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WALK 4 - West Burton and the Templars Chapel This
walk provides a variety of scenery, including
Aysgarth's famous falls and the beautiful side
valley of Bishopdale. There are exceptional views
and a visit to a medieval chapel along the
way. St. Andrew's Church at
Aysgarth. Cauldron Falls at West
Burton. Bolton Castle at Castle
Bolton is clearly visible from Hudson Lane during
the walk. Aysgarth
is probably best known for its waterfalls, which
are seen at their best after heavy rain. The river
Ure plunges 200 feet in less than a mile over three
spectacular falls. The
village is also the home of the Yorkshire Carriage
Museum where one of Britain's largest collections
of carriages and horse-drawn vehicles is housed.
Included in the displays are fire engines, dog
carts, hearses, coaches and the 'Brougham Carriage'
said to be haunted by the ghost of a Scottish
gardener! The museum was originally a cotton mill.
After a fire in 1853 it was rebuilt and changed to
wool spinning. The mill supplied the material used
to make the 'red shirts' for Garibaldi's
revolutionary army in Italy. From
the museum a flight of steps leads to St. Andrew's
Church. Most of the present church was rebuilt in
1866. However, the bell tower dates from the
fourteenth century and has a peal of six bells. The
finely carved rood screen and the abbot's stall
were rescued from Jervaulx Abbey after the
dissolution of the monasteries. During the twelfth
century, Aysgarth was the largest parish in England
with over 81,000 acres covering all of Upper
Wensleydale. Leaving
Aysgarth, a meadow path is followed to Eshington
Bridge. The path continues along the fertile valley
floor of Bishopdale to West Burton. Bishopdale was
formed by glacial action. It is a deep U-shaped
valley and the largest of the many tributaries
which drain into Wensleydale. West
Burton, lying at the junction of Bishopdale and
Walden, is an attractive village with a large
sloping green complete with market cross and
stocks. At the lower end of the green a path leads
to an ancient packhorse bridge crossing Walden
Beck. The delightful Cauldron Falls can be seen
further upstream. It is possible to get quite close
to the falls which plunge into a shallow pool
shaded by trees. From
the bridge the path continues uphill through
Barrack Wood to Hudson Lane where the views are
truly panoramic. Walden, Bishopdale and Wensleydale
are seen in one sweep. Buckden Pike rises behind
Walden Moor, the crags of Kidstones Scar stand out
clearly at the head of Bishopdale and across the
main Wensleydale valley the villages of Aysgarth,
Carperby and Castle Bolton are clearly visible.
The
route follows the slopes of Penhill to join High
Lane, once a busy drove road linking Bishopdale
with Middleham. Cattle and sheep were herded along
this track in their thousands. From High Lane the
track leads down to the Templars'
Chapel. The
military-religious Order of the Knights Templar was
founded in the twelfth century for the purpose of
protecting pilgrims journeying to and from
Jerusalem. It was introduced to Britain in 1146. It
acquired land on Penhill to build its chapel
dedicating it to 'God, the Virgin and St.
Catherine.' St. Catherine, the patron saint of
linen weavers was important to the Knights Templar
because their outer garments were made of white
linen on which was sewn a blood red cross, their
symbol of martyrdom. The
Order attained considerable wealth and it was this
that caused their downfall. Kings and Popes alike
grew jealous of their influence, and they were
subjected to much persecution. Pope Clement V
abolished the Order in 1312, Edward II having
seized all the property of the English Templars in
1308. Most of the Templars were imprisoned,
tortured and executed. After
a short road walk, a meadow path follows the river
Ure back to the churchyard at Aysgarth. |
