The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
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Ancient and Modern
The ancient and quiet Yorkshire village of Bramhope is affectionately portrayed in this film, with much local knowledge, by a husband and wife pair of enthusiastic filmmakers.
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Overview
This is a typical film made by a so-called “amateur” filmmaker documenting local places and history, in this case Ken Leckenby, along with his wife, doing just that. Here they contrast a new hotel with an ancient Puritan Chapel dating from 1645 in their Yorkshire village of Bramhope.
This is one of many films made by keen filmmaker Ken Leckenby, who also made films as a member of the Leeds Mercury Movie Makers Cine Club. Ken made many local documentary type films, including a series of films he titled ‘Out and About’, which brought together film and information of local places and events. He would research, write and narrate his own scripts. Ken was very interested in the technical side of making films, especially nature films, which he made with fellow MMM member Myer Gorwits. The Puritan Chapel on Otley Road, built by the Dyneley family which had acquired Bramhope Hall, is now a Grade I listed building, and the Trust House Forte Hotel in Bramhope is still operating.
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