STROLLING into Manor Vale Lane from Kirkbymoorside's Dale End is to encounter a mix of history: a pleasant cluster of houses old and new, an ancient pinfold, and Kirkbymoorside Band's modern premises.

Beyond NYCC's highways maintenance depot, Manor Vale proper begins, with a signboard illustrating a sample of the wildlife likely to be seen throughout the year. This time-honoured stretch of woodland was purchased from Mr J H Holt in April 1993 by Kirkbymoorside Town Council with grant aid from Ryedale District and North Yorkshire County Councils.

A winter walk along the vale's surfaced lane is dominated by steep sides crowded with towering oaks, masses of scrub and not a few rotting tree trunks, left to benefit numerous creatures as living quarters and food sources.

The variety of bird life is encouraging: a small flock of bullfinches, two goldfinches, a kestrel and jackdaws overhead seen recently in the space of half an hour. Wood pigeons perched sentinel-like high in the top oaks; jays about too, but in keeping with many a secretive inhabitant of Manor Vale, they remained well hidden.

Either side of the tarmac, carpets of rotting leaves are constantly raked over by blackbirds, a familiar rustle amid tangles of undergrowth, and where ferns and mosses on the left hand side of the vale decorate the base of limestone cliffs. Old wood pigeon nests stand out darkly this time of year, small platforms of sticks resting on bare branches halfway down the lane, plus a rich fall of pale yellow crab apples thereabouts.

A second entrance to Manor Vale is reached by way of Castlegate, where midway stand the massive gate pillars of High Hall, circa 1492. At the top of the street, a footpath leads to Manor Vale's high side, between elegant houses now covering the site of one of Kirkbymoorside's two castles.

A lavish establishment in its day, this castle was more a hunting lodge and belonged to the Nevilles, a family of Westmorland earls based at Raby castle in Durham. Some lived in this luxurious mansion with its four towers, whilst others came to stay and hunt the deer park on the back doorstep, part of which may have included Manor Vale.

Today, a mere fragment of the ancient castle stands - part of one wall which has recently been declared an unsafe structure. It is recorded that large amounts of stone from the original ruins were used in the early 18th century to construct the town's distinctive Memorial Hall or Toll Booth as it was first known.

On Saturday, May 18, 1974, an archaeological dig at the Neville castle site was well underway and had uncovered a complete small room with paved floor and fireplace five metres below ground level. One young helper was scrubbing a deer antler clean, while all around lay piles of pottery shards, plus two large pots awaiting assessment that fine evening. Further to these early items, a Victorian rubbish tip had come to light - a bottle collector's delight - neatly stacked against the wall side by the gate into Manor Vale.

It was a white world without when I was planning this piece, and the reminiscences of Kirkby folk already advanced in years around 1974 came to mind. Up at the castle site early last century, winter snows brought lively activity to the fore. Kirkby lads would sledge down Castlegate into the market place, speed past the toll booth, career round the dangerous bend alongside Leadley's shop (now the HSBC bank), hurtle down Railway Street (presently Piercy End) and swoosh to a stop in the railway yard - having gone straight across the roundabout which in those days simply wasn't there.

Manor Vale's stories and events are part of the town's folklore. One tells of the sad experience of an unfortunate goose put into a cave there, only to emerge miles away at Kirkdale minus its feathers. Far fetched, one could say, but certainly religious gatherings were a feature of Manor Vale early last century, old picture postcards giving evidence of this. Soldiers played a part here also, an army hut being part of the fabric not too many years since.

Manor Vale as common experience for many parents, over decades, will be of walks with children and laughter on sunny days. Earlier still, there are photographs and paintings in existence of Manor Vale cottage, a low-thatched dwelling which around 1858 was one of two lodges standing by the Howlyat or gate entrance to Manor Vale, according to local historian of the time Tom Parker.

The original walkway stretched beyond; a place where people collected sticks for kindling (but never on a Sunday) and where animals were free to graze. Cottagers on those sites centuries ago could have been employed to stoke the castle fires; to cook, bake, and make all comfortable for the incoming Earls of Westmorland, weary after a long trek down from the north.

People living in Manor Vale Lane in those times would have heard the hunting horn sounding in the castle yards and colourful sights indeed must have filled Castlegate. A travelling party for instance, first sighted by excited children, slowly making its way up Kirkby's West End, the leading gentry gathering to chat in the market place before moving off for the castle. The entourage on horseback trailing lines of pack-ponies, and men on foot with the look of drovers, bringing up the rear with huge wolfhounds; men skilled in the art of management, road-craft, and protecting their lords and ladies from the muggers of the day.

My imaginings to an extent: but there will be people living in Kirkby at present who, through personal experience and ancestral memories, are able to bring alive Manor Vale and area as it used to be in the more immediate past.

Such local recall (and not forgetting contemporary observation) is equally important as ancient records. All adds to and provides unique insight into the history of this market town. A hundred years on such recollections, together with photographs of an ever-changing Kirkbymoorside, will create a similar sense of wonder which must touch anyone today looking through the superb in-depth field study entitled Manor Vale Woodland. Published in 1997 by Kirkbymoorside Town Council, it resides in the town library and is available on loan.

Updated: 12:13 Thursday, January 31, 2002