Finding Hugill House--Yorkshire Dales National Park

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.  Malachi 4:5-6

Today was our adventure in Gunnerside, within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  It is a village I knew to search for if I ever got to England.  This village still bears the name given to it by Viking farmers who settled the area thousand of years ago.  Gunnerside comes from the word "Gunnar's saetr'.  I know my ancestors walked on these lands for my DNA has been confirmed as Celtic Viking.

It seems throughout history, mankind has had a need to know and return to their roots--to find their kindred and their beginnings.

Six years ago, while searching for a place in England where the Hugil family originated, I ran across a picture of a place in Northern Yorkshire called the Hugil House.  Further search revealed this was the only place in England where Hugils and Hugills lived.  I'm not sure about the "L" thing, but somehow they were all in this same area.  I had a burning desire to see this house and the cemetery where Hugil folks were buried.

Original photo found on Internet search

The Hugill House as I found it (with a sign on it with the extra "L").  So, somewhere there is a problem with the spelling.  Either people are dropping the original "L" or adding it, but I do believe these are all the same family.  More research will have to prove which is correct.  This is probably where ancestors on my mother's side lived long ago.

  When I planned our two-week trip after our mission ended, I searched out the place where the Hugil house was located and found the closest place to stay from which to explore.  It turned out not only to be in the Yorkshire Dales National Park but James Herriot country as well (as in All Creatures Great and Small, etc.).  We never expected the massive mountains and thousands of stone buildings that we found.  It was an adventure to be remembered that yielded a great treasure of discovery.

Note:  11 March 2018-Update on Hugill name:

The Hugill name for my great-great grandmother (Catherine) is spelled with two "Ls" and it seems my people are from this area.  Now, after researching these many years later, I wish I'd copied all of the names on the tombstones in the graveyard.  Still, I felt I've walked where my ancestors have walked and lived.  It is heaven to have made this connection.

I had to climb a locked gate to get this shot, but there was no way I wouldn't have trespassed to get this shot.  It looked like it was being used as a summer cottage since there were broken beer bottles around and junk.  A window was open, so someone must be still using it.  It is quite the trek to reach it.

Here the Hugill House in its natural setting.  Different colored paint is on the doors, but otherwise, it is the same house.  It was an exciting discovery for me!

The backyard of Hugill House

The path that passes the house and goes on behind--cars still drive this "road" apparently.

This is the side of the house as I walk back towards the car that is waiting a long ways back at a gate where the road got worse.  We didn't dare risk driving the rental car on the rocky path.

More outbuildings in the back of the home.

 The back and side of the property.  There's quite a view across the Yorkshire Dales.

These stone buildings are everywhere--many of them are barns.

Typical landscape

This tells us we are in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  The expanse of this land is remarkably different than what we've seen in the rest of England.

The terrain changes in different parts of the park, but there is always the sheep and stone barns everywhere.  We saw only stone structures throughout the whole area, including the towns and villages.

These gals and guys were everywhere.  They own this place.

These are quite pretty sheep--different than the round, fluffy white types we are used to seeing.

more stone barns and fences

Heather was in full bloom up by the Hugill House and in other spots as we drove around.  This photo doesn't do it justice with the brilliant purple that really pops out in the sun.

This was the road we traveled in the rental car to get to the gate that lead further up to the house.

Tombstone in the local church in Gunnerside, the village below where the Hugill House stands.

Hard to read much on the old tombstones

Looking down on Gunnerside as we wend our way, creeping back off the hill from the house

Another view down on Gunnerside from the "highway" upon we traveled.  The speed limit is probably the national U.K. speed limit (60 mph) as is suggested where it isn't marked.