Millennium Book



“The Millennium Book Of Topcliffe” The inspiration for writing "The Millennium Book of Topcliffe" came out of many discussions, which I had with Malcolm Morley about Topcliffe's past. The original idea was to pull together lots of old photographs and postcards and publish a Topcliffe scrapbook. However, it seemed to me to be also an opportunity to have another look at the history of Topcliffe and try to dig a little further into the knowledge than had been written in other histories. This then is the latest in a line of Topcliffe's histories produced by such people as J. B. Jefferson in his history of Thirsk in 1821, Edmund Bogg in his various histories of the Vale of Mowbray and Mary Watson in her Topcliffe Book in the late 1970s. The approach of the Millennium also provided an excuse, if one was needed, to rake over the past and present it again in a modern format. Generally, book printers didn't like the format that we were proposing because it mixed up all the photographs and postcards with text. They wanted to separate out all the photographs and put them into a plate section in the middle. That did not seem to me to be the best way to present the information in an interesting format. So, this book has been produced and printed by computer. I hope you like the final result. The Millennium also provided a target date for publication. The original plan for the book envisaged something like fifty pages. As can be seen, this has been exceeded, just a little! The present 200 pages could, in fact, have been a lot more but finance for publication, rather than lack of information, became the limiting factor. In producing the book I have acted largely as an editor and collator of information, which has been provided from across a wide spectrum of the inhabitants of both Topcliffe and Asenby. There are many people to thank for their inputs. In addition I have spent a lot of time trawling around the various County Record Offices and archives, in order to dig a little deeper into the past. I have no doubt that once this book is published more photographs and postcards will come out of the attics in Topcliffe. Also the mistakes I have made will be immediately obvious to those who know more about particular aspects than I do. Please, do let me know the mistakes, or let me have more information if you have it, or let me copy your photographs. There may be an opportunity at some time in the future to print a second edition. I hope that you enjoy reading the book as much as I have enjoyed the last two years in putting it together. J. M. Graham January 2000 CONTENTS Cover - Maiden Bower Motte & Bailey Castle site Introduction, Acknowledgements, Bibliography Plan of Topcliffe Village 1. TOPCLIFFE'S BEGINNINGS Mesolithic Finds - Romans - Vikings - Paulinus - King Aeldred 1066 and all that - Motte & Bailey Castle - Manorial Site Domesday Survey Lords of the Manor - Links to the Percys and descent of the manor to Lord Egremont The Toll Booth - History - Charles I - Court Leet - etc 2. CHURCH - SCHOOLS - CHAPEL Church History - Previous Buildings - This Building - Contents - Churchyard Charities - Feoffees - Charities Boards - Vicars Church Grammar School - National School - Present School Chapel - First and Present - Ministers Poor Law 3. TOPCLIFFE VILLAGE The Village - Gypsy Fair - Market Cross - Pubs & Inns Manorial Map - Tithe Maps - Old O.S.Maps Population through the Ages - Enclosures Comparison of Businesses through the Ages 4. TRANSPORT Development of Paths to Roads, Turnpikes and Motorways Topcliffe Bridge The Swale Navigation Scheme Topcliffe Mill The Railways 5. ROUND AND ABOUT TOPCLIFFE Baldersby Park (Newby Park that was ) - The Robinsons - Link to Prime Minister - George Hudson - 7th Viscount Downe - John Brennand, - etc, etc. RAF Topcliffe and RAF Dalton - War Graves - Canadians Dalton Industrial Estate 6. THE VILLAGE AT THE MILLENNIUM Development of Parish Administration from Manorial System,Vestries etc Parish Council,Village Hall Other Village Organisations 7. TOPCLIFFE'S COUNTDOWN TO THE 21ST. CENTURY A Summary "Timeline" INDEX, Ordnance Survey map of Topcliffe PC area. The Millennium Book can also be obtained as a “real book” from Topcliffe Parish Council (c/o John Graham Tel: 577188)