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120,000 years ago Evidence of elephants, rhinoceros, hyaenas and hippopotamus in Victoria Cave.
12,000 years ago The first people arrived in Langcliffe, probably from Europe. Their stone axes, flints, scrapers and harpoons have been found in and around Victoria Cave.
5000 BC. The first farmers arrived bringing domesticated cattle, seedcorn, new implements and pottery. Thety cleared some of the woodland and some of the stone and bank enclosures are believed to date from this period.
2000 BC. Possible Bronze age farms on terraced limestone. Cist tombs above Langliffe and Winskill.
Bronze age pottery sherds found in Victoria Cave.
550 BC Iron Age co-axial field systems on Winskill and hut circles on Winskill and above Victoria Cave.
Finds in Victoria Cave.
83 AD - 350 AD Roman occupation of the area. Finds in Victoria Cave and Roman field systems around the village.
500 AD - 900 AD Anglian wapentake of Cravescire.
870 AD_ 1068 AD Settlement by Vikings from Ireland and Northumberland.
Viking boat with silver cargo found near mouth of the Ribble.
1087 Domesday 'in Lanclif, Feg had 3 carucates to be taxed'.
1100 Lynchets and lazy beds in fields towards the end of Howson Lane. Evidence of arable farming in medieval times.
1221 Elias de Giggleswick, Lord of the Manor of Langcliffe, appealed to the Papal Legate about the corn mill built by the monks of Furness on his side of the river, not theirs. The monks were instructed to give the mill to Elias.
1270 Mentioned in the Charter Rolls as Langecliff.
1318 Harrying by Scots, Eleanor de Percy's tenants at Langcliffe had their taxes remitted. They could not pay because 'their goods and chattels were partly destroyed and partly stolen'.
1379 Poll Tax list for Langcliffe numbered 35 people over 14 years old.
1513 Ten fighting men led by Henry Clifford, the Shepherd Lord, to Flodden, 1 with horse, 3 with bows and the rest with bills.
1536 The Darcy family purchase the Manor of Langcliffe from the Crown after the Dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII.
1561 Nicholas Darcy inherits the manor of Langcliffe.
1582 (May) The Darcy family obtain a licence from the Crown to alienate the Manor of Langcliffe for £12-6s-8d.
1582 (June) The Darcy family transact with Richard Cutts and Raphael Pemberton in a Final Concord.
1584 There were 7 tenements on the high land above Langcliffe. Parts of the Old Vicarage may date from this time.
1584/5 Manor of Langcliffe leased (farm-let) by Nicholas Darcy of Northampton, to Henry Billingsley.
1591 Much of the Manor of Langcliffe sold to 9 feoffees acting for tenants.
1598 Two Langcliffe centenarians were buried within 5 days of each other, William Kidson aged 103 and William Lakeland aged 109, in a Plague year.
1602 Langliffe Hall built by Henry Somerscales.
1652 Cornmill closed.
1711 William Paley, Headmaster of Giggleswick School, born.
1784 Langliffe High Mill rebuilt from old Corn Mill by George and William Clayton and R. Walshman. Cotton spinning began.
1785 Langliffe Place and Shed Mill built.
1789 The Act for enclosing land in Langcliffe passed.
1793 The Corn Mill (on Langcliffe-Stainforth border), converted to paper making by Robert Salmon
1822 Population of Langcliffe now 420.
1825 The Village School built by subscription and enlarged in 1878/9. Before the Church was built, the school was used for Sunday School and some services.
1836 John Hartley and Robert Rugg joined John Salmon at the Paper Mill, making handmade paper,
1838 Victoria Cave discovered.
1848 Following the financial ruin of William Clayton, the mills were sold to Mr Bashall who closed them down in a few years. Many workers were forced to leave Langcliffe.
1851 The Church of St. John the Evangelist was built on land given by John Green Paley. Originally it was the site of the tannery. Paper mill sold to John Ovington who made press papers for cloth finishing.
1852 The Wesleyan Sunday School built.
1855 Half the houses in Langcliffe empty, the occupants having moved to Accrington and surrounds to find work.
1860 The paper mill dam burst.
1861 Mills bought by Lorenzo Christie who brought in labour from Devon, Cornwall, Norfolk and Manchester.
1869/76 Building of the Settle-Carlisle railway.
1871 Licence withdrawn from the Bay Horse Inn follwing a drunken brawl in which the landlord, Christopher Wright was killed by a railway navvy.
1873 Craven Lime Company formed to work Winskill.
1880 The Paper Mill was bought by Hector Christie who rebuilt the weir and leased the mill to John Roberts.
1880 School Court Case. The Rev. Sandberg v. Hector Christie and George Perfect.
1894 First meeting of Langcliffe Parish Council on 20th December.
1898 Combine formed - Fine Cotton Spinners and Doublers Association with Hector Christie as Vice-Chairman.
1899 The Institute opened. It was the gift of Hector Christie for the ' men and youths of Langcliffe, Locks and Stainforth'. The Library was added in 1901 and the Billiard room in the 1920's.
1903 The Methodist Chapel was built.
1905 School leased to the Local Education Authority.
1914 In September the first volunteers leave to join their regiments including the Headmaster, Claude Bennett.
1919 Victory celebrations led by the Village Brass Band.
1919 Paper Mill bought by John Roberts and Sons.
1920 Fountain reconstructed as a War memorial to the 11 soldiers from the village killed in the Great War.
1923 Langcliffe Parish joined with that of Stainforth.
1939 Evacuees billeted in village, several staying at Mount Pleasant, some in private houses. School children have air raid practice in gas masks on the Village Green.
1944 Education Act. Children over 11 plus examination went to Ingleton Secondary Modern School instead of staying at village school until 14.
1945 Planting of the Victory Tree, a copper beech, on 14th November (to the left of the cattle grid near the school).
1953 The Coronation, celebrations in the village.
1955 The Textile Mills closed. High Mill bought by J. Roberts and converted to paper making.
1959 Comprehensive school system introduced.
1977 Settle Middle School opened. Children now leave village school at 10 years old.
1980 Horton-in-Ribblesdale joins the parishes of Langcliffe and Stainforth. Relationships between villages fostered by formation of childrens' choir.
1981 Threatened closure of Langcliffe School. Local petition and lobbying. Reprieve confirmed in 1984.
1987 Exhibition at Institute to celebrate 20 years of Carnival.
1989 Saving of Settle-carlisle railway. Celebrations in village.
1990 Visit of the Duke of Gloucester to Hoffman kiln.
1991 Institute management taken over by village; it became the Village Institute and a registered charity.
1993 Teas served in Institute every Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays during summer months. All help and baking from village members done voluntarily.
1994 Felling of Old Tree in centre of the village.
1995 Names of the 4 servicemen killed in 2nd World War added to the War Memorial.
1996 Further grants from the European Community Fund towards alterations at the Institute.
2000 Millennium celebrations. Ringing of the Church bells at midnight and fireworks over Settle.
Kate Croll and Joyce Leigh
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