Читать книгу Walking in the Yorkshire Dales: North and East. Howgills, Mallerstang, Swaledale, Wensleydale, Coverdale and Nidderdale онлайн

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The early years of the seventh century saw the arrival of Angle settlers, who continued a tradition of arable farming along the dales, reserving the higher, less productive ground of the valley sides for woodland and grazing. The lynchets (ridges) of their open field systems, created by ploughing with teams of oxen along the slopes of the valley sides, survived through the medieval period, and are still visible above Malham and around Clapham and Reeth. The process of sporadic settlement continued throughout the Dark Ages, as successive waves of immigration brought the Vikings, their presence reflected in place names such as Yokenthwaite, Hawkswick, Appletreewick, and indeed the word ‘dale’ itself.

The next millennium heralded the new age of the invading Normans. After he had won the day, William the Conqueror consolidated his position by beating the northern part of his kingdom into submission with a heavy and cruel hand. The overlords ruled from peripheral fortress towns such as Skipton, Richmond and Barnard Castle, exploiting the remoter reaches of the Dales as hunting forests, and establishing markets that thrived serving the larger centres of population.