Welburn (Amotherby Ward)

] This figure includes the developments at Crambeck, Holmes Crescent and Chestnut Avenue that are some distance outside the heart of the village. The original settlement is home to approximately 200 people.

It is a traditional village in regards to its linear structure. The Main Street has two main offshoots; one lane, to the south, is called Church Lane (formerly Bank Lane) and leads to St John the Evangelist Church, built in the 19th century, to the newly-built Village Hall, and to a small area of housing, mostly constructed in the 1960s. The lane leading northwards is called Water Lane, a short section of road serving two properties and over a small stream to farmland. Main Street continues south-eastwards of the village centre as Chestnut Avenue to join the main A64 road to Malton and York.

It has one school, Welburn C of E primary school, in the centre of the village. It also has a pub, the "Crown and Cushion", which provides a centre for the village. Welburn is one of the few villages in the area that still has a red telephone box (located near the centre of the village); they are becoming an increasing rarity in North Yorkshire.

The parish council of the area is based at Welburn Village Hall. It has elected members from Welburn and Crambeck, an adjoining settlement. Crambeck, formerly a reformatory school, was also well known in Roman times as the site of a pottery. The recently redeveloped Village Hall, operational since May 2007, is used for a range of activities and groups in the village and the surrounding area. These groups include the Women's Institute, horticultural society, indoor bowling club, country dancing, Ryedale fencing club as well as many functions organised by the Village Hall Management Committee such as Race Night, Auction of Promises and Domino Drives. Whist Drives are also planned for the new year. The eco-friendly Village Hall is a very popular gathering place for villagers and local walkers.

Castle Howard Station

Near Crambeck there is a defunct railway station called Castle Howard Station. It is on the York to Scarborough line and was built for Queen Victoria when she was visiting Castle Howard in 1850. A road was built from the station to the stately home. It was used exclusively by the aristocracy until it was decommissioned and became a public road in the early 1900s.

Visitors arriving by road approached from a different direction along a road that offered a spectacular view over to the great house. The view was framed by the 'Exclamation Gates', so called due to the responses that they would elicit from astonished visitors. The columns can still be seen to the west of the village, heading towards Whitwell-on-the-Hill.

People associated with Welburn

* Richard Spruce, English botanist and explorer.
* Darren Dunning, footballer
* James Martin, celebrity chef

References

External links

* [http://www.ryedale.gov.uk/elected-representatives.php4? Ryedale council list]