Long Preston
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Long Preston is a village situated in Craven, North Yorkshire, England, in the Yorkshire Dales. It lies along the A65 road, and is 12 miles from the larger town of Skipton and 4 miles from the town of Settle. The population of Long Preston in 2001 was 680 residents.
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[edit] History
[edit] Early Ages
Human occupation of the area around Long Preston goes back to prehistoric times as remains have been found at Victoria Cave on the hills above Settle. Also a stone age axe head was found in the area of Bookil Gill.
[edit] Middle Ages
In 1086, Long Preston was known as Prestune, meaning "the priest's farmstead or town". Later on "Long" was added, referring to its linear development and distinguishing Long Preston from the many other Prestons.
The first school built in the village was during the reign of Edward IV (1461-1483) which was part of the Hammerton Chapel. It is likely that it was closed in 1641 during the dissolution of the religious houses. In 1672 The Petty School was held most likely either in the chapel or in a building near an old vicarage. The new school replaced The Petty School in 1819.
[edit] Industrial Age
In the 1700s and 1800s, Long Preston was dominated by agriculture and the trades associated with it. In the 1750s a turnpike road was constructed from Long Preston to Settle. In the 1960s this road (now the A65) was raised, widened, and straighted. Several homes and farms were demolished to accomplish this.
In 1790, a cotton spinning mill was constructed, possibly built on the site of an old corn mill. The mill was demolished in 1881 due to flooding. Later on Fleets cotton mill was built which was 3 storeys high and water powered.
The railway was opened in the 1800s which declined in the 1970s and 80s but is now seeing an increase in freight and light passenger traffic.
In 1801 the population was 573 and rose to 808 in 1831 but later dropped to 610 in 1961, most probably due to the end of the Industrial Revolution where people moved to the towns and cities to find work in the mills.
[edit] Modern Day
Between 1923 and 1935, Long Preston was the railhead for the construction of Stocks Reservoir built by the Fylde Water Board (FWB). Steam traction engines hauled material between the FWB depot, to the west of the current station, by road to Tosside where connection was made with a 3 foot gauge industrial railway system that served the dam construction project (Bowtell, 1988).
In the 20th century, most people were employed in the town at the garage, wool warehouse, auction mart, farms etc. or in the surrounding area, e.g. Skipton. A number of houses were rented at Long Preston making it affordable to live there. In the 1960s people started to purchase their own homes.
In the late 50s and early 60s, there was a thriving livestock auction mart, shoe shop, tailors, butchers, bakers, post office, cafés, wool warehouse and corn mill.
A bypass was proposed and was given the go-ahead in 1994 after a lot of money had been spent on planning. After the general election, with Labour gaining power, the bypass was scrapped.
Long Preston is the home of audio book producer, Magna Story Sound.
Long Preston is served by Long Preston railway station which is on the Airedale Line.
[edit] References
Bowtell, H.D., (1988), Lesser Railways of Bowland Forest and Craven Country - and the dam builders in the age of steam, Platewell Press, ISBN 978-0-9511108-8-1
