Beck Hole facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beck Hole |
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 Beck Hole |
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 Beck Hole
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| OS grid reference | NZ822023 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WHITBY |
| Postcode district | YO22 |
| Police | North Yorkshire |
| Fire | North Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
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Beck Hole is a tiny village nestled in a valley in North Yorkshire, England. It's part of the Goathland area and is located inside the beautiful North York Moors National Park.
Contents
Exploring Beck Hole's Location
Beck Hole sits about 70 meters (230 feet) above sea level. It's found in the North York Moors National Park, right in the valley of the Murk Esk River. This river is a small branch of the larger River Esk.
How to Get There
The village is about 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) north-west of Goathland. You can reach it by a road that has very steep hills on both sides. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway also passes close by to the north of the village.
Historic Buildings in Beck Hole
Many buildings in Beck Hole are considered historic and are protected. This means they are very old and special! Some of these include:
- The Birch Hall Inn, which is a mix of old cottages and a newer part from the 1800s.
- Fir Tree farmhouse and Brookwood farmhouse, which were once farm buildings.
- 'The White House' and 'Old Woodbine', which are also old homes.
- A stone bridge from the 1800s that crosses the Ellerbeck stream.
- The 'Lord Nelson', which used to be a pub in the 1800s.
Just outside the village, you can find other historic spots. These include 'Incline Cottage', an old railway building designed by George Townsend Andrews. There's also 'Lins', a very old house from the 1600s.
A Look Back at Beck Hole's History
Beck Hole has a long history, going all the way back to the Middle Ages. It was once part of the Forest of Pickering, which started to be cleared in the 1200s.
Early Days of the Village
The first records of the village, then called Amerholm, appeared in the late 1500s. At that time, there was only one farm. Around the same period, a special mill called a fulling mill was working by the river. This mill was used to clean and thicken wool.
The Lord Nelson Pub
The 'Bulls Head' pub first opened around 1770 in a building from 1677. It was renamed the 'Lord Nelson' in 1801 and rebuilt around 1850. This pub closed its doors in 1940.
The Scots Pine Tree
One special landmark in Beck Hole is a single Scots Pine tree in the garden of Firtree house. This tree was planted when the house was built. It was believed that houses with a Scots Pine showed loyalty to the royal family. Originally, there were two trees, but one was struck by lightning and burned down before the 1900s.
The Railway's Impact
The Whitby and Pickering Railway opened in 1836. It had a special section called the Beckhole Incline. This was a unique railway where carriages were pulled up a steep hill using ropes. A railway station was also built here.
In 1865, a new, less steep route was built, replacing the incline. However, part of the old line continued to be used as a branch line to Beck Hole until it closed in 1951.
Iron Mining in Beck Hole
In the late 1850s, a company called the Whitby Iron Company started mining for iron ore near Beck Hole. They built two large furnaces to make iron, which began working in 1860. Around this time, 33 cottages were built for the workers, and the Birch Hall Inn was made bigger and allowed to sell drinks.
However, the iron mining didn't last long. There was a problem with one of the furnaces and landslides at a mine. The furnaces stopped working in 1864. The whole ironworks was put up for sale in 1876 and sold in 1888. It was then taken down in the years that followed. The workers' cottages were also demolished.
Modern Connections
Beck Hole was connected to Egton by a main road after 1868. Electricity and running water came to the village in the years after the Second World War.
Beckhole Woodland and Heritage Foundation
The Beckhole Woodland and Heritage Foundation was started in 2006 by people living in Beck Hole. Their goal is to protect the old woodlands in the valley and share the rich local history.
The Apple Orchard Project
In Victorian times, Beck Hole was famous for its many apple orchards. Visitors would come from far away to enjoy the walks, waterfalls, and have tea under the apple trees.
In 2009, the Goathland School celebrated its 200th birthday. To mark this special event, the Foundation decided to plant an apple orchard in Beck Hole. The Ainley family, who used to live at Firs Farm, kindly provided the land.
With help from The Tree Council, donations from Goathland Post Office, the North York Moors National Park, and collection boxes at The Birch Hall Inn, enough money was raised. This allowed them to prepare the orchard and plant 20 different kinds of old apple trees. Each tree was "adopted" by a child from Goathland School.
The trees were planted on March 1, 2009. Once they were growing well, the children came to "meet" their trees on April 24. You can find this orchard on the side of the Rail Trail, just before the Ellerbeck Footbridge.
