Knaresborough Museum

Hi everyone. If you want to support Knaresborough Museum Association then please consider signing up to easyfundraising.org.uk. Hundreds of companies such as Argos give a small donation every time you shop online. As we need to fundraise to cover the costs of setting up the new Heritage Centre planned for 12 High Street - all donations however small all help.. Thanks a lot and happy new year to one and all.

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On behalf of KMA, it was lovely to be at the unveiling of the new Trompe d’Oeil at the Chain Lane Community Centre today, which depicted the Land Army girls who played a vital role during WW2 and had their barracks at this building. Introduced by Sue Vasey CEO of the Community Centre, our Knaresborough Deputy Mayoress Helen Westmancoat unveiled the masterpiece in the presence of the talented artist Shirley Vine & Andrew Jones MP with many residents present including Christine & Andrew Willoughby while the Knaresborough Silver Band played before & after.

This was in the Sun - with a few grammatical errors!!

Fairytale English town set to be big in 2024 - with 'magic wells' & royal castle
Kings and queens used to live and spend their summers in the town A LESSER-KNOWN town in the UK is growing in popularity, with holiday booking experts tipping it to become a staycation hotspot in 2024. Holiday rentals site HomeToGo has released new data detailing destinations in Great Britain that are tipped to be big in the new year. Knaresborough castle used to be home to royalty Mother Shipton’s Cave is one of the country’s oldest tourist attractions Rowing boats along the River Nidd is a
Read in The Sun:

Fairytale English town set to be big in 2024 - with 'magic wells' & royal castle — The Sun Kings and queens used to live and spend their summers in the town A LESSER-KNOWN town in the UK is growing in popularity, with holiday booking experts tipping it to become a staycation hotspot in 2024. Holiday rentals site HomeToGo has released new data detailing destinations in Great Britain that a...

Congratulations to 8yr old Ted Kimpton (pictured) who won our Archaeology Festival Story Competition prompted by the musket balls on display at the event. His story was so inspiring.

Knaresborough Heritage Centre to open next year - The Stray Ferret A Knaresborough Heritage Centre will open on the town's High Street next year. The centre will include a shop and gallery.

Don't forget to come on in to our Christmas Fayre at 12 High St, Knaresborough (ex Printzone opp the bus station) during the Christmas Market weekend & see the new Heritage Centre location too

Come along & see ‘Our Histree’ entry in St John’s Christmas Tree Festival from this Saturday

PLEASE NOTE OUR UPDATED CONTACT INFO:

website: www.knaresboroughtownmuseum.org.uk

email: [email protected]

mobile: 07788 842096

CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAYRE
At 12 High Street, Knaresborough

Saturday 2nd December 10 – 6pm and
Sunday 3rd December 10 – 4pm

Tombola
Knaresborough Christmas cards and books
Hand crafted decorations and gifts

All proceeds in aid of KMA’s new
Heritage Centre opening here in early 2024

Tel/Text 07866026807
for more information

NEWSFLASH!!! We have signed the lease for 12 High Street, Knaresborough where we are opening a Heritage Information Centre in early 2024.

We are opening the doors t our new premises on 2nd and 3rd December when we are having a CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAYRE. TABLES AVAILABLE FOR £15 (4 foot) AND £20 (6 foot) per day. Please ring 07866026807 if you want more information.

Why not pop in for information on our exciting new plans? We will also be having various stalls including a tombola, with Christmas gifts, decorations, books and Knaresborough cards for sale.

Our free Community Archeology Festival will be on again this weekend Sat & Sun 4-5 Nov 10-430pm at COGS, see our poster.

Bring in your own artefacts; view the stunning paintings by James McKay through geological time in the Nidd Gorge with dinosaur type reptiles & various animals of those ages; see an audio-visual presentation about the archaeology of Nidd Gorge explaining the range of fossils & archaeological artefacts that have been found in the area dating back from 350 million years ago up to the last two World wars and this weekend Molly the Cave-Dweller will illustrate what neolithic people wore & ate 4000 years ago and there’s much more.

During November and December KMA's office and gallery at 8 York Place will only be open on an ad hoc basis for book sales and enquiries.

In the meantime we are contactable by email at: [email protected] or by telephone on 07788 842096. This is to allow the KMA volunteers time to prepare for the move to new premises, details of which will be announced shortly.

