Embsay
| Embsay | |
|---|---|
 Embsay
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| Embsay shown within North Yorkshire | |
| Population | 1,758 |
| OS grid reference | SE011533 |
| • London | 185 mi (298 km) SSE |
| Civil parish | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SKIPTON |
| Postcode district | BD23 |
| Dialling code | 01756 |
| Police | North Yorkshire |
| Fire | North Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
Embsay is a village in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is about 2 miles (3 km) north-east from Skipton. It and the neighbouring village of Eastby form the civil parish of Embsay with Eastby, which had a population of 1,758 in 2001.
At the foot of Embsay Crag, a rock formation north of the village, is Embsay Reservoir. The crag marks the start of Barden Moor, an expanse of open moorland which is open access land and used by walkers. There are two reservoirs on the moor: Upper Barden Reservoir and Lower Barden Reservoir. The smaller reservoir is the headquarters of Craven Sailing Club.
Embsay was originally a Celtic settlement, possibly founded at the same time as a local monastery, destroyed in a Viking raid in 867AD. The village has a Saxon name and is listed in the Doomsday Book as "Embesie", which translates as "Embe's enclosure". At that time, much of the area was wooded and this was progressively cleared over time to provide farmland. In 1121, Cecily de Romille and her husband founded a priory at Embsay. The Augustinian members of the priory dedicated it to Saint Cuthbert and received local tithes. In 1154 they exchanged estates with the de Romille family and moved to Bolton Abbey, which was a more fertile location. The priory flourished and grew rich on the profits of sheep farming and wool trading. In 1305, Edward I granted a charter for an annual fair at Embsay.
The Industrial Revolution resulted in several mills being built in Embsay.
Embsay Village Hall events include film nights, pantomimes, bowls, and jumble sales.
The village has a newsagents on the main road. The dedicated post office closed; a counter in a newspaper shop now serves as a post office. Other businesses in Embsay are a hairdresser and an arts and crafts store. Embsay has two public houses: the Elm Tree Inn and the Cavendish Arms. The Elm Tree Inn and Elm Tree Square take their names from a tree that stood there for many years. It was replaced in the late 20th century because of Dutch elm disease, but in 2006 that replacement was also taken down. A further replacement was planted in 2007.
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Wikipedia