Rosedale and Hartoft Parish Plan
About our Plan
Our Plan covers three adjoining parishes: Rosedale East Side, Rosedale West Side and Hartoft. Rosedale East Side and West Side have a joint Parish Council whilst Hartoft has a Parish Meeting. The Parish Council and the Parish Meeting are the sponsors of this Plan with the Parish Council dealing with financial aspects.
The idea of a Parish Plan was first discussed at a public meeting held at Rosedale School in May 2003. Members of our community were keen that a plan should be prepared and appointed a Steering Group formed of volunteers from the community. Care was taken to recruit people from all three parishes and to represent a cross-section of people in the area; for example new-comers to the area as well as long-term residents, business people as well as residents and young people as well as the more mature.
The Group has been chaired throughout by Colin Westwood from Rosedale East. The Steering Group is an inclusive one and consists of anybody in the area prepared to give the necessary time, and during the preparation of the Plan we have welcomed several additional volunteers. The full list of the Steering Group members is shown in the box.
| Steering Group The following were members of the Steering Group during at least part of the preparation of the plan:Mike Dale
Trevor Dale Anthony Davies Janet Dring Ron Foster Sara Goodswen Howard Hebron Nicola Johnson Rob Salkeld June Scarth John Sugden Colin Westwood
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Professional backup to the Group has been provided by Margaret Farey of the Yorkshire Rural Community Council and John Sugden, Clerk to Rosedale Parish Council, who as acted as Secretary and Treasurer to the Steering Group.
Our starting point was an open “pop-in” session held at Rosedale School in May 2003. This was advertised throughout the area and residents encouraged to discuss their concerns with members of the Steering Group and to write their anonymous comments on sticky notes. The analysis of these gave a broad indication of the most important issues as perceived by the community.
A useful aspect of the pop-in session was that it attracted a number of teenagers who gave their views. This is generally found to be a hard-to-reach audience in public participation, but of vital importance as being the residents of the future. This was followed by a disco for the teenagers held on a Saturday night including a short break where the teenagers could give their views. These views are discussed more fully below (see The Young People’s Perspective) but a prevailing theme was the need for a Youth Club. As a result, a Youth Club known as the Rosedale Area Teenage Social (RATS) was formed and continues to meet weekly, organized by the members themselves.
During the winter the Steering Group identified the key issues and prepared a questionnaire. This was printed and circulated to all houses in our area by a team of volunteers, each dealing with a specific area. The same volunteers returned to collect the completed questionnaires. To maintain confidentiality the replies were returned in sealed envelopes that were counted and then processed by Margaret Farey and John Sugden. Once the data had been transferred to computer the questionnaire forms were destroyed.
Analysis of the results was completed during the Summer and the Steering Group decided on the key issues that had arisen. During 2004 data from the 2001 census became available at a parish level and was able to be used as control totals and to provide additional information. From these sources a Report of Survey was published in December 2004 and circulated to all residents of the area.
Throughout the whole process the Steering Group has maintained information on the Parish Council website providing information on the progress of the plan, with minutes of meetings, working papers and reports.
A further public meeting was held in February 2005 at which residents discussed the recommendation of the Steering Group as to which issues were most important for inclusion in the plan. The published plan is based on the decisions reached at that meeting.
The Steering Group would like to thank the Yorkshire Rural Community Council and the Parish Council for making Margaret Farey and John Sugden available to carry out much of the technical work associated with the preparation of the plan.
About our Area
The three adjoining parishes of Rosedale East, Rosedale West and Hartoft lie in the heart of the North York Moors National Park. Our area consists of the valley of Rosedale and the two tributary dales of Northdale and Hartoft forming a green island of farmland surrounded by open moorland and forest. The centre of our community is the village of Rosedale Abbey which contains the church, village school, two shops and two pubs. There is a further settlement at Hill Cottages with the rest of the community living in farms and cottages scattered around the dales.
Although quiet and rural now, our area had its industrial heyday. In the mid-nineteenth century rich seams of iron ore were discovered. Mines were opened and a railway built to industrial Teesside. The population swelled ten-fold as men came to work in the mines and rows of cottages were built to house them. Rosedale iron ore played a major part in the Teesside iron and steel industry that made the bridges, railways and steamships of the British Empire. The mines finally faded away in the 1920s, the miners left and many of their cottages were pulled down. By the end of the twentieth century the population had fallen to about what it was before the ironstone boom.
