JCA 22 Pennine Dales Fringe
FGU Summary: This is a long, narrow zone marking the transition from the upland landscapes of the
Yorkshire Dales in the west to the lower lying, fertile vale landscapes to the east. It extends from the
River Wharf in the south to the edge of the North Pennines near Barnard Castle in the north. 4% of the
area is urban, 84% is cultivated, and 8% is woodland. 23% falls within the Nidderdale AONB and 37%
is LFA.
4 sub-units: Low moorland hills; Upland Vales of the Rivers Nidd and Washburn; Middle hill fringes to
the north of Leyburn and between Leyburn and Harrogate; Lower Hill Fringes in the valleys of the Tees,
Ure and Wharf.
1.
Settlement & Development
Mesolithic and Neolithic activity is widely reflected by the discovery of stone tools and flint scatters.
Extensive and well-preserved evidence for Bronze Age/Iron Age settlement. Evidence for intensification
of settlement in late Iron Age/Romano-British period with earthworks and cropmarks of enclosed and
unenclosed farmsteads with round houses. Also sigificant distribution of Roman forts and associated
settlements (small towns and vici) along Dere Street (A1) and adjacent river valleys. (e.g Cataractonium
and Greta Bridge)
Strong pattern of nucleated settlements, with villages and hamlets surrounding larger market towns
established in the 12th century if not before. Earthwork remains of medieval settlements and associated
fieldsystems as at Hutton or Wallerthwaite, abandoned due to population decline or raids from the
North, or, as at East Tanfield, pastoral enclosure in the 16th century. Modifications of the underlying
medieval settlement pattern – and woodland clearance (3) - have also resulted in high-medium level of
dispersal.
Market towns, mostly dating as foundations from the 12th and 13th centuries developed on this
lowland/upland fringe (Kirkby Malzeard, Middleham, Masham, Richmond and Barnard Castle).
In medieval period valleys and upland areas used as hunting and chases (especially lower Nidderdale
and upper Washburn Valley) and as estates of Fountains and Byland Abbeys, with vaccaries (cattle
ranches) in upland valleys established in 12th and 13th centuries. Leasing of this land from the 14th
century, and relaxation of hunting forest, led to development of individual farms and hamlets in upland
valleys.
17th century economy developed a basis of home-based linen and wool weaving and small-scale dairy
farming in many of the villages, which developed in the gritstone valleys particularly to the north and
south through the 18th and 19th century. Textile industry grew to modest industrial scale in valleys of
Tees, Nidd and Washburn, declining from early 20th century. Ironstone and lead mining on a smaller
scale was also abandoned in the mid 19th century.
Minor gentry houses date from early 17th century. Some country houses and associated parks – eg
Constable Burton, on site of medieval deer park. Traditional buildings of sandstone (Millstone Grit) and
other local sandstones with Magnesian Limestone to east, dating from late 17th century and especially
from mid 18th century. Increased use of brick from late 19th century. Roofs of stone flag (sandstone)
Welsh slate and pantile. Extensive rebuilding of rural buildings from late 17th century, with cottages and
terraces most prominent in industrial areas. Remnants of generally 16th century or earlier timber frame –
the latter often surviving as cruck-framed buildings with later stone infill.
Spa town of Harrogate developed around dispersed common-edge settlements from 18th century, with
major expansion in early 19th century and after arrival of railway in 1848.
Late 19th and 20th century water catchment systems supplying reservoirs in upland vales - in Nidd and
Washburn valleys in late 19th century, and at Thurcross in 1950s/60s - supply the urban/industrial
growth to south (of Leeds, Bradford etc). Growth from early 20th century of military camps at Catterick
Camp and Menwith Hill.
2.
Agriculture
Arable-based farming combined with fattening of cattle to south (including Lower Hill Fringes) and to
broad and fertile valleys of Nidd, Ure and Wharfe. Pastoral economies of smaller tributaries/valleys
specialised in livestock rearing and dairying from at least 16th century.
Exposed hills and plateaux between valleys used for summer grazing, with brief period of mixed arablebased agriculture in late 18th/early 19th century associated with enclosure.
Linear farmsteads dating from the late 17th century (the majority between 1650 and 1750) are
widespread and dominant in the western dales, 18th-century and later examples often having a
cartshed, stable and first-floor granary separating the house from the barn and cow house. Many
developed with subsidiary buildings. Many farmhouses retain possible evidence of their origin as former
longhouses - rebuilt lower ends (now serving as outbuildings or integrated into the domestic plan) which
could have served as cattle housing.
Threshing barns – usually in combination ranges – marked by wide entrance to threshing bay. Outshots
to barns for cattle are common, some later and some original with occasional stone piers to internal
aisles.
Some small-scale laithe houses, typically of one build (mostly late 18th and 19th century) and with
hay/corn barn separating house from other attached farm buildings (usually cowhouse and stable).
Large-scale steadings very rare, some large and symmetrical double-depth farmhouses dating from
later 18th century.
Field barns widely dispersed in valley sides and bottoms, mostly late 18th to mid 19th century in date but
some rare pre-1750 (and often cruck-framed) examples. These stored hay and wintered dairy cattle and
fatstock, their manure being used to fertilize the surrounding fields.
Examples typically have central threshing doors, cattle stalled to one or both ends, sometimes housed
in projecting outshots, and cattle yards.
3.
Fields and Boundary Patterns
Broadly similar chronologies and patterns of enclosure to the Dales, but considerable variation and with
drystone walls to west and upland areas, and hedges to eastern lower areas.
Small-scale irregular field systems, including strips of former open fields (eg around Barnard Castle),
surrounding villages and towns either medieval in origin or developed in 17 th/18th century as weaver's
subsistence plots.
Extensive woodland clearance (assarting) in 12th-13th centuries has resulted in generally small-scale
and irregular field pattern related to isolated farmsteads.
Larger-scale and irregular enclosures mostly 16th-17th century, interspersed with areas of later 18th/19th
century regular enclosure (eg Harmby Moor, and W of Barnard Castle).
Late 18th/early 19th century enclosure of in lowland areas retains shape of medieval furlongs (eg narrow
rectilinear fields in Aske and Marske) in thickly-hedged boundaries; and in upland areas resulted in new
landscape of straight roads and regular large-scale fields predominantly framed by drystone walls. .
4.
Trees and Woodland
Extensive woodland clearance on moorlands by Bronze Age, causing down-slope washing of soil and
formation of peat on resulting more impermeable and waterlogged area. Very limited woodland cover
on the high pasture - shelter belts and mixed/coniferous plantations dating from later 18th century.
Small areas of woodland remained attached to settlements in medieval period. Copses and plantations
on lower slopes mostly date from later 18th century. Broadleaved woodland to valleys, especially to
Middle Hill Fringes, with internal banks for coppice management. Lowland nucleated landscape well
wooded, especially hedgerows and along streams and rivers.
5.
Semi-Natural Environments
Hedgerows in valleys and woodland particularly valuable as wildlife habitats.
6.
River & Coastal Features
Area traversed by major rivers including Tees, Swale, Ure, Nidd and Wharfe. Packhorse bridges and
masonry bridges, the latter part of the two main concentrations of medieval-18th century bridges in
England (Devon and Cornwall, and north and west Yorkshire). Significant local architects such as
Robert Carr worked as county surveyors on bridge-building projects in the 18th century.