Brafferton is a village and former

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...

, now in the parish of

Brafferton and Helperby Brafferton and Helperby is a civil parish in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire, England. Up until 2019, both Brafferton, North Yorkshire, Brafferton and Helperby were in their own civil parishes, but a vote, and then later an order was c ...

, in the

Hambleton District Hambleton is a local government district in North Yorkshire, England. The administrative centre is Northallerton, and the district includes the outlying towns and villages of Bedale, Thirsk, Great Ayton, Stokesley, and Easingwold. The dist ...

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...

, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 257, increasing to 311 at the 2011 Census. On 1 April 2019 the parish was merged with

Helperby Helperby is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Brafferton and Helperby, in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire, England, about five miles west of Easingwold. Over the years it has joined onto Brafferton, North Yorksh ...

to form

. The village is situated about ten miles south of

Thirsk Thirsk is a market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England known for its racecourse; quirky yarnbomber displays, and depiction as local author James Herriot's fictional Darrowby. History Archeological fin ...

, on the

River Swale The River Swale in Yorkshire, England, is a major tributary of the River Ure, which becomes the River Ouse, that empties into the North Sea via the Humber Estuary. The river gives its name to Swaledale, the valley through which it flows. Th ...

. It is contiguous with the village of

, one street has properties in one village on one side and the other opposite. The village takes its name from a ford across the Swale, it being originally Broad-Ford-Town, and now by contraction, Brafferton. The parish church of St Peter's was built in the 15th century, modified in 1826 by the architect James Pritchett and restored in 1878. It is a grade II* listed building. An unusual feature of the church is that the battlemented nave is wider than it is long. On the outside wall of the chancel are carved the arms of the Neville family. Underneath is the Latin inscription: "''orate pro animo Radulphi Neville fundatoris hujus Ecclesioe - soi deo honor et gloria!''" (Pray for the soul of Ralph Neville, founder of this Church- To God the honour and glory). On the largest bell is inscribed "''Radulphus Neville Armiger, I.H.S. 1598''". Norman M‘Neile, known as “the blind vicar”, served at St Peter's for 50 years. He was completely blind from the age of 12.

History

Ralph Rymer, Lord of the Manor at the

Restoration Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to: * Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage ** Audio restoration ** Film restoration ** Image restoration ** Textile restoration * Restoration ecology ...

, was executed in 1664 for his part in the

Farnley Wood Plot The Farnley Wood Plot was a conspiracy in Yorkshire, England in October 1663. Intended as a major rising to overturn the return to monarchy in 1660, it was undermined by informers, and came to nothing. The major plotters were Joshua Greathead a ...

of 1663. His lands reverted to the Crown. His son was the author, critic and

Historiographer Royal Historiographer Royal is the title of an appointment as official chronicler or historian of a court or monarch. It was initially particularly associated with the French monarchy, where the post existed from at least 1550, but in the later 16th and 1 ...

Thomas Rymer Thomas Rymer (c. 1643 – 14 December 1713) was an English poet, critic, antiquary and historian. His lasting contribution was to compile and publish 16 volumes of the first edition of ''Foedera'', a work in 20 volumes conveying agreements betwe ...

References

External links

{{authority control Villages in North Yorkshire Former civil parishes in North Yorkshire Hambleton District