Gunnerside Explained

Country:England
Official Name:Gunnerside
Static Image Name:Gunnerside from the south side of the valley.jpg
Static Image Alt:A high level view of a small village set in a low green valley, with moorland beyond
Static Image Caption:Gunnerside from the south side of the valley
Coordinates:54.379°N -2.076°W
Label Position:bottom
Civil Parish:Melbecks
Region:Yorkshire and the Humber
Unitary England:North Yorkshire
Lieutenancy England:North Yorkshire
Constituency Westminster:Richmond (Yorks)
Post Town:DARLINGTON
Postcode District:DL11
Postcode Area:DL
Dial Code:01748
Os Grid Reference:SD951982
London Distance Mi:210
London Direction:SE

Gunnerside is a village in North Yorkshire, England. It is situated in Swaledale, on the B6270 road, 3miles east of Muker and 6miles west of Grinton.[1] [2] The village lies between the River Swale and its tributary, Gunnerside Beck, and is within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

History

The name of the village derives from an Old Norse personal name Gunnar and sætr meaning hill or pasture.[3] [4]

Gunnerside Ghyll (or Gunnerside Gill), a smaller valley running northwards, at right angles to the Swale valley (Swaledale), was the site of a major lead mining industry in Swaledale from the 17th century[5] to the late 19th century.[6] The beck that runs through the narrow valley, also called Gunnerside Gill, or Gunnerside Beck, rises between Rogan's Seat and Water Crag, and runs for 8km (05miles) emptying into the River Swale at the site of Gunnerside New Bridge.[7] The bridge carries the B6270 over the River Swale south of the village; it was rebuilt several times during the 19th century due to flooding. The current structure dates from around 1892 and is now grade II listed.

The area attracts many ramblers who use the foot tracks for exploring the area. Some decide to visit The Old Working Smithy & Museum, established in 1795, for a modest admission fee.[8] [9] The site contains historic items.

Gunnerside is served by a Methodist Chapel, a part-time post office, a weekly market, a restaurant and some shops selling food items. [10] The chapel was founded in 1789, but rebuilt in 1866.[11] The structure is now grade II listed. A private building to the north of the crossroads in the village was the site of a Medieval corn mill, and in the early 20th century, a bus garage.[12] At the foot of Gunnerside Ghyll is the Kings Head public house.

The village primary school is one of two sites of the Reeth and Gunnerside Schools.[13] At the last Ofsted inspection in 2023, the primary school was rated as Good.[14]

Local employment centres on tourism,[15] clockmaking, hill farming, gamekeeping and construction, the latter concerned chiefly with the maintenance of traditional stone-built field walls, houses and field barns. The latter, also known as laithes, are typically referred to as "cow'uses" or cow houses in Swaledale.[16]

Notable people

See also

References

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Gunnerside . visionofbritain.org.uk . 17 June 2021.
  2. Web site: Genuki: In 1822, the following places were in the Parish of Grinton:, Yorkshire (North Riding) . www.genuki.org.uk . 17 June 2021.
  3. Book: Fleming. Andrew. Ucko. Peter. Layton. Robert. The archaeology and anthropology of landscape : shaping your landscape. limited. 1999. Routledge. London. 9780415117678. 69. 1. 3;Small-scale communities and the landscape of Swaledale.
  4. Book: Ekwall. Eilert. Eilert Ekwall. The concise Oxford dictionary of English place-names. 1960. Clarendon Press. Oxford. 0-19-869103-3. 399. 4.
  5. Web site: Gunnerside. 15 June 2021. The Express. 25 October 2023.
  6. Web site: Gunnerside Gill lead mines . www.outofoblivion.org.uk . 17 June 2021.
  7. Web site: Gunnerside Gill from Source to River Swale . environment.data.gov.uk . 17 June 2021.
  8. Web site: The Old Working Smithy & Museum - Gunnerside. 1 June 2020. The Old Working Smithy. 25 October 2023.
  9. Web site: Gunnerside. 15 June 2021. Dales Discoveries. 25 October 2023.
  10. Web site: Local Food Shops and Producers near Gunnerside, North Yorkshire. 11 May 2022. Big Barn. 25 October 2023.
  11. Web site: Parishes: Grinton British History Online . www.british-history.ac.uk . 17 June 2021.
  12. Web site: Gunnerside corn mill . www.outofoblivion.org.uk . 17 June 2021.
  13. News: Philby. Charlotte. The lost villages of Britain: Can our rural communities survive in the 21st century?. 9 October 2017. The Independent. 19 September 2009.
  14. Web site: Gunnerside Methodist Primary School URN: 121542 . reports.ofsted.gov.uk . 25 October 2023.
  15. Web site: Why You Should Visit Swaledale. 11 June 2021. Living North. 26 October 2023.
  16. Web site: Field barns and cow'uses. 3 May 2019. Dales Discoveries. 25 October 2023. Barns were used as a combination of cattle housing and fodder storage.
  17. Douglas. Brown. Close, John [called Poet Close]. 5704.
  18. News: Knut Haugland. 9 October 2017. The Telegraph. 28 December 2009.