Knaresborough’s first Community Archaeology Festival got off to a great start with hundreds visiting during the first weekend of the event.
Local residents brought in artefacts and dozens of people congratulated the team for their hard work putting together such an interesting and thought-provoking exhibition. A representative from the Friends of Aspin Ponds was delighted that KMA’s geophysical survey on Abbey Road had provided the first evidence linking Aspin Ponds to the former Trinitarian Priory. Residents from Boroughbridge Road, Plompton and elsewhere in & around Knaresborough were amazed to learn that prehistoric man and the Romans had once occupied the land where they now live.
Five stunning paintings by James McKay showing Knaresborough through geological time depicting a variety of animals and dinosaur type reptiles particularly fascinated children. Some younger children also took part in quizzes and a Creative Writing competition.
An audio-visual presentation about the archaeology of Nidd Gorge was a particular draw as it explained the range of fossils and archaeological artefacts that have been found in the area dating back from 350 million years ago up to the last two World wars. ‘Nun Tabbetha’ also entertained the crowds telling stories about life in a medieval nunnery and creating beautiful illuminated manuscripts on parchment including pardons for people who had been very naughty and needed forgiveness!

Next weekend the event will be taking place again at COGS 10am-430pm on Sat 4th & Sun 5th Nov when Molly the Cave-dweller will make an appearance and illustrate what neolithic people wore and ate 4000 years ago.

This weekend & next, come along & see us at the Community Archaeology Festival at COGS and get some raffle tickets too for fantastic hamper prizes

Tribal chieftan's hand axe from 4,000 years ago discovered for Knaresborough's biggest-ever archaeology event The incredibly rare find of a 4000-year old ceremonial hand axe is to take pride of place in the biggest-ever archaeology event ever to be held in Knaresborough telling the town’s story from prehistoric times to the modern era.

While the Community Archaeology Festival is on at COGS in Knaresborough, our office will not be open Sat 28 October or Sat 4 November.

However you can still buy raffle tickets at £1 this Wed 11am-4pm from the office or of course at the Festival itself (see poster). There are fabulous hamper prizes to be won, see here & on local pages

IMPORTANT DATE FOR YOUR DIARY & KMA's
ANNUAL GRAND RAFFLE !
We are pleased to announce we are holding a Community Archaeology Festival at COGS during both weekends of October half term. The festival will bring some exciting news about the archaeological survey work we have been doing in Spitalcroft, Abbey Road and Birkham Wood. A vast array of artefacts will be on show from the prehistoric period to the Second World War. It will be an opportunity to find out the amazing archaeology that has been found in Knaresborough and for local residents to bring forward anything they have found in the area for our knowledgeable team to help with dating and identification.
There will be quizzes and a fantastic raffle with over £500 worth of prizes - tickets £1. They include generous vouchers for meals at local restaurants and inns, bottles of wine etc, as well as many more exciting prizes, all kindly donated by local businesses, who are listed on our website.
The festival takes place on Sat 28 & Sun 29 Oct and also Sat 4 & Sun 5 November, open from 10am until 4.30pm. Raffle tickets and more information can be obtained from our office at 8 York Place, HG5 0AA. We are open in Oct on Wednesdays & Saturdays 11am-4pm so please ring the doorbell & pop in!

https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/people/incredible-new-book-reveals-forgotten-story-of-riot-in-victorian-knaresborough-with-jail-death-and-redemption-4362465?utm_campaign=harr-news-api&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=277263862&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--AyKtyeAj-XKfPMG-OlxvX9dzZBAfAgw00uf4x-IAR4XlVPHEQhRVKSd0CdtyZf7J_4754U-hce20G9f9o0ZNXmKh5Ow&utm_content=277263862&utm_source=hs_email
Book available direct from the Knares Town Museum office at 8 York Place, HG5 0AA open Wed & Sat 11am-4pm at £8 with 25% donated to us or email [email protected] for details of Knares delivery or postal info.

Incredible new book reveals forgotten story of 'riot' in Victorian Knaresborough with jail, death and redemption One of the most extraordinary untold stories of 19th century Knaresborough featuring riot, wrongful imprisonment, death and redemption has finally been uncovered by an amateur historian.

FULL DETAILS OF OUR GRAND RAFFLE PRIZES
We are so grateful to our contributors who have made this raffle possible

GUY FAWKES HAMPER
Ripley Castle gift voucher
Mother Shipton’s Inn food and drink voucher
Guy Fawkes Inn gift voucher
Knitted Guy Fawkes and barrel
Ignite the Bonfire - family game
The Gunpowder Plot - book
Glow sticks
2 quill pens
2 packs of Alnwick Castle Cinder Toffee
Whisky presentation set
Bottle of Prosecco
Bottle of Cava
Bottle of red wine
Bottle of Buck’s fizz
All Butter biscuits & Haribo sweets from Aldi
AND DID YOU KNOW?
Guy Fawkes moved to the village of Scotton, two miles from here, when he was twelve years old.
The dining table that Guy Fawkes used to eat at can be seen here in Knaresborough at Mother Shipton’s Inn. He jumped from the gallows and died from a broken neck to avoid the agony of being hanged, drawn and quartered!

