| Croft-on-Tees | |
|---|---|
 TheCroft Hotel | |
.svg)  Croft-on-Tees Location withinNorth Yorkshire | |
| Population | 466 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | NZ289097 |
| • London | 210 mi (340 km) SSE |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DARLINGTON |
| Postcode district | DL2 |
| Dialling code | 01325 |
| Police | North Yorkshire |
| Fire | North Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| UK Parliament | |
| 54°29′00″N1°33′23″W / 54.48333°N 1.55639°W /54.48333; -1.55639 | |
Croft-on-Tees is a village andcivil parish inNorth Yorkshire, England. It has also been known asCroft Spa, and from which the formerCroft Spa railway station took its name. It lies 11 miles (18 km) north-north west of the county town ofNorthallerton.
The village is mentioned in theDomesday Book of 1086 asCrofst. It makes no mention of any lord of the manor prior to theNorman conquest, but namesEnisant Musard as lord after 1086, granted to him by Count Alan of Brittany.[1] The lands were subject to many years of dispute until the 13th century. In 1205,King John settled the issue by granting the lands to Roald the Constable of Richmond. His heirs inherited the title until 1299 when they were succeeded byHenry le Scrope of Bolton. Thereafter the lands were held under the Scropes by the Clervaux family. They held the manor until 1590 when the direct male line ceased, but Clervaux inheritance continued via marriage to the Chaytor family into the 20th century.[2][3] Numerous historic houses survive, includingCroft Hall,[4]Jolby Manor,[5] andMonk End Hall.[6]
The etymology of the village name comes from theOld English wordCroft meaning a small enclosed field.[7][8]
Croft was once significant for itsspa, first noticed in 1668, and as early as 1713 the sulphurousspring water had acquired such fame that it was sold inLondon as a cure for ailments and diseases, as described inRobert Willan's study of the sulphur water at Croft, published in London in 1782.[9] A.B. Granville's description of the "Old Well" and the "New Well" described the Croft Spa for which the railway station was both opened and named. It was published in 1841.[10][11]
The village was once served by itsrailway station on theEast Coast Main Line. The railway still passes near Croft but the station, which was opened in 1841, closed in 1968 and has been demolished.[12][13]
The 1861Epsom Derby winnerKettledrum was bred at Croft in 1858.[14]
3 miles (4.8 km) south ofDarlington, Croft stands on the opposite side of theRiver Tees fromHurworth-on-Tees between Clow Beck and Spa Beck and is situated on theA167. Thebridge over the Tees between Croft and Hurworth marks the boundary between North Yorkshire andCounty Durham. The exact point of transition is the fourth of the seven arches.[10] It is a Grade I listed building.[15] The settlements ofEryholme andDalton-on-Tees are also within three miles of the village.[16]
The village lies within theRichmond UK Parliament constituency and the Richmondshire North electoral division of North Yorkshire Council.[16]
Anelectoral ward in the name of Croft exists. This ward stretches south toNorth Cowton with a population taken at the 2011 census of 1,272.[17]
| Population[18][19][20] | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1951 | 1961 | 2001 | 2011 |
| Total | 543 | 563 | 648 | 692 | 744 | 750 | 537 | 459 | 465 | 494 | 509 | 501 | 680 | 480 | 427 | 466 |
According to the 2001 UK Census, the parish was 50.6% male and 49.4% female of the total population of 427. The religious make-up was 86.4% Christian with the rest stating no religion. The ethnic distribution was 100% White. There were 180 dwellings.
According to the 2011 UK Census, the parish had a total population of 466 with 50% male and 50% female. The religious make-up was 75.5% Christian, a small Hindu minority, with the rest stating no religion. The ethnic distribution was 97.8% White with a small Mixed Ethnic and British Asian minority . There were 198 dwellings.
The village is served for Primary education by Croft CE Primary School which caters for ages 3 to 11 and has a capacity of 105.[21] It lies within the catchment areas of bothNorthallerton School andRichmond School for secondary education.[22]
Croft has two hotels, of which,Croft Hotel is a Grade IIlisted building.[23]Croft motor racing circuit is built on the former aerodrome,RAF Croft.
The village church,St Peter's, is a 14th-century style building situated on the bank of the Tees. It is a Grade I listed building.[24]
Whilst not a job in Yorkshire, the incomingBishop of Durham meets theMayor of Darlington to be presented with thefalchion that John Conyers used to despatch theSockburn Worm. The ceremony, which is performed on the bridge over the River Tees in the village, has been carried out since 1790.[25]
Lewis Carroll lived in Croft from 1843 to 1850.[26][27] His father the RevdCharles Dodgson was Rector of Croft and Archdeacon of Richmond from 1843 to 1868. Carroll's photo of the niece ofAlfred Lord Tennyson's wife was taken at Croft.[28][29] Historians believe Lewis Carroll'sCheshire Cat in the bookAlice in Wonderland was inspired by a carving in Croft Church.[30]
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Media related toCroft-on-Tees at Wikimedia Commons