Settle, North Yorkshire

Settle is thought to have 7th-century Anglian origins, its name being the Angle word for settlement. Craven in the Domesday Book shows that until 1066 Bo was the lord of Settle but after the Harrying of the North (1069–1071) the land was granted to Roger de Poitou.[https://opendomesday.org/place/SD8163/settle/ Open Domesday: Settle]. Accessed 12 August 2023.

In 1250, a market charter was granted to Henry de Percy, 7th feudal baron of Topcliffe by Henry III.{{sfn|Speight|1892|p=81}} A market square developed and the main route through the medieval town was aligned on an east–west direction, from Albert Hill, Victoria Street, High Street and Cheapside and on through Kirkgate. This road led to Giggleswick where the citizens attended the parish church.{{sfn|Speight|1892|p=84}} The first bridge over the River Ribble was mentioned in 1498.{{cite web |title=Settle Conservation Area Appraisal |url=https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/10/careview-settle-full-final.pdf.pdf |website=yorkshiredales.org.uk |access-date=19 August 2023 |page=37 |date=2008}}

During the English Civil War, the Cliffords, the lords of the manor were Royalists, but their subjects were not. John Lambert of Calton in Malhamdale, was a general in Cromwell's army and his troops camped at Settle in August 1651 while on the road to an encounter in Lancaster.

{{Main|Keighley and Kendal Turnpike}}

Daniel Defoe wrote "Settle is the capital of an isolated little kingdom of its own surrounded by barren hills."{{cite book |title=The Ancient Parish of Giggleswick |first1= Thomas |last1= Brayshaw |first2= Ralph M. |last2=Robinson |year=1932 |publisher=Halton and Co.|location=London}}[http://www.northcravenhistoricalresearch.co.uk OCR copy by North Craven Historical Research] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509054449/http://northcravenhistoricalresearch.co.uk/ |date=9 May 2008 }} Accessed 30 September 2012{{rp|p.163}} Because of its remoteness Settle saw mostly local commerce.{{cite web|url=http://www.settle.org.uk/history/ |work=Settle.org.uk|access-date= 30 October 2012|title=History}} The old roads were pack horse trails{{rp|p.105}} and drovers' roads along hilltops{{cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=49337#s4 |title=Introduction to the Main Roads of Kendale|work= British Historyac.uk|access-date= 30 September 2012}}{{rp|p.6}} because the valley was soft and swampy before field drainage and the dredging of stream estuaries.{{rp|p.105}}

In the 1700s, textile industrialists supported by traders and landowners campaigned for a turnpike to connect with growing industrial towns. The minute book for the Keighley and Kendal Turnpike Trust shows that most investors were mill owners from the Giggleswick district.{{cite book |title=The King's Highway in Craven, with sketch maps |last=Brigg |first=John J. | year=1927 }} In 1827, the trust, having miscalculated the cost of road maintenance, was in debt by £34,000.{{rp|p.172}} When in 1877 the trust was terminated, the investors received on average 54% of their deposit. The investors benefited because Settle was now well connected and its cotton mills boomed. The mill owners imported coal and, like the heavy industries that exported agricultural lime and sandstone masonry, welcomed the turnpike for access via carrier waggons to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Gargrave. The first passenger stagecoach arrived in 1763. The Mail Coach was running regularly in 1786. The Union coach for passengers ran each way on alternate days in the early 1800s and daily by 1840.{{rp|p.5}}

The "little" North Western Railway reached {{stnlnk|Giggleswick}} in 1847 and, in 1849, the railway company constructed Station Road from Giggleswick to Settle. In 1875, the Settle to Carlisle Railway was built and opened to goods traffic; passenger services commenced the following year when Settle railway station opened along with a goods warehouse, cattle pens, signal box and water cranes.{{cite web|url=http://www.settlecot.co.uk/history.htm|title=Settle History|last1=Hudson|first1=Phil|last2=Hudson|year=2005|publisher=Settle Chamber of Commerce|access-date=18 October 2009}}

In the late 18th century, cotton spinning became the town's main employment. Bridge End Mill was converted from corn milling to cotton spinning. John Procter operated mills at Runley and King's Mill which were taken over by his son Thomas. He built the row of workers' cottages, Procter's Row in Lower Kirkgate. In 1835, Dog Kennel Mill and Brennand's Weaving Shed, Settle had five mills employing 333 people.Baines History of the Cotton Manufacture (1835)

Settle is part of the parliamentary constituency of Skipton and Ripon, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Julian Smith MP, a Conservative.

