RAF Marston Moor

Royal Air Force Marston Moor or more simply RAF Marston Moor is a former Royal Air Force station located near Tockwith, North Yorkshire, England. It was operational during the Second World War and was originally called RAF Tockwith, but confusion with RAF Topcliffe led to the name change. RAF Marston Moor was opened on 11 November 1941, the airfield and RAF Church Fenton were the closest airfields to West Yorkshire and would act as a defence should Leeds be attacked. As it happens Leeds was seldom bombed. In 1943, Group Captain Leonard Cheshire was made the station commander. He requested to be transferred to the command of 617 Squadron in November 1943, a vacancy created by the loss of George Holden in July of that year. The move required him to voluntarily step down in rank from group captain to wing commander, which he did. Marston Moor was also in control of RAF Rufforth and RAF Riccall.

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Tockwith

Tockwith is a village and civil parish in the county of North Yorkshire, England, near the town of Wetherby and the city of York. There has been a village on the site since at least 1086 when Tocvi was mentioned in the Domesday Book. Tockwith's greatest claim to fame is being used as a staging post by Oliver Cromwell prior to the Battle of Marston Moor in 1644. He made reference to Tockwith in his diaries, in which he said: "If heaven should be half as blessed as the fields of Tockwith, all those who should pass St. Peter's Gate shall be met with joys unequalled". Until 1974 it was part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. From 1974 to 2023 it was part of the Borough of Harrogate, it is now administered by the unitary North Yorkshire Council.

Historic Site Landmark

Bilton-in-Ainsty with Bickerton

Bilton-in-Ainsty with Bickerton is a civil parish in the county of North Yorkshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 512, reducing to 463 at the 2011 Census. The parish contains Bilton-in-Ainsty and Bickerton, which are about three miles east of Wetherby in West Yorkshire. Until 1974 it was part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. From 1974 to 2023 it was part of the Borough of Harrogate, it is now administered by the unitary North Yorkshire Council.

Neighbourhood

Bickerton, North Yorkshire

Bickerton is a village on the B1224 road, in the civil parish of Bilton-in-Ainsty with Bickerton, in North Yorkshire, England. The nearest town is Wetherby. There is a plantation nearby called Bickerton Plantation.

Landmark Neighbourhood

Cattal Bridge

Cattal Bridge is a historic road bridge in Cattal, a village in North Yorkshire, in England. The Roman road later known as Rudgate, connecting Tadcaster and Aldborough, crossed the River Nidd at Cattal, though it is not known whether there was a bridge or a ford. A ford was in use in the Mediaeval period, being first recorded during the reign of Henry III of England. A timber bridge was in existence by the mid-16th century, when it was recorded by John Leland. The current bridge was built at the end of the 18th century, when embankments were constructed on the river. It is 150 metres upstream from the line of the Roman road. The north arch and parapets have been extensively repaired, but it has never been strengthened, and so retains its original features better than most other bridges of similar date. The bridge underwent a £78,000 repair project in 2011, during which careful measures were taken to maintain the original character and shape of the bridge. The bridge carries Cattal Moor Lane over the River Nidd. It is built of limestone, and consists of three round arches with chamfered moulding. The central arch is 15 metres wide, and the others each span 11 metres. The bridge has triangular cutwaters, the piers rising to form refuges, and the parapet has flat coping. The bridge was made a scheduled monument in 1976, and a Grade II listed building in 1985.

Bridge Historic Site