A view across Wharram Percy pond
WALKING to Wharram Percy is like walking into the past. It’s a remote and peaceful spot, set in quiet valley in the Yorkshire Wolds, beyond an old wood and narrow stream. At the end of a grassy lane is the village itself, or what remains of it. The humps and bumps of what were once medieval houses aren’t much now; they were demolished by the local baron soon after 1500 when he realised he would make more money if he replaced the villagers with sheep. The site is dominated by the ruined church of St Martin’s, and though the lead is gone from its roof and half its tower has crumbled, services are still sometimes held here.
It is the perfect place for a wedding and it was here in 1842 my great-great-great-grandfather John married his sweetheart Rachel. I can imagine the procession down the grassy lane, the beautiful blushing bride with a bouquet of flowers, hymns ringing out across the valley.
Despite its evocative past, legends of Wharram Percy seem to be more recent in origin. The HUFOS group (Hull UFO Society) photographed “orbs” in the village which some enthusiasts believe are ghostly spirits … though sceptics point to the more prosaic explanation of backscatter – reflections from the camera flash. Whatever, the site is mysterious enough to justify a professional ghostwalk with psychic medium Steve Kneeshaw, who calls it “spooky” and “packed with paranormal activity”. Perhaps he is referring to alleged UFO sightings by the Hull Paranormal Ghost Society, caught on film.
The ruined church at Wharram Percy
Of more interest are the discoveries made by archaeologists. Back in 2004, they claimed to have found evidence of sophisticated Anglo-Saxon brain surgery, after digging up the 1,000-year-old skull of a man who had suffered a serious head wound in some sort of battle. He had been saved by doctors who had lifted part of the scalp to allow them to remove depressed bone fragments and relieve pressure on the brain. He apparently made a good recovery and went on to live for many more years.
Yes, Wharram was a violent world and it bred tough northern women to match, according to Simon Mays, of English Heritage, who told the Guardian that the village women were “big-boned”. After analysing medieval skeletons, archaeologists concluded the Wolds lasses were “much more muscular and bigger boned than their city counterparts. Whilst they were still doing the domestic chores and looking after children, they clearly also mucked in with the hard labour in the fields, building up their arm strength.”
They breed ‘em right up ‘ere in Yorkshire.
Looking down on Wharram Percy from the top of the valley
For more about the history of Wharram Percy, I can do no better than direct you to this BBC Radio feature.