ACKWORTH: Wakefield Parish #5 of 30

[@TheVillageIdiot]

ACKWORTH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: - As well as the windmill at the top of Mill Hill in High Ackworth, there was also a watermill in the Mill Lane/Mill Dam area of Moor Top, close to where the Mill Dam Primary school is now. - In 1341 the 'Inquisitiones Nonarum' noted that the only people living in Ackworth were those working in agriculture. - Ackworth has or has had in the past, an underground reservoir - Geoff Boycott started his cricketing at Ackworth Cricket Club - Between Ackworth and Pontefract there’s something called The Plague Stone associated with the outbreak of plague that affected Ackworth in 1645. The hollow on top that now fills with rain water was filled with vinegar at the time as a disinfectant for coins left in it as payment for goods brought to the village boundary from Pontefract. - St Cuthberts and All Saints Churches at Ackworth have been (or are soon to be) combined with the church at Badsworth to become a conjoined benefice according to new changes from Wakefield Council. They will stay separate ecclesiastical parishes and of course separate civil parishes

[@tedmarston7560]

I was born in Leigh street at Brackenhill in May 1937. I left in 1956 to join the RAF. I was a choirboy at St Cuthberts church and attended Brackenhill School. I still visit Ackworth and still after all these years feel homesick in those days there were very few red brick built houses, just the lovely weathered Ackworth sand stone

[@iandawe948]

Nice to see a video on where i grew up till the age of 12. Before moving to east yorks. Lived on wakefield road opposite the angel inn. Excellent video 👍👍👍

[@iandawe948]

After 50yrs i went back to the village for a look a couple of weeks ago. Hardly recognised the place due to the amount of housing. On seeing bell lane chippy still there, brought back some good memories. Slowly working my way through your videos

[@gmarshall6964]

Thank you Andy. It was really interesting to get your 'walk around' impression of our parish. It cemented for me, a longstanding idea that we need to make more of our history and our footpaths, that we need some fingerposts, and to secure some more public green spaces. You missed our last stone quarry on Green Lane which is well worth a visit.

[@alancrossley4461]

I have been fascinated by this video. Like one of your other viewers I too was a pupil at Ackworth School from 1961 - 1969. I certainly didn’t recognise much of the area, but it has been 50 plus years since I left Boarding School. In my days the school has changed dramatically. Slate floors, pine floor boards and horse hair mattresses, clanging of bells dictated my every move, discipline was harsh, the food was edible but not necessarily enjoyable, 16 inch trouser bottoms at a time when the rest of the youth of the United Kingdom wore drainpipe trousers, a strong leather slipper across the backside instilled lasting discomfort and, on top of all that our beloved parents paid for our privilege to attend. But if I told my three children that they would never believe me. Alan Crossley.

[@adamsmees4250]

nice vid! i grew up in ackworth and i learnt a few hings i didn't know!! spent sooooo many teenage nights sat on the monument at high ackworth!

[@TheVillageIdiot]

Glad you enjoyed it! It took me ages to make this one, do glad it's so well received, mind you the Wakefield ones do seem very popular with the locals on the whole. Must be a West Yorkshire thing

[@cheman579]

@@TheVillageIdiot Patriotism init

[@dbowbow]

I believe Geoff Boycott started his cricketing at Ackworth CC

[@TheVillageIdiot]

Cheers Dan, that's going in the additional info!

[@tedmarston7560]

Yes he did play for Ackworth and Hemsworth Colliery at Fitzwilliam. There are three Ackworth Books published with photographs of him with the Ackworth team. He lived at Fitzwilliam and his father worked down Hemsworth Colliery driving the haulage engine where I once worked.

[@iandawe948]

I remember seeing him being bowled out first ball. By a lad who went on to play for yorkshire. Geoff wasnt very happy when he came off

[@JohnDLewis]

I'm a disabled musician releasing music for no cost, in the main. Would you allow me to use a few seconds of your video? May sound bizarre, but the song revolves around my time at Ackworth School in the 1960s, I used to love watching the trains from the football fields of the school. I would credit you in the video with a link back to the video in the youtube description. Thanks, John

[@TheVillageIdiot]

Of course you can John. I'd be honoured! Which bit would you be using?

[@JohnDLewis]

@@TheVillageIdiot Unsure as yet, just putting the first clips together. The sequence with the ancient road sign outside the school for sure ... as the intro music plays, and possibly the Meeting house a little later on. I'll send you a link to the completed video. THANK YOU so much.

[@alancrossley4461]

Hello John. My name is Alan Crossley and I was also at Ackworth School in the early sixties but didn’t recognise your name, which given my age is a regular occurrence. I would be interested to hear from you about your experience and if you retain any contact with ex pupils? Kind regards Alan

[@johnbielby1866]

Sorry andy. Very disrespectful filming in the cemetery.

[@TheVillageIdiot]

Why? I've filmed no end of cemeteries before, this was no different?

[@tedmarston7560]

I can't see any problem with filming in the cemetery. The next time I visit my home village of Ackworth I shall have a wander round respectfully looking for old families and friends who may have passed since I left in 1959

[@paulannable3734]

I enjoyed that, seeing you walk around my village on video. I could imagine watching that sitting on the other side of the world with a nostalgic lump in my throat. I’ve lived here for (almost unbelievable to me) 21 years, 14 of them doing intense dog walking, and I know every inch, every footpath of the place. That was great, thanks!

[@TheVillageIdiot]

Great stuff! This will have been almost like your version of my Saxilby video (where I grew up) then, glad I could give you that nostalgic experience :D