Embsay Tannery, Skipton, North Yorkshire

A programme of historic building recording and archaeological works was required as a condition of planning consent prior to the proposed demolition of Embsay Tannery in the small village of Embsay near Skipton, North Yorkshire. On behalf of our client, AOC Archaeology Group engaged with The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority quickly and effectively, leading to a programme of archaeological works that ran alongside the demolition and clearing of the site between Autumn 2005 and Spring 2006, so that the minimum amount of time was lost.

The Embsay Tannery site was a palimpsest of industrial buildings that demonstrated an industrial presence dating from the latter half of the 18th century until 2002 when the last owners, Brooksbanks, put the site up for sale. Its industrial history is equally as varied, starting life as a worsted and then cotton mill, progressing to a tobacco mill in the late 19th century and then finally becoming a tannery in 1917. The result of this work will be published in 2007 in Industrial Archaeology Review, thus satisfying the planning condition.

AOC Project Manager: Diana Sproat
AOC Industrial Archaeologist: Paul Trickett
Client: Burley Developments Ltd