Farnhill Village Web Portal

Using existing published material, a little bit of original research, and some personal recollections, we have compiled a history of all the vicars of Kildwick from Simon de Haplesthorp in 1267 to Julie Bacon, the most recent vicar, who left the parish just a couple of months ago.

As you might expect, they were a mixed bunch; and this article has been subtitled "the good, the bad; the loved, the hated; and at least one who was of "unsound mind"".

The History Group archive contains a number of scans of paintings and drawings of the two villages – some of them quite old, others more recent. Many are unsigned and/or undated. This slideshow contains a selection of them, in approximate chronological order.

This update includes a 1930 Xmas card, a drawing of the "Old Priory", and some recent work by local artist (and History Group member) Anna Hewlett.

Click the image opposite to view.
 

Earlier this month the bell-tower at St. Andrew's was opened to visitors for an afternoon.

It seems appropriate, therefore, to publish an article on the history of the Kildwick bells and bell-ringers.

From the late 1970s until 1990 Kildwick participated in the “Best Kept Village Competition” organised by the Yorkshire Rural Community Council - and it's record was very good ! Read the details here.

Once the Kildwick estate was broken up, in 1946, Kildwick Hall passed through a number of private hands and was used for a number of commercial ventures. This article tells the story of these later owners of Kildwick Hall. It also investigates some of the people who were tenants of the Hall when it was still part of the Kildwick estate.

This update includes personal recollections of later owners of the Hall from people who read the original version of this article.
 

Just a few weeks after Farnhill Chapel closed its doors for the last time, members of the History Group were allowed in to take photographs. This slideshow is a selection of the pictures we took that day.
 

The history of education in Kildwick could go back as far as Tudor times. With the help of two descendents of former masters of Kildwick school, this article provides an outline of schooling in the village from those earliest times up until the start of the 20th century.

This update to our original article includes information from a number of new sources.

One of the really nice things about looking after this website is that we can start off with a little "Mystery" piece and, over time and with additional material from people from all over the place, we can gradually build up a substantial chunk of local history.

The story of Arnold Benson Coaches is one of those. I've not so much written this piece as simply curated all your contributions; the latest being an advertisement from the programme for the Sutton Baptist Bazaar, in 1954.

So, thanks very much. Keep it coming. But, for now, here's our latest version of the story of Arnold Benson coaches.

To commemorate the unveiling of the Kildwick War Memorial, on 3rd May 1921, we've updated our slideshow on its planning and creation.

This slideshow uses material drawn from the excellent "Craven's Part in the Great War" website, www.cpgw.org.uk.
 

Has there ever been anyone famous come from Kildwick ?

Chances are that any name you care to suggest would only be thought of as truly famous by a very few. But in fact there has been a Kildwickian who surely passes all the criteria required to be considered famous.

We are talking about someone who was a major media celebrity, with a massive following among the youth of his day; who was responsible for over 70 publications – several of which are included in the US Library of Congress; had both a building and a piece of music named after him; was awarded an OBE; and had a charity founded in his memory.

There was a major reorganisation of local government in 1974, as a result of which Farnhill became part of North Yorkshire whilst Kildwick was allocated to Bradford Metropolitan District. This article tells the story of the nine year struggle to reunite the "twin" villages.
 

From the dissolution of the monasteries in the 1530s to the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 religious life in England was in an almost permanent state of upheaval. Inevitably Kildwick parish became involved in this and, between the 1580s and 1660, the church was home to a succession of radical Protestant churchmen.

We have updated this article with more information about Kildwick's part in the Pendle Witch Trials and the book on witches and witchcraft written by a curate of St. Andrew's.