The prettiest village around

For the last month, villagers have been busily preparing for the big "switch-on" night of the Christmas lights on December 1 at 6pm. And once Father Christmas presses the magic switch, the illuminated village green becomes one of the nicest sights in Ryedale.

Every year, visitors comment on how well the lights highlight the village's attractive features - the beck, the cherry trees in front of the alms houses, the famous thatched cottage (which used to appear on the BBC's test card after programmes shut down for the night).

The switch-on is one of the major events of the year for residents, which, apart from being an exciting and enjoyable evening, also brings in much-needed revenue to the village.

In light of the foot and mouth epidemic, which caused the cancellation of the village's other big event, the Thornton-le-Dale show, residents are hoping this year's event will be extra special. In the words of Dave Alger, chairman of the lights committee, the night should "bring the countryside to life".

Last year, the switch-on attracted over 800 people, including visitors from all over the country. Bed and breakfast establishments began receiving bookings months ago. Resident Martin Sanderson said: "Visitors who have come during the summer time often like to come back at Christmas."

The event is a time when the Thornton-le-Dale community works together. Over 20 volunteers have been putting up the lights over the last month. But preparation takes place throughout the year, as fund-raising functions are held and door to door collections are made.

A host of attractions, put on by local residents, are lined up for the night. Sid Ring is cooking a barbecue, butcher Charles Hill is providing a pig roast and the Baxter family is making hot punch. Local artist Bob Parkin with the help of Ken Ingle has made the reindeer, sleigh and Santa Claus, which will be lit up near the beck.

Minster FM's James Watt and his band will be joined by The Stape Silver Brass Band, Thornton-le-Dale Primary School Choir, Lady Lumley's School Band and a collection of Madrigal singers. All children present will receive a gift from Santa's grotto with the winners of the Christmas decoration competition, held by the primary school, receiving a special prize.

The shops will remain open all evening and the three pubs in the village - The Hall, The Buck Inn and The New Inn - will be hoping to do a roaring trade. Landlady of The Hall, Carol Hodgson, said: "On switch-on night, we probably won't be able to move."

For at least 15 years, Christmas lights have lit up Thornton-le-Dale, which lies just a couple of miles or so down the road from Pickering. They are an now an essential part of the village's attraction as a tourist centre. Indeed tourism is now its main source of income today, whereas in the past it was predominantly an agricultural centre.

The village is something of a gateway to the North York Moors. It is a major link within the Moorsbus service network and coaches from Hull and Teesside stop there. Visitors have no problem parking their cars as they can make use of the big car park on the edge of the village. And being so close to Dalby Forest means it is an ideal place for walkers to stop off at.

Chairman of the village and traders' forum John Garbutt said the car park and the main street were wonderful assets. The beck, which runs alongside the main street, is kept tidy thanks to the sterling work of a handful of volunteers, who also ensure the grass is regularly cut.

With competition from neighbouring towns, the forum is seeking to promote Thornton-le-Dale further.

John Garbutt said it would like to work more closely with Forest Enterprise, promoting the village's accommodation, and it is in the process of producing a promotional leaflet of the village in conjunction with Yorkshire Forward.

John is the son of Wilf Garbutt. They own Wardill's general store situated right in the heart of Thornton-le-Dale. It is a name synonymous with the village since the middle of the 19th century, when Thomas Wardill, an ancestor of the Garbutts, took over the business in 1856. When the Garbutt family took over, there were another two businesses in the village with the same name, so the name Wardill has been used ever since.

Several generations down the line and the family remains as active as ever in village affairs. Wilf is chairman of the parish council, chairman of the village hall committee, and secretary of the Village Institute. He also represents Thornton-le-Dale on Ryedale District Council.

Having mentioned the more obvious attractions of Thornton-le-Dale, tucked away in a small corner of the village lies Derek Mathewson's North Yorkshire Motor Museum - a little gem of a place for lovers of automobile nostalgia.

The museum contains a range of classic and vintage cars, including an Aston Martin, a 1929 Chevrolet, a 1937 Vauxhall Saloon, and a Triumph Roadster, with many more names from the past.

In addition, a whole series of classic motorbikes are on display.

Derek, who came to the village in 1994, said: "When we first opened up, most of the visitors were from the village. Now people come here from further afield and the village gets a nice spin-off as a result. We get repeat visitors every year, which is superb. Sometimes, people in the surrounding area will have relatives visiting and it provides an opportunity for them to visit."

Like most rural places up and down the country, Thornton-le-Dale has been affected by the foot and mouth outbreak this year. But on my visit there, I found a very welcoming and community-spirited village keen to forget about the problems of the year and instead looking forward to a great night on December 1.

Updated: 08:49 Thursday, November 22, 2001