Before 1 April 2023, Settle was in the Settle and Ribblebank ward of Craven District Council and the Ribblesdale division of North Yorkshire County Council. Following local government reorganisation, it is now in the Settle & Penyghent division of the new North Yorkshire Council unitary authority. The division is represented by 1 Conservative Councillor.

Settle is served by a town council made up of 10 councillors. The mayor is elected annually and the current Town Mayor is Councillor Debi Rymer. The Deputy Mayor is Councillor Stephen Hogg.

Since 1992, the town has been twinned with the French Mediterranean seaside town of Banyuls-sur-Mer.{{cite news |last1=Tate |first1=Lesley |date=10 November 2022 |title=Settle twinners renew friendships with Banyuls-sur-Mer |url=https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/23115627.settle-twinners-renew-friendships-banyuls-sur-mer/ |access-date=19 August 2023 |work=Craven Herald}}

File:View of Settle from Castlebergh.jpg

Settle was part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It is located in Ribblesdale, at the southern edge of the Yorkshire Dales, within a few miles of the Three Peaks. Immediately overlooking the town is Castlebergh, a {{convert|300|ft|m}} limestone crag, and to the east is Malham which was in the former Settle Rural District.{{cite web |title=Settle West Riding |url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/14197 |website=visionofbritain.org.uk |access-date=19 August 2023}} The River Ribble provided power for Settle's former cotton mills;{{cite web |title=Settle Conservation Area Appraisal |url=https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/10/careview-settle-full-final.pdf.pdf |website=yorkshiredales.org.uk |access-date=19 August 2023 |page=38 |date=2008}} it is now being harnessed by Settle Hydro, a micro hydroelectric scheme, to provide 50 kW of power to the National Grid, which was opened in 2009.{{cite news |last1=Mason |first1=Viv |title=Settle Hydro shows off its green credentials |url=https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/18015862.settle-hydro-shows-off-green-credentials/ |access-date=19 August 2023 |work=Craven Herald |date=5 November 2019}}

File:Rth Rly Settle Station 04.06.2015 edited-4.jpg

Settle railway station is situated on the Settle to Carlisle line. It is served by Northern Trains, who operate services between Leeds and Carlisle. Giggleswick railway station is sited {{convert|1|mile}} away from Settle and is on the Bentham line between Leeds and Morecambe.{{cite web |title=Timetables and engineering information for travel with Northern |work=Northern Railway |date=May 2023 |access-date=18 August 2023 |url= https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/travel/timetables}}

Bus routes are operated by Kirkby Lonsdale Coaches and North Yorkshire Council, which link the town with Giggleswick, Horton in Ribblesdale, Kirkby Lonsdale, Skipton and Wigglesworth.{{cite web |title=Settle Bus Services |work=Bus Times |year=2023 |access-date=18 August 2023 |url=https://bustimes.org/localities/settle}}

The town is located {{convert|29|mi|km}} from Leeds Bradford Airport.

The main road through Settle is the B6480, which links to the A65; it connects the town with Leeds, Ilkley, Skipton and Kendal.