There were 269 houses in our area at the 2001 census. Surprisingly in view of the strict development control policies of the National Park, this was up 13% on the 1991 figure. The increase appears to have arisen mainly through the conversion of traditional farm building, redundant as a result of changing methods of farming. Almost a quarter of houses in our area are not permanently occupied, being used either a holiday lets or used as second homes. However, this is less than in 1991 when more than a third of the houses were not in permanent use.
The size of our community means that services are limited. The two local shops are only able to stock a limited range of food and residents have to travel ten miles to Pickering to the nearest supermarket. During the preparation of the plan the local post office closed as did the doctor’s surgery. Public transport is limited to two buses a day from Pickering on three weekdays only plus a daily school bus. A further bus is required from Pickering to access the national rail system at Malton, eighteen miles away.
The beauty of our area makes it a magnet for tourism. Some merely visit the area, perhaps stopping for refreshment at Rosedale Abbey. Many come for informal recreation, particularly for walking on our network of rights of way and the open access areas of the moors and forest that surround our area. The visitors make an important contribution to local businesses which include four pubs, three being residential, and two cafes as well as an art gallery and glasswork studio, golf course, pony trekking and mountain bike hire.
About our Community
At the 2001 census our community included 473 people, up 20% from 1991. In percentage terms this is a substantial increase, eight times the rate of growth for England and Wales as a whole. It also represents an important turning point in the history of our community; ever since 1871 there has been a slow and apparently inexorable decline in the number of inhabitants.
This change in population has been brought about by a net influx of older people. Over the decade the number of people under 45 has increased by only 7% whilst the 45+ group has increased by 34%. This has caused the community to be skewed towards older people with 53% of the population over 45 compared with only 40% for England and Wales.
Given the higher proportion of older people, it might be expected that fewer people than normal would work. However, this is not the case: 50% of the community work compared with 40% for England and Wales as a whole. Around a third of the residents work in farming or forestry with a further third involved with tourism.
Despite people moving into the area, our community remains basically stable. Some 59% of households said that they had been located in our area for more than ten years and the average period was twenty years.
On the positive side, the isolated nature of our area encourages a strong sense of community with a culture of self-reliance based on community groups associated with the Church and Chapel, the annual agricultural show, the WI, the Reading Room (village hall) and the successful local primary school which is a focus for many community activities including the development of this Parish Plan.
A community perspective
Residents were asked what they liked and disliked about living in the plan area. It was clear from the responses that residents were very positive about the advantages of living here. The most frequent reasons for liking the area were the peace and quiet, beautiful scenery, the community spirit, low crime, and the advantages for bringing up a family including the excellent local school.
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What residents said they liked about our area Quiet, scenic environment away from urban sprawl and associated town problems, but with shops, school, Church, Reading Room and local pubs for those who wish to use them Being able to walk in the countryside, surrounded by the beauty and peace, being part of a small but varied fascinating community Good school and excellent teachers, beautiful area, nice for bringing up children Basic, laid back, unregulated life in a real working village. Not empty or too twee (yet) Peace, tranquillity, harmony, good neighbours, beautiful scenery, slow pace of life The peace, the history, beauty, local spirit and community, good friends, safety of local children |
There were relatively few dislikes, although a number were concerned over poor levels of road maintenance. There was a general dislike of the number of second homes and a feeling that the demand for these pushed up the price of housing and prevented younger people from staying. There was a concern that a reduction in the number of younger people would in the long run undermine the viability of the community as a whole.
There was also a concern that some incomers wanted to change the community although the results of the survey showed the opposite; a greater proportion of incomers wanted to restrict development than did people who had lived in the area for more than ten years. There was also some concern over the effects of excessive tourism, and particularly the impact in summer of the two caravan sites.
There were few people who wanted any significant changes, apart from a desire to have less holiday cottages and more young people and families in the area. There was opposition to any changes that would lead to increased urbanisation or to loss of the valued qualities of the scenery, peace and quiet and the strong community spirit.
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What residents said they would like to change Try to increase the number permanent residents in local properties Re-instate regular post office We need a place for the children and encouragement for them to stay in the village and Dale, for them to have a future – transport to school or college, a home they can afford, a future of respect and enjoyment of their home |
The young people’s perspective
In any long-term plan it is essential to have the views of the young people as we hope that they will form the community of the future. We feared that the household questionnaire would be mainly completed by adults and that any different views of young people might be lost. The comments in the box come from the young people themselves at the pop-in session and the disco.
