TWO more hamlets in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales have been given Conservation Area Status, by the National Park authority.

Both Gayle and Carperby, in Wensleydale, have been designated, after consultation with people who live in the area.

However, no decision has yet been made on the village of Muker, at the head of Swaledale, while Hawes has been ruled out.

Spokesman Graham Darlington said: "The authority has a statutory obligation to designate areas that are of special architectural or historic interest.

"This week's designations recognise both the historic origins of Gayle, and its unique character, and the historic interest of Carperby, with its origins in the pre-conquest era and its subsequent development in the medieval period."

Both will now be involved in the development of preservation and conservation projects, as well as research into the possibility of applying for grants.

Regarding Hawes, National Park authority chairman, Steve Macare, said: "The decision to designate a town or village must take into account the settlement as a whole, and if it is worthy of designation."