Bilton with Harrogate - Our Historic Industry

Industrial & Historical Background

6,000 years ago Bilton would have been covered with trees, Neolithic people ustilised this resource for a variety of uses including houses and trackways. they probably were also aware of the sustainability of coppicing and pollarding. most medieval woods had two products, a regular crop, underwood and timber.

Shortly after the 1066 conquest the Normans established The Forest of Knaresborough, a place to hunt deer. in the 13th century Bilton Park was established. in 1272 Edmund, Earl of Cornwall, granted the monks of Fountains Abbey thepriveledge of taking "housebote" and "haybote", wood and timber, from common land within his woods in the Forest of Knaresborough

Possible Uses of Timber

  • Woodland Boundaries
  • Buildings
  • Making Charcoal
  • Lime Burning
  • Fire Wood
  • Tanning
  • Weapons
  • Shipbuilding
  • Farming
  • Clog Making
  • Mining
  • Bleaching

Mineral Extraction

Over the centuries there has been many industrial activities in Bilton. These include stone extraction, including limestone from medieval times until the 19th century. Gravel was extracted from Horeshoe Fields in the 19th century, whilst in the Nidd Gorge stone for building projects has been used through the ages also coal until the railways introduced cheap, better quality coal. Clay was also extracted probably from the 18th century onwards, whilst brickworks existed until the early 20th century. Marl was also excavated and used improve the fertility of soil at least from the 16th century but perhaps from prehistoric times. another material mined since the Iron Age is of course iron and evidence of its extraction has been discovered in the Nidd Gorge and it is highly likely this activity was taking place in the 13th and 14th century.

Other important industries to take place within the study area include textiles and the earliest was probably wool from at least the 13th century onwards. cotton was introduced around the late 18th century as was flax and hemp and the associated bleaching again in the 18th century. there has also been a number of mills in Bilton including a corn mill in 1472, although its exact location remains a mystery. in the mid 19th century the Sewerage Works were built.

A possible bleaching Yard off Knox Lane?
If you wish to know more about our discoveries during our first project "Bilton with Harrogate - Our Historic Industry" then why not purchase a copy of our book, a soft book, A5 with 60 pages, for only £3.50

© Bilton Historical Society 1996-2007