Gisborough Priory is cared for by English Heritage and a local charity, Gisborough Priory Project. Its peaceful presence situated on the edge of the busy market town of Guisborough (that is not a typo, the two names are different) offers an escape into a tranquil space.
The priory’s name originates from the Old Norse origin, whereas the town’s name derives from the Domesday book entry – the town of ‘Gighesbore’.
Stepping inside the well-tended grounds is like entering a timeless sanctuary that has been lovingly preserved, providing a place of peace and reflection. I was surprised and delighted that this free-to-enter space is obviously a much used and cared for relic from the past, yet it is accessible to travellers today.
The Augustinian priory of St Mary the Virgin was founded by Robert de Brus in 1119. Its success led to the establishment of Guisborough as a thriving market town. In 1540 the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII’s reign ended the priory’s power and control.
In my novels and novellas I created the fictitious towns of Gorebeck and Beckton, which were strongly influenced by such beautiful Yorkshire market towns as Guisborough. In the period when the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815) raged overseas taking many menfolk to enlist for the King’s shilling and also to serve in HMS Navy, either by choice or pressgang, the lives of their families and loved ones were deeply affected back home. Trade was disrupted, taxes were high leading to smuggling – which was rife in the area, the costs of farming and grain rose, and of course men were away at war. Unrest, fear and tough times would be the reality for the many, whilst the landed gentry and ‘new money’ were still the relatively few who thrived in the country.
My stories reflect some of the issues of the day and the struggles that a country in the midst of war and social, industrial and religious change faced.
In Silent Revenge, Lord Farrington, a returning officer for Lord Wellington is asked by the Home Office to gather intelligence on local insurgents, lest uprisings happen in England like they did in France.
Goods, legal and contraband were brought to market vis such ancient routes as The Quaker’s Causeway, an ancient trod dating back to monastic times when Gisborough Priory was connected to Commondale.
“Parthena looked at her and decided to tell the truth — almost. “I walked over the old trods from Gorebeck to Beckton. I was at the Abbey School as a child and crossed the moors when the supplies were taken to market. I’d remembered it from back then. The school does not exist now, but the trods have existed for centuries.”
“A well told tale set in a time when women and ‘ladies’ were expected to obey their master’s and ‘betters’. Here we have a feisty young woman who challenges the rules to her own advantage.”
Val Wood
1814, North Yorkshire, England
The trilogy of #FriendsandFoes begins with ‘Betrayal’ in its simplest and cruel form of the breaking of trust and the abuse of power. The early nineteenth century was a time of war, change and strict social dependencies. The landed gentry held power, and the bulk of the population served, in trade, in houses, or fought for their country overseas against the might of Napoleon’s army.
When a woman of status lost their main male relative, they fell into a void where marriage, or service as a housekeeper or governess prevented them from falling low. In BetrayalLord and Lady Bagby own a vast estate in the fictitious growing market town of Beckton. Lord Bagby takes advantage of governess, Miss Georgina Davey. This spawns a web of lies and deceit from which Miss Lydia Fletcher tries to rescue her. Lydia’s own situation and silence is controlled and manipulated by the need to keep her ailing father’s tenancy in one of the Bagby estate cottages.
Enter Lord Samuel Speers, a qualified Edinburgh surgeon who is trying to locate his lost cousin, whose last known position was at Bagby Hall. Aided by his friend Lord Farrington, an Intelligence Officer to Lord Wellington, who soon realises that the Bagby’s have taken betrayal to an unimaginable scale.
Whilst finding his cousin, Speers has to accept his future role as head of the family estate following his beloved brother’s death.
The interplay of plot and the threads of deceit that run through the core and sub-plots give the story plenty of room for character development, as the external and inner conflicts arise and clash. We all like to think that in any given situation we would do the ‘right’ thing, but fortunately few of us are tested to the limit. In fiction, characters can be tested – and as authors we can determine who will rise and fall, whilst being true to the personalities that have been created. Hiding their flaws, playing with motivation and loyalties all add depth and credibility to each.
