As we look to develop a new Design Code - a tool that will shape future development within the National Park - we want to get your thoughts on the below profiles and short films that we have created based on our villages.
Within these we have tried to identify the aspects of design that create a village’s ‘sense of place’ and are asking you to think about places in the same way. We are inviting you to look around a village and tell us what you like about the area, and what you notice. What are the 'design cues' which make a place distinctive? What is good design within the context your local area?
You can submit your thoughts via the link at the end of each profile. The villages included on this page include: Easington, East Ayton, Egton, Egton Bridge, Ellerby, Faceby, Fadmoor, Fangdale Beck, Fylingthorpe, Gillamoor, Glaisdale, Goathland, Goldsborough and Grosmont.
Easington
The village of Easington is a nucleated settlement located in the northeast corner of the National Park. It is set in the coastal hinterland, which is characterised by its patchwork fields and panoramic views that often encompass the sea. Historically, Easington was a small village, focussed around the Grinkle Lane junction, and contained All Saints Church, The Rectory, the School, Easington Hall, the Smithy, and the Pub along with several other cottages before large scale expansion occurred in the mid-20th century which extended the village significantly. This historic core is still evident as buildings are of sandstone and slate construction, in contrast to the brick built post war developments.
Most of the buildings which form the historic core are Listed Buildings. The Church itself has many attractive features including a variety of window sizes and shapes, chamfered bell openings and cross finials. Other notable buildings include the Grade II Listed Garden Cottage which features sash windows, chevron tool-dressed sandstone, and clay pantiles and also the Grade II Listed Morehead Terrace with distinctive stone hoodmould detailing and chamfered mullioned 2-light windows. The Grade II Listed drinking fountain and trough are also a feature of the street scene. The 20th century development generally reflects the post-war local authority estate housing of two storey brick semi-detached or terraced interspersed with bungalows laid out in cul-de-sac style and use of modern uPVC materials and designs to windows and doors. A scheduled monument is located to the north and west of Easington Hall Farm which contains the remains of a medieval manor house and moat.
Boundaries in the historic core generally are small stone walls often topped with metal railings and interspersed with tall hedging and timber picket fences. Higher walls are a feature around the Church and Grinkle Lane Stables. Trees are a particular feature around the Church and the Grinkle Lane junction which, along with its elevated position, provides a focal point in views along the street scene and reflects the rural nature of the old settlement. Boundaries to the cul-de-sacs tend to be brick walling and timber vertical panelled fences.
Negative factors: Suburban style development has diluted the historic core of the original settlement. Overhead wire and poles. Suburban street lighting columns. Loss of gardens to parking.
Lying towards the foot of the Tabular Hills, East Ayton is divided by the River Derwent, on the southeastern edge of the National Park. The bridge over the river separating East Ayton from West Ayton existed before 1492, with the present four-arched stone bridge built in 1752. A new level bridge was constructed alongside in 1961. datingThe National Park boundary follows the line of the former Pickering to Scarborough railway line. The railway was operational between 1882 to 1950. Most of the historic core of East Ayton lies within the National Park, focussed around Castlegate which sits above the Derwent valley and the Church of St John the Baptist which occupies a prominent position on the main A170 through the village. The historic part of the village is a Conservation Area, designated in 1995. The rest of the settlement includes 20th century housing extending either side of the A170 outside of the National Park. The main form of the village is linear, with terraces fronting out onto the highway, particularly along the A170 and Castlegate. There is some back land development infilling the area between Castlegate and Moor Lane.
Sandstone is the main building material although brick is evident in small pockets with natural red clay pantile roofs, slate on prominent buildings, and concrete pantiles on post war developments. Stone water tabling is evident on traditional buildings and brick is common for chimney stacks. Windows are generally white painted and where traditional windows exist these are vertical or horizontal sashes, but uPVC is common, mainly on the more modern developments but also within the historic core. Traditional buildings are mainly modest 1 ½ storey simple stone cottages but the village is also characterised by gabled Edwardian style semi-detached dwellings, Victorian townhouses and Georgian and Victorian farmhouses. The Grade II Listed pinfold on Car Lane, now surrounded by 20th century development, reflects this farming history. Boundaries are generally dry-stone walls, but painted timber picket fencing is also evident.
Negative factors: Busy A170 Road. Modern street signs. Loss of traditional patterns of fenestration. Loss of boundary features. Cement strap pointing.
