Local history

At the first meeting of the winter season of the Brompton Local History Society, following the annual general meeting, Carol Wilson spoke about Westerdale Wills. Carol, after being the headmistress of Castleton Community Primary School, took an MA in medieval history as a result of which she produced the book Westerdale: The Origins and Development of a Medieval Settlement. Subsequent to that, in one of the Yorkshire Archaeological Society’s Record Series published in 1920, under the uninformative heading ‘Miscellaneous’, a number of wills from Westerdale in the 16th century were found. It was these wills which Mrs Wilson discussed during the meeting, illuminating the lives of Westerdale men and women in an age when religious ideas were changing rapidly. The more mundane aspects of Westerdale people were examined as well as their spiritual lives.

Mrs Wilson’s talk was enjoyed by a large audience. The next meeting will be on Wednesday November 4, when the speaker will be Jonathan Botham on Elizabeth Botham and the story of her bakery.