Norton-on-Derwent explained

Country:England
Static Image Name:Commercial Street, Norton - geograph.org.uk - 1270911.jpg
Static Image Caption:Commercial Street, Norton
Coordinates:54.132°N -0.783°W
Label Position:top
Official Name:Norton-on-Derwent
Population:7,387
Population Ref:(2011 Census)
Civil Parish:Norton-on-Derwent
Region:Yorkshire and the Humber
Constituency Westminster:Thirsk and Malton
Post Town:MALTON
Postcode District:YO17
Postcode Area:YO
Dial Code:01653
Os Grid Reference:SE 795 714
London Distance Mi:150
London Direction:S
Unitary England:North Yorkshire
Lieutenancy England:North Yorkshire

Norton-on-Derwent, commonly referred to as simply Norton, is a town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. Norton borders the market town of Malton, and is separated from it by the River Derwent. The 2001 Census gave the population of the parish as 6,943, increasing at the 2011 Census to 7,387.

History

The name Norton is derive from "north farmstead or village", being a settlement to the north of another.[1]

In the Domesday Book Norton is listed three times, as "Nortone" in the Scard wapentake of the East Riding of Yorkshire.[2]

At the foot of the bridge between Norton and Malton in the reign of Henry II was a hospital dedicated to St Nicholas, founded by Roger de Flamvill, and governed by the canons of Malton. In 1823 Norton was in the Wapentake of Buckrose and the East Riding of Yorkshire. Population at the time was 1017. Occupations included five farmers, one of whom was also a lime burner, two blacksmiths, four butchers, six grocers, five shoemakers, three tailors, two horse jockeys, a horse trainer, three raff merchants (dealers in lumber and odd refuse), two schoolmasters, a corn miller, saddler, stonemason, linen draper, cabinet maker, roper, gardener, fellmonger, wheelwright, overseer, and surgeon, and the landlords of The Bay Horse, and The Oak Tree public houses. Resident were fifteen members of the gentry.[3]

Governance

There are two tiers of local government covering Norton, at parish (town) and unitary authority level: Norton-on-Derwent Town Council and North Yorkshire Council. The town council is based at the Old Courthouse on Commercial Street.[4]

Norton-on-Derwent is in the Thirsk and Malton Parliamentary constituency since its creation for the 2010 general election, and before this it was in the Ryedale constituency.

Administrative history

Norton was an ancient parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire.[5] In 1832 the parish was included in the Malton parliamentary borough (constituency).[6] The parliamentary borough of Malton was made a local board district in 1854, after which Norton was therefore governed as part of Malton.

This situation continued until 1889 when elected county councils were established under the Local Government Act 1888, which made each of Yorkshire's three ridings a separate administrative county. Local board districts which straddled county boundaries were placed in the county which had the majority of the population. The Malton district straddled the boundary between the North Riding and East Riding, with the boundary being the River Derwent. More of the district's population was north of the river at that time, and so Norton was transferred to the North Riding on 1 April 1889 when the new county councils came into being. A campaign to restore Norton to the East Riding led to the parish of Norton being removed from the Malton district, downgraded to a rural parish and transferred back to the East Riding on 29 September 1889.[7]

In 1890 Norton was made its own local government district.[8] Such districts were renamed urban districts in 1894.[9] [10]

Norton Urban District was abolished in 1974, with the area becoming part of the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire. A successor parish was created covering the former urban district. The successor parish created in 1974 was named "Norton-on-Derwent" whereas previously the official name had just been "Norton".[11]

Community

Norton, with Malton, has significance within the horse racing industry for the town's many stables.

There is a 27-hole golf course located off Welham Road, (Malton & Norton Golf Club) which covers a large part of the south-west end of the town. The club is the 'home club' of European Tour professional Simon Dyson.[12]

Norton's schools are Norton Primary School, and Norton College secondary school. The secondary school has Academy and specialist Technology College status, a sixth form college and a playgroup.

Sport facilities include a swimming pool, a skate park, and Norton College sixth form gym that is open to the public.

Malton Bacon Factory in Norton is a major employer for both Norton, Malton and the local area.

Transport

Because of the town's close proximity to Malton, Norton has access to the A64, which runs from Leeds and York to Scarborough, and the A169 to Pickering and Whitby.

Both Malton bus station and Malton railway station are located in Norton.

Norton is home to Coastliner, a division of the Transdev bus group. Buses run from Leeds and York through Norton and Malton to Pickering, Whitby and Scarborough. There are also regular buses to Castle Howard and Hovingham, and other local bus routes.

