Newby Head facts for kids
Newby Head is a special place in North Yorkshire, England. It's also known as Newby Head Farm or Newby Head Inn. This historic spot was once a very busy inn for people moving animals across the country.
Today, Newby Head is a farmhouse. It sits high up on Newby Head Pass, along the B6255 road. This road connects the towns of Ingleton and Hawes. Newby Head is about 434 meters (1,425 feet) above sea level, making it a very high and scenic location.
Newby Head: A Famous Drovers' Inn
Long ago, Newby Head was a popular "drovers' inn." A drovers' inn was a place where people called "drovers" could rest. These drovers moved large groups of sheep and cattle from one place to another, often from Scotland. Newby Head Inn was one of the highest inns in England at the time.
The land around Newby Head is made of peat and limestone. The River Ribble even starts bubbling out of the ground nearby! Newby Head Inn was a good place for drovers to stop. It was an alternative to another well-known inn and market at Gearstones, which was only a couple of miles away.
Winters in the Yorkshire Dales can be very harsh. In the past, the RAF sometimes had to drop food and hay from planes. This helped farmers and their animals survive the cold. You can also see signs of old, abandoned settlements around Newby Head.
The inn at Newby Head served drovers and other travelers. People would stop for a drink and to stay the night. The rooms were simple, and it was common for people to share rooms and even beds. This was normal in those times.
The inn was located in a wild, open countryside. It stood at 434 meters (1,425 feet) above sea level. Many different people ran the inn over the years. Thomas Guy was the innkeeper in 1821. Edmund Thistlethwaite took over in 1841. By 1851, John Swinbank was in charge. The Swinbank family ran the inn for a long time. They also farmed about 170 acres of land.
Around the early 1900s, local officials wanted to close inns like Newby Head. They were too far from towns to be easily checked on. The inn closed its doors in 1919. After that, Newby Head became a full-time farm again.
Exploring Newby Head Pass
Newby Head Pass is a high mountain pass. It's found on the top part of the B6255 road. This road connects Hawes and Ingleton in North Yorkshire. The pass was named after the old Drovers' Inn at Newby Head.
Newby Head Pass is about 439 meters (1,439 feet) above sea level. It sits across two different areas: Craven and Richmondshire. It's a beautiful place to visit, especially for those who enjoy high, open landscapes.
