National Park

All projects supported by the Small Scale Enhancement Scheme in the National Park can be found below.  If you have any questions about the projects below or have your own project idea, please contact the scheme co-ordinator Clair Shields. 

 

Kildale Tomb Chests

Within the churchyard of St Cuthbert’s Church, Kildale are several listed tomb chests, one of which is on the Buildings at Risk Register. The project was completed in February this year and amounted to simple repairs using traditional building methods.

 

History Tree at Danby Moors Centre

The old copper beech that had stood near the edge of the ha-ha to the front of Danby Moors Centre was felled in 2007. This iconic tree, some 200 years old was admired by many. The North York Moors Association have proposed a scheme to install a stainless steel metal plate into the stump of this tree which would depict certain events spanning the trees lifetime by engraving dates into the metal plate. This project was considered to provide a long-term feature for the many visitors that visit the Moors Centre, particularly for children who could take ‘rubbings’ of the ‘history plate’ as part of their educational visit as well as the history of the tree and its place in the wider environment.

Bygones of Bilsdale

The scheme has assisted the Bilsdale community in putting together an exhibition of Bilsdale artefacts and memorabilia from the last 100 years to share with the wider community. This information will then be archived for future information and be widely accessible. Assistance has been provided to help with materials for the flower arranging, display boards and exhibition equipment and IT equipment and assistance for the community to create a website to share this information.

The Doorways Project

The Doorways Project is aimed at helping the communities of Easington and Charltons to start a small growing initiative within their villages and to grow vegetables as part of their ‘village in bloom’ scheme. The project consists of the construction of 20 containers that will be placed within the public realm for growers to start experiencing growing their own vegetables and help lead to a healthier life style.

Rosedale History Society

The History Society was helped with the purchasing of display equipment to assist with their talks, events, shows and open days promoting the history of Rosedale, Hartoft and Thorgill.  As an active community group, the History Society is always looking for new ways to showcase and promote the history of the local communities. The equipment has been provided to help facilitate their activities including attending business forums, local shows and talks. 

Bilsdale Show

To help celebrate their 100th anniversary, the Scheme purchased three marquees to enable the Show to put on more attractions and events. These marquees can then be used for future shows as well as by other groups within the community.

Fylingthorpe Football Team

The scheme funded the provision of equipment to help the community of Fylingthorpe set up a village football team. After only a few weeks, training sessions had started and they had enrolled in the Scarborough League as well as organizing friendly matches to get the younger members involved. There has also been interest in forming a girl’s team and the local scout group wishing to hold a football tournament.

Gillamoor Cricket Nets

Assistance was provided in creating an area for the local cricket team to practice outside of the playing season and encourage the younger members of the village to get involved.

Egton Mortuary Chapel

The Egton Mortuary Chapel is a small listed chapel situated in a very secluded location on the outskirts of the village. The site itself has a wealth of history as there has been a church on this site since the fourteenth century. The local community wanted to erect a plaque explaining the history of the chapel for visitors and walkers passing by the site.

Newton on Rawcliffe Village Hall

A period building within the centre of the village which is still being used as a community building for which it was originally designed for. The Scheme is assisting in funding the ‘conservation gap’ between uPVC and timber replacements.

Abbeyfield – Esk Moors Caring

The Bradbury Centre provides community activities for the elderly residents of the Esk Valley. The scheme funded the installation of a projector, screen, microphone and speakers in order to create an improved environment not only for speakers but to improve the enjoyment of the talks and encourage more local people to attend.

Sinnington / Appleton le Moors / Fylingdales Local History Groups

The scheme has also supported a number of local history groups through purchasing display material and IT equipment in order for them to promote their work more to a much wider audience as well as assisting with them with the proper archiving materials and equipment to allow better and easier access to information.

Lastingham Village

The Small Scale Enhancements Scheme has helped fund the provision of two new quality notice boards, made by a local joinery firm, and the restoration of the village war memorial and the traditional post and rail fencing.  The memorial dedicated to the soldiers who fought in the First World War is an important feature of the village, which unfortunately was very eroded and decayed to the point where it was difficult to decipher the text. The scheme funded the manufacturing and fitting of a replacement stone tablet to match the original memorial and helped maintain this part of the village’s history for future generations.

Newton Upon Rawcliffe Church Clock

When the local church clock stopped it was very much missed by the local community. Donations had been received in the past from the local community to help its restoration; however the work that had been carried out never truly repaired the clock fully. Funding was provided for the full repair and restoration of the clock in order to help minimise future maintenance costs. 

