| Hellifield | |
|---|---|
| Village and parish | |
 | |
.svg)  Hellifield Location withinNorth Yorkshire | |
| Population | 1,426 (2011 census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SD855565 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SKIPTON |
| Postcode district | BD23 |
| Dialling code | 01729 |
| Police | North Yorkshire |
| Fire | North Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| UK Parliament | |
| 54°00′21″N2°13′18″W / 54.00583°N 2.22167°W /54.00583; -2.22167 | |
Hellifield is a village andcivil parish inNorth Yorkshire, England (grid referenceSD855565).Historically part of theWest Riding of Yorkshire, the village was once an importantrailway junction on theSettle-Carlisle Railway between theMidland Railway and theLancashire and Yorkshire Railway, butHellifield railway station is now a shadow of its former glory. It is situated on theA65, betweenSkipton andSettle. Hellifield had a population of 1,060 residents at the 2001 census, increasing to 1,426 at the2011 census.[1]
Hellifield mostly lies onmudstone that dates to theCarboniferous period; there are some patches ofglaciofluvial deposits and peat around the village.[2]
In theDomesday Book of 1086, Hellifield is mentioned as Helgeflet; meaning 'Holy Marsh or Stream', translated fromAnglo-Saxon,[3] the village also could have been dedicated to the Anglo-Saxon Goddess 'Hel'. There is also the possibility that the name derives from theNorse 'The Farm of Helgi'. The village name changed over the years; in the 12th century, Hellifield was referred to as "Nether Hellifield" and in the 17th and 18th centuries the village was named "Hellifield Pele" and slightly later "Hellifield Cochins". The modern spelling of Hellifield appears in the mid-19th century, on maps and drawings.
In medieval times it seems that the area between Hellifield andLong Preston was hunted by wolves, so men were employed to guide travellers between the two settlements. Livestock suffered until the extinction in Britain of thegrey wolf.[4]
Hellifield was historically atownship in the ancient parish of Long Preston in theWest Riding of Yorkshire.[5] It became a separatecivil parish in 1866.[6]
In the mid-19th century, the village was nothing more than a hamlet. The local workforce mainly concentrated within agriculture and associated trades.
Cotton weaving did take place in the village and several weaving sheds were constructed in the area.
During the 19th century, the railway revolution reached the village, which dramatically changed the growth and population changes of the small hamlet. The original railway station was located on Haw Lane, but in 1880 a new station replaced the old one.[7] This coincided with the opening of theLancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company's new line fromBlackburn to Hellifield. This line and the Midland Railway'sSettle toCarlisle Railway (opened 1876), turned Hellifield into a major passenger and freight interchange. Consequently, many houses and streets were built in the early 20th century to house a large railway population.
The Methodist Church in Haw Grove was opened in 1893. Part of the church, known as theWesley Centre, now serves as a community centre.[8]St Aidan's Church, Hellifield, the Anglican church, opened in 1906.[9]
Regular passenger services to Blackburn were cut in 1962, and the Motive Power Depot closed in 1963.[10] New houses were constructed on top of previous railway land and the auction mart.[11]
Hellifield was transferred to the new county of North Yorkshire in 1974. In 2014 the small former civil parishes ofNappa andSwinden were added to the parish.[12]
Hellifield is a major part of theelectoral ward called Hellifield and Long Preston. Its population at the 2011 census was 2,168.[13] From 1974 to 2023 it was in theCraven local government district, and is now inNorth Yorkshire unitary authority area.
TheHellifield Flashes (Yorkshire dialect for a pond in a field) are part of the village life and history. There are three flashes.[14] The largest is Hellifield Flash or Gallaber Lake, the second Dunbars and the smallest is known as either Little Dunbars or Dunbars 2. The Flashes provide habitat for wildfowl and migratory birds. This important area provides a sanctuary for 12 species on theRSPB "red list'. Where once wolves roamed, now a wildlife habitat reigns. However, the land is under threat from development and villagers desperate to preserve their countryside are fighting hard to prevent any further development. The birdlife is monitored regularly by the RSPB and features high on the 'must visit' list of ornithologists.
Hellifield nestles on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and is surrounded by rolling hills,dry stone walls and agricultural land.
A proposal to build a 4-mile (6.5 km) bypass for the A65 around Hellifield and Long Preston has been in discussion since the end of the Second World War.[15] The project was the subject of an inquiry in 1992 – 1993 and an archaeological survey.[16] A decision to de-trunk the route in 2006 means that if the bypass were to go ahead, it would have to be funded by the county council.[15]
