History of Eastrington, East Yorkshire

Click here to read a brief history of the village of Eastrington through the centuries.

I have collected a great deal of material relating to Eastrington's history over the years, some of which is available via the following links:

Eastrington 1851 census - full transcript, including Eastrington and the outlying nearby settlements of Newland, Portington, Caville, Ousethorpe, East and West Linton, as well as the outlying farms (known as Granges), now within the parish but then listed on the census as being on the former common of Bishopsoil.
Eastrington 1891 census - full transcript, including Eastrington and outlying settlements.
Eastrington 1901 census - full transcript, including Eastrington and outlying settlements.
Eastrington WW1 servicemen - a copy of a list which is on display in the vestry of St Michael's Church, Eastrington; written during the First World War by the vicar and listing village servicemen and their regiments.
Eastrington show history - a comprehensive history of Eastrington show from its beginnings in the 19th century to present day. Includes details of show events, competitors and officials over the years.

Eastrington church history - a history of St. Michael's Church, Eastrington.
Eastrington school history - a history of Eastrington school from the 18th century onwards; Eastrington school song, school pictures and memories from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Eastrington families - details of 19th century Eastrington families & tradespeople including Batty, Horsley, Norwood, Vause, Stogdale, Shaw, Scutt, Goundrill, Eccles, Pashley, Collins, Wilson, Barker, Ellis, Ward, Young, Hill, Holmes, Barrow, Thomas, Ainley, Pittock, Mays, Stephenson, Sherbourn, Thompson, Bletcher, Nurse, Belt, Fielder, Wood, Swale, Jipson, Tate, Jepson, Leaper, Lilley, Hairsine, Alden, Fenton, Parkin, Holt and Long.

I would love to hear from anyone with connections to the village! Many more details and memories of Eastrington families and the area can be found inside the book 'Eastrington, an East Riding village' - published in December 2009.

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History of Eastrington

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.

The village landscape

Eastrington was 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, as well as 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.

Village life

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 beet 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.

Eastrington school

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.

Changing times in Eastrington

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 they also were a source of easy travel for villagers to Hull and Leeds, as well as employment for much of the male population of the village. 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.