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About
Wombleton
The
Village Today
One
of the warmest and friendliest villages  one could hope to find, situated
in a lovely area. Wombleton
has a population of around 400 and whilst it still retains some farming heritage,
with several working farms in the village, the village is a lot less dependant
on farming than it used to be. Unfortunately, the school, shop and sub-post office
have gone, they all closed several years
ago. However, some produce (eggs, etc) can be bought over the farm
gate and there are very good
shops and facilities in both Kirkbymoorside (2 miles) and
Helmsley (4.5 miles). Markets are held in Kirkbymoorside on
Wednesdays and in Helmsley on Fridays, both are well worth a
visit.
The
village has an excellent pub; the Plough Inn-
a medieval cruck-framed building (like some of the village houses) which keeps a good range of
beers and serves very good bar meals at reasonable
prices. Jenny and Ian will be pleased to welcome you.
There
is a village hall, which is vital to the community. All kinds of groups
meet there and there is an annual antiques road show.
The village has a thriving
cricket team who would be delighted to see you at the cricket ground and
afterwards at the Plough. Ask behind the bar for details of
fixtures.
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History
Wombleton is recorded in
the Domesday Book survey of 1086 under the then name of 'Wilbeton",
which means 'Wynbald's'
farm. Traditionally, it has always been a farming community and Manor Farm,
White House Farm, South View Farm, and Fir Tree Farm still exist at the
heart of the village. Notable among these is White House farm on
Main Street which dates from 1733 and is a Grade II listed building.
The Enclosure map of 1816
shows one main street running north/south, with buildings both sides and
lanes behind, one of which is charmingly named 'Backside
Lane'!. The Ordnance Survey map of 1856 shows the start of the
expansion of the village.
Two other buildings in the
village have some historical heritage, the Plough Inn and Rose Cottage
which are both of 'Cruck Frame' construction, date back to the sixteen
hundreds.
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St
Gregory's Minster, Kirkdale
Just
outside the village is the exquisite Kirkdale Minster. The Minster
was rebuilt by Orm the son of Gamel between 1055 and 1065.  This event is
commemorated by a beautiful Saxon sundial which is inscribed thus "Orm
Gamal's son bought St. Gregory's Minster when it was all broken down and
fallen and he let it be made anew from the ground to Christ and St.
Gregory, in Edward's days the King and in Tosti's days, the Earl.
This is day's sun marker at every tide. And Haworth , me wrought and
Brand priests."
A
poem by Herbert Read
I,
Orm the son of Gamel
Found these fractured stones
Starting out of the fragrant thicket.
The river bed was dry.
The rooftreesnaked and bleached,
Nettles in the nave and aisleways,
On the alter an owls cast
And a feather from a wild doves wing.
There was peace in the valley:
Far into the eastern sea
The foe had gone, leaving death and ruin
And a longing for a priest's solace.
Fast the feather lay
Like a sulky jewel in my head
Till I knew it had fallen in a holy place.
Therefore I raised these grey stones up again.
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Kirkdale Hyena Cave
Not
far from the church is Kirkdale Hyena Cave, "the most productive
fossil bone cavern in Britain".
The
cave was discovered by quarrymen in 1821 when they unearthed enormous amounts of bones stashed in the cave. The find was
investigated by the mighty Professor William Buckland, Prof of Geology
at Oxford University. Buckland identified the bones of hyena,
lion, tiger, bear, wolf, fox, weasel,  elephant, rhinoceros,
hippopotamus, horse; ox, deer (three species); hare or rabbit,
water-rat, mouse; raven, pigeon, lark, duck and partridge.
The
hyena (there were the remains of more than 300
hyenas - hence the name),
elephant, rhinoceros, and hippopotamus belonged to a species long
extinct, and some of the others are now only represented in tropical and
sub-tropical regions, but all were inhabitants of this country at some
very remote period, when our climate must have differed widely from what
we currently enjoy. Imagine if you can, the vale of Pickering as a
lake in which huge hippopotami wallowed!
