Ilkley East Wander #19: Clevedon Retrospect (Part 1)
The cache, a camo-taped pre-form tube, is the 19th of a series of 20 caches which will take you through some of the lovely countryside immediately to the south-east of Ilkley.
See GC8PCW2 Ilkley East Wander #1: Intro and . . . Prick!? for information on the series and waypoints. See Gallery for an annotated map with cache locations and parking spots.
If doing Full Series in sequence: from #18, continue heading up the path heading diagonally across the large grassy field to the top corner and cache location.
If doing Mini-Series 2: park at P3 and refer to IEW#1 using the link above to reach IEW#13 then continue with the shorter sequence to IEW#18 then as above.
At this point, as well as affording fine views over and along the Wharfe Valley, the nature and extent of the substantial retirement village to the west can well be appreciated.
This is a relatively recent development, opening in 2009, but the site has a long and rich history summarised below (info adapted from the relevant Burley Community Library web page [with additions]).
On the 1851 OS 6" map of this area, The Mount, Stead can be seen as a major structure in the area, rather than just a typical group of farm buildings. On this map, the [unlabelled] collection of buildings to the north west are Wharfedale Grange farm (see maps in the Gallery). [Thus, the names 'The Mount' and 'Wharfedale Grange' were used to refer to the large residential buildings adjacent to the original farm. Today these have become the Audley Clevedon Retirement Village and the farm remains as Wharfedale Grange Farm].
It is thought that the main part of The Mount (at) Stead structure was built around 1780. The Mount Lodge now called Saxon Lodge on Coutances Way (A65) was built at that time to connect The Mount to the main Skipton-Otley turnpike.
It is not (yet) known when the adjacent complex of structures constituting Wharfedale Grange Farm, was first built, but they may be 17th century - thereby predating The Mount buildings.
Available information on The Mount which has been gleaned from local newspapers includes the following:
1849 - It was the home William Smith (1776-1850), for many years a leading Leeds woollen merchant and served on the commission of the peace of the borough. For 2 years after Municipal Reform Act was passed he was Chief Magistrate. He died aged 74.
1851 - William Nolan, the former butler to Mr Smith, takes possession.
1852 - It was refurbished to take advantage of the visitors to the nearby Ben Rhydding Hydropathic Establishment (opened in 1844) and The Mount Stead Hotel & Boarding House opened. The next year extensions were added.
1856 - Mr Nolan dies, the business closes and The Mount becomes unoccupied.
1858 - It becomes the home of John Hudson Esq.
1858 - Dr George Pyemont Smith (see Gallery for the obituary of this notable man) is granted a license to open The Mount Retreat Asylum (MRA) to house 30 patients (16 males + 14 females under his father's superintendence. This was the 2nd Retreat he was involved with. The first was Castleton Lodge Retreat in Leeds (est'd 1835) run by his father Sir Samuel Smith, surgeon (one of the founders in 1831 of the Leeds School of Medicine & prominent opponent of Child Labour) which was moved to The Mount.
1865 - the Otley to Ilkley Joint Railway opens.
1872 - Dr Smith retires through ill-health & The MRA closes shortly afterwards - there are newspaper references to auctions in May & June of the furnishings & fittings and the mansion - 9 reception rooms, entrance hall, 20 bedrooms & servants apartments. Also the estate lands stretching from Rumbolds (Rombalds) Moor to the Otley Turnpike Road.
1873 - Becomes the home of John Ramsden
1874 - Becomes the Wharfedale Mount Hotel, Mount Stead (Proprietors James Sutcliffe & C. Leuchters)
1881 - 1884 - Becomes the Ilkley & Wharfedale Orphanage & Children's Home. This was established by William Henry Conyers who used The Mount as his home and residence & the Wharfedale Grange farm buildings as the children's home for girls. In 1884, the orphanage moved to a more central location at Richmond Place, Ilkley. Mr Conyers & his family remained at The Mount.
1884 - Part of Wharfedale Grange farm became the home of a Mr Milnes. During this year, there was a fire at the property as feature in this short historical piece from the Ilkley Gazette . . .
1887/8 - The whole site called 'Wharfedale Grange - The Mount & Wharfedale Grange farm' was offered for sale, let or lease by Mr W. Conyers.
1894 - Wharfedale Grange becomes the property of Thomas B. Fox who used The Mount as his family residence and the farm buildings for breeding horses . . .
(continues with IEW#20)