Thornton Watlass

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 54.264909
longitude= -1.638395
official_name= Thornton Watlass
static_

static_image_caption= Looking east across Thornton Watlass village green
population = 190 (2005)
shire_district= Hambleton
region= Yorkshire and the Humber
shire_county = North Yorkshire
constituency_westminster=
post_town= RIPON
postcode_district = HG4
postcode_area= HG
dial_code= 01677
os_grid_reference= SE235855

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.cite web|url=http://www.a1tourism.com/uk/buckinn.html|title=Buck Inn|work=A1 Tourism|year=2007|author=Cally|accessdate=2007-04-15] 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.cite web|url=http://www.iknow-yorkshire.co.uk/accommodation/6438-thornton_watlass_hall-ripon.htm|title=Thornton Watlass Hall - Ripon|work=iKnow Yorkshire|accessdate=2007-04-15] Its population was 180 in 2001, and 190 in 2005.cite web|url=http://www.hambleton.gov.uk/hambleton/environment.nsf/webPages/7B85ED3364E25A9E80256B58005C61EA?OpenDocument&Highlight=2,thornton%20watlass|title=Hambleton Parish Population Estimates 2001 - 2005|work=Hambleton District Council|year=2007|accessdate=2007-04-15]

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.

History

The only prehistoric feature in the Thornton Watlass area is Gospel Hill tumulus, a Scheduled Ancient Monument,cite web|url=http://www.hambleton.gov.uk/hambleton/environment.nsf/d9a798ae5588644e80256be00054aac2/6c5b997a23aa1eac80257062003b5182/$FILE/ANNEX%203%20Map%205%20Historic%20Environment.pdf|title=Historic Environment - DP31 & DP32 and List of Scheduled Monuments|work=Hambleton District Council|year=2006|accessdate=2007-04-15] at gbmapping|SE228862 about 1km northwest of the village.

Saxon remains of two cross-headscite web|url=http://web.ukonline.co.uk/cj.tolley/ctm/ctm-thorntonwatlass.htm|title=Thornton Watlass (North Yorkshire)|work=Crossing the Millennia|author=Chris Tolley|year=2003|accessdate=2007-04-15] 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.cite web|url=http://www.dodsworth.demon.co.uk/history.html|title=History|work=Thornton Watlass Hall|author=Sir John Smith-Dodsworth, Bt|year=1987|accessdate=2007-04-15] 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.cite web|url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/NRY/Thorntonwatlass/Thorntonwatlass90.html|title=THORNTON WATLASS: Geographical and Historical information from the year 1890, from Bulmer's "History and Directory of North Yorkshire (1890)"|author=Colin Hinson|year=2007|work=GENUKI|accessdate=2007-04-16] 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,cite web|url=http://www.hambleton.gov.uk/hambleton/environment.nsf/2a2884cf6924b63380256c2300605866/5e303f2db7cd068f802571d10039289b/$FILE/thornton%20watlass.pdf|format=pdf|title=Inset map 25 - Thornton Watlass|author=Hambleton District Council|year=2006|accessdate=2007-04-16] with a population of just under 200.

The Church of England primary school has 41 children on the rollcite web|url=http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/pdf/?inspectionNumber=292146&providerCategoryID=16&fileName=\\school\\121\\s5_121521_20070322.pdf|format=pdf|title=Inspection Report: Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School, 1 March 2007|author=Jim Griffin, Ofsted Inspector|accessdate=2007-04-16] 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"cite web|url=http://www.thebuckinn.net/default.htm|title=The Buck Inn|author=Tim Wright|year=2005|accessdate=2007-04-16] 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.

References

External links

* [http://web.ukonline.co.uk/cj.tolley/ctm/ctm-thorntonwatlass.htm Images of St. Mary's Church]