KELBROOK is yet another of our forgotten villages.

Situated close to Barnoldswick and Earby and also on the main road from Colne, Kelbrook is only visited today by those in search of one of the best fish and chip shops and restaurants in the area.

It is, however, worth turning down from the chippy to the church which is situated close to the Kell Brook and the two small bridges which span it.

Kelbrook has existed at least since Saxon times and there are records dating to 750AD.

At the time of the Domesday Book the village was named Chelbrok and was owned by the very powerful William de Percy who had vast estates in what we call today the Craven area.

Kelbrook has a delightful old church which has a clock on each of the four sides of the solid square tower.

There may well have been a church on a Saxon site, but there is lots of evidence that there was human occupation long before this period.

Arrow heads, flesh scrapers and other stone artefacts have been found on Kelbrook Moor and which are dated to a period some 4,000 years ago.

Like all our area in thos days, the Valley bottoms were disease infested swamps and settlements were set on the highland areas above the tree line.

The local council have published a colourful circular brochure which follows a route of around five miles based on Kelbrook.

I spent lots of time enjoying the stream and the old roads including Dotcliffe Road.

This is now a mere track, but prior to modern roads it was part of a link between Colne and Skipton.

Here is yet another example of an almost forgotten village and I enjoyed the chippy, the ancient history, the church and the splendid and varied scenery.