Since the town is closest to the Lancashire and North Yorkshire border, local news and television programmes are provided by BBC North West and Granada Television that broadcast from Salford.{{cite web |title=Regional TV in the western Yorkshire Dales and north-east Lancashire |url=https://northwestisnorthwest.org/2021/08/16/regional-tv-in-the-western-yorkshire-dales-and-north-east-lancashire/ |website=northwestisnorthwest.org |access-date=12 March 2023 |date=16 August 2021}} Local radio stations are BBC Radio York on 104.3 FM, Greatest Hits Radio Yorkshire on 107.8 FM, and Dales Radio on 104.9 FM.{{cite web |title=Ofcom {{!}} Community Radio Stations |url=http://static.ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/html/radio-stations/community/cr100180ba2dalesradio.htm |website=static.ofcom.org.uk |access-date=19 August 2023}} The town's local newspaper is the Craven Herald & Pioneer.{{cite web |title=Craven Herald & Pioneer {{!}} British Newspapers Online |url=https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/england-yorks/craven-herald/ |website=britishpapers.co.uk |access-date=19 August 2023 |date=28 May 2014}}

Settle's market is held weekly on Tuesdays in the town-centre marketplace and in the Victoria Hall, a short distance away on Kirkgate.{{cite web|title=Settle Street Market & Victoria Hall Indoor Market|url=http://www.settlemarket.co.uk/index.html|access-date=23 March 2013}} Settle Town Hall was sold by Craven District Council to a developer in October 2011.{{cite web|url=https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/9304484.mystery-over-new-owner-of-settle-town-hall/|title=Mystery over new owner of Settle Town Hall|date=15 October 2011|newspaper=The Craven Herald|access-date=10 July 2021}} The Square is surrounded by local businesses, most of which are family-owned, with some offering items for sale unique to the Settle area. The Naked Man is believed to be the oldest cafe in the country.{{cite web|url=http://www.settle.co.uk/local.htm|title=Settle Online – Tourism Information about Settle in the Yorkshire Dales|work=settle.co.uk}}

The Yorkshire Festival of Story{{cite web|url=https://www.settlestories.org.uk/whats_on/festival/|title=Yorkshire Festival of Story|work=settlestories.org.uk|access-date=7 February 2020}} brings artists to the town and has a range of paid-for and free events suitable for all age ranges. The festival attracts visitors from around the world and audiences have more than trebled in size since the first festival in 2010. The event is the largest of its kind in the North of England. The Yorkshire Festival of Story is produced by Settle Stories an arts and heritage charity based in the town.{{cite news|url=https://lancashiretimes.co.uk/article/Local-to-International-Yorkshire-Festival-of-Story-streams-Settle-to-the-World|title=Local To International: Yorkshire Festival of Story Streams Settle to the World|date=23 September 2020|work=Lancashire Times|access-date=14 December 2020}} Since 2014 the Flowerpot Festival has brightened the town's streets.{{cite web|url=https://www.settleflowerpotfestival.co.uk//faqs|title=FAQ's |website=www.settleflowerpotfestival.co.uk|accessdate=10 September 2024}}

The Folly{{cite web|url=http://www.ncbpt.org.uk/folly/|title=The Museum at the Folly: Home|publisher=NCBPT|date=20 January 2015|access-date=2 February 2015}} is a 17th-century Grade I listed building on the main street. In 1996, the North Craven Building Preservation Trust{{cite web|url=http://www.ncbpt.org.uk/ |title=North Craven Building Preservation Trust|access-date= 19 June 2013}} purchased part of the Folly, restored it and opened it to the public in 2001. The Folly houses the Museum of North Craven Life and hosts exhibitions during the open season. There are permanent displays, including the Settle to Carlisle Railway, Robert (Mouseman) Thompson furniture and local history. The rest of the building has been purchased by the trust. The museum is independent and run by volunteers.

The Gallery on the Green{{cite web|url=http://www.galleryonthegreen.org.uk/|title=Gallery on the Green|first=Andy |last=Kay |year=2012}} is thought to be the smallest art gallery in the world: drawings, paintings, photographs and other works are housed in a former BT telephone kiosk. Gavagan Arts at Linton Court Gallery{{cite web|url=http://gavaganart.com/linton-court-gallery/visiting-linton-court-gallery/|title=Gavagan Art :Linton Court Gallery|work=gavaganart.com}} is situated in a courtyard off Duke Street. The gallery presents a series of temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art.

