Eastrington has
always been a predominantly agricultural village. It remains so today
although it has several areas of new housing and most inhabitants leave
the village to work.
It has always been an open village with several owners of the land rather
just one family as at nearby Saltmarshe for example. Until the early 19th
century there were three open fields around the village - West field,
East or Mill field and Braggitt field as well as other areas of land such
as Tow Garth, Innhams and the Farmses. There was also a village common
which adjoined the larger Bishopsoil common. There was a village windmill
and pinfold. The open fields were enclosed in 1822 and some new farm houses
were built although most farmers continued to farm from their houses,
foldyards and barns within the village itself.
Few families have remained in Eastrington for more than a century although
the Holmes, Lilley and Scutt families came in the nineteenth centuries
and are still farming today whilst other long established families include
the Hoggards and Kays. Most farming was and is arable with flax and teazles
being grown in the 1800s and wheat, barley, oil seed rape, peas, potatoes
and sugar beat being popular today. Some farmers keep dairy and beef animals,
some a few sheep and there is an intensively farmed duck unit and a riding
school.
Most everyday requisites were once available within the village although
the market town of Howden is only four miles
away. Eastrington had its own blacksmith, butcher, saddler and joiner
within living memory although today has only one shop and post office
combined as well as a garage. Also keeping Eastrington's name to the fore
has been the philatelic business run by Mr Dennis Hanson, sending stamps
on 'approval' for many years to children all over the country.
There was also a village brickyard from about 1840 until its last owner,
Mr Cecil White closed it in the 1960s. Its site is now a nature reserve
although for a time it was a council operated rubbish tip.
There has been a school in Eastrington since 1722 when Joseph Hewley left
a house for the master, a barn for the school and land, the rent from
which would pay the master so that village children could be educated.
This 'thatched school' was rebuilt as a board school in the nineteenth
century and has now been replaced by a newer building dating from the
1960s.
Staff names include headmasters Messrs Freer, Bramley, Thomas and Coates
and teachers Mrs White, Mrs Leadill and Mrs Watson.
One of the biggest changes Eastrington has seen was the coming of the
railways. In 1840 the Hull to Selby line was opened with a station to
the south of the village. In 1885 the Hull and Barnsley line was opened,
carrying mainly coal but also passengers from the station slightly north
of the main settlement (and now covered by new houses). Not only did the
trains provide transport for farmers' produce- herbs, soft fruit, potatoes
and sugar beet but easy travelling for villagers to Hull and Leeds as
well as employment for much of the male population. Only the original
Hull and Selby station survives, without the stationmaster's house and
adjoining buildings but still providing a regular passenger service.
Over 100 Eastrington men fought in the First World War- 18 were killed.
In World War Two the village lost five men and was lucky to escape any
bombing. However the village was near a bomber airfield at Holme on Spalding
Moor and another at Breighton. Many foreign airmen, serving at these bases
were given Sunday dinner and tea by villagers and regular dances were
held in the village hall and at the Shire hall in Howden.
There was severe bombing at Hull and several evacuees were sent to Eastrington,
some of whom stayed and made their lives in the village.
This is only a brief account of the village history and much more will
be included in the village history book I am presently researching and
writing. Some primary source material is available via the links: a transcribed
version of the 1901 census, the 1891
census and the 1851 census and a list
of the Eastrington men who served in the First World
War. There is also a page about the history of the church,
as well as one about Eastrington school
(including old school pictures) and a section about well-known Eastrington
families, as well as a gallery of old Eastrington
pictures. I hope to make more information available in the future
and would be glad to hear from anyone with connections to the village.
I have recently added a guestbook to the site - anyone interested in the
area can use this to share with others their connection to Eastrington
and/or put up any local queries they have.