Egton was designated a Conservation Area in 1993. It is sited on a slope at the top of Egton Moor on the northern side of Esk Dale. Set around a Y shaped junction, its history stretches back to the medieval period when in the 13th century the market of Egton was granted. The village has an open and exposed feel and a strong linear settlement form. The village saw a sporadic re-building in the 19th century, probably due to the emergence of the railway in the valley bottom at Egton Bridge. The present church and the school were constructed at the southern end of the village in the late 19th Century, along with additional properties along the main street. To the top end of the village, houses are sited behind large grass verges or gardens which adds to the rural feel. Mature trees and hedgerows add to this rural setting.
The subdued colours of the local building stone help the village to integrate into the landscape. This is particularly true of the lower (southern) part, which contains the church and school. From within Egton, there are long views between buildings and across open land to Esk Dale and the moors above. These views emphasise the sense of elevation felt within the village. Mature vegetation contributes to the gentle approaches to the village. The southern end of Egton is exceptionally well-treed, screening buildings from views from the surrounding area. There are approximately 17 Listed Buildings in Egton. One of the oldest buildings is Cross View a 17th century cruck framed cottage. Stone is sandstone with a grey hue. The majority of the roofscape is pantile but there is a higher proportion of slate than in other villages, due to the railway bringing slate from further afield. The terrace of Barton’s Row forms a row of railway cottages and is clearly distinct from the local vernacular cottages and further 20th and 21st century expansion has occurred extending the edges of Egton particularly along Esk View and Egton Lane. Where boundaries exist, they are most commonly of low dry stone wall construction.
Negative factors: Loss of traditional windows and doors. Cluttering of street signage.
Egton Bridge started as a cluster of farms and cottages in the 18th Century. The settlement form we see today was created in the mid-19th century due to the emergence of the railway and the building of Egton Manor in 1893. The Conservation Area was designated in 1991 and contains approximately 8 listed buildings. The village is split by the River Esk with the Grade II Horseshoe Inn and a small cluster of dwellings being separated by a weir from the rest of the village. The road connects the two at one end, otherwise, there is a small set of well used stepping stones leading from the village to the pub. Properties are distinctively late 19th/early 20th century with features common from railway type settlements harmonising with small vernacular 18th century cottages. The station is separated from the village by the railway bridge and has a stone built pub (The Postgate) with some early 20th century slate roof railway terraces.
There is a high proportion of slate to the roofscape which is common with railway settlements. Ones that are pantile are older properties. Sandstone is the predominant building material in a lighter honeyed hue. There is a good proportion of historic timber sash windows in the village, with St Marys Flats having a distinctive jettied faux timber frame central gable in an Arts and Crafts fashion. Properties have large gardens with large amounts of green space between them. The village has a characteristically rural feel with a gently undulating form surrounded by fields and woodland with many mature trees throughout the village. The Catholic Church of St Heda and its stunning wooden barrel-vaulted roof scattered with gold embossed stars is a key feature.
Negative factors: Loss of traditional windows. Hard landscaping
Ellerby lies close to the coast near Runswick Bay. It has evolved from two farms, Middle Farm and Low Farm, along with the school (The Old School House) and the Ellerby Hotel. This agricultural history is evident in the architecture of the village and its features. Sandstone is the predominant building material along with natural red clay pantile roofs and stone water tabling. Slate is only evident at Middle Farm and the old school which has its own unique character. Brick chimney stacks are limited to the principal dwellings and as such are a notable omission on the converted barns.
White painted timber doors and white painted horizontal sashes (some include the locally common ‘Whitby Composite’ style) are a feature of the historical buildings. Darker paints/stains colours are used on the converted barns at Middle Farm and Low Farm. More recent developments are of brick or modern stone construction but maintain the pantile roofing material, albeit some are concrete. These developments also include uPVC fenestration. Wide open verges characterise the former agricultural buildings whereas the residential buildings are generally bounded by drystone walls and/or mature hedges. Most buildings face the highway except for Middle Farm which is set back behind agricultural barns. The open grassy beck runs down the verge to the eastern side of the village.
Negative factors: Overhead poles and wires. Street lighting. Loss of traditional architectural detailing in some instances. Close boarded timber fencing.
