A day off work, nothing much planned, sun shining... and I was struck with a sudden fancy to visit Giggleswick, a village in the Craven district of Yorkshire, set among the limestone hills. I've never been there before, though I have been past it on the main road up to the Lake District many, many times - always on my way to somewhere else. The village sits barely a mile outside the larger and more well-known market town of Settle, and in truth there isn't much there - except for an independent co-educational boarding school, which has existed in Giggleswick in one form or another for over 500 years.
Despite the fact that the name sounds like being tickled with a feather, it actually means 'dwelling or dairy farm of a man called Gichel' and even now the area is pleasantly rural, with farming on the lower pastures of the hillsides and a sense of a sedate and rhythmic pattern to life, well away from the busy city environment I'm used to.
My photo is taken from the school site on the hillside, looking down towards the village itself.
Hi Jenny - stunning photo and gorgeous looking place .. love that name - I thought I might have been there and perhaps I have ... but not an obvious known! We used to visit the Lake District a lot when I was a kid and go across into Yorkshire occasionally where my father had a great friend ... all too long ago for me to remember anything else.
ReplyDeleteCertainly a place I'd visit if and when I ever come up ... lovely information you've given about it ... a very English place ... from the name, and the rural setting ... cheers Hilary
It's beautiful, Jenny! I love that area. I assume they must have a pub or two. ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt is quite lovely, jennyfreckles, from the spot where you immortalized it. I still think some local men named it after some long nights with adult beverages.
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