Recent articles

Kids Can Do It
Kids Can Do It a crafting in cardboard and stripwood practical actvity day. 'standard' materials provided or bring your own. pre-printed designs and patterns available to prepare at home first. adults and teens welcome if accompanied by Under Year 7's they're helping cafe open for teas, coffee and biscuits
Child's Chair by Peter Barker
From a website comment by Mr Derek Barker:""My father Jim Walker formerly a gas meter reader was born in a cottage adjacent to the church gates. Unfortunately I do not know which one of the pair he was born in. As a child he used the chair shown in the photographs. My father who passed away in 2004 told me that it was made from oak taken from Hampsthwaite Church. I make no claims as to its provenance but there is just a chance that it was made by Peter. The Teddy which gives scale to the chair is over 100 years old and belonged to my father in law Arthur Myers of Stubhouse Farm (Emmerdale site) in Harewood Park."
22 Platoon from Army Foundation College
THIS COMING WEEKEND 21st and 22nd JUNE!I am delighted to announce that 38 young soldiers from22 Platoon at the Army Foundation College will be hosted here todo 'good works' around the village towards their Duke of Edinburgh Award.Please welcome them, thank them, and if you wish, join them!They will be working 1030hrs - 1530hrs around Feast Field on Saturday,followed by Memorial Hall then Village Centreand ending at the churchyard on Sunday.Our Community PayBack Team have kindly loaned several gardening tools,we have sourced others, but if you are able to loan any, especially clippers,trimmers, shears, forks or half moons etc. that would be very helpful.Please label them bring along to leave in the Memorial Hall Foyer
Hampsthwaite Housing
Local planning authorities need to regularly identify and update their supply of sites for housing development as part of their adopted local plan. North Yorkshire Council is currently drawing up a new county wide local plan and a new consultation (Issues and Options) is about to begin.
VE-Day80 8 - 10 May 2025
Our Memorial Hall was built to honour the fallen in two world wars and give thanks to those who returned. It is appropriate therefore that we play our full part in the national celebrations and village activities are planned for May 8th VE-Day and Saturday May 10th 2025
Blind Peter Barker
Remembering Hampsthwaite’s Blind Joiner - an article by Shaun WilsonLike the market town of Knaresborough, who had ‘Blind Jack’ – John Metcalf, the road builder of Yorkshire in the eighteenth century, the small rural village of Hampsthwaite had it’s blind hero also, almost a century later – Peter Barker who became known as ‘The Blind Joiner of Hampsthwaite.’ Though there are some similarities between John Metcalf and Peter Barker’s lives, these are purely co-incidental and each fulfilled a life, character and career in their own right.
The Execution of Hannah Whitley
Arsenic Poisoning in Hampsthwaite - The Execution of Hannah Whitley In 1789, Hannah Whitley of Hampsthwaite used a pie as the delivery medium for a fatal dose of arsenic, with the poison concentrated in the crust. She claimed She had been coerced into the act of poisoning by her employer, a local linen weaver named Horseman, who was involved in an on-going feud with the intended victim.
Jane Ridsdale
JANE RIDSDALEAged 33 years, born at Hampsthwaite, near Harrogate, Yorkshire, her height is 31 ½ inches.She is remarkably chearfull & enjoys very good health.Published July 1st 1807 by Jane Ridstale, at Harrogate where purchasers of this Print will have the opportunity of seeing and conversing with her
Joshua Tetley
Joshua Tetley was the founder of Tetley’s Brewery in Leeds, and he retired with his wife Hannah to Hollins Hall on the outskirts of Hampsthwaite (Hollins Hall Retirement Village).
Scrubbers and Stones
SCRUBBERS & STONES - Sat 29th June 10.30am - 2.30pm - Entry FREE! Explore the Memorials at St Thomas a'Becket Memorials Treasure Trail - for children if all ages Self-Service / Self-Checkout BBQ from 12 noon (inc. veg option) Food £2, Drink £1, Donations? - yes please! Hot & Cold Drinks Laptop & Screen to show Mapping Hampsthwaite’s Past Use a Bucket & Brush to help reveal Inscriptions on the older memorials . . . or just Sit & Enjoy CORPUS CHRISTI BRASS BAND . . . from 11.30am . . . followed by Afternoon Tea & Cakes at the Memorial Hall!

Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall Community Shed / Arts and Crafts Studio

Link to https://fcccommunitiesfoundation.org.uk/funds/fcc-community-action-fund

Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall Community Shed / Arts & Crafts Studio

Following the 70th Anniversary of the Memorial Hall’s first establishment in 1953, we were delighted to obtain full planning permission to create a much needed Community Shed / Arts and Crafts Studio extension. Visitors to Hampsthwaite may now see that we also secured sufficient funding to start building this exciting new community space, thanks to a combination of local supporters, a generous grant from FCC and NYC allocations.

