Westow
Encyclopedia
Westow is a country village and civil parish
in the Ryedale
district of the county of North Yorkshire
, England
. The village has a population of around 300.
Westow is situated in the lee of Spy Hill, part of the Howardian Hills
, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
, 3 miles (4.8 km) from the A64 road linking Leeds
to the East Coast, 5 miles (8 km) west of the market town Malton
, and 15 miles (24.1 km) east from the city of York
.
The village has deep associations with agriculture and is surrounded by a traditional, diverse farming landscape, much of it estate owned and managed. The village has views to the North Yorkshire Moors National Park to the east, and the Yorkshire Wolds
to the south.
Westow has an active village cricket team with a strong family tradition. Records show the team existed as far back as 1875. Lands around Westow are also the setting for traditional, seasonal field sports which provide income to the local agricultural community and serve as social events. The Middleton Hunt covers the area and is well subscribed.
Neighbouring villages are Crambe
, Whitwell-on-the-Hill, Welburn
, Howsham, Leavening and Burythorpe
.
listed properties in Westow. These include the church, the pub, Westow Hall, *Yew Tree Cottage, Chantry Cottage, Corner House, Fox & Hounds House, Herbert Cottage, Manor Farmhouse, Tarrs Cottages, and High Farmhouse amongst others.
This property market attracts considerable attention. Property is generally freehold and much has stayed in the same ownership for some time, often generations of the same family. Much property and surrounding land is owned by the private country estates of Garrowby Hall, Westow Hall, Castle Howard, Whitwell Hall and Kirkham Hall. This has a major influence on the market as the owners generally have no desire to sell. In addition, in recent years a small number of commuters and city dwellers have chosen the village for second homes for the country life and due to good road accessibility to the transport links to London and Edinburgh.
Point-to-point racing takes place annually at Whitwell-on-the-Hill
to the West of the village and is a popular, well-attended event.
The village is a popular way point for cyclists, motorcyclists and drivers as from the A64 road
it is on the edge of excellent driving roads stretching from Beverley
across to Helmsley
and to Whitby
on the North East English coast.
The village is also in military low-flying airspace zone (LFA12). On week days the sight of all types of military aircraft on training missions is a frequent and spectacular occurrence. Most frequent are the Short Tucano
s from RAF Linton-on-Ouse
.
A neighbourhood watch scheme also operates in the village.
The nearby market town of Malton (5 miles) offers a good range of amenities, including hospital, police and fire stations, railway and bus stations, shops, restaurants, tennis and squash courts, swimming pool, rugby and cricket clubs, cinema and schools. There is easy access to York, approximately 14 miles its varied facilities, including mainline railway station with direct services to London Kings Cross and Edinburgh.
The lowest tier of governance is the Westow Parish Council, which represents an area that includes Westow, Firby and Kirkham. It has specific responsibilities to undertake on behalf of the parish residents and a small amount of budget from local council taxes. There are nine Parish Councillors and a Parish Clerk who meet usually every two months throughout the year.
was born in Westow in 1945. He was widely known in Anglo-German and left-wing circles in Britain. Thomas was the son of German Jewish Communist émigré parents. In 1981 he received Bavarian Film Awards, Best Director.
Christopher John Beckett, 4th Baron Grimthorpe, OBE, DL, (16 September 1915 – 6 July 2003), was a soldier and company director and resided in Westow Hall. He was the eldest son of Ralph Beckett, 3rd Baron Grimthorpe who in 1851 designed the mechanism for the clock of the Palace of Westminster, responsible for the chimes of Big Ben. He married Elizabeth Lumley in 1954, and was awarded the OBE in 1958.
Lady Elizabeth Lumley was born in July 1925. She is the daughter of Lawrence Roger Lumley, 11th Earl of Scarbrough and Katherine Isobel McEwen. She married Christopher John Beckett, 4th Baron Grimthorpe, son of Ralph William Ernest Beckett, 3rd Baron Grimthorpe and Mary Alice Archdale, on 17 February 1954. Baroness Grimthorpe's home is Westow Hall.
Edward John Beckett, 5th Baron Grimthorpe (20 November 1954–) is a British peer and Westow Hall his childhood home. His father was Christopher Beckett, 4th Baron Grimthorpe and his mother Lady Elizabeth Beckett, Baroness Grimthorpe (née Lumley).
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...
in the Ryedale
Ryedale
Ryedale is a non-metropolitan district of the shire county of North Yorkshire in England. Settlements include Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Malton, Norton-on-Derwent, Pickering, and Terrington.-Derivation of name:...
district of the county 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...
. The village has a population of around 300.