Robin Hoods Bay Streetscapes

The project saw the replacement of the concrete slab pavements with traditional York stone flags and the repair of the characterful cobbled areas along the narrow and winding street in the Bay. The work which was funded through the Scheme brought about streetscape improvement and enhancement by reinstating the Bays traditional historic pavements which has been greatly appreciated by members of the local community and tourists, and had greatly improved the appearance and character of the Conservation Area.

Kildale and Warren Moor

The scheme funded the provision of two village notice boards and an interpretation panel adjacent to a popular footpath explaining the failed ironstone mine on Warren Moor.

Old St Stephens Church, Robin Hoods Bay

Old St Stephens Church obtained two information boards to advertise the wide variety of events the church holds. The boards were made by a local joiner and information was displayed on the boards within days (if not hours!) of the boards going up.

Robin Hood’s Bay Museum

Robin Hood’s Bay Museum looked for assistance to allow them to properly archive their material and making it web accessible which it is hoped will gain them museum accreditation. The scheme also funded better signage to help increase visitor numbers to the Museum.

Village Name Plates in the National Park

These traditional style plates form an important feature of a village and helps improve its appearance and encourages a sense of pride amongst local residents. They have been identified as important features across the whole of the National Park as they add to the historic character of our villages which as a whole increases the variety and character of the National Park.  In some cases, the scheme has funded the refurbishment of the existing traditional village name plate such as in Gillamoor, and in other cases cast iron name plates needed to be re-instated.

Ampleforth Water Pump

The last remaining original lions head water pump sits adjacent to the main street running through the centre of the village, which is also a designated Conservation Area. Other similar pumps had in the past been removed once they had fallen into disrepair.  While this one was generally fairly stable, there was a significant crack running through the lid, splitting it in half. In order to ensure this last remaining water pump of the village was retained, the scheme helped fund the cost of repair using a local contractor.

Lythe Village Hall Outside Seating

In order to enhance the Village Hall as a village amenity the committee wanted to install outside furniture to create a communal area for people to bring picnics or enjoy the Halls café facilities.  It would also enable them to set up outside craft sessions such as clay and mosaics and also facilitate a variety of outdoor children’s play activities.

Battersby Junction Play Area

Battersby Junction Community Association have been gifted an area of land within the confines of the village to develop a recreational space for use of the community.  Before the playground is developed a contamination survey is needed due to the fact that the area is sited on historical railway workings.  This survey is essential and completion of the survey is fundamental to the future use of the site.

Coxwold Village Improvements

As a package of small scale village improvements the scheme has funded the provision of gates along the old railway line (a public footpath) to prevent the use of the lane by motor vehicles.  The project also included the replacement of the village bins with more traditional, and more maintainable ‘beehive’ bins will improve the village environment, and an information/interpretation board will be sited at the village hall.

Rosedale Abbey Pond Restoration

The pond forms part of what would have been the old mill race, and is now the only surviving element of this historic structure. Following some unsympathetic drainage works, the pond has ended up as a muddy pit. The Small Scale Enhancements Scheme is assisting the Parish Council with providing a professional report on what remedial work is needed to reinstate the water flow to the pond, and also create a future management plan for its maintenance.  

Hawnby Church

The PCC sought to improve the pathway to their church which had become much eroded due to the 2005 floods.

Farndale Band Room

The building is considered to be a feature of the village due to its age and appearance as a typical inter/post war building. The building is still in community use and is an important asset to the village. As such, the Scheme assisted with its improvement through funding the provision of front doors, while the community funded other improvements.

St Hilda’s Church

Sited in Chop Gate, the church approached the scheme for the funding of two oak notice boards and an oak seat to enhance the enjoyment of the church grounds. Interaction has taken place with the local primary school to help design the bench and create a unique piece of public realm.

Esk Moors Active – The Heather Hopper

The Heather Hopper is a community minibus used to tackle social isolation and loneliness of some older residents in this remote area of the National Park. Assistance was sought from the scheme to provide the minibus with an electro-hydraulic chairlift to allow the inclusion of the wheelchair bound residents. These residents had previously been excluded because of the lack of facilities to accommodate their wheelchairs.

Rosedale 150

In order to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first running of the Rosedale Railway, two local history groups joined forces to create a heritage trail and leaflet as well as permanent display information for the group to take to events and shows. A comprehensive website is also under construction taking this opportunity of the anniversary to pull together a wide range of material held by experts, local people and groups.

Castleton Play Area

Work at this site has involved replacing the existing kissing gate with a single opening gate to allow better access. It has made it far easier for people with pushchairs and wheelchairs to access the play area and improved this popular village asset.

