John Castillo
Encyclopedia
John Castillo often referred to as the "Bard of the Dales", from his first published book - "The Bard of the Dales - Poems by John Castillo" was a poet who lived for much of his life in the village of Lealholm
. Castillo's work is treasured as having recorded the ancient language of the dales from oblivion.
John's father, a traveller, met his spouse in Eskdale
and they both returned to Ireland where John was born in 1792 near the small village of Rathfarnham
, close to Dublin, today a suburb of the city. At the age of two, the family decided to return to Lealholm and moved to the site that now bears the name Poet's Corner. At the age of 12 he moved to Lincolnshire
and began work as a servant on a country estate and soon became note for his talent as a poet, singer / song-writer.
Later returning to Eskdale, he began work as a farm hand, and soon turned his skills to stonemasonry. Methodism was popular across the Dales, and John converted from Catholicism in 1818. Following thoughts of suicide he became a lay preacher, but continued his stone work and poetry. He often wrote using local dialect and is most well known for the poems "Aud Isaac" and "The Steeplechase" although he also used standard English. Very few of his works have been published since the early 1900s.
He died in the town of Pickering
aged 53, and is buried at the Methodist Chapel in Hungate. His gravestone reads an epitaph of his own creation
Lealholm
Lealholm, sometimes known as Lealholm Bridge, is a small village in the Glaisdale civil parish of the Borough of Scarborough, in North Yorkshire, England. It is sited at a crossing point of the River Esk, in Eskdale which is within the North York Moors National Park. It is by road from the...
. Castillo's work is treasured as having recorded the ancient language of the dales from oblivion.
John's father, a traveller, met his spouse in Eskdale
Eskdale, North Yorkshire
Eskdale is a valley running west to east from Westerdale on the North Yorkshire Moors to Whitby on the east coast of England.Formed during the last major ice age, it has a classic U-shaped valley formation caused by the action of glaciers carving away the rock.Eskdale carries the River Esk from the...
and they both returned to Ireland where John was born in 1792 near the small village of Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham or Rathfarnam is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils.The area of Rathfarnham...
, close to Dublin, today a suburb of the city. At the age of two, the family decided to return to Lealholm and moved to the site that now bears the name Poet's Corner. At the age of 12 he moved to Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
and began work as a servant on a country estate and soon became note for his talent as a poet, singer / song-writer.
Later returning to Eskdale, he began work as a farm hand, and soon turned his skills to stonemasonry. Methodism was popular across the Dales, and John converted from Catholicism in 1818. Following thoughts of suicide he became a lay preacher, but continued his stone work and poetry. He often wrote using local dialect and is most well known for the poems "Aud Isaac" and "The Steeplechase" although he also used standard English. Very few of his works have been published since the early 1900s.
He died in the town of Pickering
Pickering, North Yorkshire
Pickering is an ancient market town and civil parish in the Ryedale district of the county of North Yorkshire, England, on the border of the North York Moors National Park. It sits at the foot of the Moors, overlooking the Vale of Pickering to the south...
aged 53, and is buried at the Methodist Chapel in Hungate. His gravestone reads an epitaph of his own creation
SACRED
TO THE MEMORY
OF
JOHN CASTILO
Author of
Auld Isaac, The Steeplechase ,
and other Poems
In the Yorkshire Dialect.
HE LIVED FOR OTHERS
He was an original and successful local preacher
among the Wesleyan Methodists for many years.
"Bud noo his eean's geean dim i' deeath
Nee mare a pilgrim here on earch ;
His soul flits fra' her shell beneeath
Tee reealms o' day
Whoor carpin' care an' pain, an' deeath
Are deean away."
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