Escrick

Escrick is a village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It was in the historic East Riding of Yorkshire, but since 1974 has come under North Yorkshire. It is approximately equidistant between Selby and York on what is now the A19 road.

1. History and geography

Escrick sits at the southernmost limit of glaciation during the last ice age. When the ice retreated, a deposit known as a "terminal moraine" was left behind, in the form of a ridge. The name "Escrick" may mean "ash ridge", suggesting that the village was first established in an area of Ash.

A gold Anglo-Saxon ring (the so-called "Escrick ring") was discovered in a field near Escrick by a metal detectorist in 2009 and was acquired by the Yorkshire Museum for £35,000. During the medieval period, the village was known as "Ascri" (Ash Ridge), but by 1600 the name Escrick was in use. Escrick was developed as an estate village by Sir Henry Thompson who acquired the village and the hall in 1668. Sir Henry's great grandson, Beilby Thompson, inherited the estate in 1742. Under his ownership the village extended towards York and the church was relocated from beside the hall to its present site on the York Road (A19). Part of this re-organisation involved stopping the main village street at the gates to the hall and creating a by-pass which has become the present day A19. The village's sylvan character also evolved from the time of enclosure when the open land became parkland. It was historically in the East Riding of Yorkshire, but from 1974 to 2023 was in the Selby District of the shire county of North Yorkshire. In 2023 the district was abolished and North Yorkshire became a unitary authority. The proposed development of the 4,000 house new town Heronby within 660 yards (600 m) of the village was rejected in early 2024. It had received many objections from the local populace, the City of York Council, and wildlife groups, nonetheless, it is predicted to be resubmitted.

1. Landmarks


1. = Escrick Hall =

A manor-house at Escrick existed in 1323, and in 1557 was called Escrick Hall and was a substantial house of seventeen hearths in the 1670s. The seat of the Lord of the Manor, it was rebuilt in grand style about 1690 with a park of over 450 acres (180 ha), and would be much extended and improved in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Its owners included Sir Thomas Knyvet, one of the Royalists who foiled the 1605 Gunpowder Plot; and Lord Wenlock, the 19th century MP. The house was rebuilt by Henry Thompson (died 1700) c. 1680–90. The house was now two storeys high with basement and attics, and the main front was seven bays long with a central entrance. The building was later re-fronted and raised to three storeys c. 1758. In 1763 John Carr of York was employed to design additions to the building adding a range which abuts the north front and extending beyond it to both east and west. A square stable block with four ranges around a central court on the north-east was added. Carr also remodelled the interior of the old house. The mid nineteenth century was another period of substantial building activity at Escrick. A north-west wing was added in 1846–8, and a north-eastern link to the stables was complete by 1850. Many internal alterations were carried out during the nineteenth century including the addition of a pump house, laundry, and dairies. The conversion of the house for school use has resulted in some new building, notably a new laboratory block on the north-west, but much of the dormitory and classroom accommodation has been contrived within the old stables and secondary rooms, thankfully leaving the principal rooms intact. The Hall and Escrick estates passed to the present owners, the Forbes Adam family, on the death of Beilby Lawley in 1920. The Hall has been occupied by Queen Margaret's School since 1949 and the park is now operated as a holiday and pleasure park. Escrick Park is an extensive landscape park with pleasure grounds associated with c. 1680 Escrick Hall. Features include: Ionic Temple, 'Menagerie' farm, pond, topiary, woodland walks, and extensive woodland rides which includes a well built cross country horse riding circuit leading through the former 450-acre (180 ha) deer park in front of the original family house.

1. = Parsonage Hotel =

The building that today houses the three-star Parsonage Hotel and Spa dates back to the early 1840s. It retains many of its original features.

1. = St Helen's Church =

The church of St Helen has stood in its present position since 1783 when Beilby Thompson, then Lord of the Manor, replaced the 13th century church that was once situated to the west of Escrick Hall. The present building, designed in Victorian Gothic style by architect Francis Penrose, was built at the expense of Beilby Lawley in 1857.

1. Gallery


1. Notes


1. References

A History of the County of York East Riding. Volume 3 pp. 17–28 K J Allison (1976)

1. External links

Escrick Parish Council A detailed history of Escrick Escrick Conservation Area The ancient parish of Escrick: historical and genealogical information at GENUKI. English Nature – For More Information on the terminal morraine – specifically page 46 Forbes Adam/ Thompson/ Lawley (Barons Wenlock) Family of Escrick,1387–1988 Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine

Nearby Places View Menu

St Helen's Church, Escrick

St Helen's Church is the parish church of Escrick, a village south of York, in North Yorkshire, in England. A church was first recorded in Escrick in 1252. Its tower was rebuilt or repaired in 1460, and the church was repaired in 1663. In 1759, the pulpit, reading desk and pews were replaced, and a gallery at the east end was replaced by one at the west end. However, in 1781, the site of the church was granted to Beilby Thompson to improve the area around Escrick Hall, on condition that he built a new church. The second church was built on a new site, by the York to Selby road. It was a brick structure, in the classical style, and was consecrated in 1783. However, in 1857, it was replaced by the current church, a stone structure in the Perpendicular style, designed by Francis Penrose. The new structure cost £26,000 to build. The church survives today, with a vestry added in 1896. A fire in 1923 destroyed the furnishings, but the church was quickly restored by John Bilson, and reopened to worship in 1925. In 1966, the church was Grade II* listed. The church has a five-bay nave with a north aisle, a two-bay chancel in the form of an apse, an eight-sided apse at the west end, containing a bapistery and chapel, over a crypt, and a tower to the north-east. There is also a south porch. The church is supported by buttresses and has battlements. Various gargoyles decorate the structure. The west apse contains an ogee-headed door to the crypt. There are an assortment of Geometric windows in the church. Those behind the altar were designed by Bilson. There is an early 14th century monument to a knight, possibly Roger de Lascelles, which is now damaged. Among the wall monuments are one to Beilby Thompson, and one of about 1816 to Jane Lawley, carved by Bertel Thorvaldsen. The church houses a peal of 12 bells:

Church Landmark

739 m

Queen Margaret's School, York

Queen Margaret's School was an independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11–18 set in 75 acres of parkland, six miles south of York. It was established in 1901 and closed 125 years later in 2025.

School

Escrick Park

Escrick Park is a historic building and country estate in Escrick, a village in North Yorkshire, in England. The estate was formed by Picot de Lascelles in the mid 12th century, and a manor house was first recorded in 1323. It descended through the family until 1668, when Edward Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Escrick sold it to Henry Thompson. Thompson's son, also Henry Thompson, rebuilt the country house at the centre of the estate in the 1680s. It originally resembled nearby Bell Hall. In 1758, and again in about 1765, John Carr of York extended the house, for Beilby Thompson. His work included the north range, more than twice as long as the original house; a detached stable block; and remodelling of the interior. A northwest wing was completed in 1848, and a link to Carr's stable block was built in 1850. In addition, a conservatory was constructed, and the east side was extended, providing a new entrance hall and larger dining room. In 1898, Thompson's descendents purchased Skipwith Hall, and in 1929 they made it their main residence, converting Escrick Park into flats. 1949, the house was instead leased to Queen Margaret's School, which purchased the building in 1974. The house has been grade II* listed since 1951. The house is rendered with stone dressings. The Carr extension is in brick, and it has a hipped Welsh slate roof. The main block has three storeys and seven bays, flanked by single-storey single-bay extensions, and with two-storey rear wings, the right with three bays and the left with four bays. The entrance on the right has a portico with four Ionic columns, a frieze, a cornice and a balustrade. The main range has floor bands, a moulded modillion cornice, a frieze, and a balustrade with urns on the corners. The windows in the ground floor are casements, above are sash windows, and all have architraves. In the Carr range are canted bay windows. Inside the house, remains of Carr's decorative scheme include the main staircase; plasterwork including half of the ceiling in the entrance hall, and the ceiling, cornice and frieze in the dining room; and the panelling in the dining room. There is a late 18th century fireplace made of yellow and white marble, probably designed by John Fisher, and a library with built-in bookshelves, a gilded ceiling and cornices, which was probably designed by Edward Blore. Carr's coach house and stable block is separately listed at grade II*. It is built of brick with stone dressings, rendered on the front, and with a Welsh slate roof. It has four ranges with a square plan around an open courtyard. The south range has two storeys, and nine bays projecting slightly under a dentilled pediment containing a clock. The range has a plinth, a continuous impost band, a dentilled cornice and a hipped roof. On the front are three recessed arched with moulded heads, and sash windows. On the roof is a cupola with Doric columns and a domed lead roof. The other ranges have a single storey. The grounds of the estate were laid out in the late 18th and early 19th century, and as part of the process, much of the village of Escrick was demolished and rebuilt on new sites. The kitchen garden has been demolished, with houses built on the site in the 1990s, but most of the remainder of the estate survives. Various structures in the grounds are listed, including the Garden Temple, a former cottage, and various gates, lodges, and garden urns.

Historic Site Landmark

Deighton, York

Deighton is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of the City of York, North Yorkshire, England. The population of the civil parish as of the 2011 census was 291. It lies on the A19 about five miles south of York. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 308. The village was historically part of the East Riding of Yorkshire until 1974. It was then a part of the Selby District in North Yorkshire from 1974 until 1996. Since 1996 it has been part of the City of York unitary authority. The parish also includes most of the hamlet of Crockey Hill. The name Deighton comes from Old English and means farmstead surrounded by a ditch.

Landmark Neighbourhood