History of Ingleton

The village of Ingleton has a history going back to the Iron ages, when a fortress was existent on top of Ingleborough. In more recent times the Village had its commercial interests in quarrying and coal mining, and although quarrying goes on, the mining has now ceased with the only remnants being the housing area known as New Village, built for the miners and their families. Written by local historian and author, John Bentley, The Ingleton History Trail shows something of the industrial archaeology and other features of Ingleton. It is available mail order from Ingleton Tourist Information Centre.

Ingleton can boast the first Hoffman kiln, still visible in Mealbank quarry, and the site of a conservation park for the millennium. Cotton mills were once also in abundance, powered by a water mill, of which there is now little trace, but signs of the mill races are still to be found near the playground by the river.

There are a number of 16th Century buildings in Ingleton, and remnants of an agricultural past can be found in places like the village square. The old bullring, where animals were baited and slaughtered in bygone years, is still visible in the tarmac.

The Church of St. Mary's has one of Ingleton's oldest relics, the 800 year old Norman font, found in the river in the last century.

Mary Doyle, the mother of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, lived in Masongill, a small hamlet nearby, and the man himself would have been a regular visitor to the area, as were other poets such as Thackary, who visited Masongill House many times.

A brass in the church commemorates the death of one Randall Hopley Sherlock, brother of the Reverend Sherlock (vicar of Ingleton), struck by lightning at Ingleton station. And with the area below the prominent viaduct that crosses the valley in the village called the Holmes (Holme Head etc), one can only speculate about the origin of the name of a certain detective!

The caves of Ingleton have been famous for centuries, with examples such as the Cave of Yordas in Kingsdale being mentioned in the 1700's by a passing priest.  

Ingleton is as rich historically as it is geologically, and there is much that can be learnt about this fascinating area.

Book List

Caves and Karst of the Yorkshire Dales T.Waltham, M.Davies, British Cave Research Association, 1987
Geology A.Wilson, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, 1997
Hill Shepherd J.Forder, Frank Peters
Ingleborough - The Big Blue Hill W.R.Mitchell, Castleberg, 1994
Ingleton History Trail J.Bentley, Ingleton 2000, 1998
Ingleton Handbook - Available locally
Ingleton Branch Line R.G.Weston, Oakwood Press, 1989
Karst and Caves T.Waltham, Yorkshire Dales National Park Committee, 1987
Life in the Hills J.Forder, Frank Peters
Life and Landscape of the Yorkshire Dales J.Forder, Frank Peters
Limestones of Yorkshire - Climbing Guide
Northern Caves (vols1-3) Dalesman
Northern Caves Vols 1-3 - Dalesman Publishing
Old Ingleton J.Bentley, Ingleton Publications, 1976
Open Fell, Hidden Dale J.Forder, Frank Peters
Story of My Village by J Hewitson
The Novices Guide to the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Walk B.G.Smailes, Challenge, 1995
Views Around Ingleton P.L.Denbigh, IDTA, 1999
Walks Around Ingleton P.L.Denbigh, IDTA, 1996