Westow is situated in the lee of Spy Hill, part of the Howardian Hills
Howardian Hills
The Howardian Hills form an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in North Yorkshire, England. located between the Yorkshire Wolds, the North York Moors National Park and the Vale of York. The AONB includes farmland, wooded rolling countryside, villages and historic houses with parkland...
, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
, 3 miles (4.8 km) from the A64 road linking Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
to the East Coast, 5 miles (8 km) west of the market town Malton
Malton, North Yorkshire
Malton is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. The town is the location of the offices of Ryedale District Council and has a population of around 4,000 people....
, and 15 miles (24.1 km) east from the city of York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
The village has deep associations with agriculture and is surrounded by a traditional, diverse farming landscape, much of it estate owned and managed. The village has views to the North Yorkshire Moors National Park to the east, and the Yorkshire Wolds
Yorkshire Wolds
The Yorkshire Wolds are low hills in the counties of East Riding of Yorkshire and North Yorkshire in northeastern England. The name also applies to the district in which the hills lie....
to the south.
Westow has an active village cricket team with a strong family tradition. Records show the team existed as far back as 1875. Lands around Westow are also the setting for traditional, seasonal field sports which provide income to the local agricultural community and serve as social events. The Middleton Hunt covers the area and is well subscribed.
Neighbouring villages are Crambe
Crambe
Crambe is a genus of Brassicaceae native to Europe, southwest and central Asia and eastern Africa. It includes among its species seakale , grown as a leaf vegetable, Crambe cordifolia which is grown as an herbaceous border perennial, and Crambe abyssinica, which is grown for an oil from the seeds...
, Whitwell-on-the-Hill, Welburn
Welburn
Welburn could be two places in Ryedale, North Yorkshire.*Welburn , near Malton, North Yorkshire*Welburn , near Kirkbymoorside...
, Howsham, Leavening and Burythorpe
Burythorpe
Burythorpe is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England, about four miles south of Malton. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 289....
.
History
Parish records of graves dating back to 1500s build a view of a small community established around agriculture. It is highly likely the village origins are older than this as the Ryedale area has significant evidence of Medieval and Roman settlement and activity. In all probability the location of Westow was originally chosen and occupied at a time when farming techniques were undeveloped and people were highly dependent on the natural environment and what it can provide. Westow is surrounded by fertile soils with good irrigation, and in the lee of the hill it is partly sheltered from north and easterly winds. These characteristics are likely to have led to the location of Westow being chosen for settlement. Today as throughout the centuries, for some residents village life continues to revolve around farming and agriculture, or providing services those living in the area. With improved mobility and recently telecommuting, others have chosen Westow for the country living, commute to towns and cities for work or work from home, whilst others have retired into the area. Westows strong sense of community remains.Village landmarks
- The parish Church, St. Mary;
- The parish War Memorial;
- The village pub, The Blacksmiths Arms ;
- Westow Hall (location for the annual village summer fete);
- The Cricket Field;
- The Village Hall;
- The Village Playground;
- The Village Pétanque court (formerly the tennis courts for Westow Hall);
- Westow Croft (until 1970s serving the area as the maternity hospital);
- The hill overlooking the village, Spy Hill;
- The woods to the West of the village with a 5 km circular path, Howsham Woods.
Property
The oldest part of Westow village lies within a conservation area and is south of the village pub, along 'Main Street'. Property predominantly comprises detached, semi-detached and terraced houses and cottages, finished in traditional local sandstone with red pan-tile roofs. There are fifteen Grade II English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
listed properties in Westow. These include the church, the pub, Westow Hall, *Yew Tree Cottage, Chantry Cottage, Corner House, Fox & Hounds House, Herbert Cottage, Manor Farmhouse, Tarrs Cottages, and High Farmhouse amongst others.
This property market attracts considerable attention. Property is generally freehold and much has stayed in the same ownership for some time, often generations of the same family. Much property and surrounding land is owned by the private country estates of Garrowby Hall, Westow Hall, Castle Howard, Whitwell Hall and Kirkham Hall. This has a major influence on the market as the owners generally have no desire to sell. In addition, in recent years a small number of commuters and city dwellers have chosen the village for second homes for the country life and due to good road accessibility to the transport links to London and Edinburgh.
Nearby places of interest
- Kirkham PrioryKirkham PrioryThe ruins of Kirkham Priory are situated on the banks of the River Derwent, at Kirkham, North Yorkshire, England. The Augustinian priory was founded in the 1120s by Walter l'Espec, lord of nearby Helmsley, who also built Rievaulx Abbey...
, built by Augustinian monks in 1121 on the banks of the Derwent RiverDerwent River-Rivers:* Derwent River which flows through Hobart.It may also refer to:* Derwent River which crosses the Birdsville Track at Mungeranie in the Lake Eyre Basin-See also:...
