Birstwith
Birstwith is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is part of the Nidderdale, and is situated on the River Nidd. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 756.
There is a large Mill/Rusk production plant in Birstwith run by the Food Manufacturing Company Kerry Ingredients. There is still a mill race and sluice gates for the mill although it no longer turns a water wheel. Water came from the River Nidd which flows though the village. The mill race rejoins the river some way downstream. To provide a head of water for the mill there is a weir.
About 1 mile upsteam is a packhorse bridge. No idea of age but quite old. I think it went towards to Fountain's Abbey
The local pub is The Station, run by Marta Fejer. This pub plays a very central role in the village as a meeting place and as the source of many organised charity events such as the Birstwith Coast 2 Coast
The village had a railway station on the line running between Harrogate and Pately Bridge. This was closed by Beeching in the 1960's. The goods yard became Birstwith Grange, one of the early housing developments for commuters as car travel became more popular. The railway line continued up the Nidd Valley and was used in the construction of the Scar House and Angram Scar reservoirs.
The village certainly used to have a village school (up to age 11)and a Reading Room, both built/donated by the owner of the local 'Big House', Swarcliffe Hall - about 1880. I think there are inscriptions on both buildings.In the mid '70's the Hall was sold, the contents auctioned and the Hall became a private prep school. There is a waste water treatment works at the end of Birstwith Grange although there is no acces from this road.
I was told when at school that there used to be some coal mining in the area near the river towards Hampsthwaite- I do not know if this is true.
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