How Can I Help?

Keep us on Track :

Many thanks to all who completed the initial Studio Online Survey which showed your overwhelming approval for the project, as a result of which Backstage facilities are now enlarged and improved. The Sunroom is refurbished and fitted with French Doors out onto the new patio, creating a popular socialising space. Also now created, is large vaulted space behind the Green Room ready to be fitted out as our Community Shed and used for practical activities of all kinds. Please complete a second Shed Online Survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SDPJQX7 to indicate support for the type of activities which might take place.

Volunteer to Help :

Much has been done but help is still needed for the 'finishing touches'. A WhatApp group Hampsthwaite Together has been formed to request help as the needs arise. Please join this at https://chat.whatsapp.com/IakNNTZ9dUPIms8SrxDipJ

Even more needed are volunteers who are interested in joining a team of 'Shedders', to help operate the Shed, join in Repair Cafe type activities and advise on other uses. To volunteer, use the WhatApp group, email: shedders@hampsthwaite.org.uk, make personal contact or just put a note through the front door.

Fundraising :

Easy Fundraising - this is FREE : it will cost you nothing! https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/hampsthwaite-memorial-hall/
Local Lotto - £1 per ticket but you could win £25,000! https://www.thelocallotto.co.uk/support/hampsthwaite-memorial-hall
BACS transfer - or just make a donation directly via BACS Acc.Name: Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall SortCode: 53-50-21 Acc.No.: 00312932

Very many thanks for any help you feel able to provide. Without good public support this simply cannot happen at all.

Village Market

The extension has created the opportunity for additional activities, which a practical workspace facility such as this is able to accommodate. For example:

Improved back-stage facilities to help in props and scene construction for drama and similar events.
There is now a more suitable space for practical craft work generally (we have had folk building bee hives in the dining room before now!)
A Repair Shop type facility is planned for 2026. See www.repaircafe.org/en and www.remakery.org/
We will adopt the name Our Shed to describe a place where men and women can come to just meet and 'potter' or perhaps also work alongside Community PayBack personnel to perform village maintenance tasks or make things for the school for example. See menssheds.org.uk
We will promote general practical hobbies space for all ages. See www.stem.org.uk/ and wiki.dtonline.org/index.php/Category:Primary_Technology
Courses will be encouraged for antique restoration, woodworking or jewellery for example..
The Sun Room is now freed up to accommodate a Community Library, drop-in cyber cafe and family history centre.
In general, for those with an interest in the natural world, this practical workspace can also be where plant and fruit tree propogation, building bird boxes, bug hotels or hedgehog homes can be done for example.- or even bee hives!

Download Arts and Crafts Studio Survey - Aug 2024 - Dashboard (453k bytes)

And the work has started!

Community Shed / Arts & Crafts Studio / Repair Shop / Re-Makery

Kids Can Do It Crafts Day - see PROJECT GUIDES "it was fab , helpers were amazing. Kids ( & me!) loved it. I'll be wearing the badge they made me at Brownies" . . . "Odin had the best time today at crafting" . . . "Our boys had a great morning, they didn't want to leave. The volunteers were so supportive, a lot of effort and thought went into the activities. They are looking forward to the next one. Thank you!!!" . . . "Thanks so much for this last week! Our kids loved making rockets and solar system models!" . . . "Thank you so much for this. My boys loved it. They are still telling people about the rocket in the gutter landing" . . . "There was a lovely busy vibe in the hall at half term".

We Fixed It at Our Shed - Click to enlarge

Kids Can Do It Craft Day

Kids Did It Again!

And there's more!

Photograph taken outside the original Memorial Hall in 1965 reveals the possibility of creating a Sun Terrace outside the Sun Room of the current Hall . . . . . an opportunity not to be missed whilst New Lodge Contractors are on site with all the necessary heavy equipment and expertise? (click on images to enlarge)

Outside the Sun Room in 1965

Entertained by the local silver band

Sun Terrace created in 2025?

Ambition achieved!: Sun Room with new carpet now linked to new the Terrace by French Doors and developing into a Drop-in IT and Local History Centre.Our thanks are due to our sponsors:

Sun Room Carpet and Bookshelves from Nidderdale Plus

French Doors from the Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust

History Group IT resources from Knabs Ridge Community Fund

MEMORIAL HALL COMMUNITY SHED / ARTS & CRAFTS STUDIO : PROGRESS MONTH BY MONTH
Work completed by New Lodge Contractors with funding to date from North Yorkshire Council (Section106) and FCC Communities Foundation following 'seed funding' generously donated by local residents and businesses.