Ebberston Village

Hi my name is Alex Vasey. As part of my Duke of Edinburgh bronze award, I am required to learn a new skill, so have decided that my skill should be journalism/blogging. I have taken my topic to be our village history and I am researching sites and buildings, interviewing villagers, then writing a report and creating a webpage. This is my first post and it’s about the Cave. I have more pieces in the pipeline but if anyone has any ideas that they would like me to research, please just get in touch (you can leave a comment at the bottom!).

The Cave is one of the most historical sites around North Yorkshire. It can be found in Chafer Wood to the north of the small village of Ebberston. The cave was erected in 1790 to mark the place where King Alfred had rested after his death in 705 AD.

King Alfred's Cave taken by Alex Vasey taken in 2019 — King Alfred’s Cave taken by Alex Vasey in 2019

The story behind the Cave begins with Alfred King of Northumbria in 705 AD who supposedly fought his father in a great battle in the fields between Ebberston and Allerston. The story goes that King Alfred was pierced with an arrow and, when the battle ended, was carried up to a cave to rest where he later died. Alfred was then taken to Little Driffield where he was buried. Much later on in 1790 the stone cave was erected in Chafer Wood to mark the place where Alfred rested. The field that the battle was fought in is known to the local villagers as the Bloody Field and the stream that flowed through the field is known as the Bloody Beck due to the blood of the long lost warriors.

The Cave can still be found today in Chafer Wood which is a popular walking destination due to its history and local wildlife.

After researching the story behind the Cave and discovering the legend of King Alfred and how he died, I decided it would be good to find out what the Cave means to residents of Ebberston now. To do this I asked village pastor and a well-known figure around the village, Helen Leng, of what she thought about the Cave and the area around it.

What does the Cave mean to you as a resident of Ebberston?

I think of the Cave as part of the village really, aside from the fact it is one of the historical landmarks surrounding Ebberston. I also think the nature and wildlife surrounding the Cave is important and when I walk up there with my dog I often look out for the variety of plant life. See https://www.ywt.org.uk/nature-reserves/chafer-wood-nature-reserve

Why do you think the Cave means a lot to the village?

I believe the viewpoint over the village and the vale from the Cave plays a huge part in the Cave being linked to Ebberston. I also think however the local history and in particular King Alfred’s story is why the Cave is important to the village. They share the same history.

Would you be interested in learning more about the Cave’s history?

Personally I would. I think many people just read the plaque in the Cave and assume that’s it. But I would like to know more and I am sure other people would like to find out more about the story of King Alfred and why the Cave was erected.

Finally do you think there should be more tourism surrounding the Cave?

Yes I would. I think most villagers know the brief history of the Cave but tourists who come caravanning and stay in the holiday cottages have no idea the cave exists! So I think maybe some leaflets or an information board and a more detailed sign about the Cave would be a good idea.