Yorksview
RICHMOND
According to an old legend, King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table are sleeping in a cave called Arthur’s Oven near Richmond Castle. They are awaiting the day when they wake to save England. (This is a little ironic considering that Arthur fought to save the British from the invading English but we’ll let that pass).
Some time ago a young man called Peter Thompson accidentally came across the entrance to this fabulous cavern under the Castle’s foundations. He saw Arthur and his sword Excalibur together with the sleeping Knights on the ground. A stranger showed him a sword in a sheath and a jewelled horn which, if unsheathed and blown, he was told, would wake them from the enchantment. As Thompson began to draw the sword the Knights stirred. First he froze then, as they stirred further, in panic he ran from the cave. He was never again able to remember where the entrance to the cave lay. So King Arthur sleeps on.
Richmond Castle
Richmond Castle stands high above the Swale in the North Riding. It dates from 1071 and was built by Alan the Red, one of the Conqueror’s mates. They were well rewarded in those days. Being given a large part of Swaledale must have been a nice little present. Skilled craftsmen were brought from France to do the building work. Still today Frenchgate, where they lived, runs from the centre of Richmond down to the river. Around the Castle grew the market town, one of Yorkshire’s and England’s finest small towns.
At the heart of Richmond has always been its large sloping market square with Holy Trinity Church in the middle. The Green Howards military museum is now here keeping, among other things, the first remembrance poppy. Though the medieval street pattern remains, most of Richmond is now a most agreeable mix of the Georgian and the Victorian. In the market place the King’s Head is early 18th century. The Georgian Theatre, built in 1788, intimately seats only 200 in front of the original stage. Though most theatres were altered in the Victorian period, this fortunately wasn’t as it had been closed and was variously used for other purposes like storing furniture. It was restored and re-opened in 1963.
At the highest point in the market place is an obelisk surmounted by a large stone ball. This was constructed in 1771 in place of the original market cross which had been a meeting place for townsfolk for centuries and in the shadow of which bargains were struck and enforced by the developing Common Law of England.
Museums in Richmond include the Richmondshire Museum which has among its historical exhibits the original set of the surgery used in the BBC’s All Creatures Great and Small. This was, of course, based upon the lovely books of James Herriot who in fact practised as a vet in Thirsk but set his tales in the Yorkshire Dales.
West of Richmond lies Swaledale – Grinton, Reeth, Crackpot, Gunnerside, Muker and Butter Tubs. Many of these are Viking names; the Danes settled in this area. North of the river is Arkengarthdale where Booze and Whaw can be found. Down the road is Catterick Garrison. There have been soldiers here since Roman times.
There are many Richmonds in the Anglo-Saxon world like Richmond the state capital of Virginia and Richmond in Melbourne, Victoria. There is, of course, Richmond, Surrey. Henry VII was Earl of Richmond before he defeated Richard III at Bosworth and became king. He then built a palace at Sheen on the Thames and re-named it Richmond.
And the Lass of Richmond Hill? Yorkshire. She was Frances l’Anson and lived in Pottergate in the 1780s. A comely maid I’m sure. Unfortunately she died aged only 29 but she gained immortality in the song.