Local people making their corner of rural Britain unique
This week
Saturday 11 November 2006
In this week鈥檚 Open Country, Richard Uridge is on the moors in Haworth and the Upper听Worth Valley,听separating historical fact from literary fiction听.
On Open Country this week, Richard Uridge is in the Upper Worth Valley, exploring a landscape that鈥檚 been shaped as much by perception as by fact.
Most of us know the Upper Worth Valley because of the work of a remarkable family 鈥 Charlotte, Anne and Emily 鈥 better known as the Brontes. Their novels and poetry has helped shaped people鈥檚 ideas of what this valley was like, and has drawn people to听The Bronte Parsonage Museum where the family lived in Haworth. Richard chats with Ann Dinsdale, the museum鈥檚 librarian, who鈥檚 just published about the family called 鈥淭he Brontes at Haworth.鈥
Next, Richard climbs to the top of a ridge to get an overview of the Upper Worth Valley with topographer Reg Hindley. Geology, poltics, economics and social upheaval had all had an effect on the look of the听 valley. According to Reg, each colour on the patch work quilt of farms and moorland that can be seen is the result of some sort of change. And the landscape is still changing today.
Back on the valley floor, local historian Steve Wood gives Richard a quick lesson in just how busy the Upper Worth Valley was at the time the Bronte family lived there. The area was dotted with woollen mills, and even mining took place in the valley. Far from being a bleak, quiet, place, the area around Haworth, Oxenhope, etc, would have been filled with the noises of mills, mining and farming. Things began to quiet down after the Brontes time when a series of reservoirs were built in the area to provide water for the cities of Bradford and Keighley. The result was a virtual clearance of farming from the upper moors and a decline in milling.
And speaking of mills, Richard visits the last working mill in Haworth. makes specialist ribbon for military uniforms and medal regalia. If you鈥檝e even seen gold braid, elaborate epaulets or even sergeants stripes during a parade from any UK or Common Wealth Country, chances are, it was woven by Wyedean. Father and son David and Robin Wright still run the mill. 鈥淭he Royal Family鈥檚 our best advertisement,鈥 David says. 鈥淓very time they dress for a military parade, you see our ribbon.鈥 The family also explains the origins behind some of the best known military decorations.
Finally, it鈥檚 back up the top of the moors with Conservation Officer Tim Melling . Tim sees himself as the PR champion for the twite, a dull brown bird with a rather unique call that鈥檚 become quite rare in the UK. He tells Richard how the Upper Worth Valley is one of the few places the birds can be seen as well as why the valley itself is so special for birdlife.
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