Extracts from a Charles Fothergill's Diary of 1805....

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Oct 11th ... From thence we rode to Hening [Heaning] at the entrance of Bishopdale and called upon that strange character Disney ; here we found Mr Ottovell Wood who had been apprised of our proposed visit. There is a pretty waterfall about half a mile behind the house of Hening ... [foot note says Ottivel Wood was of Gale Bank, this is in parish of Wensley].... Hening is a farm house delightfully situated upon a hill commanding a noble prospect of the fine vale of Bishopdale; the room we were shown into was Dinsdale's sittingroom and a curious epitome of his crazy character; the windows and tables were covered with plants, shells, fossils and minerals; a library, paintings, prints and drawings adorned every part of the room, in the centre of which stood a table covered with wines and fruits which as I afterwards understood constantly every day remains so for he accommodation of himself and such chance friends as may call upon him; we passed through Thoralby and so on ...