FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - Long and circumstantial accounts have just been published regarding Oliver Cromwell's head, which is stated to be in possession of a gentleman in Kent. This may be correct, but the question of where the body of the Great Protector is, is one of local interest. It is but a few miles from Thirsk, near Coxwold, that Sir George Wombwell lives at the grand old Newburgh Priory. I went through the place a few years since with a party from Darlington and the guide pointed out a curious and irregular looking projection in a wall, where tradition says Oliver Cromwell's remains lie. It seems to be not at all improbable, for it appears that a daughter of Cromwell married and lived at the Priory. After her father's remains had been so barbarously taken from the grave it is said that she got possession of them and brought them to Yorkshire.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. - Under the auspices of the Wensleydale chess club, the editor of "Chess", Mr B H Wood, played 20 boards simultaneously at Belle Vue Cafe, Leyburn, on Tuesday and won every game. Players were from the Wensleydale Chess Club, Bellerby Chess Club, Darlington and Northallerton. After the games, Mr Wood said that although he had won them all there had been some tough games which might easily have gone against him, especially by a Darlington player, who had attained an unusual and extraordinary position. "I felt I was fortunate to win that game," he said.

From this newspaper 25 years ago. - The A1 through North Yorkshire would become the bottleneck for traffic in the United Kingdom, if it becomes the chosen "brown" route for the extension of the M1 motorway. This was claimed by George Thorniley-Walker, Osmotherley, on Friday, when he urged the No 1 Area Highways Advisory Committee to continue to press for the "blue" route, which would provide an entirely new road from the M1 south of Leeds to the A1 at Dishforth passing to the west of Leeds and Harrogate to the south-east of Ripon. The former Minister of Transport, Mr William Rodgers, has chosen the "brown" route and the county surveyor, Col Gerald Leech, was giving details of the public exhibition in relation to the proposals for the upgrading of the A1 between Walshford near Wetherby and Dishforth. Coun Thorniley-Walker said they must continue to press for the adoption of the "blue" route, otherwise there would be complete chaos for the north and south-bound traffic while the A1 is being upgraded. There were no alternative routes available between Wetherby and Dishforth.