Glusburn
Encyclopedia
Glusburn is a village and civil parish
situated in Craven
in North Yorkshire
, England
, with a population of 3,902. It is located on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales
. Glusburn is the name of the old parish, but the newer part of the village is known as Cross Hills
.
Before 1066
, most of the area was held by Earl Edwin, a Saxon
nobleman. However he broke his oath of loyalty to King William I and consequently the king took the land as revenge. Therefore in the Domesday Book
, the site is described as 'Terra Regis' or 'Lands of the King'.
In 1369, John Scarborough was Lord of the Manor
, and is believed to have lived at Glusburn Old Hall. In the 16th century, the estate was sold partly to John Currer of Kildwick
Hall, but also to William Garforth of Steeton.
In 1379, it was recorded that 23 people in Glusburn paid a poll tax
to Richard II
. However in 1587, smallpox
ravaged the village's population.
At the end of the 17th century, vestry
rule came to Glusburn and it was put under the parish of Kildwick.
In 1700, most villagers were farmer
s, with spinning and weaving as a secondary income. During the latter part of the 18th century there were major improvements in the transport infrastructure. In 1773 the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
was opened and then in 1786 the Keighley
to Kendal
turnpike road was opened. This was followed in 1823 by the Blackburn, Addingham
, Cocking End Road. The improvements brought large numbers of people to the area and many more houses and workplaces were built. Six stagecoaches a day took advantage of these new roads. In 1847, Kildwick and Crosshills railway station
was opened, which had perhaps the greatest effect on the village and marked the end of the stagecoach
era.
During the early 19th century, trade suffered and many people became destitute. In 1850, Glusburn had around 600 inhabitants; many were engaged in textile work, with farming as a secondary income.
John William Hartley constructed a small weaving shed in Glusburn and a John Horsfall came over from Oxenhope
to learn his trade with him. John Horsfall then married John William Hartley's daughter and at first became his partner and then the sole owner of the weaving shed. He was extremely successful and his business grew rapidly. He required more workers, which meant that additional terraced housing was built. The main building of the mill dates from this time.
John Horsfall went on to build Hayfield Hall for his family, as well as the Institute, and a park across the road from the mill. At its peak the mill employed 500 people. In the 1950s, there was a shortage of workers in the area, consequently the Horsfall family had to recruit girls from Malta
. A hostel was built to house them.
In 1905, Ezra Laycock bought the first bus in the area, initially to help people from Cowling
and Glusburn to get to Kildwick and Crosshills station. In 1924, the routes were taken over by Yorkshire Road Car Company and the Burnley, Colne & Nelson Joint Transport.
In 1972, the mill was bought by Sirdar Wools Ltd and operated until 1995; it was mainly concerned with dyeing knitting wools. But in 1995 it was closed down again until it was bought in 1997-98 by Ellison's Holdings plc, which produced circlips, rings and fasteners for the automotive industry. After that it was bought by an American company TransTechnology (GB) Ltd. Now it is owned by Cirteq (GB) Ltd. Currently the number of employees is increasing from 300+, including many Poles
, and the mill is expanding.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
situated in Craven
Craven
Craven is a local government district in North Yorkshire, England that came into being in 1974, centred on the market town of Skipton. In the changes to British local government of that year this district was formed as the merger of Skipton urban district, Settle Rural District and most of Skipton...
in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, with a population of 3,902. It is located on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
. Glusburn is the name of the old parish, but the newer part of the village is known as Cross Hills
Cross Hills
Cross Hills is a village in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England that is situated halfway between Skipton and Keighley.-Location:...
.
History
The village most likely dates back to the 8th century. The site on which Glusburn is situated on is just above Glus Beck, which means the 'shining stream'. The site would have been rough uncultivated land, moorland and forest, with wolves, wild boar and deer around at the time.Before 1066
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
, most of the area was held by Earl Edwin, a Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
nobleman. However he broke his oath of loyalty to King William I and consequently the king took the land as revenge. Therefore in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, the site is described as 'Terra Regis' or 'Lands of the King'.
In 1369, John Scarborough was Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
, and is believed to have lived at Glusburn Old Hall. In the 16th century, the estate was sold partly to John Currer of Kildwick
Kildwick
Kildwick, or Kildwick-in-Craven, is a village and civil parish of the District of Craven in North Yorkshire, England. It is situated between Skipton and Keighley and has a population of 191...
Hall, but also to William Garforth of Steeton.
In 1379, it was recorded that 23 people in Glusburn paid a poll tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
to Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
. However in 1587, smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
ravaged the village's population.
At the end of the 17th century, vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
rule came to Glusburn and it was put under the parish of Kildwick.
In 1700, most villagers were farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s, with spinning and weaving as a secondary income. During the latter part of the 18th century there were major improvements in the transport infrastructure. In 1773 the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
was opened and then in 1786 the Keighley
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
to Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
turnpike road was opened. This was followed in 1823 by the Blackburn, Addingham
Addingham
Addingham is a village and civil parish in the English county of West Yorkshire. It is situated on the A65, west of Ilkley, north west of Bradford and around north west of Leeds. It is located in the valley of the River Wharfe and is only from the Yorkshire Dales National Park...
, Cocking End Road. The improvements brought large numbers of people to the area and many more houses and workplaces were built. Six stagecoaches a day took advantage of these new roads. In 1847, Kildwick and Crosshills railway station
Kildwick and Crosshills railway station
Kildwick and Crosshills [sic] was a railway station off Station Road in Cross Hills, North Yorkshire , England. It served the villages of Cross Hills, Cowling, Glusburn, Kildwick and Sutton-in-Craven.-History:...
was opened, which had perhaps the greatest effect on the village and marked the end of the stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
era.
During the early 19th century, trade suffered and many people became destitute. In 1850, Glusburn had around 600 inhabitants; many were engaged in textile work, with farming as a secondary income.
John William Hartley constructed a small weaving shed in Glusburn and a John Horsfall came over from Oxenhope
Oxenhope
Oxenhope is a village and civil parish with a population of 2,476 in the metropolitan borough of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, near Keighley. Oxenhope railway station is the terminus for the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway...
to learn his trade with him. John Horsfall then married John William Hartley's daughter and at first became his partner and then the sole owner of the weaving shed. He was extremely successful and his business grew rapidly. He required more workers, which meant that additional terraced housing was built. The main building of the mill dates from this time.
John Horsfall went on to build Hayfield Hall for his family, as well as the Institute, and a park across the road from the mill. At its peak the mill employed 500 people. In the 1950s, there was a shortage of workers in the area, consequently the Horsfall family had to recruit girls from Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. A hostel was built to house them.
In 1905, Ezra Laycock bought the first bus in the area, initially to help people from Cowling
Cowling, Craven
Cowling is a village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England.It is a village consisting of 1,000 to 2,000 residents. The village is expanding due to new housing built around the outskirts of the village...
and Glusburn to get to Kildwick and Crosshills station. In 1924, the routes were taken over by Yorkshire Road Car Company and the Burnley, Colne & Nelson Joint Transport.
In 1972, the mill was bought by Sirdar Wools Ltd and operated until 1995; it was mainly concerned with dyeing knitting wools. But in 1995 it was closed down again until it was bought in 1997-98 by Ellison's Holdings plc, which produced circlips, rings and fasteners for the automotive industry. After that it was bought by an American company TransTechnology (GB) Ltd. Now it is owned by Cirteq (GB) Ltd. Currently the number of employees is increasing from 300+, including many Poles
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and the mill is expanding.