| Where | Kirkby Church Hall and on Site | Type of Event | Illustrated Talks and Site Visit |
| When | Thursday 22nd July at 10am | Tutor | Chris Evans and Kevin Bulmer |
As its contribution to this year’s Festival of British Archaeology, the Local History Group hosted presentations in Kirkby Church Hall by Christopher Evans, an expert on the flagged trods of the North York Moors and by Kevin Bulmer of the Cleveland Bay Horse Society. More than fifty people attended, listening to the talks and viewing the accompanying displays before a number braved the wettest day of the Summer and walked the exposed length of the Kirby Pannierman Way.
Kevin was the first speaker and he talked of his love for Cleveland Bay Horses and the research that he and his wife Sue had done into the history of the breed. He explained that the original Cleveland Bays were smaller, hardier animals which were bred for work as packhorses on these trods, operating in trains of up to forty animals.
Christopher then gave a presentation illustrated by photographs of some of the trods on the North York Moors and maps showing their distribution around the area. He argued that the trods had served the salt and fishing industries at their peaks in the 16th Century and over the centuries had fulfilled the needs of a variety of trades and industries right up to tourism today.
A number of members then braved the elements to visit the ancient trod at the top of Hill Road.
Geoff Taylor emphasised the importance of our trod as a historical monument and the need to preserve it which was why we are attempting to have it listed as such by English Heritage.
The proposed maintenance work was postponed due to the poor weather.