Early Visitors
Early Visitors
For over 250 years visitors have been making the journey to Brimham see the remarkable rocks and explore the scenery.
A tour_from_Alston_Moor_to_Harrowgate_an
1086
Domesday Book
Surprisingly, there are three entries in the Domesday Book of 1086 relating to Brimham or Brimham Hall, where Gilbert Tyson is recorded as a tenant, as is Lord Erneis of Buron and the land being owned by Gospatric. The original name, Birnebeam, may mean “waste".
1769
Hargrove
The first printed book that mentions Brimham is E. Hargrove’s “The History of the Castle and Town Knaresbrough” printed in 1769.
1786
Major Rooke
Major Hayman Rooke, a self-taught antiquarian, visited Brimham in the 1780’s after “discovering the Druidical monuments in Derbyshire” and described his visit in a letter to the Rev. Mr. Norris, the Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries of London, which was read to the society in May 1786.
Not only did Major Rooke publish a description of his visit, but he produced a number of wonderful etchings of drawings of the rocks.
1792
Lord Grantley
Lord Grantley had the building that is now the National Trust’s Visitor Centre built “for the accommodation of strangers” in 1792. An 18th Century visitor centre.
1804
Thomas Pennant
Thomas Pennant published an illustrated guide book "A Tour from Alston Moor to Harrowgate and Brimham Rocks’ in 1804 which describes his visit that he made in 1773.
Thomas Pennants illustrations are fascinating, including a rather precarious measurement of the height of the Idol Rock.
1805 - 1836
Fothergill, Farrer and others
From 1805 at least 10 guide books were published, not all of the same quality as Pennant's.
1836
Professor John Phillips
John Phillips (1800 - 1874), the geologist