WWII HAMPER
Stomp child’s footwear gift voucher
Drake’s Fisheries gift voucher
Appleton’s Butchers gift voucher
WWII Puzzle Book
Boroughbridge in World War II Book
Spam cookbook and a tin of Spam
Aeroplane Bottle Opener from Zig Zag Cards & Gifts
Bottle of Graham’s 10 Years Old Tawny Port
Bottle of Champagne
Bottle of rosé Prosecco
Two bottles of Spitfire Ale
Moser Roth Chocolate, All Butter biscuits & Haribo sweets from Aldi
AND DID YOU KNOW?
In World War II a meal of fish and chips was one of the few foods not rationed.
Not just food was rationed; clothes were rationed too and children‘s shoes were in very short supply.
Rationed meats included beef, pork, veal, lamb, and tinned meats but good old Spam was not rationed.

TUDORS & STUARTS HAMPER
The Royal Oak x 2 Sunday lunch courses for 2 people
The Ugly Duckling afternoon tea voucher
Usborne Tudors & Stuarts - book
Tudor Colouring Book for adults
Secret Knaresborough - book
2 quill pens
King Charles Spaniel soft toy
Bottle of Ardmore Whisky
2 bottles Dissolution Ale
Bottle non-alcoholic mulled wine
Bottle of rosé Prosecco
Moser Roth Chocolate, All Butter biscuits & Haribo sweets from Aldi
AND DID YOU KNOW?
The Old Royal Oak in Knaresborough has a priest hole. Catholic priests hid in holes like these to save their lives during religious persecution in Tudor times.
Many of the black and white buildings around Knaresborough are from Tudor times or even earlier. The proper name is half timber houses.
In 1644 Oliver Cromwell and his army aimed to starve the royalist occupants of Knaresborough Castle into submission. The royalists finally surrendered on 20th December when cannon fire breached the castle walls.

MEDIEVAL HAMPER
The Knaresborough Inn Family meal voucher
Ripley Castle Estate gift voucher
Children’s History of Harrogate and Knaresborough from Castlegate Books
Make your own sword and shield kit
Lions of the North - Book
Historic Horrors Game
2 quill pens
Bottle of Prosecco
Bottle of rosé wine
Bottle of red wine
Bottle of Asti Martini
Moser Roth Chocolate, All Butter biscuits & Haribo sweets from Aldi
AND DID YOU KNOW?
The Knaresborough Inn was originally called The Dower House. In the 15th century Sir Thomas Slingsby built a home here for his widowed mother. Widows of wealthy men were called Dowagers.
The Ingilby Family of Ripley have a boar’s head on their coat of arms. It was bestowed on them by King Edward III. The Ingibly family saved King Edward from an attack by a wild boar whilst hunting in the The Royal Forest of Knaresborough.
The very first Maundy Money was given out here in Knaresborough, in 1210, by King John, the man who issued the Magna Carta.

PRE-HISTORY HAMPER
The Watermill – Afternoon Tea for two
Barber Asylum haircut voucher
3D Crafting Pen
Crocheted ankylosauras
Knitted caveman and cavewoman
Finger dinosaurs and styrofoam dinosaurs
Dig your own fossil kit
Agate arrowhead necklace
Usborne Rocks and Fossils - book
The Study of Fossils – book
Bottle of rosé wine
Bottle of red wine
Bottle of Prosecco
Bottle of Cava
Moser Roth Chocolate & All Butter Biscuits from Aldi
AND DID YOU KNOW?
The Nidd Gorge was cut out of the rocks in the Ice Age. Humans only started living here 5000 years ago. Cavemen shaved hair from their head and face to stop insects from making nests and laying eggs in their hair. They used sharpened rocks or seashells. Dinosaurs, like the Ankylosaurus in the hamper, roamed Yorkshire in the Jurassic and Cretaceous Period, millions of years ago.

Knaresborough Museum Assoc have a market stall this Wednesday in the square where there will be books, miscellaneous goods & tombola plus our annual grand raffle tickets for sale at £1 each with wonderful hampers to be won.

This week is also your last chance to see the WW2 Knares at War exhibition open Mon, Wed & Sat from 10am to 4pm. Thereafter our office at 8 York Place will then be open Wed & Saturdays only 11am to 4pm for information, books & raffle tickets while a new exhibition on Archaeology is created.

Please see separate post for list of prize contributors to whom we are so grateful to have made this raffle possible🙌 and also in depth details of hamper contents & historical info.
https://www.facebook.com/KnaresboroughMuseum

Our 'Knaresborough at War' exhibition will finish at the end of the month so grab your chance to view it before then! We’re open 10am-4pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays until 30 September.

