Haxby
Encyclopedia
Haxby is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority
of City of York, on the River Foss
, five miles (8 km) north of York
and south of Strensall
, in North Yorkshire
, England
. Haxby is bordered on the east by the River Foss, and to the west by the village of Wigginton
, whose expansion has caused the two settlements to form a continuous urban environment. To the south is the garden village of New Earswick and the York Outer Ring Road (A1237) with the open farmland to the north as far as the villages of Sutton-on-the-Forest
and Strensall
.
According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 8,754. Before 1996 it was part of the Ryedale
district. The centre of the town was made a Conservation Area by the local authority in 1976.
"Haxby" is a Norse place-name and translates as "Farmstead or village of a man called Hákr". It is formed from a Norse personal name and the Old Scandinavian word bý, meaning "farmstead, village or settlement". Haxby was recorded as Haxebi in the Domesday Book
of 1086. The town is primarily a dormitory for commuters to nearby towns and cities, though local service industries provide employment opportunities proportionate to the size of its population.
In the Middle Ages, because the village was in the Royal Forest of Galtres, its inhabitants were subject to forest law and took part in the occasional courts that devised and enforced it. Charles I
divested himself of the forest in 1629 and the village acquired the land to increase its size, resulting in the parish of some 2100 acres (8.5 km²) of today. Haxby was not a separate parish. Initially it was divided between the parishes of Strensall and Driffield. Once St Mary's Church was built in the 16th century it became a chapelry to the parish of Strensall and in 1862 became a parish in its own right.
parliamentary constituency until the 2010 general election when it was transferred to the newly created constituency of York Outer. In that election the Conservative Party candidate, Julian Sturdy, was elected with 43% of the vote and a majority of 3,688 over the Liberal Democrat candidate.
The town lies within the Haxby and Wigginton Ward of the York Unitary Authority. As of 2010 it was represented by Councillors Paul Firth, Christopher Hogg and Richard Watson, all of whom are part of the local Liberal Democrat Party.
Haxby has its own Town Council, which is represented by 14 councillors from four wards.
which flows southward. The nearby village of Wigginton now merges with Haxby though the old Parish Boundary map still shows the dividing line. This runs east to west along the back of the houses on Wheatfield Drive on its southern edge as far as Barley Drive. Here it turns northward cutting across Greenshaw Drive until it reaches the road known The Village. The boundary follows this road until it turns west. The boundary at this point continues northward cutting across Windsor Drive near Ripley Grove and then out into the countryside.
Until 1930, Haxby was served by a railway station
on the York to Scarborough Line. A new station is due to be built and operational by 2013, but the plans were put on hold in June 2010 until the amount of public money necessary for the works can be clarified.
As of 2010 the town is within the catchment area of Joseph Rowntree Secondary School.
As of 2010 Haxby Netball Club play in the York and District Netball League, fielding two sides in Division One, two in Division Two, one in Division Three and one in Division Four.
St Margaret Clitherow is a Roman Catholic church located in Holly Tree Lane.
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of City of York, on the River Foss
River Foss
The River Foss is an improved river in North Yorkshire, England, and a tributary of the River Ouse. It rises in the Foss Crooks woods near Oulston reservoir close to the village of Yearsley and runs south through the Vale of York to the Ouse...
, five miles (8 km) north 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...
and south of Strensall
Strensall
Strensall is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of the City of York in North Yorkshire, England, on the River Foss north of York and north-east of Haxby. Prior to 1996 it had been part of the Ryedale district. It covers an area of 2,908 acres....
, in 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...
. Haxby is bordered on the east by the River Foss, and to the west by the village of Wigginton
Wigginton, North Yorkshire
Wigginton is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of the City of York in North Yorkshire, England. It is situated north of York. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 3,714...
, whose expansion has caused the two settlements to form a continuous urban environment. To the south is the garden village of New Earswick and the York Outer Ring Road (A1237) with the open farmland to the north as far as the villages of Sutton-on-the-Forest
Sutton-on-the-Forest
Sutton-on-the-Forest is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is north of York and southeast of Easingwold.- Laurence Sterne :...
and Strensall
Strensall
Strensall is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of the City of York in North Yorkshire, England, on the River Foss north of York and north-east of Haxby. Prior to 1996 it had been part of the Ryedale district. It covers an area of 2,908 acres....
.
According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 8,754. Before 1996 it was part of 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. The centre of the town was made a Conservation Area by the local authority in 1976.
