Ulshaw - Izeria

Ulshaw is a hamlet on the River Ure, in the civil parish of Thornton Steward, in North Yorkshire, England, near to Middleham. The hamlet was historically in the North Riding of Yorkshire. It was historically also referred to as Ulshaw Bridge, but in modern usage that name is generally reserved for the medieval stone bridge which spans the River Ure to the immediate south of the hamlet. Ulshaw Bridge is 2.5 miles (4 km) west of Thornton Steward, and 1.25 miles (2 km) east of Middleham.

1. History

The hamlet of Ulshaw was included in East Witton parish in 1717. It is shown on mapping as being on either side of Ulshaw Bridge, straddling the River Ure, so split between the parishes of Thornton Steward and East Witton , though most houses and the Catholic church are on the north bank of the river. The name Ulshaw is first recorded in 1158 as Wolueshowe, which is believed to have derived from the Old Norse of Ulf and Haugr (Ulf's mound). Ulshaw has been mentioned as the possible location where Oswin, King of Deira, dismissed his army so that he could retire to a monastery. However Speight states that this is a mis-recording, and that the location is 10 miles (16 km) to the north west of Catterick, not the south west. In 1563, when the Black Death ravaged nearby East Witton, the market was moved from there and held at Ulshaw Bridge instead, however it was noted as having been unable to be resurrected at East Witton. The bridge itself is undated, though it has been recorded that Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland left £20 in his will of 1424 towards the building of the bridge, described as the "Houseway Bridge over the [River] Eure". The structure was originally believed to have been built in timber, but was constructed of stone between 1673 and 1674, the bridge was repaired at a cost of £1,000, (equivalent to £182,000 in 2023). Ulshaw Bridge is believed to have been a crossing point since Roman times, and it is now grade II listed, including a sundial located above one of the piers. The Roman Road which crossed at this point, is believed to have led towards Addlebrough. St Simon and St Jude's Church, Ulshaw Bridge, is to the east of the bridge and is unusual to be a Catholic church in a small North Yorkshire hamlet. This is because the church, which was rebuilt c. 1867–1868 by Joseph Hansom in the Byzantine style, is a direct replacement for the Catholic chapel at nearby Danby Hall, seat of the Scrope family. The Scropes are a Catholic family and maintained the tradition despite being labelled as recusants since the time of Elizabeth I. The present church building is accessed by an open staircase which leads to a south door. The church is grade II listed and the tower is prominent in the landscape. Historically, the hamlet was in the manor of Wensley (recorded in 1277), and was listed as being in the wapentake of Hang West, and the parish of East Witton. Ulshaw is now within the civil parish of Thornton Steward. Ulshaw Bridge is also the name of a racehorse, named after the bridge over the river, which has been trained by James Bethell at nearby Middleham.

1. See also

Listed buildings in Thornton Steward

1. References


1. = Sources =

Speight, Harry (1897). Romantic Richmondshire. Being a complete account of the history, antiquities and scenery of the picturesque valleys of the Swale and Yore. London: E Stock. OCLC 7241488.

1. External links

J M W Turner's sketches of the bridges at Ulshaw

Nearby Places View Menu

St Simon and St Jude's Church, Ulshaw Bridge

St Simon and St Jude's Church is a Catholic church in Ulshaw, a hamlet in North Yorkshire, in England. Danby Hall was the home of the Scrope family, which remained Catholic after the English Reformation, and celebrated mass covertly in the house. In the early 18th century, Simon Scrope built a cockpit behind the house. It was later closed, and in 1788, the family built a Catholic chapel on the site. The building included a crypt, into which the family's coffins were relocated. In 1865, Joseph Hansom rebuilt the church in the Byzantine style, creating a larger building which was linked to the presbytery. It was grade II listed in 1985. The church is built of stone, and has a stone slate roof. It has a cruciform plan with transepts, but is not symmetrical, and the liturgical east is actually to the north. It has a doorway in the south-east angle, reached up a flight of steps, and an octagonal tower and belfry at the west end. There is a three-light north window. The 18th-century crypt survives.

Church Landmark

Ulshaw Bridge

Ulshaw Bridge is a historic bridge in the hamlet of Ulshaw, in North Yorkshire, in England. The bridge crosses the River Ure, east of Middleham, and so straddles the boundary of East Witton and Thornton Steward civil parishes. It has sometimes been described as lying on the line of a Roman road, although no such road has been located, and the discovery of a Roman fort in Wensley suggests that a more northerly route is likely. A wooden bridge over the Ure near Middleham was recorded by John Leland, although it is not certain whether it was on this site. The first definite reference to the bridge was in 1588, when 200 marks were spent repairing it. The bridge was rebuilt between 1673 and 1674, at a cost of £1,000. The new bridge spanned 65 feet (20 m), and was 12 feet (3.7 m) wide. The parapets were later rebuilt, probably in the late 19th century. Nikolaus Pevsner described the bridge as "an impressive job with three pairs of mighty cutwaters". The bridge, which carries a minor road, is built of a mixture of carved stone and rubble. It consists of four segmental arches, one with a chamfered surround, and with rusticated parapets. There are triangular cutwaters rising to refuges, two with seats, the middle one containing an octagonal sundial base with initials and the date. It has been a scheduled monument since 1925, and was grade II listed in 1967.

Bridge Historic Site

River Cover

The River Cover is a river in the Yorkshire Dales in North Yorkshire, England. The Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust has a remit to conserve the ecological condition of the River Cover. The river forms a limestone dale with ancient woodlands.

A6108 road

The A6108 road is an A road in North Yorkshire, England. It runs from the south of Scotch Corner to Ripon going via Richmond and Leyburn across the moors and the valleys of Swaledale and Wensleydale. The road is 37 miles (60 km) long, but through traffic between the two destinations will find a shorter route of 26 miles (42 km) by going south on the A1. The route is single carriageway for its entire length. The route was closed for traffic on 5 July 2014 between Leyburn and Ripon to accommodate Stage One of the Tour De France.

Landmark