Foston, North Yorkshire

Foston
Looking north-east to Foston
Foston is located in North Yorkshire
Foston
Foston
Location within North Yorkshire
Population263 
OS grid referenceSE698651
• London180 mi (290 km) SSE
Civil parish
  • Foston
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townYORK
Postcode districtYO60
PoliceNorth Yorkshire
FireNorth Yorkshire
AmbulanceYorkshire
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Yorkshire
54°04′39″N 0°56′03″W / 54.07750°N 0.93417°W / 54.07750; -0.93417

Foston is a small village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. The population of the civil parish as of the 2011 census was 263.[1] Details are included in the civil parish of Whitwell-on-the-Hill. It is situated close to the A64 road and is approximately 9 miles (14 km) north-east from York.

History

The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Fostun" in the Bulford hundred. At the time it was the possession of Earl Morcar, but had passed to Count Alan of Brittany by 1086. It was also recorded that there was a church here.[2] The etymology of the name is from Old Scandinavian meaning "Fotr's settlement".[3]

Governance

The village lies within the Thirsk and Malton UK Parliament constituency. It also lies within the Sheriff Hutton & Derwent electoral division of North Yorkshire Council.[4]

Between 1974 until 2023 the village was part of the Ryedale district.

Geography

According to the 1881 UK Census the population was 99.[5] Local council estimates the current population as 50.[6] The nearest settlements are Thornton-le-Clay 0.7 miles (1.1 km) to the west; Bulmer, North Yorkshire 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the north; Whitwell-on-the-Hill 1.7 miles (2.7 km) to the east and Barton Hill, North Yorkshire 1 mile (1.6 km) to the south-east. To the east of the village is Spittal Beck, a tributary of the River Derwent.[7]

The village is the site of a Scheduled monument, this being a medieval settlement and moated monastic grange.[3][8] In addition to the church, Foston Rectory is Grade II* listed and Foston Hall is a Grade II listed buildings.[9]

Religion

All Saints Church, Foston

The presence of a church in the village was recorded at the time of the Norman invasion, but the present building, All Saints' Church, Foston, dates from the 12th century with subsequent renovations.[5] It is a Grade II* listed building.[10]

Notable residents

The noted English writer and Anglican cleric, Sydney Smith, was rector of the parish from 1806 until 1829 and resident in the village from 1809.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Foston Parish (1170211182)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  2. ^ Foston in the Domesday Book. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Etymology" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  4. ^ "Find a councillor". North Yorkshire Council. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  5. ^ a b Bulmer's Topography, History and Directory (Private and Commercial) of North Yorkshire 1890. S&N Publishing. 1890. p. 706. ISBN 1-86150-299-0.
  6. ^ "Population" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  7. ^ "OpenData support | OS Tools & Support".
  8. ^ "Foston medieval settlement and moated monastic grange, Foston - Ryedale". Historic England. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  9. ^ "Listed Buildings". Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  10. ^ Historic England. "Church of All Saints (1315740)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  11. ^ Alan Bell, Sydney Smith: A Biography (Oxford: Oxford UP, 1980), pp. 72, 84–147.

Media related to Foston, North Yorkshire at Wikimedia Commons