Church Fenton

The name 'Church Fenton' means a village with a church in fen or marshland.List of generic forms in place names in the United Kingdom and Ireland The village was recorded along with nearby Little Fenton as Fentun in the Domesday Book of 1086, with no mention of a church. However in 1338 the establishment of church was signified by the name Kirk Fenton.{{cite web |url=http://church-fenton.net/about.php |title=About Church Fenton |author= |website=church-fenton.net |access-date=30 July 2018 }} The two names have been variously used to describe either the village or a parish including the hamlets of Little Fenton to the south and Biggin to the south-east.{{cite web |url=http://www.stmarystadcaster.co.uk/a-tour-of-st-marys-kirk-fentob.html |title=Tadcaster Benefice |author= |website=www.stmarystadcaster.co.uk |access-date=30 July 2018 }}

The area was agricultural with some quarry work until the arrival of the Leeds and Selby Railway in 1839, resulting in the development of local industry, including a brickworks and tileworks.

File:Church Fenton Station.jpg

There was also a gas holder and tank works in the 1920s. Further lines to Harrogate, Leeds and York followed, so that at one point there were three stations. All but one were demolished in the 1990s. A row of terraced houses is called Chicory Row indicating the crop which was grown, boiled and bottled locally at one time.

In 1936 RAF Church Fenton was built as a fighter base and took part in the defence of northern cities and the east coast during the Second World War. Later it was used as a pilot training base.

It was historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire until 1974,{{cite book |last=Mee |first=Arthur |date=1941 |title=Yorkshire West Riding |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.176659|location=London |publisher=Hodder and Stoughton }} but is now in the county of North Yorkshire.{{Cite web|title=History of Church Fenton, in Selby and West Riding {{!}} Map and description|url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/12573|access-date=2020-11-25|website=www.visionofbritain.org.uk}} From 1974 to 2023 it was part of the district of Selby, it is now administered by the unitary North Yorkshire Council.

File:The Junction, Church Fenton - geograph.org.uk - 151449.jpg

The village has a community shop which is run by the residents of the village as volunteers{{Cite web| url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/latest-news/how-the-villagers-of-church-fenton-united-to-save-their-only-shop-1-9101477|title=How the villagers of Church Fenton united to save their only shop|work=Yorkshire Post|date=7 April 2018}} and two public houses: The Fenton Flyer and the newly reopened White Horse pub{{cite web|url=https://www.twhcf.co.uk/|title=The White Horse - Church Fenton|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725204629/https://twhcf.co.uk/|archive-date=25 July 2019}} which was bought by the villagers through a share buy in scheme.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/16438395.the-white-horse-pub-in-church-fenton-saved-from-closure-by-customers/|title=The White Horse pub in Church Fenton saved from closure by customers|work=York Press|date=18 August 2018}} Formerly there were three pubs. The former railway station booking office is now a licensed Indian restaurant, Sunar Bangla.{{cite web|url=http://www.church-fenton.net/about.php|title=About Church Fenton|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210230143/http://www.church-fenton.net/about.php|archive-date=10 February 2012}} The school, Kirk Fenton Parochial Church of England Primary School reflects the name of the local ecclesiastical parish.{{cite web |url=http://www.kirkfenton.n-yorks.sch.uk/ |title=Kirk Fenton Parochial CE Primary School |author= |website=www.kirkfenton.n-yorks.sch.uk |access-date=30 July 2018 }} Village commuters are served by Church Fenton railway station. The village is also home to a Met Office Weather station.{{cite web|url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/yh/church_fenton_latest_weather.html |title=Church Fenton last 24 hours weather - Met Office |publisher=metoffice.gov.uk|accessdate=30 July 2016}}

The studio scenes for the 2016 television series Victoria were filmed in a converted aircraft hangar in Church Fenton.{{cite news |last=Behrebs |first=David |date=12 September 2016 |title=How they're turning 'Victoria' TV location into a new airport for Leeds |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/transport/how-they-re-turning-victoria-tv-location-into-a-new-airport-for-leeds-1-8119930 |work=Yorkshire Post |access-date=30 July 2018 }}

St Mary the Virgin's Church, on Church Street, dates from the 13th century, with a 15th-century tower and is one of the smallest cruciform churches in England.{{cite book |last=North Yorkshire Federation of Women's Institutes |date=1991 |title=North Yorkshire Village Book |publisher=Countryside Books |page=62 |isbn=1-85306-1379 }} It is a Grade I listed building.{{NHLE| num =1148436| desc=Church of St Mary the Virgin|accessdate = 30 July 2018}} The Old Vicarage, on Main Street is also a listed building, Grade II,{{NHLE| num =1148437| desc=The Old Vicarage|accessdate = 30 July 2018}} as is the Village Cross.{{NHLE| num =1148435| desc=Village Cross|accessdate = 30 July 2018}} The church was originally dedicated to St John the Baptist and one of the three bells (18th century) has the figure of St John. It is of Magnesian Limestone with slate roofing. The tower is square with battlements and as well as the bells contains a clock which was installed in 1780. It is fitted with aircraft warning lights because of the nearby aerodrome.

The Methodist church dates from 1892.

{{Weather box

|location = Church Fenton, North Yorkshire 1981–2010

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|Jan high C = 7.0

|Feb high C = 7.5

|Mar high C = 10.1

|Apr high C = 12.6

|May high C = 16.0

|Jun high C = 18.8

|Jul high C = 21.2

|Aug high C = 20.8

|Sep high C = 18.0

|Oct high C = 13.9

|Nov high C = 9.9

|Dec high C = 7.1

|Jan low C = 1.0

|Feb low C = 0.9

|Mar low C = 2.5

|Apr low C = 3.8

|May low C = 6.6

|Jun low C = 9.6

|Jul low C = 11.8

|Aug low C = 11.7

|Sep low C = 9.5

|Oct low C = 6.7

|Nov low C = 3.5

|Dec low C = 1.1

|Jan precipitation mm = 50.3

|Feb precipitation mm = 37.3

|Mar precipitation mm = 45.5

|Apr precipitation mm = 46.3

|May precipitation mm = 42.6

|Jun precipitation mm = 54.8

|Jul precipitation mm = 50.2

|Aug precipitation mm = 57.9

|Sep precipitation mm = 51.2

|Oct precipitation mm = 56.7

|Nov precipitation mm = 53.9

|Dec precipitation mm = 56.6

|Jan precipitation days = 10.8

|Feb precipitation days = 8.5

|Mar precipitation days = 9.9

|Apr precipitation days = 9.0

|May precipitation days = 8.9

|Jun precipitation days = 8.9

|Jul precipitation days = 8.6

|Aug precipitation days = 9.4

|Sep precipitation days = 8.3

|Oct precipitation days = 10.1

|Nov precipitation days = 11.0

|Dec precipitation days = 10.6

|Jan sun = 53.9

|Feb sun = 82.5

|Mar sun = 115.6

|Apr sun = 154.8

|May sun = 210.7

|Jun sun = 189.3

|Jul sun = 205.9

|Aug sun = 182.8

|Sep sun = 147.1

|Oct sun = 108.1

|Nov sun = 70.0

|Dec sun = 53.0

|source 1 = Met Office{{cite web

| url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/climate/church-fenton#?tab=climateTables

| title=Church Fenton Climatic Averages 1981-2010

| publisher=Met Office

| accessdate=22 December 2012}}

|date=December 2012

}}

• Listed buildings in Church Fenton

{{Reflist}}

• {{Commons category-inline|Church Fenton}}

{{Portalbar|Yorkshire|England|United Kingdom}}

{{North Yorkshire|state=collapsed}}

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Category:Villages in North Yorkshire

Category:Civil parishes in North Yorkshire