstonedale in approx 2010 when the parishoners put together a most enjoyable “Fothergill” weekend. I met Diana Fothergill whom I understand is doing a talk on the family on Zoom in March. I would love to join the meeting ,I take it I will need to be a member to do that.
Kind regards
Gerda Menzies
Hi Gerda – thanks for your interest in Diana Fothergill’s upcoming talk. Val will email you the Zoom joining details nearer the time
Upper Eden History Society has been given a copy of ‘Toby Twirls Adventures’ from one of our members, from about 1950, for our archives. I know the illustrator lived and worked in Ravenstonedale, and at some period at The Chantry, and have read the entry on your website about Toby Twirl. Is there more to know?
I’m about to look more closely at the illustrations – I can see that 2 show Wild Boar Fell, but I believe the village scenes are Ravenstonedale? I live in Kirkby stephen so not very well acquainted with Ravenstonedale.
Hi Anne – thanks for your comment. We’ll email you about the local illustrations – Edward Jeffrey used many local buildings and views in the books.
Hi Anne, thanks for your comment. We will put you in touch with Val.
I’ve just bought Val Fermer’s book ‘Ravenstonedale Tales’ from The Book Shop in Kirkby Stephen – delightful. Please put me in touch with Val – I am Chairman of Upper Eden History Society and editing a monthly newsletter for our members while the pandemic makes face-to-face meetings impossible.
I would like to advertise this book sometime.
Thank you, that is very much appreciated.
Barbara
Hello
I am researching the life of Alexander Fothergill (1709-1788) who is from Carr End in Wensleydale, for a biographical novel about him and his family. He Married Margaret Thistlethwaite of Dent. I believe his branch of the family originated in Ravenstonedale. I have been able to find a lot of family letters amongst him and his brothers and sister, but I know that he wrote many more and it would help my work enormously to be able to locate these and find out more about him.
I saw that there was a Fothergill ‘clan’ gathering in Ravenstonedale in 2006 and wondered if anyone following this site attended? Or knows of anyone who may be able to assist in finding descendents who have this kind of family archive?
I would be so grateful to anyone who may be able to help in any way. Thank you.
Hi Barbara
Thanks for your comment. There are people here in Ravenstonedale who attended the Fothergill gathering in 2006 so we will contact them for you, and there may well be others who would look at the website and see your comment and reply to it. We have some information about the Fothergills in the Parish Archive which we will check for you and then email you direct. We’ll be in touch.
Hi, we are currently off school and we are interested in learning some history of the village. We are keen to find out about the Old Blacksmiths in the village and up Ash Fell and wondered if you had any information you would be able to send to us to carry on with our research. Many Thanks Owen & Lewis
Hi Owen and Lewis
Thanks for your question about the blacksmiths. We’ll check out what we have in the archive, hopefully this week, and let you know by email.
Hi all – I am interested in having a chat with members of the group about a project I am running for the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership scheme. It’s called ‘A Way Through’ and I have recently been looking into the history of a family of carriers – the Nelsons of Newbiggin-on-Lune and would love to know if anyone has further information/photographs that might be relevant. See the research so far on the project blog here https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/a-family-of-carriers-the-nelsons-of-newbiggin-on-lune/
Hi Karen – Thanks for contacting us. We’ll have a look in the History Group archives on Thursday and see if we have anything about the Nelsons and then be in touch.
My 10ggrandparents were Oswald Robinson d. 1618 and Margaret Fothergill (d. aft 1611) of Ravenstonedale. Parents unknown. My 7gg was John Robinson b. 1665 at Dovengill, Yorkshire; wife was Anne Alderson. Anyone have connection or info on these families?
Hi Eleanor – thanks for your message. We should be able to help you with this and will email you.
Please can you let me have an email address? I’d like to send you some information about a new book on Ravenstonedale from ‘forgotten’ records – it’s wonderful
OK Dawn, thanks – will email you
My husband and I recently visited R’dale and found out about your group – we would like to join it (even tho’ living at rather a distance!). Please do tell me what to do. I have Hewetson ancestry ( my great great grandmother was born at The Green, d/o Benjamin Hewetson) and I worked with K.L.Watson when he was preparing his 4 volumes.
Hi Ann – thanks for your comment and your interest in the History Group. We will email you with information about joining.
I am interested in finding information regarding my ancestors that came from Ravenstonedale.
My name is Laurine Morigaki. Recently my sister, my husband and I visited Ravenstonedale. The ladies at the Black Swan gave me your site address.
The ancestors I know about:
Matthew Bell (1758-1831 married Alice Webster.
They had a son, Richard Bell (1791-1881), who married Grace White
They were married at Chapel of Barnes, Dec. 20,1815
Their children were William, Richard, Jane, Matthew, Ann, Mary, John, Margaret, and James
Their son, William (1818-1899),married Ann Thompson on August 23,1842 at the Episcopal Church in Ravenstonedale.
I have their addresses as Riggend and Weasdale.
William and Ann Bell left England in 1852 for America and settled in Council Hill, Illinois, where my grandfather was born.
I believe William’s brother, Richard, also came to the same area in Illinois.
Do you know of any descendants of Richard and Grace Bell who are still in the Ravenstonedale area? Or elsewhere in the United Kingdom?
Thank you for your consideration and help.
Laurine Morigaki
Hi Laurine – thank you for your message. We’ll have a look in the archive to see if we have anything about the Bell family of Weasdale and Rigg End and let you know.
Hello – my name is David Johnson (Maling Pottery Historian) representing The Maling Collectors Society here in the UK. Can anyone give any information concerning the colour artist R. S. Clark, who shared the house/studio (‘Chantry Studios’ Ravenstonedale, Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland – now Cumbria) with illustrator Edward Jeffrey (Toby Twirl books) and his family around 1946? Sincere thanks.
Hi David – yes we can certainly give you information about Edward Jeffrey and Richard Clark, and we are also aware of a connection to Maling ware – we know of examples that Edward Jeffrey decorated. We’ll email you about it.
Hello,
A group of us from the Archaeology Volunteer Network of the Lake District National Park are undertaking an archaeological and historical survey of pillow mounds in Cumbria. Amongst others, we have surveyed the pillow mounds near Ravenstonedale. We about to embark on documentary research to try and date the mounds but, before doing so, I wanted to check whether anyone else has already done this. Your Group would seem to be the obvious organisation to contact about this and I wonder if you know whether anyone has already undertaken research into the mounds and, if so, whether you could put me in touch with them? I also wondered whether your Group have access to any documentation which might help in dating the mounds? Any help would be very much appreciated.
Hi – if you are referring to the pillow mounds in the north-east of the parish (which are also known locally as Giants Graves), it is now thought that the mounds are the remains of medieval rabbit warrens which were built to provide food for the Gilbertine monastic settlement in Ravenstonedale. This information is quoted in the Ravenstonedale Companion to the Millennium Map and also by Cumbria Wildlife Trust in their leaflet on Smardale Gill NNR. Hope this helps!
Many thanks Lynne; we’ll be in touch!
Please could someone contact me as I have some useful archive (dated from 1922-1946) information/evidence about the old Schoolhouse at Fell End, Ravenstonedale. You may find it useful for your exhibition on 8th/9th October. Many thanks, I look forward to hearing from you.
Very enjoyable and interesting talk by Ian Carradice last Wednesday,
Many thanks.