Starbeck
Starbeck is an area of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. It has many facilities, including Starbeck railway station, which serves the Harrogate line. Frequent services depart to Harrogate, Leeds and York.
History
Starbeck village was originally part of the ancient Royal Forest of Knaresborough, which is situated to the south of the River Nidd. It is north of the Rivers Wharfe and Washburn, and west of Blubberhouse Moor. The village traces its source in swamp ground between Knaresborough and High Harrogate. The 'Star Beck' flows into the Crimple Beck and Nidd, then into the North Sea. The Forest Lane level Crossing in Starbeck was used by Yorkshire Television for the filming of a scene in the Beiderbecke Affair. This is because besides tracks, access roads and the Middleton Railway, there are no level crossings in Leeds. Starbeck also featured in a 1989 episode of Yorkshire Television's The New Statesman starring Rik Mayall.
The railways come to Starbeck
The railway came to Starbeck in 1848. The railway buildings gradually increased and with them came a corn mill, malt house and water bottling plant. The population expanded rapidly in this period, most families owing their livelihood in some way to the railway.
Decline of the railways
In the 1950s the decline set in. In 1951 the Pateley Bridge line closed to passengers and the loop line to Pannal (under Crimple Viaduct) closed completely. In September 1959 the engine shed and marshalling yard closed. In 1967 the passenger service to Ripon was withdrawn.
The last goods train travelled the old Leeds to Thirsk railway line from Starbeck to Northallerton on 9 October 1969, leaving only the current Harrogate Line. By 1969 the station was no longer manned and the station buildings, goods shed and coal depot were demolished in 1978.
Starbeck today
The High Street has many shops including chemist, post office, butcher's shops, general stores, a car dealership, motorcycle sales shop and a chimney sweep who sells wood-burning fires. The many shops in the High Street and several small industrial areas are all close by, surrounded by residential developments.
Taylors of Harrogate's Yorkshire Tea factory and Bettys Craft Bakery are within Starbeck. There is a major supermarket, Morrisons, in Starbeck, together with large electrical retailers.
There are two public houses on the High Street - the Prince of Wales and the Henry Peacock (named after the master of the local workhouse during the 19th century).
In 2006 Starbeck was the winner of the Royal Horticultural Society award in the Urban Community Category.
There are historical public baths in Starbeck, building on the spa history of the area.
Starbeck is one of the Urban Community Britain in Bloom Finalists 2008.
See also
References
- Harrogate Advertiser, Friday 2 January 2009
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Starbeck. |
Coordinates: 53°59′N 1°30′W / 53.983°N 1.500°W