; - Castle HowardCastle HowardCastle Howard is a stately home in North Yorkshire, England, north of York. One of the grandest private residences in Britain, most of it was built between 1699 and 1712 for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle, to a design by Sir John Vanbrugh...
, a stately home built between 1699 and 1712 for the 3rd Earl of CarlisleEarl of CarlisleEarl of Carlisle is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1322 when the soldier Andrew Harclay, 1st Baron Harclay was made Earl of Carlisle. He had already been summoned to Parliament as Lord Harclay in 1321...
; - Wharram PercyWharram PercyWharram Percy is a deserted medieval village site on the western edge of the chalk Wolds in North Yorkshire, England. The site is about one mile south of Wharram-le-Street and is clearly signposted from the B1248 Beverley to Malton road...
, a deserted medieval village; - Richard IIIRichard III of EnglandRichard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
's seat and the tomb of Edward of Middleham, the Prince of WalesPrince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
at Sheriff HuttonSheriff HuttonSheriff Hutton is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies about ten miles north by north-east of York...
; - Stamford BridgeStamford Bridge, East Riding of YorkshireStamford Bridge is a village and civil parish on the River Derwent in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, approximately east of York.-Location and history:The village sits astride an ancient ford on the River Derwent....
, the scene of the Vikings defeat in 1066 by King Harold GodwinsonHarold GodwinsonHarold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
; - Howsham Mill, the restored water-mill that used to serve Howsham HallHowsham HallHowsham Hall is a stately home in Howsham, North Yorkshire, England, built in the early 17th century. The hall is now a grade I listed building....
; - Yorkshire Air MuseumYorkshire Air MuseumThe Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial, , is an air museum in England. The museum was founded, and first opened to the public, in the early 1980s....
, preserving the areas military aviation heritage; - Hovingham HallHovingham HallHovingham Hall is a Palladian-style mansion in the village of Hovingham, North Yorkshire, England, the home of the Worsley family and the childhood home of the Duchess of Kent. It was built in the 18th century, and the Worsleys have lived in Hovingham since the 16th century...
, the childhood home of HRH The Duchess of Kent;
Point-to-point racing takes place annually at Whitwell-on-the-Hill
Whitwell-on-the-Hill
Whitwell-on-the-Hill is a hamlet and civil parish in the Ryedale District, in the county of North Yorkshire, England. It is near the A64 road.-External links:...
to the West of the village and is a popular, well-attended event.
The village is a popular way point for cyclists, motorcyclists and drivers as from the A64 road
A64 road
The A64 is a road in North and West Yorkshire, England which links Leeds, York and Scarborough. The A64 starts as the A64 ring road motorway in Leeds and then is a dual carriageway for the rest of its route, except parts of the road from Malton to Scarborough.The road approximates a section of the...
it is on the edge of excellent driving roads stretching from Beverley
Beverley
Beverley is a market town, civil parish and the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, located between the River Hull and the Westwood. The town is noted for Beverley Minster and architecturally-significant religious buildings along New Walk and other areas, as well as the Beverley...
across to Helmsley
Helmsley
Helmsley is a market town and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. The town is located at the point where the valleys of Bilsdale and Ryedale leave the higher moorland and join the flat Vale of Pickering. It is situated on the River Rye and lies on the A170 road, east...
and to Whitby
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
on the North East English coast.
The village is also in military low-flying airspace zone (LFA12). On week days the sight of all types of military aircraft on training missions is a frequent and spectacular occurrence. Most frequent are the Short Tucano
Short Tucano
|-See also:-External links:*...
s from RAF Linton-on-Ouse
RAF Linton-on-Ouse
RAF Linton-on-Ouse is a Royal Air Force station at Linton-on-Ouse near York in Yorkshire, England. It is currently a major flying training centre, one of the RAF's busiest airfields...
.
Westow in wartime
- A community cross commemorates Westow villagers who gave their lives in WW1;
- During WW2 Kirkham PrioryKirkham PrioryThe ruins of Kirkham Priory are situated on the banks of the River Derwent, at Kirkham, North Yorkshire, England. The Augustinian priory was founded in the 1120s by Walter l'Espec, lord of nearby Helmsley, who also built Rievaulx Abbey...
was used for large scale trials of D-DayD-DayD-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
wading and amphibious vehicles by the British Army and was visited secretly by Winston ChurchillWinston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
and King George VI; - Womens Land Army (WLA) civilians were billeted in Westow during WW2;
- During WW2 bombs were dropped close to Firby Hall by a German aircraft;
- In October 1942 a German Aircraft (Junkers Ju 88Junkers Ju 88The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
A from 7/KG4) was hit by ground defence fire during a low level attack on DriffieldDriffieldDriffield, also known as Great Driffield, is a market town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The civil parish is formed by the town of Driffield and the village of Little Driffield....
aerodrome. It crash landed on Richmond Farm, Duggleby with one fatality; - A Halifax Bomber crashed on a training flight near Greets Farm, WelburnWelburnWelburn could be two places in Ryedale, North Yorkshire.*Welburn , near Malton, North Yorkshire*Welburn , near Kirkbymoorside...
in 1942; - A P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
crashed at Fotherdale Farm near ThixendaleThixendaleThixendale is a tiny village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located in the Yorkshire Wolds, about 20 miles east of York.The population of the village and surrounding farms is 130....
in 1945; - Many evacuees from HullKingston upon HullKingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
which was heavily bombed during WW2, were housed with Westow families.
