Starbeck

History

Starbeck apparently takes its name from the 'Star Beck' (Old Norse stǫrr bekkr "sedge brook"), which flows into the Crimple Beck, a tributary of the Nidd.

Starbeck was originally a hamlet in the township of Bilton with Harrogate in the ancient parish of Knaresborough. The township was part of the ancient Royal Forest of Knaresborough, which is situated to the south of the River Nidd. In 1896 Starbeck became a separate civil parish, but in 1938 the civil parish was abolished and Starbeck was absorbed into the Municipal Borough of Harrogate.

The railways come to Starbeck

The railway came to Starbeck in 1848. The railway buildings gradually increased, and with them came a corn mill, malt house and water bottling plant. The population expanded rapidly in this period, most families owing their livelihood in some way to the railway.

Decline of the railways

In the 1950s the decline set in. In 1951 the Nidd Valley Line closed to passengers and the loop line to Pannal (under Crimple Viaduct) closed completely. In September 1959 the engine shed and marshalling yard closed. In 1967 the passenger service to Ripon was withdrawn.

The last goods train travelled the old Leeds to Thirsk railway line from Starbeck to Northallerton on 9 October 1969, leaving only the current Harrogate Line. By 1969 the station was no longer manned and the station buildings, goods shed and coal depot were demolished in 1978.

Starbeck today

The High Street has many shops, including a chemist, post office, butcher's shops, general stores, a car dealership, motorcycle sales shop, numerous fast food take-aways and a chimney sweep who sells wood-burning fires. The many shops in the High Street and several small industrial areas are all close by, surrounded by residential developments.

Taylors of Harrogate's Yorkshire Tea factory and Bettys Craft Bakery are within Starbeck. There is a major supermarket, Morrisons, in Starbeck, together with large electrical retailers.

There Is just one public house on the High Street - the Prince of Wales. The previously listed Henry Peacock (named after the master of the local workhouse during the 19th century) closed and was demolished in 2016. The site is being rebuilt on and will house two new businesses - a Vetinarian practice & a coffee shop.

In 2013 Starbeck was again the winner of the Royal Horticultural Society award in the Urban Community Category.

There are historical public baths in Starbeck (in Spa Lane), building on the spa history of the area.

In popular culture

The Forest Lane level Crossing in Starbeck was used by Yorkshire Television for the filming of a scene in the Beiderbecke Affair. This is because besides tracks, access roads and the Middleton Railway, there are no level crossings in Leeds.

Starbeck also featured in a 1989 episode of Yorkshire Television's The New Statesman starring Rik Mayall.