Perhaps never having lived anywhere else, the young people are less likely to appreciate the advantages of our area in terms of peace and quiet and lack of crime. However, there is a strong feeling that there is little for young people to do and a lack of available transport to reach anywhere. The older children go to the secondary school in Pickering and probably have many friends there but they are unable to visit them in the evenings or even stay on for out of school activities.
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What the young people said I am too young to go anywhere by myself or to drive and my parents don’t always have the time to take me. It would be good if there were activities and games to entertain kids locally. There are no local sports facilities for young people. We need to write to our Councillors and to raise funding which could enable someone like Community Education to take the kids to the nearest sports hall once a week I like to go to the seaside but I need transport. I want to take part in extreme sports like surfing, without getting into trouble with the police. I would like access to up to the minute videos and the latest sweets and other trends without having to go into town – which I don’t like. Perhaps the village shop could stock videos and other things kids would like to buy. The mobile library could deliver videos or the kids could meet up somewhere in the village for a group viewing of current films. I would like a minibus to take the village kids to a youth club, or we could use the school to meet up in because we would like access to computers. I would also like a bike track, a skate park or a play area outside. I would like somewhere for the village kids to hang out, where we could do art and craft activities or to be able to join a group like the scouts. We would need someone to run the club, a building to meet in and money for the building and to run the activities. There is nothing for the kids to do. We need to talk to the men in suits to raise finances and get the community working together to raise funding and find a solution. |
Our community services
Services for our community are very much skewed towards the needs of tourists – hence we have no less than four pubs and two cafes but no post office! Services are generally in decline. During the period of preparation of this plan we lost the post office and the weekly doctors’ surgery. Although we still have two local shops the range of food available is very limited as they find it increasingly difficult to compete with supermarkets in the market towns.
| Some statistics38% of residents are regular users of the Reading Room74% would like to see a childrens’ playground
52% used the Post Office before it closed 88% would like to see the local surgery restored |
Although people come from many miles away for informal outdoor recreation, facilities for other types of recreation are limited. There is no children’s play area or recreation ground and the nearest swimming baths or sports hall is at Pickering, 10 miles away. The Reading Room which serves as the village hall is ideal for small-scale meetings but is not big enough for indoor sport. Although well-maintained there is some scope for improvements to the toilets and heating system.
The consultation work for this plan showed strong support for the provision of a Youth Club and this has now been provided weekly at the Reading Room.
Even television services are limited. Reception is only possible through the use of a small repeater transmitter and a shortage of available frequencies means that it is not possible to transmit Channel 5 programmes or any digital services.
Proposals
We propose to examine the possibility of restoring some Post Office services, even if only on a very limited basis. We also seek to improve local health services either in conjunction with the proposed school or through transport arrangements to take patients to the doctors and to collect medications. We will also press for improvements to television services as soon as frequencies become available through the withdrawal of analogue broadcasts. We will also seek funding for some improvements to the Reading Room.
The need for a room suitable for indoor sports could be achieved through community use of the proposed new school.
| What residents said about the Reading Room We feel that we are lucky to have such a well maintained room Could be used for a lot more things than it is, more could be used for young people as some sort of community youth group like it used to be.
The Reading Room appears to be very cleanly kept and well maintained – much appreciated |
Our housing needs
At the 2001 census there were 269 houses in our area with no less than 24% of these not permanently occupied. This is double the percentage even of the National Park as a whole. A significant number of properties are subject to planning conditions that preclude them from being used other than as holiday lets. In common with the rest of the National Park, prices for any particular type of house are higher than outside the Park and there are no council or housing trust properties at all. But residents do not seek to solve housing problems through significant new building with most believing that any growth should be restricted.
| Some statistics 75% think growth of housing should be restricted70% think there is a need for low-cost private housing
79% support conversion of old buildings to houses 58% of residents think there should be a housing needs survey |
There is a strongly-held view that the exceptionally high number of unoccupied houses has a serious affect on the vitality of the community. Many of our problems of access to services stem from the low population base and would be reduced if more houses were occupied. It is also believed that the demand for second homes pushes up house prices and this in turn leads to the lack of young adults in the community noted earlier. It is felt to be particularly hard on young people brought up in the valley that they may not be able to stay in the community if they wish, although it is arguably just as hard on anybody else who wants to live here.
