A Brief history of the ancient valley

The Cowling Valley, where Ickornshaw is located, has a rich history of human settlement and industrial activity dating back to the Neolithic period. The area was home to a number of small farming communities, who were likely engaged in the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock.

The first recorded mention of the area is in the Doomsday book, where Cowling valley is referred to as Collinghe and was under the Lordship of Arnketil, a Nordic Lord. Ickornshaw was likely named prior to this, given it has a Nordic name meaning - Squirrel copse. The first written records including Ickornshaw were from around 1279.

The valley was a farming valley, with what was believed to be a mixture of arable crop and livestock farming. A road from Keighley to Skipton went through the village, along with a road from Colne.

In the 19th century, the Cowling Valley saw a boom in industrial activity, with the development of mills and factories for the production of textiles, paper, and other goods. The hamlet of Ickornshaw would have likely been affected by these changes, as the population grew and new jobs were created in the area. It was around this time it is believed the area turned from mixed farming towards just livestock.

A good summary of the wider area in the later 19th century appears in John Marius Wilson's 'Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales'. The entry for Cowling is a follows:

COWLING, a township and a chapelry in Kildwick parish, W. R. Yorkshire. The township lies adjacent to the boundary with Lancashire, 3 miles W by S of Kildwick r. station, and 5¼ SSW of Skipton; includes the hamlets of Cowling-Hill and Ickornshaw; and has a post office under Leeds. Acres, 4, 512. Real property, £4, 498. Pop. 1,815. Houses, 376. The property is much subdivided. Most of the inhabitants are employed in the cotton manufacture. The chapelry was constituted in 1844; and is less extensive than the township. Pop., 1, 729. Houses, 353. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Ripon. Value, £150. Patron, alternately the Crown and the Bishop. The church is modern; and a school has £17 from endowment.

Today, Ickornshaw remains a small hamlet, with a population of around 100 people. The area is primarily rural, with a mix of farmland and small wooded areas. It is a popular destination for walkers and hikers, as the surrounding hills and valleys offer beautiful views and a wide range of outdoor activities.