Bedale

Sister cities

• Azay-sur-Cher

History

Before the Harrying of the North Bedale was held by Torpin (Thorfinn), a patronym retained by the infamous Dick Turpin. The parish church also dates from this time (as evidenced by its crypt), before significant remodelling. The original 9th-century church escaped destruction in the Harrying of the North and was recorded in Domesday Book. The recent discovery of the Bedale Hoard provides further evidence of high-status Anglo-Saxon and Viking Age activity in the area. The town was recorded as Bedell or Bedhal and derives from 'Beda's Halh', which means the corner or piece of land of Beda. After being doled out by Count Alan Le Roux to his relative Bodin of Middleham for a short time, the new market town was founded by Scollandus (in a charter later confirmed by Henry III), a Breton officer in a hereditary position at Richmond Castle. Bedale Hall marks the site of a castle built in the reign of King Edward I of England by Sir Bryan FitzAlan, Lord of the manor of Bedale and later Baron FitzAlan. After contributing to the defeat of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, FitzAlan succeeded the Earl of Surrey as Guardian and Keeper of Scotland for Edward I and fought at the Battle of Falkirk (1298) and the siege of Caerlaverock in July 1300. Fitz Alan was involved in a fight with William Wallace that led to the death of a comrade-in-arms and held the castles of Dundee and Forfar, as well as those in the Scottish Lowlands: Roxburgh Castle and Jedburgh. This baron also built Killerby Castle and Askham Bryan in Yorkshire. His co-heir jure uxoris, Sir Gilbert de Stapleton of Carleton, Knt, was a conspirator in the assassination of Piers Gaveston. Sir Miles Stapleton was a founding Knight of the Order of the Garter, who fought at the Siege of Calais and at the Battle of Crécy. The Stapletons…

Most-observed species

• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,373
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,263
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,002
• European Robin

  Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  944
• Graylag Goose

  Anser anser (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  943
• Western Jackdaw

  Coloeus monedula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  931
• Carrion Crow

  Corvus corone Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  931
• Eurasian Blue Tit

  Cyanistes caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  895

Most recent

• M 3.4 — 2025-12-03
  0 km ESE of Carnforth, United Kingdom
• M 2.8 — 2020-01-23
  1 km NW of Stockton-on-Tees, United Kingdom
• M 3.6 — 2011-01-03
  5 km S of Masham, United Kingdom
• M 3.7 — 2009-04-28
  3 km WSW of Flookburgh, United Kingdom
• M 2.5 — 2008-05-28
  12 km WNW of Penrith, United Kingdom
• M 2.5 — 2007-08-10
  2 km SW of Failsworth, United Kingdom