Personally, I love a happy or hopeful ending so my novels inspire and uplift after the adventure has played out. I hope my readers agree. Please leave comments below.
Secrets the second book in the series will be on Kindle countdown Amazon.co.uk from 15th June to 22nd June. In it you meet another friend of Lord Farrington the inspirational Lieutenant Micah Arrow, who has a vision to preserve his home village of Dibbledale, marry for love, and offer hope to returning soldiers – can his dreams be fulfilled? Find out in Secrets.
Silent Revenge brings the trilogy to a close with Lord Farrington’s return home, but after years oversees fighting a very visible enemy, he is now seeking a homegrown one, unaware that he and his family are in great danger from an unseen one.
Reviews are especially important in this highly competitive business, so please leave your honest feedback on Amazon and/or Goodreads.
As a special thank you to my readers Phoebe’s Challenge is 77p/$1 throughout June.
May’s welcome sunshine seems to be reflected in the vibrant yellow gorse, brightening the moorland, whilst the aroma of the wild garlic’s delicate white flowers lightens shady woodland banks.
Whether walking through the ancient pathway of Saltburn Gill from the coast or strolling through the grandeur of the grounds of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, Mother Nature certainly lifts the spirits and inspires, as it did in Secrets for Lord Farrington’s friend and life-saver Micah Arrow.
‘The trees were finally showing their new leaves as yellow broom made for a colourful bank in the lane’s hedgerow that dipped towards Dibbledale. Saint Cuthbert’s parish church and the vicarage were on a small hill just outside the village. Micah stopped to admire the newly bloomed clumps of primrose nestling amongst the grass. He breathed deeply – he was home and at peace.Picking his way through the grass, he admired the budding bluebells pushing their way upward. Spring was a time of revival and that is what he planned for Dibbledale.‘
Dibbledale is a fictitious village, which has elements of real locations, such as, tranquil Hutton-le-Hole and Great Ayton. The latter being where the explorer James Cook went to school. They are villages that have largely remained unspoilt by modernisation and industry, which is what returning soldier Micah Arrow wants to preserve for his family. After witnessing the horrors of war first-hand, peace is what he craves.
Appealing as any setting is, North Yorkshire has dramatic wild beauty throughout the seasons, it acts as a historic backdrop to the characters and their adventures. In writing as in life, you need moments of light and shade to give depth and pace. Here a moment of quiet reflection turns when Micah senses danger…
‘Micah swung a leg over a fallen tree trunk, but then, as the metal’s edge caught his eye, he mantraps, never had he seen such things around Dibbledale. The woodland had always been open to all. The food it provided was free, the fallen trees taken as needed by the villagers for repairs – so what had changed?…’
Secrets will be on a Kindle Countdown from the 15th to 22nd June on Amazon.co.uk and is freely available on KindleUnlimited now. Micah is an important character to Lord Farrington and reappears in Silent Revenge.
As a thank you to my readers the newly re-edited to extended version of Phoebe’s Challenge is available at 77p till the end of May.
England, North Yorkshire, 1813 Miss Phoebe Elgie and her younger brother, Thomas, flee when an accident results in them being labelled ‘machine breakers’ in the cotton mill where fate had them trapped. Hunted, with nowhere to run, they are aided by a mysterious stranger called Matthew. They soon discover that he is a man who appears to assume a variety of roles. Phoebe instinctively trusts Matthew, unlike Thomas who doubts. She is drawn to this stranger; lives and destiny intertwine as their journey crosses the path of smugglers and traitors. This hinders their quest to uncover the truth behind the demise of their family, which left them so vulnerable. Phoebe’s challenge is three-fold.She must secure their escape beyond the reach of the overseers of the mill and the crime they have been accused of...
Uncover what happened to their mother.
