David Ross and trustees of his foundation visited Rosedale on Tuesday 5 June 2018 to observe progress on the Land of Iron project, to which the Foundation has contributed £300,000. They were briefed in the Reading Room by Tom Mutton, the project manager, before heading out to East Mines on bicycles to see the work that has been done already and to meet volunteers on task on the line.

Just a reminder that the famous artist, Andy Goldsworthy, will be giving a talk on the art works he has been creating in Northdale, in the Updale Reading Room on Wednesday 13 June starting at 7.00pm

The coffee morning in aid of the BHF raised over £330, so many thanks to all who donated/bought raffle prizes, coffee monies and cakes and to The Coach House team for the support as always.

The next coffee morning will be on Saturday 7 July from 10.00 to 12.00 am and will be in aid of the Save Rosedale Abbey Church appeal. We have to raise over £80,000 to save the church for all who live in the dale, so please come along and support this very important local cause.

The ‘This Exploited Land Of Iron’ project has been re-named to just Land of Iron (see new logo at top right on our home page).

As part of the project, representatives from Historic England, the contracting consultants Align and the National Park Authority yesterday visited the two main roasting kilns sites to decided on detailed plans for the conservation work which is due to start now in 2019.

The work done to stabilise the old track bed at East Mines is maturing nicely, as is the revetting work done by volunteers further down the line. Also, the work to clear the entrance to the culvert at Reeking Gill has held up over winter. Once the weather improves, the surface of the trackbed from Reeking Gill back to the kilns will be restored and repaired.

The coffee morning in the Coach House Inn on Saturday 7 April 2018 was in aid of the Rosedale mill leat and village pond restoration fund. Thanks to the generosity of all who came, the combined total from cake sales, raffle and coffee came to the wonderful total of £305.00, which will enable routine maintenance on the mill system and pond to continue.

Kate and members of the pond committee would like to thank all who donated prizes and cakes and who contributed to the pond fund in other ways, and to Dave Oakey and the team in the Coach House for sponsoring the event. Also to Margaret, Carol and Janet for organising the raffle with their customary energy and skill.

Finally, please keep an eye on social media and this site for information on calls for volunteers to help clear the pond of excess vegetation once the weather improves!

Just a reminder that the next Tea and Chat for the History Society will be on Sunday 8 April in the Updale Reading Room from 2.00 to 4.00 pm and not on Easter Sunday 1 April.

Any queries call Linda on 417071.

Did you know Rosedale Abbey had a Mill Race and a pond?

If the answer is no, you won’t be alone, as this historic feature of the village has been neglected, and allowed to become overgrown and silted up.

Happily, there are a group of folks in the village who are working together to remedy the situation and formulate a plan of action to change this eyesore into an asset.

We now have a Pond Committee, which has been successful in securing a grant from the National Park and grant of £200 from Rosedale Parish Council.

The committee plans to effect positive change for this feature, which sits in the village on one of the main walking routes in the Dale, not only in restoring the Mill Race and Pond, but ensuring the silt traps and Mill Race receive regular maintenance and jetting in the future.

The work so far completed on the Pond 2017 / 18 :-

The addition of an access points to silt traps in the field with the water source and the clearing of the ditch to allow the water to flow.The jetting and clearance of accumulated silt from underground sections of the Mill Race.

How can you help?

Practical help

We needs Volunteers to help clear the pond of unwanted vegetation.

Fundraising for Planting & Maintenance

A coffee morning is planned for 7^th April at the Coach House, any support you can offer is very welcome.

Any donations of monies or Cheques made out to Rosedale Pond Fund can be left in an envelope at Abbey Stores or Graze on the Green, Gillies Jones or handed to Paddy or Linda Chambers of Rosedale History Society or Maisie Storey.

The Next Steps?

The next stage is to clear the pond of unwanted vegetation, date and full details TBC. In due course, we will be asking for volunteers with welly boots & rakes who might spare an hour to help.

We will be monitoring the flow of water, and, if the cleared underground Mill Race functions as it has done in the past, maintaining flow, the plan with the support of the NYNP is to place a specialist concrete liner in the top half of the pond.

Thank you to everyone who has already generously supported this project. We look forward to ensuring the Pond & Mill Race is kept healthy with regular maintenance, looks good and once again becomes a heaven for wildlife from ducks & dragonflies to newts.

Warm regards

Kate, Paddy, Linda & Maisie

As the first Sunday in April this year is Easter Sunday, the next meeting of the Rosedale History Society will be in the Updale Reading Room on the following Sunday, 8th April 2018, from 1.30 to 4pm.

A public consultation on the proposed conservation measures on Rosedale’s ironstone roasting kilns was held last night, 12 December, in the Coach House Inn. The session was very well attended by 28 local people and there was lively discussion on several topics after stimulating presentations by representatives from the project office and the archaeological and engineering agencies involved with the proposed works.

Details of how to volunteer to help out in the programme of works on the line in 2018 can be found at www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/landofiron