Pateley Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pateley Bridge |
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 Pateley Bridge |
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 Pateley Bridge
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| Population | 1,432 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | SE155655 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Harrogate |
| Postcode district | HG3 |
| Dialling code | 01423 |
| Police | North Yorkshire |
| Fire | North Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
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Pateley Bridge (or just Pateley to locals) is a small market town in North Yorkshire, England. It's found in a beautiful area called Nidderdale, right by the River Nidd. Even though it's in the amazing Yorkshire Dales, it's just outside the main Yorkshire Dales National Park.
This town is famous for having the oldest sweet shop in the world! It opened way back in 1827 and is in a building from 1661. Pateley Bridge is also home to the Nidderdale Museum, which tells the story of the local area.
Every year, the last big farming event in the Dales, the Nidderdale Show, happens here. It takes place by the River Nidd and brings in over 14,000 visitors. Pateley Bridge is part of the Nidderdale AONB, which means it's a special "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty." It's even been called one of the "Best Places to Live" in northern England by The Sunday Times.
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A Look Back in Time
Long ago, in the early Middle Ages, the land where Pateley Bridge now stands belonged to the Archbishop of York. This area was known as Bishopside. The main village back then was Wilsill, not Pateley.
The name "Pateley" was first written down in 1175. It might come from old words meaning "woodland clearing of the paths," because many paths met here. These paths went up Nidderdale and from Ripon to Craven. The "Bridge" part of the name simply means "bridge," which makes sense as it's by a river!
Market and Quarry History
In 1320, the Archbishop of York allowed Pateley to hold a market and a fair. This helped the town grow. From the 1300s until the early 1900s, a place called Scotgate Ash Quarry was very important. It dug up strong sandstone from the hills above Pateley Bridge.
When the railway arrived in 1862, it became much easier to send this stone far away. It was used for railway platforms, big buildings, and even harbour walls. The quarry finally closed in 1915.
Railway Connections
Pateley Bridge once had two railway stations! From 1862 to 1964, a railway line ended here, connecting the town to Harrogate. Later, from 1907 to 1937, a smaller railway called the Nidd Valley Light Railway went even further up the valley from a different station.
Today, you can get to Pateley Bridge by road. There's a bus service from Harrogate that runs every hour.
Filming Location
If you've seen the TV show All Creatures Great and Small, you might recognize some places! Many scenes from the show were filmed in the Yorkshire Dales, especially around Nidderdale. The important crossroads in the Christmas episode are on the roads just above Pateley Bridge.
Local News and Sounds
For local news and TV shows, people in Pateley Bridge watch BBC Yorkshire and ITV Yorkshire.
If you like listening to the radio, you can tune into:
- BBC Radio York on 104.3 FM
- Greatest Hits Radio Harrogate and the Yorkshire Dales on 107.1 FM
- Dales Radio on 104.9 FM
The town also has its own local newspaper, the Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale Herald.
Things to Do and See
Pateley Bridge is a great place to visit! You can get there by bus from Harrogate. The closest train station is also in Harrogate. If you're driving, major roads like the A1(M) and A61 are nearby.
Town Facilities
In town, you'll find:
- Places to stay like bed and breakfasts and hotels
- Churches (St Cuthbert's, a Methodist chapel, and a Roman Catholic church)
- The Nidderdale Museum
- Local pubs and restaurants
- A public library and a public park
- A primary school and Nidderdale High School
- Lots of shops
- A theatre called Pateley Playhouse
Nearby, you can visit Bewerley Park Centre for Outdoor Education. Also close by are the amazing rock formations of Brimham Rocks and the underground caves of Stump Cross Caverns.
Outdoor Activities
If you love walking, the Nidderdale Way and Six Dales Trail both go through Pateley Bridge.
The town is also a hub for cricket, with several teams known as 'The Badgers'. Crown green bowling is another popular sport here.
Pateley Bridge has the Nidderdale Pool and Leisure Centre. It has a 20-metre swimming pool, a gym, a sports hall, and squash courts. It opened in 2005 after many years of local fundraising.
Famous Sweet Shop
One of the most famous spots is the "Oldest Sweet Shop in England." It opened in 1827 and is officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest continuously trading sweet shop in the world! It's in a very old building from 1661.
Arts and Crafts
On King Street, you can find the King Street workshops. This is where local artists and designers work. You can visit their studios and see them making jewelry, hats, textile art, sculptures, glass items, and more.
The Nidderdale AONB website has lots of ideas for outdoor fun. You can find maps for walks, and information about canoeing, kayaking, caving, climbing, cycling, fishing, and horse riding in the area.
East of Pateley Bridge, there's Madge Hill Campsite. It's looked after by the West Leeds Scout District. This campsite has a bunkhouse and plenty of space for camping.
Weather in Pateley Bridge
Like most of the British Isles, Pateley Bridge has a mild climate. This means it doesn't usually get too hot or too cold.
The warmest temperature ever recorded here was 31.0 °C (87.8 °F) on July 1, 2015. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -15.0 °C (5.0 °F) on December 6, 2010.
| Climate data for Pateley Bridge, 154m amsl (1981–2010) (extremes 1992–) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.6 (58.3) |
16.2 (61.2) |
21.0 (69.8) |
23.9 (75.0) |
27.2 (81.0) |
30.6 (87.1) |
31.0 (87.8) |
30.8 (87.4) |
27.2 (81.0) |
27.5 (81.5) |
17.7 (63.9) |
16.2 (61.2) |
31.0 (87.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.8 (44.2) |
7.3 (45.1) |
9.9 (49.8) |
12.4 (54.3) |
15.7 (60.3) |
18.5 (65.3) |
21.0 (69.8) |
20.5 (68.9) |
17.8 (64.0) |
13.6 (56.5) |
9.6 (49.3) |
6.8 (44.2) |
13.3 (56.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.8 (33.4) |
0.8 (33.4) |
2.2 (36.0) |
3.8 (38.8) |
6.4 (43.5) |
9.3 (48.7) |
11.5 (52.7) |
11.2 (52.2) |
9.2 (48.6) |
6.4 (43.5) |
3.2 (37.8) |
0.8 (33.4) |
5.5 (41.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −11.0 (12.2) |
−8.8 (16.2) |
−7.2 (19.0) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
1.6 (34.9) |
4.2 (39.6) |
2.5 (36.5) |
0.8 (33.4) |
−4.3 (24.3) |
−9.0 (15.8) |
−15.0 (5.0) |
−15.0 (5.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 53.2 (2.09) |
42.2 (1.66) |
45.7 (1.80) |
49.3 (1.94) |
45.1 (1.78) |
59.8 (2.35) |
51.2 (2.02) |
60.1 (2.37) |
53.4 (2.10) |
64.0 (2.52) |
60.3 (2.37) |
58.6 (2.31) |
642.9 (25.31) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1 mm) | 11.8 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.4 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 9.0 | 9.6 | 8.7 | 10.7 | 10.9 | 10.3 | 118.4 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 51.2 | 76.6 | 107.0 | 159.5 | 190.5 | 162.2 | 184.5 | 173.0 | 133.9 | 96.1 | 60.3 | 58.6 | 1,453.4 |
| Source 1: Met Office | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Climate Dishforth | |||||||||||||
See Also
In Spanish: Pateley Bridge para niños