Coastal Hinterland Landscape Character Type
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Faceby
Faceby is a small village on the northern edge of the National Park within the Western Escarpment. It is a linear settlement with small offshoots of development to the east and west. Green and leafy in the summer months with many mature trees along the main highway, the main built-up area of Faceby has a feeling of isolation from the wider National Park. The village is characterised by a mix of development styles with many of the more traditional cottages on the east side of Bank Lane, and modern dwellings on the west. Most buildings are sat within large curtilages, set back from the highway, and bounded by low hedging. The buildings are mostly constructed from brick under pantiles, with the occasional building clad in white or off-white render, such as the central public house and adjacent terrace.
Given the prevalence of modern buildings, many fenestration elements are uPVC with the only traditional timber windows and doors visible in the listed buildings. To the west of Bank Lane is Faceby Church, otherwise known as the Church of St. Mary of Magdalene, which sits in an elevated position with long distance views over the surrounding landscape, including Whorl Hill woods to the south. The church is of a 19th Century construction with reused Norman architectural features from a previous structure on the site.
Negative factors: Loss of traditional window designs. Large outbuildings and other domestic paraphernalia to the front of many of the modern dwellings.
Fadmoor is a typical agricultural settlement of the Limestone Hills Character Area to the south of the National Park. The National Park boundary follows Boonhill Road and Fadmoor Lane with the western and northern sides of these roads falling within the National Park. Farms and cottages are situated around a large village green in its centre with large mature Chestnut and sycamore trees forming focal points. Many farms and their outbuildings are still in agricultural use, and this adds to the character of the village as a working village. A red K6 telephone box sits neatly off the village green. Gardens are well stocked behind neat drystone walls and grass verges.
Agricultural features on buildings dominate, such as pigeon lofts, stone grass steps, threshing doors and batten braced doors. Other features on larger houses include stone kneelers and water tabling, thick stone lintels above painted timber windows mainly of horizontal sliding sash design. Houses are of 1 ½ or modest 2-storey size with brick chimney stacks. Because of the village green and the wide grassy verges, Fadmoor has an open character with an abundance of green spaces and farmland views.
Negative factors: Loss of traditional window styles. Stained windows and doors. Tarmac driveways. Overhead wires and poles.
Fangdale Beck is a small, quiet hamlet located nestled at the foot of Bilsdale West Moor. The tree lined beck winds its way through its centre and there is a very natural sense of enclosure. Surrounded by green fields and paddocks and topped by moorland, this setting provides an impressive backdrop, seen over rooftops and through gaps in the street scene. The built form has changed very little over the years with the old Wesleyan Methodist Chapel being the notable addition, built in the early to mid-19th century.
Building construction is sandstone. Natural red clay pantile is the only roof covering, mostly traditional handmade. Stone chimney stacks and stone water tabling are common. Properties are generally of modest 1 ½ storey with upper floors tucked neatly under the eaves with clusters of traditional agricultural barns extending to the rear and sides. Properties are set back behind small front gardens bounded by a small dry-stone wall with timber gates. Unpainted picket fences with native hedging are also evident. Windows and doors are predominantly white painted timber although uPVC has been introduced. Yorkshire horizontal sliding sashes are the most common style of window as well as side hung casements. The lack of road painting or kerbing adds to the natural appearance of the hamlet.
Negative factors: Overhead wires and poles. Loss of traditional window styles in isolated instances.
Moorland Dale Landscape Character Type
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Fylingthorpe
Fylingthorpe lies close to the coast between Whitby and Scarborough. The area close to Robin Hood’s Bay starts with grand late Victorian/Edwardian Villas with buildings becoming older until the historic core is reached. Fylingthorpe developed around a historic crossroads and the village overlooks Robin Hood’s Bay. The land rises steeply to the north and west of the village, so the core of the village is dense with little green space and gardens to the front of properties. The northern part of the village (on Thorpe Bank) significantly changes in greenery and open space. Mature trees and hedges throughout parts of the village create a soft natural setting. This is enhanced by parkland between the village and the Cinder Track. The stone gates posts to Thorpe Hall, (an Elizabethan manor) dominate the south of the village next to an old ford.
