History of Guardhouse?

[bartholomewbarry]

Hello Members,
Is there anyone out there that knows any thing about the history on the Guardhouse area? Where did the name come from.

I read somewhere that Cromwell's Army may have camped in there 1648 on their way from Wetherby to do battle with the Royalist Army at Preston, during the Civil War. Is it possible that the name came from this visit?
The second in command of Cromwell's Parliamentary Army was a name sake of mine General John Lambert, unfortunately no family connection or claim to fame here.

Can anyone help?

Barry

[alumpot]

I believe that the stables attached to Our Lady of Victories churh on West Lane was used as a Roundhead Camp and understand that is where the Guardhouse name is derived.

[Mike Tebb]

An extract from Ian Dewhirst's 'History of Keighley' (1974):

'A Parliamentary garrison during the civil war possibly accounts for the name Guard House. Twelve soldiers were buried between 1643 and 1645; two "slayne at new brigge" and four buried together suggest skirmishes; whilst tradition speaks of a raid by 150 Royalist troopers from Skipton in February of 1645, in the course of which Major John Hughes, Lieutenant-Governor of Skipton Castle and "a most valiant soldier", was mortally wounded'.

[Admin]

Keighley's Darkest Secrets, extract from Mike Priestley's report (Telegraph & Argus 02.07.2005) from the book
Keighley's Darkest Secrets.

Did the author Bernard Cormwell base his famous Sharpe novels on the exploits of the landlord of a Keighley pub? Craven historian Malcolm Hanson thinks it possible. In his new book, Keighley's Darkest Secrets, he quotes the inscription on a grave in Utley Cemetery which reads: "In memory of the late Christopher Ingham, landlord of the Reservoir Tavern, Keighley, who died September 9th, 1866, in the 80th year of his age. He was one of the heroes of the Peninsular War. For having served in the 95th regiment of Foot, for which he received the silver medal and 9 clasps for the engagements at Toulouse, Orthes, Pyranees, Vittoria, Salamanca, Badajoz, Ciudad, Rodrigo, Fuentea, D'Oner and Busaco. He also received the medal for Waterloo."

Asks Malcolm Hanson: "Christopher Ingham really was an all-action hero, wasn't he? All those battles and wars he took part in. He must have been one of Keighley's greatest unsung heroes when he returned from his adventures. You would have expected him to have received a parade and a reception, yet it seems he went off quietly to run the Reservoir Tavern...There are claims that the best-selling novelist, Bernard Cornwell, after paying a casual visit to the cemetery and noticing the inscription, based his famous Sharpe novels on the Keighley adventurer."

The Reservoir Tavern, is at Guardhouse...........

[bartholomewbarry]

Thank you all for your replies and the wealth of infomation you have provided.
To alumpot. Can I ask where the infomation you provided come from?

[ajp1963]

If You Would like more infomation on guardhouse then please go on www.keighleyarchaeology.co.nr and go on the keighley history page