Cope with the confusion of her developing friendship with the mysterious, Matthew, and determine if there could be a future for them.
Swept along by the swiftness of the serious events that dog their progress to uncover the truth, Phoebe struggles to overcome and resolve these challenges. Determined, Phoebe has no time to doubt, but how will she succeed…?
If you enjoy any of my books, please leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads – they are much appreciated!
Spring is here! After the shorter colder days of winter it is glorious to see nature bursting forth with colour again. It is a season of renewal, regrowth, and new life, so it was a devastating shock and with heavy heart that I am sharing that, for my family, April opened with sad news of another dear friend losing their battle with cancer.
Jill was inspirational in the way she faced her diagnosis, coped with the treatments, and rose to the challenge.
Much as I love writing and have plans for further personal regeneration of this site, when life’s challenges – or death’s – hits, time takes on a unique perspective. Arrangements need to be made as grief is processed and change is not a choice, but a stark fact. Jill was a brave and humble lady who would not have wanted anyone’s world to be rocked by her passing. This season is one of longer, sunnier days and Easter a time of light and hope – and Jill had the latter in abundance.
Life continues, and Spring has burst forth in all its glory, the bluebells are in full bloom, wild garlic releases it aroma over beautiful white floral carpets and the birdsong is uplifting.
I would like to thank all my readers on both sides of ‘the pond’ for choosing to read Silent Revenge . If you enjoyed Lord Farrington and Jemima’s story then please leave a fair and unbiased review on Amazon or Goodreads. They are so important to authors, especially in these highly competitive days of algorithms. The paperback will be available for the summer… more about that next month!
Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching, which also means that my pre-order Regency novel, Silent Revenge, is about to go live on #Kindleunlimted and #Kindle. I am so excited to announce this as it has been a labour of love completing my #FriendandFoes trilogy.
Intelligence Officer, widower, Lord Oscar Farrington, returns to his family estate with mixed emotions. This is unsettling for the powerful, charismatic, and loyal officer who likes to be in control of his own feelings. With his overseas duties finally completed, there is talk of insurgence within the country, so he is still under orders to gather intelligence on his own countrymen, another cause for inner conflict as he has fought alongside his fellow soldiers and has some sympathy for the plight of the returnees.
Sworn never to remarry, he is devoted to his young, adopted daughter, Jessica, who he rescued with her mother in Betrayal. But Lord Farrington of all people should know ‘never to say never’, especially when Miss Jemima Parkes re-enters his life.
My other news is that the large print edition of The Baronet’s Prize is available for order directly form the publishers Ulverscroft or via Commonwealth libraries. The original short novel is also available on Kindle.
All my novels are set in the beautiful country of North Yorkshire, England. Littered amongst the actual places of Whitby, York, Harrogate and Northallerton are my fictitious market towns of Gorebeck, Beckton and Dibbledale, which are loosely based on the picturesque Helmsley, Guisborough and Hutton-le-Hole. Please share your favourite places to visit within the region.
Enjoy the coming of Spring and if it triggers the desire to start a new project, write your own adventure, then please check out my manuscript appraisal page. I have over twenty-five years of experience as a creative writing tutor and love to encourage new writers to explore this fascinating world of possibilities.
Welcome to my new monthly news update. I have had a lapse in posting, but not in writing, and am very excited to announce that Silent Revenge will soon be available for pre-order. This book is close to my heart as it is dedicated to a lifelong friend and supporter, Sue, who sadly died far too soon, and never managed to enjoy Lord Farrington’s last adventure.
Since 2003 I have enjoyed working as a Creative Writing Tutor allowing me to connect with many fellow writers, both published and unpublished, across the globe. Each student unique in their life experiences, yet all share that inner desire to create stories for others to enjoy. This I will continue to do independently, through this website.
“It is always incomprehensible to a man that a woman should ever refuse an offer of marriage.”
