Swale Hall, Grinton, Coast to Coast
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Swale Hall with Fremington Edge in the background
Swale Hall, Grinton, Coast to Coast
Swale Hall is located on the River Swale's south riverbank on the outskirts of Grinton Village. More precisely, it is sited on Harker Side between Swale Hall Lane and the Low Lane track, slightly west of St Andrew's Church. It has a Grade II Listing and dates to the 17th century. It has quite a history, mostly involving one previous owner in the early 18th century. To the rear of the property is a Bowl Barrow and nearby, to the east and the west, are ancient, lengthy north-south dykes, which are also listed structures.
Swale Hall Grinton
The property was once occupied by the Swale family who are said to be among the most controversial characters of the Yorkshire gentry. In 1715 the head of the family, Sir Solomon Swale, who was a 3rd baronet and a lawyer, lost ownership of the property and other estates he owned in Yorkshire that his family had been accumulating for 600 years. He spent time in Fleet Street debtor's prison and upon his release spent the rest of his life in poverty.
Swale Hall from the Barrow Path
Swale Hall is located in the field adjoining the Swale Bowl Barrow.
Swale Hall Bowl Barrow
The Swale Hall Bowl Barrow is located in the field at the rear of Swale Hall. A footpath passes to the south of the Barrow, which is easily visible from it. Bowl Barrows date from the Late Neolithic Period to the Late Bronze Age. Most of them date at about 2400 - 1500 BC. They were made as earthen or rubble mounds, sometimes with a ditch around them. They may be for single burials or for multiple burials. Bowl Barrows are the most common type of Barrow.
Hay Making at Swale Hall
An obvious attraction to watch farmers harvesting the hay is that they always do it on dry, sunny days.Hay requires a run of good weather before it can be harvested. The grass is mowed and turned over a couple of times to assist in the drying out, which also enables the seeds to drop to the ground and grow for the next season. The cut grass is then rowed into lines for the baler to follow.
Spring issuing from Swale Hall
An attractive gill begins at a spring in the grounds of Swale Hall, running parallel to Swale Hall Lane, set on a course to meet the River Swale opposite to where the Arkle Beck converges with the Swale, and at the western side of Thorny Bank Plantation.
Coast to Coast Trail Guide
Hiking the Coast to Coast
"Hiking the Coast to Coast" is a digitally enhanced eBook available from Apple Books for all people who have either a Mac, an iPhone or an iPad, and is designed to accompany you on your walk of the Coast to Coast path. The trail guide contains Ordnance Survey maps and other advanced mapping features, step by step directions, hundreds of colour photographs, details of the route, its conditions in different weather and research snippets relating to places of interest along the way.