After then, while we change our exhibition, our office at 8 York Place HG5 0AA will still be open Wed & Saturdays 11am-4pm for information and to buy raffle tickets & books such as 'The Extraordinary Tale of the Castle Yard Riot' at £8. Jackie is kindly donating 25% to Knares Museum Assoc. If you would like to order a copy, postage & packing costs £2.50 but we would also be happy to deliver within Knaresborough for £1.
Or contact us either by email at: [email protected] for bank transfer details or post a cheque with your order.

Your last chance to join our WW2 Heritage Walking Tour around Knaresborough is this Sat 16 Sep.
Pre-booking not necessary; the walk leaves our gallery at 8 York Place, Knares HG5 0AA at 2pm but arrive in good time & the donation of £5 gets you in to look around our exhibition too!

Book in advance if preferred by ringing
07788 842096 or using our email address: [email protected]
or just turn up & ring the white doorbell

NB our Knaresborough at War exhibition will also finish at the end of the month so grab your chance to view it before then! We’re open 10am-4pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Only two more chances to join our WW2 Heritage Walking Tour around Knaresborough this Saturday 9 September or next week 16th. Pre-booking not necessary, the walk leaves our gallery at 8 York Place, Knares HG5 0AA at 2pm but arrive in good time & the donation of £5 gets you in to look around our exhibition first too!

Book in advance if preferred by ringing
07788 842096 or using our email address: [email protected]
or just turn up & ring the white doorbell

A good turn out for author Jackie’s book launch at Knares Library last night, learning how her research came to be and how Knares life looked at that time in history and of course The Extraordinary Tale of the Castle Yard Riot. It was fascinating!

If you didn't get a copy last night you can still buy one from Knares Museum Assoc for £8 with Jackie kindly donating 25% to the museum. If you would like to order a copy, postage & packing costs £2.50 but we would also be happy to deliver within Knaresborough for a charge of £1.

The KMA office & gallery is at 8 York Place, Knares, HG5 0AA open Monday, Wednesday & Saturday from 10am-4pm. Or contact us either by email at: [email protected] for bank transfer details or post a cheque with your order.

The Extraordinary Tale of the Castle Yard Riot
by JT Glew

In 2022, KMA volunteer Jackie Glew started researching the largely forgotten story of The Castle Yard Riots.

In April 1866, Dr John Simpson JP of Castle Lodge brought eleven honest men of Knaresborough to trial where they were found guilty of rioting and sentenced to 3 months hard labour in Wakefield Gaol.

Jackie felt the story & its aftermath, and in particular the overwhelming response to the verdict by Knaresboro’ inhabitants, needed to be told. In her book, Jackie vividly describes the events leading to the trial, the motivations of Dr Simpson and the widespread coverage of the event in the newspapers of the time. Thorough research has enabled Jackie to reveal new information on how the incident impacted on each of the eleven “rioters”, some of whom became leading figures in the community.

Jackie’s book is for sale at £8 at KMA’s office & gallery at 8 York Place, Knares which is open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10am-4pm. Jackie has kindly agreed to give 25% commission to KMA for every book we sell. If you would like to order a copy, postage & packing costs £2.50 but we would be happy to deliver within Knaresborough for a charge of £1.

If you wish to buy a copy please contact us either by email at: [email protected]
for bank transfer details, post a cheque with your order or call in to our Knares Museum gallery at
8 York Place, Knaresborough, HG5 0AA.

Does anyone still have an Anderson shelter in their garden from WW2, if so can you send us a photo of it?

Also has anyone in Knaresborough ever found anything interesting dug up in your garden which you would be willing to lend to the museum for our Community Archaeology Exhibition coming soon? We are interested in literally anything, size permitting, including any items from WW2.

And don’t forget our Heritage WW2 walk around Knaresborough leaving at 2pm this Saturday from our gallery office at 8 York Place, HG5 0AA. Arrive in good time & the donation of £5 gets you in to look around our exhibition first too!
Book in advance by ringing 07788 842096 or using our email address: [email protected]
or just turn up & ring the white doorbell!
Walks are every Saturday until 16Sep 23

Places available on our WW2 Heritage Walking Tour around Knaresborough this Sat 5 Aug, pre-booking advised altho you can turn up on the day. The walk leaves our gallery at 8 York Place, Knares HG5 0AA at 2pm but arrive in good time & the donation of £5 gets you in to look around our exhibition first too!

Book in advance by ringing 07788 842096 or using our email address: [email protected]
or just turn up & ring the white doorbell!

Future dates will be:
All Saturdays in August & Sep until 16 Sep 23

KMA Newsletter July 2023 -

KMA Newsletter July 2023 And don’t forget to visit our “Knaresborough at War” exhibition. It is open until the end of September at our museum space at 8 York Place, Knaresborough HG5 0AA.