How keen was our valley to mark its heritage

Six years ago a handful of people in the North Yorkshire village had a dream of creating a community centre but there was hardly a traditional community to speak of, with residents scattered the length of the Washburn valley and many of them strangers to one another.

But a handful of determined people have united the isolated villagers, forging new relationships which have helped raise 60,000 towards the 750,000 needed to create a community base and a visitor centre for the thousands of walkers who visit "Yorkshire's Lake District" every year.

Members of the Fewston with Blubberhouses Parochial Church Council, who led the project, are preparing for Sunday's public opening of the Washburn Heritage Centre, which is attached to the 17th century Grade II* listed Fewston church, which itself has had a makeover.

Ann Johnson, chairman of Washburn Heritage Centre Project Group, said various fund-raising events – including popular parties – helped people to get to know one another.

The initial steps towards raising money were tentative, as few people had met among the mix of farming families, retired couples and younger business people.

At the first fund-raiser, a Call My Bluff party, there were a few nervous glances.

"It was a very nervous start but by the end, 11.30pm, nobody had left and people were really networking. By the eighth party people began asking about next year, so the party club kept going."

Mrs Johnson, who moved from London to Yorkshire in 1992, working in the NHS, said farming families and offcumdens (newcomers) worked together.

A couple of wealthy individuals gave cash and the rest came from the Heritage Lottery Fund, North Yorkshire County Council, Sir George Martin Trust and others.

The final touch after the building was finished was a path, created by Yorkshire Water, which runs from Swinsty Reservoir to the new centre.

Mrs Johnson added: "We are delighted to be opening the centre after so many years of hard work by a group of dedicated people, and hope that our visitors will like both the building and all the events and activities that the centre will be offering."

Visitors can also see inside the church and its own information displays. The bells have been refurbished and re-hung in a 28,000 locally-funded project.

Project volunteer Clive Robinson, a former headteacher at Lawnswood School, Leeds, helped put together exhibitions for the heritage centre, with themes on the Fairfax family, the creation of reservoirs and flora and fauna.

He learned that the valley boasts 120 listed buildings, including the Elizabethan Swinsty Hall.

And despite the fact that Fewston does not have a pub, a school or a shop, locals were delighted to discover that there was a well of community spirit to be tapped into.

"These plans have taken six years and have strengthened the local community by getting a lot of people involved, some of

them very local and some of them from a few miles away such as Otley and Timble," said Mr Robinson.

"We do have a pub now, the Timble Inn at Timble has re-opened, and there is the Robinson Library at Timble, but Fewston has no infrastructure, just a church with a very small congregation.

"We have made friends with people that we didn't know before and have got to know people better.

"We have also started an oral history project which involves interviewing and collecting memories. We have one person whose family have lived in the same house since the 1790s."

The Washburn Heritage Centre will open its doors to the public on Sunday, February 6, and will feature changing displays about aspects of the Washburn Valley. The church will also feature displays on local life.

Details of opening times at www.washburnvalley.org

Washburn Valley down the ages

The Washburn Heritage Centre has been built as an extension to the St Michael and St Lawrence Church, which dates from 1697 and is one of the few 17th century churches in Yorkshire.

The Washburn Valley has undergone huge social and physical changes, mainly caused by the creation of four reservoirs which supply Leeds.

Their construction demanded a huge workforce. The creation of Lindley Wood reservoir between 1870 and 1874 required a navvy camp which had its own school, wooden church, beer drinking shop and constable.

It also had the help of Elizabeth Garnett, daughter of the vicar of Otley, who became known as the "navvies' friend".

One local, the poet Edward Fairfax, a believer in witchcraft, accused six neighbours of putting a spell on his children. The accused women were brought to trial at York on

two separate occasions but were acquitted after a local vicar organised a petition in their defence.