Proposals
With continued changes in farming it is likely that more redundant buildings will be available for conversion to dwellings. We propose to seek changes to National Park policies that prevent permanent occupation of additional houses and if possible to positively encourage permanent use. We propose to request the District Council to carry out a housing needs survey and to examine the feasibility of providing a small number of affordable housing units.
| What residents said about housing Any housing development needs to be sensitive to genuine local families – young or old, on low incomes It would be good to produce housing that local up and coming families can afford to buy, rather than have to move to a local town where they can afford to buy
To enable the school to stay open and the village to stay alive, it needs young people and families and for this to happen we need affordable housing Not enough opportunities for new families and young people to remain in the village Planning policies should encourage smaller houses and those for rent Locals are unable to buy houses in area – partly due to the number of holiday homes owned by people not living here The present planning policies need changing, where conversions are allowed to make holiday housing, but not to provide permanent housing for local people |
Our Village School
We are fortunate in retaining a primary school at Rosedale Abbey that serves all the children of Rosedale and Hartoft, and attracts some children from further afield. Despite the constraints of the two-storey Victorian building, which was never intended to be a school, the Rosedale Abbey school has high educational standards as evidenced by the latest OfSTED report (see box below) and this is cited by the number of residents as being a reason for living in the area.
| Some statistics from the survey 85% support a pre-school playgroup63% feel that the School is inadequate for indoor physical recreation
66% felt that the School provided adequately for community and higher education 73% of residents think they might use the Community Room |
Proposals
We have a very clear vision on this issue, albeit a challenging one: we propose to secure a replacement primary school which would enable us to better meet the five Key Outcomes for children and young people under the Children Act:
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Education Authority policy “School premises are no longer solely used by pupils and staff from 9.00 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Through the Extended School Strategy, community use of school facilities is set to increase across North Yorkshire.” |
A new, purpose built school would also enable us to meet the needs of the wider community, in accordance with the policy of the Local Education Authority.
The new school would deliver the Foundation Stage and National Curriculum fully, whilst accommodating:
- Wheelchair and disabled access
- Wrap around child care – before and after normal school hours
- Pre-school education
- Family Health Visitor appointments
- Community Education
- Community ICT and internet access
- Community recreational, leisure and sport access
| OfSTED report on Rosedale School The great majority of pupils make very good progress and reach above average standards. Pupils develop very well personally and socially, and have very good attitudes to learning.
A rich curriculum is taught well and sometimes outstandingly. The headteacher provides very good leadership and is ably supported by governors and staff.” |
Our religious life
The roots of religious faith lie deep in our community. For centuries Rosedale West was a township in the vast parish of Lastingham whose parish church was founded by St Cedd as long ago as 654. Rosedale East and Hartoft were virtually created by the Priory which for almost four centuries dominated the religious and social life of our area. The chancel of the Priory remained until 1839 when it was rebuilt on the same site to form today’s Parish Church of St Mary and St Lawrence. A relic of its monastic origin is that the entrance to the Church is through the school playground, once the Priory cloisters, and this causes operational problems at the School as well as not being accessible to wheelchairs.
| Some statistics 46% thought the church and chapels were important to them for Sunday worship81% thought the church and chapels were important to them for weddings and funerals
89% thought the preservation of the buildings was important. |
From the eighteenth century Methodism was strong in the Moors but nowhere more so than in our area where in the mining era there were no fewer than five Methodist chapels. Today two of these survive, the Ebeneezer Chapel in Upper Rosedale and the Hartoft Chapel which is also used for some Anglican services.
The church and chapels are still important to the community, particularly at times of need and for weddings and funerals. Despite the modern trend towards cremation, many residents still wish to be buried in the Churchyard. Unfortunately, only a few plots still remain and this will create a problem shortly.
Proposals
We propose to examine the feasibility of obtaining additional land for a small cemetery for when the Churchyard is full. We propose to provide a new access to the Church that will avoid the School playground and will be fully accessible to wheelchair users.
| What residents said about Church and Chapel Although some local non-Church goers are very generous in their support of the Church, I don’t think it is generally realised how much it costs to keep the Church open Volunteers have done a wonderful job in the graveyard. I’m sure a small charge for this service would be acceptable to most grave owners.