"Haxby" is a Norse place-name and translates as "Farmstead or village of a man called Hákr". It is formed from a Norse personal name and the Old Scandinavian word bý, meaning "farmstead, village or settlement". Haxby was recorded as Haxebi in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086. The town is primarily a dormitory for commuters to nearby towns and cities, though local service industries provide employment opportunities proportionate to the size of its population.
History
A settlement on the site of the modern town named by the Vikings as Haxebi was established around the 9th century. The Norse word "BY" meant a township or farm and was usually appended to the name of the holder of the lands, in this case a man called Hakr. A Grade III listed Viking cross base in the churchyard of St Mary's Church, and the discovery of a Viking cross shaft in a nearby garden in 1978 support this date. There is evidence of Roman occupation with the 1966 discovery of a site of a Roman villa on Haxby Moor. Roman pottery was found in 2003 on Station Road along with a silver Roman signet ring.In the Middle Ages, because the village was in the Royal Forest of Galtres, its inhabitants were subject to forest law and took part in the occasional courts that devised and enforced it. Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
divested himself of the forest in 1629 and the village acquired the land to increase its size, resulting in the parish of some 2100 acres (8.5 km²) of today. Haxby was not a separate parish. Initially it was divided between the parishes of Strensall and Driffield. Once St Mary's Church was built in the 16th century it became a chapelry to the parish of Strensall and in 1862 became a parish in its own right.
Governance
Haxby was in the Vale of YorkVale of York (UK Parliament constituency)
Vale of York was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
parliamentary constituency until the 2010 general election when it was transferred to the newly created constituency of York Outer. In that election the Conservative Party candidate, Julian Sturdy, was elected with 43% of the vote and a majority of 3,688 over the Liberal Democrat candidate.
The town lies within the Haxby and Wigginton Ward of the York Unitary Authority. As of 2010 it was represented by Councillors Paul Firth, Christopher Hogg and Richard Watson, all of whom are part of the local Liberal Democrat Party.
Haxby has its own Town Council, which is represented by 14 councillors from four wards.
Demographics
The 1881 census records the population as 559. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 8,754.Geography
The town sits on flat ground consisting mostly of clay with soil that is sand and alluvium, near the old Forest of Galtres. To the north is a small tributary of the River Foss called Golland Dike, and to the east is the River FossRiver Foss
The River Foss is an improved river in North Yorkshire, England, and a tributary of the River Ouse. It rises in the Foss Crooks woods near Oulston reservoir close to the village of Yearsley and runs south through the Vale of York to the Ouse...
which flows southward. The nearby village of Wigginton now merges with Haxby though the old Parish Boundary map still shows the dividing line. This runs east to west along the back of the houses on Wheatfield Drive on its southern edge as far as Barley Drive. Here it turns northward cutting across Greenshaw Drive until it reaches the road known The Village. The boundary follows this road until it turns west. The boundary at this point continues northward cutting across Windsor Drive near Ripley Grove and then out into the countryside.
Transport
As of 2010 First transport group operate two bus servies in the town as part of the Chapelfields to Wigginton and the Acomb Park to Haxby routes. Transdev operate the Askham Bar to Monks Cross bus services which stops in the town.Until 1930, Haxby was served by a railway station
Haxby railway station
Haxby railway station was a minor railway station serving the village of Haxby on the York to Scarborough Line and was opened on 5 July 1845 by the York and North Midland Railway. It closed on 22 September 1930.-Reopening:...
on the York to Scarborough Line. A new station is due to be built and operational by 2013, but the plans were put on hold in June 2010 until the amount of public money necessary for the works can be clarified.
Education
Primary School education is provided at Headlands Primary School in Oak Tree Lane and Ralph Butterfield School in Station road.As of 2010 the town is within the catchment area of Joseph Rowntree Secondary School.
Sports
Haxby United Football Club play at the Ethel Ward Playing Fields. As of 2010, the 1st XI play in the York League Premier Division, having won the League title in the 2009/10 season. The 2nd XI play in the Reserve Division A.As of 2010 Haxby Netball Club play in the York and District Netball League, fielding two sides in Division One, two in Division Two, one in Division Three and one in Division Four.
Religion
St Mary's Church was rebuilt in 1878 on the site of the former 16th century building with Parish Registers dating back to 1678 and is located on the road known as The Village near the centre of the town. In the 19th century there was both a Wesleyan Methodist Chapel and a Primitive Methodist Chapel. As of 2010 only the Weslyian Chapel remains on the road known as The Village opposite Sandy Lane.St Margaret Clitherow is a Roman Catholic church located in Holly Tree Lane.
Sources
- Tom Smith, A History of Haxby (Revised and Expanded), ISBN 1-85072-298-6 http://www.haxby-york.co.uk/books/index.html.