Transport and services
Local services available in the village of Westow include:- The village pub
- Daily Royal Mail Collections and Deliveries
- Milk and paper delivery services
- Mick Walker, Butcher
- Peter Hutchinson, Tailor (notably 8th generation of family)
- Joiner
- Plumber
- Weekly refuse collection
- Limited bus service to Malton
- Broadband services available
- Supermarket home deliveries available (all major supermarkets)
- Courier (all major couriers serve the area)
- Local organic produce services
- Fuel oil, LPG and wood supply services (mains electricity only)
- Midwife
- Accommodation
A neighbourhood watch scheme also operates in the village.
The nearby market town of Malton (5 miles) offers a good range of amenities, including hospital, police and fire stations, railway and bus stations, shops, restaurants, tennis and squash courts, swimming pool, rugby and cricket clubs, cinema and schools. There is easy access to York, approximately 14 miles its varied facilities, including mainline railway station with direct services to London Kings Cross and Edinburgh.
Education
Westow does not have a school, however a number of facilities are a short drive away:- The Mount School for Girls
- Ampleforth College
- Terrington Hall Preparatory School
- Flaxton Nursery
- Bootham School
- The University of York
- York (Technical) College
Governance and politics
Westow is governed under the Ryedale Constituency by Conservative MP Mr. John Greenaway. Last election results show he won with a 48% majority.The lowest tier of governance is the Westow Parish Council, which represents an area that includes Westow, Firby and Kirkham. It has specific responsibilities to undertake on behalf of the parish residents and a small amount of budget from local council taxes. There are nine Parish Councillors and a Parish Clerk who meet usually every two months throughout the year.
Notables
The East German dissident and writer Thomas BraschThomas Brasch
Thomas Brasch was a German author, poet and film director.- Awards :1981 Bavarian Film Awards, Best Director- Publications :* „Sie geht, sie geht nicht“, Theaterstück, 1970...
was born in Westow in 1945. He was widely known in Anglo-German and left-wing circles in Britain. Thomas was the son of German Jewish Communist émigré parents. In 1981 he received Bavarian Film Awards, Best Director.
Christopher John Beckett, 4th Baron Grimthorpe, OBE, DL, (16 September 1915 – 6 July 2003), was a soldier and company director and resided in Westow Hall. He was the eldest son of Ralph Beckett, 3rd Baron Grimthorpe who in 1851 designed the mechanism for the clock of the Palace of Westminster, responsible for the chimes of Big Ben. He married Elizabeth Lumley in 1954, and was awarded the OBE in 1958.
Lady Elizabeth Lumley was born in July 1925. She is the daughter of Lawrence Roger Lumley, 11th Earl of Scarbrough and Katherine Isobel McEwen. She married Christopher John Beckett, 4th Baron Grimthorpe, son of Ralph William Ernest Beckett, 3rd Baron Grimthorpe and Mary Alice Archdale, on 17 February 1954. Baroness Grimthorpe's home is Westow Hall.
Edward John Beckett, 5th Baron Grimthorpe (20 November 1954–) is a British peer and Westow Hall his childhood home. His father was Christopher Beckett, 4th Baron Grimthorpe and his mother Lady Elizabeth Beckett, Baroness Grimthorpe (née Lumley).
External links
- Westow in the local press, "The Village With Hidden Talents"
- Westow Village Home Page
- National Monuments Photographic Records of Westow Listed Properties
- Google Map of Westow
- Archival information on Westow population
- Westow Cricket Club Home Page
- The Middleton Hunt Home Page
- Stud farms around Westow
- Property for sale in Westow
- Yorkshire Life lifestyle magazine
- BBC North Yorkshire News
- Ministry of Defence Information on Low Flying Area 12
- RAF Linton-on-Ouse Home Page
- Westow Community War Cross
- Wartime memories of Women's Land Army in Westow
- Wartime memories of staying in Firby
- Kirkham's Role in D-Day preparations
- Details of North Yorkshire aircraft crashes
- Diary of wartime events in North Yorkshire
- Baron Grimthorpe's obituary
- Malton connection to Charles Dickens