Weaving a bright future (From Gazette & Herald)

Weaving a bright future

WHILE the problems of Ryedale's ageing population continue to inspire much wringing of hands, Weaverthorpe is quietly (or perhaps loudly) proving the exception to the rule - the Wolds village is going through something of a baby boom.

Young mums and dads can be seen pushing prams along the village's winding main street, while the faint sound of children's laughter on the breeze testifies to the popularity of the village school.

School governor Jarrod Fisher, who is also landlord of The Blue Bell in the village, describes the school as "thriving".

The number of pupils is currently around the 60 mark, which is thought to be an all-time high. Indeed, a portable building has recently been installed to act as an extra classroom.

Jarrod describes his amazement at the sheer number of young children in prams at the school's Easter service.

"It's very encouraging for the village," he smiles.

Quite clearly, the many new houses that have sprung up in the village recently, particularly on the site of the old petrol station, have attracted young families to the area, swelling the roughly 300-strong population.

Jarrod and his wife Le-anne have two children at the school and have lived in the village for four years, having moved to Weaverthorpe from North Dalton.

Their pub and restaurant, The Blue Bell, was established in the late 19th century and, originally, a duck pond sat in front of the hostelry. That area is now a mini village green.

The walls of The Blue Bell testify to some of the area's history, with one notable photograph capturing the scene when the pub was engulfed in fire nine years ago.

Jarrod points out a fascinating wartime snapshot of Winston Churchill inspecting a vast column of tanks at neighbouring Butterwick. He adds that the holes in the hedges around the village, which are readily visible to the passer-by, testify to the movement of the tanks as they trained in the fields over 60 years ago.

Almost next door to The Blue Bell is The Star Country Inn, which was taken over by Mike and Kath Baker just over six months ago.

Though they moved to the village from Leicestershire, they were no strangers to Yorkshire - Mike is originally from Rotherham and the couple previously ran The Owl Hotel at Hambleton, near Selby.

However, this is the first time that the couple have bought a pub - and it looks like being the last they purchase, as the couple are keen to preside at The Star until they retire.

"We chose quite carefully," says Mike. "We preferred to be out in the sticks. And it's a lovely place. We love being here - it feels like home. The people have taken to us - people have bent over backwards to help."

He adds: "We enjoy being part of a small community rather than being a face in the crowd."

Kath chips in: "We can build up friendships this way, rather than just customers."

The Star Country Inn exudes an air of history, but you would be wrong to think that it dates back that far.

What were originally four or five cottages make up today's pub, which came into being during the early 1900s.

There have been just six licensees during that time, something that suggests the attraction of the place.

Strangely enough, the first ever licensees had the same last name as today's owners - Baker.

Outside both pubs and along the main street runs Gypsy Race beck, which eventually drains into Bridlington Harbour.

However, you are unlikely to catch a glimpse of it at this time of year, as it flows underground. But, in the past, the beck has not been such an innocent and discreet neighbour.

Indeed, a photograph from 1910 shows a dark line about a metre high on the walls of each cottage on the main street. This indicates where water had lapped during May that year after a downpour swelled the beck way beyond its usual proportions.

In those days, there would have been a working smithy in the village - it continued its work until fewer than 40 years ago. The village was also home to two tailors and a wheelwright, among others.

In those days, Weaverthorpe was characterised by small chalk cottages that lined the long, winding main street, some of which still remain.

Though there is little employment in Weaverthorpe now, the village does at least retain its strong associations with agriculture. There are six working farms in the vicinity of the village.

A vital village facility that has not vanished over the years is the combined post office and stores. This is the sixth year that Anne-Marie and Peter Clarke have been in charge there.

The couple have lived in a number of different locations throughout the country and abroad as a result of Peter's work in the armed forces, as a member of the Royal Signals.

Peter, as well as being the parish clerk, is still involved with the military, currently working with the Territorial Army.

Says Anne-Marie, whose lilting accent gives away her Glaswegian background: "When we took (the post office and stores) over, it was quite run down. We have put a lot of work into setting it up and the villagers have been really supportive."

She adds: "It's a very friendly place - people will come in for a chat. Some people will tell you their whole life story."

And, strangely, it is the postal service that provides Weaverthorpe's only access to public transport, as Mary d'Arne Massheder explains.

For, says Mary, the 'postbus' runs between Weaverthorpe and Malton each day - this is, simply, a post van which is large enough to allow villagers to tag along with all the letters and parcels.

This is the only alternative to the car for residents of the village, which stands in an isolated position, 14 miles from Malton and 15 miles from Bridlington.

Mary, who is the Gazette & Herald's village correspondent for Weaverthorpe, was brought up in Scarborough, but has lived in the village with her husband Peter since 1968.

Mary's role as a churchwarden means that she has been heavily involved in the bid to raise thousands of pounds to make vital repairs to the historic church of St Andrew, which looks down majestically on the community from its perch just above the village proper.

Thanks to a grant from English Heritage, among other organisations, and the fundraising efforts of the community, much of the church roof has been repaired. However, much still needs to be done and, thus, a great deal more cash must be raised.

Villagers will be manning a stall in Malton market place during the summer in a bid to generate funds, while there will also be the traditional summer raffle and Christmas fair.

As well as a Methodist church, Weaverthorpe has a popular village hall, which hosts, among other groups, the local Yorkshire Countrywomen's Association and is building up a reputation as a venue for amateur theatre and music, as well as for regular talks.

One of the most recent of these, for example, was on the subject of the much-publicised discovery of the remains of a Celtic warrior princess and her chariot at nearby Wetwang.

It is events such as these that ensure Weaverthorpe stands out from the crowd when it comes to rural communities.

This is a place of great activity that defies its sleepy exterior and makes those dreaded dormitory villages appear deader than the Wetwang warrior princess herself.

Updated: 12:10 Wednesday, May 12, 2004