The History of Thornton-le-Dale Book

Thornton-le-Dale was voted the prettiest village in Yorkshire in a newspaper poll and it continues to attract tourists to its charming houses alongside the beck. Yet, as this history shows, Thornton-le-Dale has a long and fascinating story which should be known by anyone who lives in the village or who spends a holiday here or who is just curious to know what went on in days long gone.
Reginald Jeffery (1877-1956) was a fellow and tutor at Brasenose College, Oxford. Thornton-le-Dale was a second home for him. He first came to stay in the village in 1894, with his cousin the Rev E W Heslop, and then took a house where he was a frequent resident for the next thirty-six years. During that time he worked with his sister on his history of Thornton-le-Dale which was published in 1931.
Keith Snowden was born in Pickering. He is well-known in North Yorkshire for his travel and documentary films, research for which led to his writing a popular series of local and regional histories. He has broadcast a short series of historical talks on BBC Radio York and as a film-maker has appeared on television on several occasions.