Levisham, A Case Study in Local History, by Betty Halse

This is a book for people with an active interest in local history.
Using as an example the history of the small village of Levisham, situated in the heart of the North York Moors, the book focuses on the process of investigation – what sources are available? – where are they to be found? – what sort of thing can we find out from them? Levisham is a good place to investigate. Its history has been shaped by the landscape, so we start there. Scattered over the moor are archaeological remains going back to prehistoric times. There is the site of a medieval monastic sheep farm and iron bloomery, while down in Newtondale are the remains of a more recent attempt at iron production. The lives of its population of small farming families can be uncovered from their wills; the hardships of 19th century poverty from the parish Poor Book. The village was opened up to the world by George Stephenson’s railway, known to a new generation of holiday makers and steam railway enthusiasts as the North York Moors Railway.
The book is illustrated with line drawings by a village artist.
It has maps, full references and a bibliography.