25th January 2014

It was cold but a bright morning. Three of us wrapped up warm and strolled down Low Lane to continue the walls surveying. We headed for Kempley Beck (which changes its name to Rowton Beck when it gets to Eastby). This beck is the ages old boundary between Embsay and Eastby. 

We were hailed by the local molecatcher, wondering if we were lost because we were studying our map. 
He seemed a bit bemused when we explained we were studying the old drystone walls across the parish - no doubt he thought us a bit mad. He was a cheerful chap, and proudly showed off his bucketful of the dead "little b---rs" that he'd been digging up this week. Not quite the surviving link into local history we had been expecting today! Apparently he donates his earnings as molecatcher to the Alzheimer's Society.  

David and Chris at the Kempley Beck    (c) Jane Lunnon

We managed to get a couple of hours of recording walls done before the rain set in and our fingers became too numb to write. We were pleased to find a small length of stone revetted bank and remnants of an ancient thorn hedge, matching similar features further along the roadside. We also found another good example of a polegate-post to add to our growing list.

Jane Lunnon