Buckland studied the caves for
more than 2 years and wrote his findings up in the book "Reliquiae
Diluvial" or "Observations on the organic remains contained in
caves, fissures and diluvial gravel and or other geological phenomena,
attesting the action of an universal deluge." Buckland argued that these remains proved that the biblical narrative of
the flood was true.
The
cave extends in a zigzag fashion about 300 feet into the rock, and
varies in height and width from three to five feet, except in one or two
spots, where it is sufficiently high to permit a man to stand erect. The
floor was covered with a layer of mud, about a foot thick, and crusted
over with stalagmite. Imbedded in this mud was a miscellaneous
assortment of animal remains which had been preserved and some still
retained their animal gelatine.
How
did the the remains of such large animals end up in this narrow fissure
of the rock. They could not have squeezed themselves in whilst
alive, and the absence of any sand or gravel is conclusive proof that
they had not been floated in by the action of water. The bones
were mostly broken and gnawed in pieces, and intermixed with teeth.
Amongst the latter the teeth of the hyena were most abundant, the number
found representing between 200 and 300 of those animals. Hence, in
the opinion of Dr. Buckland, it was a veritable hyenas' cave, and the
bones had been carried in by them for food.
There
are two entrances to the cave, but only experienced and properly equipped
cavers or potholers should consider exploring them.
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Wombleton Airfield
Wombleton
is exceptional in many respects and in one in particular - it has an airfield.
The
RAF built the airfield with 3 runways and it was operational from 1943
to 1949. During World War
II it was used by the 
Royal Canadian Air Force as part of 6
(RCAF) Group, RAF Bomber Command.
Pilots who were experienced on twin-engined
bombers such as Wellingtons, Whitleys and Mosquitoes came to Wombleton to receive conversion training for the
four-engined heavy bombers such
as the Halifax Mk 1 & 2 and the Lancaster Mk 3 & Canadian Mk 10.
Their
motto was "Sollertia et ingenium" which translates as
"Initiative and skill". And their badge a Maple Leaf
superimposed on a York Rose to symbolise the association with
Yorkshire.
Those
stationed at Wombleton were a part of a group unique in the annals
of Bomber Command by virtue of its overseas nationality.
They formed part of the Canadian Bomber Group, which
operated from Yorkshire and near-Yorkshire bases.
At its height, the group had 14 heavy bomber squadrons and
to give you an idea of their battle record; in 1944 they flew
25,353 operational sorties and dropped 86,503 tons of bombs and
mines with the lowest loss percentage of four-engined aircraft in
the whole of Bomber Command.
Following D-Day, during one single month (August),
Halifaxes and Lancasters of the Group flew 3,740 operational
sorties and dropped 13,274 tons of bombs - more than the total
dropped on London by the Luftwaffe during the entire war.
The
Group's heaviest attack of the war was against Dortmund on the
night of 6th/7th October 1944, when 293 Lancasters and Halifaxes
took off from their Yorkshire and near-Yorkshire bases: 273 bombed
the primary target, three attacked an alternative, two failed to
return, and the remainder were for various reasons unable to drop
their bombs.
There
is a memorial situated close to the air field on the road between
Wombleton and Harome inscribed with the words:
This
memorial is dedicated to the Canadians of No. 6 (RCAF) Group
of Bomber Command and to the men and women of the RAF and WAAF
who served at Wombleton during the Second World War.
The people of Ryedale express their thanks to them
for giving their youth and time and, in many instances, their lives.
We will remember them.
Dedicated 28th May, 2001
During
the 1950s some of the old accommodation blocks were used to house
homeless people. Although these and many of the other airfield
buildings have fallen into disrepair, some have been restored and one in
particular is being used by the local Funeral Director as a chapel of
rest!
The
airfield is situated on the road to Harome on land which was once
ancient common, enclosed in the 18th century. It is now used for micro lights
and civilian light aircraft.
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