Great Ayton Path Works

This project sought to refurbish the popular footpath at the entrance to Cliff Woods to its original condition as it is a well used footpath from Great Ayton to Roseberry Topping and into the National Park. The work is being carried out by the Authority’s Rangers and Apprentices/Volunteers. Without LEADER support it is likely that the walk through the Victorian park land and access into the National Park will be lost.

Thirlby Village Improvements

Thirlby applied to the Small Scale Enhancements Scheme for a number of village improvements; the provision of digital projection equipment for residents and the various societies using the village hall; a village name sign to indicate the entry to the village; a double notice board for use by resident’s notices and activities; and finally an extension to the railings to the front of the village hall.

Ride Yorkshire

The creation and promotion of horse riding trails within the NYMC&H LEADER area and the NYMNP based on the area’s outstanding landscapes and rural and cultural heritage.

Chop Gate & Carlton and Faceby Schools Wildlife Areas

Creation and improvement of wildlife areas within the two schools to get children involved with their creation and management. The children will design and make features such as bug habitats and run competitions to design these. 

Coastal Forum Information Panels

Production of 6 indoor information panels to promote the work and awareness of the North Yorkshire & Cleveland Coastal Forum. The Forum represents an integrated management of the local coastline. The panels include information on integrated coastal management, the prosperous coastline, recreation, conservation, sea defence works and coastal tourism.

River Esk Monitoring Initiative

The aim is to establish a biological monitoring programme, run by local people, to continually assess the health of the River Esk. 12 members of local angling clubs will be trained in a UK wide monitoring technique. The data will then be shared with the Environment Agency who will be able to take action, including further scientific investigations, should the river invertebrate levels drop below expected levels. The data produced will allow for long-term changes to be identified.

Hackness, Suffield and Broxa Village Name Plates

Provide the restoration and provision of traditional style village name plates.

Chop Yat Iron Forge Folk Festival

To create a village event based on the history, traditions and heritage of Chop Gate and Bilsdale. The focus will be the working blacksmith demonstrations using the restored ‘Old Forge’ and will be supported by a range of historic exhibitions and demonstrations of local and traditional arts and crafts. A professionally produced recording will be produced of the memories and anecdotes of local elders and entertainment in the form of music, dance and traditional games with an evening folk festival.

Goathland Trod Restoration

Restoration of a section of traditional trod in the centre of the village which is at risk of disappearing.

Byland Abbey & Oldstead Projects

Restoration of three Byland Abbey village name plates, the restoration of an old Quern Wheel which holds their village name plate and the restoration of a small dry stone wall around a seating area popular with walkers.

Appleton le Moors Local History Displays

Following the success of the first Small Scale Enhancements Scheme project, this second project will support the provision of two permanent displays in the village hall and church.

Rosedale Church Conservation Area

To develop their conservation area land in the grounds of the church, using local wildflower seed from the valley and neighbouring farms to encourage a wider range of insects and animals. Provide an information board about the churchyard, the abbey, the church and the conservation land.

St. John’s Cenotaph, Bilsdale

Work to include the restoration of the memorial (to include re-pointing and cleaning) and the repair and reinstatement of the sword.

Sneaton Monument

Work to restore the monument and the surrounding area which is located in the centre of the village.

Rosedale East Pond Restoration

To reinstate and restore disused roadside pond to create a better environment for wildlife, reinstating a lost feature. From researching old maps, the pond is at least 100 years old. Archaeological recording is taking place involving members of the local history group, members of the community and the landowner.

Hutton Buscel Village Hall Gate Pier Restoration

Restoration of a pair of listed gate piers and reinstatement of the gates to the Village Hall. Work undertaken will restore and reinstate an historic feature of the village, enhance the character of the Conservation Area and enable the open space around the Village Hall to be better utilised.

Sinnington Maypole

Sinnington has had a maypole on the green for the last 400 years and  as an important village feature for the community it will be restored in time for the 2012 Mayfair.  An interpretation board is to be created telling the history of the maypole in Sinnington.

Levisham Flagpole

The reinstatement of Levishams flagpole.  The first flagpole was erected in Levisham was to celebrate the Queen’s Coronation.

The Hulley’s, Cloughton

A programme of archaeological surveying, comprising topographical earthwork survey and geophysical magnetometer survey, is to be carried out at The Hulley’s, Cloughton in order to record recently identified prehistoric archaeological sites.

Wass Environment Weekend

A weekend of talks walks and displays on the theme of local environment including an exhibition of a moth collection, bat walks, bird spotting and local history.  An artist in residence will encourage observational and recording skills among the general public and to help children with their work.

