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Fadmoor

Village

Description

Fadmoor is a typical moorland village, built around a village green, but in a slightly unusual location. Most villages on the tabular hills are on the edge of the hills (as is nearby Gillamoor), but Fadmoor stands in the middle of one of the gently sloping plateaus that give the hills their name.

Map of Fadmoor in 1914Fadmoor was the birthplace of Joseph Foord, a hydraulic engineer and some-time Quaker. Although the family moved away from Fadmoor in 1734 (to Skiplam, on the opposite side of Kirk Dale), in 1743 Foord was judged guilty of have a son out of wedlock with Sarah Pilmoor of Fadmoor, and was expelled from the Society of Friends.

Foord’s father was a local farmer and a land agent for the Duncombe Park estate, who died in 1744, when Foord inherited his farm. Foord was responsible for bringing water to the dry Moorland villages. The limestone tabular hills were always short of water, and in c.1747 Foord constructed a water race which brought water to Gillamoor and Fadmoor from moorland springs five miles to the north. This system was extended to Kirkbymoorside in 1757 and by 1768 Foord had brought fresh water to Cartlon, Nawton, Pockley, Old Byland and Rievaulx. These water races are sometimes visible running almost level along the hillsides, and can best be seen at the edge of the car park on Newgate Bank. Foord’s natural son, Joseph Pilmore, was sent to America by John Welsey in 1769, to act as a Methodist missionary.

Our walk SE8685/01: Kirkdale and Gillamoor passes close to Fadmoor

Location

Grid Reference: SE 675 893