Menston: The well appointed village with humble origins that played a pivotal Civil War role
Despite the grey skies the heart of the village appeared a hive of activity with people visiting Kirklands Community Centre, the medical centre next door and the pharmacy and dentist over the road.
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Hide AdYellowed horsechestnut leaves from an avenue of mature trees blew across Main Street and the spacious library proved a welcome shelter.
Inside, a mums and toddler group were singing at the tops of their voices, alongside those browsing the novels, three people were playing Scrabble and others were making the most of the sofas for a chat.
The modern library features a plaque to Menston’s best known author, Eric Knight, who wrote Lassie Come Home, was born in the village in 1897.
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Hide AdFurther along Main Street there’s a convenience store and the Cornerstone Community Cafe beside the imposing Victorian Methodist Church, which features a carefully-tended garden.
Nearby is a primary school, which recently became an academy and is almost at full capacity.
The village is remarkably well cared for. The fact that people aged over 65 make up nearly a third of the population may partly account for its tidiness, but more than likely explains its spectrum of clubs, such as a retired men’s forum and an oil painting group.
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Hide AdAtop one of the post boxes there’s a knitted celebration of harvest, by the village’s yarnbombers. At the other end of the scale, a range of new equipment is being introduced in the children’s playground.
A few doors further into the well appointed village’s conservation area there’s an Indian takeaway, sandwich shop and barbers opposite The Malt Shovel pub, which dates to about 1850, and is believed to be associated with old malt kilns in the fields off Derry Hill, where barley was grown.
Nearby, on those fields, a large-scale extension to the village is underway. A long-awaited development of 113 new affordable homes will form a new south-eastern gateway to Menston.
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Hide AdIt’s much needed for young people who want to remain in Menston as average house prices are getting on for double that of West Yorkshire.
In recent years Menston has been identified as one of the least deprived areas in West Yorkshire, with just 0.1 per cent of households are suffering from multiple deprivation, compared to a county average of 0.7 per cent.
However, the village’s origins were humble. Menston was one of a number of farming communities that formed part of the ancient Wapentake of Skyrack, despite the development of a manor hall on the feudal estate of the Archbishop of York in the 15th century.
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Hide AdFurther along Main Street, in a commanding position, stands the grade II* listed Fairfax Hall, the seat of Charles Fairfax, the son of the governor-general of the Parliamentary army in the civil war.
It is believed Oliver Cromwell planned the Battle of Marston Moor in 1644 either in the hall’s orchard or around a table in Fairfax’s home, where he and his wife Mary brought up 14 children.
Local historian Elsie Fletcher said: “Of all noble and outstanding families this county has produced, perhaps none is more worthy of fame than the Fairfax’s. Their romantic rise to fame and fortune, their prowess in war, their administration of justice for the welfare of our country….”
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Hide AdHowever, it was not until the Industrial Revolution Menston’s economic fortunes started to transform.
Menston Junction Station opened in 1873, with train journeys to Bradford and Leeds taking an hour.
The village’s population doubled when High Royds Hospital, originally known as the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum was opened in 1888 at Menston Moor bottom.
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Hide AdIt became largely self-sufficient with several farms to produce much of the required food and even had a branch railway connected to the main line, for the transportation of bulky goods.
High Royds remains among the most imposing buildings in Wharfedale, but the hospital closed more than two decades ago and the site has become Chevin Park luxury housing development, while retaining the Victorian gothic facade.
Nevertheless, discounting the hospital’s residents, before the First World War Menston was considered “little more than a hamlet” with around 700 residents.
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Hide AdFollowing the Second World War the village saw many new housing developments expanding onto the green fields surrounding the village, particularly around the station area.
The 2021 census recorded the village’s population at nearly 5,900.
Following the Beeching Report, when all the stations in Wharfedale were threatened, commuters from the village and surrounding areas formed the Ilkley Railway Supporters Association and in 1972 it was announced the station had been given a reprieve.
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Hide AdEstate agents point towards the village’s excellent transport links and facilities and being constrained by Green Belt, with no brownfield growth options available, as among the leading factors in the relatively high property prices.
St Mary's Roman Catholic High School, which has been named by the Sunday Times among Yorkshire’s leading secondary schools, has alumni including three members of the Kaiser Chiefs.
Famous residents of Menston have included Richard Nerukar, Britain's most successful marathoner of the 1990s, who attended the village school and helped the Menston Guy troop win the annual Chevin Torch Relay on numerous occasions.
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Hide AdThe village has grown more than its fair share of sporting stars, including former England rugby union captain and British Lion Nigel Melville grew up in the village’s Cleasby Road and Body-Line Test Series bowler Bill Bowes, who played for Menston and lived in Bleach Mill Lane.
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