Jane Austen, Emma
When George III was declared unfit to function as monarch his son, the Prince of Wales, became the Prince Regent. George the younger had little interest in politics, leaving the wars with France to the politicians, whilst he indulged his friends and himself with a lavish lifestyle of elegance and fashion. The Ton – from the French phrase ‘le bon ton’ meaning ‘elegant style’ represent the fashionable society of London – an elite group. The divide between the extremes of the rich of Mayfair, London, and the poor of St Giles, living in the city slums, could not have been more dramatic.
In Parliament seats in the House of Lords were inherited and in the House of Commons could be corruptly bought, so the working and fighting man and the women who relied upon them, who made up most of the population, had little representation to improve their lot. My stories are set in the north of England away from the Ton and Parliament, but life was influenced by their wars, laws, and taxes.
In the above quote Jane Austen expressed a commonly held view, because women of the time had few legal rights as their lives were basically controlled by men.
Upper- and middle-class single females, under the age of twenty-one in England and Wales, were usually dependent upon their father or nearest male relative. If their male relatives were honest, caring, and loving family members then amicable matches secured the future of both parties, in hopefully wedded bliss, once the dowry, pin money, inheritance and jointure, in the event of death of the husband, had been legally agreed.
Book 2
However, fiction requires drama and conflict to spark a good plot, driven by engaging characters. It also reflects the unpalatable truth of the past.
If their male relative were greedy (For Richer, For Poorer), an irresponsible gambler (The Baronet’s Prize) or an overbearing parent (Hannah of Harpham Hall) then the young woman would have few options, left to her own devices unless they had the help of a hero, or a woman of independent means.
When Ellie (Discovering Ellie) is faced with a marriage match, she tries to diplomatically decline her aunt’s intentions without causing further conflict…
“I am not worldly, Aunt. I cannot think how I could make such a man happy…”
Mrs Hemming laughed. “Well, we agree on one point at least, you cannot think!”
Ellie ignored the insult and continued in her conciliatory tone. “I fear I would only annoy him. Therefore, I wish to politely decline this marriage proposal, discreetly of course, before it is made public. I do not want to cause further embarrassment to anyone. Then he would be able to find a more suitable companion, equal to the task.”
Ellie is completely dependent upon her aunt’s charity until she turns twenty-one. This dependency drives the plot, as Ellie must discover who she is, why she has a recurring nightmare, and how she can avoid a match that is being arranged ‘for her own good’ before it is publicly announced. This latter point is especially important because once it was made public, to break such a legal proclamation would be considered scandalous. Ellie is naïve and knows little of the law, or of the greater world, as many young women of the time.
Book 4
In a situation where an engagement is made between two people if broken, then it could result in a legal action of ‘breach of promise’. At the very least a reputation could be tarnished or destroyed as happened with Lucas Huntley – In Sickness and in Health.
In England, the Marriage Act of 1753 declared both parties had to have their parents’ consent if under 21. However, in Scotland this was not the case, hence the rush for elopements to the nearest place to wed north of the border, such as the famous, Gretna Green, which provided a reason for a mad dash in For Richer, For Poorer.
Friends & Foes Book 1
It is often claimed that fact is often stranger than fiction, but with historical facts the trigger for dramatic fiction is constantly there. Although women were ruled by the law, deemed unable to run their own lives, own their own wealth or children when married, deny their husband sex, or have rights to defend themselves when employed, there would have been plenty who questioned why this was so, such as:
“I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves.” Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.
Lydia Fletcher in Betrayal was so influenced. Heroines need to have obstacles to overcome, situations that are a mystery, and the realisation that not all men look upon them in the same light.
Being single by choice was not really an option for a woman, no matter how much she desired to be the arbiter of her own fate. Unless her social status and personal income had been legally entailed and could support her, like the independent Miss Parkes of Penny Manor who befriends Ellie, she would be dependent upon others.
