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The History of Kettlewell Village - Arthur Raistrick
Common pastures
The common pastures of Kettlewell included Whernside, Cam Pasture, Langliffe and Middlesmoor, but the freeholders of Kettlewell and Scale Park by 1600 were in the habit of putting sheep and cattle onto the big commons known as Hunter Sleights, between Coverdale and the head of Scale Park.
This was claimed by the tenants of Coverhead to be part of the Coverham Abbey Grange of Coverhead, and a complaint was taken to the Court of Exchequer. There was some argument about the boundaries of Hunter Sleights and Kettlewell, and it was proved that tenants of Scale Park and Kettlewell had for long years dug peat, cut thatching and taken stone out of part of Hunter Sleights called Tockmaie (now this is Top Mere) and had also turned sheep and cattle there to graze.
In the end the boundary between Coverhead and Kettlewell was redrawn and Top Mere became part of Kettlewell. It was bounded by ancient ditches one of which was the Ta Dyke and by the Scale Park wall.
The common pastures were divided out in "sheep gates" among the freeholders, and a byelawman and shepherd were appointed to control them.
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