THE largest gathering of a Yorkshire dales clan since the Battle of Agincourt took place this weekend.

Hundreds of members of the Metcalfe family descended on the villages of Hawes and West Burton, in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Metcalfe Society.

The last large gathering of Metcalfes is said to have been at the Battle of Agincourt when the Metcalfe clan rode their white horses into battle to support Henry V.

Metcalfes from all over the world, including America, Australia, Canada and France, spent the weekend meeting other people with the same name and making new acquaintances.

About 200 Metcalfes gathered on West Burton village green for a photograph of the gathering.

Peter Dobson, vice-chairman of the Metcalfe Society, said: "We've had a great weekend and we've had Metcalfes from all over the world.

"There's been some fascinating stories - one man from Australia had never had a passport until three weeks ago.

"We've also had a second Metcalfe who's come from Australia and another from France, who were amazed to find out they had a connection.

"We've had a lot of people who've found out they had relations they didn't know about.

"We've had about 200 members who came, as well as lots of others who've come along to find out about what's going on, so we've spread the name of Metcalfe as well."

As well as the group photograph, other activities included local history presentations, bus trips around the dale, a celebratory dinner at Nappa Hall, the ancestral home of the Metcalfe clan and the blowing of the Wensleydale Forest Horn at the Rose and Crown at Bainbridge.