If young women were sufficiently educated, they could try to earn a living as a companion or a governess/teacher, but these were lonely situations with no long-term security. Uneducated or poorer women had less desirable options such as going into service, leaving the cottage to work within the factory or working the land to feed their families. In, To Love, Honour and Obey, Beth is an orphan who has no family or male relative to protect her from the system that was supposed to protect her.
Book 1
Prostitution was an option for the truly desperate. Few climbed the social ladder to a happy and long life even as a rich man’s mistress. Although some beauties and actresses managed to acquire rich patrons, such as the exceptional Harriett Mellon, born a pauper in Cork, Ireland but who ended up married to Thomas Coutts of the banking family, who successfully inherited and managed a fortune..
Servants were supposed to be chaste and could be dismissed without reference or notice if they fell pregnant. They were also open to abuse from their employers, as happens to the kindly Georgina in Betrayal. Again, as I write love stories that are aimed to provide adventure and uplift rather than depress, Georgina’s future is much brighter than many a maid who found themselves pregnant and thrown out on the streets without a reference, through no fault of their own.
Thank you for taking time out to read my blog and visit my website. Please like or leave any comments or questions below or contact me directly via the form on my Manuscript Appraisal page. If any of the above themes appeal just click the title or cover to be directed to the Amazon page.
Good news! I do like to share good news… In Sickness and In Health, published in eBook and print by SapereBooks is now available as a traditional large print paperback from @Ulvercroft. Copies can be ordered via Commonwealth libraries. Our libraries have had a hard few years, but there are people who find it difficult to manage an eReader so it is lovely to see this market niche is still catered for.
Christmastide in Regency times was a prolonged period of celebration, compared to our modern holiday, for those who could enjoy it. Public holidays did not exist so for the working class it was not a given that the day would be given
It began on December 6th, Saint Nicholas’ Day. This was marked by exchanging small gifts.
Christmastide ended on January 6th, otherwise known as ‘Twelfth Night’, marking Epiphany.
For those who could celebrate Saint Nicholas’s Day, it was a period for parties, suppers, and balls to be held. But for all who had them it was a time for family and friends.
This period did carry the feeling of ‘goodwill’ so it was expected that charity would be given to the poor, particularly on December 21st, Saint Thomas’s Day when the widows of soldiers who had died in the Napoleonic wars would go ‘Thomasing’, calling at the kitchen doors seeking alms or food parcels.
On Christmas Eve holly and evergreens would be gathered and brought into the house to decorate and bring in the fresh small of nature. Garlands and wreaths would be woven with rosemary, bay, and laurel, and then embellished with apples, oranges, ribbons, and holly berries.
Mistletoe brought its own added spice to the festivities as kissing balls or boughs were made from it, a tradition that still lingers today. With each exchanged kiss a berry was plucked, once all the berries were gone then the kissing had to stop.
A candle was lit on Christmas Eve and the Yule log was brought in wrapped in hazel twigs and custom stated that it should be lit with a remnant of last year’s log. The fire would then be kept burning as long as possible and be at the heart of family gatherings; a small piece being saved for the next year.
On Christmas Day people attended church and then the gentry had a celebratory dinner of turkey, venison, or goose for the gentry, followed by plum pudding. Much of the seasonal food could be prepared ahead of time with a favourite being cold, brawn pies.
The next day, Saint Stephen’s Day, was a day for charity. Richer people gave servants and tenants their ‘Christmas boxes’, usually gifts of money, hence it becomes known as ‘Boxing Day’.
Finally, on the twelfth night there might be a party held with much dancing and singing. Hot spiced, mulled, wine was offered, and a special cake made to share amongst all the members of the household.
Games such as ‘bobbing for apples,’ and ‘snapdragon’ – a game where raisins were soaked in a brandy in a large shallow bowl, were enjoyed. A more challenging one involved candles being blown out and the brandy lit, people then had to try and grab a raisin and eat it without burning themselves – health and safety was yet to be implemented!
