Village Focus: Sproxton - former Rievaulx Abbey estate buildings and North Yorkshire's smallest church

It is just off the main B1257 road in Ryedale, which shoots off the A170 between Helmsley and eventually Thirsk.

Should you take this route you will be greeted by signs that say “Sproxton only”.

It does make you wonder what is there – and where you go after that.

The answer, perhaps, is not too far.

Sproxton may be lacking in the usual village facilities like a shop, pub, local school and the like but is nonetheless quite a fascinating little place.

The population of Sproxton is hard to gauge. The census of 2011 would list that as 219, but including Rievaulx, which is some four miles away. But, for why the two hamlets are together is not clear.

Rievaulx, as an aside is also as fascinating a place as Sproxton in that it is located in what was the inner court of Rievaulx Abbey, the first Cistercian monastery in the north of England and was founded in 1132.

The village there that we see today is descended from buildings which would have been the brewhouse, bakehouse and guesthouse.

Running below it is the River Rye with the Norman-French val or valle for valley being added, hence Rievaulx, and at that time education brought a general familiarity with the French language.

Back in Sproxton though, there is much less known about the back story and a google search for pretty much anything Sproxton related will point towards Sproxton in Leicestershire.

The Sproxton there is also small, rural and has around 80 houses, which is possibly more than our Sproxton should the population split between that and Rievaulx add up.

What is written about Sproxton would suggest that it was farms and fields for a great many years.

In the time of Edward the Confessor, one of the last Anglo-Saxon English kings, Sproxton (Sprostune) was in the hands of three local noblemen, but by 1086 the land belonged to the crown.

The name Sproxton itself derives from Sprok's farm or settlement with Sprok being a given name to who owned the farm.

A more modern history of Sproxton talks of the village being formed by the Banks family who were part of the Barlow family.

Again, any more information on this seems hard to come by or why they would be particularly keen to erect a memorial to a Royal Navy officer.

Apparently they designed the original wooden gates which signify the south entrance to Duncombe Park.

These gates were replaced in 1806 with a stone version to mark Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar.

Whilst the British Navy were victorious in the Battle of Trafalgar in south-west Spain, Nelson was killed aboard HMS Victory after being wounded by a French sharp-shooter.

Nelson Gate at Duncombe is thought to be the one of the earliest monuments to be dedicated to Nelson, built only a year after his death in 1805.

The Gate is in the form of a triumphal arch with Tuscan three-quarter columns supporting a full entablature, constructed from ashlar stone (having almost indiscernible joints between the blocks of stone). The arch is built of local calcareous sandstone with wrought iron gates and side screens.

An inscription reads, "To the memory of Lord Viscount Nelson and the unparalleled gallant achievements of the British Navy" on the front and on the rear side is inscribed with "Lamented Hero! O price his conquering country grieved to pays o dear brought glories of Trafalgar Day!"

According to the North York Moors National Park, over recent years the stonework has become extensively decayed and expert opinion has concluded that conservation work on the original stonework would not save it.

Funding from the War memorials Trust, the Country Houses Foundation, Yorkshire Gardens Trust and the North York Moors National Park Authority is enabling stonework to be selectively replaced, ensuring that this monument to the national naval hero will continue to make a significant contribution to the scenic quality of the landscape on the southern approach to Helmsley.

Also of quirky interest, is the grade II listed church in the village.

St Chad’s stands in a prominent position on that B1257 road and points towards the village itself.

It was built in the 1640s, but not where you see it now.

St Chad’s was originally the chapel of West Newton Grange, which stood a mile or so away,.

Apparently by the mid 19th century it was being used as a barn and remarkably was then moved, stone by stone, and rebuilt, stone by stone, in 1879 to serve the people of Sproxton.

The architects then, George Gilbert Scott Jnr and Temple Moore, kept the 17th century feel, with its unusual square shape (nave and chancel as one), reredos with plaster triptych and little gallery.

It is thought to be the smallest church in North Yorkshire, in congregation and size with just nine pews.

Services are still held here each second Sunday.

Moving into the village, it is a one street village and quite the village scene.

The houses are picture postcard and awash with period features, red rooves, barns and small holdings.

Where the houses end sits the local village hall.

It was built towards the end of the 1940s and looks like it may have been a war building – air raid shelter or hut? Maybe readers can enlighten?

Sproxton Grange Equestrian Centre is based down here and is a relatively new addition to the village having recently celebrated its first full year of business whilst at the end of public part of the street are Sproxton Hall Holiday Cottages.