In the late 19th Century Fylingthorpe expanded eastwards along Thorpe Lane, with a series of substantial villas sited to maximise the sea views. The villas add a distinctive character to the village. The old school building on the corner is a distinctive feature and marks arrival at the historic core. This core is focused around the green and Thorpe Hall, is a Conservation Area, designated in 1993. It contains approx. 9 Listed Buildings, including houses, a shop, a former school, and Thorpe Hall (Grade II*). Key features include the undeveloped hillsides rising above the village, the dense settlement of the core, views from within the settlement towards the hills and coast, the distinctive Victorian villas along Thorpe Road, the parkland, and mature trees around Thorpe Hall. Houses are a mix of sandstone (the majority), with a healthy mix of white render and brickwork. The roofscape is a mix of slate and red pantile (majority). Windows range from large bay windows of the villas to small vertical sliding sash windows of the cottages. Historic 4 and 6 panelled timber doors were seen predominantly throughout the village.
Negative factors: Loss of traditional windows and doors. Lack of maintenance on traditional boundary features, gate posts etc.
Gillamoor is a typical agricultural settlement in the Limestone Hills Character Area, although it is larger in size compared to other villages. Queen Street and Fadmoor Road form the National Park boundary with developments to the north and east of these roads falling within the National Park. Farms and cottages are situated in a linear arrangement facing the highway. Most are set back behind wide verges which create an open and spacious character to the streetscape, particularly in the centre of the village where the grassy areas are designated as a village green. This greenery significantly increases towards St Aidan Church (rebuilt in 1802 by James Smith of Farndale) and where the war memorial sits. Houses are very modest in scale, mainly comprising simple 1 ½ storey linear cottages set back from the pavement or behind small well stocked gardens. Several working farms still operate which maintains the overall agricultural character. The predominant building material is sandstone or limestone under red clay pantile roofs. The old Methodist Chapel, Church and village school (outside the National Park) do however have slate roofs, which is not uncommon for municipal buildings. Windows are mainly of timber construction with vertical and horizontal sashes, but uPVC is relatively common. Thick stone lintels can be seen above windows and doors.
Boundary treatments are predominantly hedgerows or dry stone walls interspersed with metal railings with simple timber picket or 5-bar gates. The Conservation Area was designated in 1995 and there are 3 listed buildings in the villages, including a rare listed four-face sundial dated from 1800. The red K6 telephone box is also a feature of the streetscape.
Negative factors: Hard landscaping to the front of properties. Infill development has diluted the historic character. Loss of traditional window styles and proportions.
Glaisdale is a substantial hillside village, located on the southern side of Esk Dale, at the mouth of the Glaisdale valley. The village is surrounded by enclosed farmland and valley-side woodland. The settlement is very open which provides ample views and a strong sense of place. One of the most picturesque views is across Glaisdale End from the elevated grassed verge at the lower end of the high street. Glaisdale is a polyfocal settlement with a very dispersed form, providing subtle but frequent glimpses of the view. At the top end of the high street development mainly centres around farmsteads whilst further down are mostly miners' terraces – reflecting a progression in local industry from agriculture to ironstone quarrying. It is not uncommon for dwellings at the lower end to be three storeys, taking advantage of the sloping topography. The agricultural buildings are mainly sandstone and pantile with the terraces predominantly sandstone and slate, and a combination of stone and brick chimneys. The linear forms and right-angled orientation of some properties, especially following the sloping curvature of the road, provide characterful roofscapes. Amongst these is the Wesleyan Church.
There are few remaining examples of traditional agricultural features, timber doors, window sashes and handmade glass. Although boundaries are few, they are generally brick or stone walls with timber gates, grassed verges, stone springs, gateposts, trods and kerbs, intersected with green spaces and mature trees which provide a visual connection to the surrounding landscape. A central village green acts as a junction between various parts of the village, especially where modern buildings meet the historic cores. A few village shops and community spaces remain including the early 20th century Robinson Institute which has both an interesting architectural form and history but also remains in public use by many local groups. A notable feature is Beggars Bridge, built in the 17th century by Thomas Ferris. Thomas was a poor farmworker and as such thought unsuitable to marry the daughter of a wealthy farm owner. It is said that Thomas built the bridge as he was unable to cross the river to say goodbye to the daughter when he left to seek his fortune. His fortune secured, he came back and built Beggars Bridge.
Negative factors: uPVC windows not set into the original deeper reveal, composite doors, generic interlocking pantiles, overgrown trods.
