Embsay is a village in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is paired with the neighbouring hamlet of Eastby to form the civil parish of Embsay with Eastby. The parish population as of the 2011 census was 1,871.[1]
| Embsay | |
|---|---|
 Kirk Lane at Green Bottom | |
.svg)  Embsay Location within North Yorkshire | |
| Population | 1,758 |
| OS grid reference | SE011533 |
| • London | 185 mi (298 km) SSE |
| Civil parish | |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SKIPTON |
| Postcode district | BD23 |
| Dialling code | 01756 |
| Police | North Yorkshire |
| Fire | North Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
Geography edit
At the foot of Embsay Crag, a rock formation north of the village, is Embsay Reservoir. The crag marks the start of Barden Moor, an expanse of open moorland that is open access land and used by walkers.[2] There are two more reservoirs on the moor: Upper Barden Reservoir and Lower Barden Reservoir. Embsay Reservoir is the headquarters of Craven Sailing Club.[3]
History edit
Embsay was originally a Celtic settlement, possibly founded at the same time as a local monastery, destroyed in a Viking raid in 867 AD. The village has a Saxon name and is listed in the Doomsday Book as "Embesie", which translates as "Embe's enclosure".[4] At that time, much of the area was wooded and this was progressively cleared over time to provide farmland. In 1120, Cecily de Romille and her husband founded Embsay Priory.[5] The Augustinian members of the priory dedicated it to Saint Cuthbert and received local tithes. In 1154 they exchanged estates with the de Romille family and moved to Bolton Abbey, which was a more fertile location.[6] The priory flourished and grew rich on the profits of sheep farming and wool trading. In 1305, Edward I granted a charter for an annual fair at Embsay.[7]The Industrial Revolution resulted in several mills being built in Embsay.[8]
Community edit
Embsay Village Hall events include film nights, pantomimes, bowls, and jumble sales.[9]
The village has a newsagent on the main road. The dedicated post office closed; a counter in a newspaper shop now serves as a post office. Other businesses in Embsay are a hairdresser and an arts and crafts store. Embsay has two public houses: the Elm Tree Inn and the Cavendish Arms.[9] The Elm Tree Inn and Elm Tree Square take their names from a tree that stood there for many years. It was replaced in the late 20th century because of Dutch elm disease, but in 2006 that replacement was also taken down. A further replacement was planted in 2007.[10]
The village has a Church of England voluntary controlled primary school which receives pupils from Embsay, Skipton and farther away. It was ranked the 141st best primary school in England in 2000, and had risen to 84th place by 2003.[11]
Embsay railway station was built in 1888,[12] and is the current terminus of the heritage Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway.[13] There is a bus service between Embsay and Skipton eight times a day on weekdays and three on Saturdays.
The village has a cricket club that competes in the Craven League; its second team was, in 2006, the first second team in the league's history to play in the first division.[citation needed] The village also has a football club. Both clubs play at the same ground on Shires Lane at the north of the village. The club grounds are named the 'Robinson Memorial' after a local family who supported the club. Also at the north of the village is a recreational ground with a climbing frame and small football pitch.[citation needed]
Filming location edit
In the 2018 BBC One television series The ABC Murders, Embsay is the location of the fifth murder.[14] Scenes were filmed at the Embsay railway station.[15]
Notable people edit
- Ron Fawcett, rock climber, born in Embsay
- Robert Sidgwick, amateur first-class cricketer, born in Embsay
Gallery edit
-
Embsay Station -
Barden Moor with Embsay Crag in the distance -
Upper Barden Reservoir in Barden Moor
References edit
- ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Embsay with Eastby Parish (1170217215)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- ^ Moore, Lindsey (13 March 2015). "Enjoy a short stroll around Embsay Reservoir". Craven Herald. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
- ^ Holmes, Damian (18 February 2017). "Short walk for a dramatic view". Keighley News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ Ekwall, Eilert (1960). The concise Oxford dictionary of English place-names (4 ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 166. ISBN 0-19-869103-3.
- ^ Speight 1891, p. 224.
- ^ "The Priory in History - Bolton Priory". www.boltonpriory.org.uk. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ Speight 1891, p. 246.
- ^ EEPP 2012, p. 11.
- ^ a b EEPP 2012, p. 5.
- ^ Tyack, Tom (12 March 2007). "Return of village landmark". Craven Herald. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
- ^ "The top 500 primary schools". Sunday Times. 9 November 2003. ProQuest 316753120.
- ^ "North Yorkshire - Days out: walks, trains and horses". BBC Home. 4 July 2002. Retrieved 19 June 2007.
- ^ EEPP 2012, p. 12.
- ^ "11 ways The ABC Murders was different from Agatha Christie's original novel after THAT unnerving ending". Radio Times. 28 December 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
- ^ "The ABC Murders Filming Locations: A Very Yorkshire Murder Mystery". findthatlocation.com. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
Sources edit
- Speight, Harry (1891). Through Airedale from Goole to Malham. Leeds: Walker & Laycock. OCLC 475830922.
- Embsay with Eastby; Parish Profile 2012 (PDF) (Report). Skipton: Embsay with Eastby Parish Council (Craven District Council). 2012.
External links edit
Media related to Embsay at Wikimedia Commons- Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, Stringer Communications International, Ltd.
- Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, UK Individual web site
- AboutBritain.com "Embsay, North Yorkshire Photo Gallery", Aboutbritain.com
- Embsay with Eastby Parish Council website