The Listening Gallery is an audio gallery in an old phone box. The gallery has changing exhibitions and is open 365 days a year and is free to enter. The box is maintained and was created by Settle Stories.{{cite news|url=https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/16123197.settle-stories-to-unveil-new-listening-gallery-in-former-phone-box/|title=Settle Stories to unveil new Listening Gallery in former phone box|last=Ames|first=Daryl|date=29 March 2018|work=Craven Herald|access-date=24 May 2020}}

The district has several caves where prehistoric remains have been found, the most notable being Victoria Cave, so-called because the inner chamber was discovered in 1837 on the day of Queen Victoria's accession. The cave is a geological SSSI and scheduled monument. Victoria Cave contained fossil remains. The earliest, at 130,000 years old, include mammoth, straight-tusked elephant, cave bear and hippopotamus, Bos primigenius, Rhinoceros leptorhinus and spotted hyenas (as a bed of hyena bones). They date to an Upper Pleistocene interglacial. After the last Ice Age the cave was used by hibernating brown bear and reindeer. Associated with the later deposits were a harpoon head carved from antler; flint implements and other ornaments. The discovery of flint is noteworthy as it is not found naturally in the area. Craven Museum & Gallery{{cite web|url=http://www.cravenmuseum.org|title=Craven Museum & Gallery|work=cravenmuseum.org}} in Skipton has an exhibition of items which includes a bear's skull found in one of the caves.{{sfn|Speight|1892|p=87}}

The composer Edward Elgar visited Settle on many occasions to visit his friend Dr Charles William Buck. There is a blue plaque at Cravendale to commemorate this.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090817173740/http://www.yorkshiredailyphoto.com/2009/07/plaque-to-edward-elgar-english-composer.html Leeds Daily Photo]}} "Plaque to Edward Elgar English Composer"

Settle has two schools, with Settle Primary School{{cite web|url=http://www.settle-pri.n-yorks.sch.uk|title=Home – Settle Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School|work=settle-pri.n-yorks.sch.uk}} and Settle College.{{cite web|url=http://www.settlecollege.n-yorks.sch.uk|title=Settle College – Be the best you can be|work=settlecollege.n-yorks.sch.uk}} Settle Middle School closed as part of the money-saving measures taken by North Yorkshire County Council.

To the west of the town is Giggleswick School, one of the principal private schools in the North of England, founded in 1512.{{sfn|Speight|1892|p=79}}

