Bishop Thornton


Bishop Thornton is a village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England.
The civil parish also includes the village of Shaw Mills. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 521, decreasing to 507 at the 2011 census. The village is about seven miles north of Harrogate.
Bishop Thornton has both the Anglican St John's Church and the Catholic St Joseph's Church, the latter being the oldest in the Diocese of Leeds. The village also has two schools.
The civil parish shares a grouped parish council with Warsill. The parish council was originally known as Bishop Thornton and Warsill Parish Council, but in 2019 its name was changed to Bishop Thornton, Shaw Mills and Warsill Parish Council. The name change did not affect the names of the two constituent parishes.
The village was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire until 1974. From 1974 to 2023 it was part of the Borough of Harrogate, it is now administered by the unitary North Yorkshire Council.

Village History

The history of Bishop Thornton is defined by major eras, from its Anglo-Saxon origins to the modern day.

Anglo-Saxon/Norman Period (c. AD 500–1100)

The village was established during the Anglo-Saxon era. Its name derives from the Old English þorn and tūn. The settlement was small at the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, where it was listed simply as a "settlement" or Thornton, with a recorded population of only a few households. The region was likely impacted by the widespread devastation of the Norman Conquest's "Harrying of the North," but the village persisted.

The Middle Ages (c. 1100–1485)

The most significant event of this era for the village was its acquisition by the church.
  • Ownership: From 1279 to 1311, the Manor of Thornton belonged to Anthony le Bek, the powerful Prince Bishop of Durham and a high-ranking courtier. This ownership is where the "Bishop" prefix in the village name originates.
  • Religious Life: The community belonged to the large parish of Ripon Minster, but a local "chapel of ease" was built for convenience, with references to it existing as early as 1440.

    The Tudor Period (c. 1485–1603)

The Reformation under Henry VIII and the establishment of the Church of England in 1534 had a profound impact. Yorkshire, particularly this area, had strong Catholic leanings. The village remained a centre for Catholicism during this time and after, with religious life continuing even as the state religion changed.

The English Civil War (mid-1600s)

The First English Civil War primarily focused on the balance of power between Parliament and King Charles I. While the immediate area did not see major battles, the conflict certainly had local consequences. A nearby vicar and several leading local men in another Thornton were recorded as Royalists, fined, and closely watched by Parliamentarians, suggesting a tense political climate in the broader region.

Modern Era

In later centuries, the village evolved through agricultural changes and industrial activity, such as a local paper mill that ran for much of the 20th century, employing many villagers until its closure in 1976.
You can view the specific Domesday Book entry for the area on Open Domesday to see how the village was officially recorded in 1086.