Thornton Watlass
Encyclopedia
Thornton Watlass is a small village and civil parish
within the Hambleton
district of North Yorkshire
, England
. It is located north of Masham
and south of Bedale
on the eastern slopes of the Ure Valley
at the entrance to Wensleydale
and the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is 11 miles North of Ripon
, 4 miles from the A1, 11 miles from the main railway line at Northallerton
and 18 miles from Teeside Airport. Its population was 180 in 2001, and 190 in 2005.
The village lies at the junction of Watlass Lane and Watlass Moor Lane. At the centre of the village is the triangular village green
with its trees, cricket pitch
and children's playground, surrounded by houses, some of which are built from local stone. Thornton Watlass Church dates from the 11th century and the village also has a primary school and a public house
called the Buck Inn. The village forms part of the Thornton Watlass Estate, and Thornton Watlass Hall, an ancient two-storey gabled stone house, lies just to the north of the village.
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A prehistoric feature in the Thornton Watlass area is Gospel Hill tumulus
, a Scheduled Ancient Monument
, at about 1 km northwest of the village.
Saxon
remains of two cross-heads are evidence that people lived in the area before the Norman conquest in 1066. They are on display in Thornton Watlass Church.
The Domesday book
of 1086 mentions the separate villages of Thornton and Watlass. Before the Norman conquest the Saxon owners of these villages were Ulward and Stan; however, Thornton is shown in the Domesday book as being owned by Ribald, brother of Alan Earl of Richmond
. Thornton Watlass Hall and estate has been owned by the Dodsworth family since 1415.
The Anglican Church of St Mary the Virgin
stands a little way outside the village to the southwest. It was rebuilt, with the exception of the tower, in 1868 in the Perpendicular style. The tower contains some living accommodation (including toilet) and was probably used as a place of safety in times of strife.
The village school was built in 1872.
The Church of England
primary school has 41 children on the roll aged between 4 and 11 years, taught in two mixed-age classes. Recent Ofsted
inspections conclude that the school is very successful not only in the academic development of children, but also in personal qualities, behaviour, and their "spiritual, moral, social and cultural development".
There is also provision for under-5s in the village hall.
The village public house
, restaurant and hotel, The Buck Inn overlooks the village green. Specialities include locally brewed real ale, Sunday lunchtime jazz
, and a large room for conferences and functions.
Just to the north of the village, Thornton Watlass Hall is a private home, but also provides hotel accommodation. The Hall has been featured over the years on several television dramas, including All Creatures Great and Small (BBC
), Wuthering Heights
(ITV
) and Heartbeat (ITV) where it has featured as Ashfordly Hall and Websters Hotel for the past nine years.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
within the Hambleton
Hambleton
Hambleton is a local government district of North Yorkshire, England. The main town and administrative centre is Northallerton, and includes the market towns and major villages of Bedale, Thirsk, Great Ayton, Stokesley and Easingwold....
district of North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located north of Masham
Masham
Masham is a small market town and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 1,235. Situated in Wensleydale on the western bank of the River Ure, the name derives from the Anglo-Saxon "Mæssa's Ham", the homestead belonging to Mæssa. The Romans had...
and south of Bedale
Bedale
Bedale is a market town and civil parish in the district of Hambleton, North Yorkshire, England. It lies north of Leeds, southwest of Middlesbrough, and south west of the county town of Northallerton...
on the eastern slopes of the Ure Valley
River Ure
The River Ure is a river in North Yorkshire, England, approximately long from its source to the point where it changes name to the River Ouse. It is the principal river of Wensleydale, which is the only one of the Dales now named after a village rather than its river...
at the entrance to Wensleydale
Wensleydale
Wensleydale is the valley of the River Ure on the east side of the Pennines in North Yorkshire, England.Wensleydale lies in the Yorkshire Dales National Park – one of only a few valleys in the Dales not currently named after its principal river , but the older name, "Yoredale", can still be seen...
and the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is 11 miles North of Ripon
Ripon
Ripon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
, 4 miles from the A1, 11 miles from the main railway line at Northallerton
Northallerton
Northallerton is an affluent market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York. It has a population of 15,741 according to the 2001 census...
and 18 miles from Teeside Airport. Its population was 180 in 2001, and 190 in 2005.
The village lies at the junction of Watlass Lane and Watlass Moor Lane. At the centre of the village is the triangular village green
Village green
A village green is a common open area which is a part of a settlement. Traditionally, such an area was often common grass land at the centre of a small agricultural settlement, used for grazing and sometimes for community events...
with its trees, cricket pitch
Cricket pitch
In the game of cricket, the cricket pitch consists of the central strip of the cricket field between the wickets - 1 chain or 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. The surface is very flat and normally covered with extremely short grass though this grass is soon removed by wear at the ends of the...
and children's playground, surrounded by houses, some of which are built from local stone. Thornton Watlass Church dates from the 11th century and the village also has a primary school and a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
called the Buck Inn. The village forms part of the Thornton Watlass Estate, and Thornton Watlass Hall, an ancient two-storey gabled stone house, lies just to the north of the village.
History
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
, a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
, at about 1 km northwest of the village.
Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
remains of two cross-heads are evidence that people lived in the area before the Norman conquest in 1066. They are on display in Thornton Watlass Church.
The Domesday book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 mentions the separate villages of Thornton and Watlass. Before the Norman conquest the Saxon owners of these villages were Ulward and Stan; however, Thornton is shown in the Domesday book as being owned by Ribald, brother of Alan Earl of Richmond
Alan de Bretagne, 1st Earl of Richmond
Alan of Penthièvre of Brittany, 1st Earl of Cornwall, 1st Earl of Richmond , Breton Alan Penteur, also known as "Alan the Black", was a Breton noble who fought for Stephen of England...
. Thornton Watlass Hall and estate has been owned by the Dodsworth family since 1415.
The Anglican Church of St Mary the Virgin
St Mary the Virgin
-Churches:* St Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury* St Mary the Virgin, Blackburn Hamlet* St Mary the Virgin, Brighton* St Mary the Virgin, Barnes* St Mary the Virgin, Bathwick* St Mary the Virgin, Gillingham, Dorset* St Mary the Virgin, Henbury...
stands a little way outside the village to the southwest. It was rebuilt, with the exception of the tower, in 1868 in the Perpendicular style. The tower contains some living accommodation (including toilet) and was probably used as a place of safety in times of strife.
The village school was built in 1872.
Thornton Watlass today
Today the village has about fifty houses and a few farms, with a population of just under 200.The Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
primary school has 41 children on the roll aged between 4 and 11 years, taught in two mixed-age classes. Recent Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
inspections conclude that the school is very successful not only in the academic development of children, but also in personal qualities, behaviour, and their "spiritual, moral, social and cultural development".
There is also provision for under-5s in the village hall.
The village public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, restaurant and hotel, The Buck Inn overlooks the village green. Specialities include locally brewed real ale, Sunday lunchtime jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and a large room for conferences and functions.
Just to the north of the village, Thornton Watlass Hall is a private home, but also provides hotel accommodation. The Hall has been featured over the years on several television dramas, including All Creatures Great and Small (BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
), Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë published in 1847. It was her only novel and written between December 1845 and July 1846. It remained unpublished until July 1847 and was not printed until December after the success of her sister Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre...
(ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
) and Heartbeat (ITV) where it has featured as Ashfordly Hall and Websters Hotel for the past nine years.