in 1736 they decided to buy land at Airmyn, as the water was deeper, and larger vessels could not always reach Rawcliffe, particularly on neap tides. The land was bought in 1744, and Airmyn gradually replaced Rawcliffe, as staithes, woolsheds, a crane and various other buildings were erected by those who leased the navigation. In 1750, the Aire and Calder Company repaid those who had built the facilities, and took ownership of them. By 1774, most of the Aire and Calder staff were also based at Airmyn. It became possible to catch a ship from Airmyn to London, as a regular service began in 1758, charging the same fares as those from Hull to London. Success was short-lived. In 1774, the Aire and Calder decided to build the Selby Canal, which would bypass the lower Aire and join the Ouse further upstream. Until then, Airmyn had acted as a transshipment point, where cargo was transferred from seagoing ships to river vessels. A new woolshed was built in 1775, and there was a coal yard, where coal was sold. Six staff were employed to manage the facility, which was also the base for the company's river boats. In one week in July 1775, 19 boats were loaded, and nine vessels, one from London and eight from Hull, had arrived within a four-day period. Once the Selby Canal opened in 1776, decline was rapid. The coalyard and the offices closed in 1779, and two years later, all buildings on the north bank of the river were demolished, while those on the south bank were sold. The boat repair yard closed soon afterwards. Airmyn, along with nearby Rawcliffe, was the location of one of the first reliable reports of the practice of warping in agriculture in the 1730s. This was the temporary flooding of fields so as to fertilise the soil with the silt left behind. Gallery References Bibliography External links Airmyn Park Primary School A Guide to Airmyn and Historical Information Airmyn's Historical Clock Tower Restoration website Airmyn Parish Council website Airmyn Village Hall/Community Association website Villages in the East Riding of Yorkshire Civil parishes in the East Riding of Yorkshire