Men’s names were put into a hat so that ladies could then pick a name out to be her partner for the night.
A C17 yew wood wassail bowl.
A wassail bowl was often carried from house to house, filled with warmed ale, mulled wine, or punch, sometimes accompanied by the singing of carols.
The feeling of goodwill to all humankind was the message of the season. It depended on where you were on the social scale from impoverished to rich as to how much you could be a part of the tradition, but the feeling and love shared at this time was priceless then, just as it is today.
Merry Christmas and season’s greetings to all my readers!
Ellie encounters a handsome stranger, when escaping the claustrophobic presence of her widowed aunt, Mrs Hemming in The Old Hall. She is initially distressed and annoyed, until he introduces himself as Mr. Montgomery Cookson causing Ellie’s dark clouds to instantly lift, for she knows they will formally meet again. Mrs Hemming homed the deserted Ellie, whilst bringing up her two cousins, Dorcas and Sybil, despite the ruinous reputation of her mother for deserting her husband and child. Ellie had been shocked and scared, when infirmed she was expected to marry Mrs. Hemming’s own cousin, Mr. MONTGOMERY COOKSON. But has Ellie met her match in Mr. Cookson? Will her future be as grim as she envisaged? When Fate has cast a shadow over her life for so long, can destiny shine a light into Ellie’s world? Will Ellie finally discover who she really is?
Micah, the charismatic hero of Secrets, encounters a man trap and saves a young lad from a terrible fate as the jaws snap shut.
Godalming Museum
These devices were cruel, vicious deterrents that were set in the ground and when the central plate was pressed the jaws clamped shut, maiming the unsuspecting trespassers.
“Micah swung a leg over a fallen tree trunk, but then, as the metal’s edge caught his eye, he froze. He saw the danger and the notion of his peaceful village suddenly dispersed – man traps, never before had he seen such things around Dibbledale. The woodland had always been open to all.”
Man traps have been used since the 18th century as the amount of what had been common ground or shared woodland began to be increasingly enclosed by unscrupulous and greedy landowners.
Private landowners saw no reason to share the game that lived on the land with the ‘common folk.’ The 19th century progressed but so did poverty – rapidly, and many families struggled. Large pieces of what had previously been common land, free for all to graze their flocks and hunt on had been enclosed into private estates.
The Napoleonic Wars with France had incurred huge costs which had been passed on through taxation and by raising the cost of basic foods. Men had left to fight so their homes, wives and children had to cope alone. These were desperate times.
Beamish Museum
Man traps were cheaper than employing additional gamekeepers and were perfectly legal. The only proviso being that signs should be posted about the traps, or anyone injured could claim compensation. However, this aspect was not widely publicised, and it was hardly affective when literacy was rare.
Hunger motivated poaching gangs, breaking the law to feed their own families, and selling excess on. This upscaling of illegal activity meant landowners were more aware of the losses than they would have been with only occasional rabbits or birds disappearing.
Man traps were an inhumane method of control, which could maimed and sometimes killed their victims. Easily disguised by putting leaves, twigs, or grass over them so that any foot, hoof or paw would spring the trap shut.
Ryedale Museums
They generally had a central plate with toothed jaws that would be held back by a spring until triggered when they would come together with considerable force leading to a bloodthirsty and gruelling result.
They were made illegal in 1827. Following this ‘humane’ man traps were created. A hole was dug, and the trap placed in it. These were then covered with suitable undergrowth. They still had a central plate, but the jaws were no longer toothed. No doubt it was not without pain, but it did not maim as it would previously. These had to be unlocked by the gamekeeper who had the key, but I imagine, extraordinarily little sympathy was given to the poacher who was then caught and sentenced.
The Friends and Foes series, for lovers of romantic adventures is now available on Amazon and #KindleUnlimited. Just click here to take a peek!
valerie holmes, author 