Church Fenton
| Church Fenton | |
|---|---|
 Church of St Mary the Virgin, Church Fenton | |
.svg.png)  Church Fenton Location within North Yorkshire | |
| Population | 1,392 (2011 census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SE513368 |
| • London | 150 mi (240 km) SSE |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | TADCASTER |
| Postcode district | LS24 |
| Dialling code | 01937 |
| Police | North Yorkshire |
| Fire | North Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| UK Parliament | |
Church Fenton is a village and civil parish in the North Yorkshire district of North Yorkshire, England. It is about 16 miles (26 km) east of Leeds, about 6 miles (10 km) south-east from Tadcaster and 3 miles (5 km) north from Sherburn in Elmet. Neighbouring villages include Barkston Ash, Cawood and Ulleskelf. The former RAF Church Fenton is located immediately north-east, which is now known as Leeds East Airport.[3]
History
The name 'Church Fenton' means a village with a church in fen or marshland.[4] The village was recorded along with nearby Little Fenton as Fentun in the Domesday Book of 1086, with no mention of a church. However in 1338 the establishment of church was signified by the name Kirk Fenton.[5] The two names have been variously used to describe either the village or a parish including the hamlets of Little Fenton to the south and Biggin to the south-east.[6] The area was agricultural with some quarry work until the arrival of the Leeds and Selby Railway in 1839, resulting in the development of local industry, including a brickworks and tileworks.[5][7]
There was also a gas holder and tank works in the 1920s.[7] Further lines to Harrogate, Leeds and York followed, so that at one point there were three stations. All but one were demolished in the 1990s.[5] A row of terraced houses is called Chicory Row indicating the crop which was grown, boiled and bottled locally at one time.[7]
In 1936 RAF Church Fenton was built as a fighter base and took part in the defence of northern cities and the east coast during the Second World War. Later it was used as a pilot training base.[7][5]
It was historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire until 1974,[8] but is now in the county of North Yorkshire.[9] From 1974 to 2023 it was part of the district of Selby, it is now administered by the unitary North Yorkshire Council.
Amenities
The village has a community shop which is run by the residents of the village as volunteers[10] and two public houses: The Fenton Flyer and the newly reopened White Horse pub[11] which was bought by the villagers through a share buy in scheme.[12] Formerly there were three pubs. The former railway station booking office is now a licensed Indian restaurant, Sunar Bangla.[13] The school, Kirk Fenton Parochial Church of England Primary School reflects the name of the local ecclesiastical parish.[14] Village commuters are served by Church Fenton railway station. The village is also home to a Met Office Weather station.[15]
The studio scenes for the 2016 television series Victoria were filmed in a converted aircraft hangar in Church Fenton.[16]
Buildings
St Mary the Virgin's Church, on Church Street, dates from the 13th century, with a 15th-century tower and is one of the smallest cruciform churches in England.[6][8][7] It is a Grade I listed building.[17] The Old Vicarage, on Main Street is also a listed building, Grade II,[18] as is the Village Cross.[19] The church was originally dedicated to St John the Baptist and one of the three bells (18th century) has the figure of St John.[6] It is of Magnesian Limestone with slate roofing.[17] The tower is square with battlements[17] and as well as the bells contains a clock which was installed in 1780.[6] It is fitted with aircraft warning lights because of the nearby aerodrome.[7]
The Methodist church dates from 1892.[5]
Climate
| Climate data for Church Fenton, North Yorkshire 1991–2020 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.3 (45.1) | 8.1 (46.6) | 10.5 (50.9) | 13.3 (55.9) | 16.4 (61.5) | 19.1 (66.4) | 21.5 (70.7) | 21.0 (69.8) | 18.3 (64.9) | 14.2 (57.6) | 10.2 (50.4) | 7.5 (45.5) | 13.9 (57.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.3 (34.3) | 1.2 (34.2) | 2.5 (36.5) | 4.1 (39.4) | 6.9 (44.4) | 10.0 (50.0) | 11.9 (53.4) | 11.9 (53.4) | 9.7 (49.5) | 6.9 (44.4) | 3.7 (38.7) | 1.4 (34.5) | 6.0 (42.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 48.7 (1.92) | 42.2 (1.66) | 41.0 (1.61) | 43.2 (1.70) | 43.1 (1.70) | 55.2 (2.17) | 52.2 (2.06) | 62.3 (2.45) | 56.4 (2.22) | 58.4 (2.30) | 58.7 (2.31) | 58.2 (2.29) | 619.6 (24.39) |
| Average precipitation days | 10.9 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.5 | 8.7 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 10.0 | 8.6 | 10.4 | 11.5 | 11.2 | 116 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 55.1 | 86.0 | 113.7 | 162.5 | 187.7 | 179.7 | 196.3 | 179.0 | 132.1 | 106.4 | 69.9 | 56.2 | 1,524.6 |
| Source: Met Office[20] | |||||||||||||
See also
References
- ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Church Fenton Parish (1170217395)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ^ "Church Fenton Community Web Site".
- ^ "Royal Air Force Church Fenton". rafchurchfenton.org.uk. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ List of generic forms in place names in the United Kingdom and Ireland
- ^ a b c d e "About Church Fenton". church-fenton.net. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Tadcaster Benefice". www.stmarystadcaster.co.uk. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f North Yorkshire Federation of Women's Institutes (1991). North Yorkshire Village Book. Countryside Books. p. 62. ISBN 1-85306-1379.
- ^ a b Mee, Arthur (1941). Yorkshire West Riding. London: Hodder and Stoughton.
- ^ "History of Church Fenton, in Selby and West Riding | Map and description". www.visionofbritain.org.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "How the villagers of Church Fenton united to save their only shop". Yorkshire Post. 7 April 2018.
- ^ "The White Horse - Church Fenton". Archived from the original on 25 July 2019.
- ^ "The White Horse pub in Church Fenton saved from closure by customers". York Press. 18 August 2018.
- ^ "About Church Fenton". Archived from the original on 10 February 2012.
- ^ "Kirk Fenton Parochial CE Primary School". www.kirkfenton.n-yorks.sch.uk. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ "Church Fenton last 24 hours weather - Met Office". metoffice.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ Behrebs, David (12 September 2016). "How they're turning 'Victoria' TV location into a new airport for Leeds". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ a b c Historic England. "Church of St Mary the Virgin (1148436)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ Historic England. "The Old Vicarage (1148437)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ Historic England. "Village Cross (1148435)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ "Church Fenton Climatic Averages 1991-2020". Met Office. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
External links
Media related to Church Fenton at Wikimedia Commons