Travelling from York to Malton is a journey that many people make daily, but it has not always been easy. Howard Campion, a trustee at the Malton and Norton Heritage Centre, reports.
A HIGH percentage of visitors to Malton arrive from York and the west either by rail or road, and the economy of Malton and Norton does depend heavily upon such traffic.
The journey by road was always impeded by the need to ascend Whitwell Hill (approximately five miles distant from Malton) but nowadays it does not present many difficulties.
It is no surprise to learn that a very early route in this direction was thought to miss it and follow the River Derwent for part of the journey.
However, it has been shown that another early road used the gentler slopes from Stamford Bridge (‘Mook Street’) thereby arriving in Norton.
When the railway eventually came to Malton it too avoided the hill, following the River Derwent for its last few miles.
An early, but expensive plan to tunnel the railway under Whitwell was abandoned on financial grounds.
When mechanised (steam) transport took over from horses it was always a good idea for the driver to ensure that his boiler was full of water - particularly before the Whitwell challenge ahead.
Just before the ascent the road crosses over Spital Beck and its water supply was valuable for this purpose.
Read more from Howard Campion:
- A look back at Malton’s Middlecave Road
- A look back at Malton's Spital Street
- A look back at Malton's Milton Rooms
A ‘chain and pulley’ system, used to lower the collecting bucket into the water often caused damage to the stone structure of the bridge leaving groove marks that can still be seen today.
Early motorised transport often struggled up and much gear crunching could be heard (1940/50s) when the number 43 West Yorkshire buses slowly made their way to the top.
Whitwell village is now by-passed with Castle Howard nearby and the ‘Exclamation Gate’ is just on the left after the village.
It was created for Queen Victoria when she visited in 1850.
Her hosts (the Carlisles) wanted her to have a good view of their mansion whilst arriving there by road from the local station.
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