TRIBUTES have been paid to farmer and campsite owner Chris Sutcliffe of Horton-in-Ribblesdale who died recently aged 87. At his funeral Chris was described as ‘the man who put Horton on the map.’

In 1954 Chris and his wife Jean started a bed and breakfast and campsite at Holme Farm in the village. Jean’s Yorkshire breakfasts were more popular than ‘full English’ as they came with chips.

Chris managed the campsite until a few weeks before his death last month. Chris offered a friendly welcome to campers, cyclists and ramblers many of whom became firm friends after staying repeatedly at Holme Farm.

Chris often said, ‘We can’t move Penyghent, we have to make the best of it’. He was one of the first to diversify into hospitality and tourism, an undertaking that successive governments encouraged farmers to do and he greeted his many customers by saying, ‘Have you come far?’

Chris lived and breathed Horton as he was born at Cragg Hill Farm in 1936, one of three siblings to parents Walter and Mary Alice (née Lund).

The family improved Cragg Hill by building barns and shippons from stone on Moughton Scar. Chris attended Helwith Bridge School during the war and became an expert sheep farmer.

He met Jean, of Burtersett, at a dance in Hawes and they began welcoming scouts and military cadets, and later Duke of Edinburgh participants, to their new farm. In snowy winters the cadets built igloos on Penyghent.

Chris’s office was ‘the big tent’ where campers would present impromptu concerts with guitars and even a piano belting out songs and laments, some of which were played at his funeral. Chris was especially proud to be invited to the passing out parades of the young soldiers who had stayed at Holme Farm.

Chris served on Horton Show Committee, Horton School Governors, the Parish Council and the Village Hall trustees. He raised funds for Horton’s Golden Age Committee for trips and treats for senior citizens and was responsible for the vote of thanks at village events, often ending with, ‘let’s give them a big hand.’

Chris would arrive at village galas and shows in his vintage Austin 7 and a picture of him driving that is on permanent display at Airedale Hospital with other ‘celebrities’ from Ribblesdale, courtesy of photographer Hilary Fenten.

Chris’s knack of bringing the community together will be much missed, along with his many sayings and stories.

He was devoted to his family and leaves a son, Stephen, daughter-in-law Tracey, three grandchildren and three great-grandsons. His granddaughter Rachel wrote and read a poem at the funeral, ‘The Yorkshire Gentleman.’ Sadly Jean died in 2014.