A very historic and major part of this Dale and its history, must be kept up and preserved |
Our security and safety
Our community is fortunate in having one of the lowest recorded crime rates in the whole country. Consequently, the Police rarely visit the area. The nearest police station is at Pickering, ten miles away and even this is not continually manned. There is a strong fear in the community that police response would be slow if there was a serious crime. This fear is heightened by the poor performance of the Police call centre in dealing with non-urgent matters – this gives the impression that communications are weak. Having no local police means a loss of the detailed knowledge of local people that was once the cornerstone of rural policing.
| Some statistics 4% had been affected by crime in the previous three years53% were happy with policing
75% believe there to be safety hazards on local roads 60% think vehicle speeds are a problem |
Our roads are narrow and winding with many blind corners. There is concern that many vehicles are driven too fast for the roads with regular users rather than tourists being the main culprits. Most local roads are regarded as potentially dangerous, but the greatest concern is over the road from Rosedale Abbey to Cropton on which there have been a number of accidents.
Proposals
We propose to liaise with the Police to discuss ways in which communications might be improved, perhaps with greater use of the local Neighbourhood Watch. We will discuss with the County Council whether safety improvements could be made to the Cropton Road, for example by cutting back overhanging vegetation.
| What residents said about safety and security We have been living here for 17 years and we have seen one policeman What policing? Can even have trouble to get hold of them at all – telephone response is very slow.
There should be a constable who knows the village and is known by the village Locals, including me, drive too fast at times, through our local knowledge of bends, hills and straights, accidents usually locals not tourists. Tourists tend to drive slowly because they are unfamiliar with our roads Everyone leads a busy life today, but cars are travelling too fast in the region of the school and through Milk street, where visibility to a driver is very bad. I agree all children, including mine, should be educated more in road safety, but also drivers, especially local, need to slow down, there is going to be a serious accident one day |
Our transport needs
In view of the very limited bus service available, it is not surprising that our community need to use cars a great deal with 95% of households having one available. Although most residents think that old and young people have transport problems, few households report any difficulty in getting to services. However, this may reflect an adult view – children themselves commented on the difficulty of having any social life without the ability to travel.
| Some statistics 95% of households have a car87% say they have no difficulty in reaching services
82% want improvements to Moorsbus 55% think there should be bus shelters |
The public transport route most used is the return bus to Pickering which runs on schooldays at times convenient for children attending the Lady Lumley Secondary School. The service formerly ran from Hill Cottages but now starts from Rosedale Abbey because of problems of turning, and children are ferried to Rosedale Abbey by minibus. The service could be improved if shelters were provided for bad weather.
Drivers have to contend with narrow, twisty and hilly roads. Whilst there is no prospect of changing this, residents are concerned over a variety of maintenance issues. Many of these are quite minor and significant improvements could be achieved by the use of the Visitor Caretaker. Also a number of people felt that more car parking should be provided as there is sometimes a shortage during the visitor season.
Proposals
We propose to press for shelters at Hill Cottages, Green Head and Rosedale Abbey. We will also look at the potential for improvements to public transport services, possibly using demand-responsive services rather than fixed routes and timetables as at present.
| What residents said about transport Moorsbus should run from Rosedale to Pickering earlier in the mornings and later in the evenings coming back so that locals could go to work, for days out, shopping etc – at present the Moorsbus seems to cater for tourists coming in rather than for us. Consider the viability of a community mini-bus with volunteer drivers to improve access to services for elderly or disabled people and others in need
Car parking is totally inadequate in holiday period ie March – November and indeed at other times when the weather is dry and sunny More car parking facilities are needed in the village, land needs to be purchased from the estate and then turned into a “pay as you use” car park to help pay for the upkeep |
Our businesses
Local businesses play a vital role in the life and economy of our community. It is estimated that over 120 residents work in the area itself, and there are probably a few additional people who travel in to work. In the visitor season this is augmented by temporary workers who move into the area, working in the various tourist businesses.
| Some statistics41% of self-employed people would take part in Business Support Group72% think that broad band internet should be available
70% think that mobile phone coverage ought to be available |
Of those who live and work in our area, some two thirds are self-employed. This is a remarkably high figure given that the nationally only about 10% of the workforce is self-employed. This is obviously influenced by farming but not entirely so; around a third of households said their main income came from farming and forestry with a further third from tourist or retail work.
Thus the economy of our community depends crucially on local businesses, many of them family-run with few or no employees. Although farming remains important, tourism now has a vital role. Retaining and developing local business will require measures to support these small enterprises through networking arrangements, advice and the provision of business infrastructure such as mobile telephone coverage and broad band internet. It will also be important to support tourism; this is considered further in the section on Our Visitors.
