Sutton-on-the-Forest is a village and civil parish

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 Hambleton

Hambleton

Hambleton is a local government district of North Yorkshire, England. The main town and administrative centre is Northallerton, and includes the market towns and major villages of Bedale, Thirsk, Great Ayton, Stokesley and Easingwold....

 district 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...

. It is 10 miles (16 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 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Easingwold

Easingwold

Easingwold is a small market town and a civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 4,233.It is located north of York, at the foot of the Howardian Hills....

.

Laurence Sterne

Laurence Sterne

Laurence Sterne

Laurence Sterne was an Irish novelist and an Anglican clergyman. He is best known for his novels The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, and A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy; but he also published many sermons, wrote memoirs, and was involved in local politics...

 was the vicar of this parish, but when the parsonage house was destroyed by fire, he moved to nearby Coxwold

Coxwold

Coxwold is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated 18 miles north of York and is where the Rev. Laurence Sterne wrote A Sentimental Journey....

. While in Sutton he conceived, wrote and published the first two books of Tristram Shandy

The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman is a novel by Laurence Sterne. It was published in nine volumes, the first two appearing in 1759, and seven others following over the next 10 years....

. It is probable that the book was based on Sutton and the people who lived in and around it, and Sutton on the Forest may be regarded as the true birthplace of the modern novel.

Sutton Park

Sutton Park

Sutton Park, Yorkshire

Sutton Park is an 18th century Georgian country house situated on the edge of the village of Sutton-on-the-Forest, North Yorkshire, England. It is approximately 10 miles north of York, in the ancient Forest of Galtres...

 is a fine house nearby built of mellow brick by Thomas Atkinson

Thomas Atkinson (architect)

Thomas Atkinson was an English architect, best remembered for remodelling Bishopthorpe Palace in the Gothic Revival style.- Life :...

. The House contains beautiful eighteenth century furniture, paintings mostly from Buckingham House, now Buckingham Palace, and an important collection of porcelain. Magnificent plaster work by Cortese. The House is a fine example of early Georgian architecture overlooking beautiful parkland. It is filled with a rich collection of treasures all put together with great style and always filled with flowers from the garden.

Each year the village celebrates its countryside heritage in the Huby and Sutton show in Sutton Park.

External links

• Sutton Park Website