Strensall

Strensall is a village in the Strensall with Towthorpe civil parish in the unitary authority of the City of York in North Yorkshire, England, on the River Foss north of York and north-east of Haxby. In 2001 the parish had a population of 3,815. It covers an area of 2,908 acres.

The village was historically part of the North Riding of Yorkshire until 1974. It was then a part of the district of Ryedale in North Yorkshire from 1974 until 1996. Since 1996 it has been part of the City of York unitary authority. On 1 April 2009 the parish was abolished and merged with Towthorpe to form "Strensall with Towthorpe".

The nearby Strensall Common is a Special Area of Conservation, an example of lowland heathland habitat covering over 5 km<sup>2</sup>. The southern part is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Strensall also has an army firing range and training area both of which belong to the Ministry of Defence.

History

Archeological finds of pottery shards and Samian tableware indicate that Strensall may have been the site of a Roman farmstead.

Strensall is referred to in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Streonaeshalch, after Streona, a personal name, and halch, a corner of land. The name has altered through the centuries from Strenshale in the 11th century, to Stranessale in the 14th century and to Strencile or Strencham alias Trencham in the 17th century.

The Domesday Book records that, immediately before the Norman Conquest, the estate and parish of Streonshalch was owned by York Minster and held by two men called Saxford and Thorkhill. Saxford was a deacon and Thorkhil was probably a thegn. The Robinson family, influential in York and the region, leased Strensall from successive prebendaries from the late 1500s until the late 1700s. The family included Metcalfe Robinson and William Robinson.

To the south of the village lies Strensall Camp, formed by the War Office in 1884 for training troops and now known as Queen Elizabeth Barracks.

Demography

The 1881 census records the population as being 446.

The village is part of the Strensall with Towthorpe Parish Council. There are 14 councillors in total.

Geography

The soil is naturally wet very acid sandy and loamy soil laid over a subsoil of white and grey sandstone. The land lies for the most part about 50 ft above sea level. The River Foss flows from the north-east of the village in a south and south-westerly direction towards Towthorpe. It is crossed by three bridges. About a quarter of a mile east of the village is the disused Strensall station on the York and Scarborough branch of the North Eastern railway.

Economy

thumb|left|Derelict Tanning Factory

In the 19th century employment was found in a tannery in the village. There were also the Strensall Pottery and Britannia Pottery near the village.).

There are three level crossings within Strensall as it lies on the York to Scarborough line but there is no station any more. Strensall railway station was a minor railway station serving the village. It was opened on 5 July 1845 by the York & North Midland Railway and closed on 22 September 1930.

Community

Strensall has three local grocery shops plus a post office, three pubs, a bakery, a hairdressers, a fish & chip shop and Chinese takeaway. It also has a library and a medical centre. Its sports facilities include 2 playing fields, one with changing rooms; three floodlit tennis courts; two football pitches and one astro pitch and five small parks. There are 20 half plot allotments on New Lane run by the council and were established in 2008. There are also 14 plots run by the Parish Council on Northfield Lane.

File:The Six Bells at Strensall (geograph 3525815).jpg|The Six Bells

File:The Half Moon, Strensall - geograph.org.uk - 1130328.jpg|The Half Moon

File:The Ship, Strensall - geograph.org.uk - 1130316.jpg|The Ship

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Religious sites

A Wesleyan chapel existing in Strensall from 1823 was succeeded by a new building in 1895. Between 1879 and 1889 a Primitive Methodist chapel was built in the village. Robert Wilkinson is the local primary school and was founded in 1718 from money left by a local farmer of that name. It moved to its present location on West End in 1972.

Sports

Strensall is the home of the York Golf Club. Strensall Football Club 1XI play in Division Two of the York and District Football League.