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.
This film is part of Free
Video Player is loading.
Summer Excursion 1948: To Ramsgill and Fountains Abbey
A rare home movie by a professional filmmaker who has wonderfully caught the flavour of a group outing in Yorkshire shortly after the war, among them a Gazza lookalike.
From the collection of:
Overview
This is lovely film by Bradford filmmaker Charles Wood of his family with an unidentified group on a coach tour of the small village of Ramsgill in Nidderdale, and Byland Abbey, in 1948. Wood presents pen portraits of many of the characters on the trip as they visit, among other places, the Yorke Arms on the village green; now a Michelin-starred restaurant made famous by Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon in their TV comedy The Trip.
Unusually for a C.H. Wood film, the opening titles highlight that this is filmed in “Kodachrome Natural Colour”, marking the fact that this was one of the first times Wood had used Kodachrome, and the significance this had. Markedly superior to other colour film of the time, and arguably since, the renowned photographer Steve McCurry has said that, in comparison to other colour film, “Kodachrome had more poetry in it, a softness, an elegance.” Byland Abbey, somewhat overshadowed by its Cistercian neighbour Rievaulx, wasn’t listed until 1955, and much later still came under the control of English Heritage.
Related
Watch for free
On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.
Watch for free
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
Watch for free
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Watch for free
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Watch for free
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Watch for free
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.