Hudswell, North Yorkshire visit
On Saturday 21 September, the second of our 2024 regional visits took place. We gathered at Hudswell village hall and, after welcomes, the day started with a presentation about the community-led developments that have taken place over the last ~15 years. These were in three main categories: new and existing homes; the community-owned pub; and the conversion of the redundant church of St. Michael & All Angels into a hostel for walkers, cyclists and other visitors to this beautiful part of the Yorkshire Dales.
We then walked through the village to visit these community-run projects. Over the years, Hudswell Community Charity has taken on a small row of existing village houses, as well as developing three new homes about 6 years ago. There are now also three eco-homes under construction. These are rented out to people who meet pre-defined criteria, which include a local connection and housing need.
The development of these community homes demonstrates an attention to detail and focus on sustainability and accessibility that is also evident in the ongoing conversion of the listed village church. After it was closed, this late Victorian church, which sits on the site of a much earlier – possibly Saxon – church, was taken on by the community. Various options were considered, and it was decided to convert it into a hostel to provide useful accommodation for visitors to the area and to keep it as a space that the community can continue to access. The website and bookings will be online soon for the opening in 2025.
The third stop was the George & Dragon pub, which was the first community pub in North Yorkshire. After it closed during the 2008 financial crisis, a group of residents met to discuss whether they could do anything to support its reopening. An organisation – the Hudswell Community Pub Initiative – was set up, research undertaken, village support and grants secured, a prospectus developed, and a community benefit society formed. Pledges to invest were sought and obtained, and along with funding from other sources, these initial 177 investors, including 78 from the village, enabled the community to purchase the building. The community pub and its Little Shop was formally opened in June 2010. There is also a community orchard, allotments, and apiary. The pub acts as an information exchange for villagers and tourists, and provides a small library and internet access for pub users. Since reopening, further notable achievements include being awarded the national CAMRA Pub of the Year, and village residents running the pub themselves for a few months between tenancies.
Hudswell was named in the Domesday Book and today is a small community with just 110 dwellings. Unlike many villages in the Dales, it has an increasing number of young families, and few holiday homes. Bringing the village pub into community ownership was the catalyst that has inspired further community-led development, and it was noted that ‘some individuals do a lot, but a lot of people do a little’. This community support and engagement has been important in enabling all of these projects, as well as continuing to manage and develop activities at the village hall. Another important factor for the new eco-housing was that the Hudswell Community Charity already owned a small amount land. The original charity structure dates back to 1680s for ‘the relief of poverty and hardship’ of the residents of Hudswell, and it has continued to identify and address local needs by responding to recent changes and opportunities in both practical and ambitious ways.
These initial reflections on the visit will be written up into a short case study as part of HTVF’s ‘Reaching Rural communities: the value of heritage assets for social, environmental and economic wellbeing’.
Many thanks to the Hudswell residents who led the visit on 21 September and helped with preparation in advance, including: Martin Booth, Ian Whinray, Heather Swettenham, Annie Sumner, Susan Ferns-Williams and Judy Farrah.
Just Giving page: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/hudswell-church-conversion-to-dales-hostel
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