Where is Richmond? Everything you need to know about the market town that will be featured in the next episode of Dan and Helen’s Pennine Adventure starring Helen Skelton and Dan Walker

Rishi replaced Liz Truss as the UK’s Prime Minister last year and is the UK’s first Prime Minister of Asian heritage.

He is also the UK’s first Hindu Prime Minister and the youngest for more than 200 years at the age of 42. Before winning the leadership race to become Prime Minister, he held the position of Chancellor from February 13, 2020 to July 5, 2022.

Rishi Sunak was selected as the Conservative candidate for Richmond (Yorks) in October 2014. He succeeded William Hague, a former leader of the party, Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State.

The next episode of Dan and Helen’s Pennine Adventure airs on Channel 5 at 9pm on Tuesday, August 29, 2023.

Where is Richmond?

Richmond is the market town and civil parish in the district and county of North Yorkshire. It was situated within the larger former local government district of Richmondshire.

Richmondshire encompassed a large northern area of the Yorkshire Dales, including Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, Wensleydale and Coverdale.

Rishi Sunak represented the Richmond (Yorks) consituency for eight years running.

The population of the administrative county in North Yorkshire is 53,730 since mid-2019.

We have created a map of Richmondshire.

Who were Richmond’s previous MPs?

MPs of Richmond and their political parties since 1868 are as follows:

1868 - Sir Roundell Palmer (Liberal)

1872 by-election - Lawrence Dundas (Liberal)

1873 by-election - Hon. John Dundas (Liberal)

1885 - Sir Frederick Millbank, Bt (Liberal)

1886 - George Elliot (Conservative)

1895 - John Hutton (Conservative)

1906 - Francis Dyke Acland (Liberal)

Jan 1910 - Hon. William Orde-Powlett (Conservative)

1918 - Sir Murrough Wilson (Unionist)

1929 - Thomas Dugdale (Conservative)

1959 - Timothy Kitson (Conservative)

1983 - Leon Brittan (Conservative)

1989 by-election - William Hague (Conservative)

2015 - Rishi Sunak (Conservative)

Richmond’s Home Secretary from 1983 to 1985 was Leon Brittan, Tory leader from 1997 to 2001 was William Hague who was also the Foreign Secretary from 2010 to 2014 and the DPM from 2010 to 2015.

In December 2019 Richmond (Yorks) constituency had a total electorate of 82,569 and a total turnout of 69.9 per cent.

What is the history of Richmond?

The town of Richmond, formerly known as Richemont, in the Yorkshire Dales area, was the Honour of Richmond of the Earls of Richmond, a dignity also held by the Duke of Brittany from 1136 to 1399.

The town’s name is the most duplicated UK place name, with 56 other locations worldwide. It was founded in 1071 by Alan Rufus, a Breton nobleman, on lands received by William the Conqueror, though it was called Hindrelag originally. The construction of Richmond Castle was completed in 1086 with a keep and walls surrounding the area now known as the Market Place.

Richmond was part of the lands of the earldom of Richmond, which was irregularly held by the Dukes of Brittany until the 14th century. John V, Duke of Brittany, died in 1399 and Henry IV took his place.

Richmond is one of a few settlements that was spared from being raided during The Great Raid of 1322 by bribery. In 1453, the earldom was being discussed on Edmund Tudor, and it was merged with the crown when Edmund’s son became King Henry VII in 1485.

During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, the Covenanter Army led by David Leslie, Lord Newark, took over the castle, and conflict began between local Catholics and Scottish Presbyterians.

Robert Williance became the first alderman of Richmond in 1608 and two years before, whilst hunting on the nearby Whitcliffe Scar, the horse Williance was riding became nervous when thick mist descended, dropped over the edge and fell more than 200 feet to the valley floor. Williance survived this fall with a broken leg and erected a monument on top of the cliff as a show of gratitude for his survival. However, he died later that same year.

The mediaeval town and centre of the Swaledale wool industry flourished greatly in the late 17th and 18th centuries, with the burgeoning lead mining industry in nearby Arkengarthdale. The town’s Georgian architecture originates from this period.

One of Europe’s first gas works was built in the town in 1830 and a permanent military presence was established in the town with the completion of Richmond Barracks in 1877. During the First World War, Richmond’s own Green Howards Regiment raised 24 battalions for the war effort and the castle accepted a role as a barracks and training camp for new recruits and members of the Non-Combatant Corps. In 1915 the first troops took over the area south of Richmond in what was later to become Catterick Camp, the planning of which was commissioned by Lord Baden Powell during his residence at the town’s barracks.

Richmond’s 19th century prison block continued to be used to house prisoners into the Second World War.

In June 1927, Richmond was a centre line during a solar eclipse, the event is marked with a plaque at the top of Reeth Road.