• Richard Bache (1737–1811), merchant, American Postmaster General and son-in-law of Benjamin Franklin{{cite web |title=Richard Bache portrait |url=https://discover.hsp.org/Record/dc-15017/Description#tabnav |website=discover.hsp.org |access-date=19 August 2023}}
• George Birkbeck (1776–1841), founder of the Mechanics' Institutes; Birkbeck, University of London is named after him{{sfn|Speight|1892|p=91}}
• Benjamin Waugh (1839–1908) founder of the NSPCC, commemorated by a plaque on what is now the Neil Wright Estate Agents in Settle town square{{cite ODNB|first=George K.|last=Behlmer|title=Waugh, Benjamin|id=36787|date=23 September 2004}}
• George Howson (1860–1919), reforming headmaster
• Francis Morphet Twisleton (1873–1917), military leader and letter writer{{sfn|Mitchell|1999|p=19}}
• Theodore Rigg (1888–1972), agricultural chemist
• Annice Sidwells (1902–2001), radio singer
• James Frederic Riley (1912–1985) radiologist and finder of the link between mast cells and asthma{{cite web |title=Dr James F. Riley - Archives Hub |url=https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/search/archives/2b32eb96-50d7-3378-9bdf-2fa16b3dbcf1 |website=archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk |access-date=19 August 2023}}
• Claire Brooks (1931–2008), lawyer and politician{{cite news |title=Prominent political figure dies |url=https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/2107606.prominent-political-figure-dies/ |access-date=19 August 2023 |work=Craven Herald |date=10 March 2008}}
• Don Wilson (1937–2012), England and Yorkshire cricketer{{cite news |last1=Hodgson |first1=Derek |title=Don Wilson: Cricketer and stalwart of the 1960s Yorkshire side |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/don-wilson-cricketer-and-stalwart-of-the-1960s-yorkshire-side-8005610.html |access-date=19 August 2023 |work=The Independent |date=3 August 2012}}
• Susan Brookes (born {{circa|1943/44}}), television chef, born in Settle{{cite book |last=Brookes |first=Susan |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/36798929 |title=Susan Brookes' Yorkshire kitchen. |year=1996 |publisher=Dalesman |isbn=1-85568-109-9 |location=Skipton |oclc=36798929}}
• Mike Harding (born 1944), singer and comedian{{cite news |last1=Borrell |first1=Roger |title=Yorkshire author Mike Harding is Lord of the flies |url=https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/things-to-do/22638449.yorkshire-author-mike-harding-lord-flies/ |access-date=19 August 2023 |work=Great British Life |date=18 January 2010}}
• James Brown (born 1984), guitarist from Pulled Apart by Horses attended Settle College{{cite news |last1=Mason |first1=Viv |title=Ingleton guitarist helps create piece of music and art for Ukraine |url=https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/23380248.dales-musician-helps-create-piece-art-ukraine/ |access-date=19 August 2023 |work=Craven Herald |date=12 March 2023}}
• Emma Lonsdale (born 1984), freestyle skier and 2014 Winter Olympian{{cite news |title=Settle's Olympic skier to quit |url=https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/sport/11040407.settles-emma-lonsdale-to-quit-after-realising-winter-olympic-dream/ |work=Craven Herald |date=27 February 2014}}
• James Newman (born 1985), singer, songwriter and the representative for the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 and 2021{{cite news |last1=Fletcher |first1=Joe |title='I've learnt so much' - Musician breaks silence after Eurovision result |url=https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/19328114.settle-musician-james-newman-breaks-silence-eurovision-result/ |access-date=19 August 2023 |work=The Westmorland Gazette |date=25 May 2021}}
• John Newman (born 1990), soul singer{{cite web |title=John Newman |url=https://www.leedsconservatoire.ac.uk/about-us/alumni/meet-our-alumni/graduate-careers/john-newman/#:~:text=Hailing%20from%20Settle%20in%20North,BTEC%20programme%20in%20Popular%20Music. |website=leedsconservatoire.ac.uk |access-date=19 August 2023}}

• Castleberg Hospital

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |last1=Mitchell |first1=W. R. |title=The story of the Yorkshire Dales |date=1999 |publisher=Phillimore |location=Chichester |isbn=1860770886}}
• {{cite book |last1=Speight |first1=Harry |title=The Craven and North-west Yorkshire Highlands |date=1892 |publisher=Elliot Stock |location=London|oclc=7219082}}

{{commons category|Settle, North Yorkshire}}

{{Wikivoyage|Settle}}

• [http://www.settle.org.uk/History Settle & the 3 Peaks History]
• [http://caving.atspace.com Caves in the Settle area]
• [http://www.settlemarket.co.uk Website for Settle Charter Market. Held on Tuesdays]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080509054449/http://northcravenhistoricalresearch.co.uk/ North Craven Historical Research Group]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080622161048/http://www.hudson-history.co.uk/ Four town walks on history of Settle – Richard Preston and the Folly]
• [http://www.ncbpt.org.uk/folly Museum of North Craven Life at The Folly]

{{North Yorkshire}}

{{Yorkshire Dales}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Towns in North Yorkshire

Category:Market towns in North Yorkshire

Category:Civil parishes in North Yorkshire

Category:Craven District

Category:Ribblesdale