HISTORY students and anyone interested in Skipton’s First World War military training and prisoner of war camp will welcome the launch of a new dedicated website.

Skiptonww1camp.co.uk is the result of a partnership between Craven District Council’s special Craven and the First World War project, and the University of Leeds, using money from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The website, which was officially launched at Skipton Town Hall yesterday evening (Wednesday), includes images of a 3D model of the camp, known as Raikeswood Camp, which was situated at the top of Raikeswood Drive and its junction with Raikes Road, and a timeline of its history.

The website also includes information about the German prisoners who started arriving there towards the end of the First World War in 1918, and the British guards who looked after them. The information uses accounts written and illustrated by some of the prisoners of war, who wrote a book - Kriegsgefangen in Skipton.

The book gives details of the daily lives of the POWs, and their experiences of being imprisoned at the camp and is currently being translated by a team of translators, including staff and students at the University of Leeds and local volunteers.

Using material from the book, as well as archival research, the website aims to rewrite the story of this ‘forgotten’ WW1 camp back into the history of Skipton, reshaping accounts of the town and its past.

Rob Freeman, Craven and the First World War Project officer, said the launch of the new dedicated website was very exciting, and it was hoped it would mean more people becoming interested in a part of the town’s fascinating, and evolving history.

“We are very excited about the launch of this new website and we hope it will allow us to share the fascinating story of the camp with more people and offer a unique perspective on the war and the local history of Skipton. We are very proud of what we have uncovered so far and cannot wait to offer the community another glimpse of its history,” he said.

In addition to announcing the new website, yesterday’s event at the town hall included an explanation of further work taking place at the site of the former camp, and plans to carry out an archaeological dig during the coming weeks.

To coincide with the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the German prisoners in Skipton in the final year of the First World War in 1918, professional archaeologists, with the help of students, will be returning for one final time to carry out a dig. For the first time this year, they will also be carrying out a number of small scale digs in nearby residential gardens.

A free open day event at the site is due to take place on Wednesday, August 1 between 2pm and 7pm, when people will be able to take a closer look at the dig. A re-enactor will also be on the site giving demonstrations, and there will also be guided tours and archaeology sessions every hour.

To find out more, visit the website at: skiptonww1camp.co.uk