Hampsthwaite: Hampsthwaite Village buildings and their histories

The Pinfold

(click on photo for a larger image in a new window)

Hampsthwaite's bus shelter in Hollins Lane is a useful and attractive structure built in stone and adorned for most of the year with flower baskets maintained by a dedicated group of villagers. How many villagers are aware that it stands on the site of the ancient village pinfold? These next photographs give a view from the shelter's eastern side and disclose the remains of the circular walling which must once have extended all round the site and which would have had a gated entrance.

The Unnetie Digitisation Project includes a 1967 image of a pinfold on the junction between Swincliffe Lane and Hirst Lane. Although now somewhat overgrown it is a good local example of a complete pinfold. Click on the photo below to be linked to the Unnetie project and search for Hampsthwaite

Here is what Wikipedia has to say about pinfolds . . . . .

(click on photos for a larger image in a new window)