Grand setting with a touch of light and shade

WITH THE dry stone walls, sun-blushed ruins and dense woodland topped with tumbling clouds, this sylvan scene encapsulates the striking beauty of the Yorkshire countryside.

Many of you will recognise this as Barden Tower and restored Priests House in the verdant heart of Wharfedale which is, in my opinion, at its most beautiful during the months of May and June.

The striking Barden Tower, a Grade I Listed building, has a long and intriguing history.

Lying between Bolton Abbey and Burnsall, the land was granted to Robert de Romille after the Norman Conquest. Meaning the “valley of the wild boar” in Anglo-Saxon, the area has been a popular hunting ground ever since. While originally one of several lodges, its importance soon grew as it became an administrative centre responsible for holding forest courts.

The tower soon became a small castle, capable of defending itself against marauders including the Scots, and an outpost for chasing poachers.

In 1310 Barden and all the surrounding lands came into the possession of the Clifford family. They were staunch Lancastrians and became the sworn enemy of the Yorkist kings. When Henry Clifford was killed in battle in 1461, his seven-year-old son, also called Henry, was sent into exile and spent the next 25 years learning to tend sheep on a farm in the East Riding.

With the death of Richard III, the last of the Yorkist kings, at the battle of Bosworth, the Clifford family came out of hiding and Henry, affectionately known as the Shepherd Lord, returned to North Yorkshire.

It was during this time that Henry enlarged the tower and built the chapel at the neighbouring Priests House. Today the Priests House has a reputation for top-notch food and has become a sought-after wedding venue, which is hardly surprising given its grand setting and breathtaking surroundings. It weaves yet another layer into what was already a rich tapestry.