Goathland lies at the heart of the National Park between Grosmont and Rosedale Abbey. The village emerged from the presence of the railway in the 19th century and merged with a historic core centred around the church. Back in the 19th century, Goathland rose in popularity as a mini spa town with people flocking to the 70-foot waterfall, Mallyan Spout, which plunges down a wooded ravine. This has created a poly-focal settlement – from the area around the village shop and green and the area to the north with the Church and the Mallyan Spout Hotel. Goathland remains known for once being ‘Aidensfield’ in the television series Heartbeat, with the store and former garage still carrying the name. The station also appeared in the first Harry Potter film as ‘Hogsmeade.’ The livery colours of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway buildings change depending on the era they were assigned. Cream and burgundy are used at Goathland Station, compared to white and turquoise for Grosmont Station.
There is a high proportion of Arts and Crafts bay and mullioned windows in Goathland, especially around the village green side. There are notably more ornate Victorian/Edwardian panelled doors and stained-glass porches compared to other villages. Historic shop fronts around the green add to the historic character, coupled with the red post box and K6 Telephone box. A high number of slate-roofed properties and wrought ironwork gates and walls are present.
Negative factors: Infill development not following the character of the Conservation Area. Erosion of greens and verges, unmaintained pathways.
Goldsborough sits in the coastal hinterland and is surrounded by gently undulated farmland which forms a patchwork of small fields, gently sloping towards the sea. The village was first recorded in the Domesday survey as one manorial holding. Medieval remains from the 12th century onwards have been found at several locations in the village. It is also the site of a Roman signal station or ‘fortlet’ which sits approximately 450m to the north of the village. The Old Guardhouse, an isolated 1950s brick built ‘camouflage’ building one kilometre to the south of the village, sits atop a decommissioned underground radar installation at Barnby Howe, used during WW2. A small quoits pitch sits beside the road opposite the Pub.
Goldsborough is an estate village forming part of the Mulgrave Estate, and the estate’s colours are evident on house and farm doors. The settlement is nucleated in form, and building styles are derived from their origins as traditional agricultural holdings. Older barns, byres and stables with plain boarded openings are present. Buildings are typically traditional course squared sandstone construction with traditional red clay pantile roof tiles and pitched gables with stone copings. There has been some limited post war development comprising a pair of semi-detached rendered dwellings. All of the buildings forming the historic core are Listed. Black cast iron rainwater goods and timber framed windows, along with stone and brick chimneys are typical. Windows are usually small pane horizontal sliding with some later 20th century small panel casements. Boundaries generally form a mix of hedging and dry stone walls, but timber post and rail are also evident. The wide verges and gaps between dwellings create a relatively open character to the street scene.
Negative factors: Overhead wires and poles. Widened accesses and erosion of grass verges.
Grosmont lies to the northeast of the National Park, between Egton and Sleights. It is one of the National Park’s larger settlements and is predominantly linear in character with a central focal point around the station. The majority of buildings follow the topography of Front Street along the incline up and out of the village but with a heavier grouping of buildings on and behind the northern side of Front Street, including garages, cottages, and affordable housing. The railway and associated industries within Grosmont, such as the Iron and Brickworks have influenced many buildings and features. This resulted in Grosmont expanding rapidly with two main railways – the North Yorkshire Moors Railway line and the Esk Valley line. There is a large presence of high-quality railway buildings, bridges, tunnels, and features which have been painted in traditional colours (white and turquoise). This includes the Station pub and workers’ cottages which have some decorative ironmongery and stone boundaries. Remnants of the historic brickworks also remain, particularly in the National Park car park and in buildings to the north of the settlement.
Some of the larger villas, such as Hollins Hall would have been associated with owners of the industry. As the railway enabled the introduction of different materials, there is a wide variety in Grosmont, with some of the more traditional buildings made of stone and slate, migrating to brick in association with the brickworks. Unusually there are also some brightly painted houses on Front Street set along the east of the settlement on the incline, past the modest stone workers’ dwellings. There are also some historic shops with characterful fronts, including one of the first and longest standing co-operatives. There are some expansive views across the valley and overlooking rivers and fords. Whilst the village is surrounded by fields, some of which have traditional stone farmsteads, there are very few gardens and green space. The view of the St. Mathews Church is also prominent, with lovely roof tile detailing, although smaller chapels were present within the village and have since been converted.
Negative factors: Loss of traditional window styles and sizes. Loss of boundary walls or gates. Overhead wires and poles. Modern garage doors.