ABOUT

Welburn is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England, on the edge of the Howardian Hills, near to the stately home of Castle Howard. It is about 14 miles from York and 5 miles south-west of Malton/Norton. It is a popular area for walkers and bird-watchers. The parish's population was estimated at 523 people in 2013. This figure includes the developments at Crambeck, Holmes Crescent, Chestnut Avenue and Castle Howard Station Road that are some distance outside the heart of the village.

 

It is a traditional village in regards to its linear structure. The Main Street has two main offshoots; one lane, to the south, is called Church Lane (formerly Bank Lane) and leads to St John the Evangelist Church, built in 1858, to the newly built Village Hall, and to a small area of housing, mostly constructed in the 1960s. The lane leading northwards is called Water Lane, a short section of road serving two properties and over a small stream to farmland. Main Street continues south-eastwards of the village centre as Chestnut Avenue to join the main A64 road to Malton and York.

 

It has one school, Welburn Community School, in the centre of the village. It also has a dog-friendly pub/restaurant, the Crown and Cushion, which provides a centre for the village and Dough, village bakery and cafe. Welburn is one of the few villages in the area that still has a red telephone box (located near the centre of the village); they are becoming an increasing rarity in North Yorkshire.

 

The Parish Council of the area is based at Welburn Village Hall. It has elected members from Welburn and Crambeck, an adjoining settlement. Crambeck, formerly a reformatory school, was used in the Roman period times as the site of a pottery. The Roman ceramic produced here is known as Crambeck Ware. The recently redeveloped eco-friendly built Village Hall, operational since May 2007, is used for a range of activities and groups in the village and the surrounding area. These groups include the Women's Institute, horticultural society, indoor bowling club, country dancing, Local History Group, Wine Club and an Art & Craft club.

 

Welburn has recently appeared in the list of top 50 desirable places to live in Britain according to the Sunday Times.