Place Information
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Askham Bryan is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of City of York in the north of England, 6 miles south west of York, west of Bishopthorpe, and close to Askham Richard and Copmanthorpe. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 582. Prior to 1996 it formed part of the district of Selby. The village consists of two main streets, called Main Street and Askham Fields Lane, off which lie several closes and cul-de-sacs. The parish church of St. Nicholas, towards the centre of the village, dates back to the 11th century and has an original Norman entrance arch and a working 17th century bell tower. Opposite the church is the village duck pond, believed to have been dug as part of a medieval drainage system and which is currently home to several species of waterbirds including Mallard, Moorhen and the odd visiting Canada Goose. Although the centre of the village is the oldest part of Askham Bryan, notable buildings also include the 18th century Nag's Head pub, the old school (closed in the 1960s when it merged with St. Mary's C. of E. Primary School in Askham Richard) and the Victorian Doctor's House. The Village Hall, built in the late 19th century, is a former Methodist chapel, converted into the village's meeting place when the local Methodist population declined. Askham Bryan is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The name comes from Ascam or Ascha meaning "enclosure of ash-tree". "Bryan" is Bryan FitzAlan. He and his heirs held the manor from the 12th century. In the village is Askham Hall and nearby are Askham Bryan College of Agriculture and Her Majesty's Prison Askham Grange, in the neighbouring village of Askham Richard. The village became a Conservation Area in 1980. Research Tips
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