Bilsdale Arts & Crafts Group

The children of Chop Gate School will interview village residents about village life during the last 60 years.  The information gathered will be held in the interview archives and made into 6 mosaics to be set on the external walls of the village hall and a weatherproof 12 page book telling the story of the village over 60 years and a child view of the next 60 years.

HB900

In 2011 the village of Hutton Buscel is 900 years old (1111 – 2011) and to mark this milestone, the Parish Council organised a time capsule and plaque to commemorate this event. The time capsule will remain unopened until the village celebrates its millennium in 100 years time. The plaque will be a permanent reminder of the time capsule.

Ugglebarnby Trods & Sign

To repair, restore and protect a line of ancient trods running alongside a road and to provide and install a road junction sign post in a traditional style.

Pinchinthorpe Hall Moat Restoration

Restoration of the medieval moat surrounding the Hall, to include the reinstatement of the sluice gates in order to regulate water levels in the moat, removal of Japanese Knotweed from parts of the bank and to increase awareness through interpretation of the areas historical and cultural features.

St John’s Church, Pockley

St John the Baptist Church is considered to be architecturally a prominent building with interior fittings by both George Gilbert Scott and Temple Moore. The Church has an unusual system of heating, known as a hypocaust system which is now disused and abandoned. The boiler house forms a small brick lined tunnel along which a miniature railway runs to deliver coke/coal to the boiler chamber, located under the centre of the Church. Heat was then dispersed through metal vents along the church floor to heat the building. The objective is to restore the concept of the original design, using hot air from a multi fuel boiler, allowing the stonework to warm and would make the Church breathe as was originally designed.

Plum Tree House Trods

The ancient trods on this site were totally unusable and restoration took place to raise awareness of the ancient pathway in this area of Staithes.

Ravenscar Barrows

A geophysical survey of a site at Ravenscar in relation to four recorded barrow sites and one potential site to establish their exact locations and the status of these barrows, and to gain increased clarity over the sources of certain artefacts, in particular three carved stones. It is hoped that the survey will improve understanding of this aspect of the area’s historic assets. A booklet containing a summary of the findings will be produced.

St Josephs School History Project

The children of St Joseph's School in Loftus, alongside a local artist, are helping to design a new gate for the entrance to Handale Abbey Walled Garden. The final design will be incorportaed into the gate by a local blacksmith.

Sunnyside Trods

The restoration of a line of historic trods has improved access to a local school and form an integral part of a listed farm which the public can enjoy as the trod is a right of way. The local school children also undertook a history project about the farm, which is the crash site of a Messerschmitt Plane during WW11.

West Ayton Wildflower Project

West Ayton Parish Council has sought funding to create two areas of improved habitat to encourage wildlife, wildflowers, bees and insects - a wetland habitat near to the weir along Garth Lane, and a woodland setting along Beech Lane.

St Chad’s Memorial Garden, Hutton le Hole

To create of a memorial garden to the rear of St Chad’s Church by utilising a currently un-used area of garden. Plans for the church include infusing the existing lawn with wild flowers and bulbs, planting native and old-fashioned shrub roses and swathes of wild flower areas to the back of the church building. Amongst the existing trees will be ‘mini beast areas’ comprising habitat piles and woodpiles to encourage insects.

Lockton Village Projects

This package of small scale improvements work within Lockton involves the restoration of the Village Well, planting of the Village Pinfold to create a communal space and the provision of a circular seat around the Lime Tree on the Village Green.

'Tallest Man in the World' Musical

Over a period of several months a local freelance singing teacher worked with children in Osmotherley and Swainby schools to create a musical play that tells the story of Harry Cooper of Scugdale who was the 'tallest man in the world' and worked in the ironstone mines of Rosedale before joining Barnum's circus. The children took part in the composing of this music and produced a several pieces of work for an exhibition telling the story of the 'Tallest Man'. The local community were invited to the exhibition and performances - both of which received raptuous applause!

Lealholm Primary School and St James’s Church Celebration Project

St James’s Church and Lealholm Primary School joined forces to work on an art project to create new pew cushions for the church.  By using a specialist facilitator, images designed by the children were made into cushion covers.

Lythe War Memorial

The restoration of the War Memorial outside the Church was completed just in time for it to be re-dedicated on Sunday 9th Oct by the Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. the Lord Archbishop of York (John Sentamu) as part of the centenary celebration service for the current Lythe Church.

Gateway Website

A new website has been developed to provide information on access to the countryside around Whitby, including pathways, bridleways and trods. Training for the management of the website also took place, up-skilling existing group members. The main focus of the website will be the Cinder Track - the former railway line from Whitby to Scarborough.