Below is a report of a recent meeting of the village's Local History Group, kindly submitted by one of the group's members, Chris Shaw. The website is most appreciative of her contribution.

More information about the work of the History Group, including forthcoming meetings, previous talks, projects, people and places, can be found on the Group's website. Please click here.

Chris writes:-

"At their November meeting, members of the Bishop Monkton Local History Group were treated to a talk by Richard Taylor, a founding member of the Ripon Museum Trust.

Richard’s talk, entitled “No Rest for the Wicked”, told the story of how the Ripon Museum Trust was established in 1982 and, thanks to funding from both public institutions and private individuals, has transformed three heritage sites in the centre of Ripon. The Workhouse (said to be the most complete workhouse in the country), the Courthouse, and the Prison and Police Museums are within walking distance of each other and offer a unique insight into the story of poverty, crime and justice in Victorian society.

Among many interesting stories we learned that both the mother and grandmother of the famous author, Barbara Taylor Bradford, had spent time in the Workhouse, inspiring her novel “A Woman of Substance”. We also heard about Charles White of Bishop Monkton who, in 1877, was fined £1 for stealing trees."