Leyburn stands high among the hills, and must have been a
picturesque old market-place before the ancient town-hall, market-
cross, and two stately elms were removed. The great wide street has
now a bare and by no means attractive appearance, and were it not
for the lovely surroundings it would not form so popular a centre for exploring. The "Shawl," the huge natural terrace, on a rocky base high up above the tree-tops of the woods below, is, of
[Pg 256]
course, its great feature, and a more delightful walk could not be
found in England, with the softest turf to walk upon and the glorious panorama in front. Conspicuous among the heights is flat-topped
Penhill, standing boldly out against the wide expanse of dale, upon
whose crest are the ruins of a chapel of the old Knights Templars. A
gap in the rock, with a path running westwards through the woods, is
known as "Queen's Gap," for Mary Queen of Scots when she fled from Bolton Castle got thus far when she was overtaken in attempting
to urge her horse through the narrow ravine. In consequence of this,
the "Shawl" locally is said to derive its name from the shawl the prisoner dropped upon the way, giving her pursuers a clue; which on
the face of it is ridiculous, as the name is derived either from the Saxon Sholl or Scandinavian Schall. Bolton is some five miles away to the west, and the poor captive was to have gone northwards to
Richmond and thence to her native land; and at Bellerby, between
Richmond and Leyburn, a halt was to have been made at the Hall,
the seat of the Royalist family of Scott, where a company of Scots
guards was stationed ready to receive her. The old Hall still stands on
the left-hand side of the village green as you enter, and looks as if it
had a history.