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Site of post-medieval tannery, Felkirk is a scheduled monument in Yorkshire protecting the remains of a leather-working establishment dating from the 16th century onwards. The site occupies 0.55 hectares centred on grid reference SE 38787 12810 and lies on bedrock of the Pennine Middle Coal Measures Formation, where mudstone, siltstone and sandstone underlie the surrounding landscape. Tanneries were water-dependent industries requiring proximity to streams for soaking and processing hides, and the site's location reflects this practical necessity.
The tannery represents an important phase in local industrial development when leather production was a significant rural craft. The coal-bearing geology of the Felkirk locality would have provided fuel for heating vats and drying finished leather, making the site economically viable. Post-medieval tanneries left distinctive archaeological evidence including large pits for soaking hides, stone-lined vats and surfaces hardened by repeated use and chemical spillage.
The monument is protected by Historic England under reference 1005775 in recognition of its contribution to understanding Yorkshire's industrial heritage and craft economy. The scheduled designation ensures that any future disturbance of the site requires consent, allowing the archaeological evidence of tanning processes and settlement patterns to be preserved for research and heritage interpretation.
Site of post-medieval tannery, Felkirk is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1005775. View the official record →
Site of post-medieval tannery, Felkirk is a scheduled monument in Yorkshire protecting the remains of a leather-working establishment dating from the 16th century onwards. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1005775.
Site of post-medieval tannery, Felkirk is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1005775.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Deserted medieval village of Hodroyd, Felkirk (0.2 km), Kinsley moat and fishpond (2.7 km), Wayside cross known as Kirk Cross (3.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Site of post-medieval tannery, Felkirk's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Site of post-medieval tannery, Felkirk stands on Pennine Middle Coal Measures Formation And South Wales Middle Coal Measures Formation (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Moscovian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, coal, ironstone and ferricrete.