Malton railway station is on the TransPennine Express route, with fast trains every hour running from Scarborough to York, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool. There are long term plans to re-open the rail link between Malton and Pickering, which would create a new service from Malton to Whitby. A preliminary feasibility study was published in July 2000, indicating that re-opening this section was technically possible.[13]

Media

The town is served by both BBC Yorkshire and BBC North East and Cumbria on BBC One & ITV Yorkshire and ITV Tyne Tees on ITV1. Television signals are received from either the Emley Moor or Bilsdale TV transmitters.[14] [15]

Local radio stations are BBC Radio York on 103.7 FM, Greatest Hits Radio York & North Yorkshire on 104.7 FM, and Coast & County Radio on 97.4 FM. [16]

Local newspaper is served by the Gazette and Herald.[17]

Skatepark

Norton skatepark is situated on Norton Road and is made up of wooden ramps (Skatelite) on a tarmac base.[18] The skatepark features a back and forth run with a quarter pipe and flat bank either side of a pyramidal funbox, as well as a mini ramp, grind rail and grind box. It also has a Halfpipe (Vert Ramp) which has now become world famous. It is now one of only ten in the country and is the only free to use outdoor vert ramp in the north of England. Ryan Swain has been spearheading a global campaign called #rescuetheramp appealing to the towns councils to restore it.[19] Swain also got world famous skateboarder Tony Hawk to support his campaign. The park has been newly refurbished and restored by King Ramps, with Swain assisting in the build. The Halfpipe ramp, which opened 21 years ago, is thought to be the country's last free-to-use one. It is the only one in the north and just one of 10 in the country which is free to use. A blue plaque has also been put in place at a newly repaired skate park in honor of a "much loved" BMX rider from the area named Tom Warrington.

Arms

Escutcheon:Vert an eagle displayed Or beaked and membered Gules between in chief two roses Argent barbed and seeded Proper and in base a bezant on a chief Gold a ram's Head caboshed between two boars' hnneads couped all Sable armed Or langued Gules.
Crest:On a wreath of the colours upon a mount Vert a horse courant Sable mounted thereon a jockey habited Proper the shirt Green the sash belt and cap Ochre.
Mantling:Vert doubled Or.
Motto:Providentia Proficiemus (By Foresight We Progress)
Notes:Granted to Norton Urban District Council on 20 September 1958. Transferred to the successor parish on 25 July 1978.[20]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Mills, Anthony David . 2003. A Dictionary of British Place Names. Oxford University Press. revised . 2011. 349. 978-0199609086.
  2. http://www.domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SE7971/norton/ "Norton"
  3. Book: Baines, Edward. Edward Baines (1774–1848). 1823. History, Directory and Gazetteer of the County of York. 373, 374.
  4. Web site: Norton Town Council . 8 February 2024.
  5. Web site: Norton Ancient Parish / Civil Parish . A Vision of Britain through Time . GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth . 8 February 2024.
  6. Book: Parliamentary Boundaries Act . 1832 . 366 . 8 February 2024.
  7. Web site: Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (No. 3) Act 1889 . legislation.gov.uk . The National Archives . 8 February 2024.
  8. Book: Annual Report of the Local Government Board . 1891 . 449 . 8 February 2024.
  9. [Local Government Act 1894]
  10. Web site: Norton UD. https://web.archive.org/web/20060923115718/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10193941&c_id=10001043 . 23 September 2006 . A vision of Britain through time. University of Portsmouth. 10 December 2014.
  11. si. The Local Government (Successor Parishes) Order 1973. 1973. 1110. 8 February 2024.
  12. News: Kelly . Tony . Simon Dyson helps Malton & Norton Golf Club celebrate its centenary . 22 November 2018 . Gazette & Herald . 30 June 2010.
  13. Web site: Malton to Pickering Rail Study Preliminary Assessment of Reinstatement Feasibility. https://web.archive.org/web/20141213012634/https://www3.northyorks.gov.uk/n2rail/report5/report5.pdf . 13 December 2014 . 6 March 2012. Mouchel.
  14. Web site: Emley Moor (Kirklees, England) Full Freeview transmitter. 1 May 2004. UK Free TV. 12 April 2024.
  15. Web site: Bilsdale (North Yorkshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter. 1 May 2004. UK Free TV. 12 April 2024.
  16. Web site: Yorkshire Radio Stations. 12 April 2024.
  17. Web site: Ryedale & North Yorkshire news and information from the Gazette & Herald newspaper . gazetteherald.co.uk . 2024 . 12 April 2024.
  18. Web site: 29 October 2014 . Malton Skatepark - Guide to Malton Skatepark . 5 May 2022 . The Skateparks Project .
  19. Web site: 9 August 2021 . North Yorkshire town in row over battle to save skatepark . 5 May 2022 . The Guardian .
  20. Web site: Yorkshire Region . Civic Heraldry of England . 2 March 2021.