Cowling, Craven

Coordinates: 53°52′59″N 2°02′49″W / 53.883100°N 2.047000°W / 53.883100; -2.047000

Cowling is a village, electoral division and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England.

Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is a village consisting of 1,000 to 2,000 residents, measured at 2,355 in the Census 2011. The village is expanding due to new housing and village hall built in the middle of the village. As well as the village hall, Cowling includes a community primary school, shop, newly renovated pub, new restaurant, as well as a take-away, chip shop, hairdressers and a brand new village hall.

History

The village is Saxon in origin and is recorded in the Domesday Book as 'Collinge'. The name means Coll's people or tribe. At the time of the Norman conquest the main landowner was Gamel who had very large land holdings in Yorkshire. His name survives in Gamsgill on the northern edge of the village.

Originally the village comprised three separate hamlets namely Ickornshaw, Middleton, Gill and Cowling Hill. It was only following the construction of the main Keighley to Colne road (A6068) and the building of large mills alongside the road that what is now regarded as the main village was constructed providing terraced cottage homes for the mill workers. The older parts of the village faded in importance and as a result the parish church and village school are located on what appears to be the outskirts of the village between Ickornshaw and Middleton, the centre of the village having moved since their construction.

Craven

Craven is a local government district of North Yorkshire, England centred on the market town of Skipton. In 1974, Craven district was formed as the merger of Skipton urban district, Settle Rural District and most of Skipton Rural District, all in the West Riding of Yorkshire. It comprises the upper reaches of Airedale, Wharfedale, Ribblesdale, and includes most of the Aire Gap and Craven Basin.

The name Craven is much older than the modern district, and encompassed a larger area. This history is also reflected in the way the term is still commonly used, for example by the Church of England.

History

Craven has been the name of this district throughout recorded history. Its extent in the 11th century can be deduced from The Domesday Book but its boundaries now differ according to whether considering administration, taxation or religion.

Etymology

The derivation of the name Craven is uncertain, yet a Celtic origin related to the word for garlic (craf in Welsh) has been suggested as has the proto-Celtic *krab- suggesting scratched or scraped in some sense and even an alleged pre-Celtic word cravona, supposed to mean a stony region. In civic use the name Craven or Cravenshire had, before 1166, given way to Staincliffe. However the church Archdeaconry has kept its name as Craven throughout.

Craven (disambiguation)

Craven is a local government district of North Yorkshire, England.

Craven may also refer to:

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Other uses

Craven (surname)

Craven is the surname of: