Yorkshire Churches Day - tour of churches associated with ‘Deserted Medieval Villages’ in East Yorkshire.
Wharram Percy Farm Cottage, Wharram, Malton, West Yorkshire, YO17 9TP
Wharram Percy is a nationally famous as one of the best excavated and studied ‘deserted’ or ‘shrunken’ medieval villages of England. Today, the ruins of the church survive as a reminder of this once-thriving settlement, surrounded by the earthwork remains of peasant tofts and crofts and manor houses which gradually disappeared over the centuries. Once thought to be a legacy of the Black Death, archaeological excavations and analysis over several decades has revealed a much richer and longer history of places like Wharram, and surrounding sites such as Cowlam and Cottam.
For Yorkshire Churches Day, our guide will be ‘landscape detective’ and Wharram expert, Dr Al Oswald, who will share his expert reflections on the site, starting at the church at 11am. Wharram Percy is accessed by foot from a car park signposted off the B1248. Parking is free for English Heritage members, £2 for non-members, payable by text or by visiting English Heritage’s visitor parking website: https://eh.tap2park.com/find.location.php.
The village is a ¾ of a mile walk down a steep slope. Although the church of St. Martin is a ruin, evidence of its evolution and contraction from the 12th to the 17th century is preserved in its standing fabric and has been revealed by excavation. .
Visit the YHCT website Yorkshire Churches Day page here for further details of the route, continuing to Sledmere, Cowlam and Cott
Timings & Tours
- Saturday 13 September:
- 11am start
Location & directions
Wharram Percy Farm Cottage, Wharram, Malton, West Yorkshire, YO17 9TP
- Directions:
- Wharram Percy is accessed by foot from a car park signposted off the B1248. Parking is free for English Heritage members, £2 for non-members, payable by text or by visiting English Heritage’s visitor parking website: https://eh.tap2park.com/find.location.php.
- Contact on day:
- Vanessa White
- Telephone number:
- +447786656883
Booking information
- Pre-booking requirement:
- Pre-booking not required
Accessibility details
The tour is a combination of walking and driving, the first site is 3/4 mile from the car park. Sturdy shoes and raincoats recommended. Not suiable for people with limited mobility and people walk at their own risk. From Cowlam, you can walk to the lost village and derelict church of Cottam, whose font and door lintel now sit within the church at Langtoft. It is also possible to get to this site by car from Cowlam, involving just a short 300 yard walk - maps will be available on the day.
