Castleton is a village on the
River Esk, part of the civil parish of
Danby in the
county
A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
of
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in Northern England.The Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority areas of City of York, York and North Yorkshire (district), North Yorkshire are in Yorkshire and t ...
in England, south-east of
Guisborough, in the
North York Moors
The North York Moors is an upland area in north-eastern Yorkshire, England. It contains one of the largest expanses of Calluna, heather moorland in the United Kingdom. The area was designated as a national parks of England and Wales, National P ...
. There was once a medieval castle on Castle Hill that is thought to have been abandoned when Danby Castle was constructed.
Castleton has a local school,
St Michael and St George's Church. Castleton is a centre for
walking
Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined as an " inverted pendulum" gait in which the body vaults o ...
,
birdwatching
Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device such as binoculars or a telescop ...
, shooting and many other pursuits. It is said that Castleton was named after a castle built near the River Esk. The village has a
Clapper bridge
A clapper bridge is an ancient form of bridge found on the moors of the English West Country (Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor and Exmoor) and in other upland areas of the United Kingdom including Snowdonia and Anglesey, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, L ...
that spans Danby Beck; this bridge was listed as Grade II in 2016.
Castleton has a primary school (Castleton Community Primary School) with secondary education available at
Caedmon College or
Eskdale School, which are both in
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It is on the Yorkshire Coast at the mouth of the River Esk, North Yorkshire, River Esk and has a maritime, mineral and tourist economy.
From the Middle Ages, Whitby ...
.
Castleton was once the main market and industrial town serving Upper Eskdale. There were
annual wool, cheese and cattle fairs, cheese market and a silk mill.
Transport
Castleton is served by
Castleton Moor railway station on the
Esk Valley Line
The Esk Valley Line is a railway line located in the north of England, covering a total distance of approximately , running from Middlesbrough to Whitby. The line follows the course of the River Esk for much of its eastern half.
The Esk Vall ...
roughly halfway between
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough ( ), colloquially known as Boro, is a port town in the Borough of Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England. Lying to the south of the River Tees, Middlesbrough forms part of the Teesside Built up area, built-up area and the Tees Va ...
and
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It is on the Yorkshire Coast at the mouth of the River Esk, North Yorkshire, River Esk and has a maritime, mineral and tourist economy.
From the Middle Ages, Whitby ...
.
The
Esk Valley Walk runs through the village.
History
The severed hand, known popularly as the
Danby Hand of Glory, was found hidden in a wall of a thatched cottage in Castleton in 1935. The hand is now on display at the
Whitby Museum in Pannett Park,
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It is on the Yorkshire Coast at the mouth of the River Esk, North Yorkshire, River Esk and has a maritime, mineral and tourist economy.
From the Middle Ages, Whitby ...
.
In 1772, preacher and founder of
Methodism
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
,
John Wesley
John Wesley ( ; 2 March 1791) was an English cleric, Christian theology, theologian, and Evangelism, evangelist who was a principal leader of a Christian revival, revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. The societies ...
preached in Castleton, this is commemorated by a sundial on Primrose Hill in Castleton High Street.
Sport
Castleton Cricket Club was established in 1972 and its ground is based on the northern edge of the village along New Road. Castleton CC have two senior teams: a Saturday 1st XI that compete in the
Langbaurgh Cricket League and a Midweek Senior XI in the Esk Valley Evening League.
See also
*
Listed buildings in Danby, North Yorkshire
References
External links
Esk Valley website
{{authority control
Villages in North Yorkshire
Danby, North Yorkshire