Drive and Stroll, with Ron Freethy - this week, in Settle

WHEN we talk of the Ribble Valley's towns we usually think of Clitheroe, which I visited last week, and Settle, in Upper Ribblesdale, which I strolled around this week.

Next week I am going to explore Ribchester. As usual, in these troubled times for farmers, we should all keep our eyes skinned for foot and mouth warning signs and follow these instructions.

Settle is a wonderful town with memories of folk who made history.

You could say that you can always bank on Settle because two of its banks were once the haunts of men who achieved worldwide fame.

Look around the square at Settle and look first for the Lloyds TSB bank. Look for a plaque on a wall under a window. This is the site of the birthplace of the Rev Benjamin Waugh, who lived from 1839 to 1908. He was known as the Children's Friend and was the founder of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

On the opposite side of the square is the National Westminster Bank and another prominent wall plaque celebrates the life of the composer Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934). The structure which is now the bank was once the home of Dr Charles William Buck. Apart from attending to his patients, Dr Buck was an excellent musician and Elgar was often a guest in his house. The two men also enjoyed walking and there is a footpath following one of their main walks. Once the foot and mouth scare fades into history I promise myself that I will follow the "Elgar Trail" and when I get home I will play some of the music which some say was composed while Elgar was soaking up the atmosphere of the Ribblesdale countryside.

Settle is dominated by the limestone crag called Castleberg and this looks down on the road which winds its way through the town.

Settle was an important stop during the 18th and early 19th century when coaches set down passengers at one of the several inns. Most of these inns still have their stables with arched entrances attached. One of the most attractive, set just off the square, is the Talbot Arms. Many people wonder why the Talbot should show a dog on the inn sign. In the days when livestock was driven to markets, the herds and flocks were kept together by a breed of dog called a Talbot and hence the name.

Few market squares anywhere in Britain is more attractive than that of Settle. It is dominated by arches which are known as The Shambles. There is also a famous shambles in York and these were features of all towns. The word shambles means "a slaughterhouse." Each butcher in the early days killed his own animals so it must have been a bit of a shambles.

On the opposite side of the road look out for The Old Naked Man cafe which has a rather rude carving in stone on the wall. This has been somewhat eroded by the weather but it is thought to be a Celtic fertility symbol dating back to Iron Age times, long before the Romans came.

Next week I shall be strolling around Ribchester to discover the history of a village which should be regarded as one of the major tourist sites of Britain.

Perhaps it is too far north for some historians to fully appreciate its treasures.