|
History
Pre Norman History
Neolithlic
Man has Probably
lived in the valley for over 10,000 years. Coming over the land bridge that was
at Dover with France that was still there as the ice packs were receding after
the last ice age. The early dwellers will have followed migrating animals living
off any of them that they may have caught or trapped, eating their meat and
using the animal skins and bones to keep warm and make into primitive tools.
When not eating meat they will have gathered fruits and berries when " in
season".
The Landscape at that
time would have been woodland cover, similar to that of Norway, being made up of
hardy Scot's pine and birch. Early man would have managed it by burning and
opening up lightly wooded hill tops to make new growth which the animals would
browse over so making them easier to catch.
Early Settlements.
Back to top
From about 3000 BC
recognizable agriculture began to replace the migrating peoples and settled in
permanent settlements, these were situated around the edge of the marsh which
gave good hunting cover, a good defensive position, and near to land that was
easily cultivated. Star Carr near Seamer is a famous archaeological dig
supporting this.
In the immediate area
around the Manor farm flints have been found of axes, knifes, arrow heads, and
spear heads, good examples of these are in local museums. Dwellings of a similar
nature are found along the edge of the Carr fields, these show up on Aerial
photographs.
Bronze age Early Iron Age
Back to top
Woodland clearance
continued and became much easier because they had better tools with which to
chop down trees. Man moved out of the valley floor to the moor and wold
plateauxs. Evidence for this are the numerous long barrow burial mounds which
were common place at this time. Most of these have now disappeared due to modern
farming practice, but their locations are still shown on maps.
Agriculture became
more recognizable during this period, having field systems with crops being
grown and animals grazing grass.These can be seen on the moors by arial photos
on its affect on the heather. Note that these plateauxs were heavily wooded
areas and were only cleared during the Elizabethan era for shipbuilding in
Whitby, not the bleak exposed plains they are today.
Late Iron Age
Back to top
Population increased
and farming methods became more intensive. The tribes became larger and well
enough organized for them to conduct war with their neighbours. These
settlements were scattered all over the area both on the valley floor and upland
plateaux's. Sherburn has had one of settlements excavated in the early 1980's.
This is going to be expanded in 2000.
Parisi tribe
Back to top
These people came
from around the Paris basin in France in around 4th century BC.
They colonized the
area of land which was more or less the old East Yorkshire. They came up the
River Humber and peacefully integrated into the indigenous population, rather
than by war as did the Brigantees which colonized lands to the North and West of
the region. They were familiar with wheel and cart technology as cart burial
sites have been found together with remains of horses and humans with the carts.
Trade was their
purpose not attration and existed until the Romans took over the area in 71 AD.
Again this was more by mutual gain to each rather than war.
Romans
Back to top
Angles
The Angles came from the river Elbe region and conquered
Yorkshire AD 500-540 . Ida established Bercinia which stretched from the Tees to
the Forth. Our region was called Dercia. King Edwin conquered and united the two
regions to make the kingdom of Northumbria.
The Angles were
a very important factor in our history as many place names are named by them.
Typical Angle names are-ton,
-ham, -burgh, -ing. This area as heavily wooded and some
villages were named after this.
Heslerton =
Hazle enclosure.
Danes
In 793 the Danes invaded Northumbria
and occupied Yorkshire, they left their mark by calling region Ridings and
Weapontakes.
Muston and Yedingham Drainage Scheme 1800-1808
Back to top
In 1999 we had the
large scale flooding of Malton, This was nothing compared to the floods that
occurred prior to this scheme." A disgrace to the country" said William Marshall
a Pickering farmer in 1787 when there were floods along the whole length of the
Rivers Derwent and Hertford. In the late 18th century. The reason was it took a
week for the water to travel the 15 miles along the valley due to the meanduring
nature of the rivers.
The
Vale of
Pickering had been a lake in the last Glaciation age, leaving some 17,500
acres of land full of marsh, fens and sedges. This was land that was seen to
become good agricultural land if drained.
Sea Cut at Mowthorpe
A Sea cut was
constructed from Mowthorpe to the coast at Scalby along the pre glacial drainage
channel of the river Derwent. This enabled the surplus water of the Derwent from
the Moorland area to go directly to the sea rather than through Forge Valley
and into the Vale of Pickering. This reduced the quantity of flood water in
vale.
Mowthorpe to Hertford
The course of the
river Derwent was straightened to allow the water to flow more easily through
forge valley to the confluence with the Hertford. A third of the Derwents
length was saved by this straightening.
Muston to Yedingham
A new drain was
constructed with a fall of 18 inches per mile, both courses of the rivers
Derwent and Hertford were totaly changed and straightened. The course of the old
rivers are only to be seen on maps where the parish boundary's still follow the
old river course. ( Also it is marked as old course of river in some places.)
A
|