Proposals
We propose to set up a Business Support Group which will allow local businesses to network and assist each other with common problems. We will investigate the provision of broadband either over the British Telecom system or by wireless technology, possible in conjunction with proposed provision to the School. We will press the mobile phone companies to provide coverage to the valley, working with the National Park to identify aerial sites with minimal impact.
| Residents’ suggestions to help local businesses: Promotion of local heritage to increase visitor numbers and support for the development of local craft orientated business. Evolving strategy for farming tourism and ecology.
Small rentable units suitable for studios and small local businesses, centrally located for visitors and preferably in an existing old building Planning policy ought to be more sympathetic to local people’s business needs |
Our visitors
Many visitors come for holidays at the three hotels, guest houses, the two caravan sites and at numerous self-catering cottages. There are also many day visitors. The most popular activity is walking in the valley and on the moors around, but there is also a small golf course and pony trekking available. Less active visitors come to the four local pubs and two cafes, with a particular concentration of visitors at Rosedale Abbey. All these visitors are vitally important to our local economy.
| Some statistics41% of Rosedale people want the Village Caretaker to be retained.65% support leaflets of local walks.
57% think there should be better signing of paths. |
A Village Caretaker is employed in Rosedale East and West to keep the area tidy, carry out minor maintenance and assist visitors. This has proved a most successful project and it is intended to secure funding to retain a caretaker on a permanent basis.
The network of public bridleways and footpaths is an important visitor asset. The paths are well-maintained by the National Park to a normal rural standard, that is users must expect some muddy patches and to have to climb over stiles. Even so, visitors still seem to get lost causing them frustration and annoyance to farmers.
The tendency of visitors to congregate at Rosedale Abbey means that the public toilets there are well-used and important to the visitor economy. Since the survey, the District Council has indicated that their future is under review and this is causing wide concern in our community.
Proposals
We propose to secure funding to retain a Village Caretaker on a permanent basis. We will examine with the National Park and local owners and farmers the feasibility of improving the surfaces of some paths and replacing stiles with gates to allow use by people with disabilities, and seek to further improve waymarking so that fewer visitors get lost. We will also publish a guide to local walks. We will press the District Council to maintain the public toilets and seek the provision of village signs on the approaches to Rosedale Abbey where there are none. The possibility of a heritage centre is discussed in the Our Heritage section.
| What residents said about visitor facilities The paths at the top end of the Dale are waterlogged for much of the year – some form of boarding in these areas might help. Trods have been removed or damaged by farmers. Many paths are unclear or damaged by animal congregation
In winter there are too many boggy sections of paths, badly fitted gates, not enough dog friendly stiles (need a dog slot) and not enough signs for visitors to keep to path. |
Our heritage
Our peaceful area may appear as if nothing has ever changed, but the reality is far different.
| Some statistics 86% would like to see a Heritage Group set up66% would like a museum to be provided
85% would like interpretative signs at ruins |
In the Middle Ages the nuns of Rosedale Priory organised the conversion of the valley from wild moorland to productive farmland. They introduced sheep-farming and had flocks of several thousand sheep. The quality of Rosedale wool was famous acrossEurope and was shipped as far away as Italy. For nearly four hundred years (1154 – 1536 ) the Priory was the powerhouse of our area.
In the nineteenth century the life of our area was again greatly changed when iron ore was found. The population swelled ten-fold as men came to work in the mines and rows of cottages were built to house them. The mines finally faded away in the 1920s, the miners left and their cottages were gradually pulled down. There are still old people in the community who can remember this era and there is a strong local interest in recording their memories whilst there is yet time.
Proposals
We propose to set up a Heritage Group to research the local history and to record the memories of old people. The Group will seek to provide interpretive boards at the Priory and Mine ruins, a local heritage centre and a model of the Priory on the original site. These would provide a permanent memorial to the hard-working valley people of the past as well as a magnet for visitors that would support local businesses.
| What residents said about our heritage More could be made of the Abbey ruins with information signs and showing details of Abbey and more on history of current building – history, age, previous uses It would be good to organise a history of Rosedale written by the people of the Dale before the older generation passes away
A museum is a must for Rosedale, considering its history, I am really surprised we do not have one |
The Rosedale and Hartoft Parish Plan Steering Group – June 2005